Eyes Wide (Max)

[James Malcom MacDougal]

(12 Nov)

Jamie huddles deeper into his cloak, pulling the fur-lined hood closer against the fine mist that was falling. It was a deary Scottish afternoon but that did nothing to diminish the Slytherin's good spirits. He took the few stairs in a couple bounds, pausing on the porch to shake off as much water from his cloak as possible. 

He swung through the door, stopping briefly to take it all in. All in all this had to be his favorite shop.

Customer, customer, come in from the rain!

He ventured deeper into the shop, stopping at a few cages, stroking the puffskiens, the rabbits. Letting the kneazles nuzzle his knuckles in search of ear rubs. He had just left off watching a large snake swallow a rat and was returning to the kneazle cage when he nearly bumped into someone coming around an overwhelmed shelf. He jumped backwards, looking up at the tall, tall man. Skinny as a pole too.

"I'm so sorry!" he apologized, stepping closer to a cage holding tiny mice to let the man go by.

[Max Kameren]

Apparently, having a cat and a kneazle in the same home was not advised. Kneazles were instinctively hostile towards the creatures they were trying to pose as, apparently as some form of technique meant to help the kneazle better assert themselves in a world where felines outnumbered them. In bringing Rowena’s cat Pumpkin into his 2-bedroom apartment with Eden and Snitch he’d inadvertently started a hostile turf war between two large, furry ginger warlords. And there would be no keeping the peace: the angry red claw marks going up and down Max’s arms told enough of that.

Max had ventured to Hogsmeade after Eden nearly wrung his neck for dropping the cat and leaving, making her intervene on several battles as he searched for his lost love. Now Max needed to clean up the mess he’d made of their apartment, and there was only one person who could help him: Nuriko. She’d had good advice to give him, and suggested several products to appease both cat and kneazle enough that they would hopefully, eventually just ignore each other. For his household’s sake he hoped they would work.

The kneazles were housed in a back corner of the shop and Max swung around a corner of overstuffed shelves to search for them, instead coming into accidental contact with a student with such force he nearly bowled him over. “Oh, sorry mate. You alright?”

"I'm so sorry!" he apologized, stepping closer to a cage holding tiny mice to let the man go by.

“I’m sorry, I’m just here for the kneazles…” Max maneuvered more carefully around the Slytherin to get to the shelf with various kneazle-products, pointing to his destination with his four-fingered hand.

The tall healer stooped to examine the shelves, suddenly pausing when a trait about the student struck him. Those eyes were unmistakable. He turned to look over his shoulder, arching a curious brow down at the younger wizard. “Jamie MacDougal?” What were the odds?

[James Malcom MacDougal]

“I’m sorry, I’m just here for the kneazles…” Max maneuvered more carefully around the Slytherin to get to the shelf with various kneazle-products, pointing to his destination with his four-fingered hand.

"You turned the wrong way then.." Jamie pointed the opposite way, trying not to stare with curiosity at the man's hand. Had he lost it? Was he born that way? "Are you lookimg for one? She just got a new litter in."

The tall healer stooped over the shelves, and Jamie unexpectantly found his usual dissatisfaction with his height tinged with an odd relief. At least he didn't have to bend over to see the shelves. Of course in this packed store there were many above his head. He had wandered past the man, almost forgetting about him as he played with a tiny grey kneazle, dangling a string for him to chase.

“Jamie MacDougal?” What were the odds?

He shot a startled look at the man, "Y-yeess?" he drew the word out cautiously. How did the beanpole giant know his name?

[Max Kameren]

“I’m sorry, I’m just here for the kneazles…” Max maneuvered awkwardly around the shorter student, pointing to the line of kneazle-care products bursting from the shelf behind him. He shied away from the boy’s curiosity at the sight of his hand, unconsciously stuffing it in his pocket to hide the injury.

"You turned the wrong way then… Are you lookimg for one? She just got a new litter in."

“No, already have enough trouble on our - “ Max glanced over his shoulder from the shelf he stooped to search, but stopped short with a double-take. The boy;s green eyes were undeniably familiar, and at a second glance his face was remarkably similar as well. “Jamie MacDougal?”

He shot a startled look at the man, "Y-yeess?"

“Hm.” Max straightened and leaned against the shelf as he looked the healer up-and-down, noting his similarities and differences. The boy could be Violet’s twin, but he was oddly short. What year was he, fifth? Max must have been pushing six-foot by fifth year…

He snapped out of his curious musing with a friendly smile. “You must be the newfound cousin I’ve heard so much about. I’m Max.” The tall healer nodded in greeting in lieu of a handshake; the boy had already expressed a vague morbid interest in his hand, best not to continue waving it in front of him.

[James Malcom MacDougal]

“Hm.” 

Jamie stiffened, eying the man warily. Who was he? With him all shaggy it was hard to make out the details of his face, but a pair of bright green eyes were inspecting him. So far everyone in his new 'family' had green eyes, but he couldnt just assume every green-eyed person he met was a Kameren, that would be silly!

He snapped out of his curious musing with a friendly smile. “You must be the newfound cousin I’ve heard so much about. I’m Max.”

 Jamie gave a brief smile, jutting his chin out as he gazed up at the man. He was taller than even Alex! It just wasn't fair. "Why are you all so bleedin' tall!" his thoughts escaped before he realised and his cheeks flushed slightly red in embarrassment. He swallowed and tried again, more of his natural friendliness coming through this time.

"I'm Jamie," idiot! He obviously already knows that! "You're the oldest, right?" great start to the conversation Jamie, good job. Maybe you'd better shut up while you're behind. 

"So... You have a kneazle? Whats his name?" the little grey kneazle, smallest in the litter, sunk his claws into Jamie's sleeve and started to climb, claws sinking into the thick woolen fabric of his robe. He put out his other hand, hovering it uncertainly beneath the climbing feline. What--finally the small creature reached his shoulder, immediately sticking its whiskered nose into Jamie's ear, causing the boy to shy sideways. "That tickles!"

[Max Kameren]

It was mad, the boy’s face looked remarkably like Alex’s. He sounded like him too, the subconscious intonations of his uncle coming out even in the few words he spoke. “You must be the newfound cousin I’ve heard so much about. I’m Max.”

"Why are you all so bleedin' tall!" Max chuckled a the outburst mixed with the awkward twist of embarrassment in his aura and he stooped again, getting closer to the Slytherin’s level. He felt the boy trying to control himself in front of his new cousin, and Max didn’t have the heart to tell him he could sense his emotions. It would only put more pressure on him, the poor kid. "I'm Jamie. You're the oldest, right?"

“Nice to finally meet you, Jamie. And you’re right, I’m Violet and Evie’s brother.” Max reflected his friendly tone right back, nodding his head in greeting. For a dreaded moment he wondered what his sisters had mentioned about him to their newest family member; the two words that came up most often in their descriptions of him were ‘scruffy’ and ‘idiot’. He did tend to have his ‘scruffy idiot’ moments, but it was far from the first impression he tried to make. “Hope they’ve been kind to you. They can be a handful.”

"So... You have a kneazle? Whats his name?"

“My roommate does, named Snitch. I’m afraid she's not getting along well with my cat.” Technically Pumpkin wasn’t his, but Max didn’t much feel like spilling his heartache over his missing girlfriend and the oncoming war to a Hogwarts student. Max watched in amusement as the boy picked up a small kneazle, his shoulders tensing as the tiny creature climbed his shoulder.

"That tickles!"

“Careful, that’s how this happened.” Max grinned wryly, leaning down to the boy’s level and pushing back his hair to reveal his missing earlobe. He chuckled at the boy’s horror with a joking wink, straightening back up to his full height. “You getting a pet today?”

[James Malcom MacDougal]

Nice to finally meet you, Jamie. And you’re right, I’m Violet and Evie’s brother. Hope they’ve been kind to you. They can be a handful.”

"I guess Violet can be ok... When she's not grabbing me." Jamie held his hand in the tank the kneazle kittens occupied, letting them bump against his hand wnd swat at his fingers as he talked. Violet was ok, he supposed. He still didnt like the way she always had to be grabbing him.

"So... You have a kneazle? Whats his name?" Jamie tried to change the subject but jerked as an adventurous kit hooked his claws into his robe and started to climb. What was he supposed to do with this? Those claws were sharp, he didn't want to pull him off and ruin his robe.

“My roommate does, named Snitch. I’m afraid she's not getting along well with my cat.” 

Jamie's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to ask more about them. The kit chose that moment to stick its whiskers in his ear. "That tickles!" Jamie shied sideways, laughing.

“Careful, that’s how this happened.” And Max showed him a mangled ear. Jamie's mouth dropped open in horror before he recovered his manners and shut it. Not going to ask, thats rude...

“You getting a pet today?”

"Oh!" He'd been stroking his tiny shoulder interloper. "Uuh, no. I can't, but I like to visit them." his eyes sparked with excitement as he used his free arm to gesture around the shop. He remembered being crushed after the earthquake and the damage to the shop. The loss of life. But looking now it was hard to believe anything had happened. 

[Max Kameren]

"That tickles!" Jamie shied sideways from the kneazle kit climbing his shoulder, laughing.

“Careful, that’s how this happened.” Max leaned down with a wry smile and showed the boy his mangled ear, unable to keep a straight face as he watched his eyes widen and aura twist in horror. If he was going to amass a collection of scars and injuries like Alex and his father had, he might as well use them for comedic purposes. “You getting a pet today?”

"Oh!" He'd been stroking his tiny shoulder interloper. "Uuh, no. I can't, but I like to visit them."

“I see.” Max’s eyes followed Jamie’s gesture, taking in their surroundings. Nuriko had done a wonderful job rebuilding her shop. It was better than ever. That was more than he could say for most people affected by the earthquake, especially himself.

His gaze turned back to the kneazle supply shelf and he scanned it, searching for the pheromone collar Nuriko had mentioned to him. He reached out and grabbed the collar in question, mulling the idea of possibly getting two. Would it double the affect on Snitch if he also put one on Pumpkin? “You like magical creatures, then? You’re a fifth year like Violet, right? She mentioned you’re on the Quidditch team.”

[James Malcom MacDougal]

“I see.” 

Jamie managed to disengage his passenger with minimal damage to his robe. He brushed at his shoulder to flatten the wrinkles wrought by kitten claws, cradling the kit in his other hand. He was so small he just barely overflowed Jamie's palm.  A runt. Jamie held out the hope that his big hands and gangling legs portended a growth spurt. He found himself humming that new fight song again. It was quite catchy!

“You like magical creatures, then? You’re a fifth year like Violet, right? She mentioned you’re on the Quidditch team.”

"N-no." he broke off humming. how had violet ended up in fifth year? She should be in his year, born after September 1st!  "I'm in fourth year." a grin grew across his face at the mention of quidditch. "I'm a chaser! I want to be team captain next year!" he eyed Max critically. If he'd been this lanky in school he could have nade a great keeper. "Did you play?"

mmmrrrrrrrrrr Came contentedly from the little kneazle, now stretched out in the crook of Jamie's arm. He stroked the kit absently, turning an eager face up to meet Max's. He was starting to like thks cousin. No grabbing and scratching or unnerving stares. And he had asked about quidditch. Jamie was obsessed.

[Max Kameren]

Max couldn’t help but smile watching the red-headed student disengage the kit from his robes, the kneazle mewing defiantly at him. Jamie’s mannerisms echoed of his uncle and his siblings in a way that felt familiar even though they’d just met. “You like magical creatures, then? You’re a fifth year like Violet, right? She mentioned you’re on the Quidditch team.”

"N-no." he broke off humming. "I'm in fourth year."

“Oh right, she’s a fourth year isn’t she…” The healer’s eyes rolled upwards as it occurred to him, cringing with the slip. What a terrible big brother.

"I'm a chaser! I want to be team captain next year! Did you play?"

“No, unfortunately Vi’s the only gifted Quidditch player on our side of the family.” Max smiled with self-deprecations; in reality, Quidditch had been another part of normal Hogwarts life that had fallen by the wayside in wake of his other adolescent problems. Best not mention it though, Max’s childhood was hardly a good way to initiate the newest Kameren.

With a contented smile Max looked down to watch Jamie interact with the kit, pausing with the lull in conversation to check his watch. “I have to go, but – “ Max reached for his muggle cell phone in his pocket but stopped midway, arching an analytical brow down at him “ – You’re pureblood, aren’t you? No matter…” Max switched pockets, instead pulling out his small leather bound notebook and a pen. Clumsily – with his four fingers writing still didn’t come totally naturally to him – Max scratched out his address on a blank page, ripping it out and handing it over to him.

“Here. Send me an owl, if you feel like it.” Max shrugged, juggling the collars as he replaced his notebook in his pocket. “I was a bit younger than you when I found out about our family for the first time, but… y’know, I’ve been there too. Let me know if you want to talk, alright?” With one last friendly nod Max left Jamie with the kneazles, paying for the collars and exiting with a glance over his shoulder.

[James Malcom MacDougal]

“I have to go, but – “ Max reached for his muggle cell phone in his pocket but stopped midway, arching an analytical brow down at him “ – You’re pureblood, aren’t you? No matter…”

"Maybe?" Jamie's voice was doubtful, but then he remembered. He knew who his father was. "Actually, yeah, I guess I am. " His mother was, but with his father a mystery Jamie's own blood status had been a mystery. But no longer. He wondered what use that sort of information was as he watched his cousin struggle with the paper.

“Here. Send me an owl, if you feel like it.” Max shrugged, juggling the collars as he replaced his notebook in his pocket. “I was a bit younger than you when I found out about our family for the first time, but… y’know, I’ve been there too. Let me know if you want to talk, alright?”

That startled Jamie, and he froze, arm still extended to accept the note. Like him? It hadnt occurred to him that someone else might have the same experiences. Suddenly he had a horde of questions, but he held them silent, tucking the note away carefully. He didnt need to give Max his address, he was at Hogwarts. He returned Max's friendly smile before the older man disappeared among the stacks, reappearing a few minutes later near the door. Jamie scratched the belly of the lolling kit, watching Max with big green eyes as he left. 

It had been quite the interesting day.