Not Fit For Man Nor Beast

Robert apparated them to his farm. Outside on the porch. "This is where I live with my wife. This is where Khaat grew up. You'll find the barn a good place to go if you want to be alone. It's filled with all sorts of magical creatures. There's a hippogryff, a pair of unicorns, owls, all sorts of creatures. She specializes in magical creatures. And she's a healer and a seer. Me, I'm a potionsmaster and a Master Healer, so I get all kinds of hurt people and animals here. But--you'll find it is a very peaceful, quiet place filled with a lot of love. Come inside. We'll find you a room, and Katherine will make sure you have everything you need. "

He led her inside and showed her about the kitchen and the house, telling her to make herself at home--just as she would in her own home. He took her down one of the halls to a room and opened the door. It was done in shades of lilac and ivory, with just a touch of purple for accent. It was large and airy and soothing. A pair of french doors on the opposite side of the room led to private back porch where she could enjoy the afternoon sun. "See if this room works for you. You can change it any way you like. I'll have Katherine help you conjure some clothes for now and get you anything you need. There's always more of that tea you liked on the stove in the kitchen. Just help yourself. I'll let you get settled in a bit. Bathroom is two doors down on your left."

Dora followed Robert upstairs and began to wonder if she could make it her home. She would have loved to but there was a time when she had to return to Spinner’s End. She wasn’t a complete and utter idiot; no one would want her with them forever. She was baggage that no one really wanted. She was like a celebrity’s ‘light packing’. She had so much to pack in one suitcase for some reason one case really wasn’t enough. The bedroom was beautiful and Dora was awed. She didn’t think anything so private and personal could have a beauty that his room obviously possessed. Dora bit her lip and began to walk around the room, counting every step. It was insane; it was a lot bigger than the room at Spinner’s End but unlike Spinner’s End the house wasn’t filled with blanket on blanket as well as first aid kits. It was like the scene of a mass murder and that was why Dora rarely went back.

She sat down hesitantly on the bed and was surprised by how soft it was. Dora closed her eyes and looked down at her hands. She could fill the room with her character but she’d probably have to find that character first. She knew she’d want a bookshelf and a big one at that. Her only solace was her books and they were truly the only thing she took time to spend money on. Food wasn’t important and clothes could be enlarged and sewn back together. She took pride in her books. They made her feel accepted because no one else did. It was a little bit surreal now, being around ‘friends’. That’s what everyone kept saying at least. Friends? She doubted it highly.

Katherine had been fully briefed by Robert, and she brought an armload of Khaat's nicer clothes that she always left at the farm--beautiful things to make the new girl feel welcome. Yes, they were hand me down, but damned nice ones. Looked brand new and were really cute things. She had even included a basket with all kinds of lotions, perfumes, soaps, shampoos, all kinds of hygiene items so she would have everything she needed.

Katherine knocked on the door and then opened it slowly. "You must be Dora. I'm Katherine. Welcome. I..I knew you would need some things, so I brought you some clothes. I think you'll find something in here you'll like, and we can alter them to fit with the flick of a wand. No worries. Oh, and here's just a basket of some of the necessities. If there is anything you want at all, just ask. I'm sure you'll want some of your own things, too. That really is no problem at all, Dear. We have a lot of things to do. We have some muggle radios and CDs, and a television, and Robert has an enormous library with just about any book imaginable in it. Just be comfortable. Make yourself at home. And if there is anything you need or want, don't be afraid to ask."

The sound of knuckles hitting wood made Dora hop off of the bed as if she’d been burned. She turned around to see a woman who she presumed was Robert’s wife, walk through the door. Dora bit her lip and put her hands behind her back. She’d managed to get her magic back in order which meant that the full body glamour charms were working again and for that she was thankful. She listened to what Katherine had to say and nodded when appropriate. She knew she needed to go back to Spinner’s End and pick up a few things but it wouldn’t be much. Her books and some CD’s probably and most likely some scented candles. “Thank you Katherine.” Dora said quietly. “I won’t burden you long. Your husband invited me but I’ll leave soon.”

Katherine saw the enormous weave of magic around Dora, and had been braced by Robert about the real truth of it. Besides, her seer's powers saw immediately through the spells but she took no apparent notice of what the truth under the spells really was. "Robert never does anything--not anything--without a purpose," Katherine said wisely. "If he believes you're supposed to be here, then he knows there is some reason. It might be interesting and maybe even worth your while to find out what that is; You are welcome to stay as long as you like. The library, in case you're interested, is the door at the very end of the hall. Sometimes I think he has every book ever written in there," she sighed heavily. "If you would like one of us to help you collect your things from your old place, just let us know. You're welcome here for as long as you like." a

Dora wasn’t really sure what she should say. Thank you just wouldn’t suffice and these people were being needlessly kind to her for no reason it seemed. This did put Dora on edge slightly because she believed that no one could be kind to another person without having an alternate agenda; it was impossible. And whether this man had a purpose to help her or not, Dora didn’t think it would last long. But one could hope couldn’t they? “Um, thank you.” She said quietly. “Do you think I could possibly go and get some of my things?”

"Why, absolutely, my dear!" Katherine said. "Would you like some company? I could apparate us there and back fairly quickly and keep us out of all this bad weather. And if you need me to help you pack, I'd be happy to do that. We want yo to have your things here. By all means! And if there is anything you need to stop and buy on the way, we want you to have anything you need."

Dora bit her lip. Did she really want to show this woman the place she lived; the place she went to heal? No, she did not. She didn’t want to show Katherine the house that could rival the Shrieking Shack on a good day. She didn’t want to have to fight through the mountains of pillows and blankets that seemed to cover every surface because that was the only thing that supplied warmth. The only thing Dora was proud of inside that house was the ornate candlestick holders that she’d had carved for her. The candles were pretty beautiful as well but other than that, her books and photo albums of her and her father there was nothing she wanted. “Alright, then.” Dora said finally. “We could do that.”

Katherine accio'd her long black full cloak, and put it on. "Give me your arm, and just concentrate on where you want to go. I'm a seer. I can get the directions from you." When Katherine felt like she knew where she was going, she apparated them both right into Dora's room. Katherine knew at once this girl came from poverty, but had made the very best of it, and was amazed to see her talent for art and a lot of other things. "You are amazingly talented!" Katherine remarked softly. "You will enjoy my art studio. We could have a very good time there. How can I help you pack, Dear?"

Dora wasn’t sure what she wanted. She knew the candles and the holders as well as the pictures would do her for a while. She didn’t need the cushions... well, maybe some of the nicer ones she could take but nothing important. Dora walked over to the wall opposite her bed and pulled one of the paintings off of the wall, letting it drop unceremoniously onto the floor. She didn’t care about the painting – she could do another one later. She did however, wonder when she’d get the time to see her wolves again. Would they miss her? Dora turned her attention to a black piece of metal in the wall and began to turn the dial. It was a safe.

9......8......4.....3.....5.....7

She opened the door of the safe and looked sadly at the neatly sacked piles of Galleons that she’d deposited in the safe years before. It was bottomless and it came to the rim of the door. It was a large sum of money hidden in that safe and she knew that it was a good place to hide it indeed. Where there was money in an open area, it was traceable. Gringotts wasn’t safe for her money to be kept at all. She could have been tracked if she took out deposits; that was why she took it all out in one go. That was ten years ago. She had so much money but didn’t put it into anything. She’d decided at the time that something big and flashy that said ‘look at me’ would also bring attention to her which was something she truly didn’t want. Dora sighed and took her wand out of her pocket. She closed the safe and flicked her wand at it. The safe fell out of the wall and she caught it easily in her arms, glad for the double spell she used.

She put the safe on the floor and flicked her wand once more, collecting the candles and candlestick holders. She then flicked her wand one last time and gathered her photos and memoirs. One of the scrapbooks was open to a picture of her father. His smiling, youthful face was another reminder of her anguish. It was that picture that taunted her the most. He was happy at one time. Now he was dead and his corpse was probably now soil due to his flesh being eaten then it being passed through the digestive system. All that was probably left was his bones and even those had probably been taken by some wild dogs. Dora bit her lip and closed the book. She didn’t want to see him, not now and not ever – not if he wasn’t alive.

“I’m done.” She said quietly, shrinking the items and picking them up once more. “Packing wasn’t too challenging.”