The bigger the river, the bigger the drought [Rosaline]

Though it was hot outside, it was gloomy. The air was thick with humidity and the clouds threatened rain. Alis was holed up in the apothecary, caring for the inside of the shop though the weather seemed to indicate there would be few customers today. She was glad Rose was “home” again. She hadn’t liked much that her sister was constantly at the ministry and never at the shop. Rosaline’s passion was potions and she knew the other woman lit up when she did something new and great, like launching her new skincare line. Alis had different ambitions than Rose, that was certain, but she still loved her sister for achieving her dreams. She had seen less of Michael around the shop in the past few weeks, but she had been listening to his radio show and been proud that he, also, seemed to be doing something creative with his freedom. Alis never wanted to work for the ministry, honestly. A desk job sounded unpleasant and there were so many politics to consider.
 
At least here it felt like home. She worked with her parents, her brothers, her sister. It was a family affair. In fact, the only person in the shop who wasn’t her immediate family was Basil—and he was a Bane by blood, too. Though, she wished he and Rose had been a bit closer than that. She still regretted their failed engagement. It wasn’t that she disliked Michael for any one particular reason. The fact that he was a muggleborn didn’t bother her much anymore, but she just didn’t think he was a good fit for the family. In some ways, he was too innocent. She had found herself a wimpy boy.

Rose was a dark witch, deep down. Alis couldn’t quite put her finger on anything her sister had done to prove her darkness, but there was certainly something in her that made it ring true. Alis didn’t think Michael could handle that aspect of Rose, and she was right to some degree. Michael ignored anything about Rose that was imperfect, rather than loving her for her flaws. Alis wondered if she would be doomed to marry someone just the same—or if someone, somewhere, would love her for her flaws rather than despite them. Alis was, at the end of the day, a romantic. She wanted to find love someday, soon.

She smiled at her sister as Rosaline walked by, and turned to follow her into the back office. “So, Rosie, tell me how things are going with your new line?” She asked. She knew her products were selling off the shelves, which made Alis want to ask even more—she already knew the answer. “Also, you think that dreamy dueling instructor of yours will be back anytime soon?” She teased.

@Rosaline Bane

The heels of Rosaline's designer pumps made click-clack noises on the hardwood flooring as she made her way to her office. Most days, she felt as though she might as well set up a suite for herself. She was always working, and especially with all of these new projects and opportunities outside the world of beauty. She'd been working with an Austrian entrepreneur, who owned clubs at three locations across Europe, on a brand of potion-infused alcoholic beverages. They were still in a product testing phase, as things were, but both remained hopeful.

Rose had tried her best to find time for Michael in the chaos that had become her life, but she couldn't help but feel as though life were pulling them apart already. Rose cared for Michael, but she wasn't sure that he could ever accept her for what she truly was. He didn't know half of what she had done-- the acts of questionable morality being performed in a desperate attempt to protect him in particular. Sampson would have killed them both. She knew that. His death couldn't be avoided. She continued to play the part of the loyal, mournful granddaughter. She had always been a decent actress.

"Things are going wonderfully." Rosaline smiled brightly at her sister. "Thank you for asking." She pulled a few wrapped chocolates from out of her desk drawer and presented them to Alis.

Rosaline was always happy to see Alis. She loved all of her siblings, but she and Alis had a special bond. With her, she didn't have to do as much acting. She regarded her half sister as being the most level-headed of their siblings. Steffan whined far too much for her liking. Lorcan was always brooding and she felt like it had been ages since they'd had a proper chat. He was angry with her. She supposed that she deserved it, but she missed him all the same. Nobody could ever really take his place in her heart, though one of her new associates reminded her a bit of him. There was something else that felt incredibly familiar about Mr. Peters as well, though she couldn't quite place her finger on it.

Perhaps that was what drew her to makeup and beauty products? It was a way of hiding the imperfections. That was what she did best.

Something that she had found increasingly harder to hide, lately, was her attraction to Christoph-- the dreamy dueling instructor in question. She swallowed before giving Alis a stern look. "Mr. Klein and I usually train outside of the shop. He's too old for you. And he's engaged." Honestly, she wasn't sure if she was trying to tell Alis that or tell herself. Regardless, all of it was true.

"Aren't there any nice boys at Hogwarts?"