My eyes are wide like cherry pies [Evie]

Basil had been thinking of tarantulas ever since he had taken Sybil home, and now he was finally going to let himself have it. He lifted his nose at the owl emporium—they only sold ‘normal’ pets, nothing interesting or dark. Tarantulas were frightening to some, but they were really quite harmless. They weren’t even venomous. As he entered the exotic pets shop in Knockturn Ally with his friend, he looked around in awe. There were so many things to choose from here. Kneazles and half-kneazles, crups, more runespoors—god, he didn’t know if he could handle another runespoor but he wanted to speak with them all—some of the smaller animals were loose in the shop. Basil knelt to pet the head of a particularly friendly crup, and considered taking him home, but that wasn’t what he was here for—no matter how much they hated muggles.

He smiled at his friend. This was her domain, really. Genevieve loved pets, and had several more than Basil could imagine keeping. Of course, she lived at home and didn’t really work, so she had the time to dedicate to playing with them. Basil worked, and was often gone for long periods of time because of work. He took his runespoor along with him, and Dahlia could handle herself as long as the house elves fed her, which they always did. The tarantula would take more work, but Basil was ready for it. If he could step away from the crup long enough. He was so cute, black-furred and affectionate. They were starved for affection, Basil noticed. Several other animals had approached him as soon as he started petting.

He finally stood up, and went to the back where there were reptiles, arachnids, and other, more dangerous beasts. There were several types of spider. There were the tarantulas, of course, but there were also venomous spiders and non-venomous ones alike. Basil lingered over the venomous ones, thinking. They were gorgeous and powerful and dangerous. Unlike his venomous runespoor, however, Basil could not talk to spiders. He would never be able to control its power, and could be bitten at any instant. While that was exciting to Basil, thrilling, it wasn’t exactly a smart idea. It was better to stick with what he knew. He pressed his face greedily against the glass by the display. There were at least six beautiful female tarantulas spread out.

“Look at them, Evie. They’re all so cute.” He moved from glass to glass, doing the same thing. His eyes were as wide as saucers. “Help me pick a name for one. The only name I can think of is ‘Arachne’ and it’s so cliché.” He wouldn’t dare name his tarantula ‘Spider’. He liked plant names, like his family, and mythology names. He had named his runespoor for the fates. He thought of the harpies, and tried to remember their names.

@Genevieve Grosvenor

 
It had been some time since Genevieve had made the conscious effort to spend time with anyone apart from her family or matters of business. The eighteen year old had recently returned from an extended research trip, or vacation, some people had the wrong idea that her playful behavior was an indication of laziness or inefficiency. But, she was tired of spending time in the company of others, especially as she became reacquainted with all the comforts that her home had to offer. While Genevieve was never the type to travel too far without the help of anyone, after all the young witch had never felt guilty for the amenities her family’s great influence and wealth provided her, she had been surprised at her ability to stay sane for six months. The conditions were not bad, in fact, they were much more comfortable than those of the average intern or research student. However, the young witch had constantly complained about one thing or another. She may have a wanderlust but Genevieve was a creature of habit, and any change to her everyday schedule, no matter how insignificant to others, brought great discomfort to the young woman.

However, Basil was the sort of company she did not mind keeping, especially since this particular outing included one of the many things she valued over human interaction: animals. It seemed as if her friend was interested in a particularly unique pet, well unique to everyone else, Genevieve was no stranger to the rich variety in the animal kingdom and was certainly not the type to only stick to what people considered proper domesticated pets. So when they found themselves in a pet shop in Knockturn Ally, she could not help but to smile with much satisfaction. This ought to be fun, she considered, at least much more fun than looking for a dog or a cat, she had plenty of those as well. Anyone who knew the witch well knew that while she could be particularly cruel to many, she had nothing but deep respect and extreme compassion for animals, her career as magizoologist not a pawn to impress her contemporaries with but rather, a true calling. Her eyes looked around the shop, more interested in the conditions of their enclosing and the food provided to them than the adorable faces of the pets themselves. Of course, that did not miss her attention as well, giggling when Basil leaned over to pet the friendly crup before others approached them as well. “Look at how adorable you all are,” she said, the high pitch in her voice a deep contrast to the usual coldness in which she normally spoke to others.

Genevieve was in heaven.

“I’ve always wanted one of these,” she confessed as she petted one of the crups, its forked tail wagging vigorously. “Of course it not caring for muggles is a plus my kind can appreciate,” she joked. Rising to her feet and following her friend into where the other animals were kept. “Oh look at this one!” she said, clapping her hands together in excitement as she spotted a peruvian salamander in one of the glass cases, her eyes enchanted by its purple color. She made a mental list of all the animals that she longed for, intending to bring it up with Augustus as soon as she returned home. Surely, he would figure out a way to convince her uncle to allow her to purchase them. He had been a little strict about such matters lately, but it was probably due to the fact that the staff was becoming annoyed with Genevieve’s very strict order on how to care for the creatures. But as a magizoologist, giving them average treatment simply did not seem viable.

“Of course they are,” she responded in kind, bringing her face closer to the glass and grinning as she looked at their adorable faces. “I’m bloody awful at naming things,” she confessed, her finger coming up to the glass but she did not tap on it, rather, just rest the pad of her finger against it as if longing to gain the spider’s favor. “merimangë is Albanian for spider, or aranya in Catalan if that’s more up your alley,” she teased. “Hasn’t the runespoor have the name of the Fates?” she wondered out loud, though she was almost certain that was the case, “you can buy twelve and name them after the twelve major constellations,” she offered, “Capricornus,” she pointed at one, “Scorpius,” she pointed at another, “Gemini,” she added with a giggle. “If you buy twelve please give me a couple, I think I can sneak them in so that my uncle doesn’t notice,” she continued. She straightened her back turning to him, “Isn’t Greek mythology your aesthetic, love? I think that’s a good place as any to start, just please not Arachne,” she offered. Her eyes looked past Basil at the glass case behind him, “Oh! What’s this?” she moved over quickly. It was an odd look, to see Genevieve act like such a child.

Basil was mesmerized. He couldn’t really tell if he loved them because they were gorgeous strong beings or because they were often misunderstood and disliked, and he didn’t particularly care. Basil had always gravitated towards things society didn’t like, considered outcast or taboo. Spiders, like snakes, were creatures that society found disturbing. He probably found himself attracted to them because of that reason more than anything, but he did respect animals for their own beauty. The tarantulas were big, beautiful, and strong looking. Basil looked between them, trying to figure out which one he wanted to take home.

He laughed at Genevieve. “You’re a language bank now, hmm?” He teased. “I think she deserves better than ‘Spider’.” He decided. “I’m thinking maybe one of the harpies. What do you think of Celaeno?” He asked. It was pretty, but he wasn’t sold on it. “Could always name her Saffron.” He shrugged. “Did you know everyone in my family has a plant name? Even my cat. My runespoor is the special one.” He teased.

Soon, the elderly shopkeeper came over to help them. He was gruff, with one eye, and walked with a cane, though Basil suspected he would be able to throw down with the best of them, if it came to it. The cane was mostly for show—or for beating shoplifters. He seemed untrusting of the two youth in his shop, seeing few people that young alone in Knockturn, and few as pretty as Genevieve, too.

Basil bravely got his attention. “Sir?” He asked. “I’m here to inquire about a tarantula.”

The man limped over to the cases and looked Basil up and down. “You know how to care for one?” Basil had done some research, but he also knew Genevieve wouldn’t let him mistreat it. “I’ve done some research.” Basil replied. He nodded a little. “Best pick up a manual while you’re at it.” It wasn’t really a suggestion. More of an order. The man plucked it off the shelf and handed it to Basil. Basil nodded, deferring to the man’s unspoken authority.

“I suppose I am, considering how uncreative I am when it comes to naming my pets, it is only right that I do my own research,” she joked in turn. “Think about it, B, unless one of your friends knows Albanian, the word merimangë sounds quite posh, does it not?” she continued on. In the universe of names, Genevieve had the most trouble finding one worthy of her beautiful pets. She often researched in great deal, pouring over naming books much in the same way that an expectant mother would do so in preparation for a new addition to the family. After all, in her universe, one’s name was more than an identity marker, it either inspired awe or fear and in some unfortunate cases, utter disgust. “Celaeno?” she pronounced slowly, savoring every syllable as she considered it for a moment before nodding with a smile, “I think it’s quite fitting,” she decided. It was certainly better than naming it Spider, that was for sure.

“I don’t think we’ve any themes running in my family, Genevieve means something odd like of the race of woman,” she explained briefly, “does your name mean anything in particular? I suppose we’ve all ancient names, the Grosvenors, my middle name is Diane, which is quite fitting considering that I’ve an affinity for constellations and well…” she smirked, “Let’s be quite honest, Genevieve Grosvenor does sound like the name of a goddess,” she added, her eyes falling on the shopkeeper who made his way over to them.

Genevieve had never been in this sort of shop in the past, all of her pets had been acquired for her in a more direct manner, after all, the young witch had chosen the breeds and colors quite carefully beforehand and would never settle for something that was anything less than the very best. Furthermore, the magizoologist was always weary of places like this, places where she felt uneasy about the treatment of the animals in their glass cases. As her eyes swept over the various creatures, they looked fine. She would have to make it a note to find out for sure. “Is a manual really necessary?” she wondered out loud, contemplating the man as he reached out to the shelf before turning her gaze to Basil. “Surely we’ve one at home you can have, B,” she continued with a smile. She crossed her arms before her.

“I do admire your insistence on educated ownership, sir,” she commented softly, the tone of her voice changing for the sake of not inciting anger in the older man. Genevieve had spent enough time around elderly people to know how affected they were by these sorts of things, “I assume you insist that every client leave with a manual as well?” she continued, wondering if he had insisted on such an item because of their age. “In fact, I’d like a tarantura as well, make that two” she replied proudly. If the conditions here were not as great as they seemed, at least she would be saving two of the poor creatures. Her mother would be proud of her compassion.

After all, it made no sense for Genevieve to browse through a store and leave emptyhanded.

Basil loved Genevieve. He rarely spoke those words to the girl, as they weren’t really like that, but he loved her all the same. He was amused by her treatment of the imposing shopkeeper. She did, indeed, hold herself like a goddess, second to no man. He beamed at her authoritative but gentle voice she used to speak to the man, feeling quite tickled by the turn of events. “Two?” He teased. “You’re in it to out-do me, are you? Maybe I ought to get three.” He grinned. The man did not look impressed. Basil was still holding onto the manual, though. He thought it was probably a good idea to learn a bit more on how to care for his exotic pet. Cats were easy, of course, and his runespoor, while tricky, could verbalize what she needed to Basil. Tarantulas were another beast, and he suddenly did want three—one for each fate. He dare not ask at this point, though. One was probably enough for him, though he hated to let Genevieve play him at his own game.
 
The man stared Genevieve down, not bothering to reply to her assertion. These animals were “pets” but typically used for other things, too. He cared about their well-being to an extent, but some of these pets were used as food for larger things, used in ritual, or for even darker deeds. As a shopkeeper in Knockturn, he knew better than to ask what they wanted the creatures for… but a few smug little rich teens in his shop was more than he bargained for. He relented, though, and moved closer to the glass enclosures. ”Pick” He encouraged Genevieve, while Basil lingered behind her, looking at the enclosures for sale. He selected a moderately sized one, and a few decorations—some that looked like real bones—and then went to look at the tarantulas, hoping Genevieve didn’t pick out the one he wanted. He didn’t know which one he wanted yet, but knew that she would pick it just to win against him, if she knew which one he would like best.
 
As they looked, he considered some of her previous questions. He’d never thought to look up the meaning of his name. Basil was an herb. They all had plant names, so that made sense. He bit his tongue, she was much better educated about this than he was, and it fascinated him. For someone who loved being better than others, Basil loved being outsmarted. Even if it meant failing, it was never boring to find someone who knew more or better than he did. Maybe that was another reason he loved Genevieve. In another life, he thought he might want her--but even he knew that he wasn't quick enough to keep up with her full time. The two would argue too much if they were in close quarters for too long. No, he was satisfied with their history and ongoing friendship. She needed a more attentive man than him, and he would freely admit that. He demanded submission from his partners, and Genevieve was more demanding than he could keep up with.
Even so, he could appreciate her both in beauty and personality. Again, they fought often, but there was something about a girl who wasn't afraid to stand up to him that he admired, even in anger. There was a reason they remained close despite everything. He awkwardly held onto the terrarium, as he looked at the tarantulas he could choose from. He paused. "Do you really intend to get two?" He wondered. One was probably enough for him, but he hated to be outdone. Besides, this was supposed to be his trip to the pet store, Evie was just supposed to keep him company and help him pick out a name.

The name Saffron came to mind, but he shot it down. He'd always liked that name for his firstborn daughter, and, since he thought he might be getting engaged fairly soon to his current flame, he would save that. Even if he didn't have children for awhile yet, if he was getting married there would always be a chance. In fact, he wondered.

"What's a good way to propose to someone, Evie?" He asked, out of the blue and completely off topic. "Well, a good way for me to. I mean, the formal engagement will have to be very public and involved with her parents and my parents and everything like that, but before we go through the formalities, I would like to ask her in private..." He hadn't mentioned his girlfriend before, though he knew that Evie knew of her. Evie and Xan were cousins, albeit a bit distantly he thought. He didn't think they got along very well, but that wasn't his business. Xan didn't talk much about her family, and he tried to stay away from family matters with Evie, because it inevitably made him feel terrible about himself and his own parentage.

"I'm thinking of using my baby to help me." He meant his runespoor. "I just don't know how. Maybe I'll make her a sign that says 'marry my daddy'." He joked.

“Out-do you?” she scoffed lightly, her eyes lighting up in amusement as she turned back to look upon him with delight. “If you are to get three, then I will certainly get four,” she retorted, though it was obvious in the way in which she grinned that she had no intention of doing that. As it was, Genevieve was almost certain that Effie would be particularly displeased to find that the young witch had not bought only one, but two arachnids to add to her ever growing garden of creatures. The maid had drawn the line at four-legged creatures early in her service to the Grosvenor family after waking up to find one of Augustus’ beloved snakes resting comfortably beside her one morning, a terrible prank the two young Grosvenor children had played on the staff more than once. Unfortunately for Effie, Genevieve could not be bothered by the maid’s personal terrors to prevent herself from purchasing both tarantulas, wondering if Augustus would help her name them once she got home and they settled in. The magizoologist was thrilled for the new addition to her growing family of pets and though she was much more knowledgeable in the arts of nurturing magical creatures, her affinity for taking care of pets would surely help her learn even more about the arachnids, no manual necessary.

Genevieve was pleased with the lack of response from the shop owner, not truly prepared to become argumentative in a store where her dear friend had brought her along to make a purchase. Though a magizoologist, the young heiress understood that there was much left to learn about her choice of study. As such, she was often receptive to the advice of others but had a particular aversion to those whose best advice was along the lines of a command to read further information from the pages of a book. Surely as the owner of a store that contained such pets, it only made sense for him to be well informed on all creatures within the store. Nevertheless, Genevieve did not make it a habit of visiting Knockturn Alley for her beloved creatures as oftentimes shop owners were unaware of specifics that were of particular interest to the young witch. Things like parentage, breed, or even previous illnesses were often facts that the woman concerned herself with. These Knockturn Alley dealers were oftentimes selling pets for the sake of earning profit, nevertheless as she was invited to look into the enclosure where the tarantulas were kept, she shook such thoughts away and focused on the task ahead of her.

“Hm,” she thought carefully, bringing a finger to her lips as she considered the option, “B, have you one in mind?” she wondered however continued to look upon the tarantulas, wrinkling her nose slightly as she was deep in thought. Her eyes were drawn to one arachnid that shyly seemed to make itself invisible under a few decorations in the corner. At least Genevieve assumed it was shyness and not a sort of cunning behavior that would make itself known only when she chose to reach in. She bit her lip in deep thought, she certainly wanted it, even if it was smaller than the others. However, she was undecided about the second one. “Wouldn’t they be lonely? If I only got one?” she wondered, though she knew that such would not necessarily be the case. Nevertheless, sensing that his question was repeated because it was an actual concern of his she took a step back, smiling slightly before shaking her head. “I want that one,” she said, pointing to the one in the corner, “And if there are no issues, I’ll return for another,” she replied, her eyes focused on the man before him though her words were meant for both the man and Basil.

“Huh?” Genevieve was taken completely by surprise by his next question, her blue-grey eyes widening slightly as she considered the weight of his words. For a fleeting moment, she imagined the question leading into the young man dropping onto one knee and asking for her hand in marriage. It was an amusing thought, though a far-fetched one, considering the nature of their relationship. “Ah-“ she continued, his further statement clarifying the meaning of his words. “Alexanderia, of course, I must admit that I completely forgot the two of you were to be married, but then again I suppose that she doesn’t make much of an impression as a Lovecraft,” she said, though her tone was not particularly bitter. It was commonplace for Genevieve to speak ill of other women when in the presence of her close male friends; she assumed it was her need to be the center of attention. In all honesty, Genevieve had not spent enough time with Alexanderia to truly know her. “I’d say that’s a wise choice, though Wolfgang and I are to be married, it would be a complete waste for him not to ask me privately to demonstrate his true devotion but then again, the two relationships are quite different. You two are more romantic, Wolfie and I are mostly business,” she replied.

“I think that in order to leave an impression, you ought to think of an activity or place that is meaningful to the two of you. Your runespoor is an important part of the family, I do not see why she shouldn’t be part of the festivities,” she smiled, “if it were me, I’d like to be asked outdoors, preferably at night, after something completely unrelated,” she continued. “Do you think she’s truly the one, B? How does one know that they are not making the biggest mistake of their lives to please their parents,” she asked, her own thoughts drifting to her betrothed.