always be prepared. [venera]

July 2003

"Did you remember to pack everything?" Aldemar asked her as they readied in front of the hearth and he doubled checked her bags. He did not understand why a teenage witch needed this many bags but never the less he wanted to make sure she was prepared. He always wanted to make sure she was prepared. "Pajamas? Snacks? Books in case you get bored? Parchment and quills to write me? Sandals in case it's warm? A sweater in case it's not? Rain boots? Scarf? Mittens? Bathing suit... no actually scratch that last one, no swimming, no sunbathing, no tight fitting clothing at all okay." He rambled on as they stepped into the pit and green smoke engulfed them.

When they arrived in Vermont he took a deep breath of that crisp air and nodded. He was mentally reassuring himself that this was the right call. That she would have fun, and learn lots of things, and in no way misbehave. He could trust her. She was a good kid, not that he really knew anything about being a good parent, so he couldn't take any credit for who she was. "Venera, I'm serious about that swimsuit business."

"If you must, at least wear an over sized shirt over the suit. You don't want your skin to burn." He pretended that was the reason but they both knew it was because he didn't want her to attract any attention from the wizards he was sure were slithering all over this summer camp. He knew what happened at these things, he'd seen the muggle movies. His eyes shot wide, remembering all of the other things that happened at this movies.

"No bonfires. Don't go in the forest alone. If you here someone yell for help get an adult, don't just run toward the scream. Don't leave the group. Don't do any voodoo. Don't summon anything." He breathed for a moment, remembering they couldn't do magic here, which was both good and bad. She'd be defenseless, but she'd also be less likely to accidentally invoke Baba Yaga or whatever they had in the Americas.

"And please, please... no boys."

By the time Venera got to the camp, she was already edging out of lightly annoyed into irritated. She loved her father, she did. She really did. She had to remind herself of that as he kept talking. She supposed he had a few years to make up for, but he was doing a good job fussing over her, even though only some of these things were applicable. No voodoo? What did he think she was getting up to in this kind of thing? She laughed a bit, aloud, as he fussed but other than that tried to be respectful about it.

“You don’t have to worry about me, dad.” She said, using the nickname this time, rather than his real name. She usually called him Aldemar, really, but sometimes he earned it and sometimes she wanted something. This time was the former, rather than the latter. After all, he had already agreed to let her come here and she was excited about it. A few months away from boring, frozen, Durmstrang. At least last summer, which had been scary and difficult, had been interesting. She didn’t see any chance of repeating the fun, though. She hated sitting inside at home and doing nothing.

“You don’t have to worry about boys, either.” She grumbled low enough. She liked boys still, abut was still reeling after the way Kalevi had treated her the year before—the little weasel. She was not looking for a repeat performance of that. She actually, honestly, hoped that Kalevi wouldn’t be there at all this year. She knew a lot of Durmstrang students were going to camp, but maybe it wouldn’t be everyone?

She put her bags on the ground by the entrance and turned to him, opening her arms for a hug. “Come ‘ere?” She offered, waiting for him to take the small bit of affection she allowed him. She was certainly in the ‘parents cramp my style’ stage of life, and he was her Professor to boot. Due to this, her affection was few and far between, especially hugs or kisses she initiated.

Though she might have said he needn't worry that wouldn't stop him from doing just that. He'd spent way too many years being oblivious that now he was seriously over compensating. Aldemar didn't know what it took to be a good father, not really, but he was doing his best and hoped that would earn him so leeway when he got out of control. He sighed as he ran his hands over his face. "Yes, yes I know, but I still will." He told her with a little smile. She was his daughter and he would move the world for her if she asked him to.

Especially when she called him dad. It was like music to his ears and he was powerless in it's wake. He beamed at her as his dimples were fully on display and felt a little better about the idea of her going away. He knew it wasn't forever so that was comforting but truthfully he would of preferred to spend the summer with her. Dema hadn't told her, he wouldn't, but he had planned a whole adventure out for them travelling through South America to research his new book. He'd given up the radio show life but he wasn't done exploring yet. And he figured writing the stories was the next best after telling them. And he knew experiencing them with her would be even better yet.

Maybe after she finished the summer camp they would have a little time before Durmstrang restarted but either way he wasn't planning on getting in the way of her summer education. He reminded himself it was a knowledge based camp too, and prayed there wouldn't be any lifeguard lessons.

Turning to her when she called to him Dema wrapped her up in a nice warm hug. He was remiss to let her go, these moments wee so few and far between and he felt like he had missed a lifetime of them, but eventually he eased up and let her go. He knew she was a teenager and even though he embarrassed her plenty he tried not to actively do it.

"Do you have your emergency bag? And your wand?" Dema knew they couldn't do magic at camp but he needed to make sure she was able to, if it was required to keep her safe. He'd been teaching her some defensive spells when she'd sit still long enough and that helped him sleep at night. "Oh I'm going to miss you!" He said suddenly, pulling her into anothrr hug whether she accepted it or not.

Venera smiled at him a little lightly, hugging him tightly and giving him a little kiss on the cheek. “I do have me emergency bag, and my wand, tucked away.” She promised. She accepted the second hug and hugged him back. “I’ll miss you too.” She said, genuinely.  She would have been surprised and thrilled to know he’d planned something for them, but given that he’d let her come to came she was a little happier not to know what she was potentially missing out on. She had gotten what she wanted here, and she wanted to continue to want it.

“I’ll write every week.” She promised, blushing a little. Did everyone do this with their parents? She was known for having one of the most exuberant professors at her school as a parent. Everyone at Durmstrang already knew them, but now other campers would know, too. “Hurry up and go, before you embarrass me!” She teased.

She turned down to walk away, walking down the long winding pathway to the main building for check-in, and turning once more to wave at her dad from a distance before going inside.

[[out]]

"Okay, okay, good, good," Dema was just saying words now, watching her as she told him she had all of her emergency supplies. He was proud, really he was, but also he was terrified. It was nothing new of course, worrying about Venera was as easy (and natural) as breathing now and he was damn good at it too. Dema hadn't been that great of a father for the first years of her life but damned if he wasn't going to make up for it in triplicate now. He smiled at her, the exuberant dimples in his wrinkled cheeks making deep craters, and bounced a little when she said she'd miss him. It was a nice thing to hear, but also served to remind him that he'd be missing her for at least a month.

She promised to write, but Dema wouldn't blame her if she didn't. He had barely sent birthday cards all those years he was traveling, and she was a teenager, so he knew she'd be plenty distracted and busy this summer. But not too busy... he looked around for a minute, eying the other students that were floo-ing and portkey-ing in. He couldn't watch her twenty-four-seven as he did at Durmstrang and that was going to be a major adjustment.

"Who me?" He said, feigning hurt feelings with a hand on his chest, and then slumping a little to chuckle. He knew he was embarrassing, he preferred to call it theatric, but it wasn't like he was going to stop. "Now look, if you want to come home at any time you just send me a letter. I will floo here so fast they will have to extinguish the seat of my pants."

He watched her take off down the path, waving like a mad fool the whole way, and then jumping and shouting when she turned to look back. "Have a good summer! Be good! Make good choices! No drugs!" He kept going until one of the counselors nicely told him it was time to go. Dema reluctantly turned around and headed back for Sweden.

It was going to be a long summer indeed.

[[out]]