Who: Ethan & Andre Jordan
What: Brotherly Bonding
Where: Ethan's surprisingly clean flat
When: Err Last week?
Even though he had been living on his own for some time and was an adult, having visitors over always caused a bit of a panic. It was just his brother, but Ethan didn’t want to look like he was a
mess, because his wasn’t! His
flat was a mess, but that wasn’t a reflection of his current life situation! Having put his bad arm up in a sling, he flicked and swished his wand all over the flat to clean up dishes and clothes that needed to be washed. Broomsticks were now dusting away and rags wiping down the dirty windows.
Ethan let out a breath, looking over the now rather clean flat. Lee could be coming over, too, didn’t want his nephew tripping on something that should’ve been put away. There was a knock on the door and Ethan winced; his wand shot out and the cleaning objects shot back to their rightful place, the broomsticks bouncing off of each other in a fight for the hooks in the closet.
When everything looked settled, Ethan opened the door, looking as if he had just woken up instead of having frantically been cleaning the place, “Hey,” he said to his brother, pushing the door open further.
Between trying to get his work schedule to match up with Adelaide’s and making sure that he spent plenty of time with Lee, Andre didn’t have much time for anything else. It upset him that it seemed like he had to schedule time for his brother. It wasn’t so bad before, when Ethan had his own busy schedule and it wasn’t odd for them to only see each other once a month, if that. But now...
Andre did not coddle his little brother. And he certainly didn’t think he was any less capable a wizard after his injury, but still. He had to relearn everything with his other hand, and it made Andre antsy that he wasn’t able to be there as often as he would have liked to help out. Even if Ethan insisted multiple times that he didn’t need help.
Ethan also insisted multiple times that being curse breaker was a perfectly fine profession for him to go into, and Andre didn’t really believe that either. Seriously, he only had one functional arm, there had to be limitations. But he wanted to apply, so Andre wasn’t going to stop him. Hopefully the interviewer had some sort of sense and suggested that he look for a less potentially life threateningly dangerous job. Andre couldn’t judge his brother’s mood based merely on the greeting, as he looked like he just got up and only said one word.
“I brought lunch.” he offered holding up the take out bag as he walked into his brother’s flat. “Had I known you were going to sleep in, I would have gotten breakfast instead.” he teased placing it down on the oddly clean coffee table. His flat had never looked this neat back when he was single. Except when he was expecting company. Aww, cute that his baby brother thought highly enough of him to tidy up before he came over.
Ethan used his wand to summon the bag, letting it levitate in front of him as he dug through it, his wand going behind his ear. After a year of having use of only one arm, he’d compiled an intricate system of spells and charms that made his daily life much easier. He hadn’t done it alone, Andre had been a big help, using the rehabilitation methods aurors used when they were struck down on the job. Ethan never thought himself to have suffered anything as great as those fighting the dark-wizards, but if they managed to get on with their lives then so could he.
He pulled out a sandwich and grinned, quickly shooting the bag back to the table and Andre.
“Well, thanks,” he said, unwrapping the sandwich and crossing to the seat across from Andre. Ethan chewed silently, keeping a keen eye on his brother, “I was expecting Lee,” he stated with a smirk.
Andre pulled out his own sandwich as he studied his brother across from him. It was almost as if this interview had never happened. He didn’t seem happier than normal or sadder. Andre had expected him to volunteer the news himself, but no this kid was going to make him ask after it.
At the mention of his son, Andre almost felt bad not bringing him along. Lee absolutely
loved coming to visit Uncle E, mostly because his brother spoiled him rotten, but as much as Andre had been working, he needed the small break from his rowdy five year old. “I saw an opportunity for a mini vacation so I ran with it. Had he known I was coming here, you can guarantee I wouldn’t have made it out the door without him.”
Andre took a bite of his sandwich, propping his feet up on the coffee table. “Also I can’t interrogate you when you are being distracted by my awesome offspring. Tell me how your interview went.” he said getting straight to the point.
Ethan eyed his brother suspiciously, as if he believed there was some ulterior motive to his question. Ethan had actually just received the owl with the results of his interview, and it laid on the counter of his kitchen.
He had believed his interview had gone well. Larkin Whitby, the woman who had conducted the whole thing, had told him to go through the first door on the left, and wait for someone to come. He’d done what he was told, and when the door shut hard and loudly behind him, Ethan knew that he was in trouble. He lit his wand and immediately recognized the hieroglyphics of an Egyptian tomb. Ethan understood that it could not be a real tomb, that he hadn’t been transported to Egypt and would not be facing real mummies, but that element of surprise and complete bewilderment was actually necessary for this practical part of the interview.
So he’d taken his time. He scoured the room, checking for traps and testing the ground. There had been a soft spot underneath his left foot and he jumped back in enough time to dodge a magical spear that shot across the room. He could tell that the goal was the break open the intricately painted doorway with seemingly no handles or hinges. Ethan’s mind had whirled back to his charms classes, thinking of the defense lessons, and managing to recall some favorite tricks of Egyptian wizards from History of Magic.
It was a piece of cake, after that.
Ethan’s mind shot back to the present, where his brother was staring at him, patiently. He finished chewing his sandwich, taking the wrapper and tossing it across the room into the rubbish bin.
“It went all right,” he said simply, pausing for a beat. Most days he couldn’t resist teasing Andre, but Ethan was too excited to keep the results at bay, “I start next week.”
Andre couldn’t help his lips twitching into a small frown before he forced them into a smile. This was a
good thing and he would be happy for his brother. Except he was terrified. Ethan was a dueler, which supposedly a perfectly safe profession, with rules and regulations. Healers on site, albeit Germany obviously inadequate ones, and he was permanently injured doing that. What was going to happen now that he gain employment in one of the most notoriously dangerous professions. With the use of only one of his arms no less.
“That’s fantastic, E” he said in what he hoped was a convincing tone. He couldn’t help but worry. “Next week! You must have really impressed them if they want you starting so soon.” He finished off his own sandwich but he settled on just putting his wrapper in the bag still on the table. “A celebration is in order then!” he said clapping his hands together. “What you want to do? You name it, I’ll pay.”
He was
observant, which made him a great Ravenclaw and would hopefully make him a good curse breaker. Ethan of course saw his brother’s twitch of disappointment, and while he was
observant, he didn’t have the best patience. He frowned immediately, and pushed himself up and out of his seat.
“Don’t waste your sickles,” he said dismissively, swiping the bag up and crossing over to the kitchen. His father hadn’t approved, his mother had cried, and Ethan’s last hope of some familial support was sporting the weakest smile he’d ever seen. He didn’t need Andre’s nearly sympathetic expression; Ethan saw any sign of doubt as a concern of weakness. “I’ll bring you some trinkets from the pyramids and we’ll call it a day.”
Not that he was even
sure he was going on this expedition to Egypt, but Ethan could talk a big game, and would, when he was feeling defensive.
“Hey.” Andre started when Ethan stood. He wasn’t daft to enough to even bother to pretend that he didn’t notice his brother’s sudden snappish attitude. Ethan had always been very observant. It was what made him a great dueler. After twenty seven years, Andre could pick out an oncoming tantrum from ages away. He got up and followed when Ethan ignored him.
“Hey!” he said pulling Ethan by the shoulder forcing him to face him. Andre always encouraged his brother, and quite possibly spoiled him just little bit, but he never coddled him. Even now, because it certainly wasn’t as if it was an unfair fight. Even with one arm, Andre knew that Ethan was fully capable of taking him out if he really wanted to. “You can drop the attitude, as I don’t deserve it.
He dropped his arm from his brother’s shoulder but didn’t back off. “You’re smart, and you can read people, but sometimes you get ahead of yourself jumping to conclusions. I would hope that you would know me better than to mistake a moment of concern for anything other than what it is.”
“That’s all I’m getting! Concern!” Ethan snapped, though he didn’t push away from his brother. As quick as he was to start a fight with Andre, the tension dissolved even faster. Concern was
understandable, but when your mother burst into tears at the news, when your father just shook his head and couldn’t speak, having your brother barely contain his disappointment at his being
hired...it wore on a person. It made Ethan question his decision, it made him wonder if he was doing the right thing by going into this field of work, but it
killed him to feel that way.
He hadn’t been excited about anything in more than a year. Nothing anyone had said, through his rehabilitation, his family, his friends, nothing had managed to pull him out of the depression he’d been stuck in like this prospect of curse breaking. He’d be able to use all of the spells and charm works and maneuvers that he’d mastered throughout all of his years at Hogwarts and competing as a dueler. He’d get to travel, he’d go on
adventures. Ethan saw this job as an opportunity to reclaim the joy for life that he once had.
“I don’t need any more concern, I get that from everyone who knows my bloody story,” he said disdainfully. “I need support, and I need to know that I can actually do this.
"When have I ever not supported you? Have you forgotten who it was who stood behind you every step of the way to being a dueler? Or about how I told Mum not to worry about it, because even if you did get hurt I would be there to fix it," Andre snapped right back. He had made it a point in the past year to do his best to not show his brother just how much it bothered him that he was hurt. Because no matter how bad Andre felt about it, it was Ethan who lost the use of his arm. But if he was going to run off and throw himself in the line of fire again, so soon after his last injury, Andre wasn’t going to hide his feelings about it.
"Of course you can do this. It’s not a question of whether or not you are capable of being a cursebreaker, Ethan. I know you. You don’t do anything halfway and my money is on you making a fantastic cursebreaker. But even the best cursebreakers end up in my ward. I see them all the time, so its not a stretch for me to worry about it being you one day. Once is more than enough to last me a lifetime.”
He took a deep breath trying to calm his nerves. Ethan didn’t deserve Andre snapping at him even if he was being pissy himself. “I
am proud of you and I do support you, but that’s never going to mean I’m not going to worry.”
Andre always had a way of making Ethan see straight. He had been a very hyperactive child before entering Hogwarts, and while joining the dueling club had helped him settle down, having his brother keep a watchful eye on him changed him a lot. Andre had been the big seventh year prefect in Ethan’s first year, it was a lot to live up to but it had been proud to be his little brother. To know that he had his brother’s support relieved a great weight off of Ethan’s shoulders.
He felt like shuffling his feet in defeat, but he knew Andre hadn’t meant the lecture in that way. Sometimes Ethan wondered why he hadn’t been Sorted into Gryffindor, with how much his pride got in the way.
“I just need this to work out,” Ethan admitted, allowing himself to be truthful with his brother. His worry could be read all over his face. “I
need this.”
“I know.” Andre said simply. “It will, because you’re a Jordan. And Jordans kick ass at everything they do, no matter what it is. So, don’t worry about it, because that’s mum’s job. And I’ve got your back so all corners are covered.”
He punched Ethan softly in the shoulder giving him a smile. “Now, can we go out to celebrate? Or are you still too good for my sickles?”
