To Relax[OPEN]

[Coralie Rianne Lupin]

Cora laughed mischeviously, shaking her head. "Merlin help us if it ever gets to Sirius level." She winked, weaving her fingers together and resting her chin against them, a few stray curls framing her face. "Still, I do owe you. Even if it's just muffins... that I bribe Remy into making." She finished, grinning.

"Now, I know I'm the most interesting person in London and all, but why don't you go home and spend time with your kids and your husband?"

[Madison Renée Black]

"Fine, you or Remy or whoever it is cooks around your house owes me a plateful of muffins." Heading off that particular subject, Madison waved a hand. "Since you seem so insistant about it."

The next comment made her flick her eyes to the ceiling. "More likely to spend time with the kids, my dearest husband has gotten it into his head to stay gone on the rare afternoons when I can get home early." She gave a quiet sigh, not pleased with that and it was obvious. "But I see your point. Maybe I should."

[Coralie Rianne Lupin]

"Actually, it's usually Selena that cooks, but your amazingness is enough to warrant Remy-muffins. He hates cooking, but the man makes the best freaking muffins ever." Cora grinned, finally sliding off her worn coat and stretching. She looked subtle, yet professional, in black pants and a long-sleeved black shirt, the only hint of jewelry on her her wedding band.

Cora frowned in concern, pausing in her coat-folding to stare at Maddie. "Why is Siri avoiding you? What's up?" Sounded like Sirius was taking notes from Remus... that couldn't be good.

[Madison Renée Black]

Making a point of looking down at the table and brushing imaginary debris off of the wooden surface, Madison then adjusted the sleeves of her rather garish dragon-hide overrobe - one that had saved her several unpleasant hexes and curses of late. "I think it's pretty obvious, but I'm starting to get the impression that he hates my choice of career. You know him, he says he's fine with these kinds of things..but I know better. He goes out almost every day, and I'm lucky if I come home at night before he does."

She sighed, feeling foolish for bringing any of it up. Sirius was never one to stay still for very long..never had been, and age hadn't tempered it. "The only real issue I have is leaving the kids alone. It won't matter when they're back in school, but for the time being it's an issue."

[Coralie Rianne Lupin]

"Why?" Cora asked flatly, raising her brows. She could understand fearing for your kids, of course, but she thought out of their entire circle- her, Lily, and Madison- that Maddie had the least to worry about when it came to her kids. They didn't live close enough to any prominent wizarding populations that the kids could wander off, there was always someone around the house, which meant the kids were never alone for too long, and Grimmauld place had to be one of the most strongly warded houses that Cora could think of. "Don't take this the wrong way, but the twins watch Astrid, and someone's always dropping in...." Unlike our place. It's not big enough to hold anyone but us. Hell, barely even us.

"As for Siri, why don't you just talk to him? Rile him up and he has absolutely no problem telling you exactly what he's thinking." Coralie smirked a little, thinking of some of the arguments she and Sirius had had. They were of the same sort of temperment, and sometimes it seemed like they picked fights with each other just to blow off steam.

[Madison Renée Black]

"The boys have his personality and behavior patterns, and I don't exactly trust them with their sister for long periods. Yes, they can take care of themselves, but still.." Feeling the frustration of recent days broiling up again, Madison tightly pinched the bridge of her nose and acted as if that would leech all of the negative feelings out of her. Oh, how she wished it could.

"Oh yes, I know I need to rile him up..getting him to stay still to do so is going to be my big issue. Damn man's too much like a stray dog for his own good." Going no farther with that particular line of thought, she closed her eyes for a moment, let out a slow breath, then opened them and lowered her hand. "You got the best deal out of all of us, I hope you realize that."

[Coralie Rianne Lupin]

"I guess I see your point.' Coralie admitted, letting out a soft sigh. She loved Sirius to death in a platonic way, but when he got bored, he got mischevious. And he didn't think too much about who might get hurt when he was bored- if the twins were as bad as Sirius could be, Cora could see the issue in leaving them with their younger- and relatively defenseless- sister.

"I suggest food." Cora said seriously. It usually worked with Remus that if she wanted to trap him for at least a few minutes, in most situations large amounts of chocolate would do it.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she stared at Maddie, looking slightly suspicious. "Not that I'm arguing in the least, believe me, but what makes you say that?" Even on a bad day Cora would say she had it best, but she had never thought that any of the others thought so as well- she figured it was just extreme loyalty to her family making her biased. Apparently not.

[Madison Renée Black]

"And now you see my conundrum and what I think has a bug in both his and my ears." Letting out a low, rather mirthless chuckle, she leaned forward and planted her now-folded arms on the table, back to studying the wood grain patterns. Amazing what little things could do to focus one's attention.

"I'll try it the next time I get a day off..if that comes in the next year." Her mouth twisted, but she didn't offer further complaint - she HAD wanted the job, and she was getting just what she bargained for with it.

Smile now coming back with a hint of amusement, she flicked her eyes up and away from the patterns in the grain, meeting Coralie's skeptical gaze with an even one of her own. "Six words for you: You married the most mature Marauder. I think that should cover it quite nicely."

[Coralie Rianne Lupin]

"Well, you could always send them over to my place, or to Lily's." While both Lupins were working at that particular time, it was more often than not that Remus wasn't. Other than the full moon, it provided a nice guardian for the twins, and if it was necessary, Cora didn't see any reason why it wouldn't work for the Black children as well. As for Lily, well, thanks to James' small fortune, she spent most of her time at home with her children, something Cora deeply envied.

"Need me to loan you a brownie or something?" Cora asked jokingly, raising a brow. They probably had more chocolate hidden in their apartment than any other food staple.

Cora stared at Maddie, puzzled, and then burst out laughing. "While that may be true, I'm rather sure that Remus would tell you I balance his maturity out with my insanity. See, we're all even, I just happen to be the female version of Siri and James."

[Madison Renée Black]

"I hate sending them to Lily, she's already got three of her own to handle. Mine would probably topple the house if they were all there at once." She made a face, recalling a fair few times the twins had taken it upon themselves to..redecorate Grimmauld Place. She didn't mind it, really, but it had to be cleaned up and that was a lot of extra work.

"If it comes to that point, I'll be sure to let you know." Tone dry, she pushed errant strands of hair back away from her face and smiled to match her tone.

"Female version of James and Siri..that's not encouraging, dear. How I get along with you so well is a mystery now." Now obviously teasing, she sat back with a rather cheeky grin, much like a cat that had gotten the first cream.

[Coralie Rianne Lupin]

"Then send Astrid over there, and send the twins to our place. Merlin knows there's nothing in our apartment that can't withstand them." She shrugged- their personal decorations were pretty much nonexistant, other than pictures, and their furniture had seemed to survive the test of time... so far. Besides, Cora's own twins got along just fine with the Black brothers, so it wasn't really putting anyone out.

"Of course, I'm glad to help." Cora smirked dryly.

"Not so much." Coralie laughed, looking mischevious. "Unlike my male counterparts, I got the brains to counteract my insanity. How else do you think Remus puts up with me?"

[Madison Renée Black]

"I'll keep the option in mind." Starting to consider it more and more to keep the peace - whether the kids knew it or not, the situation in Grimmauld Place was very volatile at that time - Madison waved a hand to indicate the end of that topic.

"Fine, yes, you are right on that account, I'll admit it." She knew when to give up an argument, and this was one of those times. "At least you have brains. Wish my other half could find some." She rolled her eyes towards the ceiling.

[Coralie Rianne Lupin]

Cora snorted, shaking her head and picking at a hole in her sweater. "Sirius has brians. It's just that his mouth is about twenty steps ahead."

She took Maddie's hand in a show of support. "We have a couch, if you need it. You have a key."

[Madison Renée Black]

Breathing a mirthless laugh, Madison used one hand to support her head and propped her elbow on the table, once again staring at the wood grain rather than at Coralie. She felt a bit of a lump forming up in her throat and swallowed hard to try and get rid of it. "If things keep going like this for much longer, I'm taking you up on that couch offer." She finally said in an undertone, flicking her eyes up once to look across the table.

[Coralie Rianne Lupin]

"I'm sure you two will figure it out- you always do." She gave the other woman an encouraging smile, one of her curls falling over her shoulder to frame her cheek. "Besides, you're Maddie and Sirius. Nothing is too.... serious..." She rolled her eyes but couldn't help but grin, "For you two to fix."