More than it appears ((Padme))

[Jack Rendel S5]

Jack sat down in his father's office, not chancing a look at Roger. He had brought him up here to talk to him about something; what, Jack didn't know. His curiosity was coming to a climax that was becoming unbearable; Jack had been waiting for two full hours. His father had told him to wait and had not come to tell Jack what was happening. Jack squirmed in his seat. He hated having all these sneaking suspicions about what his father was doing. Jack knew there was going to be a meeting held later today at Rendel manor, but his father had never talked to him about it before. Why was this time any different? Jack moved the chair to a nearby window so he could look out at the street. Cars would go by occasionally. Jack watched one car, a red Mustang, stop at the road side and watched a man get out. He was balding slightly and he bent down to look at something under his car. The tire, by the looks of it. Jack narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better look. The man was looking up at the manor and then down at his car, as though trying to make a decision. He then (to Jack's utmost surprise) walked up to the manor. He went out of sight but not for long as Jack heard the doorbell chime. He stood up and was about to walk out of the office when Roger appeared at the door.

"Who is it?" he asked gruffly, looking at Jack with a steely glint in his eyes.
"It looked like a muggle, father. Something was wrong with his car; the one parked on the side of the road." Jack nodded out the window. Roger made his way over there and stared at the car while the doorbell chimed three more times. Roger shook his head and muttered a few choice words before going on downstairs.
"Stay there, Jack! I still need to talk to you!" Roger yelled as he thundered down the steps like a hungry rhino. Jack shook his head and turned back to the window, wondering what his father would do. Roger's head appeared down at the porch were the man was waiting. The exchanged a few moments of conversation before Roger invited the man inside. Roger, however, stayed outside and started walking toward the car. He bent to look at the tire (Jack could see the rip in it now) but when he stood up again, the tire looked brand new. Jack smiled, knowing that his father had sewn it with magic. Jack watched as Roger made his way back to the house, only to lead the muggle back to his car. The muggle seemed surprised and flattered; he put a few gold coins in Roger's hand before starting up the Mustang and riding away. Jack's smile widened; those coins were useless considering they were muggle money. Shaking his head with amusement, Jack wandered away from the window, knowing his father wouldn't approve if he knew that Jack had been watching. He sat back down in the chair, twiddling his thumbs as he waited for his father to arrive.

Roger walked into the room in a huff, his eyes gleaming dangerously. Jack kept quiet, knowing that his father was in a bad mood. Roger hated muggles and probably just helped that one to get him off of his lawn. Jack waited for Roger to say something, but he didn't. Minutes passed and the two just stared at each other, waiting for the other to talk. Jack finally broke the silence.
"Erm.... You wanted to talk to me?"
"Yes, I did. It's about the meeting with my partners today. You already know how to behave, I expect, but today is different. Instead of staying in your room waiting for the meeting to end, you will be with the children of two of my partners." Roger's eyes flashed as Jack opened his mouth to protest, telling Jack that he had no choice in the matter. Jack leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
"So, are they from Hogwarts? What's their names?" Jack opened his left eye to look at his father, making sure that Roger would not lie. Roger blinked a few times before answering, as if Jack had said a rude word.
"They are from Durmstrang, three of them. The other two are from Beauxbatons. You will behave appropriately and I'm sure that you will find a few of them..er...interesting. As a treat, you may bring a friend here, but make sure they would live up to the standards." Roger smiled a horrible smile before getting up and going out the door. Jack couldn't help but wonder what his father's last few words had been. Was Roger Rendel setting his son up with a girl?! Jack shook his head but knew that Roger would do something exactly like that. Getting up, Jack walked over to the one of the only muggle devices they had in the house, the telephone. Grabbing it and dialing the number Jack had gotten from Padme, he let it ring a few moments before it was picked up.

"Hello?" answered a gruff voice from the other line.
"Hi. May I speak to Padme, please?" Jack heard a distant yell for Padme and then a much clearer voice answer.
"Hello?"
"Padme, it's Jack."
"Oh! What do you want?" Jack smirked into the phone; the usual rude Padme.
"Could you come over here? In a few hours?" He waited for Padme to ask her parents, but instead the answer came instantly.
"Of course. What's the occasion?"
"Father's bringing a few friends over and I have to entertain them while the have their meeting. He said I could bring a charming friend, so do try to be charming, Padme."
"You want me to be charming? I can do that; how do you think I get my way with people?" Jack snorted into the phone. The only way Padme got with people was getting them angry.
"All right. Two hours. Be over here, kay?"
"Kay."
Jack hung up the phone, his spirits rising a tad higher. Padme would be coming. She would make things all right. Jack would have asked Mack; but he wasn't sure if Mack would be able to step inside the Rendel manor. Frowning slightly, Jack slid into a nearby chair, closing his eyes, trying to get rest before the tiring day ahead of him.

[Padme Rendel S2]

Padme rolled her eyes as she found Cameron sitting in the kitchen stuffing his face yet again. He didn't seem to notice that Padme had entered; he continued to eat without glancing at her. She sat down in the farthest seat from him and grabbed the cereal box, poured some into her bowl, added the milk and picked up her spoon to start eating. It wavered at the top of the cereal as Padme looked down at it. She didn't feel hungry at all; the cereal didn't look nearly as welcoming as usual. Of course, cereal was for breakfast every day, so it wasn't entirely welcome every morning. Padme had always eaten without hesitation, but today was different. She looked at Cameron before setting down her spoon and leaning back in the spindly chair. Tucking a stray strand of brown hair out of her eyes, Padme glared at Cameron, wanting him to look at her. It was a contest of the wills for three long minutes, before Cameron finally set down his spoon, pushed away his bowl, and turned to get a better look at Padme.

"What?" he grumbled in his deep voice. Padme smirked at him.
"What's on the agenda today?"
"The agenda? What do you expect, Padme? For us to go shopping or doing something fun?"
"No, I was thinking we would nap the whole day." Padme retorted sarcastically. Cameron didn't seem to notice it. On the contrary, he seemed to like that idea.
"Great idea! I get the couch." Cameron got up and walked over to the couch. He plumped to pillows for a few seconds before laying down and putting his head on top of the pillow. Snores filled the house in a matter of moments. Padme rolled her eyes and pushed her bowl even farther away from her. With nothing to do on a beautiful day like this made Padme's appetite go down to an extreme low. Sighing unhappily, Padme got up from her chair and walked up the flight of stairs to her bedroom.

Time always seems to pass when you think of a few choice memories. Not that there's anything else to do. I would go meet Jack but I don't want to bother him everyday, no matter how fun it is. Mack.... I don't even know where she lives. Same with Big Sis'. No one's here to relief me of my cage of boredom. Here I am, laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, hearing my step-dad snore, knowing the day was not worth it. I want to go do something I don't do usually, something utterly not Padme Rendel. Something like...." Riiiing! Riiing! The phone sounded throughout the house, making the snores end with an angry curse. The phone stopped ringing; Cameron must have picked it up. Padme lay back in bed, knowing no one would call for her. Then, to her utmost surprise, Cameron started bellowing her name up the stairs. "Padme! Get down here!" Padme slid off her bed and walked out of the room, wondering if the day did, in fact, hold something for her after all. Padme reached Cameron and grabbed the phone when he handed it to her. Smirking at him as he sat back down on the couch, Padme turned from him and spoke into the phone.

Padme tore up the stairs after her phone call, ignoring the rude grunts issueing from Cameron's mouth. Reaching her room, she pulled open the door and closed it with a snap. She was going to Jack's! She could hardly believe her luck! And, to top it all off, there were going to be other people there as well; the children of Roger's partners. Grinning, Padme remembered the words Jack had spoken into the phone. "He said I could bring a charming friend, so do try to be charming, Padme." She pulled open the closet that held all her dresses and pulled out a purple dress that went well with her high-heels. Pulling it on even though she had to wait two hours, Padme looked at herself in the mirror for a moment before getting her makeup and curling iron. Curling her hair so it bounced on her shoulders, Padme put on the pink lipstick and black eyeliner before turning back to her bed. She lay down on it, smirking at how lucky she had become. Hopefully, Roger wouldn't ask her name, but if he did she was going to tell him. Padme would never hide from who she was. There Padme lay, waiting for the two hours to end.

Her alarm clock's hand clicked onto number twelve as Padme watched it carefully. Jumping out of bed and smoothing her dress, Padme walked downstairs, and coming to a halt in front of Cameron. She put a smile on her lips that was very forced and poked his shoulder to get his attention.
"I need a ride." Padme declared to him as Cameron looked at her outfit with a raised eyebrow.
"Where to?"
"Scotland."
"Scotland? Why the hell are you wanting to go there?"
"I'm visiting someone." Cameron grunted a few times as he considered doing what his step-daughter asked. At last, his brain seemed to make some sort of conclusion.
"I can drive you to the airport." He told her.
"Why the airport?"
"It'll be faster. You need to get there faster than car, do you not? A plane will be leaving in five minutes; I memorized the schedule." Padme almost laughed, surprised that Cameron could memorize something like that.
"All right. Let's go then." Padme led the way to the door and opened it for him as Cameron stepped out. Glancing down at her clothes one last time, Padme entered the car after Cameron, hoping that she would make it in time.

The plane ride seemed to last for eternity. Padme spent most of it looking at the window at the terrific landscape. She had always loved Scotland's looks. Grinning happily, Padme noticed that the plane was starting to make a descent. Grabbing all her things, Padme waited for the plane wheels to hit the ground. As the plane wheeled to a halt, Padme was already standing and going out the door. She was one of the first to exit the plane. Walking toward the curb, Padme started the ten minute walk she would have to undergo. It wasn't that bad; not many cars went by and all the mansions nearby were very nice to look at. Soon, Rendel manor was in sight. Padme walked as fast as she could go without ruining her appearance and arrived at Rendel manor in a matter of minutes. She walked up to the door and knocked the knocker, waiting for the door to open and allow her entry.

[Jack Rendel S5]

Jack woke with a start as Bobby woke him up. The green chair had been most comfortable and sleeping on it was even better. Jack sighed and sat up, his side now aching from the awkward position he had been in. Rubbing it slightly, Jack looked around. The manor was polished and cleaned to a sparkling effect; Jack wondered how Bobby and Roger and the house elves had managed to do it all in such a short amount of time. Jack turned to look at Bobby, who seemed to be extremely nervous.
"Sir, I think you better go get ready now." He told Jack with a glance at the door that made him appear petrified. Giving Bobby a smile, Jack sat up and walked off, a slight limp in his walk from his side. Damn chair! And I thought it comfortable. He walked up all the flights of stairs slowly, thoughts of what the day held going through his mind. A few Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students were going to be arriving shortly with their parents. Jack couldn't help but think that they had brought their children for a reason; probably to set Jack up. Roger had always done odd things to Jack, but this topped it all. Setting Jack up with some girl?! How could Roger be that uncaring. Clicking his tongue to show his contempt, Jack entered his bedroom with the speed of a turtle. He dressed at the same speed, trying to make time go by before the guests arrive so he wouldn't have to think about it. The odd thing about time, however, is it never does what one wants it to do. Jack wanted it to go by fast, but instead it went by his speed: a snail.

Fuming under his breath, Jack put on a shocking blue t-shirt that matched his eyes and baggy blue pants. He knew Roger would not approve, but he dashed all thought of that from his mind. Entering the dining room, Jack found dinner being made by ten or so bustling house elves. Smirking at them as he walked through the crowd, he noticed that Roger was sitting in a chair nearby, watching the process. He looked up as Jack approached, only to give him a nod and look back at the elves. Surprised, Jack hastened out of the room, wondering why in hell Roger hadn't cared about his beating. Giving Bobby a rare frown, Jack flopped down in a chair as the clock struck one. The guests and Padme should be arriving any minute. I hope Padme arrives first so I could have a word with her. Jack fidgeted in his chair, fighting the impulse to go lock himself in his room. Maybe it won't be that bad. Maybe this girl won't be half-bad. Jack thought hopelessly as he stared at the door, waiting for it to open. Distantly, Jack heard a car door slam. Getting up with enormous speed; he opened the door just as the guest were about to knock. Jack placed a forced smile on his face as he beckoned the people in. It looked like Jack was face-to-face with the girl Roger had been planning to get Jack with. The girl had golden-blonde hair and light green eyes that seemed to shimmer in the light. Her skin was pale, like a porcelain doll. Jack swallowed hard as he looked at the girl. There was no doubt that she was pretty; but looks aren't everything Jack reminded himself. The girl's father went off to the kitchen to find Roger, after muttering a few words to his daughter. She nodded her magnificent head before turning to look at Jack. Jack forced a smile but he knew that his eyes must have been cold.

"Hello. Would you care to sit?" Jack motioned toward the chair closest to him and the girl nodded her head. She sat down carefully into the seat as though she might get infected and then smiled at Jack.
"Hello. You must be Jack Rendel, Mr. Rendel's son. I've heard all about you. Father thinks you're perfect." the girl giggled slightly and smoothed the skirt she was wearing before continuing. "My name's Felicity by the way. Felicity Drangle. I go to Durmstrang." Felicity smiled at Jack showing each of her white teeth. Jack nodded. "Father thought it would be nice if I got to know you. Since we're so much alike." Jack doubted whether the were alike at all but let Felicity continue. "Mother always said that I had to find the perfect boy before long; they want me to marry early. Father suggested you since you're perfect and that we would make a perfect match." Jack raised his eyebrow, hoping Felicity would stop saying perfect. Jack was not perfect; no not at all. Felicity was staring at Jack with such interest he had to look away. He was saved from speaking when a knock sounded on the door. Jumping up, Jack opened the door to find Padme waiting there. "Do come in." Jack told her and almost pushed her into the house; Padme would save him.