Nothing Like Pride ((Bryce))

[Weetzie O'Keeffe H7]

Weetzie O’Keeffe’s smile brightened as she pushed past people in the corridor to reach Bryce. She threw her right arm around his neck and grinned, “Bryce, ol’ buddy ol’ pal of mine!” She gave him a cutesy smile, tilting her head to the side as she moved to stand in front of him; her hands on either shoulder. Some people grumbled about how people stood in the middle of the hall way, but this was important. “D’you wanna go someplace with me today during the Hogsmeade trip? You see…” she grinned, “my mum’ll be there and well… she’s meeting up with some of her family and it’s this huge thing if I go there and I don’t want to go alone because I know it will be so much more fun if you come with me.” Weetzie pushed her lower lip out in a pout, “Please? Please please please please please?” She had started to jump up and down, hoping it would sway his answer. Before he could answer, though, there was a screech from the left of them. Weetzie looked to her left and smiled apologetically at the professor.

“Miss O’Keeffe, Mister Alexander, I suggest you get to class.” Weetzie, who had let go of Bryce’s shoulders, did a mock salute and darted past him back down the way she had come. “Meet me at the entrance hall if you will!” she called as she turned and jogged toward her Arithmancy lesson. All during class her mind was on the trip. She rarely ever got to see her mother, and when she did it was always with the day care kids hanging on her. Today was a way for her to see her mother and be with her whole family. Her whole Irish family. Weetzie grinned secretively at the thought of dragging Bryce into the cottage her grandparents owned in Hogsmeade with all her cousins and whatnot running around. If he showed up, he had no idea what he was getting himself into. “Weetz? Hello? Earth to Weetz?” Weetzie jumped as she looked to her right, “Yep?” “Help…” Weetzie smiled and then leaned over to explain the process of whatever they were doing to her classmate.

Finally, the end of the classes came and people were heading toward the grounds for the carriage ride to Hogsmeade. Weetzie stayed in the Entrance Hall, though, biting her nails and jumping up on her tip toes to see if Bryce was going to show up. Her hair was up in two knots with a single strand of hair hanging down on either side of her face, both coloured green to match her plaid skirt. As she dropped to the heels of her feet for the tenth time in the past minute, she turned her direction to her left a little and then stood on her tip toes again to see over the heads of the people who were making their way to the grounds. She hoped he would come, because she had been telling the truth when she said that it would be much more fun if he were there with her than if she was to deal with her family all on her own. Besides, there wouldn’t be anyone there her age. She needed an intellectual teenage conversation. Or at least she would by the time the end of the family dinner was over.

There he was! Weetzie fell to her heels and then reached out to pluck Bryce from the crowd, “You’re coming, right? You aren’t just meeting me here to tease me, right, Alexander?”

[Bryce Alexander]

"And then, he told her..." Bryce was talking to Luke as they walked the halls between classes when he was interrupted mid-sentence when an arm was flung around his neck, and Weetzie was soon hanging off his shoulder. As she stepped out in front of him with a sweet smile, he wondered what was up. Surely, she was trying to get something from him. Then, as she rounded in front of him, she asked if he would go with her when they went to Hogsmeade today. She even resorted to giving him a rather pouty round of pleases. They wouldn't have been needed, since Bryce thought it would be fun to tag along, but she didn't give him time to answer before begging.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to answer, a professor approached and urged them to continue to class. Weetz left with quite energy before turning and shouting for him to meet her in the entrance hall. Bryce laughed and turned back to Luke before they walked into the Transfiguration room for their next class. "Anyways, where was I?"

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

As soon as Transfiguration was over, Bryce stopped by his dormitory first to drop off his books. Then, he made his way through the crowd of others heading for Hogsmeade to meet Weetz in the Entrance Hall as she had told him to. Once again, he felt someone grab him, and Weetz was beside him. "Ha, do you really think I am that cruel, Weetz?" he asked as he shook his head.

"So what exactly is this trip all about now? I heard you mention your mother, and some family, and how this is a HUGE thing. How exactly do I fit into all of this?" Bryce questioned her with a curious gaze as they found a carraige and were on their way toward the village.

[Weetzie O'Keeffe H7]

Weetzie raised her eyebrows at Bryce’s question, “D’you want an honest answer to that question?” She quickly smiled, knowing that his question had answered her question which made her very happy. Now she wouldn’t be completely and utterly bored when she was forced to spend time with her family. She loved her family, she did; especially when they all got together, but she didn’t love them enough to put up with them on her own. No, she would need reinforcement for that, and Bryce was the best person for the job, Weetz just knew it. They made their way outside and toward the carriages that everyone else had been rushing to moments before, and within seconds they were settled inside a carriage and being pulled toward the village of Hogsmeade. It didn’t take Bryce long to question where they were going and how he fit into it all. She tore her gaze from the window and the scenery to look at him and smiled as she sank into the seat, propping her feet up on the cushioned seat across from her.

“Once a year, my mum’s side of the family get together at my granddad’s cottage in Hogsmeade. It’s like a family reunion thing, and since I’m always bounced around Europe over the summer holidays and my mum has the daycare to run and such at home… they do it during the school year every year so I can join them and mum can get away.” Weetzie decided that giving him the basic idea of what the whole thing was would help him get a little less unconfused, but she wasn’t quite done. “If you haven’t noticed my last name’s O’Keeffe, meaning I’m Irish. Meaning I have this huge family full of red headed Irish men and women and their children, meaning I’m stuck every year to deal with their arguments, outbursts, dancing, and children. Not that I don’t love it, but it can be a bit too much.” Weetzie brightened her grin, “That is where you fit in. You get to spare me the trouble of dealing with that all on my own, and in return you get a good meal and a day with me. Like the deal? Oh! We’re here!”

The carriage pulled to a stop and Weetzie hopped down from it to the soft ground as Hogsmeade loomed before her. Once Bryce was out of the carriage, Weetzie leaned over and pointed to a cottage near the gate and whispered, “I don’t see how we’re going to fit all of our family in that little thing.” She shook her head and grabbed his hand to lead him toward the cottage while saying, “C’mon I’ll introduce you to Mum and Granddad and Grandmum and whoever else is already here.” She sent him a bright smile before pushing open the little gate that led to the cottage. Before she could say anything more the door burst open and out came a bright red headed woman, “Weetzie Lynn O’Keeffe! What is in your hair?”

“Hullo to you, too, Auntie Steph.” Weetzie controlled a smile as her aunt ran toward her and gave her a hug before tugging on the green strands of hair, “It looks good, using the spell I taught you, I suppose?” “Of course. Is Mum in there?” Stephanie rolled her eyes before leaning over to whisper, “Baking up a storm, as always, you know she never did know when to stop. We’ll be eating cakes for years.” Weetzie laughed as her aunt shook her head disapprovingly and then said something about running to the village to get some more flour and then leaving her and Bryce to stand on the little pathway to the cottage. She turned to Bryce and rolled her eyes just like Stephanie had moments before; “She’s all over the place, one moment you’ll be the center of her conversation and then the next second you won’t matter and she’ll be talking about bumblebees or whatnot.”

Weetzie pulled Bryce into the cottage after having said what she thought she needed to about her aunt. The cottage looked smaller than it really was. The moment they stepped inside, the sweet aroma of her mother’s cake floated around them. They were standing in the living room which held a television set (magical of course), two reclining rocking chairs, a sofa with a blanket thrown over the back, and a coffee table. There were bookshelves lining the walls, one contained books and the rest contained photographs of the O’Keeffe family. To the right (which was where she led Bryce) was the kitchen that doubled as a dining room except for on big occasions like the one they were at now when they ate outside in the garden. In the center of the kitchen sat (on the counter top with a mixing bowl in her lap and a wooden spoon in the other while other spoons mixed batter in other bowls magically) a dark haired woman who looked uncannily like Weetzie.

With another quick shake of her head and a look at Bryce, she mouthed “watch this” and picked up a spoon that had been mixing some batter in a bowl near her. She was about to put it in her mouth when a thick Irish accented voice filled the room, “Don’t you even think about it, Weetz.” With a pout and a snap of her fingers, she dropped the spoon inside the bowl again as her mother hopped off the counter and approached them, setting her own bowl on a table. The spoon immediately began to stir itself. “I always caught her as a child,” her mother was saying, but to Bryce, “and you would think she would learn. Apparently not. I’m Maire O’Keeffe, the Wicked Witch of the Kitchen. Right, honey?” Weetzie shrugged as she picked up the wooden spoon again and slid into a chair before she licked it. Maire glared at her daughter before turning back to Bryce, “She drag you along because she didn’t want to baby sit her cousins all on her own?”

((Why is it that whenever I write family posts, they end up being uber long? Oh, well, I liked this post and I am sorry if you found it dull or hard to reply to. Just tell me and I can change it. Also, then, I strayed from her bio. I will have to edit it later. Her family kind of just formed in my mind as I wrote this post so... it is completely opposite the bio I had written up when I first got her. ))

[Bryce Alexander]

Bryce listened as Weetz informed him what he had agreed to getting himself into. Whether he liked the deal or not, they had already arrived, and before he knew it, Bryce was standing outside of a cottage with Weetzie by his side. "Looks nice," he said with a shrug as he observed the very warm looking place. She grabbed his hand and led him to the gate and toward the cottage.

As Bryce closed the latch of the gate behind him, he jumped at the sound of someone shrieking Weetzie's name. Bryce just nodded as a quick acknowledgment as the woman was off almost as fast as she had arrived. "She seems fun," Bryce said simply after Weetz told him a bit about her aunt. Then, they finally entered the house. Bryce took a quick look around before Weetz led him into the kitchen where the smell of cakes filled his nostrils. He smiled as Weetz took one of the spoons that was stirring batter and attempted to lick it before being caught by a woman appearing to be her mother. "I'm Bryce Alexander," he replied with a smile as she introduced herself. He laughed and then added, "I guess she forgot to mention the babysitting part."

Bryce found a seat beside Weetzie and watched as a blob of batter fell from her spoon onto the table. Taking his finger, he wiped it up and then licked it. "Since you didn't offer to share," he said, sending a teasing glance to Weetz. "So, if been told you have a big family. Where is everybody?" Bryce asked, curious to know when he would be meeting the rest of Weetzie's cousins and such. So far, Bryce was enjoying the outing, and Weetzie's family seemed welcoming and kind. "Is that lemon?" he then asked, the bit of the batter finally getting a chance to sink in and leave a bit of an aftertaste in his mouth.

[Weetzie O'Keeffe H7]

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Bryce.” Maire smiled warmly and hooked a curl behind her ear before bending down to open up the oven. She took a look at the cakes that were in there and then flicked her wand to get the cakes to float out. Weetzie watched her mother before turning to Bryce with a quick glare when he mentioned the baby sitting. “I wouldn’t trust Weetzie to tell you anything that might be considered a bad idea.” Maire was saying as she kicked the oven closed and then reached behind a bowl of self mixing batter to get a bottle of butterbeer. She took a sip as she leaned against the counter and grinned at the two teenagers. With a quick glance out the window, she sighed and took another sip of her butterbeer. Weetzie leaned over the table to whisper to Bryce; “She does this every time the family gets together. If she were a house elf, I’ve no doubt she would be drunk at this moment.” Weetzie raised her eyebrows before pushing her chair from the table and standing. She hopped over to her mum, pecked her on the cheek, and then took the butterbeer from her. Bryce had asked where the rest of the family was and Weetzie laughed, “They’ll be in shortly, see?” She pointed out the window as she returned to Bryce. There was a group of five witches and wizards laughing as they traipsed through the fence toward the cottage. Weetzie grinned as she looked at Bryce as he asked if the batter were lemon. “Probab-…” “WEEEEEETZIE!!!!!”

Weetzie whirled around as a small girl rushed at her and grabbed her around the legs. “Oi, Gracie! My, how you’ve grown!” Weetzie stroked the little girls head before getting down on one knee. Gracelynn Jennelle O’Keeffe, was a mini Weetzie. Everyone in the family referred to her as a mini Weetz, anyway. She had long dark red hair and sparkling green eyes. She was only five, but she held the air of a young thirteen year old. “Weetzie! Weetzie! Daddy got me a new guitar! It’s a real one!” Weetzie laughed and stood as the group of witches and wizards entered the kitchen. There was a loud chorus of, “She’s baking!” and Maire sent them all glares before giving them all hugs. Weetzie, holding Gracie’s hand, tugged on Bryce’s arm before pulling him out of the door to the backyard. The garden was the best part of the cottage. With a huge tree near the corner and a swinging chair underneath it. Weetzie headed toward the swing and sat down, pulling Gracie on her lap. She looked up at Bryce as she tickled Gracie, “This is my cousin, Gracelynn… she likes Gracie, though. Gracie,” Weetzie tugged on a lock of red hair, “this is my friend Bryce. What do you say?” Gracie giggled and then looked at Bryce, “How do you do?” Weetzie shook her head as Gracie jumped off her lap and approached Bryce. She tugged on his hand to make him bend down to her height before she leaned over and whispered in his ear; “I want to grow up to be just like Weetz.” Weetzie leaned back in the swing, not being able to hear what Gracie had said, and pushed with her feet to get it to move.

[Bryce Alexander]

Bryce gave Weetzie a teasing glare as her mother eluded to the fact that the babysitting might not be the best idea. Then, he simply shrugged when Weetzie commented on her mothers drinking some butterbeer. Whatever gets you through, he thought as Weetzie snatched the bottle from her mother and explained that the other would be coming. He looked out the window where she pointed and then turned to the loud shriek that came from the doorway. Weetzie was soon bombarded by a little red-headed girl who looked uncannily like Weetzie. Bryce found himself being drug out the back door by Weetz before he got a chance to meet the rest of her family.

When they got outside again, Bryce admired the nice area that rested behind the cottage. It only added to the warmth and homeliness that the cottage itself had. He followed Weetzie over to a swing where she properly introduced him to the little ball of energy who she called Gracie. With a smile, Bryce replied, "I'm doing... well," he said, having to pause to be sure to use the proper grammar. He always was corrected when he used the word good instead of well when his grandmother would ask him how he was. "And how do you do, Gracie?" he inquired in return. After she answered, she plopped off of Weetzie's lap and then pulled him down such that he was more at her level. When she whispered in her ear, he knelt down and whispered back into hers. "That's quite an admirable goal," he said before standing back up and taking a seat beside Weetz on the swing. Seeing a slightly noticeable pout appearing on Gracie's face, Bryce patted his leg. "Don't worry, there's room for three," he said assuringly. Her partial frown was gone in an instant, and Bryce barely finished speaking before Gracie landed on he and Weetzie with giggle. Bryce helped Weetzie get the motion of the swing going back and forth again once they were all settled.

"So Gracie," Bryce said in a casual voice, "Did you know I LOVE funny stories?" He acted innocent, but then glanced over at Weetzie who was sure to see through to his scheming mind. "I was wondering, do you know any funny stories about Weetzie that you could tell me?" He continued to feign the innocent voice although he knew Weetzie would see past it. "I just figured that maybe you knew a funny story or two about her." He could almost see the wheels beginning to turn in Gracie's little mind. This should be interesting, he thought as he gave Weetzie a wink.

[Weetzie O'Keeffe H7]

Gracie looked over at Weetzie who smiled, amused, before the little red head turned to Bryce again, “I’m doing… well, too!” Weetzie let out a laugh at her exuberance, she really was a Mini-Weetz. It was quite frightening, but Weetzie loved it all the same. She watched as Gracie and Bryce whispered to each other with a curious raise of her eyebrow. Her gaze followed Bryce as he took a seat beside her and then flicked back to Gracie who was standing with her arms crossed and her face in a pout. She was standing on the sides of her shoes like her mother always told her not to do, but Weetz didn’t dare scold her. She couldn’t dream of scolding Gracie. Gracie smiled and climbed onto Bryce’s and her lap after he told her that there was room for three. Weetzie smiled and twirled a strand of Gracie’s red hair around her finger as the swing started to move again with Bryce’s help. She sent a warning glance at Bryce when he spoke to Gracie next. Where was he going with this? She let her jaw drop as he winked at her, how dare he think he could get away with trying to get “funny” stories about her out of Gracie? If he wanted to do that he could just ask the adults, they’d be happy to oblige. Gracie looked at Bryce, “Oh, do I?! Weetz is the definition of funny stories!” Weetzie groaned and tugged on a lock of Gracie’s hair before leaning her head on the back of the swing as Gracie dove in.

“She plays air guitar in her room, a lot! This one time, I don’t remember when… Weetz, when did I see you playing air guitar?” She looked at Weetzie with her innocent eyes and Weetzie smiled, “Your last birthday,” she replied before Gracie turned her gaze back to Bryce, “Yeah! My last birthday! Anyway, I was looking for presents and Weetzie was in her room and I heard music, so I open the door and I found her playing air guitar while she jumped on her bed. So, what do I do? I get on her bed and play the air drums. We were a band and it was cool! My parents weren’t too happy, though, I ruined my party dress. Weetz saved the day, as always. She let me wear one of hers. It was big, but I liked it all the same.” Gracie hopped off their laps and stood in front of them before twirling imaginary drum sticks and banging on imaginary drums and making the sounds. Weetzie looked over at Bryce and laughed before feeling Gracie pull her up, or attempting to. “Play with me Weetz, play!” “I dunno…” “Please? Please? Please please please please please please please?” “Fine, fine! I’ll do it! Just this once, okay?” “Just once!” Gracie echoed before starting on her drums once more. Weetzie looked at Bryce, laughed sadly, and then started to play her air guitar. “Sing, sing!” “No! I said I’d play!” “Please? Please please ple-…” “Fine!”

“Gracie is a silly goose, she always has her head on loose. She waddles when she walks and she makes strange noises, but that’s okay because we love her anyway.” Gracie stopped playing her imaginary drums, and Weetzie laughed at her face. She was glaring up at her, “Fine, you made your point. I’ll just tell Bryce about the time you got stuck up in the ferris wheel and thought you were going to die.” Weetzie knelt down in front of Gracie and stared at her defiantly in the eye, “Go right ahead,” Gracie stuck her tongue out before climbing up on Bryce’s lap. Weetzie laughed and shook her head as she took her seat and started to move the swing again. There was something so strange about seeing Gracie take to Bryce. Normally, she was quiet around new people. Which was the only thing that made her different from Weetz. But with Bryce she seemed to be completely out of her shell. Yeah, completely. Which was why she didn’t mind humiliating Weetzie. “We went to an amusement park, and I wanted to go on the ferris wheel, so I begged Weetz to come and she finally gave in. We were at the top, you know the really really really high part? And it stopped. Weetzie was freaking out, thinking the world was gonna end or… it was gonna roll off or something. She was crying and when the people who got us down came, it took two guys to get her out because she was so frightened.” Gracie leaned up and whispered in Bryce’s ear, but the whisper was loud enough for Weetzie to hear; “She’s really scared of heights. That’s always a good way to get her if you want to see her cry.” Weetzie cleared her throat and tucked her hair behind her ear, as Gracie jumped off Bryce’s lap and headed inside. “Where are you going?!” “Cake!!!! Auntie Maire’s cake is done!” And with that she vanished into the cottage. Weetzie smiled and shrugged before looking at Bryce with a teasing glare, “You did that on purpose. You trying to plot my demise?”