"Brezovo?" Charlie asked his Bulgarian accent very noticeable as he said the town. "Yes it is very nice I have been there a couple of times before myself." He told Lena smiling.

Chris looked at Lena and his dad alright that wasn't so bad. But he knew that wasn't the end of it there would be more questions later.

The chat had started, Melinda ate without saying a word. She wasn't in her full great mood as always. She felt sort of intimidated, speechless to end the description. Sigh. Lena talked about where she lived now, and then remembered when Chris mentioned a snowball fight. He had gone there, to see her.

She smiled as wide as she could, enjoying the food as far as she could, yet it had sort of a bitter taste.

Helena smiled in reply and felt at a loss of something to say. She had just met half the people there and felt a bit intimidated, to be honest. As she had just filled up her plate, she sufficed for trying the turkey, which happened to be pretty excellent.

Nick looked over from his food and over to Melinda. He poked her arm slightly just to get her attention. "Mel" He said softly. "are you going to have to leave tonight?" He asked. This had been something he was wondering for awhile and since nobody was talking he found it was the right time to ask.

Chris looked over to Lena. He tried to think of something to say. Hmmm but what??? "So Lena. When your common room got flooded what happened to your stuff?" He asked this had never crossed his mind but now it seemed like something good to talk about maybe?

Life saver, Nick was!! Melinda looked down at him and smiled, trying to make a good structured sentence. "I'm afraid of so, Nick...I need to be at this buffet tomorrow morning at Paris...and that's why I have to leave today..." Her smile became a frown. She didn't want to leave, but she had done enough around there that season.

"Do you like the food?" She asked, trying to make another conversation run.

Nick got upset when Melinda said she had to leave. "You will come back though right?" He asked wrinkling his eyebrows. "What's it for?" He asked being his normal curious self.

He then nodded. "Yeah I like! I think you are a really really good cook. Maybe as good as my mum." He told Melinda smiling.

Melinda looked at Nick. Poor kid. "I think I can, by New Year's Eve, if that's okay for your family..." She said, looking up at Emily and Charlie. That day, it was special for her, it was another year alive. Or yet she thought. She hummed, taking a bite of her turkey, then ate it. "Umm...it's for this very important man...business guy that tasted the food from the restaurant I work at...and well, I was invited to prepare the food..." She said, trying to remember the name of the person. Ugh...she had a bad memory.


Oops. Nick had to mention she helped with the food? Eek..."Thank you..." She kindly said and looked down, trying to swallow the gulp after the bite of food.

Nick's eyes widened. "Really?" He said also looking at his mum and dad.

Charlie looked up from his plate when he heard Nick. "I supose that would be fine. That is if Melinda isn't busy with school." He said smiling slightly. He sound like a tipical father with this comment.

"Oh alright." Nick said nodding.

Chris looked over as Nick mentioned Mel helping with the food and Melinda didn't seem to look happy about it. "Mel what's wrong? The food is amazing no worries." He said opening his thoughts to Mel.

Melinda smiled at the three, Emily, Charlie and Nick. "Thanks...I do hope I'm not busy those days, people seem to just order from a restaurant better than do their food themselves..." She said, really hoping not to have so much work that week. She bit her lip in the process.


Thanks, but I'd better compliment your mother about this, Kaplan. I don't want to look as if it is an advantage to know how to cook. She thought back, raising her eyebrow.

Chris heard what Melinda said about people ordering from restaurants. "Hey dad sounds like you." He said laughing.

"Oh haha really funny. But I don't see you cooking either." Charlie pointed out.

"Fine you win I can't cook either." He said.

Emily looked at her son and husband and smiled slightly. "Well if you can come you are more then welcome." She told Melinda.

Yes but you help that counts for something right? But if you don't want to make a big deal about it I totally understand. He thought to Mel.

A slight giggle came out of Melinda's mouth. Funny comments they made against each other, family means of course. "I'm not saying it's bad...but New Year's Eve gets the busiest for chefs and lots of restaurants..." She said, taking a sip of her apple sider in front. "...but it takes a lot of time of their own, becoming a hard deal itself..." She ended her sentence, then looked around.

"Thank you, Mrs. Kaplan..." Melinda answered and smiled wide.

We'll talk about it later...please. Melinda answered and smiled at him, taking his hand.

Helena was happy for the opportunity to say something again, but took a sip of water before she replied, Well, our Head of House showed up before the water was high enough to reach the dormitories, and when we ended up in your--- the Gryffindor common room, our things were there. I assume I have the teachers to thank for that. She smiled slightly and took another bite of food. Everything was excellent.

Helena looked over at Mel in surprise at Nick's words, but there was a pleasant smile on her face still. I didn't know you cooked, Melinda - although, I must agree everything is great. Mental deep breath. Okay, everything was alright. Her eyes were still gray with nervousness, but she paid them no attention. She did, however, notice Mel reach towards Chris's hand under the table and her fork shook slightly as she lowered it from her mouth, but her facial expression remained unchanged.

"I'm not saying it's bad either. Just that the only person that can cook in this family is mum." Chris said and chuckled.

"Yeah I'm sure it does get crazy with people throwing partys on New Year's and they don't want to cook. It must be a mess around there. But you can only hope for the best eh?" He said taking a sip of his pumkin juice.

Chris could feel Mel take his hand he was thankful that their hands were under the table. Yeah alright. He thought and smiled back towards Melinda.

Chris nodded. "Well that's good that you got all of your stuff back. That so wouldn't be good if you didn't. But so how high did the water get before you got out. I mean did it get high. Or like in other places they relized it quickly and it wasn't so bad?" He asked.

Great Lena had heard Nick. He gave Melinda's hand a quick squeeze. It's alright. He thought to her.

Helena agreed with his words with a small nod, being sure to keep the smile plastered on, though not awkwardly so. It was pretty high, she commented, thinking back to that day. Some people didn't get out until it was nearly over their heads, but still, it was about at my waist when I finally got out, she said, taking another bite of mashed potatoes thoughtfully.

Melinda grinned at Lena and her comment about her cooking. "Thanks, Lena...I...am actually attending a school to become a chef, in Paris..." She told her, nodding. "That's why the mention of school and such events that I have to attend to work..." She said, letting out a long sigh, then another bite of food. Noticing the way Helena reacted when Chris and Mel held hands, her body became tense and let go of his hand. Not a great idea...not now.

"Oh...it's normal. I now have a lot of work, which pays well...so I don't complain anymore...And it keeps me away from grandma's house, which I thank a lot these days." Melinda said, answering to both Charlie and Chris. This at home had gotten pretty tense. JoAnne was getting married to that guy named Jean Paul and Mirelda wasn't actually happy with the decision. Of course, nothing, no one was good enough for her grand-daughters.

A chat about the common room had overcome and Melinda didn't comment at all. She was recieving letters from time to time to tell about Hogwarts, including a copy of the Daily Prophet with the most interesting news during the month. It had been a mystery by then...it was weird.

Helena's gray eyes widened a bit at Mel's words, but she smiled when she had finished. That's really neat. I assume, then, that you are studying muggle-style? That's so interesting. I'd never really thought of all the different muggle professions. She'd also never really thought of people cooking for a job - both at her parents' house and at Hogwarts, the cooking had been done by house-elves.

Chris looked at Lena. "Really?" He asked. "Over their heads. What happened if they couldn't swim? I'm guessing it wasn't good then." He said. "Still I wonder what's make all this happen. I mean it's getting really bad now." Chris said. It was true pretty soon they would probably all get stuck in the common room or something.

Chris noticed Lena's reaction when Mel took his hand. He gulped and was thankful that Mel let go of his hand. He put his hand back on his knee and bit his lip.

"Yes this is true. And I'm guessing being an owner wouldn't get less busy. I would figure it would get more. But at least you get to see what it's like now. And you are doing something you like and making money." Charlie said.

"Things gotten worse with your grandmother? What's that witch doing now?" He asked slightly disgusted.

Emily looked at Chris when he called Melinda's grandmother a witch. "Christopher watch your language." She warned. Sure wasn't like he called her a bad name but it still wasn't nice.

Chris looked at his mum. "Sorry mum." He said.

ooc: I fell asleep... Short post this will be.

Melinda looked around, giving each a smile. "Muggle professions relate to what Ministry wants now. I think that we ought to just do some preparation of what they teach. It works in many ways." She said, remembering her career could be needed anywhere around the Ministry. Maybe later...work in there.

"My own money, my own things and sometimes my own time. The owner of the restaurant I practice and work at says that since I just make him rich...I can take as many vacations as I can..." She said, shrugging. One small smile let out.

Biting her lip, Mel interferred. "Don't worry, Mrs. Kaplan...she's a real witch, so no offense. The attitude is what makes Mirelda one of those feared in Muggle movies..." She commented, giving a gulp. "And so far...JoAnne will get married, Mirelda...is acting like a real beast towards the guy..." She finally answered Chris' question.

Helena nodded in reply to Chris. I think the teachers were getting everyone out okay - nobody got seriously hurt, unless you count being soaking wet. This was becoming much easier than Helena could have hoped it would be. The Ministry? Wow. It had always been somewhat of an unreal idea to get a job in the Ministry after she was done with schooling - she doubted very highly that only living in the country less than five years would give her much credibility. I've always thought the Ministry to be a desirable place to work, she said with a smile before taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

Charlie looked at Melinda. "Wow good deal. I mean must bosses aren't like that." He told Mel. "But I'm sure you are a fine employee and that's why he's so nice to you." He told her smiling.

Emily nodded. "Well I should have guess. I wasn't so found of my grandmother either. Tipical french women trying to control everything everyone does." She told Mel and shrugged.

"JoAnne is getting married? Wow. That's ummm great I guess. Well not good for you. Now you will be stuck with your grandmother and cousins by yourself." Chris said.

"Well at least nobody got hurt. I don't think anybodies gotten hurt because of these floods. But yeah that's good." Chris said shrugging. "Well I don't know if you can count that. I guess you could if you got sick." He said and smiled.

Melinda became sort of flattered from Charlie's comment. "I'm sure I'm a normal employee," She tried to be modest, really but it was hard since she knew that finally she was good at something and that, she loved it. "But thanks..." She finally said and smiled.

She giggled at Emily's comment. "I actually guess that if my mother lived, she would have been the same way of attitude as grandma...so, yes...French women are tough..." Mel said shrugging. She so hoped not to be like Mirelda, like neverrr.

Melinda nodded to Chris. "Well...it's great yes, that she found someone to take her out of that house, but...it's actually great for me now as well, because now I have the apartment in Paris to my own, which means I will not live with them at all." She gestured a-it's a tie- and let out a long and stretchy sigh.

"Ooh, could I interrupt you?" She asked Chris and Lena as they talked about the floodings. "Karma has reported me a few students almost drowned at the dungeons and first floor, and yes...it is a chaos..." She said, trying not to think about her in such situations.

Charlie smiled to Mel. A warm smile not a creepy weird one. "Yes I'm sure you are." He said and winked towards. Then chuckled lightly.

Emily nodded. "Yes I must agree French women are very tough." She said.

Nick had been quiet until now. He looked at Mel and then back at his mum. "But mum you're french and you're not mean or tough." He told her smiling.

"Awwww well thank you Nick." She said smiling back.

Chris looked at Melinda raising an eyebrow. "Oh I didn't know you weren't living with her anymore." He said. "Well that's good I guess. But I probably should have figured that out. Since you work and go to school in Paris." He said.

"Oh yeah that's right I forgot about that. Well them almost drowned but they didn't. I was saying people hadn't gotten hurt because of the floods. But that is close enough." He said nodding.

Oh, great. Miss know-it-all had to throw in her two cents. Of course, Helena said, her eyes returning to her plate. Chaos, yes - hopefully it will be taken care of when term resumes, though. She half-smiled at the thought of term resuming; she hadn't known until then that Mel's mother, at least, was no longer living, as well. Though this might have been something to talk about with Mel when Chris's parents weren't around, it was more of an interesting thought that Chris seemed to have a thing for parent-less girls.

The little convo between Charlie and Mel got lost from Nick's comment towards her mother. Aww...how sweet. Of course, Emily was the miraculous French woman who just happened to be the nicest person, at least for now. She smiled wide and tried to enjoy the meal a bit more now. She was in a family meeting, she felt warmly great about this.

Looks like some people didn't like her contribution. But. oh well...she had to say something about it. It was still a bit her matter as far as she had friends of her living inside that castle. "So, tell me Helena, what is your theory about these floods, where might all that water be coming from, I mean?" She said, taking her last bite of food, her last spoon of mashed potatoes.

Helena looked back up at Mel when she had spoken to her, her eyes now a light purple-blue. Personally, I think it has something to do with the lake, judging by the water and the fact that the flooding started in the dungeons, but really I'm not sure, she said with a shrug before eating a few more bites of her meal.