liam ++ tremble in my veins

[BETHANY ANNE HEAVENSBEE]

OUTFIT (ignore the suitcase)

It was the weekend, not like that made much of a difference to Bethany. She worked as often as possible in order to both make money and show the ministry she meant business. The only reason she could think of for them continually turning her down was her muggle born status and short life between Hogwarts and now in muggle london. That was all rubbish of course. It couldn't really be sexism, women were hired all the time, and she was pretty enough that some annoying boss might hire her for that alone, but no.

As such, Beth found herself organizing books in the stacks, flicking her wand to direct the flow of folded pages. She thought back to muggle libraries and how hard it would be to do it all by hand. Normally she worked the register and the floor, today it was the latter. Beth made sure lines of quills and parchment were all in the right place as the shop opened for the day.

Soon it was filled with quiet chatter, rustling pages and the tiny tinkle of the bell on the door, signifying a new customer. Beth liked the noise, it was friendly and cheerful. She thought about what each person had to hide, their hopes and fears, family issues and what not. A little boy knocked over some books and she bent down to pick them up, carefully dusting the covers as she put them back where they belonged.

[WILLIAM LAWRENCE HEAVENSBEE]

outfit

Liam, normally in the habit of taking care of things himself, didn't often ask for help. Even though Flourish and Blotts had way too many books, peculiar organization, and often unreadable titles. Also some books growled at him if he got too close. Nevertheless, he tried looking for the book he needed, but after a wasted fifteen minutes, he figured he should stop being so proud and ask someone.

So he approached the capabale-looking (but also tightly wound) looking blond, assuming that if she was dusting books, she probably worked there.

"Excuse me ma'm." he said, because she looked older and Liam was generally very respectful towards women. "I'm looking for a book."

[BETHANY ANNE HEAVENSBEE]

Bethany looked up at the sound of a voice. Ma'am? Was she really so old? Beth was closer to 30 than she wanted to be, single and still working a job for recent grads. "Well you've come to the right place." She said brightly. But then she looked at him, and she almost jumped. They had the same color hair, similar eyes... even his lips were a little like hers. Beth found it instantly off putting. It was like looking into a gender changing youth mirror or something. Maybe it was all in her head of course and she realized she'd been just standing there like a complete incompetent idiot.

"Sorry," She said with a little shake of her head. "What book do you need to find?" She asked politely, tucking a bit of hair behind her ear carefully. Beth pointed to her name tag. "I'm Beth, by the way." She said, really hoping he wouldn't call her ma'am again. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and offered him a little smile, but she tried not to look him in the eye, she was a little worried what she might find there.

[WILLIAM LAWRENCE HEAVENSBEE]

Liam was also startled by the immediate impression of familiarity, but was also better at staying composed. He leaned slightly back at her reaction though, first wondering what could be the problem and then asking himself if the woman was thinking the same thing. He wasn't seeing himself in her though, but suddenly remembered his father. Unconsciously Liam's right hand reached out to his left, where the scars he had felt strange and smooth.

For a while, Liam constantly wore long sleeves to hide them, hating the constant reminder. He grew used to them though, and started rolling his sleeves up of wearing shorter sleeves. There was a rumor around school that he got them in a dragon accident, and Liam didn't correct anyone.

He was regretting talking to her. Clearly she was uncomfortable because she was trying not to meet his eye. "Uh ..." The title was complicated and Liam had trouble remembering what it was momentarily. "Oh, right. Common Magical Mishaps While Living Near Muggles."

Liam nodded in acknowledgement of her name. His mother's name was Sarabeth, how ironic. "Liam." he responded simply.

[BETHANY ANNE HEAVENSBEE]

Liam was a man of few words and that made Beth uncomfortable. She was quiet when by herself and that was just fine, but when with people she found it was usually better to be talkative. Often though, the customer would prompt the chatting, sometimes. Beth wasn't sure why it was so off putting this time to have a quiet customer but whatever.

At the title she grinned. It was a new book, an in her desired field no less. "Excellent choice," She told him. "Follow me." Beth added as she began walking toward the back right of the store. "It's a new release but we should have some in stock, if not we can order it for you top pick up later." She said, turning into the Muggles section of the bookstore, followed by the sub category, Magic and Muggles. Her wedge heels clomped rhythmically on the wooden floors and she stopped to look for the name of the author. She had memorized every person in the department-- well at least the most important ones, and this book was written by Atticus Trumbly. Her fingers scanned the shelf until she found it.

"Ah!" She exclaimed softly, gingerly taking the book from the self and holding it out to him. There were more of them shelved than she would have liked. Magic and muggles and the catastrophes they led to were so interesting, how could someone not gobble the stuff up?

As he reached for the book, she noticed the burns on his wrist but said nothing. they looked painful, and it had to be magical fire if he couldn't make them go away.

[WILLIAM LAWRENCE HEAVENSBEE]

Liam wasn't sure what made that book an excellent choice. His mother's coworker wrote it, and she wanted a copy so that she could make a big show of asking her coworker to sign it. It was maybe a bit unusual how Liam was so aware of the details in his mother's life - even the office politics. But they were very close. After all, they only had each other now. Which still felt unusual, because for the longest time, they were both a part of a very close triad. Sometimes Liam and Sara sat in silence, both not wanting to admit that they were thinking of Liam's dad.

He took in all her information with a nod, and follow her through the store. He liked her shoes insofar as he liked it when women wore heels. The clackclackclack commanded presence.

"Thank you." he said, taking the book from her hands. Instead of making eye contact though, he noticed her glance at his arm. "Dragon." he said, falling onto his normal answer. No sense in pretending the burns weren't that noticeable.

[BETHANY ANNE HEAVENSBEE]

"You're welcome," Beth said with a soft smile. It was good to help people, even if it was as simple as finding books. It was literally the least she could do, and you had to start somewhere right? "I actually just finished that book, its very good. Do you plan to join the ministry one day?" She asked. The book was from her favorite sub-department of magical law enforcement.

Dragon? That seemed unlikely. "You seem a bit young for dragon mishaps, you must be quite adventurous?" She queried lightly. Beth had dated a dragon tamer for a while and if there was one thing that was true about guys like that, is that they liked to share their war stories. "I dated a dragon tamer once, lots of stories for each battle scar." She chuckled lightly, trying to make small talk. He was a weird kid, dragons, ministry books...

Beth wondered how old he was and what his life held, hopes and fears... usually those thoughts were left for people watching, but he was so quiet that she couldn't help but just wonder since she got so little from what he said.

[WILLIAM LAWRENCE HEAVENSBEE]

She was talking a lot and Liam wasn't talking very much, and he started to feel rude, so he felt that he ought offer up more of an explanation for things. "Yes." Liam answered, thinking of how wanted to be an auror one day. Say more, he told himself. "But I'm actually getting this for my mom." He added, and then with a shrug also said, "She works in the Ministry."

Funny. Most people in school were willing to believe the dragon thing up front. Then again it was already a circulating rumor that he occasionally helped along. He didn't say much on the subject actually, but only gave vague answers. Somehow it worked. People tended to want to believe in crazy things.

"I get around." Liam responded, which would hopefully do for now as an answer. He thought that now that he got his book, he would just go pay for it, but the woman was telling him about ex-boyfriends. Liam wasn't sure what to make of the situation, so he smiled vaguely looking at her curiously. He wasn't sure what she wanted from him, and they way she looked like someone he knew what disorienting. Like his mind was trying to make sense of information but wasn't doing a very good job.

[BETHANY ANNE HEAVENSBEE]

"Oh? Does she work in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes?" She asked. Chances were if she wanted this book she was in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, which made her rather excited. Granted, she would probably know that from her name but asking for his mother's name seemed a little creepy. Of course, Liam didn't have much to say, nor did he really seem to want to talk to her so it wasn't like she suddenly had an in or anything, but still, maybe it was a sign things were looking up.

He obviously didn't want to talk about his dragon story, which led Beth to believe the burns weren't really caused by a dragon, but it wasn't her place to find out. She was just a stranger after all.

Stranger, what a funny word. It could mean someone you didn't know, random and unconnected to you, but sometimes Beth felt like real strangers were the people you did know, like her dad. She knew him until she was 9, and she hadn't seen or heard from him since. She could barely remember what kind of man he was, and meeting all the unknowns in the world couldn't fix that.

[WILLIAM LAWRENCE HEAVENSBEE]

The mention of his mother's department sparked Liam's interest. Did this woman perhaps know his mother? Is that why she looked familiar? Maybe she had connections to the department too and he had seen her at office parties or something. "Yes, actually. Sarabeth Sparks?" He offered, wondering if that name would ring a bell.

Sparks was a cool last name. Growing up, there was always a bit of confusion because he and his mother didn't have the same last name. Some people assumed divorce and out of wedlock childbirth. Liam never thought all the confusion was deserved. So his mom kept her last name. It didn't mean anything. For a long time, his parents were very happy together. They loved each other more than any other couple Liam had ever seen.

[BETHANY ANNE HEAVENSBEE]

Sarabeth Sparks really was a fantastic name. Not as clunky and long as her last name. Sparks had a ring and a snap to it which Beth liked. "Oh yes, I've heard of her, she's been in the department for years." She said with a nod. Beth wondered if maybe she was the one that read her applications. Maybe being nice to her son would somehow reach her and finally get Beth a job.

She was about to open her mouth to continue the conversation when an angry male voice shouted down at her from an upper floor. "Heavensbee, stop yapping and keep it moving, we have a lot of customers today!" Beth looked up and called back, "Sorry boss!" But she figured there were plenty of people to work the floor and it was her job to talk up the customers and maybe get them to buy more. Frankly, she hated her boss, he was a cranky jerk who was probably only in his mid-thirties but acted like he was 80 years old. But Beth needed this job, she didn't have any other options right now, not in the wizarding world and jobs were even scarcer in the muggle world.

Beth sighed. "Sorry about him, he's not very nice. Is there anything else I can help you with?" She said, turning the conversation back to being professional.


ooc- omg so what if sarabeth is the one keeping beth out of the department bc she doesnt wanna work w her bc she is lawrence's daughter?

[WILLIAM LAWRENCE HEAVENSBEE]

Liam nodded again. His mother had indeed been in the department for years. Now he was curious as to what Beth's connection was to the Department was - or is she just had an unhealthy obsession with Ministry workers.

But then Liam heard his name being yelled by a very harsh, mean-spirited voice and nearly jumped out of his skin - who in the world knew him here? And why would he be in trouble? Weren't customers valued in this establishment?

Then matters became infinitely more confusing when Beth yelled back, as though the voice was talking to her. Liam wasn't sure what was going for a moment, but then his mind made the connection.

"Your last name is Heavensbee?" he asked, his mind too surprised to make any further developments.

[BETHANY ANNE HEAVENSBEE]

"Yes," Beth said with a little awkward smile. "Its such a funny name... I don't know why I don't change it. I guess because my mother never did...." After the divorce, they both stayed Heavensbees, probably because they both still loved him, even though he was out of their lives. Beth had recently forgiven her mother for the divorce, it was so sudden for Beth and it seemed like her daddy up and left, presumably at her mother's command. But now she was old enough to understand it was mutual, but she still wished she'd heard from her father at least once in the past 17 years.

Beth realized she'd started off on a tangent again and was staring off into space thinking about her father. "Sorry, you didn't come hear to hear about my life." Something about him made her very uncomfortable and when she was uncomfortable she talked like this, directionless and rambly. "Here I can check you out at this counter." She said in order to direct what was happening. She went over to a nearby desk and cash register. Beth waited for him to follow and hand her back the book so she could ring it up for him.

[WILLIAM LAWRENCE HEAVENSBEE]

Yes, funny. Maybe not so much in the wizarding community where there was names like Dumbledore and Grubbly-Plank.

It took a moment for Liam to mutely follow Beth to the counter, but all the while he was remembering certain moments he had with his dad growing up. Liam didn't remember the first time he learned that his dad had another family. It was passing information. Liam knew he had a sister. His father never said much about the subject though, even on those calms days where it was just little Liam and Lawrence driving home. Anytime Liam brought it up, his father looked sad or maybe guilty. Liam did learn one thing though, over the years -

"Beth." Liam repeated, wondering how it didn't hit him before. "Bethany Anne."

-a name.

Now he felt stupid because it never really occurred to him that they would have the same last name. It seemed like a separate family, somewhere out there, with a separate identity.

Liam once or twice thought about one day meeting his sister, but then all the drama happened and Liam focused on taking care of his mother and himself. And now he was tentatively meeting with dad every two months. He forgot about his sister, somewhere out there in the world.

[BETHANY ANNE HEAVENSBEE]

Beth stopped and stared at him over the counter. How could he possibly know her name? It was freaky really. "How... how do you know my name?" She asked slowly, meeting his eyes. They had only just met, and she was a nobody, working here for too many miserable years. There was no conceivable way he knew her whole name, unless they were related, but ... then it slowly clicked, could he know her father? Liam couldn't know her mother, a nanny for rich people in muggle London. Their paths would never cross, but she hadn't heard from her father in almost 20 years, so he was the only possible common denominator. Did he talk about her? To who? Who was Liam to him anyway?

Beth continued to just look at him when she remembered how she'd felt when she'd first seen him earlier that day. "Are you.... is your father... Lawrence Heavensbee?" She asked him, trying to keep her voice even. She'd supposed that her dad would have moved on, and maybe even found and made a new family. But she never guessed it would be so close to home. He had never once tried to contact her and here was his son at her place of employment.

Beth didn't know if she wanted to cry or yell but she wordlessly put her own money in the register and pushed the book back toward him on the counter.