Every Step is Like a Mile

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

"He really likes it at Hogwarts," Laurie smiled. "It's good for him."

[Betty Noir]

She nodded, smiling. "And what about you? Do you like it there?"

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

"Yeah," he smiled politely. "It's great. I mean, it's magic school. What's not to love?"

[Betty Noir]

She beamed at him and helped finish drying the last dish. "It may be magic school but it's still school. I'm glad though, that you both have that, and each other."

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

Laurie smiled sympathetically. "School is important. I didn't go for a long time, so it's nice to make up for it."

[Betty Noir]

"Such a bright boy," she said affectionately and started putting the dried dishes away.

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

He reached up on his tiptoes to nudge a plate to the back of the cupboard. "Thank you for having me over, Ms. Grayson. I really appreciate it. I, ah, got you something, as well," he murmured. "The Legacy Stone I gave Brandt, it has a partner." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a smooth, opaque stone. "All you have to do is think about him and squeeze it. His stone will glow, and he'll know you're there."

[Betty Noir]

Her eyes teared up a little and she held the stone to her chest for a moment, then reached down to gently touch his cheek. "Thank you, Laurie." Then she crouched down to give him a warm motherly embrace. "I love it."

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

He was a bit tense, but he patted her on the back. "Of course."

[Betty Noir]

If she noticed him tense up she didn't acknowledge or mind. She drew back a moment later and slipped the stone into her pocket. "Will it hurt the magic if I had Jet drill a hole to make it into a pendant for me?"

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

"No, it won't hurt it," Laurie laughed gently. "And it'll work for him, too."

[Betty Noir]

She nodded smiling. "Good. I'll get Jethro to work some practical magic of his own."

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

"You guys are really nice," Laurie murmured. "You seem really cool with the whole magic thing."

[Betty Noir]

"It's--taken some--getting used to, but--I always knew there was something special about him it just--made sense. Onky a fool doesn't see what's right in front of 'im."

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

Laurie nodded. "Some non-magical people have trouble accepting it. Brandt's lucky to have you."

[Betty Noir]

She nodded. "It is like something out of a fairytale, but the way I see it... most folks stop believing in magic and fairytales when they're still kids and us... Well, we get to know it's real for the rest of our lives."

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

Laurie smiled at her. "That's a really nice way of looking at it. Did you grow up here, too? Texas, I mean." He glanced all around the house. He knew it belonged to Jethro's family, but Martha was an outlier in that equation. Perhaps she grew up somewhere different!

[Betty Noir]

She smirked and shook her head. "I grew up in Tennessee. Daughter of a fiddler. Used to dream of being the next big thing, singing at the Opry."

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

"You still play?"

[Betty Noir]

She nodded. "Jet even joins in every now and then."

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

"That must be something," he laughed.

[Betty Noir]

She grinned. "It's fun, And a hit at parties. That's all that matters."

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

"Keeping your priorities straight," he shot her a finger gun and a grin.

[Betty Noir]

She laughed and extended her hand to him. "Let's rejoin the others, shall we?"

[Young Lawrence Keelan]

"Of course, ma'am. Thank you." He bowed his head neatly and fell into step behind her.