They're the reason we're all such heavy drinkers

Spoiler:

Birds of every size, shape and colour flew past the windows of a manor house buried deep in the northern reaches of Scotland. It was early, the sun having only just risen, and the inhabitants of the grand abode lay in their beds oblivious to the world beyond their duvets. The creatures that inhabited the woodland surrounding the structure had only just risen from their own slumber, each one labouredly going about their business as they struggled to shake off their fatigue. The same could not be said for those still slumbering within the walls of the manor house. Only the staff was awake at such a time as they made a last-ditch attempt at getting the household ready for their Master and Mistress’ friends to arrive. The rooms in the wing their friends usually resided in were polished to perfection and the well-dressed Elves had run themselves ragged as they fought to prepare the house as behind them the children tottled leaving a mess in the areas they’d only just finished cleaning. The Elves were at the end of their tethers with the children but wouldn’t dare snap at them for fear of angering the Master. Instead they picked them up and put them back into their rooms, a game the children adored playing - an excitement the Elves couldn’t pretend they shared.

It was inevitable really that one of the children were to wake up and wreak havoc and though Elijah expect it to be Cepheus and Caelum, it was instead their youngest - Max - who Mira had given birth to not two weeks prior. Sighing heavily, the man lifted his head from where he’d buried it in his wife’s hair and looked about his self, the world focusing as his eyes became used to the bright sunlight that was filtering in through the windows. He rolled over, extracting his arm out from beneath his wife and rubbed his face before pulling back the covers and throwing his legs over the side of the bed so he could sit up. Elijah threw his arms up into the air as the whinnies became louder and he stretched before throwing himself up to his full height and wandering through the adjoining door to the nursery where his young son was sobbing, his face screwed up, coloured an unsightly shade of red. Elijah stifled a yawn and ran his fingers through his hair before leaning over the cot to look at the boy that was kicking at the covers that had obviously made him far too hot. Elijah reached down and pulled them back, putting the child out of his misery and immediately the cries stopped, replaced instead by sniffles. Elijah chuckled and reached down, scooping the boy up out of the cot and cradling him against his chest.

“There, that’s better isn’t it? Was that really all it was about? You’re going to be as pedantic as your blooming mother, aren’t you? Mmhmm, I thought so.” Elijah shook his head and moved across the room to the tall windows where from there he and his son could watch the goings on as the animals paraded across the grass - everything from the tallest of the deer to the smallest of the field mice. Elijah could even see to the village that was beyond the perimeter of the trees though granted he could not see much of it, only the church spire, but it was enough. However, something else spotted his eye - or rather, someone. He narrowed his eyes a little and watched as a young woman walked through the gates, joined not a second later by a man whose stature Elijah recognised immediately. The man sighed long-sufferingly and looked down at his son who had fallen back to sleep again, evidently not as overheated as he had been before. “Welcome to the mad house I suppose.” He smiled, though it looked more like a grimace than anything else. He’d told them. But did they listen? No, of course not. Why would they? It wasn’t as if he was their father or anything!

“He’s not going to be happy, you realise.”

The young woman told her elder companion as they walked side-by-side down the gravel path that was flanked by the large expanses of lush green grass. She nudged him with her elbow to provoke a response and the man looked down at her, raising a dark eyebrow questioningly before shrugging his shoulders, deeming that an appropriate response to a statement he did not hear. Fauve Krum huffed in dismay and crossed her arms over her chest before elbowing Thierry once more, this time quite a bit harder than she had the first time, causing him to yelp and halt to melodramatically check for any injuries on himself. She ignored him in response, picking up the pace as the house neared. Thierry pursed his lips and jogged after her, throwing his arm around her as he caught up. He squeezed her against him and pressed a kiss to her temple in the hope of plying a smile out of her - something he was pleased to find he was successful in doing.

“He’ll be fine. He’ll be too preoccupied trying to keep everyone else in line to worry about us.” Thierry assured her. Fauve bit her lip and shook her head in disbelief, making the elder of the two chuckle. “Come on Fauvie, he’ll be good with it. You’ve been in Bulgaria for Merlin only knows how long; you deserved a boozy night out. I’m shattered, anyway. Which room is closer, yours or mine? I -” Thierry was stopped mid-sentence by a rogue yawn. “- am ready for a kip and a half. When are Kendall and Athena supposed to be getting here?” Fauve shook her head and took Thierry’s hand, leading him up the steps onto the patio. Thierry froze and Fauve, unable to pull him with her, was pulled back against his chest. She scowled at him before following his eye line up to the terrace where Cepheus and Caelum were stood with matching backpacks on their pyjama-clad backs bursting with all manner of explosive devices.

“Caught ya.” Thierry called up to them with a smug smirk on his face. The boys frowned, realising they were defeated, and trundled down the stairs onto the patio where they came to stand before their elder siblings. “What have you got in there - a hundred galleons worth of gunpowder? You’re really taking blowing up Kendall seriously, aren’t you?” The boys nodded eagerly and Thierry looked at Fauve who wore an expression of disapproval. The boys looked from Thierry to Fauve and found the scepticism and disapproval and found that it was probably not a good idea for them to set up the fireworks outside...just yet. “C’mon, Dad’ll go ape shit if he sees you two out of bed. Get all this off and go back to bed. You can blow up Kendall later, okay? Let’s at least do it at a civilised hour.”

The boys reluctantly agreed and the four hurried inside, parting on the grand staircase as the blondes went left and the man and woman took a right, heading up to Fauve’s room as it was hers that was the closest of the two. Fauve opened the door and found that, much to her delight, her room hadn’t changed much at all since she’d been gone. It was cleaner, that much was clear, but it was mostly the same. She felt Thierry’s hands on her waist and twisted round to see him taking his glasses off and putting them on the dresser that was pushed up against the wall by the door. He smiled wearily at her and yawned before directing her towards the bed. Fauve only just managed to pull the covers back before the weight of Thierry behind her forced her down onto the bed. She frowned playfully at him and closed her eyes when she felt his breath hot against his ear as he chuckled. Fauve turned around in his arms as they settled against the pillows. She curled in close to his chest and Thierry drew the covers up around them, folding his arms around the young woman and inhaling the sweet scent of her hair as he allowed himself to drift into a deep slumber. Not ten minutes later soft snores began to drift from both of them. They didn’t have a care in the world.

Alice Krum peered at herself in the mirror of her vanity, pulling her face this way and that as she brushed her long blonde hair free of knots. She smiled once she was done making faces at her reflection and hopped off of the stool. She looked up at the clock mounted on her bedroom wall and frowned, trying to deduce what the numbers meant, but understood that if the small hand was on a number, that was the hour it was. The small hand was on nine. Alice nodded, though she did not know what it meant, and crossed the room to her wardrobe which was adjoining her large, expensively furnished bedroom. At once, her House Elf appeared beside her, his arms laden with clothes. The girl and the Elf smiled at one another and Alice took a pale pink dress from the elf before turning around and heading towards her bathroom for privacy, calling her thanks over her shoulder.

When the blonde emerged from her bedroom she found her father wandering down the hallway with Stelladora on his hip. She smiled at him and Elijah knelt down to press a kiss to her forehead. He inquired as to her health that day and she responded in kind before following her father down the hall. Breakfast, Elijah explained, was something they were all in need of and explained that Mira would be done in a moment with Max and Micah. Felix would no doubt emerge from his room and Irina would be dealing with her sons though Elijah was anxious to check on the woman. Alice was content just to hop along next to him, her socks already having slipped to around her ankles.

Elijah entered the dining room with his girls and directed Alice to sit next to Petre who, along with his other brothers, was already in the room as well as Cepheus and Caelum. The table had been elongated the night before and the French doors had been opened earlier that morning to let in some of the warm breeze and the natural light. The table at this point was ridiculously large but it was necessary because of the number of people it had to cater for. Elijah placed Stelladora down in his chair at the head of the table and walked over to Irina whose cheek he placed a light kiss on. She smiled at him and patted his cheek before looking at him for a long moment, taking in his aged visage.

“Your father will be here this afternoon,” She told him gently. “I trust you can be civil with him long enough for him to come, have tea and leave?” Elijah shook his head and Irina laughed. “Well do try, my sweet boy. He is your father after all. He’ll want to hear about everything you’ve been doing, as well as see his grandson. Don’t deny him that. I do believe one of your cousins will be joining us too. Merlin only knows which one. You’ve so many. And what of your sister?” Elijah shook his head and kissed Irina again. He poured her out some orange juice and left her there, picking up Stelladora again as he walked out onto the patio in search of Cepheus and Caelum who he found to be prancing across the grounds with Gabriel, all three of them looking thoroughly guilty.

“I do hope you’re behaving.” He said to the boys as they bounded over to him. “No explosives, please?” Cepheus glared at Caelum who had managed to keep a straight face at his father’s words.

“None, Papa! We’re just playing, is all. When’re Kendall and Athena getting here?” Caelum responded chirpily.

“Soon enough. I don’t think they’ll want to miss breakfast.”

How does she always manage to slither away from him? Kendall wet his lips and watched the sleeping form of Athena in amusement. How she managed to still humour him that much, even after ten years, and unintentionally even, left Kendall with the same sense of bewilderment that he had felt even as a boy in Hogwarts. Turning just his head to the right, Kendall watched as the curtains swayed gently, dancing along to the summer breeze. The orange glow allowed his eyes a comfortable transition from the darkness of sleep to a brighter world. The House Elves knew never to leave the curtains open. Despite his even temper, they knew better than to do so. The glare of light in the mornings was always sufficient reason for Kendall to hurl whatever he could raise with his hands, whenever they entered the room to wake him up. Thirty years old Kendall was really not that different from seventeen years old Kendall. Sure, he had bulked up a bit, began to grow a little facial hair, and was finally free from the boring constraints of Hogwarts. Still, despite the expected growth in abilities, maturity was still something that was severely lacking.

The man-child chuckled to himself as he remembered the dream he had moments ago. The face of a random man, smashed to smithereens. Still chuckling at the mental image that was certainly funnier in his head than expressed, Kendall looked to Athena, as if intending to share the joke, but obviously changing his mind in that instant. Quickly bored from what amused him seconds ago, Kendall propped himself up on his elbows and edged towards where the woman laid, smirking in boyish delight as he came close to her. The man-child’s pyjama trousers began to ride dangerously low, but he didn’t care. After all, who else was there to see anything? Then again, since when did he ever care about exposing himself to anyone? No, he was convinced that he was the perfect specimen of a man, everyone would clamour to see him. Right. Still, smirking, Kendall reached for his wand under his long fluffy pillow. He had to stifle the chuckles now. The mischievous intent was clear in his head.

In the instant after he muttered the cheeky spell, the night-dress on the woman was replaced … wait, no … it merely disappeared. He had to bite his lower lip now to keep from bursting out in bouts of cheeky laughter. Letting his wand slip back under his pillow again, Kendall observed the rise and fall of breaths that dictated the only movements of his wife. He let his gaze travel from her chest to somewhere lower, before looking the visage that was only peaceful when asleep. Yet, somehow, this was the only woman he could have married. She was the only one who could deal with him in the long run, really. Grinning with the tip of his tongue unconsciously plastered at a side in his upper lip, Kendall freed a hand from under the weight of his upper body and began to trace invisible lines on Athena’s naked body. For a woman who had hardened herself incredibly against life, the feel of her skin was smooth and tantalising to the touch. It was, at least, to him. Feeling up for more cheekiness, Kendall began to trace circles on a part of the woman’s body that he was sure she would lash out at him for if she were awake … of if she would awake now. Not afraid of the liberties he was taking now, the man-child let out a chuckle, louder than he would have intended. Secretly, or not so secretly, he wanted her awake to the shock that he had set up for her.

***

He loved it. He loved waking up to a feisty woman, and none as fantastically feisty as the one he married. Kendall pulled on something comfortable, and only made the effort to check his hair – his pride and joy – after his family and himself of course. He scratched at the bit of facial hair that he had begun to grow, satisfied with the manliness that he believed it gave him. He gave that bit of his chin that had been sore from an Athena attack a bit of a press, grinning at the minor pain it gave him. Stepping out of the bedroom, the sound of running feet invaded the serenity of his … not so serene thoughts. Still, Kendall turned to greet the source of the sound, picking up his only son, throwing him into the air, catching him, and then setting him down on the ground again. Augustus grinned at his father, and Kendall eyed him with a curious sort of amusement. The little boy was looking at Kendall the same way that Kendall had looked at the older Augustus. Trust Kendall to name his son after his father, only for one reason – self-amusement. Kendall had anticipated moments when he would have to discipline his son, moments when he could use the name Augustus and chastise him just because it would be funny to imagine chastising his own father. Odd. But that was Kendall for you, really. A thirty year old man still behaving like a seventeen year old boy. He loved both Augustuses, mind you. No one should really take him so seriously, not until he ever decides to be serious anyway.

***

Kendall held Ophelia easily with one arm. The little girl scowled at the world with her piercing blue eyes – a clear sign that she was really Athena Goyle’s daughter. Gussy stood beside his mother, mirroring his father’s habit of tucking both hands into his pockets as he followed the parentals to the massive fireplace in their part of Rookwood Manor. Collie and Brew followed faithfully behind Athena, having assisted with Gus and Ophelia while Kendall was busy humming to himself in his own bathroom as he arranged his hair. Twirling his little girl dangerously around, Kendall stopped only at the sight of Athena glaring at him. Grinning, he tucked Ophelia safely back in the hold of his arm again and proceeded to grab a handful of Floo Powder from the jar that Brew was holding out to him. Swiftly, Kendall tossed it into the fireplace, before leading the way to step in to head to the Krums’.

Maxxie was perfect. He had the dark Krum hair, contrasted by the soft pink of his skin. Mira had a hard time pinning down the exact color of her sons eyes. When he had first been given back to her in a blue bundle of blankets they had appeared a soft grey-blue. But they seemed to change every time Mira saw them. From a pale, speckled grey that resembled polluted snow to a bottom-of-the-ocean blue and everything in-between. In the days after they had brought Maxxie home, Alice had taken much pleasure in pushing the newborn around in her carriage and showing him all the secrets that the Krum house held. The Twins had also appeared interested in the newest addition to the family and had been ready with chemicals to turn him exciting colors. The fun had been stopped with one angry glance from Mira.. They remembered all too well what had happened when Stelladoras physical structure had been tampered with. The poor baby had looked like Repunzel for a fortnight.

With the birth of their eldest daughter, Miras sense of self importance had radically dropped. She had instantly realized that with this child alive there was no way that she could compare to it's perfection. The desires for power, success, and admiration of others were definitely still there.. Just her duty as mother and wife were far more important. Mira figured that she would always have more time to do her big things when the kids were a bit older. But then one became two and two became three and three became four. And now five. Plus four that weren't hers by blood. It was safe to say that there weren't any Order of Merlins in her near future. But despite the personal life sacrifice there was nothing that Mira would rather be doing. It was impossible to describe the miracle of watching your children grow up.

Ever since graduation life had been getting better and better for the Krums. After the wedding and unexpected pregnancy the couple had found themselves happier than they ever had been before. Just like in school, they had nothing figured out. And for awhile the petty arguments had continued just like the first eighteen years of their lives. But yet again, Alice had been a blessing. She became something for them both to shower to with love and affection. Someone to work for. To make her life perfect as possible, Mira and Elijah had finally grown up and fixed themselves. It had been years since Mira had been worried that she would wake up and discover her husband missing.

This particular morning started off a lot like most others. Mira was woken by the movement of Elijah detangling himself from her as he attempted to get to the first sounds of crying children. In her sleepy state she rolled over and quickly sunk into another shallow snooze. But as the noises of the ever-waking household rose and rose Mira found that remaining asleep became harder to achieve. Eventually she allowed herself to rise from the bed and make her way over to the mammoth closet that held every garment a woman like Mira could desire. With a single wave of the wand several garments assembled themselves in midair and draped themselves across her leen figure. It was nothing special, just a pair of pants and loosely flattering shirt. But it was comfortable. And Mira was sure already that today would be a long, tiring day. Right after the Krums had bought the manor, Athena and Mira had styled this closet special for her. It was the room of requirement of closets, unconsciously knowing what it's master needed for the day and gathering it for her.

After being dressed, Mira traveled down several hallways until she reached Micah and Felix's room. Although the house was definitely large enough for each child to have their own room, the boys had chosen to continue to stay sleeping in the same room. Though two years separated the boys they were still the closest of the blood-related Krum children. Those same two years, however, were enough to make Felix old enough to dress and ready himself, while Micah still liked to see his mother before he rose in the morning. Entering the room this assumption was proven correct. Felix was nowhere to be soon (presumably having already joined his father downstairs). Micah still lay there peacefully, obliviously to the morning sunshire creeping upon the house. Mira leaned down a scooped him up in her arms. He was getting bigger by the day, a fact that always caught Mira by surprise. Because both people were still half asleep, getting Micah ready took much longer than it should have. But eventually Mira was able to send the young boy downstairs to prepare himself for breakfast.

Stella's room was conveniently on her way downstairs, so Mira retrieved the girl from the house elves who were diligently watching her. Cradling the small girl to her chest, Mira herself traveled downstairs. Although the newest branch of the Krum family had become known for it's overall crazy they still managed to have a relatively constant schedule for mealtimes. It was the only way that they could keep their enormous household in even a little bit of control. And despite, or perhaps because of, her traditional upbringing, Mira liked life best like this. She had been looking forward to the Rookwood's arrival ever since they had owled that they were coming. Even though their family just added to the chaos, the infrequent Rookwood visits were some of her favorite times of the year. But things were slowly changing. The flood of new infants to the wed couples had seemed to have slowed, and the first born were reaching Hogwarts age. It was clear that in a few years this busy house would be emptied of young life as they all went off the school. Most of the time Mira just tried forget this.

Mira entered the dining room through the grand French doors that were propped open to allow a gentle breeze to sweep through the large room. Almost everyone was already there. An assortment of children were still scampering around the table (both Irina's and Mira's) but as she watched a couple were already taking their places at the table. With a helping hand from Giorgi, Micah was lifted into the too-tall chair that he had unintentionally claimed as his own by sitting in it repeatedly. Mira set Stella in a highchair next to Maxxie's and walked over to where Elijah was having a chat with The Twins. Giving him a soft kiss of the cheek in greeting Mira said "Yes, I was sure Athena said that they were coming early today." No sooner had this been said then there was a soft thud and flash of green light from the parlor.

The slightly deepened murmur of Kendells voice came from the next room over, accompanMied by the higher pitch of one of his daughters. Any children who were able immediately jumped from their perches at the table and hurried to greet the new visitors. Alice looked something like a warrior with her excited run and the battle-like cry of "Keeeeendaaaallllllll". The small blonde had a particular fondness for her godfather that Mira had never been able to really understand. Perhaps it was the way that he casually threw her over his shoulder in a way that Mira had early on deemed 'unsafe'. Now Mira tolerated it, figuring that a young girl should never be at a loss for fatherly figures to look up to. So now she followed her eldest daughter to the source of the noise. Sure enough, it was the first (though admittedly, not her favorite) half of the Rookwood clan.

With a genuine smile Mira walked up to Kendall and gave him a one armed hug. Every once in awhile it was strange talking to Kendall after all of their shenanigans while in school. But most of the time she was just pleasantly surprised that they got along like they did, and were, for no better word, friends. Releasing him, Mira saw that Alice had already found her way to Kendall's leg and was now clinging there, like she was much younger than she was. "Glad you made it. Josif was getting ready to eat his silverware he's so hungry." She smiled again, hoping that Athena would get here soon so she could once again talk to her dearest, and apparently most busy, friend.

The birds were eager and excitable out in the grounds of Rookwood Manor. The inhabitants slept as peaceful as you like, each one buried deep within their own sub-conscious, within their own dreams. Sleep, Athena had learned, was a cure for everything. It was a point of view she’d adopted during her time in Azkaban when sleep was the only way to break up the days from the weeks and the months, when sleep was the only way to escape the never ending cries of man and woman alike. She highly doubted she’d ever forget the blood curdling screams that echoed through the prison but it was not that that had left her so unhinged. What carried furthest were the sniffles of surrender, when their throats were raw and dry their true emotions finally took hold. That was perhaps the most haunting of all of her memories. Sleep had proven to be invaluable and so it was something she had learned to anticipate, to truly look forward to as the light died in the sky, replaced with an inky backdrop specked with stars. It had regrettably shown itself to be both a blessing and a curse as it was only in her dreams that she was plunged back into Azkaban and so more often than not, Dreamless Sleep potions had to be consumed.

It was a beautiful summer morning. The breeze was warm and already the sun was teasing its way across the brightening sky. Athena was in midst of what she knew to be a waking dream but she was vaguely aware of what was going on around her, her breathing having increased somewhat as she began to come to. Something she was even more aware of was the presence of her husband beside her. She couldn’t quite remember when she’d detached herself from him but she was infinitely glad for a few minutes where she could be by herself. He was somewhat like a puppy: equally as insufferable and in constant need of attention. That was why Athena, in her sleepy state, didn’t care to reprimand Kendall for whatever he was doing that warranted his breathy chuckles. It was only when the breeze began to lap at parts of her body it had not previously that Athena could feel herself loosing grip on her dream world. It wasn’t until he truly made a nuisance of himself that Athena acted out, bringing her knuckles in direct contact with his jaw line. It was regrettably really, assaulting one’s husband, but it was not regrettable if that husband was Kendall Rookwood.

The bastard was smug and she hated him for it. Flouncing off to the bathroom, Athena locked the door and busied herself with her morning ritual. With her body washed and dried with soft towels, a light perfume applied as always, Athena’s attention turned to her wand on the shelf beneath the smaller of the mirrors in the bathroom. A small smile crossed her lips and Athena shook her head, leaning forward to apply a thin layer of scarlet lipstick to her already ripened lips. She pressed them together, evenly distributing the wax across the skin, and parted them once more, her lips curling upwards in a smug smile. She continued with the application of slight Glamours and other beauty spells, applying charms to de-frizz the curls after a rather warm night that was murder on the dark locks. Eventually, once she was pleased with her appearance, Athena left the bathroom and slipped through a second door in the bedroom to her wardrobe which was, understandably so, jam packed with robes of all colours, cuts and designs. She was a Pureblood woman, after all.

Her eyes caught sight of her willowy frame in a full-length mirror mounted on one of the wood panels. Her lips pursed and she turned slightly, taking in the swirls of runic protection that ran across her hip bones. She pushed her hair from her shoulder and peered at the numbers etched into her skin in black ink, the skin around the numbers as red raw as the day she received them. Shaking her head, Athena reached for a set of blue robes, accented with white. She slipped them over her body, relishing in the feeling of the soft material. She adjusted it where need be with a few jabs of her wand and checked her appearance carefully before leaving the wardrobe and the bedroom to go in search of her children who also demanded the need to be dressed.

Ophelia had chosen for herself a similar cut of robes to her mother and Athena did not bat an eyelid at the girl. Mira had managed to instil a desire to wear such clothes in the girl - Athena merely indulged her desires. Mira was the woman who Ophelia could talk, albeit briefly, about clothing to. Athena was the teacher and watched the girl with an eagle eye as she brandished the training wand with her left hand. She was flicking it idly, much to Athena’s dismay, but did not seem to be channelling any of her magic through it. Taking the wand from the girl, Athena pressed it into the pocket of Ophelia’s robes. Athena doubted she’d need it but the girl needed to get used to the weight of it in her pocket. Once she had tied a pale pink ribbon around Ophelia’s hair, the mother deemed the daughter ready and sent her on her way, she herself rising to go in search of her son.

The boy seemed impatient when Athena appeared at his doorway. Still clad in his pyjamas, he was crouched on his bed, peering over a mountain of pillows that were protecting him from a pair of particularly feisty shoes that, from the look of the wand in the boy’s hand, had been the result of a spell gone awry. Athena broke the charm that consumed the shoes and crossed the room to her son, lifting him off of the bed and placing two kisses on each cheek before setting him down on the soft carpet. She allowed him, like Ophelia, to pick his clothing. He, much to her dismay, emulated Kendall but not as obviously as he would have done had Athena not tugged on certain strings. He donned some dark blue robes and Athena helped him with the buttons and clasps, running her fingers through his dark hair to muss it up so it was what she called ‘organised chaos’. Then, she sent the boy on his way - in search of his father - while she dealt with the House Elves.

Kendall and Ophelia entered the Krum household first. Augustus and Athena were behind them, Athena having already chastised her son for the habit he’d picked up from his father. She pressed a kiss to his head to show him she was not angry with him and the two passed through the Floo, squinting somewhat at the brightness and the liveliness of the Krum household. Much to Athena’s dismay, her son abandoned all sense of Pureblood superiority when he caught sight of Felix and Micah. She did not want him to be snide and cruel to the Krums - for they were his equals - but she did want him to at least remain composed. She doubted that would be the case though because as soon as they made their presence known, he shrugged off his outer robes, threw them at her and bounded off towards the boys who were, classically, up to no good.

Athena frowned a little and folded the robes up none the less, forgiving the boy and watching as the trio disappeared after the twins who both had backpacks on their back. Athena shook her head and looked up at the sight of Elijah descending down the steps of the patio to greet her. Once again she was wrapped up in the familiar arms of Elijah Krum, a man who had come to mean so much to her. He lifted her up off of the floor and she gave a little sound of protest, his chuckles reassuringly familiar to her. She stepped away and brought her hands up to his cheeks, smiling warmly at the man. She had so much to thank him for but he would never accept anything in terms of payment. She remembered this house from top to bottom. She daren’t forget the way she stalked the corridors at night, only to be invited downstairs for some Firewhisky by her weary host who had been woken by her footsteps. Elijah was her saviour, and she wasn’t likely to forget that.

“How are you?” She breathed with a smile. “Where’s this boy of yours? Tell me everything about him, Elijah. Oh! Where’s Mira?” Athena stepped out from behind Elijah and smiled brightly at the blonde stood there talking with Kendall. “Motherhood suits you, Mira.” Athena teased lightly, making her way over just as the first firework went up into the air.