Sweet tooth craving {{OPEN}}

Isobella had gotten up that morning to her daughter's face two inches from her own. She had giggled as her daughter started making faces at her. They spent the morning making pancakes as well as cleaning the house, or at least Bella was. Rose kept playing with the stuff she found, by noon everything was spotless. Bella decided that she wanted some sweets and knew that Rose would like a treat too, so she grabbed their winter coats and boots. Rose wanted to wear the new coat that was bought for her which was a baby pink and it had black polka dots on it. Bella took her hand as they decided to walk to Diagon Alley instead of apparating there. She locked up the house making sure that everything was in it's place then lead Rose down the stairs and onto the street. Rose was talking very fast and was full of laughter, telling Bella lots of things that she did with the babysitter the previous night.

Finally after a long walk they found themselves in Sugarplum's Sweet Shoppe, Rose looked around with wide eyes that was enough to make Bella laugh. Bella gave the go ahead to find what she wanted while, she herself found something that she wanted. Her daughter's giggles were heard as she looked around at the candy trying to find the perfect one. Her daughter's giggles stopped and she could be heard apologizing to someone. Walking over to where she was Bella looked at Rose who was apologizing to someone for bumping into them.

“Dad, dad, dad, dad, dad! Wake up, come on!”

The bouncing was incessant and intolerable and just plain irritating all at once. Peter rolled over, his eyes snapping open to shoot a weary glare at his son who, reading his father’s face, simmered down. Finley Howard raised a smile to his lips, showing off his gap-toothed grin for his father who merely stared at him, unsure what it was he was meant to offer to his son by way of, first of all, greeting and then perhaps a scolding for being so lively at … well, granted it was gone ten but Peter had just woken up so it counted as an ‘ungodly’ hour.

“We need to get up, you said we could go to the sweet shop today,” Finley reminded his father who let a groan pass between his lips. “Hey, what’s that for?” The boy frowned.

“Nothing, lad,” Peter murmured, rubbing a hand over his face before sitting up. “Sorry, I just forgot, is all. You wanna go for some ice cream after, too?” Finley nodded eagerly. “Great, okay. Go get yourself dressed. Let me grab a shower and we’ll be out before you know it!”

It took a might bit longer than ‘before you know it’ because there were issues with shoes and breakfast and Peter was being all kinds of slow. It was before eleven by the time they got out but it was still too late for his son who was eagerly bouncing along in his new navy blue ‘grown up coat’ that his father had gotten him a few weeks before for Christmas. Coupled with his Rupert Bear scarf he looked adult – which was the desired appearance – but cute and childlike, too. Peter didn’t want him growing up too fast.

They entered the sweet shop and immediately coat and scarf were divested for daddy to hold. Peter could only do but grab a basket and follow Finley round as he scooped armfuls of sweets up and waited for his father to catch up so he could deposit them in the basket. Peter had no idea when they were ever going to get round to eating it all but he supposed that they would eventually. Sometimes they both needed a treat and they always had a stock of such things. The reason why they were there was because they were running low.

Peter was tugged from his thoughts all of a sudden, though. He stopped in a rush and looked for the source of the bump to his internal monologue. He found a child who was quick and fervent with her apologies. Peter shook his head, a smile appearing on his face, and he knelt down, putting down the basket before fixing his gaze on hers, making sure he was at her level. Finley came to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder tentatively.

“I’m sorry,” he insisted, glancing up when he saw who he felt must have been her mother. “I wasn’t looking where I was going either,” he held out his hand to the girl. “I’m Peter. This is my son Finley. Are you alright? Got all your fingers and toes?”

Bella looked at the man then looked at her daughter who watched him as he got to her height. Taking the hand he held out and shaking it, "My name's Rose. It's nice to meet you." Rose said softly her words were getting better and more clearly heard. At his question she giggled, "I'm fine, yes I have gots my fingers and toes." Looking over at Bella she pointed as she turned her head back to Peter. "That's my mommy," She then staged whispered. "I don't know her first name."

Bella at that point laughed as she ventured closer to her daughter. "I'm Isobella, just call me Bella though." She said holding out her hand to the man in front of her. She wondered if he also promised his child that they could come pick out sweets. Seeing that his basket was almost full she felt like she was in the same boat almost. Her basket was half full of sweets but at the same time she knew that they wouldn't eat half of it. "How old is your son?" She asked looking at him trying to keep her mind from wondering too far from her again.

"Mommy I gonna go find more." Rose said as she went walking towards the more sugary candy. Bella looked to make sure that she was staying in sight like she always did before returning her attention back to the man in front of her. "Sorry she's kinda shy around new people and she tends to have a one track mind in here." Bella said as way of apology when Rose walked off away from them.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Rose,” was the gentle reply. Peter chuckled as she informed him she had all her fingers and toes and he nodded, adding, “Well that’s very good to hear,” before rising to his full height. His hands fell into his pockets and he smiled at the little girl’s mother – Isobella, as she identified herself. Bella, actually. Bella, he corrected himself mentally. Swallowing, Peter held out his hand and grasped her smaller one, shaking it, mindful of his grip. He didn’t want to hurt her.

“Dad, can I go find some more, too?” Finley asked, his impatience showing. Peter looked at him, raising a blonde yet dusky brow at his son. Finley jutted out his lower lip petulantly and Peter nodded, waving him away. The boy grinned brightly at his father before looking at Bella. “Nice to meet you,” he exclaimed, hurrying past as he went back in search for some more things to eat. He’d bankrupt Peter if he had his way.

“Mine, too,” Peter agreed with a wry smile. “Fin is nearly eight now, actually,” Peter reached up, running his fingers through his hair as he left a breath of air escape him. Where had those eight years gone? It amazed him how much things changed. His hand fell down to the silver chain about his neck and he felt for Sarah’s ring. Eight years. She’d have bene so proud of him. Not Peter, but Finley. She’d have been so proud of their son. What nigh killed him was that she couldn’t be there to see him, to help him pick out sweets and stay all up eating them with him.

“Rose is … she’s only little, isn’t she?” Peter offered in response, knowing it was custom. “How old is she?”

Bella smiled as she saw Rose's interaction with Peter before she had taken off towards the candy. When he rose to his full height her first thought was now I feel really short. She smiled after their hands released her hands holding the basket in front of her. She didn't know what to say to the man in front of her because she's never had much interaction with anyone.

Bella smiled at Peter's son Finley's impatience at wanting to hunt down more candy. Seeing him make the same face that Rose made almost made her laugh out loud. "It was nice to meet you as well." She said before he disappeared to find more candy. Looking at his dad she smiled, "Your son makes the same face my daughter does when she really wants something." She laughed softly as she looked over at Rose who was inspecting several jars of candy.

"Well he is a very polite little boy, despite his shyness." She said as she moved out of the way for someone else to pass by her. Looking at him her brows slight furrowed, "Are you alright?" Her voice was soft as she looked at him.

"Rose is two, she was never very verbal but with the friends she made it's helped. She still has some words she can't fully pronounce but she's doing a lot better with it." Bella said as Rose ran over to put something in then looked up at Peter. She grabbed something out of her pocket then placed it in his basket before running away. Bella smiled and said, "Sorry she makes bracelets and likes to give them away to people. I enchant them with a spell so they will grow if it was too small for someone."

“I think it must be something bred into all kids,” Peter found himself agreeing with another light laugh. He shook his head and reached down to pick up the basket once more, surprised by the weight of it. He had no idea what it was going to come to when they got to the cash register. He’d gotten a new Gringott’s vault card, though, so he figured now was as good a time as any to break it in. The only thing was that he didn’t actually want to empty his vault in the process.

“Shy?” Peter snorted. “Fin? No way. He’s just not got his social cap on because sweets are more interesting at the minute.” Swallowing, Peter looked at her, faintly worried that she looked concerned. He swallowed and raised a smile. “Fine,” he assured her. “Thanks.” He looked round, catching sight of Finley with an armful of wiggly worms. He poured them into his father’s basket. “Cheers kid,” he muttered. Finley smiled and wandered off, in search of more.

Then, Rose added to it before running off herself. Peter smiled at Bella before picking it up and twiddling the bracelet between his finger and thumb. Two. He could remember when Finley was that old and the flat-cap his father wore while he was a farm labourer in Yorkshire fell down over his eyes. He missed the boy like that. It scared him to think that even though he was still young, manhood beckoned. The world called. Too soon he’d be old enough to make his own way, hopefully not making the same mistakes as his father.

“She’s a sweetheart,” he smiled wistfully, before holding out the bracelet. “Enchant me, love?” He queried, his lips tightening into a more coquettish smirk. He knew the words he’d chosen, specifically to provoke, or at the very least rouse a laugh.

"It has to be, I woke up today having faces being made at me." Bella said laughing softly as she remembered the cute faces Rose made. Seeing his basket she smiled and said, "Your gonna have one hyper kid with all that sugar. Though I can't really say much," She grinned looking at her own basket which was almost as full as his.

"Oh well it's good that he's social. I think any kid would drop all language when it comes to being in here." She said laughing softly at her daughters squeals of delight. "I have a feeling she found her favorite candy and she'll be carrying more than her little arms can." Hearing him say that he was fine she smiled softly, "Your welcome."

"Yeah, I have a feeling that when she's older though she'll be a healer." Bella said softly then laughed at his comment. Pulling out her wand she enchanted it to fit his wrist. "I never thought I would hear that one though I've heard plenty of others. I think that one has to be the best of all of them." Bella said still giggling at his words, her cheeks were slightly pink.

A wry look was passed in the direction of the boy in question who already looked sufficiently hyperactive. With muted regret he nodded, already pitying Boots, the cat, who would become even more interesting to Finley than he already was once the boy was completely intoxicated on gummy snakes and liquorice wands. There would absolutely be no getting him to bed and Peter didn’t know what he was going to do about it. Still, it was only once in a blue moon and it couldn’t hurt him. Even so, Peter was already regretting this trip.

Peter couldn’t help but smile, shaking his head as he did so. Kids seemed to get super-human strength when it came to things they liked. With the armfuls that Finley kept returning with, he could sympathise with Bella. They were going to be a nightmare. Swallowing, Peter threw his fingers through his hair and watched as Finley returned again. The boy smiled toothily at his father, abandoning another packet into the basket. Peter still couldn’t believe what sore thumb Fin was. He looked like his family. He was the essence of them. It almost made Peter hiding from them completely asinine.

“Bit early to tell that, isn’t it?” Peter chuckled, holding out his wrist. His smile grew into an open smirk when she spoke and he clucked his tongue against his teeth. “I’ve got some decent pick-up lines, I must admit,” he laughed a bit more fully this time and looked at Fin returned yet again. “C’mon spudnick. Don’t you think you have enough?” He asked.

“No,” Finley looked at him as though he was mad, turned and walked away again. Peter looked at Bella wryly. Kids. What can you do?

Bella smiled at him sympathizing with him as Rose rounded the corner with candy. She was using the bottom of her shirt to hold all of it. Oh my goodness, she's gonna be hyper until she's twelve. Bella thought to herself as she helped Rose put it in the basket before she spilled it everywhere. Then she ran off giggling as she skipped down the rows of candy. Bella shook her head laughing at her daughter's giggle. "I think they siphon the energy we have so they are extremely hyper." She said laughing softly.

Hearing his words about it being too early to tell she smiled. "Well with most kids it is but Rose, she has a soft spot for people who are sick or sad. It's like she's got internal compass for it, so to make them feel better she gives them something that will make them happy." Bella said as she helped him with his bracelet. It took her a few times but she managed to clip it since it was a slightly small clasp. "I've heard my fair share of pick-up lines. I've heard I think almost all of them from old men to younger ones. All of them seem to frequent my work which I'm glad I work in the kitchens." Realizing just then how that sounded she said, "I'm the chef at the Leaky Cauldron."

Bella smiled at his look and said, "Well at least it will take a while to eat the lot of it."

Peter found himself nodding but he wasn’t entirely sure if he believed her. He felt that there was more cause to speculate now on what Finley was going to be than the small child. Once children could empathise – hell, once people could empathise – they liked to be around the sick, they liked to try and make them feel better. The cynic in him didn’t think that there was anything in Bella’s speculation, really. A child becoming a healer, though, was a worthy enough aspiration to have. Peter’s were a little more humble. He just didn’t want Finley to go to prison. He didn’t want ‘like father like son’ to be on the lips of the people who knew them. He wanted more for his boy than what he’d achieved.

“Well, I hope she does well all the same,” he uttered, inclining his head respectfully. “I dunno if I’d like to query about my lad yet. He’s older, too. I dunno. I think you shouldn’t pigeonhole kids. They’ll surprise you. They never quite do what their parents want them to.” He was a living testament to that, he thought to himself, bringing his hand to pull at the back of his neck. He had no idea what he’d do if Finley treated him the way he had done his parents. But then, that would be poetic justice, wouldn’t it? It’d be exactly what Peter deserved.

“I can do better,” Peter replied with a lazy smile. “The ‘Cauldron, eh?” Peter chuckled, already envisaging the kind of people that passed through that bar. Still, it would never be as bad as the Hog’s Head. The types they got in there… it wasn’t ideal, really. “You like it there? I’m a carpenter, meself, at the moment. I’m looking for a change, though. I’m the restless type, I think, when it comes to work.”