Wonderful Christmastime

There was one rule and one rule only that Elijah had no choice but to follow as a child. He wasn’t allowed to go into the back room. That didn’t mean he always followed it, though. On occasion he’d sneak a look but it wasn’t until 2015 that he actually stepped inside. He was ten-years-old and Kerri Krum had died. Viktor was in pieces. Elijah could remember hearing his mother comfort the man. She actually sounded like she cared. He could remember Viktor sounding shocked by her tone voice. He kept asking if his Marina was back, if his Marina had come home to him. At that point, Stelladora walked up the hall and she scolded Eli, dragging him away by the scruff of the collar. Elijah never heard anymore about his father’s Marina after that. He never really understood what it meant, until he came back.

One of the first things Elijah did when he moved Chase and the children into the house was go through his father’s study. Viktor was back in Berlin training and it had been an ample opportunity for Elijah to find the key. It had been locked up since he’d started at Durmstrang. He couldn’t think of what had happened but something had prompted Viktor to lock it up. Elijah wanted to know what and he’d jumped at the opportunity to find out. What he found wasn’t what he’d expected. It was a portrait room, sure enough. It had a water feature in the very middle and portraits lined the walls. There was this odd surge of magic and they all seemed to wake up, as if they’d been frozen for centuries. They all had something to say, that was for sure.

He’d met his mother there. His real mother. Viktor’s Marina.

It was there that Elijah was now. He’d opened it all up again, the doors were open to anyone and he even made sure to keep the patio doors open. That was the only break in the line of portraits, the door out into the garden and the one into the room. He’d cut down the overgrown bushes and started growing flowers. It definitely made the portraits better tempered. It even brought something out in his mother that he’d never seen before, joy. Elijah loved spending his days in there. He’d paint or draw or just sit and talk to his ancestors. The bitter old men acted as if they hated him but he had a feeling they loved him really. They were all enamoured with his children. The women especially liked hearing the sound of footsteps on the wood, saying that it was too long since they’d heard that.

“Christmas!” One of the Privateers exclaimed from the right of a smiling Marina. “It’s only for those foolhardy young boys that like kissing girls under the mistletoe! Do you know what the point of that was, boy? It was to spread germs and it still is!”

“Oh look...” A smirk took the lips of Kerri Krum who was beside her husband on the wall. “Here comes trouble.” She nodded towards the door and through it walked two dark-haired children with matching grins on their cheeky little mouths. Elijah looked up from his sketch book and his eyes immediately went to what was in the boys’ arms. One was holding two hot-pink kittens and the other had a bag of Fireworks that looked like they’d come from Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. Elijah frowned and looked at the two boys questioningly. They smiled innocently in response.

Elijah put his pencil down and swivelled his body around so his knees were pointing towards the boys. “Alright, I’ll bite. What are you up to?” The two boys exchanged looks, as if deliberating whether to tell their father and Elijah coughed to get their attention. Their heads snapped back around and two matching grins lit up their faces. “Cepheus...in your hands you have my cats. Explain to me now why they are pink.” Caelum smirked, believing he was off the hook but Elijah turned his eyes on the other young boy. “You have bloody fireworks! I think that’s more concerning than the cats.” He snapped his fingers and pointed the ground beside his feet. “Put them here. Now.”

“But Dad-” Cepheus made to protest on his brother’s behalf but as he did so, the cats broke free. They jumped from his arms and scrambled across the floor before diving out of the door into the snow which was blanketing the ground. Cepheus sighed and Caelum looked at his brother despairingly. “The fireworks weren’t our idea?” he tried for an excuse and Elijah smirked at his sons. Cepheus was drowning in his own excuses. “Look! The cats were an accident! Fauve and Thierry were reading and practicing spells when they shouldn’t have been and Nachash was in the way! Caelum tripped and fell into Fauve! She cast a spell and the cats turned pink! Okay? It wasn’t us, really!”

“You’re a bad liar, Ceph.” Elijah smiled at his son. “C’mon, let me in on the big idea. What’re the fireworks for? I promise I won’t tell your mother if you let me join in.”

Caelum looked sceptical. “We wanted to let them off for Christmas...for a surprise. You are meant to be cooking. We wanted to sneak these outside and hide them so you wouldn’t see!”

Elijah quirked an eyebrow at his son, “So this hasn’t got anything to do with that girl down the road? The vicar’s daughter? This is for mine and your mother’s benefit, not hers?” Caelum scowled indignantly while Cepheus blushed red and looked away. Elijah chuckled. “Well go on then. Don’t stop on my account. She’s quite pretty I must say. Somehow, though, I think she likes Thierry better.”

“Thierry always gets the girls, it’s not fair!” Caelum whined. “It’s our turn now! Well, my turn. Cephy can have her sister.” Caelum made a face.

Elijah rose and tucked his sketch book under his arm. “Alright well, be careful. Do you really want your grandmother here two days early because you’ve got third-degree burns?” The boys shook their heads. “That’s what I thought. Call your Uncle if you need help. I’ve got to go and cook breakfast or something. Your mother is ‘busy’” The three boys grinned at each other and the twins hurried out of the door. Elijah watched them go, a somewhat wistful expression on his face. His great Aunt Calla soon shook him out of that though.

“Haven’t you got breakfast to make, mister? You can turn them into hell raisers another time!”

Elijah poked his tongue out at his great aunt and left the portrait room. He walked across the hall and opened the door to the kitchen where everyone seemed to be seated. Well, everyone was a bit of an understatement. More, Euan and Finn with Camille and Cassidy on their laps. The four of them were ushered out by Elijah and he opened up the fridge, taking out some eggs, bacon and sausages. Fauve skipped into the room, sucking on a lollypop and hopped onto the counter by the sink.

“You were meant to finish breakfast ages ago, papa-bear.” She said with a half-smile.

Elijah made a face. “Baby I know but I hate cooking. It’s Chase’s thing, you know that.” He turned the hob on and took a pan from the cupboard. He put it on the heat and broke the eggs, sending them into the pan. He took a fish slice out of the holder on the counter and began to push the eggs around the pan.

“Mama definitely makes a better dinner than you, papa.” Fauve giggled.

Elijah looked up. “I made dinner once! That was alright!”

“Yes but you burnt the pudding,” Thierry said, coming through the door with a book open in front of him. “And shockingly, Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dee still ate it.”

Chase was staring out of the window absentmindedly, her thoughts a million miles away. It was Christmas, one year since Elijah had given her the key to this house, six months since she had had her darling baby girl Katherine Krum. Just about the entire family was in the house, eager to see her baby, eager to tell stories, and talk, and laugh, it was like this every year. Except one thing was way different then last year. First off, she and Elijah were engaged now, not married yet because there was just to much to do before they got to that step, though they had both told their family they would rather just sign the deal and get it over with. But they wouldn't hear of it. Engaged, and one other thing was different.

Her and Jack had finally made up, so Chase had decided to invite her to Christmas this year. It was early morning, but the house was already busy as a beehive, getting things ready, children running around, people walking all over. The bathroom seemed to be in constant use, and there was never a quiet moment, but Chase loved it. Here in the nursery with her first child, who was laying on the diaper table, her arms and legs waving as she tried to roll over. Chase moved away from the window and quickly and effortlessly changed her diaper, throwing the dirty one into the trash next to the table, and watching as the trashcan ate it. "Poor dear.. I'll have to throw away something nice later.." She said patting the trash can on the head lightly.

If you were to have asked Chase what the happiest moment in her life was, she wouldn't be able to tell you. Why? Because she had so many. Sure her life had been pretty hard to start off with, boys came and went, her family was killed, she was nearly killed a hundred times over, the scars still crossed her stomach, and sometimes the kids would ask her what happened. But now, she was just so happy all of the time. She couldn't think of anywhere she would rather be at the moment. Picking up Kitty, Chase flicked her long red hair out of her face. Childbirth seemed to have changed Chase in many ways, but one thing that never would, was the shock of red hair that fell across her shoulders.

Chase set Kitty on the floor by some of her toys, and went to pick out some clothes for her. Something cute and nice, and finally decided on a sweet little dress that was red and green. Something festive anyway. Chase laughed and went to Kitty who lay on the floor her hands reaching for anything she could to put in her mouth. Chase quickly put the dress on her, put some socks on her feet, and a little headband, that was only held up by her head, for she had no hair except for a little bit of red fuzz coming in. Chase picked up Kitty and set her against her hips. Which seemed to have grown wider somehow, possibly from having to push a child past them.

Chase took Kitty to the window and blew on it, making a small circle of fog. Kitty stared at it her hands clapping together lightly as she watched Chase make a little heart in the fog circle. Kitty smiled and started to tug on Chase's hair. "Alright! Alright, lets go get something to eat." She said with a laugh, as she went to the door and left the nursery. Gliding down the steps Chase entered the kitchen and grinned. "Good morning everyone!" She said with a laugh, stepping over a cat that had gotten right in front of her, and going and putting Kitty in her high chair. "Hmm... it seems I shouldn't have left you to make breakfast eh Krum?" She asked with a laugh, walking over to him and circling her arms around his waist from behind. "Jack should be on her way I think... I got a letter from her last night saying she'd be here today instead of tomorrow." She said glancing at the clock.

They had gotten a clock from a friend of theirs, and instead of showing the time, it showed everyone in the families current location. Most of the hands were pointed at home at the moment, a few of them said traveling, and a few of them said work. They had a large family as it was. Chase had added in a few close friends to the clock, and with permission from Jack, had put her on there too. Jack's name was currently pointing at home, meaning she was at HER house. When she was on her way, the needle would spin from home, to traveling, and then back to home, because Jack was considered family in this house, and they had decided it was her home as well.

Chase kissed Elijah on the cheek and then went to the cupboard, pulling out some baby food. "Why don't you feed our daughter, you let me have that before we get another pudding incident." She said shaking her head. "Why I even bothered to let you make supper that night.. I have no idea.." She said shaking her head good heartedly as she took the pan from him and stared to cook eggs the way eggs were supposed to be cooked. Not by a painter, but by a mother. "Now I see why you like Hogwarts so much, they make everything for you." She said with a laugh as she flicked her hair over her shoulder again and pulled out her wand, starting up some other food as she stood there watching the eggs. Summoning a hair tie, she pulled her hair back and turned around so that she could lean on the counter and look at her family happily.

Most of the time it was just the immediate family in the house. Fauve, Thierry, Cepheus, Caelum, Kitty, Chase and Elijah. Though a lot of the time family would come and visit. Khaat would come, sometimes the Minister of Magic would visit when he had time. Rob, Jen, Euan, Finn, Camille, Cassidy. It was a large family Kitty had been born into, and Elijah had told her from the start, Kitty would want for nothing, and Chase hadn't realized just what the extent of that comment would lead to. If Chase needed something, anything, wanted something, even mentioned wistfully what it would be like if, somehow or other, Elijah managed to give it to her. A while back, she had sent him a letter to Hogwarts, and in it somewhere she had mentioned wanting to get a horse like Khaat had, and not two days later a man had come up with a horse trailer, and the most beautiful stallion Chase had ever seen. Since then Chase had gotten two more horses and would often spend her days teaching Fauve to ride.

Chase glanced at the clock again and then smiled. "Jack's on her way!" She said gleefully, clapping her hands lightly as she looked at the clock. Jack's pointer had just spun from home, to traveling. She would be there soon if she was apparating, or by flu, or even by portkey, Chase wasn't sure what she was coming by, but she knew she'd be hungry, so Chase set to quickly setting the table, and getting breakfast on the table for the large family.

After she apparated outside the house of the Krums, Jack had a feeling she should have left Max and Fred at home, what with everyhting she was already carrying. Luckily, Max could trot on his own, but Fred was perched on her usual knapsack that she had always carried with her in lei of a purse. Some bad habits die hard, and she had never thought to even attempt to break that habit.

Fred said, “Up your bum!” in Jack's ear and she hushed him. The overgrown ferret was actually a Jarvey and looked more like a marten than it did a ferret. Unfortunately, Jarvey's could talk, but their vocabulary consisted of insults and rude language. However, the kids loved Fred and would have been disappointed if she had left him behind. She had just been sure to coach him for the past week and made sure all inappropriate language would not be uttered around the kiddies.

Maxwell was brought along for her own selfish needs. Jack seemed to function better when her Gytrash was around. She would let the spectral hound wander the grounds, knowing he would not get into any trouble and at the end of her visit, she would call him back and he would return- usually looking like a different sort of dog rather than his usual white wolfhound form- and continue on with her. Fred was her pet, but in a weird way, Max was her partner in crime.

Jack and Chase had made their peace. Finally. Over the summer, they had reconnected, picked up their friendship and treated it like a fragile thing until it was healed and they were able to return to normal. Jack stopped her hot-and-cold treatment of Elijah and decided that he was not a bad guy... Though she did like to make the occasional quip to keep him guessing. Jack adjusted to being a family friend. She loved seeing the kids come into Weasley's, usually gave them first pick of the new stuff, and usually turned down their money. She gave them tips on any trouble making they made and did not report them to Mum and Dad unless it was something dangerous.

Jack had made a name for herself. Finally. She had kept Weasley's going even after Elliot had died, managing to keep it going until business began to boom and it became fairly self-sufficient and she was able to hire more people to work there. Then she had dove into her work in Magizoology. She started with dragons but took some good advice from Ariel and started to work with werewolves. There was a lot to be done, but so few people had ever tried that any progress she made seemed amazing. Others in the magical creature field were suggesting she move her work to giants and vampires. She had suggested they include poltergeists. No one had gotten the joke.

She had been fretting about how to get her gifts to her friends, and her television had been on and Mary Poppins had been playing. So she had found three carpet bags and used each for the gifts. Eli's gift in one; Chase and Kitty's gifts in another. And the other kids' gift in the last. Each had an enlargement charm inside and then had been shrunk on the outside for her travels so they were fairly small and she could store them in her knapsack.

So the stuff they taught in Hogwarts was useful. Who knew?

She reached the door of the large house and looked down at Max, who looked up at her. “Don't mess with the horses and if you get hungry, find a mouse or something, okay? No killing any rabbits or anything, okay? I'll whistle for you.” He blinked and turned, trotting off. Even as he ran off, she could see his form changing into a larger dog, some sort of timber wolf. She shook her head. “Show off. And you.” Fred froze, having just been about to try and get back into her pack and find the sweets she usually had. “You behave. Okay?”

And she reached up a hand and knocked.

Hogwarts was a chore now. Khaat wouldn’t budge, though. As hard as Rob and Jen pushed, the woman was adamant that Elijah see the year out even if it was only for the qualifications. He would never understand her. He didn’t need them. He never would. He wasn’t going to turn around and start working in a Ministerial office somewhere in Europe. Arnold would string him from the ceiling of a brothel by his balls if he did that. The man was getting a little too panicked about the idea of Elijah packing up and being a family man. It sounded nice but he liked the whole process. The auctions, the zeroes, smelling salts, lingerie. It was all worth it and hilarious for all parties, especially that time Arnold shaved his moustache off to up the bid. A shaved face and a cigar in his mouth. Yes that was an odd day.

“Did you know that fireworks these days are actually cheaper from stores than on the black market?” Fauve asked, swivelling around and crossing her legs on the counter. She looked out the window; her hand curling around the stick of the lollypop and Elijah lifted his head, taking his eyes off of’ the eggs to see his sons setting up the fireworks in the back garden. “I asked Uncle Harry and he said that if Cepheus and Caelum keep dabbling in this sort of thing then they’re going to end up like Uncle Finn and Uncle Euan.” Thierry looked up from his book then and jumped onto the counter. He sat down behind Fauve and peered out the window over the counter.

He smirked and Elijah looked back down at the eggs. “So they’re going to get two ex-models that their cousin has had sexual relations with before? Lucky break. Which one do you reckon it’s going to be?” Elijah, who had poured himself a glass of cold Butterbeer, choked slightly on what he was drinking. He put the glass away and looked at the children perched on the counter. Thierry was...well informed. He’d definitely spent way too much time with Finn and Euan who still banged on about Elijah’s sex life. STILL! They were always over the house because it was where Camille and Cassidy gravitated most of the time and they always saw Elijah. Yet they still found time to tell people in the village all about his past conquests. It seemed as if Thierry had caught on too.

“Thierry!” Elijah exclaimed in a hushed tone as Chase walked through the door. The little dark-haired creature merely grinned at his father in response and Elijah groaned quietly. This was what his children were turning into, replicas of his cousins. That was it, he was going to kill Finn and Euan and bury them in the garden. Cassidy, pregnant or not, would get over it. She’d find someone else. Elijah turned around and smiled at his fiancé. She too seemed to remember that disastrous dessert. In his defence, everything else was okay-ish. He was a painter, cooking wasn’t his thing. He could paint a portrait that would give him a profit of millions but he couldn’t cook. And some idiot had set the House Elves free. That was Euan, feeling all ‘warm and fuzzy’ inside. The twat.

Elijah turned around and walked over to where kitty was sat in her highchair. Feeding sounded about right. He was still disorientated by all the crap babies needed. He’d have just stuck a few pillows on a chair and sat her down. A few bounce-back charms would keep her from falling off unless she was destined to be an acrobat. Elijah sighed and looked over at the children on the counter that were still watching Cepheus and Caelum run around with Fireworks. Elijah shook his head and sat down in front of Kitty. He kicked his feet up onto the table and flicked her gently on the nose. She wrinkled it indignantly and reached out to grab Elijah’s finger. She made to put it in her mouth and Elijah took it away from her. He wasn’t going to lose a finger today. He felt he was going to need it in the near future. Eating, painting, drawing, picking Caelum up by the scruff of the neck and putting him to bed.....fingers were useful for that.

“Ah-ah-ah...bite your mother.” He chided. “This is Daddy...he does not like to be bitten. Mummy is soppy and silly so she’ll let you. I will bite you back, little cat.”

Kitty giggled in response and Elijah hit his forehead with his hand. He knew she’d bite him again, or at least try to, and she knew he wouldn’t bite her back. Damn intuitive child. Still, it was better than having one that believed their father was a disciplinary figure. Then again that wouldn’t be so...

“Hey dad?” Thierry turned and looked at Elijah, a half-amused, half-strained look on his face. “Remember when you said we could keep the fire frog? Y’know...what harm could it do right?”

Immediately after Thierry stopped speaking, a Firework went off and it shot up into the cloudy sky. The shouts from the boys came from the open window and the back door opened. Their faces were blackened with ash and their hair was on edge. Obviously they’d been stood too close. They looked alive though and both were grinning from ear to ear. Elijah beckoned the nearest one to him, the other went over to Chase, and he licked his thumb. He wiped it across the boy’s cheek and saw the twin moles that identified him as Cepheus. Elijah cocked an eyebrow at his son and wiped the ash on his son’s blackened shirt.

“What happened to being safe, huh?” He asked.

“But dad...” Caelum cut in, wiping his face with a tea-towel. “Jack’s here! We’ve got to give her a show, see?” he pointed up to the clock and Elijah heard the sound of Kitty beside them, giggling and clapping her hands. He was sure that she’d probably be asking for more. Caelum grinned. “See! Kitty liked it! It was a success!” there was a knock at the door. “Come on, mum! We’ve got to go get Jack in!” He exclaimed, tugging on Chase’s trouser leg. “It’s cold outside!”

Chase stopped what she was doing as she managed to catch a glimpse at the kids outside. "Are they doing what I think they are doing?" She asked her eyebrows up in her hairline. "Who gave them fireworks?" Chase turned an accusing look on Elijah and stared at him. "This place has gone to the dogs! How I manage it around Christmas I'll never know!" She said shaking her head and jumped about three feet when there was a loud bang. She quickly went to the door, wiping her greasy hands on her pants before it was thrown open by the kids. Covered in soot. "Boooyyss." Chase said with laugh, and grabbed a cloth from beside the sink, putting water on it, but before she could get the soot off their faces, they were half dragging her to the door.

"Jack Dyllans! You get in here right now, it's freezing out there and the door is open! No need to knock!" She shouted through the house to the front door. "Now you two." She said grabbing the wet cloth again. "Get over here." She said a grin on her face even though she had to be the motherly one. "Sometimes I wonder who the bigger child is.. you guys or your father." She said shaking her head and wiping their faces off with the cloth. Once their faces were clean she shook her head. "Giving them fireworks.." She said, a smile still on her face. Glancing out the window Chase caught a glimpse at the site of a large dog bounding into the trees. "Oh.. looks like Jack brought Max." She said with a laugh. "That means she probably has Fred too." She said and watched their reactions for a moment. Fred was Jack's adorable little Jarvey who insulted everyone.

"You children are going to get right to Kitty's head.." She said and shook her head, pulling out her wand and waving it over the twins, making sure to get as much of the soot and ash off of them as possible and then waved her wand towards the broom and dustpan to get it to get all of the dust and soot off the floor. After the twins were cleaned off and looking presentable again, Chase went back to making breakfast, looking over her shoulder quickly, waiting for Jack to walk in. "In this house.. I don't even have time to open the front door do I?" She asked shaking her head and laughing. "Elijah Krum! Watch it, you're daughter is making a mess of herself.. you have to feed her!" She said bouncing over to him and taking the bottle of food away from Kitty, handing him a spoon and a wash cloth.

"Jaquellene Dyllan you better get in here soon, I hope you aren't teaching my kids any more prank stuff, I've already gotten enough on my han-" Chase was cut off by a large squawk and a bang as her wand transformed into a rubber chicken. "Fake wand.." she said shaking her head and grumbling. "Now who put that there?" She asked turning her eye on all of them before picking up her real wand and waving it again, causing all of the food to hop off of the stove, arrange itself in bowls and set on the table gracefully. "Now, breakfast is done! Everyone get in here! Lets eat!" She said laughing as she went to Elijah, putting her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. "Now this is what I call Christmas morning." She said laughing.

Jack heard a bang and looked up to see fireworks. She felt a grin unfold on her face. So the boys had used the fireworks. She had turned down their money, telling them it was free if they used them when she was around... After she had talked to them about safety of course. She heard Chase call to her, and knowing that her hands were probably full, Jack did not plan on waiting for someone to help her in.

She pushed her way inside and slipped her knapsack off as Fred moved onto her shoulder. She opened the knapsack and withdrew the carpet bags, which enlarged as soon as she set them down. She lined them up next to the door and then pulled the drawstring on her knapsack, leaving it next to the bags. No need to move everything in right now. The knapsack was just full of stuff she might need and the carpet bags would be opened soon enough.

She hurried to where all the noise was coming from and caught a glimpse of Chase trying to clean the twins' ashy faces. Jack had to duck out of the way laugh, when she heard Chase begin to tear into Elijah about allowing the boy's fireworks. By means of greeting, Jack called, "Actually, Chase, I can't let Elijah take the fall for that. I'm to blame for that."

She slipped inside and immediately Fred bounded off her shoulder and onto the counter, scuttling over towards Fauve, who was the nearest kid. Fred may be a scoundrel but he loved kids because they loved him and snuck him table scraps. She doubted she would have a hold on him until they had to leave. Luckily, he was incredibly clean, so she did not need to worry... She just had to make sure he was not teaching them any dirty language.

Jack smiled over at the others in the room, Euan, Finn, Camille, and Cassidy. Jack did not know them incredibly well, but she knew them well enough. She offered them a wave and then smiled at Chase and Elijah. That's when she caught sight of the kids. She had always said she hated kids but... She rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips and saying, giving the four kids a disappointed look. "Wow, I haven't seen you guys since I snuck these two firestarters their fireworks and you're not even going to try to tackle me?" She smirked. "By the way, the fireworks were awesome, you two. You held up your end of the bargain."

As nice as it would be to have the firecrackers out of his hair, Elijah didn’t want to go back to Hogwarts. There was nothing really necessary left for him to do now. It would be just study, study, study and he never did any of that anyway. Viktor would get him out of it, he was sure. He didn’t want to tell Chase yet and get her hopes up unnecessarily. He had a feeling his father would get him out though. As long as he studied, yeah right, he could stay. Perhaps he’d pick up a book every so often then in that case, especially if it ensured it. He had a feeling he’d have to parent for a while. Fauve and Thierry were alright. Kitty was besotted with her mother. The boys, however, had negative influences.

“Why do you assume I gave them the fireworks?” Elijah asked, grinning at his fiancé. “Do you really think so little of me, Chase?”

Elijah couldn’t quite believe his family sometimes. He was just glad it wasn’t everyone congregating in one place. Viktor was due back in a few hours and he was bringing Stelladora and Micah up with him. Elijah was looking forward to that. He just couldn’t believe his cousins could sit there so calmly. They must have been getting a kick out of his suffering. Elijah scowled at the smirking face of Euan and spooned out some baby food. He scowled and shoved the spoon back into the pot. He put it down on the table and kissed Chase back before shrugging her arms off. He stood up and Kitty lifted her arms. He plucked her out of the highchair and rested her on the hip as he walked over to the fridge. Sod the bloody baby food.

He grimaced upon opening the fridge and seeing pots of baby food so he pushed them to the side in search of what he needed. He took the necessary ingredients out of the fridge and closed it with his other hip. “Honestly, what does your mother feed you? You’re a Bulgarian living on crap, love. Now, let’s make you something good, hmm?” Elijah walked over to the oven and too his wand out of his pocket. He flicked it and Kitty rose up into the air, hovering above the kitchen counter, well within Elijah’s reach. She giggled and kicked her legs happy; clearly enjoying the freedom a bit of floating gave. Elijah smiled at her and put the end of his wand in his mouth. He took a bowl and a skillet down out of different cupboards and pulled a whisk out of the utensil holder.

“Hey, Jack! Merry Christmas!” Elijah grinned when she entered the kitchen. Kitty kicked her leg out, clipping him on the temple. Elijah winced and looked up at the child who was swaying happily to herself. Eli rubbed his temple and threw in the rest of the stuff he needed. He turned the hob on and put the skillet in place before picking the whisk up. “Happy?” he asked the child who was now gurgling and giggling.

Fauve picked up Jack’s badmouthed pet and put it on her lap. She ran her fingers through hits fur and stared at her father with a wide-eyed expression on her face. “What exactly are you doing?” she asked, taking the lollypop from her mouth as she stared at him in disbelief. “You can’t cook, papa!”

“I can do crepes.” Elijah replied. “Get me a bowl and some chocolate would you?” Fauve nodded and Elijah began to quickly whisk up the ingredients. Once it had come to the correct consistency, he poured a bit into the pan and picked it up. “Don’t you remember?” He asked. “I’d go out and leave you to guard the wine and I’d come back with all of those crepes? I’d help the local crepe seller make them. He knew a bloke who sold wine and put my payment into discounts and freebies. You seriously don’t remember?”

“I try to block it from my memory,” Fauve responded dryly much to the delight of her brother who had looked up from the book he’d continued reading. “Here, chocolate and a bowl.” Elijah thanked her and began to melt the chocolate, using yet another pot that he knew he’d be washing up later. He then flipped the crepe batter over seeing as it had browned enough on one side and turned around.

“You’re turning those boys into little miniatures of you, Jack!” Elijah pouted, only to have Kitty kick him in the head again. “Ow for God’s sake will you cut it out?” She giggled and he pulled her back down, breaking the spell. Elijah put her on his hip again and scowled at her, once again earning a giggle. He put his wand behind his ear and looked back at Jack. “You know, if you refuse their money then they’re just going to mount it all up. There’s nowhere else they’re going to spend it minus the sweet shops. You should take it once in a while.”

“You should have seen the soot, Jack!” Caelum exclaimed from beside his mother. “There was loads of it!” Elijah smirked and took the chocolate off of the heat. He opened one of the cupboards and took out some ice cream cones. He then poured some of the chocolate in each one and gave one to Fauve, Thierry and Cepheus who was the nearest of the twins. Caelum smiled when he realised there was one for him but Elijah quickly bit into it. He knew putting cooling charms on the cones would come in handy. “Hey Dad! That’s no fair it’s Christmas!”

Chase went over to Elijah and pulled Kitty away from him. "Chocolate? For breakfast?" She asked her eyebrows raised. Elijah was the one to spoil the kids, Chase made sure they got what they needed. She wondered if it was like this for every household. Mommy was the big bad guy who they hid things from, daddy was the fun one who gave them chocolate for breakfast. Pulling out her wand Chase flicked it and all of the cones flew up into the air above their heads, but not before Elijah had had his bite. "You guys! You're father is a horrible influence on all of you!" She said with a laugh, waving her wand and the cones flew into a rack that appeared on the counter. "Breakfast, then chocolate! You can eat them while we open presents okay?" She asked giving a light glare around the room before it broke into a grin.

"So get eating, after food is presents!" She said shaking her head. "I swear.. all of their teeth will fall out by the time their my age if they keep up this kind of eating.. how you kept yours in shape I'll never know Elijah." She said shaking her head. "I grew up with a good old fashioned tooth brush!" She said waving her wand so that Kitty would fly out of her arms and land in her high chair again, her toes wiggling and she giggled as she floated across the room over everyone's heads. "I swear.. somehow.." she said with a laugh before turning to Jack. "Sorry, it's hectic this morning.. of course what morning ISN'T hectic.. I'm just happy we get the kids tutored so that they don't have to go to school!" She said shaking her head. "Morning would be a chore!" She smiled and put her hand on her hip.

"Well good morning Jack, want something to drink? Coffee? Tea? Hot chocolate?" She smiled and glanced around the room before looking at Elijah. Sometimes he was worse then the kids, and seemed to think that no matter what he did they would be fine.. but even he had to admit that chocolate in the morning gave him stomach aches, and he had to brush his teeth with his wand just so that they would stay clean and not rot themselves out because a toothbrush couldn't give him the help he needed, only a dentist could. Chase shook her head and leaned against the counter, moving her arms to cross over her abdomen. "So you've been giving my kids fireworks now have you?" She asked her eyebrows in her hair, her smile evident that she thought it was a great idea, as long as they were safe.

Chase would never admit it, but she loved watching everyone have fun, even if she had to be a bit sterner sometimes, she knew the kids knew that she was okay. She had a good sense of humor.. and well you had to if you were going to visit their house. Fake wands, fireworks, Jarveys, cats, kids, and messes, people everywhere almost all the time. It was mayhem, and if you didn't have a good sense of humor, you'd drive yourself insane after stepping a foot in the house. "I swear it feels like years since I last saw you.. how long ago was it? A week or something? Man.. you need to come over when the kids and Elijah are out." She said with a laugh going over to the tea kettle and pouring herself some tea. "You might actually get to see what the house looks like when they are gone.. it's quite beautiful but half the time you're watching your step and don't notice the chandelier or the wall decorations.." She said smiling before taking a sip of her hot tea. "So don't tell me you got them presents.." she said looking over at Jack.

Jack grinned, watching all of the chaos unfold as she just tried to make sure she wasn't in the way. While Elijah and Chase went about making sure the kids were fed, Jack made funny faces to entertain Kitty mainly, but as she moved on to mimicking everyone in the room, the other kids conceded giggles. Jack knew that as a kid, sometimes you wanted to do some things but did not want to risk the trouble. That was what she was for. To supply them with the laughs they would be unsure of whether or not it would be wise to incite.

At Eli's words at the twins turning out like her she laughed. “You'd be lucky if they turned out like me." She looked at the boys, grinning and the saying, "Kidding.” She gave them a serious look. “You don't want to end up like me.” She put a finger to her temple and swirled it. “You don't want to be insane.” She grinned widely, crossing her eyes. Kitty kicked Elijah and Jack laughed again. "You're gonna have one hell of a kickboxer. Oops," she said. "Heck of a. Heck." She smirked at the kids. "Like I said. Don't end up like me."

She grinned at Caelum. She had to admit, it was the twins that had broken her. She had been so awkward around the kids until she had met the twins. They were the ones that made her feel comfortable. She had a special place for the buggars. "I'll bet." She leaned over and whispered, "Those were the small ones. You should see the new ones we got in stock." She winked.

At Chase's offer for a drink, Jack waved a hand. "I'm fine and dandy, don't worry about me. And I don't think it's even been a week yet." She grinned. "Plus, I think the chaos is what makes the house more fun." She grinned. Chase mentioned presents and Jack's expression fell, looking confused. "Presents?" She gasped, smacking a hand to her head, looking stunned. "That's what I forgot! Oh no!" She grinned, waving a hand. "Just kidding. Your presents are in the other room. Don't shake them, kids. They don't bite... hard... But they might. I bet I can beat you!"

She ran into the other room, scooping up the carpet bags and carefully waiting for the others. "Now... Whose first? Kids, you'll have to share the one I got you. So who gets to go first? Mum, Dad, or kids. Actually, I have something special for you Elijah." She grinned reaching into one of the bags and pulling out a pooper scooper, complete with a red bow. "You'll need it." She grinned.

The chocolate cone flew out of Elijah’s hand and he turned his eyes on the devil woman he was going to marry. She was definitely in for it later. Elijah looked up and raised his arm experimentally to see if he could grasp the cone. He rose up onto his tiptoes and the tips of his fingers brushed it. Still, no luck though. He was six foot two and he was being thwarted by a little redhead with a little too much attitude. He did get a stomach ache on occasion, he had to admit that, but it was so worth it at the end of the day.

Elijah scowled up at the cone and watched as some of the chocolate dripped down the side. He whimpered a little and opened his mouth as the droplet of chocolate fell from the end. He caught it on his tongue and savoured the taste. He licked his lips and looked up at it again before looking down at Cepheus. He too seemed perturbed by the lack of chocolate and was sucking at his fingers in an attempt to get any that was left, off of them. “...I’m not a horrible influence,” Elijah replied haughtily, crossing his arms over his chest.

When Chase turned her attention to Jack, Elijah picked Cepheus up. The giggles hadn’t quite stopped yet so it provided enough cover in case the two made a noise. He hoisted the boy up over his head and Cepheus grasped the chocolate cone. Elijah brought Cepheus back down, pulling the cone from the spell and grinned. He put Cepheus down and allowed him a bite of the cone before taking it back. The children ran after Jack, grins on their faces, and even Thierry seemed eager to go. Finn and Euan ran after them as well, dragging the girls, who were actually dressed like normal people, behind them.

Elijah walked up to Chase and dribbled a bit of chocolate down her cheek. He kissed her on the lips and licked the chocolate off of her cheek. He latched his lips onto her jaw and licked the chocolate off that had gathered there before trailing his lips up to meet her mouth again. Elijah smiled when he pulled back and decided to mention that, “Chocolate’s an aphrodisiac you know,” before pulling away and leaning over to pop a kiss on Kitty’s head. He dropped some chocolate onto her hand and grinned at Chase before skipping away into the other room where Jack and the children were congregating.

“Me?” Elijah raised an eyebrow. Someone pulled on his arm and he lifted whoever it was up so they were dangling off of the floor. The sound of teeth munching on the cone caught Elijah’s attention and he looked down to see Caelum biting into the chocolate cone. Elijah shook the boy off and he only just managed to keep his footing when he fell. Elijah smirked at his son and stepped forward to see what Jack was going to give him. Elijah laughed uneasily upon seeing it and blinked a few times. “What exactly would I need one of these for?” he asked, a confused expression passing over his face. “Maybe the hired help need to be hired.” Elijah murmured to himself.