I don't like walking around this old and empty house

Motherhood was the ultimate sacrifice. You would never have a moment to yourself and Athena was unlucky - or perhaps lucky depending on your point of view - in the point of fact that the birth of her sons coincided with the death of the Rookwood matriarch and in filling that position, she inherited much more than her twins; try three motherless girls and two brooding Rookwood men, one her father-in-law, the other her husband who was more a boy than her infant sons.

Needless to say, Athena had lost her patience, her desire and her edge. She’d become soft, she told herself with frightening frankness. She didn’t hate it, of course, but she missed the wilful version of herself she’d cultivated as a teenager. She felt trapped, oppressed, even, and while she couldn’t find it in herself to hate her husband or her father-in-law for the position they’d put her in, she still couldn’t find a source, a reason - or someone to blame; when all the blame was on her, really.

That morning, Augustus and Archibald had slept in. Kendall had disappeared some time after six o’clock to go somewhere to do something and after her boys let out their first wails, Athena went to fetch them from the nursery, bleary eyed and unwilling to wake up fully in the wee hours of the morning. She ended back in bed with them cuddled to her chest, allowing them to feed before falling asleep - and after a while, having sated their hunger, they too joined their mother in dreamland.

At just over six months old, the boys already had their personalities sorted out. Despite being younger, Archie was the more wilful and, seemingly, stronger of the two. He was the leader, the one in all the control and while Gus was strong as well, he was much more reserved and tempered, plotting his acts cunningly while his brother bashed and groped about, exploring with wild abandon and usually running amuck for his troubles.

They also had their favourites. Favourite foods to eat - Archie preferred sweet potato mash while Gus liked normal mash with carrots and other things he liked to bite at, his teeth starting to cut and hurt him.

They were little creatures to behold and Athena felt as though she was learning something new about them every day. It made her heart hurt to think that Kendall, wherever he was, was missing out. He was far too much like his father in that respect. No amount of love could make him stick around for his children. Of course he’d be affectionate when it suited but business always called.

It was bittersweet, in that respect, all of the simple joys.

Kieran was going to meet her later that morning and for the first time in a long time, Athena found she had butterflies in her stomach. She’d dressed the boys but their attire was simple - warm baby-grows; it wasn’t difficult. Dressing herself was the hard part and she left the boys sat on the bed as she rifled through the wardrobe. Occasionally she’d return and hold up something but regardless of what it was, the pair would coo and grab at their feet, sucking their fists into their mouths as they did so. They didn’t care much for what she wore.

In the end, Athena settled on pink and white - something her step-mother would have applauded her, after all, she was a girl who favoured black.

Then, after tucking her boys into the Silvercross pram she so adored, leaving them to coo and clumsy about in the pram that really needed enlarging sometime soon, as she made her way into the fireplace to Floo to the nearest magical public place - an old second hand bookshop near a park North of the Rookwood estate that was split in the middle by a winding, twisting and turning river the ploughed seemingly motionlessly through the earth it had burrowed into.

Kieran was nowhere to be found when Athena arrived and despite a little twinge of disappointment, she didn’t mind too much. It gave her a chance to settle herself.

The young woman picked a spot near the river beneath the shade of a stooping tree whose roots jutted out through the green plains of grass. She set down a purple patchwork picnic blanket and after smoothing it out, brushing off any lint, she took out her baby bag and littered a few toys across it for the boys to play with. Then, once that was done she lifted them out and set them down on the blanket, joining them after slipping off her shoes and leaving them in the grass.

“Ma!” Gus squeaked out his call to her as he tipped himself into her arms and Athena smiled despite herself before reaching for a bear dressed in pyjamas and offering it to the boy who took it quickly into his grasp. He cooed over it, just as she had done when she was his age, and wondered whether she’d told Kendall.

Whether she’d told him that his son had said his first word.

With horror, she realised she hadn’t. She’d told him nothing, nothing at all.

It was curious, Keiran decided, that he should be so very amused with someone like he was with Athena. While he admitted to feeling attracted to various women here and there, this was one time when he could tell himself that he oughtn't be doing something, but want to do so - and end up doing so - nonetheless.

Was she not a Death Eater (something he had vowed not to get involved with)? Well, he had heard she was, yes. Was she not married? Indeed she was, and with children whom he likely would see when he met with her that morning. Yet he was drawn to her in some way and couldn't explain it. Clearly the idea of settling down was not within reach, but he allowed himself the time they were given to 'get to know her'. Or whatever ended up happening.

Most days, Keiran was quite skilled at paying attention to the clock and not having to worry about being late. Today, however, he'd woken late, not realized what day it was, and proceeded to have a moment of panic as he discovered what time it was. Refusing to allow the condensed time to make him leave his flat looking shabby, Keiran took a short while to dress properly before picking up his wand, closing his eyes, and picturing his destination.

The park they had chosen for their meeting was quite lovely, the river running by making everything seem all the more pleasant than usual. Keiran decided that sticking to the path of the river would give him a good view of the entirety of the park - he was sure to spot her that way.

Indeed, as he walked down the bank, he spotted her ahead of him, sitting on a blanket with the two little boys she'd mentioned perhaps once or twice. It had been quite a long time since he'd seen her, though, and the names escaped him.

He smiled his often seen half-smile as she picked up one of the toys and gave it to the one nearest her - they were twins, if he had to guess. They looked about the same age, though with their being so young it was hard to tell. Keiran, though used to spending time with young children at Hogwarts, had not spent a vast amount of time with toddlers or babies.

Coming upon their setup on the bank, Keiran gave a chuckle at the antics of the children before greeting Athena. "G'morning, dearie. Sorry I'm late - rough morning." He knelt down beside the three of them, grinning at her before turning to look at the little ones. "And a good morning to you two as well." Keiran extended a hand to the child Athena wasn't passing the bear to, pretending the child would reach out as well and shake his hand.

Earlier on in the week, Archie had discovered his feet. In doing so he ensured that he’d be traipsing between life and death as whenever he seemed to want to explore his own body, namely his toes which he found even stranger than his feet, he seemed to do so whenever his mother left him unattended and it would see him rolling about, almost always nearly falling off of whichever bed or settee she’d set him down on - but she was always there to catch him, of course, which made the game fun.

Athena had dressed Archie in a green baby-grow that was striped with lines that were a darker colour to the base one. Gus’s was the same only in a blue and Athena was glad for the distinction. Even she occasionally found herself at a loss as to which one was which. Of course, such a feeling was only fleeting - her mother always knew her children.

However, while Gus was more of a mummy’s boy, Archie had a tendency to strike out on his own and while he hadn’t quite gotten crawling down to a fine art, that didn’t stop him from giving it a good go and in groping for his toes he managed to throw himself onto his belly, looking more like a fish out of water than anything else. He giggled though, despite himself, finding nothing to complain about as he pulled himself a long using one of the brightly coloured toys as leverage.

The crunch of shoes on the slightly dewy grass broke Athena’s gaze on the boy whose mouth had closed around the nose of the dog he’d latched hold on. She looked up and smiled at the sight of Keiran who himself wore a half-smile, one that she hadn’t quite gotten to grips with as of yet. It wasn’t quite like Kendall’s boyish smirk - more calculating and, well, Slytherin.

Her smile warmed her cheeks as he knelt down to them and she looked over at Archie who she immediately reached to set back on his bum, toy dog and all. He cooed at her, seemingly in thanks, before looking over at Keiran, well aware that it wasn’t his father but vaguely confused all the same. But of course, the eyes were different. The sienna hue that Archibald wore in his eyes was the same colour his father wore in his. He was Kendall’s son in many ways, not least in that.

“Good Morning,” she greeted him gently as her finger swept over Gus’ head, sweeping back his dark tresses that had been thickening and growing in length, even going so far as to begin to curl at the ends - like her hair.

She laughed a little, her measured ditty of laugh that she was careful to temper, before replying, assuring him that they hadn’t been there long enough to miss him - that, really, he was right on time.

Gus dropped the bear as he noticed Keiran’s hand and Athena watched with thinly veiled interest as Gus reached out, grabbing for Keiran’s fingers with his own tiny fist. Gus pulled with all the strength he could muster and Athena laughed, this time her chortle being a little more genuine, a little less restrained, as she tickled her fingers against her son’s sides. He wiggled, a giggle of his own erupting from his chest as he released Keiran’s fingers.

“Ma!” His voice was high and sprightly again in the crisp, summer air and this time, his brother chose to speak also, mirroring his brother’s word before bringing the nose of the dog back to his mouth.

Athena looked around, contented by the vegetation that surrounded her.

“I like it here,” she confided in Keiran as Gus reached out to tug on his mother’s long fingers that were tipped at the ends with nails pained a clear, shiny shade that had a rather fragrant name to it. “It reminds me of home.”

Of course, not her new home. Her old home. The one where her father would have waited for her had he lived.

The Itch had all gotten them in some small way or another - in others, large ways.

“You look sleepy,” she observed, turning her head a little and eyeing him out of the corner of her eye. She lifted a hand away from Gus and brushed a solitary finger beneath Keiran’s left eye, grazing the skin softly with the barest of touches. “Did you sleep well, if nothing else?”

Keiran smiled openly when she announced that he wasn't really very late. "Good," He replied, "Wouldn't want to keep these two waiting." He gestured towards the kids, teasing her and throwing a sideways look in her direction.

Rather than keeping up the pretense for long, he chuckled as one of the boys took hold of his hand, only to be distracted by Athena. "I don't believe I ever got their names." He added, seating himself properly beside her. How did conversations and meetings like this feel normal? By all accounts, they shouldn't. And yet, here they were.

The child who had caught hold of his hand let out what Keiran assumed to be a word. By Athena's apparent appreciation of it, he had a feeling that it was the boy's first word of many, but decided not to question it.

He turned to look out over the bank of the river as she admitted her joy at their having chosen that particular park. "It's rather like where I grew up," He agreed with the sentiment, "though we didn't have the river. Just a lot of land." He was, of course, referring to the horse farm his mum had kept. He wasn't sure if it were odd that he enjoyed returning home to ride, or if it were awesome. He decided it was brilliant and took his mind off of it.

Her next words drew his gaze back to her, and though Athena's touch should have surprised him, it somehow didn't. "Ah," He began, "I've been packing up the things I will need when I return to Hogwarts for the school year." He nearly wanted to laugh at how he'd phrased it. He sounded rather like a student again. "Transfiguration won't be teaching itself, after all." He shrugged, considering taking the hand she'd lifted to his face and toying with it as he spoke. "I lost track of time last night, and woke late. I slept well enough."

Truthfully, he was still feeling half asleep - he wasn't exactly a morning person - but being outside was definitely helping him. Nearly as much as seeing her again.

It was like breathing, being around Keiran. For once, she had a friend who was entirely alien to her in many ways but so easy to be around. They rubbed gently against each other like the water that flowed through the river, carving out its path into the limestone beneath mud and rubble. It was a slow, painstakingly careful and exacting process that was much like the way she had come to be around him. It was though at first, she’d been a stream, closed up and hesitant, and then suddenly she had tributaries and she’d found the sea. With him.

Athena felt her smile beginning to ache at her cheeks and she lowered her lips, settling for a smirk she more easily wore as she touched at the blonde heads of her boys who were finally beginning to get their Rookwood and Goyle colouring. She brushed her thumb against Archibald’s angular cheeks, wondering why he’d hollowed out so quickly when only just managing to crawl. He was such a long child, long and skinny and full of life, colour and baby curls. He was very much going to grow up to be a formidable man and he was one Athena feared the world would see much of.

For better or for worse; the latter being more likely.

“Augustus,” she introduced the child sat in her lap. He gurgled upon hearing his own name and looked up at Keiran. A shy smile broke on his face and his eyes brightened a little as he retreated back against his mother, pressing his head in past her jacket and against her breast, believing there Keiran could not find him to tickle and tease. Athena laughed a little at her son and drew a hand against his back, rubbing down his spine to sooth him while she reached to drag a wandering Archibald back once more.

“And the ever curious Archibald,” She introduced her second son and reached her arm around his middle as she brought him to sit between her and Keiran. He looked up at his mother indignantly for a moment before turning his attention to Keiran, understanding that it wasn’t his father but finding himself befuddled and confused as the colouring, though the same in his face and hair; it was different in the eyes. There was something different in his eyes. The palpable sadness in his father wasn’t there in this man and he found, in his own mind, that he rather liked it.

“I would’ve loved to have lived in the countryside as a child,” Athena mused as she took in her surroundings, revelling in the way nature was so seamless, so seemingly never-ending. “I am lucky and grateful that the boys do.” She added after a moment as she tickled at Augustus’ sides, coaxing the boy out from her blazer as he fought to stave off the giggles.

Athena looked up, feeling a pout tug at her lips. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at Keiran, forlorn.

“Do you really have to go?” She asked, reaching forward to take Kieran’s hand. “I should think I’ll go batty without you. Will you write to me, at the very least?”

Keiran couldn't explain, really, what was going on in his head when he was with Athena. Sure, he knew he was curious, but he was equally aware of the fact that his curiosity could get the both of them in trouble. Something wasn't letting him banish her from his thoughts, however, and he found that he didn't want to. Not truly. Instead, he found himself leaning in to catch every word as if his mind was worried that when he went off for the school year, he would come back to find her unable to see him again. That he wouldn't hear her voice again.

He watched how she was with the boys and smiled as they were introduced to him. While the first seemed bashful, Keiran was a bit surprised to find that the second seemed oddly curious about him. While the man had always loved children, he wasn't so sure he was going to have any of his own. Granted, he was only in his twenties, but he hadn't really grown into the personality of one that settled down. Keiran wasn't, however, the kind to date around, either. Even when he was in his seventh year and Quidditch Captain for the Slytherins, it wasn't often that he would take any girls up on their offers of dates and the like. He had no problem being on his own, he had discovered.

"Well," Keiran mused, shifting his weight onto the arm closest to her, "while it was peaceful, it lacked the closeness of children my age. I sometimes wonder if I would have been different after living somewhere else."

He wasn't exactly sure why he had brought up the topic he often pondered in his moments of solitude. He sometimes ended up in a place at the end of a trying day where he just started thinking. Thinking about anything and everything.

"I can't very well leave the students without a Professor," He said, though he agreed with her comments. His goal, after all, was to become Head of Slytherin, and perhaps one day be allowed to take over the role of Headmaster. A slow smile grew on his face as she asked him to write. "If you wish. But what would you have me write about?" Maybe he was teasing her. Or maybe, in the back of his mind, he wondered if she was seriously interested in what he might choose to write about.