✧BEAUTIFUL DAY DOWN DIAGON ALLEY✧

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Yesterday had been a complete success, not only had dinner gone well. But Rory decided that they should enjoy a glass of non-alcoholic wine while looking through a photo album.

And the father was hooked on every detail, wanting every story.

Which caused Rory to take the pictures out of their places and read the back, as she put little notes and dates to signify where they were.

The book heavily featured pictures of little Lori, and he felt as though he had witnessed every day that passed as Rory was a pro at organizing the pictures.

But better yet, he came to an understanding at what the house in America looked like. Though it didn't compare to any of the Lestrange manors, Rory assured him it was still a little on the high-end side had she been in the housing market.

Rabastan was starting to connect the puzzles in the timeline she and the children were apart of and he was missing from. To move from one life to form another, back to salvage what was left here.

Orion was right, he was lucky that they returned.

However come morning he hadn't realized what a child's birthday entailed. Not only was there a dozen gals running around the manor, but the lads were dominating the skies that he didn't know what he signed up for until his mates brought him to the poker table.

And Aurora swore to her goddesses above that this was a sleepover party for everyone.

They were separated of course, the lads in one den and the gals in another. And it was sheer chaos as he checked one versus the other, the gals had managed a beautiful tea party with endless cakes and beautiful gowns. They'd soon retire to watch a film, of course it was a muggle invention but there were producers out in the states—California specifically that took a creative outlet and a handful of actors.

Everyone enjoyed the concept, and Aurora promised that she'd watch one with Rabastan once everything settles down.

Come the next morning however, he wasn't prepared for Cara's shriek of excitement. Waving her Salem letter in the air as she felt rightly relieved, she knew she'd be attending. That was a given, but having the firm copy in hand and a list of supplies and textbooks made her excited for the coming semester.

Though it'd be a combined trip between the twins, her and Ronan. Their American textbooks wouldn't be available here, but a quick Owl to their aunts and uncles would fix that no problem.

As of right now she was mentally preparing herself to go to Diagon Ally.

Rabastan was ecstatic, but that came with being able to leave the manor. And surely the twins were a bucket of excitement as well, but there was always a process when being in public in the magical world.

Aurora had taken the day prior off, as it was the twin's birthday, and today so they can explore the town, which Otto pushed on more than one occasion so thus—Here she is. But as she joined everyone at the table for breakfast, she buttered her toast and took a handful of bacon, eating slowly and tried to settle the ache in her stomach.

"Mum honestly, it's just for a few hours." Her eyes shot up to Romulus and he threw his hands out into the air. She promised since before they moved to Britain that they'd be getting a pet for their birthday, this was entirely planned and yet...Aurora still felt as though it was too much of a hassle.

But then it'd take away from the experience for the children.

"Love what's the matter?" Rabastan whispered, though everyone at the table heard him anyway. But when Rory remained silent, it was up to Romulus and Ronan to share the situation.

"Mum doesn't like to go to wizarding communities because she gets noticed." Their eldest shared, causing Roe to nod in confirmation. "Some turn rather hysterical seeing mum, it's a sight...But that's why we always venture to muggle communities, nobody knows us there." Her eyes shyly met up to Rabastan, knowing that everyone here was excited for the day. And most had coins to spend for this coming school year, Lori was excited to spend her given galleons on a new British dolly, and Rabastan bit back a smile.

She'd give her dolls accents, whether it was on purpose or not it was just an adorable quirk.

"I'll be just fine." She whispered, taking a sip of her tea but it was then that the owl screeched and dropped off the twin's Hogwarts letters, and that's when Rabastan had turned giddy.

Imara sighed in utter relief as she looked to her twin, he shared the same look and thoughts. And of course Aurora wouldn't miss that communication for the world. "Something wrong?" 

"We didn't think we were going to get a letter," Romulus mumbled, he nor Imara had voiced this fear at all. But Aurora laughed into the air.

"Well then I have no utter problem to talk to that headmaster, that damnable—"
"Aurora..." Rabastan warned, and she turned pointedly towards Rabastan.

"All I'm saying, darling, is I'm not afraid of Dumbledore anymore."
"You weren't afraid of him, he was simply an arse." Lorelei gasped at her papa's curse at the table, but the children just watched in utter silence at their mother and father.

"I would enjoy being there for that one if there is a showdown with Dumbledore." Either of their heads fell down to their plates, but Aurora smiled to herself.

There was a decade set of years of angry behind her.

"Mummy why would you fight our new headmaster?"
"I'm not saying to openly disrespect the fellow, but he is no Mr.Crawford," Aurora answered Imara truthfully, nothing could prepare the children for their mother to openly despise someone.

But if they weren't expecting that, they surely weren't expecting their's father's words.

"What you're mother is trying to say in polite terms, is that he's a wanker." Aurora gawked, and swatted at her husband, and then took her napkin and swatted him a third time.

"Gods woman, I give!"

"Again!" Lori cheered, and her father had turned downright offended.

Not because of Rory's punishment, he figured it'd end something like that. But Lori adoring her mother's violence was not at all funny as he was the one serving the end.

Luckily Aurora handled that as well.

"Lorelei O'Hera Lestrange, are we being fresh?" She took a quick gasp and shook her head.

"Rabastan do you think our daughter was being fresh?" He hummed in question, his elbows connecting to the table as he locked his hands together.

"I reckon she is."

"No! I'm sorry papa!" Romulus rolled his eyes, his kid sister being a decent four years younger than him left a wide enough gap for the rest of the table to know that they were simply teasing her.

Everyone at the table had gone off to get ready, though Rabastan found his wife putting a light cloak. She had one made for him as well.

"It's meant to blur images that any reporters takes, Otto had it crafted for the children and I a few years ago. When Wolfsbane came out."
"Ah yes, suppose people would be grateful for my wife's work." She scoffed.

"You think wolfsbane was a positive release? Raba I received so many bloody death threats I was worried if I should've moved off the Halliwell property, but Elizabeth said their wards were one of the strongest."
"Why would you receive death threats? It's a potion." Aurora had decided not to wear any earrings or jewelry besides her rings, but as she turned to Rabastan she realized he was still new to this potion world.

"Some believe that they shouldn't be given the chance, and others are angry that now the ministry has to make new laws because are they still dangerous if they have the potion or not? The politics were awful and because I made it apparently it meant that I turned into a beacon of that anger." Rabastan thought for a moment, he leaned down and hugged her from behind as she was still sitting in her vanity chair.

"Our wards need updates if we're facing that sort of hate love, perhaps I misjudged the whole thing as I assumed the hate you were receiving was souled because of me."

"Parts of it yeah, but I've earned the majority of the trust back. It just the ministry is an arse, and now the children are in school with that damn wanker." Rabastan smiled, it was a mutual hatred.

"I don't think he would've dared forgetting them love, he's like Slughorn in a few ways. Collecting students."

"You're not wrong." With one final sigh she rose up to her feet and the two went off to meet up with the children at the bottom of the staircase.

They all were wearing similar cloaks, though they didn't have to wear the hood up much as their mother.

"Alright, what're the rules?" Rory called out, though this was for the children, Rabastan needed to know as well.

"I have to hold mummy or papa's hand the whole time unless we're in a store." Lorelei offered, and Aurora nodded to her youngest. 

"We stick in pairs," Roe said, reaching to hook his arm into Cara's, which caused them both to smile up to their parents as well.

"Good. And?"

 "Er, where do we meet up if we get lost?" Imara spoke itching her temple, while Romulus turned just as confused, having to learn a whole new town. 

"We'll decide that when we get there, now I want no funny business. Diagon Ally is just as crowded if not more than the Enchanted Trial. I expect your best behavior." Rabastan had seen Aurora work plenty of magic throughout his life, but to see the children's backs straighten at the sound of her voice about behavior was ultimately the best reaction.

The group remained in the foyer as Daisy soon joined them, she was to help with apperenting them to a specific location. So Rabastan had paired with the eldest twins, while Aurora had the rest of the children as she didn't want to travel with more than three if she didn't have to.

Perhaps it was because she was here in the previous weeks for work, the bank and other sorts of errands. But the children and her husband they were entirely infatuated with being out of the house, so perhaps she should take the children out more and promise a bit of travel to Rabastan once his house arrest ends.

"Alright, we're in the center of town, we have a lot to do today. So we're going to start with the boring tasks before anything." Rabastan narrowed his brows in confusion as to what would be considered boring.

Romulus had questioned her first, and she smiled downed to him.

"School robes." They groaned in damnation and Aurora pinched the brink of her nose under her hood.

"Oi, I don't like it either. But you two need school robes, it's right down that way." Aurora had walked with Lori hand in hand, with Rabastan securely at their daughter's left. While the others were holding hands and looking with wide eyes to the sight before them.

Aurora promised herself that the children shouldn't be old their first visit.

And it was just what happened.

"We'll meet at Gringotts if anyone gets lost. It's the largest building and right in the middle."

"Mummy, what's down there?" Lorelei had let go of her father's hand to tug on her mother's robes, gaining her attention before she spoke.

"Ah, that's for when all of you are older. Do you remember what I said about sketchy magic?"
"That it's just misunderstood?"
"That and dangerous if it's misunderstood, now then...We're going to the store just after Gringotts, best get a move on." The twins led the way again and Lori remained in the middle of her mum and papa, gaining momentum as she wanted to swing in between them.

Rabastan's smile hadn't dwindled at any point, just the sense of being in a crowd was much easier to handle than he thought. And after the horrid sounds of Azkaban, the people's voices and shouts of sales was nothing to be compared to screams and chaotic waves being crashed outside the building.

"How long does a fitting take?"
"Not long at all, I'll be waiting with you two and I was thinking Rabastan, you can take the children to the Quidditch store—Yes we'll go back, just pick out what you lot think you'll like and we'll buy it all together." Rabastan liked this plan, taking special care of Lorelei as he wanted to make sure she was always in sight or in distance.

"Papa, did you play Quidditch?"
"Yes I did, I played against your mum."
"What? Why?"
"Because she was in Ravenclaw and I was in Slytherin, I couldn't be on her team."
"Oh. Were you a chaser too daddy?" Daddy. It was such an American term that he couldn't help but chuckle every time she'd say it. But he also found it humorous that Lori would ask the same questions, just like he told Romulus.

He'd be open to answering it a thousand times.

"Whoa, Cara look they have HollyHead Harpie banners!" That was enough to get the two to rush into the store, and sure he picked up the pace...But at least it was into a store and not into a crowd.

Lorelei was still getting used to flying on a broom, her father promised when her siblings were away at school that he'd help her with the rest of the fathers and the younglings.

But that didn't stop her from looking through all the things here, and she giggled at seeing the snitch. Having it float and flutter in her hair caused Rabastan to groan.

"Yeah, we thought she was going to be a seeker too. Romulus has five galleons bet on it." Ronan joined in, having come out of nowhere.

But then Cara peeked out beside him. "I have four! Imara thinks Keeper." She claimed.

"A Keeper, well at this rate you all could take the Ravenclaw team." He grumbled the last bit as Lori was dragging her papa to the other end of the store.

Aurora, on the other hand, was thriving in returning to the designs of London's wizarding world. While her eldest munchkins were on the pedestals getting fitted for their robes, trousers, and skirts.

Rory already had a basket filled with dozens of socks for Imara, as well as the white shirts. She knew her children's sizes, but she needed to compare them to the American range. The conversion was a bit strange, and she had to double-check before adding four each.

"Did you two get your wands yet?" The seamstress had kindly asked, and Imara smiled kindly and humored the witch as she worked.

"Is it true that the robes have a wand pocket?" The woman had finished with the pinning and chuckled politely at the daughter, while Romulus was silent and thoroughly dreaded this sort of thing.

Luckily he was done much quicker as trouser didn't need mending, and he went off to find his given size. "Mum, how many should I get?"
"Oh, I've got the start of four pairs, though I think only two robes would be best. You two will be growing soon." He nodded, holding onto the pairs while Imara came over to ask the same question for her skirts.

The total cost was a little higher than the cost she remembered her parents having paid, but then again...it's been twenty years.

With the given jumpers and neutral ties, Romulus narrowed his eyes as he remembered that he was meant to wear the tie of his house color.
"Ah, that'll change once you're sorted love. And once the form comes to order hats and scarves owl me, we'll get that sorted as well." With all of it bundled and sent to be delivered to their manor, they were allowed to move along to the Quidditch store.

The twins were beyond excited, though Rabastan was dearly having a difficult time saying no to the children. Especially Lorelei.

"Are we blowing our budget in the first store already?" Aurora questioned the three children, and Lori held her hands behind her back before holding up the snitch.

"But look how pretty mummy." Her wrist connected to her forehead, this was surely going to be an issue.

"And did you check the price darling?"

"But it's not in dollars, I don't know...Isn't pounds really heavy?" Rabastan watched the exchange while Ronan was showing his siblings what he assumed they'd be interested in.

He followed Lori and Aurora off to the snitch section, as he started to understand why Romulus didn't want to hear about potion budgeting.

He assumed this was from Aurora having to ration her spending habits for what the children needed, but he rightly didn't remember where the children received an allowance and for what.

He'd need to ask when they get home.

"But you have one in your study, I want to prop it up like you." Aurora's face softened as she recalled that it was the snitch of her and Rabastan's last game against one another, but it was significantly out of Lorelei's price range and nor was she even on a broom yet.

"How about when you start practicing with papa we can come back and purchase it."
"Will it still be here?" Her childish knowledge was quite adorable, but Aurora still reassured her that it would surely be available when they return.

The next store was indeed Flourish & Blott's, which was much more enjoyable for the lot of them as Aurora had taken the liberty to order the books needed from the lists.

Romulus had already two other books in hand, while the rest had one. Or in Lori's case, was on the floor and looking through the children's section already reading.

Rabastan realized why Aurora didn't like shopping with the children, it confused him on who he should stay with. Though the answer always ended with Lori, as it wasn't very ladylike to be sitting on the floor of a store.

"Look papa, it's mummy!" Bending down did he see an image of Aurora. It was a children's history book and he grinned widely at the sight of her accomplishments.

"I suppose we have to get it then don't we?" Lori closed the book and held it to her chest.

"Mummy says books don't count for allowance, but she'll laugh when I show her." It was true, if there was something that interested the children academically or reading leisurely then why on earth would she make them pay for it themselves?

After purchasing the needed textbooks Rory too explored for her own leisure reading. But of course what came with fame, came the twisted truth.

And Rita Skeeter.

'Potion Mistress or Prisoner Mentality?' 

It gave Aurora great pleasure that Skeeter hadn't made a cent off the book, and rightly Rory owned it all things considering. She didn't want to look suspicious and take it off shelves when the majority of people have it already.

But all the funds go off to pay for her team's funding and salaries, so in the end her life's autobiography made a grand profit.

"Mummy, look! Me and papa found you in this book!" She cheered and Rory felt like she needed this, and Rabastan had been surprised that she was heavily featured. But as he saw the other section of books she caught his shocked expression.

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Romulus had been the one to stop him, gripping his father's wrist with all the strength an eleven-year-old could muster. "I wouldn't read it if I were you." 

"What is this?"

"Mum's worst nightmare for about three months, but mum owns it now and the author doesn't control what happens to it anymore. After this potion, I heard her and the lawyers talking about taking it off the market." Rabastan had gained far too much information, but the picture they used was already dug up from the Black family archives as it was her and her siblings posing.

And Regulus labeled as dead and Sirius labeled as a murderer.

"I have one at home, I've never read it. But mum needed to find reasons to sue...I'll give it to you when we get home." Was this how Romulus knew everything he does?

"Just pretend you don't see it," Romulus spoke quickly before leaving his father's side, and thus—Rabastan took his son's advice and hurried to the legal section of the bookstore.

He actually found a few that could heighten his knowledge on his wife's field. With his arms already carrying three books he withheld his grin to see the children sharing their purchases with their mum.

It was her bank number they were using...Or was it the Lestrange vault? Another thing he'd have to ask later.

A hundred and five Gaellons were spent just on the extra books bought. He couldn't imagine the spending on food had they had to calculate it.

They sent all the purchases to the manor. And off to the next store, and then the next.

Until finally came time where the twins could finally pick up their pets.

Luckily none of the children had gotten lost, but Rory wasn't about to say it out loud and jinx it. However the second they walked into the pet store, the twins went off to their designated locations while Ronan and Cara knew it wasn't their time to get a pet just yet.

And at the moment they didn't want one, they wouldn't be able to bring them to Salem. But Rory was already eyeing the adorable kittens that Rabastan had to stop her.

"I don't know how Omen would feel if you brought home another kitten love."
"But Rommy is eyeing to get a cat you know."

"Mummy I found the Nifflers!" Rabastan couldn't handle all this childlike excitement, but Rory placed the kitten back into place and reminded Romulus to take his time while picking.

Imara, on the other hand, was pointing ecstatically to the given litter of these creatures. They were already domestic as is, and what the clerk was telling both Rabastan and Rory was that the mother of this litter was found on the streets and was close to starvation while caring for the little ones.

"Can I hold them?" Aurora could see the joy in her daughter's eyes, and the clerk was damned surprised to see a young witch on these misunderstood creatures. And she held onto a silver one, a highlighting feature of a white stripe across the belly.

The clerk was very attentive, allowing Imara the chance to meet all the Nifflers to interact and find the one that she liked the best.

"One, Imara. One." Aurora was firm on this end, one would be the limit of Imara's responsibility. Especially at Hogwarts, but she finally picked the first she been tempted with.

She was slightly different than her siblings, nor the color of her mum. But she was a cuddle and licked Imara's face every time she picked her up. "Mummy, I think she's the one."

"Have you picked a name for her?" The clerk returned with a carrying case, the Niffler 'cave' had already been ordered before the twin's birthday and prepared to house the newcomer Niffler.

"Sterling." It was adorably creative, and Imara refused to put the little fellow into the cage as she held onto her. While Romulus was at a miss of what cat he wanted.

"Having trouble love?"
"Yeah, there's so many...I feel bad."
"Don't, someone like you will come and find them a good home too." It was part of the reason why Rory wanted the children to get their own pet, Rory had only been gifted Omen to fill the void of her elder brother running away.

"You have all the time in the world darling, take your time." He nodded, and Rabastan hadn't rightly ever had a pet himself until he and Rory got the pups.

Actually picking one seemed difficult, but as he looked over he caught his son letting a cat sniff him. So perhaps it was for the better to give him some space.

Lori, on the other hand, look positively excited to hear that her siblings were getting pets, but Aurora had firmly reminded her that she was not old enough to get one.

And Lori threatened to cry.

"Ah ah, no tears. Tears don't help to get us what we want." The day had indeed taken a toll on Lorelei, all the walking and excitement had left her drained. And so Rabastan offered to carry the little girl, but Rory stopped him.

"No Rabastan, not when she's acting like this we don't coddle." Although he didn't agree with this method, he was starting to see a pattern in her parenting style.

And it was heavily effective as Lori stopped crying and occupied herself with Sterling and Imara. But after a few given moments Lori made her way back to her mother and leaned into her side. That is when Aurora knew that Lori was at her last few minutes before a nap.

"Alright love, come here." She whispered, and Lori had barely lifted up her arms before leaning into her mum's neck. Sighing in almost relief, the five-year-old was so tiny and lightweight that it didn't give Rory all that much trouble.

But Rabastan was quick to take their daughter into his hold, she mumbled slightly here and there which caused him to chuckle.

"Mum...I think I've found him." Aurora had her hand on Lori's back and turned to Romulus, who was beyond excited with having met his choice.

Aurora had looked at the small kitten who sat rather wobbly in the center of it's little boxed cage. And after reading the small label she realized why.

He was partially blind.

"Are you sure love?... That means he needs extra time and energy to get used to his surroundings."

"It's only his one eye, and maybe he'll grow used to it." The optimism was strong, she couldn't deny that. So she dropped her hand into the top of the box to allow the feline to take a sniff, and close to instantly had he started to nuzzle the top of his hand into her palm.

"I think...You made a wonderful choice love, do you have a name?" Romulus smirked widely as he looked back and picked up the fellow. Giving him a small scratch behind the ear, earning him a soft meow from his new friend.

"Odin."
"Gods, why did I even think it'd be from anything else?"
"Odin's blind in one eye mum."
"Yes, I know. And now I wonder if this little one traded it for all the knowledge in the world." She bent down to kiss Romulus' forehead and then continued off to the clerk to pay for any and all things that would be needed for either animal.

The day indeed ended on a high note, Rabastan had taken Lori, Ronan and Cara in one apparent while Rory managed the twins and their pets.

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Date Posted: 05-18-2020

Time: 8:52

Words: 4632