✧EASTER CELEBRATIONS PT.1✧

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Aria had been coaxed by either of the Black brothers to head to bed, and for once the two had worked together in bringing from the Astronomy tower—Which involved Sirius at the bottom of the stairs and Regulus at the top. As apparently Aria was a lightweight in both the drinking term and the smoking term.

She claimed she had it from the common room door and alas she made it inside without any visible trouble. Sure she tripped over Omen but that was partly ideal as she had missed the crazy cat.

Instead Aria had woke up at the ungodly hour of five-thirty in the morning, finished what was left of her packing and escorted herself off towards Ghost.

And there she stayed until eight o'clock rolled around, and she sent the drafted parcel with the help of Onyx. Rabastan had been surprised, he thought for sure that she was going to be sleeping in this morning after what happened, but no—She went back to the area where it all happened.

Regulus hadn't told Rabastan a word, and that was one of the many things Aria was worried about. But the look on his face hadn't told otherwise, just that he was anxious to get to her.

Her greeting smile up towards him hadn't settled it, instead he pulled her into a tight hug. Stuffing her head into his chest as he breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Raba...?"

"Aria gods, I thought I was going to get a note that you've left already."

"No, but I should be going up to the Headmaster's study soon." This comment caused Rabastan to squeeze the likes of his little girlfriend further. "I wish we didn't have holiday."

"Why not? I think there should be a break from school and work every—Oh...Well this break is shorter than most, we'll be back before you know it." He wanted to say that he was going to test out those ideas.

He wanted to be in his father's good graces, even if it meant sucking up to the idea of having a sister. However he didn't want to be separated from his Kitten.

If anything he wished he could invite her over to stay, but sweet merlin that wouldn't pass well in any regard. If anything, he was trying to get in his father's good graces in an attempt to rectify dating a half-blood.

That is...If they heard the news or not yet.

Probably.
Especially if Harper, Lowe and Barns were making such a ruckus. He didn't want to mention it, but their parents were slightly influential. Not by much, and not enough to be invited to the highest end holiday parties.

He wondered if him asking about his soon to be sister would save him in any sense, would it earn him a curse...Would it—"Do you want anything from America?" Aria questioned, her head tilted up and resting onto his chest as she wanted a bit of eye contact.

Smiling into those storm infested eyes did she realize he was in deep thought, but it was racing too much for her to concentrate on any given thought.

Though she supposed that was what her brain was like on any given occasion.

But it didn't seem like it was a pretty thought, so she decided the best course of action would distract him. "You don't have to get me anything kitten."

"Well that isn't fair! I tell you that and I end up getting something every time you go to Hogsmead." She deemed, her adorable little form moving away from his hold to put her hands on her hips.

"Looking like that darling, how am I meant to leave anything in Hogsmead when it makes me think of you?"
"That's sweet, but that doesn't help me...Reg wants some more sour quills. Oh! I have the perfect thing." She cheered, her smile radiating so much that Ghost had moved to nudge her in the side.

Wanting some affection as well.

"I cleaned him up with Hagrid after you went with McGonagall...Merlin Aria I—"
"I'm sorry." She mumbled, and he narrowed his brows towards the Ravenclaw in utter confusion.

"Sorry?... Aria I would've knocked down the bloody door to your common room if I knew it'd help you. But McGonagall looked like she knew what she was doing and I..." I knew I'd make it worse.

The pair stayed silent, for a long while at that as neither knew what to say. One who did was Ghost. He grew out his wings to full length before coming to wrap it securely around the two—In the sense of a hug, and although it wasn't a surprise to Aria that the beast was attempting to copy.
They were intelligent and studied human interaction, but Rabastan was grinning widely. The sudden elation of the situation burst as he took the affection that Ghost was offering.

"...I'm hugging a Hippogriff."
"Technically he's hugging you, he's a smart boy isn't he? Such a good boy." She turned into a doting mother as she smothered him in praises, unfortunately for the three of them...Aria had received a parcel from the Headmaster.

It was time for her to depart.

"Let me walk you up darling." She thought it was a nice gesture, especially when his hand was interlocked with hers. It was slightly strange to walk the halls like this, in such a public statement.

But Hogwarts knew, and if it wasn't the student population it was the professors who gossiped on it as well. And Slughorn had more than enough of a reason to do just that.

"Alright bubbles, I think this is where you're off to...And if you don't feel up to traveling, it's better than forcing it and getting sick. Yeah?" She perked her lips together, looking absolutely unsure on what to say when it was him to tell her this.

It was one thing for Eli to be on her arse about it, but Rabastan?

He had taken the position of her lips to his advantage to lean in for a kiss. She had been all too ready and yet still acted surprise as he hadn't rightly ever kissed her while in public.

Rabastan catered to the idea that she was a private person, but this was going to be goodbye until they returned to Hogwarts. And he wanted to make the most of this last embrace before she was off.

Having moved away he watched in pure satisfaction as her lashed fluttered open and a satisfaction grin rose. "Sweet Goddess, I'll see you Monday." She said, holding his cheek for a moment before scurrying away towards the Headmaster's office.

Turning over her shoulder for a moment she winked off towards the cheesy bloke before take the steps two at a time—Or tried to until she almost tripped.

Over Omen of everything.

Aria snatched her right then and there, chiming in a list of punishments for giving her so much grief. Yet it was quickly washed away once Omen let out a soft purr and cuddled into her mum's hold.

The softness of Omen allowed Aria to smile in greeting either elder wizard. Newt however hurried over and brought the young witch into his embrace.

"Not to worry about a thing Aria, my wife will handle any Ministry issues that might come along with this." For a moment she had been taken by surprise—Leading her to become confused, perhaps Rabastan had managed to distract her from the inner turmoil. It caused her to smile non-the-less.

"Thank Mr—Newt. Thank you Newt." One thing she learned from the given parcels from Randall, was that Newt favored his nickname over being all proper. Aria assumed it went with the job and all, so she grinned up.

Finally feeling the giddiness she lacked prior, was Newt introduced to a much more cheerier version of Aria Roswell. One that Eli and Chrissy have been boasting for almost the past decade about.

Aria wanted to be polite, but Newt was prepared to talk her ear off for the entire Holiday if she so let him. She reminded him of his son in this way, though there were some aspects of the potion realm he didn't know—Would suddenly turn up from his son as he shared the concern with Aria and thus, the two would have an answer.

Aria hadn't been to the Scamander house before, but it was everything she assumed it to be. And to make matters even better, Randall came rushing out and tackled her with a hug.

"Goods gods! Have you done it then?!" She cheered, and while Newt was going to question it, the two hurried off to god knows where and thus...It left Newt without his own questions asked.

Tina had been in the living room, the family's bags all packed for their conjoined trip to America in the following few hours. But in seeing her husband and she smirked.

"Guess you'll have to wait for the answers then huh?" She teased, and Newt attempted to the annoyed huff from his wife, only earning him a laugh. "Randall has been so excited darling, you can have a chance later." He pouted off to his own study to get his collection and the sorts ready to move to their other home.

His mood had soon uplifted as Aria had changed from her school robes and looked positively excited to talk now that she had a chance to settle and meet Dennis.

Who was rather comfortable in Aria's hold, and thus the three were talking non-stop until Tina ushered them to get to the ministry and find the portkey.

Randall was very kind and held her hand through touching the traveling boot, apparently it was Newt's lucky device to chose every time they left the country. Which Aria thought was very sweet.

On the other hand, Aria had to pry back her suitcase from Randall. But no amount of nudging and bickering would gain it back, so instead Aria held Omen tightly in her hold and secured her satchel around her shoulder.

"Oh, I forget to mention the carnival...Did you want to go?"
"A carnival? Er, when is it?" Aria assumed the date from Phoebe, but since they were in the same state their corresponding parcels wouldn't take days to communicate with one another.

"Um, father and I were going to—" Randall had taken a look to his parents, the blush creeping up on his cheeks and making his neck rightly irritated as he was trying to see a way to escape.

A carnival sounded like a big social event, and he knew that she had a group of friends here and at Hogwarts.

"Sweetheart I think it'd be a good idea to get out of the house a little. You were so excited to see Aria..."

"Mum!" Aria giggled behind Omen's body as shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not a big fan of the rides myself, I much prefer the games. And we don't have to go for that long, just a bit." She watched as he swallowed the frog in his throat and proceeded to nod, knowing his voice of acceptance would probably make her feeling guilty.

While the two elder witches were conversing with a ministry attend to get their own luggage, Aria leaned in towards Randall in an attempt to apologize.

"We don't have to—"

"Mum always wants me to go out and explore the world, sometimes I don't get what she means."
"I think what she's trying to get at is explore the world with friends, if my internship this summer isn't too hectic we could go out and explore. I'll have my apperenting license and universal wand permit just after my birthday." Randall was surprised to hear it, though the way she was putting it—It seems like she already applied for said permits.

Not that she wasn't qualified, if anything she was more than able.

With the plans underway, Tina was smirking up a damn storm. Which completely undermined Randall and his attempt to just make a friend, but it was completely hard to just remain with friendly thoughts.

He had missed a few normal teenage milestones, a first date—in the normal sense, a first kiss...Sure he met a few gals, but he was traveling so much that it wasn't at all worth the temptation.

Usually he was only in the presence of his father and with the two so alike it limited the social interaction. And Tina was about to change that.

Randall was almost two years older than her, but in Britain she was almost sixteen, which meant close to adulthood in their magical standards.

He was almost eighteen, their ages weren't at all different and it was perfect...Tina wanted to play matchmaker, while Newt was attempting to stall his wife until after they've dropped of Aria to the Crawfords.

Merlin was it difficult to stop the woman when she was on a mission.

Unfortunately for Aria, she hadn't been suspecting or prepared for was Professor Flitwick's parcel to make it so quickly to America. Which caused Michael to swoop in and bear hug his little sister in defense.

"Those damn girls are going to—"
"Bubs! You're home!" She cheered, hugging her brother with such a smile that he had forgotten all what his father was arguing with his lawyers about for the past how, which caused Chrissy to shake her head to Eli.

It was clear that Aria simply wanted to enjoy the holiday, and if that was the one thing they could offer then they would. But it was even better when the Scamander family was going to join the family for dinner.

While the adults were talking, Michael found himself suspicious of the young Scamander. Sure he knew that he was penpals with his sister, but how far had that—

"We'll be right back, I promised Randall that'd I'd let him borrow a book, best get it before I forget." Eli and Chrissy smiled off to the teens while Tina was inwardly screaming at the moment for the two to get some privacy.

But Michael narrowed his eyes to the fellow, feeling that the boy was a little old for her. She wasn't even sixteen yet for goodness sake.

"Keep the door open." Aria turned to her brother for a moment while grabbing Randall's hand. It was slightly out of character for Aria to stick out her tongue, so much so that Eli had taken a hand to his heart in clear offense.

But it was all in good fun before the younglings had run up the stairs and found themselves breathing in relief. "I love your mum dearly, but Merlin it's like—"

"So you can understand why father and I go alone on our travels or I don't know my way around a witch...Pick and choose Ari." The witch shrugged, but then Randall found himself with a gaping mouth, that was the worst possible thing to say to a witch with no parents.

"Aria I didn't mean it like that, I love my parents to death and—"

"Oh calm down, I get what you mean. But that just means your mum loves you and wants to see you happy. And her pushing you to go out and socialize is for you to do things on your own." Randall had breathed in relief that Aria had been obvious to his mother's attempts in setting the two up.

Even when he clearly stated she was dating a bloke at Hogwarts, suppose Tina decided to overlook that fact.

Instead the two continued their conversation from earlier, a heated debate over what the best course of action that needed to be taken for Ghost and how it should be handled. Randall already knew his father was looking for ways to appease the families that the witches who were injured to stop them from taking action on Aria.

Though even then it was just to be thorough, by a fifth-year standard one should know the dangers of a hippogriff and it was too obvious that they did it with the intent to get Roswell in trouble. They all but admitted it.

And the track record was there to prove it, so instead Aria to show Randall the pictures of Ghost and her—Though accidentally forgot to take the one of Rabastan out of the mix.

"This the bloke then?" Randall said, looking up from his position on the floor in front of the couch before flipping the Polaroid for Aria to see.

Turning readily embarrassed had she swiped it away and slammed it down on her nightstand. "I take that as a yes."
"Hmm, until Amelia told him that Eli's my step-father."
"Well he technically—"
"Technically he isn't anything." She shot back, and thus he threw his hands up in the air to signal a white flag.

But that enacted a small tick for him to have his thumb jump up and down onto his arched knees. "Somethings bothering you, is it what your brother said? I can assure you I don't...ugh."

"No, I told two friends of mine the truth...About being a...Orph—I don't really like the word."

"Then don't say it princess, I get what you mean...Merlin why didn't you tell me sooner? We could've talked about that instead." She shrugged her shoulders again, and then shot an amused grin back towards him.

"Princess?" Having to turn away in shame, he let it slip. So perhaps he had a nickname for her, but that dazzling smile? She sure looked like a princess from where he sat.

It hadn't been all that long until Michael came barging in, and Aria's jaw dropped as she knew exactly what he was up to. "Can I help you Michael?"
"Just checking up on you two."
"Oh we're just grand! Aren't we love? Could you ask for me if he could sleepover?" Randall—Being an only child, had completely missed the tone Aria was using to tease her brother and thus Randall turned even more out of place than his Freudian slip.

The wizard had suddenly been the center of Michael's attention now, and that caused Aria to groan to the air. "Bubs get out of my room."
"Ma made dessert, ten minutes...Don't make me come back upstairs." Aria winked, while Randall was still stuck after what could've been a shakedown.

"Merlin, I thought he would've thrown me out the window Ari."
"Oh he wouldn't. Did you want to sleepover?" His first sleepover with a friend.

He nodded, and she grinned widely at the idea. It was purely out of a growing friendship and Aria was always open to inviting people over.

But Randall had been slightly confused at the idea of a wizard sleeping over with a witch? Was that normal? Why was his anxiety spiking at feeling homesick already?

"Y-you don't have to...Or we can go to bed early?" She offered, and gods was she such a sweet gal that he felt guilty in denying the suggestion.

And he smiled at the idea.

"Might have to go home quick and grab a few things, and er...Dennis has a bit of an attachment issue. Hate to leave him alone with dad." She squealed, nicking her head to the couch and told him it was a fold-out.

And he finally started to see the idea of what a sleepover meant to adolescence his age or younger. Sure he had cousins, some older and some younger...It's just he never fit in with either side of them.

Randall was the one to coax Aria to head downstairs so Michael wouldn't come back up and threaten him again, but he was distracted by either Simone and Emma who finally arrived and gushed over their little sister.

The company was grand, and neither Chrissy or Eli had seen a problem with Randall sleeping over as they knew he was a gentleman and wouldn't try anything against their precious bubbles.

Of course the look of pure embarrassment when her idol found out that her nickname was bubbles almost prompted her to go run and hide in her room. He simply claimed he's been called worse, and surely he has.

Michael was at least thankful that the two academic geniuses were too busy discussing something about a Niffler to have time to make out.

But Eli laughed at the idea that the two were dating, as nobody knew about Rabastan and only assumed she was single and not bothering since she took of Aidan's ring.

On the other end of the spectrum, Rabastan had arrived to his parent's winter manor with a slight bit of cation. Regulus nor his mates could predict what the school had told his parents, or the witches' families could do to rectify the situation.

However his mother's grand smile hadn't given away much of anything and instead he went to his room to unpack and dress into something more for at home than public attire. But it was a decent moment to do a bit of inventory and switch into the jumper Aria had made him for his birthday.

"Knock, knock?" Rabastan turned over his shoulder and smirked towards his brother.

"Something the matter Rodolph?" He issued, and that was invite his elder brother in his room and look about the given trinkets.

Something he'd do every time he had something to say.

"Thinking of going to Eve's Garden tonight, wouldn't be interested...Would you?" Although it was instinct to react to the invite with an excited grin, it soon fell flat when Aria's beautiful face flashed through his mind.

"Not tonight."
"Oh? Suppose your little Claudette has finally learned then?" Had Hogwarts made him susceptible to what his brother was saying to get under his skin? He had. In a mere two minutes.

Rabastan turned back around which caused Rodolphous to take a look at the new Slytherin jumper that his brother was sporting and pinched the material with his fingers—Making his little brother furious.

"Oi! Knock it off."
"Someones in a mood, lemme guess...Barns wants to visit again? I won't tell if you want to sneak her—"
"I broke it off with Barns." He said, turning to grab his journal and set it down onto the nightstand.

"What?!" Since as long as Rodolphous could remember, his little brother was always finding himself in bed with that specific witch. But the look of clarity relished as he took in his brother's new attitude.

"What'd she want?"
"Nothing, I grew tired of her. Simple as that."
"Not that simple 'Bas, though suppose it'd make mum happy to focus on Claudette."
"Don't suppose I could get out of that, could I?" His brother was spouting madness, and thus caused Rodolphous to sit on the likes of his brother's bed.

Curiously watching the fellow make a pile of clothes he was changing out to a spring section.

"Let an elf do that brother, tell me what the hell happened from Christmas to now."
"I'm smarter than that brother." Rabastan bit back and thus the two sat for a quiet moment until the firstborn became bored and found himself flicking through his brother's journal that he left unattended.

"Oh? And who's this?" He chimed, holding up the small polaroid—And it caused it to be suddenly swiped right beside his journal and thus hiding out of sight in the closet.

An easy spell would be able to get it later, and it was Rodolphous next course of action if his brother didn't share.

"A witch."
"I get that, seems smitten with you...Don't tell me you—"
"Shove it Rodolphous." He said pointedly, having close to enough of this torment so early in his arrival.

"Tell me about her." The eldest demanded, and it caused Rabastan to tilt his head. "She's too young for you brother, and she's mine."
"Yours? Pretty big claim for a shag buddy...Unless..." Although he wasn't the smartest wizard amongst them all, he could clearly see the look that was featured so heavily on his brother.

"You actually fancy a witch?" Rabastan hummed in response, feeling the picture he transferred into his coat's pocket burn after hearing his brother suggest the truth. There was no point to be caught in a lie with that fellow, not when he was acting like a giddy gal reading witch weekly.

"What's her name?"
"None of your bloody business."
"Of course it bloody well is! You suspected Barns was after—"
"That was Avery, and he has his own concerns with Harper." Who the hell is Harper?

Rodolphous remained silent for all of another minute before looking to the ceiling. "So this witch...Older? Younger?"
"She's in my class, could you knock it off?"
"In your class...Don't tell me she's a Gryffindor—Or a Hufflepuff! Merlin I might choke."

"Ravenclaw." Rodolphous had nodded his head in an attempt at the thought, smiling ever so slightly as he was slowly coursing his brother to tell the truth.

"A bird...Huh. And what is this Ravenclaw up to this Holiday, perhaps Claudette could have a go at her?"
"Claudette doesn't compare to her Rodolph, not even close."

"Merlin are you ill?" It caused him to sit up further on his brother's bed, completely overtaken by this sudden confession. Claudette was perfect...In appearance.

But Rabastan wanted authentic, he realized that after spending time with Aria. Which is why he was so protective over his jumper. "What's so special about this bird then?"

"Chaser, damn brilliant flyer. Sure McNair and Avery'll have a few things to say about it."

"She does have a pretty face I suppose." A dark and narrowed gazed casted down to Rodolphous and it caused him to throw his head back and laugh.

"I won't do anything to your little shag buddy."

"Not a shag buddy, she's my girlfriend." The eruption of Rodolphus' lungs attempting to catch a breath was in utter failure as every time he looked to Rabastan it returned to the same thought.

Girlfriend.

"You're either bloody dumb or—"

"Or bloody nothing, she's a gal I fancy. Now piss off, I've been home all of half an hour and I've already got a migraine the size of a bludger."

"Sure your bird would love to kiss it better!" Rodolphous said shouting through the halls, he could only thank merlin that if anyone did hear him...That the idea of a bird could translate to an owl or a simple jest.

Though his mother was always to smart for that.

"I'm sorry darling, I wanted to get the elves started on a late lunch for you...How is—Oh that's a nice jumper." His mother was always blunt, so perhaps he was simply used to it considered he was dating a very blunt bird.

"Birthday present...From—"

"Your bird?" After asking for a witch planner it was clear that his intentions were elsewhere this semester and thus...Clarissa smiled down to her son.

"Is your brother being a bother?"

"Not any more than usual."

"Then could I ask about this bird of yours?" Rabastan wanted nothing more than to tell him mum about Aria Roswell, to tell her how much he's changed this past few months.

"Suppose that is where the mark-ups are coming from then? Your father and I are very proud." Or rather I am very proud, is what she meant to say.

A sigh escaped Rabastan as he looked down to his jumper. "I do fancy her mum, but..."

"Surely we could manage a switch of contracts darling, I want you happy." He swallowed abruptly, his mum was so close to throwing away the contract but alas it wouldn't work.

As he doubted Aria would want to be betrothed. Or perhaps in the coming time she would want to be, the only issue was that she was a half-blood and he couldn't see that conversation going swell with his parents.

"What is her name darling?"
"Aria." He answered close to instantly, Clarissa had tested the name out on her tongue and smiled in delight. "I don't get her last name do I?"

"She was raised in America, it wouldn't matter if I did." Clarissa Lestrange, a natural-born Slythern and having grown up in a family of Slytherin to birth the next generation of Lestrange was both cunning and loyal.

"An American gal...At Hogwarts?"

"She was born here mum."

"Ah, thank Salzar for that then. I wouldn't want my son to have to listen to that retched accent of theirs." He chuckled, though he did mention that sometimes she'd pronounce things with a different tone that probably resembled to her siblings in America.

"What is it darling? Something is troubling you?" Rabastan squeezed his eyes and groaned, he had the hardest time lying to his mum, even now...Shouldn't it be a Slytherin trait?

Whatever his mother's ability was to detect, cause him to come closer...Offering her hand to his shoulder in an attempt at affection. What she didn't know was how much of a wuss he had turned into these last few months, begging Aria to stay and give him a chance because he was the one who'd been an arse.

"I told her about...Mrs.Selwyn." Clarissa recoiled her hand as she looked to her son in complete in utter defeat. "I trust her mum, I truly do. She isn't out to gain money or power, she values academics and work that I...She knew that something was bothering me a-and...I'm sorry mum." Mrs.Lestrange looked to her son in an onset of confusion, but she still attempted to know what possessed him to go about something like this.

"And what did she say?...What did Aria say?" 

"That I shouldn't take my anger out on an unborn child." He mumbled, and Clarissa's eyes widened at the realization of how her youngest would take this situation to heart.

"My sweet boy, what would you have done in my place?... Your father is—"
"Is an arse...And I've scared Aria from what I learned from him mum. Sometimes I think she's scared of me." It was as though Clarissa slipped in some versectim serum the way he was rushing thing out but it earned him a soft hand to cup his cheek.

"Surely she's open to forgiveness if you're dating her...Lunch will be ready soon darling. Join me in ten minutes please." He nodded, and it earned him a kiss to his cheek before she found place to leave.

"I do like that jumper on you."

"She made it actually. Made one for Reg too." That caught the woman by surprise, that Regulus Black had befriended this gal as well but the questions would have to be limited if she wanted to gain information without being labeled as annoying.

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Date Posted: 05-03-2020

Time: 11:50

Words: 5141