Reputations

19th September 1979

Cordelia Shaklebolts face contorted as another contraction hit her, beside her Kingsley grimaced as he felt the bones in his hands grinding together under the tightness of her grip. 

“Almost there Deils.”

His wife turned to look at him, lifting her head from where she had been resting it against the raised back of the bed the Healers had confined her to. Her eyes promised painful retribution unless he shut his mouth. “If you want to be useful,” she hissed, “Help me off this Merlin be damned bed.”

“Deils, the healer, he said….”

“And when he fucking gives birth he can sit on a damned bed all he likes. I need to move!”

“Right then,” Kingsley nodded, deciding he was far more scared of her than the healer as he helped her manoeuvre off the bed. Ignoring the mediwitch's blatant disapproval, he began helping her pace feeling her tense with increasing regularity as each contraction clearly hit. 

“I’ll go back to the bed now,” she muttered after what felt like hours. Nodding while attempting to hide his relief Kingsley guided her back over, silently wondering how the fuck anyone did this more than once. Surprising him, she bent, elbows on the bed, hips swaying refusing to move further as she let out a low groan.

“Madam Shaklebolt, I really am going to have to insist!” The healer blustered, attempting to assist her onto the bed.

“Fuck. Off.” she hissed, her tone hard. “Until you need to do this yourself, take your fucking insisting and shove it…”

“Alright,” Kingsley interrupted, “Healer Micheals, I’m sure you can work around this.” His eyes silently begged the man to just give in as Cordelia let out another pained groan.

“This is most irregular.” the healer muttered.

“Perhaps it shouldn't be, the youngest mediwitch shrugged, “Older mediwitches used to listen to the mother before birthing in the hospital became commonplace. My grandmother tells stories of witches moving about the room and rarely being in a bed.”

“Nonsense,” the mediwitch beside her scoffed. 

Cordelia's groan turned into something nearing a scream. “Surely,” Kingsley cut in, his tone hard, “Optimal birthing practices can be discussed later. This is happening now!”

The healer sighed and crouched, “Sweet Merlin, she's crowning!”

“No fucking shit,” Cordelia groaned, “I feel like I’m being torn apart.”

“Alright Madam Shaklebolt, you're doing well,” the youngest mediwitch soothed, faltering only slightly when Cordelia glowered at her.

“Breathe, Madam Shacklebolt, the heads out.” The healer commanded, risking it, Kingsley looked down, torn between fascination and desperately wishing he hadn’t. That was his child there….Mother of Merlin, how did people do this regularly, it was fucking brutal. He had a whole new level of respect for Mrs Weasley as he watched the Healer manoeuvre the child until it finally slid from its exhausted mother's body. 

“It's a girl,” the healer announced, severing the child's link to her mother. 

“Deils.” he whispered as the Mediwitch got her situated on the bed, “a girl.”

“I know,” she smiled slightly sadly, accepting the screaming child from the healer. “Hello, little girl.” The tiny girl stopped crying at the sound of her voice, opening her eyes slowly. “Oh, you are so beautiful.”

Gently, Kingsley traced a finger down her cheek, marvelling at how small she was. “You did so well, Deils.”

She grimaced, “And we're not done,” she muttered, “Hold her?”

Nodding, not understanding what was happening, he took the tiny girl from her mother, cradling her to his chest. “It's just the afterbirth, it's perfectly normal,” the mediwitch smiled, reading his confusion. “Your wife will be ready to leave by the morning. Do you have a name picked?”

Kingsley shook his head, “We were relatively sure she’d be a boy. I somehow don't think she's going to appreciate Maximus.”

“Probably not,” the witch smiled, “I’m sure you’ll come up with something. Your wife is ready now.”

Startled, he looked back over to the bed, where Cordelia was now, under blankets, looking sleepy. “Do you want her back?”

Nodding, she reached for the baby, snuggling her close, as the child began rooting “Don't let me drop her,” she murmured, her eyes closing almost instantly. 

“There's a protection ward on the bed,” The mediwitch assured her, “Prevents the babe falling out, or you rolling onto her. She’ll be fine.”

As the healer shut the door behind them, Cordelia cracked an eye, “Do the ritual,” she yawned. 

“Now?” he checked.

“Well given that she's attempting to feed, she might just remain quiet” she replied wryly, “The last thing we need is a room full of panicked healers”

“Fair enough,” he agreed, pulling the ritual equipment from his pocket.

“We agreed it would be done before we left,” she reminded him, reading something on his face.

“I know, it's just….”

“Do you not want to, Kings?” she frowned.

“No! Salazar, it's not that! Of course I want to. I…Merlin Deils, she's tiny. And new and…gods she's perfect. And I need to stick a dagger in her palm and take her blood. She’s going to hate me!”

Cordelia's eyes softened,” She has the attention span of a goldfish, Kings, I promise she's not going to remember.”

“I’ll remember!”

“You're ridiculous,” she scoffed, but her look was warm. “Now stop it and make her your daughter officially.”

He sighed, taking the baby's tiny hand in his own, hating that he was about to have to hurt her, even the numbing charm he cast wouldn't prevent her feeling it completely, before he raised the dagger and nicked her palm. The baby immediately startled and began to scream, only making him feel worse as he watched Cordelia attempt to soothe her while he dripped her blood into the bowl.

“Done,” he muttered, his eyes on the still whimpering girl. 

“She won't remember,” Cordelia reminded him softly, as she finally persuaded her to nurse, quieting her whimpers down to the occasional sniffle.

“But I bloody will,” he muttered, slicing his own palm and mingling their blood together as he passed his wand over it chanting in Latin, watching as the blood turned pearly white, almost reminding him of unicorn blood, indicating that it was ready. He lifted the bowl, nodding at Cordelia. Waiting until she had gently unlatched the child and turned her onto her back, he dipped his fingers in, drawing the runes he’d spent the last seven months ensuring he knew onto her tiny body. As he finished the last one, they pulsed, sinking into her skin, leaving no trace. 

“It's done,” he murmured. 

Cordelia smiled, “Then it's your turn to hold the baby. I’m exhausted.”

Humming his agreement, he took the tiny girl from her, summoning the clothes they’d argued over before he began to attempt to wrestle her into a tiny white-footed thing with dragons in a bizarre little line across the chest. Closing it with a sticking charm, he sighed in relief that he’d at least managed that without breaking something. She felt far too fragile in his arms, this tiny daughter of his. Swaddling her in a lemon blanket his mother had knitted, he sat back down in the chair, resting her on his knees. He almost laughed when he noticed her staring back at him. 

“Hello you,” he whispered, cupping her head in his hand. “You're going to need a name, you know, any ideas?” The tiny girl blinked back at him. “No? That's unfortunate, we really did think you were a boy, sorry about that. Merlin, not even born and we were messing this up. You're going to have to be patient with me, my girl. I have no idea what I'm doing. And your mummy….Salazar, I hope you're old enough to have memories of her before the worst happens.” He bit back tears as the reality of their situation hit him hard. “I’ll love you enough for both of us.” he whispered, drawing the now sleeping baby to his chest as he cast a silencing charm and cried for the pain that was going to come. 

26th September 1979

“We need to appoint godparents.” Cordelia sighed slumping on the sofa next to him, too tired to keep her eyes open.

He hummed, “I was thinking Evan or Bast.” he admitted.

“Bast, I think.” she voiced, “I wanted Pandora.”

“Lovegood?”

“Yes.”

“I…right.” he sighed, “Right. Of course.”

“Good. Contact them, will you? I’m too tired to hold a quill.”

He snorted, “And I’m not?”

“You're used to no sleep from your training,” she mumbled. 

“Deils? What are we going to do about Potter?”

Cordelia immediately tensed. “What about him?”

“I think we need to tell him,” he admitted.

“Why? What good would it do? She's yours now.”

“Deils,” he sighed. “I know she's mine but…Merlin, if the situation was the other way around? I’d want to know. Even if I couldn't be her father, I’d still want to know, I’d still want to keep an eye on her, even if it was from a distance.”

“Fine.” she slumped further into the sofa. “Fine. I’ll…I’ll owl him.”

27th September 1979

The next day saw a confused Rabastan sitting in his living room watching Pandora warily. “You look fucking awful.” he greeted cheerfully. 

Cordelia glowered at him until he had the sense to look wary. “Hello to you too, Rabastan.”

“I was talking to your husband!” he protested, “You look as radiant as ever, Deils!”

“Liar, I look like shit. I don’t think I’ve slept for more than an hour at a time since we brought her home.”

“Well if I said that you’d hex me.” Rabastan pointed out.

“I still might,” she muttered, making Pandora smile.

“You wanted to see us?” she prompted. “Only I’ve an experiment on the go that gets a bit lonely if I neglect it too long.”

“Right,” Cordelia grinned, “Can't have that. We wanted to ask you to be godparents.”

“Of course!” Pandora exclaimed, looking delighted.

“Us?” Rabastan checked. “Not…Evan…or…Severus…well not Severus, he hates children, although he might make an exception for yours…”

“Bast. You’re rambling.” Kingsley cut in. “We’re asking you. Although I almost wish we had asked Severus, I’d have loved to have seen his face.”

Rabastan laughed, “Merlin it would have been priceless. But…are you sure?”

“Yes, you daft git!”

“Oh, then of course,” he whispered. 

“Wonderful Pandora has to get back to her experiment, so you can hold the baby, we’ll nap.” Cordelia moved quickly, hugging her friend before dropping the baby into Rabastan's arms and practically bolting for the stairs. “Official ceremony can be on Sunday!”

“Kings!” Rabastan looked at him in panic as he awkwardly cradled the baby in his arms, “You can't leave me!”

“Two hours,” he begged, “Two hours of uninterrupted sleep. Please!”

“Oh fuck. Right but…if I drop her. It's on you.”

“Deils will murder you,” he muttered as he ran from the room. 

“Well then baby girl,” he murmured awkwardly, “Looks like you're stuck with your Uncle Bast. I’ll try not to drop you, your mother really would murder me.” Hermione blinked up at him, her deep brown eyes serious in her tiny face. “You’ve got your mummy’s eyes, which I imagine is going to cause your Daddy some issues later. If he gets too overprotective, you just come to your Uncle Bast. We’ll remind him what he was like at school.” he paused, running a hand over her head, “You can come to me any time, baby girl. It's going to be so hard, love, and Merlin, we’ll never replace her, but you have a Quidditch team of terrifying Uncles who love you more than you’ll ever know.” he brightened slightly, “And we’re going to teach you the best pranks to use on your Uncle Severus. He’s a bit of a prat, but he's our prat. And Auntie Bella is going to teach you all manner of tricks, I hope you know that. She's going to make you terrifying, as all proper young ladies should be.”

“Merlin, are you corrupting her already?” Evan laughed from the doorway. “Where's Kings?”

“Sleeping. They practically chucked her at me and ran.”

Evan snorted, looking down at the baby “I gather she doesn't sleep much, do you, Princess?”

“Not judging by the look of them,” Rabastan agreed wryly. 

“She's so small,” Evan muttered, a look of slight awe on his face. “How are we meant to protect her?”

“By scaring everyone away?” Bast suggested, only half joking.

“Think we can homeschool?”

“No.” Rabastan laughed, “If she inherits either of her parent's stubbornness, there will be no way we’re winning that. We’ll just need to ensure she has a decent group of friends we can bribe to ensure she doesn't do anything too ridiculous.”

Evan hummed, “Jared's wife's almost due isn't she?”

“Yes, another girl.”

“That's good…And Thibault had a boy recently didn't he?”

“Theodore.” Rabastan nodded.

“Merlin, what is it with the Nott’s and T’s,” Evan muttered. “The Parkinsons girl will be in her year.” 

“They're having a girl too?” Rabastan asked, sounding surprised.

“Apparently, Laurel’s not due for another few months though. The Bulstrodes have announced a pregnancy.”

“The Pucey boy’s only a few months older, although he’ll be in the year above her at school. Ezra’s boy, Marcus will be a couple of years but that only means he'll be bigger, more established and hopefully, sufficiently terrifying.” 

“Well it's a start,” Rabastan murmured, as he snuggled his goddaughter close, plotting all the ways they’d ensure the tiny witch was loved and protected and, if he had his way, deadly.

19th December 1979

“How is she?” His mother's worried gaze met his own.

Kingsley shook his head, adjusting Hermione on his shoulder. At three months, she felt more sturdy than she had and Merlin he was grateful. Both he and Cordelia had walked through those early days in a haze of sleep deprivation and panic; neither of them had known what they were doing and both of them had been convinced they were doing it wrong. 

Things had just settled down as Hermione had neared her third month when Cordelia had taken a turn for the worst and all he could think was it was too soon. He’d always known he’d never be ready; Cordelia had been like his little sister growing up, it was one of the things they had laughed about on their chaste wedding night. Neither of them could stomach the thought of consummation, so they hadn't. He had protected her in the best way he could, as he had done since childhood, and in return, she had given him the best gift he could have asked for. He couldn't imagine a life without his daughter, but he wished it didn't come at the expense of her mother. It broke his heart that Hermione would never know Cordelia the way he did. None of it was fair. 

“The healers estimate another month or two,” he whispered.

“That soon?” Thalia gasped. 

He nodded mutely, tightening his hold on his daughter as she slept as if it could prevent him from falling apart. “Aster’s with her. I’ve made up the room next to Deils for her.”

Thalia nodded, biting back tears. “She’ll appreciate that.” she murmured, “I’ll just go and pop my head in.”

As she left, he heard the roar of the floo, Rabastan and Ezra Flint wandered into the room, a dark-eyed toddler on Ezra's hip.

“How are you doing?” Rabastan asked gently, taking Hermione from Kingsley before he registered what he was doing.

Kingsley shook his head, his eyes staring blankly in front of him. “I knew it would be fucking awful but…how am I meant to do this after…after…fuck! What do I know about little girls? How do I….”

“We’ll help,” Rabastan replied fiercely. “You are not alone. And fuck, I’d give just about anything for things not to be the way they were, Morganna only knows that we’ll never ever replace Deils, but we’ll be there, to tell Hermione stories and make sure she knows she loved and I don't fucking know, scare off unsuitable boys…or girls I guess.”

“Thank you,” Kingsley whispered, sounding choked. 

Rabastan hummed, shifting as Marcus reached out a tentative hand and stroked down Hermione's face. “Baby,” he mumbled.

“Yes, baby.” his father agreed. “Selene’s pregnant again,” he offered, “And this one is like a dragon in an apothecary, nothing is safe and she's exhausted. I promised to keep him out of trouble for a little bit”

“Gods two,” Kingsley laughed, “I’m not sure I’m going to survive one.”

“Just think of them as additions to Hermione's little army that Bast’s building,” Ezra grinned.

Kingsley groaned, “If she ends up anything like Deils, we both know that's not going to happen.”

“Well see,” Rabastan muttered darkly. “Bella’s already promised to teach her some things. Tom asked after you, by the way.”

“The Minister?”

“Yes, he noticed you were off. Oh, and the Aurory sent this.” he grinned, pulling a box from his pocket and enlarging it. “I gather the Prewetts were responsible, just so you know. I think that's why it’s so damn late.”

Groaning, Kingsley opened the box gingerly, finding a tiny slytherin quidditch top with Shaklebolt and 03, his number, on the back and a my first training broom, alongside a miniature giant squid soft toy.

“Don’t let Delis see that, she’ll banish it.” Ezra grinned nodding at the broomstick as the floo went again.

“Is this the fucking Leaky?'' Kingsley muttered as an exhausted-looking Severus stumbled into the room. Kingsley blinked at him for a moment, “I don't know whether to insist you sit down and rest or shout at you for taking so damn long to come and see my daughter.” he snarked at the same time as Bast blurted, “You didn't tell me you were coming!”

Severus snorted, thrusting a vial at Kingsley. “Take this. Give it to Deils. It's taken fucking months.”

“What is it?” he frowned, looking at the bottle. Its contents was thick and gloopy looking. Worryingly it looked like congealing blood.

“A potion.” Severus retorted, looking alarmed when Rabastan offered him the baby. “Ah no thank you.”

Kingsley choked on a laugh, “She doesn't bite.”

“Yet,” Severus muttered. 

“Yet,” he agreed with a grin. “Now, the potion?”

Severus sighed, running a hand through his hair, grimacing when he realised how unkempt it was. “It will buy you more time,” he replied softly. 

Kingsley froze, “Pardon?”

“Not…not years. And it can only be taken once but, I’ve been working on it since you mentioned the Greengrass curse. It’ll…it should give at least six months, possibly a year more than the Healers are estimating.”

“Are you…you're sure?”

“Of course I’m sure,” he snapped, “I wouldn't do anything to make her worse!”

“I didn't mean…fuck. Severus! I….” Severus’ eyes blew wide as a sobbing Kingsley hugged him and both Bast and Ezra ignored his panicked looks.

“And that, Princess, is why even though we are absolutely going to prank Uncle Severus, you are also going to remember to hug him and tell him how much you love him, alright? Remember what I said? He's a prat, but he's our prat.” Rabastan singsonged.

Ezra bit back a laugh at the other side of him, his eyes suspiciously glassy. “He is indeed,” he murmured.

“I will never be able to pay you back for this,” Kingsley mumbled, forcing himself under control. 

“I don't want to be paid back, arsehole.” Severus groused, fidgeting uncomfortably, “She's my friend too.”

“I know.” Kingsley replied softly, “But…thank you. I…there aren't enough words. Are there instructions?”

“Give her the whole thing, now probably. She should feel better in the morning.”

“That soon?”

“Yes. It's…it is only temporary.”

“But months more than we had.” Kingsley insisted before turning and bolting up the stairs.

“Oh, you definitely get to snuggle the baby for this.” Rabastan grinned wickedly as Severus looked horrified and began backing away. 

“No, I…I don't like children!”

“You’ll like this one, she's adorable. And not old enough yet to answer back. Sit down Uncle Severus, you have a niece to meet.”

“But I…” Severus began as his knees met the back of the sofa and he fell onto it.

“See that wasn't hard,” Rabastan crooned as he deposited a bewildered-looking Hermione into Severus’ arms. 

“I hate you,” he muttered. 

“You love me,” Rabastan insisted, sitting down beside him. “Doesn't he Princess?”

“He does not.” Severus informed the infant sternly, “He is a pest.” They all froze as the tiny girl giggled at him.

“She's…she's never done that before,” Rabastan whispered before he sobered, “Let's not tell Kings, he’ll be fucking devastated. Evan got her first smile and now this.”

Ezra laughed, “She's going to run rings around him, isn't she?”

Rabastan shrugged, making faces at the tiny girl, “Probably,” he admitted, before lifting his head up to look at Marcus, “How do you feel about keeping her out of trouble, young man?”

“Yes!” he squealed.

“He doesn't know what he's saying,” Ezra warned, bouncing his son until he giggled.

Rabastan shrugged, “It's good enough for me.”

“You are ridiculous,” Severus muttered.

“And yet you love me,” he singingoned back.

“So you say,” 

“I want one.”

Severus’ panicked eyes immediately met his, “No! Gods, can’t we get a puppy or something instead?”

Rabastan pouted, “But, look at her, she's adorable! And Marcus is giggling and I sort of just want to smoosh his cheeks and squeeze him until he pops.”

Ezra looked faintly alarmed at that, “I wouldn't recommend it,” he voiced hesitantly, watching Rabastan warily.

“Yes, yes they're cute.” Severus dismissed, “But we can hand them back. And sleep. You've spent months telling me how awful Kings looked and how little this one slept. And I remember Ezra after Marcus was born and Selene was refusing to allow the elves to help. He forgot which way to hold his wand.”

Rabastan paused. “You might have a point.” he conceded reluctantly. “But…I still want one.”

Severus groaned, “Can we discuss this later…like in ten or twenty years?”

“But by then all the rest of them will be grown up!”

“And available to babysit….”

Rabastan paused, narrowing his eyes. “Two years.”

“Ten.”

“Three?”

“Ten.”

“Four?”

“Ten.”

“Five?”

“Fucking fine. Five.” He paused, smirking, “What will you do if it's a girl?”

“What? No! It's going to have to be a boy! It's bad enough that my goddaughter's a girl, I won't survive one full-time! I’ve seen Bella with Cygnus. Even now she bats her eyelashes and he catipulates! And he has three! I have no idea how he has any sanity left!”

“He doesn't,” Ezra snorted, cuddling a now sleeping Marcus close, “The Blacks are hardly known for their sanity.”

“Fair point.” Bast nodded, moving to take Hermione.

“No,” Severus growled, “You wanted me to have her and now she's all snuggly and quiet and asleep you're not getting her back.”

“But she's my goddaughter!” he pouted.

Severus’ grin was wicked, “I know, which is why I’m going to ensure I’m her favourite.”

21st December 1979

“Kingsley Atticus Shaklebolt, you had better have my niece ready!” Regina shouted as she exited the floo, finally able to meet the niece she'd only seen pictures of due to idiotic school rules.

“He’s in the livingroom with Bast. We can't get rid of the man.” Cordelia smiled as she wrapped her arms around her sister-in-law.

“I probably could,” Regina grinned deviously.

“Probably, but it's actually adorable how he dotes on a child who has only just mastered the art of holding up her own head.” Cordelia shrugged. “He’s convinced she understands exactly what he's saying. She doesn't of course, but because she's learned to smile he takes it as agreement.”

Regina laughed, “Merlin, Rabastan Lestrange brought to his knees by a tiny witchling, this I have to see! Half of Hogwarts will be devastated, they still talk about him. And given that he's still single….”

“He isn’t,” Cordelia snorted.

“He isn't?” Regina's eyebrows shot up, “He's kept it quiet then.”

“Oh yes. His partner is…immensely private.”

Regina frowned, attempting to decode the hint Cordelia was dropping. “I know them don't i?”

“Of course,” 

“Well?”

“As well as is ever allowed,” Cordelia hinted.

Catching it, Regina's eyes went wide, “No!” she gasped, “How the fuck did they hide that!”

Cordelia shrugged, “They didn't if you were watching closely.” 

“Merlin, I did not see that one coming!”

“We did…for fucking years. I’m glad they finally sorted it out, to be honest, it was bloody uncomfortable for a while. And by a while, I mean far more years than it should have been. In the end, we dosed them with veritaserum and warded them in a room together.”

“You did not!” Regina gaped, making Cordelia giggle.

“Oh we did. We’d had enough of them eyefucking each other every time they were in the same damn room while simultaneously protesting that the other one could not possibly be interested in them.”

“Sweet Mother of Merlin,” she breathed. “I’m surprised you're still standing.”

Cordelia shrugged, her grin wicked, “They were too busy to hex us initially and once they remembered they were….too relaxed?”

“Eww!” Cordelia scrunched up her nose. “Bast is as good as another brother! I did not need those images.”

Laughing, Cordelia steered her in the direction of the livingroom where Kingsley was sound asleep and Bast was indeed talking to the tiny witch lying on his knees as if she understood every word.

“And we’ll just need to work on wandless magic before Hogwarts won't we, Princess? Yes, we will! Uncle Bast has lots of free time to teach you! And Auntie Bella could do with something to keep her out of trouble, she’s threatening to join Uncle Tom in the Ministry and we all know what a disaster that would be. Now, Auntie Wally has demanded a visit, did I tell you? You won't like her but she’ll teach you lots and lots of very important spells to keep all the boys away until you're forty-five. She's the reason Auntie Bella is so scary, yes she is!”

He grinned back at Hermione when she smiled widely. 

“Gods it's true! I thought Deils was exaggerating!”

“QUEENIE!” Rabastan shouted, scooping Hermione into his arms as he bounded over, wrapping Regina in a tight hug. 

“Hello Bast,” she grinned, before turning to the baby, “and hello, you! Oh my goodness you are precious! Hand over the baby, Bast!”

“No!” he pouted. 

“Now!” she demanded, stomping her foot. “You've had her for over three months! I’ve been stuck at school! Now hand me my niece!”

He scowled, reluctantly passing the baby over, “Just you remember Uncle Bast is your favourite, isn't he Princess?” Hermione grinned at him and he smiled smugly back at Regina. “See. She likes me best.”

“We’ll work on that, won't we, baby girl?” Regina cooed, “You’ll develop taste as you get older.”

“I always forget how much I dislike you until you come home,” he groused, making Regina laugh. 

“You love me, Rabastan, don't lie.”

Shaking her head, Cordelia settled in opposite her husband and decided to follow his example. Sleep was really hard to come by still and she was willing to leave them to fight it out as long as they were quiet. It took all of five minutes before she was asleep. Regina rolled her eyes, “You really don't sleep, pretty girl, do you? Maybe Uncle Bast and Uncle Severus should have you overnight.” Her eyes slid over to Rabastan who rolled his when he caught her.

“Yes alright, Severus and I pulled our heads out our arses and stopped pretending we didn't like each other, happy?”

“Immensely.” she beamed, “Now I can devastate all those airheaded girls who are still mooning over you at school. I can't wait!”

Rabastan groaned and Hermione giggled, pleasing her Aunt immensely.

25th December 1979

Cordelia snuggled into Kingsleys side, their daughter asleep in her arms. “I’m glad we got to this,” she murmured, her eyes on the Christmas tree in front of her.

“Me too. Although Salazar knows where we’re putting all these toys. Severus and Bast spoiled her completely.”

Cordelia grinned, “Oh I think my favourite was her “My first hexes” book from Bella. Who the hell even knew that was a thing!”

Kingsley laughed making the baby restless, “Hush baby girl.” he soothed, running a hand over her back until she resettled. “Bella apparently,” he answered finally. 

“Merlin, I hope she has kids.”

“I don't! Can you imagine? They’ll be beyond terrifying!”

Cordelia laughed, “Did you hear that the Bones’ had a girl last week? I was thinking we could have them over at some point.”

Kingsley hummed, “Why not? Gilbert mentioned Angela’s been climbing the walls at home. She's been off for the last few months due to the unpredictable nature of her job.”

“That's a polite way of saying people are rude and vicious,” Cordelia snorted, “You'd think they’d be kinder to their healer, but sadly not….”

“No, although part of it is the accidental magic that comes with some of the injuries.” Kingsley pointed out. “That's why it was deemed unsafe.”

“And she was never a witch to sit still, was she?”

“No,” he grinned, “Every time I think of her I picture her bustling down the corridors at school. She always looked busy.”

“Let's do that after the new year then,” Cordelia yawned, “Now.. explain to me why we’re talking when this little Miss is asleep finally?”

“If I didn't know any better I’d say that sounded like a proposition,” Regina grinned, leaning her shoulder against the doorway.

“But you do know better and know I was meaning sleeping…like actual sleeping…uninterrupted sleep…” Cordelia trailed off wistfully.

“Gods you're ridiculous! Hand her here and go to bed!” Regina laughed.

7th January 1980

“Jared,” Cordelia whined as her brother laughed at her. 

“Delia,” he whined back in perfect mockery of their childhood. 

“You're awful!” she laughed. 

He shrugged, “And you’re my baby sister, what is your purpose if not being here for me to tease?”

“Oh of course,” she replied with mock solemnity, before she shoved him, “arse.”

“Children,” Aster scolded, coming into the room cradling Hermione.

“Sorry Mother,” they muttered in unison.

“It’s like the last decade never happened,” Dorian muttered, walking in behind his wife. “Where is your lovely wife?”

“Putting Daphne down upstairs,” he replied, nudging his sister until Dorian gave in to his wife's glare and physically separated them.

“Perhaps once she comes back you’ll remember you’re an adult.” Dorian looked at him pointedly. 

“Who’s an adult?” Antonia asked, sounding exhausted. 

“You hopefully, the other two are lost causes,” Aster replied, “How are you darling, is Daphne not sleeping?”

“No,” Antonia groaned, “she is not.” she turned to Cordelia, “Tell me it gets better?”

Snorting, Cordelia shook her head, “Do I look like I sleep?” she asked pointedly. “If it gets better, it's not yet.”

Antonia made a noise of distress as she collapsed onto the sofa. “It’s a bloody good job she’s cute,” she muttered. 

Jared snorted, sitting down next to her, “Not quite so cute at three in the morning,” he muttered.

“Or four or five or six,” Cordelia continued.

He grimaced, “Hermione’s still sleeping that badly?”

“Ugh, no, we’re down to three hourly wake-ups, which is something.”

Jared looked horrified, “Three hourly? Mother of Merlin, neither of us will survive three hourly wake-ups after months of zero sleep.”

“Which is why you need a Severus and a Bast.” Antonia smiled tiredly. 

“I’m surprised they’re not here,” Aster commented lightly, looking around as if Rabastan was hiding in the shadows waiting to steal her granddaughter from her.

Cordelia snorted, “Me too. If Bast isn't here, Evan usually is. I wondered if something was on.”

“Falcons versus Magpies,” Jared replied promptly.

“Ah,” Cordelia nodded, “That explains it.”