At first, she was unsure about it. She wasn’t exactly a prude, she’d just never loved anyone enough to give something so special to them… until she met Gideon. After that, she didn’t think that it was possible to find anything in the world she loved more than him. What Helen had with Gideon was something that she couldn’t find with anyone else. Even years later, when Helen was married and had children, she still found her thoughts lingering on him and what their life together might’ve been like had he survived.

“Mummy!”

She looked down at her boy, his bright smiling eyes gazing back. Just like his father’s, Helen thought to herself as he tugged on her sleeve.

“What, what is it Gid?” she said softly, pushing back the dark runaway hair from his eyes. She could never seem to keep it tidy. Yet another of his father’s traits.

“Can we please go to Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour? Please, please, pleeeeaaase?”

Helen sighed, ignoring his pleads for the time being as she searched around for Emilia. She was always adventuring. Hell, they both were. After failing to catch Emilia’s bright red hair among the crowd, her heart started to pound. She knew, of course, that Emilia was with her father. Nevertheless, Helen couldn’t help but worry. After all, it was Emilia and her father’s first time school shopping in Diagon Alley.

She turned back to a sulking Gideon, hoping that he could distract her from her infinite supply of worry. “If you promise to be on your absolute best behavior,” his eyebrows perked up at this, “then we can go to Florean’s once Emilia’s gotten her wand.”

On her command, he straightened up and held her hand, so as not to get lost among the crowd, though no matter what he tried he couldn’t seem to wipe the smile off of his face. She held onto his hand tightly and headed towards Flourish & Blotts. Surely they weren’t done shopping for her books yet, the list being as long as it was this year.

She reached the shop and pushed open the door, a ding resonating throughout the surrounding area to let everyone know she was there. She tugged Gideon along until she spotted a man with bright red hair, bent over and talking to a girl with locks identical to his own. Emilia, who was holding a galleon in one hand and a sickle in the other, spoke very matter-of-factly to her father. Helen was pleasantly surprised to see him nodding, not the slightest hint of confusion on his face. Well, not yet anyway.

“Mum, there’s pop and Emilia.” Helen nodded, a smile on her face as she watched Emilia pull out a knut to add to the growing pile of coins in her husband’s hands. Gideon dragged her over to the spot where they were standing and Alan, her husband, looked up at her and winked.

“Don’t mind us, sweetie. Emilia was just explaining to me the difference between a snickle and a stallion.”

“Dad, it’s a sickle and a galleon,” she rolled her eyes and turned to her mother, “He’s never going to get this, Mum.”

Helen laughed, “Emilia Molly Duff, you’re not giving your father nearly the credit he deserves. Sure, he’s not the brightest bulb in the pack, but no one is quite as clever when they’re being compared to you, love.”

A triumphant smile grew on Emilia’s face, faltering for only a moment before she asked her mother, “You do think I’ll be in Ravenclaw, right? Just like you were?”

Helen knelt down in front of Emilia, placing her hands on each of her daughter’s shoulders and saying, “You know, I’ll be proud of you regardless of what house you’re in. We both will be,” she turned to Alan and he nodded in agreement, “I’ve known a good Slytherin, a caring Ravenclaw, a fantastic Hufflepuff, and one of the best men I ever had the pleasure of knowing was a Gryffindor. I even named my son after him.” Helen’s eyes watered for a moment, an entire year flashing behind her eyes in her memory, but she pushed the tears and the thoughts back, focusing on her worried daughter, ”Any of those houses will be lucky to have gained such a beautiful, kind, bright young witch as you. Alright?”

Emilia pondered this for a moment, then looked back at her mother and nodded in agreement. Helen stood up then and looked at Alan.

“Right. Now, have you and Emilia taken care of her books?”

Alan fumbled for his pocket, pulling out the list and looking over it, “… Yes… Yes, I think we have.”

“Good. So that just leaves a pet, and your wand.” Helen said, relief flooding through her.

They were about to leave when Gideon piped up from beside his father, “And Florean’s.”

Helen’s palm immediately flew to her face. She’d forgotten she promised Gideon they could get ice cream. She turned back to look at Alan and mouthed to him. Sorry, love. As always, he didn’t mind. His smile stayed plastered onto his face. He looked at Gideon and asked, “What’s Florean’s?”

“Well, it’s this brilliant store full of the best ice cream around…”

And with that Helen lead Emilia out of the store and down the road to Eeylop’s Owl Emporium, chatting with her family about the best ice cream in the wizarding world.

Favorite Outfits -  14 /100

diggoryamos:

Alright so basically I’m CONSTANTLY busy with school then play practice then work then sleep then doing it all over again. So at the moment I’m not super duper available. But I’m on as much as I can be and as soon as the play’s over I’ll be able to be on much more, and that’s the end of this month. But for now I’m swamped so. Posting this on all three of my blogs. Okie. Please understand.