Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

October 8th, 2009

The best thing that muggles could do was invent electronics that could adapt and improve overtime for Elias so he could be working in New York City and still be able to talk and as well as see to say goodnight to his children.

It was one forty-five in the afternoon for him, fifteen minutes past bedtime as his two year old daughter was now passed out on Casey’s lap with her mousey brown hair ever so slow at growing just hardly making it past her ears as she breathes deeply in her footsie muggle-themed unicorn pajamas — Elias once offered her a real unicorn pajama which she entirely turned downed.

Preferring the one with rainbows and ‘You rock!’ quotes all over on it. Who was he to turn her down when she started to show her personality to light as she’s closer to three than one now?

And the three year old son, lighter blonde hair with waves of hair sat a mess on his head as he was trying to drag out story time to another book as Elias closed The tales of Beedle the Bard, where Brighton now looked on the verge of falling asleep himself resting his head down on his queen bed he usually shared with his husband.

“I’m all out of books here, Brighton.” Elias softly tells him as he blinks with his head on Casey’s leg, using it as a pillow rather than an actual pillow of the million pillows on the bed.

Elias really missed his pillows. And Casey. And his kids… He sighs softly sending his son a small smile. A warning smile.

“Go with Daddy and get in bed and ten dulces sueños, hijo mío. Your bed this time. I don’t want to be hearing from Daddy that you snuck into our bed again tonight, okay? Daddy’s got to do his school work.”

Casey sends him a gratitude smile as the laptop was left on the bed staring at the bedframe and pillows. Casey picks up Capella carefully who remained asleep and sets her head over his shoulder and carries the rest of her slumped, sleeping body.

Brighton sluggishly walked with him, leaving out of Elias’ view and sliding off the bed being hand in hand with Casey.

Elias leans back on the headboard of his hotel bed with a deep sigh, feeling queasy in the stomach and a bit sick all over his body the past few days but that wasn’t enough of an excuse to get out of work.

Just a few more days, two more flights, and one more stop left in America, and he’ll finally be back home in London, completely utterly done with his tour and officially back in Casey’s arms.

He had one four-day break in between ages ago.

Being able to visit his family and during his stop in Paris, he was surprised when Casey came down with his Papa and his kids for a two day weekend to spend with him while he worked which wasn’t much time to spend with them at all, and once Casey was able to sneak away for the day to see him when he was close enough for a drive for Casey to meet him at his hotel mid-tour.

And while he was in Norway, Azura got to see his concert as well as spend the night in his hotel room and sneak him some alcohol where they got pleasantly buzzed when she got lucky to be in the same country as him on her own trip scouting for new witches from Durmstrang to join the Holyhead Harpies now that Azura is nearly hitting her thirties but as stubborn as a mule to keep playing, proving her worth by winning matches and doing her job.

Elias’ boss took full advantage when he finally stopped breastfeeding. Finally weaning off both of his kids off and booked him a world tour that’s been pushing on it for the last year where he’s been in more countries than he ever imagined himself performing in.

Elias’ been all over the UK, a bit in South America, and now he was in the last few states of North America in the east coast, just done and finished up last week with the west.

Closing his eyes for just a moment, Elias dozed off a little longer than planned being startled awake when he hears the rustling of papers being shifted around.

“Shit, did I fall asleep?” He mumbles rubbing his eyes as he blinks and tries to force himself awake to see Casey through the screen on his bed.

His laptop was still open, on and Casey was still connected on the other end with all his school work spilled out on the bed as his lips curve into a small smile looking up to the screen.

“Yeah. For the last hour. You seemed a bit run down during story time. Didn’t want to wake you but I also didn’t want to hang up without saying goodnight. What time is it for you?”

“Fuck.” Elias groans banging his head on the headboard softly. “Sorry. It’s one-” Elias looks over to the clock seeing just how much time has passed. “Fuck. I feel like this is our only time we can talk and see each other without the kids or me being nagged and dragged… fuck.” Elias groans running his hands across his face trying to will himself awake some more through his achy body. He stretches his arms over his heads, groaning as he feels his shoulders pop on each side.

“You feeling okay, E?”

“I think I got a cold or something. I don’t know. I’m achy all over, the last few days and I’m starting to feel a bit nauseous sometimes. I might have an infection somewhere in my body, maybe a UTI, you know I'm prone to getting those without feeling all the side effects. I’ll be fine through. I’m done with New York already. Flying to Hershey in the morning, then a two day in a row concert and I’m coming home. That’s about thirty thousand fans in two whole days wishing I was in bed with them but the only person on my mind is you.” Elias smiles softly at Casey.

“Yay.” Casey celebrates waving his pencil in the air keeping his voice quiet due to the two kids around the floor and bedroom. “No more phone sex. Finally get to touch you how I want to. God, You won’t believe how long I’ve been waiting for you to take that potion again so you can bend me over and fuck my arse.”

Elias laughs softly tugging his legs that were under the covers to bend up at his chest a bit. “You love my phone sex calls. Don’t lie to yourself.”

Elias doesn’t dare to mention to Casey how he hardly ever touches himself in the way Casey thinks he does over the phone. That was a little secret he kept to himself. He's pretty sure it gave Casey self esteem believing that he touched himself over the phone with him, he didn't need to ruin that for him.

“Eh. The cock sleeves do me okay, but having you here is far better. And I’ve not put anything in my arse without you here. Boss’ rule.”

“Correct. I hope you’ve been holding out like a good obedient boy.” Elias smirks at him. “We both know nothing can beat my cunt and cock.”

Casey nods in agreement. “Nothing. Not even that heating lube. It does feel good with the cock sleeve, feels a bit more realistic having the sleeve a bit warm… but… yeah… nope.” A deep sigh, Casey pushes off the book on his lap. “I miss having you in my arms, E. I miss your kisses most.”

“I miss you too.” Elias smiles weakly at him. “How’s the kids doing? Their magic behaving? Not getting too wild or over the top for you?”

“I can’t hire a muggle watch or babysit them. Mum’s not…” Casey groans. “She only wants to watch Brighton but she doesn’t want to deal with his accidental magic when he has a tantrum so she watches him for like two hours max before calling me to pick him up. And I’m not doing that bullshit with her when she refuses to watch Ella.” Casey shakes his head frowning.

“It’s not fair to Ella, she did nothing. All she did was be born, otherwise she’s innocent in all this drama. So, I’m thinking we might actually have to reach out to the Lovegoods, like Barty told us when he was last here. When I go to my classes and work when you’re gone... I can’t afford to miss anymore work or I’m going to get fired and I’m really behind in classes and classes only just started about a month ago.”

“Alright.” Elias nods softly. “You know how to reach out to them? Give Papa a call, or Dad. They’ll handle the rest, set up dates, times. Auntie Pandora will floo over through the floo-system. I already made sure the floo was open to her before handed in case. You don’t have to worry about anything else. Just make sure Auntie Pandora knows where everything is, what to do, and all that and your schedule. As tight as possible. And don’t complain if she brings Phil, he won’t do anything but be her supporter and help with Ella and Brighton. If anything I think he might scream with Brighton… So we might finally just get our first noise complaint.” Elias shrugs unbothered. “Well… made this long without one. I call that an accomplishment.”

Casey nods. “Alright, I’ll give Aster a call soon before I go to bed.”

“Better do it now. The only phone in that manor is in the family room.” Elias sighs. “I guess I’ll let you go.”

Casey smiles softly at him. Elias’ is more weak to him. He just wished he was home more often. Not running all around all the time.

“Te amo.” Elias manages to say first leaning his head on his hand as his elbow is on his knee.

“Love you too.”

A few taps on the laptop touch pad and Elias hangs up and closes the lid softly. He glances over to the lunch he was suppose to eat on the small table of the hotel room.

It probably was cold by now and would need to be heated up in the tiny microwave in his room that was provided.

He pulls off the blankets, a simple decoy to the kids to fool them into thinking that he was in the same time zone as they were and it wasn’t three in the afternoon now as he looks at his room service spaghetti, nothing compared to what his Dad would cook.

Opening the lid to the container, the smell alone had Elias gagging horribly. It wasn’t awful smelling as he spares a glance at the three large meatballs that sat on top of the pasta and sauce but it had his stomach churning horribly as he dashes to the bathroom, puking his guts out in the toilet as he hears a loud siren wailing going by the hotel he was in which was another reason why he was so tired trying to sleep in New York City of all places.

Easing himself off his knees, he takes a few deep breaths trying to steady himself trying to put together all the possible conclusions of why he could be feeling so shitty and if he should request to see a doctor while in America.

He doubts it’s food poisoning. He hardly eats much these days other than snacks like crisps or snack bars when he can which had put a lot of an impact on his body as he’s lost all his weight at the start of the tour, finally fitting back into his pre-pregnancy size clothes, though the curves of his hips have stayed wide.

He didn’t feel awful enough for it to be the muggle flu, which that was highly unlikely given his higher blood status than being a muggle-born.

Maybe a cold, it wasn’t really his nose that was bothering him and he didn’t have any sniffles. Did colds even affect the stomach?

He had body aches. He was just tired all the time. There was the obvious nausea. The now-vomiting. His breast do hurt more using binders when he goes out which hasn’t been this sore since before when he was still breastfeeding…

“No…” Elias mutters to himself shaking his head. “It can’t be. Condoms. Higher increased dosages of my testosterone potions. I take the bloody birth control potions everyday for merlin's balls…” He lists quietly to himself trying to think back to when he last saw Casey and his kids.

Elias scurries up to his feet and yanks on a baggy jumper over the thin tee he had on and some joggers on top of his boxers and swipes his room key card off the tiny table before peeking out his room door looking down the hall carefully, peering for any possible spying fan or guest of the hotel.

Swiftly he moves a few doors down and across the hall and knocks on one of his body guards door, who also just happens to probably be his closest friend on the four-long-month tour he’s been on.

He rapidly knocks on the door nonstop. Quiet but bothersome.

“Freya-” He breathes out being yanked into the room.

“You know you shouldn’t be loitering around in the hall.” She lectures in her American accent. “Certainly not without anyone with you. Why didn’t you call or text me?”

“I forgot my phone. That’s why I was knocking on your door. Listen, I need you to get me something. I just-… I need to be certain. I can’t be, it’s nearly impossible, but I need to check. I need to be sure.” He rants pacing in her room where she shared with another guard who wasn’t in the room.

She sighs, rolling her brown eyes and pulls up her dirty blonde hair into a ponytail. “What do you need?”

Certain things when Elias can’t just go out in public to buy, usually Elias would pass the money off to Freya to buy for him. But it just dawned on him that he didn’t exactly have the money as of then. He didn’t even know how much pregnancy tests costed in America.

“I didn’t bring any money with me right now. I don’t know how much they cost. But- um…” He swallows thickly, face going hot. “God, I bloody hate this. I need you to buy me a pregnancy test.”

She stares at him long and hard.

Elias sighs deeply. “I’m on birth control. We use condoms. We take precautious. I don’t want to be pregnant. This is far from-… This is not planned. Hell, I haven’t seen Cass and my kids for the last… month now? I feel crappy right now and I just want to make sure. Okay? Okay?” He freaks at her spasming his hands all around as he rants and paces.

Freya breathes in deeply. “Do you know what Simon will say if you are?”

Elias shrugs a bit. “Who knows? My image will probably get boasted and fans will question who I’ve been fucking, my husband or Drake or there’s Eminem or-… I don’t know, broody Kayne!? He was at that one party. I-I- I… I just need the fucking test, okay, Freya?”

“Simon technically can’t do anything but abide the law where he can’t fire you due to being pregnant but he waited so long to put you on tour but he might just make your ass work double time, Elias. When you’re back home. Songs. Albums. You’ll be breastfeeding this one for the next two years and he’s going to have your ass on fucking fire. And I’m not seeing him passing you a fire extinguisher anytime soon.”

“We don’t know yet.” Elias tries wiggling a finger at her warningly. “I couldn’t be. I can’t be. I just… need to be sure first.”

“You better hope to hell you’re not.” She warns him grabbing her jacket and wallet before storming out of the room.

Elias doesn’t stay in the room. He sneaks back into his own, knowing Freya would know to find him there.

Freya makes the trip fast. She passes him a cheap box and he trades off the pregnancy test with a American ten dollar bill not knowing the exact cost but it was accepted without her asking for more or less.

He takes a disposable coffee cup that was provided with the hotel room and went into the bathroom not caring if Freya stayed or not.

It was easier to catch some pee in the cup than trying to pee straight on the stick, learning that after watching his Papa test his own pee during a pregnancy test.

He dips the cheap strip test into pee and waits three minutes, not tearing his eyes off test as it slowly loads — spreading and testing — the pink spreading over and the lines forming.

Three whole minutes pass, Elias checks the packaging in the box before he sags in relief, banging his head on the counter of the sink.

“¡Oh, gracias a los dioses! ¡Los dioses se han apiadado de mí hoy!”

It’s not that he didn’t want another child.

It was the fact that it was far from the right time and he was still young. He wanted to work, live a little, let Casey finish his schooling that he was only halfway done with and let the kids they already have grow a bit more. His daughter was hardly out of her nappies as it was and Brighton was only just potty trained and going to bed with pull-ups on like Capella who wanted to be just like her big brother, showing faster learning in using the toilet than her brother.

This was probably as terrifying as the time he first took a pregnancy test on his own and hid everything from his Papa.

He doesn’t dare to ever ask how the Pettigrews are doing.

To him, all of them are a taboo subject. Sore and painful to even think about.

Elias dumps the piss and trashes the cup with the test and boxes and flushes the toilet entirely. He comes out of the bathroom, still achy feeling and tired but a relieved smile on his face as he faces Freya who sat on the edge of his bed waiting on him.

“Well?”

He gives her a relieved smile through his sickly pale face. He was weak, but it was pregnancy.

“Negative. I’m all good. No need to panic anymore.”

He could breathe just a little lighter. 

Chapter Text

October 10th, 2009

“You need to see a doctor, kid. No question.” It was the first thing he’s being told after landing in Hersey, Pennsylvania through a video call with Simon.

Someone ratted him out that he was doing poorly. That he vomited more times than normal on the plane (normal as being his usual to none) and Simon seeing him probably wasn’t good either, with him having bags under his eyes from being overworked a bit too much and him resting his head on his hand probably wasn’t much help either, along with not using his binder on his chest that was sore.

“It’s just two more shows and-”

“You can’t perform if you’re at risk sicking up on stage. That’s not good. See a doctor, get the results, and then I’ll see if you’re fit enough to go on stage.” Simon lists off three fingers. “If not, either we cancel and refund the last two shows or we can postpone and you extend your stay by a few more days.”

“I want to go home. I want to see my kids and my husband, not extend my tour-”

“I get that. But we have a deal. A contract that you signed and you have to fulfill of this tour. See a doctor, and then we’ll see where to go from there.”

Elias sighs tiredly. “Fine. What-? Where am I seeing this doctor? What kind of doctor am I seeing?”

“Nothing fancy. I had someone call the closest medical location nearby, which there’s plenty around. Someone should see you shortly.”

“Here? They’re coming here or am I going to them?”

“They’re coming to you. I’m not risking your face being outed that you’re sick the day before you’re needed on stage. You don’t even have to go anywhere. Apparently a lot of stuff can be carried around in those brief cases.” A soft laugh. “Kinda like you with that bag of songs. Pulling songs out when I need ‘em like Mary Poppins. You might as well be some sort of musical wizard.”

Elias rolls his eyes and thier conversation ends briefly after that.

Freya was with him in the dressing room when the doctor was with him as Elias’ personal preferred and hand picked body guard he wanted in the room when medical tests are being done.

Her arms were crossed over her chest, staring down at the doctor that had to sign a contract before seeing him which stated she wouldn’t be exposing any private details about him. Freya went as far as blocking the door in case someone tried to come in for Elias’ own anxiety comfort as he stared at the muggle doctor.

Elias has never seen a muggle doctor before, the last time being when he was in the hospital when he lost half his leg after the car accident.

He doesn’t know what the standard protocols are but a tight band was around his arm taking numbers that he’s told is his blood pressure.

He did know his temperature was taken with the stick under his tongue as the woman mutters to him that his temperature being a bit above normal, stating he had a fever.

She looks down his mouth with a wooden stick, ruling out something of a strep throat. Looks up his nose with a light, saying his nose was clear.

Then he’s asked to pee in a cup, given two wipes and Elias is staring at her, blinking. This was very unusual. At least for him.

“What do you need my pee for?”

“In case you have a UTI or bladder infection. Just to do some tests, that’s all. Wipe front to back twice then pee.”

He nods slowly, and Freya follows him to the bathroom. Not the first time they’ve done this with her on guard on a stall of his bathroom stall as he's pissing or worse — taking a shit — as she stands outside his stall with him muttering how he wasn’t sick and could go on stage and he wasn’t that bad and he could a tiny fever and her stifling her laughter at him.

He caps the small cup that he peed in. He felt a bit embarrassed and foolish that the cup itself had to be clear and see through. He wraps the cup in some toilet paper, covering as much as possible that he could before exiting the stall and quickly washes his hand before glaring at the so-called doctor who snatched his pee, opening it and dipping multiple different testing strips into it.

Elias leans closely to Freya. He lowers his voice into a very hushed whisper. “Do you reckon she could steal my pee and sell it?”

Freya lets out a startling loud laughter, her hand slaps over her mouth as she looses her usual scary body guard posture making the doctor raise an eyebrow and glance over to them confused for a moment before shaking her head and going back to dipping two more strips into the pee and capping it closed.

Elias smirks at himself, a bit proud that he got Freya to break her intense glaring on the doctor for a few seconds before moving over and taking a seat on the chair he was in and pulls up his legs making himself comfortable.

A few quiet minutes pass. Elias managed to pull out his note book, writing some stuff down until there was an affirmative hum from the doctor that has him peering his eyes up as the doctor now disposes all of the strips that was dipped into the pee into a medical waste bag and the cup of pee itself had gone somewhere that he completely missed.

Maybe she was going to steal it…?

“Good news. Your urine sample showed two tested positive things.”

Elias nods, showing he was listening as he’s writing.

“One, you have a UTI. So you’ll need to start a round of antibiotics for that.” He gives her a tiny hum to go on. Nothing new with himself. He’s had many UTIs over his life.

“And the pregnancy test also came back positive.”

Elias freezes, he looks up to the doctor. “What?”

“You’re pregnant.”

“No, no, no.” He shakes his head. “I took a test like, two days ago. It was negative.”

“It’s a possibility you might’ve gotten a false negative.”

“Then it’s a possibility that you might’ve gotten a false positive.” Elias corrects her with a tensed, sarcastic smile.

“Either way, I’ll recommended you to follow up with your usual OB-GYN doctor. The test I saw, was rather dark to show. It’s a chance you’re well into your-”

“Don’t you dare finish what you’re about to say.” He hisses at her glaring.

“I’m just saying-”

“Then you can shut up, collect your things, and leave. Don’t forget to leave the medicine I need.”

“Elias.” He’s warned sternly by Freya.

He clenches his jaw, looking back to his notebook. He starts writing again.

“Follow up with your usual doctor when you go home. I’ve been informed you’re only here for another few days anyway.”

With that, the doctor collects her things and leaves.

Freya pulls up a chair to sit with him. She’s quiet for a little while, but all silence had to be broken after a while. “You do know that she’s going to file a report to sent to Simon. He asked for one to ensure you’re safe to go back on stage. She might say you shouldn’t because of-”

“I’m not pregnant, and even if I am, I'm still fit enough to go on stage.” Elias shakes his head with a huff. “But I’m not. I’m on birth control. I use condoms. Cass and I are far too busy for any more kids right now. We- we planned for more like… five years down the future. I’m only nineteen.”

“Soon you’ll be twenty in a month. Everyone knows that.”

“And? I’m still nineteen now! I got two kids at home I’ve not seen for a whole month. They miss me. I miss them. I- I’ve always dreamed of this life for myself but… I never thought I’d do it as a young Dada. I was going to be young, a rockstar, careless and famous.”

“And you are. Just… Sorta... Less careless? You actually take your job really seriously from what I see.”

“But I have a family at home, Freya. It’s different thinking back and just leaving my parents and siblings. I’m leaving my husband and kids. I can’t have more… I mean… I don’t know how my parents did it. They got ten kids… I just want to be with my two.”

“How far along do you think you could be?”

Elias scoffs at her. “My morning sickness kicked in a bit later with Ella, probably ten-ish weeks. I knew exactly how far along I was with Ella and was able to track my pregnancy with her smoothly but... I-I… my tits been hurting. I’m far more tired and sore now but that could be the UTI. Honestly I could just one month along to maybe being as far as into the second trimester already and… not… know.”

With that realization, Elias sets his notebook to the side and gets up. He moves to the full body mirror in the dressing room and pulls up his shirt glaring at his stomach.

Over the last two years of working, he’s became fit. Not toned and to the point of where he had rock hard abs but he had an outline of his tight abdomen abs. Sucking in a bit, it could give him a two abs.

“Do you see anything?” He questions turning to the side, and looks down to tug down his jogger pants a bit before looking in the mirror again.

That’s when he could certainly see the bump sticking out. A perfect curve that reminded him of when he was nearly halfway pregnant with Capella, maybe fifteen weeks or so.

How has he missed this? How long has he been missing this?

No wonder his wardrobe has been a bit more of a tight squeeze of lately with his pants and binder.

Freya didn’t need to answer him for him to see that.

Elias groans, glaring at his reflection. “Mierda. Joder mi vida.”

“Maybe you should call Casey?”

Elias snaps his head over to Freya. “And tell him what?”

“That… you’re pregnant?” Freya shrugs confused. "I don't know, I never been in this situation before."

“Over the bloody phone? No! No! No! No! No way. Not happening.”

“But he your husband. He could probably start to set up an appointment for you when you get back and-”

“No!” Elias hisses at her again. “No… I… I need to call… I gotta call…” He starts to pace around the room, digging through his bags until he finds his phone.

He doesn’t even bother to finish his sentence with Freya, tapping away on his phone and calling someone

He puts his phone up to his ear. Waiting and hoping. It was a bit late but he could hope.

“Elias?”

“Papa! Hi. Hello.” He’s smiling before he can even think of it. “Listen-”

“I already sent out a letter to your Auntie Pandora. I called Casey back and everything’s planned out for her to watch Ella and Brighton tomorrow the earliest while he works and has class. He said he’ll give her his weekly schedule too but you’ll be home soon anyway so I think everything should be fine.”

“Good, good. That’s good to hear. But that’s not why I called. Listen-”

“It’s not? Are you okay? Do you need one of us to come get you? Which state are you in now? Are you still in America? I don't know if my passport would cover me there but I'm sure if I used the confundus charm I could sneak in and out in no time-”

“No. I’m fine. I’ll be home in a few days. I just-”

“But you’re calling? Me? For help? Why me? You usually call Cass first and then he'd call me or Dad.”

“Can you just be quiet for a minute and let me explain? Please?” Elias breathes out. At this rate he probably should’ve just called Azura and she’d ramble as much as his Papa or dad on the phone. But this was a bit usual for his Papa. But again, he was probably just being cautious, still protective of Elias despite the thousands of miles between them and Elias now being an adult.

“Okay.”

Elias breathes deeply.

“Firstly, Casey doesn’t know. Not yet. I can’t have you doing a repeat like with- with Ella… like before. Please. If I find out you do that again, I’m never trusting you with this sort of thing ever again.”

There’s some shuffling going on, Elias can hear it. Walking, then a door closes.

“I’m in my bedroom. Wait- can dad know?”

“No.” Elias groans. “Not yet.”

Aster sighs, before the door opens and it takes a few more minutes. “Now I’m outside, It’s bloody freezing out but no one’s out here. Proceed. What doesn’t Casey know and what do you mean you don’t want a repeat of like with-…”

Elias chews on lip staying quiet, knowing his Papa was thinking hard on it.

“Elias?” Aster’s voice is soft yet carefully calculating. “I thought you said you’re on-”

“I am on birth control, I've never missed a dose. And we always use condoms. I-… I took a test a few days ago cause I was feeling crappy and a bit like when I started to get that full force kick when I was pregnant with Ella with the morning sickness and it came back negative. But I was forced to go to a muggle doctor and they took more tests and now I’ve got a UTI and… well, a positive test… and I don’t know how that happened so I’m being told I should see my doctor at home in case.”

“I think you damn well know how pregnancy happens!”

Elias winces a bit at the volume. Aster takes a deep breath.

“First of all. The muggle doctor, those medicine won’t work on you. If- if you’re a half-blood, it might work but probably not the full effect as it’d be on a muggle or muggle-born. You need potions, not- not… antibiotics, right? Unless they give you the strong shit. That’s why I had you and me take those potions Uncle Regulus snuck into the hospital when we were in there. The pain drugs worked but not the antibiotics to fight off any possible infections, those work on certain infections but not all. It’s weird, I know. Secondly,” His voice lowers into something more calming and questionable and quiet. “Why don’t you want Casey to know?”

“I want to make sure it’s accurate. Casey’s got enough on his plate right now with his classes.”

“How far along do you think you could be? I know you saw Casey a month ago with the kids in France but you four shared a room and-”

“I don’t think I’m a month along. I-… I’m showing. It could’ve been from… over the summer or something. Before I left or…” Elias grimaces at himself. “I had a concert Manchester back in September. Casey might’ve made a drove down to see me then the day before his classes had started up and I didn’t tell you guys so we could have some alone time with just us… that was when you and Dad watched Ella and Brighton that one overnight after Hogwarts just started.”

He hears Aster sigh, but nothing was judged on his behalf of choices. A few seconds go by before Aster exhales with a deep breath.

“Let me get this straight. You want to make sure it’s accurate but you’re already showing?”

It was dumb logic, he was well aware.

“Stupid, right?”

Elias wetly laughs to his Papa.

“A bit. Yeah.”

“We’re not ready for another kid right now. We were careful.” Elias shakily breathes out. “I’m only just getting started, Papa. I’m just starting to see the world. I- I could lose my job over this. I could be getting fired as we speak right now.”

“Hold on, hold on. Calm down, Eli. By muggle law, don’t they have some sort of discrimination law? Religion, gender, sexuality, pregnancy, shit like that? Just like how it is with werewolves now for the wizard law?”

“I- I guess?”

“Don’t stress just yet. I- I’ll get you an appointment at St Mungo’s. Get you seen. When are you coming home? Which day exactly?”

“Um… if nothing gets pushed, I should be back in London on the fifteenth by the evening.”

“How about… would you be too tired on the sixteenth?”

“Probably be best to make it the seventeenth for the earliest.”

“Okay. Just… keep your head up for now. I don’t know how the muggle medicine will work with you. It might work, but I don’t think it will as a healer. But it might keep you okay until you get home with the right potions. You got this. Just a few more days.”

Elias sucks in a deep breath. It was shaky as he exhales. “I got this.” He repeats his Papa’s words.

“You got this.” Aster repeats firmer than Elias’ shakiness. “Dad and I didn’t raise no weak kids. That’s all Uncle Regulus and Auncle Sirius. Besides, what’s an unexpected pregnancy or two that us Potters can’t handle?”

Elias lets out a soft chuckle, feeling a bit lighter than from when the conversation first started.

“Is this all you needed to talk about, Eli?”

“I… I think so.”

“Now… Can I ask where you are now?”

“Um… the East Coast. Just came in from New York City. Now I’m in Pennsylvania. Hershey, Pennsylvania. Like that mu-” Elias remembers Freya’s still in the room. “The chocolate bar. You know?”

“The chocolate bar… the chocolate bar… Muggle?”

“Yeah. There’s an amusement park here too. Practically next door. It has it’s Halloween theme event going on right now. Pretty big. Sucks I can’t get on any rides now, huh?… Not that I’d ride alone, anyway. That’s more embarrassing than falling on stage. I’ll try to get Uncle Remus some chocolate if I can. I don’t know if I’m allowed to bring it back home though. But I can try.”

“Don’t worry about him. He’s probably got more chocolate in that little cottage and room in Hogwarts than he can probably eat himself. Probably has a stash in his office in Hogwarts and wouldn’t put it past him to have some in his classroom too.”

Elias swallows thickly. “Papa, please don’t tell anyone this time. Just… give me some time.”

“I can do that. Have you been using your wand lately? Not suppressing your magic?”

“Um… no. I left it at home. I can’t being it with me without going through a whole shit of paperwork with all the out of country stuff... You know. I can’t say right now. Why?”

There’s a small hiss from Aster. “No magic at all? The- t-the last.. four months?”

“None. Not for… three months at least. I tried to use without it but it didn’t work so… maybe it does count as four?”

“Oh shit.” Aster mumbles loud enough for Elias to make out.

“Why?”

“Um… just sometimes when adult witches and wizards don’t use their magic for a straining long period of time, sometimes the magic will find a way to… push itself to find a new focus. Surpressed magic works different in grown adults who've trained their magic already to children who has accidental out of control magic.”

“What are you saying?”

A tiny hum. “I can’t be for certain. It’s just been something I’ve been reading for my renewal healer licence. It's a new study over the last few years. Magic’s a fickle thing, Eli. You know I always say to not mess with magic that you don’t know of. This is kinda like… an extent to that. Except that it’s not you messing with it but the magic messing with you. It just worries me a bit more with you because of the…”

“Ancient stuff,” Elias huffs sparing a glance at Freya and sending her a tiny smile letting her know he was okay at the very least. “I get it. No other studies are on it and I’m a rare case to be studied for you. I’ll be home soon.”

“Okay. Love you, Elias.”

“Love you too, Papa. Don’t forget not to-”

“How can I? And I promise I won’t go driving to Scotland this time.”

“Well it’s a good thing it’s Casey’s, isn’t it? I’m not a slut or a whore, as much as it may seem like it in many of my songs.” Elias huffs laughing a bit before hanging up with a bit less tension on his shoulders.

Elias goes back to looking in the mirror, glaring at his reflection and pushing down on his bump. He swears now that he knows about the pregnancy, it was like something clicked in his mind. The fact that he was accepting and knowing that he was more than certain that he was pregnant, now he could feel the movements now as he switches his gaze between studying his reflection and looks down at his stomach.

He couldn’t possibly be that late into term already.

Chapter Text

October 15th, 2009

Elias rushes himself into his home, shoving his bags into the front door with the help of Freya before dropping his bags in the entry hall and throwing himself into Casey’s arms with a muffled cry into his chest.

He was crying into his neck, breathing in deeply of his scent that he lost after the jumper Casey let him take worn off with him wearing it on himself too much — he had it on himself the moment as he clung to Casey.

“I’m here now, E.” Casey rubs his lower back soothingly into the embrace as Elias presses a kiss to his jawline, then his cheek just soaking him in. One whole month was far too long. “I miss you, too.”

“You better have!” Elias cries before kissing him on the lips, hard and passionate before he hears Brighton’s loud laughter from upstairs that has him pulling away. Elias tries to wipe away his tears of either joy or from purely from being overwhelm just simply because he was back home, he wasn’t really sure.

He looks at Casey with bright eyes, drying his cheeks.

“Do they know I’m home?”

“I tried telling them but each time I tried they thought you were coming home that very second.” Elias lets out a wet laugh in Casey’s neck. “So I kinda gave up cause it meant giving them a let down after watching them stare at the door for hours thinking that Dada was going to come through it at any second.”

Elias pecks Casey’s lips once more before peeling out of his arms and cleaning his face with the sleeves of his (Casey's) jumper he had on. “Well, I’m home now. Thank you for helping me bring my bags in, Freya.”

“No problem, Elias.” Freya sends him a soft smile. Elias rubs his cheeks that were a light pink hue. He takes a deep breath trying to steady himself, before picking up a bag and walking Freya to the door. “Until next time?”

She shakes her head.

“Probably not.”

Elias frowns. He forgot that she didn’t stick with one person or band at a time. Always moving on to the next call of a big tour, never being assigned as a personal and permanent on-call body guard.

“Right.” He sighs sadly.

“But you have my number. Use it. Friend.” She clicks her tongue with a wink and punches his arm gently before leaving and closing the door behind herself.

Casey stared at him, a bit glaring and narrow eyed, and the door for a long moment.

“What was that?”

“What was what?” Elias cocks his head in confusion before nodding over the stairs smiling brightly, mood lifting to see his kids. “Come on. I want to see my babies.”

Elias drops off his bags in his and Casey’s room, feeling a bit like a stranger in the room with all the papers laying around on the bed and desk.

“Sorry. I forgot to clean up. It’s all school stuff. Papers and stuff… I was up here before you got home. Doing homework before you arrived, I lost track of time.”

“No, no. It’s fine.” Elias easily brushes it off setting his bag on the floor as Casey drops the bag he had by the door and quickly rushes to clean up all the papers, moving them onto the two desks that was in the room that was originally set for Elias’ seventh year and Casey’s college classes, but now Casey used both of them to spread out more.

“When did you want to unpack?”

“Um, later. The kids?” Elias points back at the door behind him.

“Right. They should be in the playroom.”

Elias beams at Casey, tugging his hand along and they both climb the extra flight of stairs to the floor that was used mainly for just the playroom and the two spare guest/storage rooms.

Elias steps into the room with no door on the hinges. Not after when Brighton learned he could lock Elias and Casey out at age two and a half thought it was hilarious, trapping one year old innocent Capella inside with him. It took them nearly two hours trying to coax the boy before Elias remebered he was a wizard and could merely spell the knob open.

Brighton was stacking a tall tower of large LEGO bricks, standing recklessly on the small plastic children’s table on the tip of his toes.

His light blonde hair, hardly gotten any darker but instead longer since Elias first laid eyes on him was messily sitting on his head from all the playing he’s been getting up to as his light jade green eyes shone with determination to get another piece on the tower.

Capella on the other hand was sitting on a tiny chair pulled up to the same table Brighton was climbing on.

She looked very pissed, crayons furiously scribbling on a paper that Brighton was half standing on.

Her straight mousy brown hair had a clip on bow randomly placed in it that Elias knew was her own doing and not Casey’s.

Each passing day as she grew, Elias was always worried that she would grow into her features to look more like Owen rather than himself or at least a mixed feature of himself and her biological dad that he hopes to never tell her.

Casey is her dad. And he always will be. The man who stepped in and stepped up for her and Elias when Elias fully planned on doing the single parenting all on his own.

Capella just might happen to look like someone completely different when she’s older. Someone who isn’t Casey or Elias.

And that will pain Elias if she ever starts asking questions of why she looks different from Elias to Casey to even Brighton.

But that wasn’t something for him to worry about today. It was something of a future Elias problem.

Years down the road for him and Casey to discuss and figure out together.

“Get off! I’m coloring!” Capella screeches at Brighton, swatting at his ankles roughly just in time for him to snap on the final LEGO piece and make him tumble over off the table with a loud ear pitching screech that Brighton never grew out of his big set of lungs.

Elias slaps a hand over his mouth as the tower comes wobbling over.

Not when Brighton falls exact, but it falls after Brighton panics and scrambles over trying to get it to stay up by clinging to the bottom large bricks of the tower laying on his stomach that only kept half of it up before it fell over on top of his head and the back of his body.

It was quiet for a long second. Brighton doesn’t cry when he hits the ground and Capella huffs and she fixes her paper to a different angle to draw on and changes the color of her crayon, ignoring her fallen brother and the lego tower entirely unbothered, going on with her day.

Capella dutifully ignoring Brighton who stared up from the floor. As she went back to her coloring, Brighton staring at his broken tower long and hard before comes the first noise breaking sniffle.

“You- you broke my tower!”

Capella looks up, glaring at Brighton offended at his accusal. Her blue crayon slams on the table. “I did not! No lying!”

“You broke it! I’m telling Daddy!”

“No! No! I not touch it! I tell Daddy first! You lying!”

It takes that long for both of them to notice Elias standing in the doorway with a soft smile and his hands slightly held up with Casey behind him looking a bit amused more than anything at their bickering.

Both kids freeze, jaw dropping expressions form before they’re fighting each other all over again in fight to hug Elias first.

“Ay, I got two arms and they’re two of you. I can hug you both at the same time.” Elias tuts at them crouching down with his arms held out and open for them to take their place.

He’s tackled roughly. Capella’s surely grown at least half an inch while he was away —maybe not but it felt that way — and he could hardly pick up Brighton anymore let alone both of them at the same time but he manages with their legs dangling in the air as he squeezes them tightly as they laugh, their argument over the broken lego tower long forgotten.

He kisses both their cheeks, each side left to right making sure to get all four chubby cheeks before moving onto their foreheads and temples.

“Don’t ever go away again, Dada.” Brighton orders Elias tucking his head into his neck as Capella does the same on the left side.

“Dada, why you gone so long?” She asks far more quieter than Brighton.

“I had to work. I’m sorry babies. I miss you both so much.”

“You home to stay?”

Elias sighs, adjusting them both with a jump up a bit. “I’m home to stay for now.”

“Forever?” Brighton asks this time, clearly not understanding fully the concept of what Elias just told him.

Elias hums quietly turning around to see Casey staring at them, leaning on the empty door trimming. “I’ll see what I can do. But… I think Dada will be home for a while.” He breaks in a short pause, seeing how narrow and suspicious both children looked at him. “A long while.”

Casey’s eyebrows furrow at him. He knew he had questions that Elias couldn’t answer just yet.

Instead Elias mouths ‘later’ and he nods, not knowing the later would come days later.

“Why don’t we get some special dinner tonight?” Elias offers.

“How special?” Capella questions him with narrowed eyes and her arms folded across her chest.

“A dinner where you get toys?” The best place he could think of was McDonalds. “And if you eat good, maybe Dada will get you ice cream too.”

Elias honestly would far prefer his Dad’s dinner, any meal would do honestly after a long month of room service and takeouts. He’d consider his dad’s cooking as a special dinner but he doesn’t think he could just do a pop in at the very last second as much as he does know his parents wouldn’t mind.

But he’ll definitely make sure to talk to his Papa when they meet up for that appointment in two days.

But for now, Elias rests his head on Brighton and Capella’s. Carrying them to the guest room far too jet lagged to bring them down a whole floor and cuddles with them and Casey for the time being and soaking in every second that he missed out on.

Chapter Text

October 17th, 2009

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Casey asks coming out of his shower, drying his hair manually with a towel and a towel hanging low on his hips.

Since getting home Elias had been dressed in nothing but baggy clothes. Mainly in Casey’s jumpers and jogger pants then spending all his time with the kids, quietly sitting on the bean bag in the play room and watching them with his journal on his lap and a pen in hand, smiling and talking to them when they interact and wanted to play with him.

Then after bedtime, in any other case Elias knew himself he’d be all over Casey that very first night. Kissing, touching, running his hands over anything he couch touch on Casey.

Hell, Casey tried himself to touch Elias in return when he didn't exactly want to be touched in the same way.

Only managing to get a leg between Elias’ own and grinding down a bit, hardly getting on top of him during their heavy snogging fest before Elias was suddenly pushing him off in reminder when the pressure on his stomach became a hefty reminder and he’s suddenly making an excuse to use the toilet.

Elias knows he’s pregnant.

It’s for certain because there’s certainly a baby moving and starting to kick in him. It was just insane that he managed to ignore all the signs for so long to this point.

He remembers feeling Capella kicking only just a little past twenty weeks, but he could feel the subtle movements a bit past eighteen after asking his Papa.

Like little papillon movements. Like you got papillons in your stomach —fluttering all around until they become firm and steady kicks.

How could he forget when he asked his Papa that the first time he was feeling the strange sensations that didn’t quite settle or go away? The first time he was feeling Capella and now he never wishes for her to ever go away.

He loved that little girl far too much, he loved that little boy too much that he never thought he could hold so much love in him before over two tiny people. He doesn’t even love his siblings as much as he loves his children as so.

But every time he dares to lay a hand on his stomach everything just felt tight.

His skin was certainly stretching to a fast and itchy point where he was scratching a lot around his sides and a bit underneath the curve of the bump.

He was pregnant — but things felt wrong.

Or at least to him.

And he didn’t know what to think. Let alone dared to want to utter a single word to Casey before seeing his healer, which he planned on dropping off Brighton and Capella off to stay with his Zio Barty for a short hour or two at most with a lie that his Papa wanted to catch up with him, taking off work for the morning.

A simple brunch. Hopefully the lie was enough to brush off to his Zio until he had answers.

“Eli?” Casey calls out his nickname from where he sat on the bed.

It was still early in the morning, he was still adjusting to the time zone change.

But Casey had classes soon.

Elias had a bit of a hard time adjusting back into this routine that everyone else in the house was already settled in.

“You sure you’re okay to watch the kids? I don’t blame you if you’re really tired. You’re finally getting a proper break after working your arse off for months. If you want to stay in the room today, get some rest, just get your- get Pandora here. She’s good with the kids. They like her, call her a fairy princess a lot… The last few days she’s watched them.”

“She’s always good with kids — us, I mean. Me and my siblings.” Elais sighs before shaking his head. “I got plans. Taking them over to see Zio Barty and Papa this morning, so they’ll help me out a bit. We’ll be back by nap time then hopefully I’ll get some rest then.”

“Brighton doesn’t always do naps now. He’s growing out of those. You'll have to find something quiet for him to do while Ella sleeps. No naps for you, more likely. Ella goes down after lunch, between one and two, don't let her sleep past four but usually she's up by three on her own.” Casey warns him picking up some of his clothes.

Elias nods quietly, looking down to his hands with a frown.

He feels like he should know this sort of stuff already. Not having to be lectured or told about when it came to his own kids.

Casey sighs, dropping his clothes on the bed and goes over to Elias and picks up his hand to give him a comforting squeeze before kissing the crown of his head and ruffling his sleep messy hair making it worse.

“Don’t push yourself, E. You’ve only just got back home. You can’t know every minute to minute thing that happened here while you were gone. Like I don’t know with you.”

“I feel like I should’ve, though.” Elias quietly mutters. “I came home thinking… I could just jump back in and think everything would be the same. Ella grew, Bright grew… It’s something so simple and I hate that I missed it.”

“No one said it was easy, and it’s not the same, it’s been a month, not a week or a single day.” Casey slowly reminds him. “But you’re not the same too, either. You’ve changed too. I can tell something’s bothering you and… I won’t push you to tell me but,” He exhales deeply with a tiny shrug, dropping his hand. “I’m here when you’re ready to talk.”

Elias nods averting his eyes. “Soon, Cass. A few days. I just need… time. To settle back in.”

“Sure.” Casey hums softly, walking away from him and got dressed to leave.

Usually it’s Elias always leaving in a hurry with his school bag on his back that’s full of notebooks and music sheets, but this time it’s Casey with his school books and all his school work and laptop.

A fast kiss to his temple, a quick reminder that Capella will be up before Brighton and to get breakfast ready with her because she likes playing chef in the morning. Not to start cooking breakfast before she’s awake but to do it before Brighton’s awake or he’ll be grouchy otherwise for a solid hour or two.

The one shitty fact about Elias is that as much as he mocks his Papa about being a terrible cook is that he, himself, is also a terrible cook, never bothering to actually learn the ways of food and cooking in the kitchen unlike his older sisters with their Dad.

Capella stood on her stool — giving her an extra two feet in height to reach the counter and dig in the fridge or freezer — she had her hands covering her ears as the fire alarm woke Brighton up with it’s loud wailing as Elias attempted — and failed — to make just three slices of bacon, now using a flat large pizza pan to wave out the smoke from the kitchen with his kids laughing at him as he panics and frets around wondering why the burning hasn’t stop only to realize he left the bacon on the stove which was still on.

As soon as he gets the fire alarm to stop (the fry pan with black burned bacon dunked and soaking in the sink), he stares at the kids with a bit of crazy eyes.

It was either cereal or he was going to pull an Uncle Remus and Teddy move on his first full day back with his kids alone.

“How about we go and see if Zio Barty’s at Poppy’s and see if he’s willing to cook some breakfast for us at Poppy and Grandda’s, yeah?” Elias offers up with his own bubbling laughter to join the kids putting his hands on his hips as the kids cheered, still in their pajamas.

Elias doesn’t bother dressing the kids up. He shoves some day clothes in a bag, along with a few pull ups for Capella who was potty training now with not that many accidents as of lately from what Casey has told him of.

He apparates with the kids, using his wand for the first time in months feeling a tingle of the magic finding himself stumbling over and slightly out of breath when he lands as his kids remain unaffected running up to the front door knocking before he has the chance to catch his breath.

He hardly makes it to the door, leaning on the frame with a hand above Brighton’s head when his Papa opens it. It was eight, two hours earlier before he was due to come over.

“Elias?” The door opens more, Elias lets the kids run in past Aster’s legs. “I burned breakfast. I'm a terrible cook. I got it from you; I blame you entirely. Dad make extras by chance? Or do you at least have cereal?”

His Papa smiled at him amused.

“They can eat off my plate. I hardly ate, mostly just my apple this morning. Dad made waffles and sausages, they can split it. Just heat up my plate.” Elias sends him a grateful smile as Aster heats up his plate as he sets up both kids at the table to eat.

He splits the already small amounts of food on two separate of plates and passes it along to them. They both entirely forgotten of Elias saying they could cook with their Zio Barty, digging into their food happily as Elias moves back into the kitchen with Aster.

“So… how have you been? Long time no see.”

“Tour went good. I think the UTI went away cause I don’t have a fever anymore. I’m feeling better overall but if I still have it then I’m sure I’ll get the correct potions for everything today.”

Aster nods leaning back on the counter.

“What about the…? You know?”

Elias sighs deeply leaning on the counter where the sink was behind him. He crosses his arms over his chest. “I don’t know but something doesn’t feel right. Call it some sort of institution.”

“How so?”

“It feels cramped. Like… it’s tight. I mean… it’s hard to explain. Either I’m farther along than what I’m thinking of or… I don’t know what to think anymore. I can feel the movements. The kicking, wiggling around. I didn’t feel this certain way with Ella until I was halfway along with her. So…”

“You think you could be about that far along?”

“No.” Elias shakes his head. “I’m not-… I…”

Elias glances over to the table through the window of the breakfast bar checking on the kids eating before moving over to Aster.

He lifts his jumper and shows Aster the bump that was growing day by day. He felt huge already. Like he was carrying a heavy weight on his front side.

“I swear I was this big by the time I was only twenty weeks along before. Just a week ago I was looking to be sixteen or maybe seventeen weeks along like when I was with Ella. I might as well be growing by the day, Papa.” Elias takes his Papa’s hand, setting it on his bump making him feel it himself. “Anywhere I put my hand, I feel kicks. All over, never just in one spot. It’s insane. My skin’s all itchy and stretched out. It’s all… It doesn’t make sense.”

“You know…” Aster quietly hums pushing in a bit on the bump curiously with his usual cold fingers, getting a better feel of what Elias was explaining.

“When I was pregnant with the triplets, I was showing far earlier and on the larger side before anyone even knew that I was carrying-”

“No.”

“I’m just saying, Eli-”

“Please don’t.” Elias shakes his head. “I was taking birth control potions. And the condoms. I was being safe.”

“I know. I get that. But you started your birth control potions rather late than when your healer and I warned you to, sticking it to the condoms until you stopped breastfeeding cause you weren’t getting your cycles… But you hold more powerful magic than normal people that not many know about. And you said yourself-… have you been using your wand since you got home two days ago?”

“I used it today?”

Aster sighs. “Why didn’t you bring it with you in the first place?”

“Bringing a wand to another country means filling out paperwork to each country I go to and getting it pre-approved. It’s too much hassle and I’m traveling with muggles. It’s just easier to… leave it at home.”

“I don’t want to fright you, Eli.” Aster tries. “But what if your magic is fighting against the birth control potions you’ve been taking? Or… it’s affecting your organs? What if there’s something more than just a pregnancy going on inside you?”

“And the condoms?”

“It takes one failed condom. You and Casey should know that. Ripped, a tiny hole, anything. I’ve been reading a lot these past months, you know I take my test at the end of next schooling term. Suppressed magic, in adult witches and wizards, if you don’t use any source of releasing magic for a long time it starts to focus on what it can affect. And usually it attacks the body within. Even witches and wizards who get their wands snapped still use their magic somehow, rather it’s wandless or basic supervised and ministry pre-approved house-spells. I’m starting to wonder if it might have took advantaged of that one time-”

“And what? Put more than a single baby in me?” Elias snarks. "I'm not you and dad, Papa."

“Perhaps so. Or… you could have an abnormal growth in your body, in or outside your uterus and it’s putting pressure on the baby which is, you know, making you stick out and have a bump more.” Aster quietly nods, fingers still pushing in gently across his stomach. “But it feels tight, all around here. I’m no witch healer but even I know this is a bit abnormal carrying five different pregnancies myself. I’ve never felt these sort of kicks before. It feel cramped up. Like… if I put my hand anywhere…”

Aster’s hands were roaming all over his stomach. “I feel movements all over.”

“Crowded. I’ve been using the toilet like crazy.” Elias complains finally pushing his Papa away and tugging his jumper down before any of his kids got up from the table. They might be young but they weren't that stupid. He couldn't risk them saying anything risky to Casey before he had the chance to.

“And what does Casey have to say about it? Surely he’s noticed by now.”

“Not really. Not yet. I’ve been hiding the bump.”

“Really?”

Aster looked unbelieving with his narrowed eyes and crossed arms over his chest.

“Yes, really. First night I was down to the bone tired, easy to reject him. Second night, I excused myself to use the toilet before we got too carried away and hid in there for a while pretending I had stomach cramps, lied that I ate something bad cause we ate fast food though I’ve been living off that, take outs, and small snacks for the last of months. Now I’m here. He is getting a bit suspicious though, I won’t lie.”

“And after today’s appointment?”

“I’ll tell him somehow.” Elias murmurs quietly. “I got to.”

With his early arrival with the kids, they had to wait an extra two hours until Barty arrived. As much as Elias did wanted to stay and chat, as his kids clung off Barty’s arms excitedly, he had important places to be.

“You nervous?” Aster asks from the chair he was sitting at watching Elias squirms around a bit.

Elias rolls his eyes. “A bit, yeah.” He snarks. “Given the last time I sat on the table I was here to get birth control.”

It didn’t help with his mood when his healer comes in all smiles and cheerfulness.

“So, I see you’re here today for a positive pregnancy test. Muggle or magical?”

“Muggle.” Elias huffs at her. “But I’m certainly pregnant. And something doesn’t feel right.”

“How so? Lay back for me, tug your jumper up. I want to get a feel of your stomach, get some measurements around.”

Elias leans back, jumper being tugged up and tucked under his breasts and revealing the bump as he goes.

If his healer was surprised at his obvious bump, she doesn’t say something as she starts the examination.

“It feels tight inside. I’m feeling the movement and kicks and I didn’t feel any of that until I was about halfway with my daughter. And I’m almost certain I can’t be that far along yet. I’ve been working a lot and I’ve only seen my husband three times in the last four months in the span of a few days each due to work.”

“And the summer?”

“I was home then, mid summer the latest.”

The healer removes her hands, pulling out her wand. “You’re aware that starting your birth control there’s a time frame of two weeks before it becomes affective?”

“Umm? No.” Elias shakes his head at her. “I didn’t know that. No one told me that. B-but- but we used condoms, birth control or not.”

“Well,” She hums anyway. “I can certain feel what you mean about the tight feeling. It does feel crowded and I certainly feel more than just one baby by the heads. But to be sure, I’m going to take a peek on the inside. Have you been taking any sort of medication muggle or magical that could boost your fertility, Mr Potter-Lambert?”

Elias scoffs at her as she points her wand at his stomach. She stares at him, waiting.

“No. I’ve been on birth control and using condoms to prevent pregnancy. This is just ridiculous. It’s in my charts. You just read it-”

“I was wondering, if it’s possible not using magic for a while, can the suppressing of it carry on it’s focus onto the womb? Affecting the unborn or prior, such as the body releasing more than just one egg? Or even cause an abnormal growth behind or around or inside the uterus?” Aster asks cutting Elias off making him turn his head and glare at him.

“It’s uncommon of, but yes. There's been a growing study on that topic, actually. It’s happened before with very powerful magic of a witch usually, the magic knowing where to put itself after the core becomes… lets say… like a bucket being filled with water. After awhile, the bucket will get full. And if the water can’t fit in the bucket anymore, it overfills and spills out. And in certain cases, even if you use you use magic, depending on how little prior before the cut off for an extended time, the magic itself is still going to overfill. And that makes the magic start to affect the body itself.”

“How many babies are you thinking of that’s inside me?” Elias asks the million galleon question as a screening projection is pulled mid-air, starting to show his insides out.

“Well, I felt three bodies but I just want to make sure everything else is healthy and well.”

“Three!? I’m going to be like Papa!?” Elias chokes out a bit freaked with his green-brown eyes flickering from his healer to the magical projected screen, watching the studying examination of each baby switch around.

A tiny hum comes from his healer before she speaks again. “Actually, I believe I’m counting four. Well, it’s no wonder you feel all tight and cramp inside. Everyone’s fighting for some room here. And you’re right. You’re not as far along as you think you are. Only fourteen weeks along from the smallest baby measuring up but the largest I’m seeing is up to fifteen-ish weeks. Have you been taking any prenatal care up-to-date?”

Elias stares up at the ceiling quietly not wanting to look at the projected screen in front of him.

He’s done so much. Worked so hard at trying to live a life with little as possible regarding to magic and somehow it always manages to backfire on him and kick him in the arse.

Living as muggle just couldn’t be possible for him, could it?

“I don’t think he has.” Aster quietly speaks for him.

“Well, I’ll send some potions in for him. But you need to be very careful with yourself. Strict relaxing or you’ll be put on bedrest. It’s not everyday you conceive quadruplets naturally with your magic boasting to help you do so and manage to have them all growing and thriving this long without any extra care. I’ll send you home with a leaflet of all the things you should adjust your life to with the pregnancy. One which you’ll have to adjust your diet plan to eat a lot more to provide plenty for all the babies. I’ll be right back with more information to help you guide you through the pregnancy until the next appointment.”

Elias is left on the table, left shirt tugged up and untouched. He’s staring at the ceiling quietly and questioning himself and all possible things he’s ever done to bring him to that exact moment.

“You okay Elias?”

“No.” He mutters shaking his head and lifting his hands to massage his temples. “Casey needs to focus on school. He’s got two years left. I- I got work. I know I just finished a tour but-… We don’t have time for another baby, let alone four. It doesn’t make sense. I’m not… I’m adopted. I don’t have Dad’s genes. I don’t have your genes. I don’t want to be like you, you don’t want me like you. What has this world come to!?”

“You heard what the healer said. Your magic probably went out of control around the time you conceived-”

“But if I’m fourteen weeks, Papa, that means it was July and I still had my wand.” Elias points out sitting up with a bit of struggle. “I know I don’t use my wand as much as I should or as much as a normal wizard does but… this feels fucked up. If that is the case. Me managing to get pregnant just because my magic decided to remove the birth control in me and somehow the condom breaks or maybe it had a hole in it without any of us knowing?” Elias scoffs shaking his head as he tugs down his jumper.

“And now I’ve got to tell Cass tonight or tomorrow and who knows how he’ll take the news.” Elias sighs dropping his hands in his lap looking up to Aster for any possible guiance.

“All I can say is don’t drag it out. Tell him and get it over with so you can talk through all possible options.”

“What options can I possibly-?” Elias goes to hiss as the door opens again making him fall quiet.

“So, I just want you to be aware that four babies is a lot on the body itself. Even though you technically found out a bit later than we’d like and I suspect your magic plays a big role in this conceiving due to the number of multiples there is, one option I want you to be aware of is that you can do is reduce the number of fetuses there are.”

“What’s that?” Elias questions a bit lost.

“Kinda like having an abortion.” He’s being explained as his healer sits on the stool in the room. He already knows he doesn’t like the path as she talks. “But instead of aborting all of the babies, you could keep two, maybe even just one. I reviewed your scans, printed them out too for you to take home. It seems two had split. Sharing the same amniotic sac and placenta but the other two have their own sacs and placentas.”

“So I what I’m hearing is that Elias conceived three at the start but one has split into two, making four?”

“Yes. That’s what I’m seeing, which means you’re in a higher risk in this pregnancy, not just with the number itself but with certain things being shared. You’re very lucky to have made it this long without any complications so far.”

Elias shakes his head. “I didn’t even know I was pregnant until last week.”

“Well, I want you to start potions until you make a decision, if you want to make a decision. Keep a close eye on things. Take an easy. I cannot stress that enough. And if you want to consider the reduction-”

“I- I- I… I’d have to talk to my husband on that.” Elias stammers through before he even lets his healer finish. “Fuck.”

“I take it this isn’t something you planned.”

“Well obviously.” He hisses. “I’m on birth control. I’ve been- we’ve been using condoms. I hate magic.” He hisses out his hatred on the subject itself. “Can’t even go a few months without using it and it backfiring on me. ¡Estúpida maldita magia!”

“Elias,” Aster reaches out placing a calming hand on his thigh, right above where his prosthetic leg was connected. “Calm down. You didn’t know. It was probably the condom that was the undoing if your body was already rejecting the birth control potion. Or it happened the two weeks before you body even was able to process it.”

Elias takes a few deep breaths and he gets himself out of the room. He’s moody as he sends off his Papa to the hall to wait for him as he checks himself out and gets all the final reports and papers he needed, leaflets and information and guides.

He could sense someone behind him and standing far too close to him as he picks up all the papers of what felt like a copy of the book of Hogwarts: A History and turns, nearly bumping into a far too familiar person who stood a bit too close to him.

Dark brown hair, wavy but a bit longer than he last seen on the witch with her light baby blue eyes surrounded with light make-up. She sends him a small, shy flat smile on her plump tinted glossy dark pink lips that had him hesitated a bit.

“Opal?”

Her accent was thicker. More French than English as she waves at him with a clipboard in her hand. “Hello, Elias. It’s been a long while.”

It takes him a second to register the bump on her stomach that she had herself. The fancy (and probably expensive) ring on her finger that was no longer around her neck as she passes the clipboard the the same witch he was speaking just to.

“You’re pregnant?” He had no right, honestly, with the accusation, in his tone and the narrowness in his eyes. It was as if he was jealous after not seeing her for the last of nearly four years since she dumped him then ran off to France to get married.

“Yep. I’m due in just a just about two months, just dropping off some last minute forms to my healer.” Her eyes gaze over him. “I see you are too. Unless I’m assuming wrong?”

“Um… yeah. I mean- I'm expecting.” He blushes against his will. “I- I thought you were in France. Saw your wedding pictures that summer, making cover in the Daily Prophet a few years ago. Flint, wasn’t it?”

She tucks her neat hair behind her ear. “Yes. I married Logan Flint, the second born heir of the Flint family. Not exactly first born heir material but he was close enough.”

Elias nods a bit. She nods to his left hand where he was holding on his stack of papers. “I see you have a ring yourself too.”

“Uh, yeah. Muggle. No one fancy like yourself, but they’re a good person.”

“A bloke, I’m guessing? Or…?” Her eyes flickered to his stomach once then back to his face.

“Oh. Yes. It’s-… Casey. I met him after… a few months after you.”

“That’s good. I’m happy for you... Happy that you moved on.” She quietly hums sending him a soft smile. “I wish nothing for the best for you. I never meant to drag things on as bad as they went, Elias.”

“But they did.” He knew this wasn’t the right place to talk about it but he didn’t know when he could ever talk about it again. “I thought that I could’ve-”

“I know. And I’m sorry for that. It was selfish of me for doing what I did to you. I wish one day that we can put our differences to the side and we could be friends. I think we could still be really good friends.”

Elias can’t help the tiny laugh he lets out, shaking his head a bit. “And your-… your husband wouldn’t care of you hanging out with an ex?”

“He’s dead.” She seemed passionless as she told him, shiny lips still holding a smile. “A blood malediction, no cure. It runs in purebloods, commonly inbred ones. It happened fast — days after he was diagonised.”

“Oh.” Elias blinks once. “Um… I’m sorry?”

“Don’t be. It was a loveless marriage.”

“But… you’re pregnant?”

“He got lucky, you can have sex without being in love.” Elias nods slowly, he supposes he’ll never quite understand this side of the purebloods that his Papa tried to warn him about. “I got this far without getting pregnant. One last time before he went under and it seemed to do me in. But at least I got the money, the freedom, and I don’t have to raise my child in that sort of environment anymore. First chance I got, I took it to move back home. Here, in London. My parents don’t know I’m here... And I have no friends… Its hard to stay hidden from them because I have to come here often but… I’m doing my best with what I have. The muggle world can only get me so far with what I know of.”

“Well… I suppose then I should be telling you welcome home? Back to London?”

Opal smiles softly at him. “Thank you. I’ve fought a long time to come back from France. I hope to see more of you around, Eli. It’d be nice to have a friend. One around here, at least. Less lonely for me.”

Elias nods as he struggles to adjust the stack of papers in his grip while giving off a gentle, careful smile. “We’ll see.”

Opal steps forward, not giving Elias much of a choice helping him with the papers and letting him adjust his grip.

“Y-you don’t have to help-”

“I don’t have to but I feel like I should.” Opal merely says taking half the stack. “Did you come here alone? I can go with you to your home to help you drop these off. Your husband’s a muggle, isn’t he? He can’t come here unless there’s certain exceptions and-”

“Um, actually my Papa’s here with me.” Elias grimaces a bit. “He’s out in the hall. I just didn’t think I was going to get this much paperwork to bring home.”

“Well,” A soft smile. “To the hall, at least. I’m going the same way, anyway.”

Elias’ cheeks were pink as he walks with Opal. His head was tilted down a bit to avoid Aster’s obvious disapproval stare as he retrieves the papers from Opal.

“Until next time, Elias.”

He hardly gives her an answer, a reply before Opal gives him the slight French kisses on either cheek and turning around to walk to the nearest apparition point in St Mungo’s.

“Isn’t Rookwood married?” His Papa huffs beside him.

“She’s just being friendly, Papa. And her husband just died. Also, she goes by Flint now. Apparently.”

“That was a bit too friendly for my taste.”

“Well, I have no interest persuading with her anymore. I’ve got Casey and she knows I’m married. She just happened to be waiting behind me in line in the office. That’s all.”

Aster makes a disbelieving noise at him, walking away in the same direction Opal left off. Elias rolls his eyes before following Aster.

Chapter Text

October 18th, 2009

Elias played on his keyboard, humming in tune and trying to match the music to his lyrics.

Just because the tour was over didn’t mean he could just stop writing music.

It was past bedtime for the kids in the now quiet home, nearing ten at night and the home was fairly quiet now that Brighton in particular of both kids was asleep.

“Really?” Casey brushes by him with a few papers in one hand and a bottle of wine with a glass in the other, his school bag on his bag; probably to join Elias in the living room to study where Elias did say he was going to be relaxing. Not making music.

“I thought now with the tour over you’d at least be taking a break for a little while. You haven't been home for even a whole week now.” Then he pops open the wine and pours a bit into the glass before offering some to Elias. “Want some?”

Elias shakes his head. “No thank you, and you know me, Cass. I gotta stay busy. How does this sound?” Elias plays a few notes and glances up to him as he pulls out a book to a class that Elias wasn’t sure of. Elias’ own bag by his feet was a heavy burden reminder that he needed to talk to him.

“Sounds good, I guess. Um, a black owl was pecking our bedroom window. Dropped this off,” Casey passes over a letter to Elias. “I didn’t know what it wanted but it but it seem to be pleased with the the half eaten fig bar it stole off my desk.”

“It was probably wanting a treat. That’s fine.” Elias hums furrowing his eyebrows at the return address, seeing Opal’s fancy writing.

“Who’s Opal Flint?”

“Just some… witch I used to know at Hogwarts. Older than me. Different years. We used to know each other before she left Hogwarts and... I didn't return to Hogwarts cause I was pregnant with Ella.” Elias shakes his head not bothering to open the litter, tossing it on the coffee table carelessly. “I’ll open it later. I ran into her the other day, that’s all. I don’t know how she got our address. I don’t think it’s anything important anyway.”

“Really? Where at?”

Elias sighs, shoulders sagging as he looks at his piano for a long minute. “Remember that thing I told you I’d tell you?”

“That you’ve been purposely avoiding on telling me which I know is definitely has been bothering you since you got home? Yeah. Finally ready to talk to me about it?”

“I guess so.” A deep breath in. “I ran into Opal at St Mungo’s when I went there with Papa yesterday, actually. St Mungo’s is the… hospital for witches and wizards here in London.”

Casey puts his full focus on Elias. Book sat on his lap unopen. “Are you okay, Elias? Are you sick? Ill?”

“I mean… overall, I okay. I had that UTI back in America I told you about but that cleared up.” He nods. “But… there’s been some consequences as of lately when I decided not to use my magic that I didn’t know could happen. As of being a powerful wizard myself, magic works differently for everyone, depending how it’s used and dealt with.”

“…What kind of consequences?” Casey asks carefully.

“So… you know I haven’t been using my wand. So my magic doesn’t have a focus point of where it’s being used regularly. To get that certain energy out of my body. And over the tour, you know I left my wand home. That’s months without my wand. But… going to St Mungo’s the other day… they said there’s a… certain organ in my body, that my magic’s been putting more focus on than it should be.”

“Like… your liver or heart?”

Elias shakes his head. “My womb, more of the likes." He murmurs under his breath. "It’s been put into overdrive as of late.”

Casey lets out a soft laugh. “Like what? What kind of magic? A seal on your womb that prevents you from reproducing? Wait…" Casey meets his eyes. "Are you saying we can’t have any kids in the future? N-not that it'd be the end of the world but... I mean if we want more kids we could always adopt or-”

“The opposite, actually.” Elias quietly informs him looking away and not meeting Casey’s eyes. Casey falls quiet after the interruption. “I’ve been given leaflets, that explain what my magic’s been doing. Protecting the inside and out. My body’s been working double time but the magic is helping reduce that so I have less side effects of the…”

“What-? What are you saying, Elias?”

Elias lifts his green freckled brown eyes cautiously to meet Casey’s jade green eyes. Elias’ warn toned cheeks were a shade of light pink.

“I’m pregnant, Cass.”

There was a quiet minute before Casey nods, not seeming too mad or pissed. He took a minute to let the information to sink and soak in.

“Oh... Okay. I-I know… I know it’s not what we planned for.” Casey breathes out in a careful and understanding tone. “I know that we… planned for a few more years down the road, certainly when I was done with my schooling. But… Ella she’ll be three in March, Brighton’ll be four. Maybe… maybe it’s a good thing?” He tries. “I-I mean, you just got off your first tour. I’m sure you won’t have another one for a while. Right? You can work from home, do what you did with Ella and Brighton when they were tots. I can still go to my classes and…”

Elias pulls up his bag on the couch they were sitting on and finds the ultrasound scans on the very top. When Casey isn’t around, he finds himself staring carefully at the pictures. He doesn’t know why but for whatever reason his healer decided to number each baby, a one, two, three, and four on each baby limbs, body, head, all out of order on each scan as he passes on the extra long scans to Casey.

“This is really long…?” Casey mutters to himself as he tugs on the scans, seeing the endless trail of how it kept coming out of the bag. “Very long. Why is it so long?”

“Just look at the scans, closer, Cass.” Elias weakly mutters sinking back in the couch. “And I know it’s bloody long.”

Casey tilts his head, eyes carefully examining the ultrasound pictures one at a time.

“I’m confused.” He announces. “Why is there multiple pictures of the same thing? I think… four of the same thing…repetitively? …Five?”

Elias facepalms himself. Slowly his fingers from the facepalm turns into him pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I’m about fourteen weeks along. There’s multiple pictures of the same thing times four because there is four. That’s very obvious because there’s the abcs listed on each picture that goes up to bloody D.” Elias hisses standing up at Casey. “I get punished all because I don’t want to use my bloody magic!”

Casey’s eyes stare glued and locked on the scans. “There’s four? Are you sure?”

“Am I sure? I’m fourteen weeks and I look the size when I was twenty with Ella!” Elias stresses yanking up his shirt and finally showing Casey. “They’re all packed inside me. Stuffed like I'm a bloody puffed pepper! This is why I haven’t been letting you touch me. Or see me. Or…” Elias lets out a shaky sob frowning at Casey seconds before he’s stressfully covering his face.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away. I- I know we don’t want this. I mean, I know I don’t. We’re busy. We’ve got Brighton and Ella. It’s one thing having one more baby entirely unplanned. I think we could handle that but I’ve been thinking of this reduction procedure but I told them I’d talk to you first.”

“What’s that?” Casey quietly asks him.

“I’d be put to sleep for a little while, they’ll go in and remove either two or three of the babies. Two of them are split, sharing everything, identical. So it’s either both of them or neither. Then the other two it’s… You know… We could pick and have the identical twins or go for fraternal or… have just the one or just-…”

“None.” Casey finishes for him.

Elias nods going quiet.

Casey drops the scans, running his hands through his hair stressfully. “Fuck. I feel like if we did the reduction thing it’s like picking between keeping Brighton or Ella.”

“It’s easier to think and call it, its and fetuses than… It’s what I’ve been trying to keep telling myself.” Elias quietly mumbles making his way back on the couch. “But then I look at the scans and I see all the shapes of how human they look and… Abortion scares the fuck outta me. More than giving birth. I mean, what if they fuck up or something? It’s my body in their hands. Unconscious or not. What if I get it done and then we can never have any more kids after I remove… if I choose not to have any of… these?”

Casey groans loudly, dropping his head on the back of the couch. “Fuck.”

“Papa thinks my ability with ancient magic plays a role in it.” He murmurs quietly. “Not using magic at all. Then not using any magic regarding to the ancient magic… He thinks that’s how one of the… the things split. How I’ve been carrying so easily… so fine without problems or interference.”

“Might as well call it a baby, E. Babies… wow…” Casey breathes out to him, turning his head to look at him with gentle eyes. “We’re in a shitty position but do you honestly think you’d go through the reduction thing? With or without my agreement?”

“I would if you wanted me to. You only just started your third year of schooling in September-”

“Yeah, well,” A deep exhale. "Come lay with me for a moment."

Case pushes off all the stuff on the couch and tugs Elias with him to lay on the small three cushion couch. They hardly fit together cuddling on the couch.

With Casey’s back pressed flat into the back of the couch, leaning on his side propped up on his arm and looking down at Elias who laid on his back on the couch.

“Besides the freak out of knowing this is by far what we planned together, I mean,” Casey’s knuckles stroke Elias’ cheek. “I’ve always wanted a child with you. I know we have Brighton and Ella but… I mean, with you. A mix of us. But four babies mean us having six kids. One pregnancy together — other than Ella — this is it. We can’t do more. We’d be outnumbered by a lot and Ella and Brighton are already pushing it.”

It was a warning. They wanted four kids, maybe five if they were pushing it but Elias knew he wanted close ages like his own family. But never did he thought he’d ever have multiples like this. Like his own parents, just because he was adopted.

“If we go through with this,” Elias murmurs leaning into Casey’s touch. “One of us or both, we might as well just get sterilized.”

Casey nods in agreement.

“So? Do we have our answers? I think I do. But I want to hear yours first, because this is your body.”

“Six kids? Are we crazy?” Elias asks him with his cheeks turning warm to the touch. “We’re hardly out of our teens. I’ll be just twenty in November, I’m still nineteen now.”

Casey shrugs a bit. “I’m only hearing that we’ve got the energy to keep up with all of them now. Not later.”

Elias laughs quietly, under his breath. He leans his head up a bit in gesture to make Casey dip down and kiss him softly.

Elias sighs softly into the kiss as Casey licks his lips a bit. He reaches up and threading his fingers into Casey’s brown hair, tugging on it a bit drawing out a bit of a moan from Casey.

“Can I touch you now?” Casey begs and whines to Elias. Talking into his mouth not wanting to pull away, leaning a bit off his side and more onto Elias.

“Maybe,” Elias teases nipping at his bottom lip and tugging on it with a teasing grin, taking Casey’s hand and guiding it to his stomach, placing it on his bump. “Feel this first. I’ve been wanting to show you for days.”

Casey keeps his hand in place, mouth moving onto Elias’ jawline and nipping at his skin for a moment slowly moving to his neck. There was that small bit of a hesitated pause. Casey’s green eyes light up as he meets Elias’ greenish-brown ones. “Is that-?”

“That’s them. They’re moving a lot. It’s pretty cramped inside, so I can feel them more early on. You are, too. By a lot.” Elias explains smirking, taking Casey’s wrist and sliding it down the curve of the bump slowly letting his fingertips dip into his jogger pants and underwear. He was finding himself in one of those rare moods, wanting to get off. “Now you can touch me.”

Casey shoves his hand down the rest of his underwear wasting no time as he crashes his lips against Elias. He runs his fingers through Elias’ folds, easily rubbing his clit and sliding two fingers inside him.

Elias moans against his lip. Biting and forcing his way into Casey’s mouth finally taking what he’s missed for the last month without Casey.

He rocks his hips, rolling himself in time with Casey’s familiar known hand.

Casey pulls back, breaking their kiss. He slips a hand under Elias’ shirt and pushing his shirt up by a lot, groping at his slightly more than normal sensitive breast with his thumb teasing across his nipple and pinching and rolling his nipple around between his fingers making Elias whine quietly and dropping his head back across the arm of the couch to expose his neck more to Casey.

Casey mouths at his neck, nibbling a bit first before licking from the start of his exposed collarbone from where his shirt was sat on his chest messily before sucking and nibbling at Elias’ pulse point, a sensitive spot that has Elias’ eyes glossing over with all the different spots across his body being touched and focused on.

Elias grips at Casey’s sides. His hands push up his shirt pulling him down a bit on top of him and encouraging Casey to grind down on his thigh that he pushes between his leg and fingers start to undo his belt clumsily with a distracted mind, more itching to come than to get Casey out of his pants.

“Best thing about being knocked up now that we’re on the couch and never done it here before?” Elias moans softly into Casey’s ear as Casey buries his face into the crook of his neck. “We don’t need to worry about needing a bloody condom this time-”

“Daddy? Dada?”

Both of them freeze, Casey's hand moves slower than the rest of his body, still giving a few last movements onto Elias' clit.

Elias bites back a muffled gasping moan as he force open his eyes to be nearly face to face with Brighton who stared at him upside down from where his flushed red head hung off the arm of the couch.

His clit pulsed and twitched achingly between Casey’s fingers, he couldn’t control how close he already was and how tempted he was just to tilt his hips a bit more and rut between his thumb and forefinger that was still pinching on his clit pleasantly to jerk him off.

A little more encouragement and he’d be coming across the edge from how close he was, now having to think of every possible thing that turned him off to still off his orgasm from possibly coming in front of his son.

That would be humiliating and far too embarrassing to explain to Brighton on why he lost every single brain cell he had to even talk due to his Daddy's hand down his pants.

Casey breathes heavily in Elias’ neck, not daring to lift his head to Brighton who had wandered out of bed again.

Their son had made it a bad habit, more times throughout the week since getting his own bedroom last June, trying to sleep without anyone in his room and having free reins to get out of bed now that he was potty trained (a mat was under his sheets to protect his mattress in case of an accident) and promoted, no longer in a crib but a toddler bed with Capella.

“What are you doing on top of Dada, Daddy?”

“I’m…” Casey’s hot breath blows on Elias’ neck as he finally lifts his flushed face as Elias cranes his neck to tug Casey out from hiding in his neck. If he had to face Brighton, so was he.

This was probably their first time truly being caught by Brighton. Or Capella. Their first official time being walked in.

This was so going in the jacket. Two jean jackets, in fact.

Brighton’s future one and Elias’ own.

“I’m exercising with Dada on the couch.” Casey manages to try to weakly explain to the three year old.

A quote to put in the jackets as well — courtesy by Casey himself.

Brighton blinks hard at him. Instead of being too focused on either parent, he stumbles more into the living room and bends over and picks up the never-ending strip of ultrasound scans that was trailed onto the floor and under the coffee table.

He tilts his head curiously at it for a moment before walking over to the front of the couch, where Casey and Elias hardly moved and a hand was still well down Elias’ pants and Brighton holds up the scan to Casey.

“You dropped this.” Brighton points it out, holding up the scans in front of Casey’s face that was in matching height to the three year old.

“I-… I know.”

Brighton’s eyes drift over Casey’s hands, seeing them well still in Elias’ pants and under his shirt.

“Why you have you hand in Dada’s pants?”

The boy had his priorities. Pants over shirt.

“Um…”

“You know that’s a no-no place to touch, Daddy.” He wiggles a tiny finger in Casey’s face that has Elias holding back a snort. “That’s not a-app..apro-roree-ate to touch.” Brighton attempts to pronounce appropriate with a big-time struggle as he wiggles a finger in Casey’s face scolding him.

“Brighton, mi chico,” Elias attempts to speak. “When two people are in love with each other. Like me and Daddy are married, sometimes, it’s okay to touch one another in their no-no spots if the other person wants it.”

Brighton squints his eyes suspiciously at Elias. “Like me and Ella?”

“No! No. You don’t touch Ella’s no-no spots and she doesn't touch yours.” Elias shakes his head with Casey trying to sit up but failing with Casey still draped over him. “You and Ella are brother and sister. Me and Daddy aren’t. We’re husbands. We love each other in a very different way that brothers and sisters shouldn’t- get your hand out of my sodding pants and shirt, Cass.” Elias hisses at Casey tugging his hand out himself and shoving him off him.

Elias fusses and fixes at his clothes, yanking down his jumper with his three year old staring bug eyed with his pretty green eyes that matched his Daddy’s looking between Elias and Casey who wiped down his wet fingers on his sleep pants in a very not subtle way.

“Dada?”

“Yes, Brighton?” Elias huffs with a red face. He sits up a bit out of breath from his hurried movements and setting his legs off the couch and onto the floor.

“Are you and Daddy having a baby?”

Elias freezes. Surely the three year old couldn’t tell what the ultrasound scans were, right?

Elias looks at him softly. “What makes you think that?”

Brighton tugs at his jumper, trying to push it up much like when he used to breastfeed off him. Revealing Elias’ bulging bump, he pokes it. “You got a belly-baby-bump.”

Elias spares a glance over to Casey who shrugs, clearly not knowing where the boy learned that from.

Elias swallows thickly, letting Brighton tug up his shirt and place his tiny hands on his stomach curiously. “How- how would you feel if Dada and Daddy gave you and Ella a new baby brother or sister?”

“Hmm… I want a brother this time. I don’t want another Ella.”

That was it. Brighton didn’t give up much of a fuss or argument as he drops Elias’ shirt as well as the scans and crawls up onto the couch plopping himself between Elias and Casey kicking his legs innocently like it wasn’t three hours past his bedtime.

One kid down, one to go.

Sorta?

Did that even count?

Elias could only hope so as he looks over Brighton’s head where he knew either himself or Casey would have to bring him back to bed and gives Casey an amused shrug where Casey snickers a quiet laugh, covering his lap with a thick school book.

Elias supposes they could finish their unfinish business in bed.

Chapter Text

October 31st, 2009

“Don’t you think this is too many cakes?” James questions Elias scratching his head confused as Casey and him set down four white closed cake boxes across the breakfast bar in Potter Manor.

It was one thing trying to go without knowing the gender when he was first pregnant with Capella, but Elias and Casey both agreed with four babies, it was far too many and if they could find out the gender ahead of time, they might as well go for it.

So, for Halloween, Elias and Casey bought four mini cakes that’d reveal the gender of their babies. And not only that, but also announce their pregnancy as Elias was in a baggy pumpkin costume (mostly just a jumper that was a good three sizes too big for him), passable to conceal the pregnancy bump he was growing, now sixteen weeks along.

Capella was running around somewhere in a terrifying bloody JigSaw mask and suit, scaring her Grandda any chance she could take while Brighton was quite literally a prince.

Elias questioned Casey’s costume choices for the kids when he brought them home given usually he'd take any chance he could take to put them all in a family costume, but he said they both wanted to pick out their own. And now, he understood his daughter’s choices by the look on his Dad’s face, nearly pissing himself a few times laughing.

“I don’t think so. Cass, do you think this is too many cakes we ordered in?”

Casey leans over his shoulder, examining the boxes. He presses a kiss to Elias’ orange cheeks. “Nah. I don’t see a problem with ‘em, darling.”

Elias charms the boxes, making sure they won’t open if his Dad tries to be nosy and goes over to his Papa who slaps the sneaky hand off from his little cousin Leo who was trying to steal a piece of candy from the trick of treater bowl set on the dining room table.

“I still think you both are bloody insane for doing this.” He hisses lowly to Elias.

“Insane for having six says by the man who stopped at ten and even went as far as adopting one?”

He’s being glared at. Elias averts his eyes as he pulls out a chair to sit down at with a low groan. “Have you talked to Brighton and Ella?”

“Brighton just wants a brother. Ella doesn’t quite understand. But we’re working on it.”

“And what’s in the boxes?”

“Cakes.”

Aster rolls his eyes.

“I know that. I meant… I mean, no one knows. I haven’t said anything but… again, no one knows. And there’s four cakes, obviously.”

“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Elias-”

“After today, no more keeping this a secret. I mean, everyone’s coming here today, right? Other than who’s already at Hogwarts.”

The cakes where constantly being questioned every time someone new arrived. His older sisters. His older brother. His uncles, cousins, aunts, any relatives.

Elias knew his Dad tried to peek at the cakes when his face was sour and pouting when dinner was served early so the kids could go trick or treating.

After dinner, that’s when the cakes came out.

Casey and Elias started from right to left as the cakes were carefully placed out prior, opening the boxes up and placing them out on the counter.

Each cake was decorated Halloween-ed themed but marked with numbers between one to four.

Number one was black and white, had spiders all over it.

Two, orange and decorated like a pumpkin.

Three, like a haunted house.

Four, kinda offensive to the witches in the house, green skinned and a wart on the nose.

“What are we counting down for?” Teddy questions with Fawn on his hip dressed ironically like a black cat, before he goes off in explicit detail in description to Harry telling him what each cake looked like, the numbers on them and all that.

“Is it a count down if we’re only at four? Shouldn’t it be three?” Azura questions with Atticus on her shoulders and Pansy a bit too overly protective and hovering with her hands around Azura ensuring the boy wouldn’t fall while Elianna was more relaxed and more curious over the cake.

“I think we should be more concerned on asking why there’s four cakes. I know there’s a lot of us but I don’t think we need four of them to feed all of us.” Draco huffs by his mother’s side with Scorpius holding his hand, both might as well be dressed looking like twins in the black and white skeleton costume while Theo was dressed exactly the same as them, all three of them trying to join in on the muggle traditions for their son’s sake.

“Uh… well…” Casey and Elias stood on one side of the breakfast bar, plates ready and a knife in hand to cut the cakes. Casey was dressed in an old Victorian vampire costume without the fake teeth in.

“There’s actually a good reason for the numbers on the cake. And for having four cakes.” Elias picks up the knife just as Capella makes way between his and Casey’s legs. Casey bends over, scooping her up and dangling her upside down making her squeal in laughter as her mask fall down.

Brighton runs over to them, his eyes just hardly peeking over the counter. “Are we having cake now?”

Elias has a suddenly brilliant idea as he sets the knife down and hoists Brighton up on the counter to sit. “Don’t touch the cakes. Wait a minute, Brighton. Tell everyone what you hope Dada and Daddy will give you.”

Elias’ cheeks were pink as Brighton twists himself, leg shifting onto the counter a bit as he looks at everyone innocently with a large smile, he fixes the fake plastic crown on his head. “Dada and Daddy’s going to give me a brother!”

Elias holds up a finger at him. “We don’t know exactly what we’re having yet, remember, Brighton. That’s what the cakes are for.”

“Four cakes for what? Russian roulette to find the gender?” Teddy jokes making the others laugh.

Elias bobs his head a bit with a shrug.

“Or four cakes for, you know… four genders?” Casey wiggles up four fingers as Elias tells them.

“No.” James heaves out staring at him wide-eyed. “No!”

James looks over to Aster, casually leaning on the wall unphased the most out of everyone. “Aster! Are you hearing this!?”

“I’m hearing this.”

James smacks a hand on his chest dramatically. “No!”

“Yes, James. We’re officially out-babied.”

“No!”

“Yes, Mon amour. They’re having four babies.”

“Four!?” James heaves out looking back to Elias, then to Casey. His eyes go to the cakes, each one then back to Elias. “Four!?”

“Crazy, right?”

“How?”

“Magic?” Casey weakly with a shrug tries making Aster laugh loudly, tossing his head back and all. “More like magical sex.”

Elias glares at his Papa. “Casey and I thought it’d be a good idea since everyone decided to go trick or treating together grouping up here, that we’d just do the announcement, and the gender reveal all at once. So… what’s better than cake?”

“Just cut the cake! There better be chocolate!” Remus shouts from somewhere in the back.

Elias rolls his eyes. “Two’s chocolate and two’s vanilla. I made sure to put in that request.”

“Do you guys know the genders?” Azura asks curiously.

“No.” Casey shakes his head with a small smile. “Everything was handed over in a sealed envelope. All we asked was to put each order of the baby’s gender in number on the cake to match up. So, baby A is cake one, baby B is two, and so forth.”

“Anything we should know before cutting into?”

“Um…” Elias looks at the cakes as he picks up the knife again. “B and C are identical. Like when Papa and Dad had Rigile and Aasil, then Nico came along. Everything’s being shared and whatnot. So, that’s how it’s determined. So once we cut into cake two, cake three will probably be the same.”

“I still don’t get it.” James huffs taking a seat at one of the stools at the breakfast bar. “I mean, you’re adopted. How-…?”

“Magic.” Elias merely shrugs. “Literally. I don’t use my wand for so long while being a muggle on tour, it backfires on me. I was on birth control, believe me, this isn’t planned.”

Casey huffs a laugh, uprighting Capella in his arms. She wraps her arms around his neck and presses a wet kiss to his cheek. “Far from planned. But we’re just taking this day by day at this point.”

Elias smiles at him and holds up the knife. “Ready?”

“Go ahead.”

Elias digs the knife into the cake. He didn’t even have to properly cut a full slice before pulling the knife up and there’s blue staining on the blade.

“Looks like Bright’s getting that brother after all.”

Brighton claps his hands. “Yay!”

Elias laughs, cutting a slice and setting it on a plate and passing it to Brighton who happily digs into the blue slice of cake.

“What’s the chance of getting two and two?”

“Fifty-fifty.” Casey answers Elias’ question as the knife hovers over cake number two.

“If this is a girl we’d get a perfectly even split of genders. I wouldn’t argue on that.” Elias murmurs as he digs into the second cake.

Casey huffs a laugh, seeing more blue come out of the second cake.

“Chances of all boys?” Elias ponders looking to Casey. “Now that thought scares me.”

“Having second thoughts now?” Elianna teases him.

“I think so.” Elias chuckles. “Which kid wants this cake?” He offers up passing the next slice to someone random in front of him to be settled out.

He goes ahead and cuts into the third, as expected it was blue and a third slice is passed out.

“Better pray for that girl,” Casey murmurs into his ear, pressing a kiss to the back of his neck where his skin was free from orange as he readies to cut into the final cake. “Or the house is going to be filled with testosterone.”

“Praying for some estrogen in the house then.” Elias jokes turning his head a bit to kiss Casey properly for a second with a soft smile on his lips before finally cutting into the last cake.

Elias takes a deep breath as he pushes in the knife cutting into the witch’s green warty nose. It takes only seconds for him to burst out in excitement seeing the bits of pink, leaving the knife half buried in the cake as he throws himself on Casey laughing loudly and smacking a big kiss on his lips.

Casey grips his hips with one hand, the other still hardly holding onto Capella and tugs Elias as close as possible with his bump pressing between them which left plenty of enough distance between them truly showing everyone what Elias has been hiding in his baggy jumper.

Elias takes the moment for himself and Casey. Happy and elated, a moment of silence with thier foreheads pressing on each other after they longed finished their kissed with their eyes closed.

When he does pull away and faces his family, he honestly wasn’t surprised at the few questions he was getting.

“You’re sixteen weeks along and this big already?” James breathes out as Elias permitted him to touch his stomach along with his Zio Barty, exposed for him to see now that most of nearly everyone’s gone out for trick or treating.

“Sixteen weeks and a few days. I’ve got a whole lot of appointments to go to. More regular than before. I’m technically high risk and been encouraged to not use my magic because it’s been supporting the babies for such a long time without me knowing yet.”

“How did you not know you were pregnant for fourteen whole weeks?” Barty asks amazed with a gentle smile on his lips feeling a kick in the tightly packed womb.

Evan’s eyes watched his partner carefully, soft blue eyes full of adoration and love. He doesn’t regret not having another child himself with Barty, but he’ll always love seeing Barty hold that fondness and adoration when it came to children.

“I was busy. I had more things to worry about than being pregnant.”

“That’s one way to put it.” Aster huffs a laugh making James drop his hands and glare at him.

“And you! You didn’t tell me for weeks!”

“Two weeks.” Aster deadpans. “I didn’t tell you for two weeks. I think you can survive, James.”

“How are you still going to do work?”

“For now I’ve just been writing and playing music at home. Even doing that, Casey doesn’t really like it. I’m suppose to be taking a break, staying out of the spotlight. But to Casey it means I’m off work entirely. I can’t just do that.”

“I agree with Casey.” James determines.

“I have to keep working.” Elias huffs at his Dad. “It’s not like I’m running all over the place now. I’m at home, relaxing with my family, spending time with my oldest kids, growing my youngests. This is probably what I’m going to be doing for a long while. During pregnancy, after I have them, I’ve got to heal afterwards and breastfeeding’s going to-”

“You’re still going to breastfeed!?”

“Yes,” Elias rolls his eyes. “But I’ll probably pump and bottle feed too, as much as it pains me to say. I got two nipples. Not four. I’m not a bloody cow.”

His eyes drift over to his Zio Barty. “I’m going to probably be having a procedure done. Like you had when you had Lottie. I can’t possibly birth four babies all at once. I hardly did good with Ella when I had her.”

“Good?” Aster snorts a laugh. “The midwife said she’s never seen anyone as young as you took charge of their own birth like you did. She complained that everyone mopes and whines about their pain and you were there laughing over the fact that she had hair on her head.”

Elias gasps at his Papa affronted. “Have you not seen that only baby picture of me. I was a hideous baby. I was bald. I’ll be thanking every god and goddess above and below,” He’s sure to point up and down. “When I see these babies come out of me with a head full of hair. Each!” He declares.

“Have you ever seen any baby pictures of Casey?” James asks curiously.

“A few. His mum’s greedy letting him take any home to put up on the walls.” Elias rolls his eyes making way to sit at the dining room table. “I swear all she likes to do is make shit harder on Cass.”

“What she do this time?”

“He actually invited her to come tonight. Here. Told her on the phone how important it was to him for her to be here, I was there hearing him rant to her and all. But do you see her? No. She won’t even watch Ella. Just Brighton, and it’s hard to let Brighton over there when we’re trying to bury the whole thing of Casey not being Ella’s biological dad until she’s older and she can’t learn to keep her trap shut when she’s babysitting Brighton. What if Brighton starts to pick things up and the whole thing is over.”

“Maybe it’ll just be easier to tell Ella that she’s always Casey’s daughter no matter what and he’ll alway love her regardless of blood but start now so that she knows that biologically he isn’t her father but just you are.” Barty offers making Elias groan covering his face with his hands.

“I don’t want to.” Elias muffles into his hands as his Uncle Remus stabs his cake with a fork. “It’s been over three years. Who’s her father anyway?”

Elias lifts his head, glaring sharply at his uncle.

“It’s a Potter secret that I will take to my grave.” He hisses.

“Does Casey know?”

“Yes.” He snips. “Only certain people know and enough people know.”

“Aurora and Nyx knows.”

“Dad!” Elias slams his hands on the table. “Shut up!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Sirius huffs beside Remus. “Why do two thirteen year olds get to know but not us?”

“Cause Papa was careless when he was writing a bloody letter.” Elias growls. “Left it wide open on the library table where Nyx read it then told Aurora.”

Remus and Sirius looks over to Aster. “And who were you writing to that had the answer of Ella’s biological father?”

Aster sighs tiredly and passes the bowl full of candy to James, shoving it into his abdomen. “I’ll be in the family room watching the telly.”

“Good! Keep it that way!” Elias shouts at him as he walks away, grabbing his cane off the back of Remus’ chair.

“I still think Ella’s a McKinnon.” Barty declares sitting down at the head of the table with a wicked grin as he laces his fingers together, eyes glued on Elias. Sirius’ eyes widen as they dart over to Elias. “A McKinnon!? Like Marlene? One of her brother’s kids-?”

“She’s not a McKinnon.” Elias stresses this to his Zio again. “I’ve been over this with Dad before. If she was, I’d probably wouldn’t hide whose her biological father.”

“So the guy’s a crappy and very shitty guy you fucked once. Got it.” Remus nods in understanding making Elias waves at him wildly. “See!? Uncle Remus got it!”

“Elias,” Barty’s eyebrows were raised at him warningly as he says his name. “There’s only so many people you can fuck around here at your age at the time. And we all know you’re a homebody bloke before your name started to uprise into fame the muggle world. So, either it was a McKinnon next door or you found yourself a sugar daddy. Now, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, but we just want a name-”

“Oh my gods!” Elias groans banging his head on his arm on the table. “I never once had a sugar daddy! That’s just gross!”

“It won’t be gross to fuck someone our age when you get to be our age.”

“Well I’m not that old yet!”

Everyone shouted out in offense at Elias as the door is knocked on. Elias snatches up the bowl of candy from James, glaring at every single uncle at the table and heads over to the door yanking open expecting to see a kid at any age of eleven and under.

Instead under the glow of the outside Halloween lights his Dad had hung up around the house was a face he hasn’t seen for a while. A threatening face.

“Oh fuck no.” Elias hisses. “I thought you learned your lesson the last time you darken this door step.”

“Yeah, funny that.” Hands were tucked in his back pockets as he rocks on his feet back and forth a bit staring down at Elias with his dark blue eyes that looked black. “I’ve been hearing your name popping up around lately.”

“Funny that. Guess I didn’t end up in dive bars after all." Elias scoffs. "What the hell do you want?”

Owen shrugs a bit, pulls out his hand from his pocket with a folded up piece of letter. He doesn’t passes it to Elias, but he keeps it tight in his hand.

“I found this in my Mum’s things. Looks like our parents been talking to each other.”

“And?”

Owen cocks his head to the side a bit. “I want to meet my daughter, Elias.”

Elias shakes his head a bit. His heart picked up a beat but he refused to crack. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I think you know.”

“No, I don’t. I’ve got a son. I’ve got a daughter. Both of them have the same father, different maternal figures, however but they live with me and him.” He lies through his teeth glaring at Owen.

“Cut the crap.” Owen huffs, not shouting. Not raising his voice. He was quiet. “I just drove eight hours after working an overnight shift, I’m fucking tired and I want to see her. Not- not the pictures in Mum’s drawer. I want to see her.”

“Elias? Who’s at the door?” James doesn’t bother waiting for him to answer, popping up behind him with a firm and protective hand on the back of his neck.

Elias doesn’t miss how his Dad’s voice raises in a stern yet alerting tone.

“Owen, what are you doing here?”

“I want to see her. I’m not going until I see her.”

The grip on his neck tightens a bit firmly. “See who? Ellie and Azura went out trick or treating. They won’t be back until a bit later.”

“I’ll wait in my car if I have to. I’ll wait all night and day if I’ve got to.” He threatens them both quietly.

Elias swallows thickly, subtly moving a hand over his bump.

“I can’t bring out who you want to see if you can’t give me a name, Owen.”

“I- I-…” Owen pulls open the letter. It looked old. Aged well by a year or two. Elias wondered how old exactly was the letter. “Capella Elanor Potter. That’s her name. That’s what it says in this letter. I want to see her.”

James frowns. “I’m sorry to tell you this but no one here goes by that name.”

“Bullshit!” The letter crumbles in his hand. James shrugs. “I’m telling you the truth. You could give me a truth potion, and still, no one I’d say I know no one today goes by that name.”

Elias glances over to James. Techinally, it was true. He and Casey changed both of the kids names into a hyphen. Merging their last names to make them all as a whole family. Capella was no longer just a Potter.

Subtly, Aster pokes up from James other side from Elias. A phone is being passed over to Owen.

“Your mum’s not pleased to hear you’ve gone through her things and went through her private mail. Get your arse in here. You’re going home tomorrow morning.”

“But Aster-”

Aster shoos James and Elias to the side, a slight nudge and tugs Owen inside, dragging him to the family room. James closes the door softly, both of them stare at Aster and Owen until they both disappear into the family room, around the corner.

“I think it’s best if I send off a patronus to Azura and have her send Casey here with the kids so you guys can get straight in the car and get out of here without him seeing her.”

Elias nods silently, his heart not stopped racing. “Please do. And please, figure out what Papa’s got planned up his sleeves and let me know.”

Elias grabbed the car keys off the hook by the front door and left the house, not looking back to say goodbye to his uncles. Not looking back to even see the looks on their face.

He got his family in the car and drove them as far away as he could get them. All he wanted was for them to be safe. For his daughter to be safe.

Chapter Text

November 1st, 2009

The one day Elias didn’t want Casey to leave, he had to due to one of his classes having a test.

He hoarded Capella and Brighton inside the house. Trying to keep them busy as much as himself and keeping an eye close on Capella in particular, the floo, the front door, and probably the worse part of his anxiety being on edge and not hearing from either father yet was the fact that he had his wand on him.

Ready to be used if he had to defend his family.

Naptime was on the couch.

A Disney film was on the telly, Up, Brighton was nearly asleep under the same large blanket as Elias and Capella where Elias had Capella half draped on him, already napping away and her head laying on his lap on top of a small pillow falling asleep before the first part of the film was done that had Elias frowning sadly watching Ellie and Carl live out their lives.

Elias gently brushes a bit of her short mousey brown hair out of her face. Just feeling the softness of her hair, the straightness and gently picking out any of the knots his fingers hit despite brushing her hair after breakfast.

His head picks up alarmed when he hears a knock on the door. He and Casey never put up any wizarding wards or charms on the house, not after being warned from how hard it was taking down so much magic off the house when they first got it from his Auncle Sirius.

Elias’ heart starts to pound at the second knock. Carefully he gets up, adjusting Capella to remain asleep on the couch and Brighton remains unbothered, staying on the couch as he picks up his wand and leaves the living room moving into the hall where the front door was at the end.

Elias sucks in a shaky breath, wand armed and he has a arm wrapped around his stomach protectively as he creeps past the kitchen where the fridge held many alphabet magnets on the door, along with the ultrasound scan cut carefully to fit and drape from the top of the fridge to the bottom with a few random other family pictures that just made the kitchen feel like home.

Moments like this, Elias wished that the front door had some sort of window. A peek hole or something other than the chain and lock on the knob as he swallows thickly and slowly unlocks the knob’s lock as the third knock lightly rapidly hits the door.

It certainly wasn’t Casey forgetting his keys.

Elias yanks open the door, just the tiniest crack and pokes the tip of his wand out just below his eye level before he could even process who was at the door.

“Put the wand down. You could take an eye out aiming it like that.” He’s hissed at with a roll of baby blue eyes as his wand lowers. “Opal?”

“Who else?” She huffs with a smirk on her lips and cocking up an eyebrow. “Are you going to make a lady wait out here all day in the cold and rain or are you going to be a proper gentleman and let me in?”

“Oh, um-… Yeah. Give me a second.” Elias closes the door and unlocks the chain, yanking open the door and greeting Opal properly. “Just wipe your shoes off on the mat and leave them on the shoe rack, please. Cass doesn’t like mud in the house. Takes us forever to clean up if the kids get it in.”

“Kids?” Opal hums as she kicks off her tall heels, not normal shoes with tiny wedges that he usually once seen her in.

“Napping right now. They’re in the living room with a film running. Try to be quiet. Sorry for all the rules and stuff, usually it’s noisy but Brighton’s hard to put down and he’s just about-”

“It’s fine. As long as there’s somewhere I can sit, perhaps?” Opal runs a hand over her bump for show with hope in her eyes.

Elias nods, quickly locking up all the front door including the chain which he doesn’t usually lock when Casey’s out and waves at her to follow him into the kitchen where there’s a small table seated for four that she could sit in.

Opal takes her time following him. Looking at all the picture frames nailed to the wall and passing the sealed up and covered once-upon-a-time cupboard under the stairs that was long hidden and gone.

“You have a lovely family. Young but…”

“I had Ella when I was fairly young so… yeah.” He quietly hums to her. “Can I get you anything? I think we have tea, apple and… no, out of tea," Elias shakes the empty box of tea. He rolls his eyes at Casey and tosses the box in the bin. "Just apple juice. Or water?”

“Water. With ice, if you can. I’ve been told I need to avoid the sugar.”

Elias hums in understanding as he opens the freezer than using the ice dispenser and quietly collects a few pieces of ice out to put into the cup he picked off from the drying rack and fills it up with water before passing it to Opal.

“How’d you get my address?” Elias asks her sitting down at the table across from her.

“Ministry. You’d be surprise what a few galleons can do when you ask for something as simple as an address. Why did you answer the door with your wand drawn?”

Elias shakes his head tiredly. “Long story.”

“I have time.”

He stares at her long and hard. “Long story.” He decidedly to repeats more firmly.

“Alright then.” She takes a sip of her water. “You didn’t reply my letter.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“I see.” A quiet pause between them. “If you don’t want me in here, just say it. I’ll understand. I can leave.”

Elias sighs deeply. “It’s not that I don’t want you here. It’s just… You have a bad timing.”

“Feels like it. The office?” He nods. “The letter?” Again, another nod. “Now?”

“Very bad timing. I… I’m waiting on my Dad or Papa to floo here. Maybe. Hopefully.”

“Which I’m assuming is part of the reason you answered the door with your wand?”

Elias sighs, rubbing his face with hand stressfully. “After-… after breaking up with you. I had this… very quick fling? I don’t know. The guy is a child of some family friends from my dads but he’s just horrible. He has a nasty temper and…”

“I’m guessing he’s the father of… this Ella?”

“Yeah. But then when I was pregnant, I met… I met my husband as of now. He… he’s on her birth certificate. He’s done everything for her. He’s amazing. That’s all I can say about him if I had to pick a word to describe him. But I never told that guy about Ella and he just found out last night. Showed up on my Dad and Papa’s doorstep when the kids were out trick or treating-” Opal tilts her head confused at him. He waves his hand dismissing her.

“A childish muggle tradition. They dress up in costumes and go door-to-door to get candy — anyway, my Papa’s been writing to the guy’s mum. She knows about Ella and… I’m guessing he found some letters and pictures, put the pieces together and… he has a really bad temper. Argues all the time. Fought with me. He gets a rise out of picking fights with me. I just… didn’t want to raise my daughter in that sort of environment. So I didn’t tell him. Not many people know who is her biological father, and those who knows that my husband isn’t her father merely just… don’t know who the biological father is. So it’s either she has no father other than me, or it’s me and Casey. But I’m so terrified that’s about to change.”

“I get it.” Opal quietly tells him. “He’s abusive. Maybe not physically where marks are on you but… in the mind.” She taps her temple. “And that’s enough. You’re just doing what’s best for your family.”

Elias smiles softly to her. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Just… for seeing me.”

Opal shrugs. “Anyone who doesn’t see that clearly doesn’t deserve your protection. I can tell you’re tired.”

Elias lets out a self deprecating laugh at himself. “I haven’t slept all night. I’m so fucking stressed that he’ll find me.”

“Does he know where you live?”

“No. He only knows Papa and Dad’s address.”

“Then as long as they don’t rat you out, then I think you’re safe.”

Opal’s eyes drift over to the fridge. “That’s a long scan you have.”

“Oh, those?” Elias looks over to the scans himself. “It’s one scan itself. Fourteen weeks at the time. I’m getting another scan soon. I’m sixteen weeks and so days along now. My magic’s been all wonky right now.”

Opal looks back at him. “Right. I forgot. That… ancient magic thing. How’s that going?”

Elias scoffs, shaking his head. “I’ve been trying to live like a muggle with my job. Ended up giving myself quads instead.”

“Quads…?”

“Quadruplets. Four babies.”

Opal chokes out a gasp. “Four? I thought you were- wait how far along are you again?”

“Sixteen weeks.”

“Sixteen? I thought you were like… thirty-past.”

“I wish.” Elias huffs a quiet laugh as he hears tiny feet pattering through the hall, making way into the kitchen.

Capella comes in rubbing her eyes with her brown hair a mess on her head and dragging the pillow she was sleeping on. Quietly she lets out a tiny whine and stumbles over to Elias with open arms. Elias picks her up and heaves her onto the table rather than his lap and lets her lean on his chest with her head tucking into the crook of his neck.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” He asks rubbing her small back as she lets out another tiny whine.

“Bright stole the blankie.”

Elias coos softly at her complaint, sending over an apologetic smile to Opal at the interruption. “You want Dada to put you to bed?”

She lets out a sniffle, nodding into his neck making him sigh. He gets up and carefully picks her up. She wastes no time curling up in his arms. Elias takes his time slowly moving up the flight of stairs and into the room on the second floor by the guest room that once was the nursery of the house.

He tucks away his daughter in the small toddler bed that she started sleeping in after transitioning out of her crib over the summer. A kiss to the forehead, the blankets up and over her shoulders and he whispers, “Fais de beaux rêves. Papa t’aime.”

Elias didn’t speak as much French as his Papa did around him growing up for his kids to truly know to speak the language as they knew and understood Spanish, but he was trying to get some French phrases in, as well as they did understand Spanish

Elias joins Opal back in the kitchen.

“She’s cute.” Opal comments lightly as he sits down

“Yeah, well, I made her.”

A puff of shocking laugh comes out of her. “What about the boy then?”

“Didn’t make him but he’s just as cute.” Elias determines. “And also my son just as much as Ella is.”

A curt nod. His words were respected, not to be fought with.

“How old are they?”

“Brighton, he’s three. Just eleven months older than Ella who’s two.”

“You had her during Hogwarts?”

“I got pregnant over the summer.” Elias quietly answers leaning back in the chair. “I couldn’t go back for my sixth year, so I finished my sixth year at home in Potter manor, was introduced to Casey through Papa and Dad by the weirdest of ways. Then in an impulsive decision that I won’t ever regret, we got hitched after one… I don’t know if I can even call it a fight. But we got this place. A family house from the Blacks. And we made this house into our home.”

“All I can say is that you’ve done a lovely job. Home and child. I can tell you’re an amazing dad.”

Elias gets distracted with Opal. Talking and catching up.

When both of the kids wake up, somehow he gets lured into baking walnut brownies that didn’t get burned with her.

“Where did you learn to bake?” Elias groans in delight putting a piece of the warm brownie that was on his napkin in his mouth tasting the deliciousness.

“When you’re married off, you’re expected to do a lot of things as a witch. Baking, cooking, is one of them.”

Elias raises his eyebrows at her as he broke up Capella’s browning into smaller pieces for her to eat as the kids sat on chairs between himself and Opal. “No house elf?”

“I mean, we have those. But I found the joys in cooking. Time consuming and it got me away from Logan.”

Elias nods, chewing and swallowing. “Well… the brownie is good and the kitchen’s still intact. So I’d say you’re doing far better than me at cooking and baking already.”

“Yeah.” Brighton finds the need to chime in. “The- the other day. Dada made a fire in the kitchen. It woke me up!”

“I did not!” Elias gasps at him in a joking manner. “Don’t lie, Brighton!”

“There was alotta smoke.” Capella gestures wildly with her chocolate covered hands going over her head as she over-exaggerates with her brother, crumbs drop into her hair that Elias debates on giving her a bath later in the evening. “He put the bacon on fire! Fire was everywhere!”

Elias shakes his head, tutting lowly in disapproval at his children as Opal sneaks an amused glance his way.

“I always heard that your Dada was a bad chef in the kitchen from him, himself but fire? Everywhere? Oh, my, my. That’s just awful to hear. Next time I might just not let him help me.”

“Opal,” Elias whines lowly at her. “You’re suppose to defend my honor.”

“I’ve tried those muffins you tried baking in the kitchens, Elias. Might as well kill my tastebuds then and there.” She teases him with a smile making him roll his eyes, picking at his brownie and taking another small piece to eat.

It was little moments like these, when Opal was relaxed and being herself that Elias liked out of her when they were together.

She was always high strung and poised with others, in classes from what he heard from other students and her other friends when he tried hanging around them for her sake but watching how she softened with his kids made him know that her own child was in good hands, regardless of being a single mother or not.

Elias’ body tenses up when he hears the front door opens. Or tries to open as the chain rattles and strains itself as he’s suddenly grabbing his wand off the table and sending a shifty overgrown tired eyes as he scoots out his chair.

“Watch them, for a second. I’m just going to… the door.” He mutters a bit frazzled as he pokes his head into the hall first from the archway between kitchen and hall before his body follows and approaches the door. There was a hand feeling around the chain as Elias draws his wand up on a shaky hand, the first stunning spell is brewing in his mind as he feels his magic cackling and spreading to his finger tips as the hand pops out of the house for a second and a voice speaks up.

“Elias-!? Did you put the chain up!? I forgot my phone when I left! Are you there!?”

Elias exhales in relief as he drops his wand and approaches the door. “I’m here. Just- Back up.” Elias mutters loud enough to push the door close and unhooks the chain for Casey and opens the door, greeting him with a soft smile letting him in. “I’m sorry. I just… you know.”

“Yeah.” Casey drops his school bag on the steps and pulls him into a hug, rubbing his lower back trying to soothe out his tension. “I’m sorry I had to leave. Any other day and I would’ve ditched my classes to stay.”

“I know, you shouldn’t have to though. I’m fine. Holding down the fort here okay.”

Casey pulls back a bit, studying his eyes. “You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m okay, Cass.”

Casey nods, pecking his lips before another peck on his forehead. “Where’s the kids?”

“Kitchen table. We baked-”

“Oh, no.”

“The kitchen is perfectly fine,” Elias scoffs at him rolling his eyes. “We had an… unexpected visitor. An old friend of mine, I could say.”

“Really?” Casey picks up his bag and hangs it on the hook making his way into the hall to the kitchen. “Who? Have I met them?”

“Uh, no, actually, you see, Cass-” Elias chases after him as Casey pokes his head into the kitchen with Elias following. He greets both kids with a ruffle of their hair and a kiss on the crown of their heads before properly meeting Opal’s eyes.

“Hello. I’m Casey. You can call me Cass.”

“Hi. I’m Opal Flint.” Opal flashes him a smile, holding out her hand with her fingers curved showing off her perfectly manicured nails. Casey studies her hand for a moment before politely taking it and bowing his head a bit, though not kissing the back of her hand.

“Um… I want to ask but I shouldn’t because it’s a bit… Elias?”

Elias rubs his neck sending Casey a thin smile. “Opal’s a witch.”

Casey snaps his fingers pointing at Elias, then over to Opal. “Thank you. I knew something seemed up. Not- not that you seemed weird or off or… I’m going to shut up now.”

Opal softly giggles at him, tucking her dark brown hair behind her ear. “You picked out a charmer, Elias.”

Elias blushes as he shrugs unbashfully at his ex. “We made brownies, Cass. If you’re up for any.”

“Are they burned?” Casey questions looking into the pan that was on the stove curiously.

“They’re chocolate.” Brighton corrects his Daddy.

“And nutty.”

Opal laughs at the kids as Casey determines that the brownies are indeed edible, picking out a piece for himself with his fingers than using the spatula making Opal very obviously question his actions with her eyes.

“So,” Casey speaks as he swallows. “Where’d you two meet? Hogwarts? Why haven’t I’ve heard of you before?”

“Um… I mean…” Elias takes a seat at the table again. “You have heard of Opal before. Just… not by her name.”

Casey chews on his second bite slowly with a small hum. He licks his lips. “Go on…”

“So, uh, funny story, actually.” Elias grimaces at his word choice. “Opal and I are… exes?”

“You are or you’re not?” Casey questions. “Cause you sound really unsure right around there, E.”

“We are. I dumped him years back.” Opal straightforwardly informs him with a thin smile. Casey blinks at her, Elias looks down at his bump.

“And… how did this… why are you here again?”

“I just moved back from France. I don’t know anyone in the area. And I’m very pregnant, if you can’t tell. So, I actually bumped into Elias, at the witches’ office.”

“The pecking owl on our window, Cass. The letter? That was Opal.” Elias sighs setting his elbow on the table, ignoring how it bothered Opal.

“But you haven’t read it yet. It’s still on the mantel-”

“I know. Which is why she showed up today.”

“You… gave her our address?”

“No.” Elias pursed his lips. “But being a pureblood with money and a certain high power in the ministry,” Elias gestures over to Opal who sat across the table. “It does have it’s advantages. On occasion. Even if she's in hiding from a few people. Techinally.”

“And you just… let her in.” Casey quietly hums with a blank face setting his brownie down on the counter, no plate or napkin used. “Excuse me for a second.”

Casey leaves through the door through the dining room with the saloon door flopping back and forth slowly, probably taking the long route to get into the hall and go upstairs.

“Should I leave?” Opal questions Elias quietly as both Brighton and Capella stared quietly between Opal and Elias, munching on their snack still.

Elias nods getting up once more. “Can you let yourself out? I’m sorry about this.”

“It’s fine. Do you mind if I use the floo?”

“Umm… Powder’s in a jar on top of the fireplace, straight end of the hall in the living room.” Elias instructs her beofre focusing on the kids. “Bright, Ella, when you’re done eating go play in the play room upstairs. Dada will be with you soon. I need to talk to Daddy right now.”

“A grown up talk?”

“Yes.” Elias nods ruffling his daughter’s head and going through the hall to see Casey’s bag off the hook. He heads upstairs, one step at a time and finds Casey at his desk pulling out his school work.

“I’m sorry for inviting Opal in the house.” Elias apologizes to him upon entry, leaving their bedroom door open. “I didn’t think it’d bother you this much.”

“She’s your ex-girlfriend, Elias. Of course it’s going to bother me.”

“Exactly. Which is why I sent her home as soon as you left the kitchen.” Elias sits on the edge of the bed closest to Casey. “If I knew it’d bother you this much I would’ve turned her around. We didn’t do anything but talk, catch up some while the kids napped on the couch, bake brownies with the kids, then you got home.”

Casey rolls his desk chair back, turning and looking at Elias with slit eyes. “That’s all?”

Elias holds up his pinky with a weak smile. “I promise. If anything, she helped me relax some today. I was very stressed out with Owen until she showed up.”

Casey sighs, eyes on his pinky. A few seconds pass before he leans forward and laces his own pinky with his own. “It’s not that I don’t trust you," There was a hesitated pause. "It’s the fact that I don’t know her. She could've tried something on you.”

“I get it.” Elias honestly tells him. “I’d probably feel the same way if you were around an ex… I think. Maybe. Or someone as mere as a past hook-up.”

Casey pulls back his finger. “I don’t like the fact that she was around the kids.”

Elias shakes his head. “She’s-… she’s not a mean or awful person, Cass. I wouldn’t have let her around them if she was. I was using my good judgement.”

“Would you?”

Elias narrows his eyes, scowling. “What’s that suppose to mean?”

A tiny shrug. “I don’t know. Just… shit’s stirring the pot now with Owen showing up yesterday. Have you heard from your parents today?”

“No. Not yet.” Elias frowns. “I hope he’s not causing them too much trouble.”

“It might be best for you to head over there. Check things out.” Casey lightly tells him. “Get him out of everyone’s hair.”

“I can’t. I won’t.” Elias refuses running a stressed out hand through his wavy blonde hair than went down to his shoulders. “Not- It’s different. I haven’t seen him in so long and… I’m not about to risk it with Ella. He’ll drop it. Eventually. He has to, cause we’re not throwing the bone that he's begging for.”

“I hope you’re right about this.” Casey mutters under his breath before turning back to his school work quietly.

Chapter Text

November 5th, 2009

Elias knew this was coming as he sits down in one of the meeting rooms with a few of Simon’s businessmen and women that were more than certainly possible lawyers as well as his boss Simon Cowell himself.

Simon lifts his hands from where his wrists remain rested on the table, silently asking him ‘what the hell is going on?’ before dropping the hands back on the table where his fingers flopped back on the flat surface noiselessly with a very clean and obvious facial expression showing his annoyance with Elias.

Elias sighs deeply, scratching a small spot on his forehead a bit too anxiously. “I’ve seen my doctor as I promised. About a month ago to get answers and all that.”

“And? You were suppose to give me answers weeks ago. Where the bloody hell have you been?”

“I know, I know. I got distracted. Busy. A lot of-”

“That’s not an excused and you know it, Elias.”

Elias sighs dropping his head.

“Okay, so yes. I’m pregnant. That's been confirmed.” Simon nods with a poker face. “Um… I can’t use binders. It’s not safe. So I need a wardrobe change for that.”

“Uh-huh… and how long are we looking at?” Simon asks the big time question leaning back in his seat. “Cause last time you were breastfeeding up till your youngest was two years and that was months ago. You can do local concerts, you can fly out on one-day concerts, but we can’t do tours unless…?”

“I still have plans on breastfeeding. I’m not changing that up. But I’ll be pumping more than actively feeding straight from my body.” Elias sighs shaking his head. “However that’s the least of your concerns of right now. As well as mine.”

Simon leans forward, lacing his fingers together and staring into Elias soul. “And what would be the top of my concern then now that you cannot be performing as much as we planned on? You know I was planning on a Christmas tour for you in December and now I have to cancel that.”

“Well… I’m sixteen weeks along and,” Elias lets out a hum debating if he should say that he used a low dosage of fertility treatments — an idea that Casey brought up to him to think about given that conceiving four babies at once naturally was just… nearly unheard of.

“I’m pregnant and it’s not just… a single baby.” Elias decides to avoid Casey’s idea.

“Alright, so it’s twins.” Simon shrugs as if it wasn’t a big deal. “We’ll have to break the news to the fans. I know you don’t want your kids names or faces released to the public but how would you feel about getting some maternity pictures done?”

Elias blinks once at his boss with a blank face. “It’s not twins.”

A sharp inhale. “Triplets, then.”

“Quadruplets.” Elias' voice was quiet as he looks at the table's wooden surface.

“Was this planned?” Simon asks him carefully. “Fertility drugs? Any sort of medication?”

“No. All naturally. Trust me, it’s the last thing I want to.”

Simon pinches the bridge of his nose. “You have an pod-cast interview this afternoon to talk about how your tour went, Elias.”

“I know, that’s why I’m here. Hair, makeup, wardrobe then I take a car to the place. Happy birthday to me.” Elias sarcastically tells him with a fake smile. “Do I get a cupcake when I get my hair and make-up done or do I need to watch my figure again?”

“Drop the attitude.”

His smile drops. “How did you want to announce the pregnancy? You say pictures but I’m already showing. If I go to this interview, chances are suspiciousness will be high unless I’m in baggy enough clothes. Baggier clothes than usual.”

Simon rubs his face stressfully for a good minute before nodding and waving over his secretary. “Cancel Elias Lambert-Potter’s pod-cast interview for this afternoon and book him a photoshoot as soon as possible.”

“Should I put down what kind?”

Simon’s eyes drift over to him. “Maternity. Note down that two male adults will be included, and young children. Two, of ‘em. Boy and girl.”

“Okay, sir.”

Elias glares at him.

“I’m not showing my kids-”

“I know, I know.” Simon waves him off. “I just thought you’d want some family pictures done at the same time.”

Elias’ glare softens. “What’s the catch?”

“None. Bad timing but you should still use this time to be happy for your growing family. I’m not trying to be the bad guy here, Elias. But I do want you to start working on your next album in the meantime and maybe a single or two given you won’t be doing concerts soon, four babies mean a lot of rest, right? Too stressed out, you'll end up being on bedrest. And you can't be here if you're on bedrest.”

Elias nods. “Then that’s something we got to avoid. Go home, enjoy the time you have with your family. I know you've worked hard over the tour to make it home on time. I’ll have someone call when you as soon as we have the shoot ready and show up with your kids and husband.”

Elias hums quiet. “Can you make the shoot after three?”

“Why?”

“College. Casey, he- he’s still in classes. Usually his last class is after three. I don’t need him missing any more than he has to unless you schedule a weekend shoot.”

Simon nods. “Alright. Fine. I’ll make the adjustments because I do support in higher education.”

“Thank you.” Elias lowly speaks, close to a whisper. Elias picks at his fingers for a moment before he’s suddenly looking up at his boss a bit alarmed. “Wait- a maternity shoot? How is that going to work!? I’m a guy! I've never seen a transman maternity shoot before!”

"First time for everything, Elias."

Elias was on his working stressfully between having both his kids around and Casey at the shoot.

Casey’s never attended a professional photo shoot before for himself or for a family photo, let alone one with Elias. Then the workers trying to dress his kids up for the family shoots to be taken after the single shoots that would be used for covers and publicly.

Elias couldn’t be mad at however his photos were coming out.

They put him in a tux.

Well, the bottom of the tux that hardly fitted around his waist and the top suit of the tux that wasn’t buttoned up but entirely opened and an untied yellow tie that draped down his neck clashing with the white and black of the suit and his charmed necklace he refuses to take off. The white top covered just enough of his breasts as his bump stuck out with the heavy amount of stretch marks starting from his hips and zip-zagging their way up and he’s holding the black jacket of the outfit with his ring and middle finger behind his back as he posed looking past the camera.

Elias had a smokey-eye makeup done, a heavy mix of yellow, grey, white, and black. His usual glitter bit on his eyes and cheeks, trying to keep at least some of his signature stuff as addition of the the highlights on his cheekbones shone in the hot light around him as the heavy duty fans blew around him, giving him a wind sweep hair style as he runs a hand across his bump as the photographer snaps as many pictures as he can get as Elias moves into different poses he was instructed into before starting.

Elias doesn’t miss the narrowness of Casey’s eyes, glaring at his bare chest with his arms folded on his chest.

And this is why Elias never brings Casey to any wardrobe fittings or photoshoots. There’s a lot of changing happening. A lot of people going around him that could care less about his half naked body as he changed hurriedly into his next outfit.

Elias had to learn a lot in a fast period of time when he picked up this lifestyle.

When Elias was nearly finished, his kids were released like beasts in the wind.

His daughter was in a flowy pale yellow dress that she was spinning around in, making the skirt part float as she stumbles with her dizziness with light giggles. Her short, straight brown hair had a flower chain of tiny fake dandelions as a headband on top. And from what Elias could tell, she had no make up on, per both parents request that extended to Brighton as well.

Brighton was some neat jeans, a pale yellow shit to match Elias’ favorite color that he picked out for the shoot given that there was no certain gender of pink or blue to follow.

“Wait, can we have the kids over here for a quick minute? I have an idea.” The photographer waves over in request.

Elias stops for a moment, the fans stop and he’s left in the heat of the bright lights.

“Ella, Bright, come over here with Dada for a minute.” Elias waves them over that he was charged into, fumbling a step backwards as he caught both giggling kids.

“I was thinking, everyone knows you already got two kids-”

“I’m not showing their faces in any of the publishing photos. Them or my husband's.” Elias snaps at the man with a protective hand around Brighton’s upper back as Capella wraps around his leg.

“I know that.” The photographer walks up to them onto the white covering of the background drop that they stood on, camera dangling around his neck. First he takes the black jacket Elias was holding and carelessly tosses it away onto the floor where it was collected by a random worker, hung back on a hanger and set away if it'd be needed again for later.

“This is what I was thinking. People know you have kids already. Their faces don’t have to be in the photo, but what about their hands?” He takes Brighton’s hands first, who’s quiet and studious as he gently guides and instructs Brighton to lay his one hand on Elias’ stomach by his navel where his healed piercing scar was that he took out about a year ago. He takes Capella’s smaller hand, placing it beside Brighton and she giggles as Elias’ stomach rolls with a movement from the inside.

“A heart, Dada!” Capella excitedly points out to her hand and Brighton. “Bright and I are making a heart on your belly!”

“Now, you, Casey, get over here,” The photographer wiggles a finger having him come over. “Behind your husband. Your hands on the children’s arms, copy theirs, outline their own hands but don’t cover them.”

Casey’s arms were wrapped around Elias’ upper arms with his chin on Elias’ shoulder. Coming around his bump and doing as told.

“Perfect! Hold still you two! Freeze up, smile big and wide! I want to see those pearly teeth! Lets see who can keep their eyes open the longest without blinking.”

Elias huffs a single laugh before biting his tongue, his stomach bouncing and moving everyone’s hand once before the photos start up again. He tries his best to stay still as the photos are taken quickly.

The photos start zoomed in on his bump with all the hands on him before the photographer takes a step back and gets a full shot of all of them together.

Capella lasts just about thirty seconds after the fans start up again before she starts giggling with the way her dress started blowing in the wind. Her giggles somehow being contagious though her tight smile trying to stay still, Brighton starts up not soon and everyone starts cracking.

The next position Elias was off his feet and sat on a stool (thank god for that). He hardly was able to keep a wiggly Capella in his lap as Casey held Brighton on his side, growing too big to be held.

Elias knew the kids probably had one or two more positions in them as his daughter started to become fussy midst the second photoshoot.

“How about I get one picture of just Elias with the kids, then we can do a funny picture?” The photographer attempts to encourage the kids to keep their moods up.

“A funny picture?” Brighton asks suspiciously as he’s set down, the same with Capella.

“Yeah. But we can only do it if you and your sister’s on your best behavior with your Dada. One more picture,” The photographer holds up a single finger. “Then a funny picture.”

Elias was lightly pulled back onto his feet. Capella was placed in front of him.

Instructed to be as dramatic as possible with her arms out stretched on his bump and chin looking up at him with a smile and her light brown eyes looking very bright and slightly mischievous in the lights as Elias feels Brighton lean on his back, his hands slightly reaching behind himself and holding onto his son’s hands.

Elias can’t help himself as the pictures start, scrunching his face a bit and sticking his tongue out at Capella who giggles and smiles brightly at him and wiggles around on her bare feet, but keeps her hands spread out on his bump doing her best to keep listening and doing as told.

“Dada! You’re being silly.” She scolds at him through her giggles, bottom jaw still on his bump. She makes a face as his stomach grooves around, lifting her head and glaring at his bump.

“The babies aren’t listening. They’re not being still.” Capella complains.

“I know.” Elias tuts at his belly, hands still holding onto Brighton’s. “They’re being naughty babies, aren’t they?”

“Very.” She nods in agreement before tilting her head a bit and pressing a kiss to his bump that has him smiling softly, releasing a hand of Brighton’s and placing a soft touch onto Capella’s hair as she rubs the spot she kissed.

“Thank you for your kisses.”

“My kisses not for you. For the babies.” She huffs at him making him smile regardless. “Ah, well then, I’m saying thank you for them.”

That puts a bright innocent smile on her face as she beams up to Elias.

For the moment being, Elias knew everything he was doing up to that day for both Brighton and Capella was all right.

“Te quiero mucho, Capella.” Elias whispers in a soft Spanish to her. She scrunches her nose up at him. “My name’s Ella… And what about Bright?”

“What about me, too?” Brighton calls from behind him. Elias tugs on his one hand, pulling him over to stand beside Capella.

“Los amo mucho a ambos. Mis estrellas brillantes.”

That makes them both frown at him at the rare nickname he uses. However Elias pays no mind as he crouches down despite his struggles and pulling them both into tight hugs at the same time.

“Ambos son mis bebés.” Elias mutters knowing it’d piss them both off as he kisses their head.

“No!” Brighton gasps offended at him struggling to pull away from him where Elias snickers, holding them both tightly. “I’m not a baby!”

“I’m not baby either! Those are babies in your belly that you ate!”

That has Elias pulling back some, eyeing Capella. “How did Dada eat four babies?”

“Um… you ate itty bitty seeds.” Capella pinches her fingers as she squints her eyes. “That came from- from Daddy! You swallowed ‘em! And now you got babies in you!”

“Uh-huh… and who told you that?”

“Umm…. Brighton!”

Brighton’s jaw drops in Capella’s accusal on him. “I did not!”

Elias glances over to Casey, who was watching their loud conversation on the background drop. He was smiling, holding back his laughter.

“And where do you think babies come from Brighton?”

Brighton scrunches his nose. “Leo said they come from your pee-pee hole. But I don’t believe him. C-cause babies are this big,” Brighton makes an overexaggerating size with his hands of how tall a baby could be. if a baby was born that big Elias wouldn't dare to dream of ever having a biological child of his own. He'd probably even avoid sex as much as possible, too. “And you can’t pee out a baby when it’s that big!” Then he falls quiet, dropping his hands and tilts his head at Elias. “...Can you?”

Elias shrugs with a bit of a grimace. He supposes he’ll have to have some sort of talk soon with the kids over where babies came from.

But first he knows he’ll have to go over it with Casey, making sure they’re on the same page.

What to say and what to avoid when certain questions arise as the kids get older and more curious.

“Um, how about we talk more about this when we get home? With Daddy.”

There was a momental pause before he’s nodded at and Brighton suddenly remembers the funny picture, announcing it with his loud signature Brighton screech.

The funny picture was to copy Elias, basically.

Casey joins in, unbuttoning his own suit top to reveal his belly.

Elias was grateful that Capella was given shorts under her dress as she giggles watching Brighton tug up his yellow shirt and rubs at his belly, sticking it out profoundly before copying it herself and tugging up her own yellow dress.

Casey was laughing softly, his own hands on his own stomach as Elias finishes the shoot posing sideways until the other three who faced the camera. He had one hand shrugging, the other on the farthest point of his bump that stretched out and a half tilted smile though his eyes sparkled with amusement.

Chapter Text

November 8th, 2009

One fast discovery Elias learned when he and Casey finally got their own room after moving was the fact that he hated bondage.

Bondage that is on him, to be exact.

Elias moans softly — as he was running his hands across his own body as Casey struggles with pleas and begs against the four furry pink hand cuffs keeping his legs and wrists bounded to the bed — now that?

He could do happily and without a care or worry.

Elias rolls his hips on his dildo that was set on Casey’s abdomen, sinking down on it once again and taking his sweet and precious time knowing Casey was hard as a rock behind him, untouched and turning a deep shade of red with the cock ring he had tucked behind his balls.

He asked for it.

Casey knows the rules.

“Please, E. Come on. My cock is so much better than that flimsy fake-”

“You didn’t listen to me, Cass.” Elias clicks his tongue at him shaking his head in disapproval as he opens his eyes to meet Casey’s once more.

“I told you not to touch yourself. Twice. Poor, poor Casey. To think that he was going to be taking something up the arse tonight? I even went all out, buying a strap-on gear for you.” Elias rocks his hips again with a small smile on his face. “But that’s okay. I can put the dildo into better use — far better use. And someone can watch but not come tonight.”

“E! Come on! Don’t do this to me!”

“I didn’t do this to you.” Elias runs his hands down his own body, drifting it onto Casey’s chest and let his nails rake across his pecks, making sure to catch across his chest hairs and nipples. “You did this to you. You could’ve listened. But you didn’t. Who’s fault is that?”

The chains rattle again as Casey yanks his arms, failing to reach Elias as his hips buck up high enough pushing the dildo deeper into Elias. Elias moans obscenely, showing Casey exactly what he missed out on as Casey whines more as he brings his hands back to his own body, cupping his breast and another finally on his clit rubbing slow.

“If you just take one off me,” Casey tries, the chains rattle as Casey yanks on it. “I- I could do it for you.”

“No thanks. Naughty boys deserve to be punished.”

“Please, E!”

Elias ignores Casey entirely by not answering him anymore.

He closes his eyes, relaxing into his touch as he cups his breast and pinching his nipple. He works his finger across his clit as he starts to bounce on the dildo that could’ve been Casey’s cock instead. The plan orignally was for Elias to peg Casey for a little while, then have him sit on the dildo while Elias rode him.

But no, someone was just decided that night he had to be a bad boy.

Elias makes himself come on top of Casey, forcing him to watch looking like a mess.

Elias was going to stick to his word, not letting Casey come that night. But it didn’t mean he couldn’t edge or tease him as he lifts himself up, forcing Casey to watch the dildo slip out of him coated in his come. Then he picks up Casey’s abandoned cock, tilting it flat up to his stomach and letting his drenched folds and clit rub across the underside of his cock.

“What did you learn tonight?”

“Not to touch myself...” Casey’s breath hitches as he whines when Elias tilts his hips forward, covering the head of his leaky cock for a second before sliding back down the length teasing him.

“You don’t touch yourself, when?”

“When… when you tell me not to.”

“And?”

“And to a-ask before- touching myself.” Casey’s hips buck up, arms attempting to push himself up trying to catch and push into Elias. “Can you put me in now?”

“No, no, no.” Elias smirks at him lifting himself and climbing off Casey’s lap. “I told you, Cass. You don’t get to come tonight. You don’t deserve it. And to make sure of it, you’re staying right there for as long as I deem so.”

“What!?” Casey yanks on the chains again, this time his ankles fight too.

“Yep.” Elias picks up the used dildo, preparing to bring it to the ensuite bathroom to clean it up. He runs a hand down his bump, still not used to the feeling of how fast it impacted him. “Maybe an hour or two. Whichever goes first, your cock softening entirely or you start losing feeling in your hands and feet. But either way, no touching.”

Elias turns to the bathroom, strutting to the bathroom and ensuring he sways his hips a bit as he hears the fight against the chains rattle again. “Elias!”

Elias cleans up quick, setting the dildo on the sink’s counter and cleans a bit up on himself with the door wide open for Casey to suffer and watch.

“Do we have anything to do in the morning?” Elias casually asks wandering back into the bedroom as if Casey wasn’t cuffed to the bed by all his limbs. “I feel like I’m forgetting something. It’s getting late. I hope I have energy to keep up with the kids tomorrow.”

Casey whines, yanking on the cuffs again but he answers regardless. “I don’t think so... Let me out.”

“No.” Elias hums boredly rummaging into Casey’s closet to pull out a random jumper and tugs it on. Casey attempts to kick his legs poorly, chains rattling as he yanks some more with the kicks. Elias glares at him warningly. “Keep it up and see where and what it gets you.”

That makes him still, pouting at Elias with large now-silent pleading eyes.

Elias might have a crop-whip in the back of his drawer that his fingers were itching to pull out if Casey kept up with the childish behavior.

Elias crawls onto the bed after he tugs on some boxers and curls into Casey’s side knowing that Casey couldn’t wrap his arms around him.

“I’ve been wondering,” Elias sighs. “I wonder, sometimes… the kids that I make… certain traits they have… or even me, I sometimes wonder what my biological parents look like. If they’re blonde or brunettes or even ginger. Who I got my eyes from…”

“I thought you didn’t want to know who they were.”

“I don’t.” Elias frowns, his hand finding way to the chain with four charms on it and toying around as he twists the chain, fingers falling onto the emerald birthstone charm to be exact.

“I… I don’t think so. I mean, I’m happy with my dads. I’d never want to replace them. I just… I’m a Potter but who was I before? Even if it was for just a few measly days. Was I loved? At all? Or was I forgotten? Maybe… I was left behind on purpose with a real reason like they couldn’t afford me or… you know?”

Casey yanks on the chains again, struggling and failing as his body slumps back into the bed. “Didn’t you show me that paper-? The one where Aster and James tried to look for them?”

“Yeah… dead end. Maybe they just don’t want to be found? I couldn’t have just dropped out from no where… right?”

“Well… I never believed in witches and wizards until I met you.”

“But you believe in magic. You still do.” Elias points out.

“True… true… I like to think those babies inside you are quite the living proof of that now.”

Elias trails his fingers across Casey’s soft stomach, twisting around some of his body hair around his finger. “You reckon the maternity pictures will come out looking okay?”

“They were taking pictures of you. So, yeah. I think it was more weird taking pictures with me kissing your belly than you taking pictures with the kids.”

“Ella had no problem kissing my belly.” Elias hums with a soft smile on his face. “I wouldn’t put it past the photographer if he got pictures of that. I was warned to lay low for the next few days, they’re going to be posting the pictures on all my social media platforms tomorrow or the following day as they get the final edits and don’t want to be caught by a fan or crowd before then. If I am, rumors are going to start thinking I’ve slept with so many different people I’ve been around when there’s only you.”

Casey lets out a displeased noise at that fact. “You’re always laying low. Always preferring to stay home, the true homebody you are.” Casey huffs a laugh. The chains rattle again as he tries to move to wrap his arms over Elias. “Can you let me go now?”

“Are you going to sneaking into the bathroom and get yourself off if I fall asleep after?”

Casey remains quiet, answering Elias’ question.

“Twenty more minutes.” Elias decides on, making Casey cry out in protest and tug on the cuffs once more.

“I’m thinking about asking my healer for permission to have you in St Mungo’s until after all the babies come home.” Elias informs Casey lazily, fingers drifting up to his pecs.

“You have to ask for permission? What are you, five?”

“You’re a muggle. It’s the law. I don’t want to get in trouble.” Elias hums quietly. “As much as I don’t mind Papa going with me, I want you there. It won’t be like when I had Ella at the birthing center, as much as I would much prefer to that. It’s already being planned ahead of time that I’ll have a c-section before I go into possible early pre-term labor to ensure myself and the babies come out healthy as possible in the birth. I just… I want you there for my other appointments and the birth and for after when you’re able to make it. So you’re aware of everything’s going on.”

Casey hums quietly, one hand tugged up by the cuff hardly touched his shoulder but he made do with his fingertips gently caressing Elias’ shoulder.

“Maybe you should bring Aster when you ask around with us? He seems to know his stuff with this sort of thing.”

“Cause he’s a healer. He has to know a lot of stuff about medical laws.”

“Right… right.”

“And…” Elias quietly pauses for a moment, fingers drifting down to Casey’s hipbones but not daring to go past his neatly trimmed down pubic hair before drifting up again to his chest hair. “Have you been thinking about names?”

“A bit, yeah.”

“What have you been thinking about? Before I say anything.”

“Just been thinking of something we talked about ages ago. Old names. Not modern. I started reading Hamlet for school.”

“Hmm?” Elias tilts his head to rest on his chin on Casey’s chest to look at him. “Hamlet?”

“Shakespeare. It’s a play. I have to write an essay on it. But a name popped up that had me thinking…”

Elias pushes himself up, slightly hovering over Casey with pinched eyebrows. “Is that the same book Nyx was reading all those years ago?”

“I don’t know. Maybe?” Casey attempts a shrug, still trapped.

Elias pinches his lips for a moment, staring at Casey. “Are you thinking about the name Ophelia? The one we talked about before?”

Casey cracks a crooked grin. “Only if we get to nickname her Phil.”

Elias scoffs at him, rolling his eyes and swatting his chest before finally reaching to his wrists to uncuff him. “How is it that we were thinking of the same name of all names? And for the only girl too?”

Casey rubs his wrists as soon as both hands were free. Elias leaves him to uncuff his own ankles, rolling onto his side of the bed.

His boner has gone down enough for Elias to take off the cock ring, though his eyes were warningly glaring at him not to touch his cock any more than necessary and to get dressed. Strictly and only to get dressed into his pajamas with Elias’ close eye on him.

Casey puts away the cuffs into hiding in the back of the top drawer of their dresser as Elias takes off his prosthetic leg before crawling into bed with Elias quietly. The lights were turned off and the stars and moon were up on the bewitched ceiling for Elias to look at as he curls up into Casey entirely.

They both don’t talk for a long while. Quietly mapping out the stars and letting sleep take over.

Elias’ eyes snapped open red and beady far too early for him in his opinion in the morning to Capella jumping on the bed.

It takes him a long minute to process that his family truly had no sense of boundaries and his sister was smirking at him — in his bedroom — sitting on one of the desk chairs in the bedroom with her elbows on her knees and staring down at him centimeters from his face.

Elias groans, turning around entirely and knocking over Capella who face plants into the bed with soft giggles. Her hair was messy from sleep and in her pajamas still.

Capella crawls over to him, giving his shoulder a good shaking.

He envied Brighton just about now. Probably still sleeping in… he could be sleeping in.

“Dada! Get up! Get up! Get up! Aunt Zuzu’s here!”

“I saw.” He mutters not opening his eyes. “Tell her to go away.”

“Don’t tell me you forgot why I’m here already.”

Elias huffs a groan in his pillow, muffled and half soundless. Silently he racks his brain trying to remember why his sister was in his room bugging him and teaming up with his daughter.

He doesn’t remember but Azura does it for him.

“Ellie’s downstairs with Cass. I brought my truck so we can get as much furniture as possible.” Oh, right, that.

“Also, Zio Barty’s is going around trying to plot a surprise baby shower.”

“Don’t want one.”

“He’s pretty hellbent this time around.”

“My body, my babies. Don’t want one. Didn’t want one with Ella either.” Elias groans finally pushing himself up and rubbing his eyes tiredly. He faces his sister properly as she grins widely at him. Too widely.

“What did you do?”

“So… you know how it was your birthday the other day…? The big two-Oh.”

Elias blinks at her.

“I have a surprise for you in your music room. Put it in there before anyone noticed.”

“Cass?”

“Nope.”

“It’s not going to blow up in my face, is it?” Elias asks carefully as he picks up his prosthetic leg and straps it on.

“Nope. If it did then that’d just be cruel.” Elias narrows his eyes on her, pulling off the blankets and stretches his arms over his head. He doesn’t miss how her eyes were on his bump.

“How far along are you now?”

“Um… seventeen weeks.”

She lets out a low whistle as Capella bounces onto her knees and butt staring and grinning widely at Elias a touch too manically. It was hard to believe sometimes to think that he made that.

“We’re going bye-byes with Aunt Zuzu!”

“And Aunt Ellie.” Azura adds amused to Capella.

Capella raises her hands. “And Aunt Ellie!”

Elias groans, rubbing his face tiredly. “Give me an hour or two. Honestly I forgot you guys were coming over today.”

“Don’t forget Teddy and Harry are meeting up for lunch at one then joining us after. They’re bringing Fawn with them.”

Capella took that in victory to see her cousin. “Yay!”

“Potter sibling reunion.” Elias deadpans. “Yay.” He flatly mutters getting up to his feet achingly.

“Where are you going?” Azura questions him as he opens the bathroom door as Capella dashes out of the bedroom.

“Shower?”

“No, no, no.” She gets off the chair tugging him away from the bathroom. “You’re going to see your birthday present first that I got you.”

Elias groans, being torn away from the bathroom door.

“And nice dick by the way.”

He furrows his eyebrows. “What?”

“The one on the counter in the bathroom?”

Elias’ eyes widen comedically as his older sister snickers at him they stop across the hall, down a bit standing in front of his music room where the door was closed.

“You saw that?”

“Yours or Cass? I’ve been itching to ask for the last of years who’s the actual top in your relationship. I mean, I see him sometimes act that way but then you-”

Elias narrows his eyes on her. “I’m the top. Topping from the bottom. Believe me, Cass is very much happy to submit to me.”

“Do you guys ever switch?”

“I’d like to see him try.” Elias huffs with a laugh crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s adorable, him thinking he can top me. The last time he was able to do that was when I was pregnant with Ella.”

Azura merely snickers, opening the door and goes in first before Elias.

Elias keeps his eyes looking around the room, looking for anything abnormal, out of place, or different.

Then he spots it.

The tiny orange, black, and white fluff ball curled up on his piano-bench. He wonders how he noticed the cat before the huge cat tree in the in the room, the water and food bowl, the toys, the litter box, the… everything.

“You got me a kitten?” Elias quietly asks her.

“Yeah. I know you were upset, having to give up Clem. Then her finally dying when Ella was just hardly one and you not spending that much time with her since… So, it’s a girl, a kneazle. Calico-kneazle. I couldn’t exactly find one that looked just like Clem but-”

“I wouldn’t want a cat to replace and look exactly alike her.” Elias shake his head already walking over to the tiny kitten and waking her up as he picks up the kitten and puts her on his chest. She starts purring right away.

“You couldn’t have picked the worst timing to get me a kitten.” Elias huffs a laugh, petting the cat with a faint smile.

“So… you don’t want her?”

Elias glares at Azura curling a hand over the kitten. She fit right into his hand, so tiny. “No. She’s mine. No taksies-backsies. A gift’s a gift.”

On cue, the calico cat starts to purr making him focus back on the cat and cooing at her.

“Cass is going to kill us.” Elias softly tells the kitten. “But he can’t do anything about you because I want you now. You're mine and I love you.”

Elias lifts his head, gazing over to Azura. “Thank you.”

Azura nods softly, a tiny smile on her face. “You better name her before the kids find her and try to name her themselves.”

Elias looks back at the cat. She was covered in patches of oranges, blacks, whites, and on her right eye there was a single patch of brown. He knew she was half calico-half kneazle, meaning the cat would probably live to be old and her intelligent would be advanced more than normal cats.

He can’t help but think of his Uncle Remus, staring at the brown piece of fur on her face.

“Cocoa.” Elias determines giving another cat a food name.

Azura snorts. “Cocoa?”

“Yes, Cocoa. Problem?”

Azura shakes her head, rolling her eyes. “No. No, it’s your cat.”

“Exactly. She’s a cat, my cat. Besides, Cass and I will have better names, well thought out names for the babies. Not food related names.”

Azura hums. “Let me guess, are you waiting until the birth?”

“I don’t know.” Elias shrugs honest with his answer.

“Well, if you plan to announce the names and I can’t make it cause of work, call me.”

“I will, I will.” Elias pets Cocoa softly for another minute before moving over and setting her on the cat tree where she sinks her claws into it, scratching away a few times before spinning around like a dog and settling down again.

Elias keeps Cocoa in his music room with the door closed for the time being. He showers as quick as he can and he heads out taking separate cars with Casey and his kids, his sisters following Casey as he decided to drive that day to their first furniture shop.

“Really wishing that we didn’t get sell Brighton and Ella’s cribs now.” Casey mutters walking hand in hand with Brighton as Elias was holding Capella up and seated on his bump a bit as they walked across the parking lot to group up with his sisters.

“You’re worried about the cribs, I’m more curious if we’ll be able to find a stroller that holds four babies or if we’ll end up with two strollers with three seats each.”

“Three seats?” Casey ponders.

“Bright and Ella are still small; young. If we can find a stroller that could fit two adjustable infant seats that change as they grow then a child seat, it could last us a while.”

“What about a wagon?” Casey asks as he looks in the window just as they meet up with his sisters. He pokes the glass. “Like that one?”

Elias looks into the window himself.

It was a large fancy wagon on display. Probably able to seat four but not for infants but babies at least who could sit up on their own independently. It could be an investment for the future when Casey or Elias go out on thier own.

“Maybe next time, lets focus on what we need to get today.” Elias pats his arm kindly, pecking his cheek before taking his free hand and they went in.

“So we need four of everything?” Azura questions, eyes wide as she looks around the shop curiously.

“Not everything.” Elias shakes his head, along with Casey and Elianna who seemed to be having one of her quiet days, eyes and mind seeming to be drifted elsewhere. “I think for today we’ll focus on the bigger stuff cause we got the truck and car. Cribs, a changing table, car seats, and we’ll take a look around and see if we need anything else.”

“What about bassinets?” Azura ponders walking over to the bassinet displays. “You did use that for Ella the first few months when she was small enough to fit in it.”

Elias tugs Casey closer to him, shifting Capella a bit more onto his side. “Do you mind getting one of those trolley carts over there with Ellie, and a cart with a kids seat that we can put the kids in? Me and Zura won’t go far, I’ll take Brighton from you.”

“Sure,” Elias doesn’t think on it when Casey leans down, giving him a fast peck as Elias asks his eldest sister to help his husband as he takes Brighton’s hand.

“Dada can I get that?” Ella questions with her head tucked into his neck as she points over to a toy on the display shelf.

“No, we’re here today to shop for the new babies’s room. Not for you or Brighton.”

He can feel her pouting in his neck as he walks with Azura, comparing bassinets that he would probably end up finding space for in the living room.

“Are you going to put them all in the same room?”

“Probably.” Elias nods eyeing a rather good bassinet that was on sale for over half off. “The problem is that all the rooms on the second floor is taken up… Sixty percent off… maybe I should double on the bassinets and put four more in the bedroom…? You reckon this is a good brand?”

“Why don’t you change the music room into the nursery?”

Elias clicks his tongue as he shakes his head once. Their Papa on his mind. The music room was his old childhood bedroom.

“No. I can’t do that… too much stuff." He lies. "I have to figure something else out with Casey.”

He doesn’t miss the confused look on Azura’s face as Casey carts over the shopping cart that had an extra attachment of two children’s seats. Brighton happily gets on top, sitting on it his own where Casey buckles and straps him in as Elias finally sets Capella down, strapping her in safely and tightening the straps securely around her small body before pressing a kiss to her forehead where she scrunches her face glaring at him.

“I’m big girl, Dada.”

“No matter how big you get, you’ll always be my little girl. So suck it up, buttercup.” Elias warns her pinching her cheek playfully making her swat him away.

Elias sneaks in a smacking kiss to the crown of her mousey brown hair, right next to the clip on bow with a repetitive pattern print of cartoony rainbows on top of a simple white.

As expected, Capella screeches with giggles, pushing him away which he finally moves away for good this time, bringing Casey over to the discounted bassinets to bring up the thought about getting eight than four to spread across the house.

Chapter Text

November 9th, 2009

The Lambert-Potter townhome was filled with boxes from the baby shop, the guests room was stuffed to the brim with boxes until Casey and Elias could decide which room to set up the nursery — slightly debating to put Brighton back into the same room with Capella to see if he’ll sleep better throughout the night without getting up.

Elias was in the music room, playing a soft melody to Brighton who sat beside him at the large shiny black grand piano bench as Capella was having Cocoa chase her around as she dragged around a long shoelace.

“How do you know which button makes which noise, Dada?” Brighton asks looking up to him curiously.

“The piano has keys, not buttons. Black and white keys,” Elias explains. “You know your ABCs, so, you’ll start here,” Elias takes his hand and sets fingers on the keys.

Elias taps his index finger. “This is the C key. Then your middle finger is D," He touches Brighton's middle finger beofre moving onto the next finger. "And then your ring finger is E.”

Brighton removes his hand without playing a single key.

“But why not start with A?”

Elias shrugs. “I don’t know. That’s just how music works.”

“Hmm… Like…? Like your guitar?”

“The guitar is different because you’re playing with strings. You’re focusing on the thickness of the string. You’ll have E, A, D, G, B, E.”

Brighton pinches his face in confusion as he looks back at the piano as Casey comes into the room grabbing Elias’ attention.

“What are you doing home? I thought you had work after classes?”

“I do-.. I… I did. I-I was sent home early. I think you need to see this.” Casey is pulling out a magazine from his bag. “Have you been getting any phone calls?”

“My phone died, it’s been charging in the bedroom. Didn't think I'd need to keep it close to me today. What’s going on?”

Casey flips open the magazine that was only today’s release, only one or two pages into it and he passes it to Elias. Elias was laying low, staying in the townhouse for the next few days now that only last night three maternity pictures have been officially posted and released to the world.

But that wasn’t what he was being shown.

Well, it was part of the connection.

There was a side photo of the picture on one page of Brighton and Capella’s hands, then Casey’s on top of his bump then a solo maternity picture of Elias that had been published.

Below the two pictures came an article then a third and fourth extra picture that did not come from the announcement of his pregnancy.

“No.” Elias whispers shaking his head furiously as he reads the article’s title.

Elias Lambert-Potter: ‘Four More To Love’ Pregnancy announcement having QUADRUPLETS and family reveal-shopping spree??

He was so daft to think he could do something as simple as go to a baby shop to pick out furniture with his husband and kids and not have someone take a picture of him and them. He forgot to put on his bloody hat and sunglasses that day.

The pictures looked to be taken from inside the shop.

Someone took pictures of him —of his family. And more than likely, sold the pictures for money.

He knew that because legally, professional photographers couldn't take pictures of his kids or husband. Not without taking so many lawsuit risks from him since they were minors.

A picture of Casey kissing him, right on the lips, obvious as day with the dreamy look on his face that he reserves strictly for him and only him. It was only a quick peck on his lips, that Elias remembers, the angle had Capella in his arms where she couldn’t be identified with her face tucked into his neck but Brighton’s was right there.

His hand was being mid-passed to Elias from Casey’s left hand where his wedding ring had been zoomed in on in the following page showing the fancy E, finally finding the match to Elias’ C ring that’s been on show and questioned of ‘to who’ it belonged to.

Obvious and clear that he was the one who was married to Elias, knowing his name or not.

Brighton’s face was shown, not blurred out. Casey’s face was shown as well… Elias looks to the second page where Casey’s ring was on, and there’s another picture of him putting down Capella into the children’s seat of the cart’s attachment and kissing her forehead with her hands blurred out to push him away with that big and clear and so innocent smile on her face as she looks up to him with pure adoration in her light brown eyes, looking like two honey pots full of honey.

She looks at him like that because he is her Dada.

“You didn’t know,” Casey quietly tells him. “It was bound to happen one way or another. We can’t protect them forever. Or me.”

Elias makes a tiny wheezing noise, eyes flickering between all the pictures. “It’s only been a year and a half. He’s going to see it and…”

“Dada?” Brighton’s touch was soft and gentle, tugging on his wrist and leaning on his side just knowing what he needed as he opens his arm up to his son giving him a side hug. His eyes burned but he refused to cry. “Are you going to cry, Dada?”

Brighton’s question alerted Capella like a moth to light.

Her head pokes up from where she was crawling under the coffee tugging on the shoelace, entirely abandoning the string and moving over to Elias, cautious with a slight tilt of her head and a small pout to her lips as she closely examines Elias quietly.

“Is book make you sad?” She ponders, gently tugging the magazine out of his grasp and closing it on him, not paying attention to the obvious pictures. She reaches onto her toes, sliding it hardly onto the top of the piano before dropping down and wrapping her short arms around his midsection, around his bump.

Elias weakly sets a hand on her upper back, eyes still staring at the closed magazine.

“Maybe I shouldn’t do this.” He whispers quietly. “I love music but at the cost of my family’s protection? Their safety? Their normalcy? Identity?”

“You love your job. Don’t say that.” Casey quietly tries to reassure him.

“I’m putting us in danger. What’s next? The find out where we live?” Elias looks over to him. “Why were you- you got sent home? Why?”

Casey rubs the back of his neck with a small grimace, his other arm still crossed over his chest. “My face brought in a crowd. Someone recognized me and next thing I knew… cafe’s being filled to the brim, line’s going around the building cause people just want to see me come out of the back to serve coffee and tea. So boss pulled me aside, and that’s how I found out about the magazine. He sent me home with pay, let me take his copy of the mag and ‘cause I brought in more business than we had in days, I took it. I knew I needed to warn you if you didn’t know. I bet Simon’s or someone’s trying to reach out to you.”

Elias sighs, nodding. “I need to get my phone. And… Can you call Azura? And Ellie? Gods if they get a crowd… I don’t think Ellie could handle it. Not like Azura, and Ellie needs to think of Atticus.”

“I’ll call Ellie first. Let her know what’s going on.” Casey tells him with a curt nod, already pulling out his phone from his back pocket and readying to call his sister-in-law.

Elias rubs the back of the kids back, give them both a tiny hug before getting up and grabbing his phone off the charger of his bedroom. As Casey did say, there were plenty of missed calls on his phone as he looks over all the missed numbers sitting at the desk chair.

He calls the most important number listed first.

“Look,” The voice doesn’t even give him room to say hello or apologize for not answering the last five missed calls. “I told you to lay low after we post the pictures and now your kids and husband’s faces are all over on the second and third page of the mag?”

“What do you expect me to do? Sit around, give birth, and put my babies in dresser drawers full of blankets when I can afford to get them the proper stuff they need? And really, a headline of ‘four more to love’ with the pictures? What the hell is that? At least go with something a bit more creative or… I don’t know, don’t say that I’m having quads?”

There a long bit of silence on Simon’s end.

“Just… try to stay home for a few days, that goes for Casey too. I’m trying to get this sorted out but the damage’s already done, kid. Your kids’ faces are out there, your husband’s too. The best I can say is at least their names aren’t. No one saw this coming.”

Elias groans, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I know, I know. I… We can only stay home for so long, Simon. The kids are tots, they go stir-crazy unlike me.”

“Do… do you have a place to go? A family’s you can stay at for the time being until this cools off?”

Elias sighs. He could go to his dads but the problem was that if anyone called, his phone wouldn’t be in service. Casey needed to go to school, which meant he needed his laptop to do certain school work.

“I guess, but the place is kinda… out of range for phones. I’ll have to give you a different number if you or anyone else needs to reach me.”

“Alright, fork it over.” Elias tells him the eleven digits which he’s quite sure that it’s written down.

With that, he hangs up and looks around his bedroom from where he sat. He supposes he had some packing to do for a few days.

Chapter Text

November 21st, 2009

Casey spent most of his day in the townhome while Elias stayed in the Potter manor with his kids.

During the weekdays his fathers still went out to work, leaving him alone after apparating Casey from and to the manor to the townhome for his classes and to do certain assignments on the computer. When his Dad or Papa was home, they'd be the ones apparating so Elias could use less of his magic as much as possible.

It was cold out, the sky was white and Elias knew it was calling for snow any time now as he walked with Brighton and Capella in the backyard, letting them roam a bit into the treelines where he could visit the pond.

He keeps a close eye on them both, bundled up in their puffy coats and thick jeans. Both had bright pink noses and cheeks. They were screeching and shouting as they played hide-and-seek-tag behind trees as he takes a break sitting on a large stone that had the November chill seeping through his baggy thick joggers and underwear to his arse.

He was very lonely, sparing a glance at the still pond that he hasn’t visited properly probably long before he had Capella.

Months of being constantly busy and pulled in every other direction that wasn’t from his kids to being pushed back into his Dada-role and being with his kids eight to ten hours a day without adult interaction or conversation had him writing letters.

Using the Potter family owl and sending a letter off to Opal. They couldn’t meet up, but he didn’t mind writing letters. He was sure Casey wouldn’t mind that.

In the last week and five days, he’s spent the grand total of six days straight of writing letters back and forth to Opal. Catching up on things with her, learning about new things, letting her know all the drama that was going on with him because he trusted her enough not to rat him out.

Turns out she didn’t even know of his fame. Far too deep in the wizarding world of years, only getting the exposure and lick of the muggle world now.

Elias looks back to his kids, catching sight of Brighton tripping over a root as he chased Capella. He doesn’t cry, but he hisses and rolls over to his butt and rolls up his pants on his left leg.

Elias gets up from the stone. “Got a boo-boo, Bright?”

“Uh-huh. It’s bleeding.” He pokes his small cut on his knee a bit making Elias bat his hand away as he pulls out his wand. He wasn’t suppose to use magic, at least not frequency and heavy or powerful spells.

“Are you going to fix Bright, Dada?” Capella crowds over Brighton standing beside him. Her nose glowed red and her cheeks were pink enough to show the small dotted freckles across her nose that isn’t really noticeable.

“Just a little bit.” Elias nods. “It shouldn’t hurt at all. Just a quick second.” Elias informs his son before quietly knitting his skin back together, the tiny bits of blood going back into his body and leaving his knee blemish-free. “You’re all better now. Go play.”

“Can we go to tree house?” His daughter questions tugging on his joggers. “I don’t know. It’s a bit farther in the forest. Maybe after Daddy calls and is ready to come back he can take you out deeper if it's not too late.”

“Why can’t you?” Brighton asks leaning back on his hands with a frown.

“I walked enough today. Remember Dada can’t walk or do too right much now.” Elias gently re-informs the kids with a hand on his belly, he had an appointment the following day. Casey was finally going with him after he skipped his last appointment in protest to have his husband there with him.

Brighton scrunches his nose in displeasure. Capella frowns at him. “You can play here, or we can go back inside. Your choice.”

In the end, Brighton gets back up and starts chasing after Capella once again. Elias sighs, shaking his head with a faint smile on his lips and goes back to looking at the pond for a moment. He looks up when the first few noticeable snowflakes fall around him.

“She’d be two now, right?”

Elias’ head snaps down, glaring hard at the second adult joining him. “You just can’t give up and leave me alone, can you?”

Owen shrugs, hands deep in his thick vest pocket. It was weird seeing him dressed for the winter rather than summer.

“I told you. I want to meet her.”

“You don’t-” Elias shakes his head. “You don’t get to do that. You’re not her dad. You’re not- you’re nobody. Do you get that?”

“I get it.” He shrugs looking at the pond water, snowflakes were starting to fall onto the surface and cause the tiniest ripples.

“Then why are you still here?”

Elias’ head turns when he hears the shrieks of both kids, followed by sounds of something being hit. Looking and ensuring both were still safe and okay. Long sticks had been picked up, Brighton and Capella were attacking a tree trunk that was old, hollowed out, and fallen over.

Owen clearly had the same idea as he did, looking over at both of the kids himself in distance. Unlike how Elias thought he’d act, he doesn’t rush forward taking the first chance he got to introduce himself to the kids. “She’s happy.”

“Of course she is.” Elias huffs at him rolling his eyes.

“And… the other kid?”

“Her brother.”

He didn’t know why he was answering to him. He had no right to be asking these questions. He should just take the kids inside and make hot chocolate and lock all the doors-

“I’m not looking to take place as her father, Elias.” Elias’ eyes narrowed on him, not trusting him the slightest bit. “I… I was pretty shitty back then. I know that. I know that now.”

“Then why bother showing up now? Constantly pestering me.”

Owen sighs and bends over to pick up a stone. Flat, smooth, thin. He flicks his wrist and watches it skip over four times on the cold pond. Elias remembers the few times he was out here with Owen, the rare quiet moments Owen showed him how to skip a rock, how he showed Elias that he could play the guitar without messing up...

“Rachel cheated on me. A while back.”

“Ooh. Should I cry you a river after I'm quite sure you cheated on her first?”

Owen laughs softly, bends down and picks up another stone. He flicks it again.

“It took me a while, even after her, to truly process how cruel I’ve been to people. Then mum said that she noticed I’ve been having anger issues. Blow-ups. Picking fights… I didn’t really take it to heart until Nic started having problems.”

Elias shifts himself over to face Owen better and to have a better eyesight on his kids.

“Didn’t… didn’t see how she was getting depressed. How bad it was. And when Rachel moved out, Nic asked to move in and I let her. Then… You know…”

Elias cocks up an eyebrow. “I know?”

Owen sighs, picks up a few stone, this time it was more than just one. A handful of them.

“You know how I am. How… mean I get. But you never… backed down from me. Fought against me than… yeah. You know. And… I was mean to Nic. She was already struggling really bad with Uni. And I didn’t know. And she felt that she couldn’t come to me. That I'd be mocking or... cold on her.”

Elias frowns at him as Owen lets out a wet laugh, he tosses a tone, not skipping. Just throws it. It goes past the pond and into the other side of the forest, deep and gone.

“She could’ve died if I didn’t got home earlier than I was suppose to and found her on the… my sister… she’s all I got left from my parents.”

“Your… birth parents?” Elias questions carefully, running a hand over his bump.

“Ridiculous, right? I hardly remember them now than that stupid fire and their screams.”

Elias shakes his head. “I get it, it’s not ridiculous at all. All I have is a ratty old blanket. I don’t even know who they are. Where I came from. Who I am. What I am. I don’t know who my parents are and… I keep the only picture of me as an infant wrapped inside the blanket, tucked inside a sodding shoebox under my bed. I don’t let anyone, not even myself open the box. I don't know why I even do that anymore.”

Owen tosses the rest of the stones in the pond. His entire hand releases them all with a careless weak throw before he runs his hand through his short cropped hair, different from the summer they spent together.

“I heard you say Daddy. Then them call you Dada.” A deep exhale. “I… that guy you’re with?”

Elias nods. “We can’t both be going around as dad or daddy. It’d get confusing.”

“And… they’re both yours?”

“Yes. I adopted Brighton.”

“And…” Owen licks his lips hesitantly. “…Capella?”

“We call her Ella. My husband was there when she was born. His name’s on her brith certificate. He doesn’t need to share blood with her to be her dad.”

Owen nods softly. “I- I get that. He…is he good to her?”

Elias nods. “If he wasn’t I wouldn’t have stayed with him and he wouldn’t be her dad. She comes first. Both of them do.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Elias scoffs softly, his eyes roll and he ignores the way his actions made Owen flinches a bit. “You were so cruel, Owen. To me. How could I not think you wouldn’t be the same to her?”

“I wouldn’t- I-I-… I-”

“Look at what happened to Nicole.” It was a piss-poor and cruel use of an excuse. Using that weakness against him when he was only just told that his sister tried to take her own life.

“You might be a good guy to others,” Elias carefully picks his words. “But not to me. I've never seen that. And I wasn’t going to take that risk with my daughter.”

Owen’s eyes drift over to the kids again, as well as Elias.

No longer hitting the tree, they’ve advanced into using the sticks as wands. Using some spells they’ve overheard being used in the house and such and using their vivid creativity for imagination making it seem as if the spells truly worked.

Owen’s eyes were soft on the two for a moment.

“I… I heard that you’re expecting.” He doesn’t take his gaze off Capella. “Kinda hard to ignore your name now. No more possible performances in dive bars…”

Elias nods. “I am. My success wouldn’t have happened if I never proposed to my husband.”

Owen tears his eyes away from the kids once more to Elias. “You proposed?”

“Do you have a problem with that? Or do you have another sexist comment to tell me like that entire summer two years ago?” Elias snarks tugging on his jacket for warmth.

Owen’s mouth opens, only to snap shut. A deep inhale, “I’m sorry about that... then.”

“I'm not looking for your handout apologies anymore.”

“Still.” A weak shrug. “I mean it. Been seeing a therapist lately. I haven’t realized how mean I was until she started pointing all that crap out. So, I’m sorry for all the shit I said back then. Especially because it… it clearly costed me to miss out on a very good person.” Owen nods over to Capella.

Quietly he bows his head. “If… if you don’t want to introduce me… n-not let me meet her… I… I’ll leave. For good. I’ll go back home. But I just thought you should know that I-I don’t live in Scotland anymore.”

Elias narrows his eyes on him. “Where then?”

“London. I… I moved here. Not- not here. In the manor down the- I got my own flat with Nic a few weeks back. She needed to start somewhere fresh. And so did I.”

“And you just… decided to come here today?”

Owen shrugs. “I drive down here often. Too often, to be honest with you.”

“What to-? Spy on the manor? Try to- have you been stalking my family?”

Owen doesn’t reply, keeping his eyes down on the woodsy ground. Elias scoffs at him. “Just for that I shouldn’t let you meet Ella.”

His eyes lift, the blue in his eyes seemed lighter than Elias’ ever seen them in the white sky and tiny flurries falling around them.

“It’s getting cold out,” Elias shivers as he says that. “I planned on making hot chocolate when we went in. By chance… do you want any?”

“You mean it?”

Elias holds up a warning finger at him, a step forward and he pokes Owen’s chest. “One word out of you that confused her or Brighton and I’m kicking my foot up your arse so fucking deep you’ll have my toes for teeth. Got it? You’re Owen, a family friend; a neighbor. You’re nothing more to her. Nothing more to me.”

Owen nods furiously and Elias backs up, dropping his hand and eyes him up and down once. “Alright. Come on. Back door. Ella! Brighton! Dada’s freezing, we’re going in and steal some of Uncle Remmy’s special creamy hot chocolate that he leaves here to keep Teddy and Auncle Sirius out of.”

Elias is followed by Owen who takes smaller, careful steps. “And Dada has a friend for you to meet.”

Chapter Text

November 21st, 2009

Owen looked at Capella like she hung the all the stars in the sky, including the sun itself.

With her babbling story telling that her words slurred together into confusing syllables that not even Elias quite knew what she was talking about, Owen soaked in every single sound she made while sitting antsy on her knees waiting for her drink to cool that had a straw in it so she wouldn’t be picking up the mug and spilling bits of liquid each time it was lifted and set down.

It was intresting, seeing this side of Owen when all Elias could do was keep his eyes narrow on him, watching and listening to every word he said to both Brighton and Capella ensuring he doesn’t fuck anything up.

Then time gets away from them.

They play a board game, then put on a film where quiet time starts as nap time approaches.

Elias laid sprawled out on the couch writing in his notebook with Owen two cushions away from him seeming fasinated in the children’s film put on that Elias has seen at least a hundred times in the last week.

With the active playtime outside and board game, Brighton and Capella both crash halfway into the movie of Ariel’s New Beginning.

Capella was under a tiny blanket. She had somehow managed to have her head on Elias’ lap, her feet in Owen’s and Owen had carefully set his hand on her tiny ankle when she had placed her feet there, showing that she was comfortable enough with him. Brighton was on the other side of the couch tucked under a blanket and using a decorative pillow under his head and was drooling a bit from where Elias could see.

“You seem fascinated with the movie. You can leave whenever. Naptime can be up to two hours.”

“Oh,” Owen blinks looking over to Elias. “Sorry-? Did-… did you want me to leave now?”

“I said ‘you can leave whenever’.” Elias shakes his head with a soft smile on his lips. "You're okay right now."

Owen bites the bottom of his lip for a moment.

“Can… can you tell me stuff about her?”

“Like what? She’s only two and a half.”

He shrugs. “Anything. What was she like as a baby? How-? How did the- your birth go with her? When did you find out you were pregnant? Anything. All of it. I want to know.”

“You’re not her father.” Elias warns him lowly.

“I know.” Owen mumbles, hand gently squeezing Capella’s ankle. “But it doesn’t mean I’m not curious.”

Elias sighs deeply.

“I did take the Plan B you bought me. But Papa took me to a doctor a few days later. A routine check up because I started to become sexually active. I think I was suppose to talk about going on birth control then but… you know… I took Plan B recently and I had to take a test at least two weeks before I could start birth control.”

Owen lets out a curious hum.

“So Papa bought me some tests mid July that summer. Took ‘em, had a faint positive, vanished the test with magic before Papa could see it and lied to him and told him it was negative.”

“Because of me?”

“Yeah.” Elias nods. “You. I was only sixteen. I just… I wanted to soak in a few days for myself. Just… you kept coming over and harassing me. The more you kept coming over, the more I... just started to distant myself with everyone.”

Owen grimaces at himself.

“The day after the the first positive test, actually. I remember that, it was when we were in the library. Papa caught us snogging. Remember?”

Owen laughs softly. “Yeah. Rachel was out here waiting for me. Scared me for a good minute. I thought my arse was busted.”

"Her or Papa?”

“Both?”

Elias snickers quietly.

“Anyway, um… two days, I think, after you all left. Papa asked me if something was wrong. And I finally told him, the truth. You know, the rest is history.” Elias gestures over Capella.

“And… when she was born?”

Elias laughs in memory. “The midwife said she never saw anyone as young as me take control of my own birth. I was laughing. I was… Just to set the record straight, I wasn’t on any sort of medicine. A drug-free birth. And… I don’t know. I was in a tub. I was in so much pain but, I needed to work with the midwife or something and I put my hand between my legs when I was crowning and when I felt her head I just… knew what to do. Practically delivered her myself. Just supervised. A whole… beautiful five pounds and eighteen and half inches long that took me nine months to grow and… yeah.”

Elias sighs happily. “I went in labor on Dad’s birthday and had her the next day, early in the morning. I had her at a birthing center, not a hospital don’t get that mixed up. With only Casey and Papa there. A water birth. And I wouldn’t change it at all.”

Owen nods sadly. “Mum’s had some pictures but… do you have any more?”

“At home, yeah.” Elias nods. “All over the walls. Dad got Casey into taking pictures.”

“What else?”

Elias hums quietly in thought, his hand gently strokes through the brown hair, short, still hardly reaching her ears. “Dad thinks she looks like both of us. Papa thinks that people who don’t know or realize that Ella’s biologically not Cass’ daughter… she looks like Cass.”

“Who know’s that… I’m…?”

“Not many. I try not to tell everyone. My dads… Um… Aurora and Nyx knows, not by choice however, they’re the only siblings who do know though. Then… oh, Teddy knows. And of course, Cass. And until you showed up on Halloween night, now my Auncle Sirius and Uncle Remus know, along with my Zio Barty who is trying to throw me a bloody baby shower that I don’t ever want.”

“You didn’t have one with Ella?”

“Gods no.” Elias moves his hand from Capella to his bump. “I don’t have friends to invite. It’d just be family and… why have a baby shower when we could just have a dinner and shower me in baby stuff instead of wrapping shit up in present form?”

Owen drifts off with his next question. No longer on topic of Capella. “Are you really pregnant with four babies or is that just a rumor?”

“I’m nineteen weeks along and I want them out already.” Elias huffs at Owen who looked curious at his hands where he was running them across his jumper. “Do you want to feel the kicks?”

“I-?" His eyes narrow suspiciously on him. "Can I?”

“Why not?”

“I never properly felt anything like that before. Not like- not like this.”

“Start today, then.” Elias merely tells him, gently adjusting Capella’s legs to lift up a bit so he could scoot closer to him. Elias lifts his jumper, showing the thin undershirt he had on and sets Owen’s hand on the shirt.

“I breastfed Ella until she was two. She never drank from a bottle before, breast to cup.” Elias finds himself randomly telling Owen that fact. “I also breastfed Brighton until he was two, as well. And I plan on breastfeeding these four as much as I can, but I’ve been warned that I’ll probably either need to pump excessively and feed them with a bottle too or… breastmilk and formula.”

“Does it hurt?”

“The movements?”

“Yeah.”

Elias shakes his head and overlap Owen’s hand. He pushes his hand in more on his bump, giving him a stronger feel that has him scrunching his face the same way Capella would do to hers. He can’t help but laugh softly witnessing that.

“What’s so funny?” Owen asks with his eyes light and leaning close to Elias.

“You… you do the same little scrunch on your nose and mouth like Ella does. That’s all. I just... didn’t realize that before.”

He smiles softly, a bit crookedly. “Do I do anything else that’s like her? Or her like me?”

“Hmm…” Elias twists his lips in thought studying Owen’s face closely. “When she gets really red in the face, she has these tiny freckles on her nose and cheeks. Not like mine but more hidden. Like…” Elias reaches out and traces the bridge of Owen’s nose and the top of his cheekbones. “Like yours. There.”

Owen flashes him a soft smile, leaning closer to him. “I think she has your nose.”

“Really?” Elias ponders on that. “I always thought her’s was a bit… button-like. Mushed in a bit. I kinda thought she might’ve gotten that from one of our bio-parents or someone else.”

Owen shakes his head. This time he takes his turn to reach out to Elias, poking him between the eyes and traces down to the curve. “Not your entire nose but… maybe this part? The dorsum nasi.”

Elias crosses his eyes, trying to follow Owen’s finger that has Owen laughing quietly and dropping his hand. “Did you make it into being a nurse?” Elias asks him.

“Yeah,” Owen nods. “Not… I didn’t end up being nurse practicer but… I’m a anesthetist nurse.”

“What do you do?”

“I help assist the doctor or I’m legally allowed to administers anesthesia myself in case of emergencies such as an emergency surgery.”

“Anesthesia is… like medicine?” Elias falls quiet for a minute in thought as he purses his lips. He adjusts himself a bit, trying to ease himself off his arse and onto his hip without waking up Capella. “You’d be in an operating room, right?”

“Yeah.” Owen licks his lips leaning a bit closer to Elias, a tiny and careful shuffle as his hand drifts around his bump moving lower, closer to his hips. “Anesthesia is the medicine that I’d inject or give gas depending how the person reacts to it or it could be purely by age if it’s a child who’s too restless and won’t take a needle in the arm. I just put them to sleep. Help them relax.”

Elias hums curiously leaning back on the cushion behind him. “Really? All we’re given is pre-approved potions to put us to sleep and then shit’s done and we wake up. Do you make the- the medicine you give the people?”

“No. Just… administer it. Control it, make sure it’s not over-given or… over-dosed on. I have to be there throughout the whole surgery. It can be a quite gruesome sight.”

Owen’s fingers gently tug on the thin tee of Elias’ shirt and slips his hand under his shirt before flattening and splaying his fingers across his skin. Elias stares for a long hard moment at his hand with a tiny gap between his lips unable to conjure up the right words to…

A knuckle was under his jaw, gently tugging his head up to look up. Elias hardly had a second to processing what was happening before soft, spit-wet lips were on his own.

He’s quickly pushing Owen off him, staring at him wide-eyed and opened-mouth.

“What the fuck?” He hisses lowly at him. “What the ever-living fuck?”

“You didn’t want that?”

“No.” Elias furiously shakes his head trying to scoot as much as he can away from Owen. “No. I’m married for- My daughter’s on my lap and my son’s right over there!”

Owen blinks at him. “Oh… Guess I read the room wrong.”

“You guess?” He heaves out. “What-? What could I possibly was trying to show to you that I was interested in kissing you?”

Owen shrugs helplessly. “You let me touch you.”

“My bump. I- I was being kind. I was letting you feel the kicks. Not-” Elias stressfully runs his hair behind his ears.

“What did you think was going to happen? We’re not- We shagged twice years ago and that was me trying to get you to shut up. Because I was mentally tired of you. You wouldn’t leave me alone. Fucking you was the only way that got you quiet.” He scoffs at Owen who frowns at him deeply. “I let you in the manor. I let you meet Ella. I- I think you need to leave now.”

“What? Elias, no. It was a mistake. I’m sorry.”

“You kissed me!” Elias freaks out yet again.

“What?” Elias twists himself, Casey’s staring at them with his bookbag on his back and car keys in hand. “You kissed him?”

“What-? No, Cass-” Elias attempts to get up, stuck with Capella on his lap. “No, Casey, listen. Owen's just-”

“Why is he even in here?” Casey’s jaw clenches tight as he moves into the family room. “The kids are-…” The keys are dropped on the coffee loudly as they’re being stared down at.

“You know, I…” Casey points at Elias warningly. “I let you go on that tour. I trusted you to go. I held down the house, the kids, the-…" His eyes were flickinge across his face carefully. "Who else?”

Elias' eyebrows furrowed. “What?”

“There- there was that girl. That woman. Who helped you dropped off your bags. Use her number. Friend.” Casey spits at him quietly, careful not to wake the kids up. Elias was confused, he was trapped. He was pinned under Capella. “What are you talking about?”

“That woman. I don’t know her name. She- she… and then Opal. In the house with the kids?”

Owen looks over to Elias. “Your ex?”

Casey gestures over to Owen. “He knows about her too? He knows her name!? I didn't.”

“I- I wasn’t trying to hide her?” Elias was confused. “Casey, if you’d just listen-”

“I bet you fucked so many people on that tour. Everyone right? Men, women, binary people? Hes, shes, thems. Any other pronouns I should add to the list?”

Elias frowns at him, his jaw was dropped and his eyes burned. “I did no such thing. I don’t cheat on people. Let alone cheat on my own husband.”

“But you’d help him cheat on his own girlfriend? I know that. You told me that so many times.” Casey nods over to Owen making Elias’ face burn.

“Owen, tell him.” Elias finds himself begging him. “I didn’t kiss you. He kissed me, Cass. I pushed him away.”

“Anything that bastard tells me, I wouldn’t believe it anyway.” Casey hisses at Elias.

Elias is blinking furiously hard, running the back of his hands across his cheeks trying to dry his cheeks. “I never cheated on you.”

“Then how are you even pregnant, Elias?”

“Cause you’re shit with condoms.” He hisses at Casey. “It broke when you had Brighton, and it broke again. Two for one. Maybe I should assume that you’re the one who poking holes in them.” He accuses Casey with a low hiss.

Owen carefully lifts Capella’s legs off him, bending them so she was curled up in a ball, more on top of Elias now. “I think I should go.”

“Go!” Casey snaps at him, face turning red reaching his breaking point. “Get out of here! You shouldn’t have come here to begin with! You knew what Elias would’ve done from the very start, you knew there’s kids are involved, just stay the fuck away from my kids, man!”

Elias sniffles quietly as Owen walks away. Capella makes a small whining noise, shifting around and settling back down as Casey glared hard at him.

Elias runs his hands over his flushed cheeks. “You know, I don’t think Owen should be the only one to leave. I’m not going to sit here and have someone accuse me of something I’ve never done.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Casey hisses. “I want a test on them. See if they’re really mine or not, make sure they're not some bastard's children that you're trying to sattle me on with.”

“They are yours. I haven’t slept with anyone else. Owen’s the only sodding person who dared enough to get close to kiss me and I shoved him off me. If anyone’s a bastard here right now, it’s you, Casey. You don’t get to run your mouth and snap at everyone like this. What's wrong with you? A bad day today?”

Casey shrugs at him. He’s glaring and Elias hated it.

Elias adjusts Capella, finally getting her off him and he stands up. “You know what? I should’ve just gotten that abortion when I had the chance.” He finds himself regretting the words the second he says it to Casey.

“If I knew you’d act like some jealous bastard who can’t trust me… But I’m not giving up my job so either you can leave or find it in you to realize that I never cheated on you. Because I’m not sticking around if you’re going to act like this every time I got to leave for work.”

Casey’s jaw tenses, staring down and using his advantaged few inches he had on Elias to glare at him.

Elias doesn’t back down, staring sharply at Casey.

Not glaring, but just staring intensely with his obvious wet flushed cheeks.

He wasn’t going to coward away. Not now. Not with Casey of all people.

Despite the fear that trickled up his spine, he wasn’t going to be afraid.

Without a single extra spoken word between them, Casey scoffs at him quietly and grabs his keys off the coffee table and leaves the manor.

It was like he was never even there to begin with.

Chapter Text

November 22nd, 2009

Elias was suppose to go with his Papa and Casey.

He was going to have the extra hands with him, he was going to have Capella and Brighton with him. Now he had to rely on his Papa, something he didn't want to do to start with when he decided to bring Capella and Brighton to see the babies.

“I need you both to be on your best behavior for me and Poppy when we go see Dada’s healer today.” Elias instructs the two fussing at their clothes and hair as he sat at the dining table still at Potter Manor with Brighton and Capella standing still enough in front of him.

“Why you need see a healer?”

“Are you sick, Dada?”

“I’m fine. Remember I need to see a healer to make sure all your brothers and sister is growing healthy and strong. Just like you two. Hmm? Do you want to walk today like a big girl Ella, or ride your ‘roller?”

“Walk!”

“Righty then, remember me and Poppy won't carry you if you get tired.” Elias gently have them take a few steps back to push himself up as he sees his Papa coming down the stairs with a cane in hand for the day. “We’re taking the floo today. Remember what that is?”

He doesn’t miss the confusion look from Aster. Muggles can’t take the floo. The only way Casey could go into St Mungo’s was to be guided through the front entrance that was under a charm that would fool him into thinking the building was run down and abandoned otherwise.

But no. Casey didn’t call last night. Or showed up that morning. And now past brunch time without a single call or him even bothering to show up on his own, Elias got the message loud and clear.

He was a cheater.

These babies were his and his only, because no way it could be Casey’s, right? The thought alone had him scoffing under his breath.

“Is Daddy coming to see babies too?” Capella asks innocently, ignoring Elias’ previous question.

“No.” Elias shakes his head running his fingers through Brighton’s blonde hair trying to flatten it down on his head a bit. “Daddy has school. He’s busy today. Now, who wants to go through the fire with Poppy?”

Elias gives Aster no room for questions, showing the excited kids how the floo worked down to the powder and green flames.

But he knew that he couldn’t avoid his Papa for long.

“Where’s Casey?” He’s being whispered to as his kids are given one glove each to fool around with. Distracting enough to his dismay.

“Not here. Can’t you tell?” Elias smiles thinly. Fake and he was full of shit and his Papa knew it. “He had some classes. I think he said something about needing to meet a professor. I don’t know. I’m not his keeper, like he's not mine.”

“You missed your last appointment to fight to have him here and now this…? What’s going on, Elias? Was he even in the manor last night? He missed dinner.”

Elias merely shrugs, fake smile dropping. “I told you, I’m not his keeper.”

“Did you two have a fight?”

“Help me get my jumper off, will you?” Elias asks him instead. “I don’t fancy falling off the table. I have a shirt on underneath.”

“Elias-” Elias is already tugging on his jumper. Yanking and pulling it off. Aster was given seconds to help stabilize him from falling off the table he was sat on.

“That’s better, was getting a bit muggy in it.” Elias huffs with a small smile shoving his jumper into Aster’s arms. “Do they always have the heat charms blasting in the winter like this?”

“Elias-”

“Dada! Look what I did!”

Brighton was pinching the blowing up glove, beaming proudly as Capella was begging him to help and show her how to do the same thing to her own glove.

Elias smiles softly to them. “I see that, Bright. Now show Ella how you did it too. Show her how smart you are.”

“Elias-”

“You know what? What do you think about the name Ophelia? I liked it for the girl, but now I’m starting to second guess it. It’s too different, isn’t it? Too… old.” His jaw tensed and his eyes burned at the topic. “I should go with something more modern. I know Dad’s name is picking up in popularity. You think he’d like James’ Junior?”

“I think you should be talking to Casey about this. Picking out baby names should be special, I’m not Casey.”

Elias shakes his head. His lips tighten up into a flat line. “Fuck him. Just… he’s nothing but trouble. A troublemaker. That’s what he is.” Elias breath hitches. “That’s… that’s good. I can use that. Damn, I wish I had my note book on me right now.”

“Elias don’t use your fight to publish bad songs about him. It’s already only just starting to go down with the drama about the pregnancy announcement to the kids’ face and Casey’s being shown. I'm trying to get you guys out of my home, not moving back in.”

“I’ve been nothing but… faithful to him.” Elias breathes out angrily. “Where could he possibly have gotten the fact that I…”

He drops his face into his hands, full out sobbing that was muffled up. He feels Aster rubbing his back soothingly.

“It’s going to be okay.”

“No. It’s not.” He croaks out. “He thinks I cheated on him. More than once. Wherever he got those facts from. He thinks- he… he wants a paternity test done on the babies.”

“Why does he think that?”

“I don’t know.” Elias yanks his jumper back from Aster, rubbing his face in it trying not to draw too much attention to himself. “I-…” A shaky breath. “I had Owen in the manor yesterday. He-… He-”

“Did he threaten you? I swear I’ve been feeling the wards being messed with-”

“No. I let him in, Papa. I… I let him meet Ella and Bright and… it was going well. Then… then it didn’t for a moment and Casey walked in at the worst timing possible and…”

“So Casey was at the Manor last night?”

“Not… not last night.” Elias shakes his head. “The kids were napping on the couch, he drove to the manor instead of having me or one of you guys get him, and… Owen tried to kiss me. I shoved him off and Casey came in when I was scolding at Owen for doing that. I don’t know why he thinks I’ve been cheating on him this whole time. I haven’t. I swear I haven’t. I work, I go home. I… that’s literally all I do. Even on tour, I hide out in the hotel room more times than not. I can’t even have friends without him… I just feel so alone these days.”

“He’s been jealous, then.” Aster determines. “You do know being famous isn’t just a heavy toll on you. There’s plenty of rumors around of who you’re married to, who you could possibly be dating. If you’re in a throuple or a poly-relationship, or… just sleeping around and your wedding ring is a decoy? You know I try to visit Cass when I can, with Dad. When you were away. We tried to help him when we could on weekends.”

“I know.” Elias weakly tells him.

“Then I guess you don’t know about the stack of mags he had in the living room? You on the cover, you inside it. All sorts of shit and… certain clippings he seemed to have been saving?”

Elias furrows his eyebrows at him. “What do you mean by that?”

“I think Casey missed you a bit too much when you were gone. And you were too busy for him or didn’t talk to him enough to be reassured that you weren’t doing something else… or in his case, somebody else.”

“It wasn’t that I was just too… the time differences and I was constantly jet lagged then on stage and… I tried to make sure I was there to say good night to the kids on the video chat and…” Elias frowns, his voice trails off. “I always fell asleep on the video call as soon as Casey put the kids to bed. That very first second of moment of silence I… am I a bad husband, Papa?”

“I like to think that you’re learning. You’re young. You’re making mistakes as you go. Me and Dad sure weren't perfect, had a lot to learn ourselves. Even now, sometimes.”

“I accused Casey of poking holes in the condom and that I told him that I should’ve gotten the abortion when I had the chance when I'm terrified of even the thought of abortions.” Elias mutters quietly to him. “And I invited Opal into our home… I still write letters to her and… Then my phone calls with Freya… Oh, Freya. That’s who he was talking about.” Elias facepalms himself at his own idiocy. “Mierda. I hardly even talk to her anymore these days, she's always so busy.”

Elias was caught in his own mess when his healer comes in. She takes one look at him and he knew that she knew he was only just crying a few moments ago.

“Sorry. Just… pregnancy hormones shit.” He mutters quietly rubbing his cheeks which he knew made his face more red.

She smiles softly coming into the room. “It happens to the best of us. You wouldn't be the first I've walked in on crying. I see you brought your older kids here.”

Elias nods as Brighton and Capella scurried over to Aster, hiding around his legs given Elias’ placement on the table.

“Taller one’s Brighton, then there’s Capella who's hiding between my Papa’s legs.”

“It’s Ella.” Capella huffs in a quiet voice, still hiding more between Aster’s legs than Brighton who was directly behind the boney leg himself.

“Hello, Ella.” She’s sent a small smile from his healer. “And you too, hello, Brighton. I’m guessing you both want to see your dad’s babies inside his belly?”

Ella nods, face smushed between the crack of her grandfather’s legs while Brighton just stared.

“I’m sure I can do that first for you two,” His healer determines with a nod towards Elias which he knew what to do. Shirt up, tucked under his breasts, and lay down.

“I notice your husband isn’t here today. And you gave such a fit last time I tried to see you without him here.”

“He had some classes he couldn’t miss. Last minute.” Elias lies through his teeth watching the projector show the insides of his uterus and all the babies shoved up against one another.

“Which one is sister?” Capella asks with her eyes curious and large as she stared across the projection.

“It’s harder to peek between the babies legs now that they’ve got bigger. But if I am to follow by the similar of the last placements of where you sister was hiding, I’d say… the baby right over here.” His healer points on the far left on the projector.

“But if you want know exactly where that baby is inside your Dad’s belly, then we’d be looking here,” She shows Capella exactly where to poke on his bulging naked stomach.

Aster pulls over the two chairs in the room, allowing Brighton and Capella to climb onto them to be leveled up with Elias. Capella giggles and scrunches her nose as she pokes his stomach, getting a wiggle in response from the inside.

“Can they hear me?” Brighton asks.

“Yes. They know you, and Ella, and your dads. Even your grandfather, too, all by your voices.”

Capella looks up at his healer. “Can they see us? Unc' Harry can't. And- um-... Leala and Aria.”

A small chuckle. “No. Not until they’re born.”

“When will they be born? I want to see them now.” Capella stomps her foot in protest.

“Ella, remember what Daddy and I told you. They gotta bake a little while, so they can come out all healthy and strong.”

She frowns at him, not liking his answer at all. “Then they come out of your… your thingy?”

Elias softly laughs. He and Casey had agreed on the best way to answer both kids’ questions of how Elias was pregnant and how the babies would be born (usually) was to be honest and grin and bare through it.

Which honestly left Elias to answering most of their questions at the best age-appropriate approach possible while Casey was left sitting beside him red in the face like he was getting the sex talk from his mother for the first time which Elias learned the same night that apparently Wanda never actually did give Casey the sex talk, just signing his sex-ed permission slip and shooing him away to be someone else’s problem to deal with.

“Remember how I’m a boy but we have the same privates of a vagina because I was born in the wrong body as a girl, while Daddy and Brighton have the same privates and they have a penis. Babies come out of vaginas.”

She blinks at him. “But how do the babies go in?” She wildly gestures to his jogger pants that had been tugged down to show his whole bump and made it look like she was shoving something into him.

And that is where Casey and him had decided to draw the line of giving the sex talk until they were older.

Elias sends her a tiny smile. “Cause Daddy decided to put some baby seeds into me and they decided to grow into babies.”

She scowls at him. “But seeds are tiny.” She pinches her fingers between thumb and forefinger before widening her arms to as far as they can expand. “Babies are big.”

“Yes. Which is why having a baby hurts sometimes.”

Brighton stared at him, eyes growing large. “It hurts?! Why have four babies Dada!? You don’t need some hurting!”

“How do you think Daddy and me got you two?” Elias points out and that makes Brighton smack a hand over his mouth. “I made you hurt!?”

Another problem for another day.

“Not much.” Emotionally, maybe. “Ella hurt more.”

Capella gasps at him offended, smacking a hand on her chest. “I do no thing! No lie!”

“Well,” His healer decides to interrupt their conversation. “Because your dada,” She spares a glance to Elias who nods. “Is having four babies, he’s going to have your brothers and sister a bit differently than how he had you.”

“How!? No pain?”

“Well, we’ll going to give your Dada potions. He won’t feel a thing when he has them at first..”

His healer gets the nods of approval from his kids.

“But you have to be very gentle with your dada and your baby brothers and sister when they come out. After they're born.”

“Why dada?”

“Dada will have a cut on his belly.”

“You cut him!? No!” Capella accused the healer before flopping herself onto his belly making him grunt out in pain. He had enough pressure on his front side as it was as he tugs her off himself. "That's a no-no behavior!"

“Don’t jump on me like that. It hurts me and the babies.” He warns her.

Her pink lips form a perfect circle and eyes widen a bit alarmed, clearly not knowing. “Sworry!”

Elias nods and she leans over onto him more gently, kissing his bump and sending an extra four more ‘sworry baby’ to his belly.

Before the projection was taken down, he was allowed to hear all the heartbeats along with the kids and Aster.

Then came Aster taking the kids out of the room and he had to get some internal exams done.

“Have you been having sexually active during the pregnancy since finding out?”

“A bit. But who doesn’t with their partner?” Elias mutters a bit uncomfortable with his legs up in the air and having his healer check him out. He went through all this when he had Capella but it didn’t mean anything was made easier.

“Well… Everything’s checking out well from what I can see. Usually with carrying so many I’d start to see a shortening or softer cervix which is a bit too close for comfort but your body is holding up quite nicely. Have you been eating well as I instructed? Getting in plenty of calories and nutrients in?”

“I eat when I can, sometimes my kids steal food off my plate. I also eat whatever my dad or husband cooks me and I snack a lot. Which is a lot of snacking. They’re strict on me following that diet you gave me.”

“Good, good.” She hums finally pulling out whatever shit she had going on inside him. “You can put your legs down now if you want and sit up.”

“And your magic? Have you been using that much?”

“No. I hardly use any spells or wands, just an apparition maybe twice a day, nothing else. Just as you instructed me not to cause my magic’s been supporting the babies.”

He’s getting a confident nod. “That explains how your cervix’s been holding up well. I guess I can just say as long as you keep doing what you are doing now, you should be okay until we pick out a date to deliver the babies.”

Elias nods sitting up with a bit of help from his healer. “When… when can I do that? Can I do it now?”

“We can.” She waves her wand summoning the cart over to herself. “You’d be due in February if you were to safely deliver a single baby. Most pregnancies I’ve read up because you’re my first case of quads is that it’s average to deliver between thirty-two to thirty-six weeks.”

“I had Ella at thirty-eight.”

“Which is still normal. But we want to try to keep those babies in and cooking for as long as possible because pre-term labor is high. The longer they stay in you, the chance of them going home sooner and being born healthier is higher with lesser risks and complications on each baby.”

Elias nods slowly, swallowing thickly. He could interpret that warning. He stressfully runs his hands down his thighs, wishing Casey was with him.

“Do you want me to get your father?”

“No, no.” Elias shakes his head. “I can do this on my own. I just… the goal week is basically every week I manage to keep them in me, correct?”

“Yes.”

“And the maximum week to certainly have them out is…?”

“I’d say thirty-six the safest. The bigger they get, the more crowded it becomes inside you and they’re already fighting for room. Make sense? You might start to experience bruising on your stomach when the kicking and movements become more intense.”

“I think so. What if… I think we should hold off the scheduled date and for now take this week by week.”

His healer nods. “When you hit the twenty-five week mark, I want to start seeing you bi-weekly to ensure not just the babies but yourself is safe too, okay? Then about thirty weeks, we'll change that to weekly.”

“Alright.” His voice is as low as a whisper.

“And when you do have the babies, your husband can come. No fight on it. I want you safe. That’s my goal. You and your babies all being safe and I can’t have that if you don’t come to me if your husband can’t come. So bring him, leave the ministry’s fight to me over having a muggle in the witches' wards.”

Elias nods. “Anything else I should know?”

“I don’t think so, for now. Eat right, rest, don’t over work yourself, let yourself grow and expand. That belly’s only just about halfway done and you’re looking to be and measuring up to the usual nine months already on most witches.”

“How big do you think I’ll end up being by the time I deliver if I make it to thirty-six weeks?”

His healer rocks her head back and forth in debate. “That’s hard to tell. But… I’m gonna guess…” She rolls her wheel-stool back and uses her hand to hold out at least a good extra four inches in front of him. “Maybe more, maybe less. One of the babies are measuring to be pretty big.”

“How big?”

“If you make it to thirty-six weeks, at the size he’s growing now, eight-ish pounds? More? Less? I don’t know for certain until they’re born. It kinda makes me wonder if he’s either was conceived at the same time as the others or earlier…”

Elias shakes his head wrapping his hands around his bump. “Don’t say that, please. Ever. Right now, all of them are the very same.”

The same as they can get for being siblings growing in the same womb at the same time.

“Okay,” She softly smiles at him. “You can pick up your scans in the front like before. A few new leaflets to add and you’re good to go for today.”

Chapter Text

November 22nd, 2009

Elias was able to leave Capella and Brighton with his Papa for a few hours while he apparated over to his home, hopefully to find Casey and mend what’s repairable in their argument and talk the rest out with clear and open communication.

One thing Elias never thought he’d expect to see when walking into the living room was to see Opal in the same room as Casey when he expressed his obvious and clear jealousy and emotions to him the last time she was in this very house.

He also didn’t expect to see them both snogging the daylights out of each other as well.

His loud scoffing pulls them both away. Shaking his head by the tiniest bit as he glares at Casey.

“This is just rich, coming from you. Opal, really?” He spots the pretty flush on her face and Casey’s too. He was trying to find it in himself to be pissed. To be mad. But he was just tired. All he wanted to do was to move forward from this weird phase silent-arguing with Casey.

And it was clear to him that Casey was clearly trying to hit his breaking point much like he had hit his own.

“Of all people? What were you planning on doing? Shagging her while you’re at it?”

“If she doesn’t mind, then sure.” Casey hums pretending to be unbothered, fingers twisting her unusual snog-messy dark hair. Elias tenses his jaw, he knew Casey was trying to push his buttons to make him snap. But it wasn’t going to work that way, seeing the faint lift of an eyebrow on his friend’s face.

Opal’s smart. The wit always was above her cunningness. It was obvious with her being sorted into Ravenclaw than Slytherin, the hat spending a solid minute on her head to decide that.

Elias crosses his arms over his chest, scowling. “You want to shag her, fine. But I get to as well then.”

Casey’s eyes snapped up and over to him. Elias caught him off guard.

They’ve never done this before. They’ve joked about it on random nights after coming down from their highs. Discussed it the total of three times on a rare blue moon, talked about it but never actively pushed into attempting to try.

Elias looks over to his ex.

“Opal, do you fancy shagging both of us today since you clearly had no mind snogging my husband?”

He doesn’t miss the smirking curve of her lips.

Elias could bet on it that she got his latest letter already of how Casey walked in on him with Owen in the room, the accusal of him being a cheater when Owen kissed him and he pushed him off, the accusal that the babies aren’t even his.

Opal meets his eyes, far too sly and cunning looking for the former Ravenclaw.

Oh.

She tilts one eyebrow up, all the way to reach her hairline.

Elias knew that she was the one to show up at the townhome unannounced. Intruding on Casey in the middle of his pissy storm.

The curve of her smirk becomes more of a smile.

Oh.

This whole thing was planned, down to the dotted Is and crossed Ts.

“I wouldn’t mind. Might finally put me in labor.” She was thirty-eight weeks along, it was still early but late enough into pregnancy where even Elias knew she must've been fed up with her body.

So she was going to get something out of this after all.

Elias’ eyes snapped over to Casey, quiet and waiting. Elias lifts an eyebrow. He’d do it if Casey’s in. Casey lifts his own eyebrow, otherwise his eyes were a bit glaring at him.

“I suppose we’ll be more comfortable in the bedroom, don’t you think?” Elias offers up with an unreadable face to Casey and Opal.

That’s how Elias was last in line, Opal in the middle with Casey in the lead to guide her to their bedroom.

He wasn’t nervous.

If anything he thought it was a bit amusing. Two pregnant people and Casey. Him and Opal and Casey. A threesome that he certain didn’t see coming for his first time as he pulls out the desk chair, setting it nearly center of the room, a bit closer to the foot of the bed.

He brings his dark eyes over to Casey. “Sit.”

“Oh… you’re still this sort of bossy in bed, are you? Even with Casey… I didn’t see this coming.” Opal hums quietly but loud enough for him and Casey to snap their eyes over to her. He narrows his eyes on her warningly. “And you… You can strip. Wait by the bed. I have plans for you too.”

Her lips twitch up at him before she crosses her arms over her chest and yanks off her maternity muggle tunic shirt in a fluid motion, leaving Opal in her usual signature lacey bras that clearly hasn’t changed at all over the few years of their separation.

Elias forces his eyes away from her breasts for a moment as she goes to tug off her pants. He glares at Casey, pats the back of the chair from where he stood behind it. “Sit down. Final warning.”

He meant it. Casey knew it.

Sometimes he didn’t go by the three-strike warning, sometimes he did if he was kind enough. And he was only being kind because Opal was here, because though she once was used to to his orders and light yet controlling punishment as younger teens, it’s been years.

Swallowing thickly, which was painfully obvious to Elias, Casey finally moves and takes a seat. The chair creaks under him.

Elias runs his hands down his shoulders, down his chest and feels him up from behind with his head behind his ear.

“No touching yourself, no talking, I don’t want to hear a single peep out of you. In fact, no doing anything of any kind but sitting here and just looking pretty for me and Opal, be our eye candy. I'm sure even you can do that.” His fingers start to unbutton his button up, one at a time he unbuttons the top four before pushing his hands under the fabric and getting direct skin contact.

“You are to sit quietly, leave your clothes on, and be obedient to your master and watch until I say otherwise. Am I understood?”

Casey nods, his mouth opening before snapping shut with a breathless noise as they both look over to Opal who unhooks her bra.

Her breasts being revealed, medium size, a bit bigger than Elias last remembers which he can blame her pregnancy on. They were bigger, but not suffocatingly huge which is exactly how he loves his breasts to be.

Elias withdraws his hands off Casey, walks around him and to the third party member in the room. He wraps his arms around from behind her, pressing his bump and chest up against her back and happily uses both hands to grope her soft breasts letting out his own soft moan.

“You won’t believe how much I’ve missed a perfectly good pair of tits.” He mutters lowly pushing his forehead into her neck and pinches her nipples and rolling the nubs between his fingertips, having her whine a bit.

“You always did love leaving marks on me.”

He presses a kiss to the back of her neck. He could feel the goosebumps rising across her skin. “Marking up anyone’s tits is my specialty.”

He gropes her for another long second before finally moving one hand off and slides it slowly down her bump. “Do you know what you’re having? An obedient little girl or a very good boy?”

She lets out a tiny hum. “Don’t know.”

Elias laughs hotly into her neck, moving on from the topic fast as he drifts his hand a bit to the side, unable to go straight down her stomach like he once could without her blemish-free bump getting in the way.

But he’s able to slide into her matching undergarment set, fingers snaking over to her small sensitive bud and softly rubbing making her moan and lean back.

He looks over to Casey, meeting his eyes with a wicked smile on his face.

“Do you like what you see, Cass?” Elias purrs to him, not stopping his gentle touches. He nods furiously. “Maybe I should make you just stay there. Sit and watch me fuck the life out of Opal. After all, you snogged her. I just looked and admired her. Remember our rule, we can look but not touch? I know it’s quite hard but…” Elias clicks his tongue, tuttering at his husband. “I never once broke that. Every single night I was horny, I’d use that dildo I packed. I’d use my fingers. I’d call you for some phone sex, video or not.”

Elias stops talking, pressing another kiss to the back of Opal’s neck before pulling out his hand making her keen at him.

“Get on the bed, love. Make yourself comfortable.”

Elias pulls off his jumper, then the shirt he had on underneath. He strips down to his boxers, leaving the black tight briefs on which was a bit different from his sleep boxers or the boxers he’d used to just walk around the house in, looser and flowy.

Elias climbs on the bed, easily tugging off Opal’s panties and tossing them over in the pile of clothes. He leans over to her face, pressing the softest peck to her lips before splitting her potion hair removal used well as he tugs her folds apart to give the quiet Casey a clear view to see.

“What do you think, Cass? Opal’s very pretty down here, don’t you think? No hair in sight, a wonder what a potion of hair removals can do down here. Not even a shadow in sight, just soft skin.” Elias doesn’t look for Casey’s silent answer.

He moves a finger to touch her clit, pulling up the hood and using the pad of his finger to teasingly rub the tiny exposed bud that has her moaning softly from where she laid on their pillows.

“It’s been a few years, you know, Opal. Since I got to play around with a pussy. I hope you don’t mind me taking what I can with this sudden opportunity.”

“Hmm… don’t mind with you.” Her voice soft and feminine, something unusual and rare in Elias’ bed in the last few years.

He smirks at her where she struggled to look at him through hooded eyes.

Elias dips down, pressing butterfly kisses across her soft neck before licking a steady line up the collum of her throat once not stopping until he reaches her lips again, not kissing her but licking her lips over.

He moves down her body, on his knees by her side and happily cups her breasts once again, before finally putting his mouth on her chest.

He sucks. He bites. He licks all over leaving marks and taking his time but carefully avoiding the perky dark pink nipples.

“Be- be careful if you suck my-”

“Why?” Elias pulls back some with a cocky smile on his lips. “You’re afraid you’ll leak in my mouth? Haven’t you tasted your own milk yet, lovely?” He dips down again, the very tip of his tongue teasing her perky nipple with a fast flick over.

“Don’t be afraid, Opal. I’m pretty sure everyone in my family at this point tasted my milk before. Dad snuck it in his cooking often. It doesn’t taste bad, if anything breastmilk is…” He licks again before wrapping his mouth around her entire nipple and sucks gently to draw out the sweet liquid. He doesn’t dare to suck out much, but just enough to get an obvious taste before pulling back and licking his lips with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

He smirks.

“Very sweet. Just like you when you're not sneaking around and snogging my husband.” He purrs before biting her breast lightly a final time before forcing himself to move on from the lovely breasts.

He crawls himself between her legs, looking over to Casey once to see him staring with his hands gripping the arms of the chair tightly and his legs were spread wide apart, an obvious bulge packed inside his pants but obeying him enough to stay quiet and not touching himself.

Because Casey knew if he listened and obeyed to Elias, he’d be rewarded.

Elias bends himself down, still in his tight briefs and showing his covered arse to Casey as he slips open Opal’s folds and ducks his head and flattening out his tongue and licking across her hole and up to her clit.

He lets out a soft moan as he eats her out, this was so far better than giving a blow-job.

Casey has never tried the potion. One’s been on the shelf in the bathroom, adjusted and set for him for the last year and he always said he just wasn’t ready to see if the potion would truly work on muggles or not, if it meant sacrificing his dick and bollocks for a few hours.

Who was Elias to push him?

But he ravishes on Opal’s cunt. Makes a feast out it.

Between him and her, obscenely wet noises were made.

Moans, pants, grunts; he pushes in two fingers to the mix and curls them from the inside so he could focus on her clit more.

Her fingers are in his blonde hair, not tugging or pulling or forcing him to do more than he wanted to give her.

Opal knows.

It’s been years between them and she knows him enough of what she was allowed to do and what she couldn’t with his mouth on her as her back arches and she tries to push herself more into his mouth.

Elias can feel her clenching down on his fingers. The way how she tightens around him before relaxing for a passing second. He knew she was getting close and he doesn’t stop until she’s soaked, sweating hotly, and panting heavily with loud moans as her organs contract around his fingers signaling her pleasurable release Elias gave her.

Elias keeps his fingers deep inside her, curling still as he presses praising kisses across her milky white inner thighs feeling how wet his mouth was, dripping down his chin and smeared across his cheeks.

“That felt good, didn’t it, lovely?” Elias purrs quietly to her lifting his head to meet her eyes. She nods sucking in deep breaths, rolling her hips into his fingers a few more times which he allowed before slipping out and licking his fingers clean.

“Take a minute to reset yourself while I prepare our third party for the next activity.” Elias presses another kiss to her, this time to her knee before getting off the bed.

Elias doesn’t spare a glance to Casey, going to their top dresser drawer that was a solid head and a half taller than Brighton to stumble into and digging into the very back stuffed behind all the clothes.

He pulls out a condom, lube, his unused strap-on and the dildo of his choice of the three that he could pick from.

He leaves the drawer open, the stuff picked out still inside but at the front and on top where the others couldn’t see as he makes his way over to Casey, stopping between his open legs.

“You’ve been so good, quiet and watching me and Opal.” Elias praises dropping down to his knees slowly. He unbuttons his jeans.

“Don’t think just because I’m letting you fuck her that you’re getting away with cheating on me with her.” He warns Casey looking up to meet his darkening green eyes. “We still have a lot to talk about. I’m still very pissed at you, don’t think otherwise. And I’ll take this moment to think twice on any actions you chose to do because I will be far more strict and punishing with you than Opal. Lift your bottom.”

Casey pushes himself up, Elias keeps his eyes locked on his as he tugs down his pants and underwear in one go, tossing them on the floor behind himself.

Elias grips his half hard cock at the base, licking a strip from his hand to the tip and swirling his tongue around the head and letting himself lick up the sudden bubbling precome as Casey moans quietly, melting into his touch like melting snow in the warm sun.

He takes the head into his mouth, sucking and teasing Casey just the slightest bit with a few bobs of his head before popping off and opening up the condom wrapper with his fingers and rolling it onto Casey.

He gets back up to his feet and starts to unbutton Casey’s shirt.

“Stand up,” Elias tugs off Casey’s shirt as he stands and guides him over to the bed. He doesn’t get on the bed but walks around the side. “On the bed, on your knees between her legs. Don’t do anything else. Either of you.”

His gaze is sharp and calculating, watching Casey stand on his knees with his cock heavy and hanging a bit and slightly touching the curve of Opal’s baby bump.

Elias leans onto the bed, one knee on the bed and his prosthetic leg is hardly on the floor as he’s dipping into the mattress and takes hold of Casey’s cock.

One hand on his cock, he rests the other on his lower back and gently pushes himself forward, pushing just the head into Opal making them both moan softly. Elias keeps pushing Casey forward until he was balls deep.

“Now stay there.” He warns Casey pulling back.

“W-what?” Casey heaves out stuttering with his arse muscles clenching visibly tight for long moment as he leans froward to put his hands on either hands on the side of Opal’s head.

“You heard me. You wanted to fuck her so bad, you get to, but you stay balls deep in her for as long as I say without moving. And that goes to you too, Opal. I’m not daft, I know you read my letter. You’re lucky I’m not putting you on your hands and knees to be fucked.”

Elias gets off the bed.

“Where a-are you going?” Opal manages to stutter out to him.

“Not far. I’m staying in the room. Can’t trust either of you to scheme up and do shit right under my nose.” Elias hums pulling out the strap-on and starts to hook himself up with it over his briefs than stripping naked himself.

He picks up the dildo and tucks it into the ring before grabbing another condom to slip on the dildo and the bottle of lube.

It was a great pity that he couldn’t use the potion to give himself a proper dick.

Elias goes back to the bed, climbs onto it behind Casey and pushes Casey down to lay on top of Opal as much as he could without hurting her.

With him balls deep inside her, not daring to move under Elias’ hard eyes, Elias coats his fingers with lube.

“Can’t let you two have all the fun now.” He murmurs pushing a finger up to Casey’s arse and gently breeches into him, smiling softly at the hissing gasp and him tensing up unexpectedly. “Try to relax now, Cass, or it’ll take far much longer than we need this to be.”

Elias works two fingers into him, stretching and opening him up to take three of his fingers all without teasing him on his prostate before he covers the condom covered dildo with lube and adds a bit more lube to cover his hole before angling it to Casey’s hole.

“Remember, no moving.” Elias warns before pushing his hips forward slowly into Casey.

Casey lets out a gasping low moan with his back muscles tensing up.

Elias could see him squeezing around the dildo as he pushes in slowly with his arse pulled apart for Elias to see full view.

Only halfway in, his arms were shaking to fight to keep himself up, he was dripping sweat onto Opal.

Casey’s never done it this way before. Something in the arse and something so hot, wet, and feels so good around his cock making all his sensations be set on fire.

Elias pulls out a bit, angles his hips and pushes back in making Casey take the dildo halfway in again and a bit more that has him letting out a gut-wrenchingly loud moan. Possibly louder than Elias has ever heard before as he finally drops himself onto Opal’s chest and buried his head into her neck with his hips pushing forward instinctively chasing the pleasure as his prostate is pushed against, unable to resist anymore.

Elias lifts a hand and sends it smacking across Casey’s arse.

“No moving. What did I warn you!?”

Casey mewls and whines, his back is arching heavily taking most of the punishment between him and Opal. Opal was quiet, light blue eyes glossy and the difference between Casey and Opal was that Elias could see Casey move, however he couldn’t see or feel the way Opal was tensing and squeezing around Casey’s cock.

Casey finally takes the whole dildo down to as far as Elias could push in with his bump in the way. Elias runs his hand over the red blooming mark on his arse before raking his nails across his back giving Casey a moment to adjust.

He wasn’t mean. He didn’t want to be feared.

He just wanted to hold that higher status and level to be respected in bed — during sex — and this was the way to do it. To show right away that he was a top, regardless of what was in his pants or even his size or height.

It wasn’t about him, that early evening but instead Casey.

Slowly, Elias pulls out before moving his hips in a careful and steady rhythm.

The room already smelled heavy of sex. With Casey grunting with every movement Elias inflicted on him, he was trying so hard to stay still as Elias wraps his arms around Casey’s hips, going straight for Opal.

“Oh putain,” Her moan was soft and quiet as his thumb found her clit easy, soft and gentle rubs as he provided different pleasuring works to his different partners in bed.

“E-” Casey gasps as Elias snaps his hips harder than the last, hitting that one spot inside him and Elias knew Opal was tightening up around him. “Please. I- I need to move.”

“I think I’m starting to hear a little buzz.” Elias breathes out in a slight pant, not stopping his hips and picking up the pace more than anything. “I don’t remember telling you that you can talk.”

Casey sobs, buried down as deep as he can be pushed into Opal with no room to move as Opal could do nothing; be nothing more than being a pocket for his cock as Elias rubbed on her clit while thrusting into Casey.

With a little bit of his anger getting the best of him as he lets out a low growl and grips onto Casey’s hip, Elias snaps his hips hard enough that sends Casey flying into Opal giving him a whole new angle to work with from how his back was arched with a heavy dip.

Each thrust had him rubbing against his prostate. Each move of his fingers had Opal closer to her second orgasm.

Time didn’t exist in the room with Elias controlling them.

Moving in at punishing speed and listening to his partners coming.

It starts with Casey.

Elias believes it crept on him, fast and startling; unable to hold back any longer with hardly any friction on his cock other than the mere warmth cavern holding him and Elias pounding at his prostate at an unforgiving speed.

He doesn’t stop.

Then Opal’s letting out a pitchy whine. A gasp and a moan and her hands curl up around Casey’s sides with her nails digging into his skin and that was how Elias knew she was coming.

That and the way her clit twitched under his fingers.

Then slowly he comes to a stop.

The sex didn’t help him.

He felt hollowed and empty and cold inside with Casey shivering and clearly fucked out of his mind with Opal under him and squashed with Casey’s weight on her and how he was leaning on her side more than directly on top.

He pulls out and tosses the condom that was on the dildo before unstrapping himself without a single word as he removes his gear, putting it away.

“You two deserve each other. A pair of cunning and manipulating whores you are.” He decides on, pushing in the drawer, with the used dildo set on top of the dresser. He goes to pick up his clothes. He doesn’t bother with his undershirt, tugging on his jumper then grabbing his joggers.

“Wh- where are you going?”

Elias looks over to Casey who managed to crawl off Opal, on his hands and knees, the used and filled condom still on his prick.

“I’m going back to the manor. To our kids and to take care of them. Like, you know? Being their Dada.” He rolls his eyes and shakes out his pants.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yeah. Have fun with Opal.”

“I don’t want her. I want you.”

Elias huffs a laugh, leaning on the wall to struggle and get a single foot into his pants. He gets his second foot in and tugs up his pants. “You have a funny way of showing that. Sure didn’t seem that way when I got here, Cass.”

“E, just stay-”

“And for the record, I never cheated on you. Not once. Not with anyone. And these babies are yours. Between you and me, you’re the cheater. And I’ll take a fucking truth potion just to rub it in your bloody face. Owen kissed me, and I pushed him away. And what you do? Blow up every single thing in my face, accusing me of every single thing I never would dream of doing to you. I thought we knew each other better than that. I thought I knew you better than that, and clearly I don’t.”

Casey frowns at him, not tearing his eyes away from him. His eyes were full of guilt, he was probably feeling humiliated too with Opal sitting up on the bed, flushed and breathing heavy but smart enough to be quiet.

“I’m sorry.” Casey whispers to him.

“You- you can jealous. You can- we… we promised that if we felt this way with one another we’d talk to each other. And you never did. Not once. And I wasn’t around, so how could I possibly know? So who’s fault is that? Certainly not mine.”

Casey attempts to get off the bed, shaky legs as he stands. “E, please-”

“You know where to find me.” He mutters quietly yanking open the door and walking out. He finds his wand in the living room, on the console table and grabs it.

He hears footsteps, his name, Casey.

He uses magic to get away from Casey.

The so-called magic that he hates and Casey loves.

He pops out with a loud crack.

Chapter Text

November 23rd, 2009

It was fairly early in the morning, but it wasn’t like Elias could sleep in.

Not with his two and three year old needing to be constantly entertained. And it being cold outside meant he had to find things for them to do inside.

He gave them both a shoebox each. Crayons, washable markers, some kids’ glue (he’ll probably regret that one if someone decides to eat it), and random other objects that could be used for in their arts and crafts session while he sat at the table with them with his keyboard piano, guitar, and notebook.

“Are you making a song, Dada?” Brighton questions as Capella uses her advantage with the markers and glue to color her own skin purple and cover it with the glue — as long as she didn’t try to eat it like she did a year ago when she was one.

“Yeah.” Elias nods, writing down a few music note to make a melody.

“Can I hear it?”

Elias lifts his eyes a bit taken back and startled. His music is far from age appropriate for his kids to listen to. But maybe if he flips a few pages and find a different song… Elias quickly scans over certain pages, trying to find something for Brighton to hear.

There was nothing. He had to wing it.

He swallows thickly. “It’s in French. I don’t know if you can keep up.”

“I know French!” Brighton defends himself with the few phrases he did know, less than Spanish but he was learning and picking up more as he spent more and more time around his Papa. Elias talked less in Spanish and French to his kids than his dads did to him and his siblings.

Elias teasingly hums at Brighton. “Do you?”

Brighton furiously nods his head. “Yeah!”

He readies his hands on the piano’s keys, gently pushing in to make a repetitive lullaby tune.

“Frère Jacques. Frère Jacques. Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous? Sonnez les matines. Sonnez les matines. Ding-deng-dong. Ding-deng-dong.”

Elias cocks up an eyebrow at Brighton. “Now, what did I just say in English?”

Brighton blinks at him a bit startled. “Um… Poppy didn’t teach me those words.”

“Uh-huh, and what has Poppy been teaching you then?”

“Putain… Um… Où est ce foutu livre?… Mais où est-il, bon sang?” Brighton didn’t need to say much to have Elias facepalming himself. He shouldn’t have put it ahead of himself to not expect Capella or Brighton not to pick up a cuss word or two.

“Lets avoid that first word you just said in French.”

“Why?”

Capella starts to pick up some plain wooden popsicle sticks off the table and furious starts coloring on them with a dark blue marker.

“It’s a bad word in French. We don’t want to say that.”

“But Poppy says it!”

“Yeah, but Poppy’s a grown up. You’re a kid.”

“Do you say it?”

Elias slowly shakes his head lying to his son. “No, I don’t.”

“But you’re a grown up.”

“I know but-”

“Merde!” Elias snaps his neck over to Capella who shouts out her own French curse, who managed to draw off her placemat and onto the table leaving a dark line streak of blue on the wood.

She stared up to Elias panicked and furiously tries to cover the mark with her colorful shoebox. “I didn’t want to! Don’t tell Poppy and Grandda I did!”

Elias takes a long second. Maybe staying at the manor with the kids and them being around his dads were a touch too… exposing.

If he really wanted his children spitting cuss words left and right he’d just have Harry babysit them for a solid long week, honestly. No, maybe, in fact, Harry could probably succeed in teaching them at least a handful of words in a single day.

He met his nieces. Fawn was hardly older than Capella and she was already cussing out bad enough where Teddy’s hair would become an embarrassingly shade of orange.

“It’s fine, Ella. It’s better to be honest and truthful and to apologize for your mistakes right away than hide them from the people you love.” Elias gently tells her showing that he wasn’t upset. “It’ll make them more mad if you hide than being honest from the start.”

She blinks at him, wet eyes and a bit not believing.

“Really?”

“Do I look mad right now?”

“You not Poppy or Grandda.” She points out, poking at the table's new marking sadly.

“I know, but lucky for you, I can help you clean the table right up.”

Her nose scrunches. “With magic?”

“No, better. With a paper towel and some soap and water. Come with me to the kitchen.”

Elias gets up and sets his guitar on the floor, he wiggles his fingers over to Capella to take.

She stands on the chair from her knees and takes a big jump off, landing just in front of Elias before grabbing his hand and instead dragging him to the kitchen.

It was quiet day. No other adult or child in sight other than Elias and his two kids as he rips off a single piece of a paper towel and wets it with some soap at the sink before passing it along to Capella as he hears the front door’s locks being fussed around with. “Go scrub down the table. I’ll be there in a minute with a dry one.”

“Okie-dokie.”

Elias unlocks the door and opens it to see Azura. Her long hair pulled up in a messy bun that looked to be tied together with three different bands and a satchel on her shoulder.

“Papa and dad said you might need some… adult to talk to. I offered up to drive out to see you and the kids.”

“Uh-huh.” Elias walks away, leaving the door open and pulls off another piece of a paper towel. His sister follows him in as he trades off the wet and soapy paper towel with the dry one to finish up the table with Capella before going back into the kitchen to trash it and get started on lunch.

“So… Casey, huh?”

“What did Papa tell you exactly?”

Azura sighs quietly and pushes herself up onto a nearby counter, still giving him some space to work with to make lunch as he rummages around the kitchen looking for ideas.

“He mentioned your appointment. Then you coming back here yesterday a few hours after leaving to talk to Casey and solve things but instead you looked… well, hair fucked and broody.”

Elias laughs under his breath, pulling out some canned soup to heat up on the stove that he could cook and maybe side it with a sandwich. “That’s one way to put it.”

“So you shagged him and left?”

“No.” Elias shakes his head pulling out a pot. “I caught him snogging Opal, then shagged him and Opal taking every brain-cell they had left in their heads, told them they deserved each other. Called them manipulative whores, then I came back. Oh, and I never even took off my underwear. Gave them mind blowing orgasms, each. Should I go on?”

“Damn.” Azura looked both equally impressed and concerned. “You shagged both your husband and ex in a threesome. Not everyone I know gets to say that.”

Elias hums quietly.

“What’d you do to them?”

Azura was probably the only one of all his siblings that Elias actually opens up to about his sex life. She knew the most details. She knew what he liked to do, why he did it, certain things that others by far did not.

Not that Casey knew he shared certain details about their sex life to Azura. Detailed details. Azura was far too nosy for her own good, but it was nice to talk to someone about this.

Better than a mind healer.

“First I was enjoying myself. At least with Opal. You know, I do like going down on women — people who’ve got cunts. I had Casey watch, then when he joined, I made Opal cockwarm him while I fingered him open then pegged him. Rule was: He wasn’t allowed to move or talk.”

“And then?”

Elias dumps three cans into the pot and lifts his gaze to his sister. “Then I felt horrible about everything as soon as I knew things were done with. Opal was using us for her own advantages which I could care less about cause she was trying to induce labor. But… Casey,” He spits his name out. “I never cheated on him. And he… first chance he gets he goes sucking face with my ex who knew that… I think Opal was only trying to help but she just made everything more harder because Casey and I didn’t talk and he was…”

Elias drops what he was doing and tugs up the collar of his shirt to rub at his eyes from where he started to sniffle and cry. Not in front of his kids. He refused.

“I know we’re young but… maybe we did make the wrong choice two years ago…” Elias’ voice cracks as he whispers that small inner thought to Azura with his kids loudly talking in the room next door. “I feel like I shouldn’t have proposed to him, maybe? I-I know it was impulsive and dumb. But there was Teddy encouraging me and I just…” He swallows thickly. “What if he thinks… what if I just trapped us both?”

“Elias, anyone who sees how Casey looks at you would see how much he loves you.”

“Then why…?” He rubs his eyes with the back of his hands, furiously shaking his head. He was so confused. With himself. With Casey.

“I never… I don’t know why he’s acting this way, Azura. We were fine, then I had the tour and now the pregnancy and… I need him here and he’s… he hasn’t called once. Not even to check up on the kids. I can’t keep lying to them when they ask where he’s at. It’s the third day now. I- I told him before I never wanted this sort of life for the kids if anyone thinks they can just pop in when they feel like it and fuck around with us… I hate how trapped I feel. How… he makes me stuck. Is it just easier to go? Or to try and work things out with him? Because it’s not just about us, but the kids too.”

“A lot’s on your plate right now.”

“Obviously.” He mutters taking a deep breath in trying to steady himself before lifting the pot and bringing it over to the stove and starts to heat it up. He pulls out the bread and sets it by her. “Mind helping me with lunch?”

“Sure. What you need?”

“Ella doesn’t like mustard cause she thinks it’s spicy. Brighton hates cheese.” He mutters. “Other than that their sandwiches are the same.”

Quietly they make five sandwiches. Azura follows everything that Elias does to make Capella’s sandwich before she makes herself her own while he makes him his own sandwich, doubling up on his food intake for the sake of his pregnancy.

With Azura around, she’s able to entertain the two kids with some more than strenuous actives such as running around such as playing tag inside the house while Elias watched and worked on his song.

Naptime kicks in after the who-knows-what-round of tag when Elias could see his daughter starting to lag behind.

He tucks both of them in his old bed that he once slept in as a child, each with their individual blanket and pillow and a few pillows to be a divisor between the two of them (per children’s playful requests) and creeps out of the bedroom.

Sitting down on the couch with a long sigh, he takes one look at his sister. “Thank you.”

She pulls the water bottle away from her lips. “For what?”

“If you didn’t show up, I’m pretty sure Brighton wouldn’t go down for a nap again today and I really need… just… time.”

“Adult time.” She hums quietly to him.

“Exactly. When you have a kid who sticks to your side like glue, you’ll realize how precious this time is.”

She stares at him quietly for a moment from across the couch. “Can I talk to you about something? Without getting… cruel judgement?”

He shrugs. “I guess.”

“You know how I’m… getting older.”

“Thirty next July.”

She deadpans at him. “Thanks, it's a very good thing you're married to a man and not a woman.”

He shrugs. “That’s what I’m for. To be your annoying little brother.”

“Well I don’t need that right now. The annoying part. I need you to… I need your opinion on something.”

He nods and opens up his notebook. “Go on.”

“Do you think I’d be a good mum?”

He lifts his eyes up to her. “Are you pregnant?”

“No. No… Just… I’m not getting any younger, you know? Biological clock is ticking away and all that.”

Elias nods slowly. “Do you want one of mine? I got four cooking now.”

She scoffs at him. “I’m being serious, Elias. Harry’s got his three girls and I feel like he’s never around anymore.”

“True.”

“Then Ellie has Atty with Pansy in their weird relationship-”

“-not really weird, just sex-free.”

Azura pouts at him. “I feel like I’m falling behind. You’re younger than me by nine years and you’re skipping from zero to two to six.”

“I wish I wasn’t. Unplanned. Very…” Elias doesn’t even bother to finish his sentence, shaking his head in dismissal.

“So… you want to have a baby?”

“I’ve been thinking about it.”

“How? Are you… going to randomly bone someone or-”

Azura laughs at him. “No, no. With Luna moving out soon, I’ve got a three bedroom flat to myself. I’m just going to renew the lease in just my name, then adjust my budget and… Look at donors.”

Elias blinks at her. “Donors?”

“Like if I want green eyes or blue or a blonde or-”

“Chances are more higher of the kid popping out looking like you more than anyone else unless… you know, you find someone with a stronger dominate gene. Chances are high that these four are going to pop out looking more like Casey than me. I’m blonde, but my eyes are green and brown, my skin’s olive-toned but not that dark like Dad’s. Chances are I’m just going to pass down my hair thickness and the slight curls but again, there’s Ella with her straight but thick hair so…”

“You know a lot about that?”

“Being trapped in a hotel room to hide out in a lot of hours during the day with a guitar, piano, notebook, and a boss that thinks you’re Mary Poppins who can pull out a hit song from your bag? I like to try and keep busy on that laptop Cass got me, other than using it to look up words and rhymes and video chat. I get nosy… mainly at the time I was curious and wanted to understand the chances of Ella looking like her… other dad.”

“Still not going to tell me who he is?”

Elias frowns. “Well, I have no plan on telling her that Cass isn’t her dad but… I suppose the word is going to get out soon enough that um… Owen’s been popping up lately. Here. You’ve heard?”

“Papa was bitching on last night about him messing with the wards and he thought he was trying to harass you but, not much of anything else. No.”

“Well… Owen is… you know?”

Her lips circle up into a perfect O as she stared at him. “He is? When?”

“That summer… when… the Pettigrews first stayed in their manor?”

“But… you were always on the phone complaining to me how he was picking on you.”

“Well you’d be surprised how fast he shuts up during sex. Or when he’s being snogged.” Elias half shrugs. “But the other day I let him meet Ella under strict conditions and he knows that he will never be her father.”

“And he understands that?”

“Yes.” A firm nod. “He’s a thorn in my arse but weirdly enough I trust him over this. And it’s not like I’ll go leaving him alone with the kids anyway. I don’t mind them meeting new people, just, never alone.”

Azura lets out a tiny hum. “It’s weird now.”

“How so?”

“Knowing that Owen… Ella shares enough traits with Casey to pass as his daughter but… now that you’ve told me who it is… just weird. Are you sure you don’t have a thing?”

“A thing?”

“Preferences for partners. Brunettes. Not too tall but not shorter than you. Light eyes, Opal’s got those baby blue ones, I remember you writing about that in your letter.”

Elias rolls his eyes. “Owen’s got dark blue eyes. They look nearly black most of the time unless the lighting around is very light and bright.”

“Still,” She shrugs. “You obviously have certain traits that you look in for partners.”

“And? Some people are like that, only going for blondes or those with blue eyes or some shit.”

“Would you ever go for a blonde? Or someone tall like Uncle Remus or Zio Barty or Uncle Evan?”

Elisa swallows thickly and avoids her gaze.

“No.” He shakes his head.

“Cause of those… guys?”

“I don’t like being hovered over, for one. I’m short enough as it is. As for blondes… yeah. Dirty blonde. Platinum blonde. Golden blonde. Sandy… They were all blondes…”

Elias thinks on the few times Casey asked him if he should try bleaching his hair. He always wanted to try to go blonde. His long hair, all blonde.

Elias would probably rather him shave his whole head into a buzz cut like Rigile than go blonde.

Elias shakes his head looking to his sister. “Enough about me. What would you be looking for to hopefully pass onto your child?”

Azura summons her bag and she’s pulling out all sorts of papers, laying them out on the coffee table and Elias goes through them with her, throughout discussing each possible donor and making three different piles.

It’s a quiet and distracting hour for him.

Something that he needed in the last few days.

Then comes a loud and far too familiar knock on the door. Once, twice, thrice, Elias doesn’t react to it.

“Are you expecting me to answer the door? I don’t live here, you know.”

“Neither do it. And don’t. I know who it is.”

Another haircut and shave rhythm knock taps louder again on the door. Elias scowls, eyes narrowed on the paper reviewing the health genes for Azura.

“Who is it?”

“Casey.”

She’s quiet for a moment. “Maybe you should see what he wants. I mean… he’s here? Isn’t that what you wanted?”

Elias sets the paper down on his bump staring at her long and hard. He flinches when the rhythm becomes a banging on the door, no more rhythm.

“Fine. Fine. I’m going. Only because if he keeps it up it’s going to wake up Ella and Brighton.”

“I doubt it.” Azura snickers as he shoves the paper to her and eases himself up with some help from Azura pushing up his backside with a loud playful laugh.

He swats at her, hobbling through the extra portion from the family room to the dining room and kitchen. He unlocks the front door and yanks open the door already holding a hard glare on his face. “What do you want? The kids are napping.”

“I, uh… I forgot my set of keys for the manor and…” Casey takes him off guard a bit with a bouquet of yellow and white flowers. “I went to like, ten different flower shops asking for dandelions and they don’t have any cause apparently they’re not popular enough to be bought or… but then people started to see me and… Um… Do you like marigold and yarrow?”

Elias blinks at the flowers.

“I don’t know if I can return them. Or you can just keep them and I can run out and get you different kinds or-”

“Shut up.” Elias softly tells him looking up to meet his eyes. “Why do you have the flowers?”

Casey winces. “Should I have gotten chocolates instead?”

“I’m not my Uncle Remus. I don’t-” He shakes his head with a tiny scoff.

“I’m sorry, E. I should’ve just talked to you and instead I blew up and took it out on you and… I’m sorry.”

“If I didn’t show up yesterday, would you have shagged her?”

Casey lifts his eyes, their eyes meet and he shakes his head. “No. She kissed me then I let her keep going but… I wouldn’t have. No.”

“And you were so willing to join that- that shag-fest?”

“You offered.”

“You joined anyway. So willing, so… should I say excited? Why?”

“I… I thought we… we’d all fuck and then we’d be fine.”

“Just so you know, I felt like crap. I feel like crap.”

“You didn’t have to go through with it.”

“I did anyway. Opal’s my friend. She’ll be nothing more than a friend and how many friends do I have, Casey, that I can talk to other than my family or children? Or do I have to cut off every single person I talk to in order to make you happy? Isolate myself? Quit my job? Become- become some stay at home mum for the kids?”

“I’m not a stay at home dad either.” A pause. "And you're not a mum. You're a dada."

“And I never asked you to be.” Elias hisses. “I was halfway across the world and I still found ways so you could keep going to class. To keep your job. I was bone-dead tired and I was working my arse off for you, for the kids, and to keep my own santiy and all while that was going on, apparently I was pregnant and that was taking a large toll on me. And you wonder why I was falling asleep all the time when we video chat? When we were on the phone? I hard had time to myself that I’m able to sleep.”

Elias sucks in a deep breath. The cold air outside makes him shiver.

“But I try to be understanding for you, I know you want to become a teacher. I know that you want to finish your schooling. I know that you want to keep working even though I make enough money for all of us. I want you to live your life, but how is that fair to me if I can’t live mine?”

Casey shakes his head, his hand lowers the flowers. “It’s not. You’re right. It’s not fair.”

“I went back home yesterday to talk to you.” Elias’ voice cracks a bit. “I hoped that you’d come back here, t-to show up for the appointment before I had to go but you didn’t. I had the kids with me, Papa… but I wanted you there. I fought to have you there, I skipped the previous appointment which is so risky and dumb with the number of babies I’ve got in me and what it can take a toll on my health and you… abandoned me. I needed you, Casey, and you weren’t there.”

“I’m sorry.”

“We promised that we’d talk to each other if something like this was bothering one of us and… you never did. I found out from Papa that you’ve been reading those mags when I told you not to. They’re full of lies. All you had to do was call and ask me. You make it feel like this was entirely my fault when it could’ve been avoided if you just talked to me.”

“It’s not your fault.” Casey tries. “I… I was just scared.”

“Of what? What could you possibly been scared of just by asking me if I had been-”

“I was scared if I asked you something too personal of offensive that you’d get pissed and leave. You were surrounded by all those… those people. How can I know that you won’t… won’t do that one day? Find someone better than me then up and leave me and the kids?”

“For starters you have to trust me more. Because when I say this, those months I was out touring the world and bringing music to people, I was constantly wishing that I was with you. With the kids. Wondering if it was worth it going on tour if it meant sacrificing four whole months with just a few days in-between each month to see you and the kids, and that’s if I’m lucky you’re able to. But I love what I’m doing, and… I don’t want to give that up. Nor give you and the kids up.”

Quietly Elias opens the door more, he takes a step back to allow Casey inside. Casey steps in from the bitter cold. Elias doesn’t miss the bright yellow and white flowers.

“And for the record, I can buy myself flowers if I really wanted them.” He huffs. “I’m not some woman who can be won back as simple with mere soft, yellow petals and chocolates. Close and lock the door behind yourself.”

With that, Elias snatches the flowers out of his hand and walks away from Casey letting him in the house and getting a vase for the flowers.

Okay, so maybe he liked the flowers a little bit.

Chapter Text

December 2nd, 2009

It took Elias a while to decide on his next song release as a single, just in time for the holidays coming up.

Between a lot of negative songs that he didn’t quite fancy publishing, he thinks this song would be good. A positive song to his fans to listen to — a song that he hoped would spread out and get him more fans in extension to the single-group.

“I can buy myself flowers. Write my name in the sand. Talk to myself for hours. Say things you don’t understand. I can take myself dancing. And I can hold my own hand. Yeah, I can love me better than you can.”

Simon wasn’t around today, but the song was going to be sent straight to him as soon as it was burned onto a demo-CD.

Elias wasn’t playing any of his instruments, eyes closed and his entire mind focused on the song knowing Casey was listening to it as well.

The kids were separated. Brighton spending the afternoon with Wanda and Capella was with Azura to give her the taste of toddler-hood of the terrible twos — but being honest, Capella's terrible twos were as bad as Brighton's. They had full plans to use the free time they had to do some Christmas shopping without the kids as soon as Elias wraps up his song.

Once he was done and him and Casey were in the car with their tinted windows that did well for them so far on hiding Elias, letting it warm up a bit…

“Did you really have to write a song over me trying to apologize to you with those flowers?”

Elias shrugs. “Dad loved them.”

“They were for you.”

“And they didn’t go to waste.” Elias smiles at him. “I bet he charmed them to last longer and they’re sitting centerpiece on the dining table that’s hardly used now with no kids at home…”

Elias’ eyes narrow for a thoughtful moment. “I wonder if they use all this free time now fucking around the house? That probably explains why Papa was so excited to get rid of me and the kids.”

Casey laughs softly, shifting the gears in the car to drive out of the parking garage. “You know what I just realized?”

“No, but you’re probably going to tell me anyway.” Elias answers, merely looking out the windshield placing his hands on his ever-growing twenty-week bump.

“We need a new car.”

Elias frowns looking away from the windshield to Casey, then he twists himself to look into the backseat where two car seats were set. It dawned on him then that their shared single car was only seated for five people, three in the back and the two in the front.

He twists himself back into his seat and drops his head against the headrest of the passenger seat and his hands on his bump.

“Crap.”

Casey snickers at him.

“It’s not funny. I don’t like driving those big cars.”

“Vans. You won't even drive a mini-van.”

“Whatever.” He pouts folding his arms over his chest, now above his bump. “Stupid babies.”

Casey laughs softly as he eases the car into a turn. “We’ll have to look into getting a van and we still need to get the nursery set up again. But Brighton’s doing good, back to rooming with Ella.”

“It’s fun and games until they start bickering over whose blankie and pillow-pet is whose.”

“They can only have so many pillow-pets, Elias. They get that from you.”

“And I get it from Papa, it’s tradition for the spouse to hate it. Dad hates it; you hate it. Ella and Brighton’s future partner’s gonna hate it too. Worse part, I ordered them more for Christmas.”

Casey half laughs, half looks miserable at the news as his eyes flickered over to Elias for a quick moment in the car before focusing back on the road. At the stop light, he sighs in defeat. “What designs did you get them this time?”

Elias beams at him. “I’m glad you asked. There was this pink bumblebee. And I ordered that turtle one. And a duck. Oh! The pink unicorn. I think one of them's a fox? Um…”

Casey sighs shaking his head. “You might as well just go buy all of them.”

Elias slowly creeps his eyes over to Casey. Casey let his own words sink in for a quick second.

“Elias don’t you dare! We might as well change our fireplace thingy name as pillow-house Lambert-Potter.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Elias.”

Elias is already pulling out his phone, opening up his emails to check just how much pillows he did order to merely refresh his mind before opening his internet browser.

“Elias, no. We need to buy stuff for the babies. Like nappies and- and clothes.”

“The pillows can be for the babies.”

“The can’t sleep with pillows!”

“So, I ordered five but it’s okay. I can get more to even it out between Ella and Brighton so they don’t fight-”

“—Elias.”

“Aww. The penguin looks cute. Look at the penguin!” Elias attempts to show Casey as he stops at another sign.

“We don’t need a sodding penguin!”

“What about the deer!? Dad’ll love that one! Oh! I should get it for Papa for Christmas! That is so going in the cart!”

Casey hits his forehead on the wheel once before forcing himself to move forward to the mall when the car behinds them beep.

“I wonder if they have a badger?”

“We don’t need a bloody badger either!”

“The lion is going in the cart… I wish they had Hogwarts' themed...” Casey’s words of protest was falling deaf to Elias. He was probably more excited then to shop for pillow-pets than the kids ever would be to open them on Christmas day.

“I am so getting the lamb. That can go in the nursery- oh, wait. No. The nursery is still going to be yellow so how about the puffy duck!? Eek-!”

Casey takes one hand off the wheel and attempts to lean over to Elias to steal his phone. Elias was laughing as he holds the phone out, quickly going to the cart and paying with the pre-set information off his account and the website changes into a confirmation page just as Casey snatches the phone from his hands and the phone buzzes with a new email.

“NO!”

“YES! Victory’s mine!”

Casey huffs at him, the phone wiggled for Elias to see but not grab. “You’re not getting this back. Phone privileges have officially been revoked for the rest of the day.”

“Getting practice in there, are you? When the kids hit their teens?”

“One good thing that comes from sending them to Hogwarts,” They start to pull into the mall and seeing how many cars were around, Elias starts to regret wanting to go with Casey. “No electronics work there. Just owls. Bloody birds. Best thing that can happen to me, probably.”

“That and the castle holds charms that prevents pregnancy if they decide to have sex.”

“And yet there’s you and your Papa?” Casey looked amused as he’s keeping a close eye out for an available spot as they talk. Elias starts helping Casey with his extra set of eyes.

“And Harry. Don’t forget about Harry.”

“Teen pregnancy and your family,” Casey clicks his tongue. “You guys have an awful rating.”

“Bad at teen pregnancy prevention but amazing at being successful and making our kids turn out successful-er when you start out with nothing.” Elias points that out. “Did you know Zio Barty and Uncle Evan had Lottie when they were like… Nineteen, I think?”

“Surrogacy?”

“No. Zio Barty had her. Carried her himself. Brewed up some illegal potions. Has the scar on his stomach where they cut him open cause he doesn’t have a vagina. Got pregnant through anal sex. Only pure-blood male wizards are able to do that. Luckily for me compared to when he had Lottie, is that St Mungo’s have come a long way for c-sections from the eighties. They’re working on something to see if I can tolerate being awake while they deliver out the babies with you with me, then once all the babies are safely delivered you’ll be leaving the room with them and I’ll be put to sleep entirely to be closed up.”

Casey frowns as Elias taps the window on his side. “Over there. I see a spot. Hurry up!”

They pull in and Elias suddenly sees a problem for himself as he’s peering out the door window.

“Do I have to leave you?”

He turns his head to look at his other side. “What? No? We’re going in together? I mean, your face is already known. I’m pretty sure even if we go in separate it’ll make no-”

“I meant in the operating room.”

“Oh.” His voice goes quiet. “I think you’d be lucky to even be in the room with me, Cass. Uncle Evan wasn’t. Papa wasn’t when Zio Barty wanted one of them with him despite him being asleep before they even opened him up.”

“But I don’t want to leave you there.”

Elias carefully takes Casey’s hand as the car starts to grow cold with the engine off. “Think of it this way; I want you with the babies when I can’t be.”

“But what if something to you?”

“What if something happens to one of the babies?” Elias asks instead. “I want you with them, Cass.”

“But what about you?”

Elias squeezes his hand. “I’ll be fine. I’ll have a team of healers working on me. I’ll have my Dad and Papa there, I also asked Azura too, to be with you, specially. So you’ll have her. Okay? But right now we’re taking this one week at a time. Our goal is to hope for thirty weeks, like I told you. Set to deliver at thirty-six if I manage to get that far. I’m only twenty weeks right now. So… lets think on the bigger things.”

“Like what?”

“Nappies and clothes.” Elias repeats what Casey had said from earlier before he went and spent more than a hundred more pounds.

Casey laughs softly, dragging Elias’ hand over to his face and presses a kiss to his palm.

“Also, we have another problem.” Elias quietly tells him.

“Do you need to pee? I told you to go before we left-”

“Well, not-” He frowns at Casey, narrowing his eyes. “I do have to pee actually but that’s not my problem right now. I can’t get out of the car. You need to pull out enough to let me slip out but not enough where someone thinks we’re giving up our spot. I have to walk far enough from here to the building.”

It takes Elias pulling on his ‘emergency’ beanie hat and sunglasses from the car’s glove compartment as Casey starts up the car and goes back slowly which had him nearly pulling out nearly the whole car itself. Elias felt rather foolish as he gets out and awkwardly waves to another car who had it’s blinker lights on thinking they had a chance to claim their spot. He was tugging his jean jacket’s collar all the way up his neck, his black beanie covering all the way down his ears and he knew he couldn’t keep the sunglasses on forever when inside — because if that couldn’t be suspicious enough for him to gain unwanted attention.

At least he thought he was well dressed for the day. Black maternity jeans on his side for comfort than look and a baggy shirt that didn’t fit Elias no more, showing a silver bit of skin of his stomach and stretch marks which was overtopped with an even baggier jumper that hardly covered the rest of him that belonged to Casey and was on the verge of simply not fitting him anymore around the waist.

When they make it in, it was busy. It was crowded.

Elias thought luck was on their side as they wavered through four stores without (hopefully) grabbing anyone’s attention with a system of Casey checking out any and all items with Elias wandering out of the store.

But they get distracted, no longer in kid stores for toys and clothes that would be tossed to the floor on Christmas morning. They were now a store full of baby stuff, softly whispering to one another and picking out random clothes; for boys, for girls, for neutral appearances.

“What about August?” Casey questions as he picks up a premie outfit, green covered in tiny prints of sheeps in one hand and the other held an unbought baby book full of names that was titled of aged—baby-names. The outfit is dropped into the basket Elias was holding as Casey looks up to him. “We could call ‘im Auggie.”

Elias thinks on it for a moment.

“I don’t know. I don’t really like that name.”

“Albert?”

“No.”

Casey sighs, flipping to a random page. “Cecil?”

Elias furrows his eyebrows and takes the book from Casey and looks at the name. He remembers looking at that name once, what felt like a lifetime ago.

“I’m not naming a child something that defines blind.” Elias huffs at Casey handing the book back to him before going back to the rack of clothes dedicated for premies. “I don’t mind the old names, but we’re picking out something sensible. Something that has meaning behind it. Something that has-”

“Excuse me?” Elias freezes with his hand in the rack, mid-ready to move over some clothes to see anther print.

There was a woman staring at Elias with hungry-looking eyes. “Did you say you were using the name August?”

Elias quietly drops his hand and passes the basket over to Casey to check-out what they’ve picked out already.

Day: ruined.

Elias dips into the stall in the men’s bathroom for a moment to hide, hopefully to throw off the woman who saw him.

Chances are, may or may not, rumors will get out that he’s naming one of the babies August and there’s already questioning going on his social media pages of what genders he was having.

If they were all the same gender or not. If he used fertility drugs with his youth advantage to get this many babies at once just to boost popularity. If it was a joke that he was pregnant, a lie merely to get more fans. If he was really just having one, but carrying on the large side to lie and be passable enough to say it was more than just the one.

Elias paces in the handicap stall, hands on his lower back as he arches his back a bit trying to get some pressure off his back and all the bags he was carrying stuffed against the wall and away from where possible snatchers could steal his bags from under the stall.

He was only twenty weeks along and he was already hating all the side effects that this pregnancy was giving him. Between the back pain to his feet only being able to tolerate his sneakers that had slip-in cushioning inside and he could feel the pressure increasing day by day in his vagina which he was warned could happen, though he did feel it a bit towards the end of his pregnancy with Capella.

The main bathroom door opens and he stills his pacing, leaning against the wall and away from where people could see him. He shouldn’t hog the bathroom stall he was in, there was probably disable people who could use it as well with him hardly being able to squeeze into the normal sized stall.

“E? You in here? I got your text.”

For once, Elias was pleased at Casey’s one-letter nickname for him. Merely because it had Elias know it was him. No one else called him that.

Elias.

Eli.

E.

E.

E. E.

E. E. E.

Elias unlocks and opens the bathroom stall just the slightest bit, he doesn’t even peek out himself when Casey pokes his head in and enters, locking the door once again behind him.

“You okay?” He sets the bags in his arms down. “I think we were doing pretty well, up until that woman. She’s not in the shop anymore but I can tell she’s looking for you in the hall subtly. I think I managed to slip in here without her noticing.”

“Just…” He sighs shaking his head, hands on his hips trying to move to his lower back. “Long day. That’s all. I think that woman has me reaching my… I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

“Your back hurting you again?” Casey quietly asks already moving Elias forward a bit and getting behind him and gently pushing his thumbs into his lower back making him groan softly.

Elias moves up to the door of the stall and places his hands on it, arching his back some and letting Casey reach and get into the good stuff for him with him making tiny noises, very pleased with his actions.

“You know, if anyone walks in they’ll probably think we’re fucking with the noises you’re making.”

“Let ‘em.” Elias breathes out with a soft moan, dropping his head on the door now. “You have magic hands, Cass. Don't have a wand but you sure can use them... Don’t stop.”

“I’ll stay here for as long as until we get kicked out.”

Elias lets out a breathy laugh. The aches in his back starts to reduce some as the minutes pass by.

“Did you buy the stuff?”

“Yeah,” Casey works his knuckles into his hipbone. “I also got the book.”

Elias groans as he hits a good spot and at the fact that he got the name book. He gently hits his head on the door. “Mierda.”

“You’re only halfway, E. Another week or two you’re going to be absolutely miserable.”

He lets out a tiny whine. “Who says I'm not miserable now? I’m never getting pregnant again.”

“How many times do you think Aster said that before he hit that sweet spot of ten kids?”

Elias groans. “I’ll cut your dick off when you’re sleeping.”

“You wouldn’t. You love it too much.”

“Still up for debate. You stuck it in my ex-girlfriend.”

“I said I was sorry." Casey whines. "If anything you ate her out, too. Stuck your tongue in her. Should’ve seen all those marks you left on her tits.”

“I never lied to you, Cass. I love tits. I’m a boob-man, loud and- fuck.” Elias groans pushing his head hard into the door as the spot Casey starts pressing into causes him both pain and pleasure of relief. “Right there. Push your- yes. Just like that, Cass… don’t stop.”

Elias falls quiet for a few minutes, Casey doesn’t talk massaging his back and slowly moving up to his shoulders. Elias would like to think that that Casey would massage him for as long as he’d ask for if it wasn’t for his phone ringing and it being Wanda.

Only a few short words were said and spoken before Elias could read his face loud and clear before he hangs up.

“Brighton’s magic acted up?”

“Yeah. Mum’s pissed cause the telly went out this time.”

“You’re not buying her a new television.”

Casey blinks at him once. “Like how you bought the kids… fifteen pillow-pets?”

Elias points warningly at him as he picks up all the bags, including the ones he was carrying too. “It was seven more. Don’t be over dramatic. She knows the risks when she babysits Brighton.”

Casey sighs softly, though there was that tiny smile on his lips as Elias tugs on his hat again. “Anything for you, E.”

Chapter Text

December 24th, 2009

Elias noticed one thing about himself — and it wasn’t just because he was on his hands and knees taking Casey from behind in the arse with a new early Christmas gift pressing deep on his g-spot and curled up onto his clit sucking away at him — hardly able to do anything now much to his displeasure at twenty-three weeks along and his stretch marks itching by a lot as his bump hung low onto the mattress, skin stretching each time he’s pushed forward with a snap of Casey’s hips hitting his behind.

The older he was becoming (not that he was that old, he was hardly passable as twenty); he noticed how there was a thin line between how sex felt with him feeling closely intimate with his partner to just feeling… maybe mechanical? If that was one way he could put it into words.

Rather it was sex itself with a partner or pure masturbation alone.

It was body-needs over mind-wants, usually, such as that moment then and there on the bed.

His body was feeling into it, he knew that.

It was his body, he could feel the pleasure was so very obvious as he fists the pillows around him and buries his face into the pillows to muffle his moans trying to keep quiet enough not to wake the kids up as they were knocked out from Potter manor to car to home with Casey carrying them in deep in their sleep from all the turkey they ate for Christmas Eve dinner served by his Dad.

The way he moans and pants and the sweat beaded and slipped off his body with Casey soaking up the rare treat of being able to fuck him anally given he just wasn’t in the mood mentally to be… he didn’t know how to explain it.

Was that even a thing?

With how his toes curled as he comes, his insides squeezing Casey’s dick and the sex toy also inside him being so full at that moment and his body squeezes and pushes the small wiggling toy out as it curls robotically into him latched on his hard clit forcing the squirt out of him seconds before his pussy is emptily pulsing into a tight orgasm and breathing heavy into the pillows as Casey takes his final few moments, buried in his arse and having himself reach his own climax into the condom that Elias could hardly care about trying to think back into his clear and mental space.

He feels hands run up and down his back, pulling out an unwanted shiver from him. His ears were buzzing, unable to register entirely of what Casey was murmuring to him as he kisses down his spine for a moment.

A tiny gasp into the pillows as Casey slowly pulls out of him. And he’s finally able to get off his hands and knees and onto his side, eyes closed and just trying to be present.

What was wrong with him?

He could usually recover from this faster than this. If he didn’t get back up and get on the hippogriff Casey was going to get suspicious or start asking him unwanted questions that he didn’t want to answer.

“The toy did it’s job good with you.” Casey hums with his own pride clear in his voice as Elias mumbles a few incoherent words tired words and a tiny nod, not quite ready to interact with him, feeling his arse gapes from it’s stretch open from the fuck, trying to go back to it’s normal size.

He knew he’d have to either spell the mess clean or get up and Casey could change the sheets and possibly even the duvet depending where he managed to hit with his bodily fluids.

Elias laid slump on the bed for a few minutes in long recovery, Casey takes the toy that had slipped out of him into the bathroom for cleaning as well as returning with a warm cloth cleaning Elias up a bit.

Elias is quiet.

Lost in his mind, blinking hazily in his pillows facing the opposite way from Casey.

Hardly registering the touches Casey put on his body, moving between his legs and a bit up his stretched out arsehole just trying to take care of him.

Times like this; Elias didn’t mind the sex, he does like sex, but he did it for Casey, does it for Casey — not himself.

What would happen if he tried to tell him that he wasn’t in the mood? That he didn’t want to have sex?

Would Casey leave? Cheat on him again?

Think he’s out, shagging someone else to get the satisfaction from someone else other than him?

Elias can’t help the flinch when he’s brought out from his mind from the tiny poke on his arm, Casey holding his wand.

“I can draw you a bath, change the sheets if you want instead?”

“No,” He sighs finally sitting up, pushing back his sex-messy hair and sending him a soft smile on his still flushed face. “Just tired. Took a lot out of me. Good pick on the toy.”

He takes his wand and easily cleans up the mess. He just wanted to get dressed and tuck himself into bed.

Elias moves to the edge of the bed, reaching for some of his discarded pajama clothes on the floor rather than getting more clean clothes from the drawers or closet. He just put on those clothes an hour before they were taken off him.

Casey tilts his head at him, naked as the day he was born and Elias pulls on the sports bra, followed by his boxers. He didn’t go to bed with much on him to start with. Elias tilts his head up to Casey, masking his slight mental discomfort and puckers his lips with a soft smile sent in Casey’s direction.

Casey laughs softly, shaking his head and moving between his legs to kiss him gently.

Kissing.

That he could do happily as his smile becomes more sincere lifting a hand to Casey’s cheek, gently stroking the stubbles that he knew would be shaved off in the morning.

“You did good tonight.” Elias praises him quietly as he presses his forehead on his own, nuzzling his nose with Casey’s and his hand gently stroking his cheek. “Now lets get to bed.”

And Casey doesn’t question him. Elias is quite sure any possible worries or concern he may had seconds ago vanished as he adjusts the blankets and tucks himself into bed, Casey unlocking the bedroom door and cracking it open just the slightest bit for the kids before joining Elias.

Elias wraps his arms around Casey, spooning him as close as he could get to him just with his large bump in the way rather than the other way around just because Casey was taller than him by a few inches.

He presses a kiss between Casey’s neck then his shoulder blades before resting his head and falling asleep fast.

The next day, Christmas, the night still lingered on for Elias mentally as he’s there for his kids. For Casey. And trying to be there for himself.

Teddy and Harry shows up for breakfast with Fawn. The three year old joins the two kids, sharing their new toys while Elias sat on the couch quietly drinking his one permitted cup of coffee, savoring it as much as he can.

Elianna and Pansy shows up not much longer after her twin.

Atticus joins the bundle of kids and Elias quietly watches.

Azura was due over during nap-time.

It was quiet for once during the day without Brighton’s pitchful screeching or Capella’s giggles or any bickering between kids that had to be broken up before the argument got too far.

He doesn’t quite know how it happens, but somehow when he goes up to his music room to check on all the sleeping kids between their own beds and the guest room as well as feed Cocoa, his sisters corner him.

“What’s up with you?”

“Nothing.” He hums quietly scooping some of the kitten food into the bowl where Cocoa eats it up greedily.

“Bullshit.” Azura calls him out taking a seat on the small loveseat in the room as Elianna closes the door to the room behind herself. “Don’t lie to us. Especially with Ellie, she can read your mind. She's wicked like that, don't forget.”

Elias glares at her, then to his eldest sister. “Then I’m sure Ellie can tell you all the stuff I’ve been thinking about since she got here.”

“Sex, mainly.” Elianna hums quietly taking the seat on the piano bench so Elias could sit next to Azura.

“Ah,” Azura hums quietly tossing a leg over her knee and spreads out with an arm on the back of the couch. “Trouble in paradise again? Casey can’t get it up or something?”

Elias frowns at her. “If he couldn’t, I’d be a bit concern. He's only twenty-one after all.”

Azura huffs a laugh. “What’s bothering you?”

“Ellie just said, sex.” Elias gestures over to Elianna who shrugs quietly in response.

“I get that but what is bothering you?”

Elias pursed his lips in thought. It was just his sisters. And Azura knew a shit ton already about his sex life.

“Does sex ever feel… mechanical, to you?”

“Only if it’s routinely, feels too demanding.” Azura easily answers. “One of my ex-hook-ups, it was always missionary, always at eight at night, very… I guess you can say vanilla. Boring. I like a bit of spice in my life.”

Elias nods slowly. Not what he was hoping for.

Elianna however looks over him curiously. “Have you ever heard of the term, demisexual?”

Elias shakes his head. “I guess, maybe once or twice but I don’t think I really know what that is. I meet a lot of fans who blab on on all sorts of sexualities or relationships or… I can’t know ‘em all as if they’re expecting me to.”

“Asexuality itself can be on a spectrum. Sometimes it moves more fluid with others than certain people like me.”

“B-but I like sex. I- I can have it. I enjoy it.” Elias fights back shaking his head. “I write and publish songs about sex for gods sakes! That's what I'm popular for. I’m working on a song right now that I plan on recording after the holidays!”

“But not always.” She points out quietly, obviously reading his mind. “You do it for Casey. That’s not good; for you.”

Azura looks at him softening up on her looks. “Is that true?”

He shrugs weakly, picking at his nails where it was painted a now-peeling black and pink on every other nail. “I… I’m into it. Just last night was a bit… I guess you could say I wasn’t mentally into it.”

“And it’s still affecting you now?”

Elias remains quiet for a moment. “Sometimes…” He licks his lips. “I don’t… want to have sex.” He quietly confesses. “But I do it anyway for him. And when I do, those nights are more… basic. Simple. Where I’m able to… I guess sorta pretend I’m as into it was I am other nights?”

“Have you tried telling Casey about that?”

Elias furiously shakes his head, eyes darting up to his sisters a bit panicky. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Why not-?” He huffs. “I- Relationships include sex.” His eyes meet Elianna’s. “I mean-… I mean… Let me step back for a minute. Our relationship, includes sex. And I can’t just go weeks telling Casey to back off when I don’t want it because then he could get restless then he might… might…” He falls quiet, chewing on his lip.

“How did you manage over tour, Elias?”

“Rarely Casey would set up the video chat to try and… you know. But most times it’s phone sex. Just over the phone. I… He thinks I’m doing stuff to myself when he’s… am I bad person for doing that?”

“I think you were trying to make him happy.” Azura calmly reassures him. “But where is his part in making you happy?”

Elias opens his mouth, shaking his head, but no words come out. His mouth falls closed and his shoulders slump.

“I am happy.” He weakly defends himself. “I got my kids. I got Casey. I’m home. I’ve… It’s a happy day. I just… I’m tired a lot. I feel like I got a rocks that weight a ton on my chest when I lay down on my back and when I lay on my side my stomach stretches and it becomes itchy and then my back starts hurting and I’m tired cause I can’t fall asleep and he’s right there sleeping. I-I-I-I… Lately, when I got all that going on with my body, physically… I’m so mentally done and I just…”

He’s quiet again. No more words come out of him.

Elianna quietly speaks up.

“On an average of a month, how often would you say that you’re really into the sex you’re having?”

Elias chuckles lowly. “One good thing about being the dom in bed is that I get the control. Half the time, as of lately I…” Elias blinks in slow realization. “Actually probably the last year, or so actually… I rather just give him hand-jobs or blow-jobs — which I hate giving blow-jobs — Or I’d peg him than using the potion or just do something that doesn’t involve me getting off at all. I don’t mind doing that. I mean… I get horny. I get… well, wet but… I don’t want to be touched. I don’t want to do stuff to myself — on myself, let Casey do something or…”

“I feel that way. A lot.” Elianna quietly reassures him. “Pansy and I do this thing, once a month, maybe even less… mural masturbation. But that’s only if we’re both into it then. I don’t touch her, she doesn’t touch me but we… we’re in the same room, sharing our presence with one another and that’s enough.”

“I’m not like you. I- I’m bisexual.” Elias snaps at his sister once again, now giving up on the conversation and slowly pushing himself up to his feet. “I got nothing against asexuality but… Ellie, I am not asexual.”

“I didn’t say you were. I said maybe you could be-”

“I’m not.” He snaps. “No. I love Casey. I- I love what we’re doing. A-and that has to be enough. So drop it and stay the fuck out of my head. Okay?”

Elianna’s eyes drift to the floor and her mouth falls close. Her tongue peeks out a bit, wetting her lips as Elias goes over to the door yanking it open.

“I’m just trying to help,” She quietly warns him. “The longer you suffer in silence, it’s not just you who’ll be in pain at the end.”

Chapter Text

December 27th, 2009

Again, he could do it again.

It was early in the morning.

Or late at night?

Depending on who looked at seven in the morning where the sun was only starting to rise and the house was quiet. They had at least forty minutes until Capella was to wake up and Elias just wanted to get through this when he woke up to Casey grinding into the cleft of his arse, holding his waist closely and hands spreading across his naked skin from where he only wore a sports bra and loose boxers that were halfway tugged down.

He wished he never woke up. He was running on three hours of sleep as it is. Now to add kinda-slow morning sex into the mix, he could already picture how much of a headache he’ll get by naptime only if Brighton goes down too as he closes his eyes, panting hotly as Casey buries his face into his neck letting him wrap his arms around his neck as they fucked this time in missionary-position.

It feels good.

It feels good.

It feels good.

He's hiding his face in Casey's neck. Casey’s lips on his neck, the way his clit rubbed against his neatly trimmed pubes just enough to give a gentle friction that was a mere tease to edge him until he was ready to come, the way Casey grinds himself deep in him, pulling out halfway at most when he thrusts.

It feels good.

It feels good.

It feels good.

“Are you doing okay?” Casey breathes out into his skin, hips moving slow, not quite stopping.

Elias opens his eyes, blinking up at the ceiling of a bewitched charmed stars and a moon. It takes him a full five seconds to realized that he stopped moaning, panting, making any sort of noise was was squeezing Casey’s body a bit too tight between his arms and one good leg that was hooked around his waist.

“I- I’m fine. Keep moving, don’t stop.” Elias digs his heel into his arse for a quick and soft kick — a normal bossy thing he did. Casey laughs breathlessly, licking his skin and the movements become more faster, grinding into him harder.

Minutes pass by, Casey is somehow wedging a hand between them and past his bump to rub at Elias to help him get him off, now getting closer himself. He’s kissing Elias deeply, Elias could do that. He could snog, kiss, lick the insides of every single tooth and suck at Casey’s tongue.

He’s so lost into the snogging, he doesn’t know how he misses it.

The rutting, the grinding, the sloppier growing movements from Casey before he’s loudly moaning into his mouth and Elias can feel the warmth of the come from not using a condom and he still hasn’t found it in his body to connect to his mind properly to come himself.

If anything, he was less turned on then from the moment Casey stuck his prick inside him when he was wet and ready for him.

So Elias is bearing down. Letting out soft moans, trying to play off a fake orgasm for probably the first time in his life which is far harder than he ever thought it’d be trying to play it off, pulling Casey’s mouth back on his own when he tried to break away just hoping his body was working hard enough to enough to bypass the fake orgasm.

Casey finally manages to pulls away from the third time snog Elias pulls him back into, kissing gently down his jaw to his neck as his prick softens fast from inside him and slips out on it’s own.

“I love you.” Casey murmurs into his skin, skipping over his breasts and straight to his bump that he was constantly being kicked at. “I love you and I love the babies and I love how you’ve sacrifice your body to grow them.”

Elias lets out a quiet laugh, his cheeks are pink but not as heavily flushed as it could be if he truly hit a climax, small or big. “Now if you can get them to say that every year on their birthday until one of us die, I think we’ll be even.”

Casey laughs into his thin stretched skin, hands roaming across his bump and Elias notices how his head is moving more down. More south on his body, about to go under the covers and between his legs.

Elias pulls off his leg from Casey, closing his thighs and cutting Casey off just as he reaches his pubic mound that’s gained some weight in appearance with all the eating he’s been doing not only for himself but the babies. “I’m feeling a bit too tired for that, Cass. I don’t think I can keep up with you right now. But a warm wet cloth will sufficient nicely for now instead, and an hour or two more of sleep before the kids are up.”

Casey smiles softly at him, crawling back up to him and gives him a soft peck on the lips. “Okay, be right back.”

Elias sucks in a deep breath as Casey disappears into the bathroom. He covers his face with his arm and muffles a quiet French curse at himself into his arm.

Elias decided to take Capella out for the day without Brighton and Casey, leaving them the car as he used magic to visit Wanda while he decided to stop by the studio and record a finished song — might as well get it over with.

What he didn’t expect was for Simon to show up mid-recording of the song, talking to his producer in the area where he could keep a close eye on Capella where she played with some packed toys knowing the rules to play quietly and not to leave the area where he couldn’t see her; if she couldn’t see him, he couldn’t see her.

Something that she grew up knowing all her life. Elias worked the same place, the same job, he was lucky enough to be allowed to bring his kids with him for as long as he kept focus on his job and got it done.

“You bring me to my knees, you make me testify. You can make a sinner change his ways. Open up your gates ‘cause I can’t wait to see the light. And right there is where I wanna stay. ‘Cause your sex takes me to paradise. Yeah, your sex takes me to paradise. And it shows. Yeah, yeah, yeah, ‘Cause you make me feel like, I’ve been locked out of heaven. For too long, for too long. Yeah, you make me feel like, I’ve been locked out of heaven, for too long, for too long, oh. Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah, yeah, yeah. Can I just stay here? Spend the rest of my days here?”

As soon as the song ends, Simon comes into the room rather than stays out and speaks through the tiny mic.

Elias takes off his headphones and sets it on the mic and shuffles up his papers that sat on his keyboard.

“Yeah?”

“So I’ve been thinking,” Oh no. Half the time that wasn't ever good, and the look on his face told him that. “I know we agreed on a few singles. Spread them out and publish them without any music videos and all that. But the fans want a second album.”

Elias blinks at him.

“And they want a mix of romance and break-up songs, and I want you to have a guest singer for a bonus track.”

“Uh-huh…? Who?”

“We don’t know yet. It depends on who’s willing to work with you and the song you come up with.”

“Duet, trio? Quad?” Elias questions.

“I’m thinking of a duet, get a female singer who can hit high pitch notes like you but I want you to practice on your rapping. I want to try a rap.”

“You want a rap song? I’m not Kayne West or Eminem, boss. A duet-song will be hard enough to work on.”

“I get that but think about it, the music video. We could do it in the summer, release the song in Spring. Popular and upcoming artist then maybe get an album out and ready by next year.”

Elias sighs tiredly.

He already knew he had no room to debate on this. He’s going to have to ask his Uncle for rapping tips.

“Theme? Genre?”

“Sex sells, Elias. Don’t let me down now. Songs, a duet, girls, boys, you; make sure it works for a higher pitch voice for yourself. Not asking for feminine but… you know? Work on your higher pitched vocals.”

As soon as Simon leaves, entirely out of the room and out of sight, Elias groans loudly, banging his head on the piano where it lets out a noisy string of random keys.

Elias’ next stop — entirely unplanned and he had to stop at Honeyduke’s first to get Capella a treat for her good behavior (she begged him by dropping on her hands and knees in full blown tantrum mode. He was too tired to deal with that). Then with his daughter chewing on some licorice wands and he had one himself to eat, they made way into his Uncle’s potion apothecary shop.

There was no one behind the counter when he lifts Capella to sit on it and just for the hell of it, he passes her the call bell that says ‘ring once’.

“One time?” Capella questions him, holding up a finger.

“As many as you want.” Elias instead tells her leaning on the counter that makes her squeal lowly with excitement before she drops her candy on the counter in opt to replace her hand with tapping on the bell.

And the call bell rings. Many, many times. Even when he hears his uncle swearing in French loudly from the back of the shop.

“Je t’entends! Je t’entends! Arrête de sonner cette foutue cloche! J’ai mal à la tête!”

Elias and Capella snickers with a smirk on his lips when his Uncle Regulus glares at him, eyes narrowed and murderous as he approaches his daughter and snatches the call bell from her and sets it on the opposite counter behind himself.

“You know, Uncle, you shouldn’t yell at your customers like that.” Elias teases.

“Family’s exception — especially annoying family.” He mutters lowly before dipping his head under the counter and pulls out the plentiful of potions for Elias to pick up for his pregnancy.

“I don’t take that many.” Elias counts over the number of small vials twice.

“You had a last minute prescription sent in. For…” His uncle pulls up a thick book and reviews it. “Anemia and iron?”

Elias groans softly, rolling his eyes. “My tests came out fine and she still sent that in?”

“Better safe than sorry. I only fill up what's sent in.” Regulus merely shrugs passing him along the box of vials as Capella goes back to her candy.

“Also, I have a question.”

“A potions question?”

“No. But only you can give me tips on it cause Papa’s crap at it and Auncle Sirius probably would send me packing your way regardless.”

“Uh-huh… go on.”

“I need advice on rapping.”

“Well… you’d wan to cut the paper not too large but just enough to cover the gift. Then usually I’d sacrifice the extra piece of muggle tape on the side because it’s just a pain to-”

“Not that kind of wrapping,” Elias groans. “I mean like- you know, my work-line? Rapping. Singing but faster.”

Regulus’ lips form a circle. “Oh. That’s easy. Learn to hold your breath.”

Elias blinks at him. “That’s it?”

“Uh-huh. I can hold my breath for almost two minutes long if I really need to. Four minutes if I purposely want to pass out. Did that on my mother once to get out punishment.”

Elias stares at him long and hard, his daughter snacking on her candy and kicking her legs clueless and uncaring at the adult conversation going on, humming randomly instead to the soft wizard music running from the wireless.

“I can’t tell if you’re joking or not.”

Regulus shakes his head.

“I’m not joking.”

“You gotta be joking.”

“I’m not joking.” He repeats in the same tone. “I was eight. Ask your Papa and Auncle, Mother left me on the floor. She didn’t care. They had to bring me back to.”

“Okay… I learn to hold my breath, then what?”

“Then the rapping comes far more easier. Don’t breathe unless you’re talking — in your case, singing fastly. Then when there’s that fast break, most would gasp in a deep breath, don’t do that, it ruins the song. Breathe in short and shallow and quiet. You start with one large breath in, you work with that one breath the entire rap and add to the breath when you can so the gasping doesn’t cut off your singing and fuck you up. You follow?”

“Kinda?”

Regulus rolls his eyes. “Breathe in deep, sing, fast break equals tiny breath in. You use one whole breath and extend it for the whole song or for as long as the rap lasts into. I think that’s easy enough to understand, I can’t dumb it down any more.”

“Oy!” Regulus shrugs folding his arms over his chest. “Anything else?”

Elias purses his lips. “No, guess not.”

“Good. Get out of my shop before I heckle you and your annoying daughter to leave on your own free will.”

Capella sticks her tongue out at her great-uncle before she jumps off the high counter bravely and independent all by herself.

Chapter Text

December 30th, 2009

Elias likes to think he had things all under control.

He couldn’t tell to Casey.

What would Casey think of him?

He hates how his sister got in his head.

He hates how he was on his laptop, glaring hard as he researched that one term she said once to him on Christmas day.

His jean jacket was covered in bisexual flags, pins — anything and everything to promote his trans and bisexual pride.

Three simple colors of pink, purple and blue. Then his trans flag holding pink, blue, and white.

He’s had those colors, the facts — practically every detail down between being transgender to bisexual to answer to any curious fans.

And here he was, on a random webpage between the many tabs open on his internet explorer.

How do I know if I’m demisexual or not?

Is demisexual the same as being asexual?

What does a spectrum look like between demisexual to asexual and bisexual?

What is the name of the beaches in California? — That one was a forgotten tab as his notebook laid open and abandon to his right with his pen tucked between pages. At least he tried to work on his songs before getting distracted again.

Is snogging someone the same idea as shagging?

Do demisexual people enjoy snogging people but not shagging?

How much sex is passable to not be a demisexual?

How to tell a loved one of sexuality change?

How to tell a loved one that I don’t want sex without them thinking it’s a forever thing and making them leave?

Is not wanting sex going to be forever or just temporary-?

Elias slams his laptop close when Casey comes out of the bathroom. Shirtless, towel around his hips, hair damp and he’s drying it with the towel.

He cocks up an eyebrow at him, looking a bit amused more than anything at Elias as he walks over to his side of the bed. Elias can see the tiny tattoo on each of his thighs that they got together for Elias’ eighteenth birthday, tiny matching tattoos in different areas for the kids.

A tiny B and C; calligraphy to match their wedding rings.

Elias had either letter his on his inner wrists, as tiny as the size of a muggle coin.

The B and C both in black ink, almost the same idea as his Papa’s — inspired by him. Just scattered across his body rather than in one spot. The letters across his body and on his ring always had fans curious and nosy on him where he doesn't give straight answers when they're asked.

Casey crawls onto the bed, skin half dry and he leans over to Elias pressing his lips onto his for a soft kiss, not too long or short but satisfyingly long enough.

“You look like I just walked in on you watching porn.” He breathes onto his lips tasting like minty toothpaste.

Elias opens his eyes for a moment. “I wasn’t.”

Casey hums, clearly not believing him as he leans down to kiss him deeper. “If you were so desperate,” Another peck. “You could’ve just,” His tongue licks across Elias’ lips teasingly. “Joined me in the shower.”

“I can hardly stand to take a shower myself, Cass. I’m not doing anything more in the shower until long after I have these babies. By the way, I think we need a shower chair.”

Casey chuckles softly, kissing him again. The towel slips off as he crawls onto the bed on his knees. The towel hung over his bum but opens entirely of his front.

Elias lets out a low groan at the though of Casey trying to come onto him. The noise was passable enough as a moan when Casey starts pressing his lips across his neck.

Not again.

Elias keeps his eyes open as Casey slips a hand under the blanket and squeezes his inner thigh a bit while his mouth works his way down to his breasts that were showing and puffed out through his sports bra that was starting to get a bit too tight on him now.

Casey tries to part his legs, hand rubbing and palming him through his boxers.

“Cass… What if I just… gave you a hand-job? Or- or sucked you off?”

He was willing to do anything else at this point.

“Shhh,” Casey hums quietly pulling off his skin from sucking a hickey close to the areola around his nipple. “Until you have the babies I want to make things as easy as possible for you. You don’t need to do anything. You don’t even need to top me, peg me… nothing.”

Elias frowns and just allowed Casey to keep palming him. He wasn’t into it. He wasn’t getting hard this time, and he knew himself that he wasn’t even getting wet.

He sits uncomfortably, quiet and just waiting.

Just… allowing Casey to touch him however he felt like.

Laying back in the bed and letting Casey hover him.

Casey trails presses a kiss to his neck once, twice — he’s pulling away suddenly. Looking at Elias a bit concerned, a knuckle to his cheek. “Hey… Are you okay?”

Elias pulls on a fake smile. “I’m fine.”

“You’re crying.”

Elias blinks and slowly brings a hand to his face, he touches his face with a finger. He feels his cheek wet.

“Oh… I guess I am.”

Casey sits back, shifts the towel over to cover his front and looks at him a bit worried. “What’s wrong? What’s bothering you?”

It takes Elias a long minute to realize that he was probably crying purely from how he much he was feeling mentally trapped, being touched when he didn’t want to be — and where that feeling first started.

As a young child. Fighting until he had no fight left to give.

He still has no fight to give purely because he doesn’t want to lose Casey.

Casey and him was not like Elianna and Pansy.

Between them and his own relationship, sex was highly involved.

He felt trapped.

Almost as if he was four years old again and pinned down to the bed stripped naked by force and the sharpest and thinnest point of the carrot was being pushed into him.

Kicking, wiggling, moving as much as possible until he learned that staying still meant that it hurt less — Casey not leaving him means it'd hurt less.

Elias cleans off his cheeks with the back of his hands. “I’m fine.”

“Elias,” Casey quietly sighs out his name. “Is this… have I done something triggering?”

He tilts his head a bit, his hand tugging his cheek back some as he tries to clean his face dry. “Triggering?”

“I… I learned that sometimes people who had past… sexual abuse and stuff… t-that sometimes certain things can be… I don’t want to be that for you. Any of it.”

Elias sucks in his bottom lip. “But… you like sex. You obviously want it.”

“I do,” Casey nods slowly. “But I don’t enjoy it with you if you’re not enjoying it.”

Elias shifts a bit, wishing he could make himself smaller. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. If- if I know what I’m doing wrong… I… I want to know so I don’t do it again.” Casey’s jade green eyes were bright and searching across him. “I don’t want you crying during a time when we’re intimate. That’s the last thing I’d want. And to even think of it possibly coming from, well… that, I don’t want to inflict that on you.”

Elias exhales shakily and looks down to his hands that he dropped and rested on his bump. “I… I don’t like sex as much as you think I do.”

“Really?”

Elias nods. “I try to get into it. I want to, for you but… Sometimes… I mentally just don’t feel there. Like it’s a physical reaction more than anything else. Like… I don’t know how to explain it. The first time I had sex, with a neighbor over the summer, it was just… bad. I didn’t like it. And then came Opal and I thought I was straight. I thought…” Elias lifts his gaze slowly to Casey.

“I thought I was straight purely because with Opal, I did all the work. I gave it to her. I didn’t mind that. Rarely, sometimes… she’d try to do things to me but she’s very submissive, I dommed her. Like you. So it’s easy to stop her, give and take what I'm in the mood for.”

“I see.” Casey answer in a quiet voice.

“Then with- with Owen it was just hard and fast, and I did it to get him to shut up and to stop picking on me. We did it only twice and I would call it hook-ups more than anything else, honestly. The first time we properly shagged but the second time was just a hand-job. But I snogged him more than shagged. Then… I’ve been with you for so long now…”

Casey furrows his eyebrows in thought. “Have you been faking sex this whole time with me?”

“No! No… I…” Elias sighs. “Being big. Being pregnant, I’ve lost so much of that control I had compared to before. I can’t do much anymore now, Cass.”

“I know,” Casey nods. “That’s why I was trying to-”

“Hovering me? Pinning me to the bed? I hate missionary and prone boning probably more than giving you blow-jobs. I’m not a fan of- of doggy-style because of how it puts so much pressure on both my back and it has my bump pulling at my skin and I feel like every other day to every single day, you want something out of me. And I don’t have that sort of energy right now. Mentally or physically.” His voice cracks a bit as he looks away from Casey.

Elias hated how much Casey looked like a kicked puppy from where he stared at Elias with a small pout and big eyes.

Elias runs his fingers through his hair.

“I don’t enjoy sex as much as I thought I could and did. I… I did certain things for you. But… I don’t think I can just tolerate putting up with it anymore.”

“What are you trying to say? Just say it. Get it out with.”

Elias sighs quietly, shoulders sagging in defeat. “I don’t like having sex, Casey.”

Casey blinks at him looking a bit more relieved than mad which didn’t help Elias much. “T-that’s all?”

“I… I tried putting up with it. But each time we do it — it’s not you, it’s me. As stupid as that sounds. I just… I don’t know if it’s from what happened to me as a child or if I just… Ellie, brought it up actually, when she was here on Christmas.”

A tiny nod.

“I… She gave me a term. A… I’ve been looking it up, a new sexuality. I think it’s kinda fitting but I just… I don’t want to lose you over this. That's why I haven't been honest with you over this.”

“Are you telling me you’re straight?”

Elias shakes his head confused. “No? I love you.”

“But… to me it sounds like you were saying you were switching sides or something?”

“What-? No. No. No, that’s not-” Elias groans. “No. I… I-I don’t think I’m as bisexual as I thought I was. I… demisexual.”

“Uh-huh… what’s that?”

“It’s… it’s like asexual. Like Ellie… just… I’m open to sex — having sex — with a person I’m comfortable with. That I love. That I have an emotional connection with. Just… I don’t have that mental ability or… crave it all the time as much as you clearly do. It’s hard to explain but I just… we need to have less sex. For me.”

“Less sex…” Casey hums quietly adjusting his sitting beside Elias, putting his back against the headboard and pulls his legs up to his chest a bit and knees spread apart. “Like… before we moved here? When we lived a month and so with your dads and Nyx and Aurora at the time?”

And that took Elias into realization.

Of how well he was able to work with Casey from the start because their relationship wasn’t so dependant on sex as it was now when they shared a bedroom with two babies; the four of them cramped and packed into his bedroom at Potter manor. Eyes and ears nearly everywhere, nosy siblings here and there. His Uncle and Teddy and his abuelo popping in nearly every day of the week when he was taking his lessons for sixth year.

How did he forget that?

At that time of life, they were probably doing something sexual every two weeks or longer in-between. Rather it was Casey dry humping his back while he was half asleep and merely went back to sleep after he came in his pants to sneaking into the bathroom together, showering together which Elias learned that he hates sharing his shower time unless there was sex involved, otherwise he rather cleaned himself up than have his hair scrubbed by Casey.

“Yeah,” Elias’ voice comes out nearly breathless. “Exactly like that… I could do that…”

Casey nods. “I wished you just told me. Than bottling this all up.”

“I’m sorry.”

Casey bumps shoulders with him, trying to reassure him and probably himself. “It’s fine. I can survive off having sex every two weeks than losing you.”

Elias slowly looks at him. “I was afraid you’d want to leave cause I couldn’t give you what you wanted anymore.”

Casey softly laughs, shaking his head. “I think I’d live. And if I became desperate enough craving for sex, I would rather talk to you about it before daring to leave or cheat first.”

Elias sighs. “I don’t mind giving you hand-jobs or even sucking you off.”

“I thought you hated blowing me.”

“I do. I really do, don’t think otherwise on that. Just… What I’m trying to say is… I don’t mind giving than receiving. Touching, than being touched.”

Casey nods firmly. “Anything else?”

“I like kisses. Kissing. Snogging. Just…”

“With clothes on. I can manage.”

Elias sends him a crooked smile. “Thank you.”

“What are husbands for?” Casey and Elias shares a soft laugh. “So… tell me more about this… demisexual thing. This kinda has me thinking about a demi-god… oh, what if we name one of the boys Percy?”

Elias furrows his eyebrows at Casey. “Like… from Percy Jackson? The books?”

“Yeah.”

Elias furrows his eyebrows at Casey. “You do realize Percy is a nickname?”

“Really?”

“Yeah… didn't you read the books?” His lips twitched upwards. “For Perseus.”

“Hmm… Nah. I like Percy better.”

Elias wrinkles his nose at the name. “No. The Weasleys have a brother named Percy. They mock him by calling him Perfect Percy. I’m not having my child be mocked when they go to Hogwarts. What if they made a Prefect like I was?!”

“Prefect?”

Elias groans and goes into depth detail of what a prefect is at Hogwarts when he’s quite sure he told Casey before.

Chapter Text

December 31st, 2009

“You really think it’s okay to pop in on them like this?” Casey questions as Elias pulls out his first-home house key to Potter Manor.

He already knew all his younger siblings were elsewhere.

Aurora was at a friend’s. Nyx was with abuelo's for some peace and quiet. The triplets were ‘hiding out’ at Zio Barty and Uncle Evan’s over a prank they set the night prior with Zio Barty on their Auncle Sirius and a bunch of snakes set loose in their cottage.

And Elias? He had an appointment in half hour, his kids were far from ready — their hair was a mess and they were still in their pajamas and Capella was one wrong bow color away from her first meltdown of the day — and Elias did not have the time after waking up late with Casey after a long and late night discussion the night prior about his newfound demisexualtiy and if he should come public with that or just… stay… bisexual?

Either way, grandkids equal-sign grandparents problem for the day.

Elias shifts Capella on his hip (either she was getting too big for this or he was) and he pushes in the key and unlocks the door.

“I tried calling, no one answers. So, they’re getting a pop-in. At least I did try to call, unlike my Zio Barty on many times.” Elias huffs pushing the door open and walking into the kitchen only to quickly duck and cover Capella’s eyes.

Her poor, poor innocent ears and eyes.

Another victim to lost to his dads shagging.

Not even he and Casey does it in the kitchen for Merlin’s balls! People eat in there!

“Papa! Dad! My gods! Keep it in the bedroom!”

His papa was well bent over the counter, animal-istic grunts and noises were loudly being made seconds before his Papa was screeching at his Dad to stop from them being walked in on — caught in mid-action.

Elias and Capella had a full view to his dad’s hairy arse and and he’s pretty sure he saw a bit of hanging bollocks there too as Casey snickers yet hides Brighton behind his back entirely.

Oh, right. Casey and Brighton. Two more victims. Three more tallies to add.

“What’s Poppy and Grandda doing!?” Brighton attempts to look against Casey’s hard attempt to block him entirely.

“Grandda’s planting baby seed in Poppy! Poppy’s gonna have baby like Dada!”

Elias lets out a miserable laugh at Capella, tucking her head closer into him. He should never had the ‘how a baby is made’ talk with them. He never even told them how the ‘seed’ is even planted, how does Capella even know it comes from a dick?

“You don’t just-! Why didn’t you call first!?” Elias is being scolded at by a red-down-the-face-and-chest flustered all over Aster, pajama pants and hastily being yanked up along with James’ own.

“I did! Twice!” Elias hisses finally taking a peek before deeming it was safe to let his daughter see light again. “I’m running on seconds right now. I need you both to watch the kids. Casey and I have to go to my appointment in,” He checks his phone that has no service on it. “Fifteen minutes! Sorry to ruin your-… whatever that was, and please keep it in the bedroom next time, for all of your kids’ and grandkids’ sake and sanities. Now I’ve got to call Zio Barty to add three more tallies.” He huffs passing Capella over to his Dad.

“Three more tallies for what?”

“Victims of your hairy arse.” He snaps at his Dad with no remorse. "Honestly, you got pretty much everyone inside the family, now you got to get the in-laws and grandkids too?"

Casey snorts a laugh as he drops the packed bag of extra clothes, pull-ups, toys, and every single color bow possible for Capella to pick and cry over with her poppy because Elias had to go.

“Goodbye, Dad, Papa. Thank you, they haven’t had breakfast yet. Love you, Ella, be good.” A kiss to her forehead, she scrunches her nose at him and he hurriedly moves onto Brighton doing the very same thing. Casey switches kids with him.

“Love you too, Brighton, be good. I don’t want to hear anything bad from Poppy and Grandda. We should be back by lunch or so. Bye!”

He gives his parents no room to protest against watching the kids. If they had the energy to shag in the kitchen, they could watch his kids for a few hours.

Casey closes the door behind himself and Elias gives him no warning grabbing his hand and apparating them straight into the St Mungo’s apparating point.

Casey wheezes out a hard breath of air, leaning on the wall as soon as they land.

“Give a bloke a warning next time!”

“Sorry, sorry, come on. You can walk and vomit. I don’t know if I have any forms to fill out and I cannot be late. If I’m late my healer’s gonna kick my arse. And she scares me a bit. No, a lot, actually. Worse part is that I still don’t know her name.”

Elias lets Casey gawks around for his first time being inside St Mungo’s as he’s being dragged by Elias at the hand at the same time.

They’re late.

By eight minutes.

Elias did not like the look on his healer’s face as she introduces herself to Casey for the first time with a firm handshake while he sat on the table already stripped down from his pants and undergarments.

“I’m Ava, and you must be Casey. It’s nice to finally meet you. Elias had fought hard with me and the ministry’s rules on abiding to permit you to come.”

“Well, I’m here now.”

“You are. However,” Her eyes narrow and go onto Elias. “You’re late.”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry. We woke up late, the kids were fussy — not that I’m trying to blame them entirely — and we couldn’t bring them with that sort of attitude then when we dropped them off with my dads they were shagging in the kitchen! Of all places, the kitchen!”

His healer’s lightens up slightly, looking at him more amused than firm and Elias grumbles under his breath, laying himself down on his back with a puff of lost air and tugs up his jumper, nothing under it other than a sports bra with nipple pads for his leaking breasts.

“Have you been taking your potions?” Her hands are on his stomach, measuring how large he was now.

“Yes. And before you ask, yes, I saw the anemia-iron potion too. Been taking that as well, even though I don’t need it.”

“I just want to be on the safe side. You had some bleeding and low iron with your first pregnancy. Can’t be too careful, and your levels were just above the line of passable as normal. So I wouldn’t just quite say fine.”

He rolls his eyes tucking his hands behind his head. “Your belly’s grown another inch since I last saw you, which I’d say is good because that means babies are growing. But lets get a peak inside.”

She pulls out her wand and projects the ultrasound scanning. Casey lets out a tiny gasp in amazement, eyes bugged out staring as she starts scanning around taking measurements and anything else that she needed to see.

“How’s that big baby boy coming along?” Elias questions.

“Hmm… I’d say he’s about… just about… a little over two pounds right now. The average of the others are certainly behind. Baby A is certainly what’s I’d call an Alpha baby.”

“Alpha baby? Is he a werewolf?” Casey questions.

“It’s just something I’d say. Nothing to fret over, nothing wolf-ish as long as either of you don’t carry the genes and traits.” She shrugs before tilting her head staring intensively at the scanning. “Hmm… maybe I was wrong…?”

“Something’s wrong?” Elias attempts to sit up where he’s quickly pushed back down gently. His slight movement causes big shifting inside his uterus as well as on the ultrasound he can well see how one of the babies were kicking the other.

“Nothing like that.” Ava easily reassures him. “You see, it’s quite hard to see the gender sometimes.”

Elias blinks at her.

“Are you saying one of the boys lost their penis?” Casey lets his intrusive thoughts win as he talks out loud. “Did it fall off or something? Is that even possible? Or did the girl grow one?”

Ava laughs loudly. “No. I mean, the scans that I took before might’ve been wrong. It’s common and normal. You can’t always be right with the gender and sometimes things do come out in error with ultrasound scans.”

“That’s true. Papa was carrying triplets and thought he was having twins his whole pregnancy til he gave birth.”

“C-section?”

Elias shakes his head to his healer. “Natural. Home birth. Never again, he says. Stalled labor and I can’t remember but one of them came out a bit sideways, I think they had to be turned or something… or was that somebody else…?”

Ava quietly hums. “Well… your mono-di twins are certainly boys from where I can see on Baby C. And Baby D seems to be a girl from the last few scans I’ve seen but Baby A is always that little trickery one. Legs closed and their position where they’re laying in your uterus is rather hard to determine.”

“So… Cass and I should expect a possible two for two?”

She shrugs. “Two boys for certain… a baby girl… just that last baby is hard to tell and I don’t want to give you a wrong answer now that I’m not certain myself.”

“A surprise then.” Elias hums quietly. “I tried doing that with Ella… didn’t work out. A random healer I saw when I was spotting told me I was having a little girl and that was that. But I was glad he told me then. But… maybe it’s a good thing.”

“How?” Casey frowns. “We have to pick out a second girl name in case Baby A does turn out to be a girl and we can’t decide on any boy names. All we got is Ophelia.”

“We’ll work on it.” Elias brushes him off with an easy going smile. “We got time. We still need to set the nursery up, get those boxes out and actually put together the furniture.”

It takes Casey and a little bit of work from Ava to get Elias back up to his sitting position after his internal exam to check his cervix and the next warning comes to a bit of a surprise for them both.

“No more sexual intercourse. I can see your cervix starting to thin out a bit. I don’t want that to progress. So, my apologies to cut you both off. Other wise for now, keep things as normal. Little bit as magic as possible, keep up with your potions, try to eat as much calorie intake as possible.”

After Elias’ appointment, they go back to the townhome and try to get a jumpstart on the nursery (Capella’s old bedroom) without the older two kids around.

Elias is on the floor, building together the bassinets that’d go in the bedroom while Casey was doing the heavy duty work of building the large cribs and moving the furniture around.

“How about this?” Casey questions taking a step back to examine the four cribs, two on each side of the wall with some space between them.

“It’ll work. I’m thinking about getting large letters, each a Hogwarts’ house to put on the wall above their crib that matches their name.”

“Isn’t Hogwarts houses chosen on their personality when they get older?”

“Yeah, but who cares?” Elias shrugs. “I’m the only Hufflepuff in my home and they thought I’d end up in Slytherin. What about Elijah?”

“No. Too much like your name, I want the babies to have their own identity.”

“Hmm… true...” Elias hums quietly as he sets up the bassinet and slides it to the side with the first one he built and pulls over the third box. Five more to go.

“Why was picking out a name for Ella so easier than now?”

“Because it was me picking out the name. You have no place to say what I could pick or not at the time.” Elias huffs a laugh at Casey. “Alexander?”

Casey puts his hands on his hips, examining which large box to unpack and build next. “Maybe… What about Iris? Ophelia Iris Lambert-Potter?”

“Too many vowels. I don't like it. At this rate it’s possible that Brighton might be our only vowel-less child.”

Casey laughs softly, now digging into the boxes and pulling out the strollers. Probably just to get them set and out of the way.

“Fine, Florance then?”

“No.” Elias scrunches his nose in disgust.

“Clara?”

“Hmm… You know… I always liked the name Agatha.”

Casey glances over to him as he tugs out the stroller by it’s handles. “Agatha?”

“Yeah. If Baby A ends up being a girl? We need a second name.”

“Agatha… I don’t know. It sounds… witchy. Mum’s on my arse enough as it is.”

Elias sighs.

“How about Caroline?”

Elias lifts his eyes as Casey attempts to pop out the folded stroller. “Coraline?”

“Coraline?”

“Yeah.”

“Like… that weird horror cartoon film?”

Elias rolls his eyes. “It’s not a horror film.”

“It was freaky. And scary.” Casey pouts at him as he stumbles a bit backwards as the stroller unwinds itself. “Even Brighton was scared.”

“Ella wasn’t scared.”

“How about this, Coraline if your doctor ends up being wrong. Because it’s as close as a name we can probably settle on.”

“Deal. But we still need to settle on so many others.”

“What if we kept Ophelia’s middle name simple?” Casey checks over the seats to the stroller. It should be companionable with the car seats they got, so the babies could sit in them as infants before they were big enough to sit independently.

“Like?”

“Jame? Anne?”

“Nora?”

“No.” Casey shakes his head. “Esme?”

“Ophelia Esme…” Elias hums out loud, stroking Cocoa’s back as she approaches him on the floor with her tail twitching high and purring heavily. “I can work with that.”

He’s distracted from his work with his cat, petting her happily.

“What if we changed Coraline to Cordelia? A bit similiar to Ophelia?”

Elias lifts his gaze from Cocoa. “I guess we could… would you care if I picked a Spanish name out?”

“As long as it’s good.”

Elias blinks at Cocoa. “I’ve been thinking… I don’t know, this name kinda has been stuck in my head. Alba? Boring, right? Cordelia Alba. Too many vowels? I just… I know I’m adopted but I’ve come from Spain and I’m quite sure I’m Hispanic.”

“Why not just do a DNA test?”

“I did have one done. My dad and Papa-”

“I know that,” Casey quietly hums. “I mean… non-magic. Who knows, maybe the muggle world would surprise you more than the magic in depth?”

“I-…” Elias stares at Casey as he leans on the handles of the new black four-seat stroller. They somehow managed to get lucky on that. “I guess it couldn’t hurt, right?”

Chapter Text

January 2nd, 2010

Chances are, Elias was going to have his babies before he got the results of his DNA test that he submitted that both showed his heritage and possible realitves of his own with the eight week wait.

Until then, he had bigger fishes to fry — and he could only hope he doesn't set the on fire in the meantime.

He sat in his music room, his two kids running in and out being mildly distracting but he played his piano dramatically as he held his breath in practice. He could hold it up to forty seconds — his goal was a minute.

He stares over his lyrics as he exhales with a soft gasp before breathing in steadily.

“But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time. Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time. I got a list of names, and yours is in red, underlined. I check it once, then I check it twice, oh-…”

Elias stares at his lyrics as he hums quietly to himself. Love songs and break-up songs all sex related. You’d think with his most recent fight he’d at least complete one or two songs and gone over after he gained permission from Casey to release anything he wanted, the good and bad of written songs of their hardship times.

“Look what you made me do…” Elias hums to himself curiously before taking his notebook and quickly adding the line to the chorus, hoping that was the end of the pre-chorus. He finds himself repeating the one line a few times, it was pretty catchy if he says so himself.

“Elias, you got a minute?” Casey questions leaning on the doorframe just as Capella runs out of the room with her stringed ribbons flowing behind her and Cocoa clawing at the strings from sitting high up in her cat tree set beside the door.

“Yeah. Just writing, testing music out. What’d you need?” He doesn’t look up from his journal, mind thinking of how many repetitive lines he should write down before it gets too much but still catchy.

“Um… I don’t know how to put this lightly so I’m just going to say it. Opal’s here.”

Elias lifts his head and snaps his neck to Casey. “She is? W-why?”

The last he heard from her in her letters — yes, they still wrote to each other — she was scheduled to have her induction date that very date. Elias knew that.

“I don’t know. She’s asking for you. Had to let her in. I didn’t want to leave her… it’s snowing out, I’m not cruel to make her wait outside. She's pregnant. J-just come downstairs, please.”

Elias sighs, closing his notebook and leaving it on the piano with his pencil and wobbles over with Casey. Opal was exactly two weeks overdue and she as big as Elias waiting for him at the front door.

“Opal, what’s going on?”

“I can’t do it.” She quietly tells him as he makes his way down. Her cheeks were flushed and baby blue eyes full of panic, she had a bag at her feet. Probably the bag to bring to St Mungo’s.

“I-I-I got no one with me. I thought I could do it on my own. I don’t want to tell my parents I’m in London, I don’t want them to even meet the baby, ever. But… I can’t do it, Elias. I can’t.”

“Can’t or don’t want to?” Elias carefully asks her reaching the last step. “Do you want to be a mum?”

“I… I’m afraid I’m going to be like my parents. That it’ll turn out like them. And I’m all alone. I got no one to… I'm going to be an awful mother before I even get the chance to be one.”

Elias sets his hands on her shoulders, she’s arm length away from him. “You got me. And Cass, I’ll kick his arse other wise. You’re not alone, O’. But I’m afraid to tell you that you’re the only one who can push this baby out. I can’t do it for you, believe me, if I could make Casey share half the job’s work other than sticking his prick in me and having a good time for five minutes I would.”

Casey huffs a quiet laugh from where he leaned on the wall in the narrow hall beside the stairs. "I last way longer than five bloody minutes and you know it."

“But I’m going to be there all alone. I-” Her breath hitches. “I’m scared, Elias.”

Elias takes a deep breath, he moves his hands form shoulders to cup her cheeks. Nothing was romantic at the time. It was him purely trying to comfort her. “Do you want me to go with you?”

She blinks at him, eyes shining with threatening tears. “Would you?”

“I would. No one deserves to be alone at such a vulnerable moment. I'm offering myself. But only if you want me with you.”

She blinks, a tear slips. “I’d love that.”

He nods softly and gently drops his hands. “Cass?”

“I’ll watch the kids. Go. Call me if anything changes around or if you need me to prepare you something.”

Times like this, even if Casey may or may not be jealous or simply didn’t like Opal, he was still understanding.

Casey grabs Elias his phone and it’s charger with the notebook he left on the piano and he’s leaving with Opal.

“I never imagined that I’d be giving birth with you by my side of all people.” Opal breathes as soon as her contraction ends. She was trying to stick through it without any pain medication potion but Elias could tell she was starting to lean towards the possible option.

“To be honest, I always thought if we had kids together before, that you’d be the one carrying and birthing them. Never me.” Elias does point out poking his very obvious bump. “But life works in mysterious ways, and here we are... both pregnant.”

“That it does.” She closes her eyes. “Who’d ever thought that rubbing a prick and cunt together a few times would make a baby?”

Elias laughs softly. “And that of all places on a body that spot is the most sensitive yet feeling-good place?”

“Exactly.” A quiet pause. “Help me try a new position, will you? I want to get this baby out of me as fast as possible.”

“Fine, but don’t expect much out of me. I can hardly pull my own weight as it is.” Elias warns her and struggles to help her out of bed himself when he knows if he was in her shoes he’d probably just give up and stay put.

He spends most of his time just sitting and working in his notebook and keeping Opal company while she worked on herself with the equipment that he never knew St Mungo’s (or the muggles) had to aid people through their labor and contractions.

The whole day goes by. Hours of contractions and laboring.

Elias knew by the time they were inching near midnight, Opal was done.

Just just with her snappy moods and the way her body was sweating and shivering profusely, but she looked on the verge of passing out from how tired she was. Elias could see it with how pale she was and the bags that were under her eyes.

Then it was finally time for her to push when she was checked for the final time, finally reaching that miraculous number of ten centimeters.

Unlike Elias when he had Capella, Opal finds herself on the bed in the ‘usual’ birthing position of being on her back with her legs wide open in the air.

Elias was helping Opal with a hand on her leg, he was pretty sure he was going to loose his right hand soon just like his leg with the way Opal was tightly squeezing the life out of his hand that was becoming a bruising purple.

“I can’t do it.” Opal heaves out dropping on the bed in misery giving up on another push. She’s been pushing for the last two hours. It was long past midnight, surely. “I can’t do it, Elias. Don’t make me do it. Please can’t they just pull it out!?”

“That baby has to come out one way or another, Opal. And I’m afraid it only has one exit hole and you can do it.” He lightly jokes ignoring his hand and squeezing her leg in reassurance. “If I could do it once at seventeen, you can do it now at twenty-two. You got this. You’re already crowning, you just need… that one good push to get the head out, then the shoulders and I promise it’ll feel like this amazing relief to have them in your arms.”

She cries shaking her head in refusal. Elias brushes her dark sweat-damp hair out of her face. If he’d knew it’d get this bad he would’ve braid her hair back to keep out of her face.

“You know what helped me? When I had Ella?” He quietly asks with a moment between to pause. “It might feel and sound very strange but touching, feeling your baby’s head. Maybe even seeing with a mirror, it’d help a lot. Guides you. It did with me. Want to try that?”

“I don’t want to touch myself down there! Not like this!”

“I know, I know,” He breathes out. “I didn’t either. But I did and believe me when I say it, it worked in a lot of weird ways to push me to get Ella out. It could help you guide yourself, know how to ground yourself to push correctly. Just try. For me?”

She sobs, half curls up into him but after a few minutes she carefully reaches between her legs and feels.

“You feel the baby? Your baby?” He asks her calm and quiet. “That’s your baby. Waiting to meet you. You need to relax then push through it. It may not seem right but relaxing helps. It’ll help, and use your hands to guide your way through of what you can feel. Small pushes, not big ones. Converse your energy.”

She lets out a shuddery breath before pushing herself up on one elbow, Elias helps her curl up her body a bit and with a loud, long grunt, she’s pushing again with an already red and flushed face and a hand between her legs.

Elias didn’t know how long the healers would let her push like this. How long they’d let her suffer through painful and intensive contractions before interfering somehow.

Elias wished Opal would’ve just taken the potions to give herself some relief.

He heard from Teddy that the potions worked wonders — but he wasn’t going to force Opal into doing something if she so stubbornly didn’t want to do so.

“Breathe, Opal,” Elias reminds her softly. “Don’t forget to breathe.”

She gasps for air once, but her stubborn resilience has her going straight back to pushing, her hand falling away from herself and her midwife announces a new change.

“The head’s out!”

Opal collapses back again. Sucking in air and Elias is pushing back her hair again. He’s using a bit of the sheets that was on the bed to clear away the sweat — doing anything he can to make the situation just a bit lighter on her body.

“Head’s out, O’. Another few pushes and get your baby’s shoulders out and you should slip ‘em out nice and easy. Trust me on that, small pushes now, relax. You relax yourself, the baby will slip out faster.”

She lets out a small whimper with a nod. Anything her midwife was shouting around in the room to her or the other nurses mostly went deaf to Opal and Elias.

Elias was the one in the room for her. He was her center and grounding.

He was the one that Opal trusted to guide her through this, having his own daughter or not prior.

Elias’ hand is being squeezed tightly again, Opal’s controlling her breathing more and she’s physically trying to relax her muscles more as she pushes out the baby in slower, less straining attempts.

As promised, she drops back on the bed in relief when the baby is passed onto her chest with a soft blanket covering it’s back and being cleaned off slightly as it wails loudly.

“That wasn’t so hard, now, was it?” Elias jokes making Opal gasp out a shuttering laugh rubbing the body of the baby. She lets out a tiny sob, pressing her forehead on the head of the baby. “It’s a girl, Elias.”

“I see that.” Elias gently tells her with an encouraging smile. “You made that.”

“I did. I made her.” She rubs the back of her daughter’s back in soothing circles. “She’s mine. All mine.”

“You did good, Opal.” Elias praises her gently, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“Hello Elizabeth.” Opal hums quietly running a knuckle across her tiny arm. “My Elizabeth Pearl.”

“An Opal and Pearl.” Elias hums quietly. “Might as well start adding pretty stones to the family like stars and constellations are in mine.”

Opal laughs softly at him. “You’re ridiculous Elias.”

“Well, I’ve been told babies make me act a bit ridiculous. Childish, even.” He quietly informs her reaching out to touch the newborn himself regardless to the body fluids. “She has your eyes and hair.”

“Good.” Opal tiredly hums laying her head back on the bed. “Good… she… she doesn’t need her dead’s father’s appearances. I’d prefer her to look just like me.”

“Dark brown hair and blue eyes. I think you’re winning by the landslide already.”

She nods looking a bit on the pale side as the afterbirth comes out fast, closing her eyes and finally being able to take a rest entering the postpartum stage after delivering the placenta.

Elias took an hour to himself after the birth. Early in the morning, not even sun rise yet he heads back home leaving Opal to rest for a few hours and to let her bond with Elizabeth.

He takes his potions that he missed hours prior and changes his clothes, sneaking into bed with Casey.

“How’s Opal?” Casey was hardly awake. His eyes were closed as he wraps his arms around Elias who finally got into bed with him.

“Resting. Labor was long and hard for her and the birth itself took hours of pushing. But she did it. She had a girl; Elizabeth Pearl Flint.”

Casey hums quiet. “Fitting. A stone for a stone. Isn't a flint a type of stone too?”

Elias huffs a laugh. “I told her I’d go back after I got some rest myself. Probably around lunchtime.”

“…Okay.” Casey presses a kiss to his forehead. His breathing evens out making Elias laugh softly, pecking his own kiss to Casey’s cheek before curling up into him.

Chapter Text

January 4th, 2010

The second to last night with his younger siblings home, Elias offered up long before their break begun to take them all for one night for a movie night — a long sibling bonding night for him to catch up with them properly, in other words.

His dads easily agreed, Casey didn’t get a say — not that he'd deny Elias a one night bonding time with his little siblings which was a rare occurance — and Elias was very elated to watch his siblings and Casey get drunk as well as high under his very sober watch.

His youngest siblings, only thirteen but will be fourteen in just a little over two weeks, Elias thought it they were aged enough to have their first taste in his homemade wine — his strong homemade wine. Elias himself was only just fourteen when he was allowed to attend his first Hufflepuff house party that had alcohol in it. It was safe to say he doesn’t remember that night at all, heavily overdoing it.

Nyx — the ever-studious Ravenclaw between all the Potter siblings who seemed to always have his nose buried in a book rather it was day or night — could hardly even spell a simple four letter word as Elias played Scrabble with him, Nico, and Persephone. He was the only sibling who seemed to be trying to take the board game seriously in his drunken state.

“No, no, nooo.” Nyx’s words were already slurring. Elias was grinning at him, biting on his lip to hold back his laugh as his little brother wiggles his finger at him and leaning over slightly to keep his stance sitting upwards. “C-U-M-E. Come. It’s right! I didn’t spell- I… No. Wait… wait a minute… hold on… I gotta think...”

His dark blue eyes blinked, they were glazed over trying to focus on his word that he set down. “Oh, shit. Uh…” He tilts his head to the side now. “Does it still count if I took the E away?”

Elias burst out laughing. He couldn’t hold back anymore. He drops his head cackling like the three muggle witches in the film that was running of Hocus Pocus despite the recent Christmas holidays.

“Oh my gods, you’re probably the best drunk I’ve ever associated myself with. I am loving this!” Elias heaves out between laughter.

Nico was probably half asleep, lost interest with Nyx taking his turn that took over the last twenty minutes, his head resting on the pillow set on the arm of the couch sat beside Elias.

Persephone wasn’t even paying attention, staring (glaring) at the television under the influence of both weed and homemade strong wine.

Nyx blinks at the board again looking owlish with how large his eyes were. “But does it count? I’d still get the triple score.”

“Oy! Casey!” Elias calls over Casey who was in a serious game of UNO with Rigile and Aasil. It was probably their third or forth game, Casey keeps swearing left to right that they were cheating.

They probably were, but Elias wasn’t going to tell him that.

“What?! I’m playing bloody fucking UNO!”

“Yeah, and you’re losing. Does cum count? Is it in the muggle dictionary?”

“Come? Yeah. Yeah. Come and go, shit like that.”

“No. Not that sort of come. C-U-M.”

Casey lifts his head and snaps over to look at Elias from his playing cards. He had at least a good fifteen cards in his hands, constantly flipping through them to ensure that he was able to see them all. “What the fuck are you playing!?”

“Scrabble. Nyx is trying to put it down.”

“It’s a word. I’ve read it in-" A hiccup. "-in books.”

Elias looks over to his brother, eyebrows furrowed. “What books have you been reading, little brother? Porno shit?”

“Um…” Nyx smacks his forehead a few times. “Shit. Uh… I think… No, not from the restriction section… the library?”

Elias blinks at him. “You mean at home?”

An awkward unbalanced nod. “Uh-huh.”

“What has Dad and Papa been stocking the bloody library up with?” Elias mutters under his breath shaking his head. “Alright, I’ll give you the points but we’re ending the game here.”

Persephone suddenly looks back over to Elias with a hard blink with her spring green eyes outlined with a dark brown that had her eyes looking enchanting with her dark blonde hair. “Hmm? Who won?”

“Who knows. No one’s been keeping points since the fourth round.”

“What!?” Nyx dutifully flips the board. That's what makes family game night, everyone. “ I’ve worked so fucking hard!” Elias watches the tiny pieces land onto his knocked out twin who was sprawled out on the floor hogging a blanket and pillow.

“Well then…” Elias hums quietly pointing to the pieces. “That was entirely unnecessary. I’m not cleaning those up.”

“I put all my… oh fuck, I can't stand.” Nyx started to wobble a bit as he stands. Elias lifts an eyebrow just watching him. Nyx attempts to push a finger in his face, a step forward and he’s toppling over onto Aurora.

“You’re such a lightweight.” Elias hums. “You only had, what? Two small glasses? Three?”

“Fuck you.” Nyx groans with his sister before yanking the blanket from her. “And fuck you too, Rora. Give me that.”

She groans at him, hand going to her head. “Huh? What happened?”

“Nyx had too much. That’s what happened. He’s pissy cause he can’t spell come.”

“Is there even another way to spell that?” She groans from the floor, yanking the blanket back from Nyx and Elias rolls his eyes before grabbing a prepared blanket set over the couch and tosses it over Nyx.

“He tried spelling it with a U.”

She hums quietly, eyes never opening. “Gross. You’re a pervert, Nyx.”

“Three down, three to go.” Elias hums quietly poking Nico beside him who lazily swats at him to leave him alone.

If anything, Elias would much rather his siblings getting drunk and high in a safe environment than somewhere they could be taken advantaged of or worse. If there was a worse, that is. And there is.

“How you holding up Posie? Ready to knock out yet?”

“Fuck off. This isn’t my first time drinking or smoking, I know my limits unlike these gits.” She mutters glaring at the television. “Why do muggles have to portray witches like that all the time. Like we eat children and kill people and don’t want to die and live forever? I mean, who wants to live forever? That just sounds awful.”

“To be fair you eat toads, mice, cockroaches, and more.” Casey mumbles loudly slapping down a card. “Though Brighton does loves to chase after a good chocolate toad. I still don’t quite understand those sweets you’ve got going on. Boogie flavoured beans? Just terrible.”

“They’re not really bugs and pests.” Persephone sneers at him. “They’re candies and they’re charmed to look that way. You’re no better than the rest of the annoying muggles.”

“Should I get the green paint out and pop a wart on your nose?”

Persephone gasps at Casey as Aasil puts down a draw four, then Rigile puts down another draw four. “How dare you?”

Elias always loved how Casey fitted right into his family — acting like another sibling to bicker and love around with. A tiny smile forms on his lips watching him play poorly at cards with his brothers and tease Persephone.

“I can’t keep picking up bloody cards! They’re going to run out at some point! Does a pack even hold this many draw four cards!?” Casey screams at Elias’ fifteen year old brothers stressfully as they both snicker at his misery.

“I think we should never do game night again if we’re going to crack out the good weed from Zio Barty and wine, just stick it to the stuff and a few pre-picked films.” Elias decides on looking between the mess of the flipped Scrabble board and pieces and Casey looking a hairline away from making more of a mess with the UNO cards.

Just at the mention of the weed, Persephone picks up a newly rolled joint that wasn’t burned yet from the coffee table. “Want a hit?”

“I shouldn’t.”

“Come on.” She waves it around his face. “Just one hit won’t hurt. When was the last time you let yourself smoke some?”

“California. New York. Mexico. France. Um…” Elias thinks on it. “Honestly probably all the countries I was in while on tour. Just crack open a window or go out on the balcony and hope for the best that no one sees me smoking 'drugs'." Elias uses his fingers for the quotation marks. "Zio Barty gave me and Cass plenty before I left. So techinally I smoked enough while I was pregnant before I found out. I don’t need to do any more.”

“Lucky. Papa would flip out if we did this at home.”

Elias shakes his head. “He wouldn’t. If he does then he’s a big fat hypocrite.”

Persephone looks at him with big eyes. “Papa smokes?”

“Weed, not cigarettes, but not often though. Zio Barty made sure I knew that very clearly that Papa did a lot of smoking back in his Hogwarts' days. He also told me that Papa gets horny when he’s high.” Elias scrunches his nose along with his only blonde sibling matching his face. “Didn’t need to know that bit. That bit was very TMI of Zio Barty.”

Persephone grimaces. “Didn’t need to know either. Should’ve kept that to yourself.”

“Nothing like sharing some deep sibling trauma. Oh, I should tell you that three more tallies got added to that list. You know the… The one that keeps track of all the people who’ve walked in on Papa and Dad shagging. The board we only just started a few years ago?”

“Uh-huh…” Persephone puts the tip of the blunt in her mouth and grabs the lighter off the side table.

The coffee table had been pushed out of the living room and set in the kitchen for the night to give his siblings plenty of space to spread out. No one was using the guest room due to chances of everyone fighting over the one bed.

She lights the blunt and takes a hit before taking. “Which poor souls got stuck looking at Dad’s hairy arse this time and Papa preening on about how much he loves all of dad's body hair? That one summer when Dad shaved his face was a nightmare, like living with a stranger.”

“Ella, Brighton, and Casey.” Elias lists with three fingers sticking out. “I had an appointment, tried calling, twice. They were fucking in the kitchen when I used my housekey."

She grimaces as she blows out the smoke while talking. “Why can’t we have normal dads who keep it in the bedroom than trying to get at it on every piece of surface in the house?”

Elias shrugs watching the film. Persephone narrows her eyes before looking at Elias. “Have you and Cass shagged outside your bedroom?”

“The shower? Our ensuite shower?” Her eyes remained narrow on him. He leans close to her. “This couch?”

She groans at him, shoving him away making him laugh loudly. “You asked, I answered. It was only once and we didn’t get far. Brighton walked in on us. Which is why we keep it in the bedroom. Then there’s Papa and Dad who wonders why they get caught all the time mid-shag.” Elias huffs a laugh. “I don’t understand how Papa gets a rise out of that — Zio Barty’s words, not mine. I did it once outside and all I can say is never again. I don't need Brighton or Ella to see Casey's hairy arse.”

"My arse is not that hairy!"

Elias and Persephone snickers quietly.

Persephone looks over to Casey, studying him. “Is he good in bed?”

“Cass? Sure.” Elias shrugs.

“Sure?” She snorts. “Sure. Makes it sound like he isn’t.”

“That’s cause it’s actually none of your business.” Elias rolls his eyes. “I don’t go talking to everyone about my sex life.”

“And yet being pregnant gives an exact date of when you shagged him to make a baby.”

He deadpans at her. “I don’t like you right now.”

She shrugs. “I’m not that drunk. I like my weed, your wine’s a bit too strong. Just to let you know. And I know you talk to Zuzu about your sex life.”

“Yeah, I talk to her about it. Not you.”

“She gossips to me with bits of this and thats. So… Enlighten me.”

“I don’t need to enlighten anyone. And Azura’s going to hear about this when I get a word to her finding out she’s been talking to you about my sex life.”

She sticks out her tongue at him.

Elias rolls his eyes. “And what if I go asking you for details of your own sex life?”

“Easy. I don’t have one, and I don’t need one right now.” She shrugs. “I rather just wait it out. I don’t need to know if a dick or a cunt is going to please me just yet.”

Elias blinks at her. That was the last thing he was expecting from her. “Hmm…” His tiny bit of noise comes with a nod. “Good. You don’t need sex to prove yourself for yourself, or to others.”

“Exactly.” She pauses. “Wait- is that why you did it?”

“What?”

“I mean… Word’s out. Owen’s… I mean, it’s family gossip now. Though we all know not to say it to Ella. I remember how you guys were always fighting. Did you do it because he was… I don’t know, picking on you over a certain detail?”

“No. I was having sex long before him. Casey's the only bloke I've been with who's decent enough.” Elias shakes his head. “I shagged Owen to shut him up and to leave me alone. Bad reason, but… it worked. Temporarily. Don’t recommend it. And he’s bad at sex. Or maybe it was just with me, but who knows. We did bicker quite a bit during that one time..." Elias shakes his head again before dropping the thought and leans his head back on the couch. "Anyway, I don’t have much of an interest asking him of his past sex life to figure that out.”

She huffs a laugh, leaning back on the couch. “I want to finish Hogwarts, get a job, live a little all before settling down. Like Azura. I feel like everyone in this family sacrifices their youth for family. I can save off breeding myself for a while… maybe travel a bit too…”

Elias laughs loudly, leaning back on the couch with her. He watches the television, watching the weird walk the three sisters did.

“You want to know something… new about me? That I only just figured out with Cass?”

“Sure.” She takes another hit of the joint.

“I… I’m not bisexual.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m kinda like… Ellie. Not… entirely asexual but… there’s this thing. Demisexual. I don’t think I’d be coming out to fans and all like that with this at this point. But I wouldn’t mind telling family. And close friends.”

Persephone snorts. “What friends do you have?”

Elias makes an affronted noise. “I have friends.”

“Who?”

“Uh… Opal?”

“She’s your ex. She doesn't count.”

“Doesn’t mean she can’t be my friend now.” Elias glances over to Casey. “Casey seems to like her.”

“Uh-huh… has he actually met her?”

“Yep. Three times, now. I think. Four? Who knows, I don’t keep count at this rate. I would’ve invited Opal over but she’s home resting with her baby. She just had her. Got home, I helped her get home safely. Was there too, when she had her baby. She didn’t want to have her baby alone so… I’m not that mean to deny her company. Birth is very… delicate.”

“Boy or girl?”

“Girl. Elizabeth Pearl Flint. I’ve been calling Pearl, feels more fitting.”

Persephone’s eyes don’t leave the television. “What names do you have picked out?”

“For-? For my babies?”

“Are there any other babies you can name?”

Elias laughs softly. “I don’t think I should be telling you that.”

“Come on.” Persephone groans rolling her head over to look at Elias. “Announcing the names at their birth is old school. We’re not Papa and Dad. And I’ll be in school anyway when you have them, like when you had Ella.”

Elias sighs. He supposes his sister had a point.

“Well… Nothing's really solid yet but we think we got things locked down. You know how one of the babies genders have become inconclusive, so Cass and I got to pick out an extra girl name in case. But, for the first girl, we settled on Ophelia. But if we have a second girl, Cordelia. Ophelia Esme and Cordelia Alba. As for the boys, Antonio William and Lucas Félix. We’re still trying to come up with a third name.”

“English and Spanish?”

Elias nods. “I wanted some… of my roots of wherever I came from, there. Cass didn’t mind. But… I haven’t told Papa and Dad, but I did a muggle DNA test. I’m hoping something will come out of that. It’s suppose to show relatives too, if that’s possible. I don’t know.”

Persephone looks away from the television. Her green eyes looked a bit sad as she meets his own. “I hope you find where you came from.”

Elias thinly smiles. “Thanks. I… I’m not trying to replace you guys. Never. I mean, who can ever replace you guys?” He looks over the room, looking at his six younger siblings spread out in his living room. "You're my family."

This was his family. It has been his family for the last sixteen years. He’s accepted them for as long as they’ve accepted him.

“You’re my sister, Posie. Don’t think otherwise. I just… I’m curious. I’m just hoping that my curiosity doesn’t kill me one day over this, you know?”

“I don’t blame you.” She softly smiles. “I’m curious too. I’m… I’m curious where I got my blonde hair and green eyes from, but as Papa says—”

“—There’s cousin Draco and Narcissa to look at, and you got your green eyes from Dad's side.” Elias chimes in with her with a soft smile. “I know. I’ve heard him say that so many times. I think abuelo once asked if you were really Dad’s. At that hospital, after the accident. I don't know if he was joking or not, still to this day.” Elias laughs softly. “I remember seeing you in that tiny incubator and feeling so excited. I don’t think anyone was ever thinking you’d come out blonde or green-eyed. But… you… you make me feel less alone, Posie. Even though we aren’t as close as… we could be.”

Persephone bumps his shoulder. “Don’t go all soft on me now, Eli.”

“It’s true. If you came out brunette and brown eyed, I’d be the only blonde and green eye child in this Potter family and… I remember Papa telling me when I asked when he was pregnant if you’d look like me and he had to remind me on multiple occasions that you wouldn’t because I was adopted and… you made me happy. In ways I couldn’t explain it at the time, as a child. As a five year old.”

Persephone smiles at him softly and leans her head on his shoulder. She brings the joint to her mouth and inhales before removing it. “You make me feel less alone, too, Eli. In your own special way.”

Chapter Text

January 8th, 2010

As stated before, Elias held a deep hate-love relationship with anything bondage related.

Casey respected him, his choices and desire of not wanting to be touched.

But it didn’t mean Elias couldn’t touch Casey. Elias loved touching Casey when he had the energy and right mental and physical ability to dom him.

Casey’s wrists were bounded to the bed with their furry cuff links. There were a few random sex toys laying across the bed assigned for cocks and Elias was happily working away on his notebook filled with mostly music notes than lyrics with his non-dominate hand reached over to his side.

Casey attempts to buck his hips too hard into his hand, his fist around Casey’s cock moves all the way down to his hips giving him a full stroke.

Elias brings his hand back to the base of his cock and squeezes tightly — again — and glare.

“One more time, Casey. One more time.” Elias warns, cock pulsing and twitching in his hand. A bit of precome beads up at the tip from being edged and denied, again.

“Please.” Casey pants with a dry and scratchy voice. His red and bitten swollen lips. “You’ve been edging me for so- fuckkk…”

Elias had picked up the sock sleeve while he begged, plenty of lube already smeared around Casey’s cock and he easily slides it onto his leaking prick and gives Casey a far different texture from his hand.

The chains of the furry pink cuffs rattle as he yanks, trying to fight against his restraints as his eyes rolls into his head and twists around on the bed.

This sort of sex is what Elias could enjoy.

Because it didn’t focus on him.

This he could do for hours.

He has been doing this for hours.

Casey was so hard and whiney and beggy…

Elias loves it.

The slick noises from the sleeve as Elias jerks Casey off in random paces across his length, just to tease him, sounded so obscenely with Casey’s tiny pants and loud moans.

“Do you think you deserve to come tonight, Cass?” Elias asks in a bored tone.

“Y-yes.” He knocks his head back on the bed. “I’ve been listening. I’ve been good.”

Elias hums boredly. “Not always. Why should I let you come? Tell me.”

“I… ugh...” He’s cut off with a moan as Elias twists the sleeve around the head of his cock. Elias brings the sleeve back down, the lube and pre-come was making Casey’s cock become white-looking with the sleeve working around him at a fast pace.

Elias smirks. “What was that?”

Casey whines knocking his head back and using all his will power not to move. “I-I’ve been a good boy for you.”

Another tiny hum. “You sure about that?”

“YES!”

“Shhh.” Elias hushes him softly, hand twists at the tip a last time before he slowly moves down to the middle of the length and stills. He watches how Casey’s cock twitches all on its own from the movements stilling around it. “Don’t want to wake the kids up. If they wake up, game's over.”

“E… please. Don’t stop. Let me come. Let me come, please.”

“Alright, here’s the deal.” Elias ignores Casey’s begging. “My hand’s getting awfully tired right now. I’ve been doing this for nearly three hours now.”

Casey half sobs.

“You can come. I’ll hold this little sleeve for you but you’ve got to do the work. You can move. Fuck it. Fuck the sleeve, fuck my fist.”

“I can’t.” Casey makes out the obvious point from where his hands were chained up.

“Figure it out.” Elias merely shrugs flipping a page of his notebook. “Five minutes.”

“Wha-? Five minutes? For what?”

“I think you know. And just a head’s up, if you slip out, I’m not fixing up your cock. You just have to deal with it.”

Casey gasps at him desperately, his breathing was heavy.

He gets to work quick as Elias eyes the minute number on the clock.

Feet are planted on the bed and Casey scoots down as much as he’s able to. Feeling comfortable with the length he scooted down at, carefully he starts to buck his hips into the sleeve bridging himself with his hands planted on the bedframe, trapped in the hand cuffs that restricted his freedom of movement.

Moving desperately to come but not as fast as he’d like trying his hardest not to let his cock slip out with the stopping length Elias was holding it at.

Every time a minute passes on the clock, Elias announces it with purpose to make Casey more anxious.

Making Casey move faster.

More careless and harder with his actions and becoming desperate. Because once the five minute were up, so was Casey.

“Less than one minute remaining now, just to remind you.” Elias announces making Casey whine loudly.

“I’m close. I’m close.” He desperately cries to Elias, hips thrusting up and down desperately as his legs and thighs shook trying to keep himself up in the bridge position with him breathing hard and heavy. “Don’t- Don’t…”

“Don’t?” Elias teases using his fingertips a bit off the sleeve to reach the head of his cock when Casey slips out and pushes back in. He’s able to tease the shiny wet slit, smearing across the precome that was dripping up.

Casey’s abdomen tenses up. His toes are curling and he’s just about crossing that edge as the minute number changes on the digital clock that has Elias pulling off the sleeve entirely. “That’s time.”

“NO!”

Elias laughs wickedly as Casey drops to the bed covered in sweat, hours of edging the working the last five minutes hard as he could truly built up on it.

“E! E, please. Don’t leave me like this. Let me come. I’m so close. It won’t take long, I promise.” His voice was so raspy, dry as he begs fighting against the cuffs.

Elias hums quietly, picking up the wand vibrator that was plugged in with the long cord hanging off the bed and had a special silicone attachment on it similar to the sleeve he just took off Casey but hooked onto the vibrator.

His green freckled eyes look over to Casey. “Are you willing to suffer the consequences if I let you come?”

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes. I’ll do anything. Please, let me come. Please, E. Please.”

Elias adds the lube quietly to the inside of the new selected toy, he slips it onto Casey and whirs the vibrator to life on low. Casey moans softly but deep as Elias moves his hand once again for him so Casey could drop back on the mattress of their bed.

Only a few strokes and Casey tenses up again, knocking his head back and his toes curl into the sheets. “I’m gonna-” He’s only able to warn Elias once, before that spurt of come is spasming out and Elias is cracking up the vibrator making Casey gasp and curl up his body. The cuffs rattle as they’re yanked on and he’s shouting as Elias works the wand, smearing the come across his cock.

“I warned you. I asked you if you’d suffer the consequences if I let you come. You agreed. You’ve come, now the consequences will occur.”

Casey looked stuck on breathing. Half gasping, his moans trapped and his eyes are trying to stay open as he fights against everything with his legs rolling around trying to free himself from the vibrator and sleeve.

“E! E! E! No! Stop! Stop!” If Casey truly wanted Elias to stop, the safe word existed for a reason. Casey’s used it before. He knows the difference between simply saying the word ‘stop’ and the safe word.

Casey is scooting back onto the bed, trying to run from the vibrator and silicone sleeve coated in lube and come, Elias makes sure to not to let the sleeve come off as his hips jerk and his body tenses once again and he’s spasming with a loud moan and coming messily unexpectedly for the second time.

With Casey’s second drawn out orgasm, Elias finally pulls off making Casey slump against the headboard looking halfway to sleep already with a hanging head and his hands still chained up.

“Huh…” Elias eyes the sleeve on the vibrator curiously. “I don’t think we ever managed that one before. Post-orgasm torture into second orgasm? Two orgasms for the price of one…? You never came this fast in-between with your refractory period.”

“You say that but my dick is throbbing right now.” Casey groans quietly as his dick was softening rapidly yet it lurches and twitches in the air along with Casey’s own hips bucking with the slightest friction when it brushes against Casey’s leg softening and he's giving out full body twitches.

 Elias sets the vibrator off, then he puts it aside on the bed as well as closes his notebook before undoing the cuffs on Casey’s wrists. “Be grateful I let you come at all with all the times you chose to try to fuck into my hand.”

“Yeah, after…” Casey checks the time tiredly, undoing his other wrist himself that was too far from Elias to reach and rubs his wrists. “Three hours of nonstop edging.”

Elias leans over on his side, gently using two fingers to tilt Casey’s jaw over to look at him and press a soft kiss to his lips.

Casey was happy to lazily kiss him back with tired movements compared to Elias’ eager ones.

Elias couldn’t keep himself twisted over for long. Not with the stretch of his skin being tugged on hard with the babies suddenly leaning over his stomach to the other side as he licks over Casey’s bottom lip before sucking and breaking away with a tiny noise, a soft smile on his face as he falls back on his spot on the bed.

“I’d get up and get you a cloth to clean you up but I really don’t want to get up with how swollen my legs are right now.” Elias quietly tells Casey. “Would some cuddles and positive reinforcement words sufficient for your aftercare? I could conjure a cup of water for you too, if you want. But wand water isn’t as good as from the sink. But if you really want me to get up I will.”

Casey chuckles softly. He leans over knocking over the sex toys and chases after Elias’ lips kissing him a bit more.

Elias lets out a tiny pleased sound with Casey’s hand on his hip, the moving down to his exposed thigh where he wore boxers and squeezed his muscle slightly. He doesn’t go any farther than that as he entirely focuses on his mouth crawling a bit over him to get closer into his side, clearly wanting to cuddle as they sat up.

“I don’t know how you can do it,” Casey sighs pulling back as Elias presses his lips across his jaw and trails down his neck. “Holding back on the sex. Not wanting to get off. I can hardly snog you without getting hard.”

“Not everything to me is about the sex itself, Cass.” Elias talks on his skin. “Sex is purely physical, mostly — to me at least. I crave the mental intimacy more. The feeling of connection, not the bodily connection but mental such as kissing or... talking and the sharing of the small things that mean the most. Making the happy memories and joy in life larger with you. That’s what I want. But sex, like this just now, I don’t mind.”

Casey hums quietly, his throat vibrating across Elias’ lips as Elias moves up to kiss him again on the lips for the final time before pulling away.

"You don’t have to understand how I feel or get of what I do. But it helps to respect my wishes of when I request it, when I say no or yes. So what you’re doing now, it makes me happy a lot, to feel and be treated with this sort of respect. It makes me happy, you make me happy.”

Casey presses a light kiss to his mostly naked shoulder, he curls into Elias’ side. Elias gently shifts his arm behind Casey and holds him at the side. Casey leans into his gentle touch.

“I’d never want to force you into something you don’t want. But as I said before, I wish you told me a while ago than tried to force yourself into tolerating it for me. I hate to imagine all the times I thought you were enjoying it to only think that you just weren’t.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” Elias softly tells him once again. “I suppose we both have some work to do when it comes to opening up to each other on a deeper and far more personal and present level.”

“Well…” Casey sighs. “The difference between you and I, is the large fact that yours is traumatization while mine is just jealousy and envy.”

Elias purses his lips. “I don’t know if being demisexual is through what happened to me when I was a child. I mean… it could be but I think it worked both ways. From that but… I’m just not interested in sex as much as you evidently are.”

“But you do like it?” Casey seemed to need that reassurance.

“I do. When I know I want it, I’ll tell you.” Elias nods reassuring Casey. “But as I said, between you and me, we feel entirely different towards it. We just have to work together on making it possible for each other so we’re both still satisfied in our own ways at the end of the day. Doing something like this, I don't mind doing.”

Casey nods a bit, tucking his head into Elias’ neck.

“What are you going to do about the whole ‘sex sells’ thing with Simon?”

“Who knows, he’s my boss, I have to do what he requests of me. And I suppose singing about sex is far easier than doing.” Elias shrugs studying Casey soft features on his face from where he could see with him buried halfway in his neck.

He wonders what traits would be inherited to the babies and what would be inherited from himself.

“I don’t think I’d come out as demisexual, to Simon or my fans... I feel like it’s just easier to stay as I am now. But I did tell Posie the other day, when everyone was here that night, drinking and getting high.” Elias slowly lifts his hand over to Casey, brushing his knuckles across Casey’s flushed cheeks.

His prick was soft and the come was drying all over him, but neither of them made a rush to clean up right away. Taking the moment to talk.

“Imagine if I changed that up? All the backlash I might get. I could be get accused ‘lying’ saying how I was bisexual before, even though demisexual people don’t have a preference over gender from what I’ve researched… I got enough of that now with the pregnancy, with what I read over the internet and there’s my age, too, I’m only twenty. And the chance of being pregnant with quads and already having Ella and Brighton though no one knows Brighton is technically adopted and biologically only yours... And I’m still waiting on that DNA result. I just… want to keep as much stuff private as possible. People are nosy buggers. That woman at the mall really made a rumor out of us picking the name August.”

Elias scoffs quietly, rolling his eyes at that memory.

Casey turns his head a bit, taking Elias’ wrist and kissing his knuckles where he doesn’t pull away. Elias finds himself gently feeling over the wet plump bitten red lips, moving over to his cheek, up to the bone below his green eyes.

“Mum’s thinking that you’re having the babies in a normal hospital.” Casey quietly tells him, closing one eye as Elias’ finger drifts over the eyelid.

“She doesn’t understand that there’s a separate hospital for wizards and witches. That they need different medical care when it comes to certain stuff. I hate how she’s going to end up treating Ella like the odd one out of everyone after the babies are born, like she already does with Brighton.”

“Sometimes…” Elias quietly whispers with his lips turning up. “I really want to bitch slap your mum. For Ella’s sake, of course. But if the day ever comes that Ella bitch slaps her, I want to be there. And I will not scold her, just so you know.”

Casey laughs heavily. Dropping his head onto Elias’ shoulder.

“You’re not the only one, believe me. She’s becoming a big pain. I wonder how I managed to put up with her for so long? Nineteen bloody years.”

“You were a child. A child raising a child and she was taking advantage of that trying to control every single thing possible of what you did with Brighton and yourself.” It was the easiest answer from how Elias saw it.

“The same idea when I was in the orphanage in Spain. There wasn’t any other choice but to stay and obey because I had no where else to go. But now, as free adults, we have choices. Choices that will ultimately affect our children in the future. And as much as I don’t want our kids around Miss Wanda, you do. And I have to draw that line for myself, and wait for the day to come when one of them say that if they don’t want to see her anymore, they won’t because I won’t force them to and she’s not going to make me or you force them either.”

Casey hums quietly. “I suppose so. I hate that I love her, but I wouldn’t want my life any other way because if she never had me working since I was legally allowed to work… I probably would have never met you.”

They fall quiet for a while. Elias runs his fingers through Casey’s long brown hair, not able to reach his scalp with the angle they sat in but he was able to fiddle around and braid tiny random loose strains.

“You know what I want to do?” He quietly asks.

“No, but I imagine you’ll tell me anyway.”

Elias huffs a quiet laugh.

“I haven’t been to the beach since I was a child — since I was four.” Elias breathes out looking down to his lap that was covered by his bump, bare and naked from where he was just wearing a sports bra. “The orphanage I was in, down in Spain, it was rather close to a beach. They didn’t care what we did during the day as long as we were in our bedrooms by curfew. But then I was adopted. And the first place I was brought to, it was a beach house. A rental, of course, but it was probably the first place I truly felt safe. Even if I was surrounded by a bunch of strangers — adults and kids... huh… I just realized I met Owen there, actually…” Elias frowns at that thought.

Things were so different as a four year old, meeting another child that he just played with in the sand; in the ocean. Without a care in the world other than that safety feeling of purely feeling safe for once in his life after leaving the boys’ home.

“So… you want to go to the beach this summer?”

“I… I think I want to go back to Spain, actually.” Elias hasn’t been back there since he was brought back to London.

Not even his recent tour had him going to Spain, to his surprise.

Every summer since his parents got the house in France, he learned from his older siblings they used to go to the beach for a weekend, stayed in a hotel.

Then that all changed after they got the summer house in France with the lake. There was no reason to go back to the beach. No reason to go back to Spain when certain cousins took a portkey up to France to visit them for a few days out of the summer.

Such as Sophia and Mateo and their kids who were on their abuela’s side of the family. Elias hasn’t seen them since he had Capella. He’s only been to France, the summer home once and for a shorter time than a whole month’s stay with Casey and Brighton of a week’s time.

“I… I’d like to show Ella where she came from…” Elias is very quiet. “Show you guys where I came from. What I remember of. The culture I was surrounded by. I don’t think much of that area could’ve changed. It was just a tiny town. Even I was allowed to roam around alone at four years old and no one cared for my safety. I wouldn’t let Brighton do that now in the middle of London, not even to cross the street to go to that park.”

“You don’t have to.” Casey lifts his head. “If it brings you bad memories.”

“I know, but I want to, I think. And… maybe one day, we could leave the kids with someone and I could show you the remains of the orphanage house. Papa said it’s long abandoned now but… it still holds a lot of… I don’t know.”

“Why don’t we try to take the whole family down? Yours… Well, I mean everyone and… well, my mum?”

Elias snorts. “Your mum would never. Does she even have a passport?”

“I can still ask. It wouldn't hurt. So can you. Cousins, siblings, uncles, zio; your auncle, that way we can truly make it a family vacation.”

“We’d have to take a plane. I don’t know how that’d work. Half of us can hardly handle it. I remember Papa vomiting the whole way back to London and he was so nervous but Uncle Remus was helpful enough to keep me distracted. As well as Ellie helped by reading me a book and listening to some music.”

“Well, it’s only January.” Casey presses another kiss to his shoulder. “We have time to think about out all the details by summer, as well as we’ll have to figure something out with the babies.”

Elias rests his head onto Casey’s own, a kiss to the crown of his head. “Yeah, we do.”

Chapter Text

February 8th, 2010

“So, now that you’re twenty-nine weeks, I’ll like to start setting up a team for your delivery date. I know we said thirty-six weeks would be ideal but I’m thinking about thirty-four somewhere before we hit thirty-six because I don’t trust your body to go into labor with how much your cervix has been shortening and thinning out as well with your short height, it'll probably be on the safer end for not only the babies but yourself as well.”

Just hearing his healer say that made everything feel so much realer as Elias breathes in heavy, staring at her for a good minute before his mind comes to process what she said.

“So… March?”

“Early March or late February.”

Elias and Casey both stare at her quietly for a moment.

Still felt a bit surreal. He knew Casey felt the same way.

“But it’s February now.” A tiny poke to his thigh as he states that.

“I’m well aware of what month it is, thank you.”

“I mean- So-… We could be having the babies this month?”

“Yes. But I think we can make it for March. Lets say… The seventh? That’d put you at just the nose of about thirty-four weeks.”

Casey leans back on the plastic seat he was sitting on. It creaks as he moves and his head thumps lightly on the wall behind himself as he stares at Elias. “Welp. One month left before we say goodbye to our sleep and welcome four babies into the family at once.”

“I’ve said goodbye a long time ago.” Elias deadpans. “I can never get comfortable anymore. I’m huge already. If I'm saying goodbye to anything, it's my peace and silence. And that's been long gone already with Brighton and Ella fighting half the day over random stuff to mark their territory in the house.”

“Exactly why I’m saying we should make your delivery a bit earlier. As I said, you’re on the shorter side so there’s a bit less room and the babies can only grow so much inside. I just want to be safe, and I think thirty-four weeks is safe enough as well as having a team prepared for the babies as well as for yourself.” He’s shot a small smile. “So… March seventh?”

Elias nods.

It wasn’t as if they weren’t ready. They had all sorts of things prepared. They’ve been buying random things here and there for the last of months.

But the date?

Having the date set in stone for a high certainty?

Elias was getting goosebumps as he looks over to his husband and Papa.

After the appointment they decided to let his Zio Barty suffer with Brighton and Capella a little longer and brought Aster back to their townhome.

“What do you think?” Elias asks showing his Papa the yellow painted room, on the farthest wall between windows was one of Elias' maternity pictures with his bump and Brighton, Capella, and Casey's hands in black and white. It was simple but a perfect picture for the room.

Cribs were built. Sheets were already set. Casey’s mum even went as far as making baby blankets similar to what Brighton has, unlike Capella’s whom Casey made tried to make himself — not that Elias minded, which he still held onto three years later.

The baby blankets were draped over each crib, there were large letters on the wall above the cribs, each painted in a randomly chosen Hogwarts’ color.

C.

O.

A.

L.

In case of the possibility of Baby A being born either gender, either name for a boy or girl started with a C. Just making things easier that way.

Now that Elias thought on it, looking between the two cribs one either side of the room, putting all four letters together made the word coal.

Huh. Funny.

“It’s a bit… Hogwarts-y.”

Elias huffs a laugh as Aster steps into the room, eyes scanning over every detail carefully.

“I see that you got two changing tables than one. Remember when you told me that you didn’t need one at all when you had Ella?”

“Yeah,” Elias sighs moving into the room himself and opening the dresser. He finds himself fussing around with the clothes tucked inside. The passing week he has been inside the nursery more times than not just cleaning around, being picky on how certain things went, how certain things sat. Elias knew he was driving Casey up the walls with his little fussing around-

“You know, the babies won’t care about their clothes being in color coded order.”

Elias sighs, dropping the rolled up light blue onesie back into the drawer and closes it with a sharp glare at his Papa. Casey says the same exact thing.

“I know that.”

“And yet you are aware that you're nesting?”

He rolls his eyes annoyed.

Casey was telling him the same thing. Again.

Elias doesn’t say anything, instead he goes to the personally hand picked rocking chair in the room and takes a loud groaning seat on the cushions. He pulls the handle on the side and pops up the foot rest.

“Cass and I’ve bought so many nappies and clothes. We agreed to buy some premie stuff too, cause we don’t know how big they could be coming out. Baby A is measuring up nearly a quarter bigger than the rest then Baby C is so tiny and-”

“I know, Eli. I was there.”

Elias groans at his Papa. He covers his face.

“I’m so stressed out, Papa.”

“With what?”

“Everything. I’ve got to work on this album that my boss wants it… a lot focused on sex and romance and heart break then I’m constantly coming in here feeling like nothing’s done. I’m always ordering something online because I can’t go out wihtout someone seeing my face and I never felt this way before but I’m starting to feel stuck in here. Like… I want to go out. Of my house. That’s not normal.”

“You’re restless. That’s normal.” Elias pouts at him. “Especially with you having to rest more than do anything else. You can’t be on your feet at much. I can tell from here your legs are swollen a bit so I’m sure that’s a pain in the arse too. Has Casey been much help?”

“He’s been the best help.” Elias frowns. “I wish I could help him more, actually. Which is annoying. Casey’s putting out lunch stuff on the counter and I’m having Ella make lunch when he’s out at school. Ella! She’s two! Where has the world come to!?”

“Well… she likes cooking. It's not like she's on the stove or using the oven. I’m sure if you send her dad’s way she’ll be heavily into baking and cooking. Might make a tiny chef out of her yet.”

Elias deadpans at him. “Like a house elf?”

“No, no.” Aster shakes his head. “It took years to get Kreacher out of this place. He’s finally at Hogwarts. I think he’s enjoying it there... unless he's dead. I might need to check up on Regulus with that... I can't remember what happened to him, honestly.”

“Kreacher?”

“The Black’s house elf. He practically raised me, Auncle Sirius, and Uncle Regulus. Only likes Unlce Reg though. Nasty elf to me.” Aster scowls at the thought of Kreacher making Elias softly laugh.

“Anyway, do you think there’s anything missing?”

“Nappies?”

“Check.”

“Strollers?”

“Casey put them in the closet. Folded up. We got a few different kinds for all the kids depending on the situation and environment we go into.”

“Car seats?”

“Upstairs to get out of our way for now until Casey gets the van.” Elias growls lowly of the oversized vehicle that they were due to get.

“Um… bassinets?”

“We have eight. Four’s in the living room, four’s in the bedroom.”

“I don’t see why you’re asking me, honestly. I think you and Cass got it all sorted. At least this time no one's forgotten the car seat like when you had Ella.”

“We do?”

“Bottles? In case you can’t breastfeed everyone?”

Elias frowns, slightly scowling. “No bottles yet.”

Aster sighs softly. “It might be easier for yourself, Elias. If you breastfeed four babies, I can only imagine you’re going to be on a constant cycle, never ending, you’ll never get anything done. Pump and breastfeed. It’ll be good for you and good for Casey.”

“I guess…” Elias sighs as Casey comes in with an envelope and Elias’ laptop tucked under his arm safely.

“I just checked the mail. This came earlier than expected. I thought you’d want it.” He passes the envelope over to him, then sets Elias’ laptop on the small round side table beside the rocking chair. Elias didn’t even have to open the envelope to read the label.

His DNA results. Or he supposes that it was to inform him that it was ready, and he could check online of his pre-set account.

Elias looks up to Casey, his eyes big and wide and a bit anxious.

“What’d you get?”

“Uh…” Elias swallows thickly and grabs his laptop and sets it on his bump. “I… I decided to try the muggle way of a DNA testing. It was suppose to come in about three more weeks but I guess it…”

“You think you’d get better results than what me and Dad tried?”

“I can only hope.” Elias mumbles. “Are you mad?”

“Why would I be mad? Dad and I did the first tests without your knowledge. If anything, this is fair. Lets see the results.”

Elias lets out a shaky breath, nodding and opens up his laptop.

He opens up the website to the DNA testing that he used and logs in his account quickly. His results popping up were almost instant.

It showed him down to the exact percentage of exactly where he came from.

“What’s it say?” Casey asks him softly. 

“Oh, um… I’m looking at… different areas and countries I’m from. Bit English… French… Five percent African… I’m all over.” Elias lets out a soft wet laugh rubbing his cheek where he lets a tear loose. “Bit of everything, really. But mostly um… I’m not Hispanic, like dad. I don’t think… not from Spain… Brazil, actually.”

Elias stares at the numbers, the difference between counties.

“How did I end up in Spain if I’m from Brazil?” He murmurs quietly.

“I can only guess that one of your parents left you there. Or… someone did.” Aster quietly tells him, not trying to degrade Elias’ feelings.

“Does it show any living relatives?” Casey asks him instead.

Elias touches the keypad, wandering around the website trying to figure some things out.

His breath hitches when he sees the single digit numbered on possible realtives on the list, waiting to be clicked on and expanded.

“There’s someone.”

“Who?”

“I-I-I… I have to click on it to see how they’re related and…” He falls quiet.

That could change everything for him. One single click, and his life could change forever.

“It’s okay to be scared, Elais.” Aster quietly tells him.

He looks up, meeting his dark blue eyes. “What if everything changes? For the better or worse. Just because I know?”

His Papa merely smiles, soft but sad. “I’ll still be here. Dad will be, too. And your brothers and sisters. Your abuelo. Your uncles. Everyone. No one will treat you any different just because of one new person you may or may not ever reach out to.”

Elias sucks in a shaky breath. He licks his lips hesitating for a second, staring at the number one for what felt like hours before he finally double taps the touchpad.

It shows the percentage of how he’s related to the person.

It was a woman. But it couldn’t be his possible mum, far too young, only a few years older than him.

Blonde, a honey golden blonde compared to his own darker dirty blonde hair but with her brown eyes from where he zoomed in on the single picture, Elias could determine fast she had the same eyes that Capella had.

He clicks on her account.

Her account was formed five years ago.

She was only five years older than him making her twenty-five.

She lived in Spain. She knew English and Spanish.

And the percentage of their relation through DNA was…

“A sister.” He mumbles quietly looking up to both Aster and Casey. “I have an older sister.”

“Yeah?” Casey smiles softly.

Elias softly laughs, shaking his head. “I am really a middle child. I can never get an escape, can I? She's a full-blood sister, not- not a half.”

Aster laughs with him, quiet and gentle.

“What does- do you know anything about her? What details can you get about her off that…?”

“It’s a laptop, Papa. I can see her picture that she put with her account. She’s five years older than me with the birth year she put down, no specific date. I mean… she could be six years older depending on the date…?”

“Do you think she’s muggle?” Aster wonders out loud. “Maybe that’s why Dad and I couldn’t find her?”

“I mean, she could be. If I'm a half-blood. Or… you and dad couldn't find her because she was underaged too?” Elias hopefully wonders. “Do you think she knows about me? If-… I mean if… If I was left on the doorstep then… she must’ve saw…?”

“There’s only one way to find out, E.” Casey tells him with a smile. “Send her a message. What’s her name?”

“Ruby Lopez. Common last name. It’s fairly normal for kids in the system to receive basic and common surnames if they show up without a name or any history, or she just… has a common last name because of... our family's past.” Elias murmurs already opening up a chat to the woman.

His heart was pounding in his chest.

He had no picture to his account for safety reasons, and his name under his account was Eli Potter, rather than Elias Lambert-Potter. He just couldn’t go having anyone looking him up and finding such detailed information about him.

Elias sends out the simplest message possible that he could think of.

Hi, Ruby.

I believe that you’re my sister.

Chapter Text

February 18th, 2010

Elias leans on the small tabletop in the kitchen staring hard at his laptop screen where it was plugged in.

Casey was cooking dinner with Capella. Brighton was sitting at the table with him doing his own thing of coloring — his coloring was tracing the inside of the lines with crayons rather than actually coloring the entire inside.

Interestingly enough, it looked rather good in Elias’ opinion. But he had other things to worry about with the laptop set in front of him.

“You really think I should do it?” He asks Casey again.

“I don’t see why not?”

“I haven’t even sent her a picture of myself. She-… she doesn’t even know I’m trans. I mean, I told her about you, and the kids. Then I’m adopted. And… maybe I shouldn’t. What if she leaks something about me once she knows who I am?”

“You’re talking yourself out of it. Just call her. Shouldn’t you have already? It’s a few minutes past now. She’s probably waiting right now.”

Elias fiddles with his chained necklace that carried four charms. He was already five minutes late on calling Ruby but his Skype was open and active and he had all the contact information to call her to video chat with her.

Maybe he shouldn’t?

Maybe he should?

Maybe he-

“Casey, no-!” Elias screeches in panic when Casey had approached him from the stove and hits the mouse for him, clicking the call button for him.

He quite literally stops breathing when it rings twice before he’s being answered.

He’s just staring. Blinking.

Otherwise unmoving on his end.

Maybe if he plays if off as if he’s frozen…?

“Hi? Elias?” Her voice was heavy and thick with her accent.

Her smile was cautious and she was outside sitting out on a balcony with covered with climbing vines and flowers on the wall rather than inside like himself, tucked in a thick jumper and her hair was pulled into a hat, mostly covering the blonde strains.

The world was colorful around her in a way that Elias hasn’t seen in so long.

He nods a bit with his face turning tinted light pink.

Her skin was the same golden olive tone as his. Her hair, a bit lighter than Elias’ own looking honey-like. And her eyes were a soft looking, warm brown.

Like… Capella’s.

Elias breathes for the first time since the video call was answered. He knew his background noise was noisy between his daughter and son and husband but he didn’t find it in him to quieten them down a bit, because being noisy is who his family is.

“Hi.” He croaks out with an awkward smile.

“Hi.” She repeats again making him stutter out a laugh before biting down on his lip to quieten himself.

“I don’t know what to say.” She finally expresses to him. “I’ve been looking for you for… so long. I didn’t know what was real or fantasy anymore. I thought… the worse happened.”

Elias smiles shyly. “I was left on a doorstep on an orphanage home. Hardly a few days old. They couldn’t determine how old I really was without any notes or facts so… they just gave me the birthday of the day I was founded. November fifth.”

Ruby stares at him for a long quiet time. “I’m sorry… I just… I can’t decide what’s worse.”

He cocks his head to the side slightly.

“You staying with us or being left there.” She quietly explains. “Mamá y papá… they weren’t good people. I wish that I was left with you. All I knew that… Mamá was pregnant and she… she disappeared with papá for a day or two, locked me in the home all on my own… then showed back up without un bebe. I didn’t know… I wasn’t allowed to ask. I was eight when I was found fending for myself, buscando comida. Finally taken from them. But… I never stopped questioning myself what happened. If you were still alive or… if they had killed you.”

Elias smiles a bit. “I’m here.”

“You are.” She quietly hums. “And thriving. With a familia. I never got to have one of my own.”

Elias frowns at her words.

She shakes her head, her eyes narrowed into something less softer. “Don’t feel bad. It’s out of your control. It’s okay, Eli. Both of ours.”

“I know but… still.” He simply says. “Todos merecen una familia.”

Him speaking in Spanish makes Ruby smile. “You still know your Spanish?”

“Yes. My- My Dad. He’s fluent in Spanish and English, then my Papa is fluent in English and French. And my Zio, he… he knows Italian and English. So I know that too.”

“Wow.” She quietly admires him, absorbing the information he gave her. “So many languages.”

Elias’ eyes drift off his laptop for a moment when Capella jumps off her stool. She flounces over to him, leaning on his side and peering to the laptop. “Who are you?”

Ruby smiles softly. “I’m Ruby. And now it’s my turn tou ask you, who are you? ¿Cómo te llamas?”

Capella takes the second to suddenly become shy. She tucks herself into Elias’ side making him laugh softly.

“This is my daughter, Capella.”

“Ella.” She muffles into his side, poking his belly that was off screen to Ruby. To Ruby, Elias looked like any other bloke with his baggy shirt on from chest up from where the camera is angled at.

Elias runs his hand through her brown hair that was sticking up a bit.

“You have a beautiful daughter, Elias.”

“I know.” Elias answers a bit too cocky. “I think she has your eyes.”

“Mine?”

“Brown. Light. Honey-looking in the sun. She doesn't have mine or her other father's eyes.” He looks back to the camera and screen. “Am I wrong?”

“I suppose not. How old were you when she was born? I imagine she’s not-”

“Sixteen.” Elias cuts her off before she could say anything farther. “She’s Casey’s.” He licks his lips carefully. “I suppose there’s some important details I’ve been withholding about myself to you.”

“Like what?”

“I’m transgender. I… I carried her.”

There was that slow form of realisation growing on Ruby’s face. “Oh. I see then.”

“Does that… does that change anything for you? With me?”

She tilts her head. “Does it?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugs. “I… It’s one thing to be a man with a husband but… I don’t know your beliefs. How you look at things…”

“I don’t care, Elias. I spent far too long looking for you just to loose you over something as simple as this.”

Elias lets out a deep exhale. “I suppose I should also tell you that I’m pregnant right now and I’m due to deliver March seventh.”

Capella took that moment to unshy herself as she holds up her fingers, still well tucked in his side but showing her face a bit. “Dada’s having four babies!”

“That is…” No point in lying now. He sighs tiredly. “Well… True.”

“Well… I’m sure you’ll have a busy home soon enough if it isn’t now.” She seemed unphased at the fact of the number Capella revealed to her.

Elias laughs softly. “I don’t think anyone can quite prepare you for a baby, let alone four. But we’re trying to be as prepared as possible.”

Ruby nods slightly. “Can I ask… how you knew?”

He blinks once. “Knew what? Finding out I was pregnant?”

“No, I-… I don’t know if this is a personal question.” Her eyebrows furrowed. “I just want to get all the details as possible as I can about you. I want to know you. Everything. Just… you can… stop me or say no but… how… you being trans?”

“Oh, um… usually that’s a bit personal to ask but… I always knew.” He shrugs. “For as long as I remembered. I was… in a girls’ home, at first. In Spain. Until I was just about nearly three, then I was transferred to a boys’ home. And I was… I think they transferred me because that home was getting too crowded and they were looking for any excuse possible. And being trans was an excused.”

“Were you… happy there?”

Elias sighs. He was far from comfortable talking about that with Ruby, and he wasn’t going to discuss of it in front of his kids.

But he could keep it simple.

“No. I don't think anyone was truly happy there. But I got lucky to be adopted when I was. And I’m happy now. So that’s what matters most.”

Ruby smiles. “What is your adopted family like?”

“Oh… uh, grande.” He chuckles softly. “I got two dads. Um, nine siblings. I’m the fourth oldest, but I was adopted after my younger brothers were born but not the youngest-youngests yet. To put my family into one word it’s… loca.”

Ruby laughs. “I can imagine. Just like a orphanage home would be.”

“Loud. Chaotic. Everybody’s everywhere. Sin privacidad alguna.” Elias easily states in English and Spanish. “There’s so many personalities to work with. But I would not be who I am without them. Each and every one of them.”

She nods. “What do you do? For a- a living? A… trabajo?”

“A job… Um… I’m rather surprised you don’t know.”

“I should know?” She tilts her head curiously. “Do you work in Spain?”

“No. But I’m rather famous. A singer. A musician. I had a tour a few months ago. Bounced around a few different countries.”

Ruby hums quietly to him. “Music?”

He nods. “I write. And… play a few different interments. I’m what you’d call a 'child prodigy'. But… not a child anymore so… I’m putting that talent somewhere else. And it got me to where I am now. What do you do?”

“Oh, I- I barman.”

Elias cocks his head to the side. “A barman?”

She hums in affirmative. “Drinks. Not best job but it pays well on good nights. Certain nights if I give a show,” She gives a tiny push to her breasts with a small smile. Elias frowns at that information. “People like seeing that. It gives me more tips so I can’t complain. Más propinas significan más dinero para pagar las facturas.”

Elias nods slowly.

He suppose a job was better than no job at all. Given her place growing up in an orphanage most of her childhood and teenage years.

“Dada,” Capella tugs on his shirt. “Want up.”

“I can’t.” Elias quietly tells her denying her to sit on his lap. “I got no room for you to sit on my lap anymore.”

She frowns hard at him.

“I want up! I want see lady more!”

“I said no.”

“Up! Up! Want up!”

In a fast moment the boiling pot Casey was fortunate to have walked away from to go into the fridge explodes, boiling over and splattering onto the walls and floors just nearly not hitting anyone. Casey slowly peeks from behind the fridge door, examining the food on the surface that could've burned him.

“Is everything okay?” Ruby asks carefully as Elias swiftly tugged Capella closer to himself, on the screen in time when the pot went up.

“Uh… just…” He had no clue if Ruby possessed magic. If she was a witch herself or not.

She tilts her head to the side a bit. “Accidental magic?”

He sighs in relief. So he did come from a family of witches and wizards and wasn’t randomly left on the doorstep without knowing where he was being left.

He nods a bit shaky. “I think I’d rather a few glasses shattering all at once on the counter than the hot boiling pot of stew explode, personally.” He mutters out loud as Casey checks out the damage done.

Capella thought the whole thing was amusing, snickering at the mess while Brighton was like his Daddy, staring wide-eyed at the messy. “I’m not cleaning that up.”

“Of course not, Brighton. Too much of a mess.” Elias shakes his head pulling out an extra chair and hoisting up Capella to sit safely off the floors. “Cass, go get my wand, will you? It’d be far faster than cleaning by hand and missing a few spots that could turn to mold.”

Casey frowns at him, hands on his hips. “Are you sure that’s safe-?”

“One simple house spell won’t kill me or the babies. I haven’t used a spell in days now. Go get me my wand, please.”

Once Casey leaves the kitchen, he faces Ruby again. “Sorry about that.”

“Using your magic hurts you?”

“No, it’s… I…” He sighs quietly. “I never liked using my magic. But after my schooling I used it less and less, living like a non-magical being, a muggle, that's what we call them here in the UK. And in the process of that, and myself being a powerful wizard, I… my pregnancy right now is highly exposed and being safe because I don’t use my magic. So it’s safer not to use magic than to use it until I have the babies, the very least. But after I have the babies I'm expected to use more of my magic to be on the safe side of my health.”

She looks at him curiously — as if she hasn’t been this whole time.

“You’re powerful?”

He nods. “I can… see and wield this thing… this… bit of magic… it’s… ancient magic. I don’t like it.”

She blinks at him. “See?”

He nods. “See, weld. It’s like…” He squints his eyes. He hasn’t seen traces in the last few years since he left Hogwarts. It was kinda peaceful now that he didn’t have to see any of the traces or effects of the magic.

He uses his his finger to outline the shape. But Ruby is sitting upright, looking more excited.

“Like squiggles. Blue and white, right?”

Elias nods slowly. “Yeah. You… How do you know that?”

“I… I see that too. People always were telling me I was mad. Have you touched them? Certain areas have a stronger source of magic, you can absorb the magic and it can make you feel stronger-”

Elias shakes his head, his cheeks were becoming heavy red, becoming darker from the simple blushing pink. “I don’t want that.”

Ruby falls quiet, eyes narrowed on him. “You hold a heavy disliking for magic. ¿Por qué?”

“I do.” Elias doesn’t hide his hatred. “Magic has brought me nothing bit pain and misery my whole life. I wish nothing else for it but to go away for me. If I had the choice, I’d never use it again. For others, I don’t care. But for me, I want to… live normally. Like a muggle.”

“Muggle?”

“Non-magical being.” Elias repeats again.

“But that’s boring. Ordinario. Plain.”

“That’s what I want.”

Elias could see the first heavy disagreement between himself and Ruby.

“You don’t know what we’re capable of.” She quietly tells him. “You can do so much. We can do so much if we just work together-”

“I’m never drawing my wand up to anyone or anything to do anything other than healing or beyond basic magic, Ruby. Okay? So drop it. Ya basta de magia.”

Ruby stares at him through the screen, eyes seeming to have gone darker than it’s honey-golden appearance in the sun that beamed down on her as she was tucked away in her thick jumper.

She doesn’t say okay, but she doesn’t mention of the topic again.

Chapter Text

March 7th, 2010

Elias was doing all he could to distract himself with the buzzing of the healers moving around him preparing for his delivery.

He was already dressed in the gown. His prosthetic leg was removed, set aside with his other belongings where he’d be returned later to the same room as he was warned.

He was so jittery.

It was the day. He made it this far with Casey.

He was going to have his babies today.

He was ready. He had to be.

“So,” He smiles tiny, very much stressed as he looks to his dad who was with him, sitting at his bedside where his Papa and Casey were prepping for his delivery as well as Azura was talking to them in a small circle of four with a healer helping them put on their gowns properly.

Casey would be in the room with him, his Papa would be right outside in covering and gowns in case of emergency. Azura would be with his Dad in the waiting room, ready and waiting for when the babies would be delivered to help out Casey and Aster.

“Casey and I are thinking about making a family trip, going down to Spain. Renting a large beach house for the summer.”

James smiles softly, fingers gently rubbing the back of his hand that rested on top of the blanket. “Is that so? Am I invited?”

“Yeah.” He nods. “I got the money. Now. With work and, besides the kids and babies, Cass and I have been saving the last few years… if I finish the album before but even not with a few singles then I should get enough money to cover the house. I’ve been looking at beach houses… close to the place where… where you and Papa adopted me.”

James crookedly smiles.

“And… I don’t know if Papa’s told you but I did this DNA test. Muggle. Um… I got a match. Not-” Elias lets out a self deprecating laugh at himself. “Not that sort of match. I mean… I- I got a sister. Ruby. She lives in Spain. I’ve been talking to her the last few weeks. On and off. Getting to know her.”

“Is she nice?”

He nods a bit. “She’s… different. She’s…” Elias purses his lips for a moment to think on it. “Reserved. It’s a bit different than what I’m used to, here. But she knows so much about our…” He falls quiet.

Elias’s mouth snaps shut, he falls quiet for a moment unsure if he should even talk about this without hurting his Dad's feelings.

James sends him an easy going smile. “It’s okay. Tell me about them. Your- your bio-parents?”

He nods. “They’re crap parents, from what she told me. They- they don’t-… they didn’t pay attention to Ruby. Feed her. Or… treated her well. She had to stick it out with them until she was eight. She said she believed that they were on drugs. Illegal potions or something else. She thought they killed me when I was born, because they disappeared for a few days and locked her in their flat all alone. But she had hope. Hoped that I was alive, still.”

James hums quietly. “Well, you’re still alive. Living, breathing…” He moves his hand and pokes Elias’ bump covered in thin material and winks at him. “Creating life.”

“Should I expect the waiting room already full?” Elias questions his Dad quietly.

He chuckles. “Of course, that’s what our family’s all about. I’m pretty sure Teds and Harry even brought Ella and Brighton too. Probably got some balloons and gifts to give you or the babies when you come out in recovery when you're ready to be seen.”

Elias shakes his head with a small but fond smile on his lips as he rests his hands on his oversized bump for probably the last time feeling the kicks and wiggles inside as he lets out a violent shiver, feeling the goosebumps spread across his body.

“It’s bloody cold in here.” He complains as Ava his main midwife healer makes her way over to him with a potion vial in her hand.

“This will relax you for right now while we take you back into the room with Casey. Then you’ll be hooked up to a muggle IV line that goes into your back that’ll numb you chest down, and once we deliver all the babies safely and you have a moment to see them if they’re able to be seen, we’ll put you under and close you up.”

“How long from the time I’ll be put under to when I’d be waking up again in-between?”

“You’ll be out for an hour at most and probably be groggy when you wake up for another hour, give or take.”

He nods sucking in a deep breath as he’s passed the uncorked vial that’d steady his nerves. He gives it a tiny spin, examining the foggy liquid. “An hour isn’t too bad. Just an hour… or two.”

James squeezes his arm, standing up. “We’ll all be here when you wake up. And I promise it’ll all go good. Healthy babies, healthy you. You got this, hijo.”

He shakily nods to his dad before knocking his head back and downing the potion.

As soon as he swallows the potion he could feel his body relaxing by a lot. He slumps back in the bed not fighting against the potion, he was laying on and closes his eyes. Even with the heavy weight on his front, he felt like he was able to breathe a little easier with a little less stress.

He hardly registers his surroundings when the bed is moving on it’s wheels bringing him to the operating room with Casey following him, walking quickly to keep up with all the healers teamed up for the babies and Elias himself.

Elias opens his eyes when he’s being gently touched, tapped and informed he needed to move off the bed and onto the operating table.

The room was bright and far more colder than the last room he was in. The first thing he’s able to put his mind into when he’s aided onto the operating table was that Casey wasn’t in the room.

“Where’s Casey?”

“He can’t come in just yet. We need to set you up first.”

“But I want Casey with me.” He heaves out to a healer, not Ava. His mind was a bit drowsy but he could still think clear enough to know what he wanted. “I need him.”

“It’s okay. He’ll be in here soon. The faster you get set up, the faster he can come in.” She reassures him. “I need you to bend over as much as you can, there’ll be some touches on your back. Another healer is going to feel your spine.”

“My spine?”

“To put the epidural needle in. It’ll be just a quick pinch. Over before you know it. Just stay as still as possible, okay? You need to stay as still as possible for us while we put the line in.”

He nods a bit shaky, leaning on the healer for support.

A pinch, her fucking arse.

That needle was painful. He shook the whole way through, grunting and making pained wheezing noises all until the needle was replaced with a small tube and he was laid on the table and finally they were able to start setting up.

A tiny curtain was hung first thing before he was even numbed down and Casey was in the room. He pinches his eyebrows feeling the many hands move all over his bump and pubic mound, leaning him around and trying to stabilize him from where the babies were moving as his arms are strapped down by his upper arms, forearms, and wrists, he doesn’t bother on asking why. He finds it easier just to not ask questions. The faster he got set up, the faster Casey could return to his side.

“Are you shaving me?” He can't help but huff a laugh just as Casey joins him. Elias smiled at Casey, looking at him upside down. “Cass, they’re shaving me.”

Casey smiles softly at him, a chair was pulled up close to his head and sits all while brushing out some of his hair from his face. “I think they’ve got to so no hairs are in their way.”

“I never shaved down there before, like a clean shave. Hairless shave. I’m going to itch so bad later.” Elias complains with the sensations becoming less and less on his skin as the epidural is being injected.

“Are you ready, Elias?”

“Whenever you are.” He breathes out looking at Casey as a healer places an oxygen mask in his nostrils mumbling a ‘just in case’.

He doesn’t feel the first cut as it’s announced loudly. It was weird as Casey gently strokes his cheek with a knuckle, a tiny gesture of what little he could do for him.

“It’s okay,” Casey quietly reassures him brushing a tear away off his face as he starts shaking. He could feel the tugging, all the pressure. He didn’t like it at all. And the shaking he couldn't control. It felt like when he had Capella. After delivering the afterbirth, he was shaking then too but not as bad as then. “You got this, E.”

“I don’t like this, Cass. I can still feel them but I can’t. I don’t know how to explain it but I don’t like it.”

“I know. I know.” His hair is brushed out of his face again, even if there’s no more hair in his face for the last few minutes. The room was buzzing loud, voices overlapping voices. No one could be focused on for Elias to think and narrow closely his mind onto. “Just a few more minutes. Just wait until we hear-”

There was a loud announcement.

A cry. A wailing cry.

Strong tiny lungs that has Casey smiling softly but full of pride at Elias.

“Baby A! Here comes Baby B!”

The room moves fast. Everyone moves around, collecting the babies are they’re born, cry after cry. Elias could hardly see the tiny bodies from where he was as they’re carted off in blankets and brought to their prepped station dedicated to that certain team that was assigned to each baby.

Casey doesn’t leave his side. Elias hardly was able to see the babies before they were taken to their stations.

“Cass. Go to them.” Elias clatters to him through his shaking jaw.

Casey shakes his head. “Not until you’re put under. They’re doing fine.”

“Please.” Elias quietly begs feeling more tears roll down his face, faster than what Casey could wipe off with the pads of his fingers or even the tissues he was given. “Go to them. The- t-the camera. P-pictures. F-for m-me. I-I can’t see them.”

There was that conflict in Casey’s eyes. But in the end he presses a soft kiss to Elias’ forehead before getting up from the small chair he was given and was guided over to the babies, careful not to interfere with Elias’ insides being wide open — careful not to spare a glance in that certain direction.

Elias watches from the table was laid across on how Casey smiles softly to the first baby he’s shown to. How he reaches forward and touches whatever he touches that Elias couldn’t see of.

Elias tears his eyes away as he’s warned they were going to inject the sleeping draught into him. Casey doesn’t know; all he does is nod and look back to Casey quietly interacting with Baby B’s station.

His eyelids grow heavy fast through the shaking of his body. He doesn’t fight the potion, letting himself fall asleep.

When Elias starts to come to, he’s in pain. Not as much pain as he imagined he could be in — certainly not when he’s lost half a leg in the past and had painful period cramps and a natural childbirth that was drug free.

His family bickering probably was more annoying than the pain; for sure.

“I can’t believe you were talking to Cormac McLaggen.” He can hear the sneer in Harry’s tone. “Of all people, Azura, honestly. He’s an idiot.”

"I was just catching up with him. Honest, Harry. Even you couldn't expect him to end up working in the NICU ward after Hogwarts too."

“Could-…” Elias groans quietly pinching his face in discomfort. He doesn’t open his eyes yet. “Could be worse. Zura still talks to you, Haz.”

There was a few chuckles across the room — both loud and soft, one he could make out from his Auncle Sirius and Azura’s loud barking laughter.

“Still got it.” He mutters finally opening his eyes before squeezing them back close tightly. “Fuck, the light’s bright.”

“Let me turn it down for you.” Teddy.

“How are you feeling?” Elias is questioned as he opens his eyes again to a dimmed room.

“Sore. In pain, honestly it isn’t the worse I’ve felt.” He chuckles once only to groan and clutch his stomach that was soft and squishy to the touch in reminder he was empty. “No. No laughing. No one make me laugh.”

“I know how you feel.” His Zio Barty makes his way over to him. “Don’t worry. It’ll last a day or two at most, the potions should kick in fairly quick.”

Elias nods tiredly though his mind was more busy on other things. “Where- where’s Casey?”

“With the babies, as well as Papa.” Azura informs him. “I was with them before I got distracted a bit.”

“Yeah. Cormac.” Harry huffs.

Elias breathes for a moment. “And… how are they doing?”

“Good.” Azura reassures him. “The boys are on the small side but they’re expected to thrive well. No one’s seen them beside Casey, Papa, and I. Dad got sidetracked with Ella and Brighton and missed his chance, but… yeah. They’re all doing good, and as long as they keep it up they should be able to go home sooner than expected. I heard maybe even the same time as you, if they check out okay and gain some weight.”

Elias smiles, he laughs softly only to wince and curse out again.

“I- I wasn’t able to see them much in the room. They were too far. Too busy being cleaned up and… I told Cass to go to them. I remember that.”

“You were suppose to see them before you were put under.” James quietly reminds him.

“I know, it was a quick glimpse but…” He shrugs tiny. “I was shaking all over. It was bad, and I was crying. So… I guess they might’ve thought it was just easier? A peek and dash? I don’t know.”

Elias rubs his eyes, his brain was awake faster than his body. His legs were very much dead to the world as he could see his Auncle Sirius squeeze his ankle gently and yet feel nothing.

“I wonder how long the bloody epidural is going to be in me.” He groans in complaint. That was probably why he wasn’t in so much pain as he could’ve been.

“Epidural?”

“Some medicine they put into my spine.” He explains to his oldest sister. “A tiny pinch my arse. That needle hurt like hell. Bloody long, too. And I still can’t feel my legs.”

He pokes his thigh in testing, nothing.

“Really?” His Zio Barty tugs up the thin blanket over his one leg and gives a good sweet across the sole of his foot. In any other world Elias would probably screech and kick at him, but he just stares at his lifeless foot that drooped down, pointing out his toes.

He glares at his one uncovered foot. It was one thing to already not have one leg but to feel like this? He hated it already.

He looks up to his family that surrounded him, showering him in celebratory balloons of pink and blue, all sorts of tiny bags set aside in the room on the near-far table.

“I want to see Casey.” A quick pause. “And the babies. I- when can I see them? I want to see them. I just can't walk, I need some help.”

“They’re all in the NICU nursery. I’ll go find a healer or nurse.” James swiftly informs him taking his leave in the room.

Elias needed four people to help him from bed to wheelchair, and he’s quite sure he flashed far too many people the weird postpartum diaper he had on, regardless of how he gave birth, surgery or vaginally, he was still bleeding like he had a period just far worse.

But he got to go to the nursery where Casey was busy switching between babies that were lined up in a neat row. Each medical bassinet labeled in birth order with their new names. It seemed that it was easier to put all four babies in one room.

Elias smiles softly as he’s pushed up to Baby A, finally catching the attention to Casey who stood between A and B.

“You’re up?”

“Can’t feel my legs and I'm a bit tired and sore but that won’t stop me.” Casey huffs a soft laugh. “Pain’s not that bad, before you ask. Very manageable. And I wanted to see you and the babies.”

He glances down to his first(second)born.

“Two girls and two boys.” Casey hums quietly. “I don’t know how we thought we were getting three boys and a girl at the start.”

Elias dips his hand into the bassinet, the baby was probably bigger than Capella when she was born. A small patch of light brown hair on her head, not much but just a tiny spot that was passable enough to be declared that she had brown hair as she slept peacefully.

On the tiny card stuck to the bassinet, it declared her size and weight, along with her name. Ophelia Esme Lambert-Potter.

“Little Leia isn’t so little.” Elias coos quietly touching her cheek.

“Biggest baby of the four.” Casey tells him. “By a whopping two pounds.”

Elias attempts to stretch himself a bit, his back screamed at him as much as his stomach did with his incisions he hasn’t yet took a look at quite yet. “I want to see them. I want to see them all. Bring me over to them.”

Casey chuckles softly, easily moving over to his abandoned wheelchair where Azura was pushing him. Now gone and abandoning him to talk to probably the same bloke Harry was probably complaining about who seemed to work in the area of all the babies.

Casey wheels Elias between Ophelia and Antonio, A and B.

“Have you hold them yet? Are they allowed to be held? Oh! Wait-! Have they’ve been fed yet?”

“Not yet, I told them you wanted to try and breastfeed them first. I don’t think they’re quite happy with that cause we had to wait on you but you’re here now.”

Antonio was bald, no hair unlike Ophelia, however his eyes were slightly open. He had hazel eyes, mostly brown with specs of far lighter green to Elias' own that looked more of Casey’s own jade greens than Elias’ olives. Elias dips his hand into the bassinet, his son easily wraps his tiny hand around Elias’ index finger.

“Hello, Antonio. It’s nice to finally meet the man who’s been jumping on my bladder.” Elias softly talks to him.

Antonio was tiny. Weighing just four pounds and at the point where Elias could see his tiny ribs when he breathed in. “I’ll have to get you nice and strong, don’t I, you bonny little thing?”

“Lucas is smaller.”

“He is?” Elias gasps worried. “But- But Dad said they’re all doing-”

“They’re all doing well. Breathing on their own. Despite not being fed a bottle or formula they’ve all taken a pacifier to test their ability to take a bottle-” Elias narrows his eyes at Casey.

“-or a nipple.” Casey rubs the back of his neck under his harsh glare. “Elias, you can’t breastfeed them all. We talked about this.”

“I know.” He grumbles. “But I’ll damn well breastfeed them as much as I can. Use as little bottles as possible, pump as-”

“-As much as possible too.”

He huffs at Casey before he’s brought to the next two babies.

Lucas and Cordelia.

Baby C and D.

Despite Lucas and Antonio being identical, their faces surely looked like it as well as their eyes, Lucas had a bit of hair, similar to Ophelia’s own, however he was a blonde.

“I was expecting them all to come out with brown hair.” Elias breathes out running his knuckles across the blonde puff of hair. “I wonder if Toni’s blonde too.”

“Maybe.” Casey hums as Elias glances over to Cordelia, a brunette which was clear as day with the thick full of hair on her head. The most hair of all Elias’ babies (including Capella as well), and the hair coiled up into tiny curls as well.

With Elias there, Cordelia was the first to start crying of all four babies.

Elias gets to hold her first, along with her sister to attempt to breastfeed them.

It was harder than he thought with two newborns at once compared to a newborn and a toddler.

“How about I just-”

“I got it.” He huffs at Casey already frustrated after a few minutes, attempting to adjust Cordelia with some pillows he was given tucked between his sides to rest their bodies on as he focuses hard on trying to get them to latch.

Ophelia just wasn’t cooperating, while Cordelia seemed to be struggling.

He was leaking. He made sure his nipples weren’t inverted which happens sometimes but only rarely.

His face was flustered, showing just how frustrated he was quickly becoming between his exhaustion that still lingered heavy in his body and the pain between his back and stomach.

“Come on, girls.” He begs them quietly carefully removing his arm off from around Cordelia to fuss at Ophelia, moving his breast around and kneading and gently trying to show Ophelia his breast was right in front of her lips as she seemed to prefer to cry instead.

With them both crying loudly; he wanted to cry with them and it’s only been a few minutes.

“E, you look tired. Maybe you should just pump and-”

“No.” He snaps at Casey once more, this time there was healer by his side. “I got this. I just- I want to feed them myself.”

“I don’t think they want to latch, sir.”

“They've got to.” Elias shakes his head in refusal. “Or they’ll starve. I can’t let them starve. It's my job.”

Casey crouches down beside him, trying to make eye contact with him. “They won’t, but it might be better off if they take a bottle instead. You know this was more than likely coming.”

He whines a bit out of frustration. “But Ella-”

“Is an entirely different baby from Leia and Delia.” Casey reminds him. “And you just got out of a surgery. You have enough stress on your body as it is and you need to feed Toni and Luke as well. Pump, and bottle feed them. And then you need to get some rest until you’re able to feel your legs and walk again.”

His breath stutters and as much as he’s shaking his head, Casey is already bringing over the pumps that had been packed in his bags a long time ago.

Elias stares at them, long and hard as Casey holds them up for him in trade for the girls.

He shakes his head again, firmer as he looks back down to them. “No. I want to keep trying.”

“Elias.” He hears the sigh in Casey’s voice as he spoke his name. “How about you try with the boys?”

“But they’re hungry.” Elias snaps. “They need to eat first. If I feed them then they have to wait or… no. They eat first.”

“Please, Elias.” Casey quietly begs him in a soft tone. “Just pump. I know it’s not the same but- but what if you still did the skin on skin contact? Bottle feed them just… shirtless? Would that help?”

“It’s not the same.” His voice cracks.

“I know that but it’s better than them starving!” Casey's voice finally starts to raise.

Elias goes quiet, glaring hard at Casey. Casey breathes in and out heavily. “Just. Pump. Then try again later. You’re in evident pain, they’re crying. Soon enough the boys will too and I’m quite sure you’re about to start yourself. So just… please. Don’t make this harder on all of us.”

Elias is angry. He’s pissed.

Not at Casey. Or the innocent fresh born babies that he finds himself surrounded by.

At himself, mostly.

Because breastfeeding, to him, is something sacred.

And now he’s possibly giving that up as he trades Ophelia and Cordelia for the two hand pumps where he could manually do both breasts at once.

He feels ashamed of himself.

His babies were crying throughout the whole time he pumped and poured the breastmilk into bottles, pumping enough on each side to split in half for each baby.

He silently tugs the loose shirt back on before he’s bottle feeding, not quite looking as happy as he could in some pictures as he feeds Cordelia and Antonio this time.

He felt humiliated. Ashamed. Hot in the face from how he felt belittled and scolded at by Casey and seeing how easy the girls took to the bottle rather than himself.

Casey was in a normal chair compared to Elias’ wheelchair and sat right across from him so they could see one another easily. Casey had a soft smile on his face as he jugged between Ophelia and Lucas. His green eyes twitch up to Elias once.

“You’ve gone quiet.”

Elias tenses his jaw before forcing it to relax as he talks. “Just tired.”

“Like I said.” Casey hums quietly. “I can see the bags under your eyes. I bet you’ll sleep better now with all the extra weight off your chest and stomach and far less disturbing movements kicking on your bladder now.”

Elias doesn’t reply, twisting the bottle a bit in his hand in dislike. Casey sighs a bit. “It might be for the best, Elias. I’ll be able to help you more this way. At least they’re still drinking your milk.”

He stays quiet.

Staring down at his newborns.

It wasn’t suppose to be this way.

He was already failing at being their Dada.

He hated it.

Chapter Text

March 14th, 2010

Elias shouldn’t be working.

But he was. Brighton and Capella was with him, he had all four babies tucked away sleeping in the stroller for the time being as he recording a song that he just wanted to get off his chest.

“Why is everybody not angry? Crying out, throwing empty bottles at walls. Why is everybody so happy, in the sun like nothing ever happened at all? At all. Oh, ‘cause my world just fell apart, but to anyone else I’m just another broken heart, oh. Why is everybody not angry? Close all the blinds, shut off the noise, turn down the music. I had it all, but sometimes, the ending, you don’t get to choose it. And didn’t you hear? Hear in the papers, thought I saw the future but I was mistaken.”

He doesn’t miss how his boss was passing by the sounding booth, peeking his head in to check out who was singing and taking up the booth and giving a rather surprised look at Elias.

He should be on his maternity leave right now. Paid in full. And yet he’s restless. He didn’t want to stay inside, healing, while Casey went off to classes as he tried to handle and cope and juggle between writing music and six kids now.

Casey couldn’t just take off from his classes. Well, he could, but that’d have him failing and falling behind. He could only get an excuse for so many days of and after having the babies before he’s falling behind and failing. And neither Elias or Casey wanted him to have to repeat any classes or a semester. So Elias had to learn the hard and fast way to juggle having six kids with him from the normal two.

Honestly he just wanted to play the drums. Get his anger and frustration out.

He was still by far, very frustrated and angry with himself. He was pumping nonstop, none of the babies properly ever latched on him and he was having a hard time already coping with the fact itself that he wouldn’t be breastfeeding them at all.

The very first thing Simon says to him, doesn’t surprise him at all.

“What are you doing here? You should be… I don’t know, resting? Recovering? Didn’t you have abdominal surgery when you have the kiddos, kid?”

“I did, I’m fine. I just needed to get out of the house and I can’t go anywhere but here without fans stalking me or my children.” Elias rubs his eyes tiredly. So he might not have been sleeping much either, but that was normal. “What you think of the song?”

“It’s good. A break-up song but different. We can use it. I like it.”

Elias hums quietly. “Good. I have one more that I want to record today. Then I'll be out of everyone's hair.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, so… shoo. Out of the booth.”

He’s laughed at but listened to. Elias doesn’t miss the way how Simon leans over the stroller, peering into each carrier that was set carefully on the seats with soft eyes. He spots his boss gently reaching in the carrier, tugging at the blanket that was snugged around Lucas’ body just to see better of his face. Lucas wiggles a big in his seat but otherwise remains asleep for both Simon and Elias' sake.

Elias shakes his head with a smile on his face, watching him finally take his leave.

Simon may be hard on him, but there was still those soft edges where he felt like he was treated as a kid. As a kid — his kid, maybe? Elias never knew exactly how to look at Simon whenever he called him that.

The most he knew of his boss, he wasn’t married. He didn’t have children of his own. Maybe that was to change one day? He was already rather old, pushing it at fifty to be in close to his parents’ own age.

With another shake of his head, Elias gets back to work.

Elias works on his recordings of the instruments first. He takes two takes over on the drums, merely just using it to get his anger out a bit which was good before he takes his recording on the song itself.

In the middle of the song, he has no clue what time it was but he’s rather taken back when he sees Casey peeking into the room where the kids were and cocks an amused eyebrow up at him.

Elias never told him that he was coming to the studio. Either he was in deep shit for not telling Casey or Casey knew him well enough to stop by anyway to check out if he was here or not.

“But she wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts. She’s Cheer Captain, and I’m on the bleachers. Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find. That what you’re looking for has been here the whole time. If you could see that I’m the one who understands you, been here all along, so why can’t you see? You belong with me, you belong with me.”

So maybe Elias had written that song long ago based off Owen and Rachel then to compare off himself.

But he had it under control as Casey looked amused at him, a soft smile on his lips more than anything else.

As soon as Elias was done with two run-throughs, he exits the sound booth with a water bottle in hand and greets Casey with a soft peck on the lips, nothing too much for being in his work place. “How’d you figure out I was here?”

“Your bag. You left it by the door this morning. You’re not as sneaky as you think you are.” Casey breathes out as they broke apart. Elias softly laughs, shaking his head. He should’ve figured.

“You mad?”

“No. I could tell you were getting antsy. It was here or your dads and they’re working until four the latest. Just tell me next time if you're going to head out here.” Elias smiles softly, pecks his lips again before pulling away.

“So what brought you by?” Elias asks him.

“I noticed you haven’t put on your necklace.” Casey points out making Elias suddenly bring a hand to his neck. He entirely forgot. He had to take it off for the delivery and hasn’t yet put it back on. “So I brought it with me. And made some new adjustments.”

Casey pulls out his necklace from his back pocket.

The chain dangles in the air, balancing on his middle finger and four new aquamarine stones hung at the bottom with the other lone aquamarine, emerald, and sapphire.

“I suppose the world is saying I need a lot more calmness and courage in my life.” Elias hums quietly plucking the necklace off Casey’s fingers to admire the stones.

“And tranquility. That’s what the shopkeeper told me.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s just a fancy big word for calm and courage.”

“And peace.”

Elias lifts his eyes to Casey. “Peace?”

“You seem pretty stressed out these last few days.”

“Anyone with quads, a two year old, and a three year old would be stressed out, Cass. And we have Ella’s birthday coming up.” Elias glances down to the charms. They weren’t exactly the same designs as the other ones but pretty similar, Casey clearly tried his best to match in style. “I don’t think we’ll be able to to do it. At that indoor playground.”

“Why not?”

Elias lifts his eyes once again. “I don’t know when or if they have a certain deadline to make reservations and I’m not about to waltz right in being, you know, me.”

“I can make some calls, try before we just give up.”

“Good luck with that. We’ll be paying three times more the amount.”

“Anything for Ella.”

Elias sigh before glancing over to his daughter where she played quietly with Brighton tucked away in the corner that had a few toys set up — a kids’ center for them that Elias requested with little hope that he’d ever get but was surprised to receive. He ends up nodding. “I guess she deserves it. She’s been having a hard time adjusting to the babies in the last week.”

“Hard time by throwing a fit anytime we pick ‘em up, then yeah.” Casey has to point out which Elias nods to.

It was far different from how he imagined Capella coping with from when he was pregnant to bringing the babies home, all of them staying a four day max with him in St Mungo’s with him with no extension needed which he was informed that he was lucky that all of his babies’ weight steadily increased and they all were fit enough to go home.

But it didn’t help with Capella’s adjustments to them with her seeming jealous that she was no longer the youngest one in the house to get all the attention, and Brighton has been a champ in helping Casey and him, running laps around the townhouse if someone needed a bottle to be heated up or delivered from a floor above or a nappy, a wipe, anything honestly and Brighton was there to offer a helping hand.

Casey goes over to the stroller, picking up Antonio and it was like Capella was alerted the second Antonio was picked up. She abandons her toys and with a skip in her step like she was taunting her fathers, she goes over to Elias first tugging on his loose joggers.

“Dada, I want up too.”

Elias sighs. Just because he was on certain potions to heal himself faster than muggles, there were still restrictions he just couldn’t do yet. Such as picking up anything heavier than his heaviest baby for the first two weeks.

“Ella, I told you. I can’t pick you up anytime soon. Remember I got a big owie on my belly.”

She narrows her eyes on him.

Sharp and dangerous and warningly and very threatening.

If he wasn’t careful, this could lead to a full blown meltdown and it could trigger her magic. This was not the place for accidental magic of all places to happen.

“I want up.” She points over to Antonio. “Baby gets up! I want up too!”

“Toni’s a baby.” Elias warns her lowly. “You’re not a baby anymore. You’re a big girl.”

“I don’t want to be a big girl!” She stamps her feet. Elias is searching his usual booth for the clock checking the time. It was certainly past nap time now. “I want up like Toni!”

“Brighton, come on. We’re gonna go home.” Elias tucks away the necklace into his bookbag that hung off the stroller. Brighton lifts his head and quickly starts to sweep all the little pieces of the legos he and Capella was playing with into the tote without being requested to clean up.

The whole way out to the van that Casey drove, non-stop crying and fitting from Capella as she yanks hard on Elias’ hand dragging him back some with every few steps.

Elias and Casey don’t give into her tantrum, Brighton ignores her talently with a hand on the stroller as Casey pushes and loads the van with Elias’ help.

If Elias could, he’d put a silencing charm on the back of the van when he and Casey got in.

“I swear her crying’s echoing off the doors in here.” Elias complains quietly to Casey as he rests his head on the tinted window.

“I actually think it is.”

The twenty minute drive feels like an hour. Capella finally quietens down and falls asleep in her seat fifteen minutes along with Brighton through the drive and as Casey parks the van, Elias was seriously contemplating staying in the van as it starts to grow cold with the motor off just to keep all the kids quiet.

“Can we just… stay in here?” Elias asks out loud in a soft voice to Casey turning his head over to his husband.

Casey softly laughs at his question, reaching over to his seat and taking his hand into his own holding it and keeping it warm. “I’d love that but we’ll all freeze.”

He exhales long and hard. “Lets get the babies in first, then you can carry Bright and Ella to their beds while I ready to feed them?”

Casey pops open his door quietly. “Sounds like a plan.”

Elias unbuckles himself and goes straight into crawling into the backseat and unhooking the car seats working with Casey to unload the four infants.

Casey takes two at a time, when he returns for the second load, he talks quietly.

“There’s a package. I brought it in. Did you order anything?”

“No. You cut me off after Christmas, remember?” Elias jokingly huffs passing him one carrier before sliding out himself of the van with the second. He takes the other carrier from Casey. “I’ll check it out. Might be some weird fan mail. If they found out my address I’m so going to murder someone. Stalkers.”

Casey laughs, climbing into the van as Elias goes into the house. Casey had put the small package on the coffee table, where the two first carriers that contained Lucas and Antonio sat on the floor.

He doesn’t go straight to the package, getting the babies out and putting them all in their bassinets.

It wasn’t quite time to feed them, so he gets a head-start on setting up his electric pumps that he’s grown a personal hatred to and checks out the package.

It was from Ruby. Weird.

She never said anything about sending him something the last time they talked a few days ago.

The package was a brown parcel. Wrapped neatly as he unwraps the papering and finds a tiny ring in the center along with a note.

One of the last few things I’ve got from mamá y papá. I thought you might like it. It’s a family heirloom I’ve been holding onto, but you deserve it more than me. Keep it safe!

The ring had a — funny enough — blood red ruby on the top.

Some engravings on the inside of the ring that Elias couldn’t quite make out of it. It wasn’t French, nor Spanish or Italian.

Omnia quae habeo quae accipienda sunt dabo.

Holding the ring up in the light and squinting closely, the red in the ruby shone off a faded blueish-white in the center.

He lets out a curious hum before shrugging his shoulders and slipping it onto his ring finger on his right hand to admire it on his finger.

At first it came on loose, too big for his slim finger which told him it belonged to a male wearer with obnoxiously large fingers. But as soon as it reached the second knuckle the band tightens around his finger with magic. Snug and far too tight.

He frowns and gives it a tug from where it sat in the middle of his finger.

It doesn’t come loose.

“What the fuck?”

Casey comes into the living room, done putting away the older two in bed for their nap.

“What’d you get?”

“Ruby- she-?” He tugs harder, growing frustrated fast at the piece of jewlery. “She send me a ring and- now it’s not coming off.”

“Magic?”

He nods. “Seems so. Family heirloom. I-?” Elias grunts with a final tug, the ring wasn’t budging and it was pissing him off as he shows Casey. He lowly whistles at him. “That’s some hunk of a rock.”

“Help me. Get it off.”

“I can’t help if it’s magic, E. Muggle, remember? The best I’d offer is butter or oil. Try your wand.”

Elias whines lowly at him not wanting to use his wand, yanking at his finger once more weakly. Instead of getting his wand which was in his bedroom, he grabs his phone and quickly sends out a text.

What sort of magic is in the ring you send me?

Chapter Text

March 20th, 2010

“And you just put it on?” Aster huffs as James gives his ring a tug. “What if it’s cursed?”

“Can it be?” Elias starts to panic with wide eyes looking between his dads after he asked them to come over for a short visit.

“Now lets not go there just yet, Aster, you're freaking him out.” James tries. “For all we know it could be one of those charmed signet family rings.”

Aster groans at that information as Elias’ eyes flickered between parents.

“What? What’s that?”

“Some stupid thing where family rings are charmed with dark magic to stay on the wear’s finger until the person meets and completes a certain deed. Such as having a heir or getting married, normally.”

“But I’m married! And I have sons! And daughters!” Elias frets tugging at his ring more stressfully. “I just want this stupid ring off!”

“Has Ruby replied you?”

“No!” Elias cries at Aster. “I’ve called. I’ve texted. I even sent her letters through muggle mail and owls! I don’t even know what the engravings said on the ring!”

“Engravings?”

“It was on the inside of the ring. I-” He groans. “Soy un idiota! I just want this ring off my finger.”

“Well… I mean you could always cut your finger off…”

“Dad!” Elias cries. “I need my fingers! I- How do you think I play the guitar!? Or anything, really!?”

James blinks at him. “… at least it’s your ring finger and not your middle?”

Elias groans. “Flipping off Harry or Casey isn’t my biggest problem right now, Dad.”

Aster lifts an eyebrow at him. Elias huffs at him. “I like doing that to Harry in front of his face cause he can’t see me. And Casey deserves it half the time when he fucks around and finds out. Just because I love him doesn't mean he's not an idiot half the time. Deal with it. And with Harry, we all got something we like to do in front of him that he can’t see.”

James tilts his head side to side in debate over that. “True. I think I’ve seen Azura do the same.”

Elias gestures over to his Dad. “See! What Harry doesn’t know can’t hurt him. It’s not like I’m the only one in this crazy family.”

“He’ll find out one day.” Aster warns him making James snort. “I’m pretty Teddy already told him, so he already knows.”

Aster rolls his eyes. “Have you tried using ancient magic on the ring? If you were able to remove an unbreakable vow then I’m sure it should have some effect to remove a curse or dark magic in the ring.”

Elias hums curiously at that point. He picks up his wand from the table and awkwardly holds it in his left hand.

Quietly he focuses on the magic surrounding the ring.

As he points his wand to the ring, the blue in the red of the ring glows.

The magic was old, but it buzzed with bounding newer magic that told him it was messed with far more recently. Carefully he tries to focus in on the old magic, luring it out the magic or to ease it up so he can release it off his finger.

But the magic was resisting it. Resisting his own powerful wielding magic of ancient magic and Elias never felt anything like this before.

The more he tried to work on the ring, he could feel the metal becoming hotter. Scorching his skin where he drops his wand hissing in pain from the ring with his hand shaking.

“What’s wrong?” Aster was quick to grab his temoring hand to observe it. One touch of the silver mental and he felt the heat of the ring as well. “Why is hot?”

“I don’t know. It’s resisting the magic. It’s like…” Elias flexes his hand, his whole finger felt weak. Hardly moving as fluidly as his other four. “I don’t know, I don't study magic so I know shit about it.” He mumbles again quieter than the first time.

James sighs, frowning deeply at him. “I think we should get your Auncle Sirius here, check out the ring before we decide if we should sought out a curse breaker. Unless Ruby gets in touch with you first.”

“What-? No!” Elias groans. It was bad enough Casey convinced him to reach out to his dads, now to get his Auncle Sirius involved?

“Elias, we don’t know what we’re dealing with right now. Is there any possible information you might know of why your- Ruby sent this ring? What it could do?”

Elias frowns in thought. “She… I don’t know? She’s always curious about me.”

“Curious, how?”

He shrugs meekly. “All sorts of things. Family. What I was like as a child. What I do. My career. But…” He frowns deeply. “She knows about the ancient magic thing. I mean… she’s powerful too, like me. She can wield it too... I think.” She never explictly told him that. Only that she could see it, touch certain 'hotspots' from what she described it.

He watches both his fathers twist thier faces into something unreadable as they share a look. “What? What is it?”

“I… I don’t want to scare you but… what if this ring was sent intentionally to… I don’t know? Maybe to… Harm you?” Aster quietly asks him.

Elias shakes his head. “No. She- I… No. I mean we don’t talk much. I don’t know her much. I hardly… She doesn’t…” He looks down to the ring in his hand. “Why would she?” He finally asks quietly.

“I don’t know. We don’t know what the ring does. And the worse thing I think we can say for right now is the fact that there’s no studies based off ancient magic itself… James?”

James sighs, pulls out a chair at the small round table in the kitchen. “I agree with your Papa. This worries me, Elias. We won’t know what or how the ring can affect you and the possible magic it can hold? It’ll be best to get the best people to look at it. We need to get this off you as soon as possible.”

Elias sighs tiredly as the front door is knocked on. He’s suddenly lifting his shoulders. “Oh, I forgot.”

“Expecting someone?”

“Yeah,” He nods with his mood lifting fast, already up on his feet and leaving the kitchen to open the already unlocked front door letting in Opal.

He flashes her a small smile where she had little Elizabeth wrapped around her chest securely, something that Elias can’t fantom himself doing. In her hand, she had a nappy bag stuffed and full for her afternoon visit. Anything she may had forgotten for Elizabeth, Elias was sure he probably had stocked away.

“Hi, Opal. Glad you could make it,” He happily greets her with a side hug, then a gentle hand on Elizabeth’s head. The ruby ring shinning in the sunlight from outside. “Hello to you too, Pearl.”

Opal huffs a laugh at him. “You and your stones. New ring, I see?”

“You could say that.” He rolls his eyes. “Can’t get it off. It magically stuck itself on me.”

“Ah, I get it.” She hums wiggling her own left ring finger in the air to show off her wedding band. “I can’t take this off until I have a heir. And… well…” She hums quietly moving a hand to overlap Elias own on top of Elizabeth’s head. “She’s not a heir. And I can’t exactly try again to have a Flint heir. Not with a dead husband.”

Elias blinks a bit too dumbly at her.

“I didn’t realize that you couldn’t take off your ring.”

“You never asked." A shrug. "It’s not like I want to keep my ring on as a widow. I just got no choice.”

Elias finds himself taking her left hand, gently holding her fingers and observing her ring closely with his thumb running across her soft knuckles — she must have lotioned her hands before coming with how smooth and soft her skin as, that or put some sort of rosemary scented lotion on Elizabeth — he ignores her perfectly manicured nails that were painted a light blue.

Without thinking — imagining himself and Opal back in Hogwarts — he finds himself bringing her hand to his mouth and kissing the back of her hand — like how he did the very first time they met though at that time he had an amused smile on his lips the way she greeted him with a presented outward hand first like they were royalties — the first time they were introduced to one another.

His lips were on her hand a second too long as he hears his Papa cough behind him as he quickly drops her hand as well as took his second hand off Elizabeth’s head.

He clears his throat a bit too tensed with a cough. His flushed cheeks looking up to meet her eyes a touch too shy. Opal’s cheeks were a pink tinted shade, probably not as dark as his were which could probably match the dark pink shade of tinted lip gloss she had on, never the one for lipstick.

“Sorry.” He mumbles out before turning around and joining his Papa who had narrowed eyes on Opal and him. “I- I the babies are in the living room in their bassinets. Ella and Brighton are out with Casey shopping for groceries. They should be back soon, though. Dad and Papa's here though, but I think they'll be leaving soon.”

He guides her past Aster, who doesn’t take off his eyes from the two and allows her to enter the living room first as he goes back to his fathers.

“Um…” He rubs the back of his neck, face still warm as he flashes a smile to his fathers. “So… Opal’s here. And Pearl.”

“I see that.” Aster huffs seconds before James nudges him in the ribs.

“We’ll head out, then. Give you your space with your friend. Thank you for calling us over about the ring, I’ll send Auncle Sirius a message. Expect them popping in over between supper tonight and some point tomorrow.”

Elias nods. “Thank you for coming over to check out the ring. Far easier than me hauling everyone over to the manor.”

James sets a hand on his shoulder, a firm squeeze as Aster takes his free hand with a wand ready to apparate both of them out of the townhome. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, hijo. I swear by it.”

Elias gives off another tiny nod of his head and as soon as his dad removes his hand off his shoulder, both parents disappear with a loud crack.

Elias sighs deeply and stares at the ruby ring for a moment before grabbing his wand and returning back to the living room.

He wasn’t expecting to see Opal breastfeeding Elizabeth covered up in a thin blanket that he certainly didn’t own.

“I hope you don’t mind me feeding her. She was getting fussy. It’s just about her feeding time.”

Elias bites his tongue for a minute, walking more slower into the living room.He worked his jaw tightly for a minute. He could feel the jealousy building in him for a moment, but he already knew that Opal has long been feeding Elizabeth for the last three months since she’s been born.

“It’s fine.” His voice comes out a bit scratchy and takes a seat on the other end of the couch. “I’m pumping myself, so expect me to flash my tits out at some point.”

“I thought you had plants to breastfeed?”

He pinches his lips for a moment and looks away from her. “Life had other plans for me. So, I’m pumping. None of them wanted to latch… so they’re all bottlefeeding from my breastmilk.”

“Oh.” Her voice was soft. “I didn’t know. Do you… I can go into another room… if you-?”

Elias shakes his head. “No. You’re fine. Just…” He exhales deeply. “Jealous. No one really seems to understand me. My… my struggles over this.”

Opal rocks Elizabeth a bit. “Well, they’re still getting your milk. That’s better than nothing at all. Could be worse, they could be allergic to it and have to take the powdered stuff. I read about that happening.”

Elias laughs a bit wetly. “I suppose. I just… I breastfed Ella until she was two. Brighton from… when he was just shy away from his first birthday until he was two as well. And he was… he was bottle fed until then. I-I-I had high expectations to do the exact same thing with the four and… now I can’t. And I hate that. I feel like I’m failing them already. From the very first second they wouldn’t latch.”

Opal frowns deeply at him. “You’re not failing them.”

He shrugs pathetically. “I feel like it.”

“You feel like it, but you’re not.” She repeats in a different phrasing. Elias keeps his gaze in his lap here his stomach was soft and still healing. “You love them, and you just want what’s best for them. And I know you believe breastfeeding is what’s best for them, but sometimes, as you said, life has other plans. But if…” Opal’s frown at him depends even more. “Elias, look at me, please.”

He grunts but gives in, rolling his eyes as he lifts his gaze. Opal flashes him a tiny smile.

“Life may has other plans than breastfeeding, but if there’s one thing I learned after having Elizabeth is that having a baby — a child, you don’t get what you want and children form their own paths from the very first day. I couldn’t use the lavender lotion that you recommended me because Elizabeth had a reaction. She had a bad rash. Now I use rosemary and she’s better with it. It’s an alternative; it’s not what I wanted, but it’s what’s the best. You might not be breastfeeding them directly but they’re still taking your milk. And from what I’m seeing; it’s that, powdered milk, or starving.”

Elias lets out a shaky exhale. He feels his eyes burning with tears as he rubs his eyes hard until he’s seeing spots in his already blacked out vision.

“I just feel like since I had them I’m not doing enough for them. I hate feeling like this.”

“But you are enough for them.” Opal quietly tells him. She reaches out to him with a free hand and touches his his thigh giving him a small squeeze of reassurance.

“You’re doing your best. I’ve got Elizabeth and I think she’s a handful alone. You have four newborns, a toddler, and a three year old. Elias, you’re practically… what’s that term muggles use…? Um… a super dad.”

Elias laughs shakily as he drops his hand. He picks up his wand, knowing he needs to use more of his magic and summons the box of tissues that sat on the bookshelf by the television against the wall.

It doesn’t go ignored of how his ring glows blue through the red as he uses his magic as he catches the box. That’s how it always been the last few days.

“The ring glows?” Opal quietly points out.

“Yeah.” He pulls out a tissue and dries his cheeks and eyes.

“I-It glows when I use my wand. That’s how it’s been since it latched onto me… probably the only thing that will latch on me.” He lets out a wet laugh to his own little joke. “I just want the stupid thing off.”

Opal stares at the ring for a long minute.

“What?”

She doesn’t ask, instead she grabs his hand studying the ring.

“By chance… is the ring connected to your magical core?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“Where did you get this ring, Elias?”

“My-… Um… I found my biological family a little while back. A month ago or so. A sister, her name's Ruby. We’ve been talking and she sent me this. I put it on and… I didn’t think to not put it on and ask her questions about it first. It’s apparently a heirloom ring or something. The Wicked Witch of the West won’t answer me though. I’ve been doing everything I can to reach out to her.”

Opal examines the ring even closer, bringing his hand as close to her face as possible. “Why is there that spot of blue in the ruby?”

“Again: don’t know.”

“I don’t like it.” She determines finally passing back Elias his own hand.

“I don’t like it either.”

She flickers her eyes up to Elias’ face. Something written across on her face of didn’t sit well with Elias.

“Just… keep an eye on your magic, okay?”

“Why?”

“Certainly families… old families; older than the scared twenty-eight, there’s always been something particular about them. Always hard to find. Odd people when you do find them…” She stares at his ring. “Is it just her? No… other family?”

“Uh… I don’t think so. She said she was all alone. I've not really been able to ask much questions, but she's always asking about me.”

Opal nods again. “Just be careful. Let me know if you hear anything suspicious.”

“Like what?”

“… covens. Old families are found in pacts. Groups. Usually more of four. That’s the usual number of how the families are in. Parents, kids, the grandparents… if she’s alone… for as long as she is. Something just doesn’t sit right with me and that ring…”

“But I’m alone too.”

Opal shakes her head. “You’re not. You have family. Here. In London. The Potters. Casey. Your kids. Me. Just keep your eye out and keep an eye on your magic. That’s all I ask of you. I just want you to be safe. I care for you, Elias. You have too much now just to toss everything away. You have so many people who love you, don’t think otherwise, Elias, please. Never give up. Always keep going.”

Elias nods a bit shaky. “Okay.”

Chapter Text

March 27th, 2010

Opal was staying the night again, not that Elias or Casey minded.

Something Elias finds her doing more and more of the last few day since she found out about the ring.

Bringing books from her home (heavy, large, and old family books from both Rookwood and Flint’s family libraries that were uncommon or extremely expensive to find just to read up on) and not only him and her, but Casey as well were bonding over the books and researching on the couch spread out in the living room looking for something in them.

Casey was taking a break from the ‘unknown magic books’ as he calls it, switching to his actual studying for his schooling as he sat between Elias and Opal.

All four babies — plus Elizabeth who was in a spare bassinet, plenty of those to go around — were in the nursery and the monitor was on set on the coffee table and Capella and Brighton were knocked out in their toddler beds for the rest of the night (hopefully for Brighton, he sometimes still wandered out of bed but not as often as before).

Elias finds himself leaning his head on Casey’s shoulder, Opal doing the same thing as he was but with her legs propped up on the coffee table and each of them had a book in hand.

Each passing hour spent with both Opal and Casey, things were… becoming different. Elias could sense it. With himself. With his ex. With his husband. He just couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

“Bean?” Casey offers up to Opal holding up a random chosen, never learning from the first time he ate Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans.

“Hmm…” Opal picks up her head for a moment and opens her mouth with her tongue stuck out. Casey chuckles and pops the bean into her mouth as she took the risk.

She chews on it carefully, thoughtfully.

“Cherry. Delicious. Good pick for me, Cass.”

Casey gasps at her with his jaw dropped. He picks out a random red bean from the box and offers the second one to Elias. Elias stares at the bean in his face. “What do you take me for? Dumb?”

“No, a risk taker. For me? Pleaseeee?” Casey bats his eyelashes.

Elias scoffs and rolls his eyes. But in the end he opens his mouth and lets Casey pop in the brownish-red bean into his mouth. He chews in it.

“Is steak on the list for this box? I mean… it’s not bad.” He won’t complain on it. Elias licks his lips as he swallows. “I think I can taste a bit of sauce too.”

“What!? No fair!” Casey picks out a yellow bean and sticks it in his mouth. On the first bite down he’s spitting it back into his mouth. “Fuck! I hate these bloody beans!”

“What’d you get?”

“Rotten egg.” He grumbles closing the box out of spite and tosses it carelessly onto the coffee table. “Stupid beans.”

“You’re the one who always wants me to buy them.”

“Ah, ah. Oy, no.” Opal huffs at Elias picking up her head and bending over a bit to look at him from where Casey sat between them. “I bought them this time.”

Elias rolls his eyes before closing his book with a long sigh.

“Tired, E?”

“No. Bored. I hate books.” Elias huffs. “And we still need to bake that cake for Ella’s birthday tomorrow. I still can’t believe we paid double for that indoor playground for the whole day just because we booked last minute and Ella wants a homemade cake instead of one from the shop.”

“The things we do for our kids.” Opal closes her book. “I’ll help you guys. Anyone who’s been in a kitchen with you before knows not to let you near any of the baking supplies unless it's washing the dishes.”

Casey sighs before closing his own book and setting it on the coffee table. “You’re right, we don’t need any poisoned guests. Might as well make it a party of three in the kitchen, I’ll make sure he doesn’t touch anything. Oh, and grab the baby monitor, E.”

“It’s right in front of you!?” Elias gawks at Casey in protest gesturing at the monitor that was less than a foot away from Casey.

Opal and Casey ignores him. Getting up after insulting him. Being insulted by his ex and husband had his face growing warm by both visually and to the touch.

Elias glares at them both as the exit the living room chatting quietly, leaving him behind.

He stares at their empty presences for a moment. Blinking and taking a moment to process the way his heart was racing from his confused thoughts with them both teaming up and teasing him.

Between Casey and Opal, he felt like he was living the life he dreamed of once with Opal in Hogwarts before she dumped him. Then Casey being there — being here with him and having that banter with Opal and both of them teaming up against him…

“Oh, joder... What am I getting myself into?” Elias murmurs under his breath rubbing his face tyring to wipe the thoughts out from his head. He grabs the monitor along with his wand and standing up to chase after the both of them.

He finds both Opal and Casey already preparing the cake. Opal was pulling out the ingredients from the fridge and cabinets like she knew where everything was in the kitchen as Casey starts to preheat the oven and pulled out the pans. Elias carefully sets the monitor and his wand on the table and pulls out a chair for him to sit down slowly, eyes never leaving the backside of the two.

At some point in the midst of baking, Casey thought it was a brilliant idea to turn on the radio. The first song that comes on was Elias’ voice which has Casey and Opal giggling and bumping hips and sides together in the kitchen working together and all Elias could do was quietly watch them with a racing pulse.

Finally one of the songs switch to The Beatles. A muggle band that Opal didn’t know or heard of. A band that Elias hadn’t yet introduce her to.

“You don’t know The Beatles?”

“No.” Opal shakes her head, whisking away. “Should I?”

“Yes.” Casey huffs stealing the bowl away from her. “Come on. You can’t focus on the song if you’re whisking.”

“Who says?”

“E? Back me up.” Casey tries as he drags Opal to the center of the room, taking her hand and spinning her gently making her giggle as Casey softly sings.

Casey was by far a bad singer. He just always sang horribly on purpose whenever someone asked him to if they were to try to compare him to Elias. But this… It was quiet and intimate as he dances and sings softly with Opal.

“All my little plans and schemes, lost like some forgotten dreams. Seems that all I really was doing, was waiting for you. Just like little girls and boys, playing with their little toys. Seems like all they really were doing, was waiting for love.”

Elias stares at them slow dancing for a long hard minute, both falling in step to step, no toes were being stepped on. Casey spins Opal once more before he’s pulling away and moving over to Elias, tugging him up to his feet before he’s able to process what’s happening.

“No, no- Cass, you know I can’t slow dance like this, I'll kill your toes and won't even know-”

Elias squeaks when he feels Opal’s hands on his hips and Casey moving his hands to rest on his hips while he places his own on his shoulders. Opal guides his hips, step to step pressing her front to his back and caging him in between Casey to herself.

“Thought I’d been in love before, but in my heart, I wanted more. Seems like all I really was doing, was waiting for you.” Casey murmurs singing softly with a gentle smile on Elias as Elias and Opal found a way to dance with him all together.

Elias swallows thickly. Between his eyes locked on Casey’s jade green ones and feel Opal’s warm breath on his neck from where she leaned on him from behind.

Everything was getting to be a bit too much.

Too overwhelming.

There was too… too much feelings for him. Feelings that he shouldn’t be feeling. Feelings that were long buried and what he thought was forgotten only to be opened up all over again as he lets out a tiny noise biting on his bottom lip squeezing his eyes tightly closed, just letting his body move and feel. He drops his head on Casey's chest and hides his face.

The song eventually comes to an end and he’s still pinned between the two of his dancing partners.

“Elias,” He feels Opal’s warm breath on his neck. He could feel how warm his face was. “Want to open your eyes?”

“Not really.”

Casey laughs softly. “Why not?”

“Too much.”

“Of what?”

“This.”

“This?” Opal.

“Uh-huh.” He nods just a bit and he feels Casey’s nose brush up against his own making his eyebrows pinch tightly. He was definitely sandwiched between them. He could feel the swell of Opal’s breasts on his back and smell the wine from Casey’s breath.

Opal laughs softly, moving away from him and he finally lifts his head, eyes still closed. Casey kisses his lips gently, not letting him walk away yet. Elias slowly melts from his tension with Opal previously behind him and feeling caged into Casey’s kiss.

Casey pulls away and Elias blinks his eyes a several times, opening them a bit too dazed as he looks at Casey's face.

“There you are.” He hums running a knuckle across his cheek quietly making Elias shyly smile as the next song starts, Elias’ voice rings through the kitchen in an upbeat song. “Here I am.”

Casey grabs his hands and twirls him. Elias’ prosthetic leg covered with a sock spins with ease making his squeal out with laughter.

“I had a dream so big and loud, I jumped so high, I touched the clouds. Whoa-oh-oh-oh, oh, oh-oh, oh (Whoa-oh-oh-oh, oh, oh-oh, oh). I stretched my hands out to the sky, we danced with monsters through the night.” Casey sings with his voice from the radio making him toss back his head and laugh heavily, letting Casey move his arms and hands around to be danced with.

This is what Elias always dreamed of in life. To have a lover and the love just like his parents have. To be dancing in the kitchen randomly throughout the night without a care like all the times he’s snuck out of bed to spy on them from the staircase through the banister with a tiny shy smile on his face. He wanted someone to love him for more than just his body.

Elias’ eyes drift over to Opal, whisking away again but leaning on the counter and watching him and Casey with her bright blue eyes and a big smile.

He suddenly shakes his head, moves back over to her and steals the bowl out from her hands.

“No baking! Dance with us!” He orders her taking her hands and wiggling her around with his shoulders moving, now singing along to his own song.

“I hear it calling outside my window, I feel it in my soul. The stars were burning so bright, the sun was out ‘til midnight. I say we lose control. This is gonna be the best day of my life.”

“You’re a horrible dancer.” Opal tells him giggling with a smile on her face as he drops one of his hands, grabbing Casey’s and pulling him into a trio dance between the three of them.

“I know. Simon hates it.” Elias grins at him shimming, leaning back then forward and repeating the process of the simple dance move. “But I can surely shimmy to show off what I got without any paddening on. That's the one dance move I do know.”

He makes them both laugh heavily.

The trapped ring on his finger goes entirely ignored for the first time in days.

Chapter Text

April 7th, 2010

"Finally!”

Elias nearly tosses himself off the couch from how hard he bolts up from the couch seeing a text from Ruby. Opal has been around for the last straight two days, spending the night in the guest room and Elizabeth has been sleeping in the nursery with the other babies in the bassinet while they’ve been nose deep in books when he should be working on songs.

At least he was getting some stuff done.

Such as certain official pictures done for photoshoots for the babies — which came out adorable he will say for the one-time only release of his babies faces and beyond that he’s never posting or publishing their faces ever again. He doesn’t even know why he agreed to this. But at least he wasn’t giving out their names, and the pictures should be obvious enough with genders between the flowery headbands to tiny hats.

“What is it?” Opal questions him as he switches Antonio for Cordelia to change her nappy, setting Cordelia on the floor for tummy time on her individual play mat beside her siblings

“Ruby just texted.” Elias huffs reading her excuse of silent absence for the last month. “She couldn’t pay her phone bill and apparently she just got my letters.”

He looks up to Opal questionably. “Do international letters take a while to be received?”

Opal nods. “Yeah, at least from what I know of.”

Elias groans. “Now I feel like a prick. Great. I thought she was just ignoring me and she sent me this ring. I feel horrible now.”

“Bigger problems,” Opal smacks the arm of the armchair she’s in. “The ring. Ask her how to get it off.”

With one hand on Antonio’s chest and the other on his phone, he’s rapidly tapping and sending the question.

Elias changes the nappy, waiting on Ruby’s reply.

His shoulders slump and a deep frown was on his face when he picks up the phone again after tossing the rolled up nappy in the small bin. “What she say?”

“The spell is complex and hard to explain over text or phone. She’d have to show me one day if we meet up in person.”

“But isn’t she in Spain?”

He sighs and tosses his phone carelessly on the coffee table and trades it out with his wand. “We’re planning a family trip to Spain this July-ish anyway. I suppose I’ll just have to make do until then with the ring.”

He waves his wand, vanishing the nappies in the bin. Opal frowns at the way the ring glows when he uses his magic. Elias sets the wand down, flexes his hand, a slight shake was visibly in his right hand.

“I still don’t like how the ring glows when you use your magic.”

“Not like I have much of a choice. I need to start using my magic more, which means I’m doing more house spells to balance out my magical core.”

She leans back in her seat with a disapproving look on him. “Still. I think the ring’s starting to make your hand shake.”

“I don’t know. Might just be from all the writing and playing the piano and guitar. I heard that can cause nerve issues. CTS or something. I don't know.”

“Just keep an eye on it, Eli.”

“It’s all I’ve ever been doing. Can't take my eyes off it, it's literally attached to me.”

Elias sets Antonio on his play mat, finally getting up himself and going over to the newest objects in the living room.

Small lightweighted dumbbells and a green yoga mat.

He wanted to loose the weight he’s gained from pregnant, which was a lot. As well as worked on losing the loose skin and start to work on getting his flat stomach back to as much as possible.

“Again?” Opal questions him as he sits down on the mat, picking up the thirty-five pounder dumbbell and shifting it side to side of his hips.

He did it one time in the morning but he’s hoping to exercise at least twice in the day. But with all the cut-ins in-between he doesn’t feel like it’s truly a full work-out. So this was part two of his first work out after being interrupted between feeding and nappy changes.

“I never finished the first round this morning.” He speaks carefully feeling the tensing of his stomach — in other words ‘feeling the burn’ — as he doesn’t stop his movements, counting under his breath each time he switches sides. “I’d like to get at least one workout a day. I only got in two different exercises this morning. I need to do more. When I was on tour I was doing so many different types of workouts to keep fit to balence out all the junk food I was eating. Boss' orders.”

“But you only just had the babies a month ago.”

“I got the all clear from my healer, not like I'm doing this unsafely.” He huffs setting the dumbbell between his legs to stare at Opal. “I’m safe to exercise if I want to. No sex for another week at least, not that it’s been on my mind between running around for the kids and work, maternity leave my arse. I show up at the office one bloody time and suddenly they expect me to do my work through emails and phone calls.”

Opal huffs a laugh. “I”m sure Casey’s been missing out on your body. I know I have.”

Elias stares at her unmoving, just staring and blinking hard.

Opal lifts her eyebrow for a moment before cracking out with a soft laugh and averting her eyes from making direct eye contact with him as she tucks a strain of her dark brown hair behind her ear showing her single pierced ears. “I’m joking! Merlin’s beard, Elias! I don’t- I don’t need to think about you to get myself off.”

The blush on her face told him otherwise, but he doesn’t point it out as he nods slowly and pick up the dumbbell again and repeats the exercise.

Joking… suurreee.

But he couldn’t deny his own warm face as he masks it over with his own workouts.

It’s the next exercise that has him dying.

Push-ups.

He’s seen his Dad do this exercise all his life. Azura too. As well as Rigile and Aasil who both plays beater on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, starting to take their positions on their team seriously in the last few years which mean working out over their school breaks to stay in shape and praticing on the broom hitting a bludger back and forth while Nico kept score safely from the ground being the tie breaker tp stop fights from breaking out.

Elias gets five push-ups total before he’s dropping himself to the floor with a protesting groan.

He hears a cooing noise from one of the nearby babies who were also on the floor, similar position as he was.

Except... they might be doing better than he was. Fuck him.

“You don’t have to do this.” Opal tells him again.

“I do.” He huffs taking his breather and setting his hands back on the floor and pushing himself up again. This time he lifts his head and he’s nearly face to face with Opal who at some point gotten to the floor silently without his knowledge and proceed to scare the shit out of him.

“Fuck!” He’s dropping himself back to the floor making her laugh at his miserable pain. “You’re so mean to me.”

“Maybe not today, but one day you’ll be able to do a push-up with me sitting on you.”

Elias groans hiding his face into the mat. She was giving him ideas.

Unwanted ideas; dirty ideas and thoughts.

That just couldn’t do.

It was far too unacceptable.

“You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you? Kill me and take my children and fortune I’m leaving behind for Casey and them?”

“I think the wealth I have right now from the Flints is far more than what you and Casey have. And wouldn’t it be easier to kill you and simply marry Cass instead then kill him off and keep the kids and money all to myself? Or is that too black widow-like for the muggles?”

Elias groans again making Opal laugh as she shifts onto her butt to sit on the floor beside him and the babies. “Come on, sit up. I have some yoga positions I know could help you out. Yoga is far better than what pathetic exercises you're trying to do now.”

He lifts his head, eyes narrowed. “You do? I'm not going to end up in some sort of pretzel am I?”

“No." She rolls her eyes. "You’re not the only one whose picked up on some yoga to loose baby weight. Up, put your feet on mine. Before any workouts you should warm up firstly.”

Elias does as told. One sock covered foot on Opal’s foot and his prosthetic plastic foot that was covered in a sock presses up to her left foot. Opal leans forward and holds her hands over to Elias to take.

“I noticed you didn’t do any warm ups. Those are essential when working out. This helps you stretch out your hips, I think, your hamstring. And it’s a bonus given we can do this as a two-person work out so we can do it together.” She informs him leaning back and pulling on Elias’s upper body to stretch him out making him feel like he was doing the splits.

“Opal-! That’s enough! I can’t-! I’m not that flexible! Geez, you are trying to kill me!” She holds Elias in that position for a long moment. “Now you pull me. I’ll let you know when.”

Elias pulls back Opal. He’s rather impressed how far he’s able to pull and stretch her out, nearly having her breasts touching the floor before she calls it.

They go at it a few times before Casey comes into the living room eyeing them both confused with his school bag on his shoulder. He slowly drops the bag on the couch. “What… are you two doing?”

“Stretching.” Opal answers for Elias as he’s being bent over. “Elias’ is terrible at push-ups.”

“Oh, I know. It’s funny cause he’s terrible at upper body stuff but amazing at any leg workouts.”

Elias growls at Casey as he’s let back up and removes his hands off Opal’s, cheeks flushed as he’s glaring leaning back on his own hands. “Shut up.”

“It’s a fact. You like to be on top, and being on top means you like riding.” Elias sticks his tongue out childishly at Casey as Opal takes in this new information with a bright grin on her face. “You like riding?”

“Shhh, that's not important.”

“I think it is.”

Elias points at Opal warningly. “No it’s not. Not to you.”

“You didn’t know?” Casey asks instead to Opal ignoring Elias.

“Does it look like I’ve got a cock?”

Casey hums at that fact sitting onto the couch. “Point taken. My apologies. But you could always peg him.”

“Believe me, I’ve tried.”

Elias gasps at them with a pink face. “Can we stop talking about my sex life? There are far better things to talk about!”

Casey and Opal share a look, then they look over to him.

“No.” They both manage to chime together having his jaw drop gawking at them offended. “How dare you!”

“How dare us?” Opal smirks at him. “Last time I’ve checked, we’re not in the bedroom right now, master. Does he make you do a little dom over sub, too?”

Casey is grinning widely as he nods. “It’s funny ‘cause between the three of us, he’s the baby yet somehow he manages to always put himself on top.”

Elias growls at Casey again, climbing onto his knees and getting up and stalking over to him. Casey is full smiles and laughter as Elias tackles him onto the couch, play-fighting him and fully straddling him to pin him down. “Take that back!”

“What? Your age? You are the baby between the three of us. Do you want me to make you a bottle the next time I make the others' theirs?”

His cheeks flushed pink, hands tightening around his wrists. “You’re damn lucky that we’re surrounded by babies right now or else I’d-”

“What?” Casey grins up at him. “Is it just the babies or is it Opal too? Don’t forget she’s here too. Unless,” He stretches his neck a bit up and slightly brushes his lips against Elias’. “You want a repeat of last time? Maybe more?”

Elias gasps at him quietly, dropping his hands and sits up, staring largely from where he straddled Casey. He takes a second. “You… you want to do that again?”

“Under better circumstances, sure. Last time went rather well, don’t you think? Minus the whole slut shaming us at the end.”

Elias swallows thickly as he sits back on Casey’s hips. Opal lifts her eyebrow at him, a tiny smirk was on her lips however she doesn’t dare to say anything.

“Oh, by the way, Mum called. She’s stopping by today. She wants to see Brighton and the babies.”

Elias’ brain entirely stops working.

Casey broke him.

He blinks down at him.

“What?”

“Mum. She called when I was on my way home. She’s stopping by in like… ten minutes now.”

“What?!” Elias climbs off Casey in a hurry. “I’m covered in spit up and breastmilk! I leaked in this shirt and never changed! Casey! Why didn’t you call me right after she did!?”

“I did. I tried to. You're as bad as Aster and James, if I'm being honest, not answering the phone half the time.”

Elias runs his hands through his hair yanking. “GAH!”

“What’s so bad about Casey’s mum?”

“She doesn’t like Ella,” Casey starts his list. “She knows about magic but doesn’t like that either. And she’s very… judgemental.”

“Very? Just very? She picks on every little thing wrong! The last time she saw the babies she was asking if they were gaining weight then tried to convince you to switch to formula! She even hates Antonio’s name! She doesn't even look at Ella, let alone acknowledge the fact that she is her grandchild as much as the rest of them!”

“Why doesn't she ilke Antonio's name?”

“Because it’s not English!” Elias huffs folding his arms over his chest. “Now I’ve got no time to shower or to change! I smell, I hardly got time to pull out the 'good' china set for her as if she'd do the same for me and Brighton’s napping and I am not waking him up for her!”

“I didn’t say you have to.”

“She’s going to want him up because she thinks he’s at that age where he should ‘stop’. If he’s going to go down for a nap, he’s taking a bloody nap! He’s still three!”

“He’ll be four soon.”

Elias jabs a finger in Casey’s face. “Don’t you start with me Lambert.”

“-Potter.”

Elias scowls at him with a twitching eye before stomping out of the living room to the kitchen to start the kettle, prepping the tea and hopes the biscuits would be good enough for her. He flinches when the doorbell rings, rather than being knocked on and he can hear one of the babies starting to cry. Instead of answering the door, he goes to his children.

He picks up Ophelia from the floor and starts rocking her, trying to soothe her with pats on the bum and a soft lullaby as Opal tends to Elizabeth.

As soon as Wanda is in the living room with her eyes on him and Ophelia, she’s already judging him and his parenting abilities.

“If that baby’s already been fed and changed then let them cry it out. You shouldn’t tend to their every cry or they’ll make it a nasty habit.”

Elias frowns at her, his eyes go over to Opal and he lifts his eyebrows when she makes eye-contact. The woman wasn’t even in the room yet, let alone greeted him with a decent 'hello'.

‘See?’

Opal was Wanda's next victim. Between Elias and Casey to Opal, she had the best manners of the three of them.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Opal, Miss. And this is my daughter Elizabeth.”

With Opal being on the floor, she couldn’t give out her proper introduction, however she does bow her head with the tiniest smile in formal greeting.

“And who’s friend are you?”

Elias knew that Opal knew exactly what Wanda's true questioning laid in her question directed towards her.

“Can’t I be both, Elias and Casey’s friend? Because otherwise I don’t see it being any of your business of who I am. Because we are not friends nor even acquaintances.”

Wanda’s eyes narrow, and Elias knew she was tempted to ask if she was a witch, but she doesn’t. Instead she goes over to the babies on the floor, closely examining them. “Have they been gaining weight? They look the same.”

“They’re babies. They’re going to look the same for a while, gaining weight or not. And frankly, that's none of your worries.”

“I wasn’t asking you or asking for your opinion on the matter if it's my worries or not of my grandchildren.”

Elias rolls his eyes at her. Hard.

“Mum, they’re perfectly healthy. I trust Elias with them when I’m away at my classes and when my paternity leave for work is up.”

“Uh-huh… And where’s Brighton? I want to see him too.”

“He’s napping.”

“He shouldn’t be napping. Go get him.”

“No.” Elias steps in. “He’s asleep, and he’s going to stay asleep.”

“He shouldn’t be napping at this age.”

“He’s three. He's still a child, a toddler at that fact.”

“He’ll be four at the end of the month, making him a child.”

“And? He’s three now. And if he wants to nap, he can take a bloody damn nap.” Elias hisses at her. “And you have no right to tell me or Casey what to do with him or our babies. They’re our children, not yours. We haven't asked for your opinion or your help since we had them.”

“Casey, will you please go get-”

“Mum, please. I’m not in the mood for an argument today. Can you just wait until Brighton's up from his nap. It's just another half hour or so.” Casey tiredly tries.

Elias narrows his eyes on her when her mouth readies to open. “And if you dare to ask to use the toilet and come down with Brighton awake, and he says you woke him up. I’m going to kick you out of here. No question asked. Am I understood? This is my home and I will not be disrespected in my own walls.”

Her face was pinched tightly, however she nods silently.

“Good. I have your tea started on the stove. It should be done soon with some bloody biscuits.”

Elias walks out after setting Ophelia down in her bassinet simply because it got him out of the room faster. He goes straight pass the kitchen door in the hall and plucks off his hat and sunglasses that hung on the hook by the front door, not even bothering with his jean jacket that hung beside them before going outside and sitting on the front step.

Elias buries his face stressfully in his hands. His blonde hair was entirely covered and his oversized sunglasses were ridiculously huge on his face as he shivers a bit. It was still a bit chilly outside as a breeze blows by with him a tee and jogger pants, he knows he’d be warmer if he had on a jumper.

He groans softly when he hears the door opening behind himself.

“I’m fine, Casey. Go back inside before your mum wakes up Brighton.”

“Not Casey,” Opal hums draping over Casey’s jacket over his shoulders, big and warm on his small frame. She takes a seat beside him, he notices her in his own jacket. “He asked me to check on you, and to bring out a jacket. Why do you only have on a hat and sunshades? It's not even that sunny out."

“I don’t fancy muggles figuring out where I live.” He sighs pulling off his sun glasses and places them on the hat. He flashes Opal a dry smile. “Better?”

“Much. Now I can see your pretty eyes.”

He rolls his eyes at her, though it was softer than when he did inside with Casey's mum around. “You don’t have to sit out here with me. Misery loves company, but I much rather that be Casey’s mum.”

Opal hums softly resting her head onto his shoulder. “She is a bit judgemental. I won’t lie about that.”

He scoffs a bitter laugh.

“Just a bit?”

She laughs softly. “Fine. A lot. Happy?”

“Not really. She’s still in my home. She's still my mother-in-law. Papa says I should just stick it out if I truly love Cass, and that's what I'm doing as long as she doesn't live here and visit every day, I'm okay with it.” Elias leans his head to the side, dropping it on top of Opal’s. They sit in silence for a few minutes. Opal picks up his hand, eyeing the ruby ring on his finger. “I still don’t like this ring on you.”

“Yeah, well… that makes two of us. I’m sure when I see Ruby this summer I’ll get it off.” He quietly tells her. “I just hope it doesn’t cause me too much hassle at work. I think I’m suppose to shoot a video for work early summer before July so I can fit everything in my schedule to have a month's trip of vacation without being bugged.”

“A video?”

“Music video. Muggles like watching those, apparently. Wouldn’t be my first one, but they’re weird to make. I just suck at the dancing and choreography. No matter how many times I tell people I have two left feet- no, I literally only have my right foot that dances like a left foot, I'm still forced to learn to dance somehow.”

Opal lifts her head making Elias have no choice but to lift his own. Their faces were close. “I’m worried about you.”

“Why?”

“The ring. It’s a piece of jewelry, Elias. It shouldn’t have connected to your magical core that fast as you explained to me. I’m afraid something bad is behind it.”

Elias shakes his head letting out a tiny scoff. “Ruby already told me she’ll help me get it off. I’m sure it’s just complicated magic.”

“Magic that burns you when you try to take it off yourself? You should see a curse breaker, just in case. You shouldn't have canceled that appointment.”

“I-”

“Elias, I can see how you’re becoming paler by each passing day.” Opal brings up a hand to his cheek. “And don’t lie to me, you’ve been having a hard time sleeping, haven’t you? There’s bags under your eyes.”

He doesn’t push her hand away, instead he leans into her touch a bit. “That’s normal when you got four babies to take care of, Opal. And there's Pearl, too. I won't just exclude her.”

“And the shaking?”

“It’s just little tremors.”

“It’s your whole arm, and you're becoming a bit cool to the touch.” She quietly tells him. “I’ve noticed. When you use your magic. It’s doing something to you. I don’t like it.”

“I know. You’ve said.” Elias hums tiredly. He was becoming annoyed fast. "Many, many times."

“Elias, please, take this more seriously.”

“I am. I’m nose deep in books every day. I haven’t been this studious this since I left Hogwarts. Bloody hell, I haven’t been this studious when I was even being homeschooled; while I was in Hogwarts. I’m taking this as serious as I can but I still need to live my life, Opal.”

She frowns at him. The tinted red gloss on her lips shone in the slight sun that peeked out from behind the clouds has his eyes flickering down for a moment before looking back to her light blue eyes. He finds himself reaching up, gently tucking a strain of hair behind her ear.

“Elias…”

“Shhh,” He quietly hushes her leaning forward a bit, their foreheads touching first as his thumb runs across her cheekbone, soft yet sharp. Their noses bump into each other a bit, he tilts his head a bit to the side. “I just…”

Elias exhales through his mouth. He licks his lips, his tongue touching just the slightest bit of gloss off of Opal’s own lips. She smelled like rosemary and peppermint.

“I’ve missed you like this.” He quietly breathes out nuzzling his nose against her own but not kissing her. “I hate how you’ve been making me feel.. seeing you with Casey has been driving me—”

The front door opens, Elias yanks back as fast as Opal does. Both blushing hard as they lean on the railings beside each staircase, heads ducked and refusing to look up or at the door as it's yanked open.

“Get out. Get out! I told you not to wake him up! Me and Elias both! We warned you so many times!” Casey’s mum comes stomping out of the house with Casey dutifully kicking her out. “I warned you! Elias warned you! I don’t know how much thickheaded you can get, mum!? Honestly! I’m getting tired of this behavior! Keep it up and I’m never letting you see the kids ever again!”

Wanda comes stumbling between Elias and Opal. “Casey, you don’t mean that-”

“I do! I’m sick of it. You don’t respect me or Elias as fathers and the choices we make for our kids! I’m tired of it! You’re so- so controlling! You have control issues! So stay out of my home!”

“Casey David Lamb-!”

The door slams shut and Elias and Opal both remain very still and quiet, their heads turned either way dutifully not sparing a glance to Wanda as she huffs before stomping her way off the steps childishly, (thankfully) ignoring Elias and Opal.

Elias watches Casey’s mum unlock her car with a single button on her keychain and get in. For a swift second, he swore she was going to flip him off when their eyes met, but instead she turns on the engine and takes off without even putting on her seatbelt much to Elias’ horror as he stares at her car take off.

“She didn’t put on her seatbelt…” He finds himself muttering out loud, his childhood truama of the car accident getting to the best of him at that moment. No matter how much he may not like the woman, it didn't mean he wished for her to die, no matter how, in her sleep or in an accident for reckless driving.

Opal instead looks behind them at the door. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Cass this pissed before.”

“I have.” Elias then sighs. “I’ll talk to him. Do you mind-?”

“I’ll watch the kids. Don’t worry.”

They both get up and Elias heads upstairs. He finds Casey in their bedroom, muttering under his breath as he sat at his desk flipping through his Greek and Latin book for one of his class courses he was taking.

Elias quietly enters the room, the door clicks nearly silent behind himself. “Cass? Want to talk about it?”

He scoffs at Elias, tapping away at his laptop that was opened up on a document that had an essay being filled out. “So you can finally have a reason to talk of all the horrors of my mum?”

“No.” Elias pulls out the second chair to the desk. “I’ll be quiet as a mouse unless you want me to talk. Otherwise I'll only your listening ear.”

Casey sighs dropping his head, his fingers still for a moment.

“You’re right. She’s controlling. She’s… hovering. She’s… everything that… your dads aren’t. Is that what you want to hear? That she's not perfect and your dads are?”

Elias shakes his head softly, a tiny smile is on his lips regardless of the severity of the conversation. “My dads aren’t perfect.”

“Yeah right.” Casey scoffs.

“They’re not.”

“Fine,” Casey finally looks away from his school work. “Name something. Name one thing wrong with your dads as parents.”

Elias hums quietly.

“Well… For starters… My papa… he has a lot of things going on with him. Things that he tries to hide from us kids. He has an eating disorder. I don’t know what kind or… if it's been properly worked on with him. But some days I can tell he forgets to eat or he’s just purposely avoiding to eat until Dad reminds him and makes him when he’s reminded of it he kinds frets hoping none of us catches it but we do. We just… don’t talk about it in front of him. He also has this weird thing if any of us bring acid pops in the manor. I don’t know why, but he loves lollipops. Especially the green apple flavored ones. T-there’s also his panic attacks, and when he gets overwhelmed in certain things where most parents could keep calm during. He’s also very protective when it comes to certain things, like brooms, kinda like your mum. He hates us on brooms or in open bodies of water like lakes or maybe even oceans without an adult, like dad or one of our uncles, even though we’re an adult or teenager ourself and we all know how to swim. Dad always makes sure on that. Then... Dad… he’s… he’s very…” Elias furrows his eyebrows. “He’s mostly okay, I guess? Until you…”

Elias thinks back to the early morning where the sun wasn’t even up in Hogwarts, where he was startlingly awoken with his Dad hovering over him, pinning him to the bed with a hand over his mouth. As traumatizing as that could be, he oddly finds it not to be as triggering as if Casey was on top of him during sex.

“E?”

Elias blinks at Casey. Casey tilts his head a bit at him. “James did something to you?”

Quickly he shakes his head. “Oh, no… no… it’s just… Dad is… um… very protective… of…. um…” He licks his lips. “Lets call it, his pack. If you mess with one of us, you mess with him directly. It doesn’t matter if it’s someone from t-the inner circle or outer, family or not. I… I mean, being honest I fucked up a while back, a bit before I met you — stuff you already know about. And… Dad’s a good dad. He’s kind, he has the patience that most wouldn’t have… I mean, when I was adopted he sat out in the hall with me for hours in the dead of the night because I didn’t trust him alone with Papa in their bedroom, as insane as it sounds. Compared to anyone and everyone in the manor, Dad was the one out of everyone who had to work the most to gain my trust as… well, as a dad. To be my dad.”

Casey softly shakes his head. “With what you went through, I don’t blame you. You were only a child.”

Elias softly laughs.

“When I was first adopted, I didn’t know was sex was. Let alone being molested or… I thought what those guys did to me was normal… kinda? I think? And that Papa had to endue it, too. Because he was like me. It took a while for me to understand the difference between w-what I was first introduced to from Papa and my mind healer as good and bad touches. So… I mean, bottom line, Cass, no parent is perfect. I think… I personally don’t like your mum."

Elias thinks to the talk he had with Opal, her reminding him that sometimes doing what you think is best as a parent to doing what's right for your child is overruled. And he believes this was part of the case.

"But to her, in her mind," He carefully trends. "Her parenting abilities of what she did with you as a child, is what she thought is what she believed is what she was doing best for you. Like what we think, what we’re doing for our kids, is what we think is what we’re doing best for them. Like me breastfeeding just… I’m pumping instead and feeding them using bottles.”

“You didn’t want to use bottles though.”

“I know…” Elias nods softly with a sad smile. “But it took me a while to accept that and to get to where I am now of acceptance that I am still doing what I believe is best which is providing them pumped milk than formula. I could’ve entirely stop pumping and gave up on that but I didn’t. You get where I’m coming from?”

“That my mum did her best?”

Elias nods softly.

“I don’t like her, Cass. I don’t know why I’m defending her honestly.” Casey laughs at him. “But I think she believed she was doing what she thought was best for you. And at the end of the day, you’re still her little boy. Like Harry is to Papa and Dad regardless of him being thirty-one. You follow?”

“What should I do then?”

Elias shrugs. “That’s up for you to decide. She’s your mum. I want no part in that.”

Casey groans, dropping his head onto his hand as his elbow rested on the desk’s surface. “You’re a git. You know that? You just made everything more confusing.”

“I know.” Elias nods, letting his mind think back to the steps outside when he sat with Opal. He bites on his bottom lip as Casey’s eyes drift down to his book, flipping through pages of translated words between English to Greek and Latin. “I uh… there’s something else I want to talk to you about.”

“Hmm?”

His cheeks are pink.

“It’s about Opal.”

Casey lifts his eyes. “Is it about what I said on the couch?”

“Uh… kinda? Maybe?” Casey remains quiet, waiting for him to speak.

Elias opens his mouth, only to close it after a second. He inhales deeply thinking before speaking.

“I… I-I want to be honest with you. I don’t like keeping secrets or lying to you, certainly about this. Because this is very important, okay?”

Casey nods.

“Having Opal around a lot more lately…” He swallows thickly. “Seeing her with you. Seeing you and her together… It’s been making me confused.”

Casey’s eyebrows furrowed together. “Confused?”

Elias nods furiously.

“Y-yeah. I-I… I don’t know... anymore, I think.” He croaks out.

“You don’t know?”

Elias groans dropping his face into his hands to hide himself from Casey. “Seeing you with her and her with you… It- it makes me feel… like I… like I fancy you both.”

“You fancy us both?”

Elias groans louder, still in hiding. “I don’t know anymore, Cass. I’m trying so hard not to. I don’t want to lose you. I lost myself outside for a moment, when she came out to give me the jacket. I nearly kissed her. I just… I just wanted you to know. If you want to leave me over this, you can. Best to do it now and just get it over with.”

It’s quiet for a few seconds that feels like hours. Each passing moment made Elias feel like he was going to be sent packing or worse, he was going to end up watching Casey pack and leave.

But intead he feels Casey gently tug at his hands, peeling his face free. Peeking a glance at Casey, there was a faint pinking blush on his cheeks that spread across the bridge of his nose that Elias wanted to touch, and so he did.

“You fancy us both?” Casey questions him again in a disbelief tone, a crooked smile playing on his lips.

He’s holding his one wrist in his hands while staring at Elias. Elias nods softly tracing the sharp of his cheekbone feeling entirely ashamed of himself.

“I know. I’m sorry. I just thought you should know.”

Casey gently rubs his inner wrist with his thumb for a moment. A soothing touch and caress.

“Why aren’t you screaming at me? Packing your bags to get away from me?” Elias asks worried at Casey’s silence.

“Because,” Casey breathes out, the corners of his lips twitching up slightly. Elias’ fingers drift down to trace his lips, the red ring was striking against their skin. “If I screamed or lectured you, it might as well make me a hypocrite, wouldn’t it?”

Elias’ eyes expanded widely as he stills his hand and stares up at Casey confused. “What?”

“You might’ve known Opal since Hogwarts, E, known her longer. But I’m getting to learn who she is now. And her staying here more days than not throughout the week with Elizabeth… she has me seeing a lot of… I guess you could call it intimate moments? Small and timid moments. Like… when she stays over for the night and makes her tea early in the morning still in her robe or when we’re in the nursery together, with or without you. And to be honest, it’s kinda nice having someone else other than Ella as a cooking partner who doesn’t set the fire alarm off every time they cook.”

Elias laughs wetly. “You’re not mad at me?”

“I don’t think so, no,” Casey shakes his head and moves his hands over to Elias’ cheeks cupping his face. He tilts his head over and presses a kiss to his forehead. “If anything I’m just happy you told me. And I don’t want to over react like last time with- with Owen. I don't want to make that mistake again.”

“I forgot about that, if I’m being honest.” Elias quietly tells Casey remembering the big fight that happened a while ago with Owen.

“I haven’t. I still feel terrible about that some days than not.” Casey is honest with his answer. Elias swallows thickly. “What are we going to do about Opal then?”

Casey moves his lips, kissing Elias’ temple sweetly. “I don’t know. But we’ll figure something out in due time.”

Elias pulls back and presses a soft kiss to his lips. He gently cups Casey’s cheek, feeling the stubble from the morning he skipped out on shaving.

He pulls back and nuzzles his nose with Casey’s own. “Te amo.”

Casey chuckles softly, pressing a fast peck to his lips.

“I love you too, E.”

Chapter Text

April 10th, 2010

Elias had the day to himself. Mostly to himself. Brighton and Capella was with him, the babies were with Casey and Opal at home as he held both of their hands with two bags on either side of his shoulders with a hat on his head trying to get them into the SYNC building walking a short distance as quickly as possible from apparating from the nearest apparition point.

“—Elias!”

“Shit, shit, shit—” Elias mutters under his breath when he hears his name being called out. He’s pushing both Brighton and Capella in front of him, ushering them to take a few steps ahead, their smaller hands still in his own for safety.

“Elias, wait up!”

Elias turns around for only a second getting a glimpse of whoever was calling out his name. His mouth was talking faster before his brain could even register who it was.

“If you don’t get away from the building’s premise I will not hesitate to have the front desk call the-!” He pauses before turning his head and getting a proper look at the bloke who was halfway running across the street from a bench. “Owen?”

Owen arrives to him and the kids, a crooked smile on his face and in his hand was a wrapped up box covered in a rainbow and unicorn birthday print. Elias furrows his eyebrows in confusion.

“What are you doing here? How-? How did you find me?”

“Not that hard, honestly. I mean, you work here. All I had to do was stalk out here for a while and… I mean… I’m not the only one out here to be honest. There’s a bunch of men and women in those cars over there.” He points at the bulky black vans that has Elias cursing out again and ducking his head.

Without thinking he’s pushing his kids through the front door and dragging Owen along with him into the building.

A few good things about the company building is the tinted windows. Another is that there’s so many famous people who go by, no one bats an eyelash to whoever Elias had stopped in the middle of the lobby to speak with Owen.

“Hi, Owen.” Brighton clearly remembered him, flashing him an innocent smile while rocking on his heels, still hand in hand with Elias while Capella went into shy mode tucked behind Elias’ legs peeking at Owen despite meeting him once that lasted a few hours long.

“Hi, Brighton. Hello, Ella.” Owen softly greets the two before looking up to Elias who was frowning deeply at him. “What are you doing here?”

“I uh… I realized I never got your number.”

“You never asked.”

Owen nods slowly at that fact Elias points out. “So… Um… instead of risking getting my head bitten off by either of your dads, I uh… been camping outside the building the last few days when I realized Ella’s birthday was a few days ago. I… I got her a gift. I didn’t know if you were doing anything for her birthday so I-”

“We had a party.” Elias’ hand tightens around his daughter’s smaller hand. “At an indoor playground thing. It was weird and expensive but the kids had fun.”

Owen smiles softly. “That’s what counts, right? Having fun… um… anyway, I… I brought a gift? For Ella? I hope it’s not crossing any boundaries?”

“Just a gift?” Elias narrows his eyes at the present. "Nothing beyond personal of confusing's in there?"

“Yeah, um- well, technically Nic picked it out, and the wrapping, too. I’m shit at knowing what girls like so… yeah… I guess you could say it’s from me and Nicole?”

Elias nods slowly. “Um… well… I’m already running a bit late as it is. So, mind coming up with me. You can- give it to Ella upstairs.”

“Upstairs?”

“Yeah. I have to hand in some stuff. You’re lucky I even showed up. I’m technically still on my maternity leave.”

The mention of that, Owen’s eyes drift down for a moment making Elias roll his eyes before turning around and gently tugging the kids along to the lift where Owen swiftly follows.

“You had t-the babies? There hasn’t been an announcement on that.”

“I don’t fancy my whole life being displayed for the public, Owen, in case you haven’t noticed. That's going to be announced in a few more weeks, the timing and all that to keep people's noses out of my business.” Elias huffs as he presses the button the the third top floor and then the button to close the doors right away.

“I… haven’t actually.”

“Well I don’t. I try to keep as much private as I can. The kids, Casey, my family.”

“Huh.”

“Huh?” Elias mocks his tone a bit. He shakes his head. “Not- I didn’t mean that negatively. I meant-… I just didn’t notice that. I mean, once I saw pictures of-”

“Once.” Elias snaps as the lift starts to move up. “And that was because I forgot to use my hat and glasses when I went out shopping.”

The two kids were in their own world as they jump on the lift with loud laughter, making it bounce a bit. Elias rolls his eyes more fondly at them as they jump again at the same time. He slips off his personal work bag from his shoulder, digging into it. He feels his fingers touch the pocket knife that Casey forced him to always keep in his bag because Casey had been lecturing him once when he was starting to up rise in fame and needed some self defense with muggle technique.

He sighs and pushes it away back to the bottom of his bag and pulls out the folder he prepared that was due to be turned in.

“So… what is it that you do now? Just sing?”

“I do far more than ‘just sing’.” Elias mutters zipping up his bag. “I’m running around all the time. I’ve got wardrobe fitting. Photoshoots. Interviews. Fans meet and greets. Then on top of that I’ve got to focus on writing songs. Lyrics and music. Impressing my boss nonstop. Deadlines to meet. Making a new album. Singles. And now I’ve got a complex duet to turn in as well as on top of all this I should be at home taking care of my babies and spending time with my kids and husband but instead I’m here. Isn’t this just so fun being famous?”

Owen blinks owlishly at him.

“So it’s… not fun being famous?” Owen questions cautiously.

Elias scoffs at him.

“No.” Elias shakes his head deadpanning. “I have people trying to track my every move, if you haven’t noticed which is very annoying, I can't even go to a park with the kids without being harassed somehow. But it’s enjoyable to make music and know that other people can relate or even enjoy it themselves. That’s what I like doing.”

The lift’s doors open and Elias takes a step out, holding the doors open. “Come on, Bright, Ella. Off the lift.”

Both kids run off the lift in a dashing race, Owen is last one to step off. Elias finds the meeting room easily that he was due in.

“Okay,” Elias sets down the kids bag on the far end of the long table and unzips it. He pulls out some coloring stuff and lays it out. “Color quietly, please. Dada has some work he needs to go over. As for you, Owen,” Elias gestures for him to come forward with a finger. “Sit with them. Give her the present but please be quiet. That is all I ask of you, I trust whatever gift you got is reasonable and respectful enough for me not to hover.”

Elias doesn’t bother checking of Owen sits down as he goes back to Simon and slaps down prepared folder on the surface of the table. “It took me few months but I think I got it.”

“With rapping?” Simon questions sliding the folder to himself though his eyes were on Owen for a moment as Owen takes a seat beside Capella and slides over her the present. He nods over to them. “Your daughter’s birthday?”

“Yes on the rapping; as for her birthday it was a few weeks ago, late March. That’s a belated gift. She’s three now. Brighton’ll be four the end of this month. They’re nearly a year apart from each other, just by eleven months in case you've forgotten.”

Simon hums quietly hoping the folder. Elias didn’t need to explain the details of Brighton and Capella being eleven months, his boss knew they biologically didn’t both come from him, but they both were his kids. And that was the easy and respectful line he got from Simon. Brighton was his son, no question about it and Simon didn’t ask questions farther than knowing Elias adopted him but as far as the kids were aware, they both believed they came from Casey and Elias, not that it was anyone’s business to tell the children otherwise.

“Remember when she was just a baby. Toddlering all around here, too. Both of them.”

“You met her when she was hardly half a year old. Brighton hardly was a year old himself.” Elias smiles softly as Simon reviews the song. “It’s safe to say she knows you as well as me and Cass with how often I brought her and Brighton here.”

“And the bloke?” A jab of his head down the table.

“Owen, he’s just an old family friend. Known him since I was a kid. His parents are friends with my dads. He doesn’t have my contract information but he… knew where to find me today. Wanted to give Ella a belated birthday gift so… here he is.”

“Don’t make it a habit. Casey’s face is already out in the public. One bad picture of you two and who knows what the media could speculate from it.”

“I know. I’m well aware.” Elias nods sitting down. “What do you think of the song?”

“It’s good. The singers I’ve got to work with you will do good but I want to review your part before I have you meet up with them one day soon before we shoot the video.”

“Who did you pick to work with me?”

“Lady Gaga.”

Elias blinks at his boss. His eyes flickered over to his kids seeing Capella opening a set box of play-dough. The box was quickly opened up, colors sorted between Brighton and Capella both to play around with. “But… I thought you wanted me to do the rapping? Or… none?”

“Change of plans, it's who we were able to book. The song looks well enough to be less of a rap but fast pace song. But it’s good to hear that you’ve been brushing up on the skill. Maybe one day soon you’ll rap on an album in the future.”

Elias rolls his eyes but he nods. A waste of his time. At least now he could hold his breath for two whole minutes.

“And how are the rest of the songs coming along?”

“Fine. Hard though to keep everything about romance and break-up though.”

Simon keeps his face neutral. “Are you saying you want to change plans?”

“Change plans that are your plans? Noooo, why on Earth would I say that?” Elias sarcastically tells him. “But don’t you think if all the songs were romance and break-up songs that people would loose interest?”

Simon nods a bit leaning back in his seat.“I do see your point. Do you have other songs lined up?”

“Yeah. Easier to write. If you have a booth open right now I could probably run through a demo crash-course for you of a song I’ve been working on.”

“Alright.” He nods. “I should have your usual open right now.”

Elias quickly gets the kids cleaned up with Owen and they move room to room to a booth. Owen was painfully obvious with his curiosity. Eyes drifting around as Elias gets set up in the booth.

Elias leans into the mic before he starts recording and keeps his eyes on his boss. “Sex sells, Simon, just remember that. Sex doesn’t always have to be in romance or break-up songs.”

Simon’s laugh was silent as he smirks as he starts to play his guitar softly. It’s probably sound better with the drums too, but one thing at a time.

“Why am I touching myself about you. Late at night, my other plans, they fell through. I don’t know where or when, this feeling will come again. Am I missing you or forbidden fruit, caught up in the flame. Guilty and ashamed, I’m supposed to break this habit but I haven’t figured out the way down the fire escape. It’s gonna be the same, night after night, it’s tragic.”

He doesn’t miss the way Owen lifts his eyebrow his way, and Elias avoids his gaze entirely throughout the slow song. There were a few errors, some things didn’t sound right but the song wasn’t finished with the music notes compared to the lyrics.

The song only started when he started to feel confused with Opal. And he only just finished the lyrics after finally confessing his feelings to Casey.

Just like before, when he had Capella, he’s been taking the whole getting his mindset back into jumping into sex thing slow.

Little touches in the shower alone. Nothing going inside him but just that subtle feeling across his body — his clit and letting his mind thinking of different things such as Casey touching him or even going as far back as being a fifteen and sixteen year old when he was with Opal.

That is what Opal felt like to him; a forbidden fruit that he could look at but not touch.

Even though he and Casey were on similar terms. Terms that they couldn’t quite comprehend of how to move forward with, but it was a possible start. They just needed to figure out how to approach this to Opal. Or not. Elias has no clue if she’s even looking for a solid relationship.

“It’s a work in progress. I want to hear it again when it’s done before I give my seal of approval.”

Elias nods before setting the guitar down and exiting the sound booth.

“Dada! Look what I made!”

Elias crouches down to the tiny children’s table to see exactly what Brighton and Capella had sculpted up. To him it was just a blob of two different colors mushed together. To them, however, it was something magical.

“Hmm… I can’t put my finger on it. What is it?”

Capella puts her mouth by his ear, hands cupping over his ear and she whispers loudly. “It’s a niffler.”

“Ah. Wow.” Elias acts very impressed. “That is one good looking niffler. I better go tell everyone to hide their shiny stuff.”

If anyone muggle questions what a niffler is, it was easy to brush it off as something mere as his daughter’s active imagination of an imagined animal.

Capella giggles dropping back into her seat, cheeks a heavy pink. “How about we start cleaning up now. We’ll go back home and find out what’s Daddy’s cooking us for lunch.”

“What? You’re leaving already?”

Elias’ eyes drift over to Owen, who seemed heavily disappointed of his announcement of the three of them leaving. “Problem?”

“I just-…” His eyes move from Elias to the two children. “I didn’t think you would be here so… momentarily.” He breathes out the last word like a ghost in the wind, eyes soft as he stares at Capella destroy her niffler. Smashing it flat out to the table’s surface before rolling it up to shove away into the container to keep the play-dough from drying out.

Elias knew he had to be careful on the topic, if Owen got too close — too familiar with her, everything could go up in flames that Elias has been carefully been building for the last of years with Casey.

“I told you, I just needed to drop some stuff off. The sounding booth was just a bonus of extra time. I need to get home. I have other children to think of, too.”

Rephrase: He needs to feed his babies, pumping to be fed through bottles or not. And he wasn’t about to leave Casey and Opal to fend for themselves with five infants all close of age.

“But I haven’t gotten to see you guys in months.” Owen practically whines and pouts to him. “I want to see her- I want to keep playing with them. I mean, she-… they grew so much since I last saw them.” He was careful not to be too choosey over his words, his preference.

“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint.” Elias lifts his shoulders a tiny bit. “We’re going home, having lunch, then it’s quiet time. Nap time for Ella. She hasn’t outgrown those yet. She needs them or otherwise I’ll be dealing with meltdowns all afternoon.”

The facts that he points out doesn’t wipe the pout off his face. If anything it makes Owen more poutier.

The guilt creeped up on Elias.

With the fact that he kept Capella away from Owen for the whole nine months of pregnancy then three years after?

It showed that Owen has been trying to change. And Owen has proven that he only just wanted to get to know his daughter — even though technically she never will legally be his.

“Fine, just- fine,” Elias sighs rolling his eyes in defeat. “We can’t stay here to merely ‘hang out’, or go out somewhere in public but I can bring you to my house. You can join us for lunch but after that, you got to go.”

Casey was going to kill him.

Owen perks up fast.

His eyes light up as bright as his smile and Elias feels like he’s hopefully doing something right while he knew his husband might just plot out his death.

“So… that song…?” Owen hums rocking on his heels with Capella on his shoulders and Owen on his back clinging to him like a monkey as they get in the lift.

“Not about you.”

“Uh-huh.” He hums quietly. “But it sure doesn’t sound like it’s about your-”

“Don’t.” Elias snips glaring. “I’m welcoming you to my home. Don’t think otherwise. I can change my mind at any second, don’t think I won’t.”

Owen clicks his tongue noisily but shuts up fast. Elias shoves on a hat over his head, as well as the large sunglasses that covered half his face.

“You better have a bloody strong stomach.” He murmurs to Owen before they’re leaving the building moving quickly. “What-? Why?”

“I don’t drive vans.” Elias sneers. “We have a van. Eight bloody seats. Traded in the car. I despise driving large vehicles.”

“You drive?”

“Yes.” Elias rolls his eyes. “I need to get around, don’t I? Just haven’t gotten around to trying out the van just yet. Cass has been doing all the driving as of late.”

“I- yes.” Owen shakes his head. “I just didn’t think you’d drive. With all that boasting you did over magic-”

“I didn’t boast.” Elias huffs. “I was correcting you. There’s a difference. I don’t like magic, but it doesn’t mean I don’t like it when people who know the simplest terms get it wrong, even muggles.”

“You don’t like magic? But you’re a wizard. You got to like magic.”

“A little louder, will you?” Elias winces picking up his pace in speed. “I don’t think the pops heard you from across the street yet.”

“Why aren’t they taking pictures?”

“Legally they can’t. Not right now.”

“Why?”

“The kids. Possibly even you. It’s some weird bullshit law. They can take pictures of me but if my kids are with me, they can’t. The only reason their faces and Cass’ got in a mag last time is cause it wasn’t a paparazzi who took the pictures, but the pictures were sold from a normal civilian. As I said, it’s a complicated law. But it doesn't mean anything they overhear can't be used as rumors or gossip. Third party law and stuff with shit — it's complicated. This way, quickly.”

Elias grabs Owen’s hand and tugs him down an alleyway just as they make a sharp turn around the corner and out of the eyes of the people who were following him.

He swiftly pulls out his wand hidden away in the sleeve of his jumper on his arm holster and casts an disillusion charm over them, watching the large boxy black vans slowly drive past them.

The ruby ring glows in an annoying reminder as he uses his magic, as soon as he was confident that no more cars were following them, he removes the spell.

“What was that?”

“That’s dada’s invisible spell.” Brighton tells Casey as Capella tugging on his hair making Owen’s hair all messy and sticking out. “We do it all the time when we fly here.”

“Fly?” Owen squeaks.

“We don’t fly. It’s just- it’s easier to explain in simpler terms. In technical terms we apparate.”

“What’s that?”

“Move through space of one place to another using magic.”

“Daddy hates it.” Capella finds the need to point out to Owen.

“He does.” Elias nods in agreement with his son as Owen adjusts his grip on Brighton’s legs to stay on his back. “Come on, the apparation point is down this way. Have to go deeper into the alley.”

“The what-point?”

“Apparation point. In the muggle world, you can’t just be popping in and out of space whenever you feel like it. So there’s certain spots where you can legally apparate to. Down this alley is the closest one to the office building, deep down so muggles can’t just spot us popping in and out of mid-air.” Elias explains walking along with Owen following him with the kids clinging on him.

“So, I use my wand, hold onto you and the kids, then pop us home. Fast and cheap. We don’t even have to use petrol for a van or car.”

“But- but my car is just-”

“You drove?” Elias stops at the point spot.

“Yeah.” Owen nods furiously. “I- we could just take my car.”

“And risk walking back to the building? Do you have car seats? No thanks. You can stay here. Or I can bring you back later. Your choice.”

Owen blinks at him hard.

“I-I-I guess you can bring me back later.” He stutters through his vowels hard.

Elias crookedly smiles and hold out his hand. “Hold my hand firmly. Don’t let go. Also-… No, wait. Put the kids down. I’m not risking you hurting them.”

“Aww!”

Elias ignores their protests. He helps Capella down and holds her on his waits while Brighton is back on his feet, holding his arm that was tucked around his sister while Owen takes his hand.

“If you sick up, aim for the other side. Please, for the love of Salazar do not get it on me or more importantly the kids, that'll just make more of a mess.”

They vanish with a loud crack, reappearing inside the townhome’s front entryway.

Owen nearly falls over if it wasn’t for the wall beside him to lean himself on and gagging pretty hard, but nothing comes up as he sets Capella down on the floor.

“Okay there, Owen?”

He holds up a hand hiding his face.

Elias shakes his head softly, hearing some rummaging going around in the kitchen. If that didn’t clue him in on where Opal and Casey was, then it was the smell of lunch being made.

“Well, welcome to mi casa, Owen. I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re recovered. Just down the hall, first door you come across.”

Elias brushes by Owen and hangs his bag on the hook by the door. He slips into the kitchen quickly.

He greets Casey with a peck on the cheek and a teasing smack to the arse peering at the stove of a piece of meat that was being seared.

“Mmm. Smells good. What’s cooking, good lookin’?”

Casey huffs a laugh and turns his head to give Elias a proper peck on the lips. Elias wraps his arms around his waist happily leaning onto his side.

“Opal decided to teach me a new recipe. This is… foie gras, if I pronounced it right. Whatever that is. It’s been taking us all morning since you left cause we’ve been cooking different portions. How’d the meeting go?”

“Good, turns out I’ve been practicing to hold my breath for a whole minute and a half for no reason now. I can just hope one day it won’t go to waste. I’m guessing you have no clue what you’re cooking right now, do you?”

“Not a single clue. It’s a kind of meat and it’s seasoned that smells good?”

“Shhh! Don’t tell him.” Opal hisses at Elias making him snicker as she comes over with a fork with the duck liver pierced on it. She holds it up to Casey. “Taste.”

Casey opens his mouth and lets himself be fed. Opal sticks the fork into his mouth and Casey bites it off. A tiny curious hum comes from him, a satisfied look forms on his face. “Taste good.” He chews and swallows. “Very… a bit fatty. But the spices work well that you put on it.”

“Can I tell him now?” Elias eagerly asks with a mischievous grin on his lips. Opal rolls her baby blue eyes. “Fine. Go ahead.”

Casey looks between her and Elias. “What did I just eat? Did you just poison me?”

“No. If she’d poison you I think she’d just put it in your tea you drink every morning. What you just ate is duck liver. I may be shit at cooking and baking but at least I know my French and Spanish foods.”

Casey lets out gagging cough. Elias leans back. “Don’t you dare vomit on purpose all over the stove.”

“But I just- I ate liver.”

“And? It was good though, wasn’t it? My dad fed you worse.”

Casey snaps his neck looking at Elias. “What did I eat that’s worse than duck liver!?”

“Pulpo a la Gallega.” Elias speaks in a thick Spanish accent. “Papa doesn’t eat that dish. Not a lot of us Potters do. You did, though.” Elias winks at him. “And no one told you when you took the first bite. And you thought it was good.”

“What was that? What- when?”

“Um… I think last spring. It's octopus.”

Elias takes a large step back with Opal watching Casey turn green.

“I am never eating any dish outside anything I don’t know the language of ever again.” He groans pinching his face at them as Elias stifles his laugh, dropping his head onto Opal’s shoulder and burying his face into the crook of her neck laughing into her warm skin. “I think you just ruined Cass, Opal.”

“You were the one who wanted to tell him. I was going to tell him after we ate the entire dish.” She pecks the crown of his head before leaning her head on his as Owen wanders into the kitchen quietly, poking his head in cautiously. His presence makes Casey stiff up, eyes narrowed and glaring. “What are you doing here?”

“I invited him over for lunch, Cass.” Elias softly tells him. “He had a late birthday present to give Ella.”

Owen awkwardly waves at Casey, then to Opal. “Hi, I’m Owen. I don’t think we’ve met.”

Opal gently peels Elias off her and sticks her hand out. “We haven’t. I’m Opal Flint.”

Owen looks at her hand for a moment. He was obviously confused but takes her hand and gives her a respected kiss on the back of her hand. “Um… witch?”

She gives him a polite smile. “Yes. You shouldn’t go around asking that to every person you meet however. I’m assuming you’re a muggle who knows of witches and wizards?”

“Uh, yeah. Dad’s a wizard. I’m adopted, though. So, muggle. Not- Not like Elias.”

Opal looks over to Elias. “You both know each other well?”

Casey scoffs loudly, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring hard at Owen. “You could say that.”

“Um, Owen and I have a bit of a… heavy past, lets say that.” Elias thinly smiles rubbing the back of his neck. “He’s here to have lunch with us and the kids, then I’ll be dropping him back off to his car and coming back here.”

Opal’s blue eyes drift between Casey, Elias, and Owen. Her eyes finally settle on Owen, studying him for a long moment. Owen scrunches his face and looks away from her intense staring.

“Oh.” She quietly hums, certain things clicking in her mind. “I see then. I see the familiarities. Well… I think I made enough for everyone now that Casey’s backed out of his lunch. I don’t think Ella and Brighton will be eating much of this lunch anyway. So, sandwiches and drinks?”

Lunch was awkward.

Owen sat away from Elias, Casey, and Opal. Siting with Capella and Brighton and chatting among the kids in the dining room with Elias sat between Owen and Casey, across from Opal.

“So, how do- you and Elias know each other from that magic school?” Owen finds himself drifting into the adult conversation and away from the kids.

“Yes.” Opal tucks a dark brown strain of hair behind her ear. “I’m two years above him. But we had a mutual friend introduce us early into our fifth and seventh year.”

“We dated for good while, too. During then. Eight months.” Elias finds it in himself to add, eyes staring at Opal as Owen looks at him.

“And you’re okay with that, mate?”

“You’re in my house, aren’t you, mate?” Casey snips unpleasantly regardless of being in front of the kids and taking a large bite of his sandwich not eating foie gras like Elias, Owen, and Opal.

“Owen?”

Owen snaps his eyes back over to Capella fast. Eyes full of excitement for whatever possible question Capella has for him.

“Yes?”

“Do you have a mummy and daddy? Or two mummies? Or two daddies? Or one?” A random question, but it wasn’t something that Elias could blame her on asking. Since he had the babies, he noticed her and Brighton has been taking a heavy intrest in the topic.

“I- I got a mummy and daddy. And a little sister.” Owen softly smiles.

“Where are they? Why aren’t they here with us?”

“Oh, uh… in Scotland?”

“Where’s Scotland?”

Owen pinches his eyebrows, seeming a bit confused on how to answer her question. “Um… North?”

Capella tilts her head at him. “What about…? A doggie?”

Owen huffs a soft laugh. “No doggie.”

She scrunches her face. “A kitty?”

“No kitty either.”

“I have a kitty.” Capella flutters her eyelashes, seeming to be preening over the fact she has a pet than Owen.

“Do you?”

“Yeah. Her name’s Cocoa. Dada picked her name.” There was that one hard blink of Capella’s soft brown eyes. “But really she’s Dada’s kitty. Not mine. But she likes playing with my string.” She bends her head over the table. “Right, Dada?!”

“Yep.” Elias nods as Capella looks over to him as he took a bite of his lunch on her booster seat strapped down on the chair she was belted down on and wiggled around constantly on, unable to quite stay still as she talked.

“She likes playing hide and seek, too!” Capella frowns. “But she’s really good at hiding. And sleeping.”

Brighton nods in agreement quickly.

“Y-Yeah! Sometimes- Sometimes she’ll pop out from no where and scratch your feet! You need to wear socks! Thick socks!”

“I’ll be sure to remember that.” Owen nods solemnly at the kids.

Elias subtly rests a hand under the table on Casey’s thigh, giving him a gentle squeeze to get him to relax.

Owen did not leave after lunch.

Quiet time got dragged into play time. Capella and Brighton dragging the new adult in the townhouse to the third level of the home to the play room to show off their toys.

“I thought you said he’d leave after lunch.” Casey pouts at Elias.

“I did-” Elias sighs crossing his arms over his chest as he waves his wand lazily to send the dishes from the dining room to the sink. His ring glows, Opal frowns in disproval. “Just let them play with him for a little bit. Ella’s still going down for a nap in-… ten minutes anyway.” Another wave of his wand, the dishes start to do themselves. “Lunch was quicker than normal.”

Casey’s frown doesn’t vanish, still scowling away as he stares at a certain spot on the wall in his seat.

“Come on, Cass,” Elias leans over in his seat beside him and pecks his cheek. “After today, Owen’s going to vanish again for another few months. I think we can keep up with this sort of thing. Think of it this way,” He reaches on the table and takes Casey’s hand. “It’s better than facing any possible legal problems from him that he could press on us.”

That makes Casey crack a bit. He sighs before nodding softly. “I suppose so.”

“There we go.” Elias purrs nuzzling his nose into the crook of Casey’s jaw and maybe putting on a show for Opal as he smiles a bit too boldly into Casey’s pinking skin.

Opal was a topic that him and Casey haven't talked about since the last time Elias brought up the time he nearly kissed her, but Elias can’t deny that both himself and Casey have been starting to become more touchy and clingy with and in front of Opal; they needed to figure out how to approach Opal over this — if they were going to — because Elias knew by his own feelings that it was getting out of hand for himself.