But he calls his Mama back every chance he gets (Jake & Ivan)

"Alright Adrienne, say goodbye to your brother," Azalea spoke as Jake parked the minivan at the gate of Furz Croft. Any minute now, Clara would be coming out to collect the youngest Newbury and keep her entertained until Jake returned to pick the child up later that night. As Deputy Headmistress, Azalea would be required to stay the duration of the Start of Term Feast but Jake would be able to sneak away after the teaching line up for the year was introduced.

"Bye dummy!" Adrienne sang from beside a nervous looking Ivan who barely registered the jab. Azalea did though.

"Adrienne..."

"I'm helpinggggg," the child insisted, turning her grinning face to Jake and Azalea. "He needs to be prepared for all the bulliessssss."

"There aren't any bullies at Hogwarts though," Jake added, aiming to reassure Ivan more than anyone else. Adrienne seemed thoroughly put out by the idea. She was clearly looking froward to fights when she finally started Hogwarts.

"Let's try that again, shall we?"

"G'bye Ive, if anyone picks on you, tell them I'll beat them up!"

Before Adrienne could be told off again however, Azalea spotted Clara jogging down the driveway. After a quick hug to her brother and words of thanks from Azalea and Jake, the minivan was on its way again - minus one child.

With Ivan looking even more forlorn then before.

"What's up buddy?" Azalea asked as Jake omaneuvered the car into traffic. London would be crowded, and King Cross even more so.

"Why can't I go to Hogwarts with you and Dad?" The eleven year old asked tentatively. The anxiety in his voice was clear and this was the second time he had asked the question in the last two weeks. The first time he had presented a whole debate on the conservation of energy and its effects on the planet.

"Because you'll have a better time on the train, bud," Jake assured, looking over his shoulder to his son momentarily before averting his gaze back on the road. "You'll see, you'll make friends, eat all the snacks and you get to ride on boats across the lake."

"I don't like water," Ivan mumbled but only to himself, his words barely caught by Azalea. Not for the first time, the witch wondered if they had made the right decision. Ivan was a very bright kid but where he excelled in academia, his social skills were not up to par. Jake was of the opinion that if they simply pushed him into social situations, he would adapt. Azalea was starting to doubt that.

"Besides, you'll get a better lay of the land on the train, see which house you might want to get into yeah?" Jake enthused, trying to get his son to be as excited as he was. But it was only the mention of the Hogwarts library that finally cheered the child up as they pulled into a rare parking spot by the station. One of the perks of a magical car, it always found the last parking spot available.

"Would you like a snack before we put your stuff on the train," Azalea asked gently as Jake moved ahead to scout out Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Ivan simply shook his head. The witch understood. Stopping where she stood, Azalea knelt down on her knees, matching his height and looking the young wizard directly in the eye.

"You know kiddo, it's okay to be scared," She spoke, leaning close to the boy. "I was really scared the first time I was going off to school. I was worried all the other girls would be mean to me because I liked plants and they liked girly stuff." Now she had the boy's attention as he leaned in closer to listen.

"But what kept me going was that I would be home for Halloween break soon. I just pictured coming back home to my Dad and Clara and that made it okay. But you don't even have to do that. Your Dad and I will be there with you all the time. So anytime you need a break, you come find us okay?"

"I guess," Ivan replied though his features reflected great relief at the proposition. He would not have to fend for himself at school. "I mean, if you want me to."

"I always want you to," Azalea grinned as Jake gestured towards them. He had gotten a trolley and stacked all of Ivan's things neatly on top. "And so does your Dad. He's just putting on a brave face, he's gonna miss you something fierce when you're on that train."

Ivan shook his head, finally letting out a laugh as the witch pulled him into a tight hug. He held on for a few more moments than necessary but Azalea didn't mind. He would need the hugs soon enough.

"Hey, slowpokes!" Jake called out, making them both laugh as Azalea got to her feet and took Ivan's hand. Together they walked towards a grinning Jake with his trolley, ready to embark on a new adventure.

________________________________________________

Come Plot With Me <3

But he calls his Mama back every chance he gets (Jake & Ivan) Rsz_gr10

But he calls his Mama back every chance he gets (Jake & Ivan) Rsz_az10

But he calls his Mama back every chance he gets (Jake & Ivan) Rsz_li10

The summer had come to a much too fast end. After spending so long at the Palace of Versailles, the family had only had just over one month at home before school was beckoning again. Ivan's letter for Hogwarts had arrived the morning of his birthday as they'd eaten breakfast. The boy's features had greyed as he read through the information within. Adrienne had been more curious, not remembering why her brother had been given a letter for a school she'd never heard of.

The reminder of the school being magical had made the youngest Newbury bounce excitedly.

Ivan had merely returned the letter to it's envelope and returned to his food.

The summer had been much the same. The adults excited for Ivan's new adventure, whilst the boy pretended that it wasn't going to happen. Perhaps it was the distraction Jake and Azalea had needed from everything else that was going on in that moment, but it had kept them more than busy. It almost made the worry of Joshua Murray's incessant gifts seem less important.

Almost.

The first of September came around with Ivan barely trying to hide his anxiety as he dragged his heels all through the morning. Jake had done his best to keep the morning upbeat, but Ivan wasn't having any of it. They had more enthusiasm from Adrienne who had believed she was coming with them until they'd corrected her. The momentary pout had been replaced when she'd realised Clara would be looking after her, and that meant they would be getting whatever takeaway the child requested. Not to mention a copious amount of sugary treats, too.

When it was finally only the three of them, they had tried once again to get Ivan to look forward to the trip he was about to undertake, but for a second time he'd asked if he could just go with them. Azalea had fielded the first reply, with Jake adding in about trying to decide his house along the way. It did little to raise Ivan's spirits, and so Jake left Azalea to it as he navigated through the streets of London and King's Cross Station.

As they pulled in to the parking lot, Jake parked the car up before turning his attention briefly to the other two. "I'll get us a trolley for all of Ivan's stuff!" He told them, before getting out the car and heading off to find the trolley park. It took a few minutes to find the bay by the doors, but once equipped with the trolley, the Auror had hurried back towards his family with a spring in his step. He could see as he turned back in to their row that Azalea and Ivan were talking, so he slowed slightly until the two looked done.

"Hey, slowpokes!" Jake greeted them as he got closer. "We haven't got long, let's get moving!" He insisted, grinning at Ivan as he let out a small sigh. Putting the trolley towards the back of the vehicle, Jake pulled open the trunk of the car and looked towards his son. "You gonna help with this?" He asked, motioning to the trunk that was sat across the back. "You packed way too many books, it's heavy!"

The joke brought a soft smile to Ivan's lips as he moved forward to help. Jake took the majority of the weight of the trunk, shifting it on to the trolley for his son before straightening it up. Next, Ivan turned back to the cage that they'd covered to alleviate the small owls' stress of travel. So far, Ivan had not been too fond of the bird, not knowing how to interact with it and definitely not enjoying the nips it gave to his fingers when he didn't feed her quick enough. The only interest the boy had shown was that he could send letters to them via the beast.

Reaching past the boy, Jake moved the cage on top of the trunk, before reaching for Ivan's backpack which held his food for the trip, and some change to get food from the trolley on the way. "Is that everything?" Jake asked as Azalea took the bag from him, draping it over her shoulder.

"I think so..." Ivan replied apprehensively before he took Azalea's hand. The comfort made him look more confident in that moment, and Jake moved to the trolley. The three of them headed towards the station together.

"So, remember, you need to change in to your school robes on the way." Jake reminded as they walked, though they'd been over this a hundred times already. "And that you get to eat as much as you want when you get to school, so don't overfill on sweets on the way, because the Welcome Feast is amazing!"

"I know, Daddddd." Ivan moaned, earning a chuckle from both adults in return.

The front doors of the station came in to view, and then they were in to the busy station hustle. Ivan huddled closer to Azalea as they walked. They made a beeline for platform nine and ten, and the trio paused as they drew closer, taking in the comings and goings before they spoke again.

"Alright, you and Azalea first, Ive. Just walk directly at that wall, and then you'll come out on the platform." Jake instructed, smiling reassuringly as he son looked at him doubtfully. "I promise it's not a joke, you'll be fine."

The insistence didn't work, so Jake looked to Azalea and the subtle nod was enough to convey that they would be fine.

Turning his attention to the wall, Jake checked for No-Maj's close by before he walked headlong, with the trolley through the wall. It absorbed him on the spot, before letting him on to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. The steam from the Express billowed along the ground, and Jake couldn't help but marvel at the red engine for a moment before his eyes turned back to the wall he'd just entered through to wait for his son and Azalea to appear.

________________________________________________
~ Auror ~ Profile ~ DADA Professor ~
~ In a Relationship ~ 36 ~ Father ~ 6' ~ American Accent ~

The duo caught up with Jake easily enough, helping the Auror load Ivan's things on to the trolley before they set off for the platform. Ivan said no more about going with them but the way he clung to Azalea showed his nervousness. When Jake told him how to get through, the boy looked even more doubtful, subtly hiding behind Azalea. Jake took the hint, demonstrating how easy it was. Ivan blinked as both his father and his trolley melted into the brick wall.

"Just like that, sweetie," Azalea encouraged as she stepped forwards. Ivan's hold on her hand tightened but the boy stepped alongside her. She could almost hear him counting under his breath as they neared the wall and when they were only a few centimetres away, Ivan closed his eyes.

Only to emerge safely on the other side, still holding Azalea's hand a little too tightly.

"Open your eyes, kiddo, we're here," she grinned down at the boy who did as instructed. Immediately, a look of awe replaced the nerves Ivan had been feeling up til now.

"Quite something isn't it," Jake grinned from where he stood a few feet away, watching their son proudly. Ivan merely nodded, his eyes affixed to the red engine whistling steam above.

The station was beyond hectic, children of all ages and sizes running around with parents showcasing all degrees of concerns, including those that had not shown up. Azalea spotted Ji Hyun and Jia En not far off, hugging their parents goodbye while Charles Beaumont had shown up all lone. Two third year students were checking their book list nervously while a seventh year swooshed up and down the platform like an overgrown bat, flouting his authority as the oldest student present.

"Come on guys, let's find the first years cabin," Azalea suggested, making both father and son refocus. With a nod, Jake began pushing the trolley with Ivan following close behind. Now that they were here, the boy was less inclined to hold her hand. The trio walked more than half the length of the train before they came across it, what appeared to be a budding first year cabin. It already contained a little girl who had balled herself up in a corner and a boy struggling to let go of his mother amid loud yowls.

"Least our kid isn't that bad," Jake whispered in her ear, promptly receiving an elbow jab in return.

"Here, let's get your stuff in there okay?" Jake asked, not waiting for a reply as he began to load Ivan's things. The little girl in the cabin shrank even further as she saw the adult.

"You okay bud?" Azalea asked as Ivan watched his belongings stashed away, carefully eyeing the shrinking girl and the sobbing boy. So far, he seemed unimpressed and Azalea didn't blame him. "Don't worry, it gets better," she reassured him as Jake returned.

With both adults now side by side, they said their goodbyes, assuring Ivan they would see him at the school in a few hours.

"Make friends on the train, and remember what I said about the food," Jake added as he patted the child's shoulder.

"And if there's an emergency, remember what we discussed," Azalea added, finally earning the trademark eye roll that should have happens a long time ago.

"It's fine Dad, Mom, see you in a bit."

"See you Ive," they waved simultaneously to the boy on the train, watching him disappear into the cabin.

"He's gonna be okay," Jake whispered as they made their back back to the wall and into No Maj King Cross. And as they walked back to the car, Azalea was sure he was saying that for his own benefit more than hers.

________________________________________________

Come Plot With Me <3

It hadn't been easy, waiting in that moment for the train to finish billowing smoke across the station before it finally pulled away. They'd stayed to save until the train was no longer in sight, and by that point, the strange gnawing of worry had set inside Jake's stomach. Why he was worrying, though, Jake couldn't put his finger on, they would be seeing their son shortly...

"He's gonna be okay," Jake whispered to Azalea as they stepped back through the barrier between the Magical and No Maj world. No reply came to that, but the witch beside him shifted a little closer to him as they walked, exuding quiet comfort until they stepped out in to the car park. It took a few minutes to reach the car, and from there, they had set off for Hogwarts.

Conversation had been around the start of term feast. Jake would be there for the meal, ensure the new Gryffindors found their way to the dormitories before heading back home to Surrey for the evening. "Unless you'd rather I stay in the Deputy Headmistress' dorm with you?" The man had offered, the smile on his features not too dissimilar to the one that had been there when they'd ended up celebrating the news of her promotion. It earned him a playful, light slap in the arm, but Jake hadn't minded in the slightest as he reached for the same hand and threaded his fingers between here.

The drive had been as uneventful as it possibly could have been, and after parking it up in Hogsmeade the couple had walked towards the gates of Hogwarts with Azalea's bags of school supplies hovering behind them. The school was just as they had left it three months prior, but Jake would always have that moment of awe when they first walked through the gates for the new term. It was easy to forget just how grand Hogwarts was, though, he would reflect this time, it was nothing compared to the Palace of Versailles.

They had parted ways (reluctantly on Jake's part) to head to their given rooms. Azalea had explained her want to set out all of her supplies, clothes, and equipment in both her classroom and her rooms, before she would change for that evenings dinner. She suggested he do the same, to ensure everything was ready for his own classes. The puppy eyes hadn't worked, instead earning him a soft kiss and the promise of 'later'. Relenting, Jake had headed up towards his own classroom as he'd been told. The elves had done their usual good job of tidying up the room through the summer months, and had finally listened to his request of moving the stacked furniture from the back of the room out of it.

Preparation of his own classroom didn't take much time at all, mostly due to the practical nature of his style of teaching. Jake was therefore left with much more time to change than he needed. So, after changing in to his formal attire for the evening -- sans suit jacket and tie because September still boasted a much too warm climate -- before heading back down the stairs.

He passed Grayson on the way who had little news from the summer, just that he'd visited a couple of places in Europe and read... Way too many books. Jake hadn't had much to reply with in truth, except for the obvious. "My son is starting Hogwarts this year. He has the weird liking of books like you do!" Jake joked gently, before giving a small shrug of his shoulders. "I'm sure you'll meet him in the library from time to time, though... Do encourage him to do something else. Anything else. The boy needs to get out sometimes!"

Grayson didn't seem to find the joke funny and after an awkward pause, the librarian excused himself from the conversation leaving Jake to head back down towards the Potions Classroom to try to find Azalea.

________________________________________________
~ Auror ~ Profile ~ DADA Professor ~
~ In a Relationship ~ 36 ~ Father ~ 6' ~ American Accent ~

The journey from King's Cross to Hogsmeade had been an easy one, Jake taking the wheel and Azalea intertwining her fingers through his spare hand. The pair had talked some but mostly stayed in companionable silence, Azalea going through a list of her chores upon arrival. Jake's attempts to distract her were not earnest, merely playful, leaving her to plan her first evening back at the school at a new position.

The brunette was also trying not to show her slight anxiety at seeing Mimosa again. From the updates they had regularly received courtesy of Jacques Clement, the young Slytherin looked nothing like herself now. Gone were the perfectly metrical, pale features and long limbs. Upon first receiving the pictures, Azalea had tried hard to find herself in the child, and after long moments of searching, had finally settled on the teenager's newly darkened brown eyes. They no longer resembled the Lady Clement but they looked closer to Azalea's now.

Parking the car in Hogsmeade, the couple walked the rest of the way, conscious to not hold hands as they approached the gate for professionalism's sake. Jake and Azalea's relationship was probably not a secret but the witch was determined it not be a topic of gossip either. After having said their goodbyes, Azalea made for the Headmistress' tower where she was told Adelaide to await Adelaide's instructions.

Making her way up the spiraling staircase (Password: Nosferatu, clearly the redhead had not bothered changing it since assuming office), Azalea knocked on the office to no response. Pushing the door open slightly, she saw the room empty but a rather ostentatious envelope on the desk. Surmising correctly that it was a message for her, the brunette opened the envelope and read Adelaide's pristine handwriting informing Azalea that she would be late and that the sorting ceremony was now the new deputy head's purview and therefore should be on time.

Pocketing the note, Azalea gathered the relevant files left for her and summoned a house elf to transport them to her quarters in the dungeons. She had then made her own leisurely way to through the school to ensure everything was up to standard for the feast. There as no real need for that, Hogwarts had been running like a well oiled machine for decades now but it helped settle her nerve.

Finally, the woman stood in front of her small lodgings, inserting the key into what looked like a blank bit of fall. The door appeared with a grin and let her into the familiar surroundings.

The witch looked at the modest rooms, glad that at least some things never changed.

Taking the next hour to study all the new first year's files, the witch finally rose to get changed, heading into her bedroom and smiling at the zipped hanger strung outside her wardrobe. The elves knew what they were doing.

Reaching to unzip the garment, she frowned as dark green fabric spilled from the bag.

This was not the dress she had chosen. Azalea had picked a simple, ankle length black number with a matching scarf to impart as much neutrality and professionalism as she could on her first day as Deputy Headmistress. Wearing green would be a clear sign of...

The witch's eyes swiveled from the dress to her nightstand where a card stood folded on a perfect triangle, the script on it emblazoned
in silver but otherwise generic.

"This dress will suit you much better, you'll find it a perfect fit"

Her entire body turned cold as she reached for the card, rereading the same sentence half a dozen times before letting go of it as though the card had bit her. It floated to the ground, looking even more menacing than when it had been at eye level.

He couldn't be here.

Hogwarts was protected

No one could get in or out without her knowing.

And yet, the green dress remainder on the hanger, proof that all her assurances were for naught.

Rushing out of her room, the witch blindly attacked one of her bags, opening the zip with too much force in an effort to find something - anything else - to wear to the start of term feast.

________________________________________________

Come Plot With Me <3

» In the mood for tea (Jake and Ivan!)
» Welcome to the World (Veronika, Jake + Ivan)
» Domesticity (Jake, Veronika + Ivan)
» Always Be Found, Not Alone, Home (Jake, Veronika + Ivan)
» Welcome Back (Lucy & Jake)