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justonedrawer · 5 months ago

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY STUPID CHILD I DID NOT EXPECT TO GET ATTACHED TO, JANE CLEVE

I also took this chance to spill some lore about my MC's life. Warning: There's going to be information from things that happen and don't happen in later years. So proceed with your own caution and will.

Now storytime :D

6th birthday. 1979 is a happy year for baby Jane. She's not very aware of what's happening out in the wizarding world, and her family is not aboard on letting her know.

She happily celebrates her birthday just like the years before, her mom makes a cake, her dad helps her, and Jacob is by her side, as he says he will always be.

11th birthday. Things are gloomy in the Cleve household. Jacob has been reported missing for many months. The father, saying he couldn't take the situation, left. Leaving the house that was meant for four, to the mother Loraine and Jane.

Loraine, not being able to bear her son and husband's disappearance, turned to calming draughts and other substances that she thought would release her from her pain.

Jane's 11th birthday was lonely, she had gotten her Hogwarts acceptance letter earlier that day but didn't say anything. She's determined to go and find out what happened to her brother. As of that day, she wanted to spend it with the newer version of her mother, and a cupcake, cause as Loraine says, "There's no need for a big cake since there's only one to eat it."

12th birthday. A school year has passed and little Jane is confident she's on the right track. With her new friends by her side, Rowan, Ben and Penny, she believes her Hogwarts years will be much better than she anticipated.

13th birthday. Another curse has been broken and another friend has been collected. The fight will the Ice Knight had earned Jane a scar, small that looks like nothing. After the fight, Loraine has acknowledged Jane's well being and she's pleased she can rely on her friends. Bill has noticed the Cleve family is a bit off but pretends not to notice for his friend's day.

14th birthday. Jane begins to be more familiar with her friend-magnet gift. Her 3rd year was tough, with people facing their worst nightmare, but that doesn't stop them from breaking the curse. The gang has suprised Jane with a cake. It can't stand like a proper cake but she doesn't care, she's happy to be surrounded with people she loves.

15th birthday. The school year could have had a better conclusion. Jane is upset cause she was certain Jacob would be found in that cursed vault. To make things better, Loraine grounded her for the whole summer, both for the fact she had to serve detention and in hopes she'll drop the cursed vaults.

So for her birthday, Jane was alone once more. Well, kinda. The whole night she'd get letters from all of her friends. Some were even personally delivered by a certain bird boy that may or may not have wanted to see her.

16th birthday. Everybody is uneasy. Rakepick's betrayal had hurt the children deeply. Jacob had finally shown himself but his reunion with Jane had not been as sweet as she wanted. She's angry yes, and sad as well, but the cursed vaults are still out there and she has no time to waste with talking about her feelings.

17th birthday. Things have really gone downhill. Sure, the curse has been lifted. And Rakepick is in Azkaban. But their group is broken with two dear friends being gone by the Green Curse. She blames herself, she was there when it happened, she could have done something.

Everyone says it's not her fault, hell, even Merula and Ismelda. She's scared she can't protect anybody anymore. She's scared she won't be able to fight not only evil witches and wizards, but also a disease that has hit her gravely.

18th birthday. HAH SIKE THEY'RE ALIVE.

Things are much better for the gang. Rowan and Ben have awoken from their coma, Peregrine is gone and R has been defeated. Jane's health condition is not the best, but in general life is becoming more peaceful.

19th birthday. The gang has taken their own roads but still meet up for old time's sake. To celebrate birthdays and successes, or support eachother when things are not going to well.

After everything they've been through, with R, Peregrine, ROCC cases and Jacob, Jane has finally reached a point where she genuinely believes that they will be happy. That they will be okay.

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carewyncromwell · 17 days ago

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"And when you get there, is it perfect?

And when you get there, is a family waiting for you?

I close my eyes and see them laughing,

Telling jokes, playing games,

All of it true...

How would they feel

If your friend James came along too?"

~"On Your Way Home" from James and the Giant Peach (musical)

x~x~x~x

inspired by this headcanon post by @barnabyjr! // fancasting Renan Pacheco as Orion and Diedre Hall as Lane Cromwell

x~x~x~x

Orion Amari was nervous. He would never have admitted it aloud if you'd approached him about it, but anyone who knew him well would be able to tell. Even Orion's daughter Eos, who was a mere toddler in age, had sensed it. She even climbed onto his feet and held onto his legs while he was looking himself over in the closest mirror, blinking her big black eyes up at him in concern and confusion without a word.

When Orion looked down at her, he offered her a smile.

"I must look strange to you, don't I, little Mooncalf?" he asked.

Eos pouted at him. With a chuckle, Orion brought a hand down to patiently pat her head.

"I understand," he said. "I look strange to my own eyes, as well."

Orion hadn't ever worn this shirt and suit jacket before. Even the leather oxfords he only remembered having worn once for a meeting as a Quidditch League representative to the Department of Magical Games and Sports. He had considered going out a second time to pick up a proper tie for the collar, but he decided against it. Wearing a collar alone was uncomfortable for Orion, even back at Hogwarts; buttoning it all the way up and putting a tie around it seemed akin to putting a dog collar and leash around his neck. But would wearing it open come across as disrespectful...?

Orion glanced at his reflection again, sighing through a tired smile.

"I'm completely off-balance, my little Mooncalf," he said amusedly.

Eos mirrored his smile with a brighter one of her own. After making sure she was holding onto his legs, Orion waddled across the room like a penguin, prompting Eos to start giggling.

"Ah, but meeting your romantic partner's mother," Orion mused. "The woman who raised her and who by all accounts loves her as dearly as her older brother...the second of whom you most unfortunately did not make a good impression on, when your paths collided...it's hard not to consider all outcomes. However optimistic you would like to be, based on what you've heard of the woman, as well as your Abraxan's own reassurance that she'll love you...when you really know nothing of mothers and only marginally more about parenting through first-hand experience...well, it's akin to a Niffler trying to track down a flower, isn't it? However strong his nose might be and however quickly he might move, he's still woefully unprepared to face the challenge before him."

Eos listened to her father only absently, instead entertaining herself by dangling off of his legs and giggling as he continued to carry her around. Orion finally came to a halt in front of the painted side table by the fireplace, where a potted bundle of purple flowers sat. He reached down to pick Eos up and scoop her into her arms.

"I know we are all our own worst critic, little Mooncalf," the Captain of the Montrose Magpies said with another sigh, "but I must confess, it's hard not to feel like I have a lot to prove. Especially since Carewyn and I have no intention whatsoever to marry or become a 'traditional' family, the way I'm quite sure Carewyn's mother must expect. Would Lane Cromwell be satisfied giving us her blessing, if she knew I never intend to garb her daughter in my name -- to declare Carewyn your new mother? Will she bare her fangs as her son did -- even her own brother did before her -- when I don't have any parents or siblings of my own to offer Carewyn?"

Eos didn't understand all of what Orion said, but the two-and-a-half-year-old girl could still tell he was unhappy. She shook her head, making her short black bob and ladybug barrettes flap around in the movement.

"Daaaad," she whined.

Her mouth twisted into a pout, Eos brought both of her tiny hands up onto her father's bearded face and tried to push the corners of his lips up into a smile. This made Orion bite back a soft chuckle. His face touched by a much more sincere smile, he leaned in and kissed the top of his daughter's head.

"All right, Mooncalf. No more storm clouds. Will you pick up our gift for me?"

He indicated the potted plant on the side table with a nod of his head. Eos beamed as she snatched up the plant, and Orion patted her head with a fond smile.

"Thank you. Now close your eyes and mouth, little one -- cinders and ash don't belong in either place."

With this, Orion carried Eos and the potted plant into the fireplace and took the Floo Network over to the flat of Skye Parkin. The Wigtown Wanderers' Star Chaser had agreed to babysit Eos during Orion's meeting.

~*~

Less than a half-hour later, Carewyn had Side-Along-Apparated with Orion to the remote little cottage belonging to Lane Cromwell. Orion was immediately struck by how quiet the house was -- there were only just enough natural sounds to keep it from being silent, such as a tea kettle whistling and the fire crackling in the fireplace, and no more. Even out the closest window Orion could just barely hear the twittering of a bird in a nearby tree.

A blackcap, by the sound of it, he thought absently.

"Mum?" Carewyn called into the house. "We're here!"

A very soft voice came from the next room. Orion couldn't make out what it had said, but Carewyn turned and smiled at him, clearly having understood it perfectly.

"Come on -- let's sit down and wait."

She steered Orion into the living room. As Orion approached the coach, he became aware of something walking beside him -- when he looked down, he found a ginger cat blinking up at him.

"Mrrow!" the cat chirruped.

"Hello, Tigger," cooed Carewyn. "Hello, pretty kitty..."

She reached down and scratched the cat's neck -- he immediately buckled against her hand, purring loudly.

"Named for the A.A. Milne character, I presume?" asked Orion with a smile.

"Yes," laughed Carewyn as she straightened up. "Mum's best friend Judy has always loved Winnie the Pooh. Mum's and Judy's first cat at Hogwarts was even named Pooh."

Tigger walked beside Carewyn and Orion in turn, rubbing his side up against their legs. Orion bent down and pet the cat too as he slowly settled himself onto the couch, the pot of purple flowers in his lap.

"He is a very sociable feline," he said, his fingers lightly pressed into some pressure points on Tigger's back that made the cat lean into Orion's touch. "He must know that his breed is an omen of good fortune."

"Really?" Carewyn said curiously.

"Indeed. Sailors often kept ginger cats aboard ship, thinking to avoid dangerous storms." Orion smiled at Carewyn wryly. "I must wonder if the good fortune your mother experienced through you made her more susceptible to selecting a cat with similar coloring."

He trailed two fingers through the hair closest to her cheek. Carewyn blushed slightly through her smile, but she played it off by lightly smacking Orion's shoulder and looking away.

"Orion, really. Mum got him because he reminded her of my old cat, from when I was at school. And the only reason I had a ginger cat back then was because Mimi was too shy to come out of hiding when people came to look at her at the Menagerie and I -- "

"Chose the one animal who likely most needed a safe and loving home out of all of them," surmised Orion, smiling fondly. "How very true to you, my Abraxan."

He leaned in to kiss her on the side of the temple. Carewyn was still blushing lightly, but she smiled as Lane finally entered the room, a tea service in hand. Immediately Carewyn leapt to her feet to offer assistance.

"Here, Mum -- let me help you with that -- "

"Don't worry, Winnie," said Lane. "I've got it..."

Her voice was truly as soft as a whispering wind, but it still came across quite warmly. The older woman eased the tray down onto the coffee table, her blue eyes running over Orion still sitting on the couch.

"So you're the famous Orion," she said with a smile. "Winnie's spoken very highly of you."

Orion found himself inclining his head the same way he would before a hippogriff. "That is a compliment unto itself, given how very high my Abraxan's standards are. Not that I mean to demean the trait," he added quickly with a quick glance between Lane and his other half. "I have always esteemed Carewyn's high aspirations. It's merely encouraging to know I could meet them in any capacity."

Carewyn brought a hand down onto Orion's shoulder to show some support. Before she could say anything, though, Lane spoke first, her eyebrows high.

"I see. Well, rest assured, Winnie wouldn't have brought you to see me if she didn't think highly of you. And if I didn't express a lot of curiosity about you myself," she added with a twinkle in her eye.

She turned to Carewyn.

"Winnie sweetheart, I don't suppose you could do me a favor and go get the Necronomicon from the cellar? W for Watkins?"

Carewyn blinked, but nodded all the same. "...All right."

With a quick glance and smile at Orion, she strode purposefully out of the room, toward the back of the house.

"Don't worry, I don't really own the Necronomicon," Lane told Orion with a soft laugh. "It's just an inside joke I first developed with Jacob, when he was young. Winnie knows I mean to look through the papers in my office."

Orion glanced down at Tigger weaving between his legs. "...I see."

Lane sat in the nearby armchair and poured out three cups of tea by hand rather than with her wand.

"Milk or sugar?" she asked.

"Neither. But thank you."

Orion shifted the potted plant over to the seat beside him. Lane handed him one of the cups of tea before adding some milk to hers and taking a sip.

"Jay told me about you too, after you two met," she said lightly.

Orion took a sip of tea himself to try to mask his discomfort. "...Ah. I suppose he...expressed a far less favorable view of me than Carewyn's."

Lane offered Orion a slight smile. "He did. But to be honest, I could tell most of his complaints were flimsy at best. I even told him as much."

Orion blinked in surprise.

"Jay latched onto Winnie almost immediately after she was born," Lane explained. Her voice remained remarkably level and soft, even with how warmly it echoed while talking about her children. "He didn't have any real friends when he was a wee bairn, and having someone around who needed him...someone who understood him in a way no one else could, even while still only a tiny baby...it meant the world to him." She smiled fondly. "And well...I think Jay's grown used to the idea that Carewyn isn't a particularly romantic person and she's perfectly content being on her own. He never met Andre Egwu while they were dating, the way I did. He's never seen Winnie express interest in dating or marrying anyone before. And considering she's been so close to the vest about you...well, I think it took Jay by surprise, seeing how serious you and Winnie were."

Orion bowed his head. His reflection bobbed back and forth in his swirling tea as he put the cup down on the coffee table.

"I never intended us to be any sort of surprise," he said quietly. "But Carewyn and I...both of us...we saw each other merely as friends and once-teammates for such a long time before this, and even when we realized how much our views had truly shifted...neither of us thought a relationship of any sort would be possible, even if the other was similarly interested. There are still many empty spots remaining on the map Carewyn and I have charted out for ourselves, moving forward...ones we've yet to fill in."

Orion's black eyes became a little smaller as he folded his hands in his lap.

"There is a reason...your son has never seen your daughter as being interested in marrying anyone...and that's because she is not. Nor am I. I hold your daughter in the absolute highest regard, and I know I shall never know another like her again in all my life -- truthfully I could imagine no life better than one I could live with her in it." He swallowed. "But Carewyn and I...neither of us are suited to the likes of marriage. I could not bear to ever clip her wings, and to my undying relief, she has baldly refused to clip mine. She has asked me for a committed partnership, and I could wish for nothing less...but I aspire to no wedding bells nor ceremonies discarding our names and independent lives. I do not aim to replace Eos's mother with Carewyn, absent she may be -- nor does Carewyn intend for me to play as any kind of father to her little Jarvey, Erik. I don't believe Erik would want me in such a role either..."

His hands squeezed together anxiously.

"Please, though, do not take this to mean my feelings for Carewyn are lesser," he said tensely. "She is my partner and soulmate, my match in every way, and I love and esteem her more than I can properly express. I just...don't wish to express it by locking us into the shackles of marriage. My Abraxan aims to fly higher and farther than anyone ever has, to places and goals very different from mine, and I can't imagine I would aid her in that if she were chained down with me as dead weight dragging behind her."

Orion hadn't been sure if Lane would blow up or if she'd need to think over what he'd said. To his surprise, however, Lane didn't take long to respond -- within seconds, she'd reached out and rested a hand on top of his folded in his lap.

"Orion, please," she said kindly. "You don't need to defend the magnitude of your feelings to me. Winnie has always tried to put on a brave face, ever since she was small. She didn't tell me anything about her infatuation with Andre until they were already dating, and she likewise didn't tell me they were having any trouble until they'd already broken up. The fact that Winnie didn't tell Jay and me about you until recently is all the more proof to me of just how highly she thinks of you. And after everything you've said, I'd say it's very clear you feel just as strongly for her."

Her blue eyes, identical in shade and shape to Carewyn's, softened.

"I admit, I'd sort of presumed you and Winnie might get married sometime down the road, even if you didn't feel ready now...but if you truly never do feel ready and just want to stay committed to each other without the paperwork saying so...then that's fine. Goodness knows marriage often doesn't last forever anyhow."

Orion felt as though a large weight was slowly coming off his shoulders. He visibly relaxed.

"...Few things do."

He brought his cup of tea back into his interlaced hands and took another sip.

"Thank you, Lane Cromwell," he murmured. "I'm truly grateful for your understanding, on this matter."

"Of course," said Lane. "I'm a bit confused about why you thought I wouldn't be all right with it."

Orion brought a hand up behind his neck uncomfortably. "Perhaps your brother's disdain toward being in a romantic relationship without the thought of marriage was a darker cloud over my thoughts than I wished to admit."

Lane pursed her lips so tightly, she resembled a rather peeved salmon.

"Don't you pay Blaise any mind," she said coldly. "He is an utter luddite in such matters. And far others too, believe me..."

Orion smiled a bit despite himself.

"I admit, Jacob Cromwell's negative reaction toward me may also have worried me somewhat," he confessed. "I didn't take it personally at the time, but...well, from what Carewyn has told me, the three of you were always very close."

"Yes -- but as I said, Jay has always been overly protective of Winnie. Quite frankly I don't think there's anyone in this world Winnie could've brought home that Jay wouldn't have been suspicious of."

"Are you sure you weren't a bit as well?" Orion asked coolly, his lips resting beside the rim of his cup. "I notice Carewyn still hasn't returned with the proper file from your office."

Lane's lips teased up in a very small smile despite herself.

"Perhaps I did accidentally put the file in the wrong folder by accident," she said amusedly, some mischief dancing through her eyes. "But I figured it'd be harder to speak to you candidly, if I didn't coax Winnie out of the room for a bit."

"You could've just asked."

Carewyn had returned, her red lips pursed with slight annoyance as she put the proper file down on the side table next to Lane's armchair. Lane laughed quietly.

"I'm sorry, Winnie -- that was a bit underhanded of me."

She picked up the file and brought it into her lap so she could skim through it. Carewyn sighed irritably through her nose as she came over to sit down on the couch next to Orion -- her partner was all smiles, though, as he leaned in and gave a peck to her cheek.

"Not to fret, little Firecrab," he murmured beside her skin. "It was but a minor prank with no injuries."

"Except perhaps to my pride," sighed Carewyn tiredly. She then looked at her mother. "Are you done interrogating Orion now? What was it that you'd wanted to say that you didn't want me to hear?"

"Nothing in particular, Winnie," Lane said soothingly. "I just wanted to hear Orion's answers on their own. I know you would've wanted to defend him to me, had I challenged him on anything, and I thought it'd be best to hear him for myself."

Orion took Carewyn's hand in one of his and brought them both into his lap. "You are a proper knight in such affairs, my Abraxan. Your mother was well within her rights to want me to speak on my own behalf, in this situation."

Carewyn's lips twitched with displeasure, but she nonetheless begrudgingly accepted this.

"Thank you very kindly for the flowers, by the way," Lane said to Orion, indicating the potted plant at his side. "They're quite lovely."

Orion smiled. "I'm glad you like them. My daughter Eos and I picked specially -- we thought that some heath would bring some lovely color, in the midst of this long winter."

"Ah yes," said Lane, her eyes alight with interest, "heather is a beloved flower in Scotland, is it not? I seem to recall the Druids in particular saw it as a sacred plant."

Orion nodded. "It is considered very lucky...but winter heath in particular is also symbolic of fortitude and independence, given its ability to prosper even in the coldest conditions. ...Much like your daughter," he added a bit more quietly, bowing his head shyly even as he leaned his shoulder beside hers. Carewyn beamed, her face flushed with emotion and pride, as she leaned against him in return. "I had also hoped purple would be a satisfactory color -- I believe Carewyn has said it's your favorite."

Lane's eyes sparkled fondly. "It is. You chose well."

Resting her Watkins file on her lap, she leaned down and fetched out a small package in green-and-white music-note-printed wrapping paper with a green bow on top from the drawer of her side table.

"I set a late Christmas gift aside for you and your daughter," said Lane with a smile as Orion and Carewyn both blinked at her. "Maybe it's a bit late for your tree this year, but maybe next year?"

With another slow blink, Orion took the package from her. He ripped one lone corner so as to trail his finger in a straight line down the side and open up the rest.

Inside was a pair of two painted wooden ornaments shaped like black-and-white-patterned birds.

Orion's heart gave a little flutter of joy. Carewyn's face lit up.

"Magpies!" Carewyn breathed happily. "Oh, Mum, they're so sweet!"

"I thought so too," Lane said with a warm smile at Orion. "I thought they could represent you and your daughter, since one's just a little bit larger than the other. You know what they say...'one for sorrow...'"

"'...Two for joy,'" Orion finished.

Lane nodded. "I'd originally wanted to find you a bird nest, like the one on my tree...but well, all of the nests I found either had multiple eggs, or no eggs at all. And the last thing I wanted was for you to feel like your daughter wasn't included."

Orion looked up at her in surprise. Lane's expression became more serious.

"Winnie told me about how hard you worked to protect Eos during the War," she said softly. "It warmed my heart, hearing of how much you love her...I know Winnie's so proud of how much you love her, too."

Indeed, Carewyn was smiling in unadulterated pride as she gave Orion's hand a squeeze.

"And even if she never becomes a grandchild of mine...I wanted you to know, your daughter is always welcome here -- as are you," said Lane. "And if you and Eos ever don't have anywhere to hang your magpies up...remember they'll always have a spot on my Christmas tree."

Orion's heart felt like it had warmed up beside the fire, same as his body. His face broke out into a very soft smile as he bowed fully to Lane, his black eyes sparkling like a pair of starry skies.

"You truly are a friend of winged horses, Lane Cromwell," he murmured. "Thank you."

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #my fanfiction #orion amari #eos amari #carewyn cromwell #lane cromwell #jacob cromwell #blaise cromwell #my writing #fanfiction #andre egwu #graaaaah I love mama lane so much!!#also papa orion #I mean seriously orion makes such a good dad I love writing him as one ;~;#but yeah orion's glad to have *one* of carewyn's family members explicitly in his corner #jacob honestly will probably always side-eye orion a little because no one's good enough for his pippa but he'll be respectful #and the cromwell clan? LMAO blaise and his ilk will NEVER be okay with this #but honestly screw them #carewyn's dad evan wouldn't be okay with orion only because he's not chill with the wizarding world overall #and he definitely *would've* expected carewyn to get married and have a proper family at some point #but he knows carewyn jacob and lane are long-lost to him and it's his own fault and he's accepted that

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