#the jumper was originally my sister's and she made me BUY IT OFF HER which. capitalism in my own home

[hella1975]

fit no.1! this was just for lunch with my mates and on day 1 of my period so i wanted to be cosy 🫶🏼

i actually need a run-through of your whole wardrobe bc I can't stop thinking abt ur skirt boot combo a month later. become a fashion blog

this is my new calling

[cloveroctobers]

CHELSEA ELLE HODGSON —

IG info/Bio: @/chelseaaahodecor | 109k followers | hi babes! welcome to my life lovelies, please get comfy with this Prosecco im serving thru this screen! xx here’s my site if you need some light in ur life: ichelseahdgsondesigns.com 🏝💕

24 (25) years

From Buckinghamshire, England

Comes from a wealthy family

her father’s side of the family founded, “Hodgson investments” their company is built off of financial services

Her papo (grandfather) was arrested on tax invasion & served some time for doing so

Her father, Alistair now manages the company but under a different name

Her mother’s side of the family comes from old money...something about horses?

Her mother, Connie holds many events and seems to make $ from them but Chelsea isn’t quite sure what the woman does or if it’s fully legal

The family is all about protecting their image & if you don’t cut it, there will be repercussions

Feels a little like dynasty (I’ve only seen 2-3 episodes & never finished but get the point?) , maybe that’s why Chelsea & her sister enjoy watching it so much

Parents forsure held courtship events or either went to courtship events with their children (even Albie) & found suitors in hopes of marrying their daughters off (& finding Albie a new wife, only on Mrs. Hodgson’s part— mr. Hodgson seems nicer/easy-going)

Has older twin sibs: Albie-Crispin & Dolly-Georgiana

Often referred to as “the triplet” in the press

Well-known in their city

They’re all called by their first & middle name in their family household even tho their parents do not have middle names

Has a love/hate relationship with albie, he is selfish & has proven to do anything to drag others down to make himself look better

He’s a lawyer & has been married to his wife for about 7 years

Mrs. Hodgson, Dolly, & Chelsea all agree they do not like her but Chelsea puts on a smile whenever her sister-in-law is around while Mrs. Hodgson makes it known that she dislikes the woman, she thinks she’s beneath her son since her family does not make nearly enough $ put together between her & Mr. Hodgson

Dolly has a bf who’s a dental hygentist that she’s been dating for about 3 years but they’re both cheating on each other, she doesn’t think she’ll ever be married

She’s in office management

Chelsea fell in love with interior decorating from the moment she played with doll houses. Her grandparents made sure to send her the biggest doll houses they could find every Christmas. She’s always been in love with rearranging and picking certain items and best putting them into a space that works

She shit at drawing (she’ll leave that to the Architects) but she knows her furniture & patterns quite well

Has asked a few architects out on dates, some she worked with or stumbled across, only one seemed like it could have truly worked...I imagine him to look a bit like Henry Cavill with light facial hair (told you I’m a sucker for it, & Chelsea probably can tolerate just a bit not too much)

Yet Chelsea always has a wondering eye, she gets curious quite often which makes you wonder, is she really ready for love? To fully commit? One day she will be

It’s a competitive field and when she’s ready to battle she will but there are moments when she gets let down & has to pick herself up again

Has ADHD, goes to therapy for it & hates taking her meds. She’d rather stick to therapy sessions since it’s always nice to talk to someone

When she was younger she probably stole a friend or two’s bf & would definitely get mad if they did it back to her but they somehow still end up being friends in the end? Yikes

Hung out with the popular kids, was always at the parties making sure everyone was having a good time. Filling up the cups, directing where furniture should be moved, where the kegs should go, how many people should be there, etc...She doesn’t seem like the stuck up type like her mother but she is privileged & doesn’t realize it as much

Was a cheerleader & ran track, quit track to commit full-time to cheerleading since that kept her in shape enough

Dated here & there, had one bf where they would scream at each other and wouldn’t allow the other to leave or would be upset that the other didn’t come after them...yeah one of those couples

Broke up with her goth bf because he didn’t tell her he wasn’t coming to school for about a week; he had the stomach flu

Canon: Took a computer course in high school & in uni & found out she was at the top of her class for typing the fastest, she now loves the sound of her short pink ombré nails on the keys

Canon: Wanted to be a show jumper due to her mother’s side of the family & their history with horses

Goes to the stables every now & then, there’s one horse there that she’s absolutely in love with & loves to ride. Her father always offered to buy it for her but it’s not a animal she wants to own

Canon: loves finger foods + will get full off them at events quickly. She also doesn’t mind the tiny portions of food at expensive ass restaurants, it’s just enough for her

Takes hair supplements. Probably had long hair growing up that she always kept up in a bun or ponytail but decided to start chopping her hair off & getting layers & highlights which damaged her hair

Approves of plastic surgery

Is part of the itty bitty titty community & got a lift for them

Gets lip fillers for her bottom lip but isn’t a fan of needles + overlines her top lip

loves going to the dermatologist, the spa for facials & whatever else she’s willing to try & finding new skincare to buy

Tans & loves tropical hot summers

Buys an overload of bikinis even in the winter

Hates the rain, it messes with her mood

Loves a good lipstick & lipgloss combo, nudes & pinks are her to go to’s

Fav color is pink

Got herself a guinea pig after the show & named her “bubbly” after her baby in the villa

I feel like she would eventually get a tiny dog too

Has her own flat, that’s quite far from all of her family. She loves her dysfunctional problematic family but Chelsea likes her space from them too

Since buckinghamshire’s culture is more of a Middle Ages style, Chelsea made sure her home wouldn’t hold much of that style inside. It needed to be lively! Her family home was filled with dark wood & she can’t stand that

She loves going to the markets tho. She always seems to leave with something & either finds herself not liking it months later and ends up selling whatever item caught her interest

Her family tends to pop in whenever they want, especially her mother

Canon: talks about cat cafe’s when she’s drunk, says its her version of the chocolate factory + she’s the dancing drunk

Always down for a girls night out, girls trip & girls sleepovers

Probably goes to bed early around 10pm or earlier m if she’s not out having the time of her life, which makes her regret her choices the next morning

All her closest friends back home are a group of girls

Hangs out with Priya, Marisol, & Hope from the villa whereas the rest she’ll mostly communicate with them through socials or gatherings

Will host gatherings & expect them ALL to show up

Is dramatic when things don’t go her way

Loses focus more than gets bored in relationships? She’ll find other things or people to occupy her time which she doesn’t realize can be hurtful to others

When she does realize she hurts someone, she immediately wants to fix it

Canon: Is a blabbermouth. Cannot hold a secret for shit, also cannot tell a lie. Her body language gives it away first if she doesn’t spill it

Retail therapy is the best therapy if she doesn’t have a office appointment

Any spice girl song will be her karaoke song, she is always baby spice

Loves her Prosecco (me too sis!) & keeps plenty bottles in her wine fridge. She originally wanted a space with a wine cellar but got creeped out at the thought since it’s just her & bubbly living in the home

Has high cell phone bills, the girl loves a good chat

Cannot cook no matter how hard she tries. She’s been to cooking classes with an ex, watched videos, order from those food delivery sites to prepare food & it just never turns out well

Will spend hours in furniture stores, she’s had to be escorted out pass closing hours by security guards before & manage to make friends out of them. They all know who she is in majority of the stores she enters

Throws a party every time her following goes up. There’s never not a reason to throw one

Was upset that Carl unfollowed her once and figured Hannah made him do it. Which wasn’t true, Hannah was sure of herself now & doesn’t feel the need to be jealous, the man could follow whoever he wanted—she knew he barely stayed on IG in the first place. He thought it was too shallow

So when Chelsea called him one night sobbing he was utterly confused, he didn’t understand why a follow meant so much

He reluctantly followed her back

Thrilled to know Elijah, Lucas, & Carl all keep up with her. Oh & the rest of the boys ofc!

Chats with Jakub! They also hang out. They’re a bit of a odd pairing but they get along well, he’s basically another big brother to her but she actually likes him—

Afraid of the dark, keeps fairy lights lit throughout the night in her bedroom, keeps scent infused night lights in her hallways

Believes in feng shui

I feel like her voice is soft like jennifer Tilly’s?

Idk what her sun sign is? Is she a sag far as daydreaming cause she does that. I KNOW she has Leo in her chart, she’s dramatic, warm, likes to be admired & appreciated. Sun sign I need help? Maybe she’s a Sagittarius sun? + Leo moon + libra rising

Has a collection of celeb gossip magazines that she keeps on a stand next to her pink velvet chair beside her bow window

I think she will be the first islander that gets pregnant tbh & it’s by an architect (the guy I mentioned/envisioned that’s been waiting on her to realize he can give her the love she needs or prove he can balance her out) or firefighter or someone “manly” she wouldn’t end up with a islander I don’t think

she has a girl & names her, “adore”

Canon: Still wants 5 kids but we’ll see how that goes & if it’ll change, it’s been a bit difficult not drinking Prosecco but she’s got a lovely baby out of it

Crushes? Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfred Enoch, Alex Pettyfer, Joe Cole, Gregg Sulkin, Frank Dillane, Charlie Rowe, & Hero Fiennes Tiffin

Can listen to anything that’s got a good beat. But we all know she’s a pop & folk genre lover. She listens to: Astrid S, Maty Noyes, Cher Lloyd, Bebe Rexha, Allie X, Poppy, POST MALONE, etc.

Anthem? Gabrielle Aplin — Until the sun comes up

[accio-kitty-malfoy]

A Breath of Fresh Hair

I am SO sorry it has been so long since my last update. I’ve been super ill and then work has been manic. Anyway- if you’re still interested, here’s a new chapter. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/24633025/chapters/77463770

Chapter 10: A Second Attempt

 Harry took the same route to the coffee shop as he’d done the previous time. This time his head was less foggy and he enjoyed the journey. As he walked through Grimmauld, he resolved to make plans to clean the house. He knew it wouldn’t be quick or easy, but he would just take it a room at a time. He thought he’d probably end up doing the kitchen, living room and one of the bedrooms first. It would give him space to sleep, eat and relax at least. He was sure he would be able to count on some of his friends to help him too.

 He was more prepared to see Malfoy when he walked into the coffee shop. This time he was wearing a darker grey suit with a deep red shirt. His hair was tied back again; a red velvet ribbon secured it at the top of his neck. Malfoy tucked a couple of stray strands behind his ear and stood up, holding out a hand to Harry. He smiled easily, but there was no trace of his customary smirk anywhere to be seen. Harry shook his hand before taking the seat that Malfoy gestured to.

“Mr Potter, you’re looking much better than the last time I saw you.” Harry nodded. He didn’t know what to say. “Would you like a coffee? Or perhaps a tea?”

“A tea would be lovely, thank you.” Before long they both had steaming drinks in front of them and Malfoy dug around in his bag, bringing out a notebook and a pen.

“Now, please explain your idea to me. You don’t mind if I make notes while you speak?”

 Malfoy didn’t say much while Harry spoke, bar making small sounds of acknowledgement, or asking for clarification when needed. He bit the inside of his cheek while concentrating. Harry had never noticed he did that before.

“Sounds like a good base idea, Mr Potter. I’ll have a look at it in more depth and make some notes on what might need to change, or how certain things might be achieved. I’ll write it all up and we can have another meeting. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of days. That should be-“ He checked his diary “- the seventeenth of July. I have one thirty free, if that’s good for you?” Harry nodded. “Would you like to meet here again?” Harry nodded again. “Then that should be all, unless you would like another drink?” Harry was slightly taken aback by the offer.

“I should, um, get back to the Burrow. I’d like to go and see Bill and Fleur and the baby.” He felt like he was making excuses. “Sorry.” He added quickly.

“No worries at all, Mr Potter. I understand that you have had a rather stressful few days.” Though Malfoy gave Harry a friendly smile, he could’ve sworn that there was something more in his eyes. It was probably relief, but Harry had an odd feeling that it looked more like disappointment.

 On the way back to The Burrow, Harry had a walk around Grimmauld. He decided which rooms he would tackle first. On the ground floor, there was a large entrance hall that went right up to the top of the house. The door closest to the main entrance was the formal dining room. There was also a library and study on that floor. The first floor had the large, double story drawing room with the Black family tree and a bedroom. The second floor didn’t have much, except for a bedroom and the third had a large room that had originally been Sirius’ parents and then Buckbeak’s and a smaller spare room. The fourth, and last, had Sirius’ old room, as well as Regulus’ and the stairs to the attic. All of the bedrooms had their own bathrooms, except for Sirius’ and Regulus’; they shared one between them. Right at the bottom of the house there was a large basement with a huge kitchen, a dining room with a fireplace, a bathroom, a pantry and the boiler room. Harry decided that he would renovate the whole of the basement- that wouldn’t be too much of a job as they’d been used the most often by the order, so they were in good working order already and just needed a freshen up- and turn the formal dining room on the ground floor into the lounge. He didn’t know which room he would take as his bedroom. He thought he would probably end up in Sirius’ but didn’t know if it would hold too many memories of his Godfather for him to be comfortable in there right away. He would have to think on it.

 The Burrow was quite quiet by the time he got back. It was half three in the afternoon. Molly was knitting (she’d made an early start on the jumpers this year), Arthur was out in the garden and Ginny was doing some in-between practice reading in the kitchen. The try outs were approaching quickly and Ginny had a nervous energy about her. He said that she wanted to get as much practice and reading in as she could before tea, as Luna would be joining them for food and then staying over that evening.

“How’re things going with you guys?” Harry was genuinely curious.

“Good, thought we’ve barely seen anything of one another with all the drama of you being ill, Ron and Hermione moving and the new baby. I’ve also been training a lot, and Luna has the quibbler to run. It’s been pretty mental to be honest.” Harry nodded his head then stood up, heading over to the kettle.

“Brew?” Ginny smiled and gestured to the chipped yellow mug sat in front of them. They closed their book and leaned back in the chair, stretching as they did so.

“So, how did the meeting with Malfoy go?”

“It went well. We’re meeting again in a couple of days when Malfoy has had a chance to look over the plans.” Harry poured the hot water into the mug and stirred thoughtfully. “I’m going to move into Grimmauld. I’m going to renovate it a bit at a time- starting with the rooms I need to live in- and live there. It’ll be easier for me if I’m going to work in London. It’s going to feel pretty empty there though.” Ginny made a small noise in the back of their throat and leaned forward in their chair.

“Luna has been looking for somewhere to stay in London. She’s opening a new office up in Diagon Alley and Tomas will be taking over the branch in Hogsmeade. If you’re looking for a housemate then I’m sure she’d be happy to muck in with the renovations. I’m sure she’d be glad of not having to floo or apparate, she says both make her feel sick. I doubt she’d want to stay forever though. She’s nearly got enough saved to buy a nice little flat somewhere.” Ginny had begun rambling a little, trying to justify their suggestion. They only ever seemed to get flustered when talking about Luna.

“Sure Gin, I’ll ask her when she comes over today. I’ll have a the floo connected to here at some point too, so it’ll be easier for you guys to see each other.” Ginny smiled and gratefully took the mug of tea that Harry handed them as he sat down.

 The next hour or so was spent comfortably sipping tea and chatting about this, that and the other. Weasleys from all over were flitting in and out of the house. Bill had come back from the hospital for a freshen up while Fleur’s parents and sister were visiting her. Charlie had decided to stay for a few more days to be an extra pair of hands if needed. George and Angelina had called in and decided to stay for tea. Luna arrived around five and her, Ginny and Harry went to sit outside in the garden. It was a cooler day than it had been in a while, though it was still hot, and the sun was still high in the sky, it was comfortable and pleasant. After a while of lounging and chatting, Ginny gave Harry a meaningful look. He cleared his throat and brought up the topic of Grimmauld to Luna.

“Of course, that sounds fantastic! How much are you wanting for rent?” Harry looked confused for a moment. He hadn’t really thought about it.

“Nothing. We’ll split bills and things, but I already own the house so it’s not like I’ll be paying a mortgage or anything. All I ask is that you give me a hand with the renovations.” Luna nodded enthusiastically.

“That would be such an amazing help with me saving up for my flat. Harry you are the sweetest.” They gave each other a hug and carried on discussing finer details. Harry had decided that he would move out, even if his salon project didn’t get off the ground. He knew it would be good for him to get out of the Burrow and actually have some responsibility. And even renovating Gimmauld would give him something to do- some purpose. Him and Luna agreed to move in at the start of August. That would give them a couple of weeks to sort everything out in finer detail.

 Ron and Hermione appeared not long after, and then they all sat down to eat on the tables outside. As always, the conversation flowed easily. Harry sat back and watched his friends and family talking and laughing. He drank in the joy and happiness that surrounded him, knowing that he would miss it when he moved out, but finding himself excited for what the future held in store for him. He knew that he would appreciate his easy comfort more when he wasn’t constantly surrounded by it, and he promised himself that he would try and visit The Burrow as often as possible after he moved. He also knew that he would have to tell Mrs Weasley as soon as possible. Hopefully she would be distracted by the happiness of the new baby and that would soften the blow of him leaving, but he knew she would still be upset. After all, he was like a son to her. Affection for the woman spread throughout him, but he was soon distracted as Ron placed a huge slab of chocolate fudge cake down in front of him and Arthur topped up his cider. He smothered his cake in cream and was enveloped back into the conversation, a smile on his face and in his heart.

[eleven-times-lively]

The First Day

In which You and Fred send your daughters off to Hogwarts for the first time.💕 masterpost

Summary: You and Fred part ways with your girls for the first time, and the newfound freedom makes you realise new truths about each other. Word Count: 3295 Note: This took soooo long to write!! Sorry for the delay! Also, the next chapter will be 85.7% angst. Also sorry this is so short. I know I said it would be longer, and it was meant to be but I wrote the ending and it made me feel things and it felt like a fantastic stopping point and bridge to the next chapter. So ch.8 will open with the original ending to this chapter.

You woke up, still groggy, to the sun shining in through the window. You rolled over and felt a still sleeping Fred beside you. His chest moved up and down with his shallow breathing as he slept. You peacefully admired your husband as you transitioned into a more awake state. However, the moment of peace was quickly disrupted as you heard shouts in the halls and your doorknob shaking before the door flew open. Fred shot up in the bed, thrown out of his deep sleep, as his gaze quickly whipped around the room. The two of you were ready for a dementor attack, but alas it was just your two daughters, staring up at you from the foot of the bed with their big, innocent doe eyes. 

The two pairs of eyes blinked up at you and Fred expectantly… silently. You and Fred exchanged confused glances, looking between each other and the girls. The moment of silence was short lived as the girls quickly broke into a flurry of movement and words. All you could catch were drawn out mentions of shopping, wands, and floo powder. You and Fred chuckled to yourselves as you peeled away from the bed. 

Fred snuck behind an excited Callie and snatched her up into his arms, earning an excited shriek from the girl. You did the same with Cassie and together you all headed down to the living room for morning tea. 

You were all settled around the dining table, the girls finally calmed, when you had a normal discussion about the day ahead. 

“So,” Fred began, fingers tapping his mug as he peered over the edge, “are you ladies excited to get your school supplies?” 

“Absolutely!”, Callie cheered, reaching for the letter that was on the shelf behind her. “I can’t wait to get my wand, and to organise everything to get ready!” You and Fred chuckled at your daughter, a gleam in her eye at the promise of packing and planning.

“And I…” Cassie began, drawing out the vowel, “am excited to visit all the shops and meet some people! Hopefully some students will be there!”

You and Fred nodded and smiled at your daughters in front of you. The once adorable babies had turned into young, intelligent girls that would soon be off to school.

“But still,” you piped up, a warning tone in your voice, “that doesn’t mean you can burst into Mummy and Daddy’s room unannounced.” You glanced down at them, not particularly mad or upset.

“Oh, come one, love,” Fred responded to you, “they were having fun. Remember how excited we were?”

“Of course, Freddie,” a more scolding tone hinting at the edges of your voice, “but barging in like that is rude and they need to know that.”

“Nonsense,” was all he said as he stood up.  He was headed to the kitchen when he noticed the twins were no longer seated at the table. “Guess we were so busy that we didn’t even notice our daughters slip away.”

You just rolled your eyes and headed out to the back gardens, and you noticed a few more chips of paint had come off the doorframe. You made a mental note to fix that later.

***

A few hours later, it was time to head to Diagon Alley. You had promised the girls you could use the Floo Network as a special treat. You had access through your fireplace, but the girls knew it was off limits due to the risk and dangers should they not properly dictate.

After a long lecture and teaching of the Floo Network, the four of you arrived in Diagon Alley. “Should we just let them off on their own?” Fred asked, wrapping an arm around your waist as you walked. 

“Seriously?”, you cocked an eyebrow up at him, leaning into his grasp. The girls were already a few metres ahead of you, bounding through the crowds.

“Yeah,” he responded coolly, “they know the place like the back ‘a their hands. They grew up here, y/n.” He was walking at a calm, breezy pace, seemingly forgetting that this was the last time you’d see your daughters for an extended period of time… until Christmas at least. 

“I don’t know, Freddie,” you spoke reluctantly, the thought behind your words evident.  “It’s a special day, we should stay with them.”

Fred silently agreed, nodding as he walked. The four of you went in and out of each shop, the girls stopping to admire the various wonders held within each. 

“Look at this!” Cassie exclaimed, admiring the ostentatious, advanced-skill telescope before her. She peered her eye in the wrong end and let out an exaggerated “Wow!” in reaction. You chuckled as you ruffled her hair and walked past.

“I think we should stick with something simpler, love,” you reminded as you walked over to Callie, who was selecting her phials. “Crystal, eh?” you acknowledged her over her shoulder, causing her to startle slightly. You chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder. “May look nicer,” you began, “but glass will last longer. Don’t want to have to buy a new set next year.” She nodded and grabbed the glass set instead. 

With scales, cauldrons, phials, and telescopes in hand, the four of you headed out of the first store and back into the bustling chaos of the street. You and Fred quickly apparated the supplies back home before guiding the girls into Madam Malkin’s for uniforms. 

After not twenty minutes, you realised this would be the most daunting part of the day.

“But whyyy is it all black?” Cassie groaned, picking up her winter cloak. You opened your mouth to respond, but Callie beat you to it.

“Because,” she began, her face pointed, “it shows uniformity and professionalism. This is a school, not a funhouse,” she said matter-of-factly before wandering off. Your eyes widened in awe and confusion before guiding Cassie to the gloves section.

Fred leaned down to her, whispering, “Don’t worry, love, I hated the uniforms too.” He winked.

“But daddy!”, she giggled, “that was so long ago! You haven’t been to school in ages!”

Fred brought his hand up to clutch his chest and his face contorted in mock offense. “How dare you!” he jokingly gasped, “I will have you know it has only been…” he paused for a moment, eyes darting back and forth as he counted in his head, “seventeen years since I’ve graduated!” His look of ‘ha! I’ll show her!’ quickly turned into a look of ‘Merlin, am I that old?’ as he scoffed and walked off. You chuckled and helped Cassie finish up her selections. 

Hours later, countless books carried, and galleons spent, it was time for the much awaited wand selections. The girls were practically jumping for joy as they skipped towards Ollivander’s. They got mere steps in the door before they stopped dead in their tracks, heads tilted upward and mouths open in awe. The both gasped as they spun around, taking in the sights around them. It had never occurred to you how amazing the sight truly was. Boxes upon boxes stacked on every available surface, ladders flying about the room and wands floated about, excited wizards grasping their very first wands for the very first time. It was truly intimidating and astounding all at once.

You and Fred each placed your hands on the girls shoulders, guiding them within the shop to the front counter. You took in a deep sigh, awaiting the long, enduring process ahead. 

            The girls looked on in amazement as they were asked questions before their wands found them. After many moments, anxious waiting from you and Fred, and the girls bouncing up and down, Callie and Cassie had received their wands. 

            Cassie has been selected by an intricate and unique wand. A nine and a half inch cedar wand with a unicorn hair core and a dainty, intricate swirled carving down the length of the hilt. 

            Callie had been selected by a stoic, powerful wand. Eleven inches, hawthorn wood, and a dragon heartstring core made up the fierce and daunting wand adorned with runes along the length. 

            You felt tears prick at your eyes as you wrapped an arm around Fred’s shoulders. Remembering your own wand selection, how overjoyed and nervous you were; awaiting the new chapter ahead. He placed a kiss to your head as the two of you rejoined the girls, congratulating them and guiding them out of the shop.

***

Hours later, after checking in on the store and finally heading home, the girls got set on packing. It was just as much of a chaotic mess as you’d expect.

“Cassie, that's my jumper!” Callie shrieked, taking the garment from her twin.

“No it isn’t!” Cassie shot back. “It has a ‘C’ on it!,” she grabbed the jumper back, “it’s mine!” Fred was snickering in the corner, watching the whole thing play out.

“Both our names start with a ‘C’ you daft bim-,” 

“Calliope!”, you shouted when you came into the room at just the right time. “You do not call your sister names!” You weren’t particularly mad, but you were yelling. “It is her sweater,” you explained, “yours are blue, Cassie’s are purple.” You huffed as you stared down at them. Tensions were high and you didn’t get like this often, they just sat staring up at you. Callie rolled her eyes and went back to her packing while Cassie snickered and turned back to her own.

Fred had a smirk on his face that was quickly gone when you walked over to him. “Alright, love?”, he tested.

“Clearly not,” you groaned, walking out of the room.

***

“Hey, love?” Fred asked from the corner of the room. The girls had long since gone to bed, and you were curled up on the couch with a book.

“Hmm?”, you responded, sitting up on the couch to face him. 

He sat behind you and pulled you into his lap. His arms wrapped tightly around you as he breathed in your sweet scent and placed a kiss to the top of your head. “Can we talk about earlier?”

“What about?”

“You got pretty upset with the girls. Perhaps unreasonably so?” His arms squeezed tighter and you could hear the hesitation in his voice. 

“They were arguing, Fred. Perhaps unreasonably so,” you lightly chuckled, “Callie called her sister a bimbo, Fred.” The agitation was evident in your tone.

“Well, yeah, but I think you overreacted just a touch, love.” His fingers came to play with your own. The sly git knew just what to do to calm you down, trying his hardest to avoid a fight.

“Overreacted?” the annoyance was evident, but your tone remained level. “I don’t know about you, but I won’t have our daughters treat each other that way. At least not in this house.”

“That’s just sibling banter, love,” he placed another kiss to your head as he felt you tense in his lap. “I know you don’t have experience with that, but trust me it’s normal, especially for twins.” He expected another retort, and was considerably confused when he felt you shaking. 

You sighed and began to cry lightly. “What if they won’t be okay without us?” The tears streamed down your face as worse-case scenarios ran through your head. 

Fred gripped your hips and turned you around so that you were seated on his lap, fully facing him. His thumbs gently wiped away tears as his hands cupped your face. “Love,” he whispered, gazing directly into your eyes. He needn’t say more, his soft visage seeming to touch your soul. You’d had the conversation countless times before, and the words didn’t need to be said again. Deep down you knew that the twins would be perfectly fine on your own. But your motherly instinct and need to constantly protect them continued to overshadow and cloud your judgement. Fortunately your strong, doting husband was constantly there for you to calm all of your fears with just one look or the touch of his hands.

The tears stopped and your breathing steadied as you leaned into him. You came to rest yourself on his chest, legs stretching out across him. He ran his hands up and down your back, occasionally coming to brush through your hair, and you buried yourself in his chest. You were nearly asleep when you felt him gently drum his fingers on your hips. “We should head up to bed, love,” he whispered as his hands lightly gripped your hips.

You hummed against him, mind in agreement but body remaining steadfast against your husband. He chuckled lightly as he stood up and held you in his arms. He carried you upstairs and into your bed, where he nuzzled up next to you and held you close. His strong arms wrapped around you as you relaxed and warmed to his touch. You both quickly drifted off to sleep, both in complete adoration for one another.

***

The day finally came where you’d have to say goodbye to the twins. You and Fred woke up early, prepared to have to drag the girls out of bed, but you should’ve known better because they ended up waking you at an ungodly hour.

You and Fred prepared a final family breakfast for the girls. A full English was passed around, along with jokes, memories, and a few held back tears on your part. After breakfast, you and Fred helped the girls gather their trunks, cases, and bags and bring them downstairs. Before apparating away, you were sure to give them a quick chat.

“Now girls,” you began, crouching down to their height and taking a soft, maternal tone, “it’s going to be very busy at the station, so you need to stay by me or daddy at all times.” One twin rolled her eyes, the other flashed an awkward smile. “I’m serious,” you pressed, but while smiling at the girls, “I just want the two of you to be safe.”

“We know, mummy,” they responded in unison. You and Fred chuckled as you each took one girl’s hand and apparated to King’s Cross Station.

Upon arrival the girls stoop, mouths agape. “It’s huge!”, mused Cassie.

“That it is,” responded Callie. They stood in amazement a few moments longer as you and Fred tried to guide them inside.

“Just you wait, ladies,” he began, “the fun is just beginning.” He winked at you as the four of you entered the main building of the station.

Callie glanced down at her ticker. “Platform nine and… three quarters?” She looked up at you and Fred in confusion.

“Have you learned nothing of magical history?” Fred tsked jokingly. “Platform nine and three quarters is how we get to the…” he leaned down to whisper, “Hogwarts Express.”

Callie didn’t seem convinced, but continued nonetheless. Cassie, however, lit up with absolute glee.

The four of you got to the brick wall of Platform 9 3/4 and the girls once again looked around in awe and amusement. They were both about to question the absurdity of it all when they saw an older wizard zoom past and straight into the wall, followed by his parents who exchanged warm smiles with you and Fred. You quickly explained the process to the nervous looking girls. 

You and Fred gave them a quick chat, convincing them that absolutely nothing bad could happen. You took Cassie’s hand, Fred took Callie’s, and you prepared to cross over. You and Cassie went first, followed by Fred and Callie. You and Fred exchanged warm smiles and a small kiss on the other side, forgetting the exciting rush of crossing the platform. “Haven’t done that in seventeen years,” he mused. The girls were absolutely speechless as they took in the sights around them. Wizards roamed everywhere. Spells were shot about from those old enough, siblings pushed about their carts together, and there was an abundance of nervous first-years looking just like your twins.

“That was fun!” Cassie exclaimed, “We should do that again.” You and Fred both chuckled as you guided the girls through the crowd and over to Bill and Fleur, whose oldest daughter was the only other Weasley child old enough to attend Hogwarts yet. 

The four of you chatted for a bit while Callie and Cassie acquainted themselves with Victoire, who was already in her third year. Wizards were filing on the train at a steady pace, saying their goodbyes and finding their friends. Victoire said a swift goodbye to Bill and Fleur before heading to the train, promising to save space for the twins. Bill chuckled as he watched her leave. “Clearly it gets easier,” he smiled at you and Fred before him and Fleur took a few steps back to give the four of you some time.

Fred knelt down to the girls, tears already pricking at his eyes. “Calliope, Cassiopeia,” he spoke at a steady pace, the girls were attentive--not used to hearing their full names, “I love you so, so much and I am immensely proud of you. This is a big step forward, and I have full confidence that you will accomplish great things and make your mother and I very, very proud.” He held back his tears as best as he could, but a few inevitably fell. He gave each girl a kiss on the forehead and a tight hug before giving you a chance with your daughters. 

“Girls,” you smiled as you knelt down as Fred had, “I know I may not be the most pleasant at times, and I may not be your favorite person all the time, but please know how much I truly love you. Everything I do and say, and if I’ve gotten a little mad lately, is all because I’ve been trying to prepare you. I want you to do the best you can and to see you continue to grow into the wonderful young ladies I know you are. Please remember that we love you very much, and we’ll be thinking about you the entire time you’re gone.” You smiled and chuckled through your tears and you wrapped both of the girls in one big hug. 

The four of you said final goodbyes as the girls reluctantly boarded the train. Their cute little heads quickly popped out of one of the nearby windows, their gaze quickly finding you and Fred. And just as promised, they were seated with Victoire. You couldn’t stop your tears as the train began to pull away. Fred wrapped an arm around you and placed a kiss atop your head as the two of you waved goodbye to your girls as the train left the station. You waited until you could no longer see the train to leave, and even then needed some coaxing from Fred. You apparated home where he pulled you into a tight embrace. 

All of your emotions came forth at once. You were sobbing and shaking in the entrance to your home. Fred had his hands wrapped tightly around you and you buried into his neck. Tears streamed from his own eyes as well, both of you a mess of feeling. The two of you stayed that way for a while, processing the new dynamic settling into the home, the new chapter you’d begin, and the uncomfortable silence in the home. No longer were the pitter-patter of little feet, the high pitched giggles of young girls, the bubbling laughter from the four of you at family dinner. Instead there was an uncomfortable, deafening silence bleeding into the room. An uneasy feeling washed over you. Things were surely going to change. You and Fred were alone together for the first time in eleven years, and maybe it wouldn’t be exactly as you’d hoped.

[typicalmidnightsoul]

𝕯𝖆𝖗𝖐𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖉𝖊 𝖔𝖋 𝖇𝖑𝖚𝖊 -Chapter 1

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭

Hogwarts AU After Feyre and Elain spot Nesta go into Borgin and Burkes with her friends they get concerned and as time goes on the inner circle realize that Nesta Archeron is indeed hiding something that may be life threatening, which is why she will not open up to anyone, and would rather face this alone. The inner circle and a very determind Cassian is not, however minding their business which puts everyone in knee deep shit.

Exquisite. She was exquisite, standing there in her robes. Well, on Nesta Archeron school uniform didn’t really look like uniform. Her skirt was more high-waisted, her jumper tucked in with no crinkles and since she hated knee high socks she work sleek black tights with black heels.  As she fixed her blue tie Cassian took his eyes off her and sat down.

Feyre came in a few minutes later and glared at the sight he was staring at down the train passage way.  They were only waiting on Mor and Amren.

“Did something happen?” Azriel inquired.

Elain and Feyre exchanged a look.

“Well…something did happen with Nesta,” Feyre began. Rhys sat up next to Cassian, Azriel lifted a brow.

“What something?” Cassian asked.

“Something a bit disturbing.”

“Care to elaborate?” Amren came in with Mor shutting the door behind them.  Feyre glanced at the door.

“Elain and I planned to meet up with Nesta at the leaky cauldron at 1 but since Elain wanted to find a gift for one of her friends younger sister’s and as we were coming out of Eeylops Owl Emporium we saw Nesta 1 hour early with Cresseida Maree and Eris Vanserra…”

Elain picked up the story, “She looked so weird, and they all did wearing all black. But that wasn’t the problem.  The problem was that they went into Borgin and Burkes.”

“What?!” Amren hissed.

“Why would Nesta Archeron need to go there?!” Cassian demanded.

“When she came out we asked her and she said Eris had business there so they tagged along.”

Cassian relaxed, “Eris Vanserra is in Slytherin and as much as I don’t like their friendship it makes sense for them to tag along.”

Feyre looked at him, her eyes hard “We would’ve believed that but the second Nesta saw us she handed a bag over to Cresseida and they both left. Leaving Nesta with us, without as much as a glance.”

They all went silent until Elain said, “It’s her life so I don’t-”

The compartment door slid open, “Elain it seems that I mistakenly put my spare Ravenclaw tie in your satchel, may I look?” Elain got out her satchel and handed it to her.

“Sure, who’s it for?”

“Cressida, she left hers at Tarquin’s.”

The atmosphere went awkward.

“Skirt got an inch shorter this year?” Cassian chuckled.

“Maybe it’s just your perverted view” she didn’t even look up.

“Or maybe you’re just an attention seeker,” Mor retorted.

“Morrigan take a long look in the mirror because according to history there aren’t any lengths you wouldn’t go to hide that pretty little secret of yours.” Mor paled at the drawling voice leaning on the doorway.

Nesta groaned, “Cat meet dog.”

“Are you Nesta’s dog then Eris?” Feyre asked, sneering.

“Well, if being Nesta’s dog means she gives me 10 times more affection than she gives you then I’ll gladly comply.”

Nesta looked up at him from her rigorous search. “Aw, thanks.”

She got the tie and ruffled Elain’s hair as she was going out only to be stopped by a tornado which pushed Nesta back into the sliver of space next to Elain.

“What the fuck is Helion doing in our compartment?” Vassa hissed.

Nesta looked utterly shocked, “I called him, why what’s wrong?”

“He has been flirting with everyone, Cresseida, Clare now he is on Thesan, Nesta kick. Him. Out.”

Eris pulled her back, allowing Nesta to get up.

“He knows, Vass. We need the information.” Vassa straightened at that only to almost topple at the jolt of the train that made Nesta fall straight into Cassian’s arms. Her honey blonde hair fell like a curtain around them. Sliver eyes met gold ones. His smirk faded.

Eris cleared his throat. Nesta jumped off him. As they went out Vassa nudged Nesta and gave her a smirk which Nesta dutifully ignored.

In Borgin and Burkes

“Ms Archeron, what a pleasure your aunt told me you’d be dropping by.”

Her voice was like a knife cutting through silk, “Hello Mr Borgin, I hope my aunt told you why.”

“No. she didn’t risk it, she feared that someone might be listening.”

“No issues,” she opened a black duffel bag and took out a black box to show a hollow flower crystal rhinestone choker.  Mr Borgin chuckled.

“Ever so sorry, Ms Archeron but I don’t buy pretty jewellery.”

Cresseida sniggered.

Nesta gave a saccharine smile to Mr Borgin.

She leaned forward and whispered, “Don’t touch her; she might put a curse on you.”

That made him stumble back. The trio snickered.

He gave her an inquiring look.

“It’s a blood-Bourne curse, and as you know it resurfaces after many generations to affect the descendants of the one originally cursed. I want you to find out who was the person originally cursed and who their descendants are.”

He nodded but asked, “Do you know what the curse is?”

She nodded, “But unfortunately I cannot tell you, nonna’s orders.”

“Ah, yes that reminds me, your grandmother has told me to give this to you.” He gave her a box. She opened it. Eris came up behind her and gave a smile that promised death.

The box had a rifle, a sniper and a machete and a note inside read,

Make sure these reach to Ms Laurent,

She will know where to plant them

You will be notified of their whereabouts the morning after you

You give them to her. Stay safe, keep your

Sisters safe.

Love Nonna.

They quickly worked, unloading the weapons and into the Burberry duffel bag. As they were leaving Cresseida got a text.

“Nesta your sisters have been following us.”

“Too late,” Eris replied as they caught sight of them at the end of the alley. Nesta handed the bag over to Cresseida.

“Put the bag in your trunk. Give it to me on the train.”

They both nodded and left without turning back

@skychild29​

[author-j-mccarthy-blog]

Hogwarts: The Continuing Years Chapter One

Welcome to Chapter One of my new Harry Potter Fanfiction series. Go back to Hogwarts with Lily Luna Potter and her friends in this new adventure for the next generation of the Harry Potter family. This series is family-friendly, inspired wholey by JK Rowling’s original writing style. I hope you enjoy Lily’s adventures at Hogwarts.

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Raindrops tapped gently on her window, awakening Lily Luna Potter on a grey September morning. She blinked the sleep out of her emerald green eyes with a smile. Today’s finally the day! Lily threw the covers off her and scrambled out of bed. She was already pulling on mismatching pink and orange socks when her mother knocked lightly on the door. 

“Lily, are you up sweetie?”

Lily threw open the door and jumped into her mother’s arms. Ginny Potter caught her daughter with a happy laugh.

“Today’s the day mum! I’m finally going to Hogwarts!”

Lily separated herself from Ginny and beamed up at her mother. Ginny ruffled her daughter’s ginger hair affectionately. 

“So it is, darling. You’re going to love your first year at school, I just know it.”

“Thanks mum,” said Lily happily. She had been waiting for today for eleven years and three weeks, and she was determined to make it perfect. 

“Well, I wanted to wake you up first today,” said Ginny, “Want to help me wake your brothers?” 

“Of course,” Lily giggled. “Can I wake them up with tricks?”

Ginny made a sceptical face.

“I promise I won’t be too mean, pleeease mum!”

Ginny laughed. Why were Lily’s pleads so irresistible? 

“Fine Lily. As long as they’re up in time for breakfast.”

Lily whooped with delight and ran past her mother. She padded through the upstairs hallway, happy for her socks to muffle her footsteps as she came to her eldest brother’s door. Lily peaked inside James’s messy room. Clothes and spell books were strewn all over the floor. Has he even packed? She wondered, as she checked her pockets for the perfect trick. Uncle Ron never failed to get her something great for birthdays. Should she throw a dung bomb? Was that too mean? She had promised mum not to be too mean… A-ha! Lily took out a small glass bottle filled with a tiny rain cloud. A “weather in a bottle” would be perfect! That would show James for pushing her into the Ministry of Magic fountain on bring your child to work day… 

Lily crept into the room. She had to place the bottle over his bed just so, otherwise he might not get hit. James snored lightly, his face hidden under his mess of curly hair. Lily had to concentrate hard to stop from giggling as she edged her way around the mess on the floor. James’s tawny owl, Flit, cocked his head curiously at her from his cage. Lily brought a finger to her lips to tell the owl to be quiet. When she was finally in position at the foot of James’s bed, Lily carefully uncorked the “weather in a bottle” and the tiny rain cloud was released. It flew out of her bottle and bga to grow at a rapid pace, until James’s bed was completely covered by the cloud. Lily held her breath in anticipation as the clouds swirled around her brother. Suddenly it burst open and rain drenched her elder brother’s bed. James let out a shriek as water soaked his blankets, and Lily couldn’t hold back her laughter any more. James fell off the bed trying to untangle himself from the blankets and simultaneously reach for his glasses to see the culprit of the trick. Lily raced out of the room before James could stand up, giggling with delight as her brother muttered confused curses behind her. 

Her next victim was Albus, her other brother. His room was at the end of the hall by the stairs. Lily peaked in cautiously, worried that James’s scream had woken Al. He was still sleeping soundly. His room neat and tidy, the exact opposite of James’s. They had to be opposite in every way, thought Lily as she edged into the room. A green and white Slytherin Flag hung on his wall. She stifled a gasp as she almost stepped on Fritz, Albus’s pet ferret. He skittered away under the bed as Lily reached into her pocket and pulled out her signature trick: her screaming yo-yo. Albus was so jumpy, it would be brilliant. She twirled the yo-yo off her finger right by his ear and the toy let out a scream that would curdle milk. Albus yelped at the scream, sitting bolt upright and covering his ears. He saw Lily giggling uncontrollably next to him, right as James burst into the room still sopping wet. 

“You’re dead Lily,” James shouted with a grin. 

He charged into the room as Lily ducked under Albus’s bed. Albus, still half asleep and disoriented threw a pillow at where Lily had been. Instead it hit James in the back of the head. Lily scampered out from under the bed and hurled herself down the stairs while her brothers were still looking for her under the bed. She raced down the hall and into the kitchen laughing in delight. Today was off to a great start! 

Lily leaned against the kitchen door to catch her breath. Her mother and father were making breakfast (pancakes, Lily’s favourite). They looked up at her and Ginny raised an eyebrow. 

“Lily, did you remember not to be too mean?”

Lily shrugged playfully right as James and Albus hammered on the door behind her. 

“Is Lily in there?” Asked James.

“Yeah,” called Albus, “we need to, uh, ‘talk’ to her.”

Lily ran away from the door as the boys burst in, and hid behind her father. Harry Potter ruffled his daughter’s hair and held up an arm to ward off the boys. 

“Wow, Lil, it must’ve been bad if you got them working together,” he chuckled. 

“Alright, alright,” Ginny said, “enough tricks for today.” She waved her wand over James, drying him instantly. “Now go get dressed, boys. No hitting your sister on her big day.”

“Come on mum, she deserves it,” James whined as they left to get dressed. Lily stuck her tongue out after them as they shut the door. 

“Your first day at Hogwarts is off to quite the start,” said Harry. He piled some pancakes onto her plate and Lily smiled up at him.

“It’s going brilliantly so far!”

The Potters sat down for breakfast at the kitchen table. Ginny made sure to set places for James and Albus, who came downstairs a few minutes later in jumpers and jeans. Albus in Slytherin green as usual, and James in Gryffindor red. As they sat down, Lily couldn’t help but wonder which house she would be sorted into… Of course she hoped for Gryffindor, like her parents had been. That’s where all the Potters and Weasleys were sorted into… But if Albus could be Slytherin, maybe she could be too? 

“So, Lily,” said Harry, “Are you excited to ride the Hogwarts Express?”

Lily nodded enthusiastically. “I’ve been saving my pocket money all year for the sweets from the trolley,” she replied.

“We gave your brothers trolley money,” Ginny said, “we were going to give you some too.”

“No thanks mum,” said Lily, “I’m excited to use mine!”

“Which class are you most excited for?” Harry asked.

“Flying,” said Lily without hesitation. “I’m going to be on the Quidditch team in first year, just like you dad!”

Lily had been obsessed with Quidditch since she had discovered her mum used to play for a team called the Holyhead Harpies. When she found out her dad had played too, she wouldn’t keep quiet until her parents finally got her a broom for her ninth birthday. It had child locks and wouldn’t fly past the barrier of their neighbourhood, but still it had been wonderful to play pretend Quidditch captain on that broom. She and her brothers used to play three on three with their cousins every Christmas at the Burrow. And when her parents had brought her to Diagon Alley to buy her books and her wand, Lily had been most excited to finally buy her first real broom, a Nimbus 3000 like her brother James’s. Only to be used at school, Ginny had told her. She couldn’t wait for her first flying class when she could finally sore above Hogwarts on her real broom.

“I should have guessed,” said Harry warmly. “But don’t be too disappointed if you don’t make it in your first year. Ginny only got onto Gryffindor’s team in her fifth year, you know?”

Ginny nodded, “And I was the one who played professionally out of us.”

Lily’s mind lingered on the word “Gryffindor” and again her thoughts turned to which house she would be sorted into. She looked across the table at Albus. He never talked about school much, but when he did it seemed like he didn’t like Hogwarts at all. Was it because he was Slytherin? James was constantly talking about how great Hogwarts was: how many friends he had, how good at spells he was… But James was in Gryffindor. Lily prefered Albus out of her two brothers, he’d always been nicer to her than James… But if she was being honest with herself, she hoped that she would be James’s housemate, not Al’s. She had only ever heard bad things about Slytherin house afterall… 

Suddenly Ginny stood up, breaking Lily’s train of thought. She waved her wand and the empty dishes in front of them flew up and into the sink. 

“Breakfast is finished,” she announced. “Time to get your trunks, kids.”

Harry looked at his watch and stood as well. “The train leaves in one hour.”

James and Albus stood up and left to gather their things. Lily was following her brothers out when Harry called to stop her.

“Lily, wait a minute. Your mum and I have a little something to give you.”

Lily turned around to look at her dad. He rose from the table and disappeared into the living room for a moment. Lily glanced at her mother questioningly, but Ginny only smiled. When Harry came back into the room, he carried a box in his hands. He came up to Lily and knelt down so she could see inside. There, sleeping soundly in a pink blanket, was the most adorable little kitten Lily had ever seen. She held her hand over her mouth to stifle a squeal. 

“Every student at Hogwarts is allowed to bring a familiar,” Harry explained. “James has Flint, and Albus has Fritz, so it’s only fitting that you get a pet too.”

Ginny leaned over to look at the sleeping kitten. She was cream-coloured with light brown paws and a fuzzy long tail. Lily reached in to stroke her soft fur and the kitten opened a pair of brilliant blue eyes. 

“What will you call her?” Asked Ginny.

Lily wasn’t sure. The little kitten started playing with her finger and her eyes glimmered like two blue precious stones. 

“Opal.” Lily said eventually. “She looks like an Opal, don’t you think?”

“It’s perfect,” said Ginny, kissing Lily’s cheek affectionately. 

“Well,” Harry said, “What are you waiting for? She’s yours.”

Lily lifted Opal from the box and hugged her close. Opal was small enough to sit on Lily’s shoulder and play with her fire-red hair. Lily giggled with delight and hugged her parents lovingly. They hugged her back, holding onto their youngest child for a moment. She was finally ready to go off to Hogwarts. Ginny wondered, as Lily parted from the hug and ran upstairs to grab her trunk, just how had she grown up so fast?

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[athenascarlet]

Sugar Rush

Summary: Emma Swan loves making ice cream – as long as her daily deliveries avoid Killian Jones and his cupcakes as much as possible. She doubts this is going to be the season for her to change her mind about the infuriatingly attractive and frustratingly talented owner of The Jolly Cupcake. But as the leaves change in the fall, is it possible her feelings could also morph into something else? Rating: T Notes: For @fallforcs, originally published as a blind date with a fic so you may have read it! Banner by @nicole-nikla -- thank you! If you like this, I'm also in the middle of the Captain Swan Big Bang so please catch up with Hide Your Love Away on AO3 or FF. I also have published two novels on Amazon. You can buy them here for less than the cost of a grande pumpkin spice latte (or less than a half gallon on Emma’s ice cream and one of Killian’s cupcakes).

Also on AO3 | FF

-----------------------------------

“Emma! Delivery is ready!”

Emma wiped her ice creamed hands on her apron and headed to the back of the store where Ingrid was standing in their kitchen, filling up a cooler with gallons of ice cream. She pulled off the apron and hung it on a nearby hook.

“How did the batches turn out?”

“Amazing, as usual,” Ingrid told her. “I really think your apple cider ice cream will be a hit.”

“I hope so,” she replied. “As long as we don’t get apples from the mayor’s tree, we’ll be fine.”

Ingrid gave her a teasing smile. “You act like they’re poisoned.”

Emma shrugged. “They might be. You never know.”

She was sure they probably weren’t, but the mayor was definitely more sour than sweet so she wasn’t about to test her theory.

Emma threw on her red leather coat and grabbed the cooler from the counter. “Granny’s first, right?”

“Yep! Tell her I said hi!”

Emma nodded and headed out the front door of Any Given Sundae to Granny’s Diner. She always loved walking down Storybrooke’s Main St. at this time of year. After two years here, she finally could call it home, which was something that still caught her off guard at times.

When she was younger, Ingrid had been her foster mother, caring for her as a teenager. But as with most teenagers, Emma had a problem with authority and ran away from Ingrid’s home. She went out on her own, eventually tracking down bail jumpers to make ends meet. It was fine until one in particular busted her arm. She still got her bounty but decided it may be a good time to try something different, and since she was so good at finding people, she decided to find Ingrid.

Her former foster mother had moved to a small town in Maine and opened a store specializing in homemade ice cream made on site. At first, she seemed surprised to see Emma, but quickly gave her a smile and a hug. The next thing Emma knew she was whipping up cream and sugar and whatever else Ingrid had decided to try for customers.

The store sold ice cream staples: chocolate, vanilla, cookies and cream. But it was really known for its more unusual or fun flavors, which brought people in from all over Maine. They were one of the first stores in the state to make cake batter ice cream from scratch, and Emma’s frozen hot chocolate ice cream was a favorite. She often encouraged customers to add a little shake of cinnamon from their toppings bar.

This month, Ingrid had encouraged Emma to come up with some good fall flavors. She whipped up the perfect batches of pumpkin spice ice cream and candied pecan ice cream. She also found some amazing apples at the local orchard and used them to create an amazing apple cider ice cream. It was just like drinking the real thing.

“This is the best one you’ve ever made,” Ingrid said when Emma finally let her try the recipe.

They quickly sold out of the first few batches, including a few gallons that Granny ordered for the diner.

Granny was one of their best customers, always putting in an order for gallons of vanilla ice cream to go along with her pies. The unique flavors were also a hit with customers who got a scoop included as part of the dinner special.

Emma’s feet crunched on the dry leaves in Granny’s courtyard, which made her smile. She swung the door open and walked in, taking a quick look at what the miners sitting at the counter were eating for lunch. Lots of lasagna, a few grilled cheeses, and Leroy’s heaping bowl of orange sherbert. He was definitely their best customer.

She headed back to the kitchen window where Granny was placing orders with the kitchen staff.

“Thank God you’re here,” she told Emma. “We just ran out of vanilla. I thought a cupcake/ice cream combo would be a hit, but it was way too popular at lunch today.”

Emma gave her a perplexed look. “What kind of combo?” she asked.

“Delicious cupcakes with ice cream, Swan! In fact, I’m here to drop off a new batch myself.”

Emma scowled. She recognized that voice and was not surprised when she turned to see its owner leaning against the counter with a smug grin on his face next to Granny’s cake plate stocked full of cupcakes.

Killian Jones.

She had no idea why the cupcake store owner insisted on wearing all black. It seemed so impractical for a cake maker who was constantly around flour and sugar, but he made it look effortless. Emma was always picking sugar out of her hair or cleaning spilled cream off her clothes. His clothes were immaculate and made her mouth water.

She would never tell him that second part. Because honestly, everyone knew that man was gorgeous. But not everyone recognized the feud there was between Any Given Sundae and The Jolly Cupcake. Hell, even Ingrid thought Emma’s belief that The Jolly Cupcake was a rival was overblown.

“Sweet treats can co-exist in this town,” Ingrid once told her. “I don’t know why you have such a grudge against one of them.”

Because one of them was run by an infuriating man. He was gorgeous and successful and, dammit, his cupcakes were amazing. His flavors were special and perfectly balanced between the cake and the icing. It was annoying.

He was annoying.

Emma gave the smiling baker a once over and sighed. “Jones.”

“What did you bring with you today, Swan?” He swaggered over and pushed into her personal space. “I do hope it’s deletable.”

Emma just rolled her eyes. “Of course, it is. I made it.” Her eyes darted over to the cake plate on the counter. “What about you?”

“Delightful as always,” he said with a wicked smile. “Would you like to try a maple brown sugar cupcake? Or perhaps a dark chocolate one with cinnamon icing? I hear it’s a favorite of yours.”

Emma’s mouth was watering from the cupcakes and Killian’s voice was heating up other parts of her body. Dammit, why did a rival who pressed her buttons have to be so delicious as he did it?

“They sound fine.”

Emma grabbed the empty cooler sitting in the pick-up window from the kitchen and started to head out.

“I thought we were sharing, lass?” Killian asked as she walked by. “What new concoction did you whip up?”

“Ice cream,” she yelled back.

“Sounds tasty! I can’t wait to lick it up!”

Emma was thankful to hear the door close behind her as she pushed her way into the chilled fall day outside. She needed a little air to cool off after that meeting with Killian.

Of course, she was going to go back to Granny’s and try that chocolate cupcake with cinnamon icing. What kind of person wouldn’t want that? But there was no way in hell she was ever going to tell Killian she did it. Just like there was no way she was ever going to tell him about her taste tests of several other flavors she quietly snuck out of Granny’s Diner over the past few months. It would be better to not inflate his ego anymore than it already was.

xxx

Apparently, today was not Emma’s day. As soon as she got back to the store, Ingrid sent her out on another ice cream run, this time to Hansel and Gretel’s candy shop. She had no problem with the brother-and-sister duo, probably because neither of them was as infuriatingly attractive as Killian Jones.

Which is why she was so frustrated when she ran into him -- literally -- as she was leaving the candy shop.

“Careful with the cupcakes, Swan. You wouldn’t want to smash my treats.” He leaned in and gave her a wicked grin. “Or perhaps you would.”

Emma rolled her eyes. Infuriating.

(Also, she wouldn’t mind smashing his treats. Also, that made her frustrated. Again.)

But there was one place where she could really throw him off his game: The Rabbit Hole.

Emma smiled as the bar’s owner, Liam Jones, poured his creamy concoction into two glasses, adding straws to both of them.

“OK, let me know what you think of that,” he said as he grabbed his own off the bar.

It only took a few sips before Emma moaned in delight. “This is amazing, Liam.”

“Hey!”

Emma smiled. Once again, she recognized the voice. “Hey, Killian. What’s up?”

He put down a large white baker’s box on the bar and pulled the bar stool out from right next to her. “Don’t ‘what’s up’ me, Swan. What are you doing here?”

“Just drinking.”

Her lips curled dramatically around the straw again and she took another drink. She could tell it had the effect she wanted on Killian. His eyes trailed down to her mouth, his jaw did that thing where he flexed it whenever he was tense. She could play this game all night.

“Here, try this, brother.”

Liam put a glass down in front of Killian and poured some more of his experiment into it. Killian gave the glass an odd look and then did as he was told, his long lashes fluttering shut as he drank.

“Bloody hell,” he finally said. “What is that?”

“An apple pie. It’s apple cider ice cream from Any Given Sundae mixed with vanilla vodka. It’s great, right?”

Killian’s ecstacy turned into a scowl as he looked at Emma. “Are you turning my brother against me now?”

She just shrugged. “I saw a business opportunity.”

She leaned over and drank more, keeping her eyes focused on Killian as his did that thing where they lingered on her lips again. Was this really what their relationship had come to? Trading jabs over ice cream cocktails at a bar?

And yet, after the day Emma had, she didn’t mind it. She liked teasing him like this. In fact, she liked alot of things about him. She liked the way he responded to her teasing. She liked the way he smiled at her comebacks. She was definitely impressed with how he looked in that black outfit of his, no matter how infuriating it was that he could keep it so clean.

Killian finally cleared his throat to gain some composure. “Well, if you want to talk business, Swan.”

He gave her one his trademark eyebrow raises and reached over to the box next to him. He lifted the lid just high enough for Emma to see all the cupcakes inside. They all looked amazing. Killian’s decorating skills were ridiculous. Then he set a dark cupcake down in front of her.

“Winter ale cupcake with a stout frosting. Tell me what you think.”

“Really?” she asked skeptically.

He seemed undeterred, giving her a warm smile in return. “Go ahead, and be brutally honest. I know you won’t hold back.”

“And not to sway you one way or another,” Liam said. “But we sold out of yesterday’s batch in an hour.”

She looked at the bartender, who simply smiled and grabbed the box of cupcakes off the bar and took them to the back. Emma turned to the cupcake, pulling the wrapper down to expose the moist cake inside. It looked amazing -- fluffy and light with just the right amount of frosting. Some cupcake makers added too much frosting, but Killian had a knack for getting the right balance. Dammit again, it was so annoying that he was so good at this. And he opened the shop only six months ago! Crazy prodigy baker always dressed in black.

She stared at the cupcake a bit longer and then finally took a bite. Damn, it was good. Great flavors that weren’t overwhelming. The frosting and cake complimenting each other so well. If she wasn’t being watched, she would’ve quickly stuffed the rest of it in her mouth at once.

But she was being watched. She couldn’t see his eyes -- she was still staring at the cupcake. But she could feel his glare. He was anticipating her response. Because for as much as they teased each other, as much as they were at odds -- whether true or exaggerated -- there was a mutual respect between them when it came to their crafts. Emma could give him some snarky comment in response, or she could just tell the truth.

She looked up to see him staring at her in anticipation. She couldn’t tease him about these.

“This is amazing.”

His face broke out into a huge smile. “Be honest, Swan. Do you really like them?”

She rolled her eyes. “It pains me to say it, but I honestly do.”

“Better or worse than the chocolate with the cinnamon frosting?”

“Couldn’t tell you. Never had one of those.”

She took another bite, the cake and frosting melting together in her mouth.

“That’s a lie,” Killian teased. “Granny said you bought half a dozen from her.”

Emma stopped eating as she stared at the man next to her. She loved Granny dearly, but that woman sold her out and told Killian her secret. And yes, she had in fact bought out all of Granny’s inventory of the chocolate cupcakes with cinnamon frosting. They were delicious. So what? “Emma, you’ve got some frosting…”

His voice trailed off as he motioned on his face to a spot near his lips. She swiped at the spot, but it only caused Killian to laugh at her more.

“Hold on, let me help.”

“This is your fault,” she said. “You put too much frosting on this one.”

He didn’t have to say anything. The disbelieving look on his face said it all.

“OK, fine. It had the right amount of frosting.”

“Thank you,” he said as he reached for her. “And for the record, your apple cider ice cream is mind blowing.”

She could only stare at him. Mind blowing? He thought her ice cream was mind blowing? Wow. That was… quite the compliment from the cupcake king.

He swiped at the frosting on her face, his fingers warm against her cheek. “There,” he said quietly.

But instead of pulling away, his hand pulled her closer, his breath against her face. Then he kissed her. It was warm and gentle and sweet. So sweet. The buttercream frosting from the cupcake mixed with the apple cider ice cream on his lips. It was like kissing a heaven full of fall flavors.

He pulled away slightly, an awkward smile teasing at the corners of his lips. “Sorry, lass. I don’t know what came over me.”

She shook her head, trying to clear out the fog that seemed to have settled over her brain. “Um, it’s OK. It’s fine. Well, more than fine. It was, uh… Well, this cupcake is pretty magical or whatever I guess.”

The tension in Killian’s shoulders disappeared, his swagger back but with a genuine warmth in his smile.

“I’m glad you like it.” He leaned over and took another drink from his apple pie cocktail. “This, by the way, is bloody amazing.”

“Do you like it?” she asked. “It was actually Liam’s idea. He came into our shop after he had some of our ice cream at Granny’s.”

“Liam has a knack for finding new flavors for the bar.”

Emma looked down at her half eaten cupcake and smiled. Maybe Liam wasn’t the only one who could try new flavors. Maybe it was time for Emma to try something new, starting with Killian Jones.

She turned to Killian and smiled. “So were the winter ale cupcakes Liam’s idea?”

“Of course,” he replied in a dejected tone. “And he hasn’t let me forget it.”

Killian started talking about Liam’s ideas for spiked egg nog cupcakes for Christmas and Irish Creme cupcakes for St. Patrick’s Day. He talked about the bad batches he still made on occasion that would crumble instead of stick together. Emma suggested maybe using the broken cupcakes in a vanilla base for a new ice cream flavor. Then she talked about the latest cake batter flavors they were trying for the ice cream with Killian giving her tips on different ways to mix the ingredients she was using.

And sometime after midnight, he walked her out to her car and kissed her again, and his lips were just as sweet as before.

[blair5869-blog]

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[tanmath3-blog]

I’m going to start this interview off a little differently by using an excerpt from his new book. Please welcome R. Patrick Gates to Roadie Notes…..

  One fine day in the middle of the night,

Two dead boys got up to fight.

Back to back they faced each other,

Drew their swords and shot each other.

A deaf policeman heard the noise,

And came and killed the two dead boys.…

The empty airwaves of the mind…

Welcome to TunnelVision – the premium channel streaming from the imagination of R. Patrick Gates to you!

What happens when you lose sight of the forest for the trees?

TunnelVision!

Wilbur Clayton has a personal connection with Jesus – Murder! Abused for most of his life, Wilbur and Jesus are out to make amends and take revenge. With Grandma in his head and Jesus on the TunnelVision, Wilbur knows what must be done and who must be made to pay for the sins of the father…

The only thing standing in his way are a cop with a gift for details and deduction, and a young genius whose reenactments of his favorite books are about to become all too real.

TunnelVision – streaming seven days a week, 24 hours a day!

On the air and in your nightmares!

      1. How old were you when you wrote your first story?

I was seven years old. Every Monday afternoon I had to go to catechism class after school. Leading up to Christmas that year, catechism had a story writing contest. The story had to be about Christmas and its true meaning. I wrote a story about a drug addict who’s addicted to LSD (shows how much I knew about drugs at seven years old) who takes acid and experiences the Nativity and sees God, basically. Afterwards, he finds out that the pusher who sold him the acid was really selling placebos – just sugar pills. I won first place, and the prize was, I think, my very own rosary.

2. How many books have you written?

At present count, I have written 10 adult horror novels (FEAR, GRIMM MEMORIALS, GRIMM REAPINGS, TUNNELVISION, DEATHWALKER,JUMPERS,THE PRISON, ‘VADERS, NOWHERETOHIDE, and SAVAGE), seven young adult horror/mystery novels, of which four (MYSTERY HILL, GUARDIANS, GHOSTLAND and CANDY STRIPES) have been published so far in the U.S.– all were originally published only in Germany and in the German language; the rest will be coming out this year and next in the U.S. In the works is a collection of my poetry and short stories (called DARK STREETS & FUNNY BONES) plus sequels to at least four of my novels. I’m also working on a very long fantasy novel, THE SECRET WAR, you know, the kind that appeals to children ages 8 to 80. I have also produced two children’s picture books. The first, ROLLERCOASTER WORLD, I wrote with my son when he was seven years old (he’s 27 now). We had gone to an amusement park and afterwards riding home he had mused aloud, “I wonder what it would be like if the whole world was made up of roller coasters.” It was just such a great idea I couldn’t forget it. We created the book and self-published it, and gave it as Christmas presents for several years to my son’s cousins. Then a couple of years ago, around Halloween, I was talking with my step-grandkids about how much they loved Halloween, and we came up with the idea of, HALLOWEEN WORLD, and created a book which we self-published and gave as gifts. We are now working on anotherWORLD book entitled, NINJA WORLD. All of my books, including the children’s picture books, are available as Kindle editions at Amazon. The original paperback editions of all my adult novels (except SAVAGE) are available from Amazon and most on-line bookstores, and everything else is exclusively on Amazon Kindle. Handmade editions of the children’s books are available, and can be ordered through my Facebook page by leaving me a post or a personal message at Facebook/R. Patrick Gates.

3. Is there anything you won’t write about?

No, I don’t think there is. I’ve written in just about every genre there is (I’ve been working on a romance novel for several years) and there is no subject that I would find taboo. Of course I would never glorify despicable behavior even while I try to make such a character sympathetic.

4.Tell me about you.

I have been a published author since 1989; and have been writing since I was a boy. Very early on I was labeled a ‘splatter-punk’ writer which is a style of horror generally credited to Clive Barker. I took great offense at that because I was writing what they called ‘splatter’ (graphic horror) long before Barker ever came along. If I’m not mistaken I was one the very first to push the limits of horror by injecting ultra-realistic gore, sex, and violence into my stories. Now, I am 62 years old. I was a middle school language arts teacher for 20 years, and a college Creative Writing Professor for 11 years. I presently work part-time as a Standardized Patient Examiner at UMASS Medical School, which entails teaching medical students how to communicate better with patients. I’m also a Bob Dylan tribute performer on guitar and harmonica. I’ve been in numerous musical groups since I was a teenager, and I’ve written close to one hundred songs that have never seen publication or recording, but hopefully that will change in the near future.

5. What’s your favorite book that you have written?

My favorite book is my most recent one, SAVAGE. It was the hardest book I ever wrote because it reflected a personal tragedy in my life, and was very cathartic for me. A very close second, however, are, GRIMM MEMORIALS, and its sequel, GRIMM REAPINGS, and my novel, THE PRISON.

6. Who or what inspired you to write?

So many people and books/writers. My mom, my sister, Mary; a teacher, Mrs. Risley, and just about every writer I’ve ever read, but most of all Edgar Allen Poe. My mom was probably my biggest inspiration, and the biggest reason I ended up writing horror. I grew up in a haunted house, my mother was psychic and discovered the place was haunted, like the second day after we moved in. She personally exorcised the house and got rid of the ghost, or at least got it to stop scaring her. I grew up hearing this story many, many times. I also had many experiences – ghostly experiences – in that house, as did my son. Also, when I was a boy I was an avid reader, and I was in the habit of acting out the books I read. When I was 12, I was very much into the books of Mark Twain, and after reading Tom Sawyer and then Huckleberry Finn, I convinced my little brother and his best friend to sneak out of the house at midnight to go dig for buried treasure in a cemetery. Then we were going to build a raft and sail it down the polluted Nashua River and have adventures. My mother caught us trying to sneak out (she thought I was the ghost come back) and when I told her what I was doing she suggested that instead of acting out my fantasies I write them down like the authors that I loved to read. I had been dabbling in writing before that (like with the short story for catechism class) but I’d never really considered writing something as substantial as a novel. That same year, the day after Christmas, I was in a terrible sledding accident and suffered a severe head injury/concussion. I had partial amnesia for three days, but the event changed me—made me more creative and, I think, smarter. It also gave me an extraordinary memory.Early on in my life my sister, Mary, inspired me by buying me my first book when I was, I believe, five years old. She was 10 years older than I was and when I was born she became like my second mother. She taught me to read when I was three years old. By the time I was starting school I was reading books at the fifth, sixth grade level. She bought me the collected works of Edgar Allen Poe, a large tome that I still have. I read that book voraciously. I remember now I hardly understood half of what I read, and had to have a dictionary nearby at all times, but it was the style and the tone and the mood that grabbed me. Then when I was in high school I had a teacher, Mrs. Risley, who inspired me further. Every Friday she would display a surrealistic or abstract painting at the front of the room, put on some weird electronic or Indian music, and tell us to write about what we saw in the painting. Man, I just ate that up! It was the greatest writing exercise I have ever had!

7. What do you like to do for fun?

My wife and I like to hike, play tennis, dance, ski, and hang out with our grandkids. I play the guitar and perform as a Dylan tribute artist, and also paint and sculpt. I love movies and going to the movies.

8. Any traditions you do when you finish a book?

No.

9. Where do you write?

I generally write in my home office, but I usually take a notebook with me, like to work, or if I’m going out and I think I might have free time on a long drive, say. I write in the notebook whenever I can. I’m a constant and prolific note writer, and I write all my stuff in longhand to start with, and then transcribe it into the computer. I like to have the tv on in the background—creates a white noise effect—and usually only listen to music when I’m painting.

10. Is there anything you would change about your writing?

Yes, I would make it more lucrative and popular! I’m rewriting nearly all of my novels as they are being republished – some more so than others. I find that with some of my earlier works, they need editing, so I’m glad that I have the chance to do that. Like with, TUNNELVISION, I did a lot of polishing and editing. Most of my novels were written before the advent of cell phones and smart phones and handheld devices so I’ve tried to update and work those things in to make them more current.

11. What is your dream? Famous writer?

I’ve never had a desire to be famous, though I have always wanted to be able to make enough money from my writing to support myself. My dream is to work with my son, who is a director trained at Cal Arts, to turn all of my novels into movies or TV miniseries. We are presently in the screenplay writing stage for a couple. All we need is financial backing.

12. Where do you live?

I live in Massachusetts.

13. Pets?

Two dogs, Polly and Sad-Eyed Sadie of the Low Lands.

14. What’s your favorite thing about writing?

My first love, and first choice for a career, was acting. Second was music, third was art, and fourth was writing. As I got older, in high school and college,I realized that if you really want to be successful as an actor, you have to live in either New York or Los Angeles – or at least a major city, not the sticks of north-central Massachusetts where I lived and still do. I didn’t have the confidence, or the courage I guess, to move and pursue acting. But then, I realized that a writer IS an actor because you have to become your characters in order to make them believable. I generally act out all of the scenes and dialogue in my books, even if only in my head. I think the best way to describe how I feel about writing is that I agree with what Dorothy Parker once said: “I hate writing, but I love having written.” I love the idea that someone I don’t know and have never met is reading a story that I created. I think that’s pretty cool.

15. What is coming next?

I presently have many irons in the fire. I’m rewriting the second book in the TUNNELVISION trilogy, DEATHWALKER, getting it ready for republication from Bloodshot Books, and writing the third, a new one,AND LITTLE LAMBS EAT IVY. I’m also working on the third book in my, GRIMM MEMROIALSsaga and working on readying all my other novels for reprint as I mentioned earlier. I’m working on a rewrite and sequel of my first novel,FEAR (to be renamed QUARRY), a sequel to my science fiction novel. ‘VADERS, and something new for me, a strictly fantasy novel entitled, THE SECRET WAR and a comedic romance called, HEY TEACH! I’ve also been working on a mainstream, slice of life novel entitled, GROWING OLD.

    You can connect with R. Patrick Gates here: 

website/pages, rpatrickgates.com,

Amazon/R. Patrick Gates,

Facebook/R. Patrick Gates.

    Some of R. Patrick Gates books: 

  Getting personal with R. Patrick Gates I'm going to start this interview off a little differently by using an excerpt from his new book.