SSRP: Two men and five children

[StarShine]

After last term's... business with one charms professor, Cosgrach felt himself closer to the man. He had, after all, helped with his weakness, and that naturally bonded two people. So when the man offered to bring his kids over for Cosgrach to meet the real dark side of children his cute lil family, Cosgrach readily agreed to see his fate know the man better. Y'know, one day Helena could have a play date with them... he couldn't decide whether he should be more alarmed with that he wasn't disgusted with the idea of a 'play date' or that he wanted to meet children. Whatever it was, he arrived at the courtyard with his special candy: regular sweets with a Cheering Up Potion core. Children tended to be cheerful by nature, so these were in case one of them fell and hurt themselves or something. Eeeeeh, what did he know? He was here to watch and learn.

[DaniDiNardo]

Maddox had only been half joking with his suggestion to allow Cosgrach to meet his children because the idea had amused him but he knew his children weren't always the best behaved. Hearing his colleague agree however, he felt there was really no harm in it. The man was a father now and once his little Helena started running around his world would end as he knew it. Sad fact but it was the truth.

As agreed, Maddox flooed home the moment the lunch bells began ringing for the students to gather in the Great Hall to collect his five and now here he was on his way to the courtyard with his little hoard. Sophie clung tightly to him as he gave her a piggyback. Daniel and Connor ran well ahead screaming and shouting excitedly at each other. Demetria walked closely by his side and Christopher was taking in everything with an avid curiosity that often worried the man.

"Glad to see you didn't change your mind." He said with a grin as he approached. The Courtyard was certainly big enough to accommodate the lot of them.

This place was HUGE. Christopher's eyes darted this way and that. Could he climb that tree? Did Demi wanna come too? It took all his restraint for the little boy NOT to run ahead like his younger siblings because being the absolute oldest he had to be the best behaved, right? He was ALSO completely and totally in charge so they had to listen to whatever he said and play the games he wanted them to play.

Why did Sophie get to have a piggyback ride instead of her? So what if she got one last time? It still wasn't fair and even less fair she had to waaaaalk all the way over here while her little sister got a ride so no, the 7 year old was not at all happy about that but she would secretly admit to being excited. Daddy NEVER let them go outside when they visited the castle.

Everything was so pretty up here! Sophie contentedly swung her feet as she clung tightly to her father. The four year old wasn't very tall and she bet she wouldn't see half this neat stuff if she was down on the GROUND with everyone else. "Daddy is that him?" She asked, when they approached a man she didn't know. "Hi! I'm Sophie! What's your name? Do you wanna hug Eleanor?" BEAM. Dumb question, everyone wanted to hold her stuffed rabbit. DUH.

"You can't catch meeee!" Connor announced as his little feet shuffled across the ground. He was so so so so so much faster than Daniel and always won when they played games like tag. Only time Daniel never lost was when they let Sophie play. She was ALWAYS slow. "I'm over HERE!"

"No fair, you cheated!" Daniel huffed even while chasing his identical other. "Daddy he's cheating, he's cheating!" The 3 year old didn't remember being told he was it and he didn't want to be it either because he was it last time and it wasn't fun.

[StarShine]

Cosgrach clearly had no idea what he was getting himself into when he agreed, because his eyes GREW when he saw the ARMY approaching. He laughed at Maddox as he bowed at the lady on his shoulders too, and said "I would, if I knew this was coming." Hehehe, he was only joking, but STILL! He didn't know how Maddox was still sane. Cosgrach had ONE kid and was already freaking out. Five? Maddox was crazy. How did he even manage all of them?

"Hi Sophie!" he exclaimed at the girl, "I'm Cosgrach and I'd be honoured!" He didn't exactly know what Eleanor was (he wouldn't be surprised if it was a dragon), but... Sophie would hopefully be nice to him?

Oh wait, were they playing catch or whatever it was called? WAS HE SUPPOSED TO RUN AROUND TOO? He wasn't INVITED, but...

Kids were tiring. Not even a minute with them, and he was already doubting his life.

[DaniDiNardo]

That was always the thing when Maddox took them all out with him at once, the tiny little headache that would build up in the back of his head. There were five of them who forgot that he only had one brain and hardly any capacity to understand what each of them was saying while paying attention to the others.

Who was cheating? He didn't even know they were playing. The man watched his youngest twins, a slight scowl on his face before his attention shifted back to Cosgrach. The laugh was reflexive. It was something he got all the time when people actually saw his children. "They're not so bad on their own." Carefully he slipped Sophie from his back, happy at least she remembered her manners. His little saving grace she was. Made him think he wasn't such a bad parent afterall.

"Right now you've got it the easiest. All she'll do is eat, sleep, poop and cry. It's when they get to being that age," He said pointing to the 3 year olds still running and dodging each other, "that the headaches start." Actually....a bit younger than that. The moment they gained independent thinking and learned the word 'no'.

"Oi. What do we say when we meet someone new. I'll pretend you forgot because I know none of you really wants me to take you home right now." And a nod toward his colleague for emphasis before turning to him again. "Teach her discipline young, it'll save you the trouble."

Christopher was all set to step in as BIG BROTHER and settle the little fight between his little brothers after having completely missed Sophie's introduction but then his daddy said something that made the boy pale. Home? But they JUST got there! fsbdzkhfegweays!!! The 7 year old whirled around immediately, doubly ashamed because HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO REMIND THEM. He was technically the man in charge you know....whenever his father wasn't around. "It's very nice to meet you, Sir. I'm Christopher, this is Demetria." He yanked his sister closer and grinned widely, knowing he would have to be nice for the both of them. "Do you have a broom? Can we play flying games???" Or was it too soon to be demanding? He didn't KNOW.

The sullen look on the little girl's face only got worse at the threat of being taken home. She didn't want to say hello. She didn't want to talk to him. This meant she would be sent home when her father finally got short with her. Somehow her expression seemed to be falling by the second until she was pulled from her own thoughts by the sudden yanking of her twin. Demi tried her best for force on a smile, knowing he wouldn't be hearing any words from her. Silently she stared.

HE WANTED TO HOLD ELEANOR!!! Sophie GRIINNNNEEED widely at the man, deciding he was super nice and she liked him. "Okay but you'll have to be careful, she's just woken from a nap and might be a little cranky." Sophie didn't want to wake her up but she couldn't leave her at home either!! Grin still in place, she pulled forward a little, white, stuffed rabbit. "Daddy says she looks a lot like me, even though we're fra...fa...fer...ternal twins." BEAM.

"I'm NOT!" He protested. Daniel always said he was cheating if he didn't win and Connor was not having it, in fact he kept running and running ....and running until he heard something about going home. That had him stopping immediately to look over at his siblings. They were all talking to Daddy's frie---OHHHHHHHH!!!! The 3 year old ran over as fast as his little legs could carry him. "Hi!" What else was there...? Oh right! "I'm Daniel."

Daniel was done chasing his brother. He didn't want to be it and was going to sulk until they changed the game. If not, he would play with Sophie and not be Connor's twin anymore in true dramatic three year old fashion. Speaking of, what was Sophie doin--Oh yeah! He forgot. Quick as his brother, he hurried back to the man, plastering a grin on his face that mirrored his brothers. Only thing was, if Connor was him right now...did that mean he was Connor? Sounded right. "And I'M Connor. I eat boogers." And just like that he began giggling at his own joke.

"I do NOT."

"You're not YOU so it's whatever I say." The joys of being identical.

[StarShine]

Cosgrach bet they weren't. Children were awful when they were a lot in numbers, anyway. He listened intently to the advice as he couldn't help but imagine himself giving a piggy back ride to his Helena here - if he still worked here, if Helena was healthy, if the Headmaster still allowed them to bring their children. Lots of if's. But, the dream was nice... but what Maddox was telling him harshly brought him back to the Earth.

Well, actually, he begged to differ. Those cries were potent enough to rock the house, but he also understood what Maddox was saying: they could walk anywhere and talk back. Yeah. His eyes absent mindedly followed the boys, and he was relieved that Helena didn't have any twins. He nodded after a short while. "Got it. Gonna enjoy these moments." He grinned then, and watched with interest as Maddox called his kids to come greet him.

Threats... the magic words. "Any specific ways to discipline?" he asked before the kids came and greeted him. Okay. He had to remind himself that these weren't 11 and probably wouldn't understand him as easily.

First thing: Eleanor. "Gotcha," he said to the girl, and geeeently, as if Eleanor was a baby, held it. "Bet she's a lady like ya," he said, then looked back at the rabbit. "Hello there, I'm Cosgrach." What else did he have to say? -

Oh, he was saved by an older boy.

"Hello Christopher and Demetria." Did he... intimidate her? She didn't... look like she wanted to be here. Cosgrach smiled at her nevertheless to hopefully cheer her up... then he realised he didn't have the faintest idea about how to cheer a sulky child up. This was a problem. Should he ask that to Maddox too, or...

"Sadly, I don't," he said, "but I have potions for that." He didn't know if the threat against flying was still in effect, but he wasn't endangering any lives here. Potions sounded safe for now, and maybe it would cheer Demetria up too.

Ah, the energetic babies. Cosgrach would feel more at ease with them.

"Hi Daniel," he said, and looked at the other one to greet him too, but then he realised that they look the SAME to his dismay. Connor was the late comer, but who was - okay, whaaaa? Did they... had they just...

"Hi Connor." Whichever of them, he was.

He wouldn't get them right, he knew it.

[DaniDiNardo]

Enjoying the moments was right. The man had no idea--yet. "Little girls are especially tricky. Gonna be times when you completely throw your masculinity out the door just to keep her happy if she's that sort. Others time you might have to remember about rough housing." Demi didn't as much fall into this all but Sophie.....yeah...delicate little ball of energy she was.

Specific ways to discipline? Hmmm..."I recommend finding things they especially like then taking them away. The moment they know you mean business they comply. Ignoring works other times. They sometimes get a little..........unreasonable with tantrums." Other kids. His didn't anymore. Not usually. "Silencing charm helps with that." It made ignoring a WHOLE lot easier.

And look, the wayward children had finally remembered their manners. Little attention was given to Demetria; he had come to understand she wasn't a talker and when she was, she wasn't a talker of nice things. Some people thought she was simply mean spirited, he knew better. His youngest sons though...he raised a brow. "Boys."

His brothers were doing it again. He would have told them not to but he always thought it was funny and just maybe this time with his Daddy standing there he didn't have to be the responsible one but could snicker as they went--until their father put a stop to it at which point he turned his attention back to the man with no brooms. "Potions??? Will they make me fly??? Can I go really really REALLY high up and touch the top of the building and zoooooom around like this??" He asked, extended his arms to the side and running in circles around them making whooshing noises. "Then I can be like a super hero and Demi can fly too but we won't race if she doesn't wanna. What'd ya think, Demi?" He didn't stop spinning and zooming as he asked, much too excited now.

Was he going to keep talking to her? Even while the man smiled, she found herself slowly inching back and behind her father's leg. From there she watched her twin brother zooming this way and that. She wanted to have a flying potion too but not if she had to say so first. When asked, she simply nodded towards Christopher, displaying her consent before facing the man again. Still no words.

HE CALLED HER A LADY!! Sophie couldn't help the ripples of giggles escaping her. She REALLY liked him. "I'm not just a Lady, I'm a Princess, that means I get a crown. Eleanor got one too but," She leaned in super close and gestured for him to get lower so she could reach his ear before continuing "she lost hers and Mummy says she isn't buying her a new one. It's not so bad though, she just has to borrow Daddy's crown when he's not using it." Oh! Oh! Oh! "DO YOU HAVE A CROWN??" Oh...too loud. Sophie clamped her hands over her mouth for a moment before twisting to look up at her father. "Sorry Daddy." SEE? Whispering.

Connor was about to gush into a full on protest because he did NOT EAT BOOGERS EVER except that one time but it was an accident...sorta, when his father gave them that voice. He shot him a somewhat apologetic look before grinning up at Daddy's friend. "I lied. I'm Connor, he's Daniel."

Consider this bit of fun over. Daniel nodding a little in acknowledging he heard his father before waaaay more nods at the man. "Yup, I like being Daniel better."

"Is it true you,"

"really have flying potions?"

"We won't drink it all,"

"but we do wanna have some too." A habit they tended to fall into, finishing each other's sentences.

[StarShine]

Cosgrach, between the screams of the children, listened to Maddox intently as if his life depended on it - and it kind of did. Little girls were tricky - well, they were. He could see that in the twins Victoria had. He nodded. If it would make Helena a better girl, he was willing to throw his masculinity. And - hehe, Cosgrach should threaten? Yeah, he could do that. Totally. Especially if Helena ever tried to throw a tantrum. He wouldn't tolerate that.

"Things they like and silencing, got it." He'd ask more too, but it was probably not suitable with all the children around them... demanding a flying potion.

Good thing he had enough for five kids - though he bet Sophie wasn't that type.

He looked at all of them. He was certain he got who was Daniel and Connor now, but only so long as they didn't move. Anyway, he bet it didn't matter much. They were identical for a reason, and the trick of completing each others' sentences?

Wicked. He smiled a little.

"You can't go really high, no," he said to the boys - Demetria was somehow scared of him, and he wasn't going to push his chances with her, "you can go only like two metres high. I'm afraid you also can't go fast." That was why they had brooms. "But yes, you can drink some and enjoy for half an hour." Two metres were still MORE than zero metre high in the air. And he bet poor Maddox wanted some break from them. What did they say?

He then turned to Sophie as they thought. He REALLY liked her too. He bet lil Sophie Brown had been just like this one. HEHE, he had to ask her if she had a bunny too.

"Oh, I'm sorry Princess," he said and bowed respectfully. Oh, he got to learn a secret? He got lower to hear her better, being careful with Eleanor all the time. Didn't want to drop her or anything.

Bwaha, did Maddox really have a crown? Cosgrach understood the 'masculinity' part better now.

He opened his mouth to comment on it, but she screamt and Cosgrach, who used to h a t e child screams with passion, didn't mind it at all. On the contrary, he was grinning, because her excitement was CUTE.

"I don't," he said, "because my Princess is only a few weeks old now. Not old enough to look after her own Eleanor and wear a crown, y'see." Praising older girls was the fastest way to a little child's heart, Cosgrach had observed.

He wasn't terrible with this child stuff, after all.

[DaniDiNardo]

Cosgrach was proving to be a fast learner even in the children category. So long as he took his advice he would have very little problems. He was about to pop all flying bubbles right then and there--because heights and they would get hurt AND HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SAVE THEM--but he got side tracked by the yelling 4 year old. Maddox shot Sophie a look but was pleased to see she was already correcting herself.

His attention went right back to the flying where he was ONCE AGAIN about to pop the bubble but then he heard only two metres off the ground and they wouldn't be able to go fast. Instantly he shot his colleague an appreciative look for not trying to help his children get themselves killed.

He could....relax a little.

It didn't make you go very high? The little boy stopped his circles almost immediately and turned to look first at the man, then at his father then back to the man. "How high is two metres?" Why did he think he would know? "This high?" He held his hand out in demonstration. "Or THIS high?" And a jump as high as he could to make his point clear. "And how come we won't be able to go fast? Isn't there a charm for that?" His Daddy told him there was a charm for EVERYTHING. "You could make us go faster. I promise I won't make Daniel and Connor run into the trees a lot." Look how serious he was too. Super super serious because he was a GOOD big brother and would protect them.

Not high. Not fast. Not interested. Demi leaned into her father's feet again, this time stretching up to be lifted. Sometimes she told her brothers only babies did this but that was just so they wouldn't ask too because her father would get tired after awhile and she'd have to share. Now with them all on this flying and Sophie on about her stuuuupid rabbit, it was the best time to have her daddy swoop her up the way she liked.

Sophie was only a LITTLE interested in what her brothers were discussing with the man. Something about potions but those tasted NASTY and she didn't want any, she would just talk to the really nice man who didn't have a crown. "Oh! Maybe you could borrow Daddy's too! I don't think he'll mind and I can show your baby how to be a Princess when she gets big. I'm REALLY GOOD AT IT and and and I can lend my dresses because I'll be really big and they won't fit me anymore." Look how much she was willing to share. All because she was a good girl. Mhm.

Connor looked over at his brother for a minute. The man said not fast and not high but they could still fly and he wanted to fly. "We still,"

"Wanna fly." Definitely for real. They wanted to zoooom around like Christopher was doing just now even if they had to do it slowly. His brother mentioning charms had his eyes widening a lot. "Oh yeeeeaaahhhhh!"

"Do YOU know fast charms??"

[StarShine]

Nah, Maddox had nothing to worry about, because Cosgrach had a common sense: he could guess the consequences of letting kids fly. So, he turned his attention back to the boys. Right. They wouldn't know what two metres were, though he had to admit it was a good change from the circle of the little boy.

But man, did he speak fast!

"It's this high," Cosgrach said, and held up his hand a little bit higher than his own current height. It'd only break a leg, if that much, if they somehow managed to fall although it was a potion and not a broom.

"And, I'm afraid there isn'ta charm for that," he said instead of his friend, "because it's a potion already and charms don't work well with this one." He wasn't lying. It was a delicate potion and gong faster would probably ruin its balance.

Were they still interested?

HAHA, was he going to take Maddox' crown? He looked at them man with a small smile.

"I'd like to if he lends me," he said, "and thank you! Helena will be the best Princess I bet - after you!" Okay, how did Maddox raise this Sophie and what did Cosgrach have to do to make his own Helena like her?