Scene One: Summer 2109

Aaron had finally finished the final touches on a two year project for the kids. One of the most challenging aspects would have been keeping them away from the rear of their yard while construction was going on, but he was under the impression that he and Laurel had managed it. Or at least he hoped so - if one of the kids had been back there, they left no indication that they knew what was going on. Yet if they had, they probably told their siblings and wouldn't he have heard about it? Maybe not. Being aware was not one of his strong parenting skills. Coming into the kitchen from the backdoor, he looked around.... "Laurel...? Tiffy? Ari? Johnny?? Hello?" Surely someone was home? Then again, if the kids weren't home, it would mean Laurel wasn't either since at now seven years old they had limited places they could be.


Tiffany had heard their dad come in... well she'd actually seen him from her bedroom window, which had a clear view of what he was working on for them. Did she bother to tell her dad that she knew he was building a treehouse for them ? No, but she had told Jonathan and Ariadne, because of course she told them. She told them everything at this age. Setting down a puzzle piece, she peered over at Ari, of whom she shared a bedroom with (Jonathan had his own room cause he was a boy)... "Should we go downstairs or let him think we're not home?" She grimaced, counting off in her head for Jonathan to appear.

Where Aaron lacked in parenting awareness skills Laurel probably hade too much with her Inner Eye. She knew that the kids were well aware of what Aaron, and her had been building for them in the backyard. A mother knew, but she hadn't told her husband because he had so much fun during the projects course, and she hadn't wanted to spoil it for him or the kids. Hearing Aaron's voice Laurel called out as she pulled out a tray of freshly baked chocolate and blueberry muffins from the oven. "Aaron, I'm in the kitchen! Come taste a muffin." The kids wouldn't be far behind when they smelled cookies.

Ariadne was sitting cross-legged on her bed, sucking on a pink pencil as she peered down at her colouring book trying to decide what to colour next when her sisters voice distracted her from it. Looking over at Tiff she considered their choices as yummy smells drifted up from the kitchen, and that made her forget to scoff. "We should go down," Ari decided. "I want to taste mum's new cookies, and dad probably wants to show us the finished treehouse. We have to make daddy think we didn't know it exsits." Or they'd hurt his feelings. It wouldn't take long before Jonny showed up.

Jonathan was sitting on the floor of his bedroom, his back propped up against the bed. Scattered all around him were toys and an assortment of wax crayons. A colouring book sat in his lap, opened at a page depicting a family at a beach. His favourite stuffed toy, a dinosaur, sat beside him supervising the colouring activity. The said dinosaur’s name was Thor and had been with Jon since he was a baby. Slightly battered and aging, Thor was suddenly in the hand of Jon. Swinging to and fro, the duo quickly made their way to another room the room of the boy's sisters.

Now, the way that Thor was angled, the dino was only able to look up at Jon with one eye. “It’s time! Treehouse!’’ Thor surmised that his human buddy was beyond excited. “Treehouse and muffins! Let’s go!’’ Thor was once again swinging wildly from Jon’s hand as they bustled for the kitchen.

Tiffany nodded at Ariadne decidedly. "That makes sense. Mum does make the best sweets." She had to admit she felt a little at odds when her siblings coloured and almost felt like it should be them sharing the room at times. But a treehouse... that was something that she was eager to explore even if she also felt too that after the novelty wore off, she'd be the one hanging upside down from it while they just coloured. "Could there be a better combination?" She grimaced at Jon's appearance. "Last one to the kitchen is a rotten egg...." And at that she darted down the steps.


Right. Good. She was home and so were the kids. But then again, his wife probably knew that today was going to be a big day. Kicking off his boots at the door, he made his way into the kitchen. "Merlin, those smell amazing...." and he was about to take a bite, when he heard the kids upstairs. "No running inside!!!" he called up to them, wondering where they got that energy. Tiffany no doubt.

Jon was not going to be that rotten egg. No, Sir! Not today! His little legs scrambled down the stairs and the floor as quickly as they possibly could. He did throw looks over his shoulder to check if he was being gained upon. Thor was still swinging wildly in his grasp. Too late, papa! These kiddos were too caught up in their race to heed that warning!

Jonathan barrelled his way into the kitchen, beelining straight for his father. “Daddy!’’ Jon leapt at the man, fully confident that the man would catch him like he always did and swing him around. No, it didn’t matter that Jon was constantly growing and becoming heavier. Daddies were always strong enough to lift and swing their little ones.

Laurel smiled warmly as her husband came in to the kitchen, heading straight for her freshly baked muffins. "Have you had a good day darling?" she wondered as she heard running feet coming from above. Aaron of course was calling up to remind their kids not to run in the house. "That's a lost cause, you know." she commented while placing the muffins on a tray. She had just taken out a pitcher of lemonade from the fridge when Jonny barrelled into the kitchen with his sisters not doubt not far behind. "The floor is still wet...." Laurel announced after her earlier cleaning run of the kitchen.

Ariadne had just completed her coloring of a unicorn as Tiff grimaced about something like usual that she didn't understand, and Jonny entered with his comfort pal stuck in hand. Ari was putting away her pens as Jonny started the race down to the kitchen, bolting out the door as quickly as he had come with Tiff close behind him to get muffins, and to see daddy. She had just gotten up from her bed when she heard daddy call up to not run in the house. Trying to act all mature unlike her siblings Ari walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. "See daddy i didn't run! I should get the first muffin."

The floor was wet?

That would explain his damp feet. But Jonathan didn’t care; he was already leaping at his father. Oh yes, this little boy was quite confident he and Thor would be caught. Then there was Ari thinking she was all prim and proper. If Jon hadn’t been so busy and distracted, he would have rolled his eyes at his sister. “Ari can has the first muffin. The second muffin. The third muffin. All the muffins!!”

And you know what? Jonathan would not care because he was a happyyy and content child. “Want to go outside,’’ he remarked innocently. This was a hint they should check out the treehouse.

Come on, parents. Quit stalling.

Aaron was no sooner about to take the first muffin (without washing his hands because he always forgets and Laurel always has to remind him), when there was a figure barreling into the kitchen in the form of one Jonathan. And yes his suspicions were correct - years of quidditch training and agility, even though he wasn't a beater, Daddy Rose was still strong enough to hold one child at at time. "Jonnnnieeee... Still with Thor, I see." He grimaced hoping he'd maybe outgrow that phase before they went off to Hogwarts catching his son into his arms, as Laurel announced of the wet floor. And saying something about going outside. "I was just out there." He frowned, as Ariadne proclaiming she didn't run and should get their first one.


Tiffany hadn't expected her brother to literally bolt into their father's arms. She'd taken the steps two at a time but still Jonathan seemed to beat them and Ari was trying to convince their parents that not running meant she was the only one who listened. Ever the mature one, she had to roll her eyes and Jonathan too for saying Ari can have all the muffins? "Since when don't you like mom's muffins? They're the literal best."


Aaron chuckled. "I get the first muffin because I'm the oldest and was the first in here." He kissed Jonathan's forehead and then went over to kiss Ari and Tiff on the forehead too. Actually technically Laurel might have been a couple months older than him. "But I suppose we can take the muffins outside to celebrate... And all take one to start." He looked to Laurel. And if they didn't want to put shoes on, he wasn't one to force them to wear shoes on their own property.

Laurel just sighed as Aaron of course as per his usual was about to grab for a muffin on the tray without washing his hands first, when he was attacked by Jonny. With love in her eyes she watched the father, and son exchange. Laurel too wished like her hubby that Jonny would outgrow the need to bring Thor with him everywhere he went, but there were thankfully still a few years before her son went to Hoggies. Then Tiff and Ari arrived in the kitchen too, commenting about her muffins and making grimaces at each other.

Lifting up the muffin tray in one hand and using her wand to lift up the glasses and pitcher of lemonade Laurel said to end the discussion. [b]"I've baked plenty of muffins, so everyone can eat their fill. So let's go out back, come on kids! We can eat and drink in the garden before it gets dark." Laurel called as she lead the way outside assuming that her family was following in her wake.

Ari wasn't usually mature, but she could pretend if she wanted something like her mummys muffins. With two siblings she had to do what she could to get attention. Ari heard what Tiff said to Jonny about the muffins and inserted with a shake of the head. "You're lying if you say you don't like mums muffins. You loooooooove them just like we dooooooo."

Not waiting for Jonny's answer Ari sprinted out into the garden after mum to get her hand on the first freshly baked and hopefully still warm muffin.

Jon giggled happily when he was caught. He snuggled a small hand around his daddy’s shoulder, his other hand keeping a firm grip on Thor. “Always! Thor is the bestest friend!” He would not be getting rid of Thor any time, daddy dearest. Sorry, mama dearie. Had he seen Tiff’s eyeroll, Jon would have gotten her back later on by poking her in her sides until they turned into tickles. Alas, he did not so he settled for words. “Only cos I wanna go outside. Muffins can wait.” Daddy could get the first if he wanted. Better yet, if daddy was going to be eating, he would sneak a bite out of it. “Not lying!’’ he sing-sang to Ari who had already taken off.

Oh! Jonathan thought that was a brilliant idea - a snack and outdoors together was a nice mix. “Outside, outside, outside!’’ he chanted, palm patting Aaron on the shoulder.

Follow the fleeing sister, daddy!