Year/Job
Dad
"I'm pretty major and I'll sing it out loud." |
Travis
Fox Bishop
Flourish and Blotts Employee IS OFFLINE
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Familia
Feb 25, 2024 11:12:47 GMT -8
Post by Fox Bishop on Feb 25, 2024 11:12:47 GMT -8
When Fox took a moment to rest his cramping wrist, he heard the familiar patter of little footsteps behind him. He turned around in his chair to find little Wolf staring back up at him.
“Hey, little buddy,” Fox laughed. He bent over in his chair to bring his young son up into his lap.
“Datty write?” Wolf asked.
"Yeah," Fox said. "But it's our secret, okay?"
Wolf’s eye line in Fox’s arms barely peaked above the large stack of legal textbooks on Fox’s desk. A stack of papers sat in front of the books, creased and folded and graffitied with Fox’s furious writing as he poured over decades of old legal precedents, culled from books he’d “checked out” at Flourish and Blotts. Fox’s supervisors had grown frustrated with his broad definition of borrowing, but to his credit he had developed a system of lending that involved custom made cards which he slipped into the spaces where books were temporarily requisitioned for his studies. Other employees likely would have been fired but dammit, Fox was the best bookseller Flourish and Blotts had ever had.
Wolf reached out to slide a little pointer figure over the book lying flat open next to Fox’s work, a thick tome titled Sixteenth Century Precedents In Family Law. Fox bounced Wolf up and down in his arms as he cooed, “Can you say ‘negligence?’”
“Negglegent,” Wolf repeated.
“That’s so good!” Fox squeezed his boy into a tight hug. “God, you’re gonna take over the world.”
Wolf blew a bubble with a small smile, then opened his mouth wide to yawn. Fox checked his watch. “Oh Christ, it’s already four. We’ve got to get to bed before mum catches us.”
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Year/Job
Healer
Potion & Plant Poisoning
Heaven’s here, it’s right where you’re standing. |
Steph
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Familia
Feb 26, 2024 16:30:31 GMT -8
Post by Emilia Montes on Feb 26, 2024 16:30:31 GMT -8
Emilia was tossing and turning in bed, again. Life had been nothing short of a whirlwind since October of 2021 - falling in love, eloping, being pregnant young, dealing with the fall out of all her choices. That's not to say Emilia regretted an of it, but it was a lot to deal with. At least she wasn't alone, she had... Her eyes fluttered open as her hand searched the empty side of the bed for Fox's body. The digital clock on his nightstand glowed back a her; 3:58 AM.
Emilia didn't think she was unreasonable, at all. In fact, she'd grown into a more understanding person since she met Fox, but this was getting ridiculous. Fox was letting this consume his every waking moment and Emilia had enough. She was working long, crazy shifts at the hospital, raising a baby, and dealing with a husband who was obsessing over something that had happened over 18 months ago.
She dragged herself out of bed, ready to give him a piece of her mind. But as always, her anger seemed to fade before she could get it out. The sight of Fox leaning over a book, with Wolf in his arms, tugged at her heart. Never mind that it was four in the morning and their baby should be asleep, it was a really sweet sight to see. Wolf looked up at Fox, Fox looked down at Wolf and they shared a yawn. Emilia couldn't help but smile.
"Too late," she spoke up from the entrance of the kitchen, crossing her arms over her chest.
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Year/Job
Dad
"I'm pretty major and I'll sing it out loud." |
Travis
Fox Bishop
Flourish and Blotts Employee IS OFFLINE
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Familia
Feb 27, 2024 9:26:44 GMT -8
Post by Fox Bishop on Feb 27, 2024 9:26:44 GMT -8
If it seemed like Fox was being crazy, you have to understand the circumstances of Wolf's birth: in the months following, Fox and Emilia had become a tabloid obsession. At first it was just a weird little story in the back pages of the Daily Prophet, but once concerned parent groups got a hold of it, it blew up into a full blown controversy. A child born at Hogwarts for the first time in over three hundred years. How could this have happened?
They weren't the first kids to fool around during holiday, but Hogwarts had its systems to protect against scandals like this. Somehow all of those protections had failed, and the end result were weeks of news coverage and endless owls from mortified parents who felt Emilia should have been expelled, or Wolf taken away. Fox wanted to know how it could happen too, and he was determined to make Hogwarts answer for it.
And these were the kinds of things that he would rant to Wolf about late at night after Emilia had gone to bed. Their schedules were drifting apart since she'd started at St. Mungos, working early hours while his shift at F&B was later. It meant that he was up all hours of the morning perusing old legal texts to build his case while Emilia tried to get more than four hours of sleep before the long day of work.
His heart dropped when he heard her voice from the kitchen.
"Shit," he said.
"Shit!" Wolf banged his little hands on the table.
"I'm sorry, babe," he frowned. "I was going to come to bed soon, it's just I discovered this case from 1555 that could be relevant to ours and I didn't want to bring it to bed with me because I know the light from my wand wakes you up and you work so hard and deserve your sleep."
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Year/Job
Healer
Potion & Plant Poisoning
Heaven’s here, it’s right where you’re standing. |
Steph
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Post by Emilia Montes on Mar 1, 2024 9:06:22 GMT -8
Was it unfair that parents were calling for Emilia to be expelled while Fox was made Head Boy? You tell me what says about the state of the wizarding world. Emilia didn’t let it ruin the sweetest moments of her life. Wolf was absolutely perfect with his full head of dark locks and his bright green eyes. That sweet little face got her through the hardest year of her life.
It was the same sweet face that stared back at her now. He was like a mini copy of Fox these days. The days were long but everything was worth it when she saw them looking back at her. Emilia swooped Wolf into her arms and he rested his head in between her neck and shoulder.
“It’s fine,” she said even if it wasn’t. “You need to make sure he gets enough sleep, Fox. He follows you everywhere. If you’re up at two in the morning, he’ll want to be up too.”
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Year/Job
Dad
"I'm pretty major and I'll sing it out loud." |
Travis
Fox Bishop
Flourish and Blotts Employee IS OFFLINE
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Post by Fox Bishop on Mar 1, 2024 9:17:32 GMT -8
Fox might have been more outraged about the double standard than even Emilia. He'd penned an essay in the school paper about the sexist politics behind the movement to expel Emilia, and there had even ben talks of the op ed being picked up by the Prophet before protesters applied enough heat for the paper to crush the story. It had disappointed Fox that his voice would never be heard, but it only made him shout louder at anyone who would listen. Unfortunately for Emilia, it was often her.
Looking at that face so early in the morning had a way of washing all troubles away though. As much as Wolf looked like his father, Fox still saw their baby boy in Emilia's face and it only strengthed his resolve to fight. Rising from his chair, Fox picked up Wolf as he approached Emilia, pulling her into a kiss with his free hand. He sighed for a moment, letting the emotional high of his work tick down before he asked, "Why do I miss you?"
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Year/Job
Healer
Potion & Plant Poisoning
Heaven’s here, it’s right where you’re standing. |
Steph
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Post by Emilia Montes on Mar 1, 2024 9:58:15 GMT -8
Emilia and Fox spent the first few months of their relationship completely attached to each other. The fear of being separated by the school, by their families, by life itself was enough to drive them to their reckless decisions. They were absolutely crazy. No other sixteen year old in their right mind would think the solution to all their problems would be a clandestine elopement in Spain. Their solution actually led to them being seperated at the beginning of their last year at school. Emilia was determined to give up her education in order to give Fox a chance for a bright future. That lasted about a day.
All of that to say, for two people so desperate to be with each other, they had done a horrible job at it lately. Their schedules kept them apart and when Emilia was home, she focused on Wolf.
Fox’s kiss brought up memories of the clock tower, of the beach on Frigiliana, and the hospital wing when they held Wolf in their arms for the first time. She felt her lips pull down into a small frown, the emotions threatening to overwhelm her this early in the morning. “I miss you, too.” She sighed and asked, “Where have you been?”
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Year/Job
Dad
"I'm pretty major and I'll sing it out loud." |
Travis
Fox Bishop
Flourish and Blotts Employee IS OFFLINE
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Familia
Mar 1, 2024 10:11:32 GMT -8
Post by Fox Bishop on Mar 1, 2024 10:11:32 GMT -8
Fox and Emilia had moved about as quickly as any other Travis and Steph plot, but their relationship was weirder because they were only children playing as adults. After eloping as teenagers, they were now facing the realities of being a young couple with a child. You know, all those things everyone had always warned them about. It wasn't the future that Fox had always imagined for himself, but one he wouldn't dare think to change.
Wolf had begun to squirm in Fox's arms, but he didn't want to let Emilia go. She stayed close to him like they were in one big family hug. It had just dropped on him like a ton of bricks. He didn't feel like he knew her anymore. "Are we just working too much?" he asked. "I know that training has been stressful to you and I'm working on our case...but I miss our nights together."
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Year/Job
Healer
Potion & Plant Poisoning
Heaven’s here, it’s right where you’re standing. |
Steph
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Post by Emilia Montes on Mar 6, 2024 9:05:44 GMT -8
Emilia wasn’t sure what the actual problem was these days. Maybe she was working too much but she had made a commitment when they accepted her into St Mungos training program. Maybe they had moved too quickly in their relationship and now that they were growing into adults, they didn’t really know each other - but she was sure this wasn’t it, despite whatever roadblock was in front of them, Fox always seemed to know what Emilia needed.
The truth was that motherhood hit Emilia fast and hard. She had days of complete bliss and then days where she didn’t want to get up and do anything. Emilia had always been a girl who took control of her life and to feel so down and out of control was a slap in the face.
“I haven’t gone anywhere, Fox,” her Spanish accent was dripping with sadness. “You’re always so busy with your case.”
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Year/Job
Dad
"I'm pretty major and I'll sing it out loud." |
Travis
Fox Bishop
Flourish and Blotts Employee IS OFFLINE
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Familia
Mar 6, 2024 11:57:47 GMT -8
Post by Fox Bishop on Mar 6, 2024 11:57:47 GMT -8
Fox threw himself into fatherhood the same way he did everything else. He had read every book he could find on the subject of raising a child, and when he'd finished those he searched for literature that contradicted that literature just so that he could go into this with a complete and reasoned perspective. He was pretty sure that he was the best father in the world.
And that made Emilia the best mother. She wasn't as extra as Fox was, but that only made the effortless way she took care of Wolf more impressive. And while balancing a new career at St. Mungos! Looking into her eyes, Fox knew he would never be more impressed with any other creature the way he was with Emilia.
"Sorry, kid," he would say to Wolf sometimes after he'd kissed Emilia off to work. "Your mum's tops for me."
"Our case," Fox corrected Emilia with an innocent little smile. "It's our case, right?"
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Year/Job
Healer
Potion & Plant Poisoning
Heaven’s here, it’s right where you’re standing. |
Steph
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Familia
Mar 20, 2024 8:46:37 GMT -8
Post by Emilia Montes on Mar 20, 2024 8:46:37 GMT -8
“Yeah,” Emilia said but even she wasn’t convinced by her answer. Fox stared back at her with that smile and Wolf kept squirming between them, desperate to be free from his parents’ embrace, and Emilia swallowed down what she really felt.
She didn’t think this case was about them at all or at least it hadn't been for a while now. Fox had started because he wanted to fight for Emilia when she didn’t feel the need to. But now it was something that he latched onto while he desperately tried to figure out what was next. How long was this going to go on? Were they really going to spend the rest of their life fighting an institution that clearly had more resources than they ever would? Emilia feared what would happen when Fox failed at this.
“Do you think you can put our case down for a bit so we can put Wolf down for the night?”
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Year/Job
Dad
"I'm pretty major and I'll sing it out loud." |
Travis
Fox Bishop
Flourish and Blotts Employee IS OFFLINE
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Familia
Mar 20, 2024 8:58:49 GMT -8
Post by Fox Bishop on Mar 20, 2024 8:58:49 GMT -8
Emilia didn't have to say it for Fox to know. She didn't respect the case he was building, and she hadn't for a second after the passing suggestion that maybe Hogwarts should be brought to answer for its treatment of Emilia after Wolf was born. It wasn't just about her, it was about their own child who was born into a disadvantage, with op-eds published about Wolf before he was even conscious enough to know that he was a living creature.
That righteous anger was rising in Fox again, and he could have used it to burst out into another impassioned speech like the one he'd delivered before McGonagall when they were discussing Emilia's future at Hogwarts. Emilia's tired face disarmed him though, and he quickly backed away from that ledge. So many nights he'd spent away from her in bed, feeling the distance grow between them. He would trade the whole case for just one normal night with Emilia again.
"Okay," Fox said quietly. "Then maybe we can go back to bed together?"
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Year/Job
Healer
Potion & Plant Poisoning
Heaven’s here, it’s right where you’re standing. |
Steph
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Familia
Apr 1, 2024 21:27:36 GMT -8
Post by Emilia Montes on Apr 1, 2024 21:27:36 GMT -8
It wasn’t that Emilia didn’t respect the case or Fox or the countless nights he had dedicated to it. It was that the longer he dove into it, the more time they lost together and the bigger the divide became. Emilia often found herself alone in bed in the middle of the night. Even when they were seperated by curfews and Hogwarts houses, she hadn’t felt so lonely and far away from Fox.
“Okay,” her voice was just as quiet, just as tired, as his. Emilia gently pulled Wolf away from Fox and he gave a small yawn before he nestled his little head against her shoulder. By the time she set him down in his crib, Wolf was already asleep. He was usually fuzzy before going to sleep, there was never enough time for Wolf. Just like Fox. But it was the middle of the night and he must have exhausted himself. Emilia placed a soft kiss on his forehead and turned the light off.
“He shouldn’t be up so late,” she told Fox as she walked into their bedroom. “I thought he would stay in bed when I put him down earlier, but he always wants to do what you do.”
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Year/Job
Dad
"I'm pretty major and I'll sing it out loud." |
Travis
Fox Bishop
Flourish and Blotts Employee IS OFFLINE
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Familia
Apr 1, 2024 21:41:40 GMT -8
Post by Fox Bishop on Apr 1, 2024 21:41:40 GMT -8
Nothing had come easy for Fox and Emilia, not even the start of their relationship when Emilia still had to pretend that Fox was some stuck up Gryffindor punk who wasn't worth her time. They had been very fortunate though to have a small support system in Emilia's aunt, who had helped secure their small flat for them and even bought them a nice bed. They didn't have a lot of money right now, but they could trust that someone would help them stay together.
Fox watched with a smile from the door of Wolf's room as Emilia put him down. They might have woken up to the realities of adult life rather quickly, but one thing that hadn't changed was their love for their son. He always fell a little bit more in love with Emilia when he saw how gentle she was with Wolf. He slipped out of the doorway to return to the same bed that Emilia's aunt had gotten them.
When Fox curled back into bed he pulled back the sheets for Emilia to join him. "I never slept as a kid," he said. "Sleep is time lost for learning, you know."
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