WHO: Jasper Williamson and Bellatrix Lestrange ft Luca WHAT: Christmas shopping! WHEN: Backdated to Christmas Eve WHERE: Diagon Alley WARNINGS: None!
Jasper was really only supposed to be in Diagon Alley for a hot minute. Shopping wasn't something he particularly enjoyed, even though his sister and various other girlfriends over the years had attempted to convince him otherwise. He was firmly of the opinion that spending his spare time in a shopping precinct this close to Christmas was just asking to be pickpocketed.
Unfortunately, it was his turn to take care of Luca. The three-year-old insisted with a great deal of yelling that he did not want to be picked up and carried, and would much rather walk by himself, thank you very much. Even worse for Jasper's in-and-out plans was Luca's further insistence on being distracted by the pet shop, who seemed to have a new litter of kneazles out the front of the store.
"But kitty!" Luca argued rather solidly.
"No kitty," Jasper replied, trying to tug his son away from the store. Was this also Yaxley's doing? Was he torturing him with more stupid felines that his son now wanted? "It's not even a kitty. it's a kneazle."
Luca didn't seem to care for the difference and ignored his father, pressing his face up against the glass.
Jasper sighed and, still clutching Luca's hand tightly - lest he lose him - turned to scan the crowd for something else to distract the kid with. Just in time to see his next worst nightmare heading down the street.
It was only the second Christmas since Bellatrix had escaped Azkaban and the first of which she could comfortably venture into Diagon Alley on her own. With the recent changes in the wards protecting Diagon Alley, her day had gone remarkably well. She’d only had to step over one mudblood in the street and despite the bustle of last minute shoppers, she hadn’t encountered many of the sort she usually loathed.
Pulling her coat in closer around her throat, she rounded a corner just in time to see the display of kneazles. They reminded her of her own curly-haired Aquila at home, a Christmas gift from the previous year, who she’d outfitted with a red bow-tie for the holidays. The thought brought a private smile to her lips, one only more encouraged by the sight of the child admiring the animals behind the glass.
Jasper's grip on Luca's hand tightened almost immediately. Was Bellatrix Lestrange smiling at him and his son? Why? Two things popped up in his mind. Firstly, that his theory on identifying Death Eaters by who Bellatrix Lestrange smiled at needed some serious adjustments. And secondly, the words that had been haunting him and his son's mother all month: How safe is your family?
Not very fucking safe, clearly.
He pulled the child away from the window, hoping to slip from Bellatrix's further notice swiftly. This plan was promptly interrupted by the bellows of a furious three-year-old boy. "NO, DADDY, I WANT TO SEE THE KITTIES!"
Bellatrix’s gaze followed the child’s up to his father and her absent-minded smile vanished at the sight of him. Any warmth left her demeanor as she marched toward the storefront, a smirk settling in place of her grin. “Oh, come on, dad,” she said, an acerbic edge to her voice. “He wants to see the kitties.”
Even Luca stopped to look at the woman approaching, quieting and clutching to Jasper.
“He’s fine,” Jasper replied tersely, hoping she didn’t cause more of a scene. He bent low, scooped up his son and shuffled backwards. How safe is your family? “Nice chat. Gotta go.”
“Oh, pity,” Bellatrix said. But as she stepped up to the window, taking the boy’s place, it was clear she didn’t particularly care. “I’ll remember your son likes kneazles.”
With a shiver, Jasper apparated himself and his son the hell out of Diagon. He was definitely going to have to rework his Death Eater criteria now.