RP: Permits Location: Diagon Alley Date: 28 March 2005
Draco wiped red juice off Lyra's chin and kissed her forehead. "There you go, princess," he said. "Better now?" She nodded and re-attacked her straw as he sat back in his chair.
"My friend, you have troubles," Rurik said, little Dimitri perched on his lap. "Three babies, one hand."
Draco snorted. "Don't I know it. Even with both hands, I'm outnumbered. At least with both our wives along, it's usually one adult per child." He nodded toward the shop across the street, its window full of delicate glass and other easily-breakable things. Luna and Hermione had gone in without their husbands and children; Draco and Rurik were on childminding duty for a few minutes. Scorpius would have been all right in the shop, but Lyra's climbing was a danger and Nova didn't want to go in. To save having to pay for anything damaged and to prevent a sulk from his oldest daughter, Draco had agreed to take the kids to get something to drink.
And to sit at a table outside so everyone could see the very moment Mummy came back. Nova and Scorpius were enthralled by their fizzing, sparking slushy drinks, but not to the point of forgetting their manners, he was pleased to notice. Lyra had less interest in the charms on the drinks and more on the thrill of getting to drink from a straw like a big kid. She hadn't figured it out quite yet but she was getting closer.
Draco checked his pocketwatch, hoping the ladies hurried. He needed to duck into Knockturn Alley before his contact left and he couldn't take the kids with him, not three on one. If he wanted to get started on his new greenhouse, permits rushed along with his father's help, he had to catch this witch before she headed north. If she left on her annual trip, he'd have to wait until the following year to try again. He certainly wasn't going to head to Lappland himself, even if it was the only place to get the moss he wanted.