all honey & roses

It was as if Alice’s heart let out a sigh of relief when her friend finally arrived. There was a peace between them, an understanding that only sisters could share. Although not by blood, Greta and Edgar were family - they always would be. So their presence, either one, separate or together, noticably comforted Alice. There were no reservations, no expectations - just nice company in a cool, moonlit park.

“Hmmm,” Alice hummed aloud, as if lost deep in thought. “I’ll let it sldie this time, but only because I like you.” She grinned - a genuine one, not the facade it seemed everyone was wearing these days. “You have no idea how great it is to see you, Greta. It feels like it’s been weeks, so catch me up. How’s…well, everything.”

Grin sparked up on her features once more as she watched her friend pretend to mull her bargain over. With a shake of her own head it was her turn to playfully feign an emotion, this time it was disbelief. “Letting it slide? Don’t tell me you’re getting soft on me, Longbottom.” Tone was light and filled with something close to relief when being around Alice always made her relax. She hadn’t realised how tightly wound she’d been feeling until she felt some of the tension leave her as they spoke. 

“You too, it’s been too long.” Smile was warm and unwavering as she spoke, simply enjoying the ease that came with the company of her friend. “Mostly good. Work’s calmed down a bit and Edgar and I are doing well.” There’s a pause as she tried to work out what to say next, eventually settling on vague honesty. “But, we have some news.”

“   You just can’t help it,   can you?   ”   he chides teasingly,   though the overture of his tone is affectionate.   Frankly it just makes him happy to hear that laughter,   to know that she’s still capable of it even now.   “   Been rooting for your downfall all along do you think?   S’pose with you out of the game,   she’ll have no more competition.   ”   And as she plants a kiss to his hand,   his face softens.   He wishes moments like these weren’t so…   fleeting,   these days.   But that was the nature of their circumstance.   The look on her face tells him everything he needs to know and more   -   she hadn’t the slightest idea.   She would have told him if she did,   right?   The words that follow only further confirm it,   and he watches intently as her expression changes from disbelief to a preliminary understanding.   Acceptance.   Hope?

We’re having a baby?   Though he already knows,   it’s as if he needs her to speak it for it to be true.   And as the idea sinks to the pit of his stomach,   his heart seems to jump in his chest.   “   I think,   ”   a pause,   a nod.   “   I think we are,   yes.   ”   And the words tumble out in something that could be considered a chuckle   -   all of the emotions that had been cooped up are released into that breathy huff of air.   “   A baby.   ”   Ordinarily now might be the time that he would hold her in his arms,   kiss her,   tell her how happy he was.   Instead,   he remains still,   shell-shocked at the implications of the discovery.

“Help what?” His teasing is matched with her own, latching onto a moment of lightheartedness to provide a distraction. Anything to take her mind off the way that her heart was racing with nerves at the knowledge that she was pregnant. It was an understatement to say that it had been a surprise to her, one that she was struggling to process despite knowing that it was good news. How could a new life ever be bad? But she can’t help but bide herself a few seconds more time before their lives shifted entirely to accommodate a baby. So her head shakes in playful disapproval acting as though she was far from surprised by the notion that her sister in law might think some things. “I knew it, I knew she had it in for me.”

In his tone she can hear all of the hesitation that she was feeling - her usually clear emotions far too numerous to sort out properly and instead she just feels lost in them all. So she repeats his words softly, hoping that they would anchor her even slightly. “A baby.” She was undeniably daunted by the prospect of raising a child, let alone bringing one into such an unsettled world. But there was no one else she would rather face those challenges with that Edgar. They’d gotten through so much together already and she had every faith that parenthood would be no different. It was that thought that finally made a smile bloom over her lips. “Our baby.” She shifts gently, full of newfound care, reaching for him as self deprecating words leave her lips. “I can’t believe I didn’t realise.”

Where: St Mungo’s Who: Emm & @caughtlovebones​

The Welcome Witch had taken some convincing to agree to Emmeline’s request for Greta as a Healer but mentioning that she was an Unspeakable about six times in two minutes whilst still not saying why she was at St Mungo’s seemed to have done the trick. Finally, she was in her friend’s consultation room, cradling the hand that kept throbbing on and off. “I had a bit of a misfiring at work.” She bit her lip and looked at Greta apologetically. “I’m sorry, you know there’s so little I can actually say about it.” That was why she had wanted to see Greta, though, as every time she went to a new Healer about a work-sustained injury she was given the third degree about what exactly had happened. She understood how difficult it was to treat an unknown injury but Emmeline simply wasn’t allowed to talk about anything that went on within the Department of Mysteries.

Playful disapproving shake of her head was given as she spotted her next patient, words filled with mock chiding leaving her lips. “You know, you don’t have to get hurt to come and see me. It would be nice to see you uninjured every now and then.” But as always, even faked seriousness never lasted long from her and a grin was soon sparking over her lips. A nod of understanding was given to the other witch’s apology before she waved it off. It could be somewhat frustrating to not know the cause of an injury but she had always seen it as more of a challenge to tackle rather than an irritation. The Department of Mysteries lived up to its name and she quietly revelled in an opportunity to solve a puzzle called by it. “Let’s take a look. Do you need something for pain before we start?”

Nine times out of ten, Gideon’s way of making sure people were okay was to buy them a drink. He hadn’t seen Greta in a while, outside of Order meetings or maybe a quick run in somewhere in Diagon Alley. So he sent her a message asking if she’d meet him at The Leaky Cauldron for dinner and a drink.

He and Greta had always had a fun relationship. It had all started with a dare, probably from Fabian but it just as well could have been Bilius or some other Gryffindor. They were always doing stupid things like that in those days: daring each other to ask girls out or recite someone a poem at Hogsmeade or some other silly declaration of young attraction. Gideon had been so sure Greta was going to say no, but she didn’t. And so began an on again, off again thing that went on until she graduated.

He waited at an empty table until he saw her arrive. He waved her over and smiled as she joined him. “Thanks for coming,” he greeted. “How’s everything? It’s been a while.”

Friendship had always come easily to her, something she was especially grateful for at times like these when she was finding company so comforting. With everything that was going on she found herself leaning on her friends - no matter how their relationship had started. Things had always been simple and easy with her and Gideon so accepting his invitation had been far from a difficult decision for her.

Grin sprung easily onto her features as she approached the table she’d spotted him at, bright tones leaving her lips. “Thank you for asking me. With everything that’s been going on I think I’d forgotten what it was like to see somewhere other than St Mungos or home.” Nose wrinkled slightly in playful self deprecation before she answered his question the best that she could. Keeping secrets wasn’t something she enjoyed but she reassured that it was what was best for now. “Everything’s good, really. Just keeping busy”

She was quick to change the subject, not just to get the attention away from her but because she had always cared about others most. “And you? How are things?”

The mere sight of the kettle seemed heavenly to her, exhaustion creeping in and buzz slowly fading towards hangover. Tea was the perfect thing after a long night, though she tended to opt for something a bit stronger. Moving to take a seat while Greta moved about, Sofia exhaled deeply and sunk deeper into the uncomfortable chair, fond gaze tracking the other’s movements. “I’m making do. Work’s been good, but I feel like I’ve been tired for months.” It didn’t help that she rarely slept, constantly flitting from work to parties then back to Hannah, only to wake up bright and early with her daughter. Sofia was lucky that she’d kept weird hours for as long as she could remember, and functioned well on minimal sleep, but still, sometimes it all snuck up on her. A quick, adoring smile crossed her face at the mention of her daughter. “Hannah’s good. She’s taken up gardening with her grandfather.” Of course, it was usually more of Hannah playing in the dirt than providing any real help, but she seemed to be having fun. “How’s work? How’s the family?”

Sympathetic smile was given as she placed the tea down in front of the younger woman. “I can give you something for the tiredness if you’d like?” Expression lit up at the mention of Sofia’s daughter, smile dancing over her lips at the image of the young girl and her grandfather. “Gardening? She’s welcome to come and do ours anytime.” Light laughter left her lips, knowing that she’d never had anything close to green fingers.  “Work is good, thankfully it’s all calmed down.” There was no denying that she enjoyed her job and always would but she never again wanted to see the halls of St Mungos as busy as they had been after the Easter Festival. At the witch’s next question she briefly thinks about telling her that there would soon be another addition to the Bones family, wanting to share the good news as much as confide in another mother. But she doesn’t, not when her and Edgar had agreed not to so soon after the Potters had lost their son. “All well for now. Amelia seems to have recovered and Edgar is good. As good as any of us can be, really.” 

he’d forced himself to come in, the twinge in his leg had been getting worse and worse over the past few weeks ; keeping him up at night and putting him in a foul mood that even his surname couldn’t quite describe. so after an underwhelming checkup and a lot of advice he was clearly going to ignore, alastor had been on the way out when he saw greta in the hallway. “ bones, ” the auror greeted as he passed her, a nod to his head and his mood still –– fuck the pun, moody. “ constant vigilance, bones. anyone can attack you in here. ” he would know, there’d been that one time in that clinic in budapest. 

While her attention had been on her notes, she could always sense when a patient ( or someone else ) was nearby, looking up as Moody walked past her. “Huh, I guess they could.” Eyes widened slightly as though it was news to her - in a way it was when she considered St Mungos somewhat sacred - but she had always liked trying to lighten the Auror’s mood even a little. She stood up, taking a couple of steps closer so she could lean in as she spoke as though she was sharing a secret with him. “But don’t worry, I’m tougher than I look.” Gaze flickered over him, both curious and concerned about what had brought him to her workplace. “Old or new injury?”

–––– in conversation with @caughtlovebones ; roaming around diagon alley.

susan had woken her up far too early and far too loudly, promising to be as unpredictable as a box of jellybeans, so angelina had done the only thing she knew how –– she’d called in reinforcements. plus, auntie greta had always been a favourite in their house. had been since the day angie had first met her. “ i think susan and the cat are trying to run me out of my room, ” she joked, shovelling a big scoop of blue raspberry ice cream into her mouth and wincing at the brain freeze. “ pretty soon i’m going to be sleeping on the sofa. ” walking through the winding streets of diagon alley –– her overactive kid running around them with ice cream all over her face –– angelina laughingly turned to her sister-in-law. “ okay, moment of truth. is my tongue blue? ” 

Light laughter easily bubbled up at her sister in law’s tale, fond smile settling onto her features when she can almost picture it. There would always be a pang of sadness that Gregory wasn’t there to see such things but she’d learnt to focus on what she still had. The silver lining rather than the dark cloud. “And then they’ll just want the sofa.” Head shook, playful tut given at the antics of her niece and nephew ( if she considered Eldrid like a child it was only right that Concrete was too ) and she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d have the same anecdotes with her own child one day. “Beautifully so. Almost enough that I regret my choice but it’s too delicious for that.” Gaze drifted to her niece, watching as she ran around them. “Hey, Susie, has your tongue changed colour?”

Alice desperately needed to get away from, well, everything. It seemed that she practically lived at the Ministry these days. If she wasn’t filing paperwork, then she was researching the names that Amycus had given them during the interrogation. She was going to hunt down the people who killed Harry - and if she didn’t, then dozens of members of the Order had the same exact goal. It wasn’t revenge, it was earned retribution. (Okay, it was a little bit revenge. She wouldn’t be the only one enjoying their imprisonments and/or deaths.) Harry deserved to rest in peace, and that wouldn’t happen until things were set right, until this horrible war ended.

Her thoughts plagued her as she walked to the park they agreed on. It was small, intimate, covered in flowers and childrens’ play equipment. It was peaceful. They all needed a moment of peace. She settled in on one of the swings while she waited, letting her eyes fall shut as she listened to the gentle sounds of dusk - pops of magic as people apparated home from long days of work; children laughing nearby; the squeak of the swing’s hinges, in desperate need of an oiling. She opened her eyes as footsteps approached and she smiled lazily. “You, Mrs. Bones, are late.”

Running on time had never been her strongest suit, even for work she found herself dashing through th doors of St Mungos with only moments to spare before the beginning of her shift. It had gotten even worse - something she hadn’t thought was possible - since she’d found out that she was pregnant. Where before she usually had the best intentions and something happened to cause a hiccup in her plans to be on time, no her mind was so busy that she found herself forgetting what arrangements she’d made. A nagging feeling in the back of her mind had been the only indicator that she’d had someone to be until Edgar had reminded her.

As she walked through the playground she did her best not to get distracted by wondering if one day things would be safe enough for her to bring her child there. Perhaps she would muse it aloud to Alice but she had to tell her first. “But I’m here now, aren’t I?” Arms raised into a playful shrug before expression took on a more sheepish quality. “Can I claim ‘better late than never’?” With everything that had gone on she hadn’t been able to see her friend as much as she would have liked and it was a relief to see that she was fine. Or as fine as any of them managed to be. The teasing cadence her voice had held only moments ago melted away into something softer and more fond. “It’s good to see you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She wouldn’t be the first person to express their concern for Félix while he’s going through a rough time. But the sentiment was largely appreciated all the same. While he knew that he would never really take them up on their offers, the thought that people still cared about him still comforted him. That’s the most comfort Félix could allow himself to feel nowadays. 

“Your cups of tea are the best,” Félix agreed, having tasted it multiple times in the years they have worked together already. “I have a few minutes of break left so yeah, I’d love that.” He first approached her with so much worry and stress with the threat looming in his head regarding having to leave his job if he couldn’t find any alternatives for just taking a day off during the full moon. Even if Greta could only guarantee his job by helping out until the next month, it was still more than Félix could ask for. “Thank you, Greta.” Félix let his eyes and his grateful smile say the words that he couldn’t.

Her words of reassurance don’t exactly achieve their desired effect,   but the look on his face does nothing to betray that.   A small smile in response,   a shake of his head.   They were a mess,   weren’t they?   So wrapped up in worrying for the other.   “   Don’t apologize for that.   ”   And then,   a knowing look.   “   At least now we know you’re human.   ‘Melia might be a bit disappointed though.   ”   He’s always in such awe of her   -   the way she manages to carry so much.   The way she shouldn’t have to.   Edgar loosens the hold on her hand,   moving his own to caress her face.

His gaze that had been so steady on her suddenly shifts downward,   though only briefly before flicking back up.   “   As long as you feel alright,   then everything will be.   But   -   ”   But there was still that nagging feeling sitting heavy in his gut.   And he tried his damndest to beat it back   -   they’d weather whatever storm came there way,   he was confident in that at least.   But God,   how could he have missed this?   “   Did you know?   ”   And he feels almost foolish for the inkling of hope,   the small surge of joy.   But it’s there nonetheless.   And if she didn’t know what he was talking about before,   she would in just a moment’s time.

“   You’re pregnant?   ”

As much as she knew that she’d never have to apologise to her husband for anything, she hadn’t been able to help it. She was so used to being the caretaker that she’d never taken to being the patient with ease. Never liked to be the source of worry for anyone she loved. Maybe that was why she’d felt the way she had, a simple case of paying more attention to everyone else but herself. “Sorry.” Word slipped from her lips as a smile tugged at the edge of them, playfulness both to lighten the mood after a stressful moment and to prove she was feeling much more like herself. “It was bound to slip out at some point. Disappointed? No.” Head shook slightly, light laughter bubbling up. “I think she’ll be thrilled.” 

With a slight turn of her head she moved to prss a kiss against the palm that had been rsting on her cheek. There’s a firmness in her gaze but a softness in her voice when she reassures him once more. “I’m fine, really.” She would have argued further but his gaze dropping makes her pause, only for his next words to leave her speechless and fumbling for a reply. “What? No, I -” Head shook, disbelief being the first emotion that she had felt. But then it sank in a little more, logic finding its way along with it. He wouldn’t lie to her and there was no reason she couldn’t be.

There’s hopefulness in her tone, almost wistful, coupled with undeniable nervousness. “We’re having a baby?”

James had only been going out when he’d been forced to leave for work. The Quidditch team had finally announced the fact he was leaving, and the news was all over the papers. He’d found himself at the Leaky Cauldron after work, and, for some reason, he’d written an owl to one Greta Bones for some company. Recently, Lily had been distant (and James couldn’t judge her for that), but he felt as though he’d failed. He needed someone who might remind him he hadn’t even if he wouldn’t believe them. Sometimes words were a nice reminder. As she sat down beside him, James couldn’t help but manage a small smile. “Look at us,” he said. “Getting dinner as if everything were normal. Y’know in another life, I might’ve even bought a pot pie.” Now, though, James could barely even stomach down a bowl of fries.

There was a sense of guilt that hadn’t left her since she’d accepted James’ offer to meet up, because she almost hadn’t. Keeping secrets had never been easy for her when she tended to wear her heart on her sleeve, least of all keeping them from people she cared about. But she had soon changed her mind given what she knew her friend would be going through and if she could cheer him up in the slightest or even just distract him she would be happy. As she slid into the seat opposite him, light playful tut was given softer than her usual teasing. “You know the fish and chips is the by far the best choice here.” Part of her was unsure what to say next - what could you say to someone who’d lost a child - she hesitates, almost asking him how he was like she so wanted to before deciding to steer clear of that line of questioning for a little while longer. “First round on me?”

“Of course!” Félix felt ashamed for not immediately offering to do something in return. “Just name the date and I’ll gladly take up your shift!” Being in the Order with him immediately made Greta one of the healers that Félix is closest to. And given how he’s distanced himself with his other friends during the past few months, Félix can’t sometimes help but think that she might as well be his only friend right now. 

Félix looked up to meet her kind eyes. He pushed down the temptation to share the smallest of his pains even if just to alleviate his burden a little bit. Their lives were too complicated for them to worry about Félix right now. “Not really.” Félix lent her down gently. “At least, not now,” he added immediately. His lips barely curved enough to form a half-hearted smile. “It’s okay. I don’t want to take any more of your time really. You’re already doing so much for me.”

She’d always had a soft spot for her colleagues when there was a sense of camaraderie shared by them all. Add to that the love she had for her fellow Order members, it was safe to say that she was fond of the young Healer. Which meant that the notion that there was something bothering him didn’t sit well with. She found herself having to battle the urge to press him for more details in the name of trying to help. But instead she simply left an offer of an ear if he ever wanted it. “Well, you know where I am if you change your mind.” 

As much as she had decided not to pester him too much now, the brunette was still reluctant to let him go just yet. “If you don’t have to rush off anywhere I could still use a break and I’d love some company.” Smile as flashed his way before tone grew a little brighter, lightness and teasing clinging to her words. “I brought biscuits today and I think we all know my cups of tea are unbeatable.”

✰ greta .

It was in moments like these that it would be so easy to forget that they were all fighting for what they believed in. That lives had been lost and more were under threat. In that moment it was simply the three of them, her enjoying time with a friend while doting upon their child. Laughter threatens to come freely but she manages to hold it back long enough so she can deliver her mock serious reply. “You can put that pout away, it won’t work on me. If I let you play the old card it means I have to play the ancient one and I’m not sure I’m ready for that just yet.” She can no longer hold the bubbles of laughter back, letting them loose as she gets a tad more dramatic. “Let me cling to my youth a little longer.” 

With a fond look at the little boy who was now darting through the crowd, she found herself unable to do anything but agree with James. “I don’t doubt it for one moment.” Harry was special and she was certain that he would reach his potential and more.

James stared up at the sky as they watched Harry playing around in the field. For a second, he could forget about the war that had been plaguing their streets; forget about the horrors of their world. For a second, Easter was all that mattered, laughter with Greta was all that filled his day. “Alright, I’ll cling with you then,” James laughed. “We’ll be those annoying old people who are claiming they’re forever young and trying to go sky-diving when they’re eighty.” That did, though, sound like something James would do now, so it wasn’t exactly out of the realm of possibility. 

A soft smile played on his lips at the thought of Harry growing up, although it definitely set a pang throughout her body. “Yea,” he said, softly. “He’s gonna be a good kid.” And he let the smile spread on his face before smiling up at the sky, smiling at the sunshine on his skin.