Strange Things Are Happening (Lelia and the Longbottoms!)

[Deleted]

@lelia

The Cauldron was quite, not to many people hanging around, and most of the patrons were in bed. Since Phil was home for a bit, he figured he could help his mom out. She did so much for everyone around her that it was the least he could do. The table's weren't all that dirty, but he washed them anyway, not leaving any crumbs on the tables and planning to sweep them up later.

The flowers, courtesy of his dad's hothouse in the back, were beginning to wilt, even with magic there was only so long cut flowers could live. But these babies weren't going to die tonight, not on Phil's watch. Whipping his wand out he muttered a quick spell under his breath and the flowers suddenly perked up. Admiring his handiwork as he went to get the broom, he heard the bell that announced someone coming into the room.

"Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron, I'm Phil." Words practiced, per his mother's request should he ever be helping and she wasn't there to greet guests. "Can I help you?" He set the broom back down so he could help however was needed.

As the door closed, he saw the silhouette of a woman appear, and she was holding a little girls hand. That little girl, was adorable. She had a big smile on her face and was looking around the whole room in awe. Then her eyes shot up to her mother. "Mommy, is this where daddy is?"

Phil walked forward, and bent down in front of the little girl, a big smile on his face. "Hello there, what is your name?" he asked sweetly.

[Deleted]

@philiplongbottom

England. Was. COLD.

It was spring for heaven's sake! Shouldn't it be a bit warmer?! But here Lelia was, in a warm leather jacket, zipped up to try and keep as much body heat as possible. This was a woman used to desert or tropical climates, and England was neither of those. She'd personally never visited the country up until now. Neither had Baylee. Lelia wasn't to thrilled, Baylee thought it was great.

Lelia kept a tight grip one her daughter's hand, the girl pulling this way then that, something new catching her attention every few seconds. Everytime she pulled it felt like she might pull her arm from her socket and disappear into the crowded streets.... Lelia's nerves her shot from that alone, constantly worrying she'd lose track of the girl. Not only that, she was jet lagged, and her stomach hurt (to no surprise). Basically she wasn't having the best day, both emotionally and physically exhausted.

Despite never being to England, she knew of one place she needed to go. The Leaky Cauldron. After quite a bit of bribing and scolding, she finally managed to get her five year old onto the knight bus. In no time she got her first look of the place. Baylee thought it was amazing, and wanted to run in immediately, Lelia only managing to catch her before she bolted through the door. Why couldn't she just be calm for once..?

Finally they were there though, and Baylee, thankfully, was taken back for a moment. Hopefully it would last. "Ah, yes. Do you have any rooms available?" She responded to the young man who must have worked here, not paying to much mind because her daughter was tugging on her jacket, trying to get her attention.

"Mommy, is this where daddy is?"

Lelia smiled down at the girl, and shook her head. "Daddy's working, honey. We're going to see him later." "Oh." Lelia could hear the disappointment in the girl's voice, and sucked in her breath. Please, she better not burst into tears now. Lelia didn't know if she could handle another tantrum of Baylee's. Yes, she hadn't seen her father in two months, but if she could only just last a few more hours..! Before the water works started though the charming young man approached them, crouching before Baylee. Her spirits lifted immediately. "Baylee! Mommy says I can't talk to strangers.... Are you a stranger?" Baylee looks at him questioningly. Lelia sighed, and offered an apologetic smile to the young man.

[Deleted]

@lelia

This little girl was one of the most adorable things he had ever seen. The little girl's voice matched with her adorable curly pigtails caught his attention.

"Well, Baylee, I am a stranger, but maybe you could ask your mom and see if we can be friends instead?" He looked up to the woman, a goofy grin on his face. This was a side of himself he had never experienced before, but it was not at all unpleasant. Baylee's big brown eyes were focused on him for just a moment before she looked up to her mother.

As he waited for the mom's response he suddenly realized, he was not being a very good host. His brain seemed to bring the woman's question about a room to the front of his mind. He stood up quickly. "Oh, and yeah. We have a room, I think. I might have to ask my mom, she owns and runs everything. I'm just helping out." Why was he telling this woman everything? She looked exhausted, unlike Baylee who was looking at everything around her. But she also looked like someone he wanted to trust.

[Deleted]

@philiplongbottom

Oh could those eyes get any bigger? Baylee had her mother fixed with those well trained puppy dog eyes of hers. The ones that could melt anyone's heart. It wasn't like she was going to say no! Lelia wasn't that strict! "If you want to be friends with him." she voiced her 'approval', fully knowing the girl wouldn't have listened if she said no for whatever reason. Baylee would have been silent for only a minute before verbally assaulting the young man. She got that attitude from her mother, a refusal to listen to others if she was convinced she was right. Baylee grinned at the approval, looking back at him. "Okay! We can be friends.". Sometimes Lelia wished it was truly that simple to makes friends. The little girl's eyebrows furrowed as she realized something. "What's your name?" "Phil. He introduced himself when we walked in, remember?" She looked at the young man with a soft smile. "Short for Philip, I assume?"

That smile remained as he went on to say he thought they had a room, but he'd have to check with her first. "Of course." She paused for a moment, having to because Baylee had caught sight of something shiny and tried to run away. Lelia barely managed to keep ahold of her hand, but sighed and looked at the girl who was straining to get away. A string of words in Arabic followed, and only ended up getting Lelia an absolutely vile look from Baylee. "I wanna seeeeeeeee." was the response she got, and with another tug, she finally slipped out of her mother's hand. Lelia just sighed. "I'm sorry about Baylee. She's very excited." She kept an eye on the girl, but decided to let her roam for now and satisfy her curiosity. "You're a... student, aren't you? At Hogwarts?"

[Deleted]

@lelia

Baylee's grin up at him when she said they could be friends was the best thing since Andy. He looked down at her with a huge smile on his own face.

"Yeah, My name is Phil." he told Baylee, then turned to her mom. "And it is short for Philip. I didn't catch your name." He didn't want to pry, but he was going to need to ask anyway if he was going to book her room. Besides, he knew her daughter's name, might as well know the mom's name.

The girl tugged on her mom's arm and Phil thought for a moment she would pull the arm out of the socket, but after a few moments of tugging Baylee got her wish and was released into the room. Hopefully, she wouldn't get into too much. "Don't worry about her, we have kids in here often. She is fine." He reassured the woman in front of him.

After a moment she spoke to him again, and her question he figured was justified. He didn't look old enough to be out of school. "Yeah, I'm a sixth year. I am just home visiting for the weekend after all the... stuff that just happened. Did you hear about it?" He asked. She had spoke Arabic, and had very tan skin. Plus she was bundled up like it was January or something, the weather was actually pretty nice right now. A little rainy, but he only needed a light jacket. She didn't seem like she was from around her, so she may not have heard of what was going on at Hogwarts, or maybe even in London.

[Deleted]

@philiplongbottom

"Lelia. Lelia Zaher." She introduced herself politely, holding out her now free hand to shake his own with a matching smile. "Would your mother be nearby so we could check for any availability?" She added sweetly.... Though kept a close eye on the wandering child.

"With a child like Baylee, you constantly worry. She's a knack for trouble..." Any minute now. She was sure. Baylee would find something she shouldn't, and Lelia would have to stop her. Not only that, but she was a little copy cat, and had memorized several of the wandless hand gestures Lelia used.

Of course she'd heard about the attack at Hogwarts. Lelia nodded, "News like that travels fast." He was only here for the weekend. Which meant... He must have been there during the attack. "You could say that's why we're here." Baylee came running back at that point, beaming. "We're going to see daddy!" Her mother simply nodded again. "Yes Baylee, but not now." Another dirty look from the five year old and she ran off, this time over near the counter. Before Lelia could say anything else to Phil, she frowned. "Baylee! Don't touch that!" "I'm NOT touching it!"

And she wasn't. Baylee was levitating the vase of flowers Phil had only revitalized minutes earlier.

[Deleted]

@lelia @hannah

Phil shook her hand smiling politely at her. "My mom should be just up stairs I can go and get her." He told her but lingered for just a moment, his eyes following Baylee as she moved around the room.

"I'm sure she isn't that troublesome." how could someone that cute cause trouble? No, it couldn't happen. He started to step toward Baylee, but Lelia's next words made him pause. They were here because of the attacks? Maybe she had someone at Hogwarts whom she was close to, that would be an excellent reason to be in London.

As Baylee began to levitate the vase of flowers, a flutter of anxiety woke in Phil's stomach. He walked over to the vase and snatched it out of the air then bent down next to Baylee and showed her the flowers. "See these? We have to be careful with them, they can break easily and then..." He took one flower out and snapped the stem. It immediately wilted and turned brown (the spell he had put on it was carried in the stem). "See? So make sure you are keeping it safe when you play with it." He put the vase back on the counter but first took a flower out and put it behind her ear.

"I'll go get my mom now." He said and left the room to find his mom.

[Deleted]

Hannah was in the kitchens. The Cauldron had been incredibly busy the last few weeks, which was not at all surprising. Hannah was constantly on her feet. Hannah had a lot of work to do. The turnover in rooms was at it's highest rate what with people coming to visit family and needing a place to crash until they could meet up with their families during all the bad things and not too mention graduation coming up.

At this particular moment she was in the back in the refrigerated area taking inventory. She was just about done, which was great because she glanced out at the bar in time to see Phil walking toward her. "Hey, sweetie. Need help with something?"

It seemed a customer was in need and Hannah told Phil she'd be out in just a moment. She put her paperwork away and came out, approaching the woman with her dazzling smile and extending a hand out. "Welcome! I'm Mrs. Longbottom. I hear my boy here's been helping you. What can I do for you?"

[Deleted]

@philiplongbottom
@hannah
@ohhaihusband

Lelia laughed when Phil said Baylee couldn't be much trouble. Oh, he had no idea. Baylee looked like a sweet little angel but she was to much of an adventurer. Stubborn as heck, and far to curious for her own good. She was the definition of trouble. "Believe me. She is."

And of course now Phil was seeing it. Lelia had taken only a step by the time he was already across the room, catching the vase and explaining why that wasn't a good idea. Baylee just looked at him with those big eyes and head tilted dramatically. "I WAS being careful."She stubbornly stated. Apparently not touching it meant careful.....

"Baylee, honey, come sit down please?" With her new playmate gone, Baylee listened. Lelia made it to a table, and pulled out a chair for the girl, who plopped down and swung her legs wildly underneath. Only a few minutes later, after Lelia had managed to calm the girl down a little, Phil's mother, MRs. Lonbottom appeared. Smiling brightly, Lelia took the offered hand, firmly shaking it. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Longbottom. We're hoping you have a room o-" She was cut off by a high pitched shriek.

Baylee was the source, and she sounded like she was being beaten or something. Only a second later was it obvious that 'shriek' was actually a word. She was out of the chair and racing across the room like lightning.

"DADDY!"

[Deleted]

@hannah @philiplongbottom @lelia

This had been one of the longest weeks of his entire life. He had been out looking for Zander, any trace of him, for the last two days. There was no way he was going to stop until he found him. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t exhausted.

Staying at the Leaky Cauldron was always enjoyable, he loved spending time with his family. But part of him longed to go home. A large part of him. His mind flicked to the little two bedroom apartment he owned here in London, but no, that wasn’t the home he was thinking of. The home he wanted to go to was far away, over the oceans, in the loving arms of his wife and child. Home was in Mexico. He hadn’t been home for two months, and it looked like it was going to be even longer before he would see them again.

He opened the door and stepped in, the familiar bell ringing as he entered. There were voices, just like there always was but one voice stood out above the rest.

It screamed ”DADDY!” and his daughter ran to him. His arms opened of their own accord, habit, even while his tired brain struggled to catch up. Baylee was here? Panic. Why was she here? Where was his wife? His eyes widened, searching for Lelia’s face, her eyes, her strength, her confidence. Baylee’s arms were tight around his neck as she kissed him over and over, just as his were tight around her small body, holding her close.

”What—What are you doing here?” he stammered.

[Deleted]

The woman had a kind face, and an adorable little girl which brightened Hannahs busy day a bit. She smiled as the woman started to explain what they needed and then, suddenly, the little girl scream daddy and started running. Out of instinct, Hannah followed the path the girl ran and when she jumped into her brothers arms, Hannah stopped breathing.

Her mind was going a million miles a minute as she looked from the girl, to Carson, to the woman, to Phil can to the girl, then she finally settled on Carson. He looked just as confused as she did, actually. Her eyes widened and she swallowed once... twice... a third time before finally remembering how to speak.

"Carson," she said firmly, stepping around the bard, "care to explain?" Big sister had arrived, now more than ever.

@carson
@philiplongbottom
@ohhaisisterinlaw @lelia

[Deleted]

@hannah @philiplongbottom @lelia @ohhaifamilies

Baylee put both of her hands on his cheeks and looked into his eyes, forcing his gaze to meet hers. "Daddy, you were gone too long. So Mommy and I came to be with you!" Carson gave her a smile and kissed her nose, then he shifted her onto his hip. She rested her head on his shoulder, content to just be held for the moment.

Lelia's face was, as always, the most welcome sight, though he wished he wasn't seeing it in London. Hannah's face on the other hand... He didn't think he had seen this face since he, Phil, and Jayden had knocked over an entire greenhouse while playing Quidditch.

"Hannah," He said slowly, meeting her gaze. He didn't have any feelings of guilt or shame, just the extremely uncomfortable force that was his sister's glare. "This is my wife, Lelia, and our daughter Baylee. My adopted daughter." he explained, knowing that wouldn't be enough for his sister. She would want the whole story, and he would give it to her. But not tonight, not after the emotionally grueling day he had scouring every known source for the kidnapped Hogwart's students. Grabbing a chair at the table closest to Hannah and Lelia, he sat down and set Baylee down on his lap. She snuggled into his chest and pulled his wand out of his cloak pocket and looked at it as the adults talked. Carson didn't seem to notice.

[Deleted]

@philiplongbottom
@hannah
@carson
@henry, @alice, @superluigi64 You three can join as well!

Lelia wasn't expecting Carson to walk in. She'd thought it'd be at little harder to track her husband down. He was a cautious man, and she hadn't thought he'd be at the Leaky Cauldron, a place he'd spoken so often of. But there he was, and Baylee spotted him first. Lelia's eyes widened before she even turned, knowing that that cry could only mean he was there. Slowly, she turned and felt the knot in her stomach that had been there since he left, loosen. Before she knew it she was smiling. No, she was beaming. Her feet didn't move yet though, out of fear she'd trip (she probably would, she was a klutz.), and instead watched him swoop of their daughter. She hadn't seen Baylee so happy since he left, and it warmed her tired heart to see them together. Her family. Her family that had just gotten a lot bigger.

Offering a small, apologetic to Phil and Hannah, she finally took a step towards Carson. "It's nice to finally meet both of you. Officially." She added that last part, remembering she'd already said that once. Only when Carson sat down did she move to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and affectionately kissed the top of his head. She didn't want to be.... too affectionate since his sister and nephew were in the room but couldn't completely stop it. "Carson." Was all she said. All she needed to say. His simple name spoke volumes. Of her deep love for the man. Of how much she'd missed him.

[Deleted]

@carson && @lelia && @philiplongbottom && @hannah

"This is my wife, Lelia, and our daughter Baylee. My adopted daughter." apparently jay had picked a good time to walk down the stairs and into the main part of the leaky cauldron. his uncle had a wife? and a daughter? well wasn't that mind blowing. but it was great news really. he grinned a little as he made his way down the rest of the stairs and he saw the three of them sitting at a table together and talking to his mother and phil. he did wonder why they had never been told about his uncles family before but he figured it had something to do with the fact his uncle was a private person and the work he did, which jay could never actually get a straight answer out of him no matter what he asked about the kind of work carson did. didn't matter though, because here they were! with a bigger grin he plucked two flowers out of one of the vases that phil loved to fill up and he walked over to the table. "hi! welcome to the family" there was no personal space in this family, it was hugs and love and you just had to get used to it. he moved up to them, dropped his arm around his uncles shoulders as he leaned down and offered the little girl in his lap one of the flowers. "hey there baylee .. i'm jay" he said with a friendly smile before looking to .. lelia? he was sure that's what he heard carson call her and he offered her the other flower. "so i guess this means i get to call you aunty?"

[Deleted]

@hannah @lelia @henry @superluigi64 @alice (If you guys want to come in )

Phil wasn't really sure what was going on. One second his mom is helping this lady get a room, while Phil played with her adorable daughter. The next, said daughter was running toward a man who had just walked in screaming "DADDY!". That man turned out to be his Uncle who seemed unphased when he picked the girl up and kissed her, but did a seem concerned about Lelia, who apparently was his wife?

He must have been sleeping or something, his uncle wasn't married, well not anymore. His thoughts were all cut off by the tone in his mother's voice. His head snapped around to look at her. He hadn't heard that voice in... a very long time. It was normally reserved for those who were in deep trouble. Phil hadn't been on the receiving end of that voice in quite some time, but he remembered very clearly the last time it had happened.

Jayden walked in and was sickeningly sweet. Seriously, he gave them flowers. Too smooth for his own good. Phil rolled his eyes playfully at his brother before studying the woman once more. She was beautiful, middle-eastern, he thought, and she couldn't keep her eyes off of his uncle. Now that he noticed his uncle seemed really conflicted about his wife being there. He leaned into her touch, but also had a worried look on his face. What was even going on?

"So... You're married?" was all he could think to say.