July - 1966
James smiled widely as he looked up at his father. Florean Fortescue's was quite crowded and the small child took a step closer to his father's side, pressing his arm against the man's soft slacks. The boy had learned long ago not to wander off when he was out with his parents.
"Strawberry with peanut butter correct?" Charles questioned looking down at his son. His right hand reached out, gently ruffling the dark head of hair.
James nodded into his father's side, his smile never faltering.
It had become somewhat of a tradition for Charles and Lydia to take their son to the ice cream parlor on Saturday afternoons. They were such regulars that Mr. Fortescue no longer asked what flavor Charles or Lydia wanted and simply served up their regulars of blueberry and banana. It was James who changed the flavor he wanted weekly. The child seemed nearly determined to try every flavor of the three hundred that were offered. That being said, anyone who paid attention would easily see that the child's favorite flavor was pumpkin. It was the one flavor that he went back to multiple times.
"Do you think mummy is okay?" James asked as his eyes scanned the large containers of flavors that sat in the glass case in front of his view.
"I am sure that she is fine. It was just a headache." Charles took the dish of James' ice cream from Mr. Fortescue. He thanked the man before licking his own blueberry cone. "Let's find a table, shall we?"
James nodded as he moved a step away from his father's side before following the man to a small table for two close to the front of the shop. He slid into a seat as his father placed his ice cream down in front of him before taking his own seat across from the boy.
"I am nearly positive that by the time we arrive home your mother will be feeling much better." Charles gave the boy a smile as he watched James pick up his spoon and scoop up a large helping of ice cream. "She just needed a headache reliever and a bit of peace and quiet."
James nodded in reply as he ate his spoonful of ice cream. After swallowing his first bite he gave his father a large grin. "These two flavors are really brilliant! Want to try?"
Charles gave a slight shake of his head as he chuckled softly. "Thank you but I am going to pass. I am perfectly satisfied with my selection."
James shrugged slightly at the response. "Don't you get bored with it?"
Charles shook his head at the words. "It is my favorite. It is always satisfying."
James shrugged once more as he turned his head slightly to look around the shop. "Next time I am going to try walnut I think."
"I have actually heard that the walnut is quite good," Charles replied as he bit into his ice cream cone. "Turn around properly and eat please. I am nearly done and you have hardly started."
James nodded in reply but didn't obey immediately. His eyes settled in on a display of sugar quills and chocoballs. There were packages that contained some of each treat. James grinned at the sight of them. Not even Honeydukes ever sold them together like that!
"James?" Charles reached out his hand, gently tapping the boys arm with his fingertips. "Turn around and eat please."
"Can we get one of those?" James pointed to the display before turning around in his seat to face his father. He picked up his spoon eating another mouthful of ice cream.
Charles looked past his son at the display before he shook his head. "You have both sugar quills as well as chocoballs at home. Your mother just bought some for you. I saw them in the pantry this morning."
"I know." James scooped up another spoonful of ice cream. "But look at it daddy, it's different. They are all in the same box!" James' eyes widened in admiration of such an idea before he ate the ice cream on his spoon.
Charles raised an eyebrow at the child's words as he finished off his ice cream cone. He knew that his wife would have allowed it. She rarely said no to their only child. James likely would not have even had to ask for the treat box. Lydia would have seen him eyeing it and purchased it for him before he even had the chance to request it. Spoiled but not a brat, as she liked to put it. Charles had to admit that she had managed just that.
Being an only child to fairly wealthy parents, it was nearly impossible for James not to be somewhat spoiled. He did not have siblings that he was made to share anything with. Nor did he have anyone else competing for his parents love and attention. For the most part, what James wanted, he got.
"But daddddy," James whined as he pushed his bottom lip out in a pout. "Look at it!"
Charles shook his head as his brow furrowed slightly. "I see it. It looks quite interesting and perhaps the next time we visit we will purchase it. However, we are not doing so today."
James frowned at the words, crossing his arms over his chest as he sat back in his chair. "But I need it!"
"You do not need it, you want it," Charles corrected his son in a slightly stern tone. "There is a vast difference. Now eat your ice cream or we are going to go home and leave it here."
"Noooo!" The boy whined loudly causing several other customers to glance in their direction. He slid down in his seat until he was practically lying in it.
Charles could hardly help the shocked look that took over his face. He had never witnessed his child behaving so badly and certainly not in a public setting. "James Charles sit up properly now." His voice was firm. "You know better than to behave like this."
"Buy it for me!" James said in a demanding voice. "I want it!"
An older witch at the table across from them casted a disapproving look over at the child.
"I have had quite enough of this behavior." Charles stood up from his chair, pushing it in behind him. "We are going home."
"Noooo. No!" James replied angrily. "I don't wanna go home! You can't make me!"
Charles could feel his temper rising at his son's words. He reached out and took a firm hold of the boy's chair, pushing it away from the table before he hooked his hands under James' armpits and lifted him into his arms. "Now that is enough!"
"Stooooop!" James whined loudly as he tried to wiggle out of his father's grasp. When he realized he was not going anywhere, he kicked his foot at his bowl of ice cream sending it flying onto the floor.
Charles grip on the boy tightened as his right hand moved to firmly tap the small portion of his son's backside that he had access to. "James Charles," he hissed angrily.
"No bother at all." Mr. Fortescue appeared from behind the counter. He waved his wand causing the mess on the floor from James' ice cream to vanish.
"Put me doooooown!" James demanded in a loud whine.
Charles gave his child an appalled glare as he hoisted him up a bit higher in his arms and tightened his grip once more. "You have my sincerest apologies for his behavior," he spoke to Mr. Fortescue. "I honestly do not know what has gotten into him."
"No bother," the man repeated the words once more with a small, forced grin. "I am sure he is just overtired."
"I'm noooot!" James shot the man an angry glare.
Under normal circumstances he would never behave such a way in front of Mr. Fortescue or anyone else in the shop. James was normally very aware of who was around and how he acted. In this moment however, he did not care. His dad was being completely unfair.
"James!" The tone of Charles' voice went deeper than his child had ever heard. "Apologize to Mr. Fortescue at once!"
James jumped slightly at the sound of his father's voice. He turned his head to look at Mr. Fortescue. He eyed the older man carefully. He wasn't mad at him. Mr. Fortescue was always really nice to him. He bet if he had asked him to buy him the candy he would have. The small child cleared his throat softly. "Sorry," he mumbled before turning his head to look over his father's shoulder once more.
"It is quite alright," the older man smiled warmly. "I will see you next weekend."
"Yes, we will be going now," Charles agreed with a nod.
"Noooo!" James voiced his opinion loudly. "I'm not goin' hooooome!"
Charles ignored the words as he gave Mr. Fortescue a small nod before turning and heading in the direction of the door.
The moment that Charles turned, James buried his face in his father's shoulder effectively hiding it from Mr. Fortescue as well as everyone else in the shop.
"Stoooop!" James demanded as his father carried him outside of the store. "I want ice cream!"
"Perhaps you should have thought about that before you started having a tantrum and kicked your ice cream onto the floor?" Charles tightened his grip slightly on the child as he felt James squirming once more.
In the six years that he had been a father, Charles had never given his child a proper spanking. At the very most James had gotten a swat or two in passing for a bit too much cheek or a careless act. He could not help but feel as though today may change that though. If his child was ever deserving of a proper punishment this was surely the time.
"Daddddy!" James wiggled in the man's arms before kicking his left foot into his father's leg.
Charles' lips set in a tight line as he felt the small foot make forceful contact with his leg. He adjusted the child in his arms, giving himself better access to the boy's backside, before he landed a firm smack to James' squirming rear end. "You will not kick me!"
James threw his head back at the smack, tears instantly falling from his eyes. "Doooon't!"
Charles nearly found himself rolling his eyes at his child's dramatics. He may have been firm but he certainly hadn't smacked the six year old all that hard. Not even a moment later he felt James' small fist hit his shoulder and his foot collide with his leg once more.
Charles suddenly found himself thankful that the streets were practically deserted. He easily pulled the child out of his arms and set him on the ground. Taking a firm grip on James' arm he landed a stinging swat to his small rear end.
"Owwwww!" James whined loudly, throwing his free hand back to protect his bum. "Stop!"
Charles ignored the words as he began walking forward, his grip remaining on James' arm.
James tried his hardest to dig his feet into the ground. To remain standing exactly where he was. Unfortunately though his father was much stronger than he was and easily led him down the street towards The Leaky Cauldron. James tried desperately to stop his tears as his free hand rubbed frantically at his bum in an attempt to alleviate some of the sting.
"I don't want to go home!" James declared as he began stomping his feet.
"Given the trouble that you are in, I am sure that you do not." Charles pulled the door open to The Leaky Cauldron, ushering his child inside before following him.
"Charles, James you lot are back soon!" Tom's cheerful voice spoke from behind the bar. The smile on the man's face faded slightly as his eyes moved from Charles down to the small six year old. James looked utterly miserable as well as furious. Tears were streaming down the child's face and the grip that his father had on his hand looked unwanted.
"Ice cream was unfortunately cut short," Charles replied as he walked towards the fireplace with James in tow.
"Cause you're bein' meannnn," James whined as he stomped his foot once more.
"We will be going now." Charles reached up and took a handful of floo powder from the large jar on top of the mantel. "I will see if I can talk Lydia into popping over for a sherry later this week."
"I look forward to it," Tom nodded with a forced smile. The man did not have children of his own but he could imagine that James was about to find himself in quite a bit of trouble with his father.
Charles reached down and easily lifted his child into his arms before stepping into the fireplace and dropping the floo powder at their feet.
Once in their parlor, Charles set the child back down on the ground. "You can go directly into my study and put your nose in a corner young man." He landed a lighter smack to the seat of his pants causing James to stomp his foot once more. "Nooooo!" The child practically threw himself down on the ground, sitting on his bum to protect it from anymore unwanted discipline. "I'm not!"
"What is all this?"
Charles looked up to see his wife standing in the entrance to the parlor. Her eyebrow raised as she looked at her husband and then down to her son.
"This is how he has been behaving for the past half an hour. I have had absolutely enough!"
"Mumma!" James jumped to his feet and ran across the room to his mum, burying his face in her side. "Daddy is bein' me- mean!" The tears continued to stream down the boy's face as his breath hitched.
"I am not being mean," Charles retorted as he watched his wife carefully lift their child up. James' arms instantly wrapped tightly around her neck as his shoulders shook with tears. "Do not coddle him Lydia. He has been behaving like a spoiled brat."
Lydia found herself whispering gentle words into James' ear for a moment before she looked up at her husband. "What happened?"
"He wanted this novelty snack box that Fortescue's was selling. Which, mind you, contained snacks that are already in the pantry. When I told him that he could not have them, he -"
"Daddy wasn't being faiiiir," James whined into his mum's shoulder, cutting his father off.
Lydia's hand gently tapped her son's back. "Hush please. Let your father finish talking."
Charles was silent for a long moment, waiting for his child to being having a tantrum once more. When James remained quiet he cleared his throat before continuing, "When I told him that I would not purchase the item he demanded that I do so and then began throwing a tantrum in the middle of the shop which included kicking his ice cream all over the floor." Charles paused for a moment as he watched a shocked, horrified look take over his wife's face. "This tantrum continued as I carried him out of the shop and then walked him home. He behaved like a spoiled brat Lydia and I will not allow that. He is in need of a tanned backside."
"You already sp-spanked me!" James accused his father as he shifted his head on his mother's shoulder so that he had a small view of the man.
"I swatted him," Charles informed his wife. "Given the behavior I witnessed however, I believe that he is long overdue for a proper trip over my knee."
"Nooo! That's no- not faiiiir!" James voiced his opinion loudly as he threw his head back. His father never actually gave him more than one or two swats. He knew what a proper spanking was though. He had heard about them from other children and he did not want one. His bum was already hurting enough.
Lydia's fingertips gently tapped her child's back once more. "Is daddy lying about what happened?"
James studied his mother's face for a moment before lying his head back down on her shoulder. He was silent as he slowly shook his head no, fresh tears burning at his eyes. "But I- I wanted it," he said softly into her hair.
Lydia shook her head firmly as she turned and began moving down the hall, her child still in her arms. "Regardless of what you wanted, if daddy tells you no then that is the answer. You know better than to behave in such a way."
A small whine escaped James' lips as he tightened his hold on his mother. He had a pretty good idea of where she was carrying him to though he hoped that he was wrong. "I'm sorry," James whispered as his hand moved, his fingers playing with his mum's soft hair. "I was just mad." The fight was leaving his body however, the tears kept running down his cheeks.
"You are going to have to talk to daddy about all of that." Lydia adjusted her child in her arms before releasing her right hand from her grip on him to open the study door.
"Mummmy nooo," James whined as she walked into the study.
"I am sorry young Sir but your father wants you in the corner and I cannot say that I disagree with him." Lydia carefully pulled the child from her arms and set him on the ground in front of the corner that he typically was made to stand in. "Now stand here like the good boy I know that you can be please."
James stuck his lower lip out as he looked up at his mum. He wanted to stomp his foot or refuse to do as she said but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't act like that to her - he wouldn't. Instead he gave a soft whine of complaint before turning and facing the corner.
"Thank you." Lydia placed a gentle hand on the child's shoulder. "I will go tell daddy that you are doing as he asked."
"Don't let him spank me mummy," James said softly as he turned his head to look up at her.
Lydia gave her son a sad grin as she gently squeezed his shoulder. "That is between you and daddy. Now stand there quietly. I am sure he will come talk to you in just a few minutes."
James gave a soft sound of disapproval at her words but turned his face back towards the corner and otherwise remained silent.
Lydia sighed softly as her eyes remained on her child for a moment before she turned and walked back out of the study, closing the door behind her. A second soft sigh escaped her lips as she made her way down the hall to the parlor.
"I asked you not to coddle him!" Charles' tone was exasperated as his eyes fell on his wife.
"You also asked James to go to the corner which is where he currently is," Lydia replied, "Calmly standing in the corner." She leaned against the archway that led to the front hall, her arms folding over her chest.
"Are you going to tell me that you disagree with my decision to take him over my knee?" Charles raised an eyebrow as he questioned his wife.
Lydia shook her head. "I wasn't going to say that at all. I happen to think that given what you described he is absolutely deserving of a proper spanking." A frown took over her face as she eyed her husband carefully. "I am just sorry that this has happened. I know that you hate having to discipline him."
Charles sighed softly as he walked across the parlor, stopping in front of his wife. "I've never seen him like that Lydia. The way that he acted was absolutely appalling. It was downright embarrassing."
"I can't help but blame myself." Her eyes searched her husband's face as confusion took it over.
"How is this possibly your fault?" Charles questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Honestly Charles!" Lydia replied in an exasperated tone as she stood up straight. "I have spoiled him rotten and you know it!" She paused as she gave a soft sigh, her tone softening. "I never meant to do so. He has always been so thankful and well behaved."
"It is not your fault." Charles shook his head. "I am also sure that he will continue to be thankful and well behaved. He simply needs to be corrected for his behavior today and reminded that he cannot and will not always get what he wants."
Lydia gave a nod in agreement. She knew that Charles was right. James did not normally act as she had been told he did today. Normally he thanked his parents profusely for anything he received and he had never acted out in public before.
"I am going to go deal with our little monster." Charles leaned forward placing a kiss on his wife's forehead. "Afterwards I am going to see that he goes down for a nap. He could certainly stand to wake up again today and on the right side of the bed this time."
Lydia gave a small hum of approval. "Set a silencing charm please. I do not disapprove but I hardly want to hear this."
Charles nodded in reply as he walked past his wife and in the direction of his study. He paused outside the door for all of a moment, saying a silent prayer that his son was still in the corner where he had been told to stay.
Normally when James was sent to the corner he spent five minutes there at the very most. Charles could not help but feel slightly guilty about the idea that the child had been there for at least ten minutes.
The man swallowed hard before he reached out and grabbed the doorknob, turning it and pushing the door open. He stepped into his study, pleased to find James exactly where he was supposed to be. The child's shoulders were shaking, his cries audible.
Charles closed the door behind him, before waving his hand silently setting a silencing charm. He walked across his study, turning around one of the chairs in front of his desk to face his son before he sat down. "If you think that you can refrain from hitting me or kicking me, you may come over here James."
Without any hesitation, James turned around and rushed over to his father. His eyes were red from the tears that he had shed, his face utterly miserable. The child instantly wrapped his arms around his dad's waist, burying his face in the man's shirt. "I'm so so- sorry," he croaked out.
"Okay." Charles wrapped his arms around the child, hugging him tightly. "Just calm down so that we may discuss this." Charles' hand moved to gently rub the small, shaking back.
James took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself down and failing miserably. His breath hitched once more as he pushed his face harder into his father's chest in an attempt to bury himself further into the man's shirt.
"You are okay," Charles said softly, "Everything will be okay." A soft sigh escaped his lips at the very idea that he needed to punish his child who was already a wreck in his arms. The hand that had been rubbing the child's back, rested on the small of it before his fingertips moved to gently tap. "What happened today?"
James gave a small shrug, though did not move otherwise.
Charles' fingertips tapped on the small of the boy's back once more. "I have never seen you behave in such a way. Surely you know that it is not acceptable?"
James nodded into his father's shirt before turning his head slightly, his tears finally subsiding a small amount. "I kn- know it's no- not."
Charles' hand moved from the small of the child's back to begin rubbing it once more. "I know that you wanted that box of snacks. I understand that. However, you know that when mummy or myself says no it means no, don't you?"
"Yeah," James nodded as his right hand released its grip on his father to rub at his face. "I just...I just really wa- wanted it."
Charles gave a nod at the words as he looked down at his son. "I could have sworn that I told you we would talk about buying it next Saturday, didn't I?"
James gave a small shrug at the words, followed by even a smaller nod. "I'm really, really sorry daddy."
"Are you?" Charles moved his hand to reach down and gently cup his son's chin in his hand. He raised James' head up until the boy was looking at him. "I never want to see behavior like that again. Do you understand me?"
"Yeah." James nodded his head the best he could with his father holding it in place. "I won't! I promise!"
Charles' hand released the small chin before he nodded in reply. "Now regardless of that, you are going to be punished for how you acted."
"But...but you did!" James argued softly. "And I won't do it again!"
"I am very glad that you will not act like that again," Charles replied as he took his child by the hand and carefully moved him to his side. "However, your behavior was not at all acceptable. I need you to understand that behavior like that will only result in you receiving a proper spanking."
"Dadddy!" James whined as he attempted to pull away from the man's hold on his hand. "I do understand! You don't have to show me!"
Charles let go of the boy's hand for all of a moment before he hooked his hands under James' armpits and lifted him, carefully lying the child over his lap. He felt James grip a fistful of his pants in his small hand as Charles reached under the boy and undid his jeans, quickly pushing them as well as his underpants down and out of his way.
"No!" James reached his free hand back in an attempt to protect his bum. "Doooon't!"
Charles ignored the small protest as he hardened his heart and forced himself to continue with the task at hand. He took hold of James' hand, moving it out of the way and easily holding it to the child's side. Before his son could anticipate too much, Charles raised his hand and brought it down firmly on his small target.
James wiggled in an attempt to free himself from his father's grip as a loud yelp escaped his lips.
Charles brought his hand down five more times as quickly as he could. He saw absolutely no reason to extend the punishment any longer than needed. "This had better not happen again James Charles."
"It wooooon't!" James whined loudly as the tears streamed down his face.
Charles brought his hand down firmly once more before his grip on his child loosened slightly. The man reached down, pulling the child's underpants back up before his right hand moved to gently rub James' back. "It's all over," he said softly.
James moved his head, rubbing his face against his father's pant leg as he continued to sob loudly. "I- I'm so so- sorry daddddy."
A small sigh escaped Charles' as he gently cupped his hands under James' armpits and lifted the child, turning him around and carefully sitting him on his lap.
The child instantly wrapped his arms tightly around the man's neck, burying his face down in his father's chest. "My bu- bum huuuurts!"
"You will be okay," Charles said softly, thoroughly hating himself for punishing his child. "In no time at all, it will not hurt anymore."
James gave a soft whine at the words as he moved himself so that he was practically lying on his dad's chest in order to take some weight off of his backside. He was absolutely sure that it would never stop hurting.
Charles reached down, quickly pulling the child's trainers off before pulling his jeans off as well. He laid the jeans over the arm of his chair before he stood, lifting James up with him. "I think that it is time for you to take a bit of a nap."
James nearly argued that he was too old for a nap. He had stopped napping daily a little over a year prior. These days he only took a nap if he was feeling poorly. Still, he couldn't help but think that a nap right now wouldn't be horrible. His arms remained wrapped around his father's neck as he laid his head down on the man's shoulder. "Are you st- still mad?" He sniffled loudly as he tried to get his tears to stop.
"Not in the least." Charles walked across his study, adjusting his child carefully in his arms. "I forgive you for the way you acted and I trust that it will not happen again."
James quickly shook his head as his father carried him out of the study and down the hall to the staircase. "It never will. I'm ne- never gonna get a spankin' again."
Charles swallowed a small chuckle at the words as he started up the staircase. "I hope that you never do. I didn't enjoy that any more than you did."
James sniffled loudly once more but otherwise remained silent. He was pretty sure there was no way that his dad hated that as much as he had. A large yawn shook the boy's small frame as his father stepped onto the second floor.
"I think a nap is going to do you very well," Charles mused as he walked down the hall to his son's bedroom.
"Is mummy mad?" James asked in a whisper as he let go of his grip on his father to brush the last of his tears off of his face.
"She is not mad at all," Charles assured the boy before he adjusted him in his arms once more. He reached out a hand, pushing open the child's bedroom door. "You know she does not get cross easily." Charles walked across the room before leaning down and pulling back the thick blanket on his son's bed. He carefully pulled James from his arms and set him down on his bed.
James instantly lied down on his stomach, hugging his pillow tightly. "Daddy?"
"Hmmm?" Charles pulled the blanket over his child, tucking it under his chin.
James sighed softly before he looked up at the man. "I really am sorry."
Charles smiled softly as he leaned down and placed a kiss on top of his son's head. "I know that you are. I forgive you."
James nodded as he snuggled down under his blanket, his eyes closing near instantly.
Charles gave a soft sigh as he waved a hand causing the room to darken a considerable amount. "I love you very, very much," he whispered as his hand moved to gentle ruffle his child's hair before he slowly turned and walked out of the room.