Dragon moved her son into the shade of the old apple tree, helping him lean forward while she carefully placed a pillow behind his back. Credence had only been awake for a few hours, but already he was feeling exhausted. He was soon fast asleep before she managed to drape the blanket across his lap, his cheek resting against his shoulder in the fading autumn sunlight.
Some of the children were curious, others were concerned, watching as Dragon checked to make sure her son was resting comfortably before joining the others at the picnic table. Modesty asked if Credence was alright, to which Dragon replied that he was tired and needed plenty of rest.
"He'll be alright, lass," said Aberforth. The grumpy goat man had put away the remnants of their last activity and was now setting out some boxes that were filled with decorative cards, as well as some quills and ink for writing on the cards, and an assortment of paints. "No harm in letting the boy rest awhile."
Modesty reached into one of the boxes and plucked a card from the stack. "What are we supposed to do with these?" she asked, looking up at her sour-faced grandpa.
"You see that tree where your brother is having a kip? We're going to decorate it with these here cards. We'll be adding some other things, like strands of fairy lights and whatnot. There's also some snacks for everyone while you're writing your notes."
"Snacks!" Chavo cried, leaping up and running towards the table. "Where is the food? Can I have some more food, please?" He said all of this while leaving behind a trail of candy wrappers, his face smeared with chocolate. And while Aberforth failed to see what was so funny, Dragon couldn't help putting a hand over her mouth to stifle a fit of giggles.
Alecto joined him, pounding on the table and shouting, "Ookies! Ookies!"
"You don't need a load of sweets," said Aberforth, giving her a stern glare. Alecto pursed her lips and blew a raspberry in his face.
"Alright, children, settle down, please." Dragon glanced at her son, who was moving his head restlessly against the pillow. When she looked back at the others, Barty had lifted Severus and placed him beside Gellert at the picnic table. Chilindrina was curiously sifting through the cards and throwing away the ones she didn't like, Chavo was looking underneath the table for something to eat, and Quico was still clutching his koala, looking around and wondering what they were going to do next.
Soleil caught her messy son and swiped a napkin across his mouth, despite Chavo's constant wriggling. She had barely finished with him when Aberforth brought out a round of drinks for the children.
Glasses of pumpkin juice were placed in a circle around the box of cards, along with some sippy cups for the toddlers. Alecto was given a bottle, which was enough to keep her satisfied for a while. Next came the snacks. A plate of pumpkin spice sandwich cookies was added to the assortment of treats, enough that each child could have one, so they didn't consume too much sugar. Healthier options, such as a bowl of apple chips and sweet potato cranberry muffins, were also placed on the table. And before anyone could stop him, Chavo had already inhaled three of the muffins.
Modesty went through her usual routine, picking up a muffin and inspecting it for peas, while Alecto and Chavo raced to see who could devour the most treats at once. Barty was quick to get in the middle of these two, and immediately regretted it when he felt someone bite his hand. Surprisingly, it wasn't Alecto this time. His own son had sunk his teeth into Barty's hand when the Death Eater tried to distance the child from the towering treat pile.
Severus, at least, showed some interest in the decorative cards. He munched on a muffin and held up one of the cards, showing it to his mother while happily cooing, "Pretty pretty!"
Once everyone had settled down, Soleil sat down with her children so she could help the toddlers write something on their cards. Barty kept watch over Alecto and Chavo, the former having downed her entire bottle of pumpkin juice and started screaming for a refill before they were able to get her situated, while Dragon chose to sit between Modesty and Quico.
Modesty looked up at her and asked, "What are we supposed to write, Auntie Dragon?" She had chosen a card with a picture of dragonflies in the corner. Rosey pink clouds adorned the top of the card, and at the bottom there were patches of wheat. It was a lovely autumn scene. Not that Chavo seemed to notice. He was too busy chewing on a card that sported a decorative mushroom print.
"You can write, draw, or paint a picture to show what you're thankful for," said Dragon, who had taken just as many muffins as Chavo when nobody was looking. She hastily stuffed three in her face before slowing down and taking a minute to answer Modesty's question.
When Severus heard this, he immediately started drawing a picture of a fish on his card. He joyfully announced that he was thankful for cheesy crackers, while Barty rolled his eyes and glanced at his wife, who couldn't help finding amusement in the situation.
Alecto started asking for some glitter, babbling around a mouthful of sandwich cookies. Barty's face was plastered with crumbs, which resulted in snickers and giggles from Credence's daughter.
"Let me guess," said Barty, wiping his face with a festive napkin. "You're thankful for shiny things."
"And Mommy," Alecto burbled, taking a breath before reaching for her bottle. There was no denying how adorable she was, smiling sweetly while drinking from her bottle. "Imma make Mommy a card. Need glitter. Lots and lots."
"Fine," Barty said with a sigh. He slid his hand under the table, discreetly conjuring some glitter glue pens so Alecto could make a shiny card for her mother. "Though you can only use these with proper supervision, little one."
In the end, Alecto succeeded in writing a card (with Barty's help) that said, "I love sparkles and shinies, and Mommy shines the brightest of them all."
Modesty looked around at everyone seated at the table, at the family that adopted her and loved her with all their hearts. She was thankful for her parents and for her younger siblings, and yet her gaze fell on Credence, asleep in his wheelchair beneath the old apple tree. She loved each and every member of her family, both new and old. And so she began to draw a picture of her mother and father, as well as her younger siblings, and Chastity. Together, they formed a circle around Credence, hearts dotting the paper in-between.
"What about you, Quico?" Modesty asked, once she had finished with her card. "What are you thankful for?"
The little boy was munching on some apple chips while pretending to feed some to his koala. He didn't appear to have taken an interest in the decorative cards. It was more important to make sure his koala was fed before moving on to the next activity.
It was then that Modesty remembered what Credence had told her when they met his aunt. He explained that sometimes Ariana needed more time to get used to her surroundings. There were also times when Ariana's attention would stray, sometimes focusing on a bird outside the window, or she would start telling them random facts about the goats on her brother's farm.
She decided it was better to give him time and let him feed his koala. Meanwhile, Chilindrina had taken a card with autumn leaves printed on the front and started writing that she was thankful for her mommy and her two daddies. Chavo wrote that he was thankful for food.
"And for having a family that feeds me," he added. Basically, his card was just one big picture of a sandwich with little hearts and stick figure people on it.
Aberforth had gone over to his son and was watching the others from a distance. While the children ate their snacks and decorated their cards, he strung some lights from the branches, hoping the glittering fairy lights didn't spawn too many questions from the little ones. He could always tell the Muggles that they were fireflies, or transfigure them into something more familiar when no one was looking.
He was halfway through decorating the tree when he heard someone snuffling and muttering underneath the branches. Looking down from his ladder, the surly goat breeder saw that his son was awake, a pair of glassy eyes gazing up at the twinkling lights.
"Alright there, Aurelius?" Aberforth queried, moving down a step to get a better look at his son.
"Mm-hmm." Credence nodded, lifting a hand and rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Those lights are pretty..." A yawn interrupted his sentence. "I'm sorry, Pa... can't stay awake like I used to."
When he spoke, Credence's speech had slowed considerably, as though it required a great deal of effort just to force his words past his lips. His head lolled to the side and his hand dropped into his lap, struggling to keep his eyes open. He blinked several times, seeing a hazy ring encircling the shimmering lights, his father's features blurring between the hanging strands.
The remaining strands of light were draped over the rungs on the ladder for the time being. Aberforth climbed down and stood beside his son, taking a moment to speak with Credence. It was enough to draw Modesty's attention, looking over and seeing them having a conversation in hushed tones. It seemed that whenever someone spoke to her brother, they were always very quiet, as though speaking to someone who was on their death bed.
She watched them for several minutes, seeing her brother nod and place his hand on his abdomen, wincing at the gentle pressure. Aberforth put his hand on Credence's shoulder, the autumn wind churning up the ashes that fell from the wings of his son's phoenix.
Fireflash had perched on the branches, an ever-present companion. Falling leaves mingled with flakes of ash, like blackened snow drifting and spiraling in the wind. Through his pain, Credence managed a fleeting smile, grateful to be surrounded by his friends and family.
"That's what I want," Credence whispered hoarsely. "Could you... could you put that on a card for me?"
"Yes, of course." Aberforth nodded, seeing tears glistening in the corners of Credence's eyes. He brushed the ashes out of his son's hair, lowering his head and whispering. "Of course I will son."
Curious, Modesty continued watching them, the ladder creaking beneath his weight when Aberforth returned to his task. Perhaps this man wasn't as cruel and horrible as she thought. He was patient with his son, speaking softly and taking the time to listen to what Credence had to say. However, the kindness faded from his voice the instant he returned to the table, telling one of the children to move over so he could pluck a card from the box.
Quico whimpered and clutched his koala when Aberforth approached the table. Seeing that he was afraid, Modesty tried to redirect his attention, pointing out the box of cards on the table. But he only glanced at them momentarily, moving across the bench so he was closer to Modesty.
Soleil reached over, opening her arms and offering to comfort her honorary son. Quico sniffled and crawled across the bench where he settled in her lap. "Isn't there anything we can do to make him more comfortable around Aberforth?" she asked, rubbing Quico's back to quiet his frightened murmurings.
"There might be something we can do," said Dragon, turning in her seat so she was facing her friend. "For the last activity, we were planning on taking the children to visit the baby goats. Kids love baby animals, right?"
"Maybe." Soleil had started rocking Quico, holding him close and allowing him to cling to her like a koala. Her comforting embrace helped somewhat, although she wasn't sure about introducing him to another element of Grandpa Goat Man.
Soleil sighed, rising from her seat and lifting Quico in her arms. "Is everyone finished with their cards?" she asked, looking around at the children. Chavo was in the process of finishing off the apple chips while Modesty politely nodded, her finished card sitting neatly in her lap. Severus had started his third bag of cheesy crackers, his card smudged with grease. Only Quico and Gellert hadn't written anything on their cards, and long about now Soleil was just glad her rambunctious toddler had taken a break from causing mischief. "Right then. Let's get to decorating our thankful tree."
Barty went around to each of the children, collecting the cards and handing them to Aberforth. Under normal circumstances, he would have levitated the cards and decorations into the branches, charming them to stay in place. But with so many Muggle children in the yard, Aberforth had to hang each one from a length of yarn threaded through a hole in the top of each card, allowing them to sway in the breeze.
There was a faint smile on his face as Credence watched his father hang the cards from the tree. He listened as Aberforth read the information on each one, naming what the children were thankful for. It was a sight that warmed his heart, helping to chase away the sadness that lingered in his mind.
For a while, he allowed his eyes to close, listening as his father read the contents of his card. Credence was unable to write what he wanted, so he had asked Aberforth to choose a card for him and write on it that he was thankful for the memories, happiness, and love he received from his family and friends, as well as the time he'd been given to spend with them.
Quico started squirming in Soleil's arms when he heard this, reaching for the cards that were hanging from the brightly colored yarn. His features bathed in the golden glow of the autumn sun, the little boy clung to her with one arm around her back, his fingers brushing against the leaves.
"Does he want a card?" Dragon asked, tilting her head slightly. "Maybe he figured out what he wants to write." She could see that Quico definitely wanted something, but he didn't appear to be upset. Quite the opposite, he was happily babbling with a wide grin on his face.
Unable to contain her squealing bundle of joy, the dementor carefully lowered him onto the grass just as Modesty approached with a card and some crayons. He swiped the objects from her hand, dropping some of the crayons in the process. Not that he really seemed to mind. Quico only needed the red crayon, which he used to draw a heart on his card.
"A heart?" Credence struggled momentarily, sliding down in his seat. "I could use a little help, please..."
His mother was at his side in an instant, helping him sit up so he could get a better look at Quico's card. The Obscurial muttered his thanks against her shoulder, holding on to her while she adjusted the strap around his waist.
"Is it love? Does he love someone?" Soleil asked, trying to understand the meaning of the drawing. "Or is it love in general? Is Quico thankful for love?"
"Thankful for love...?" Credence echoed, his son nodding in response. The little boy spread his arms wide, showing that he was thankful for the love everyone had shown him since joining the daycare. "I think that's it. Quico knows how much we love him, so he's trying to show it with his card."
Laughing merrily, Quico held on to his card. When Soleil offered to hang it in the tree for him, he shook his head, still smiling a little. "My card," he chirped, hugging both the card and his koala. "My card."
"Come on, Quico!" Chilindrina spouted from the back of the group. "You're supposed to hang up your card with everyone else."
"I think we should let him keep his card," said Credence, taking a moment to intervene before things got out of hand. "He's like me... remember, baby girl? Sometimes, when Quico is trying something new, he needs to take more time until he feels comfortable. Something we can do is let him hold onto his card until he decides he's ready to hang it up."
"My card," Quico said again, and this time Chilindrina huffed out a sigh, crossing her arms over her chest. She was going to question why her father wasn't hugging his card when Dragon stepped in, trying her best to prevent a scene.
"I suppose now is a good time to say thank you to each and every one of you. Together you've all created something beautiful that shows how much you care about each other. The love we have, as well as our family and friends, that is what's important."
"And ookies!" Alecto cried, holding up her half-nibbled sandwich cookie.
"And people who are nice enough to give us food," Chavo added, offering Quico another apple chip.
Dragon chuckled. "Yes, children. Because food is something that brings people together. So in a way, that's important too."
Severus agreed and raised a bag of cheesy crackers like a glass of wine, grinning from ear to ear.
Credence's daughter was still fuming. Though as she listened and looked around at her friends, her anger slowly began to dissipate. She caught sight of the cards swaying in the breeze, a reflection of all that mattered to them. The leaves and colors blended with their loving statements and drawings, each one special in its own way.
She let her gaze wander over the many smiling faces, taking in the sights around her, before settling on Aberforth and Credence. They were speaking once more, having their own private conversation. This time, Aberforth was asking his son if he needed something for his stomach, to which Credence responded with a nod.
Her father looked as though he were truly miserable, curling in on himself until he was practically doubled over in his wheelchair. Moaning softly, he barely managed to open his eyes when his father reappeared, offering him a bottle containing a yellowish liquid with a sharp, peppery aroma.
"A few sips now," Aberforth was saying, holding the bottle to Credence's lips and helping him drink. "We'll wait a bit and see if you feel like joining the others."
"Thank you," Credence breathed. Then, before his daughter could ask, he looked at her and said, "Medicine... for my stomachache." He didn't want her asking too many questions, knowing that a Muggle child wouldn't understand potions and such. However, she was familiar with children's medicine, which was often administered in plastic dosing cups. This was similar enough that it eased her curiosity, but not her concern.
She sat down beside him in the grass, offering to keep him company while he rested. Some of the other children remained seated at the picnic table, talking and eating, while others came over and sat down to admire the cards and brightly colored leaves.
"It really is nice, isn't it?" Modesty asked, taking another bite of her apple chips and chewing them thoughtfully. She was sitting on the bench beside Quico, who had his card in one hand and was looking at his feet. He wiggled his feet, focusing on their movement, before looking off to the side. "I guess when you aren't buried alive in leaves, they can be kind of pretty. It also helps that we aren't being forced to hang up garlands of peas."
Quico grunted, holding out his card. It looked like he was trying to give it to Modesty, though he couldn't find the words to express his feelings for her. She was nice. She helped him feel better, and she gave him a reason to be brave. Maybe they could be friends.
"For me?" Modesty looked at the card, and Quico nodded. The little girl smiled, thanking him for the pretty card. "That's very kind of you to give me your card, Quico."
Seeing that Quico was feeling more relaxed and comfortable, Soleil decided it was time for the final activity. She directed their attention towards the pen next to the barn, where a couple of goats were frolicking merrily. "I'm sure most of you would like a visit with the baby animals," she began, motioning for them to come closer. "There are a couple of them in the pen if you'd like to feed them or pet them."
Severus was eager to visit the makeshift petting zoo. He looked up at the mention of baby animals, his cheesy crackers momentarily forgotten. This, of course, gave Chavo the perfect opportunity to swipe his brother's snacks, but instead he was looking rather crestfallen, complaining that goats don't have breasts and are therefore uninteresting.
"Merlin's beard, of all the things to complain about," Aberforth grumbled as usual. Even Barty produced an audible groan when his son lamented the lack of boobs.
"Can I feeds dem cheesy qwackers?" Severus asked in his adorable toddler voice.
"No, but you can bottle-feed some of the younger ones," Dragon replied. Reaching down, she took hold of the toddler's hand, leading him towards the enclosure. "I think we also have a few that we're trying to wean off bottles. You can offer them a handful of oats or some hay."
Once Severus had been given a bag containing a small amount of oats, some of the other children started gathering around the pen. Even Quico came over for a look. He stood beside the wooden fence surrounding the pen, watching as Chavo was given a bag of oats, which his friend happily devoured as soon as the adults looked away for a minute. Alecto was also given a bag of oats, along with the instructions that she was supposed to feed them to the goats. The baby Death Eater tried nibbling some of the oats, only to decide she didn't care for them and chucked the entire bag over the fence at Aberforth.
Modesty joined the others and was presented with a bottle of milk, which Alecto promptly swiped out of her hands. And while this kept her from throwing objects over the fence, Soleil wasn't pleased with her behavior.
She marched right up to Alecto, who had tipped her head back and was guzzling the fresh goat milk. "Alecto," the dementor began, only to be cut off in mid-sentence when Alecto finished her drink and unleashed a tremendous belch in her face. The wind force alone was enough to cause her hair and clothing to ripple behind her.
Soleil sighed, wiping droplets off her face with a printed handkerchief. "At least we don't have to burp the little darling."
Severus burst out laughing, dropping his bag in the process. Chavo swooped in to retrieve it, only to be caught mid-dive by Aberforth, who nabbed the boy by his suspenders.
"I think we ought to put you to work, young lad. You like those strawberry creams so much, you'd be the perfect assistant to help me milk the goats." And with that, Aberforth carried Chavo to the adjacent pen where the does were currently being housed.
Quico blinked and looked up with curiosity shining in his eyes. "Foo-tos?"
"I don't think he means it like that, sprout," said Barty, smirking at Aberforth's choice of words. His wife, on the other hand, was less than amused. She knew her son would be expecting actual food and might start thinking that goats have strawberry-flavored milk.
Feeling somewhat confused, Quico started looking around for fruit, only to have Soleil direct his attention to the baby goat pen. She held out a bottle, which Quico gladly accepted and proceeded to drink from. Naturally, it was the most adorable thing she had ever seen. However, this group definitely required some guidance if they were ever going to feed the animals instead of snacking on the food and drinks.