March 25, 1892 - Streets of Hogsmeade

Gus had completely forgotten that Easter Break was a thing at Hogwarts. Curse Breaking meant he didn’t get the normal holidays off, and it wasn’t until he was well-seasoned that he asked to have them off, and even then he found he didn’t want to go home. His life had stopped revolving around London when he'd left it to make a new life in Egypt, and now that he was back he found it difficult to accumulate back to the life he had during Hogwarts. Gus had let his friendships slip through his fingers, and while he’d made long-lasting ones abroad, he found most of the ones he’d made in school were fractured. (That was on him, but he pushed that thought aside.)

It was why he found himself in Hogsmeade as often as he could slip away from Hogwarts, smiling and catching up with the people he recognized who frequented there. Some people cornered him, just as a girl had done about twenty minutes ago; he couldn’t place her name although he knew they’d been in Hufflepuff together. His eyes darted around for any excuse to leave, and there, leaving some shop was a face he recognized: Eugene Scamander. Now that was a person he remembered. Friendly and in the same house, Gus had been quite fond of the other man.

Although he knew the polite thing to do was finish the conversation and slip away to greet an old friend, Gus tended to go straight after his goals. He ditched the girl mid-conversation - a boring sentence about the ideal temperature to take a dip in the Black Lake, as if Gus hadn’t jumped in in the dead of winter - and made a beeline for Eugene. The girl scoffed but made no moves to follow him.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” He greeted as he stepped in line next to him, as brightly and conversationally as if it hadn’t been a few years since they’d last spoken. But that’s how it always went - Gus had found people were more willing to pick up where they left off then blame either party for letting a friendship fade away. He grinned at him. “Though I suppose Hogsmeade is the place to be. There sure are a lot of new shops.”

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Eugene Scamander

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Eugene wasn't often used to having time during the day to spend with Theseus, but he would take any chance he could get. Sometimes he regretted basically letting the boy be raised by a nanny, but there wasn't much to be done about it. He had to work and he paid the nanny pretty well, so at least he knew his son was in good hands. Not to mention family on both sides helped out when they could. His sisters were a heaven sent and even his in-laws were present.

He had been to see the solicitor this morning about getting the divorce started. It had been two full years since Astrild had up and left him and Theseus and now Eugene had the grounds to start the paperwork on the basis of abandonment. He felt bad doing it and might not have bothered if it weren't for Tilda, but he needed to push forward and do what was best for himself for once. Theseus would obviously always come first, but in addition to the fact that Eugene was head over heels for Tilda, he rather thought his son could use a mother that was present and thank Merlin Tilda was willing to step into the role.

With that accomplished, he figured he would take Theseus out to the park and maybe stop by Quin's place for a treat, which was where they were headed now, meandering at a toddler's pace, when none other than Gus Lissington came striding up. "I think I should be the one saying that, as I was not the one who up and started traveling the world!" He held out his hand to shake Lissington's while keeping a hand on Theseus to make sure he didn't get away.

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Gus grinned at Scamander before he took his hand and shook it. He’d been hearing that a lot lately; how he’d just up and left without as much as a goodbye to most of his friends, and he supposed he was just lucky enough that no one had altered their appearance so much that he couldn’t place a name to a face. He was good with names and if he couldn’t place it, Gus had a personality that could get them to spill it. He didn’t reply right away, instead bending down to be eye level with the child he hadn’t seen at Scamander’s side before. He wasn’t even aware Scamander had a kid, but he supposed that was the nature of never visiting home.

Rocking back on his heels, Gus couldn’t help but grin at the toddler. “And hello to you too.” He hummed happily. He reached forward to pet his head then thought better of it - it would be weird to touch a child he didn’t actually know, and popped back up onto his feet. “You know how it goes. The wind blows and I go with it. Think I’m back for good though.” He laughed quietly and rubbed the back of his head. He should have sent out a mass letter to all his old acquaintances to keep from telling the same story over and over, but that was what he got for disappearing and reappearing.

Turning his attention back toward the man, Gus found his eyes drawn toward the child before he flicked them back to him. “Congratulations on your son, a few years too late I suppose.” Gus hoped, at least, it wasn’t a nephew or he was just watching a random child - at least Scamander didn’t come across as a kidnapper to him, either.

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Eugene Scamander

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Though not exactly shy, Theseus took a bit of time to warm up to people and so simply stared at Gus with a little uncertainly. It was good for him, to meet new people, and Gus was as genial as they came, so it wouldn't take long. "Glad to hear it." He was too, Gus was a good guy and Eugene could use some good friends these days.

Theseus, in a typical toddler fashion, tugged on Eugene's hand and so he bent down to pick his son up. It was hard to tell if he was getting tired or just bored. "Thanks, this is Theseus," He explained, always unsure as to where to go with it, but for now, he didn't have to go much further. He no longer wore his wedding band, hadn't since he'd found out Astrild had up and left them, so if Gus was paying attention he might pick up on it, but that was a conversation best left for a drink and his study.

"Only three years, wild how much changes, isn't it?" He chuckled, keeping it lighthearted. "What are you up to now  that you're back?" Back for good was certainly a different path in life than the cursebreaking after all. Eugene wished he'd been able to travel like Gus had. It was one regret he had and now it was obviously, a little late.

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Gus loved meeting the children of his friends. He found most of them shy, perhaps even a little worrisome over how often and quickly he moved, although he found that some of them warmed up to him quickly. He always had trinkets in his pockets to show them, and he was quite gifted with offensive spells, which often meant he could entertain them. But that was neither here nor there. Instead Gus tilted his head as another greeting to the small boy, offering him a smile.

Then Gus blinked, turning his attention back toward the man. Things did change in a blink of an eye. “Oh yeah. I lost a few months to a genie lamp. An important lesson they never taught at Hogwarts was to not rub an unknown lamp when someone dares you to.” He laughed quietly as he rubbed the back of his head, shaking himself free of that thought; he had zero memories of what happened inside the lamp although he had plans to turn it into his home for the summer, now that he had a spell to get in and out of it. “I’m at Hogwarts, teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. Theseus will be in good hands in eight years.” Well, if he decided to keep returning to Hogwarts, but Gus wasn’t about to voice that opinion. “Still at the ministry?”

Gus blinked at Theseus before he glanced at Eugene, a smile creeping across his face. “He looks like he could use an ice cream cone. As do you. I can’t see myself, obviously, but I feel like I might die without one. My treat?” He had a huge sweet tooth, and what better excuse to visit Honeyduke’s again than a small child?

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Eugene Scamander

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   Elsie Kirke

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If Eugene thought his job was wild, he couldn't imagine just how extreme Gus' would be. A cursebreaker was certainly another thing altogether. He did envy the travel part, Eugene had always wanted to do that, but he had too many responsibilities here, even before Theseus, to do what he wanted for himself. Everything happened for a reason though, and he wouldn't change being a father for the entire world, so he had that going for him.

At the mention of a sweet treat, Theseus eyed Gus a little more carefully with a bit more interest, unsure as to whether or not the other man meant it. Eugene chuckled; Theseus had that about his mother still. "I don't see why not." He agreed with an easy smile. It would give them a bit to catch up and let Theseus warm up.

"Hogwarts hmm? I don't think I could do it." Eugene loved kids, his nieces and nephews, his own, but he didn't think he had the patience to teach them all at that pre-pubescent stage of life where it was constant turmoil and all of that nonsense. "But good for you. Sounds like Defense is right up your alley." Eugene thought for a moment about being the Care of Magical Creatures professor, the only subject he would feel qualified to teach, and immediately laughed the notion away. He knew he wouldn't be able to handle it.

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The small child eyed him and Gus just grinned at him - he was not above using a small child for his personal gain of eating another cone of ice cream. He just hoped Mr. Honeyduke wouldn’t judge him too much because he’d been inside the sweet shop more times than he’d ever care to admit the past week. March was a stressful time and who was he to turn away the holiday sweets that were only released for Easter? Gus had also been eying an ice cream made with shock-o-choc, but wasn’t sure if he was ready to take on something spicy. Today just might be that day.

Gus found his eyes drawn to Eugene’s hand, as he briefly wondered about Theseus’ mother and what she might think of her child being hopped on sugar. But there wasn’t one and he promptly clamped his mouth shut. That didn’t seem like an appropriate conversation for the middle of Hogsmeade. It still tickled in the back of his mind - maybe one day he'd ask.

Sharply turning a corner (he knew all the shortcuts when it came to Honeydukes), Gus tossed a grin at Eugene. “Yeah. I figured if I can take on a curse or two, kids wouldn’t be too scary. Although, I’ll be the first to admit that the first years are absolutely terrifying.” He laughed quietly as he shook his head. “But I guess I’m pretty good at being able to defend myself, and I can definitely take on a student if I had to.” A thought that occurred more often than it probably should, but it made him feel better.

“What else? I mean, you have a kid, and that’s super exciting. What other exciting adventures have happened?” He laughed before he winked. He worked with beasts. There should be some kind of excitement, at least once, right?

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Eugene Scamander

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Eugene followed Gus through the streets, Theseus still in his hip to make the walk go quicker. Nobody moved slower than a toddler who found every speck of dust interesting. Every. Speck. Of. Dust.

"Sound like you have it figured out." A knowledge of the subject was key after all, and Gus had that. The rest, well, Eugene rather thought that would have to be learned on the job. He chuckled when his friend admitted that he found the first years terrifying, but as one with nieces and nephews himself, he could quite easily see why that would be true.

Grimacing at the inquiry after what else was exciting in his life, Eugene wavered, as always, as to how best to answer the question. "Busy, chasing after this tyke going on three years now. His mum is, uh, not around anymore, so it's just me and the nanny." And thankfully his entire extended family on both sides. "Oh and Ginger, our niffler." Ginger certainly kept things interesting. Probably too interesting. "Plain old domestic life for us, nothing much." He shrugged casually enough as they exited the alley that was just a few doors down from the sweet shop.

Theseus perked up as he too recognized where they were and so Eugene put him down so he could make the last of the walk— which clearly gave him license to take off. "Just a whole lot of this." Eugene laughed again as he picked up the pace to keep up with his son, assuming Gus would do the same.

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Gus’ expression softened as he turned his attention toward Eugene and Theseus before he hummed. “That sounds wonderful. That’s what I’m excited for. A plain old life where things aren’t constantly shifting.” For being a curse breaker and adventurous, he found he wasn’t willing to adapt to situations as easily as he had years prior. Domestic life scared him, and he would probably grow bored of it rather quickly because it wasn’t what he really wanted deep down, but he’d give it a try. Gus just wanted to be near his family and stop missing out on important events of those near and dear to him.

They rounded the corner toward the sweet shop, and he couldn’t help but chuckle as the toddler took off to get to it sooner. “I want that. It’s just…” Gus laughed quietly and shook his head as he let the thought die. That involved a wife and he’d rather bury himself in a hole than take one. Even if he wanted to be a dad - and deep down he did because he adored kids and the thought of tucking one in every night… telling them stories, kissing boo-boos resonated with him, he’d never have it. Gus would be the cool uncle, which wasn’t the worst role he could play.

Instead he eyed the small child ahead of them, who had unknowingly started a competition or who liked Honeydukes more he supposed; he quickened his own pace to match their pace, and then nearly jogged to get to the door before the toddler. (No one liked desserts more than Gus did and he was pleased to have won the one-sided competition.) He opened it for them, sporting a wide grin. “Whatever you guys want,” he reminded him.

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Eugene Scamander

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Though Eugene hadn't quite envisioned his life going this way, he couldn't really complain about where he'd ended up. Having an completely estranged wife was certainly not in his life plan, but Theseus made it worth it. "Nothing wrong with that, I'm sure you'll figure it out." Gus had time. He'd just come back to a more settled life, once he got into that groove he could go from there. Life was one step at a time after all.

They caught up to Theseus quickly enough and entered the shop into the warmth that was everything Honeydukes. It was both warm in temperature and the atmosphere that instantly cheered a person up as much as the relief at coming in from the chill outside. Not to mention the smell was enticing and Eugene had to stop and think about the last time he'd wandered in here himself, instead of just sending Theseus and Nan with some spending money.

"I think you may regret saying that to a three-year-old." Anything you like. It wasn't as if Eugene was going to let Gus pay for much of anything, but a small treat for Theseus if he insisted was alright. "Do you want ice cream or a treat?" He asked, making sure to frame it as an or statement. It was tough to get a straight answer out of him though, when his eyes were as wide as saucers and he continued to make his way further into the shop. "This could take a minute." Eugene chuckled.

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Humming at the statement, Gus didn’t comment on it further; it was only a matter of time before he changed his mind and found domestic life wasn’t for him. Maybe this summer he’d find time to travel a bit… visit some old haunts and see some familiar faces.

Gus shook his head before he turned toward his friend and grinned at him. “I mean, Honeyduke is pretty much used to me buying a lot at this point-” And it was only March, where it was just chocolate frogs; he’d have to make Gus his own batch when those peppermint flavored ones came out in December… “So he’ll probably just roll his eyes when I bring up my stuff and Theseus’ stuff.” It wasn't his fault he had such a sweet tooth - Mam must've made too many desserts when he was a kid. Although it wasn't like he'd cleared any shelves yet.

As Eugene spoke to his son, Gus chuckled quietly. “It’s an important choice.” He agreed, watching as the small child seemed to be enchanted with the shop; the redhead could agree - this was also one of his favorite places in London. He wasn't ashamed about how much money he spent in here because it made him happy! Stepping forward, Gus ordered himself his usual - a chocolate scoop of ice cream, topped with flakes of shaved chocolate on front. (Sometimes he was adventurous and got something like pineapple but he always came back to the classic.) Gus accepted the cone and shuffled over to Eugene. “And what will you be getting?”

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Eugene Scamander

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Theseus casually strolled through the store with Eugene a few steps behind. Eventually they made their way around to where Gus was ordering his ice cream. He'd heard everything Gus said, chuckling at the admissions about his spending habits in the sweet shop.

"I'm all set, not too much of a sweets person myself." He was surprised Theseus hadn't come up with a handful of treats himself, but as son as he saw what Gus was being handed, it looked like ice cream was the clear winner. "Strawberry?" It was his son's favorite fruit, so maybe some ice cream of the same flavor would go over well. "Let's try a scoop of that," He asked politely of the girl behind the counter. Theseus was watching through the glass with rapt attention. Hopefully it wouldn't give him too much energy this afternoon, Eugene was looking forward to a nap as much as he wanted his son to take one.

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“Not a sweet person? You monster.” Gus feigned disgusted as he gripped the cone in his hand before taking a bite out of it. “You clearly just haven’t tried the right thing yet. Have you ever had chocolate covered crickets, Scamander?” Even he had to admit they sounded gross but he wasn’t going to knock it until he tried it. “Less sweet, more…not sweet? They kind of taste like bacon.” He realized how ridiculous he sounded saying it as the words left his mouth. It was a very odd thing to equate it too, but it was a hard flavor to explain.

Laughing quietly, he shook his head and watched the woman behind the counter scoop the strawberry onto a cone before he moved to pay for the items at the register. “Next time I’m in South America, I’m going to buy some for you. You have to promise to try them. At least one.” Gus grinned at him as he shrugged; he was dying to travel this summer because even if he was happy to be home… but he was getting antsy to get out and go somewhere that wasn’t Hogsmeade or London.

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Eugene pulled a face and then shrugged at the suggestion of chocolate covered crickets. "I have never intentionally eaten a bug." Unintentionally sure, but such was the life of an employee in the Beast Division. "I appreciate the thought, but don't go out of your way." Just the thought and memory of crunchy legs in his mouth made him pale a little bit. He shuddered and pulled a face just thinking of it.

"I can be persuaded by peppermints if that will satisfy the need." They at least had a little spice to them and were not altogether "sweet" in a straight sense. With a large scoop of strawberry ice cream now in hand, he handed the cone to Theseus, who with wide eyes, practically stuck his entire face, nose first, into the treat. Laughing, Eugene pulled out his handkerchief, ready to clean up any spills that would inevitably happen. "You still plan to do some traveling then?" It made sense, considering Gus had the summers off from the school.

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Gus couldn’t help but laugh at the faces Eugene was pulling; he couldn’t fault him though. Eating crickets did sound disgusting but without a place like Honeydukes in rural parts of the world, he made due anywhere could. They had grown on him, although he’d much prefer a chocolate frog over well… anything. “Oh man, have you ever had the peppermint chocolate frogs from Honeydukes? I swear they only sold them for one year a few years back and I would give my life savings away to get my hands on a few of those.” Granted Gus had a few left, but they were quite old. (He’d still eat them.)

He hummed as he continued to eat his own cone, smiling down at the toddler who seemed to cram it into his mouth as fast he could. Well, Gus understood that desire. Rationing things he really wanted could be hard. His eyes were drawn toward Eugene and he nodded. “Yeah. There’s this really cool beach in France I want to check out. The water is clear, and I’ve heard there’s the largest recorded plimpy living somewhere in the water and I want to see it.” Gus grinned at him, shrugging. It wasn’t as if he’d try to bring it home, although that was only because he didn’t have a place to put it.

Gus wanted to invite Eugene and Theseus, but that would be strange. Plus he was trying to get Mason on board to go with him – he’d heard some rumors of the flowers that grow near the edge of the water and he hoped it would be enough to entice him.

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Watching his son enjoy the ice cream was something else. Theseus gave no regard for the mess or his clothes, but Eugene wasn't fussed. Those could be washed and clearly he was enjoying it, so there was no need to impede that. He nodded along to what Gus was explaining about the peppermint chocolate frogs. Eugene remembered the year Honeyduke had done them, but it was a while ago.

"Sounds like something you'd enjoy." Eugene chuckled. He hadn't been afforded the chance to travel much, just a little for work early in his career, but now it was impossible. Lissington was lucky to have the change still. Not that Eugene would trade Theseus for the world, but it was hard to rationalize some of the things he was missing out on as a single dad. He hadn't had to deal with a plimpy in a while, but such was the nature of most aquatic animals. He really only had to confiscate them when there were problems and they didn't do well in captivity anyway.

Theseus was most of the way through his ice cream and Eugene was starting to think he would need a bath at this point. "I'm sure it'll be quite the adventure." Gus seemed to be doing well, which was good, considering the huge shift in his career. "It's nice the summer off from the school will be able to give you some time to enjoy some of those things." It was a nice mix. Too bad one kid was enough for Eugene at the moment, he certainly didn't have the temperament for teaching.

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