A Different Kind of Magic

A year ago, Dora had been out partying with friends and flirting from across the pool with all of London’s handsome healer mates. Now she was attending a children’s book reading and pushing a pram about; my how things could change so quickly. At least she wasn’t a bulbous cow this Easter. She hadn’t shied away from wearing a skimpy bikini to Lo’s Easter barbeque, even eight months pregnant, but she much preferred to saunter when showing off her body instead of waddling around like an overweight penguin. It was easy enough to add the stretchmarks of pregnancy on her stomach, thighs, and breasts to the long list of scars she hid magically every morning (or afternoon, depending on when she actually got up). One long scar running up the length of her leg from knee to hip from where a chandelier fell on her during an attack on a shop she’d happen to be in by Death Eaters some years ago, numerous scars across her thighs from severing charms used on herself to quell the pain of existence that were becoming less commonplace thanks to her newest addiction, and most recently the little puncture wounds on various parts of her body from Hunter’s enchantingly erotic vampiric bite. She was a sight to behold without her vanity charms in place, but there was one useful thing Rebekah Parkinson had instilled in her daughter from a very young age that Dora could never be anything but thankful for; worth is in the eye of the beholder, and attractive witches catch more kind eyes than dowdy ones.

Assuming she and Pansy would arrive fashionably late for the fairy book storytelling, Dora was slightly miffed as she pulled open the bookshop door and pushed Pansy’s pram inside, having realized that she had gotten the time wrong. They weren’t early nor late, but rather right on time which meant their arrival didn’t have the same impact as she’d been hoping for. She was fresh faced and all dolled up for the occasion and she was expecting people to turn and stare when she entered. The only person who seemed to notice her was Pansy as she squealed happily and looked back at her mum before reaching for a plush rabbit that was waving at the children as they came in. “You’ve plenty of stuffies at home, lovey.” Pansy didn’t seem to understand but Dora pushed her further into the shop and let the door swing shut behind them. “Auntie Alice said Jasper is going to be here to read to you, won’t that be fun? A handsome bloke reading a story just for you, you’re a lucky little girl. Mummy needs to get lucky soon or else she’s going to explode.” Dora muttered the last bit under her breath to herself, green eyes scanning the little shop for where the storytelling would be taking place. There was a sign pointing guests out to a garden patio and Dora followed, hips swaying prominently as she heard the door open behind her and wanted to ensure any eligible bachelors that might be entering got a good look at what was on offer before she was sitting with a bunch of other mums with a toddler on her lap.

There was already a little crowd of children running around, most dressed like fairies and pixies, though a few clearly had dullards for parents and were just wearing normal everyday clothes. Pansy was most certainly not one of them. Smothered head to toe in tulle and frills, Pansy would have been the perfect little fairy had she not screamed bloody murder every time Dora attempted to fix her fairy wings on the back of her dress, but was perfectly content with tiny butterflies surrounding her everywhere else. So she was a non-flying fairy, she was still the most adorable little one at the event. And the most easily contained, by the looks of it. Pansy wasn’t walking yet, so her only options for the story was to sit in her pram or in her mummy’s lap. Dora’s heels were too tall today for her to be able to let Pansy hold her hands while she tried to take a few steps, but that was probably for the better. A pair of girls, twins by the looks of it, ran past Dora and Pansy, nearly running smack into the side of the pram before zig-zagging around it at the last second. “And that’s why you’re never allowed to learn to run, Pans. Reckless little monsters,” she said with a grin, coming further out into the garden and having a look around. She spied a few familiar faces but one stuck out as particularly handsome and so Dora turned Pansy’s pram and headed in the direction of one Healer Leo Somethingorother. “Fancy seeing you here,” she said with a flirting tone, taking a seat near Leo without waiting to be offered one. She parked the stroller in front of her, Pansy facing Leo where she would be sure to get all the compliments on her outfit. Dora was hoping for a few herself. “Do you often come to children’s events by yourself?” she inquired, not remembering him mentioning a child of his own on their last encounter.

Dora's lips curled upward as Leo complimented her and Pansy. He was incredibly charming and then there was that smile.... If they'd not been in a room full of children, Dora might have reacted very strongly to that smile but managed, somehow, to keep herself together. Leo explained he was here with his nephew and pointed out a little boy in an adorable costume. "Oh Merlin, isn't he precious!" she exclaimed softly as the toddler hurried over to get a look at Pansy.

Pansy was thrilled at having a new face to look at, squealing and giggling in a way that often gave Dora headaches but at the moment it was too cute to look away from. A camera clicked next to her and then Leo apologized. It was a strange reaction to taking a picture, but Dora supposed she liked being asked permission before her daughter's image wound up Merlin knows where. "Of course not. Pansy's going to be a model, she needs loads of practice in front of a camera. Isn't that right, love?" Dora smoothed a stray curl on Pansy's head and then flicked one of the butterflies on the infant's dress to make it wiggle for Blaise and Pansy. Pansy squealed and reached for the butterfly, her hands clasping around it and shoving it into her to suck on happily.

"Are you having fun with your uncle?" Dora asked, leaning forward and talking in a more gentle tone to the little boy. She was secretly wondering why anyone would name their child after fire, and hoping there wasn't another nephew or niece wandering around named Smoke or Ember. Actually, Ember was sort of a cute name if you were going with a fire theme to match Blaze.