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Sadly, Lucian was unobservant of the slight his sister had paid to his wife, cutting her off in mid-sentence. He had been focused on their son and not heard the women chatting softly what with all the noise around them from the other children and their parents running after them. “We’re working our way up to swears,” Lucian said jokingly as Alec wriggled to be let down. “Alright, alright. Merlin, you’re a bossy one.” Loosh set his son on the ground and kept in a bent position until the toddler showed himself to be stable, then toddled off after a group of older children. “I’ve got him,” Lucian said to Clem as he followed his son. “You two have a nice catch up.” The boys left the women alone to chat while Lucian chased after Alexander, ready to catch him should he stumble, or elevate him when something high up caught his interest.

“They get five minutes,” Lucian replied with a wink. He enjoyed having his family around and was in no rush to push them out of his home. He was happy to have everyone under one roof and in truth they were welcome to stay as long as they liked. The more the merrier was practically the Burke family motto and he hoped to one day have a family of comparable size of his own, though he knew Clementine felt a little differently.

A few more side remarks to his wife and then Lucian was off, mixing in with the various conversations and swapping the children around. At one point his parents, Betty and Bob, had both Alec and Nathaniel, and had one of the house elves taking pictures of the boys but now his mother was complaining that she didn’t have a baby in her arms so Loosh wasn’t sure who had run off with the birthday boy. There were too many children and too many directions for one's attention to be pulled as Lyra began a performance at Lysander's request. It was chaos and it was perfect.

That he was a natural at being a father had seemed strange at first. Lucian had always known, as the eldest Burke, that he would be destined for fatherhood regardless of his desires for it, but to actually have accomplished a full year of it without major incident was a tremendous accomplishment. An accomplishment that paled in comparison to that of his wife’s efforts. Clementine was a superb mother and Lucian was all too eager to continue adding to their growing family. He knew Clem would rise to the challenge magnificently.

Seeing that the stragglers of the family had finally arrived, Lucian gave a warm nod in the direction of his brother-in-law. There were so many little ones in the family now. For so long Lysander had been the baby of the Burke family, Theo of the Nott family, but now there were a whole mess of little ones being passed around like hot potatoes. Nathaniel wriggled in his arms and Loosh shifted his nephew’s weight until the baby seemed settled.

Their families were so large, a few guests and spouses adding to their numbers. It was a small group compared to the party Clementine had planned for the weekend but a large enough group that Lucian had to clink his beer bottle on the edge the glass endtable in order to gain everyone’s attention. “Thank you all for coming to celebrate our little Alec’s birthday,” he said to the room at large. He scanned the faces, trying to track down his boy. “Who has the lad now?” he asked with a chuckle, a few of the older guests laughing along with him. His sister, Lyra, held up Alexander like a little trophy and Lucian smiled. “There’s the birthday boy.” Loosh looked to his wife, then back to the room. “It’s been a hell of a year with that little tike, but I wouldn’t have made it without such a fantastic partner. Alec couldn’t have asked for a better mum. This day is as much a celebration of you as it is Alec,” he remarked truthfully, looking back to Clem once more. “We all know you’re the one that did all the work last year. I just passed out cigars.” Another round of laughter from their parents. Was the champagne working so quickly? Lucian raised his beer bottle in front of him in a toast, “to Clem and Alec. Happy birthday, lad.” He leaned over to his wife and gave her a kiss as baby Nathaniel let out a little wail before shoving his fist in his mouth.

Baby Nathaniel seemed happy to be with the men, away from all the loud sounds of the little party and from his mummy’s overwhelming perfume. Lilith’s scent wasn’t all that intense for a grown man’s nose, Loosh considered that even Alec would likely be able to handle the scent now, but for a brand new little bub it was just too much. The quiet of the kitchen and a few deep, soothing male voices seemed to suit the little tike. They wouldn’t be away from the party for long, however, so hopefully Nathaniel had had enough of a break that he would be more settled upon their return to the lounge.

Quinn joked about Lyra being the one in charge of their relationship and Lucian chuckled. “Yeah, that’s Lyra.” His sister would play demure for no one but a paying audience, but he didn’t think she was ready for babies and marriage and all that yet. Lucian and Lilith had done their familial duties, marrying into equally prominent pureblood families, which would afford Lyra, Liv, and Lysander a bit more time to live their lives as they chose. For the oldest Burke siblings, the clock was already ticking on their second babies, respectively. “She might decide a baby would be good fodder for the tabloids, so keep your eye out for that.” He winked at Quinn, bouncing Nathaniel in his arms lightly as the champagne uncorked itself and began to fill the flutes that had appeared on a silver tray on the counter.

Lucian moved to the refrigerator and grabbed three beer bottles by the neck with one hand, his fingers threaded between the bottles in a loose grip that managed to get the job done. He passed the first to Quinn who was closest, then the next to Rabby. It wasn’t a surprise to hear that Lil was putting too much pressure on herself. That was her signature move. She only had one setting and it was full speed, but it made her special and Loosh knew she’d get better with juggling it all as a mum with a bit of practice. “That’s a tough one, mate. I’ll give it a go, but she might also fancy a relaxing holiday to help her slow down. If you can swing the time off with the boss.” The Minister had more than enough security to allow Rabastan and his wife a little tropical holiday, but the Dark Lord might have other plans.

Date night. The Burkes didn’t get too many of those these days. Between Lucian running the shop, Clem back at work, and little baby Alec, time together in public was a rare treat. Their joint ventures for the Dark Lord aside, this was their first proper evening together in what felt like ages and Lucian was taking full advantage. He held the carriage door for Clementine and complimented her repeatedly on their way to the gallery. Any mention of what Lyra might be wearing or how she felt on her first day back at the Ministry was an opportunity to shower his dutiful wife with praise. Lyra would be no doubt be dressed to the nines, but she would pale in comparison to the witch at his side. She felt a bit shaky back at work, but no doubt she impressed her boss with how seamlessly she reintegrated into working life. Feelings of more than just friendship were certainly beginning to blossom, and he loved her in a way a husband was expected to love his wife, but Lucian certainly held no false ideations that they had somehow fallen into love or that she was his soul mate. Arranged marriages were tricky but the Burkes were the poster couple if ever there was one.

They arrived at the gallery with the party evidently in full swing. Some of the pieces had already been claimed and although Lucian didn’t really care one way of the other if they went home with an ‘original Quinn Blackwood’ he did want to support his mate and his sister – Lyra seemed to be under the impression the night was about her and he wasn’t about to shatter her pretty little bubble. “Just look at the ones that can fit in the carriage,” he teased. If she fancied, she could have any piece that she liked, even more than one, although looking around at the paintings nearest to them, they weren’t exactly Lucian’s style.

Turning at the sound of his wife’s melodic voice calling to him, Lucian smiled. “Speak of the little devil,” he said with a slight chuckle to Natalia, who had just been asking when she was going to get to see her grandson. The Notts had arrived while Clem was still busying herself with Alec and rather than rush her, he’d escorted them into the drawing room where he had been chatting with his father. His mum had helped herself to the kitchen where she was fixing a fresh pot of tea, despite Lucian’s instance the tea he’d set out for them was perfectly fresh. Lucian followed Clem’s parents out to meet his wife and son in the corridor. He let the grandparents fuss over their daughter and grandson before sliding up to Clem and giving her a kiss on the forehead. “My dad’s just in there,” he said, thumbing toward the drawing room. “Mum’s making tea in the kitchen.” Lucian brushed Clementine’s hair over her shoulder. “Aunties and Uncles should be here soon, then we can get this party started.”

Guiding Clem into the drawing room, Lucian looked over at Theo and Natalia who were cooing over his son. Already a year old, how time flew! It seemed like just yesterday that Clementine had shared the news she was expecting. Their lives had changed so dramatically in such a short period of time and Lucian wouldn’t change a single thing. He loved having his wife at home to care for their son, and he would be perfectly content if Clem decided to permanently leave her job at the ministry to raise their family. He wanted more children, one more at the very least. He had his heart set on a large family but Clementine had other ideas, and honestly he would be fine with only two children. Three, if the next were a boy. Loosh was confident he could make that happen though he really had very little control over it.

Betty came into the drawing room only a few moments behind the rest of their little party, a tray with a kettle and additional teacups in her hands. She ‘ooohed’ happily as she came forward, excited to have her turn with the birthday boy. Betty set the fresh tea tray on the table next to the one Lucian had prepared and then joined the Notts in obsessing over the little prince. Bob helped himself to a cuppa from Betty’s tray.

Lucian rested his hand on his wife’s leg in support as she exclaimed her offense at the direction the conversation had led. Loosh liked Dora and more importantly, Clem liked Dora. The witches kept each other occupied when he wanted some time alone or with the lads, and he was happy that Clementine wasn’t one of those wives that thought she needed to be attached to her husband day and night. They had their own lives and friends and careers, though Clem’s was on hold for the moment, and then when they came together there was actually something worth conversing about. He was reminded almost daily how lucky he was to have been matched up with such an excellent witch for a wife, a reminder almost perfectly timed with Dorcas’ under breath remark and Aurora’s astute little ears.

Polite enough not to stare, Lucian looked to his son as Dorcas made her dramatic exit and Rodolphus remarked on their potentially growing family. Lucian wasn’t touching that topic with a ten foot pole. He gave Clem’s thigh a gentle squeeze. They would be speaking of this later where they could be more frank and, to Lucian’s utter surprise, gossipy. “You seem to have a type, Rod” he remarked, navigating the conversation slowly in the opposite direction. “Firecrackers.” He meant crazy but wasn’t about to say as much aloud. “I don’t envy you as a single dad. I’d lose my head if it weren’t for Clem taking such good care of Alec.” There, hopefully they could talk more about the sane witch in the room and not focus on Dorcas or the trainwreck that appeared to be Rodolphus and Dorcas’ clearly doomed relationship.