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[Icarus Argabright]

 

7 April, 1974
Honeydukes, 14:23:48 p.m.

The trip was essential, as long as they were here. Not for any nostalgic purposes (none that he’d mention as they strolled past the bakery, none that did not ache like sickness and Hell itself—), of course, no, not at all. The place was important for what it was in a cultural sense: Icarus as a Brit and Fallon as a travel journalist, and both of them as teachers, would be remiss if they did not bring their daughter for a day trip to Hogsmeade.

They’d been through a few shops already, gotten lunch at Pot & Pantry, and had discussed taking a walk along the lake and in the countryside before checking out a few more attractions in the village come evening.

He’d inquired lightly, innocuous as anything— “Would either of you mind if we stopped somewhere else first?”

Surprising a child like Ariadne was nigh on impossible, and therefore her father had not given up trying. Perhaps it was partly his own youth trying to assert itself in the opportunity, clawing at scraps of mundane wonder long out of reach. Perhaps that vicarious hope was just as much for her sake, independent of his dispossessed innocence, as someone who knew what it was like.

And so, in the interest of this— and in tempering a measure of mania— Icarus had not mentioned to either of them  that he would be taking them to Honeydukes after lunch. Fallon had almost certainly expected they would at some point, if only because he’d avoided acknowledging it so far. He did not know if this was a good idea, nevermind an effective one, but he’d already started walking toward it with a small hand wrapped around his pinky finger, and he was no longer the type to turn back while he still could. (But had he ever been, really?)

Baby was still unpredictable sometimes, and he couldn’t quite tell what she would react to more: the sweets or the shop decor.

[Fallon Tate]

Hogsmeade was exactly the same as she remembered. Though, Fallon was certain things never really changed in the village aside from some shops that came and went with time.

They couldn't skip a stop at Hogsmeade while they were visiting. The three of them stopped at some old favorites. Ariadne was, unsurprisingly, taken by Pot & Pantry, leaving with a bouquet she had assembled herself, of course— which she carried in her free hand.

"Would either of you mind if we stopped somewhere else first?"

"Why not?" Fallon agreed and Ariadne also echoed her approval for the not-so-unplanned stop.

She had her suspicions of where this stop would be. However, she did not voice them, as being surprised would be more fun anyway. If Baby didn't already figure it out like she had a tendency to do.

Hogsmeade was his place first, long before Fallon found her way to him, as was every stop on their trip to London. It was his to share, and Fallon was happy to be a part of it.

Fallon slowed so that she fell a bit behind Icarus and Baby. She brought the camera up to her eye and snapped a photo. And a few more, just in case. Her lips twisted into a smile as she caught back up to them. Before Ariadne, she used to be able to fit all the photos she took between the pages of her journals, but in the years since having her, she's filled several albums. She just couldn't help herself.

She could smell the shop before they even got to the door, practically taste it even. It was the kind of sweetness that tickled your jaw. She was fairly certain that there was nothing that was too sweet for a nearly seven-year-old.

The bell tinkled above their head as they passed through the door into the shop. Fallon stepped aside in order to let Ariadne take it all in.

[Icarus Argabright]

He was half-woozy with her anticipatory shimmering from the moment she seemed to realize what she’d spotted through the shop window. Using a strength Icarus had only seen in the kindergartener when she tore both parents out of bed on Christmas morning, she took point in pushing the door open wide. The bell that announced Ariadne’s arrival was so much louder than he remembered it ringing for anyone else. As she stood in the center of the entryway, in saddle shoes and lunatic delight, he was obliged to wonder if it was her magic or his migraine that made it seem so much more like music.

“It’s Honeydukes…!!!” she cried out to the shop’s back wall, as if she’d been here a hundred times before, and the shop needed to be reminded of it.

Wide-eyed, ever brightening, the volumes of ruffles that dressed her lower half wagged and wiggled in an adorable but decidedly uncoordinated dance of triumph. She was not so excited, however, that she was not conscious of its effect on her bouquet, and delayed a squeal to consult the jostled petals of two yellow daisies. They were fine, just not so used to good things, and much younger than she was.

She pulled her father further into the store without additional ceremony, chasing after the first floral things (what else) that caught her eye— some seasonal sweets for spring and the upcoming holiday.

Although Icarus did not regret the slight swoon when he stumbled forward with her, he didn’t hide from Fallon the effect that Baby’s frothing excitement was having on the whole of his senses. He’d definitely underestimated, at the very least.

And— he shot a look toward Fallon— they really hadn’t mentioned the place around her or at all before this, had they…? Baby could read just fine, but he didn’t think she’d had enough time to register the sign, much less sound it out.

[Fallon Tate]

Fallon placed a gentle hand on Icarus' shoulder and gave him a sympathetic look. She could only imagine how he felt, judging by Baby's reaction to Honeydukes. However, she was delighted that Baby was so excited about the surprise. That didn't happen often, so hopefully, he considered it a win despite the consequences.

Catching his look, she simply shrugged. She had no idea how she knew the name. It didn't seem likely that she read it that quickly, but Fallon had no other idea how she knew. Fallon had hardly even thought of Honeydukes since they moved, let alone discussed it. But there wasn't much time to dwell on it, with Ariadne dragging Icarus around the shop. Fallon dropped a box of the floral-themed candy into the basket that hun on the crook of her elbow.

"Here, give me your flowers so you can look around," Fallon offered as she caught up to her daughter, holding out a hand.

Baby's excitement calmed for just a moment, and she grew very serious. She held the bouquet close to her chest as she contemplated. Finally, she relented, offering the flowers to her mother.

"Don't squish them, Mommy," Ariadne warned, pulling the bouquet back as she spoke before actually handing it over. Fallon's jaw dropped in mock offense. She looked at Icarus to silently say 'Can you believe this?' He probably could.

"'Course I won't. Who do you think I am?"

Baby did not answer and instead skipped off to the next display that caught her attention. Kids.

She pointed out different candies and treats that she wanted to try. Fallon mentally weighed the options on what they would actually be buying because if they bought everything she pointed out, they would be broke and would never get through it all. Ariadne stopped for a moment to look up at the chocolate fountain, amazed.

"I think this will probably be the highlight of her day," Fallon said quietly as she stood close to Icarus. Might even be one of the highlights of the trip, though it was only their second day, so it was far too soon to tell.

[Icarus Argabright]

Yes, said his reciprocal glance. He absolutely could believe that Baby felt the need to instruct her mother on how to treat her precious bouquet. It had nothing to do with Fallon, really. No amount of responsibility, maturity, familiarity, or trust in another living soul was any match for her precocious pickiness. Especially where flowers were concerned. He’d seen the judgmental looks that the little girl had set upon the clerk at the market when they were handling the stems. She looked at deer similarly.

The only thing that surprised him was that she hadn’t passive-aggressively arranged some cuttings on the florists’ bench in a manner they’d have needed a Victorian manual to decode.

Ariadne was fastidious about pretty things, sweet things, pure things in such a way that he wondered if she knew it was because they did not last. If anyone could make them, she would make them.

(Once, maybe always, Icarus himself had sought ways to deny entropy, to stop time.)

Hands safe in his pockets as Ariadne flitted around like a clumsy hummingbird, Icarus assessed her choices over Fallon’s shoulder, just a little differently.

All that mattered, really, electric lemonade spike through his skull and all, was that she learned what she loved. Not everyone got that chance.

“Should only get what we’ll eat ourselves, honestly,” he murmured to Fallon while the chocolate fountain pulled attention away from their conversation. “Can't really pick good sweets on aesthetics. Sugar mice, you know she only wants those for the cats to play with, but the second they sskitter into the tea and melt, God help us all.”

[Fallon Tate]

Fallon nodded along to Icarus as Baby finally moved on from the chocolate fountain and looked over the shelves along with her. What were some of these sweets? Blood-Flavoured Lollipops? She can't imagine they sold well.

"Bertie Botts might not be a good idea either."

Fallon wasn't a fan of the "Every Flavour" beans herself. One truly disgusting bean, and she was put off by them forever. No need to repeat that experience— thank you very much. She didn't think Ariadne would react well to getting one of the nastier flavors either. Fallon just didn't understand the appeal. The Russian Roulette-style risk was just not her style.

Chocolate Frogs were a classic, so she dropped a few into the basket. Pink Coconut Ice sounded fine enough, plus it was pink, and Fizzing Whizzbees were fun. Fallon, honestly, preferred muggle sweets, never knowing exactly what some of these magical ones contained, but these all seemed like safe choices to her.

Fallon ushered Ariadne quickly past the Sugared Butterfly Wings, seeing they contained actual butterflies (who in their right mind would eat those anyway?). She gently bumped her shoulder against Icarus'.

"Do you have any old favorites?"