Cookies!

Following ten consecutive hide and seek losses, the twins finally got their first win. The odd thing being they won legitimately, without any pity from Eli and Ellie. Granted, they did get themselves stuck in between the floor of the upstairs and the ceiling of the downstairs... but a win is a win, right?

After an argument between Eli and his parents, he and Ellie moved away from the Layette manor and into muggle looking neighborhood. There was a pretty even distribution of magical and mundane families, but of course the not magically inclined had no idea the others weren't normal humans per se.

There were little to no magical upgrades to this house besides appliances and the like, as it would be troublesome to remove certain charms and whatnot if a muggle family moved in after them. They wanted to be considerate for the people who bought the house after them.

It was then decided that the next activity would be baking cookies! It was more just Ellie using magic to make a show out of the relatively simple task. Whipping out her wand, she began to make the ingredients dance around. Before you ask, ten and a half inches, Rowan, unicorn tail hair, with a spiral patterned handle made of slightly darker wood.

"Why just bake-bake~, when you can make-make~, some-thing much more spe-e-cial~. Not just coo-kies or cake, your hips start to shake, there is no-thing wro-ong~, with break-ing out in so-ong~"

Ellie started to dance a little while singing her song to the children. It was contagious and soon the two were hopping around, doing their own form of dancing.

Eli came back from the bathroom to such a scene. He was feeling a multitude of emotions, but the most prevalent being regret and jealousy. He felt regret for being in the bathroom when this started and jealous that they were singing and dancing without him. He wanted to have fun too!

"Hiya honey! Come join us!" Without missing a beat, the invitation was sent.

"You don't have to ask me twice!" Eli's previous grievances were instantly forgotten as he happily jumped into the fray, dancing along with his wife and kids, adding some twirl moves for flair.

After all the ingredients were mixed together, Ellie let the kids roll the dough into balls and place them on the tray. When the cookies were in the oven, the group started to calm down a bit. While they were waiting for them to finish, the parents decided to ask Corrin and Evelyne if they had fun today. The answer, of course, was an almost overwhelming "Yes!" from the two.

"Which part was your favorite?" Eli inquired.

"Make cookies!" They cheerfully replied in unison.

Eli's heart was elated and crushed at the same time. He had thought for sure that they would say his shop, but seeing their happy faces was enough for him either way. Their two cute smiles were remedy enough for any broken heart.

Soon enough, the cookies were ready to be taken out of the oven. The kids had long been taught how to be patient, but their whole demeanors were practically begging to eat the cookies. They were like two adorable puppies wagging their tails, knowing you have a treat and you will it give it to them, yet they didn't jump and beg.

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, Ellie decreed that the cookies had cooled down to an acceptable temperature, she poured four glasses of milk and took the first cookie. Seeing this as their cue, the kids also took cookies and started to munch away happily. Eli was the latest on the draw, as he was thinking about his chances of winning the bet with Arthur.

Soon, there was only one cookie remaining. Four sets of eyes were boring into it and each other. Who would make the first move? Eli's muscles began to tense up, he was going to strike! One nod from Corrin and the twins had a plan. Ellie decided to sit this one out and see who won. Just as Eli began to reach out, Evelyne already moved, jumping towards her goal. It was then when Corrin struck. He snatched the cookie despite having started moving after Eli? The reason for this was the Evelyne hanging on his arm. Instead of competing for the cookie, she took an enemy out.

Corrin broke the cookie in half, handing one side to Evelyne and broke his in half again. This fourth he gave to Ellie. Eli looked to Evelyne expectantly, but after a shaking of the head from Corrin all he received was a a cold stare while Evelyne made a scene out of enjoying the cookie.

"My children are so mean to me! Ellie, share your's with me please!"

"Hahaha maybe? I didn't try to take a cookie from them, so they treat me well. Oh look, I'm already done with my fourth, better luck next time." Ellie gave a wink to the kids and a devilish smile to her husband.

As the hours grew later, the children began feel tired once again. Eli was still moping around so Ellie decided to tell the kids a little story.

The story began with an orphan boy, living on the streets. He begged for money in the day and sifted through the rubbish at night, looking for food.

One day, an old man in a gray robe passed by the street corner where he was begging. The boy could feel something different about this person so he called out to him specifically.

"Sir in the robe, please, would you spare some change?" The boy asked hopefully.

"I could, young man, but I could also find a place for you off these streets. Which one do you wish for the most?"

"Of course I'd like to get off the streets, sir!"

"Well then, come with me."

After the two had walked away from the corner, the man held the boy's shoulders as they seemingly disappeared. He then helped the old man, who he found out to be a wizard, with a various assortment experiments and tests, eventually awakening magic of his own. He was then taught by the old wizard, absorbing anything and everything his teacher said, eventually becoming a powerful force of his own.

"My apprentice, I have taught you almost everything you need to know to succeed in this world. You have worked hard and studied well. Yet you are still missing a crucial part of living life. Go to my former school, Hogwarts, and make some friends. Whether you hide your talents or not, that is up to you. Most importantly, enjoy yourself."

After that day, the old man vanished from the boy's life. He was heartbroken at the loss of the one he considered a father. He was sullen as he followed his master's last words to him, going to school at Hogwarts. This continued until his fourth year, where he met his future wife. They fell in love, got married, and lived happily ever after... until the woman died in childbirth.

The man was broken yet again, but now he had something to keep him moving. A daughter. They happily lived together for many years, until he was killed by a group magic users well versed in the dark arts. It would have been a better outcome if he didn't have to protect his daughter. In the end, he traded final blows with the last attacker, who had aimed at his daughter, taking the spell for her.

By this time, the kids were already fast asleep, and Ellie was crying.

'I miss you... dad.'