Anne walked into the ice cream parlour. She had a restless DJ in her arms. she smiled and ordered a plain vanilla cone. She smiled and handed it to her son. He started to eat it with a huge smile on his face. She had promised him some ice cream. She loved it when he was this happy. It made her day so much better. She sat on one of the stools, with DJ on her lap. She looked around at the people in the shop.

Some had children, some were with dates. She really wished she could get a date. The only person she might consider was Damien. She was sure he wouldn't want to go out with her, his 'little sister'.

Alcyone grumbled about annoying children as Capella begged her to visit the ice cream parlour. The 9 year old girl could be quite annoying at times, and after dragging her around shopping for another hour she finally caved. Capella had been very helpful after all, so she deserved a little treat.

"Alright I give in! I'll buy you an icecream." She said, much to the excitable girls delight. She squealed as Alcyone led her along to the ice cream parlour, Capella going on about how much she would miss her whilst she was at school. "I'll miss you too, Ella." Alcyone responded as she bought her favourite ice cream, Butterscotch and marshmallow swirl. Capella bought her own favourite flavour, before Alcyone spied a familiar face. Anne, from the same year as her who was also a teacher. She had a baby in her arms, and she decided to be friendly and walk over with Capella trailing behind.

Alcyone rested a hand on one of the four seats, Capella placing her hand on the other as they both politely smiled at Anne. "Hello Anne, mind if we sit with you?" She asked.

Anne nodded and gestured for Alcyone and her daughter to sit down. She smiled at them then glanced at the baby in her lap. he was still happily eating his ice cream.

"How are you Alcyone?" She asked. "And what's your name." She asked the child. It had been awhile and she had forgotten. She looked

"I'm sorry we haven't had the chance to talk before now but, little DJ here has kept me plenty busy." She sighed. Being a single mother was hard. She loved her son dearly. Nothing could change that. He could turn out like his father and she would still love him.

Alcyone smiled gratefully and took her seat. Once both her and Capella were comfortable, Alcyone took a lick of her ice cream and turned her attention to Anne, whom she'd heard rumours was dead. These were clearly just rumours, and she'd ask about them later.

"Im great Anne, though im gonna miss my girl when I go to Hogwart's," Capella blushed as she said that and continued to lick her ice cream, she had always been a tad shy around strangers. "This is Capella." Alcyone introduced as Capella seemed to mumble her name so quietly that Anne might not have caught it. "She's a little shy, mind you." Alcyone explained in case her shyness was taken for rudeness.

Alcyone placed her ice cream on the cone holder in the middle of the table and scooted her chair closer to Anne so she could look at Anne's baby. He was quite adorable and held many features that resembled Anne. "I can see you in him. Whats his name? He's so adorable." Alcyone giggled as the boy looked up at her and smiled.

Anne smiled and nodded to Capella. she wasn't much of a talker at the moment. She smiled seeing that she was shy. Anne looked at DJ and he was looking at Alcyone with interest. He was never shy. He just love attention. She wasn't sure where he got that from. She didn't know his father well. Other than the fact that he was a monster that enjoyed peoples pain.

"Thank you." she said smiling fondly at the child in her arms. He returned it and said quietly "mama". She loved hearing him talk. It was so cute.

"His Name is Damien after my father not our classmate." She said. She wasn't sure if that was true any more. New revelations mad life more difficult. She just had to realize after 8 years that she was in love with him, her best friend. She shook her head slightly, trying to clear it.

Alcyone's heart throbbed as he mumbled 'mama' to Anne. "Aww, what an adorable little boy." Alcyone grinned and spoke genuinely to Anne. He was absolutely gorgeous, and had the cutest nose she'd ever seen.

Alcyone reached for her ice cream once more, picked it up and licked it as she watched Capella switch seats so she was on Anne's other side. Her cheeks were red with her shyness and she looked at Damien curiously. She smiled softly as she held her hand out to Damien, who took her pinky as toddlers always did. "He's cute." Capella mumbled to Anne.

Alcyone's body tensed as Anne mentioned Damien. She'd never really approached him after he'd betrayed her, and as they said you never truly got over your first love. Sure, she was VERY happy with her life right now, but there was a soft spot in her heart that was only reserved for Damien. She'd never even think of leaving her current husband for Damien, but he still meant something to her. "I never really forgave Damien for... breaking my heart when I was so young and experiencing so much. I was meant to talk to him, but I kept putting it off and I ended up never talking to him." Alcyone giggled nervously as she scratched her head. "Yes, I named Capella after my sister so I see where you're coming from."

Capella looked at her mother curiously as she mentioned her Aunt whom she'd been named after. Of course, Alcyone had never mentioned much about her past around Ella and she didn't plan on it anytime soon.

Anne smiled and shifted her hold on DJ. He seemed to have given up on his ice cream. She took it out of his and as threw it in the garbage. she smiled when it went in. she had good aim. He was cute, with his strawberry blond hair and green eyes. She saw that Capella moved beside her wanting to get a closer look at DJ. She smiled at him and gave him her hand. He took her pinky. Anne smiled at her son. He really loved be in the centre of attention.

Anne noted that she tensed at the mention of Damien. She knew that Alcyone once loved him. He and Tessa had been dating when she knew them. She sighed slightly. She loved that boy. She had fallen in love with him when he saved her from Hugo when she was 11.

"I'm sorry" she said to Alcyone. Anne had heard that her sister had died. She didn't say anything else. Capella clearly wasn't suppose to know. She shifted her grip on DJ and looked at him again. He looked at her and said "Mama" with a huge smile. her heart couldn't help but lift. He really was the cutest thing she had ever seen

Alcyone was glad that Capella was beginning to let go of her shyness and allow her bubbly side to show through. The 9 year old girl giggled as Damien's hand tightened around her pinky, and she used her other hand to tickle his tummy gently. Her ice cream sat in its holder forgotten as she busied herself with the little boy, whom Alcyone thought was quite adorable. "He's so cute!" Capella squealed, her eyes alight with pure joy. She reminded Alcyone so much of her late sister that sometimes it made her want to cry.

Alcyone was glad that Anne didn't elaborate on the topic of her and Damien, she'd rather not talk about it all. She was happy with her husband, and her daughter, and to her that was all that really mattered. Being happy with ones family was all the love she'd ever need.

"Its okay, there was nothing anyone could do. I was only 15 at the time, and Cae was younger." Alcyone didn't say anything else, as Capella was not allowed to know about the hardships and horrors of her past. Her childhood was hell to her, where she'd been trapped for 11 years being tortured many times, and she even had to kill a muggle once. She was ashamed, and she would never let Capella know anything about her childhood.

Anne stiffened and tightened her hold on DJ as he started to cry. She didn't want to leave but DJ, seemed ton have other plans. She rocked the child back and forth trying to calm him. He didn't really calm down. He started to wail louder. Anne sighed and looked over at everyone in the shop. They were all looking at her funny. She sighed and rocked DJ again. He stopped wailing and looked at her with big innocent eyes.

"Sorry." She stated. She felt bad about causing a disruption. "I know what it's like to lose a family member." she said. she had lost all her family. She lost everyone when Hugo had taken her.

Anne saw the look on Alcyone's face. She was embarrassed about something. Anne wouldn't press her. Instead she leaned across the table and whispered. "You can yell me anything you know."

Alcyone pursed her lips as DJ began to cry, she knew all to well that embarrassment when you were out in public and your baby decided it was time to throw a fit. Capella smoothed down his hair once Anne had stopped rocking him and she could see that Capella was curious as to why Damien was crying. She'd never met a baby before, so this was an experience for her.

Alcyone looked down at the table as she grabbed her ice cream and finished it off. Death was all around them, consuming the ones they loved, stealing away everything that meant something to them. "Its not a nice feeling." Alcyone mumbled. She couldn't imagine losing her daughter, it would break her.

Alcyone smiled softly, she would talk to Anne more privately at school, and so she whispered back, "I'll tell you at school, I don't want Capella to know."

Anne nodded. DJ seemed to want to go home. she thought she should do that seeing that he was in a way the boss. She stood up and smiled at Capella.

"Why don't you came and play with him sometime." She said smiling, the added. "If it's ok with your mum."

Anne moved forward to whisper to Alcyone. "I'll see you at hogwarts then we'll talk." she said giving her a one armed hug.

As she walked to the door she called over her shoulder , "See you Alcyone It was nice to meet you Capella."

Alcyone waved as Anne left with a soft smile. "You'd like that, wouldn't you Ella?" Capella nodded her head eagerly and blew Damien a kiss goodbye. Alcyone licked at her ice cream and nodded her head as Anne whispered to her.

"Nice meeting you too!" Capella exclaimed with a wide smile, before she began to blabber about how nice Anne was and how cute Damien was to a rather amused Alcyone.