The next few hours were loud and warm and nothing like training.
Seraphina brought out tea and snacks, and everyone settled into the comfortable chaos of family. Mom and Aunt Seraphina talked by the window, their voices low and easy, the kind of conversation that came from years of knowing each other.
Theron stayed by the fire, mostly quiet, but I caught him watching the kids every now and then with something soft in his eyes that he probably would have denied if anyone pointed it out.
Mia held court in the middle of the room, her small hands waving as she told the twins about Sir Hops-a-Lot's latest adventures. According to her, the frog had learned to catch flies mid-air, which was apparently either impressive or terrifying depending on how you looked at it.
She described the snowball fight she was planning to have with them in elaborate detail, complete with forts and strategies and a "secret weapon" she refused to explain no matter how much Roran begged.
