𝑬𝑼𝑷𝑯𝑶𝑹𝑰𝑨|| 𝐉𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑

~1~

"Next add the sugar," Rosalind told her youngest daughter Asteria. The young girl had to stand on a chair as she was too short to reach the table in the middle of the kitchen. Rosalind held the ceramic bowl still as her daughter viciously mixed the filling for a pumpkin pie.

The kitchen which they stood in had tall walls which were filled with cupboards, shelves and hanging pans. The wooden table had engravings of vines up the legs and on the wall opposite was a large fire.

The kitchen was one of the many rooms in the Parkinson Manor, located in Oxfordshire. The Tudor styled manor was colossal in size, with vines crawling up the walls and perfectly trimmed hedges.

The Parkinson family was one of the most notorious pureblood families in England. They were known for their close connections to the infamous Black family, often by marriages.
Like many pureblood families, the Parkinsons believed strongly in blood purity and would manipulate their children to think the same.

"Alright, pour it in." Rosalind then said to Asteria who helped her scrap the pumpkin filling out of the bowl and into the crust.

Rosalind Parkinson, originally from the Yaxley family, had curly chestnut hair which was often tied in a low bun. She had full, rosy cheeks and her almond-shaped eyes were of a leaf green colour. Located by her right eye was a faint beauty mark.

Although Yaxley was a British pureblood family, she grew up in Paris and attended the French school of witchcraft and wizardry, Beauxbatons. She would constantly tell her youngest and only child the beauty of the school's gardens and hoped she would be able to attend there as well.

But a juxtaposition to his caring wife was Cepheus Parkinson. His hair was a dark ash colour and he had beady eyes which were almost black. Along the side of his face were sideburns which emphasised his sharp jawline.
His forehead was covered with displeased wrinkles as he was constantly scowling.

Asteria seemed like a miniature version of her mother, inheriting the same chestnut curly hair however her eyes were dark like her father's.
She was also much closer to her mother as her father was always working, often locked away in his study for hours at a time.

To help pass the time, Rosalind would bake with her and their favourite thing to make was pumpkin pie. Asteria rested her head on her hands as she watched her mother place the tin into the coal-black oven.

She then held her hand out which the girl's small hand held onto as she jumped down from the chair and hurry out the kitchen into the entrance room which was covered in portraits of past family members. Rosalind then took her daughter's hand again and they walked into the library.

"This one. This one." Asteria repeated as she pointed at 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' before pulling it off the shelf. She then hurried over to her mother who was sat in an armchair by a window and climbed up onto her lap.

"This one again?" She asked her child who nodded before flicking through the pages to find the one they were on the last time they read it.

"There were once three brothers who were travelling along a lonely, winding road at twilight." Rosalind began to readout. Although she didn't know how to read yet, she still followed each word with her dark eyes as her mother ran her finger under the sentences.
Her head tilted to the side and she buried her face into the silk material of her mother's dress.

She then continued the story until she heard a small ding from the kitchen which was the alarm to inform her that the pie was done so they got up and hurried to the kitchen excitedly. "Careful. It's hot." She informed Asteria as she watched her mother pull the tin out of the oven and place it on the wooden table.

She then watched in awe as Rosalind pulled her wand out of a hidden pocket in her dress and pointed it at the pie which made it instantly cool down enough to touch it but was still warm. "Do you think father would like some?" Asteria asked her mother. "Go ask." She replied and watched as her daughter hurried to Cepheus' study.

Without knocking, she pushed the door open. She opened her mouth to speak but he snapped his head in the young girl's direction. Then he shooed the girl out of the study and slammed the door in front of her.

She then sighed and looked down at the floor before dragging her feet back to the kitchen. "I've got you a slice," Rosalind announced when she heard the girl walked back in but the smile on her face disappeared when she looked up to see her glassy eyes.

"What's wrong?" She asked as she hurried to her daughter and knelt down so they were in eye line. Asteria didn't reply but instead wrapped her arms around her mother and although she didn't say anything, Rosalind knew what had happened.

"Shhh. It's okay." She whispered in her ear comfortingly as she brushed her curly hair out of her face. "You can't be sad when we have pumpkin pie." She added as she lifted up her daughter, resting her on her hip so she could see the slice on a plate before sitting her down on a chair.

But Asteria started eating it with her hands before her mum could come back with a fork but when she did, the two made eye contact.
Asteria dropped the slice back onto her plate and expected to be shouted at for not using her manners but instead, her mother laughed before picking up her own slice with her hands.

-☘︎︎-

That night, after the slices of pie, had been demolished, Rosalind lifted Asteria up to her bed. Stuck up on the walls of her bedroom were drawings the young girl had done which she was extremely proud of.

Then she tucked her daughter under her covers and placed a kiss on the top of her forehead. "Goodnight love." She whispered in her ear before closing the door.