After making sure the coast was clear, the Tomlinson triplets sprint to their dad's old cottage, changing back to human form so they could peak inside through one of the windows.
The sight they're met with has them gaping in disbelief.
There inside was a younger version of their dad.
Tied up to a chair and gagged.
With a complete stranger looming over him.
"Da-!"
"Sh!!" Aiden covers Zayla's mouth before she could get them caught.
Though slightly muffled, the three teens were still able to hear what the stranger is saying to their father.
"I always liked you, Harry. But you never gave me a chance to show you how much I cared. You were always busy doing something so I gave you space. But then- " The guy let out a humurous laugh. "Then that shapeshifter came along and you gave him all your attention!" He harshly pulls down the gag on Harry's mouth.
"Xander, please! I don't even know who you're talking about!"
"And you never will cause I won't allow it!"
The guy mutters something under his breath then forces Harry to look into his eyes, a smile etched on his face as the curly haired witch falls unconscious, going limp in his restraints.
The triplets could only watch as the guy -Xander, apparently- unties their dad from the chair and carries his passed out form to his room.
"Who the hell was that?" Zayla breaks the silence between them.
"Xander??" Henry answers, but more as a question.
"Yeah I heard too but, dad never told us of any past ex-lovers..."
Aiden furrows his brows, "maybe he wasn't a past ex-lover... Maybe he's just a guy who always wanted to get with dad but never could, and now he's trying to get with him again and by doing so he went back in time to prevent our parents from meeting so he can have dad to himself."
"...yeah maybe that." Henry nods, agreeing with his brother.
"Well, he can't! That's not how the story is supposed to go!" Zayla protests, crossing her arms.
"What story?" Her brothers ask at the same time.
"The story of how Dad and Papa fell in love." Zayla answers softly, "and as much as I'd like to still exist in our time, our parents' love means so much more to me. Without their love, we wouldn't even be alive."
"Actually it was uncle Zayn's doing but yeah, it takes two to make babies. Add a wizard to make it possible."
Aiden nudges his brother playfully, making the boy grunt and massage his arm, "stop it. You know how fragile I am."
"Sorry sorry. Anyways, back to our parents. Why don't we ask help from uncle Liam and uncle Niall?" The eldest sibling suggests.
"Would they really help some random teenagers claiming to be the children of their former child and current best friend?"
