He finally smiled a real smile. He was happy to get some praise for the cherries. They had taken a long time to make and work with. Since Kesali was the charms professor, it meant a lot that -he- was the one to praise him. He would have to tell Thales when they got back to school. The professor was right too. They were going to need to work on a new prank.

"Thank you, Professor. It took a lot of time and work. They were actually suppose to burst and sparkle like mini fireworks when they got high in the air but every time we tried, we almost set something on fire. We didn't want to do that. You know we don't want to hurt anyone."

"What made you think I have a boyfriend?"

Lucas shrugged. "A few things. When me and Zel were at your apartment, you said 'we' wouldn't be able to eat all the food. That meant someone else was there, even if they weren't at the moment. Then there was the picture on the refrigerator. One of them looks like you and the other is another guy. I didn't know if it was really you or not until earlier. You said you had a boyfriend before, so the picture makes sense. He's a good artist." Lucas went back to munching on his cookies acting like it was no big deal. It really wasn't. Sometimes guys liked guys and girls like girls. Who was he to tell them if it was right or wrong. It wasn't his life and it wasn't like the professor was hurting anyone.

He finished his cookies and milk and wiped his mouth. "Thank you for that, Professor. I like cookies and oatmeal raisin are my favorite. I really appreciate it. Thank you for talking with me too. I feel much better." He smiled the best he could.

When Lucas smiled, so too did his Professor, and he enjoyed seeing it on the boy who had charmed the entire staff from his first week. (No pun intended) It's what made this whole conversation so hard, seeing Lucas so upset, and it made Gale want to right the entire ordeal. What the boy's mother did was wrong yes, but he had to wonder if there was another motive. What was going on in her head that made her do such a thing? Didn't she know she would leave them all behind? He wished he was still with the Ministry just to have the answers, and would probably write a few owls to friends there to see what information he could dig out.

"He is a great artist," Gale admitted quietly when the topic turned to Chaz, "He's very kind and smiles more than any person I've ever known." That would be all he would admit, especially to a child, but it was enough.

"Thank you for that, Professor. I like cookies and oatmeal raisin are my favorite. I really appreciate it. Thank you for talking with me too. I feel much better."

"You are welcome, Lucas, we'll get you through this. It won't be easy, but you are a strong one no?" He smiled and started to clean up their mess. "I wish I didn't have to leave you tonight." He worried more to himself, but stood anyway. "I'd like to get out of this event."

Lucas finished the last of his milk and wiped some of the cookie crumbs from his face and shirt. He had been trying to keep himself a little more tidy since they had been staying with Garret. He thought he may also want to show the professor he could tidy up after himself a bit since he was going to be staying at the flat most of the night. If he could show Kasali that, he figured the professor would feel a little more at ease leaving Lucas alone there.

"If he's nice to you and you're happy then that's good. That's what's important, right?" Lucas shook his head. "Sorry. I didn't meant to get into your personal life. Just letting you know I don't care, I guess. It doesn't bother me or anything."

"I know I'll get through it all. It's just hard and it's going to take some time. I'm glad you're here though. It's one thing to talk to Zel and Garret and all. They're my brothers. They have their own ideas of ma and they're older than me so they've known her longer. I'm afraid to tell them all of this because they might get mad at me for how I feel. It's nice to talk to someone and have them understand me and know where I'm coming from." He helped the professor clean up and stack the dishes and such.

"I wish I didn't have to leave you tonight."

"You have to go. You already made plans for this. I'll be alright. Some alone time may even help." He stood up with the professor. "Maybe... I could come back one day though? Before going back to school? We can talk more and maybe play cards or something? It's nice to be out of that house for awhile. I'm sorry if I'm imposing or anything, and I understand if you'll be too busy before school. It was just an idea I guess."

Gale threw their trash away and smiled at the boy for helping, "It is good, and yes he makes me very happy. Being happy is the most important thing in the world, and I appreciate your support. Let's keep this between you and I ok? It's not that I'm not willing to shout my love for him to the moon, but it's a two way street. Often a deadly one, if you know what I mean." Less and less, but still he worried.

Once again Gale made sure Lucas was bundled up properly before they faced the cold, and he gave the boy a smile, "I love cards. Maybe we can have a little party right before school starts back again." He moved them towards the super market there on the corner and picked up a basket,

'Good afternoon, Professor!' One of the muggle clerks called out to him, her bubbly bright attitude a flutter already as she was excited he was here, "She thinks I work at the London University." He said to Lucas with a smile, "Prepare to be gushed over."


"Ooooooooh!! Professor, you didn't tell me you had a son! He looks just like you!" Gale looked back at Lucas who truly could pass for one of his, and laughed lightly. "And how old do you think I am? He's nearly 12, and clearly better suited for little brother right?" The Clerk looked confused but narrowed her eyes, to better gauge them.

"Don't worry, Professor. I won't tell anyone. Your business is yours and no one else's. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by two way street. I'm only eleven," he said with a laugh. "I'm not old enough to understand love and all that. I know I love my family... and there's a girl that I think I like at school... but there are other things to worry about." He blushed a moment when he mentioned the girl, but turned his head away to help throw things away.

Lucas smiled again when the Professor bundled him up. He looked up at the man and his eyes trembled a moment. His ma didn't even wrap him up like that on a regular basis. She usually just let him run about how he wanted. It was nice to feel like someone cared like that. "A little party would be a nice distraction before school. That would be great." When they went outside, he shoved his hands in his pockets again. He kicked a few more rocks as they went down the road, not entirely sure what to say.

Judging by the way the clerk spoke, the professor had been here pretty often. He laughed at the clerk and rubbed the back of his neck at the comments. "Not a son or a brother, ma'am. Just a family friend." He looked at the professor and raised an eyebrow, never noticing the resemblance until now. Funny how things worked out that way sometimes.

"Don't worry, Professor. I won't tell anyone. Your business is yours and no one else's. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by two way street. I'm only eleven,"

"So you are," Gale smiled and wished he could reinforce that train of thought on the child. He was only 11, and having to worry about what he was going through was simply uncalled for. Lucas should never be put through such a thing, but when the time came to return his thoughts to the shop keep Gale smiled,

"Meh, a little of all of that rolled into one."

He touched the young man's shoulder and squeezed as if he had something a little more personal to say, but Gale was quickly distracted by the colourful aisle of junk food that he so rarely stepped down.

"I don't know what you will eat so fill that up hmm?" Neither he nor Chaz ate too much junk, at least not while he was cooking, but Lucas was a growing boy. He didn't have to worry about getting fat. Already he was wanting to get out of the night's events, and just stay home with Lucas. They could play the game box, and Lucas could just unwind. Chester, when he came home would be in for a surprise, but he wouldn't mind. It was his rented loft for the holiday.

"Did you get your grades?" Back in father mode, Gale realized he hadn't asked.

"I did. I did alright in my classes. I failed flying, but I can take it again. It was my fault anyway I suppose. I was goofing off too much and didn't really pay attention."

Lucas rubbed the back of his neck and started down the aisle. He hadn't worried much about the grades he had gotten. There was so much going on at home that grades weren't exactly on the priority list. He grabbed a couple small snacks, not wanting to fill up on junk food, and got a couple healthy thing to snack on too. He also just grabbed a pizza to pop into the oven for dinner. He wasn't difficult and he didn't want the professor to spend too much money on him since it was just for the night.

After they finished the shopping and went back to the flat, Lucas put his snacks away for later.

"I'll be fine here alone, Professor. I have everything I need. Thanks again for talking to me about everything. It really helped me out a lot."