I Have Loved You All My Life

Not a day went by when Seth didn’t count himself lucky that he and Chantal had ended up sharing that dance at Summer’s wedding. They had met and fell in love while they were at Hogwarts but the truth was that they were both trying to figure out who they were back then and they had naturally drifted apart. They had tried to make it work but in the end Chantal had had her career to think about and Seth had needed some time to find his feet and realise that being a doctor was his family’s dream for him, it wasn’t his, and he knew that going to work at the Ministry instead was one of the best decisions he could have made. It had taken the two of them years to find their way back to each other but in the end they had managed it and they had soon realised that those feelings had never truly gone away. Seth had found himself falling back into old patterns with Chantal pretty quickly but there was one thing that had changed, they had both seen what it was like to be apart and they both knew that they didn’t want that so they were determined to make it work this time. Their wedding had ended up being delayed due to the surprise appearance of Luca but it was worth it and now Seth couldn’t be happier with the little family they had built. His own family had always been one where he had never truly felt like he fit in but with Chantal and Luca it was different, with them was where he was meant to be.

Naturally the arrival of the Enlightened was a threat to everyone but Seth knew that he would do everything in his power to keep his wife and son safe. He had seen the devastation that the loss of a partner could cause when Summer had lost her husband and he knew that he didn’t want anyone he loved to end up hurting like that again. That was why he and everyone at the Ministry was working hard to track down those responsible for the current chaos that was echoing around the world and they weren’t going to stop until they had managed it. Seeing what was going on around the world was enough to make Seth even more grateful for what he had at home and that day he had decided that it was time he and Chantal had a date night. Luca was being looked after by Summer and Seth knew that Angel would probably swing by to check on Summer and the kids as well so Seth knew that their son would be just fine. It was incredibly quiet as he moved around the kitchen making dinner for him and Chantal and it really wasn’t often that they had the house to themselves these days so Seth wanted to make the most of it. He had thought about going and surprising Chantal by picking her up after practice but he knew that she always apparated home anyway so he was certain that she would be fine. Sure enough it wasn’t long before he heard her voice calling out to him and Seth couldn’t stop a smile from forming on his face at the sound of it. “Hey, I’m in the kitchen,” he called back, visible relaxing at the site of his wife standing before him. “Oh yeah, you’re definitely underdressed,” he teased, his expression playful as she moved closer. As Chantal kissed him, Seth brought his hand up to rest against her cheek as he kissed her back. “We are. I bribed Summer into taking Luca for the night, we just have to repay her by having the twins over for a sleepover one night,” he grinned as he stole another kiss. “I hope you’re hungry, I may have made a little too much.”

CHANTAL GABRIELLE MAXWELL

Seth’s family had always wanted him to become a doctor like his parents and older siblings had done before him but there was a part of him that had always known that that wasn’t right for him. He was good at healing spells and making potions to help people but that wasn’t what he had wanted to do with his life. He hadn’t known it when he was a student but he really felt like he had found his calling by becoming an Auror and he didn’t regret it one bit. He knew that it made Chantal worry especially after Finn had died but Seth was careful and even though nothing in life was guaranteed, he knew that he would always do everything he could to make sure that he made it home to his wife and son at the end of every day. They had both been there to help pick up the pieces for Summer and the girls after Finn had died and it had been difficult for Seth losing his friend but it was a risk of the job and he had known that when he had applied for it. He knew that the last thing he wanted was to end up making Chantal a widow one day but she had known what he was when they got back together and she had still wanted to marry him so he knew that they were going to be just fine. Right now his work was consumed with trying to find those responsible for revealing magic to the world and he knew that the Enlightened really did have a lot to answer for. They were putting everyone in danger and that alone was enough to make Seth worry about the people he loved that much more. It would be so easy for Chantal to get hurt during a match but at the same time playing quidditch professionally put her in the spotlight. He had known who she was when they got back together just like she had known who he was, though, so he knew that he would never ask her to change that, it just made him want to protect her that much more.

Normally Seth’s evenings were spent with Chantal and Luca and he loved evenings like those but he couldn’t deny that he wanted to be able to spend some alone time with his wife now and then as well. They hadn’t gotten married that long ago and it felt like they were still very much in the honeymoon phase even with everything that was going on in the world right now. He knew that Chantal had struggled after Luca was born and he had done his best to be there for her. The last thing he wanted was for her to struggle again now but he trusted her and he knew that she would talk to him if she needed to. For now he wanted to do something special for her since they had the house to themselves that night and he hoped she would like it. “Perhaps you’re right,” he chuckled, his arms finding her waist as he kissed her back. “We can always change that,” he added, his lips brushing against her ear as he spoke. “Maybe not but she was happy to do it. I’m sure we’ll end up returning the favour when she next catches up with Minister Herondale,” Seth nodded. He knew that the guy had been checking in on Summer ever since Finn died and Seth was grateful to him for that. They had all done their best to rally around her but the Minister was a vampire like Summer was and he had been alive for quite some time so Seth had a feeling that having a different perspective probably helped quite a bit. “You were feeling a little off? How so?” he asked, unable to deny that he was concerned. As Chantal asked what his plans were after dinner, though, Seth’s smile returned. “I thought we could make the most of having the house to ourselves, if you’re up for it of course,” he said, bringing his hand up and brushing her hair away from her face gently. A friend or relative occasionally looked after Luca but it wasn’t very often that they got time for just the two of them and Seth knew better than to take it for granted. “Yeah, you probably should,” he chuckled before kissing the top of her head gently. “You go get changed and I’ll finish sorting out dinner,” he suggested, offering her one more smile before returning to the kitchen to finish up.

CHANTAL GABRIELLE MAXWELL

Seth had grown up feeling the pressure to become the person that his parents wanted him to be. That was why he had started training to become a doctor after graduating from Hogwarts, he had let what they had wanted influence the direction that his life had ended up taking him in. It had made him miserable following a path that wasn’t the one that he wanted and it was during that time that he and Chantal had grown apart. He had literally hit rock bottom after losing her and turning his back on the career that his family had wanted for him and he’d had to pick up the pieces afterwards but he had come out of it the other side thanks to the help of his friends. Seeing Chantal again at Summer’s wedding had made those old feelings come flooding back to him and he had realised that he had never stopped loving her. He had known that she could have moved on and found someone else but she hadn’t, Chantal had still loved him as well and ever since then things had been going better than he had ever thought they would. It had been a bit of a rollercoaster at times, of course, they’d had to push their wedding back when they had learned that they were expecting Luca but now Seth couldn’t imagine not having their little boy in his life. It didn’t feel like he and Chantal got to spend time alone together that often these days, a hazard of being parents, but Seth had managed to arrange with Summer that she would look after Luca for the night and he wanted to make the most of the alone time that it would give him with Chantal.

“I knew I should have broken that the moment Ana gave it to you,” Seth chuckled. He had known straight away that he was never going to hear the end of that but it was all in good fun at least. Kissing Chantal back, Seth felt a smile touch his lips. “I like the way you think. Maybe we should have nights alone like this more often,” he grinned, already enjoying the idea of having some time alone with his wife. Seth wouldn’t change having Luca for anything in the world but they were still young so he knew that he would take whatever time alone with Chantal that he could get. “Summer was happy to have him, don’t worry,” Seth assured her gently. “You know how much Luca loves spending time with her and the girls,” he added, hoping to put her mind at ease a little. It was just one person looking after three kids but it was only one night and Summer really hadn’t seemed to mind at all. “I think you’d have to join the queue babe, Angel already wants to talk to him and make sure he doesn’t hurt her,” he admitted, knowing that his best friend wouldn’t mind him sharing that bit of information with Chantal. “It’s still a little strange to think of her moving on but I know Finn would have wanted her to be happy,” he added. Finn had been one of his best friends so Seth had been devastated when he died but he knew that his friend wouldn’t have wanted Summer to grieve forever. “I can’t believe she might end up moving on with the Minister for Magic though, that’s insane,” he chuckled. He knew that it was a possibility, the two of them had been spending time together ever since Finn died and Chantal obviously thought there was something more going on there as well so it was likely something that they were all going to have to get used to.

Watching as Chantal grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, Seth studied her carefully for a moment as she said she had been feeling off before his eyes widened in surprise when she said she felt a little like she had before she found out she was pregnant. It was a possibility of course, they didn’t always get the house to themselves but that didn’t mean that they didn’t still get to spend some time alone together when Luca was asleep, but the thought of adding a second child to the mix hadn’t crossed his mind just yet. Before he could ask if there was a chance she might be pregnant again, Chantal was speaking again and as she said there was a chance they might end up passed out by nine, Seth couldn’t help but laugh. “I know that’s what happened last time we had a night to ourselves but we can do better than that this time,” he chuckled. Seth continued preparing the meal as Chantal headed upstairs to shower and change but his mind kept going back to what she’d said about feeling off. By the time Chantal returned it seemed like it had been troubling her as well and Seth looked at the pregnancy test in her hand. Last time had been really tough on Chantal and while Seth had wanted more kids after growing up with three siblings himself, he had wondered if it might be a little soon for her to go through that again. She was one of the strongest people he had ever met, though, and now he knew the signs he knew what to look out for and how to help. “It’s your body so you know it best, do you think you could be?” he asked at last as he looked over at Chantal. “If you do then I think so. If it comes back positive then we’ll know what we’re dealing with and if it’s negative then we can rule it out,” he added, his medical training kicking in with ease.

CHANTAL GABRIELLE MAXWELL

When they broke up Seth had been devastated but it had been the wake up call he had needed to take control of his life and start living it for himself rather than his family. He had reached rock bottom during the time that he and Chantal were apart but he had pulled himself out of it and become the person that he wanted to be. They had been together for such a long time that they hadn’t really known who they were away from each other so when they started growing apart it had been difficult. Seth knew now that the time apart had been good for them and it had only made their relationship that much stronger when they got together. It was amazing what one dance to their song could do and Seth knew that he was never going to regret dancing with Chantal that day. He had dated during the time they had been apart but none of those relationships had lasted and he hadn’t felt even a fraction of what he felt for Chantal towards them. He had found the person he was meant to spend the rest of his life with and he was glad that they had found their way back to each other, with a little help from their friends of course. Now not only did he have Chantal back but they had Luca as well and he knew that he wouldn’t want it any other way. “You’ve got a point there, there’s no way she would have let me off that easily,” he chuckled. It hadn’t really surprised him when Ana had bought the mug for Chantal and even though he liked to tease her about breaking it, the truth was that he never would. He would never admit it but she was right most of the time so it could be worse and he wouldn’t have put it past Ana to buy lots of replacements if something had happened to it. The house was already overrun with Luca’s things so he knew that he would much rather avoid that.

“You know I wouldn’t argue with us taking turns cooking or skipping straight to dessert,” Seth chuckled. “Luca’s getting older now so hopefully we’ll be able to stay awake longer,” he added with a grin. Their son definitely had a way of disrupting their sleep even now but they both loved him and that was all that mattered. Seth’s relationship with his mum and siblings was still a work in progress so he knew that he wouldn’t really want to ask them to look after Luca so that he and Chantal could have a night alone together but Summer and Angel were completely different. They were Luca’s godparents and even if they weren’t then he didn’t doubt that they would have been happy to help the two of them out. He and Chantal were always happy to take Summer’s twins when she needed a night off as well so it really did work both ways. “Something to embarrass him with when he’s older? I like it,” Seth chuckled. He and Chantal really did see Summer and Angel as family just like they did Ana so it was only natural that Luca would spend a lot of time with Summer’s girls. There were times when Seth found himself wondering when Angel and Ana were going to start families of their own so Luca could have more friends to play with but things were complicated for both of them so he had a feeling that wouldn’t be happening for a while. They weren’t the only ones who had complicated love lives, it seemed, and not for the first time Seth was glad that his own was pretty simple. “Girl code, of course. How could I forget?” he teased. “It might be better not to go threatening my boss though, just saying,” he added with a laugh. He didn’t report to Micheal since there was a Head Auror that he had to answer to but ultimately Micheal was responsible for everything that happened at the Ministry. “Angel promised to let me know how it goes so you’ll know when I do,” he said, pressing a gentle kiss to his wife’s lips. “Summer has always been careful, if something does happen between them then I’m sure it’ll be because she trusts him to treat her right,” he added. Losing Finn had been tough and Seth had just been his friend. He couldn’t imagine going through what Summer had gone through and he hoped that he would never find himself in that position. She deserved to be happy and he knew that he just had to trust that she would be alright.

The topic soon shifted when Chantal said that she might be pregnant. They were careful, after all they had one young child already, but that didn’t mean that it couldn’t still happen. Seth had learned a long time ago to trust Chantal and her instincts and even though he had hated training to become a doctor the training was still there in the back of his mind and always would be. “We will, don’t worry. There’s some Wideye Potion in the cupboard in case we need it,” he chuckled. It wasn’t very often that they got nights like these so Seth knew that he wanted to make the most of it while it lasted. Seth busied himself with finishing up making dinner while Chantal went to have a shower but it wasn’t long before she returned with a pregnancy test in hand. He knew how tough the first pregnancy had been on Chantal and there was a part of Seth that worried that the same thing might happen again. He had always wanted another child but Chantal had said so often during the labour that she was never doing it again and the truth was that Seth was content just having Luca if they only ended up with the one child. He knew that he would much rather keep it just the three of them than have Chantal do something that she wasn’t on board with because she wanted to make him happy. “You got that right. As much as I hated the medical training, it’s here to stay now,” he shrugged, kissing her back quickly before nodding as she said she would be right back. It didn’t take her long to return and Seth wrapped his arms around Chantal. “It’s okay, we’ll do this together,” he assured her gently. “If it’s positive is another child something that you would want? I know how hard it was on you last time and I’m worried about you going through that again.”

CHANTAL GABRIELLE MAXWELL

Seth had always known that he wanted to have a family of his own one day and he had always hoped that he would get to have that with Chantal. They had gone their separate ways a while after graduation but in the end they had found their way back to each other and Seth knew that he wouldn’t have it any other way. He had never loved anyone like he loved Chantal and the family they had with Luca was already perfect. Seth had grown up with three older siblings so he would be lying if he said that he didn’t hope that they might be able to give Luca at least one sibling in the future but he hoped that the relationship between Luca and that potential sibling would be better than the one that Seth had with his own family. Right now he was perfectly content with the way things were, though, especially since Luca was sleeping better now and Summer had him for the night which gave him the chance to have some time alone with Chantal. Chantal had struggled after giving birth and Seth knew that he didn’t want to see her go through that again. “You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Seth chuckled, an amused smile touching his lips as he looked over at her. Their night could take a lot of different turns but no matter what happened, Seth knew that he would be happy. There were plenty of nights when he and Chantal collapsed into bed completely exhausted after trying to keep up with Luca for the day but Seth loved it and he knew that he wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. As Chantal said that they weren’t doing their jobs properly if they didn’t embarrass him, Seth couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, I guess you’ve got a point there,” he chuckled. “Looks like we’re going to be those parents, huh?” he teased. He knew that Chantal already liked to call Summer’s girls Luca’s girlfriends and Seth got the feeling that it was only going to get worse from there.

“Babe, he’s over a hundred years old. I’m not even sure he knows what girl code is,” Seth laughed. It was easy to forget sometimes just how old their Minister for Magic was but the guy had been around for a long time so something told him that excuse wasn’t going to work. It was definitely going to take some time to get used to the idea of something happening between him and Summer if they decided to give it a go but Seth knew that it would work out of it was meant to. Finn had been one of his best friends but Seth knew that he would have wanted Summer to be happy. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that his friend would have wanted her to move on especially since she had an immortal life ahead of her and Seth was glad that she had found someone that she liked again. As Chantal said that Angel couldn’t swear her to secrecy, an amused smile worked its way across his face. “He knows better than to try, don’t worry,” he grinned. Angel knew that he didn’t keep secrets from Chantal so that definitely wasn’t going to be a problem. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen when Angel spoke to Micheal but he knew that they would find out sooner or later either way. Seth didn’t know too much about the guy but he knew that he had been around a long time and he was a single parent to a daughter who was at Hogwarts so he knew that both Summer and Micheal had a good reason to make sure that it was right before taking that leap.

Seth had hoped for a quiet night in with Chantal and the truth was the thought of her being pregnant again had never crossed his mind. Chantal had been through so much last time and Seth had seen the way she hadn’t seemed like herself. She had found her way back to him in the end but Seth knew that he didn’t want Chantal to have to go through that again and if that meant just having the one child then he knew that he would be perfectly happy with that. Seth knew that the threats Chantal had made while she was in labour weren’t serious but at the end of the day he knew that he wanted what was best for his wife and their son so that was all that mattered to him. The sight of the pregnancy test in Chantal’s hand was enough to make it all feel so real and suddenly Seth couldn’t help but feel nervous. No matter what happened he knew that they would face it together, he just honestly hoped that if it was positive then it wouldn’t take as much of a toll on Chantal this time around as it had done last time. Wrapping his arms around Chantal, Seth pressed a gentle kiss to her shoulder. “Of course you are, you’re the strongest person I know,” he assured her, knowing that there really wasn’t a doubt in his mind about that. Chantal had made it through everything with Luca and he knew that he just had to trust that she would be able to do it again. “I guess there is that, it should take the stress off a bit,” he grinned. Instead they would have to help Luca adjust to being a big brother but something told Seth that their son would be just fine with that. “I wanted to wait a little longer as well, at least until Luca started school,” he added, knowing that it would have been much easier to handle having a newborn in the house again if Luca was old enough to go to school and be a little more independent. Chantal’s hand was in his as she reached for the test once the timer had gone off and Seth gave her hand a gentle squeeze. He didn’t even realise he was holding his breath until Chantal turned the test over and he saw that it was positive. For a moment he wondered whether Chantal might have been putting on a brave face before but the smile on her face was enough to tell him that she really was happy about this and it wasn’t long before he was smiling as well. “We are, I can’t believe it. I love you,” he breathed, pulling Chantal into his arms and kissing her deeply. “What do you hope we’ll have?”

CHANTAL GABRIELLE MAXWELL