“Meg, darling…”
“But Charlie, it’s just that…”
“Meg.”
“You could have been Head of Gryffindor,” Meg continued as though her husband hadn’t said a word, “and I know how much that would mean to you. It hardly seems fair that…”
Charlie caught his wife’s chin in his hand and kissed her soundly as it was the only means he could think of to effectively silence her, “you mean more to me than any position I could ever hold at Hogwarts.”
“But you…”
“I turned it down because it is not fair to you if I am at the school all the time leaving you with the children. Especially with a new one on the way with the current situation.”
“Charlie, you know very well that I am more than capable…”
Charlie silenced her with another kiss, “I know you’re perfectly capable, I just think you deserve a bit more help at home. I thought it would be the chivalrous thing to do. Besides, Neville will be an excellent Head of House, it would be unfair to deprive him of that opportunity. He so often gets passed over simply because he does not feel the need to shout to make himself heard.”
“I’m sorry if I sounded ungrateful, I am very happy that you’ll be living at home. I enjoy having you around underfoot more than you realize.”
“I’m glad to know that my presence is still desired.”
“If it wasn’t do you think I would have allowed you to take me out for a fancy, adults only, dinner tonight?” Meg teased gently.
Charlie smiled as he wrapped an arm snugly around Meg’s waist as they continued the walk home from the restaurant, “is that the only reason why you still keep me around?”
“No, it’s because I love you to distraction.”
“Fond wife.”
“And you know that will never change.”
“Enjoy your evening out, did you?” Anastasia asked as the couple entered the courtyard.
“Most definitely,” Charlie replied as he nodded in the statue’s direction.
“Fine, rub in the fact that you are actually allowed to leave this place while I’m stuck her all the time on this miniscule pedestal…”
“It’s not nearly as high as the pedestal she’s put herself up on...” Charlie muttered.
“I heard that! I’ll have you know that guardians have excellent hearing, besides which we are also rather amply endowed,” she said smoothly as she let her drapery slide off her shoulder exposing more of her body.
Meg hid a smile behind her hand, the stone being certainly had an attitude, which she found very amusing. Although she mentally made a note to remind Mrs. Figg to have a chat with the guardian about watching what she said while the children were around, she didn’t think they needed to pick up any of the statue’s more colorful and vulgar turns of phrase.
Charlie quickly steered his wife up the stairs and towards their apartment, not feeling like dealing with any more of Anastasia’s cheek at the moment. Especially when it impeded on his time with his wife.
“How did things go?” Meg asked as she entered the living room.
“Great,” Kamen answered from where he sat slouched in an easy chair, feet up on the coffee table.
“Did they go to bed without too much trouble?”
“Only after I threatened them with a horribly painful death,” Kamen said, “I’m kidding,” he quickly amended as he saw the look Charlie was giving him.
“They were fine, no trouble at all,” William quickly supplied.
“Don’t worry about paying us,” Kamen said as he stood up and stretched, “you can feed us instead.”
“Not impressed with your own cooking skills boys?” Meg asked.
“It’s too much work,” William said, as though that was completely obvious. “Now, if you feed us a couple of times a week, we’ll willingly watch the kids for you.”
“And with your mum feeding us the rest of the time we won’t starve…” Kamen muttered.
“Come to the same arrangement with your own mother?” Meg smiled broadly.
“Yes ma’am,” William said, matching her smile. “We will willingly work for food.”
“I think we’ll leave you two lovebirds alone now,” Kamen said as he grabbed William by the arm and headed towards the door, “we don’t have practice until 1 tomorrow, I’m sure we can con Macnair out of some more rum to keep us entertained tonight.”
“I told you we could trust them with the kids,” Meg told Charlie once the boys were out the door.”
“I never said I doubted their ability with the children,” Charlie said in his own defense.
“That’s right, you just said it would be a miracle if we came back and the place was still standing…”
“Tease.”
“Cynic.”
Charlie pulled his wife close for a long kiss, “you know, since the children are all asleep…”
“And they’re not likely to stay that way for long…”
“I think it would be best if I took you straight to bed.”
“As long as you are confidant in your ability to handle a hormonal pregnant woman.”
“I’m not too worried, I have had quite a bit of practice over the years…”
“Have you now?” Meg asked with a smile as she let Charlie lead her towards their bedroom.
“Yes I have, and I would hate for all of that practice to go to waste, so we best get at it. I never know when those hormones are going to turn against me.”
“Brute.”
“Enchantress.”
Meg found it impossible to think of anything happening outside of their bedroom walls once she was in her husband’s embrace.
~~~~~~~~~~~
“If I have to come up there and get you out of bed…” Severus let the threat hang ominously in the air and waited to see if he would get a response.
“Dierna said they’d get up in a little while,” Olivia said as she skipped down the stairs, pausing long enough to throw her arms around Severus’ legs. “Can I have breakfast now? I want pancakes.”
Severus looked down at Olivia, who had yet to detach herself from him, “you can’t very well eat breakfast if you are going to hang on me like that.”
“I want you to come with me.”
Severus nearly smiled as he reached down to try to brush tousled black curls into some semblance of order, “Misty will get you your pancakes, I will join you if I can manage to get your sisters out of bed without too much of a fight.”
“You should come now. Breakfast is important.”
“Hmmm… your concern over my well-being is touching.”
Olivia, not recognizing the sarcasm tugged at Severus’ shirt determinedly, “if you eat breakfast with me now I’ll get Serena and Dierna up after we eat, that way you won’t have to.”
“That seems like an offer you’d be a fool to pass up,” Morgan said as she passed them on the stairs, giving Severus a pointed look in the process.
“Please…” Olivia tugged on his sleeve again.
Severus sighed, with both Morgan and Olivia against him he didn’t stand a chance, “I suppose…” He tried not to glare at his wife as he suffered through the normality of a family breakfast. It was one of those mundane and tedious rituals that he had never accustomed himself to and generally made a concerted effort to avoid if at all possible.
“Daddy…” Olivia’s persistent tone broke into Severus’ train of thought.
“If your mother has already said no then do not waste my time by asking again,” Severus said as he fixed his daughter with a stony look.
“But what if…”
“The answer is still no.”
“You didn’t even listen to my question,” Olivia pouted as she pushed bits of pancake around her plate with her fork.
Severus sighed, trying to find some semblance of patience and mentally counted to ten very slowly, “what is it that you wished to ask me?”
“Do I have to have a tutor again this year? I don’t want one, I don’t like my lessons.”
“You most certainly will have a tutor. Whether or not you enjoy your lessons is of little consequence.”
“But…”
Severus shot the girl a warning look, one that instantly resulted in silence. “I believe you were going to strive to get your sisters out of bed,” Severus said as he glanced at the Daily Prophet laying next to his plate. His patience was running thin and he wanted to give Olivia a chance to leave before she pushed it too far.
Olivia bounded up the stairs and barged into Serena and Dierna’s room skipping the formality of knocking, “get up!” she demanded as she climbed up onto Serena’s bed, bouncing all the while.
“Get off you little demon!” Serena growled as she buried her head under a pillow.
Dierna took the opportunity to use one of her pillows as a projectile, however it missed its bouncing target.
“I have a message to deliver,” Olivia said as she dodged the flying pillow.
“We don’t bloody well care,” Serena snarled as she tried to kick the offending messenger off her bed.
“Don’t you want to hear the message?”
“NO!” Dierna answered as she burrowed deeper into the sanctuary of her blankets.
“I’m gonna tell you anyways,” Olivia decided as she plopped down, sitting on Serena’s back. “Daddy said if you’re not up in five minutes then he’s gonna come get you up and then I’m going to keep Mum sufficiently occupied so that she can’t intervene while he gets you up in any manner he sees fit,” she proudly recited, having taken great pains to get all the words right.
“Feel like dying today?” Serena asked morosely.
“Not really,” Dierna replied, still a bit groggy.
“Think we should get up before the overgrown bat decides to start issuing detentions before the school year even starts?”
“Probably.”
~~~~~~~~~~
“The spy will be in place shortly, we have nothing to worry about,” Macnair said assuredly.
“Fool! We have much to worry about,” Voldemort hissed. “If we had no concerns we would not still be waiting to make our move and we would not need our darling spy.”
Macnair tried to rectify his mistake, he had spent more and more time of late on the receiving end of crucio, “I merely meant, my lord, that the spy shall be able to take her place without too much suspicion as she has already established herself at the school.”
Voldemort did not respond, he merely glared at Macnair with his crimson eyes, eyes the color of freshly drawn blood as he taped his fingers thoughtfully against the wand at his side.
Hating the vulnerable position in put him into Macnair plunged ahead nonetheless, “Vanth has reported that one of her own may have turned.”
Voldemort still made no response.
“The seer, Calchus, may possibly be in contact with the Order of the Phoenix.”
“He is a doddering old fool, I am not overly concerned. Neither is your cousin, traitor that he may be.”
Walden tensed at the mention of Andrew, the American branch of his family always had been a thorn in his side. “I believe that Vanth’s main concern was not over Calchus himself, but that his defection may start a trend. But she assured me that she is fairly certain the death demons and Lasas will remain on our side. They have far more to gain from an alliance with us than they could ever hope to get from an alliance with the Order of the Phoenix.”
Voldemort made no move, he simply continued to stare at Walden, as though trying to decide whether or not it was worth the effort to kill him. “Make sure that no one at the Ministry, other than our own of course, knows about our alliance with Vanth and Charun. We do not want to give those self-righteous followers of Arthur Weasley any glimpse of what we are doing. If they become aware of how many alliances we are making they will step up their efforts and may attack before we are fully ready to defeat them once and for all.”
“I will do as you say my lord.”
“And if you do not you shall die, very slowly.”
“Of course my lord, I expect nothing less. You are indeed merciful to those who follow you.”
“You best hope that my benevolence continues to extend to you. You are still expendable and have yet to prove your true value.”
“I am sorry for my failings my lord. I would give my life for you.”
“I do not ask that of you yet, although the time may come…”
“And I shall forfeit it gladly.”
“However, I feel a reminder is needed. Just so that I know you are fully aware of your lowly position.” He raised his wand, pointing it squarely at Macnair’s chest, a slight smirk playing at his pale, grotesque features, “crucio” he said calmly, and watched, equally calm, as Macnair twitched on the floor, screaming for mercy and crying out in pain.
~~~~~~~~~~~
