Molly Weasley took the apple pie out of the oven, wiping her hand across her forehead as she did so. Why was it so bloody hot? "Ah!" She yelped, burning her hand on the side of the dish. "Dammit." She sucked on the injured fingers, placing the piping hot pastry on the stove.

"WAAAAAAA!"

Oh great. As if things weren't bad enough already.

She walked into the lounge room, and huffed angrily at her three wayward sons. "Billy, stop climbing the curtains, Charlie, give Percy his stuffed dragon back, and Percy, for the sake of my sanity, please stop crying and don't eat anymore of the carpet!"

Molly felt a tinge of guilt when the boys flinched, but didn't they see what they were doing to her??

"Sorry Mummy." Charlie said, blinking angelic blue eyes.

Billy nodded, his face the picture on innocence, although he couldn't quite hide the mischief in his brown eyes.

Percy just sat there, and chewed on the carpet some more.

Molly growled under her breath, her head hurt already, and it wasn't even mid-morning. "Do you guys want to hear a story?" She asked.

All three children nodded eagerly.

"Ok. What do you want to listen to?" Molly crossed to the bookshelf, placing her hand on the boys' favourite book, Princess Celeste and the Magical Forest.

"Princess Celeste!" Billy exclaimed, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

Molly chuckled. He really was the cutest little seven-year-old she'd ever seen.

"Yeah!" Charlie nodded his head enthusiastically. "Princess Celeste."

"Cel, Cel, Cel, Cel." Percy chanted.

"Princess Celeste and the Magical Forest it is then." She said, taking down the book, and walking over to the couch with it.

Percy gave her a piteous look. "Up." He pleaded.

"Walk to me, then." Molly replied, unmoved. Percy was rather slow. He still preferred to be carried around rather than to walk on his own two feet, and Molly was doing everything she could think of to make him.

Percy huffed. "Up!"

"Walk."

"Up!"

"Walk."

"UPUPUPUPUPUPUPUPUPUP!" Percy shrieked, his cheeks flushed.

"Percival Alastor Weasley, if you don't stop that whinging right now I'll tan your hide!" Molly snarled.

Percy stopped immediately, and meekly stood up, before tottering over to Molly.

Molly smiled at him gently, and picked him up, dropping a kiss on his head as she sat him on her lap. "I'm sorry, popkin." She said. "Mummy didn't want to get cross."

"Story." Charlie reminded her.

"Right," Molly said, rolling her eyes, "how could I forget?" She opened the book to the first page.

"Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, there lived a princess named Celeste. She lived in a big castle made of gold, with her mother, Queen Laurel, and her faithful golden retriever, Gandalf.

One day, Princess Celeste looked out of her diamond-paned window to the forest next to her home. She turned to Gandalf. 'We're going to go for a walk in the forest.' She said.

Gandalf barked in agreement.

So they went down the stairs (Princess Celeste's room was the tallest tower), and Princess Celeste kissed her mum, Queen Laurel, goodbye, before heading out to the forest.

They had a great time, even playing with a few munchkins they met. However,"
Molly paused, noting that all three boys were hanging on to her every word, even though they'd heard this story many times before.

"What happens next?" Billy asked anxiously.

"Yeah? What? What?" Charlie chimed in.

"What?" Percy agreed.

Chuckling, Molly continued.

"However, all was not well. While playing with the munchkins, Princess Celeste and Gandalf had gone further into the forest than ever before. They were lost!"

Molly enjoyed the horrified gasps that came from her three boys at those words. "I think this is a bit scary for you," she said, "maybe I should stop? Want some cookies?"

"No!" All three boys yelped.

"Keep going, Mummy," Billy said urgently.

"Please." Charlie added.

"Pwetty pwease." Percy begged.

"Very well.

"Princess Celeste was very sad. She sat down underneath an oak tree, and began to cry. 'Boo, hoo, hoo,' she cried, 'I can't find my way out of the forest. Oh, Gandalf, I wish you could help me.'

Now what Princess Celeste didn't know was that this was a magical forest. And she was sitting inside a fairy ring. And when you sit inside a fairy ring in the middle of a magical forest, your biggest wish will come true."

"That's not right!" Billy said, as usual, "when you sit inside a faerie ring, the faeries take you away!"

"It's a story, silly," Charlie said, wrinkling his freckled nose in disgust. "It's not real."

"Quite right, Charlie." Molly said.

" 'Don't worry, Princess, I'll help you.' A voice said.

Princess Celeste looked up, astonished to see a boy standing in front of her. He was her age, with goldy-brown hair, and lightly tanned skin. 'Who are you?' She asked.

'It's me, Princess, your dog, Gandalf. You wished that I could help you. In this form, I can.' The boy said.

'How are you going to help?' Princess Celeste asked.

'I can show you the way out. We're so far in the forest, we might as well continue going. Otherwise we won't be home before dark.'

'I have to be home before dark!' Princess Celeste cried, 'Mummy will be very angry if I'm not.'

'Then we go forwards.'

Princess Celeste and Gandalf walked for a long time before they finally reached the edge of the forest. The only thing in their way was a wide lake that stretched as far as the eye could see.

'We have to cross it.' Gandalf said.

Princess Celeste gasped. No body crossed this lake. 'We can't!' She said. 'That lake is enchanted! Anyone who touches the water will be turned to gold!' "

Gasps of terror and surprise came from all three children, who were enthralled in the story. Then groans of disappointment when their mother showed no signs of continuing.

"Do you want me to go on?" Molly asked.

Three nods.

Molly laughed, and took a breath.

"Gandalf sighed. 'Not necessarily, Princess.' He picked up a stick, and threw it into the lake. The wood turned gold the instant it touched the water.

'See!' Princess Celeste said.

'WHO DARES DISTURB ME?' A horrible voice roared.

'My name is Gandalf.' Gandalf said calmly. 'I disturb you to ask safe passage for my princess and I across your lake.'

The lake bubbled, and a beautiful lady rose from the depths. She was tall, with skin of the palest gold, and hair to her waist only a few shades darker. Her eyes were amber, her toga-style dress made of cloth-gold. 'And what makes you think I will let you across?' She asked. 'I am Niarl, Lady of the Enchanted Lake. I answer to no one. However…your request intrigues me. So I will grant you a boon to cross my lake-' "

"Mummy, what's a boon?" Charlie interrupted the story to ask.

"A boon is permission. Lady Niarl basically said Princess Celeste and Gandalf had permission to cross her lake." Molly explained.

"Oh. So that's what it means." Billy exclaimed. "I thought it was some kind of boat."

Molly laughed.

" 'So I will grant you a boon to cross my lake.'

Gandalf smiled in triumph.

'If you can bring me something.'

'What do you want?' Gandalf asked.

'A star.' Lady Niarl said.

'What?!' Princess Celeste yelped. 'What would you want a star for?'

Lady Niarl glared at Princess Celeste. 'At the bottom of the lake, I cannot see the stars. I want one to keep with me always.'

Slowly, Gandalf nodded. 'I'll find you a star.' He promised.

'Good.' Lady Niarl reached out, and touched Princess Celeste on the forehead. The princess turned to gold.

'What have you done?' Gandalf cried. 'I want to return her home human, not a statue!'

'And you will.' Lady Niarl said serenely. 'This is my way of being sure you won't just find another way across, and go back on your word. I will take care of her until you return.'

'What if I can't find a star?' Gandalf asked.

Lady Niarl smiled thinly. 'Hope that you do.' "

Molly stopped, glancing at all three boys. They were close to sleep, she could tell, and it was nearly naptime. "Do you want me to finish the story later so you guys can get some sleep?" She asked.

The boys shook their heads.

"No, please keep going, Mummy." Billy said.

"Ok." Molly stroked her eldest child's red curls gently.

"Gandalf searched everywhere for a star. He searched high and low, near and far, left, right, and diagonally, but not a single star he asked was willing to leave its place in the night sky to live in the deep dark Enchanted Lake. He sat down beneath a tree, and began to cry. 'Boo, hoo, hoo.' He sobbed. 'I can't find a star. My Princess will forever be a statue.'

'Don't cry.' A small voice beside him said, 'I can help you.'

Gandalf looked down to see a tiny fairy. 'How can you help me?' He asked. 'You're just a fairy.'

'Why do you need a star?' The fairy replied.

'My Princess was turned to gold by Lady Niarl of the Enchanted Lake. The only way she'll turn her back to a human is if I find Lady Niarl a star.'

'Did Lady Niarl specify what kind of star?' "

"Mummy, what does spe-speci-speckificy mean?" Charlie asked.

"Specify, sweetie. Specify. It means to state in detail. Like me saying you may have one raisin cookie and one chocolate chip cookie before dinner. By saying that, I'm making a specification. You can't change your raisin cookie for a chocolate chip cookie, and have two chocolate chip cookies instead of one raisin and one chocolate chip." Molly explained.

"Oh, ok." Charlie nodded, seemingly understanding that explanation.

"Gandalf stared at the little fairy. 'No.' He said finally. 'She didn't. She just said to get her a star.'

The fairy grinned. 'The I can help you.' She said. 'My name is Aria. It means star. I'll go down to the bottom of the Enchanted Lake and live with Lady Niarl forever.'

'You'd do that? Why? How can I repay you?'

'Yes I would do that. I'll do it because I hate the sound of you crying. And the best way you could think of to repay me would be to stop.'

'Thank you!' Gandalf said.

It didn't take long for them to be back at the Enchanted Lake.

Gandalf winced, seeing the statue of his princess, her golden features frozen in an expression of surprise.

Aria touched his hand gently. 'Don't worry,' she said, 'you'll soon have her back to normal.'

Lady Niarl stepped out of the lake, her face twisted in rage. 'HOW DARE YOU RETURN WITHOUT A STAR!' She thundered.

'I didn't.' Gandalf said. 'I brought one.' He gestured to Aria.

'WHAT? THAT IS NO STAR! IT IS A FOOLISH LITTLE FAIRY.'

'Not true.' Aria said. 'My name is Aria, which means star. By your word you are bound to keep your promise.'

Lady Niarl's eyes widened, and for a few seconds, she seemed about to protest, but eventually she nodded, defeated. 'You are free to cross.' She said, touching Princess Celeste on the forehead.

Gandalf smiled when his princess turned back to living flesh, looking around her, confused.

'What happened?' She asked.

'Never mind that now!' Gandalf said, 'We have to go.'

Princess Celeste nodded. 'Go, yes.'

Aria snapped her fingers, and a boat appeared. 'One last gift for the dogboy and his princess.' She said, a smile on her lips.

So Princess Celeste and Gandalf got into the boat, and rowed across the Enchanted Lake. Running, they reached the gates of the palace just as Queen Laurel opened them.

'Did you have fun?' Queen Laurel asked.

Princess Celeste smiled. 'You have no idea.'

Gandalf barked, and wagged his tale.

The End."

Molly smiled at her boys, all of them tired, having only just managed to stay awake. "Nap time, kiddos."

Yawning, the three of them nodded, and headed for their rooms.

Molly shook her head, and put the book back on the shelf.

Finite.