Bedtime Chaos

The soft winter sun was slowly drifting beneath the horizon, the first twilight stars were just beginning to twinkle, and the tall pointed roof of the ancient manor house glowed a soft golden colour. The tall trees that hid it from view, leant whispering over it, as the birds ceased their singing and settled down for the night.

Much to the relief of Kendra Dumbledore, it was bedtime at last for her two young sons. She had had a long tiring day caring for her two boisterous boys. Albus at only four years old, and bright beyond his years, was curious about everything, and constantly bothered his long suffering Mama with a never ending series of questions. Kendra would often try to distract him with books, even at such a young age Albus could read a few words. Whenever he got stuck though, there would be a forlorn tug at her long skirt, and Kendra would look down to see her son's pleading blue eyes gazing up at her. "Mama, what's this word ?" he would ask, as he clutched a book in his tiny hand.

Albus' younger brother by just a year, Aberforth, was an entirely different personality, and was always getting into one scrape or another. If he wasn't climbing the tallest tree and getting stuck right at the top of it, he was throwing stones at the windows just to see if they really would break, as Mama had said they would. Kendra frequently spent hours seeking across fields and woodland for her younger son, calling his name anxiously, untill she found him covered in mud and dirt.

Between her two young boys, and despite the help of Millie, the Dumbledore's house elf, Kendra often felt that she never got a quiet moment to herself. Bedtime when it came was often a relief to the hard pressed mother, a chance to settle quietly by the fire and immerse herself in the books she loved. Now, with the skies growing darker by the minute, it was bedtime at last for the boys.

Before the boys could be finally settled down for the night there was bathtime. Aberforth hated this, and would often try to hide. Albus however loved it. for his mama would fill his bath with wonderfully scented bubblebath, and he would splash around joyously, giggling in delight as the bubbles flew through the air.

Kendra bent over her eldest son, as he flung handfulls of rainbow bubbles around, ruffling his damp auburn locks fondly, she said softly, "Now Albus you be a good boy and wash yourself while I'm gone."

"Yes Mama," Albus' angelic blue eyes gazed up at her.

Stooping to lift Aberforth off the floor, where he had been seeking spiders in the dark corners of the room, Kendra carried him off to bed, leaving Albus in the care of Millie the house elf.

For a time all was peacefull in the Dumbledore household. Aberforth had been read his bed time story, and was slowly drifting unwillingly to sleep. Suddenly an ear piercing shriek rang through the house, and before Kendra could move, an near hysterical house elf shot into the room. "Oh Missis, Master Albus is wailing something terrible !" she squeaked frantically.

In an instant Kendra was on her feet and racing towards the bathroom, her heart full of a mother's dread at thought of her child being hurt. Scarcely daring to breath Kendra flung open the bathroom door, to discover that Albus was unharmed, but screaming loudly. Behind her Millie waved her hands despairingly, and sqeaked, "I can't make him stop ! Oh whatever is wrong with Master Albus ?" The little house elf started hopping around in distress, "Oh what to do ? What to do ? What to do ?"

Taking the house elf by the shoulders, Kendra shook her gently, "Millie !" she said sternly, "Go and care for Aberforth ! I will deal with this !"

Once the sobbing house elf had left the room, Kendra turned her attention to her eldest son, "Albus whatever is wrong ?" she asked, as she bent over the bath tub. Albus was normally the sweetest of boys, and never threw tantrums.

Albus continued to scream at the top of his lungs. He beat his tiny fists against the water, he wailed untill he was red in the face, and his poor Mama felt one of her headaches coming on. He wailed untill flakes of plaster fell from the ceiling, and the arched windows trembled in their frames. Water flooded over the sides of his bath, as he waved his arms up and down in rage, and kicked his little legs, soaking the hem of his Mama's robe. His face grew redder and redder, untill it was nearly as red as his hair. As his tantrum continued unabated, the air in the room crackled with the first stirrings of latent magic, like lightning flashing across a dark sky.

All Kendra's entreaties to tell her what was wrong, fell on deaf ears, as her eldest son continued to break the peace of the night with his screams of rage, tears flooding down his cheeks untill he was too out of breath to wail any more. Taking advantage of the silence, Kendra demanded to know, "Now Albus whatever is wrong ?"

"My bubbles went away !" Albus sobbed piteously. "I want my bubbles back NOW!"

Glancing around Kendra saw that Albus' bath was indeed completely devoid of bubbles, and her lips tightened in momentary exasperation, what a thing to throw a tantrum over !

Having gained his breath a little, Albus seemed determined to build up to another volley of screaming, as he began to beat his arms against the water again, demanding loudly, "Wahhh ! I want my bubbles back ! Where'd my bubbles go ?"

Kendra swept her hand tiredly across her forehead, her headache was worsening by the minute, and she almost longed for those peaceful days before marriage and children. Then she gazed down at her eldest son, her precious first born, and even when he was red faced, tearful and throwing a very uncharacteristic tantrum, she still loved him with all her heart. Reaching out she wiped the tears from her son's eyes, and tried to soothe him.

Albus' sobs grew quiter under his mama's calming touch, and gazing up at her pleadingly he asked sorrowfully, "Who stole my nice bubbles Mama ? Tell that bad bubble thief to give them back at once !"

"Oh Albus no one stole your bubbles," Kendra answered gently, as her lips twitched into the shadow of an amused smile. Suddenly she spied a half used bar of soap floating in the bath water. "It was the soap you used. Soap makes bubbles go away."

Instantly Albus was glaring at the soap furiously, "Bad soap !" he proclaimed, and picking it up he flung it across the bath room. "Bad soap ! I knew there was a reason I didn't like you !"

"Now Albus that was naughty !" snapped Kendra, who had had to duck rapidly, as the bar of soap flew over her head. "You are not to throw things like that !" she admonished, waggling her finger sternly at her young son. Seeing that he was building up to another fit of sobbing, she added more gently, "You won't get clean without soap Albus."

"Don't care about clean ! Don't like nasty bubble stealing soap !" Albus proclaimed, as he folded his little arms across his chest stubbornly, his lower lip trembling.

"But Albus you don't want to be all smelly do you ?" Kendra asked.

"Bubbles clean me as well as soap !" Albus said hopefully. "Bad soap, go away !" he added, glaring vehemently at the bar of soap that was sliding slowly down the wall.

Kendra surpressed a tired sigh, normally, knowing how her son loved his bubbles, she cast a spell on them to make them last for his entire bath no matter how much soap he used, tonight she had forgotten. She heaved another regretful sigh, tonight of all nights she longed to sink into a soft chair by the fire, and have some peace. Then her eyes fell on her still tearful son, who was gazing forlornly at the bathwater that was normally alive with rainbow coloured scented bubbles. His lower lip was quivering, and gigantic tears were beginning to flood down crimson cheeks again, and she felt motherly tenderness sweep over her once again. Drawing her wand from under her robes, she flicked it quickly, murmured a few quiet words, and suddenly her son's bath was a sea of candy scented shimmering bubbles.

instantly Albus was all smiles, his bright blue eyes beaming up at her happily, "Thank you mama !" he whispered, as he reached out to hug her, his still damp face nestling against her neck.

Gazing down at him, Kendra saw his eyelids fluttering shut despite his best attempts to keep his eyes open so he could enjoy his new bubbles. Lifting her son tenderly into her arms, she whispered softly, "Come Albus, it's bedtime, you can have more bubbles tomorrow and every day. I won't let the nasty soap steal them again."

Sparkling eyes opened briefly to beam angelically at her, then fluttered shut again. As Kendra cradled her son in her arms, and carried him off to bed, she couldn't help but wonder what the future would hold for him. He would be handsome certainly, and with those bright sparkling eyes, that vivid auburn hair, he would charm women, but would he find that special woman who would love him for himself not his looks and charm ?

Tucking her slumbering son into bed, Kendra kissed him softly good night, and wished with all a mother's love and longing that Albus would have a happy life, and find someone who would love him truly.

Author's notes

I don't know why I have this thing about Albus and bubbles, I just do. I'm quite sure he loves them. I never have liked the idea of Albus having an unhappy childhood, so this story tries to portray a happier time in his childhood. I hope you share my view that Albus as a toddler is super cute, and please do review. :)