Author's Note: I just couldn't resist from posting this now, I had to post it, lol. This story is BY far, our best piece yet. We really hope you like it, and spread the word if you do
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May 3rd, 1980
"Oh Diane...aren't they so adorable?" Tina Peterson said, smiling over her cup of coffee as she watched her only daughter play in the backyard.
"They are," Diane Diggory replied, sipping from her coffee before setting it down on a coaster. "I can just see them growing up together, getting married, having little Cedrics and Bridgettes." The women sighed and smiled at each other.
Tina giggled slightly as her 3 year old starting poking a turtle that happened to cross her path at the wrong moment. She had been best friends with Diane ever since they were students at Hogwarts, having their children within weeks of each other, Cedric older than Bridgette only by 9 days.
Bridgette had beautiful red hair which was cut into a bob and sparkling green eyes. She was extremely small for her age, which was three, but made up for it with her personality. She would never ever shut up. Sometimes, Tina wondered how someone so small could have such a big mouth.
As for Cedric, Diane could already tell that he would be a heartbreaker, just like his father. He had short brown hair and the most mesmerizing gray eyes she had ever seen. He was pretty average sized, loved to play outside, and he loved sports, already in a tee ball league. Out of the two, he tended to be the quieter one, but that didn't mean Diane didn't hear him fighting over toys with Bridgette more than enough.
"Mummy, look!" Bridgette exclaimed, walking over to Tina with the turtle in her hands. "Can we keep him, mummy? Please please please please please!" Tina laughed and took the turtle from her daughter.
"Sorry, honey, but we can't...now go wash your hands, don't want to be full of germies," she said, ushering Bridgette back into the house.
"But mummy! Turtles don't give germies! Only boys do," she said in her small voice, sticking her tongue out at Cedric before running into the house.
Cedric grinned and chased after her. Several moments later, there was a crash followed by a mixture of giggles and sobs. "MUMMMMMM! CEDRIC PUSHED ME!" Bridgette wailed.
She came back out with a gigantic pout on her lips and tears staining her face. Tina and Diane had to restrain giggles at the devilish look on Cedric's face, but couldn't.
At the sound of their laughter Bridgette's lower lip started quivering but before she could burst into tears Cedric came up to her and hugged her before running off to play in the mud.
"Don't get too dirty!" Diane exclaimed as they rolled in the mud. Tina laughed as the two tots appeared, covered from head to foot in mud. "Those children are going to be the death of me," Diane said, laughing as they went back to playing in the mud.
A few minutes later they heard a peal of laughter and looked up to see Bridgette parading around the yard stark naked, mud covering her body, but a joyous grin on her face.
"Oh God," Tina muttered, rushing over to her daughter. Diane laughed as Tina scooped Bridgette up in her arms, carrying her into the house. Cedric was rolling on the ground, nearly crying with laughter.
"Oh Cedric, don't laugh dear it's not funny...well maybe it is, but it's not proper manners!" Diane exclaimed through her own laughter, "Come on, we need to get you home for a bath before dinner," she continued, walking over to Cedric and picking him up.
"But I don't wanna go home, mummy!" he whined, pouting.
"He could bath here, Bridgette's in the bath right now, and you guys could stay for dinner if you wanted Diane, Roger won't be home until after supper anyways," Tina said, wiping her hands off with a kitchen towel.
"Are you sure you don't mind?" Diane asked gratefully.
Tina shook her head. "You're always a pleasure, Di," she said, taking Cedric and taking him back to the bathroom.
"Ced, darling, go and hop in the bath with Bee," Diane said, pulling off his muddy shirt and pants, and then his trainers.
He ran into the bathroom and literally hopped into the bath, splashing water all over the bathroom. Bridgette giggled and splashed water in his face, squealing when he did the same to hers.
"I wonder what Bee will say 10 years from now when I tell her she used to take baths with him," Tina said, laughing slightly as Cedric poured shampoo on Bridgette's head and started furiously lathering it in.
"She'll wonder why she didn't do anything with him!" Diane exclaimed, laughing. "Gosh...I can't even imagine them 10 years from now, can you?" she asked.
"No...I really can't imagine her as anything but my baby girl," Tina said, sighing, "Listen Diane...I have something I've been meaning to tell you all afternoon...can we go to the den for just a second?"
"Sure," Diane replied, leaning down to kiss Cedric's cheek before following Tina out of the bathroom. "What's on your mind, Tina?"
"Roger told me about a...a business opportunity yesterday after supper," Tina said slowly, cracking the den door shut, just enough so that they could still hear the kids, but not be overheard.
She took a deep breath before continuing, "We're leaving for the United States in a couple of weeks," she said quietly.
"W...what?" Diane exclaimed, poking her head out to check on the kids before looking back at Tina, "Are you serious Tina? America?"
Tina nodded and smiled a little. "America...I'd hate to leave you and Amos and Cedric but it's a huge opportunity," she said sadly.
"What about the kids? They'll be crushed," Diane said, glancing at the children, playing with the soap and their bath toys.
"We'll be back...I'll make sure we visit as often as we can," Tina replied. "You've been my best friend since Hogwarts, Di...I'm not gonna forget that."
"Oh Tina, It's just I'm going to miss you so much!" Diane exclaimed, hugging her friend tightly. Though they were both 23 years old, they still felt as though they were teenagers, separating for the summer rather than for possibly years.
"I'm gonna miss you too," Tina sighed, tears coming to her eyes as she hugged her friend back.
Suddenly, there was a loud wailing from the bathroom followed by, "MUMMMM! CEDRIC GOT SOAP IN MY EYES!"
"Oh dear," Tina said, wiping the tears out of her eyes before rushing into the bathroom and scooping Bridgette out of the tub, who was clean except for the little bits of soap on her body and in her hair.
"Let's get you two dressed before your daddies get home," Diane said, picking up Cedric and following Tina out of the bathroom.
Bridgette was still sniffling from the soap in her eyes and Tina gently rubbed it out, putting Bridgette in her Barbie nightie before carrying her out to the kitchen and placing her in her booster seat, Diane following close behind.
They both kept spare clothes for their child at each others house because one was over at the others so often.
By the time Roger and Amos arrived home from work, Bridgette and Cedric were already in bed. "Hello, girls," Amos said, hugging both Tina and Diane tightly.
"Work was murder, 9 raids!" Roger exclaimed, repeating Amos' actions before sitting down.
"So, did you tell her?" Roger asked his wife quietly. She nodded and took a seat on her husband's lap.
"Oh Roger, I'm so glad you have a better work opportunity...but I really wish you two didn't have to move so far!" Diane said sadly a moment later.
"Really, Roger!" Amos agreed, wrapping his arm around his wife. "We're going to miss you!"
"We're all going to miss you too!" Roger replied, "We'll try to come back and visit, and if we can't, I promise that I'll arrange to move back before the kids are out of their Magical Schools."
"Speaking of the kids...when are we going to break the bad news?" Tina asked, glancing around the room before she looked down the hall and at Bridgette's room, where the two little ones slept.
"I don't know," Roger said after a while. "They'll both be devastated...they're the only friends either of them has known."
"When are you moving?" Amos asked.
"In a week," Roger replied, sighing, "They just told me last night. They're going to sell the house and everything for us...movers are coming in 2 days to start packing."
"Oh no!" Diane cried, her hands flying to her mouth. "I can't believe you guys are leaving!" Tina nodded and moved to embrace her friend.
"We should probably tell them when they wake up..." Roger said.
Tina pulled back from her friends embrace and nodded her head, tears swimming in her eyes. "You two can stay the night tonight if you want," she told them.
"Are you sure? We wouldn't want to impose..." Diane said, her voice sticking in her throat.
"Of course, like I said, you're always welcome," Tina said, smiling.
"Thank you very much," Amos said, smiling kindly at them.
Tina and Roger smiled before Tina got up, glancing over at the clock, "Wow, it's nearing 10:00," she said, "I'm going to head off to bed if you guys don't mind, I'm exhausted."
"Us, too," Diane said, yawning as she and Amos stood up.
"Thank you again for letting us stay," Amos said thankfully.
Roger smiled and shook his head. "It's always our pleasure, Amos. Good night."
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August 5th, 1992
"Just remember...they all love you. Just think about the keys and the notes...keep your poise, keep your nerve," Bridgette told herself as she paced around backstage before her big piano recital.
"Oh, my baby! I'm so proud of you!" Tina exclaimed, running to hug Bridgette.
"Ugh, mum, get off!" Bridgette exclaimed, pushing her mother away.
"Just to think, you used to actually like hugging your mother, now look at you...15, and you're so lovely," Tina said, having to wipe her eyes with a hanky as tears began to fall out.
"Oh, mum, stop, you're embarrassing me!" Bridgette mumbled, ushering her mother away from the stage.
Tina smiled and waved before hurrying back to her seat. "And next up, Bridgette Peterson playing Mozart's "Alla Turca" from Sonata in A Major, K!" the announcer said and Bridgette took her seat, the butterflies in her stomach intensifying.
As soon as her fingers touched the cool porcelain keys all her butterflies vanished though, her fingers playing the glorious notes on the sheet music in front of her.
Before she knew it, the song was over and she was standing up on wobbly knees, bowing gratefully before walking off stage, the thunderous applause boosting her confidence.
Her mother couldn't stop raving about how wonderful she was. Her father would have too, but he couldn't make it because of work which was just fine with Bridgette.
She didn't need someone else praising her. That was one thing people couldn't stand about her: she hated flattery.
"Oh honey, let's go out for a celebratory dinner! How about...the Foxtowne Grille? You love that place!" her mother exclaimed, referring to the high end restaurant by where they lived, in Manhattan, "I have a surprise for you once we get there."
"Really? What is it?" Bridgette asked excitedly. She also hated surprises.
"No, no, no, no! You'll just have to wait!" her mother replied, laughing.
Bridgette sighed as they signaled for a taxi, about 5 pulling up immediately. Tina laughed, though Bridgette slightly blushed, and she ushered them to one with a cuter taxi driver.
Bridgette may not have liked to acknowledge it, but she was very, very pretty. Her fiery red hair was now half way down her back, and perfectly wavy, not too much so. She had a perfect complexion and figure, which she often tried to hide with semi-modest clothing.
They arrived at the restaurant and after they were done ordering, Bridgette looked at her mother expectantly. "Well? What's the big surprise?" she asked.
"Well honey...as you know, your father is now a very big person at his company...and he can pretty much decide what he wants to do with his life..." her mother started to tell her.
"Stop playing with me, mum, just get right to it!" Bridgette exclaimed.
Tina smiled and continued, "Well, he's transferring offices...we're moving back to England, sweetie!"
The doors of the Foxtowne Grille slammed shut behind Bridgette as she stormed out of it two seconds later. Move back to England? What the fuck did they think they were doing?
She had a home here, school, friends and a boyfriend. She and Anthony Cohen had been dating for a year and she was madly in love with him...but now her parents were going to send her to England and another school, away from Anthony.
Her parents were so selfish some times. The only reason they even wanted to go back to that dull, rainy, cloudy hell was because they had their "best friends" there.
"Bridgette, get back in here right now!" her mother called. Bridgette shook her head and hailed a taxi, wanting to get as far away from her mother as possible.
One pulled up and Bridgette quickly got inside, but not before her mother could slide in as well, not looking very happy at all. They were silent throughout the whole taxi ride, but as soon as they got out in front of their 3 story condo Bridgette spoke up.
"How could you do this to me? In case you haven't noticed mum, I have a life here!" she exclaimed, practically crying. "I have friends and school and Anthony! You're just gonna take it all away?"
"You'll make new ones! Oh honey you don't even love Anthony!" her mother exclaimed.
"How dare you! Of course I love him!" Bridgette practically screamed.
"Then how come you haven't told him why you're a...why you go away to "boarding school" for the school year?" Her mother demanded.
"He would leave me!" Bridgette cried, "I hate being a witch! I'm such a freak, he would immediately leave me!"
"Then that's not love," Tina said gently, "You should find someone who would accept that...someone like you...like--"
"CEDRIC DIGGORY!" Bridgette shouted, "He's all you ever talk about! It's like I've been in an arranged marriage my whole life!"
"Of course not! Well, we would love for that to happen somewhere down the road of course, but we're not forcing you to do anything! Speaking of Cedric though...I heard he's grown into a fine young man Bee," her mother told her with a small smirk on her face as she opened the house.
"I'm sure he is mom, but guess what? I don't REMEMBER HIM! I haven't seen him in what…12 years?" Bridgette shrieked, throwing her coat on a chair before running upstairs to her room.