Three little boys stood in a row, tallest to shortest, standing in the hall that lead to the front door. All was quite as it was rather early, and a fresh snow lied outside of the small house just waiting to be disturbed. The three boys were obviously brothers and if their matching home-made, chunky knit sweaters didn't give it away, their messy heads of light brown hair and freckled cheeks surely did. The oldest was Frederick Alan, Freddy for short, who stood closest to the door and had turned nine years old only a month prior. In the middle was Edmond Grayson, who was basically asleep as he leaned against the wall and had been six for a few months now. The baby of the bunch was Jasper Nicholas who stood hugging a stuffed mandrake to his chest, and who was, as he would happy tell you had he not been so tired, three and a half years old.
After a few moments their parents came down the stairs, smiling at the sight.
"You know you're not supposed to be awake right now." Their mother said with a smile. Her brown eyes sparkled as she reached down and picked up Jasper. She was a beautiful woman, long red hair hung at her shoulders in loose curls that were pinned back ever so slightly just so they wouldn't fall into her face. Her freckles matched the boys' and she had been the one to knit their sweaters. Her husband stood behind her, notably taller than her with neat brown hair like the boys. He couldn't help but keep smiling, just full of love for his family. He held his wife's luggage in one arm and her coat in the other.
"But mummy…" Frederick started, "We wanted to say good-bye…" He nodded his head, nudging Edmond, who quickly woke and joined in the nodding.
"We all said good-bye last night.. but I don't mind saying it again." Their mother smiled as she set Jasper down next to the other boys. She then went down the line and kissed each of their heads.
"You promise…" Edmund started, interrupting himself with a yawn. "You promise that you'll be home before Christmas?" His big brown eyes stared up at her and the three boys started to all nod in unison as they waited for her answer.
Her smile only grew. "I will be home before Christmas, I promise, but you three have to promise to be good for your Father."
The boys nodded again, staring up at her as if waiting for something to happen.
"Come on Ginny, you have to get going." Her husband stated, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as he handed over her jacket. Ginny slipped into it before taking her suitcase from him as well. She turned around and kissed her husband gently on the lips.
"Good-bye Neville-darling, I love you." She smiled before turning around to face the boys.
"Good-bye Jasper Nicolas, I love you."
"Good-bye Edmund Grayson, I love you."
"Good-bye Fredrick Alan, I love you."
After saying good-bye to each of the boys and giving them multiple kisses on the head, Ginny stepped out of the door and went to catch the Knight Bus that had pulled up just in time.
"Come on, you three, let's get back to bed. You can come in the big bed with me tonight." Neville smiled as he scooped up Jasper and took Edmund's hand. They were all led by Freddy and soon were snuggled into bed all together.