Chapter One; The Phone Call

Harry Snape and his family had just gotten back from a Hawaii vacation. They got a chance to rescue a baby dolphin and then set it free again back into the wild before rocking the hula at a jumping luau. One of the first things that Eve did after she got back was go horseback riding with Jerry. That morning after breakfast Patrick the owl started wrapping his wings against the glass window. Harry went to go let him in and realized that there was an envelope clamped under his beak.

The bird swooped into the room and landed on the table in front of Heather. "That must be from Derek." Hermione said as she walked into the room and grabbed ahold of it before she handed it to Harry. "Here you go, it's addressed to you." She told him as an excited grin stretched a crossed his face while he tore it open. For he knew that Derek had chosen to stay in Hawaii to take care of Sabrina and her sisters. After the letter unfolded inside his hands he began reading it silently to himself.

Dear Harry,

You'll never guess what just happened! I have a new girlfriend! Her name is Samantha and she is a big help to me taking care of the girls. Everyone is doing fine and I hope the same is with your family as well. I've enclosed a picture of us in our new house. Say hi to the family and tell Aaron and the other boys that I love them and miss them. I'll be back with everyone for the Easter holiday and hopefully the new Parker will be born by then as well.

Derek

Harry picked up the small photograph and held it inside his hand. Sure enough it was a picture of Derek and his new family sitting on top of the front steps of their new house. Since it was a still photograph Harry guessed that Derek's new girlfriend was either a squib or a muggle. Or a nomaj since that was what they referred to them in America. He showed the picture to Ron and Hermione before he got his car keys off the counter.

"I still think it's so weird how the pictures stay in one spot." Ron said as Harry headed towards the door.

"I'm sure muggles think exactly the same thing about our pictures." Hermione told him when suddenly the phone rang.

"Oh shoot, I've got to go to work." Harry said before he walked back into the living room to go answer it. "Hullo?" he questioned.

"Hey Harry it's Charlie. Look, I'm sorry to be bothering you so early but Bill and I need a favor from you. You see we both have got to go away from a business trip and we were wondering if you could watch our children for the weekend." He explained.

"Sure, the only thing that I'm planning to do this weekend is go to church but I can certainly take them with me." He told him.

"Uh yeah, about that, Lottie doesn't go to church because we don't believe in God. Would you mind just staying at home with her just this one time?" he asked him.

"I can't do that I have a Sunday school to teach." Harry said. "But I guess I could see if my boss could watch them. He doesn't go to church either and he has a lot of experience with kids because he has a seven month old daughter." He explained.

"Perfect! Thanks Harry! Tell the others that we'll drop them off around lunchtime." Charlie said. "By the way Lottie doesn't wear diapers anymore and she doesn't take naps either. She does go to bed around seven-thirty though." He told him. "Of course since it's a special treat for her since she doesn't get to do this very often so it probably wouldn't hurt her to stay up a little bit later."" He explained.

"Alright thanks Charlie, I'll let everyone else know." Harry told him before he hung up and set the phone back down.

"Lottie and Johnny are going to spend the weekend with us." He told them when suddenly Heather made a face.

"I don't like Lottie. She won't let me play with any of my Barbies when she comes over and she's stolen some of them before. She doesn't treat them very nicely either." She said.

"I hate to say this but Heather's right. Lottie's an even bigger brat than Eve is." Ron said.

"Good thing that Eve isn't here right now or she would put a bat boogey hex on you." Hermione told him. "Besides Lottie's been through an awful lot ever since her mother left her." She told him.

"I don't care, the child needs discipline and a few good smacks on the bum if you ask me. Johnny is even more behaved than she is and he's not even two years old yet. It's about time that that girl learns some manners before she goes off to kindergarten this fall." Ron told her.

"Oh don't worry, Harry may have a soft spot when it comes to children but he also knows how to deal with them." Tobey began. "He didn't let Eve and I get away with anything when we were little." He finished.

"That's right." Harry told them. "Listen guys, I've really got to get to work now. I'm late enough as it is." He said.

"Then why don't you just disapparate? You're a wizard aren't you?" Ron questioned him.

"Because I told Ginny that I would pick her up and take her to the stables after work. Then we're going to take Eve home with us." He explained. "And before that we're going to go visit Fred and George at their joke shop." He added.

"Aw c'mon Harry that's not fair! I want to go to the joke shop!" Teddy cried.

"Yeah me too, maybe I can learn some practical jokes to play on Lottie so that she'll leave me alone." Heather said with a sly grin.

"Heather, you know that you're supposed to turn the other cheek." Harry told her sternly.

"Oh I will, I'll have to since I don't want her to see me laughing so hard." She told him as Harry rolled his eyes and walked out the door.