MMM: *shivers* Gosh, it is cold here! I'm up to my chin in comforters and sweaters, I've got two layers of fuzzy socks on, and I still feel like I might as well have just jumped into the Arctic ocean in a bikini! What the hell is going on?
AC: You're guess is as good as mine.
MMM: Thanks Anya... :P Big help.
Anyway... I figured that today would be as good as any to update the story. It would be something to make people's day after having been out in this... miserable weather.
Ch. 2 Big News!
July 10th, 1999
"Remind me again why I agreed to this?" Draco groaned.
Anya rolled her eyes at him. "Don't even try that with me, buster! You and I both know that you just love to visit Cathy as much as I do. That kid has you wrapped around her little finger so tightly, I'm surprised you haven't snapped it off!" She suddenly stopped, pulling Draco to a halt as well. "Should I be worried that my little cousin might steal you?" she teased.
Draco chuckled at the adorable face his girlfriend pulled and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close. "Hardly. It's more like I should be worried that some good-looking bloke would come flying in, sweep you off your feet and take you away from me," he told her.
"Well, I have had some very interesting offers…" Anya commented, though Draco knew her well enough to know that she was just riling him up. Letting out another hearty laugh, he placed a sweet kiss on her lips before tucking her into his side and continuing up the driveway and around back.
"Anya, Draco! You made it!" Anya's Auntie Joy greeted them, her husband Joseph behind her.
"Hey Auntie Joy, Uncle Joe. Sorry if we're a little late- apparition across oceans is a lot harder than one town to the next in the same country," Anya apologized as she pulled away from Draco and gave her relatives a hug.
"Don't worry, you haven't missed anything," Joseph Martin chuckled as he led his niece to the backyard where the party was.
Auntie Joy smiled at the blonde wizard as she pulled him in a motherly-like hug. "It's wonderful to see you again, Draco. Look at you- you've gotten so tall! How are you?" she asked as she pulled away and led him around back.
Draco gave a light shrug. "I'm alright… I've been rather busy with work now, but I'm a lot better now." He smiled as he watched Anya play with her cousin Brad's toddler. "Truth is I've never been better."
Auntie Joy grinned in return, following his line of sight to where her niece was playing with her grandson. "So I've heard… I'm surprised my brother actually agreed to let Anya move in with you," she commented. "Rick is awfully protective of her- always has been. When he told me that she was going to be living with you in another country, I thought aliens had abducted my brother and replaced him with a look-alike."
Draco laughed. "He did try to come after me with a knife, if that makes it any better," he commented. A small shiver went up and down his spine at the memory: that crazed, murderous look in the older man's eyes could have had You-Know-Who running for cover. If it hadn't have been for the two women standing there to reason with their father/husband, Rick Collins would most likely have killed him.
"Drake!" a voice called out seconds before Draco was nearly tackled to the ground. "You made it! Awesome!" Cathy cheered as she hugged him tightly.
"Good to see you to, Cathy," Draco chuckled as he returned the hug. "Sorry to say, but I can't pick you up like I use to anymore." Pulling away, he plucked the tiny wrapped box from his back pocket and held it out to her. "Happy Birthday."
Grinning from ear to ear, she accepted the gift. "Thanks- that's so sweet." Grabbing his hand, she pulled him along. "Come on! Lunch is almost ready!"
Seeing the rest of the Martin family along with Anya and her parents brought back memories of the first time Draco had been with them all back when he and Anya had been partnered for a summer program the school had provided years back. It was great to feel that sense of complete tranquility and happiness. Having grown up in a rich family as an only child, Draco had been denied nothing but never truly felt the kind of love and compassion he felt here. His mother had been the only one to truly care about him. He really needed to bring her here sometime.
"Hey there, handsome," Anya smiled as she placed little Peter back down on his feet so he could walk to his mom and dad. Ignoring the dark look from her own father, she walked over to her boyfriend and kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry- Dad has been told to promise that he'll behave and not go wielding any sharp instruments, or Mom's going to let him have it big time," she whispered as she led him to the buffet table and grabbed a couple plates, handed one to him, and began to load some food on hers.
"Yeah, sure…" Draco replied uneasily as Rick Collins made a show of pointing at his eyes before pointing at Draco, signaling that he was watching Draco like a hawk. The older man only stopped when his wife elbowed him in the gut. Sensing the tension between her brother and niece's boyfriend, Auntie Joy was quick to tug Rick with her to the grill and away from the magical family members.
The afternoon went surprisingly well: burgers and hot-dogs followed by potato sack races and water balloon fights. Karaoke war nearly lasted two solid hours thanks to the little kids demanding for another try. Auntie Joy was smart: she brought the cake out and the kids settled down.
That's when it happened.
The first slice had just been cut and served when a small barn owl flew out from the trees. Normally, this sort of thing wouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone: living in the outer parts of town made if a very common thing. But instead of continuing on its way, the owl began to descend, and everyone knew something was up. But before they could move, the owl dropped something from its beak that fell right into Cathy's lap.
It was a letter, faded yellow paper and a purple wax seal.
Cathy looked down at the letter in stunned silence before glancing up expectantly at Anya and Draco. With a smile and nod of encouragement from her cousin, the just turned eleven year-old tore at the envelope eagerly. Draco would never admit it out loud that he had become very emotional at that moment, but a lone tear betrayed him as it leaked out the corner of his eye. He smiled at the little girl as her big blue eyes grew wider as she read. When she finally reached the bottom, she spoke up. "I got in," she whispered.
"Got in where, honey?" Auntie Joy asked.
Cathy's older sister Debbie took the letter from the stunned tween and read through. "'Dear Ms. Martin, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,'" she read out loud. "Hey, isn't that-" she began.
"Sure is," Draco quickly answered.
"Looks like your life is about to take a big turn," Anya grinned through watery eyes.
"Oh… my… God! This is so cool!" Cathy cheered. Turning to her parents, she unleashed the power of her cute pleading eyes. "Can I go? Oh please, please, please! I promise I'll study like crazy and I'll stay out of trouble! PLEASE?!" she begged.
They both smiled. "I don't see why not," Auntie Joy said. Taking the letter from her older daughter, her smile turned into a frown. "But I don't know where we're going to get you all those school supplies. I mean, I've never even heard of these books before. And between my working at the firm, your father at the station… I'm not sure we'll be able to find them in time."
"There's a special block about half an hour from our place that sells all the things she's going to need," Draco said.
"And I don't start college until September- I can take her there," Anya quickly added.
"Don't get me wrong- I'm happy for Cathy and all, but how exactly are you going to pay for all this? Don't you need 'magic money' or something to buy magical items?" Debbie asked.
"The banks in the wizarding world are a lot like any other: they'll exchange non-magical world money for galleons, sickles, and knuts- wizard currency," Anya's mother explained, having a first-hand experience from when her daughter went to Hogwarts.
"Draco couldn't help but smirk a little. "Actually, you don't have to worry about that." Seeing the sea of confused faces at the table, he stood up and walked over to the table of wrapped gifts, picked the one from him and brought it to Cathy. "I think you can open this now," he told her. Carefully unwrapping the silver paper, she pulled off the lid and plucked out what was inside: a small gold key and a piece of paper. "That is the key to your vault in Gringott's bank back in Diagon Alley," he explained. Turning to the tween's shocked parents, he said, "I'd like to help pay for Cathy's education, if you'd allow it." Stunned by generosity, they simply nodded and Draco smiled in return before going back to sit beside Anya.
"You knew?" Anya asked as soon as he sat down.
Draco gave a light shrug. "Well, I may or may not have a certain connection in the Ministry that was willing to tell me in advance," he said with a smirk.
A light chuckle bubbled from Anya's lips and she leaned in to kiss him lightly. "Like I said- wrapped around her little finger," she teased.
MMM: And here we go! A new chapter done.
CM: I'm going to Hogwarts! *does happy dance*
MMM: That's right, kiddo. You're going to study to be a witch.
DeM: Like that's much of a difference than usual.
CM: *glares at sibling* Shut up, Debbie!
AC: Come on guys, cool it! Don't ruin today.
MMM: While these three go at it, I'm going to call it a day and go take care of a few things around the house. See you soon!
Nancy (aka megamatchmaker)
