Me: Ok, another chappie for you lovelies!
Nikki: Ash does not own Harry Potter. Only the plot, Alexis, and any other strange OC's along the way. Also, mentions of a homosexual relationship.
All Around Us
Chapter 4: The Gifts
A knock rapped at the door. "Draco, honey? Have you seen the twins?" Molly Weasley's voice floated through the door. Harry and I grinned before transforming into our small forms. Draco glanced down at us and quickly replied. "Yes. They're in here at the moment."
"Oh good. I wanted to tell you three that dinner is ready and waiting!" She called, and I listened as she walked back downstairs. Draco shot us a grin before saying, "We'll investigate those marks later." I nodded.
Draco opened the door, and Harry and I raced out, to the kitchen. Draco chuckled, watching us race down the stairs before slowly walking down them himself.
We easily made it to the kitchen, Draco on our tails. We paused, allowing Draco to enter first and we followed on his heel. Draco took his seat, and we took our own. I sat on Harry's left, across the table from Draco.
Immediately the Weasley's began filing in. Ron shot a glare at Draco, but otherwise left him alone, taking the seat on Harry' other side. Ginny sat beside Ron. Mr. Weasley took the seat to her left. Fred sat next to Draco, across from Harry. George to his twin's right. Mrs. Weasley sat on Draco's other side, one seat away from me.
Remus entered next, ending up between George and Mr. Weasley. That left Sirius in between Mrs. Weasley and me. With Sirius next to me, I could easily catch a hint of the scent I had noticed earlier on Remus. Once I realized what exactly was going on between the two, I gasped in shock.
Reverting to my (mostly) human form, I squealed. "Remus John Lupin! Sirius Orion Black!" I glared at Sirius, completely ignoring the startled faces of the others. Sirius didn't reply, so I turned to Remus.
Who, currently, was rolling on the floor, laughing.
"Remus!" I yelled indignantly. The werewolf finally calmed enough to sit back down, and wiped a tear from his eyes. I fumed, and barely noticed Harry's own transformation.
Remus finally spoke. "Took you long enough to realize it, huh?" I flushed, embarrassed.
"How long?" I asked. Sirius gasped in recognition before laughing himself and saying, "About two months."
"After Sirius' close call with death," Remus said.
As we recently discovered, the Veil wasn't one for death, but rather health. Because Sirius had just been hit with the Killing Curse, right before falling through, his soul didn't leave his body, instead healing him completely. Well, he was a little sore, but alive and normal.
Harry still looked extremely confused, I spoke to him mentally.
Siri and Remy are together.
Well of course they are! They're best friends!
I sighed aloud before answering.
No, Harry. Together together. Sexually.
Harry's gasp of surprise was voiced aloud as well.
"Enough about us. Apparently you two have a surprise inheritance, correct?" Sirius interjected. Suddenly I noticed the stares and blushed. I felt my ears flatten against my head.
"Turns out our little kittens," "Really are kittens!" Fred and George exclaimed. Draco chuckled.
"Yes, yes, we can all interrogate them after dinner." Mrs. Weasley announced, bringing in plates of food. My mouth began to water at the magnificent food. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, and buttered rolls. "It's more American food, but I've heard it's really good." She said.
The moment she had set everything down, Harry and I began to dig in. Quite a bit of roast beef, one piece of corn, and two rolls later, we slowed down, savoring rather than inhaling. I then noticed Fred, George, Draco, Ron Siri, and Ginny staring at us.
'What?" I asked.
"Nothing. It's just that-""You've never eaten-""This much in one sitting,"
I stared at Draco, who had finished the twin's sentence.
"What? I've become closer to them than anyone else here." He explained.
I shrugged and continued to eat.
Finally, I pushed away my plate, knowing Mrs. Weasley had made some type of dessert, and that I would want a piece. Once everyone had finished, she brought out said dessert.
She revealed a two-tier chocolate fudge cake, covered in tiny Snitches and roses. Adorning the beautiful cake was a magnificent, large Golden Snitch. I looked at Mrs. Weasley, but it was Harry who voiced my question.
"What's the occasion, Mrs. Weasley?"
Everyone at the table, even Draco, stared.
"It's your sixteenth birthday, Lexi, Harry." Sirius said slowly.
Harry and I shared a look before face-palming.
"You totally forgot, didn't you?"
We nodded, then turned our attention back to the delicious-looking cake. We caught each other's eye and grinned. Simultaneously we reached for the cake, and came away victorious. I had nabbed a Snitch, Harry a rose. We popped the sweet candy in our mouths, and grinned at the delicious taste.
"Incredible as always, Mrs. Weasley." Harry said.
She grinned before serving out pieces all around. Harry and I received the largest pieces of course, and originally Harry had received the large Snitch, but he cut it and gave half to Draco. The expressions on Ron and Ginny's face had me snickering into my cake.
Once almost all of the cake was gone, Mrs. Weasley put it away from Hermione, who would be arriving some time tomorrow. Harry and I raced into the living room, each claiming an armchair.
Draco raced in next, followed by the twins. Those three hopped on the couch, Draco in the middle. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley took a love seat, while Ginny and Ron sat on the floor. Remus and Sirius claimed the other love seat.
"Gifts or explanation first?" Sirius asked.
Harry and I shared a look, and exclaimed, "Gifts!"
We then resized our trunks, removing the gifts we had for each other. The adults and the twins summoned theirs, but Ron and Ginny had to get up and go get theirs. Because Harry, Draco and I have come into our creature inheritance, we were legally considered adults, and thus could perform magic.
Ginny and Ron quickly returned, once more taking their seats. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went first.
I watched Harry open his first. It was a golden but more like the one in the Burrow's kitchen rather than any other Muggle watch.
"It's Wizarding Tradition to give a wizard a family watch on his turning of age birthday," Draco explained, showing us his own watch.
I nodded, and then proceeded to rip open my own present. It was a little black box, and inside was a pure silver charm bracelet with a charm already attached. I soon discovered it was a phoenix, and it sparkled with a fiery gleam. I grinned and told them I loved it.
Then it was Sirius' turn. I opened mine first this time. It was another charm, a tiny fae this time. It sparkled like diamonds. Harry received a two-way journal. It worked like the mirrors, but only opened to Harry himself. Remus didn't have his gifts. He said he would be taking us to Diagon Alley so that he could buy us our familiars.
Fred and George went next. Harry received tons of joke products, some not even available in shop yet. I received another charm, a griffin this time. Its feathers gleamed gold, and its eyes glittered crimson. From Draco I received a silver dragon with amethyst eyes. Harry received a book called "Creature Inheritance" by someone named Kmeg Sneff. From Ron Harry received new Quidditch gloves. I was given a hippogriff charm, blank feathers, white flank.
Next was Ginny. From her I received an elf charm, whose skin seemed almost green. Harry received a bottle of fancy cologne. He looked at her and teased, "Are you saying I smell bad?"
She giggled and shook her head. I eyed the bottle, not trusting the she-devil for a second. I entered Ginny's thoughts, only to find out it was a love potion in disguise! I left the girl's mind and sent Harry a warning thought, telling him not to mess with it.
A slight nod was the only affirmation he got my message, and he thanked her before setting it aside.
We then turned to each other, and swapped gifts. Harry opened his and revealed a black Muggle t-shirt. It said, in bold white lettering, "Keep talking, I always yawn when I'm interested." Everyone laughed and I grinned. I opened my present and pulled out a golden sphinx charm.
I grinned and hugged Harry in thanks, then we went around the room thanking everybody personally. After making our round, we sat back down. We shared a look, and I opened my mouth to begin the lengthy explanation.
Only to be cut off by a loud crash and expletives, occasionally in another language. Two scarred red-headed males barreled into the living room, followed by a calmer bushy haired brunette.
"Bill! Charlie! Hermione!" Harry and I exclaimed, racing forward to greet the trio. The males grinned, and Hermione squealed in delight. She hugged us, closely followed by the elder Weasley sons.
"I thought you weren't coming over until tomorrow?" Harry asked.
"I wasn't, but Bill and Charlie picked me up early!" She replied.
Hermione broke away from us, and then began to rummage through her never-ending purse, pulling out two neatly wrapped presents. She handed them to us, exclaiming, "Happy Birthday!"
I opened mine first, revealing a pegasus charm. Harry received another book, this one called, "Foreign Schools of Magick,"
"I didn't know what would happen for your inheritance, so I figured if you had to leave, then this would come in handy."
Bill grinned and handed our presents over. Harry received a goblin earring, most likely some sort of tooth. He stared at it, confused.
"Its cast with high-level protection spell. When you go shopping with Remus tomorrow, Charlie and I will be attending as well. I for the piercing, and Charlie for his own presents."
I grinned. From Bill I had received a protective goblin necklace, the shape and color much like fire.
We turned to Charlie, who stood empty-handed "I'm paying for any tattoos or other piercings you wish for." We grinned and hugged the trio once again.
` I stepped away first before saying, "I'm really glad you're here now, I don't really want to retell this story." Harry chuckled and we sat back down, the trio taking the floor. I began again, telling the story as how I knew, Harry interjecting and adding certain points I missed. Everyone was shocked at the relationship between Godric and Salazar, but I wasn't. I could see the possibility quite easily. There is a fine line between love and hate. Much like Draco and Harry, even though I knew those two would most likely not end up together. I looked at Ginny, who had paled when I mentioned my new-found gift of mind reading. Ignoring the youngest red-head, I turned to Sirius.
"Did you guys plan the bracelet or something?"
He grinned sheepishly. "Maybe…"
"Hey, would you two mind showing us your other forms? I'd really like to see them." Hermione asked. We grinned and nodded.
"Now, most of you have seen our small form," Harry said, transforming into the large form. I transformed into the small form, seeing as how Hermione, Bill and Charlie hadn't been here to see them.
Hermione cooed, and a chorus of, "Wicked…" echoed around the room. I yawned, earning coos from almost everyone in the room.
Sirius clapped his hands once to grab everyone's attention. "Alright! Time for bed! Tomorrow, Remus, Bill, Charlie and I will go to Diagon Alley with Harry and Alexis." He announced. Everyone nodded, and broke for their rooms.
Hermione and Ginny were rooming together, Bill and Charlie, Fred and George-of course-, Ron was alone, and Harry and Draco. This also left me alone, but Harry invited me to his shared room with Draco if I got lonely or had night frights.
With last goodnights and hugs, we headed to bed.
Me: Now, I'm not sure if any of you fans of mine follow my other story Of Curses and Countries, but if you do, kitten!Harry needs a name! I would be so happy if you guys would help me in naming that little ball of mystery and fluff! Thank you guys for reading this far along, and next chapter is Diagon Alley! Although, that chapter will take a little longer to get out, because it isn't finished. I also don't have a beta, so any mistakes you discover are mine and mine only.
