LIZZIE'S FIRST YEAR
Author: Luckner
PG – English – Romance/Adventure
Disclaimer: The characters and their world are the property of J.K. Rowling, various publishers and Warner Bros. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: I would like to thank Lucymaypotter for allowing me use her idea for transfigured ceramic daisies from her wonderful story Harry Potter and the Loathsome Lobster of Leeds.
CHAPTER 7: CHRISTMAS AT THE BURROW
Grace would always remember that particular walk in the woods, because it truly turned into a journey of discovery for the young girl. Luna Potter was like no adult that she had ever met before, having the free spirit of a child and a wisdom uniquely her own. In many ways Luna reminded the young girl of her friend Lizzie; of course being mother and daughter certain similarities were to be expected. But it was more than that; the almost inevitable barrier that separates one generation from another just didn't seem to exist for Luna Potter. Soon the woman and young girl were laughing and joking like the oldest and dearest of friends. But Luna shared a great deal of wisdom with the child as well.
Grace came to realize that the two of them had a great deal in common, and that her teacher well understood the loneliness that always had such a dominant place in the young girl's life. Luna told the girl that her own childhood had been rather lonely and isolated; just as Graces' had been. That is until she met "her Harry" and his Gryffindor friends, and that meeting had changed everything for her. Grace realized that her own Gryffindor friends were working the same kind of magic with her life; and she blushed ever so slightly when she wondered if someday Sean Finnegan and she might share a life together.
As they talked, the two strolled along the snow dusted forest paths, filling their baskets with all manner of strange objects. Luna pointed out the bark of a Silver Elm that grew along the trail, and suggested that it might make excellent craft material. Using her wand, she showed the girl how to peel off long, even strips of the silver bark; while taking great care not to damage the tree itself. This was a tricky undertaking, as they used their wands to transfigure existing bark to grow over the bare areas. They found some tiny grey acorns and some round stones from the banks of a meandering creek. Then in a sheltered hollow, that seemed warmer than the surrounding forest, they found tiny white and gold daisies that seemed to grow in spite of the winter cold. All these things and more went into their baskets.
And as her basket filled, her heart did as well. It was so nice to talk to someone who really seemed to understand her feelings. When it was time to start back Grace wished they didn't have to go; she had never enjoyed an afternoon so much in her life. But Luna reminded the young girl that they still had much work to do in preparing her "gifts" in time for Christmas. She also reassured the child that now that she had proven herself so good at spotting the forest's "treasures," they would really have to go on more walks together. That thought warmed the young girl's heart, as did the rich cocoa that Luna transfigured up for them.
Latter that day when she saw her friend Sean Finnegan standing in the hallway, she walked right up to him and boldly kissed him on the cheek. The boy looked like he had been stupefied; finally managing to ask what he had done to deserve the kiss. She boldly responded that he was her best friend and that she wanted him to know it. He reached out and took her hand and the two walked into the Great Hall together, so clearly smitten with each other that it was obvious to everyone present.
The final gifts that resulted from her forest expedition were unique and beautiful, and Grace was proud to give them to her friends when Christmas Day came.
- o -
While Narcissa Malfoy waited for her dark potion to cure properly she wasn't exactly inactive. She had learned the value of intelligence from the Dark Lord, and she directed her followers to gather all possible information about Harry Potter, his family and Hogwarts School that might prove useful.
In her years of exile she had carefully schooled her coven in the art of Legilimency, or the ability to read the minds of others; so that by the time they arrived in England all of them were experts at the skill. Realizing that knowledge was always power, she directed her followers to begin sifting through the minds of Hogsmead residents to gain any information that might later prove valuable.
Her first real success came shortly after her arrival in that small wizarding village. She was scanning the mind of its oldest living resident, Minerva Spellcaster, when she made a startling discovery. The old witch was thinking fondly of her days as a student at Hogwarts, more than a hundred years before, Minerva had frequently used a secret passageway that led from Hogwarts to the basement of a building that currently contained Honeyduke's Candy Shop. Apparently in her day Minerva Spellcaster had a reputation for mischief that would have given Fred and George Weasley some real competition. That didn't interest Narcissa Malfoy in the least, but the existence of an unguarded tunnel into Hogwarts certainly did. A little investigation showed that the passageway still existed and was not warded. Narcissa would use this hidden tunnel to gain access to the school on the night that she stole Voldemort's ashes.
At the start of the school term another valuable source of information came her way when the teaching staff returned from their summer off. Hogwarts teachers made frequent visits to the small village, doing personal shopping or seeking a restful time away from their students. While Narcissa had given instructions never to attempt to invade the minds of Harry Potter or his wife Luna, the other teachers made rather easy victims for a silent attack.
On a snowy December day, about a week before Hogwarts let out for the holidays, Narcissa saw Cho Finnegan going into the Three Broomsticks. She followed her carefully and once inside struck up a casual conversation with the unsuspecting woman. Thinking it no more than a chance meeting, Cho invited the dark-haired woman to join her as she ordered a hot Cocoa to warm up from the cold. The Hogwarts Potions instructor never realized that while they were making casual conversation her mind was being sifted for valuable information.
When Narcissa first made entry she was shocked to see an image of her daughter Grace with a dark-haired Gryffindor boy. She was kissing him fondly on the cheek and Cho was thinking how nice it was that her son's first girlfriend was a girl as sweet as Grace. The thought that her daughter, the last member of the Malfoy family, was hopelessly smitten with a Gryffindor boy was unthinkable. Then another thought entered Cho's mind. At a recent staff meeting it had been disclosed that this very same girl had requested a transfer from Slytherin House to Gryffindor. For Narcissa this was the ultimate betrayal of her class and her blood.
Her rage was almost too much to bear as she broke off her conversation with the teacher and stormed out of the tavern. The fact that the teacher was happy for the two children only made it worse; because years before Cho was one those who had helped foil the Dark Lord's plans. The confused teacher couldn't understand what she might have said to so upset the woman.
As Narcissa stormed back to the Shrieking Shack she could barely control her fury. But it was fortunate that Narcissa had broken her connection when she had, otherwise she might have learned what Harry Potter had already discovered, and what his plans were for the future.
Narcissa knew that she needed to rid her mind of the rage that threatened to overwhelm her, and she had a time-tested method of doing it. Summoning one of her followers, she ordered the witch to go out and bring back a muggle for her amusement. The woman gave her an evil smile, knowing full well what such a request meant, and hurried away to comply. Narcissa remembered fondly the revels held by the Dark Lord; where muggles were subjected to horrific tortures for the amusement of his Death Eaters. By morning her calm had returned and her followers removed the disfigured body of the unnamed muggle.
- o -
The holidays finally came and the students of Hogwarts gladly boarded the carriages that would take them to the train station for the journey home; only ghosts and a few aurors would occupy the school over Christmas. Grace would remember this ride on the Hogwarts Express, because it was so different from her previous trips. In the past the journey to and from school had been long and rather lonely affairs. She would usually sit in the corner of a compartment and enviously listen as the other children talked and laughed about home and family. Having neither, she rarely said anything and usually pretended to sleep or read.
But this trip was different. This year she was going to be spending the holidays with a happy family; albeit not her own. She and her three closest friends had found a compartment to themselves, and were talking excitedly about spending Christmas together. Heather and Holly had gone off to sit with two second-year Ravenclaw boys of whom they had become fond. As Grace glanced out of the corner of her eye at Sean Finnegan, she could certainly understand their feelings; and as he turned and smiled at her she could feel her heart beat a little faster.
Professor Lupin asked her to take the train south with her friends, and that he and his wife would meet them at the station. He said that his wife Tonks had a special surprise planned for the young girl, and Grace was very curious as to what it might be. "Tonks" was a rather strange name the young girl thought, but when Professor Lupin had introduced her at Hogwarts she seemed very nice. But there was something more than that; the girl and the young woman seemed to have an immediate connection that they both realized, but neither of them fully understood.
Some might think it rather strange for the young woman with the spiked, bubblegum pink hair to be married to a man so much older, whose hair had already gone completely grey. But Grace thought that it was a perfect match; and realized that the two were very much in love. She glanced over at Sean again. Funny, she seemed to be thinking about love an awful lot lately; in fact she never used to think about it at all. Glancing over at her friends Ronnie and Lizzie, who were holding hands and whispering softly to each other, she just guessed that they were all changing.
At that moment Sean reached over and intertwined his fingers with hers. "Feeling okay," he asked with a warm smile.
"Yes, very," she replied with a warm smile.
The rest of the journey was spent with quiet talk, some chocolate frogs and a few games of Exploding Snap; and it was her best train ride ever.
It was late in the afternoon when the red steam locomotive pulled into King's Cross Station and came to a stop at Platform 9 ¾. The students disembarked from the train into the throng of waiting parents, most of whom hadn't seen their children in almost four months. Mothers and fathers rushed forward to engulf their offspring in loving hugs that caused the children both comfort and embarrassment, especially if their friends were nearby. Once the reunion was complete they would set off to gather their scholar's baggage and then make their way home to get reacquainted over good food and family talk.
As the children from Ottery St. Catchpole disembarked, they joined the other children scanning the crowd for their parents. "There they are!" Ronnie called out as he pointed at a group of waving adults towards the front of the train. Grace immediately recognized most of them, including Professor Lupin and his wife. Walking over with her friends, she was a little surprised by the way her friends now addressed their teachers. It was Uncle Harry this and Aunt Hermione that in warm greetings that she found rather shocking.
"Good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Lupin," she said respectfully, trying to suppress the blush she felt creeping into her cheeks. It didn't help the situation that Heather and Holly immediately broke into a fit of giggles at her method of address, or the amused looks on the faces of the other adults.
Professor Lupin kneeled down in front of the girl, a gentle smile on his face. "We have no titles here and we want none; those can wait until you return to school. Please call me Remus, or Uncle Remus if you prefer, and this is Tonks," he said as he gently guided his wife over to meet the young girl.
Tonks immediately knelt down at eye lever with Grace and gave the girl a warm hug. "Grace and I are going to be good friends; aren't we?" She asked hopefully.
"Yes," the young girl said bashfully.
Once Grace was put at her ease, the whole group walked towards the concealed exit that would take them into the muggle part of the station. Arrangements had already been made to send their trunks on to Ottery St. Catchpole. Taking special Ministry cars that had been provided as a special service to Headmaster Potter; the group drove through muggle London to the Leaky Cauldron, where they had an early dinner and exchanged stories about all that had happened since the beginning of term.
It was rather late that evening when Remus, Tonks and Grace stepped out of the fireplace into the living room of the small cottage that was the Lupins' home. Remus had gone first, prepared to catch Grace if need be, and expecting to catch his less than graceful wife. As it turned out he had to catch them both. Grace was so tired from her long day that even the adrenaline rush of her first floo trip didn't last long, and Remus had to carry the drowsy child upstairs to bed.
- o -
The next morning Grace awoke to the bright sunlight that was streaming in through the windows of her bedroom. At first she didn't want to open her eyes; everything was so warm, cozy and soft that the urge to go back to sleep was almost irresistible. Finally she managed to open just one single eye to take in her surroundings; still fighting an internal debate as to whether she should go back to sleep. What she saw caused her to open the second eye, and immediately afterwards to sit up in bed.
She was sleeping in an old-fashioned canopied bed of a honey-colored wood that she thought was oak. The white lace of the canopy over her head matched the lace curtains on the windows, and perfectly complemented the bright yellow wallpaper that covered the walls. A fire burned brightly in the small hearth opposite her bed, making the room even more cheerful. A large stuffed dragon, with purple skin and green scales, sat on the chest at the foot of the bed. He had a goofy grin, and seemed hopeful that his new mistress might want to cuddle him sometime in the near future. Some twelve-year-olds might think the room too cutesy, or hopelessly old-fashioned, but to Grace who had never had a room of her own it was perfect.
Climbing out of bed she realized that she was wearing a long flannel nightgown, which upon reflection she remembered that Tonks had helped her change into the night before. That was before Remus came in and the two of them had tucked her in for the night. And the kisses, she mustn't forget about the kisses. Both Tonks and Remus had kissed her gently on the forehead and wished her pleasant dreams; just like she was their own little girl. Grace wrapped her arms around herself and felt completely happy and safe, for perhaps the first time in her life.
Looking out the window she saw that the small cottage was indeed in the center of a large forest, just as Lizzie had told her. The trees were bare of leaves, draped in a soft blanket of pure white snow; as was the ground beneath them. As beautiful as it was at that moment, Grace thought it must be even more so in the summer, when everything was a lush green.
The young girl hurriedly dressed in the jeans and shirt she had brought with her from the school. Looking in the mirror she thought that they looked a bit shabby, but aside from her Hogwarts uniform they were the only clothing that she had. The orphanage she came from didn't believe in frills and fancies. Every child at the institution, whether boy or girl, received exactly the same thing: two pairs of jeans, two shirts, a thin jacket, shoes and appropriate under garments. But Grace was too happy to dwell on such unimportant matters, and she ventured downstairs to find the other residents of this wonderful house.
She found them in the room that served as the kitchen, but a kitchen the like of which she had never seen. It was an old-fashioned country kitchen such as was common a century before; but had long since been replaced in most homes by the sanitized steel and tile kitchens of the late Twentieth-century. This room was warm with an old brick fireplace, polished wooden floors and ancient copper pots and pans. A modern homemaker would have been appalled at the ancient cast iron stove that occupied one wall and by the bleached oak countertops that served as work areas. Grace was later to learn that Remus did all the cooking for the two, and that this was his room the way he wanted it. Tonks was much more modern, as was evidenced by the more eclectic furnishings of the lounge and dining rooms. The two had reached a meeting of the minds and had accepted each other for what they were; and they seemed extremely happy with that decision.
"Come in Grace," Remus called, as he saw her standing in the doorway.
She edged into the room hesitantly, and was greeted with a warm smile from Tonks who sat at an old oak table that filled the center of the room. She patted the chair next to her own, and invited the child to join her. As soon as she sat down, Remus placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of her, along with a chilled glass of pumpkin juice.
"How did you sleep?" Tonks asked, passing the girl some toast.
"Wonderfully," Grace replied shyly, and took a piece of toast.
"That's good, because we have a big day ahead of us," Tonks replied mysteriously.
"What are we going to do?" the young girl asked impetuously, and then blushed a bit at her own boldness.
"Well you and I are going shopping in Diagon Alley while my husband is attending to some projects of his own. And then we two good-looking witches are going to meet him for lunch at a special place we know."
The girl blushed even deeper, which caused Tonks to lightly tousle her long blond hair and smile broadly.
- o -
In another part of the forest, Lizzie Potter was also just in the process of waking up. She opened her eyes to saw two soft, brown eyes looking back at her, just inches away. Her white wolf Piowackket lay on the bed beside her, his nose just inches from her own.
"Pie," she said affectionately, and laid a gentle hand on his large head. The wolf edged forward ever so slightly, and placed his muzzle just under the chin of his mistress. During the past four months she had been so busy that she had hardly thought about her faithful pet, and now she felt rather ashamed. She gently rubbed that spot behind his ears that he loved so much, and she resolved to spend as much time with him as she could. He edged a little further up in bed until he was beside her, his nose just inches from hers. Lizzie felt warm and safe; nothing could possibly be better than this.
"Lizzie, it's breakfast time," she heard her mother call out; and the young girl bounded out of bed and ran to the door, snatching up her robe as she went. Piowackket following her down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"Hi Lizzie," her little brother Jamie said enthusiastically as she took her place across from him. She gave him a warm smile as she reached for the platter that was heaped high with bacon. She remembered his visit of the previous night when he had came into her bedroom and confided how much he had missed her over the past months. It was at that moment when she realized how good it was to be home again.
She slipped two pieces of bacon under the table to Pie just as her Father sat a large plate of blueberry waffles in front her. Not even the house elves at school could make a better breakfast than this; even though Harry had given them Luna's recipe for blueberry waffles.
At that moment there was a knock at the back door and Ronnie Weasley walked into the kitchen. Luna and Harry never ceased to be amazed at the boy's almost supernatural ability to time his visits for just at mealtime.
"Perfect timing as usual," Harry remarked with a smile, and pointed the young boy towards his regular chair next to their eleven-year-old daughter. Lizzie passed her friend the bacon and waffles and he gratefully filled his plate, slipping yet another strip of bacon under the table to the ever watchful wolf.
"What have you two got planned for today?" Luna asked the two children with a smile. She already knew that both Grace and Sean were going to spend the day shopping at Diagon Alley, and that Heather and Holly would be spending the day with their great-grandmother. Ronnie looked over to his friend, content to let her make the plans for the two of then.
"I thought we might just like to play out in the snow," she answered, looking over at her friend hopefully.
"That would be great!" was his enthusiastically reply.
"I thought you might want to start on your holiday homework," Luna suggested thoughtfully.
Both children looked absolutely outraged about wasting the first day of their holiday on school work; that is until they saw the playful glint in Luna's eyes.
After some playful family discussion it was decided to postpone the homework until later in the holidays, and this day would be spent at play. Immediately after breakfast Lizzie got dressed in her warmest clothes and they went out to play, Piowacket and Jamie joining in the fun.
They returned about four hours later, flushed and tired after a wonderful day in the snow. Mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallow greeted them as they entered the ancient kitchen. A large platter of sandwiches followed the hot chocolate, as the children ate like hungry wolves. All except Piowacket that is, who was a hungry wolf and ate like himself.
- o -
While all this was going on at The Meadows, Grace and Tonks were making special Christmas memories of their very own. The two flooed to the Leaky Cauldron and then entered Diagon Alley. Grace had never seen the alley at Christmas time, and was really amazed at how beautiful it was. There was a light snow falling, and everything had a light dusting of the white crystals. Each shop seemed to be trying to out do its neighbor, and the narrow street was a blaze of color and lights.
Even though she hardly knew Professor Lupin's wife, she felt comfortable with her. Tonks light and easy personality, and youthful outlook on everything, immediately put the child at her ease. The two walked together down the alley, pointing out one interesting window display after another, and enjoying the sights and sounds of the season. Grace was sure she liked the display outside Quality Quidditch Supplies the most; where an enchanted broom was taking a rather frightened looking facsimile of Father Christmas on one of the wildest rides imaginable.
Tonks led the young girl into a boutique called the Pink Witch, which specialized in fashions for young witches. At first Grace was rather reluctant about trying on any of the robes, knowing full well that she couldn't afford to buy anything. But when Tonks insisted that this was part of her Christmas present, and that they were really just looking, she agreed to try on just a few. Grace had never had the opportunity to go shopping before, and it turned out to be a wonderful experience.
Tonks was also thoroughly enjoying herself as she went into full shopping mode; suggesting one outfit after another for her young girl to try on. There was something about Grace that brought out feelings in Tonks that she really didn't understand, but she understood her husband's fondness for the child.
After completing their shopping the two strolled down the alley to meet Remus at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor; Tonks carrying a small woven bag which contained their many purchases. Grace was wearing pale blue robes that they had just picked out. The young girl felt rather apprehensive as they neared their destination; knowing that her new friend had spent far too much money on her. She had tried to restrain the young woman, but Tonks would simply not be dissuaded. Now Grace was more than a little concerned about what her favorite teacher would say. She needn't have concerned herself, as Tonks and Remus had already decided to treat their young friend to several new outfits.
The girl was surprised upon entering the ice cream parlor to find it surprisingly crowded, for the chilly weather didn't seem to support sales of the traditional summer treat. What Grace didn't realize was that Florean Fortescue's establishment had become something of an institution in the wizarding world, and parents and children visited throughout the year. Remus was holding a table next to the large front window, where they could watch the shoppers as they rushed to and fro making their last minute purchases.
"Who is this glamorous and mature young witch?" Remus asked in amazement, as he stood to help the two women with their chairs.
Grace turned several shades of red, but was very pleased with the complement and the special treatment.
"It's me Uncle Remus," she responded with a shy smile.
"Grace?" Remus replied in mock shock "You look so grown up; I would have never recognized you."
The blush on the young girl's face only deepened as Tonks smiled and shook her head. "You really are a wolf, you know that?"
Remus looked at his wife with a hurt expression, which didn't quite come off, and then it quickly transformed itself into a smile. "I took the liberty of ordering for us; I hope you both like chocolate."
Both girls giggled in anticipation as Florean Fortescue himself came over to the table and placed a large chocolate sundae in front of each of his guests, which Remus had already requested. The large roly-poly man greeted them all warmly, with a special welcome for Grace. Florean Fortescue had a thick mustache, an infectious smile, and he treated his guests more like family than customers. It was that warm spirit of hospitality that had made his establishment such a resounding success, and no one left his parlor without a firm resolve to return again as soon as possible. Grace liked the warm-hearted man immediately, and the visit made the perfect end to a wonderful day.
The days leading up to Christmas Eve were equally memorable for the young girl, and for the childless adults who had taken her to their hearts. Each morning Grace came down to the kitchen early to help Remus prepare breakfast, and she loved sharing that quiet time of the morning with him. She knew that when she returned to school she would have to start calling him Professor Lupin again, but for now he was her gentle "Uncle Remus," and she wished the holidays would never end. Tonks was never fond of cooking, so she would sit at the table and talk to the two of them.
After breakfast her friends would arrive and, properly bundled up against the cold, she would join them for a wild day of play in the snow covered forest. Whether it was snowball fights, or ice skating, or Snow Quidditch, they always had a wonderful time. At lunch time they would go to whoever's house was nearest for a warm meal and hot cocoa, and then it was back outside into the snow until dinnertime.
Sean Finnegan was having as much fun as Grace. His home was in Dublin and there were few open areas near his house where he could play, and none where he could ride his broom. He had always loved his home before, Dublin being the exciting city that it was, but now he rather envied his friends the fun of living in the country. He didn't realize it, but his mother was also being caught up in the rustic magic that was Ottery St. Catchpole.
- o -
The day before Christmas dawned crisp and clear, and the level of excitement felt by the wizarding children of Ottery St. Catchpole fully matched that of muggle children throughout Britain. Christmas was a special day for the magical folk of that community, and it had become custom for all of the families to meet at the Burrow to celebrate the holiday together. Tonks asked Grace if she would wear a Cranberry red dress with white trim, which was especially in keeping with the season. The young girl was especially delighted with the selection, as that dress was her favorite. It was a bit old fashioned, but it seemed to suit the young girl; and Grace hoped that it would make her look more grown up. She also spent more than a little time wondering what Sean Finnegan would think about it, and pinned a bit of green holly to the collar to give it just the right effect.
The two girls walked down to meet Remus in the living room, and his declaration of how pretty they looked won him a kiss from his wife and a blush from Grace. He had previously shrunk their Christmas gifts down to a more manageable size, and had them stowed in a small red velvet bag. Each of them took hold of a small teapot, and they were immediately transported to an area in front of the strange house that Grace recognized as belonging to the Weasley family.
The snow had been removed from the winding path that led to the front door, and floating Christmas lanterns illuminated the way. As they walked towards the door Remus pointed to the five snowmen that stood before the front door; they had been charmed to welcome the guests and direct them to the door. One snowman, that Grace was sure was supposed to be Father Christmas, had a loud and cheerful laugh as he ushered them forward. The other snow people, who didn't seem to have the gift of speech, seemed to look at the jolly fat elf with a touch of envy. Grace and Tonks couldn't help but laugh at the thought of jealousy in the world of snow people
They were met at the front door by Hermione Weasley, who greeted them all warmly and escorted them into the already crowded living room. Grace didn't know most of the people, and shyly hung back behind Tonks.
"None of that, young lady," Remus said with a warm smile, "We're all family here." And with that he began to introduce Grace to the extended magical family that called Ottery St. Catchpole home. In a very few minutes Grace felt completely at home with the warm, friendly people. Lizzie was there with her Father, Mother and little brother; as were all her other friends. At first she was a little uncomfortable in the presence of the Hogwarts Headmaster, but that quickly disappeared when she saw how comfortable her other friends were. Tonks and Remus found them a place on a sofa near the fire, and Grace was pleasantly surprised to find that Sean and his Mother were seated there as well. Two young people exchanged shy smiles and greetings of "Happy Christmas" as Grace sat down beside him.
The cheerful mood in the room was made even more so as a sprig of Mistletoe floated around the room and settled over the head of likely victims. Ronnie had already warned Grace and Sean that this was a traditional prank of his fun-loving uncles Fred and George.
But at that moment there was a scowl on Ronnie's face, as the Mistletoe was now floating directly above his head and that of his best friend Lizzie Potter; and every eye in the room was now upon him. He knew his playful uncles well enough to know that no simple kiss on the cheek would satisfy them, so with a feeling of resignation mixed with excitement he leaned over and kissed Lizzie squarely on the lips. She returned his kiss, and a few cheers erupted when it lasted a few seconds longer than was necessary. As they pulled apart both children were blushing a bit, but smiling as well. Grace glanced out the corner of her eye at the boy sitting beside her, wondering if they would receive the same treatment.
And a few minutes later the Mistletoe did indeed float in their direction and come to a stop above their heads. Sean Finnegan was as red as a beet, and Grace wasn't far behind. He had kissed the girl before, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience; but never in front of so many people, and certainly never in front of his Mother!
Glancing across the room he saw Ronnie give him thumbs up, but it didn't allay the trepidation that he was feeling. Summoning up all the Gryffindor courage that he possessed, he leaned over and pressed his lips against hers. He felt her kissing him back, and for a moment the two of them were the only people in the entire world. After a few seconds the room erupted in cheers, and the two embarrassed children reluctantly pulled apart. But as he did so, Sean slipped his hand into Graces' and gave it a warm squeeze. It was a not so subtle move that almost everyone in the room noticed.
The exchange of Christmas gifts was the perfect end to a special evening. Lizzie and the Longbottom twins were delighted with the hair ornaments that Grace mad made for them. She had transfigured the daisies that she had found into a glossy ceramic that could be braided into their hair. For the boys she had transfigured the silver bark to the consistency of leather, and had braided the material into strikingly handsome belts.
But for Sean Finnegan she had made an additional, very special gift. She had not forgotten how brave he was in escorting her to the Slytherin dungeon each night, and she wanted him to know it. With Luna's help she had split a pretty stone she had found into a round, flat disk. Using her wand she carved the words "My Hero" onto one side and transfigured a representation of a scarlet Griffin on the other. She finished it up with a braided leather chain. Older girls might think it rather silly, but the twelve-year-old thought her gift quite handsome; and was sure that Sean would understand her feelings.
About halfway through the night Grace said she was feeling a little cold, and asked Sean if he could help her find her coat. The adults exchanged knowing glances as the two children walked towards the kitchen. They slipped out the back door, and once they were alone under the stars Grace nervously gave him the gift. At first he didn't know what to say, even blushing a bit, but then he hung it around his neck proudly and she knew he liked it. When they returned to the living room both children were blushing bright red. Perhaps it was the cold, or more likely it was the kiss that Sean had given Grace under the cold winter stars on a very special Christmas night.
As it grew late the younger children began to doze off, and their parents took them home. Lizzie and Ronnie fell asleep on the carpet in front of the great stone fireplace, and Hermione covered them with a soft blanket. They would sleep peacefully together until morning. Grace and Sean had fallen asleep on the sofa, peacefully dreaming of a wonderful Christmas, each other and the future. Glace had laid her head on Sean's chest and he had wrapped an arm around her protectively.
Cho Finnegan looked down at her sleeping son and smiled wistfully. Glancing over at Remus she said softly, "They look so cute together, don't you think?"
"Yes I do," Remus replied as he gently picked Grace up and said goodnight to the Weasleys. As they left the Burrow he said to his wife: "Our little girl has had quite a night."
There was nothing he might have said that could have pleased her more, because she realized that he was thinking exactly the same thing as she. She put her arms around him and whispered back: "Yes, she has."
In the days that followed Grace would tell Tonks and Remus all the details her latest adventure with her friends, as they explored the snow-covered forest. The two adults seem as excited about each new discovery as the child was, and indeed they were. They had waited to become parents for so long, and now it seemed that this young girl was making their dream come true. All three of them had the same secret wish, that they might somehow become a family.
But there were still difficulties. In spite of how far the wizarding world had come since the downfall of Voldemort, there was still strong prejudice against werewolves. Remus was worried that his condition might prevent him from adopting Grace. So before getting her hopes up he wanted to see what the Ministry policy was, and what problems might exist.
- o -
In the winter wonderland of their rural homes the frightening events of recent months seemed very far away, and the children of Ottery St. Catchpole could forget for a little while that they must soon return to a school infected by fear. One afternoon, when it was snowing too hard to play outside, Lizzie pulled out the drawing that she had made of her friend's rune medallion.
It was the only clue they had to the origins of their friend's origins, and might help explain her involvement with the terrible events of past weeks. But the intricate rune had stumped Lizzie's every attempt to decipher it. She took the drawing downstairs to the family's rather large library. Gathering several large books on runes, she settled down at a table by the snow-frosted window.
Three hours later, when Luna came to call her in to dinner, the young girl was still there.
"Still working on homework?" Luna asked with a smirk, knowing full well that her daughter had already finished the work assigned her.
"No," Lizzie replied somewhat absently. "Mum, will you see what you can make of this rune?" She said, handing her mother the piece of parchment.
Luna studied the parchment for several minutes, a puzzled look on her face. "Where did you get this, Lizzie?" she asked.
"It's the design on the medallion that Grace wears," Lizzie answered without hesitation.
"Is it now? And why are you trying to decipher it?"
Lizzie gave her Mother a knowing look. "Because Grace is somehow involved in what's going on at school and that rune might give us a clue as to why."
Luna looked at her daughter with a look of pride and amazement. "Making good use of you Father's old Invisibility Cloak I see."
Lizzie blushed and nodded ever so slightly.
"Well move over and we'll see what we can do," Luna said. Mother and daughter worked on the complex rune long into the evening. Harry and Jamie ended up eating alone together in the kitchen, but Harry brought in a tray of sandwiches in case the girls got hungry. Finally the two had to admit defeat, although Luna promised to check in the restricted section of the library when they returned to school. Both were convinced that the stubborn rune was a very important key, and both were now determined to decipher it.
The drive to King's Cross Station was a little bit more noisy than usual, for the new additions to the Potter and Weasley families seemed as excited as their new owners by the journey. Both Lizzie and Ronnie had received Snowy Owls as Christmas gifts from their parents. Both owls appeared identical except that one was male and one female; and they had the unique heritage of having Harry Potter's own school owl as a great-grandfather. Ronnie, following long established family tradition, had named his owl after a character in Greek mythology. At the moment Pyramus was nipping at his sister in the cage next to him, trying to declare his position of dominance over the female who had already shown that she was clearly in charge. Lizzie had named her Thisbe, and already loved her little owl dearly.
As the children of Ottery St. Catchpole boarded the Hogwarts Express for the return to school they all agreed that it had been their best Christmas ever, and this was especially true for young Grace Whitechapel. It was not because of the gifts that she had received or that she had spent the time with her friends; but for the first time in her life she felt a part of a real family. When she kissed Tonks and Remus goodbye at King's Cross Station it was not the kiss of a child for her good friends, but the kiss of a daughter for her parents. And she wanted to be their daughter, just as somehow she knew that they wanted to be her parents. But as the red steam engine left the station the happy child little realized the horror that was about to envelope her, her friends and her school.
