Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter or anything from the magical world. However, I own the plot of this story!
Chapter Nine
Kieran, James, Samuel and Josh were sitting in a tree in the park round the corner from James' house. They were meant to be studying, but as teenage boys they got a little side-tracked.
"Do you recon any of them would actually go out with us?" Samuel asked. "We're not exactly…"
"James could get one of them to go out with him," Josh interjected "James can get anyone to go out with him." James smirked.
"They're always in groups though, why can't they just…go out alone. We do."
"We're guys. It's different," James replied. "Merlin, look at the one over there." Josh and Samuel turned their heads to look in the direction of James' finger.
"Yeah…she has three friends too," Josh replied.
"Come on, Kieran, any input from you?" James questioned. Kieran looked up from the book he was reading.
"I refuse to be a part of this conversation. In case you'd forgotten, I'm going out with Lilly. Looking at other girls is classified as cheating on her." James rolled his eyes.
"Lets go and say 'hi'," Samuel suggested, preparing to leap from the tree. James smiled and followed him down. Josh went too and not wanting to stay there on his own, Kieran closed his book and dropped from the tree. The other three were already a way ahead and he jogged to catch up with them. One of the girls turned to look at them and James decided to change his tact.
"Lets sit here and let them come over to us," he suggested, sitting on the grass. The others did the same and Kieran opened his book again.
"Excuse me?" one of the girls asked, standing behind him. Her friend was behind her, looking at the four of them. James turned round.
"Hiya." The girl smiled instantly.
"My friends and I were wondering if you wanted to come and sit with us. We were just about to get some ice-cream."
"Sure, we'd love to sit with you." The four boys stood up again, Kieran hanging back slightly.
"My name's Annabel," the girl said, holding out her hand. James shook it.
"James. James Potter." Annabel's eyes grew wide.
"J-James Potter as in Harry Potters son?"
"That's the one. You're a witch then? I've never seen you at Hogwarts before." Annabel looked away.
"No, I'm a squib, not a witch."
"Oh…"
"Yes well, it's fine all the same. Imagine that, meeting James Potter on a normal day at the park." James smiled.
"Yeah, that is interesting, isn't it?" As they drew closer to the other two girls, Kieran buried his face in his face in his book again.
"This is James," Annabel introduced.
"Hi. This is Josh, Samuel and Kieran," he replied, pointing to each in turn.
"Great!" Annabel said, smiling. "Now, what ice-cream do you all like?"
----
"Thomas, please don't do that," Harry said, grabbing Marcus' toy car from his hand and giving it back to the screaming four year old. Thomas just smiled and sat back down at the table, waiting for another opportunity to grab the car.
Hermione was coming back today and Harry realized that if the house was a mess when she showed up, then he'd never be left alone with the children again. He jumped as the doorbell rung and rushed to answer it before any of his kids could.
"It's about time you – oh," Harry had been expecting Hermione and when he found someone else standing there, to say the least, he was shocked.
"I'm sorry," she replied. "Is this a bad time?"
"N-no, not at all, I was just expecting my wife back, that's all." The woman smiled and held out her hand.
"I'm Lucy, the new student Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts," she introduced. Harry mentally slapped himself for forgetting about that.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I completely forgot you were meant to be coming over for some training today. Err…come in, come in, we'll try and work around the kids or rearrange the date or something." He held the door open for her and then led her to the kitchen in time to see Thomas grab Marcus' toy car again.
"Give it back," Harry ordered. Thomas sighed and handed the toy over. "Would you like a drink or anything to eat? I was just about to make the kids lunch."
"If it's not too much trouble…"
"Of course not, what do you like in your sandwiches? Ham? Cheese? Peanut butter?"
"Oh, I'll just have ham please." Harry nodded and turned round to the counter. He knew Lucy was here to train for a position of Defence Against the Dark Arts, which she would then go and teach at another school, but Harry really had no idea why he had to help her train and why she couldn't do it with another teacher, or possibly one from another school. Marcus screeched from the table again and Harry turned round in time to see him spill his drink over and Lucy jump up from the table. Her chair fell backwards and hit the floor. Harry closed his eyes.
"Thomas, up to your room, now," he ordered. Thomas quickly jumped from the table and ran out of the room.
"I'm so, so sorry." Harry grabbed a dish cloth and moped up Marcus' strawberry juice.
"It's alright. I don't suppose you know a spell to get this out, do you?" she asked, hopefully.
"I'm afraid not, it's my wife you'd have to ask for that one. Just err…wait a second and you can borrow a shirt or something." Lucy tried, unsuccessfully to rub the stain out of her shirt with a tissue, only making it worse.
"Follow me," Harry said, beckoning to her. She quickly followed him out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
"I'll just get you one of my tops, I'm not sure Hermione would appreciate me lending out her tops." Lucy nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. She had time to glance around the room a bit before Harry reappeared with a plain white top.
"There's a bathroom through there that you can change in," he said, pointing to a door at the side of the room. Lucy nodded and walked into the bathroom with the top. Harry laid down on the bed and closed his eyes.
Far too much room in this thing, he thought. Too empty. Lucy emerged from the bathroom with her shirt over her arm. Harry's eyes snapped open.
"I'm really, really sorry about all of this, would you mind if we rearranged the date?"
"No, not at all."
"Great, I'll send you an owl."
"Right." Lucy turned round to open the door as Harry pushed himself up to sit against the head board of the bed. Rubbing his eyes under his glasses, Harry leaned his head against his knees that were pulled up against his chest. He heard the door open and the squeak of surprise that Rebecca let out.
"Oh, hello, you must be Hermione." Harry's head snapped up so quick that it smashed into the head board behind him. He jumped off the bed rubbing it and then his eyes flashed to look at Hermione. He realized that this didn't look good and the look of hurt that had crossed Hermione's face didn't go amiss.
"Er…This…this isn't what you think it is," he said, pointing to himself and then Lucy. Hermione crossed her arms and glared at him. Harry's mouth opened and closed, not sure what he was meant to say. A door opened behind her and Harry closed his eyes as Lilly stepped out, taking in the scene before her.
"What's going on?"
