"When you said dress nice did you mean dresses and tuxedos nice or skirts and dress pants nice?" Ron asked Hermione on the staircase.
"Skirts, dress pants, nice shirts, even nice jeans. Nothing over the top," Hermione replied, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Amari will take her bath upstairs and Lavender, you bathe Caleb downstairs first. In the time it will take for everyone to bathe and get ready, we'll have enough time to shop for a while and have lunch."
"When and where are we meeting the others?" Harry asked everyone in general.
"It might take us all different times to get ready, so we're all going to meet at lunchtime at the restaurant," Lavender said.
Lavender brought Caleb into the bathroom downstairs and Amari went into the yellow one obligingly. Hermione had it all planned out. Since Lavender didn't want to wet her day clothes, she would shower after she bathed the baby. While she did so, Harry could prepare the baby bag. Amari, being a five-year-old, would get bored waiting, so she could play after she bathed herself. Ron didn't have a specific role during that time. He could just linger about, sing, dance or do anything that he wanted to do.
After Caleb and Amari were clean, Lavender and Hermione would help them get ready while the boys had their showers. The two girls could lay down their outfits while the boys were in the shower – maybe even the boys' outfits if they hadn't themselves – and it would go on. By the time Hermione and Lavender got out of the showers, the boys should be finished and can entertain the little ones while the girls got ready.
"Hermione!" Amari called from her bathroom. Hermione was already near the door; the little girl had forgotten to bring in a towel.
"Yes?" Hermione asked, coming in and laying the towel on the toilet seat.
"Mummy always washes my hair for me," she said shyly.
Hermione smiled tenderly. "Don't worry, I'll help."
Hermione washed Amari's long blond hair well while she made her Barbies swim around without interfering with the hair washing. After a while, the plug was pulled and Amari was wrapped in a big towel.
Caleb was proving hard to clean; he was splashing about playfully. He loved the water and the water toys. Lavender thought he was cute at first, but she quickly lost her patience.
"Sweetie, come on," she said, gently but firmly, "we have to go soon. Give Mommy the ducky…
Give me the duck, please?" with gentle prying, she took the rubber duck away. Caleb starting crying, but Lavender tolerated it and finally got him clean.
She brought him out around the same time Amari came upstairs.
"Everything's there other than bottles and baby food. I didn't want to put them in too early," Harry said, putting the diaper bag down and going into the bathroom. Ron went to have his too.
"What am I wearing?" Amari asked in her bedroom.
"I'll get your clothes while you dry off, okay?" Hermione said, looking through the little dresser and pulling out clothes. She gave Amari a baby-blue outfit. There was a short-sleeved shirt with a daisy in the middle, a jacket and a knee-long skirt.
Hermione laid out her own clothes while Amari got dressed. She chose black dress pants and a light, silky, brown, dressy shirt. She completed the outfit with a golden charm bracelet, golden locket and little gold earrings.
"Hermione! I'm done!" Amari called. Hermione went into her room to brush her hair. Just before Ron and Harry got out of the bathrooms, Hermione finished Amari's blond hair with a high ponytail tied with a blue elastic with a decorative daisy; simple, yet sweet.
The boys finished quickly and went into their rooms to change. As quick as he could, Harry put on his bottom half of clothing so that he could go watch Caleb while Lavender took her shower. Hermione went into the shower and Ron went to get dressed. Amari went to read her book downstairs, waiting for everyone else to finish.
Amari knew the girls would take a while – Avila always did. So, she picked up "Mysteries of Time: Volume One" again and read from where she had left off – Time-Turners. She didn't know exactly where she had been, so she started reading a paragraph on the second page.
'When using a Time-Turner, it is very important to stay hidden if you are still in your time. If you go far into the past or future, you must be careful to not do anything to upset anything that has happened. In some cases, it is better to not go through time at all. To return to your time, you simply have to back up or advance time to a little while after you left your time. (Example: if you use the Time-Turner at 3:00, you should return at 3:01 or later so that there aren't two of you at once.)'
"Everyone's almost ready, Amari," Ron said, coming downstairs. She marked her page and put the book down on edge of the table. She finished reading the Time-Turner section, but she was thinking about reading on.
"I just need to pee," Amari said.
"Go for it," Ron replied.
After Amari came out of the bathroom, Hermione came downstairs fully dressed, hair in a bun on her head, followed by Harry and Caleb and Lavender. Lavender was wearing nice jeans with a purple t-shirt encrusted with pink plastic rhinestones scattered about, her hair straightened and soft.
"Is it cold outside?" Lavender asked, looking through her coats, vests and sweaters in the closet.
"I'll check!" Amari said, jumping up and stepping through the door, opening it only a crack, blocking the outdoors from view. "It's a little windy," she said smiling, coming back in.
Lavender smiled thankfully at Amari and pulled out a black sweater and pink vest. Hermione looked at the little girl quizzically then went into her slightly smaller section of the closet to bring out her own warm pink coat.
"What do you boys need?" Hermione asked, going into their section.
Ron shook his head.
"We're fine, Hermione, thanks," Harry said, looking at his and Ron's dressy pants and black and white long-sleeved shirts.
"Boys," Hermione muttered, rolling her eyes, "Amari, do you want another jacket? A vest, even?"
She looked at Ron and Harry, smirked and asked politely, "Can I have my fluffy coat, please?"
"This one?" Hermione pulled out a blue coat. The arms were plain, but the area between the sleeves was puffed out. The puffy hood had soft, fake white fur around it. It was definitely warm inside. Amari picked out a warm one-piece snowsuit for Caleb and gave it to Lavender to dress him.
They all put their coats (other than Harry and Ron) and shoes on – blue boots with white faux fur for Amari – and stepped outside. It was snowing!
"I thought you said it was just a little windy!" Ron gasped.
"It is! See? It's not that windy," Amari said, laughing.
"I knew you should have gotten coats," Hermione said to the boys.
"We're perfectly fine, aren't we Harry?" Ron said. He never admitted he was wrong, even if it meant freezing.
Harry just nodded, shivering.
"Well, let's go." Lavender said. They all crossed their property to their talking door.
"Rather chilly, isn't it?" the door said.
"What is she talking about Harry? I'm not cold," Ron said.
Harry laughed. Amari was already half way down the hall going outside the castle.
"Coming?" she called, waving.
They all raced after her and into the real snow. It was beautiful. The two-inch-deep blanket of glittery white snow covered the grass and lay on the Thestral-pulled carriages waiting for them. The trees had a light sprinkle of snow on their still red and orange leaves.
"What are those?" Amari asked as they neared the carriage. She was pointing at the Thestrals and staring in awe.
"Thestrals," Harry replied, "You can see them?"
Amari nodded "Can't you?"
Hermione, Ron and Harry looked at each other in surprise. After all, you can only see Thestrals if you've seen someone die.
"I can," Harry answered.
"Well, I can't!" Ron said miserably. "Riding something invisible isn't enjoyable!"
"Why can't you?" Amari asked.
"Later, okay? We have to go soon," Hermione said evasively.
"Are they nice? Can I pet them?" Amari asked Ron, who was nearest, inching toward them cautiously. She planned on asking again why Ron couldn't see Thestrals.
"Sure - you can see them," Ron said.
Amari started to pet one's silky spine. A chill went down her spine. She could feel the creature's bones and it felt eerie.
"Let's go, Amari," Hermione said softly, taking Amari's hand and bringing her into the carriage.