24 October 2017—Hufflepuff

"Lily's asleep again," Ginny said, coming down the stairs and sighing. "I tell you, I don't know how Mum made it through five of us catching the flu at the same time. Remind me to get her a nice birthday present."

"She feeling any better?" Harry mumbled from beneath the Daily Prophet. Kingsley's smiling face blinked calmly up at Ginny as she sat down at her typewriter.

"I think so. I'll give her some more Pepper-Up in the morning, but you're in charge of anything she needs tonight," Ginny told him. "I'm exhausted." She yawned widely and stretched.

"No problem. Letter for you," Harry said, still under the newspaper. "Owl dropped it off a few minutes ago." He waved his hand in the general direction of Ginny's worktable in the corner of the living room, and Ginny saw the envelope sitting on the desk. She picked it up, slit it open, and began to read.

"Isn't Emily Macmillan a Hufflepuff?" asked Ginny after several moments of silence, frowning at the letter in her hands.

"Huh?" Harry asked, finally poking his head out from behind the newspaper.

"Emily Macmillan. Susan and Ernie's youngest, I thought she was a Hufflepuff…" Ginny said, frowning.

Harry stared at her. "I—you say that like I know these things…"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "My point is, I think she's in Gryffindor, otherwise James and Fred have managed to extend their…" she consulted Neville's letter. "'Exuberance' beyond the Finnigan boys, and into the other Houses."

Harry chuckled, and Ginny glared. "Harry, James is only in his second year!"

"Do you remember how many times Ron and I almost got thrown out before our second year?"

"You two happened to get very lucky, and you know it," Ginny said.

"Exactly," Harry answered, folding the newspaper and setting it in his lap. "James'll figure it out. We did."

"And he's getting Emily involved! She's only a first-year!" Ginny said, shaking the letter. She was not about to be calmed down. "I wouldn't be surprised if Ernie and Susan are furious with us."

"All right, all right," Harry said, holding his hand out. "Let me see the letter." He scanned it quickly, then froze. He reread it several times. Then he began to laugh.

"What are you giggling at?" Ginny demanded, coming to sit beside Harry and looking at the letter over his shoulder.

"They—hee hee—they've blown up a toilet—ha ha ha!" Harry fell back, his shoulders shaking as he laughed uncontrollably.

"I—what?" Ginny asked, starting to laugh at Harry's amusement.

"Do—d'you remember, the year before you came to Hogwarts—Fred and George—they promised they'd send you a toilet seat," Harry wheezed.

"Oh, no," Ginny said, groaning, but she was starting to laugh harder. She fell back on Harry's arm, and they both lapsed into hysterics for a long while. "Wait—wait, wait," Ginny said, sitting up and wiping tears of laughter from her streaming eyes. "How did you know about that? You weren't with us. That was before I ever came to Hogwarts."

Harry's eyes widened. "Er…I was…erm…I was listening. Sort of. More like—overhearing."

"Aha," Ginny said, grinning shrewdly at him. Harry was saved the trouble of defending himself by a small, redheaded diversion in yellow pajamas.

"Daddy?" came a small voice from the doorway. Both Harry and Ginny sat up, turning around.

"Hi, sweetheart," Harry said. "Did we wake you?"

Lily shook her head, clutching her stuffed owl tightly. "It's too hot," she told them.

Harry smiled and gestured for her to come and sit with them, and pulled her into his lap. Ginny felt Lily's cheek.

"You've got a fever, Pix," she said. "Poor thing."

Lily sighed and cuddled closer to Harry. "What were you laughing at?" Her voice was scratchy.

Harry picked up her stuffed owl and danced it on Lily's knee. "Just a very old joke," he told her. Lily's eyes slowly closed and Harry smiled at Ginny, who giggled again and shook her head.


Yay for another double post! :)