Chapter Twenty-Nine - Tenth Anniversary Year
Winter was never Harry's favourite time of year. He talked Ginny into taking a few days off to go to the island, where they played with the kids, including Teddy, Stewart, and Carolyn, over a four-day weekend in January. She was starting another one of her big, top secret projects, so when they got back, Ginny got right to work in the lab.
Harry was always patient when Ginny, Hermione, and Natalie got like this. He sent lunches to the lab, love notes in the Owl Post, and had little treats left on her workbench. He had a top-secret project of his own, and would leave the kids with Winky for a morning or afternoon once a week and disappear for a few hours. He'd even managed to mask where he was from Ginny's watch and Mum's clock.
Ron and the Cannons were still undefeated halfway through the season with ten wins, and they were looking unstoppable. Harry and the kids played inside most of the time when it was cold, or would go to one of the malls. Teddy, Stewart, Victoire, and Carolyn were regular guests. Teddy was certainly James' hero, and the little boy followed him everywhere. Teddy put up with the attention with an amazing amount of patience. Albus and Carolyn would play together, and Victoire loved to play with Lily. While he did play with the kids a lot, there was also Wizengamot business, and work with the Phoenix Foundation for Harry to deal with too, and with all of that going on, before he knew it, it was Valentine's Day, and the tenth anniversary of the day he proposed to Ginny.
Ginny was sleeping in. It was Saturday, and Harry was taking care of the kids like he did every Saturday morning. She was warm and comfortable, her arms wrapped around a soft, cuddly bundle. Hmmm. There hadn't been a soft cuddly bundle in her arms when Harry had left to go take care of the kids and told her to go back to sleep. She opened her eyes and found herself looking at a miniature version of herself.
"Good morning, sunshine," she told her daughter. "Happy Valentine's Day." Lily smiled at her, and handed her the present just like daddy had taught her. She loved it when Mommy smiled like she was smiling now.
"You got me a present!" Ginny quickly opened it, and found two matching gold bracelets, one small enough for Lily's little wrist. "These are beautiful honey, and they match too." She put one on her daughter, and the other on her own wrist, snuggled back down with her daughter, and then they both decided to have a little more cuddle time before getting up for the day.
James was growing up to be the joke-man of the family, but when it came to mommy, nothing said love like the boxes of chocolates he knew she'd share with him. Albus had picked out a set of earrings for her. Aunt Fleur had assured him that a girl never has too much jewellery. They played with the kids all morning, and took them out for a Valentine's Day lunch, then took them to the Cannons game and watched their team beat the Tornados three hundred and ninety to forty. Make that eleven wins for the season so far.
Grandma and Grandpa were offering Valentine's Day babysitting services, with the added support of Kreacher and Winky, and so the Burrow was bustling with children when Harry and Ginny added their three to the gang. James went wild when he saw that Teddy and Stewart had also volunteered to help out with the overnight event. When the hugs and kisses were over, Harry and Ginny headed for the cottage to get ready for the Valentine's Day dinner and dance they were going to be attending, sponsored by the new Marauders Institute social committee.
There was a giant tent set up near the research building, and Harry and Ginny entered a magical wonderland of reds and whites. The social committee had sold out the two thousand tickets for this first event, and there were already a lot of Witches and Wizards there. Ginny sent a QuillMessage to find out where Hermione and Ron were in the huge place, and they made their way to the table that they would be sharing with Natalie, Owen, Mandy, Terry, Luna, and Neville.
Hermione was wearing a shimmering gown, and looked terrific. Ron wore a suit similar to Harry's own, except light grey to his black. Ginny was spectacular in her floor length gown – which had been part of the reason why they didn't make it to the party earlier. Luna and Neville were there, and Hermione told Ginny that the other couples were here too, just out mingling. Harry went with Ron and Neville to get drinks, and the girls sat down together to talk.
"Pretty awesome game today, Ron" Harry complimented his friend. "The Tornados looked more like a gentle breeze against you guys." Neville and Ron laughed at him.
"We're motivated this year," Ron told him. "It really sucked going out in the semis the last two seasons." Harry nodded.
"You're spoiling the Cannons fans, though, after over a century of futility." Ron shook his head, disagreeing.
"We'll keep it going for a long time now if I have anything to say about it, and I will," Ron stated confidently. Harry had no real doubt about that - after this season, Ron would begin as an assistant coach for the team. Harry was also sure that Ron would be a great coach.
"The girls all look amazing tonight," Neville told the other men. Harry nodded.
"Before I forget, Neville, Happy Anniversary." Ron added his best wishes too, and then they were at the front of the line, picked up the first round of drinks, and went off to rejoin their beautiful wives.
Dinner was an event in itself, with appetizers, salads, soups, and various other dishes, followed by desserts that the girls joked about making them fat just looking at, but all happily polished off without hesitation. Harry smiled as he watched the girls. They all looked beautiful tonight, and each one of the men at the table knew how lucky they were to be married to these amazing women.
Talk about work had been banned for the night, so the girls talked about children, and fashion, and trips they'd been on recently, and probably a dozen other topics throughout the meal. The boys talked Quidditch, and about the latest GameWizard games. There was light-hearted joking among the happy group of friends. They were all busy people now, and it was getting harder to make time to get together just to socialize like this.
The dance had been going on for a couple of hours, and Harry was dancing with Natalie at the moment.
"How's Valerie doing?" he asked her. "I haven't seen her since we launched the last GameWizard." Natalie smiled.
"She's doing great. Owen and I were home for Christmas, and had a wonderful time." Harry returned her smile and hugged her.
"I'm glad, and I saw that her store is staying up near the top in sales for the GamePortal chain too. Maybe we need to find some more Muggle managers."
He did dance with Mandy and Luna and Hermione too, but most of the dances were reserved for Ginny. Harry held her close, breathing in the scent of her hair that he loved so much, feeling how perfectly they fit together. It was after midnight, and they were dancing to a slow ballad when Ginny looked into his eyes.
"Why don't you take me home and put me to bed, Harry," she suggested. "It's been a long day."
He smiled at her, losing himself in those beautiful brown eyes. "That works for me," he agreed. "We could use the sleep before we have to go get the children in the morning." There was a decidedly impish grin on his wife's face now.
"I don't remember saying anything about sleep," she told him with a soft laugh that sent a thrill of excitement flashing through him.
There was so much going on throughout the winter and spring that everything just seemed to be a blur. Victoire turned nine. There was a party for her friends only this time, although Ginny and Mum were there to help Fleur. The family was advised that Marietta was expecting their first child, due in mid to late November (Happy Valentine's Day?), and the new parents-to-be were thrilled.
The Cannons were still undefeated. Teddy turned eleven, now only months away from being a new student at Hogwarts. Harry was still working once a week on his secret project, and Ginny was busy with hers at the lab. The new residence in Romania was nearing completion, and Nathalie was beginning to put her team together. Two more of the Residences were approved - one in Brazil, and one in China.
Natalie and Owen were coordinating the second annual summer vacation for the charity Residences, this time with children going on the trip from all four Residences. By next year, Marauders Paradise would be exclusively used for the Phoenix Foundation children for that last week of July.
Lily was growing so fast, and it seemed like yesterday when she was just a tiny baby. Here she was today, flying on her first toy broom, Mommy running beside her, red hair flying as they both laughed. Harry watched his two favourite girls playing. She was already one year old. Lily was toddling around the house, learning her first words, and every day was an adventure waiting to be discovered in her eyes and smile.
Grandma and Grandpa were over for the small party, along with Victoire, Teddy, Stewart, Carolyn, Nicolas, Rose, and Hugo, who were there, along with some of the grown-ups that belonged to them.
"I see we have a future Gryffindor Chaser in training," Hermione told him as she came up and put her arm around his waist. Harry gave her a hug.
"Could be," he agreed. "She shows some promise. How are you doing? You look great." She smiled at him.
"It's always a bit crazy during Quidditch season, but other than busy, I'm doing good," she told her. He smiled and kissed her cheek.
"At least there's only a little over a month left to go before the Championship game," he answered, and Hermione nodded.
"I just hope they win, or he might decide to play 'just one more season'." Harry laughed.
"I wouldn't count on his coaching job getting him home any earlier. Knowing Ron, he'll be breathing Quidditch until he's a wrinkled up old geezer."
June brought with it a still undefeated Cannons team, with nineteen wins going into their final regular season game. Harry took 'the boys' to the game, on the road against the Arrows, while Ginny went with 'the girls' on a clothes-shopping trip. Harry had recruited Bill, George, and Percy to assist with the gang, which included Teddy, Stewart, Art, Nicolas, James, and Albus. Hugo was the lone male exception for the shopping trip.
The Arrows did not want to be the team that went down in the books as the team the Cannons beat to go undefeated for the season, so they played hard, and it was a long game. The Arrows' Seeker spent most of his time trying to block Dennis from catching the snitch, but his team just kept falling farther behind on points. Dennis finally caught the snitch in the fourth hour, and the Cannons, behind another terrific Keeper performance from Ron, won the game, finished the season undefeated and in first place going into the playoffs.
James knew he was starting to grow up when for his fourth birthday he got his very own GameWizard, filled with every game that was available and appropriate for his age. Teddy even dusted his off and had those games installed so that he could play against James when he was at Hogwarts. They had a party for James, and there were other presents, but once he got his game system, everything else was pretty much ignored in favour of the non-stop action of racing brooms and fighting dragons.
The Cannons won easy victories in the quarter and semi finals, and were in the Championship game against the Wimbourne Wasps, who upset both Puddlemere United and the Holyhead Harpies to reach the finals. The entire Weasley clan was at the Championship game to watch Ron's last professional match. Rose had given him a kiss for luck before the game.
Harry was sitting with Ginny and the boys, with Lily on his lap. The Cannons and Wasps roared out onto the field to the cheers of the packed stadium crowd. There was the pre-game ceremony, and then the game started, and the teams took to the air. Harry wanted to be fair to the Wasps, since they had managed to beat two good teams to get to the finals, but either they were just so glad to have made it this far and were maybe overconfident, or they were really not very good in comparison to the Cannons because the game went very badly for them right from the start.
It was fun to watch Demelza fly around scoring at will, and to watch Ron stop every single shot that the Wasps' Chasers sent his way, and to see Dennis fly circles around their Seeker, but it was not what anyone would call a 'good game'. Final score: seven hundred and thirty to zero. The nightly sportscast that was on all of the WWVN networks lead with the by-line - Chudley Cannons go 23-0 to win League Championship.
School was out for the summer, and Ginny took her girls shopping to celebrate another great year for both Lisa and Megan. Harry spent the day in Romania with Nathalie and Charlie, showing the first group of children their new home. They had fifty-six children starting, and so they split up into three groups while they did the tour. Harry was again moved by these kids, and he again promised himself he wouldn't stop until there weren't any more kids anywhere in the Wizarding World that were left somewhere unloved and uncared for. When he got back home that night, he hugged his kids and was again thankful that he and Ginny could be there for them.
Harry and Ron had taken Hermione and Ginny to Marauders Paradise for their tenth anniversary. They had dinner with Gabrielle, Kevin, and Michael, then after dropping Michael off with a babysitter, went out for an evening of dancing. Gabrielle, who was in on the secret Harry had been working on since January, suggested they go to the WizardKaraoke lounge, and then suggested that Harry again do a song for them. When it was his turn, Harry stepped to the front of the stage.
"I'd like to dedicate this song to my wife, Ginny, on our tenth anniversary," he told the hundred or so patrons. There was a quiet round of applause, and then the music started.
The crowd quieted as a song that none of them had ever heard before began with the soft sounds of a harp. The gently cascading notes were soon joined by a symphony playing a soft, beautiful melody. When Harry began to sing, he smiled gently, and looked directly into Ginny's eyes as the rest of the room and the world was lost to both of them.
You, Loved me from the start
You gave me your heart
Though I didn't even know it
You, stood beside me through the rain
Said we'd make it through the pain
But I never believed we would
Then the sun came out from behind the clouds
A rainbow shone across a clear blue sky
And all the dreams I'd ever hoped for
Finally came true
Then I gave you my heart
Promised forever
Told you I'd spend every day
Showing you how much I care
And tonight
When I look in your eyes
I know that forever won't be long enough
You, Made me want to live
And with the love we have to give
We will cherish every moment
You - Are more beautiful tonight
And now with all of my heart
I want to tell you again
That I give you my heart
Promise forever
I'm still gonna spend every day
Showing you how much I care
And tonight
When I look in your eyes
I know that forever won't be long enough
I give you my heart
Promise forever
I'm still gonna spend every day
Showing you how much I care
And tonight
When I look in your eyes
I know that forever won't be long enough
No, forever won't be long enough
Forever just could never be long enough
The last notes of the song faded, and Harry quietly walked back to Ginny, who stood and hugged him tightly. They both had tears in their eyes, as did Hermione and Gabrielle. When Harry and Ginny kissed, they heard another round of applause, and they both laughed.
"Do you think that was for the song, or the kiss?" Ginny asked him. "That was beautiful. Thank-you." Gabrielle had been given a 3D-VMP by one of the waiters, and she handed it to Ginny.
"Here's your video player back - with the addition of the premiere and only performance of an original song written and performed by Harry Potter, with the assistance of the Magick Arts Centre Symphony," she told Ginny, who smiled at her friend and gave her a warm hug.
"Thank-you," she told Gabrielle. "We'll talk later about keeping secrets from your favourite adopted sister." Both girls laughed and hugged again. Ron had his arm around Hermione, and she was still wiping away a last few tears.
"Have you all had enough of this sentimental stuff?" he asked Harry, Kevin, and the girls. "Let's go grab a late night snack. I'm starving!" Hermione punched him in the arm lightly.
"You're always hungry," she reminded him. "Besides, aren't you going to get up and sing me a love song?" Ron gave Harry a 'you had to go and start something' look.
"I'm showing you how much I love you right now by not inflicting my singing voice on you or on an unsuspecting public," he answered. They all laughed, Hermione hugged him, and then they all agreed to go feed their friend before he starved.
There were more birthday parties in July - Rose turned three, and Art turned six. Harry was busy with the preparations for the last week of July and getting ready for all the kids going to Marauders Paradise. Susan had hardly taken any time off at all since she started at the Residence, and Harry had tried to get her to take a week off, but she told him there was no way she was missing the best week of the whole year while everyone else got to have all the fun.
The day that every child in every Residence had marked on their calendars had finally arrived for them, and there were excited children at five residences in four countries that left for the island that day. They had spread the arrivals out over the morning, local time, and by noon there were nearly eight hundred children and just over seven hundred volunteer chaperones on the island. Marauders Institute and GamePortal workers and managers made up the majority of the volunteers. Harry and Ginny were there with Teddy, James, Albus, and Lily. This year, Stewart, Lisa, Megan, and Carolyn were the four children that they were chaperoning for the week.
Gabrielle was busy when they arrived, so they were shown to their suite by one of the members of the hotel staff. When they had settled in, Lisa and Megan asked Ginny to go exploring the shops with them, and Teddy and Stewart offered to take James and go out to play some games, leaving Harry with Albus, Carolyn, and Lily. They went to one of the playgrounds for a while, and followed that up with ice cream cones.
They had all agreed to meet for lunch, and gathered at one of the outdoor patio restaurants. The older children and teens talked excitedly about what they'd done so far, and then after lunch they were all off again for the afternoon. Harry took the younger kids back to their suite to have a little nap. Since it had already been afternoon back home when they had come here, Albus, Carolyn, and Lily were getting tired, even though it was only just after noon here.
When it was time to get ready for the banquet, they all met back at the suite to grab showers and get dressed up for the dinner party. They needed the biggest ballroom in the hotel for the group that now included over fifteen hundred Witches and Wizards big and small. Harry, Ginny, and their group sat with Gabrielle, Kevin, and Michael.
Gabrielle made her welcoming remarks when everyone had been seated, again telling the children and their chaperones about a few of the activities and entertainment available for them, along with the few group events, which this year would include an afternoon 'Residence Challenge' where the participants from each Residence would compete for the first annual Phoenix Foundation Cup. It was up to each group to put together their teams of eight children and two chaperones. The dinner was as amazing as the one Harry remembered from last year, and he loved seeing so many more happy children's faces this year.
Lisa and Megan were now fourteen and thirteen, and had discovered that boys were maybe not all creepy and slimy, and there were a number of boys who had discovered them too. Teddy and Stewart had also noticed the girls, but at eleven, they weren't quite yet ready to admit in public that girls just might be fun to be around. Teddy had, by now, stopped complaining about girl germs - even from Victoire.
The boys played LaserBroom, and were now old enough to play on jet-skis. The girls would go to the teen dance club at night while the others would play games, or maybe have a night time swim in one of the pools. The weather was beautiful every day, and they all were having a wonderful holiday.
The Phoenix Foundation Challenge day came, and their group had tried to get both Harry and Ginny to be the two chaperone members of the team, but Harry convinced them that if there was any chance that video games were involved in the contest, that their team would be in big trouble with him on it, so instead they got Ginny and Ron. They picked out four boys and four girls, and they'd had to have certain age groups too, so the children on their residence team ranged in age from six to seventeen.
Each of the events that were going to make up the competition had been kept a secret, so none of the teams had any idea what to expect. They met on one of the larger beaches, and the games began shortly after lunch. There were jet-ski races, which 'our' team won. The younger team members had a sand castle-making contest, which the team from France won by making a castle that was complete with a water-filled moat, flags, and a dragon.
The American team won the beach volleyball competition, and Charlie led the Romanian Residence's team to victory in the broom race. Harry had nearly forgotten that his brother-in-law had been the Gryffindor Seeker when he'd gone to Hogwarts. The team from Dumbledore House won the fifth event - a tug-of-war with the losing team getting pulled in to a specially designed portable swamp courtesy of Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes.
There was a five-way tie going into the final challenge. Harry's hunch had been right, and the final challenge was a playoff of 3D World Cup Quidditch. Each team selected seven members from their team, and the final competition began. The teams all had a lot of fun, but in the end, it was a seven-year old GameWizard master who was on the team from France that defeated the Lily Evans Memorial Residence team.
The first Phoenix Cup was presented to the team and Residence from France at the final banquet. They would keep the Cup at their Residence, bringing it back with them next year, where they would then attempt to defend their title. New Volunteers were presented with their pins next, and then it was time to enjoy another great meal, which was the best part of these banquets. After dinner, the students and chaperones had one last chance to mingle with new friends, go play favourite games, or take a walk of the beach before they all had to get some sleep and pack up to be ready to leave for home the next day.
Lisa and Megan had promises from the two boys they'd spent most of the week hanging around with, who were students at Beauxbatons to write to them, and see them here next year. Harry and Ginny spent the evening with Gabrielle, Kevin, Charlie, and Nathalie, since there was a good chance they wouldn't all be together again until Christmas. Teddy, Stewart, Art, Michael, and James did one last blast through some of their favourite activities. Albus, Carolyn, and Lily went back to their suite early, and stayed with one of the babysitters that were always available on the island. When Harry and Ginny had finally rounded up their gang and gotten them back to the suite, it was well into the early hours of the morning. They all slept in late, and then, packing up, regretfully headed back home, loaded down with souvenirs and wonderful memories.
