Three days later, like Liz promised, Mia and Sirius were able to bring the most recent addiction to the family home.
Mia was in their room, putting Liv to sleep in a small cradle they had set in there. The baby opened her eyes and looked her mother. Mia noticed, amazed, that they were not blue anymore. She went to the hallway and called Sirius.
"What? Anything wrong?" he asked, running up the stairs.
"You've got to see this" Mia whispered to him, bringing her husband close to the cradle. The small baby was still looking around "Look at her eyes. Don't you recognise them?"
Sirius looked closer. Liv's eyes were pale green "Lulu's eyes" he stated "She's going to flip"
"Our baby girl is a box full of surprises. Maybe she'll be the first Black head girl in Hogwarts. I wouldn't put my bets in Mandy, seeing how she and Alex are" Mia said
"Or maybe she'll become a famous quidditch player" Sirius stated
"Keep dreaming dog-boy" Mia laughed
"Dog-man, please" he corrected "No respect for people these days"
Mia laughed and kissed her husband in the lips, leaving the room with him.
"Thirty-nine days" he murmured.
"What?" Mia asked him
"Thirty-nine days until we can go all feisty again" he explained "You know, take a roll in the sack"
"Sirius Orion Black!" Mia shouted "Is that all you can think of? How to get in my knickers? I just gave birth three days ago"
"Don't tell me you don't like it" he grinned.
Mia tried hard not to grin back "That is not the point, you horny bastard"
"Trying to leave the subject" he laughed
"Stop it! You're frustrating me" Mia pleaded him.
"Oh, so you admit you really like it" her husband joked
"Sirius!" she shot.
---
Molly was cooking lunch when Percy came into the kitchen with a petit blond girl who was around George's age.
"Mum, this is Audrey King" he presented "My girlfriend"
"Girlfriend?" Molly asked "What about Penny?"
"Er…we split, didn't I mention it?" he asked
"No" Molly said. She turned to Audrey "I'm sorry darling but this was quite a surprise. It is a pleasure to meet you"
"You too, Mrs Weasley" Audrey told her
"Call me Molly, dear" she said "So, did you go to Hogwarts with Percy?"
"She's a muggle, mum" Percy said
"Oh, your father will be delighted" Molly said. In that moment, Harry and Ginny apparated in the kitchen with a pop.
"Hello everyone" Ginny said "Is there place for two more in the lunch table?"
"Ginny burnt our lunch" Harry explained
"How? She such a wonderful cook" Molly wondered
"We were distracted" Ginny blushed
"Audrey, meet Ginny, my sister, and Harry, my brother-in-law" Percy told his girlfriend "Harry, Ginny, this my girlfriend Audrey"
"What about…" Ginny started
"Penny and I broke up months ago. She is with some German guy, Fritz, I think, and moved to his hometown" Percy explained
"We were already falling for each other before Penny was out of the picture" Audrey continued "But we did nothing more then chat before they broke up"
"It was a mutual accord. Coincidently, we were both going to suggest a break-up that night" Percy finished
"Alright" Ginny said. She turned to Audrey "Let me show you around the house" and they left the kitchen.
Moments later, Arthur came in "Hello Harry, Percy" he greeted
"Arthur, did you know that Percy came here to present his new girlfriend to us?" Molly asked "She's a muggle"
"A muggle?" Arthur inquired fascinated "Where is she? I can't wait to meet her. Maybe she'll tell me what Antress balls are"
"You mean, anti-stress balls?" Harry corrected his father-in-law, who nodded "You're supposed to squeeze them to relieve your tension"
"Incredible these muggles" Arthur said, while he was leaving the room.
Molly was shaking her head "That one will never change"
---
After closing the store for the day, Izzy and George decided it was still early to go home.
"So, what are the plans for tonight?" Izzy asked
"I don't know" he said, eating a cauldron cake "Let's keep walking until we run out of candies"
"We can always buy more" Izzy told him
"That is a possibility" George agreed. The night was chilly, so George wrapped his arms around Izzy.
"You know, if you hadn't shown up right after the war, I'd probably still be depressed because if Fred" George told her.
"Depression is totally anti-you" she stated
"I couldn't agree more" he said "But that was how I felt. And then you shown up. It is impossible to feel sad around you. It took me a while to admit that I liked you because I was afraid you'd be freaked and leave, and that was something I could not bear"
"Except that neither did I get freaked nor I left" Izzy finished
"Exactly" George agreed "Gred kept telling me to confess what I felt, that you would never back off because I liked you"
"Incredible thing" Izzy laughed "Your brother, who lives in a portrait, knows me better then you did"
"Seeing things from an outside point of view makes everything a lot more clear" George stated "But then I realized that we only live once and it was better telling you what I felt"
"Just so you know, I would not have taken the first step, at least not in the next five years" Izzy declared. George looked at her in disbelief "Don't give me that look, George. In my mind, I would be making a fool of myself by telling you that I liked you. I was the girl, almost four years younger then the guy she fell for. I thought you'd laugh at me and tell me to forget my 'silly fantasy' and go look at someone else who was my own age. Except it was no fantasy, I had indeed fell in love with you"
"It is the first time you say that you fell in love with me" George murmured.
"The truth is to be said" Izzy told him "I love you, I want it to be clear"
"I love you too, I want it to be clear" George mimicked.
"Copycat" Izzy laughed "Create your own love declaration"
---
September 1st arrived and it was time to leave to Hogwarts.
"Please, Izzy" Mia told her daughter while she finished packing Liv's things "Try not to destroy the house while we are gone"
"Come on, mom" Izzy said "What do you think I am? A tornado? I'll probably spend most of my time in the store, so don't worry"
"Alright" Mia agreed. She hugged her daughter "This is the first time in two years that one of us goes to school and the other stays at home"
"The good thing is that you are a teacher, so you can visit any time you want" Izzy stated "Now, let me go get my baby sister"
Izzy disappeared up the stairs. Mia sighed.
"Someone is feeling sentimental" Lulu stated from the doorway
"I'm not used to be away from her anymore" Mia said
"Every mother knows that there is a time when they will have to let their children fly by themselves" Lulu declared "I did it myself"
"I remember" Mia sighed
"You'll be fine" Lulu told her daughter "She lives less then a mile away. You can see her every day if you want. Now, I have to go to dear old Hogwarts. I need to unpack everything before noon, I have plans"
Mia smiled mischievously "Oh, mummy has a lunch date" she joked "Who's my new daddy?"
"Your husband is a bad influence" Lulu stated
"Don't run away from the question, mom" Mia insisted "Who is he?"
"I don't know" Lulu answered
"Oh my god! My mother is going to a blind date!" Mia laughed
"It was Poppy's idea" Lulu grumbled
"Madam Pomfrey arranged you a blind date?" Mia laughed again
"You know me and Poppy were best friends in our school time. She knows my type, so it is likely this date won't be a catastrophe" Lulu explained "And you were the one who wanted me to find someone"
"Alright, mom" Mia said "I was only kidding. I'm crossing my fingers for you"
"You're better be" Lulu told her "See you later" and she left.
Izzy arrived with Liv, followed by the twins. She put her baby sister in the carrier. Sirius also arrived with Evan and put him on the floor.
"Time to go, people" he announced "Remember, Isabelle Black, no funny business with your boyfriend under this roof"
Izzy laughed "I have no idea of what you are talking about" and she hugged him goodbye "What about in the balcony?" she said in his ear.
"Hey!" he shouted immediately.
"I'm kidding dad" Izzy laughed.
"I hope so" he declared.
Izzy kneeled on the floor "Come here, monsters" she told the twins. They ran to her and she hugged them at the same time "Don't forget to ask mom to let you visit me"
"We won't" Mandy promised
"Can we visit George too?" Alex asked
"Of course you can" Izzy told them.
They kissed her in the cheek and ran outside.
Izzy kissed Evan and Liv and minutes later, she was the only Black in the house.
I'm better go to the platform and give Evie the map Izzy thought.
---
Evie was talking to Lucas, Tess and Jack.
"Almost time to go, Eve" Kingsley warned her
"Alright, dad" Evie said.
"Hi guys" Izzy greeted them.
"Oh, hi Izzy, we didn't know you were coming" Liz said
"Actually, I need to talk to these four" she declared, mentioning the four friends.
"Okay, we are going to greet Mary, she's with her niece" Liz declared
When they were left alone, Izzy turned to Evie "Harry asked me to let you borrow something"
"What is it?" Evie asked.
Izzy took the map out of her purse "This is called the marauders map. To activate it, you have to tap it with your wand and say 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good'. This map will show you not only Hogwarts but the secret passages, their passwords and the people in Hogwarts. After you use it, say 'Mischief Managed' and no one will be able to see what it does"
"But why are you giving it to me? I am not a marauder and neither was my mum" Evie asked
"Still, you are the closest thing we have to one in Hogwarts" Izzy told her "I trust the four of you will give this map a lot of use. Don't forget, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes will sponsor all your pranks"
"Sounds like this year will be interesting" Lucas said "Count on me for the pranks"
"Me too" Jack agreed "Can I suggest that we start with my dearest sister?"
"Good for me. I am in for the 'Lisa Brennan operation'" Tess declared
"What about you, Evie?" Izzy asked
"Of course I am in!" Evie told her "Exactly how long can I borrow the map?"
"Until you graduate" Izzy said "Then, it will be the twins' turn"
"Thanks, Izzy" Evie said
"We are open for suggestions of pranks" Jack said "Good ideas are never too much"
"Have a nice school year then…partners" Izzy wished them
---
Lulu was in the Tree Broomsticks waiting for her date. She was sitting in the table on the counter's right, like Poppy had told her. She was so caught up reading an article in the Daily prophet, that she didn't even notice a tall man with golden brown hair and dark blue eyes come in the pub.
"Luce?" he asked. Lulu took her eyes off the newspaper and recognised the person that had said her name. It was Samuel Whedon, a Gryffindor in her year whom she had a crush for since they met. However, they had never been more that friends.
"Sam!" she said "Long time, no see"
"Let me guess, you are the blind date that Poppy arranged for me" he said and Lulu nodded "How long has it been? Forty years?"
"Forty-one" she corrected him
"I didn't see you since you dropped Hogwarts. I always wandered what happened to you" Sam told her.
"It is a long story" Lulu laughed "Probably would ruin our date right now"
"Oh, please. It has been over forty years, Luce"
"Alright, if you say so…" Lulu said "You probably remember Gabriel McKinnon"
"Of course, we were roommates" Sam confirmed
"Me and Gabe were…friends with benefits" Lulu continued "One day, we forgot to use contraception and I got pregnant"
"Oh…" was all Sam was able to say "Did he walk out on you?"
"No, but at the same time, he was not actually there by my side. We kept on touch during the pregnancy, but we both thought that we were not ready to become single parents, so I gave the child for adoption" she explained
"I really do not know what to say" Sam stated "I though you had left because you someone in your family got sick or something. I'm sorry you had to be separated from your baby"
"I wasn't exactly separated from my baby" Lulu stated "I became her nanny"
"Okay…I didn't see that one coming" he laughed
"Her adoptive parents were to busy to care for her. Now, she knows that I am her mother and treats me like I never gave her up. Her name is Amelia, Mia"
"You have some story to tell Luce"
"So you are not upset?" she asked
"I admit that I would be at that time, but now, I understand what you have been through" he explained.
"As we are in a confessing mood, let me tell you that I liked you more than a friend since first year" Lulu stated "But I was not exactly planning a long-time commitment at that time"
"Funny thing, I liked you that way too" Sam admitted "But I guess it would not work between us at that time. We were too…liberal"
"If by liberal you mean serial daters, I agree" Lulu laughed "So, how is your Friday?"
"What?"
"I mean, do you have plans for Friday night?" she asked
"No. Do you want to make plans for Friday night?" he asked back
"If you insist" Lulu agreed "Oh, and by the way, I do not follow the three-date rule"
"Fine by me" Sam agreed
A/N: I managed to update today, despite all the work I have to do. Please, review, I made a big effort to post this one.
