Chapter 29: Stubborn Is as Stubborn Does
August 12, 1930 Diagon Alley, London…
"Man summer flew! I can't believe we're going shopping for our second year stuff!" Myles exclaimed as he and Albus came through the barrier behind the Leaky Cauldron pub.
"I can't believe you two already need new robes," Kendra sighed.
"I can. Men in my family are always tall," Katherine replied flicking her black curls over her shoulder.
"Yeah tall," five year-old Madra nodded flicking her brown curls like her mother had. Madra always tried to do whatever her mother did right down to the way she walked and dressed.
Madra was walking by her mother in a little red and cream dress that was a tinier scale of the one Katherine had on. One and a half year old Minerva was being carried in her mother's arm and was dressed in a light green sundress with her little black curls in a tight ponytail.
"Mum are we going to the vaults first?" Albus asked running a hand through his ear length auburn hair.
"Yes we are and why you won't get your hair cut while we're here? It's beyond me why you want it long," Kendra sighed.
"Grandfather has long hair," Albus stated. Kendra rolled her eyes.
"Ummy I no like aults. I no go," Minerva replied playing with her mother's curls.
"That's okay Minerva. I don't either," Kendra smiled holding her hands for the child. Minerva smiled and willingly went to the other woman.
"You and I shall stay here," Kendra stated as they entered the bank.
"Ood," Minerva nodded, "I like stay wif Untie Kenra."
Kendra laughed kissing Minerva's cheek.
"I miss this part," Kendra sighed.
"I haven't had a chance to miss it," Katherine laughed leading the other three children off with a goblin.
Half an hour later Kendra and Katherine were winding through Diagon Alley buying this and that for the boys and for home.
"Mummy when can I have a pet?" Madra asked as Katherine was buying owl teats for the pet owl Myles had been given last year.
Both boys were Gryffindors to their fathers' delights. Kendra had also been ecstatic and Katherine had not particularly been thrilled but had grown to the idea in time.
"When you go to Hogwarts dear that's the rule we set when Myles was little," Katherine answered.
"You'll just have to settle for mummy's pets," Myles stated.
Madra made a face. She didn't like her mother's cat or owl. Both animals were black as night and always made angry noises at her when ever she was in her mummy's private office/ sewing room when she wasn't supposed to be.
"I don't like Flotsam and Jetsam," Madra replied.
"I could have Phawkes come and play with you sometimes," Albus offered.
Albus had talked his parents into getting a young phoenix they'd discovered in the menagerie last year.
"No," Madra sighed.
"Cheer up sweetie you can play with me and Mina. And it is only six more years," Katherine smiled, "It'll fly I promise."
Madra smiled and took her mother's hand as they headed out of the store to Flourish and Blotts.
"Would you look at what the cat drug in," Mr. Flourish laughed.
"Arnold really that's getting old," Katherine laughed.
"Not to me sweet heart," the man laughed and came toward her kissing her cheek.
"Arnold you are far too much," Katherine giggled.
"I suppose you're here for the boys books?" the man asked.
Katherine nodded to the balding and chubby tall man.
"I already have them behind the counter if you wish to roam around," Arnold stated.
"Thank you," Katherine smiled, "Kids you heard the man. I'll let you each get one new book of your choosing."
Madra, Albus, and Myles hurried off to different parts of the store while Kendra stayed with Katherine. Minerva started reaching out grunting so Katherine set her on the ground and watched the baby toddle off.
"We better follow her," Katherine laughed taking her friend's hand as they hurried after the toddler.
They found Minerva jumping up and down on her little legs trying to reach for a book on a high shelf.
"Hang on," Katherine laughed as she picked up her child.
Minerva was lifted right up close to the shelf and easily grabbed a book. It was a brown leather bound book entitled Aladdin.
"I wan this one," Minerva stated, "You read at night?"
"Yes baby I will," Katherine nodded, "Now let's go find the other wandering children."
It was about eight o'clock at night and Katherine was wandering around her home checking on things. She knocked on her son's door and poked her head in seeing the boy was at his desk talking to his horned owl; Mozart.
"Hey sweetie. Thirty minute warning okay," Katherine replied.
"Okay mother," Myles nodded, "I was just chatting.
"I saw. What are you and Mo discussing this evening?"
"The theory of evolution," Myles grinned.
Katherine laughed shaking her head.
"Oh dear me Myles you are a card," she laughed, "Remember thirty minutes I want you in that bed asleep. I'm not going to have your grandparents mad at me for not getting you to bed at a decent time."
"Yes ma'am," Myles nodded.
Katherine smiled and shut the door as she continued.
Katherine and Ben's house had three floors, a large basement, and a large attic to it. The first floor had the playroom, sunroom, sitting room, bathroom, dinning room, and kitchen. The second floor had the family room, library, Benjamin's private study and Katherine's study/ sewing room with an adjoining door for them, and three guest rooms along with two bathrooms. The third floor had the master bath and bedroom and six bedrooms with three bathrooms. It was a very large Victorian home and exactly as Katherine had requested.
Katherine continued down the long hall of the third floor and knocked on her eldest daughter's room.
"Come in," was the answer to her knock.
"Hey baby it is bed time," Katherine replied entering the room.
"Okay," Madra replied as she stood from the dolls she had been playing with and hurried to the four poster canopy bed at the back of the room. She climbed up the trunk at the foot of the bed and onto the bed as she then burrowed under the pleasant covers.
Katherine came further in the room and waved her hand over the mess her daughter had left as all the dolls stood and marched back into the toy chest to the left. She then sat down on the side of the bed smiling at her baby.
"What shall I sing tonight?" Katherine asked.
Madra always loved a small song before bed.
"Something magic," Madra replied.
Katherine smiled and hummed an enchanting tune as she softly sang to only her daughter.
"Come little child the times come to play… here in my garden of magic. Come little child I'll take thee away into a land of enchantment. Come little child the times come to play in my garden of ma-gic."
Madra yawned as her eyes drooped and she smiled.
"I love you mummy," she said.
"I love you to baby girl," Katherine smiled and kissed the top of the girl's head as she tucked her in and left the room shutting out the lights.
Katherine shut the door and continued on her journey to the nursery. She was about to knock when she heard a crash and someone go "Ouch"
Katherine entered the nursery and watched as Minerva tried to reach her doll that was on that was on the dresser. She was obviously to short but it didn't stop her from building a tower and trying to climb it. By evidence of the atrocious mess she'd failed more than once but she kept trying.
"How long you going to let her keep that up?" Ben whispered in his wife's ear as he wrapped his strong arms around her tiny waist.
"Stubborn is as Stubborn does. She's doing what I would have done if I was that little," Katherine answered.
"So you're waiting till she asks for help which she probably won't ever do," Ben stated.
"She's quite independent," Katherine chuckled quietly.
Minerva climbed up her rickety tower and grabbed the doll just as the whole mess tumbled to the ground. She shut her eyes tight screaming thinking she would hit the ground harder than last time but amazingly she didn't. Minerva opened her eyes and found her self floating around above the mess she'd made.
"Minerva I think you are trying to land yourself in the hospital," Katherine sighed as she and Benjamin entered the nursery.
"She's just like her mummy then," Benjamin laughed as he waved his wand and the room cleaned itself as Minerva flew into her mother's arms.
"I gots it all bys myself," Minerva replied proudly holding her china doll.
"I see that. But now it's time for bed my little demolisher," Katherine replied.
"I has too?" Minerva asked.
"Yes you do. You have to sleep so you are ready for when Grandmother McGonagall comes to get you," Katherine replied.
"Otay. Night Mummy. Night Daddy," Minerva yawned as Katherine laid her in the toddler bed that still had railings to help keep her from falling.
"Good night baby. We love you," Benjamin smiled smoothing her hair.
Katherine kissed the baby's cheek as Minerva gave her a sloppy kiss.
"Wuv yous too," Minerva replied.
Benjamin turned on Minerva's night light as Katherine shut off the lights and they left the room. Ben went to make sure Myles was in bed while Katherine went to their rooms and readied herself for bed.
"It'll be very interesting to see what that one does at school," Ben sighed as he climbed into bed a few minutes later and pulled is wife close to him.
"I fear she will be either as bad or worse than me," Katherine laughed.
"Well as long as she doesn't kill a professor I can live with it," Ben laughed as he kissed his wife's head and they fell to sleep.
