The Houses Competition

Ravenclaw

Charms

Standard

[Object] Shoe Laces

1728 Words

AN Note that young children sometimes invent 'conflicts' as an excuse to play. This behavior is what Lily engages in during the last portion of the story.

It all started when Ginny and Harry needed a sitter. With all of the usual suspects unavailable (read: Hermione, Molly, and Arthur), Ginny turned to her best friend from Hogwarts, Luna, for help.

"I know this is late notice, Luna, but Harry really needs me tonight." Ginny explained over the Floo. "No one expected his cousin's offspring to be a witch, and…" she trailed off. Going to the Dursley household to explain that 'Dahlia Dursley' wasn't perfectly ordinary would be quite the trial, one Ginny would not allow her Harry to face alone.

Thankfully, Luna didn't seem to mind in the least.

"I'm sure Lily and I will be fine; I am her godmother, after all," Luna responded calmly. "Rolf and the boys will have a grand time exploring the woods behind our place while me and Lily have a quiet night in." Luna was well aware that her goddaughter still suffered from fear of the dark and wouldn't enjoy a camping trip as much as her brothers and Luna's sons would. It was a bit of a shame, really, since a nest of Hum-Dingle Hobsnatchers were due to fly past, but the happiness of little Lily was worth it.

"We really owe you one, Luna. Next time you and Rolf need a date night, call on us!" Ginny said with a grin before exiting the Floo. Harry'd arranged to visit his cousin in just over three hours, and she needed to make sure her brood was ready to Floo to Luna's before they had to go.

Three Hours Later

"Everyone ready to go?" Ginny called out. Really, it shouldn't take three hours to prepare three children, two of whom were quite ready to proclaim themselves 'big boys' and not in need of adult assistance anymore. Alas, her offspring took after the Weasley side when it came to getting ready to go somewhere.

"Just one more thing, Mum!" shouted her eldest, James, before running back up the stairs to grab who knew what.

"Oy, Albus, did you get the—," he asked after returning.

"I thought you were going to get it!" Albus cried before rushing off.

Ginny just huffed in exasperation. "Really boys. You'll just be there for the night. It's not as though you're leaving for Hogwarts just yet."

Finally, James and Albus were ready to go. Ginny turned to Lily Luna to find that her daughter, while more put together than her brothers, had ditched her shoes in favor of her puffskein slippers.

"What happened to your rainbow shoes?" Ginny asked.

"Albus and Jamie called me a baby a'cause of 'em. I don't wanna wear stupid rainbow shoes, and you can't make me!" Ginny's youngest exclaimed with her lower lip quivering.

Sighing, Ginny glared at her boys before Accio-ing Lily Luna's shoes. Since her and Luna were planning on staying in, she shouldn't really need her shoes for anything, but it was best to be prepared. For now though, Lily Luna could wear her slippers.

Finally, they were ready to Floo to the Scamander house.

"You three be good for Uncle Rolf and Aunt Luna!" She called, kissing each one of her children on the forehead, much to the disgust of her boys and the delight of her pseudo-nephews. Before apparating out, Ginny handed the shoes to Luna, just in case.

"See you in the morning!"

Pop!

Shortly thereafter, all five of the boys (sorry, men) were quite ready to go on their adventure in the backyard, and Luna had her goddaughter settled in the kitchen for some hot chocolate and girl talk.

"I really love your puffskein slippers, Lily," Luna began as she poured their drinks.

"Thank 'oo," Lily responded.

"I thought your rainbow shoes were your favorite color. Did something happen?" Luna asked gently. She had a fair idea just why Lily suddenly disliked her adorable rainbow-themed shoes but wanted Lily to confirm her theory first.

The four-year-old looked around tentatively, as though to make sure they were alone.

"Don't worry, little one. It's just us. Would it be easier to share secrets from my lap, hmmm?" Luna suggested, having noticed Lily's wandering eyes.

In a flash, the child had climbed into her godmother's lap and manipulated things so that she could whisper in the elder's ear.

"Ahhh, so you love rainbows but don't like poopoo-head older brothers that tease you for not knowing how to tie knots," Luna reiterated, to make sure she had everything straight. Interpreting the whispered communications of the young wasn't always easy, after all.

"Uhhuh!"

"Well, you're in luck, little Lily. I didn't have poopoo-head big brothers, but I do happen to share your dislike of shoes. Would you like to do some crafts with the laces instead?" Luna offered invitingly. Like Lily, she hadn't been the most skilled at tying shoes, so her mum had had her play games with the laces to bring her dexterity up. Perhaps those same games could help Lily this evening.

"I t'ought shoe laces was just for tying, Auntie Luna. How can we make stuff out of them?"

Remembering the fun she'd had before her mum passed, Luna quickly conjured what looked to be a small mountain of laces in front of her young charge. They'd need more than the two laces available in the rainbow shoes, after all.

Soon enough, Lily's tongue was poking out of her mouth as she worked on creating more and more complex braids out of the laces. Once she would finish a braid, Auntie Luna would cast a spell to connect the ends, turning it into beautiful jewelry. Already, they were each wearing shoe lace necklaces and bracelets. If she could just complete this five-lace braid, she'd have a beautiful crown.

Auntie Luna insisted that the crowns had to be made out of five laces, as that helped keep the Joy Sinkers away. Lily didn't know what those were, but she wanted all the protection she could get from them!

Afterwards, Lily learned how to make nests for blue-winged porklets out of the laces and even made a great puffskein mask by weaving extra-long pieces together. By the time Auntie Luna called an end to the fun and said it was time for bed, Lily's anger at her brothers had burnt out. She mightn't be able to tie her laces yet, but she'd get there.

Auntie Luna tucked her into bed with most of her favorite lace creations on the bedside table along with a glow ball to keep the darkness away. Her beautiful crown, however, had been entwined in her hair so that she could wear it in her sleep. Wouldn't do for Joy Sinkers to attack, after all.

Unfortunately, the bladders of five-year-olds are not always up to the task of a full night's sleep, and a few hours later, Lily Luna woke up needing to go. Carrying the glow ball with her, Lily quickly took care of her business before deciding to see if Auntie was still up.

To her disappointment, Lily found Auntie Luna asleep in the living room… only the special Joy Sinker repelling crown wasn't on her head!

"Auntie?" the little girl whispered, nudging her favorite aunt gently in the shoulder.

Auntie Luna didn't wake up! This could be serious.

Biting her lip, Lily Luna came up with a plan. Pitter-pattering back to her bedroom, Lily slipped on all of the shoe lace jewelry she'd made that evening. It wouldn't be a bad thing to have extra protections after all. Lily Luna looked at her slippers and the rainbow shoes. She knew that Auntie Luna's yard was kinda rocky and messy, and she didn't want to mess up her favorite slippers. But wearing her shoes would mean getting teased by her brothers again.

From the other room, Lily heard her aunt turn over. She didn't have time for this. Auntie Luna needed her to get help! Slipping the shoes on, Lily scowled at the laces. Suddenly remembering one of the methods they'd used to create a knotted bracelet, she grabbed the laces in her hands. It wouldn't be a pretty bow, but it would keep her from falling, at least.

Finally, she was ready to go outside. She could just see the sun beginning to rise. Good. That meant she wouldn't need to bring the glow ball.

Shutting the door quietly, Lily ran to the lone tent in the yard.

"Uncle Rolf! Uncle Rolf!" the little girl called as she neared. "You've got to come quick! Auntie Luna won't wake up!"

"What's that, Lily? What are you doing up so early? Something's wrong with Luna?" Uncle Rolf left the tent with sleep-mussed hair.

Rolf knew that Luna always put wards about the place to make sure she knew if someone entered or exited the house. There shouldn't be any way Lily could have left without waking her up. Grabbing his 'niece', he hurried to the house.

Only to find his wife obviously pretending to be asleep.

"She fell asleep w'out wearing her crown! Auntie said the crown keeps Joy Sinkers away. Is it serious, Uncle Rolf?"

Seeing the crown in question, he put some of the pieces together. When their boys had been learning their way around shoe laces, Luna had made a competition out of creating shoe lace objects. No doubt, this was something similar.

"Don't worry, Lily. She'll be just fine. All it takes to wake someone who has been attacked by Joy Sinkers is a great big kiss by the person who helped make the crown. Will you do that for me? Will you kiss her awake while I get the boys in for breakfast?"

"You can count on me, Uncle Rolf!"

By the time Ginny came to pick up her brood, everyone regardless of gender wore a five-strand shoe lace crown on their head.

"Remember, Jamie. If you take it off, you could be attacked by Joy Sinkers. Then I'd have to kiss you lots to make you better. You don't want that, do you?" Ginny overheard as she entered the room.

"Blech, no! But Lils, do I gotta wear it when Hugo comes visiting?"

"We'll see!"

Somehow, Ginny thought her sons had been sufficiently punished for calling their sister a baby, and seeing the rainbow shoes on her daughter's feet (if a little uniquely tied), made her believe she owed Luna a big thank you!