Hogwarts Again - A New Generation

Chapter 12 - Half-term Holiday

DISCLAIMER: I do not yet own the Harry Potter world or franchise... Alas.

Author's Note: Sorry for the late update, guys. Oh gods, it's almost a month! I'm soooo sorry, guys. I was ill and mom wouldn't let me post anything I'd written while laying in bed, bored out of my mind. I tried everything, even my baby seal eyes. *sigh* Didn't work. Anyway, 'nough said. Let's get on with the story! Hope you enjoy!

Ivy was looking forward to seeing her parents again. Only, she wasn't looking forward to the explanation part. Daisy insisted on knowing the full story, even after Ivy reassured her that Uncle Harry and Dad Dudley wouldn't be friends now if they straight out hated each other when they were kids. Daisy was clearly making a mountain out of a molehill. Ivy was exasperated with her by the time the Hogwarts Express pulled to a stop at Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

It was a half-term holiday, and the twins were going back home for a week. Mom was there, waiting for them, and they rushed to hug her as soon as they jumped out of the train. She laughed and hugged them back. In a few minutes, they were headed home in a Muggle taxi and the twins were telling their mother all about their awesome school and how they liked it - loved it there.

"I mean, it's all awesome-"

"-and there are super exciting secret passages-"

"-that we have yet to discover and explore-"

"-and the village is absolutely breathtaking," Daisy finished.

Violet smiled at them. "I'm glad you like it there so much."

"Of course we love it there," said Ivy. "All the... you know, cool bonus abracadabra and stuff," she put her words in italics for the Muggle driver's sake. "We missed you, though."

"Well, I missed you too," said Violet. "Your father and I have a very big surprise for you two. Guess what?"

"Ooh, what?" asked Daisy immediately. She loved surprises. "Is it chocolate cake? 'Cause I love chocolate cake!"

"No, it's not chocolate cake," laughed Violet with a faraway look in her eyes. "It's something much more special and lovely."

"Uh, Mom," started Daisy hesitantly. "We also- I also," she corrected herself, seeing her sister give her a look. "have something to ask you and Dad... Um..."

"Later, Daisy," Ivy interrupted her. "We'll discuss that after we get home."

Their mother watched them curiously, but did not press the matter. They got out of the taxi when they reached home, and Violet paid the driver and the three Dursleys went inside.

They weren't carrying much luggage, or they'd have to lug their trunks again while going back. So, they'd just brought necessary things like a set of Muggle clothes to change in the train, something to eat (can't forget that, can we), toothpaste and their own toothbrush. They had clothes at home, after all. Now, they were both wearing jeans and T-shirts and both had their hair in braids down their backs.

Dudley greeted them when they entered the house. The twins hugged and kissed their dad's cheek and they all sat down to eat something - chocolate cookies today. Yum.

"So," said Dudley. "How's your first year at Hogwarts? I always wished I could go too."

"It was absolutely cool," Ivy told them all about their time and her parents listened with smiles on their lips as they heard their daughter's evident excitement and happiness while talking about her school.

Finally, after dinner, Daisy got up the nerve to ask her father, "Dad, did you and Uncle Harry hate each other?" Immediately, she wished she hadn't asked that or at least phrased it some other way.

Her father looked at her in surprise and shock. "What?"

Daisy fidgeted, twisting her fingers and looking steadily out of the window. "Well, we were at Hogsmeade, and there were these two other girls..." And she told them about the conversation they'd had with the other two girls. Dudley looked uncomfortable under his daughters' stares - Ivy had also started paying attention and occasionally filling in things that her sister missed - but said nonetheless, "Well... yes, we sort of... hated each other back then. We were like... well, I'm a Muggle, my mom and dad are, too, and they hated magic back then, and you know, I grew up with them, so I sort of disliked magic too, until I was about seventeen..." He said it all in a rush, and the young witches listened intently.

Violet came to her husband's rescue. "Children, your father was only a teenagr at the time, he was under the influence of his parents, and they probably thought witches and wizards were evil, like in their fairy tales, and feared them. But once your father realised the truth, I assure you, he did not hate the wizarding community, but went along with it. He and your uncle are great friends now, they have been since the end of the second wizarding war."

Dudley shot her a grateful look. True, he didn't hate and fear magic anymore, but he still felt very guilty when he thought about all those cruel things they'd done to Harry... But Violet was not done for now.

"What I want to know," she looked at her children sternly. "Is why you believed all those things told by a stranger about your father, even if they might be true. What put the doubt in your mind?"

Ivy and Daisy looked away. "We didn't- I- Mom, we didn't know what to believe," said Ivy. "I didn't believe them, and I don't think Daisy did, either, not totally, but well... we couldn't completely ignore the matter either."

"Yeah," Daisy took it from her. "Dad, we love you, we never doubted you or anything, we were just uncomfortable about the whole thing and I decided I wanted to clear the air and not give the thought any more chance to occur again, that's all."

"Yeah, dad," continued Ivy. "We love you both and we would never doubt you."

Violet smiled at their little speech and Dudley felt an enormous wave of relief spread over him. Thank Merlin. His little girls didn't hide anything from their parents, not even suspicions, as some children tend to. They talked it all over like a good family should. That reminded him.

He looked at his wife. "Have you told them yet?"

She shook her head. "I was just about to, when Daisy posed you with her query." She chuckled.

"Tell us what?" Ivy looked curious but also uneasy. "Mom said she had a surprise for us, what is it?"

"Well, Ivy," Violet smiled that dreamy smile that Dudley had seen a hundred times and loved dearly. "You are going to get a new sibling soon." She put a hand on her belly and the twins gasped.

"W-what?" asked Daisy, completely flabbergasted. "A- a sibling?"

"A boy or a girl?" Ivy seemed much more excited than her sister.

Daisy looked at her with shock and disbelief. "But Ivy, a sibling."

"Well, yeah. I suspected it as soon as I saw mum's round belly." she grinned. "It's not very big yet, but it's bigger."

Violet smiled, though she was a bit puzzled by Daisy's reaction. "We don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet. And truth be told, I don't want to ruin the surprise. I'd rather find out when he or she is born."

"What about names, then?" Daisy asked, though a bit hesitant, which both her mother and her father noticed immediately. "How will you choose names if you don't even know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"We'll choose a girl's name and a boy's name, of course," answered Dudley. "And name the baby accordingly after it's born."

"Have you already chosen it?" was Ivy's eager question.

Violet laughed. "Yes! Erica if it's a girl, and Eric if it's a boy."

"Simple," grinned Ivy. "I like the name."

The adults smiled. They talked about the baby till the clock chimed twelve, and by the time they went to sleep, even Daisy had a smile on her lips and a happy look in her eyes, though they morphed into one of worry and jealousy when she had changed and lay in bed, waiting for sleep to come. She didn't want another little baby in the house to take up all her mom's attention. She didn't mind Ivy, they were twins after all, and one could never be jealous of one's twin. But she didn't like this little baby, though she hated herself for thinking that whenever she saw her mother's happy smile and dreamy eyes.

[Line Break]

Ivy knew something was wrong when Daisy immediately sighed with relief as soon as they boarded the Hogwarts Express after the weekend. She frowned. Daisy had been dying to return home, but now, she seemed relieved to leave home. What was the matter?

"What's wrong?" she asked abruptly.

Daisy looked at her. "Wrong? Nothing's wrong."

Ivy gave her a long look. She knew when her twin was lying. They weren't twins for nothing. "You've been upset ever since we returned to St. Ottery. What's bothering you?"

Daisy looked away. "You ever think about our baby sibling?"

Ivy wondered why she had changed the subject like that. Or maybe she hadn't... "How could I not? We're going to get a new sibling! Personally, I hope it's a girl."

Daisy remained silent. Unusual. Worrying. What was wrong?

"Daisy?"

"I don't want a sibling," she said so quietly, Ivy barely heard her.

"You... don't-"

"No. I'm quite happy with just us two. I don't want another baby to take up all the attention."

Ivy was so relieved, she started laughing. Attention problems? That was all? She'd thought... Well, she wasn't sure what she'd thought. Daisy looked at her and Ivy stopped laughing quickly. She didn't know it, but Daisy was a bit scary when she was glaring at you.

"Daisy," Ivy couldn't quite hide the laughter in her voice, earning another glare. "Mom and dad will still love us, you know. No need to feel jealous of our little baby sibling."

"I just- I'm afraid that they'll ignore me- ignore us with a new baby to care for. I know it's nonsense, but I feel that way and I hate myself for it."

"Don't," Ivy advised her sagely. "Don't blame yourself, Daisy. You just wait and see. You'll be fine. We'll be fine. Let's concentrate on our studies for now, then perhaps you can talk to mom about it-"

"No. I'd- I'd feel like a monster if I actually said that to mom. She'd be so sad and disappointed-"

"Nonsense," Ivy chided her. "Of course she won't, silly. Okay then, you needn't talk to her if you don't want to. Wait till the baby's born. Babies are irresistable. You'll grow to love her. Or him," she added. "Everything will be perfect."

She spoke with such certainty, it was hard for Daisy to not believe her. Yet she felt like a monster, disgusted with herself, whenever she thought of her jealousy towards her to-be-born new family member.

She pushed all those dark thoughts out of her head and settled down in her seat. The rest of the journey was spent in comfortable silence.

Come on, guys, just a short review. How long can it take?