Chapter XII: Holiday with Babes
Autor's note: Alright, in this chapter Wizard children learn to talk really fast. Is that alright?
Author's note # 2: Can someone explain to me what angst is?
A ear-splitting cry woke Ginny late that night. She turned in her bed and picked Melanie up from beside her. She was bawling her lungs out.
"What's the matter?" Ginny asked. "Do we want some milk? Maybe we need to be changed."
Ginny felt Melanie's diaper. It was definately the changing one. Quickly as possible, Ginny pulled a diaper from the baby's carry bag. She changed the baby as quickly and efficiently as she could. Melanie seemed alright after that. She calmed down and even close her eyes. Ginny hummed her a lalaby while laying her on the bed.
Ginny heard voices down in the livingroom. She wondered who on Earth would eb up at that late hour. Slowly, she exited her room and climbed down enough stairs so that she could see into the living room. Mrs. Weasley was talking to a head in the fireplace. The head was dark- skinned and looked kind yet worried. It was Mary, Bill's wife.
"Not to change the subject, but how are the children?" Mary asked.
"They're quite find," Mrs. Weasley assured her. "There is no reason to be upset."
"And-and Melanie?"
"She's just find," Mrs. Weasley told her. "She's fast asleep in Ginny's room."
Ginny glanced at George and wondered how on Earth he couls stay asleep through it all. Of course, he and Fred were the family sound sleepers. The house could explode and it waould just be camflauge noise them them.
"I'm so sorry to bother you and all," Mary appologized. "I just worry when they're away from home."
"Yes, I know what you mean."
"Bill would kill me if he knew I was calling you with our 'us' time," Marry explained.
"And how're things going?" Mrs. Weasley queried.
"It's nice to finally being alone," Mary voiced. "We're talking now. Not that we never talked before, but now we're sort of connecting. It's like we're newly weds again. We stay up for hours and talk about nothing at all. Yesterday, he made me dinner."
"Isn't that romantic," Mrs. Weasley giggled.
Ginny couldn't remember ever hearing her mother giggle before that moment.
"Well, I couldn't have been in the privy this long," Mary laughed. "I'd better get back to Bill. Kiss my babies for me."
"Alright," Mrs. Weasley agreed.
The fire ingulfed Mary's head and then she was gone. Mrs. Weasley sighed. A sudden bang made Ginny jump. Mr. Weasley stood in the open doorway, shivering and exhausted.
"Why, Arthur, what happened?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, running over to him.
"Someone had a antique rifle from General Custerd," Mr. Weasley explained.
"Why didn't you go to the imfirmery?" Mrs. Weasley demamnded.
"Oh, Molly," Mr. Weasley began, "it's just a flesh wound."
"You still should have sought medical help," Mrs. Weasley ridiculed.
Mrs. Weasley rushed out of the room while Mr. Weasley, with some difficulty, removed his robes. Ginny gasped, seeing the bloodstain on his shirt. Mrs. Weasley returned with loads of clean sheets, which she ripped up into shreads. Ginny watched Mrs. Weasley lead Mr. Weasley into the living room. She slowly bandaged him. Ginny bit her nails.
"Are you alright now?" Mrs. Weasley asked once she was finished.
"I don't know what I would do without you, Molly," Mr. Weasley said, taking her hand.
"Oh, Arthur," Mrs. Weasley smiled.
Mr. Weasley kissed Mrs. Weasley. Ginny smiled and then went back to her room.
****************
Ginny took a deep breath as she lay in bed, watching the sun peak out over the hills through her window. This was it. The day kids dreamed of all year. It didn't seem as exciting as it once was. She remembered running down the stairs as a child and screaming and jumping at the sight of the many presents. Christmas had gotten quite tedious since she was about thirteen. Besides that, she would have to go back to Hogwarts soon and she would have to say goodbye to all of her brothers. That excludes Ron, but she didn't exactly care about saying goodbye to him. She would actually rather have to. It was mean, but as Amilia had mentioned, brothers were the pits.
"Auntie Ginny!" A small voice shouted.
Ginny pulled herself from her bed and opened the door. She stared down into the eager face of Whitney. Ginny smiled as Whitney pulled on her gown.
"Come down stairs, Auntie Ginny, and see the presents," Whitney urged.
Of course, Christmas was much more exciting when lived vicariously though such an innocent and impatient child. Ginny glanced back at the sleeping Melanie as she took Whitney's hand and let herself be pulled down the stairs to the livingroom. Christine was sitting on her hands next to the tree. Little Percy was pushing at George to wake him. George just grumbled.
"C'we opa presen?" Christine asked over her shoulder.
"I think we'll have to wait for Grammy, Pappy, and everyone else to wake up," Ginny explained.
"Make 'em wake up, Auntie Gibby," little Percy begged.
"I'm sorry," Ginny appologized. "We'll just have to wait."
Whitney frowned.
"Can't we open just one?" She pleaded.
"Ask Uncle George," Ginny whispered.
Whitney, Christine, and Little Percy jumped on top of George and started yelling for him to wake up. Ginny heard moving around up stairs. She wondered if it was from George's, Percy's or Ron's room.
"I'm up, I'm up!" George whinned, getting up.
The kids fell off the love seat and stared up at George.
"What is it, you rugrats?" George asked.
"We want to open-" Whitney began.
"Auntie Gibby say-say we'sou-" Percy shouted.
"-Los presen," Christine fisinshed.
"Huh?"
"I told them to ask you if they can open presents," Ginny explained.
"I don't care," George said.
The kids jumped up and ran toward the tree.
"Wait! Wait!" George yelled. "Mum would kill me if she knew I gave you permition to open gifts before anyone's awake."
"Ahhh!" Percy whinned. "C'mon, Uncow Gorje!"
"I'm really sorry," George appologized.
Whitney, Christine, and Percy lined up on the rug and stared at the tree.
Moments later, Laurel came lazily down the stairs.
"You're up early," George commented.
"I was just wondering why the girls weren't in my room," She explained.
"They got too eager," Ginny told her.
Laurel sat down next to George.
"Does it seem like anyone else is waking up up there?" Ginny asked Laurel.
"Was completely silent when I came down stairs," Laurel informed.
"Ouch!"
Everyone's eyes shot to the ceiling.
"D'you think that was Percy or Ron?" George whispered.
"Blimey!"
"Ron," Ginny said.
"Da wake yet?" Percy Jr. questioned.
"With that racket," George began, "soon everyone'll be awake."
"Ruddy trunk!"
"What on Earth is going on up there?" Laurel Queried.
"Maybe thier packing," George guessed.
Harry came down the stairs. Ginny, George, and Laurel stared at him.
"Don't ask me," Harry told them. "I only woke up when he tripped over me."
"Is he tripping over his entire room?" George joked.
Harry shrugged.
"I'm going to kill Ron," Percy grumbled as he and Penelope came down the stairs.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came out of thier room a few minutes later. Ron was the last one in the living room. Ginny expected there to be bruises all over him. He lokked perfectly fine, just grumpy.
"Alright," Mr. Weasley began, "time for the traditional distributing of the gifts."
"Yaeh!" the kids yelled.
Penelope and Percy sat on a couch with Mrs. Weasley while George and Laurel remained on the love seat. Ron, Ginny, and Harry stood casually around the room. Mr. Weasley, stiffling his groans of pain, stood next to the tree and handed out presents. The children screached in delight when one of thier names was called.
"This is for Ginny," Mr. Weasley annouced.
He handed the box to her. The tag just said "To Ginny". She unwrapped it slowly, being quite contrasted from the immediate actions of the children. Once the paper was off, she opened the box.
"One for Whitney," Mr. Weasley said.
Whitney screamed, taking her present.
In the box, Ginny found a small ring inside. It wasn't embellished or expensive. It was a modest little silver ring with a blue pearl in the middle. Not a real pearl, of course. Ginny thought it was cute. She put it on her finger. It fit perfectly.
"For Penelope," Mr. Weasley exclaimed.
A loud cry came from upstairs. Ginny gasped. She had almost forgotten abour Melanie. Quickly, she ran passed Harry and Ron. She took the stairs three at a time to her room. The baby was screaming and thrashing her arms around.
"Oh, sweety," Ginny cooed as she picked her up.
She sang to her on her way down the stairs.
"This one is to Jennifer," Mr. Weasley began. "I suppose we'll just set it aside."
Once all the presents were unwrapped, everyone put on the sweaters that Mrs. Weasley made for them. She even had one for Laurel. They looked like a fuzzy and rambow-colored bunch.
"Stand together," Mrs. Weasley said, setting up the camera. "Weasley family picture."
"I can do that," Harry offered. "I'm not a Weasley. I'm not even close."
"Nonsense, Harry," Mrs. Weasley laughed. "You're a family friend that makes you practically part of the family."
Mrs. Weasley hurried over to the group.
"Squeeze together and say 'picked toads'!" Mrs. Weasley ordered.
"Picked toads!" Everyone said.
A load of purple smoke puffed out of the camera.
"We must be going now," Percy annouced.
"Ahhh!" Percy Jr. whinned.
"I have to be at the Ministry tomorrow morning," Percy explained.
Little Percy ran up to Harry and hugged his knees. Harry knelt down and hugged him properly.
"Come along, Percival," Percy ordered.
Little Percy ran over to Penelope and waved at everyone as she picked him up. The family went out the front door and got in the Ministry's car.
"I suppose we ought to be getting going, ourselfs," George told Laurel.
"Alright," she agreed. "I had the loveliest time, Mrs. Weasley."
"Come again sometime," Mrs. Weasley offered.
Laurel nodded.
George checked his pocket.
"Hey, Mum," he began, "you don't think we could borrow a bit of floo powder, do you?"
"Go ahead," Mrs. Weasley allowed.
George and Laurel each took a pinch of powder from the small vase on the mantle. They threw the powder in the fire and walked into the gree flames.
"At least we have you for a while," Ginny said to Whitney and Christine.
"Want to play Qudditch?" Whitney asked.
"I sure do," Ginny told her.
"Me too!" exclamied Christine.
Mrs. Weasley took Melanie from Ginny so she'd be free to play with the other kids. Ginny, Christine, and Whitney went out into the back yard.
"You be the Keeper," Whitney assigned Ginny. "I try to get de apple into de cup and you don't let me."
"Wha 'bout me?" Christine asked.
"You can be the Beater," Whitney told her. "You trow the pillows at me and knock me off de broom."
Christine got ready with her pillows.
"Whoosh!" Whitney said, mounting her plastic broom. "Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Ginny stood in fornt of the cup while Whitney "flew" around the yard. Chritine grabbed the pillow and ran up to Whitney and hit her with it.
"No, no!" Whitney exclaimed. "That's not how you do it. You have to trow the pillow."
"Na-uh!" Christine agued.
"Auntie Ginny, tell her to do it right!" Whitney demmanded.
"What's going on?" Harry asked, walking out to them.
"We seem to have a comflict in the rules of Quidditch," Ginny explained.
"Alright, I'm an expert," Harry annouced. "Tell me the problem."
"Christine hit me with the pillow," Whitney told him. "She's suppose to trow it."
"Na-uh!" Christine barked. "I's-i's just put off boom."
"Well, the rule is you have to throw it," Harry informed.
"I-I don play!" Christine cried and she walked away.
Ginny went over to her.
"What's wrong, Chritine?" She asked.
"I don trown," Christine admitted.
"You mean you don't know how?"
Christine nodded.
"All you do is toss it at her," Ginny explained.
"She move and-and I miss," Christine cried.
Ginny glanced at Harry for help. He shrugged.
"Do you want to play another possition?" Ginny queried.
"I de Beer," Christine said stubbornly.
"How about Harry be the Keeper and I can help you be a Beater?" Ginny porposed.
Christine smiled and nodded.
"How about it, harry?" Ginny asked. "Will you sink down to a mere Keeper?"
"Why not?" Harry agreed. "That is if there is no snitch in this game."
"No snitch," Ginny laughed. "Our game can go on forever."
"Yeah!" Christine and Whitney said together.
They played thier Quidditch until dusk. Ginny and Christine hrew the pillows. Whitney threw the apple to the cup. Harry puposefully missed catching the apple several times. As they went into the house, they were all smiling.
"You may be Seeker in big kid school, but you can't play Keeper," Whitney commented.
Ginny and Harry laughed.
**************
Melanie woke up Ginny with her wails for the fourth night in a row. This time it was barely light. Ginny picked up Melanie and took her down stairs to the kitchen. As Ginny sang to her, she put a bottle of milk on the counter. She pulled her wand from her pocket and casted "Enfernium!" The fire spurted form her wand and heated the milk. The baby cried louder.
"Oh, I'm sorry I scared you," Ginny appologized, picking up the bottle and holding it for the baby to suck on. "There we go. Don't we feel better now?"
Melanie stared up at Ginny as she drank from the bottle. She had sweet little blue eyes. Ginny smiled.
"Up early again?" Mrs. Weasley asked, comming into the kitchen.
"Melanie woke me," Ginny explained.
"The girl's should be leaving today," Mrs. Weasley informed.
"No, really?" Ginny whinned. "Already? Don't Bill and Mary need more time?"
"I would think that you would want to get Melanie out of your room," Mrs. Weasley voiced. "She has desterbed many of your nights."
"I don't sleep much anyway," Ginny told her.
"Besides Bill and Mary have had almost four days to themselfs already," Mrs. Weasley went on. "I think Bill should be getting back to Gringotts."
Ginny frowned down at the baby.
"Oh, Mum, can't we keep them a little longer?" Ginny begged.
"You've had enough fun," Mrs. Weasley said. "You'll be going to school soon. You need time to pack and all."
Ginny sighed.
Whitney and Christine came into the room hand in hand. Whitney's long brown hair was sticking all over the place. Christine, who had barely shoulder-length red curles, had matted hair too. Ginny laughed silently.
At noon, Mary and Bill sent an owl, saying that they would await the girls' return by lo powder. Harry and Ginny both hugged all the girls. Mrs. Weasley told them to come back anytime. Ron just stood stupidly and waved.
"Hold my hand, Christine," Whitney instructed as Mrs. Weasley handed her Melanie.
"Are you sure they can get through there on thier own?" Harry asked.
"Wizards and witches are raised traveling by floo powder, Harry," Mrs. Weasley explained. "They'll be alright."
Ginny threw the floo powder in the fireplace for them. Melanie started crying.
"Oh," Ginny said, going to grab for the baby.
Mrs. Weasley held her back, saying, "Mary's waiting on the other side."
The three girls went into the fire and disappeared.
Autor's note: Alright, in this chapter Wizard children learn to talk really fast. Is that alright?
Author's note # 2: Can someone explain to me what angst is?
A ear-splitting cry woke Ginny late that night. She turned in her bed and picked Melanie up from beside her. She was bawling her lungs out.
"What's the matter?" Ginny asked. "Do we want some milk? Maybe we need to be changed."
Ginny felt Melanie's diaper. It was definately the changing one. Quickly as possible, Ginny pulled a diaper from the baby's carry bag. She changed the baby as quickly and efficiently as she could. Melanie seemed alright after that. She calmed down and even close her eyes. Ginny hummed her a lalaby while laying her on the bed.
Ginny heard voices down in the livingroom. She wondered who on Earth would eb up at that late hour. Slowly, she exited her room and climbed down enough stairs so that she could see into the living room. Mrs. Weasley was talking to a head in the fireplace. The head was dark- skinned and looked kind yet worried. It was Mary, Bill's wife.
"Not to change the subject, but how are the children?" Mary asked.
"They're quite find," Mrs. Weasley assured her. "There is no reason to be upset."
"And-and Melanie?"
"She's just find," Mrs. Weasley told her. "She's fast asleep in Ginny's room."
Ginny glanced at George and wondered how on Earth he couls stay asleep through it all. Of course, he and Fred were the family sound sleepers. The house could explode and it waould just be camflauge noise them them.
"I'm so sorry to bother you and all," Mary appologized. "I just worry when they're away from home."
"Yes, I know what you mean."
"Bill would kill me if he knew I was calling you with our 'us' time," Marry explained.
"And how're things going?" Mrs. Weasley queried.
"It's nice to finally being alone," Mary voiced. "We're talking now. Not that we never talked before, but now we're sort of connecting. It's like we're newly weds again. We stay up for hours and talk about nothing at all. Yesterday, he made me dinner."
"Isn't that romantic," Mrs. Weasley giggled.
Ginny couldn't remember ever hearing her mother giggle before that moment.
"Well, I couldn't have been in the privy this long," Mary laughed. "I'd better get back to Bill. Kiss my babies for me."
"Alright," Mrs. Weasley agreed.
The fire ingulfed Mary's head and then she was gone. Mrs. Weasley sighed. A sudden bang made Ginny jump. Mr. Weasley stood in the open doorway, shivering and exhausted.
"Why, Arthur, what happened?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, running over to him.
"Someone had a antique rifle from General Custerd," Mr. Weasley explained.
"Why didn't you go to the imfirmery?" Mrs. Weasley demamnded.
"Oh, Molly," Mr. Weasley began, "it's just a flesh wound."
"You still should have sought medical help," Mrs. Weasley ridiculed.
Mrs. Weasley rushed out of the room while Mr. Weasley, with some difficulty, removed his robes. Ginny gasped, seeing the bloodstain on his shirt. Mrs. Weasley returned with loads of clean sheets, which she ripped up into shreads. Ginny watched Mrs. Weasley lead Mr. Weasley into the living room. She slowly bandaged him. Ginny bit her nails.
"Are you alright now?" Mrs. Weasley asked once she was finished.
"I don't know what I would do without you, Molly," Mr. Weasley said, taking her hand.
"Oh, Arthur," Mrs. Weasley smiled.
Mr. Weasley kissed Mrs. Weasley. Ginny smiled and then went back to her room.
****************
Ginny took a deep breath as she lay in bed, watching the sun peak out over the hills through her window. This was it. The day kids dreamed of all year. It didn't seem as exciting as it once was. She remembered running down the stairs as a child and screaming and jumping at the sight of the many presents. Christmas had gotten quite tedious since she was about thirteen. Besides that, she would have to go back to Hogwarts soon and she would have to say goodbye to all of her brothers. That excludes Ron, but she didn't exactly care about saying goodbye to him. She would actually rather have to. It was mean, but as Amilia had mentioned, brothers were the pits.
"Auntie Ginny!" A small voice shouted.
Ginny pulled herself from her bed and opened the door. She stared down into the eager face of Whitney. Ginny smiled as Whitney pulled on her gown.
"Come down stairs, Auntie Ginny, and see the presents," Whitney urged.
Of course, Christmas was much more exciting when lived vicariously though such an innocent and impatient child. Ginny glanced back at the sleeping Melanie as she took Whitney's hand and let herself be pulled down the stairs to the livingroom. Christine was sitting on her hands next to the tree. Little Percy was pushing at George to wake him. George just grumbled.
"C'we opa presen?" Christine asked over her shoulder.
"I think we'll have to wait for Grammy, Pappy, and everyone else to wake up," Ginny explained.
"Make 'em wake up, Auntie Gibby," little Percy begged.
"I'm sorry," Ginny appologized. "We'll just have to wait."
Whitney frowned.
"Can't we open just one?" She pleaded.
"Ask Uncle George," Ginny whispered.
Whitney, Christine, and Little Percy jumped on top of George and started yelling for him to wake up. Ginny heard moving around up stairs. She wondered if it was from George's, Percy's or Ron's room.
"I'm up, I'm up!" George whinned, getting up.
The kids fell off the love seat and stared up at George.
"What is it, you rugrats?" George asked.
"We want to open-" Whitney began.
"Auntie Gibby say-say we'sou-" Percy shouted.
"-Los presen," Christine fisinshed.
"Huh?"
"I told them to ask you if they can open presents," Ginny explained.
"I don't care," George said.
The kids jumped up and ran toward the tree.
"Wait! Wait!" George yelled. "Mum would kill me if she knew I gave you permition to open gifts before anyone's awake."
"Ahhh!" Percy whinned. "C'mon, Uncow Gorje!"
"I'm really sorry," George appologized.
Whitney, Christine, and Percy lined up on the rug and stared at the tree.
Moments later, Laurel came lazily down the stairs.
"You're up early," George commented.
"I was just wondering why the girls weren't in my room," She explained.
"They got too eager," Ginny told her.
Laurel sat down next to George.
"Does it seem like anyone else is waking up up there?" Ginny asked Laurel.
"Was completely silent when I came down stairs," Laurel informed.
"Ouch!"
Everyone's eyes shot to the ceiling.
"D'you think that was Percy or Ron?" George whispered.
"Blimey!"
"Ron," Ginny said.
"Da wake yet?" Percy Jr. questioned.
"With that racket," George began, "soon everyone'll be awake."
"Ruddy trunk!"
"What on Earth is going on up there?" Laurel Queried.
"Maybe thier packing," George guessed.
Harry came down the stairs. Ginny, George, and Laurel stared at him.
"Don't ask me," Harry told them. "I only woke up when he tripped over me."
"Is he tripping over his entire room?" George joked.
Harry shrugged.
"I'm going to kill Ron," Percy grumbled as he and Penelope came down the stairs.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came out of thier room a few minutes later. Ron was the last one in the living room. Ginny expected there to be bruises all over him. He lokked perfectly fine, just grumpy.
"Alright," Mr. Weasley began, "time for the traditional distributing of the gifts."
"Yaeh!" the kids yelled.
Penelope and Percy sat on a couch with Mrs. Weasley while George and Laurel remained on the love seat. Ron, Ginny, and Harry stood casually around the room. Mr. Weasley, stiffling his groans of pain, stood next to the tree and handed out presents. The children screached in delight when one of thier names was called.
"This is for Ginny," Mr. Weasley annouced.
He handed the box to her. The tag just said "To Ginny". She unwrapped it slowly, being quite contrasted from the immediate actions of the children. Once the paper was off, she opened the box.
"One for Whitney," Mr. Weasley said.
Whitney screamed, taking her present.
In the box, Ginny found a small ring inside. It wasn't embellished or expensive. It was a modest little silver ring with a blue pearl in the middle. Not a real pearl, of course. Ginny thought it was cute. She put it on her finger. It fit perfectly.
"For Penelope," Mr. Weasley exclaimed.
A loud cry came from upstairs. Ginny gasped. She had almost forgotten abour Melanie. Quickly, she ran passed Harry and Ron. She took the stairs three at a time to her room. The baby was screaming and thrashing her arms around.
"Oh, sweety," Ginny cooed as she picked her up.
She sang to her on her way down the stairs.
"This one is to Jennifer," Mr. Weasley began. "I suppose we'll just set it aside."
Once all the presents were unwrapped, everyone put on the sweaters that Mrs. Weasley made for them. She even had one for Laurel. They looked like a fuzzy and rambow-colored bunch.
"Stand together," Mrs. Weasley said, setting up the camera. "Weasley family picture."
"I can do that," Harry offered. "I'm not a Weasley. I'm not even close."
"Nonsense, Harry," Mrs. Weasley laughed. "You're a family friend that makes you practically part of the family."
Mrs. Weasley hurried over to the group.
"Squeeze together and say 'picked toads'!" Mrs. Weasley ordered.
"Picked toads!" Everyone said.
A load of purple smoke puffed out of the camera.
"We must be going now," Percy annouced.
"Ahhh!" Percy Jr. whinned.
"I have to be at the Ministry tomorrow morning," Percy explained.
Little Percy ran up to Harry and hugged his knees. Harry knelt down and hugged him properly.
"Come along, Percival," Percy ordered.
Little Percy ran over to Penelope and waved at everyone as she picked him up. The family went out the front door and got in the Ministry's car.
"I suppose we ought to be getting going, ourselfs," George told Laurel.
"Alright," she agreed. "I had the loveliest time, Mrs. Weasley."
"Come again sometime," Mrs. Weasley offered.
Laurel nodded.
George checked his pocket.
"Hey, Mum," he began, "you don't think we could borrow a bit of floo powder, do you?"
"Go ahead," Mrs. Weasley allowed.
George and Laurel each took a pinch of powder from the small vase on the mantle. They threw the powder in the fire and walked into the gree flames.
"At least we have you for a while," Ginny said to Whitney and Christine.
"Want to play Qudditch?" Whitney asked.
"I sure do," Ginny told her.
"Me too!" exclamied Christine.
Mrs. Weasley took Melanie from Ginny so she'd be free to play with the other kids. Ginny, Christine, and Whitney went out into the back yard.
"You be the Keeper," Whitney assigned Ginny. "I try to get de apple into de cup and you don't let me."
"Wha 'bout me?" Christine asked.
"You can be the Beater," Whitney told her. "You trow the pillows at me and knock me off de broom."
Christine got ready with her pillows.
"Whoosh!" Whitney said, mounting her plastic broom. "Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Ginny stood in fornt of the cup while Whitney "flew" around the yard. Chritine grabbed the pillow and ran up to Whitney and hit her with it.
"No, no!" Whitney exclaimed. "That's not how you do it. You have to trow the pillow."
"Na-uh!" Christine agued.
"Auntie Ginny, tell her to do it right!" Whitney demmanded.
"What's going on?" Harry asked, walking out to them.
"We seem to have a comflict in the rules of Quidditch," Ginny explained.
"Alright, I'm an expert," Harry annouced. "Tell me the problem."
"Christine hit me with the pillow," Whitney told him. "She's suppose to trow it."
"Na-uh!" Christine barked. "I's-i's just put off boom."
"Well, the rule is you have to throw it," Harry informed.
"I-I don play!" Christine cried and she walked away.
Ginny went over to her.
"What's wrong, Chritine?" She asked.
"I don trown," Christine admitted.
"You mean you don't know how?"
Christine nodded.
"All you do is toss it at her," Ginny explained.
"She move and-and I miss," Christine cried.
Ginny glanced at Harry for help. He shrugged.
"Do you want to play another possition?" Ginny queried.
"I de Beer," Christine said stubbornly.
"How about Harry be the Keeper and I can help you be a Beater?" Ginny porposed.
Christine smiled and nodded.
"How about it, harry?" Ginny asked. "Will you sink down to a mere Keeper?"
"Why not?" Harry agreed. "That is if there is no snitch in this game."
"No snitch," Ginny laughed. "Our game can go on forever."
"Yeah!" Christine and Whitney said together.
They played thier Quidditch until dusk. Ginny and Christine hrew the pillows. Whitney threw the apple to the cup. Harry puposefully missed catching the apple several times. As they went into the house, they were all smiling.
"You may be Seeker in big kid school, but you can't play Keeper," Whitney commented.
Ginny and Harry laughed.
**************
Melanie woke up Ginny with her wails for the fourth night in a row. This time it was barely light. Ginny picked up Melanie and took her down stairs to the kitchen. As Ginny sang to her, she put a bottle of milk on the counter. She pulled her wand from her pocket and casted "Enfernium!" The fire spurted form her wand and heated the milk. The baby cried louder.
"Oh, I'm sorry I scared you," Ginny appologized, picking up the bottle and holding it for the baby to suck on. "There we go. Don't we feel better now?"
Melanie stared up at Ginny as she drank from the bottle. She had sweet little blue eyes. Ginny smiled.
"Up early again?" Mrs. Weasley asked, comming into the kitchen.
"Melanie woke me," Ginny explained.
"The girl's should be leaving today," Mrs. Weasley informed.
"No, really?" Ginny whinned. "Already? Don't Bill and Mary need more time?"
"I would think that you would want to get Melanie out of your room," Mrs. Weasley voiced. "She has desterbed many of your nights."
"I don't sleep much anyway," Ginny told her.
"Besides Bill and Mary have had almost four days to themselfs already," Mrs. Weasley went on. "I think Bill should be getting back to Gringotts."
Ginny frowned down at the baby.
"Oh, Mum, can't we keep them a little longer?" Ginny begged.
"You've had enough fun," Mrs. Weasley said. "You'll be going to school soon. You need time to pack and all."
Ginny sighed.
Whitney and Christine came into the room hand in hand. Whitney's long brown hair was sticking all over the place. Christine, who had barely shoulder-length red curles, had matted hair too. Ginny laughed silently.
At noon, Mary and Bill sent an owl, saying that they would await the girls' return by lo powder. Harry and Ginny both hugged all the girls. Mrs. Weasley told them to come back anytime. Ron just stood stupidly and waved.
"Hold my hand, Christine," Whitney instructed as Mrs. Weasley handed her Melanie.
"Are you sure they can get through there on thier own?" Harry asked.
"Wizards and witches are raised traveling by floo powder, Harry," Mrs. Weasley explained. "They'll be alright."
Ginny threw the floo powder in the fireplace for them. Melanie started crying.
"Oh," Ginny said, going to grab for the baby.
Mrs. Weasley held her back, saying, "Mary's waiting on the other side."
The three girls went into the fire and disappeared.