Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything from his universe. He
belongs to J.K. Rowling.
A/N: Sorry that it took so long posting this! I'll try to be quicker next time!
Sometimes it was a real drag, having Midas for an older brother. Like when he'd bully his friends into taking you to a dance. Especially when those friends had never outgrown the age of five. Honestly, Justine had no idea why Midas put up with Thomas Philbrin. The boy had the IQ of a gnome and was more irritating than just about anything Justine had ever encountered. Whitney had wanted to go with Morgan Morris but their father had vetoed the idea.
"You're far too young to be going to the Yule Ball. If girls like Toni Luztgov and Aubrey Potter want to go then that's their business," he had snapped.
Frankly Justine was glad that her sister hadn't gone with Morgan. Whitney would have been mortally embarrassed by her date's dance moves and social etiquette. And she would have spent to entire night glaring at Aubrey Potter, the center of the Gryffindor universe.
Really, Justine rather liked the small redhead. It was her brother's own fault that he couldn't work up the courage to tell her he was crazy about her. However, when the family resentment towards Aubrey had set in, Aubrey had mistaken Justine's inquisitive looks for ones of disapproval and now shied away from her in the hallways. And besides, Justine wasn't in Ravenclaw for nothing. It was apparent in every little look Aubrey shot Midas that she fancied him just as much as he did her, if not more so.
At the moment Aubrey was giggling with her sidekick, Toni Luztgov. Jessica Weasley and Tina Figg had both-according to Morgan-slipped out of the common room earlier that evening, before everyone left, with Angel Jordan at their sides. Devin Norfolk was getting punch and Toni's date-Devin's friend Richie-was busy stuffing his face. Every now and then Aubrey glanced shyly over at Midas, who was deeply engrossed in a conversation with Thomas.
Finally Aubrey shrugged, somewhat irritated that Midas hadn't noticed her, and turned to Devin. She bent over and placed her lips right by his ear and whispered something. Devin smiled, nodded, and stood, extending his hand to her. Aubrey curtsied gracefully and placed her delicate in his. With graceful steps the two walked swiftly to the dance floor. Their dance was slow, and Aubrey sometimes tripped over the hem of her olive colored dress robe, but it was clear that Midas, for one, was pleased.
He was swaying slightly to the beat and finally he turned back to Thomas. The two resumed their conversation, but, before much else could happen a shrill cry echoed throughout the Great Hall, and all the music stopped. Amongst wild wails and frightened whimpers a tall group of small, battered children ran in. Their leader was a scrawny, small boy with a head of wild black hair and big brown eyes. When Aubrey saw him she gave a wild shriek.
"Siri!" she cried, racing to him. The small boy burst into tears, as did the other children who were not already crying, and they all ran to Aubrey. Prof. Dumbledore was striding across the Great Hall now, and Prof. McGonagall ran to one small girl and swept her into a tight embrace.
"My little Iris," she whispered, smoothing the little girl's unruly dark hair down. "My little Iris."
Aubrey turned to Dumbledore. "What does this mean?" she asked in a frightened voice. "Why are they all here?"
McGonagall nodded. "Why is Sirius the oldest child present? And where's my husband and other daughters?" The usual commanding tone was gone from her voice replaced by a frightened waver. "Albus, what's happened?"
All over the Great Hall the students had burst into excited whispers. Not many of them knew that McGonagall was married, much less with children! And just who were these children? How did they manage to come to Hogwarts?
Dumbledore let out a deep sigh. "Aubrey," he asked softly, "who celebrates Christmas at your house?"
Aubrey straitened up, a small toddler clutched tightly to her chest. "Well, the Commander always stops by-and sometimes Prof. McGonagall is with him. All my relatives come-but this year Uncle Bill and Uncle Charlie were going to celebrate the holidays with their wives' families. Then the Jordans and the Malfoys come over, as well as the Blacks and the Lupins. And that's about it."
Dumbledore nodded sadly. Turning to Justine's father, who had rushed over to the scene with all the other professors, he asked, "Severus, might you lend me Midas and Justine for the evening? Ms. Potter will have enough on her hands with one, two-fifteen children, and I think it would be best if she had a little help."
"Of course, Headmaster," Severus said before signaling his children over. "You heard the man! Help Ms. Potter and the children to his office! I trust that you have the general idea of how to handle your siblings?" he asked Aubrey.
"Only two of them are my siblings, sir," Aubrey whispered, and tears welled up in her eyes. "But I've watched over my cousins a lot. Can Toni come with me?" Dumbledore nodded and Toni rushed over and scooped up the smallest child.
"Hey, kiddo," she whispered. "From Aubrey's vivid descriptions I'd have to say that you were.let's see.Remus? Her little brother?"
Despite himself the small boy-Remus-smiled. "Yeah," he said, and Aubrey gave her thumbs up.
"And Mr. Morris!" Dumbledore called, motioning for Morgan. "Why don't you and Mr. Norfolk go and find Ms. Weasley along with Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Jordan." He turned to the rest of the Great Hall. "As for all of you," he said, "please continue on. I'll leave Madame Hooch and Professor Vector in charge." With a quick nod Dumbledore dispensed everyone for their various duties.
A/N: Sorry that it took so long posting this! I'll try to be quicker next time!
Sometimes it was a real drag, having Midas for an older brother. Like when he'd bully his friends into taking you to a dance. Especially when those friends had never outgrown the age of five. Honestly, Justine had no idea why Midas put up with Thomas Philbrin. The boy had the IQ of a gnome and was more irritating than just about anything Justine had ever encountered. Whitney had wanted to go with Morgan Morris but their father had vetoed the idea.
"You're far too young to be going to the Yule Ball. If girls like Toni Luztgov and Aubrey Potter want to go then that's their business," he had snapped.
Frankly Justine was glad that her sister hadn't gone with Morgan. Whitney would have been mortally embarrassed by her date's dance moves and social etiquette. And she would have spent to entire night glaring at Aubrey Potter, the center of the Gryffindor universe.
Really, Justine rather liked the small redhead. It was her brother's own fault that he couldn't work up the courage to tell her he was crazy about her. However, when the family resentment towards Aubrey had set in, Aubrey had mistaken Justine's inquisitive looks for ones of disapproval and now shied away from her in the hallways. And besides, Justine wasn't in Ravenclaw for nothing. It was apparent in every little look Aubrey shot Midas that she fancied him just as much as he did her, if not more so.
At the moment Aubrey was giggling with her sidekick, Toni Luztgov. Jessica Weasley and Tina Figg had both-according to Morgan-slipped out of the common room earlier that evening, before everyone left, with Angel Jordan at their sides. Devin Norfolk was getting punch and Toni's date-Devin's friend Richie-was busy stuffing his face. Every now and then Aubrey glanced shyly over at Midas, who was deeply engrossed in a conversation with Thomas.
Finally Aubrey shrugged, somewhat irritated that Midas hadn't noticed her, and turned to Devin. She bent over and placed her lips right by his ear and whispered something. Devin smiled, nodded, and stood, extending his hand to her. Aubrey curtsied gracefully and placed her delicate in his. With graceful steps the two walked swiftly to the dance floor. Their dance was slow, and Aubrey sometimes tripped over the hem of her olive colored dress robe, but it was clear that Midas, for one, was pleased.
He was swaying slightly to the beat and finally he turned back to Thomas. The two resumed their conversation, but, before much else could happen a shrill cry echoed throughout the Great Hall, and all the music stopped. Amongst wild wails and frightened whimpers a tall group of small, battered children ran in. Their leader was a scrawny, small boy with a head of wild black hair and big brown eyes. When Aubrey saw him she gave a wild shriek.
"Siri!" she cried, racing to him. The small boy burst into tears, as did the other children who were not already crying, and they all ran to Aubrey. Prof. Dumbledore was striding across the Great Hall now, and Prof. McGonagall ran to one small girl and swept her into a tight embrace.
"My little Iris," she whispered, smoothing the little girl's unruly dark hair down. "My little Iris."
Aubrey turned to Dumbledore. "What does this mean?" she asked in a frightened voice. "Why are they all here?"
McGonagall nodded. "Why is Sirius the oldest child present? And where's my husband and other daughters?" The usual commanding tone was gone from her voice replaced by a frightened waver. "Albus, what's happened?"
All over the Great Hall the students had burst into excited whispers. Not many of them knew that McGonagall was married, much less with children! And just who were these children? How did they manage to come to Hogwarts?
Dumbledore let out a deep sigh. "Aubrey," he asked softly, "who celebrates Christmas at your house?"
Aubrey straitened up, a small toddler clutched tightly to her chest. "Well, the Commander always stops by-and sometimes Prof. McGonagall is with him. All my relatives come-but this year Uncle Bill and Uncle Charlie were going to celebrate the holidays with their wives' families. Then the Jordans and the Malfoys come over, as well as the Blacks and the Lupins. And that's about it."
Dumbledore nodded sadly. Turning to Justine's father, who had rushed over to the scene with all the other professors, he asked, "Severus, might you lend me Midas and Justine for the evening? Ms. Potter will have enough on her hands with one, two-fifteen children, and I think it would be best if she had a little help."
"Of course, Headmaster," Severus said before signaling his children over. "You heard the man! Help Ms. Potter and the children to his office! I trust that you have the general idea of how to handle your siblings?" he asked Aubrey.
"Only two of them are my siblings, sir," Aubrey whispered, and tears welled up in her eyes. "But I've watched over my cousins a lot. Can Toni come with me?" Dumbledore nodded and Toni rushed over and scooped up the smallest child.
"Hey, kiddo," she whispered. "From Aubrey's vivid descriptions I'd have to say that you were.let's see.Remus? Her little brother?"
Despite himself the small boy-Remus-smiled. "Yeah," he said, and Aubrey gave her thumbs up.
"And Mr. Morris!" Dumbledore called, motioning for Morgan. "Why don't you and Mr. Norfolk go and find Ms. Weasley along with Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Jordan." He turned to the rest of the Great Hall. "As for all of you," he said, "please continue on. I'll leave Madame Hooch and Professor Vector in charge." With a quick nod Dumbledore dispensed everyone for their various duties.