Chapter 15 YOU!? September melted into October and Meagan was found at King's Cross, to see her husband home for the weekend. "Harry! Harry, darling, over here!" she called into cupped hands. She saw Harry materialize in front of the barrier of Platform 9 ¾. She ran up to him and kissed him, her swelled stomach getting in the way. Harry patted Meagan's stomach fondly. "You have thought of names, haven't you?" he asked. She nodded. "Abigail, Amy, Alicia, Amelia, Alberta, and Angelina." She said. "And Alan or Anthony for a boy." It was then she spotted Parvati Patil some ways away. "Parvati?" she asked. "Meagan?" Parvati asked. They gasped and embraced before they were lost in conversation. It was then Harry heard a call of, "Dudley! Dudley Dursley!" Harry looked around and saw a short, fat man with watery blue eyes and blonde hair. "Dudley?" gasped Harry, running over. The man saw Harry and, looking Harry's robes up and down, gasped, "Harry? Harry Potter?" Harry nodded. "Dudley?" he asked. Dudley nodded. "Oh, for the love of Quidditch!" Harry said as he looked at his cousin. "I thought you died," hissed Dudley. Harry gave him a grin. "No. I'm alive and well. I've got a lovely wife and a fabulous career of Quidditch. I also have-!" he was cut short when Dudley cut in. "Wife?" he sputtered. Harry ginned even wider. "Yes, I'll call her over." He said. "Meagan! Meagan! C'mere! I want you to meet someone!" Harry called, almost laughing. "Yeah?" Meagan replied, her voice full of mischief because of the way Harry had almost laughed. She waddled over and looked at Dudley. He recoiled, clutching his buttocks tightly. "Ahhh!" she said, "It's the infamous Dudley!" The first thing Dudley retorted was, "You're wife is fat." Meagan's eyebrows shot up. "I wouldn't talk, Mr. Fatso. I've heard of you, Dudley the Dimwitted, and I heard there's no light on in the attic." She said. It took a few minutes for Dudley to comprehend the insult that was just thrown at him. "Hey!" he said. "And, plus, I'm not fat. I'm expecting." She said. Dudley looked ready to faint. "Expecting? As in expecting a child?" he asked. Meagan nodded, as Harry patted her enlarged stomach. At that moment there came a high pitched shriek. Meagan looked around. She felt someone grip her knees. She looked down and saw Nita. "Niiiiiita!" called Jess. "We just want to plaaaa-aay!" finished Jo. "Mum! The twins!" Nita said, gripping Meagan's legs tighter. "What now?" Meagan asked exasperated. Harry walked over, took both twins by the scruff of their necks, and brought them over. They looked "innocently" up at their parents. Meagan's eyes were red. "Argh!" yelled Dudley, spotting Meagan's eyes. "Her eyes! They changed color!" At the particular moment, both twin's eyes turned purple. They looked at each other and grinned. "He's. er. Uncle Dudley, I suppose. Well, your related to him in some way." Harry said. Meagan didn't like the way the twins were smiling. She clunked their heads together. "Now don't you two be stirring anything up." She said. They only grinned. She took them by the arms and said, "C'mon Harry, let's go before the twins do something to your cousin." Harry pouted. "But I want to set the twins on him!" he whined as he got dragged away. ~*~ "Harry, darling, there's an owl in the window!" Meagan shouted. Harry got the letter, petted it, and it flew away. He looked down at the letter. He opened the thick parchment envelope and read aloud: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter, You are cordially invited to Mrs. Hermione Darin's promoting to Minister of Magic. The party will take place on October 31st at 12:00 p.m. We hope to see you there. Sincerely, Jeremy Darin Jeremy Darin Head of the Department of Magical Cooperation Harry looked up, startled. "I knew that girl had it in her." Meagan said, looking the letter over. "It's tomorrow." He said. "Aww. man! That's when my powers go koo-koo!" Meagan said, slapping her forehead. Harry looked from a broken vase on the floor (probably broken by the twins) to a shattered window (caused by Agatha). Harry sighed. He didn't like Halloween as much anymore. All the muggle children always came knocking at their door with their most horrible images of witches and wizards. He shuddered. He hated when the little children came, with fake noses and warts on them. And the wizards with their tall star-encrusted dunce caps. And the wands. the horrible wands with stars on them. They were nothing like real witches and wizards! He sighed again. Tomorrow had to come! ~*~ "Welcome!" said a portly wizard at the door of an enormous hall. Meagan, her fingers shaking with anxiety, looked around the hall as she entered. She spotted Hermione on a chair that was levitated. "'Mione!" Meagan shouted. Hermione looked around the room for the familiar voice. "Hermione!" Meagan shouted again, waddling over to the chair. People gasped and stepped back as she made her way through the crowd. "That's Meagan Potter, all right!" she heard someone whisper. "MEAGAN!" shrieked Hermione. She almost jumped off the chair. The two friends hugged each other with some difficulty. "You're pregnant again!?" Hermione mused, standing back and looking Meagan up and down. "Yep." Meagan said, kissing Harry. "It's on to the A names." She said. "I had only one," Hermione said with a sigh. It was then Meagan saw Janie. "Why, hello there Janie." Said Meagan. "Why aren't you in school with the Modern-Day Marauders plotting another one of your little pranks?" Janie blushed. Hermione put her hand on her hips and started to tap her heel. "Was I not supposed to say that?" asked Meagan. Janie gave her a look that said, "Duh!" James Potter laughed. He had snuck out of the crowd and was now standing next to his son. "Don't worry, 'Mione, there's a batch of troublemakers in every generation. It just so happens it's in their genes. They can't help that now can we?" he said. "Our family has been a whole line of troublemakers!" he added, slapping Harry proudly on the shoulder. Harry grinned. "And with her as the mother!" James said, pointed at Meagan, who rolled her eyes. "I wonder what the others are doing," muttered Janie. ~*~ Crystal hopped around the common room, singing at the top of her lungs, deliberately making herself sing bad (Or it could be because you can't sing when your screaming the words). "ON THE FIRST DAY OF HALLOWEEN A ZOMBIE GAVE TO ME. AN OWL IN A DEAD TREE!" she howled. "MOONLIGHT! SHADDUP!" Fred howled back, throwing a cushion at Crystal. Crystal ducked and howled, "ON THE SECOND DAY OF HALLOWEEN A ZOMBIE GAVE TO ME. TWO BLACK CATS AND AN OWL IN A DEAD TREE!!!!!!!!" Brian covered his ears. Crystal came to the last part and yelled louder than she had done before: "ON THE TWELFTH DAY OF HALLOWEEN A ZOMBIE GAVE TO ME. TWELVE BANSHEES SCREAMING," Crystal sang. "YOU'RE A BANSHEE!" hollered George as Crystal continued to sing. "ELEVEN BATS A-FLAPPING! TEN HOWLING WEREWOLVES! NINE FLYING BROOMSTICKS! EIGHT GARGOYLES GARGLING! SEVEN SQUIDS A-SWIMMING! SIX HISSING VAMPIRES! FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE POOOOOOOOOOISONOUS POOOOOOOOOOTIONS! FOUR CALLING CROWS, THREE CACKLING PEEVES, TWO BLACK CATS, AND AN OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWL IN A DEAAAAAAAAAD TREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Crystal did a split to top it all off. Brian uncovered his ears and sighed, "I thought you'd never finish." Crystal gave him a look. "Ahem, do you remember when you sang 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game'?" she asked. He blushed. "What are we wearing this year?" asked Fred. It was the first time this controversy came up and it was only moments before the feast/party began. "Er." Brian said. "I have an idea, if you'll listen." Said a voice. Crystal jumped and turned around. She looked at Neil. He was oddly pale and his eyes weren't sparkling anymore. She remembered Halloween morning last year when she woke up to find herself exhausted and that it hurt to use her powers. She shuddered. Neil threw something at Fred. Fred caught it and looked down, startled. He looked up at Neil, who was smiling. "What is it?" he asked. Neil's small smile broadened into a grin. "It's a boggart-cape," he explained, "It changes your shape into what the person you're trying to scare fears most." He distributed them among the Modern-Day Marauders. "Well," said Fred, pulling on the boggart-cape, "This will be interesting." ~*~ Neil floated into the hall, his long cape fluttering out behind him. Remus Lupin had taken a liking to him and had sent him the capes. Rachel was bouncing around the room. "BLRAAAAAA!" she yelled at Pandemonia, transforming into vampire. Pandemonia screamed and ran away. Rachel was laughing now. Neil shook his head, smiling, but not laughing. He fixed his eyes on the Modern-Day Marauders. They were running around wreaking havoc, as he had predicted. "RAAAA!" screamed Crystal, her face near Felicity's. Felicity screamed and pushed off the table, making her chair skid backwards. Crystal had turned into a werewolf, which totally petrified Felicity. Crystal threw her head back and howled, to add to the effect. Felicity got off her chair and ran. "These are the best costumes ever!" Brian said, moving about the crowd looking for Brynn and Bryce. Professor McGonagall was staring at them, her lips pursed. Crystal saw this and decided to have some fun. She got near enough to Felicity to be able to transform into a werewolf. She slinked around the crowd, eventually coming up to the staff table. "RAAAA!" Crystal shouted, jumping up behind Professor McGonagall. The professor turned around. Crystal felt her shape change. Professor McGonagall screamed as she faced an Acromantula. Crystal clicked the pincers menacingly. Professor Dumbledore turned around, saw her, and said with a smile, "Crystal, I think you've scared enough professors today." His blue eyes were sparkling behind his half-moon glasses. Crystal shrunk back to her regular self. "You seem just like your mother and grandfather. Seems they'd be the only ones to be as cunning as that." Professor Dumbledore said, trying and failing to conceal a smile. Crystal smiled at him, her purple eyes were sparkling. "Just like them, you are." He said again. Just then, the doors banged open, expelling a rather bedraggled Harry. He walked up, took his seat at the staff table, and sunk down into his seat. He had one hand over his heart and the other one had his wand. Crystal decided to have some fun with him. She glided over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and Crystal felt her shape change again. It took her a few moments to realize she was a Dementor. Harry's eyes fogged over as swirling white smoke filled his mind. He heard his mother screaming. He heard his own frightened cries. Shaking, he raised his wand and bellowed, "EXPECTO PETRONIUM!" A white blaze erupted from his wand tip. The sounds in his head grew fuzzy. Crystal tripped over the garment she was wearing. Her clammy hands hit the ground. People all around were staring. "You're a boggart!" Harry yelled, raising his wand. "DAD! NOOO!" Neil yelled, running forward. His cape fluttered out from behind him. He knew his powers hurt to use, but it was the only answer. In the blink of an eye, he was standing between Harry and Crystal. "DAD!" he yelled. Harry's wand came swishing down. Neil's green eyes were wide. He gritted his teeth. "DAAAAAAAAAD!" Harry stopped just in time. Shocked at seeing Neil, his wand flew out of his hand, expelling gold sparks. Crystal shrunk back to her regular self. She caught the wand. "Crystal?" asked Harry, "Neil?" Crystal got off the ground, shaking. Her eyes were electric yellow with shock. Neil's eyes were sparkling green and looking innocently up at his father. "CRYSTAL!" Brian yelled, and ran forward, followed by Fred and George. Crystal hopped off of the raised platform where the staff table rested. Everything was quiet except the pitter-patter of feet. Crystal turned, her cloak fluttering. "Sorry." She whispered. Taking advantage of everyone being quiet, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "It is time for the costume prizes. The scariest prize goes to. Felicity Pugnare!" she said. Felicity, her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed, received her award. She was wearing the showy clothes Cate had worn when she had been evil, with a fake tattoo. Everyone recoiled as she walked past. "The most annoying award goes to. Brynn and Bryce Black!" Brynn ran forward, dragging her somewhat reluctant twin brother. They had found another Barney costume in the attic and decided to use them. They got their award and Brynn started to sing the Barney song. Bryce was sulking behind her. He didn't want to wear the costumes Brynn had picked out for him, but she had threatened to beat him up. "The costumes you would least like to see next year award goes to. Adam Blick!" Blick stepped forward, scowling at those who giggled at his name. He was wearing a gnome costume, picked out by Felicity, who had forced him to wear it. Crystal and the Modern-Day Marauders were positively howling with laughter. "The best monster costume award goes to. Nina Longbottom!" Nina come forward. She herself looked scared of her costume. She was wearing a Hippogriff costume, which looked incredibly real. She got her award and ran to the girls' bathroom to tear her costume off. "The best overall costumes. Crystal and Neil Potter, Fred and George Weasley, Brian Black, and Rachel Yellington!" Professor McGonagall looked quite winded after saying all the names. Crystal ran forward and accepted her award. Harry put his fingers in his mouth and whistled. The Modern- Day Marauders, along with Neil and Rachel, put their arms in the air, filled with pride and triumph. "HAPPY HALLOWEEN!" yelled Rachel Yellington. ~*~ Meagan tossed in her sleep. She had a half-smile on her face. She was remembering the first time she became friends with Marykate. ~*~Flashback~*~ Ring! Ring! Meagan opened her eyes. She squinted through the light. She glanced at her clock, still wincing. It read 7:34 a.m. She groaned. Ring! Ring! "All right! All right! I'm getting up!" croaked Meagan. She swung her legs out of bed. She reached out and grabbed the telephone. "Hello- oooooooo?" she asked, trying and failing to stifle a yawn. "Hi." Came the reply. "Marykate?" Meagan gagged. "Yeah. I need the homework for Monday." Marykate said. "Marykate," Meagan said breathlessly, "It's 7:36. On a SATUDAY." She listened to the silence on the other end. "I happened to notice that." Marykate said. Meagan cocked her head to the side, remembering what IT had said. "There will be others with you. by the names of Marykate Casper and Michael Shoemaker." "Today's your 11th birthday, isn't it?" she asked. "No," said Marykate sarcastically, "It's my 2nd birthday. Yes, it's my 11th birthday, you dolt!" Meagan swallowed hard. "Well, the homework is-!" she began to say, but Marykate cut in. "You already told me." She said. Meagan's eyebrows shot up. "No I didn't." she said. "Yes you did," "No I didn't." "Did too!" "Did not!" "Did too!" "Did not!" "Wait a minute. this could go on all day if we didn't stop." Marykate said. Meagan rubbed her eyes and reached out her hand to get changed. There was a popping noise and she was fully clothed and properly groomed. It shocked her for a moment, but then she remembered what it was. "You know what, I'll be right over." Meagan said. "'Kay." Marykate said. Meagan hung up the phone. She ran down the corridor of her house. Her spring coat fluttered to her as she ran past the coat rack. She grabbed it and ran out the door. Marykate was waiting for her when she reached her neighbor's house. "About time." Marykate said. Meagan humphed. Marykate led Meagan into the house, up the stairs, and into Marykate's room. Marykate shut the door. "My family," she said, "Never wakes up early." Meagan snorted. "Neither do I. You just woke me up." She said, "But that's not why I came over. It's because of." she stopped for a moment, wondering if Marykate would call her mad, "Our powers." Marykate stood agape for a moment. Then, she burst out laughing. "I don't think it's very funny. IT sent me." Meagan said hotly, her eyes red. She pointed at a pillow, which shook violently and flew at Marykate. Marykate stopped laughing. "Hey!" she said, her own eyes red. Meagan, her tongue between her teeth, concentrated hard and clicked her fingers. A mirror appeared in her hand. Marykate's eyes turned yellow. Meagan showed. "HOLY MONKEYS!" Marykate said, jumping back. Meagan laughed and chuckled, "Holy monkeys." "A-are you serious about t-those powers you-you were t-talking about?" Marykate asked quietly. Meagan nodded mutely. Marykate made a whimpering sound and sank down onto her bed. "IT'll come to you in a dream tonight and ask you to join ITs service." Meagan said. "What is this it thing you talk about?" Marykate asked. "IT," Meagan said, "Is a beautiful horse. A flying horse-." Marykate cut her off, "Pegasus." She said. "Pegasus," Meagan corrected, "and IT's for everything that's good. Are you going to accept?" Marykate was flexing her fingers. "Yeah." She said, "Yes." Meagan held out her hand. Marykate looked at it. She reached out a shaking hand and shook Meagan's. "Friends?" Meagan asked, squeezing Marykate's fingers gently. "Friends." Marykate said. They embraced. ~*~ Brynn swung her bat heavily at Bryce. Bryce ducked and swung at Brynn. She ducked and she chased him around the Quidditch pitch, while Austin Wood yelled at them to come down. The twins landed, looking satisfied with themselves. At that second, Neil and Crystal came padding towards the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Harry with them. "What are they doing here?" blurted Mac. "I'm a reserve Chaser!" chirped Crystal, hopping on her Lightning and floated there. Mac looked a Neil, who nodded and said, "Reserve Seeker." "I'm allowed to show you some moves that I used when I was on the team." Harry said. "Like the time I won the cup in third year." He said, a faraway look on his face. He got off his broom and kicked off. He remembered the moves he had perfectly. He preformed them all and dived. "WOW!" yelled Mac. Crystal laughed and flew over to her father. "He's the one and only Harry Potter!" she said. Harry zoomed past Mac on his Lightning. He grinned. The broomstick had been named after him and his scar. They were coming out with a new one that summer, the Lightning 2000. He dived. "What are you all waiting for? As my old pal Oliver Wood would say, 'Let's get a move on'!" ~*~ Meagan yawned, stretched, and itched her arm wearily. She had large bags under her eyes and was extremely tired and didn't bother to brush her hair before going out to get the newspaper. She pulled on a robe that would normally have fitted her and opened the door to retrieve her newspaper. "BLEARG!" she yelled, almost falling over backwards. She was seeing stars. No, wait. they weren't stars! They were flashes. She rubbed her eyes vigorously and looked at the hundreds of news reporters. Her muggle neighbors across the road were staring. Meagan slammed the door shut, clicked her fingers, changed and fully groomed herself, and opened the doors again. "Hello." Meagan said, rather grumpily. "What's the meaning of standing on my front lawn until I come down to get my newspaper?" She looked around, looking for an answer. "That." Said one young news reporter. His cameraman elbowed him in the ribs. Meagan looked down to see a large package on her lawn. She picked it up, glaring at it as if it had something dangerous in it. She opened it, revealing a large trophy. Meagan's countenance expression changed from suspicion to a childish delight. The trophy read "Witch of the Year" on it. Cate had one this once before, but after she hadn't shown up at the awarding ceremony because she didn't want to and never got it again. Jo and Jess crept out of the house and peered around their mother. "Meagan Potter has received this 'Witch of the Year Award' on this 1st day of November for being an outstanding mother, a spectacular Quidditch player, and a wonderful wife." Meagan read aloud. Jo and Jess jumped out from behind their mother at the "outstanding mother" part because they clearly thought it meant just them. Meagan put her arm around Jo and waved the award around. She spotted Cate sulking around the crowd and grinned even wider. "YEAH!" she said, jumping up and down. Jess patted her mother's swelled tummy. "She's the one and only Meagan Potter and her kid on the way." She said. ~*~ Nita ran through the crowd of reporters. 'Paige?' she inquired telepathically. 'Nita?' replied Paige. "Over here!" Nita yelled. Paige, recognizing Nita's voice, ran over. Paige and Nita spotted each other and Nita mouthed (for no apparent reason) "To the house!" Nita appeared in the house and Paige appeared a fraction of a second later. "Do you think this is going to make your mother even madder?" asked Nita anxiously, looking out the window. Paige glanced half-heartedly out and nodded gloomily. "Undoubtedly." She said. Nita reached in her pocket and took two necklaces out. She handed one to Paige. Paige looked down at it. It was half a broken heart. It was golden and gleaming magically, with the word "Friend" etched in it. Its delicate golden chair seemed to be so fragile that it was spun by magic. Paige looked up, awed by the wonder of the beautiful little trinket. Nita was putting hers on. Hers was identical to Paige's except the fact it read "Best" and its broken part was facing the left, not the right. Nita smiled at Paige's awed look. "So that we'll always be friends." She said. Nita took Paige's necklace gently and put the two half-hearts together. They glowed and played a classical song. "Hedwig's Theme by the wizard composer John Williams." Said Paige, identifying the song. Nita nodded. "I hope we'll always be friends." She said. "I do too." Said Paige.