Chapter Thirteen: The Birthday Boy
Disclaimer: I wish I owned the original Harry Potter and his copyrighted world, but unfortunately I only own what you do not recognize. J.K. Rowling own everything you recognize, I own what you don't.
Erika Caldwell beamed as she stepped out of the Distance Jumper. She had been so excited when the Potters had asked her to come and visit them in America, even more excited when they had decided to surprise James for his birthday, and even more excited when her parents had allowed her to go. This decision was probably partly because her mother and James' father worked together, so her parents had no question in her safety.
Erika scanned the awaiting crowd and found who she was looking for. Three women were waving madly at her, and Erika felt herself blush at the stares she was receiving.
"Hello dear!" Ginny said walking briskly towards her. She threw her arms around her, smiling the entire time.
"I'm fine, Mrs. Potter." she replied, returning her boyfriend's mother's hug.
"Wonderful." Ginny replied. "You know Hermione." Ginny glanced at her sister-in-law standing beside her. Erika had met her once before, briefly at the train station at the end of their last term.
"Hello." Erika replied, slightly nervous. Hermione gave her a hug and Erika tried to swallow her nerves. It was one thing spending time with her boyfriend's family, it was another to call the Minister of Magic by her first name.
"Its nice to see you again." Hermione said.
"You too, Mrs. Weasley." Erika replied.
"Oh no, Mrs. Weasley is Ron and Ginny's mother." Hermione protested while Ginny tried not to laugh. "Just call me Hermione."
"And I'm just Ginny." Ginny said. "There is not need for formalities with us dear." Erika smiled and nodded.
"And this is Julie Potter." Ginny introduced the woman that Erika didn't recognize.
"Its verY nice to meet you." Erika said. "James has told me a lot about you, and how you're the one that stared all of this.." Erika stopped and a nervous look spread across her face. Julie, Ginny and Hermione laughed.
"You could say that, yes." Julie replied.
"Well, Erika, we're headed into the city." Ginny began. "I have a few last minute things to pick up for James, and then Harry and James and ....well, practically everyone else are meeting us for a late lunch. Sound okay?"
"Sounds wonderful, but what about..."Erika began, glancing at her trunk, but Hermione came to her rescue. With a wave of her wand, she shrunk Erika's trunk to the size of a matchbox.
"See, it will fit nicely in your purse now." Hermione said and handed the shrunken trunk to Erika.
"Thanks." Erika replied and placed her trunk in her purse. Erika followed the women out of the Station and into the crisp California morning air.
"Where's Mum?" James asked. Reagan smiled at him.
"No where." she smirked and left the kitchen. He watched her leave, wondering what she was up to. He sighed and got a glass from the cabinet.
"Oh and James," Reagan said sticking her head into the room. He closed the cabinet door and looked at her, raising his eyebrows in acknowledgment.
"Happy Birthday!" she said. He smiled and looked back at his glass.
Today was his birthday, his sixteenth birthday. It was going to be different from every other birthday he had ever had, due to the absence of the rest of the Weasley family. He also wished that he could see his girlfriend, Erika Caldwell.
Erika was from an all wizarding family. Her mother was British and a distant cousin of Marcus Flint (Erika would say, "We all have our flaws don't we?") and her father was a retired Australian Quidditch player now the Australian Ambassador in Britain. She was as pureblooded as a witch could get. James and Erika had been writing letters all summer, but it wasn't the same as actually seeing each other. He frowned into his glass. He hadn't heard from her in a week or so and, since today was his birthday, he had been expecting something, anything.
James sighed and set his empty unused glass in the sink and left the kitchen. He wondered around the house looking for his father. He found him asleep on a couch. James sat down across from Harry and contemplated the previous nights events. But before many thoughts could develop in his head, he dozed off.
"Okay, I see Harry." Ginny said as she and Erika crouched down behind a display. They two watched Harry enter the store and look around suspiciously. Reagan came in next and James after her. Harry pointed James in a direction and he took off, leaving Harry to find Ginny.
"Here I go." Erika said. She followed James around the store for a few minutes, dodging behind bookshelves every now and then. Finally she had a perfect moment to surprise him. He stood with his back to her, flipping through a book. She causally walked up beside him and picked up a book. He didn't say anything to her or even glance her way. She glanced at him, but he didn't seem to notice she was there.
"Is that a good book?" she asked, turning towards him. He mm'mmed.
"Hey, isn't your dad Harry Potter?" she asked. He mm'mmed again and didn't take his eyes away from the book. She fell into that one, and she knew it. Everyone knew him in England because of his father and it wouldn't have been odd for someone to ask him that.
She was beginning to get frustrated. How hard could it be for him to just look up from his book?
"Isn't today your birthday?" she asked in desperation, hoping to catch his attention.
"How did...?" he said, finally looking up form his book. His eyes grew wide and a smile spread across his face. He stared at her, completely dumbstruck.
"Happy Birthday." Erika said to her speechless boyfriend.
"Erika!" He cried and threw his arms around her. "Why did you, I mean how did you, I mean, wow!" Erika hugged him back and saw Ginny and Harry peeking at them from behind a shelf, smiles spread wide across their faces.
"It was your Mum's idea." Erika said. "She sent me an owl and your father wrote to my Mum assuring her that it was perfectly safe and, well here I am!" James beamed at her.
"Thank you so much!" he cried and hugged her again. "I missed you." he whispered into her hair, barely audible. But Erika caught it.
"I missed you too." Erika whispered back. The two stood in the middle of the bookshop, caught up in their embrace.
Meanwhile, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione stood watching from across the store.
"Aaaww," Ginny said.
"Come, on." Harry said turning his wife and friends away from his son. "Its kind of creepy that we're just sitting here watching them."
"True." Hermione said and the four began to walk out of the store.
And that's when they saw them.
Seven black cloaked figures had just Apparated into the middle of the street. They stood in a tight clump, not moving at all.
"Not again." Harry heard Hermione whisper. Harry stared at them. Why do they just stand there?
"Ginny..." Harry began.
"I know." came her reply. She drew her wand and turned with Hermione and Ron to gather their children. Harry began to walk towards the door when the figures pulled out their wands and raised them above their heads.
"James! Erika! Get down!" Harry's voice yell at them. The young couple broke from their embrace and saw the reason for Harry's warning. Harry saw Remus walk towards him and didn't move to stop him. Harry reached the door before Remus did and drew his wand. He stepped into the street and faced the figures. People were suddenly beginning to panic and were running in every direction. As one the figures started throwing curses and hexes, they separated and moved out of their protective clump in the middle of the street.
"Expelliaramus!" Harry cried at one and hit him dead in the chest. His wand flew out of his hand and landed somewhere unknown. Remus threw a curse at one but missed him. Harry threw one at another figure and he fell over, unconscious. Two down, five more to go. But it wasn't as easy as it had been before.
"Confluct Infensus wouldn't work unless they're in a group!" Harry yelled as he spun around to avoid a curse.
"What are these?" Remus yelled.
"Death Eaters, I think. But they don't move like Death Eaters do." Harry yelled back. He threw a curse at an approaching figure but it deflected it with a Shield Charm.
"Harry Potter." it whispered in a voice Harry had never heard before. The sound raised the hair on Harry's neck, sending a brief sensation of cold and fear through his body.
It raised its wand and hissed, "Avada...!" but doubled over and fell back before it could complete the Killing Curse. Harry turned to see the caster of the spell that had saved his life and saw his wife lowering her wand. Ron and Hermione were standing beside her.
"Ginny, get back inside!" Harry hissed at her.
"Oh, Harry, they're be all right." Ginny said. Harry knew his children would be all right but he didn't want Ginny in danger.
"And besides, Harry, we all fought along side you against Voldemort. Its not like we don't know how." Hermione said.
"Fine, but only because I don't have time to argue with you!" Harry cried and turned back around. Remus managed to curse down another figure so three remained standing. Harry heard Hermione yell "Stupefy" at a figure but it too was deflected.
"They have some sort of Shield Charm up!" Remus cried. "Can't seem to get anything through!"
"Round them together!" Harry yelled back. "Get them back into their group. Ron! Bind those ones that have already fallen!" Ron nodded and turned to full fill Harry's request. He knew not to mess with Harry in times like this, when his ranking officer side comes into effect.
Harry ducked as a curse flew his way and caught a glimpse of Reagan watching from inside the shop. She was sitting with her arm around Erika, her feet dangling innocently above the ground. Her feet... above the ground...... above the ground.... ground, hit above the ground!
"Hit the ground by their feet to drive them back!" Harry yelled. Everyone complied at once.
"Avis!" Hermione cried, sending a flock of doves at the feet of one of the figures. It stepped back, closer to another figure.
"Impervious!" Remus shouted and water shot up at the third figure sending him backwards toward the other two.
"Confluct Infensus Infinitus!" Harry cried and the three stopped moving. Harry let out a breath as he lowered his wand. Hermione and Ginny began helping people to their feet and Ron magically bound the standing figures.
"Is everyone okay?" Harry asked.
"We are, Harry." Ginny somberly replied. "But others aren't."
Harry watched as Ron and Hermione tried to wake a man. His eyes were wide open but he wasn't breathing.
"Damn." Harry swore under his breath.
"Daddy?" Reagan asked from behind him. He turned and saw his daughter running towards him. He could see the fear in her eyes and he swept her into his arms. Erika and James went to help Ron and Hermione as the attempted to get everyone in the street to their feet. Soon the Ministry Officers came. Harry was questioned along with Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Remus, Erika and James. It lasted forever.
Turning to Ginny, Harry saw the fear returning in her eyes.
"Gin, we've been through this before." he said to her. She nodded and turned towards her two sons, standing near by. Darenn was standing with Paul and Caitlin, and James had his arms tightly around Erika. Harry looked at his eldest son, quickly aware of how much he had grown up. James was going into his Sixth year at Hogwarts, and Harry could hardly believe how fast the time had flown by.
"Are you done with us?" Harry asked an office standing near by. The man held his gaze on Harry longer than seemed necessary and for a moment Harry was afraid he was going to ask for an autograph or something.
"Yes, Mr. Potter, sir." the officer finally replied. "You and your family may go."
Harry's thank you consisted of a sarcastic smile and nod as he turned back to his family.
"Come, on." he said to them. "Lets get going."
Author Note: Okay, so the next chapter is going to be even more interseting, but it might take a while to get it up. I have finals coming up and I don't know if I will be able to sit and write. So keep checking back, or leave me a review and I'll send you a note telling you that I've updated. Botom line: REVIEW!!! Thanks!!!