Harry woke up to find Phoenix and Owen bouncing on his bed.
"Daddy wake up! It's Christmas!"
Harry yawned managed to coax them off the bed so he could get out. He pulled a bathrobe around himself and took some more aspirin for his headache before following the children down stairs. He found Ron and Hermione with their three girls watching some T.V.
Owen and Phoenix followed Harry into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
They grabbed the boxes of cereal off the side and some bowls and put them on the table. Harry put pieces of bread into the toaster and put on the kettle.
Ron and Hermione came into help and soon the room was filled with the hustle and bustle of a family.
It reminded Harry of the Burrow where he had spent most of his teenage years with Ron and the other Weasleys including...Ginny.
Harry paused from getting the toast out the toaster and burnt his hand. He managed not to curse and put his hand under the cold-water tap.
The children had taken their bowls of cereal into the lounge so it was just the three adults.
"Harry are you OK?" asked Hermione putting down the bottle of milk she'd been using.
"Yeah I'm fine." said Harry his hand cooling under the flow of water.
Ron got a bandage from under the sink and put it over Harry's burn. The adults stayed in the kitchen talking.
Harry's thoughts continued to turned to Ginny as he watched Hermione and Ron argued about what to do for Boxing Day. It was like he was back at Hogwarts, and it was just another Christmas day with his friends.
Owen came in carrying five used bowls and put them into the sink. He then noticed his father's bandaged hand and dreamy expression.
"Dad, are you ok?" asked Owen.
"He's fine Owen. Come on let's go open some presents." said Ron taking Owen's hand and leading him into the lounge.
Hermione looked at Harry over her cup of coffee and was wondering how to bring their conversation on to Ginny When Hedwig flew through the window followed by Cho's owl Nirvana who was clutching two bags and a cardboard postcard.
Nirvana flew into the lounge to Owen and Phoenix who squealed in delight. Hedwig pecked at Harry's hand trying to get his attention.
"Harry. Hedwig's getting annoyed." said Hermione in a singsong voice gathering up the adult's plates.
"What? Oh sorry Hedwig just a bit distracted that's all," said Harry stroking Hedwig's snowy white feathers and taking the letter and newspaper from her beak.
Hedwig hooted in response before flying through the house.
The letter had the Ministry seal on the back (a pointed hat and a wand surrounded by ten stars). Harry frowned and put the Daily Prophet down on the table before he opened the letter.
It read
'Mister Potter, I hope you are having a nice Christmas but I'm afraid that I have some bad news. Please would you come to the Ministry building in London, as Cornelius Fudge needs to speak to you on serious business. Sorry about the disturbance of your holiday. Deputy Minister of Magic Percy Weasley
Harry put the letter down and turned to where Hermione was washing up.
"Hermione did you know Percy was deputy Minister of magic?" asked Harry.
"Oh yeah. He got promoted last year. Didn't Ron tell you?" asked Hermione washing up the cookery.
"No. But Percy said that I've got go down to London." said Harry picking up the letter and newspaper.
"But today's Christmas Harry. You can't go, what about the kids?" asked Hermione putting the last fork onto the draining board before taking the plug out the sink.
"I don't have much choice. I'll have to go tell them." said Harry getting up from the table.
"Well at least let me and Ron take our girls up to get dressed. They might get annoying other wise," said Hermione drying her hands.
"Thanks Hermione." said Harry.
Hermione walked into the lounge and quickly talked to Ron. Harry soon heard five pairs of foot steps go up the stairs and decided now was the time.
He walked into the room to see Phoenix with her nose in a book Cho had got her and Owen was watching the T.V.
"Hey kids." said Harry sitting down on the floor.
"Hey daddy. Is some thing wrong?" asked Phoenix putting down her book.
Owen turned off the TV and the two moved over to where Harry was sat.
"I'm afraid so. I have some business to attend to down in London which means I might not be here all today," said Harry putting Phoenix in his lap and hugging both of them.
"But dad it's Christmas! All work is supposed to stop for Christmas," protested Owen.
"I know but that's not the case in all careers I'm afraid. So I have to go down to the Ministry," said Harry.
"Try not be there too long." said Phoenix kissing Harry on the cheek.
"Yeah dad it won't be fun with out you." said Owen hugging him.
Harry put Phoenix on the floor and went up stairs to get dressed. He changed into a black suit and white shirt with black tie. He put a navy blue cloak over the suit and put his wand and cell phone in the inside pocket of his cloak. He brushed his teeth and tried to tame his hair.
He pulled on his shoes and went downstairs.
He saw Ron sat on the sofa with Owen watching the Queen's speech and laughing amongst them selves.
Hermione was in the kitchen beginning to make the Christmas dinner while the girls were making cookies at the table.
Harry walked through the lounge and Owen smiled and waved at him. Phoenix looked up as Harry entered the kitchen and picked up a person shaped of dough.
"Daddy I made this for you." smiled Phoenix.
Harry looked down at it and grinned in appreciation.
"Thank you Phoenix I'll have it when I come back." said Harry hugging her before walking towards where Hermione was putting a turkey in the oven.
"Keep an eye on them...." asked Harry before Hermione finished his sentence.
"...For you? Of course we will don't worry. We'll protect them with our lives." assured Hermione closing the oven.
Harry smiled at her before walking through the door near the oven, which led to a big fireplace.
He took a handful of Floo powder as he made his way into the fireplace. He threw it after yelling 'London H.Q.'
He soon sped off into the darkness.
"Daddy wake up! It's Christmas!"
Harry yawned managed to coax them off the bed so he could get out. He pulled a bathrobe around himself and took some more aspirin for his headache before following the children down stairs. He found Ron and Hermione with their three girls watching some T.V.
Owen and Phoenix followed Harry into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
They grabbed the boxes of cereal off the side and some bowls and put them on the table. Harry put pieces of bread into the toaster and put on the kettle.
Ron and Hermione came into help and soon the room was filled with the hustle and bustle of a family.
It reminded Harry of the Burrow where he had spent most of his teenage years with Ron and the other Weasleys including...Ginny.
Harry paused from getting the toast out the toaster and burnt his hand. He managed not to curse and put his hand under the cold-water tap.
The children had taken their bowls of cereal into the lounge so it was just the three adults.
"Harry are you OK?" asked Hermione putting down the bottle of milk she'd been using.
"Yeah I'm fine." said Harry his hand cooling under the flow of water.
Ron got a bandage from under the sink and put it over Harry's burn. The adults stayed in the kitchen talking.
Harry's thoughts continued to turned to Ginny as he watched Hermione and Ron argued about what to do for Boxing Day. It was like he was back at Hogwarts, and it was just another Christmas day with his friends.
Owen came in carrying five used bowls and put them into the sink. He then noticed his father's bandaged hand and dreamy expression.
"Dad, are you ok?" asked Owen.
"He's fine Owen. Come on let's go open some presents." said Ron taking Owen's hand and leading him into the lounge.
Hermione looked at Harry over her cup of coffee and was wondering how to bring their conversation on to Ginny When Hedwig flew through the window followed by Cho's owl Nirvana who was clutching two bags and a cardboard postcard.
Nirvana flew into the lounge to Owen and Phoenix who squealed in delight. Hedwig pecked at Harry's hand trying to get his attention.
"Harry. Hedwig's getting annoyed." said Hermione in a singsong voice gathering up the adult's plates.
"What? Oh sorry Hedwig just a bit distracted that's all," said Harry stroking Hedwig's snowy white feathers and taking the letter and newspaper from her beak.
Hedwig hooted in response before flying through the house.
The letter had the Ministry seal on the back (a pointed hat and a wand surrounded by ten stars). Harry frowned and put the Daily Prophet down on the table before he opened the letter.
It read
'Mister Potter, I hope you are having a nice Christmas but I'm afraid that I have some bad news. Please would you come to the Ministry building in London, as Cornelius Fudge needs to speak to you on serious business. Sorry about the disturbance of your holiday. Deputy Minister of Magic Percy Weasley
Harry put the letter down and turned to where Hermione was washing up.
"Hermione did you know Percy was deputy Minister of magic?" asked Harry.
"Oh yeah. He got promoted last year. Didn't Ron tell you?" asked Hermione washing up the cookery.
"No. But Percy said that I've got go down to London." said Harry picking up the letter and newspaper.
"But today's Christmas Harry. You can't go, what about the kids?" asked Hermione putting the last fork onto the draining board before taking the plug out the sink.
"I don't have much choice. I'll have to go tell them." said Harry getting up from the table.
"Well at least let me and Ron take our girls up to get dressed. They might get annoying other wise," said Hermione drying her hands.
"Thanks Hermione." said Harry.
Hermione walked into the lounge and quickly talked to Ron. Harry soon heard five pairs of foot steps go up the stairs and decided now was the time.
He walked into the room to see Phoenix with her nose in a book Cho had got her and Owen was watching the T.V.
"Hey kids." said Harry sitting down on the floor.
"Hey daddy. Is some thing wrong?" asked Phoenix putting down her book.
Owen turned off the TV and the two moved over to where Harry was sat.
"I'm afraid so. I have some business to attend to down in London which means I might not be here all today," said Harry putting Phoenix in his lap and hugging both of them.
"But dad it's Christmas! All work is supposed to stop for Christmas," protested Owen.
"I know but that's not the case in all careers I'm afraid. So I have to go down to the Ministry," said Harry.
"Try not be there too long." said Phoenix kissing Harry on the cheek.
"Yeah dad it won't be fun with out you." said Owen hugging him.
Harry put Phoenix on the floor and went up stairs to get dressed. He changed into a black suit and white shirt with black tie. He put a navy blue cloak over the suit and put his wand and cell phone in the inside pocket of his cloak. He brushed his teeth and tried to tame his hair.
He pulled on his shoes and went downstairs.
He saw Ron sat on the sofa with Owen watching the Queen's speech and laughing amongst them selves.
Hermione was in the kitchen beginning to make the Christmas dinner while the girls were making cookies at the table.
Harry walked through the lounge and Owen smiled and waved at him. Phoenix looked up as Harry entered the kitchen and picked up a person shaped of dough.
"Daddy I made this for you." smiled Phoenix.
Harry looked down at it and grinned in appreciation.
"Thank you Phoenix I'll have it when I come back." said Harry hugging her before walking towards where Hermione was putting a turkey in the oven.
"Keep an eye on them...." asked Harry before Hermione finished his sentence.
"...For you? Of course we will don't worry. We'll protect them with our lives." assured Hermione closing the oven.
Harry smiled at her before walking through the door near the oven, which led to a big fireplace.
He took a handful of Floo powder as he made his way into the fireplace. He threw it after yelling 'London H.Q.'
He soon sped off into the darkness.