"Where is she!" James bellowed urgently.
"Calm down, James" Remus encouraged as he approached. "She's alright"
"Alright!? Alright?! I get a letter saying that she fell down while skating and I need to come to the Muggle emergency room!! Then you say everything is alright!"
"I'm okay, Daddy" Kira stated as she was wheeled over. She's been at the hotel while they did a few Halloween games. Some older, snobby kids had chased her on her roller blades and they pushed her down stairs. Remus had arrived right at that time and handled the situation in a perfectly adult, dignified matter. This fact highly annoyed James who wanted to kill those children's parents for letting them hurt his baby girl!
"Kira!" James called, the sight of a Muggle wheelchair doing him in. "Are you alright, I heard what happened"
"I'm okay" Kira smiled brightly. "It doesn't hurt" She added, seeing his gaze fall to her previously hurt, and now bandaged leg.
"I'm going to have a talk with the parents. Then the hotel for their excellent children's activities! Then-"
"Daddy?" Kira looked up at James and stood up, unsteadily, but determined. "Can we just go home instead?"
As the sun set, casting an orange glow upon the quiet Muggle neighborhood, an eerie sensation floated through the breeze. Owls swooped and hooted, free from Muggle suspicion. Pumpkins glowed with expressive faces. Ghosts flew and cauldrons bubbled. It was hard to believe that this was a Muggle neighborhood. This was Godrics Hollow decorated in a glowing spirit of Halloween. Petunia would have been appalled, along with Vernon. Mind you, they planned on Dudley getting candy, but not going out and begging for it, heavens no! What kind of people go out side and walk? God forbid it be them. They're quite normal and happy to be that way, thank you very much. Their neighborhood was casually decorated and a few kids walked the streets, but there was a 'take one' bowl at every house and you'd be egged if you disturbed the occupants inside the house be yelling anything about trick or treat.
Yet, back at Godrics Hollow the air was crisp and clean and radiating with holiday festivities. The houses were decorated perfectly, the candles in the pumpkins provided a warm, sweet smelling aura. Children were laughing in a picture perfect setting, not loud, just happily. The orange- leaved trees waved their branches gently in the wind and the stage was preparing for a night of fun. Kids played outside in their yards and bobbed for apples. In side the Potter house was a warm setting with a blazing fire, child safe of course, Halloween cookies, backed fresh to hand out along with bags of candy to Trick_Or_Treaters. Cota waited at the bottom of the stairs. Kira had gone upstairs with Lily half an hour ago and still had not came down.
As the Order members arrived, James came down and tried to figure out the evening's arrangement. Lily and Alice wanted to stay with Harry and Neville. Hagrid was coming later, Moody was doing something he wouldn't explain, Frank had decided to stay, as did Dumbledore. While James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter played, Cota took Kira Trick or Treating and Trinidy went to the forest to attend an annual party she'd been excited about all month. Fairie party in the woods, yeah! Cota looked up the stairs and once again called for Kira.
"Be warned" Remus whispered to the group around him. "Any mention of injury to Kira and James is likely to ripp off human flesh"
"What?" Sirius asked, smiling all to widely for what had just been said.
"There was an incident at the Hotel, some kids were beating up Kira and she hurt her leg. James found out about it the wrong way and now has the potential to blow a wand core" Remus hissed.
Cota looked up the stairs again. "Kira? Hurry up kiddo. You want the best treats don't ya?"
"Lily, didn't you tell me you made Kira's costume?" Alice asked as Lily glanced over at the stairs.
"Yes, her costume got torn when she fell. But it's okay she looks really, really-
Kira slowly emerged from the shadows and traveled down the stairs with a slight limp. She didn't look to happy and as Cota moved to make room he found out why.
"Cute" James filled in, raising his eyebrows in surprise at the 180 turn around from her earlier costume.
"I'm a bunny" Kira stated, unenthusiastically. Sure enough, she was a cute little bunny. A pure white bunny with long, soft ears, a poofy tail, and a tinny pink nose that had little wiskers. She had on knee high, white boots with no heal that got wider as they went down and were fuzzy, a white skirt with the poofy tail sewn on. Then big white paws that had lavender strings tied to them in order to keep them on her hands. A white jacket that was also fuzzy and then the hood with the ears that was tied under her chin in a big lilac bow. She stared miserably at the floor and Remus looked over at Cota. Both of them knew how much Kira wanted matching costumes... but Cota wasn't exactly a bunny type of person. An idea stuck Cota and he bolted upstairs as James tried to assure Kira that she had a wounderful costume.
"You look perfect"
"...I'm a bunny"
"I'll get your fangs and you can be Bunnicula" James tried.
Cota leapt down the stairs a few minutes later, this time in a different costume. He was now dressed up as a magician. Black tuxedo, black cape with red, satin lining, top hat, and a white mask that covered his eyes. He twirled the hat and pulled, there were two. He put one on Kira, sticking her ears through little holes on the top. "Ready?" He asked with a smile.
"Ready!" Kira smiled.
Lily handed her a lilac bag and everyone traveled outside. Cota had changed his mind about Kira walking and she couldn't skate with her leg hurt so-
"I get to ride at night?!" Kira cheered. James nodded and Lily debated for a few seconds.
"You ride, I'll walk" Cota stated, reasurign Lily. Pat whinnied in protest and stomped his foot. "Patrick" Cota looked over at the horse, who stoped immediately and started to pretend he had never done anything wrong in his entire life.
"What is your horse's name?" Dumbledore asked Kira as Cota lifted her onto the pony.
"Candy" Kira replied. Candy gave a whinny and tossed her head.
"That's a cute name" Dumbledore said, petting Candy and looking over at Patrick to see if he was going insane.
"I named her that cause she really, really likes candy" Kira smiled and handed the pony a sugar cube.
Kira, and Cota, and Candy (Hmmm, debating name choice) all returned home after the two hours of begging for candy. Kira's bag was full, as were the saddlebags, the bag Cota brought, two garbage bags, and a bag Cota enchanted to look small, but be huge inside. He also carried a plate of cookies and a few different drinks made up mostly of sugar. James beamed at his little girl and then looked over at Cota.
"What happened?" He asked.
Cota noticed that James's robe looked a bit singed and Sirius had a huge grin on his face that told they had done something Dumbledore would have expelled them for, given the option. "Kira smiled, batted her eyes, and said 'It's my first year trick or treating and I hope I get a lot of candy.' And then we ended up with all this. People were dumping the bowls into her bag"
"That's my girl" James smiled.
Lily said a spell that would check the candy and everyone sat in the den. The clock chimed and James skidded into the room with a tray of food, which he enchanted to float around to each person.
"It's almost on, it's almost on" James announced, sitting behind Kira who was in her poofy chair.
"Ya know we could turn on the T.V or open a book for this," Peter stated, receiving a glare from James and Sirius.
"It's better this way," James stated. "What, Kira?"
"Pleeeeeeeeease" Kira begged softly, giving James the puppy dog eyes.
"No" James responded, telling himself not to fall for the eyes...again. He kept telling himself not to give in just because she was hurt... but wasn't it his fault? He should have been there, but instead he sent Remus. Remus did not know how to heal broken legs, though he had tried several times as James and Sirius had always gotten in trouble at Hogwarts.
"Aw" Kira looked at the ground, defeated by his tone.
"Child is spoiled" Moody grumbled.
"Alastor, if you have a comment for the way I raise my daughter I'd gladly discus it with you, out side" Lily said, sweetly. Not at all liking the idea of her child being raised spoiled like Dudley.
"..." Moody was silent to this. Remus was smiling so widely it was obvious he was trying not to laugh at the mighty Mad-eye being scared of Lily's wrath. Though he could not blame him, he knew a few good witches and wizards who had been bested by Lily.
Dumbledore leaned forward. "What does she want so badly?" He asked, not use to seeing Kira begging for something. Lily took great pride in being sure her children grew up as strong, independent, responsible members of society. James made sure they were good kids, but a little joke every once and a while never hurt-... was all in good fun. He wanted them to be a pain in authority's side, yet trustworthy and know when to put the jokes aside and be serious, without being downers.
James laughed slightly and looked up towards Dumbledore. "Kira doesn't have a big teddy bear; she doesn't have a security blanket. She has a pony; and for the last time it cannot come inside. I don't care if you've trained it," He stated, looking at Kira out of the corner of his eye.
"But it's dark outside" Kira protested, staring out at her little white horse who was eating a daisy.
"For the ninth and final time, no" James retorted. "Ask again and the pony is going back in her stall" James stated. Kira disappeared behind the poofy pillow; she had lost the battle and the war.
"Pony" Harry stated, sending shock into everyone listening, Harry had learned a new word! Kira looked over at him, and swore to everything that he winked. "Kra's pony!" Harry cheered.
"It was all Hallows Eve (I had to!) And the sky was lit by a full moon..." Said the voice on the radio. Remus shivered and Lily patted his arm. James was receiving a mocking grin from Sirius, who was holding Harry up on the couch next to Lily. Dumbledore sat in the armchair and smiled a knowing smile over at James, who shrugged and moved the icepack on Kira's leg. Hagrid seemed right at home. Frank gave James a supportive look. Alice smiled and tried very hard to ignore the fact that there was a child in this room that should have gone to bed. Neville was not that child; he had not outlasted Harry and had fallen asleep half an hour ago. Exact same age; yet completely different sleep schedule.
Moody, who was sitting in the rocking chair, was staring out the window with his magical eye, and seemed to be a Halloween decoration himself. Kira was curled up in a blanket with her stuffed raccoon. Right next to her was Trinidy, who was helping herself to a pixi-stick and sitting on Kira's pony. Yep, James had really laid down the law on that one. Lightning flashed, Harry cried, in came the pony. The sky outside was dark due to the storm, and the moon was but a sliver in the sky. Kira fed the pony a carrot Lily had given to her and felt like the luckiest girl in the whole wide world. Mostly because, at that moment, she was. Well, maybe not the world, there might have been a few princesses that had nine ponies already, and did not have hurt legs.
"A young couple out on a date parked along an old country road to be alone. They were listening to the car radio and kissing and hugging. Suddenly the music was interrupted by a news bulletin. "A convicted murderer has escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane. He is extremely dangerous and the police are asking that everyone practice extreme caution." (Sound Familiar? Book 3) the man was mutilated in a car wreck following a high-speed chase and is missing his right hand. A temporary hook has been attached to his right arm, which will make him easier to identify. The criminal's name-"
The boy turned the radio off. He leaned over to his girlfriend, expecting that the frightening news flash would make her snuggle even closer. Instead, she was so scared that she did not want to make out anymore. "I'm afraid," she whimpered. "Let's get out of here."
The boy tried and tried to convince her that they were in no danger, but she refused to listen. He decided that maybe she did not like him as much as he had thought, and was just using this as an excuse. The girl reached over and locked her door as the boy angrily started the car. Just at that moment, they heard a thud on the passenger side of the car.
The boy slammed the car into drive and spun out onto the road. The girl screamed and held onto the boy as they fishtailed around the road. On the way back to town they both calmed down, but the girl still held on so tightly that the boy decided he had been wrong about her after all. As they came closer and closer to her house, he tried to think of a way to impress her. They pulled up in front of the house and the boy said, "I'll make sure it's safe first." He left the keys in the ignition but locked the door as he got out. He came around to her side to politely open the door, like a hero.
For a long time, he just stood there, looking down at the door. At first, the girl could not figure out what was wrong; then she realized that her door was still locked. She smiled and unlocked it. The boy still just stood there. The girl looked puzzled and rolled down her window. Then she saw that the boy was looking down at the door handle. She slowly looked down herself.
A long splatter of blood ran across the door all the way to the back bumper. Hanging from the door handle was a stainless steel hook!" The eerie voice on the radio announced. At this point, Lily was holding her sleeping baby and James was lying next to Kira, who had managed to sneak under her big pillow and disappear. "We all remember that haunting classic," The voice hissed. "Now here is a more... gentle... story for those with young children listening" The voice stated. James peeked under the pillow and saw two glowing white eyes staring back at him, unblinking.
"Too late" Moody grunted as the pillow shook.
"It's okay, Kira" James cooed, trying to comfort her. Kira nodded unconvincingly and the pillow scooted closer to James.
"Once upon a time there was a little girl whose grandfather had just died. She had loved her grandfather very much and she missed him a great deal. He was buried in the cemetery just a few hundred yards from her house, and she could see his grave every evening at sunset when she looked from her bedroom window. One night her parents were going out and the babysitter had not arrived yet. They knew she was a very reliable babysitter who would probably arrive just a few minutes later, so they kissed the girl good-bye and drove off. Hours passed and the babysitter had not yet come. The girl began to be afraid. A storm was brewing outside and thunder and lightning moved closer and closer to the house. Suddenly there was a bright flash of lightning without any sound and the power in the house went off. The wind blew the trees around and branches broke off, crashing against the house and falling to the yard. Alone in the dark, the girl became very scared." The voice paused. "Then the phone rang. The girl went to the phone, hoping it was her parents. She said hello, and waited. The line seemed dead. Then, sounding far, far away, a voice came over the phone. It was her grandfather's voice. 'Don't be afraid, honey. There is nothing to fear. You'll be safe in the house. The storm will pass over.' Then the phone was silent and dead. The girl went to bed, calm and happy. She slept well in spite of the storm.
The parents came home and found their daughter asleep, and, unwilling to wake her, they left their questions until the morning. They were horrified when the babysitter called the next morning to explain that she had been in a wreck at the leading edge of the storm. She was unhurt, but what had their daughter done alone in the house? When they woke her, she told them what had happened. And when they didn't believe her, she smiled and pointed out her window to what she had seen the night before. The phone line from the house was intact out to the first pole, but then it was broken by fallen limbs, and the cable drooped into the cemetery. The end of the broken line lay across her grandfather's grave."
The night continued on in it's traditional fashion. The horror stories continued until something rather odd happened. Now, remember, this was a time when everyone jumped out of their skin whenever the word 'Voldemort' was uttered. He was always on everyone's mind scaring the hell out of them. Now, imagine you're in the Order of the Phoenix. You're gathering together and you know the most evil wizard known to mankind wants you dead. Of course, you would be a bit... tense, at all times. Okay? Now add the fact that you just finished listening to half an hour of horror stories. At the end of the final story, something rammed into the window with a loud CRASH!! The pony bolted and was grabbed by Hagrid, Peter hid, and Lily put Harry in the play pin and pulled out her wand in one swift action. Sirius yelled and leapt behind the sofa to prepare for a battle, Trinidy screamed and flew quickly behind the floopowder jar. Moody yelled and started attacking the window. Alice shrieked and jumped to the playpen where Neville and Harry were. Frank yelped and tripped over the pony, which whinnied in terror and rammed into Hagrid, who yelled extremely loudly. Dumbledore, caught up in the moment, jumped and prepared to fight. Kira scrambled out from under the pillow and was caught be James as she jumped to get out of the way of whatever had just came through the window. Cota was at his Lord's side in a moment and crouched low as he prepared to attack and Derek stood slightly behind Cota, wand raised. Remus, stirred in his sleep, and then slept on.
"Hold!" James called out as if he was on the battlefield directing other riders not to fire. Cota and Derek held their fire and stood at guard. Moody kept firing untill James yelled his command again in an annoyed voice. Kira retreated and Dumbledore stepped infront of her. She peeked around his legs at her father as everyone stood still and silent. James held his hand up and his eyes set on the point of penetration, along with Derek and Cota. The three Zagan members were attack ready and in formation, for the most part, Derek was still behind Cota. He was used to training sessions where the instructor told them to stay behind their partner. When the dust settled James pointed to the left and right by waving his index finger and then balled his fist. He moved his hand out forward, these signals told Cota that Derek was to go left, he was to go right, and then they would all move forward. They followed this and James peered out the window. A tree branch was sticking through it, but what hit the tree.
Cota leapt out on the right at the same time as James did. Derek followed right after Cota, uninformed about the upcoming jump. James looked around and Sirius soon jumped out. Terrified that someone had found out where James and Lily lived. He had told no one so how-?
"Are ya all okay?!" James looked up and everyone quickly hid their wands as James's neighbor across the street came running down the long path. "We've been getting really bad lightning, I should have told you! They're putting out a storm warning!"
"That's alright Adam" James replied, greeting his exhausted neighbor.
"We looked out the window and saw the lightning flash down this 'ere hill and me wife nearly 'ad a 'eart attack" Adam stated, regaining his breath. "She tells me, run out there quick an see if the Potters be a'right"
"We're all fine, I believe, just a bit of a scare" James shrugged and Cota dove back into the house backwards and Derek scooted around side in an effort not to look like they had been preparing for an attack. "How is Elizabeth?" James asked, giving a distraction for Cota and Derek.
"Beth's fine, hopin yer girl enjoys the candy" Adam replied lightly. They had a brief discussion with Adam saying he would not feel right unless he helped with the tree, James decided not to reject the offer. He could have used magic to fix it, but the first rule with living in a Muggle community is that you accept help when it is offered, you could do it with a lot less of a hassle, but you have to consider how they'd feel. You have to let them help if they want to, otherwise you're pompous, big headed, and rude. Adam saw the window, but James was quick to say that it had gotten scratched up pretty bad in the last storm and that he'd been about to replace it anyway. Elizabeth came out and wanted to help them clean up.
Lily stated that the offer was too generous, but would be extremely grateful if they'd watch the children while the mess was cleaned up. And so the horror of the night ended. Dumbledore smiled and beamed with pride. This could have been blown out of proportion, but James had greatly matured and knew to choose his battles. He deeply hoped that this maturity would be passed down to Kira and Harry. For he knew they'd be fine in following their father's example. All childhood pranks aside, James and Lily were very wonderful adults, even though they were still quite young.
"Calm down, James" Remus encouraged as he approached. "She's alright"
"Alright!? Alright?! I get a letter saying that she fell down while skating and I need to come to the Muggle emergency room!! Then you say everything is alright!"
"I'm okay, Daddy" Kira stated as she was wheeled over. She's been at the hotel while they did a few Halloween games. Some older, snobby kids had chased her on her roller blades and they pushed her down stairs. Remus had arrived right at that time and handled the situation in a perfectly adult, dignified matter. This fact highly annoyed James who wanted to kill those children's parents for letting them hurt his baby girl!
"Kira!" James called, the sight of a Muggle wheelchair doing him in. "Are you alright, I heard what happened"
"I'm okay" Kira smiled brightly. "It doesn't hurt" She added, seeing his gaze fall to her previously hurt, and now bandaged leg.
"I'm going to have a talk with the parents. Then the hotel for their excellent children's activities! Then-"
"Daddy?" Kira looked up at James and stood up, unsteadily, but determined. "Can we just go home instead?"
As the sun set, casting an orange glow upon the quiet Muggle neighborhood, an eerie sensation floated through the breeze. Owls swooped and hooted, free from Muggle suspicion. Pumpkins glowed with expressive faces. Ghosts flew and cauldrons bubbled. It was hard to believe that this was a Muggle neighborhood. This was Godrics Hollow decorated in a glowing spirit of Halloween. Petunia would have been appalled, along with Vernon. Mind you, they planned on Dudley getting candy, but not going out and begging for it, heavens no! What kind of people go out side and walk? God forbid it be them. They're quite normal and happy to be that way, thank you very much. Their neighborhood was casually decorated and a few kids walked the streets, but there was a 'take one' bowl at every house and you'd be egged if you disturbed the occupants inside the house be yelling anything about trick or treat.
Yet, back at Godrics Hollow the air was crisp and clean and radiating with holiday festivities. The houses were decorated perfectly, the candles in the pumpkins provided a warm, sweet smelling aura. Children were laughing in a picture perfect setting, not loud, just happily. The orange- leaved trees waved their branches gently in the wind and the stage was preparing for a night of fun. Kids played outside in their yards and bobbed for apples. In side the Potter house was a warm setting with a blazing fire, child safe of course, Halloween cookies, backed fresh to hand out along with bags of candy to Trick_Or_Treaters. Cota waited at the bottom of the stairs. Kira had gone upstairs with Lily half an hour ago and still had not came down.
As the Order members arrived, James came down and tried to figure out the evening's arrangement. Lily and Alice wanted to stay with Harry and Neville. Hagrid was coming later, Moody was doing something he wouldn't explain, Frank had decided to stay, as did Dumbledore. While James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter played, Cota took Kira Trick or Treating and Trinidy went to the forest to attend an annual party she'd been excited about all month. Fairie party in the woods, yeah! Cota looked up the stairs and once again called for Kira.
"Be warned" Remus whispered to the group around him. "Any mention of injury to Kira and James is likely to ripp off human flesh"
"What?" Sirius asked, smiling all to widely for what had just been said.
"There was an incident at the Hotel, some kids were beating up Kira and she hurt her leg. James found out about it the wrong way and now has the potential to blow a wand core" Remus hissed.
Cota looked up the stairs again. "Kira? Hurry up kiddo. You want the best treats don't ya?"
"Lily, didn't you tell me you made Kira's costume?" Alice asked as Lily glanced over at the stairs.
"Yes, her costume got torn when she fell. But it's okay she looks really, really-
Kira slowly emerged from the shadows and traveled down the stairs with a slight limp. She didn't look to happy and as Cota moved to make room he found out why.
"Cute" James filled in, raising his eyebrows in surprise at the 180 turn around from her earlier costume.
"I'm a bunny" Kira stated, unenthusiastically. Sure enough, she was a cute little bunny. A pure white bunny with long, soft ears, a poofy tail, and a tinny pink nose that had little wiskers. She had on knee high, white boots with no heal that got wider as they went down and were fuzzy, a white skirt with the poofy tail sewn on. Then big white paws that had lavender strings tied to them in order to keep them on her hands. A white jacket that was also fuzzy and then the hood with the ears that was tied under her chin in a big lilac bow. She stared miserably at the floor and Remus looked over at Cota. Both of them knew how much Kira wanted matching costumes... but Cota wasn't exactly a bunny type of person. An idea stuck Cota and he bolted upstairs as James tried to assure Kira that she had a wounderful costume.
"You look perfect"
"...I'm a bunny"
"I'll get your fangs and you can be Bunnicula" James tried.
Cota leapt down the stairs a few minutes later, this time in a different costume. He was now dressed up as a magician. Black tuxedo, black cape with red, satin lining, top hat, and a white mask that covered his eyes. He twirled the hat and pulled, there were two. He put one on Kira, sticking her ears through little holes on the top. "Ready?" He asked with a smile.
"Ready!" Kira smiled.
Lily handed her a lilac bag and everyone traveled outside. Cota had changed his mind about Kira walking and she couldn't skate with her leg hurt so-
"I get to ride at night?!" Kira cheered. James nodded and Lily debated for a few seconds.
"You ride, I'll walk" Cota stated, reasurign Lily. Pat whinnied in protest and stomped his foot. "Patrick" Cota looked over at the horse, who stoped immediately and started to pretend he had never done anything wrong in his entire life.
"What is your horse's name?" Dumbledore asked Kira as Cota lifted her onto the pony.
"Candy" Kira replied. Candy gave a whinny and tossed her head.
"That's a cute name" Dumbledore said, petting Candy and looking over at Patrick to see if he was going insane.
"I named her that cause she really, really likes candy" Kira smiled and handed the pony a sugar cube.
Kira, and Cota, and Candy (Hmmm, debating name choice) all returned home after the two hours of begging for candy. Kira's bag was full, as were the saddlebags, the bag Cota brought, two garbage bags, and a bag Cota enchanted to look small, but be huge inside. He also carried a plate of cookies and a few different drinks made up mostly of sugar. James beamed at his little girl and then looked over at Cota.
"What happened?" He asked.
Cota noticed that James's robe looked a bit singed and Sirius had a huge grin on his face that told they had done something Dumbledore would have expelled them for, given the option. "Kira smiled, batted her eyes, and said 'It's my first year trick or treating and I hope I get a lot of candy.' And then we ended up with all this. People were dumping the bowls into her bag"
"That's my girl" James smiled.
Lily said a spell that would check the candy and everyone sat in the den. The clock chimed and James skidded into the room with a tray of food, which he enchanted to float around to each person.
"It's almost on, it's almost on" James announced, sitting behind Kira who was in her poofy chair.
"Ya know we could turn on the T.V or open a book for this," Peter stated, receiving a glare from James and Sirius.
"It's better this way," James stated. "What, Kira?"
"Pleeeeeeeeease" Kira begged softly, giving James the puppy dog eyes.
"No" James responded, telling himself not to fall for the eyes...again. He kept telling himself not to give in just because she was hurt... but wasn't it his fault? He should have been there, but instead he sent Remus. Remus did not know how to heal broken legs, though he had tried several times as James and Sirius had always gotten in trouble at Hogwarts.
"Aw" Kira looked at the ground, defeated by his tone.
"Child is spoiled" Moody grumbled.
"Alastor, if you have a comment for the way I raise my daughter I'd gladly discus it with you, out side" Lily said, sweetly. Not at all liking the idea of her child being raised spoiled like Dudley.
"..." Moody was silent to this. Remus was smiling so widely it was obvious he was trying not to laugh at the mighty Mad-eye being scared of Lily's wrath. Though he could not blame him, he knew a few good witches and wizards who had been bested by Lily.
Dumbledore leaned forward. "What does she want so badly?" He asked, not use to seeing Kira begging for something. Lily took great pride in being sure her children grew up as strong, independent, responsible members of society. James made sure they were good kids, but a little joke every once and a while never hurt-... was all in good fun. He wanted them to be a pain in authority's side, yet trustworthy and know when to put the jokes aside and be serious, without being downers.
James laughed slightly and looked up towards Dumbledore. "Kira doesn't have a big teddy bear; she doesn't have a security blanket. She has a pony; and for the last time it cannot come inside. I don't care if you've trained it," He stated, looking at Kira out of the corner of his eye.
"But it's dark outside" Kira protested, staring out at her little white horse who was eating a daisy.
"For the ninth and final time, no" James retorted. "Ask again and the pony is going back in her stall" James stated. Kira disappeared behind the poofy pillow; she had lost the battle and the war.
"Pony" Harry stated, sending shock into everyone listening, Harry had learned a new word! Kira looked over at him, and swore to everything that he winked. "Kra's pony!" Harry cheered.
"It was all Hallows Eve (I had to!) And the sky was lit by a full moon..." Said the voice on the radio. Remus shivered and Lily patted his arm. James was receiving a mocking grin from Sirius, who was holding Harry up on the couch next to Lily. Dumbledore sat in the armchair and smiled a knowing smile over at James, who shrugged and moved the icepack on Kira's leg. Hagrid seemed right at home. Frank gave James a supportive look. Alice smiled and tried very hard to ignore the fact that there was a child in this room that should have gone to bed. Neville was not that child; he had not outlasted Harry and had fallen asleep half an hour ago. Exact same age; yet completely different sleep schedule.
Moody, who was sitting in the rocking chair, was staring out the window with his magical eye, and seemed to be a Halloween decoration himself. Kira was curled up in a blanket with her stuffed raccoon. Right next to her was Trinidy, who was helping herself to a pixi-stick and sitting on Kira's pony. Yep, James had really laid down the law on that one. Lightning flashed, Harry cried, in came the pony. The sky outside was dark due to the storm, and the moon was but a sliver in the sky. Kira fed the pony a carrot Lily had given to her and felt like the luckiest girl in the whole wide world. Mostly because, at that moment, she was. Well, maybe not the world, there might have been a few princesses that had nine ponies already, and did not have hurt legs.
"A young couple out on a date parked along an old country road to be alone. They were listening to the car radio and kissing and hugging. Suddenly the music was interrupted by a news bulletin. "A convicted murderer has escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane. He is extremely dangerous and the police are asking that everyone practice extreme caution." (Sound Familiar? Book 3) the man was mutilated in a car wreck following a high-speed chase and is missing his right hand. A temporary hook has been attached to his right arm, which will make him easier to identify. The criminal's name-"
The boy turned the radio off. He leaned over to his girlfriend, expecting that the frightening news flash would make her snuggle even closer. Instead, she was so scared that she did not want to make out anymore. "I'm afraid," she whimpered. "Let's get out of here."
The boy tried and tried to convince her that they were in no danger, but she refused to listen. He decided that maybe she did not like him as much as he had thought, and was just using this as an excuse. The girl reached over and locked her door as the boy angrily started the car. Just at that moment, they heard a thud on the passenger side of the car.
The boy slammed the car into drive and spun out onto the road. The girl screamed and held onto the boy as they fishtailed around the road. On the way back to town they both calmed down, but the girl still held on so tightly that the boy decided he had been wrong about her after all. As they came closer and closer to her house, he tried to think of a way to impress her. They pulled up in front of the house and the boy said, "I'll make sure it's safe first." He left the keys in the ignition but locked the door as he got out. He came around to her side to politely open the door, like a hero.
For a long time, he just stood there, looking down at the door. At first, the girl could not figure out what was wrong; then she realized that her door was still locked. She smiled and unlocked it. The boy still just stood there. The girl looked puzzled and rolled down her window. Then she saw that the boy was looking down at the door handle. She slowly looked down herself.
A long splatter of blood ran across the door all the way to the back bumper. Hanging from the door handle was a stainless steel hook!" The eerie voice on the radio announced. At this point, Lily was holding her sleeping baby and James was lying next to Kira, who had managed to sneak under her big pillow and disappear. "We all remember that haunting classic," The voice hissed. "Now here is a more... gentle... story for those with young children listening" The voice stated. James peeked under the pillow and saw two glowing white eyes staring back at him, unblinking.
"Too late" Moody grunted as the pillow shook.
"It's okay, Kira" James cooed, trying to comfort her. Kira nodded unconvincingly and the pillow scooted closer to James.
"Once upon a time there was a little girl whose grandfather had just died. She had loved her grandfather very much and she missed him a great deal. He was buried in the cemetery just a few hundred yards from her house, and she could see his grave every evening at sunset when she looked from her bedroom window. One night her parents were going out and the babysitter had not arrived yet. They knew she was a very reliable babysitter who would probably arrive just a few minutes later, so they kissed the girl good-bye and drove off. Hours passed and the babysitter had not yet come. The girl began to be afraid. A storm was brewing outside and thunder and lightning moved closer and closer to the house. Suddenly there was a bright flash of lightning without any sound and the power in the house went off. The wind blew the trees around and branches broke off, crashing against the house and falling to the yard. Alone in the dark, the girl became very scared." The voice paused. "Then the phone rang. The girl went to the phone, hoping it was her parents. She said hello, and waited. The line seemed dead. Then, sounding far, far away, a voice came over the phone. It was her grandfather's voice. 'Don't be afraid, honey. There is nothing to fear. You'll be safe in the house. The storm will pass over.' Then the phone was silent and dead. The girl went to bed, calm and happy. She slept well in spite of the storm.
The parents came home and found their daughter asleep, and, unwilling to wake her, they left their questions until the morning. They were horrified when the babysitter called the next morning to explain that she had been in a wreck at the leading edge of the storm. She was unhurt, but what had their daughter done alone in the house? When they woke her, she told them what had happened. And when they didn't believe her, she smiled and pointed out her window to what she had seen the night before. The phone line from the house was intact out to the first pole, but then it was broken by fallen limbs, and the cable drooped into the cemetery. The end of the broken line lay across her grandfather's grave."
The night continued on in it's traditional fashion. The horror stories continued until something rather odd happened. Now, remember, this was a time when everyone jumped out of their skin whenever the word 'Voldemort' was uttered. He was always on everyone's mind scaring the hell out of them. Now, imagine you're in the Order of the Phoenix. You're gathering together and you know the most evil wizard known to mankind wants you dead. Of course, you would be a bit... tense, at all times. Okay? Now add the fact that you just finished listening to half an hour of horror stories. At the end of the final story, something rammed into the window with a loud CRASH!! The pony bolted and was grabbed by Hagrid, Peter hid, and Lily put Harry in the play pin and pulled out her wand in one swift action. Sirius yelled and leapt behind the sofa to prepare for a battle, Trinidy screamed and flew quickly behind the floopowder jar. Moody yelled and started attacking the window. Alice shrieked and jumped to the playpen where Neville and Harry were. Frank yelped and tripped over the pony, which whinnied in terror and rammed into Hagrid, who yelled extremely loudly. Dumbledore, caught up in the moment, jumped and prepared to fight. Kira scrambled out from under the pillow and was caught be James as she jumped to get out of the way of whatever had just came through the window. Cota was at his Lord's side in a moment and crouched low as he prepared to attack and Derek stood slightly behind Cota, wand raised. Remus, stirred in his sleep, and then slept on.
"Hold!" James called out as if he was on the battlefield directing other riders not to fire. Cota and Derek held their fire and stood at guard. Moody kept firing untill James yelled his command again in an annoyed voice. Kira retreated and Dumbledore stepped infront of her. She peeked around his legs at her father as everyone stood still and silent. James held his hand up and his eyes set on the point of penetration, along with Derek and Cota. The three Zagan members were attack ready and in formation, for the most part, Derek was still behind Cota. He was used to training sessions where the instructor told them to stay behind their partner. When the dust settled James pointed to the left and right by waving his index finger and then balled his fist. He moved his hand out forward, these signals told Cota that Derek was to go left, he was to go right, and then they would all move forward. They followed this and James peered out the window. A tree branch was sticking through it, but what hit the tree.
Cota leapt out on the right at the same time as James did. Derek followed right after Cota, uninformed about the upcoming jump. James looked around and Sirius soon jumped out. Terrified that someone had found out where James and Lily lived. He had told no one so how-?
"Are ya all okay?!" James looked up and everyone quickly hid their wands as James's neighbor across the street came running down the long path. "We've been getting really bad lightning, I should have told you! They're putting out a storm warning!"
"That's alright Adam" James replied, greeting his exhausted neighbor.
"We looked out the window and saw the lightning flash down this 'ere hill and me wife nearly 'ad a 'eart attack" Adam stated, regaining his breath. "She tells me, run out there quick an see if the Potters be a'right"
"We're all fine, I believe, just a bit of a scare" James shrugged and Cota dove back into the house backwards and Derek scooted around side in an effort not to look like they had been preparing for an attack. "How is Elizabeth?" James asked, giving a distraction for Cota and Derek.
"Beth's fine, hopin yer girl enjoys the candy" Adam replied lightly. They had a brief discussion with Adam saying he would not feel right unless he helped with the tree, James decided not to reject the offer. He could have used magic to fix it, but the first rule with living in a Muggle community is that you accept help when it is offered, you could do it with a lot less of a hassle, but you have to consider how they'd feel. You have to let them help if they want to, otherwise you're pompous, big headed, and rude. Adam saw the window, but James was quick to say that it had gotten scratched up pretty bad in the last storm and that he'd been about to replace it anyway. Elizabeth came out and wanted to help them clean up.
Lily stated that the offer was too generous, but would be extremely grateful if they'd watch the children while the mess was cleaned up. And so the horror of the night ended. Dumbledore smiled and beamed with pride. This could have been blown out of proportion, but James had greatly matured and knew to choose his battles. He deeply hoped that this maturity would be passed down to Kira and Harry. For he knew they'd be fine in following their father's example. All childhood pranks aside, James and Lily were very wonderful adults, even though they were still quite young.
