H P Boy who livesYear 7- Summer
Chapter 36
Princess Daisy
--
Harry and Hermione baby-sit, the others go shopping, Hermione has trouble with what she saw in her vision and dreams, and the Pendragon twins meet Trista Monet.
--
Harry awoke the next morning to Hermione curled in his arms. "Wills, does it look like she was crying to you?" He glanced over at Wills, who was just waking up.
Wills glanced bleary-eyed over at the bed. "She does have that cried herself to sleep look, but what happened upstairs to cause it." He winced as he sat up in bed. "I'm sore, but not as bad as I was last night."
Harry stroked his thumb along her cheek. "I bet they were talking about us to Henry and she didn't like it."
"Yeah, that would cause her to go into a temper. She's a touchy little thing when it comes to your relationship and people talking about it." Wills got out of bed. "I wouldn't want to be you if your Dad comes down here and sees her sleeping there."
Harry carefully got out of bed without disturbing her. "It's not my fault that she comes to cuddle when she's upset. Besides, all I have to do is just think the word triplets, and it works better than a cold shower." He felt ninety percent better than he had the previous night, enough to get up and use the bathroom instead of a chamber pot.
"Do you think she was serious about that?"
"Hermione mentioned girls on Saturday night, yesterday in the limo, and then mum goes and says something about three girls as well. Yeah, they know something that I bloody well don't and it's frustrating as hell that she's keeping something this major from me." Harry grumbled.
"Harry, if you saw something like that about your future would you in all honesty tell her what you saw?" Wills scowled at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. "I'm in desperate need of a shower and a shave."
"No. I suppose not." Harry's eyes itched, so he knew that it was time to take his contacts out. "I hear ya about the shower and shave. I see you one better with the need to get my specs, so I can take out my contacts. My eyes are starting to bother me."
James poked his head into the boy's bathroom. "Good morning gentlemen. I see that you're able to get out of bed this morning." He was in an extremely good mood. "Harry, I brought you down your contact case and your specs." He walked over to his son.
Harry assumed that his father was happy for obvious reasons and left it at that. "Thanks Dad my eyes were beginning to hurt." He took his contacts out and set them in the contact case. "Did something happen with Hermione last night?" He put on his specs.
"Yeah, he woke up to having her curled in his arms and it looked like she'd cried herself to sleep." Wills slicked back his hair with some water. "It's going to have to do for now."
"They were talking about how Wills has been giving you a crash course in being a prince and how badly you've blundered at it. She took it to heart and let them have a tongue-lashing before heading off to bed. At least I assumed that she had headed off to bed." James berated himself for forgetting that she had been upset and not going to check on her.
"It's okay, Dad. I'm sure that mum's cravings were more important than soothing Hermione's ruffled fur, not that anyone would want to risk her wrath when she's in a mood." Harry grinned at his father.
"Yes, well, back to bed with the two of you, until your mother gives you the okay to leave the ward." James escorted the two of them back their beds. Hermione was gone. "Looks like your lioness still wants to brood for a while."
"Dad, I don't wanna have to hurt anyone, but if someone made my princess cry I may have to." Harry wasn't about to get back into bed without some answers. "Obviously she was really upset, because she didn't wait around until I got back from the boys lavatory."
"Son, maybe it's something that you forgot, an anniversary, or something like that." James suggested. "Draco didn't mean any harm. He just filled Henry in on what Wills has been up to these past three weeks. Henry was surprised about Hermione's actions, since you woke up a month ago from that coma. None of us noticed that she'd been sitting on the stairs and she let the boys have it."
"I think that she's scared something is going to happen to you again and that's why she's so high-strung about everything lately." Wills put on his robe and tried to leave the ward.
James stopped him. "The four of them left at eight, so get back in bed, Wills. Now as for your observation, it may just be on the mark. She emphasized that until they faced off with the most evil villains imaginable that the boy's best keep their thoughts about what the two of you do to themselves."
Harry closed his eyes and focused on Hermione, but all he could get from her was this feeling of deep fear and sorrow. "She's really sad about something. Did something happen to Crooks?" The cat in question streaked into the room and jumped into his arms. "No, that can't be it."
"Maybe she thinks you're going to get seriously hurt again or something since she dredged up all of that again in her head last night." Wills sat on his bed.
Lily walked into the ward with Harry's little snidget perched on her shoulder. "Hermione almost lost you nearly a little over a month ago, so it's natural for her to be emotional about it. Your feathered friend escaped his gilded cage again. She really is a smart little thing and quick as the lightning, no wonder they used them as a snitch."
"Aren't those illegal for you to own as a pet?" Wills found that Ruby liked his shoulder and was now perched on it.
"Ruby was a gift from Aunt Celestra and I also have a Puffskein, who has taken a liking to Hermione. I know that she's not supposed to be kept as a pet, but Gramps knows that I have her, and it was a gift from a fairy princess. It would be bad manners to not accept her gift." Harry couldn't keep Crooks in his arms and off he went towards Wills and Ruby.
"I got an owl last night from the Queen of England." Stephen walked into the ward. "She was beyond upset. She's of the mind that we're harboring her grandchildren and son against their will. In fact she went as far as to say that we put some sort of spell over them. Andrew would never treat her like he had last night on the phone, or Henry wouldn't have spewed utter rubbish at his father. William has not attended any of his functions for three whole weeks and that is not like him at all. I am to break this awful spell and give them back to her immediately."
"Sounds like Henry and dad were talking to Grams and uncle on the mobile last night." Wills wasn't surprise. "So she thinks that I'm under some wicked spell does she. She's been reading too many Stephen King novels."
"I told her that unlike her position of power. I was the co-minister and reigning monarch in the Wizarding World. I had more important things to do than deal with a frantic powerless Queen, who was pouting because she wasn't going to get her way. I told her that her actions were ludicrous and unfounded and could very well start an incident between our worlds. As the two of you had once been sent letters, you, Henry, and your father could stay in our world as long as you liked." Ruby flew over and landed on his outstretched palm. "You are causing quite a stir with the council. It seems that Harry receiving you as a gift is outrageous to Amos Diggory, head of Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."
"She's a hand-fed snidget. I can't just set her free in the wilds she would die." Harry was fond of the little feather ball.
"That is why you get to keep her." Stephen stroked Ruby's tiny head with his finger. "Now someone tell me why Hermione just finished bawling on my shoulder a few minutes ago."
"We believe that she thinks he's going to die or something." Wills shrugged his shoulders.
"She did mention something about him getting hit several times with something before crying so hard that I couldn't understand the rest." Stephen arched a brow at Harry. "She must have had a nightmare about the final battle."
"That's what I'm going to find out." He pulled on his robe.
"Both of you are free to go, just try to take it easy today." Lily saw that they were both biting at the bit to get out of the ward. "William, you can go join the others on their shopping trip if you don't overdo it."
"I thought you said that they left and hour ago." Wills narrowed his eyes at James.
"I didn't want you sneaking off without Lily's ok." James shrugged his shoulders. He now had Ruby on his shoulder.
Rory walked into the ward and Ruby zoomed over to greet her. "Hello there and you are." She held the ball of feathers in her palms.
"That's Ruby. Harry's pet snidget and I just got the ok to go shopping with the three of you." Wills grinned.
Rory stood on tiptoe and hissed into his ear. "You might wish to shave and shower before we go. I mean unless you wish to be seen as disheveled as you are now."
"I don't ever go out in public like this unless the situation calls for it. Just for today I won't shave that way no one will think that it's me with you and no MIG will try to interfere with us." Wills tweaked her nose.
"So you're devious trying to outwit your security people, well I kinda like that." She winked at him.
Harry scooped Ruby out of her hands. "We have to find out what's up with my princess. Come on Crooks. Angel needs us." He called to the ginger cat.
Crooks followed him with his tail sticking haughtily up in the air.
"I forgot to tell him that Cho has been accepted into Department of International Magical Cooperation, in Muggle Relations and is training to be a liaison. Amos told me that Cedric and Cho are to be married in November. Evidently, Cedric has decided to apprentice in broom making. The company that hired him makes the Firebolt and is trying to come up with ideas to surpass it." Stephen watched as Rory got upset.
"That bitch. She chose a career that would gain her access to our family." She growled.
"Rory, what does Cho's new career have to do with our family?" Stephen thought that this was good news, as she would be too busy to bother Harry or Hermione.
"Muggle relations liaison. Don't they also work with, say for example, Wills grandmother if she wishes to make a stink about the guys being here with us?" Rory did not like Cho's career choice at all.
"I never thought of it that way, but don't worry Rory she'll be watched." Stephen gave her a hug. "Happy Birthday sweetheart and welcome back."
"Thanks, Grandpa. It's good to be here." She hugged him back.
"Off you go now. I won't keep you from your shopping. Have a good time." Stephen kissed the top of her head.
"We will." She dragged Wills with her out of the ward.
"I couldn't believe Anna when she told me last night and then I went and checked in on them just to see them with my own eyes. It's wonderful to have the entire family together." Stephen blinked back tears of happiness.
"It sure is Dad." James hugged Lily.
"Now if only we can have peace for a time." Lily sighed.
--
Harry had gone up to his rooms, took a fast shower, and changed before going to find Hermione. He found her sitting under their tree reading one of Merlin's assigned books. "You know burying yourself in books isn't going to make whatever's bothering you go away." He sat down next to her.
Hermione was startled out of her thoughts, it was clear that she had been crying again. "I just want to be prepared for class." She closed the book and focused on him. "What are you doing out of bed?"
"Mum released me and Gramps told me that you were upset about something." Harry tried to pull her into his lap, but she wasn't about to let him hold her. "Did I do something wrong, because you seem distant."
Hermione looked out at the lake. "You're always so careless and reckless about things, it just maddens me sometimes." Her voice seemed laced with ice.
Harry felt like she'd slapped him. "I rowed with Wills because he was asking for it. There was nothing careless or reckless about it."
Hermione turned and gave him a scathing look. "I am not talking about Wills! I am talking about your whole attitude about Dark wizards and witches! You let Cho go even after you marked her! You aren't taking this entire Morgana situation seriously and it just makes me livid, okay!" She was now shouting angrily at him.
Harry's face flushed red with temper, but he managed to rein it in. "What the hell is with you!? I take my job very seriously! Yeah, Cho was able to be marked, but then there was Cedric to deal with! I was not going to have a showdown in Diagon Alley!"
Ruby, who had been perched on his shoulder, flew up to the safety of a branch.
"How dare you say that I'm not taking this situation with Morgana seriously? I took a potion that tastes like shit and practice Occlumency religiously before I go to sleep every night! What the hell crawled up your arse anyway?"
"I SAW YOU DIE!! I HELD YOUR LIMP BODY IN MY ARMS!! I SAW IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN MY DREAMS LAST NIGHT!!" Hermione jumped up to her feet and took off running towards the pitch with Crooks on her heels.
Harry glanced up at Ruby. "Stay put Ruby. This may take a while." He called up to the bird before taking off after Hermione. "So you need to bitch out my ass because you had a bad dream!"
Hermione whirled around to glare at him. "Dreams don't haunt you when you close your eyes! They don't stay fresh in your mind or haunt your thoughts! I was trying to peek into the future again and that is what I saw! You are hit in your chest by bright green streams of blinding light! You fall lifeless to the snow! It must have been at a masquerade ball or something because you were all dressed up in fancy dress and wearing a mask! Everyone was! I rush to your side pull you into my arms, but you aren't there anymore! You are lifeless and so is this old hag lying next to you in the snow! You die don't you get it!" She pounded on his chest when he pulled her into his arms. "You die!! No one wins because you die!!" She sobbed against his chest.
Crooks spat and hissed at him.
Harry tried to let this all sink in. She saw him die by being hit by bright green streams of light to the chest. But then that wasn't possible, only Avada Kedavra produced such an effect, and that couldn't kill him. It might land him in St. Mungo's again for a week or a few days, but it wouldn't kill him. Although, it would look like it, because his vitals went to almost nothing when he was hit by more than one blast. Directly to the chest would make him go limp and lifeless.
"Angel, what you described was me getting hit by Avada Kedavra and it can't kill me. Oh, it might look like I'm dead, but that's just the effect that it has on me. I may be out of it for awhile, but that's only temporary. I'm sorry that you were shown that, but the only one dead in that vision was Morgana." Harry sat them both on the grass letting her take in what he was saying.
Hermione continued to sob against his chest. "It was just so real...it was just like before...and it would kill me if something were to happen to you!"
Harry continued to rock her trembling body in his arms. "Angel, I know that it happened two months ago on Wednesday, but it isn't going to happen again. I would fight with all I had to get back to you and my whole family." He tried to soothe her frazzled emotions.
Hermione pulled away from him and gazed up at him with eyes pooled with tears, "I dredged this all back up in my head last night after the others were teasing about our first weeks as a couple. I know...that it can't...kill you...it was just so real..." She burst into tears again.
Harry scooped her up into his arms and carried her back to their tree. "It sounds to me like you saw a plan get terribly botched up." He sat down and situated her so she curled up on his lap.
Hermione settled herself, so she was using his chest for a pillow, and closed her eyes. "It must have been one of your plans, because mine don't ever get botched up." She sniffled.
Harry looked up at the sky as if praying for patience. "That's right lioness your plans always go off without a hitch." He glanced up at the tree and spotted Ruby. "It's safe to come down now."
Hermione snuggled closer to him. "Who are you talking to?" She sniffled.
"Ruby is up in the tree. I told her that it was safe for her to come down now." Harry now had Ruby buzzing in front of his face.
Crooks saw her as a play toy and tried to swat at her with his paws.
"NO Crookshanks!!" Harry scolded the cat. "She is off-limits! You got me! You big ginger fur ball!"
Hermione opened her eyes to look over at her cat. "Crooks, if you eat that little birdie you get sent to Azkaban no parole."
Crooks ears went flat and he thought about it for a while.
"Ruby is a member of the family, now behave yourself." Hermione growled.
Crooks had the look of being insulted and stalked off.
Ruby was now sitting on Hermione's arm. "Poor Crooks, he doesn't understand that you are a national treasure and he isn't. Although, I seriously doubt that he would be able to catch you."
"We can go shopping for a playmate for him if you want." Harry wanted to get her something to cheer her up. "Isis is going to be too big for him to deal with soon." He watched as Isis leaped from a nearby tree and pounced on poor Crooks.
Hermione saw what he meant and nodded. "It might be a good idea, but I gave your bag of coins to Rory yesterday to use on her shopping trip with Sibyll."
"Sibyll? Since when do you call her that?" Harry hadn't known that Hermione and Professor Trelawney had made amends with each other.
"Yesterday I had tea with her and Rory. She isn't a fraud anymore." Hermione held up Ruby to her cheek, the tiny bird rubbed against it with her feathers.
"That's nice to know." He glanced over at the castle five figures were emerging from the castle. "Do you wish to tag with them or go off on our own for today?" He glanced down at her and waited for her to respond to his question.
Wills, Henry, Rory, and Dromi were crossing the great expanse of castle lawn to check on Hermione.
"I don't feel like visiting Franc and Beau, but now is your chance to collect some of your coins back." She craned her neck, so she was looking up into his eyes and said. "I seriously doubt that Mr. Griphook would approve of you getting into our vault two days in a row."
"Morning Ducky," Henry knelt down in front of her. "Why are you so glum today?"
Hermione didn't feel like talking about her dream. "I just got all melancholy thinking about what might have happened if Harry hadn't woken up from his coma a month ago last Monday. He came so close to dying that it just gets to me sometimes."
"Bloody hell mate you were in a coma?" Henry had no idea what had gone down after the finale against Voldemort.
"Ron and Luna died...Neville almost died...Hermione very nearly died. She was out of it for about two weeks and I thought that all of them were dead. So I didn't wake up for almost a month, until Hermione screamed herself hoarse which woke me up." Harry gave him the short version. "It's a side effect to getting hit by Crucio twenty times and the Avada Kedavra about ten or twelve times. Imperio is useless on me, because I'm as stubborn as my dad."
"So when she snarled at us that they had been through hell last night she wasn't just snarling?" Henry found that Ruby thought that he was bothering Hermione and the bird buzzed in front of his face. "Easy there little thing I'm not going to hurt your charge."
"That's correct. Sixth year was the pinnacle year when it came to dangers. That's Ruby. She's Harry's snidget." Hermione tried to calm the tiny feather ball, but she really thought that Henry was bothering her.
"She's the breed of bird that they used as the first snitch and the rarest creature in our whole world." Harry scooped her up into his palms and she pecked angrily at his hand. "Ouch! Okay I'll leave you be."
She twittered around his face bawling him out for grabbing her, and then went to perch on Wills shoulder.
--
Xander appeared in front of them with a special container containing Ruby's food in his hands. "Mother forgot to give you this nectar for Ruby. Poor girl must be starving by now."
Ruby zoomed over to the container, stuck her wand slender beak into one of the holes, and started lapping up the nectar with her lightning fast tongue.
"This container automatically replenishes itself, so she won't run out of food. I was hoping that you two could watch Daisy today." Xander gave the two of them a hopeful look.
"We were going to go to Diagon Alley today and I don't know if you want her there or not." Harry could just imagine the mischief that Daisy could get into in London.
"Daisy is like any three-year-old Wizarding child." Xander knew a little bit about what was on the horizon for the two of them. "I trust the two of you with her, besides this will be good practice for the two of you."
"Yeah, think of it as triplet training." Wills grinned mischievously at them.
Hermione buried her face against Harry's chest.
"He does have a point there baby brother." Rory giggled.
Harry conjured a coin pouch in his hand. "There's a small fortune in my coin pouch, so I would like to have half of my coins back please." He focused on anything, but the triplet conversation.
Rory poured half of the coins into the pouch. "I think it would be good for you to watch over Daisy. She's ten times more magical than any normal toddler, which would give you good practice in dealing with your future children."
"Rory's right, since Daisy is of Avalon, she would be about what your kids will be like." Dromi agreed.
"Xander must want some quality time with Chloe, so of course we'll watch Daisy." Hermione had made up her mind.
"It's simple. She sits in a stroller of some sort and you push her around in it." Henry shrugged his shoulders.
Daisy appeared in Xander's arms with Isis in her arms. "We have fun."
"Did she just Disapparate?" Wills and Henry stared at the toddler in surprise.
"She can only Apparate two feet away from Chloe or I, unlike Wizarding children Avalonian toddlers can disappear at will. However, that is only around their parents, so she won't be doing that with you." Xander explained as he conjured a bag and a colorful stroller. "Here's the carriage that she likes to be pushed in."
"We go fun place?" Daisy asked as her father placed her in the stroller.
"Harry and Hermione are going to take you shopping with them." Xander glanced up at them. "Everything that you need is in that bag." He kissed his baby on the forehead. "You be good for them."
"I will." She blew him a kiss.
"Don't worry Harry and I can handle this." Hermione smiled.
"Sure we can handle anything." Harry nodded.
"Grandfather said that you would be the perfect baby-sitters for Daisy, so I'll see you both at dinner. Bye baby be good." With that said he vanished.
Daisy hopped out of her stroller and walked up to Henry, "You be new."
Henry picked her up in his arms. "I'm Henry Windsor and I'm Dromi's new boyfriend."
Daisy thought about this for a moment before blurting out. "Dromi special she needs a prince."
Henry looked over at Dromi, who was trying not to giggle. "It just so happens that I know that she is special and I am a prince."
Daisy cocked her head at him and said. "You ok then. You may marry Dromi."
"Why thank you for your blessing. My brother William is dating Rory and he's a prince as well." Henry couldn't believe how intuitive this little girl was.
"I know he marry Rory." Daisy chimed.
Wills and Rory said nothing.
"Welcome to my world." Harry liked it that they just were told some eye-opening information.
Dromi cleared her throat and said, "Well, we will leave the two of you to your Daisy watching, while we head off shopping with Sibyll."
Henry set Daisy in Harry's arms. "Good luck you're sure gonna need it." He then took Dromi's hand in his own and they went over to where Sibyll was waiting for them.
"Yeah, have fun." Wills and Rory headed off towards Sibyll.
Hermione was holding the container with Ruby's food in her arms. "Let's take her back up to the castle, tell them where we are off to, and then head out."
Harry set Daisy down in her stroller and off they went.
--
Nearly two hours later at Diagon Alley, Sibyll and her troops arrive by a ministry car.
"I will meet the four of you on the steps of Gringotts in three hours. I've things that I need to take care of, and you don't really wish to tag along on a beautiful day like this." Sibyll smiled at the four of them.
"We shall see you at two." Rory smiled.
"Have fun my dears," Sibyll headed into Gringotts.
"Mum gave me a list that she wanted me to pick up at Madam Malkins Robes For All Occasions." Dromi and the others stepped into the shop that was empty of shoppers.
Madam Malkins walked over and greeted them. "Welcome to my shop and what may I do for the four of you today?" She gave the four of them scrutinizing looks and then added. "My stars you girls look just like Lily Potter and you boys look like the Muggle princes of England."
Dromi handed her the list. "My mother wants us to get these for her."
Madam Malkins read the list three times. "It's another bloomin miracle." She got out a hanky to dab at her eyes. "That means the entire family has been reunited." She sniffled. "So you boys chose our girls? I bet your Grandmamma the Queen is going to flip when she finds that out."
"Is there something wrong with the list?" Dromi asked.
"Oh no, my dear, It's just that I'm very fond of your parents, seeing the two of you alive brings joy to my heart. Now enough with the blubbering let's get started measuring you for robes and such." Madam Malkins got out her measuring tape and motioned for two of them to stand on the pedestals in the center of the shop.
Rory and Dromi were fitted and measured for an assortment of clothing. "What exactly was on that list?" She looked over at her twin.
"I don't know Rory. I don't snoop at mothers things." Dromi was finally able to step down and have a seat.
"Romi, you're such a stick-in-the-mud sometimes." Rory was allowed to sit beside her.
Then it was the boys turn.
"You mean we were on her list?" Henry reluctantly stepped up on the pedestal.
"It isn't like you aren't used to this." Wills stepped up on the other one.
When all was said and done, they each had a large stack of packages containing Wizarding clothing. That Rory shrank into pocket-sized parcels with her wand. The four of them also had new cloaks that allowed them to blend in with the other patrons of Diagon Alley. Dromi paid Madam Malkins and off they went to explore another shop.
Mr. Olivander opened the door to his shop and bade them to enter. "I have wands for both Miss Andromeda Pendragon and Mr. Henry Windsor, so would you please come into my shop."
The four of them eagerly entered his shop and ten minutes later left with two new wands.
"This place is awesome!" Henry loved his first visit to Diagon Alley.
"That it is little brother and we haven't even visited the Quidditch shop yet." Wills grinned.
"You three go ahead. I have more things to do for mum. This should cover anything you need at Quality Quidditch Supplies." Dromi handed Henry a heavy bag of coins, kissed his cheek, and headed off to the other stores.
"She's up to something, but the question is what." Rory watched her enter the Cauldron Shop. Wills and Henry were practically drooling at the Firebolt in the window display of Quality Quidditch Supplies.
"She'll be fine. Now let's go check this place out." Henry was dying to buy a broom so he could learn the game of Quidditch.
The three of them entered the store and lost interest in where Dromi went.
--
Harry and Hermione, with Daisy in tow, arrived a little while after the others by Dan and the limo. It was hard for them to decide which place to go to first.
"You can take her into Amazingly Enchanted Toys while I go see about more uniforms. The skirts that I have look more like miniskirts than uniforms." Hermione watched as Harry's eyebrows raised in sudden interest. "Oh stop it! They aren't regulation length uniforms."
"I have no problems with seeing your legs." Harry grinned.
"Aunt Minerva would not approve of me wearing them to class, so behave." Hermione blushed, "Daisy. Harry is going to take you to the toy store over there." She pointed the stroller towards the shop with the colorfully decorated window.
Daisy shot out of her stroller at the mention of the word toys. "Play!"
Harry took the stroller and ran after her. "Daisy wait for me!"
Hermione didn't feel the least bit guilty when she entered Madam Malkins Robes For All Occasions. "That ought to make him behave." She chuckled.
Madam Malkins smiled at Hermione. "Why hello, your highness."
"Hello Madam Malkins. I am in desperate need of new uniforms, it seems that I had another growth spurt, and my uniforms don't fit me properly anymore." She smiled warmly at her.
"We can fix that." She motioned for her to stand up on the pedestal. "You really have grown haven't you, a good four inches by the looks of it."
"Harry wants me to keep my old uniform skirts, but Hogwarts has rules." She chatted with Madam Malkins.
"Well, my dear, that is understandable, after all the two of you are newlyweds." She went about fitting her for various things.
Hermione blushed crimson. "Yes, well...did you by chance see my cousins and Harry's sisters yet?"
"Your cousins? The princes are your cousins?" Madam Malkins eyed her in surprise.
Hermione nodded. "So have they been in yet?"
"You just missed them." Madam Malkins went about wrapping her packages.
Hermione stepped down from the pedestal and stared at pile of parcels that Madam Malkins had wrapped up. "Um, what do I owe you?" She remembered that Harry was carrying the money.
Madam Malkins smiled at her, "That will be ten galleons."
Hermione had twenty gallons in her pocket, so she handed her ten of them. "Are you sure? I mean that is a lot for just ten galleons."
"No it's just ten galleons for the lot." She stacked up the packages on the counter.
Hermione used her wand to shrink them down to pocket-size. "Have a nice day." She called as she exited the shop. Now to go check on Harry and Daisy.
--
Harry watched as Daisy explored the toy story. There were plushy toys that had conversations with their owners, child sized brooms, tops that twirled on their own, and so much more. "Daisy, would you like one?" He knelt down next to her.
Daisy was having an animated conversation with a stuffed dragon, "I can have one?" She turned around and smiled at Harry.
Harry scooped her up into his arms, "You can have anything in here that's safe for a little one your age. Like a plush dragon, a doll, or even a toy broom."
Daisy kissed him on the cheek and hugged him. "I love you."
"Love you too munchkin." Harry kissed her on the forehead. "I need your finest toys for a three-year-old little girl and of course that dragon over there, please." He called over to the curious store clerk.
The clerk hastily stashed his camera and went about getting what the prince had requested. "So who's the little angel your highness?"
"This is my cousin Daisy. She's spending the day with Hermione and I." Harry had set down Daisy, who was now entranced by a bubble maker. "While you're at it add some newborn safe toys for my parents. They're expecting twins, a girl and a boy, in April."
"How are you doing with Daisy, honey?" Hermione breezed into the store.
Harry, who had never heard her call him honey, turned to smile at her, "Darling, the two of us are having a splendid time." He pulled her into his arms and gave her a searing hot kiss.
The clerk paused from filling the order to get some more snaps of the royal couple.
"Mushy!" Daisy giggled.
Harry broke off the kiss, so he could scoop her up. "Oh really, well how's this for mushy!" He blew raspberries on her belly.
Daisy squealed and giggled. "OK you no be mushy!"
Hermione was entranced by how wonderful he was with Daisy. "So is Harry spoiling you yet?" She then glanced over at the counter where a pile of packages was forming. "It looks like he is and his baby sister and brother as well."
Harry was too busy exploring the store with Daisy to notice that another clerk had a camera. "I thought that Dad needed a reminder that the twins were on the way." He called back to her from where the two of them were watching a tower of blocks build itself repeatedly.
"Your sisters and my cousins are here." Hermione walked over to them.
"I bet the guys are in the Quidditch shop." Harry was showing Daisy a kaleidoscope that changed colors as well as designs.
"Somehow I don't see Dromi in a Quidditch shop." Hermione watched as the packages grew on the counter. "Daisy what say the three of us go get some ice-cream."
Daisy raced over to her stroller and sat down. "Go now please."
Harry walked over to the counter, paid the clerk, and shrank the packages down to pocket-size, so he could stow them away in his cloak pocket. "Florean Fortescue's Ice-cream Parlor it is then." The three of them strolled outside.
"I love Ice-cream." Daisy happily sat in her stroller.
--
Dromi had run all of her errands for her mother and they were still in the Quidditch shop. "I can't believe that you haven't finished yet! I've been to five different shops and you're still here."
"They're having a nice conversation with the clerk about Quidditch," Rory looked at her sister. "Well what did you buy from all of those stores?"
"Things for mother and no I did not notice what they put in the packages. I snuck away to look in the toy store window where baby brother was inside interacting with Daisy. He's a natural with kids." Dromi watched as the three in question strolled towards the ice-cream shop. "See what I mean."
Rory walked over and cuffed Wills in the head. "Stop drooling at the brooms and check out who's walking down the street."
Wills rubbed at the back of his head as he looked at what she wanted him to see. "Unreal they really do like the perfect little family don't they." He hit Henry in the head.
Henry glared at Wills then looked at what was so interesting to the three of them. "Now that's a Kodak moment if ever I saw one." He grinned.
"This is why all of those shop owners are taking pictures of the two of them." Dromi pointed out various patrons and on lookers with cameras.
"Hey, I'm just happy that it's him and not us for once." Wills paid for his brother's Quidditch stuff. "I don't know about you but I feel like ice-cream."
"Yeah, ice-cream sounds like a good idea." Henry watched as Harry and Hermione stopped at the ice-cream parlor.
"The three of them are fine without us going over to tease them, but if you really want ice-cream go over there while Rory and I go shopping for something that I forgot was on mum's list." Dromi gave her twin a look.
"We'll be with you guys in a bit." Rory kissed Wills on the cheek. "Order me something chocolate with the works."
"That sounds fine for me as well." Dromi had shrunk the packages that Henry had bought, so he could fit them in his cloak pocket. "We'll be back. You behave." She growled into his ear.
Henry responded to that by pulling her into his arms and kissing her breathless. "Oh, babe, I always behave." He finally let her go.
Wills could not believe his eyes. "You did not just do that!"
"Oh, why don't you just live a little for once big brother?" Henry rolled his eyes at his brother. "We aren't in the glaring eyes of the media, besides its fun to kiss a girl in public."
"Oh, for the love of Mab you are such a Prefect!" Rory threw herself into his arms and kissed him until he couldn't think of anything but her then let go of him and went on her merry way.
"In your case its fun to be kissed by a girl in public," Henry teased.
Harry having seen the whole scene took out his wand pointed at Wills and Henry and snarled. "Glacius!" That hit them both square in the middle of their backs. "Cool off!!"
Wills and Henry shuffled over to where he was standing. "Sorry... About ...that ... Little lapse of ...sanity." The two were freezing.
Hermione came outside, saw what her cousins looked like, and took out her wand. "Honestly, you can't hurt them every time the twins are going to kiss them in public." She used her wand to defrost the two of them.
"Sorry about that I'm just not used to having older sisters to worry about." That said he went into the parlor with Hermione.
"That's why you don't just grab and kiss them in public! It's suicide when Harry is two feet away!" Wills snarled at his brother.
"How was I supposed to know that he saw us standing out here?" Henry snarled back.
"Harry is a Merlin-in-training, so he's aware of his surroundings always. You might want to remember that." Wills was interrupted by Daisy, who was staring up at him.
"You can eat with us if you want." She blinked up at him.
Wills picked her up and she cuddled in his arms. "I'd like that little one."
"We would be honored to join you fair princess." Henry did a little bow and Daisy giggled.
"You silly," She was having a good time getting to know her other family.
"Oh, you have no idea how much of a goof ball he can be." Wills swung her high up in the air and she squealed with delight. "Let's say we go eat some yummy ice-cream." All three of them entered the parlor.
--
Rory and Dromi searched Diagon Alley for an art supply shop and found one nestled not far from the ice-cream parlor. The Monet Art gallery served as both an art gallery and artist supply store. They spotted it by the painting displayed in the shops window. It was a painting of their little brother dressed up in his HBP clothes.
"Now whoever did that is a master painter." Rory pointed to the painting. "She captured him in a brooding mood."
"Boy, he really does look like Dad in that doesn't he." Dromi was impressed by this artist's skill.
Trista stepped outside to greet them. "Hello, I'm Trista Monet. Is there anything that I can help you with your highnesses?" She curtsied.
"Um, first, we're cool with not being curtsied to and second we love how you captured our baby brother in that portrait. I'm Rory and this is Dromi." Rory smiled down at the young woman.
Trista blushed at the compliment. "That is kind of you to say. He really is an interesting subject to try to paint. All the Four Hearts are."
"Four Hearts," Dromi's interest was peaked. "Are you doing a series on the four of them?"
"Yes, that's right. You see I'm doing a series on the New Marauders and the Four Hearts as they are now. Please come into my shop." The three of them entered the shop, as she continued to babble on about her works. "I just finished a painting where we first get to see the bond between Harry and Hermione. Its after Harry found out about Sirius Black...Stephen has some pics of Hermione and Harry in the snow by the Shrieking Shack. It's heart wrenching, because he thinks that Sirius Black, his own godfather, killed his parents." She led them to her easel. "So what do you think of it?"
Rory and Dromi felt their hearts breaking, as they saw what she had created on canvas. She had added the animation to the painting and they could see how Hermione gently comforts her devastated friend. "It's heart wrenching to see him in such pain." Dromi blinked back tears. "You're truly a master at your craft."
"It's nice of you to think that, but I have a long way to go before I reach that status." Trista blushed.
Other easels had completed works on them; a set of them depicted the final battle between Harry and Voldemort. "Oh goddess, so that's what happened to them." The twins couldn't believe the detail of these paintings.
"I finished them before the others, because I wanted to get those over with. It shocked me that Stephen had photos of that." Trista shivered. "I think seeing these and then seeing the beginning of the Four Hearts brings it altogether." She showed them the others that she had finished.
"Did you say that you did these by looking at photos?" Dromi asked.
"Yes, I have three sets of them just in case I get paint on one while I'm working." She nodded.
"Could the two of us have one, because we really would like to know what went on?" Rory was hoping that she would say yes.
"I can hardly say no, because Uncle Stephen is your grandfather and I know he won't mind." Trista walked over to her work desk and pointed to a large box. "It's really heavy so be careful."
Rory walked over and picked up the box. "Would it be safe to shrink this?"
Trista blinked at them in surprise. "I don't think it would hurt to use that spell. To be honest I forget how useful that spell can be, especially, when it comes to transporting my equipment from place to place."
Rory shrank the box down, so it resembled a gift box. "Speaking of equipment my sister and I are in need of a full set of artist supplies."
"You both also like to paint portraits and such?" Trista's eyes lit up in delight.
"Rory and I have always loved to paint and were wondering if you could help us get started painting again?" Dromi smiled at her.
"Oh yes, I would love to help the two of you set up your own studio! Um, because you probably have nothing you're going to need everything aren't you." Trista got out a parchment and began to list the supplies the girls would need. "Would it be all right if I went about getting your supplies and then brought it all to you at Hogwarts?" Trista was positively alive with the prospect there was someone she could talk seriously about art.
"Trista, we're going to be visiting Franc and Beau's today, so why don't you come with us. I think that you could really use an afternoon of pampering." Dromi suggested.
"It'll be our gift to you for helping us set up our studio." Rory nodded.
"I don't know..." Trista worried her bottom lip with her front teeth, "I have so much work to get done and..." Trista never really ventured far from her studio, so this was a big step for her.
"Grandpa won't mind if you take a break, besides Rory and I insist that you come with us." Dromi could see that she was hiding from the world just as Sibyll was.
"So do you have any clothing that looks more Muggle?" Rory took in her painting robes and knew that if they took into London like that she would attract attention.
"I might in my loft upstairs, but..." Trista found herself dragged up to her loft and then gently set down in a chair.
Rory stood inside her closet. "Let's see we have a cute pair of faded jeans, a Puddlemere United t-shirt, and sneakers to match."
"I like Quidditch and wore them when I went to the World Cup." Trista explained. "Everyone had to dress like a Muggle would dress so we wouldn't stand out to them."
Dromi pulled her to her feet. "First off you need to shower and change. Then we can go join the boys."
"Boys…" Trista whimpered as Rory and Dromi pushed her into the one luxury of her loft a full bathroom complete with sunken tub and steam shower. "I don't do well around boys!" She shouted at the closed doors.
"Relax our guys are gentleman." Rory shouted back through the door. "Now quit stalling we're on a tight schedule." She looked at her watch it was almost one.
Trista emerged fifteen minutes later in her Muggle clothing. "I don't know about this." She had no clue that she was very pretty, especially out of her usual clothes, in something less bulky, and wearing her normal less magnifying specs. What she considered mousy brown hair was a dark chestnut head of unruly curls that cascaded down her back to her waist. Her almond shaped cornflower blue eyes complimented her face now that her usual specs didn't magnify them and she had flawless alabaster skin.
"Trista you really should step out of your shell once in awhile you are very pretty." Dromi smiled at her.
"I'm just plain, but thanks for saying that." Trista didn't believe her.
"You are not plain. Now let's go before the guys get worried." Rory and Dromi helped her close up shop and then off they went to the Ice-cream parlor.
--
Wills glanced at his watch and then at the door to the shop. "It's been over thirty minutes. I wonder where the girls are."
"I don't know, but this is the greatest ice-cream that I've ever eaten." Henry dug into his second sundae.
Harry finished off his own banana split. "It's like this, either they saw something amazing or they found someone to take under their wing. It's kind of sketchy, but it's definitely one of the two."
"Rory likes to take others under her wing and then help them, so it might be that." Hermione was sharing her sundae with Daisy.
The door jingled and in stepped Rory, Dromi, and a shy petite brunette, who looked vaguely familiar to Harry.
"The guys were about to send a search party, but Henry can't tear himself away from his second dessert." He grinned at his sisters. "So who's your new...never mind we've met already. Hello Trista how are you?"
"Trista, please come join us and tell us how you're paintings are coming along." Hermione set down her spoon and smiled at the young woman.
"William and Henry Windsor meet our new friend and master artist Trista Monet. She's going to spend the day in London with us." Rory introduced the boys to Trista.
"Nice to meet you," Wills and Henry smiled.
"Hello." Trista wanted to bolt when she realized the guys were the princes of England. "I can go back to my gallery if I'm intruding on your day." She figured that she would be intruding.
"Nonsense, you aren't intruding and we promise the two of us don't bite." Henry winked at her.
"Don't think of us as our titles just think of us as normal guys spending time with their friends." Wills suggested.
"You see everything is going to be fine." Dromi gave her a hug.
"Romi is right and we've just enough time to eat some ice-cream." Rory grinned.
Trista surrendered herself to the mercy of the twins, and for the first time in her life actually joined in and had fun. "I would love to paint the four of you. It would make a smashing portrait." She conjured a pencil and a sketchpad and started doing sketches of them.
"Trista is working on a series of paintings for Gramps and they aren't kidding when they call her a master painter." Harry conjured a cloth, cleaned off Daisy's face, and settled her in his arms.
"I'm still learning, but thank you for the compliment." She continued to sketch away on the pad.
"She paints portraits and paintings that move like the ones in the castle." Wills explained to Henry.
"I like to paint, but I'm not even close to the talent it would take to do that." Henry took a glance at what she was doing. "Nor can I sketch like that either."
"It's easier to sketch out a subject before trying to paint them." Trista felt at ease with the group. Daisy was napping in Harry's arms and she had tried to capture on paper how good Harry was with her. "The little one is such an angel."
"Daisy is our cousin whom we're baby-sitting today." Harry conjured a sling around his neck and settled her inside it. "She has her moments, but yes most of the time she's a little angel."
Sibyll Trelawney, who had been passing by, noticed them in the shop, so she popped in to see if they were ready to go over to Franc and Beau's. "I'm all set if you four are ready to go?" She whispered when she noticed that Harry was holding a sleeping toddler in his arms. "Why hello Trista," She smiled at her niece.
"Hi Aunt Sibyll, I see you know my new friends." She glanced up from her sketchpad.
"That I do sweet girl. So are you coming with us today?" She asked softly.
"If it's all right with you," Trista nodded.
"It's wonderful with me my dear. Shall we go?" She whispered.
Everyone whispered their goodbyes to Harry and Hermione and off they went.
--
Harry and Hermione stowed the stroller in the bag using the ever popular shrinking spell and went over to Magical Menagerie. It amazed them that Daisy wasn't disturbed from her nap in the baby sling.
"Hello your highnesses," A plump looking witch walked up and softly greeted them. "How may I help you?"
"We are in need of a companion for Crookshanks." Hermione looked around the shop at the cats and kittens.
"Oh my yes, Crookshanks. I remember him ginger cat part Kneazle with a nasty attitude. Why in Merlin's name would you want to subject a kitten or cat to being his companion?" The clerk planted her hands on her ample hips and frowned at the two of them.
"Crooks is nothing of the sort. He's a good cat and all he needed was someone to love him." Hermione defended her baby kitty.
"Well then you were able to perform a miracle with him that no one else could." The plump witch changed the subject. "Now we have a variety of kittens and young cats to choose from six which are 3/4 kneazle and 1/4 Maine Coon. Pepper is a year and she is as feisty as Crooks was." She held up a Pepper shaded tabby cat.
Hermione scooped up the cat. "Oh, she's gorgeous."
Harry instantly saw that it was love for Hermione and this cat. So that's Pepper. He glanced down at where the witch was pointing, there was a pen where five adorable kittens were mewing up at him. He instantly thought of the other women in his family. "We'll take her and the other five. I have two birthday presents for my oldest sisters, a baby sister that loves her boyfriend's cat, another baby sister who needs something to cuddle, and mum might enjoy one."
"Excellent choice your highness, I will put them in a big basket, so you can carry them with you. I'll get the necessary documents, because they're all almost full kneazle. I'll only charge you for two of the cats as the other four are for your mother, sisters, and bride." The witch went about getting the hamper for the kittens. "I can also include the paperwork for Crookshanks. We were so desperate to have someone take him that we misfiled his papers. He's a little over half-kneazle."
"That would be nice to have, as she's had him for three years now. By the way just so you know he's a well-behaved boy and a true member of the family. He has also helped us on many an adventure." Harry took out his coin bag. "So what's the damage?"
"I beg your pardon?" The witch frowned at him in confusion.
"What do I owe you?" Harry corrected his slang.
"Fifty galleons and not a penny more," The clerk smiled.
Fifty galleons for two kittens thank the gods for only paying for just two, he didn't have that many galleons on him to pay for the rest.
"Fifty galleons it is then." He handed her the coins.
Hermione had Pepper lounging across her shoulders, as one would wear a fur stole. "What a brilliant idea. You got one for almost everyone except for Aunt Jenna and your grandparents."
Harry stared at them in fascination he'd never seen an actual cat do that on a person's shoulder. "I think we'll have lunch at home. I'm not carting six cats and a baby all around London."
"I don't want to go home yet that means studying the rules some more and it's too nice of a day to just read." Hermione pouted.
Harry stared at her as if she had grown two heads. "Ok who are you and what did you do with my wife?"
"I know that I'm usually all gung ho about studying everything before term starts, but that was before you and I became a couple." Hermione blinked at him and formed her mouth in a pout.
"You've been reading that American how to book again haven't you angel. That book should be illegal, no wonder the girls are so wild in America." Harry wasn't used to this more rebellious side of Hermione.
"I guess that after all those years of planning yours and Ron's school curriculum's that maybe I need to focus on something more fun this year." Hermione purred.
"Oh gods, I broke you didn't I." Harry tried not to panic at the thought of actually having to study this last year. He'd done it sixth year, but it hadn't been something that he'd liked. "Ron is gonna throttle me for this one."
"After all of these years...yes that's a brilliant idea..." Hermione carried the mewing basket in her arms. "This year I'm going on an academic tutor strike."
"Hold that thought, but first set down the basket, so you can take Daisy." He waited for her to step outside.
"Are you going to attempt a Disapparation with six cats?" Hermione carefully set the basket down on the cobblestone street.
"That's the plan." Harry carefully put the toddler sling around her neck, which made Pepper jump onto his shoulder. "Your new baby has very sharp claws." He winced.
"Maybe we should just call Dan." Hermione watched as he set Pepper into the hamper.
The cat gave him a forlorn look.
"Oh stop, it's only for a few minutes." That said he shut the lid to the hamper. "I'll be right back."
He decided to try this without his wand, so he thought of home and in a brilliant turquoise and gold flash of light vanished in front of her.
"Not fair that's cheating," Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Down now," Daisy's eyes sprang open. Daisy now wide-awake did something Hermione was dreading all afternoon she vanished.
"Daisy!" Hermione tried not to panic. "Get back here."
"Are we having problems, my dear?" Albus and Minerva were standing behind her.
"Yes are you missing someone perhaps?" Minerva smirked.
"Where did Harry disappear to?" Albus arched a silver brow at her.
"He went back home to take the twins presents to the castle." Hermione glanced around Diagon Alley trying to see where Daisy went.
"We decided to come home a day early, so we can join in the girls Birthday celebration. This has been one miraculous summer." Minerva smiled.
Harry reappeared in the Alley. "I guess the only ones home are Uncle Sirius and Aunt Jenna, so I left the cats with them. I had no idea how much Uncle Sirius dislikes cats. He tolerates Crooks and Isis, but six new cats. Well, let me tell you he went abso-bloody-lutely postal on me..." He noticed that she was minus a sleeping toddler and tamped down the urge to panic. "Uh, angel where's Daisy?"
"So, I see the two of you are baby-sitting Princess Daisy for the afternoon." Albus tried not to smirk, as Harry's face went ghostly white when he finally realized the two of them were standing there.
"We told Xander that we would watch her for the afternoon...When I left not even two minutes or so ago she was sleeping in that sling! Where is she Hermione? How could you lose her in less than two minutes?"
Harry took out his new map, went about the motions to activate it, and when Diagon Alley showed up on the map he barked a question at it. "Where the hell is Daisy!?"
Albus and Minerva gaped openmouthed at the new improved Marauders map. "I see that you are once again trying to trump your father?" Albus remarked dryly.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief Daisy had gone to the Ice-cream Parlor. "I'm over that... Now if the three of you will excuse me. I will be right back." He vanished again.
"I can't do that without a wand! That is so not fair!" Hermione growled. Then saw that Minerva and Albus were giving her a look and added. "Although it's wonderful that he found Daisy."
Xander appeared in the alley. "Hermione, where are Harry and Daisy? Chloe is missing her baby."
Harry walked out of the Parlor with Daisy under his arm.
"I know that you thought it was funny, but it isn't. You scared Hermione and when I got back and saw you gone it scared me as well." He lectured her as he spoke in soothing voice.
"I sorry," Daisy pouted.
"Sorry isn't good enough. Just for that we're going back home and no more..." He glanced up to see Xander standing there with the others. "I can explain..."
"She was testing you." Xander walked over and took Daisy. "She tends to do that. It's a phase that she's going through. I'm impressed that you didn't panic and found her in less than two minutes. Say that you're sorry young lady then we're going home." He looked down at his daughter.
"I sorry...I get toys?" Daisy sniffed.
"I'll think about it." Harry wasn't going to reward her for being bad.
"This young miss needs a nap, so we will see you tonight at the twin's birthday party." Xander vanished.
"It seems that you're a natural with children." Albus watched as Harry started to relax. "Everyone who has talked to us says that you're going to make a wonderful father."
Harry's face flushed when he read the look that his Uncle was giving him. "That's nice of everyone to say, but I don't plan on being a father anytime soon. I have school, Auror training, Merlin training..."
"Quite right, my boy, but that is one thing that you have to learn about glimpses into the future. You see Harry nothing is ever set in stone." Albus lectured him. "There is always more hidden away in the background, so you will always have surprises in store for you."
"Albus and I were about to go eat lunch at the Leaky Cauldron why don't you two to join us." Minerva suggested.
"We would love to Aunt Minerva, but Harry and I have a date." Hermione wanted something besides Wizarding food for lunch. "It got canceled again because Xander asked us to watch Daisy. Now that our watching is finished he can take me out and hopefully have an actual date with no interruptions like Dementors and such."
"I really owe Hermione some quality time, so you both enjoy your lunch, and we shall see you back home." Harry pulled Hermione into his arms and kissed the top of her head.
"Enjoy your day because come Wednesday you will find yourselves too busy to even think of anything besides school." Minerva smiled at them and then up at Albus. "Isn't that right Albus?"
"Yes quite so, my dearest, with our celebrating Hogwarts millennium anniversary, the Halloween Royal weddings, your being Head Boy and Head Girl responsibilities, and all of your class work you will treasure what free time you have." Albus agreed. "But don't let that sway you from having a wonderful afternoon."
Harry and Hermione nodded as the reality of their seventh year finally set in. "We'll, uh, see you at dinner." That said they disapparated.
"Honestly Albus. You could have softened the blow just a little. The poor dears looked positively shell-shocked." Minerva chuckled.
"This is going to be the true test of responsibility for the two of them, but they always say that they can handle anything, now we shall see." Albus quirked a brow at his wife and off they went to lunch.
--
Chapter 37
The Queen
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I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.
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Cindra 2004-2008