A/N: Here is Chapter 18, I hope you like it.
Chapter 19 ~ Welcome Back
The next week was painful and strenuous for Lily. Every morning she waited by the fireplace for the nurse to come and collect her to go to therapy. During the first couple of days it seem that no progress was made. She was sad and had started to think that it would take years until she was ready to walk once more. She had tired of the wheel chair she had been given. It was a muggle chair. The hospital thought it would be best if she used it instead of the magical one. It wouldn't do to scare the neighbors.
By the time the seventh day of therapy arrived Lily felt too depressed to go.
"Why should I go? Nothing seems to change." She muttered in a low voice. Her parents were too enthusiastic and optimistic, she really didn't want to disappoint them.
"What was that dear?" Asked Mrs. Evans, who was waiting beside Lily.
"Nothing mum. Just thinking out loud." Lily replied with a smile.
"Oh. She should be here at any moment." Mrs. Evans looked at the grandfather clock standing on one corner of the room.
"Hmmm."
"I wonder where Petunia went. I haven't seen her during the mornings lately." Asked Mrs. Evans with a frown. She hadn't been too happy with her eldest daughter lately. She hadn't been all too helpful with Lily and Mrs. Evans had once found her taunting her sister. But Petunia was twenty now and it was too late to punish her. Perhaps it was for the best that she would soon be marrying and leaving the house.
"Don't worry mum, she's probably with Marge Dursley. I heard her leave an hour ago." Said Lily with a shrug. She didn't mind not having her sister around.
Before Mrs. Evans had time to respond, fire intensified in the grate and a bespectacled young nurse stepped out of it.
"Good morning." She greeted with a sunny smile.
"Hello Jane." Answered Lily. She really liked this young woman. They were close in age and they spent a lot of time talking about Hogwarts and boys. Lily had to stifle a giggle as she remembered one of their conversations.
"Now make sure that you bring her on time Jane. And I wondered if you would have time to join us for luncheon today when you return." Said Mrs. Evans as the girls prepared to step into the fire.
"Oh thank you Mrs. Evans I will see what I can do." Responded Jane. Soon after both girls disappeared from sight.
Lily soon found herself in a room in which several people were found doing exercises.
"Hello Lily, nice to have you back." Said a middle-aged witch.
"Hi Mrs. Linley." Responded Lily.
"Are you ready to start?" At Lily's nod she led toward a room where several apparatus lined the wall. "We'll begin with the stretches we have been doing lately and then we will begin with some new exercises." She said.
Lily nodded and for the next two hours did stretches and exercises designed to build the muscle in her legs.
"How long do you think it will take for me to start walking again?" Asked Lily as they worked on her legs.
"Well, I cannot exactly tell you. Some people take longer while others do it soon. It all depends on the situation." Mrs. Linley replied. She knew that the young woman in front of her was finding all this tedious but she still worked hard. She was hired to help her walk, and she would do it.
There was no more conversation after that. Lily fell on her chair very tired after her session. It seemed that they kept getting harder and harder.
"Don't give up Lily, your legs are getting stronger and you will see some progress soon." Said Mrs. Linley as they waited for Jane to return for Lily.
"Do you think so?" Lily looked up at Mrs. Linley with a hopeful expression.
"Yes I do. It's never easy but you are doing just fine." She replied with a smile.
Jane soon appeared and led Lily to the grate in a cozy room with couches and comfy chairs.
"What is this room used for Jane?" Asked Lily as Jane reached for a small urn on top of the mantel.
"It's a waiting room. Some of the patients who come for therapy come with family members and this is the room they wait on while the patients are inside." Said Jane extracting some Floo powder from the urn. She threw it into the fire. The flames grew and the light intensified. Lily and Jane soon disappeared into the grate.
"Ah there you are." Said Mrs. Evans the moment the young girls appeared at the Evans' sitting room.
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" A scream filled the air. Lily put her hands on her ears as Mrs. Evans and Jane jumped startled.
"Petunia really! There is no reason for you to go on like that." Exclaimed Lily as she pulled her arms from her ears.
"What do you thing you are doing? Don't you care that there are some of us who care not for your abnormal ways." Screamed Petunia, who had been sitting on one of the couches when Lily returned.
"Speak for yourself sister dear." Snapped Lily.
"Petunia!" Exclaimed Mrs. Evans. She was shocked at the behavior of his oldest daughter. Where did I go wrong? She asked herself. "Apologize to Lily this instant."
"Oh sure, take her side. You don't care that our name is going down the drain with a freak like her." Screamed Petunia as she stormed off the room.
"PETUNIA NADINE EVANS COME HERE THIS INSTANT!" Mrs. Evans yelled. Lily and Jane turned to look at each other with expressions of horror.
"I'm sorry you had to see that Jane. I hope you can stay with us for luncheon." Said Mrs. Evans with a distracted air.
" Oh, hmmm.I'm sorry Mrs. Evans I have to return to the hospital." Jane said and quickly returned to the grate.
"I don't blame her, the poor dear. Your father will hear of this, make no mistake. Petunia has gone far enough." Exclaimed Mrs. Evans in anger.
"Oh boy, I'm sure glad I'm not Petunia right now." Muttered Lily.
Needless to say, the Evans household was not a happy one that evening. Lily stayed in her room the whole evening. She could hear the yells and the arguing going on in the kitchen. She felt saddened that it had to happen, but, she thought, Petunia deserved it.
After a couple of hours, the arguing stopped. She heard stomping on the hall and the slamming of a door. She imagined it was Petunia. She then heard other steps coming up the stairs. She was playing with the sheepskin pillow that she was hugging as she sat on her bed when the door opened.
"How are you feeling Princess?" Mr. Evans greeted his daughter. He hadn't got a chance to come and talk to her before he argued with Petunia.
"I'm fine Daddy." Said Lily with a sad smile.
"What's wrong Princess? Is it because of Petunia?"
"Why does she hate me so much?" She asked with tears sparkling in her eyes.
Mr. Evans quickly approached the bed and sat beside her. "It's not you she hates, she just doesn't like things that aren't like her."
"But why does she treat me so shabbily?"
"Because she can't understand. She doesn't know how to react to it but with unkindness and anger. Don't let her get to you Lily, you are a special person with a special talent. Just because there are some people who don't understand it and don't like it doesn't mean that it's evil. Do you understand me Lily?"
"Yes Daddy." Lily hugged her father tight. "Thanks. You know, James said something similar once. When I got the letter about Petunia's engagement party."
"Humph. Susan wrote to us. They are doing fine."
"Who they Daddy?"
"Well James, the twins and herself or course. After Aliaster's death they had a really hard time."
"What? Why wasn't I told that Mr. Potter had died? When did it happen? How did it happen?"
"Oh sh--! I'm sorry Lily, you weren't supposed to know yet."
"What do you mean, when was I going to be told?"
"We hoped you would walk first before you were told." Mr. Evans looked sheepish, how could he have let it escape. He could kick himself for telling Lily.
"Daddy!"
"Princess, don't worry, he is doing just fine. Focus on your therapy and when you return to Hogwarts you can give him your condolences in person." Mr. Evans quickly left the room before Lily got anything more out of him.
Lily stayed brooding. How could they not tell her? Why didn't her friends mentioned anything about it? *****
"Mother, I made a decision." Said James one day over breakfast.
"Oh? What is it?" Mrs. Potter asked with surprise. Their conversations had been somewhat strained after their argument the previous week.
"I'm going back to Hogwarts, there are only four more weeks for the exams and two more for the end of the term, I suppose Sanders can keep an eye on the estate for me while I'm away, he can always owl me if there is something that needs to be taken care of."
Mrs. Potter refrain from saying that it was the same thing she had said the previous week. She knew men liked to think that they were in charge and that the ideas came from them, not anyone else. Well, the Potter men did.
"That is right dear. When are you going back?"
"I'll stay to take care of a couple of things. I reckon that I'll be ready to return by the end of the next week." James said as he thought it over.
"Well, if you feel you must."
James didn't say anything else as in just that moment Francesca and Cassandra ran into the room.
"Grandma."
"Grandma."
"Yes darlings."
"Here."
"We gathered them."
"For you." The said as they presented Mrs. Potter with a handful of wildflowers. She smiled and kissed them.
"Thank you dears. Go and say Good morning to your uncle."
The girls ran to the other side of the table.
"Uncle James."
"Uncle James."
"Well, what are you two little rapscallions up to?" He said and started to tickle them. The girls giggled even after he stopped. They turned to with a trusting look in their blue eyes.
"Can we ride?"
"With you."
"Please."
"Uncle James."
"Hmmm.well, let's see what does Mrs. Manning says." He answered.
Their sunny countenances fell. James heartstrings pulled. His mother was right, he was going to spoil them.
"Oh very well. Run along and tell Mrs. Manning to get you ready." He grudgingly said.
The girls squealed and ran out of the room.
"James, really. You are going to spoil them."
"I can't help it, every time they look at me and I see Elizabeth."
"I know it's hard James. I see your father everywhere, I keep waiting for him to enter that door. But we have to let go, we have to keep living. Even if it's just for the girls."
"You are right." He sighed. "I'm going to tell Roberts to prepare the car. I'll take them for a drive." He said and slowly left the room.
"Perhaps I should follow what I preach. Right Aliaster?" She muttered as she stared at the flowers she clutched in one hand.
The week went by and both James and Lily made progress. By the end of the week Lily was strong enough to stand on her own, and had started taking a few steps. But she tired too soon, her efforts took enough energy from her.
James visited all his tenants, making sure that they didn't need anything. He made sure they knew they could call on Sanders if there was a need. He closeted himself on his office in the first floor of the house with Sanders to go over the estate management. Sanders had at first been skeptical about James abilities to run the estate, but he was soon relaxed after seeing James' handling matters after a couple of weeks. Now he couldn't imagine having a better employer, the previous Mr. Potter, rest his soul, he thought, didn't have much talent with the management of the estate, he far preferred to be in London and take care of things at the Ministry.
"Now, you must remember to start the preparations for the Midsummer Feast, the tenants expect it from us, it has been an annual event for centuries and I don't think father would mind if we held it this year." James was saying.
"Of course Master James, you will find everything in order by the time you return from Hogwarts." Said Mr. Sanders with a nod. "Mrs. Potter has started to talk to the ladies in town and they will come up to the house next week to start with the preparations."
"Good. I think this would be good for mother, she needs something to take her mind off things. Although the twins have been doing a good job of it." James said with a smile as he remembered his little nieces.
Sanders smiled as well. The girls had brought a fresh and merry atmosphere to a household that had every right to feel morose and saddened. Just the day before the girls had followed Mr. Sanders all over the stables asking questions about the horses, the cattle, the puppies in the kennel and about every single animal found in the estate. They had been carrying their pet rabbit and they had told him very seriously that they where giving him a tour and introducing him to new friends. "The girls are a treasure, Master James." He said.
"They truly are. I will miss them but at least it will be for only a month. I will return soon enough." James said.
They continued on with their plans in a happier mood.
"You are doing it Lily, just one more step, one more, yay you made it." Mrs. Linley was urging Lily along. She was standing by some bars that helped her with her balance to help her stay standing as she tried walking.
"Oh." Lily sighed as she sat on her chair. She was happy that she was finally doing big progress but she had never imagined that it would be so tiring.
"Now, we will do some stretches and we will be done for the day. Remember to do them at home as well." Said Mrs. Linley as she gathered all the equipment they had used.
"Of course Mrs. Linley. Thank you." Lily responded as she took some water from a bottle at her side.
"I'm very happy with how things are going. We will have you walking in no time." Mrs. Linley said with a smile. They had done so much progress in the last week, she had been quite surprised at first, but her patient's determination had given her the strength to go on.
"Do you truly think so? I cannot tell you how bored I am of this chair." Said Lily pointing to her chair.
"Oh don't worry, you will be rid of it soon enough." Said Jane smiling as she sat beside Lily, waiting for her to be done.
"Jane is right, you are doing great progress, you will see yourself walking soon enough. Just make sure you do your stretches and exercises at home." Said Mrs. Linley.
Lily smiled and watched as Mrs. Linley and Jane put all the equipment away.
"Very well." Mrs. Linley exclaimed when all was in order. "Jane will take you home now. I will see you tomorrow Lily." She said waving Lily goodbye as Jane pushed the chair toward the waiting room.
"Bye Mrs. Linley, see you tomorrow." Lily waved back.
Lily was smiling as she entered the grate and Flooed to her house. As usual, her mother was waiting for her in the parlor room.
"How did it go dear?" She asked when she saw her daughter appear from the fireplace.
"Oh, mum, you should've been there, I walked, I actually walked." Exclaimed Lily. "Well, I did have some help but I did walk." She added.
"Oh my dear, that is great news, maybe we should have a celebration as soon as your father gets home." Mrs. Evans squealed and hugged her daughter.
"I'll be going now Lily, Mrs. Evans, they are waiting for me at the hospital. I'll see you tomorrow." Said Jane as she stepped into the fire.
"Bye Jane." Mrs. Evans and Lily said.
"Well dear, what do you want to do? Want to go out to a nice restaurant or do you want to stay home tonight?" Asked Mrs. Evans as she took her daughter to the dinning room where lunch was waiting for them.
"Stay at home, I don't want to go out yet." Said Lily. She hadn't left the house, only to go to the hospital, during all the time she had been home.
"Very well dear, if that is what you want." Mrs. Evans was now serving and Petunia had come into the room.
"You are back, are you? What does the princess want now?" Hissed Petunia in Lily's ear.
"Don't worry Pet, we won't include you if you don't want to be here." Said Lily in a low voice so that their mother wouldn't listen.
"Don't call me that." Snapped Petunia.
Lily just stuck out her tongue. She knew it was childish but she couldn't help herself, Petunia was really a bore.
"Now there you are dears." Mrs. Evans said after serving the plates.
The three women ate in silence. As soon as dessert was served Mrs. Evans said.
"What do you want for dinner then Lily, we must have your favorite dishes I think, after all it is a celebration in your honor."
Petunia looked startled at first. "Celebration? Whatever for?"
"For Lily of course, because she is doing great progress in therapy. She will be walking soon enough, mark my words." Said Mrs. Evans with a huge smile.
Petunia looked daggers at Lily. Oh dear, Lily thought, now she will be angry again.
"I see." Petunia finally said. "Well, I'll be going to Vernon's."
"Oh but dear, wouldn't you like to celebrate with us? It is a big event." Said Mrs. Evans. Lily kept silent. If Petunia didn't want to be there it was fine with her.
"I told Vernon that I was coming over, we have to start preparing for the wedding." Petunia said.
"You still have time for that." Said Mrs. Evans. "I'm sure Vernon won't mind."
"I promised mother, and I'm sure you don't want me to break my promises." Petunia said and got up from the chair. "I will see you later." And left the room.
"Hmmm.that girl needs some lessons in family unity." Said Mrs. Evans as she saw Petunia leaving the room.
"Don't worry about her mum, I don't." Said Lily as she finished her ice cream.
"Well, I suppose, but your father is going to hear about this." Mrs. Evans said.
Lily sighed. Great, she thought, something more for Petunia to hate me.
"Do you want to go to your room Lily? Or do your want to go to the parlor and watch some telly?" Asked Mrs. Evans as she started to clear the table.
"I'll go to the parlor, I'll get bored in my room." Said Lily.
"Very well, just call if you want something."
"Ok, mum." Lily wheeled her chair to the parlor and turned on the television. She didn't pay any attention to it. Her mind was too busy thinking of her sister and of her friends.
"Are you sure dear that you have everything?" Asked Mrs. Potter at the end of the week as she and her son waited for the car to drive up to the front door.
"Yes mother." Said James once more. He had lost count of the times his mother had asked that same question.
"Does Dumbledore knows that you are coming?"
"Yes, I wrote to him earlier this week to tell him. Hogwarts Express will be waiting for me in the station."
"Where are the girls? I thought they would be here to see you off." Said Mrs. Potter as he looked around hoping to catch sight of her granddaughters.
"I saw them earlier today. Mrs. Manning and I decided it was best if they didn't come with us. They cried enough when I was there."
"Well, perhaps you are right. Where are they now?"
"Mrs. Manning took them to play hide and seek."
"That will keep them occupied." Said Mrs. Potter as she saw the car drive up to the door. "There you are Martin, help James with his luggage please."
"Yes Madam." Said the driver as he lifted some of the luggage. James followed with the cage (in which Hermes was happily watching all the bustle) and with his book bag.
Once everything was settled, James opened the door for his mother and then they soon were on the road.
"How long will it take us to get to London?" Asked James.
"I'm not sure dear. Martin? How long until we get to London?"
"A couple of hours madam."
"When will the train leave dear?"
"Dumbledore said it would depart as soon as I was ready."
"Oh good, we don't have to hurry then."
"We have plenty of time."
"I noticed your trunk is quite battered, there were wholes on the top." Said Mrs. Potter as they looked out the window watching the scenery pass by.
"It has been there for a while mother, you just noticed it?" James laughed. "Besides, I will need it for only one more month, once I return I will have no need for it."
"I suppose you are right. What did your friends say when you told them you were going back?"
"They don't know. Thought to give them all a surprise, the only one who knows that I'm returning is Dumbledore."
"Very well. Lotty will apparate at the castle once you get there."
"I hope you are happy with Minnie mother."
"Oh she will do nicely. Of course, I will have to give her up once your first son is born."
"That will be a while mother."
"Well, with the time you are taking, it will certainly take a while."
"Mother don't start again, I seem to remember a similar conversation when I left for Hogwarts in September."
"All right, I get it, you don't want to listen to it."
James nodded.
"I really liked Lily you know. I hope she is doing better. Rose said that her therapy is helping a lot. But she thinks that Lily might not return to Hogwarts. They don't know how long it will take her to start walking again."
Mrs. Potter continued talking about her correspondence with the Evans. James didn't say anything to stop her. He just listened but a thought kept popping in his mind. Lily might not return to Hogwarts. He really missed her. He wanted her to be there with him. He wanted to see her. He wanted to hear her voice.
A couple of hours later they got to the outskirts of the city.
"We will be there soon Madam, Master James."
"Thank you Martin." Said Mrs. Potter. "Now remember James to behave yourself, I don't know if your title of Head Boy will be given back to you or not, but I don't want to hear from Dumbledore, you are so near graduation. And remember to study for your exams. I know you did all the work while you were with us but I want to make sure that you are prepared. If you want help don't hesitate to ask, I'm sure Dumbledore and Minerva will be pleased to help you."
"I know mum, don't worry." Mrs. Potter smiled. It was the first time James had called her mum since Aliaster's death, and she had missed her boy, he had become a man overnight and though she was glad and proud that he had stepped into his father's shoes without hesitation she still wanted her son back the way he was before.
"We are here madam, Master James." Said Martin the driver as he parked the car in front of the station.
"Well, let's get you to the train." Said Mrs. Potter as James opened the door and held it open for her. "Thank you dear. Help Martin with your luggage."
James turned to help Martin to pile his luggage on to a cart. Soon James walked into the station closely followed by his mother.
"We'll cross the barrier together, let's wait until that group of muggles pass." Said Mrs. Potter when he saw a group of muggles standing by the barrier.
James nodded and started to look around. During all those times he had been here waiting to cross the barrier he had never truly looked around and paid attention to the place. It was not as busy today. The hour was late and only some groups were seen passing through the station. He noticed a board in which all the schedules of the trains were posted and saw that no trains were scheduled to arrive within the hour.
"Now it's our turn James. Everything set? Let's go." Said Mrs. Potter attracting James wandering attention.
They quickly crossed the barrier to see the familiar engine waiting for them.
"Mrs. Potter, James." The engineer greeted them when he saw them appear from the barrier.
"Hello there Mr. Donner. Everything in order I trust." Said Mrs. Potter as soon as the old engineer approached them.
"Oh yes, everything is ready to take young Mr. Potter here back to Hogwarts." He said with a smile toward James.
"I'll take this up then." Said James with a nod and pushed the cart up to the train to start loading his luggage.
"How are you doing Mrs. Potter, I never got the chance to give you or young Potter my condolences." Said Mr. Donner.
"We are doing fine, thank you. How are things at Hogwarts, it has been a while since I had news from Hogwarts."
"Oh things couldn't be better, of course all the seventh years are in an up roar over the exams and the ball."
"Oh I imagine they are, after all, we went through the same during our times in Hogwarts." Mrs. Potter said with a laugh.
"I'm ready." Said James as he approached at the chatting couple.
"Very well dear, try to have fun James. And write to me often." Mrs. Potter said as she kissed her son goodbye.
"I'll owl you. Tell the twins goodbye for me." He said and quickly turned to get onto the train.
"Well, goodbye Mrs. Potter." Said the old engineer and quickly made his way to the train. Mrs. Potter stood on the platform until she saw the train disappear from sight.
Lily had just returned from her therapy and was resting in the parlor. She heard the front door ring and her mother opening it. Lily didn't pay any attention to it. She didn't expect it to be a visitor for her. She didn't have any acquaintances in town anyways, all her friends were in school.
"Lily dear. There is somebody here to see you." Said Mrs. Evans opening the door to the parlor.
Lily turned to the door in surprise.
"Hello Lily dear, I hope you are feeling well enough to have a visitor." Said a voice from behind Mrs. Evans.
"Hi Mrs. Potter. Come in." Lily said with a smile.
Mrs. Potter smiled and sat in a chair near Lily.
"I will bring some refreshments." Said Mrs. Evans leaving the door open and quickly going to the kitchen. This will do Lily some good, she thought.
"Your mother tells me that you are doing much better. That therapy is doing you good." Said Mrs. Potter as soon as Mrs. Evans left the room.
"Yes, the doctor says that there is nothing to worry about and my physical therapist believes that it won't be long until I'm up on my feet again."
"Oh I'm so glad dear. We worried you see." Said Mrs. Potter.
Lily knew that this was the perfect time to ask for James. But she was afraid of what the answer would be. She didn't have enough courage.
"I'm sorry about Mr. Potter. He was a nice man." She said instead.
Mrs. Potter's expression fell. She still missed her husband especially now that James had gone back to school, she was afraid to feel alone.
"Thank you dear." She said.
"Here we are. I hope you enjoy some cold lemonade Susan, I thought it would be nice to cool down a bit." Said Mrs. Evans as she entered the room with a tray.
"Oh that is all right Rose. It has been warm lately."
"It has been, especially here in the city, it can be unbearable sometimes." Replied Mrs. Evans as she passed the glasses and placed a plate with cookies on the coffee table.
"I can imagine. I'm glad that James decided to take us all to the country estate instead of staying here in the city. It has done wonders for him and the girls."
"The girls?" Asked Lily. What is James doing with girls in his house, she thought in horror.
"Yes dear, my granddaughters. James was named their guardian in my daughter's will." Said Mrs. Potter.
Lily sighed in relief. "How old are they?"
"Oh they are both three, soon to be four. They dote on their uncle of course. And he dotes on them, I'm quite afraid that they will be spoiled."
Lily laughed. She never imagined that James would be a doting uncle.
"Are they twins. You said there were two." Asked Mrs. Evans happy to see Lily smile with sparkling eyes.
"Yes, identical twins. You don't know the trouble they get into. But they certainly bring some joy into the house."
"Oh I'm glad. They must be a handful." Said Lily, wondering how James handled his nieces.
"Oh they are. They always escape their nurse to follow James around, and James just makes things worse by allowing them to do so. He usually just takes them up with him to visit the tenants and see things around the estate."
"Sounds like they have him wrapped around their little fingers." Laughed Mrs. Evans.
"He is. They were so sad when he told them he was leaving."
"Leaving?" Asked Lily.
"Oh yes dear, he went back to Hogwarts today."
"Oh? Wonder why the others didn't mention it?" Of course, Lily thought, they kept the matter about James' dad secret as well.
"They don't know dear, James didn't tell them. Only Dumbledore knows."
"A surprise is it?" Said Mrs. Evans.
"That's what he planned." Mrs. Potter replied.
Mrs. Potter stayed with Lily and Mrs. Evans for a couple of hours. Lily went to bed filled with thoughts of James and everything she had learned that day.
He is back at Hogwarts, she thought, I wonder how the guys will take it. She smiled in the dark. She wished she was back in Hogwarts now, ready to welcome James back.
Hogwarts stood out against the dark sky. James looked lovingly at the big castle as the horseless carriage made it's way down the driveway. He would soon be back in his dorm. To his curtained, four-poster bed. Back to enjoy the last Quidditch game of the season. Back in time to enjoy the last month of the school year with his friends. But he was going to miss someone very especial. He was going to miss Lily.
He was soon standing in front of the castle. The doors being held open by a familiar figure.
"Hello Hagrid." James smiled at the big man waiting for him.
" 'ello there James. Glad to have ye back." Hagrid said with a smile. "Need help?"
"No, I'm fine Hagrid. Where is everybody?"
"Dinner. Barely started."
James smiled. Perfect time to make his entrance. "I'll join them then, I'm famished."
A small figure appeared next to Hagrid. "Master James sir. Lotty will take the luggage to Master James' room." The small elf said.
"Thank you Lotty. Make sure you go to the kitchens and get something to eat as soon as you are done." Said James as the small elf skipped down the stairs to gather the luggage in the carriage.
"Yes Master James." Lotty said.
"Ready then?" Asked Hagrid.
"Yes. Let's go to dinner, shall we?" James said with a smile.
The pair slowly made their way down the main corridor to the Great Hall. They could hear the sound of laughter and chatter. It was a sound that James had missed during the time he was away.
"Maybe you should go in before me Hagrid. Tell Dumbledore that I'm back." Said James stopping in front of the Hall doors. Hagrid nodded and entered the room.
James took a deep breath and waited for a couple of minutes before pulling on the handles. The doors opened without a squeak. He gave another deep breath and stepped into the Hall.
Nobody had noticed him standing by the door. Everybody was talking and eating. Nobody bothered to look around. Then Dumbledore's voice was heard. "Ah there you are." He exclaimed.
The hall fell silent as they turned to look at Dumbledore. What was the headmaster talking about?
James smiled and slowly started to walk up to the teachers' table. Whispers started to fill the hall as some people noticed the figure walking up to the professors.
"Welcome back Mr. Potter." Dumbledore said. The Hall broke into applause and everybody turned their heads to get a better look as the professors welcomed their original Head Boy back into their midst.
The Gryffindor Table was the most boisterous of all. Their Quidditch captain was back, much to the relief of Tobias Wood who preferred to be part of the team instead of their leader, as well as the acting Head Boy, he was really looking forward to giving back his duties to James.
"Perhaps you better seat at your table Mr. Potter, your friends seem to be eager to welcome you back." Said Dumbledore with a smile as the last teacher shook James hand.
James nodded and quickly joined his friends at their table.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Was the first thing Sirius said as soon as James sat.
James smiled and quickly piled food on to his plate. He was really feeling famished. "Thought you guys would like a surprise better." He said before he started eating.
"Well, we were certainly surprised. But we could've given you a party you know." Said Remus.
"We could still do it. We have experience, we know how to give a party at a last minute." Said Sirius.
"But now you've told him. It won't be a surprise anymore." Said Katie hitting Sirius arm with her spoon.
"Ouch." He glared at her.
"You are acting as if I've been gone for too long, I was only gone for one month you know." Said James with a laugh.
"Long enough. How is your mother?" Said Emma who was sitting on the opposite side of the table next to Peter and Remus.
"Oh, fine. The twins have been keeping her entertained." He said.
"Oh, I haven't met your nieces, how old are they?" Asked Katie.
"Three, four this summer. Quite the little devils." He said with a laugh.
"Take after their uncle do they?" Sirius teased.
"That's what mother says." The group laughed at James' response.
While James was enjoying dinner with his friends, Mrs. Potter had apparated back to the estate. What she found scared her.
The servants were running from one place to the other.
"What is wrong Roberts? What happened?" She asked the butler as soon as she entered the entrance hall.
"It's the young misses Mistress. Mrs. Manning is quite agitated." Was all he could say before running off leading the servants.
The twins? What had happened to the twins?
James sat finishing his food. Students had pass by welcoming him back before they left for their respective rooms.
"And then that git had the nerve of blaming us for it, like he needs help making a fool of himself." Said Remus with a laugh. The others join in his laughter. They had been trying to tell all the school news to James as the dinner progressed.
Suddenly James felt a tug on his robes. He turned to look at was pulling on his robes and was quite surprised at seeing Lotty.
"What is it Lotty?"
"Please Master James, you have to come with Lotty. It's an emergency."
James fell his heart sink. What had happened now?
The group scrambled out of their seats in a hurry. What was wrong? In all the seven years James had been in Hogwarts his elf had never interrupted his meals nor classes, always staying in the kitchens until they were needed.
Lotty led them to the Gryffindor Tower, surprising the inhabitants of the common room who had never seen an elf before.
"Where are we going Lotty? What is wrong?" Asked James as they started to climb the stairs.
"It's important Master James. Lotty doesn't know what to do about it, Master James."
The group turned to look at each other with consternation. Each hoping that nothing tragic had happened, James had gone through enough.
Lotty was very agitated. They had only once seen an elf looking that agitated, and that had been Minnie when James had been sick.
Meanwhile, at Gryffindor Manor, Mrs. Potter was having trouble calming Mrs. Manning down. She hadn't been able to find out what was wrong with the girls yet. Mrs. Manning was sobbing and the servants looked worried as they ran from one place to the other.
"Mrs. Manning, please, tell me what happened. What happened to the girls?" She said.
"Oh Mistress, I did all I could. I swear I did. I sent you an owl but it must have missed you because it came back with the note." Mrs. Manning wailed.
"What happened?" Said Mrs. Potter fighting the urge to shake the nurse and make her talk.
"Oh Mistress, the poor darlings." Mrs. Manning said and started sobbing once more.
Mrs. Potter screamed in exasperation. What happened? Why wasn't anybody saying anything?
James and the others had arrived to the boys' dorms. Lotty stood by the door looking concerned and wringing his hands.
"Oh well, let's see it then." Said James. And opened the door. He gasped at the sight that met his eyes. "Bloody hell!" He exclaimed.
Mrs. Manning stopped sobbing long enough to tell Mrs. Potter. "Sorry Mistress. But the poor angels. We were playing and they were only out of my sight for five minutes, I swear it was that long. They disappeared Mistress, we can't find the twins anywhere." Mrs. Manning resumed her crying.
Mrs. Potter stood there in shock. Oh no, she thought, where are the girls?
"Uncle James."
"Uncle James."
The twins exclaimed as they ran to James the moment they saw him.
"What are you doing here? Forget that, how did you get here?" He exclaimed.
The girls started to cry. Emma and Katie glared at James and kneeled to gather the girls in their arms and console them.
"I'm sorry girls, come here, I was just surprised to see you here." Said James kneeling by them and opening his arms.
The twins turned to hug him.
"We were scared."
"It was dark."
"It was an accident."
"We were playing."
"Did you girls hid in my trunk?" James asked.
The girls nodded. James sighed and turned to look at the others.
"Remus please get Professor McGonagall, I'm going to send an owl to mother, she will be worried. Could you girls keep an eye on them?"
"Of course." They all said. Soon everybody had something to do.
The house was in an uproar, where were the girls? They had searched everywhere and they hadn't been able to find the girls anywhere. An owl flew overhead and watched the humans running around the estate grounds. Then it spied the human it was looking for and flew down to her.
"Oh Hermes, what are you doing here?" Said Mrs. Potter surprised to see James' owl. She noticed the letter tied to its leg and took it. Hermes flew off once she took it.
Mrs. Potter read the note with apprehension. What had made James write to her the moment he arrived to Hogwarts. Once she read it she felt a load being lifted from her shoulders.
"Roberts." She called the butler. "Tell everybody to go in to the house, I have news of the girls." Roberts nodded and went to get the rest of the crew.
Once all the household was inside the parlor room Mrs. Potter spoke.
"I just got a message from James. It seems that the girls hid in his trunk, they are at Hogwarts with him." Everybody just gave a sigh of relief.
"What now Mistress?" Asked Mrs. Manning who had finally stopped crying.
"He writes that he will consult Dumbledore, I will apparate at Hogsmeade and go to Hogwarts tomorrow, they will be fine for tonight." Mrs. Potter said.
James was pulling his hair, what to do? He thought. He was in Dumbledore's office where he and the twins where told to go by Professor McGonagall. At that moment the girls were looking at Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, who was looking back at them with piercing eyes.
"Uncle James?"
"What is he?"
"Is he an owl?"
"What kind?"
"He isn't an owl, he is a phoenix." Said James making sure they didn't pull on Fawkes' tail feathers. He didn't want Dumbledore mad at him because Fawkes was hurt.
"He is pretty."
"Can we touch him?"
"Ok, but be careful. Don't pull on his feathers." James warned.
The girls carefully petted Fawkes, who seemed to enjoy the attention.
"He always had a soft spot for pretty girls." Said a laughing voice from the door.
James turned to look at the old Headmaster with a sigh of relief.
"I'm sorry Professor to bother you this late, but I don't know what to do with them." Said James with exasperation in his voice. The girls stopped petting Fawkes and turned to look at the old man standing in the door talking to their uncle.
"That's all right James, Professor McGonagall told me the circumstances." He said nodding toward the woman standing behind him.
"Well yes, I sent a note to mother and she answered that she will be here tomorrow morning." Replied James.
"Very well, so young girls thought to keep your uncle company did you?" Said Dumbledore kneeling in front of him.
"Accident."
"Was playing."
The girls said. They seem to sense that they had somehow gotten in trouble.
"Don't worry, it wasn't your fault. Although I cannot say that it happens often." Said Dumbledore with a chuckle. The girls smiled and one of them reached to touch his beard and pull. Dumbledore laughed. "Like my beard do you?"
The girls giggled and continue to stroke his beard. James just shook his head and Professor McGonagall smiled, it had been a while since she had seen Dumbledore play with small children.
"Well, what do you suggest Professor. Where can they stay for tonight?" Asked James.
"We could give them temporary beds in the girls' dormitories." Said Professor McGonagall.
"We want to stay."
"With Uncle James." The girls pouted.
"It would be best, in case they wake in the middle of the night." Said Dumbledore.
"What about one of the personal quarters?" Asked James.
"We have been using them to store the exams, we can't move them to anywhere else at the moment, tomorrow we could." Said Professor McGonagall.
"They will have to stay with James, I'm sure the others wouldn't mind in sharing the room with the girls." Said Dumbledore.
"If you think it best. But I don't have any clothing for them. Would it be all right if I transfigure some old cloaks Professor?" Asked James.
"Of course, take what you need." Said Dumbledore as he stood up.
The girls were watching sleepily at the others, both yawning and rubbing their eyes.
"Very well, I'll return to the Tower then. Good night." James said and took the girls' hands.
"Night." Two small voices piped.
"Good night." Answered both professors.
Dumbledore shook his head and chuckled. "Those two will keep James on his toes."
"He certainly seems to be doing well with them." Said Professor McGonagall. "I can't wait to see what kind of a father he will become.
"Oh I'm sure he will do just fine." Dumbledore smiled.
"Uncle James."
"Can we stay with you?"
"Please?"
"You are staying with me, didn't you hear, you are sleeping with the boys tonight." He said. He wasn't sure if he agreed with that. He didn't want the girls to see what the others could be up to. He certainly didn't think that in most cases he took part in the adventures they had.
"No, Uncle James."
"We mean to stay."
"Until you go home."
"Can we?'
"Er.I don't think that would be a good idea. Mother will come tomorrow for you and take you back. You like grandma don't you?'
"We love grandma." Francesca energetically replied.
"But we'll miss you." Cassandra said.
"And I will miss you too. But don't worry, I will be here for only a month. I will return home soon." James said as the trio walked down the corridor leading up to the Gryffindor Tower.
The girls stayed silent for a moment, until they heard a commotion coming from one of the classrooms.
"Uncle James?"
"What was that?"
"That is the Hogwarts' Poltergeist. His name is Peeves." Said James walking faster past the room. He didn't need Peeves bothering them now. The girls would never fall asleep if he did.
"What is that?"
"Is he like Lotty and Minnie?"
"No, Lotty and Minnie are elves, a poltergeist is a mean ghost." He said.
"Why is he mean?"
"Is he sad?"
"Is he bored?"
"Well, he certainly could be all of those things. He just likes to bother people in the castle it's all, he thinks it's funny." Said James.
"Like you do?"
"When you play."
"With your friends."
"Why do you say that?" Asked James bewildered.
"You and your friends."
"Like to trick others."
"For fun."
Oh lord, he thought, how did they come up with this? But he chuckled, now that he thought about it, their pranks and adventures could be considered mean like Peeves' by their victims.
"Well, we are here." He quickly said as soon as he spied the portrait of the Fat Lady.
The girls were looking around with eyes wide full of fascination and awe. When they stopped they turned to look at the picture that stood before them.
"Who are you?"
"What do you do?" They asked before James got the chance to say the password.
"Girls, that is rude." Said James and saw the curious expressions fall to look to their feet.
"Sorry." Both said.
The Fat Lady smiled. "Oh don't worry James, they are young and curious, I'm sure you were the same when you were younger."
The girls turned to look up at the portrait with bright smiles.
"So you want to know who I am and what I do?" The girls nodded. "Well, I'm the guardian of the Gryffindor Tower, nobody can pass through without giving me the correct password." She said.
"What happens?"
"If they know it?"
"If they know it then I let it pass."
"But what if it's a meanie."
"And doesn't belong in there?"
"Oh well, it that case they get into trouble."
"Uncle James?"
"Will we be in trouble?"
"We don't know."
"The password."
The Fat Lady and James laughed.
"Don't worry, I know it and you are given especial permission to go in." James said with a smile. The worry in the girls' faces disappeared as they smiled once more. "Shall we go in then?" The girls nodded.
"Spring Showers." Said James and the portrait opened.
"Why did it take you so long?" Said a voice as soon as they entered.
The whole group was waiting in the common room for them. Katie and Sirius sharing an armchair, while Remus and Emma sat together on one of the couches. Peter had fallen asleep on the floor.
"I didn't take that long." Said James as Emma and Katie took one of the girls and sat in a couch talking softly to them.
"Well? What did Dumbledore say?" Asked Sirius.
"They are staying with us until mother comes tomorrow." James sighed.
"What do you mean us? Which us?" Said Remus hoping that it wasn't what he thought it was.
"I mean that they will stay in our room for tonight." Said James hoping that they wouldn't explode in front of the girls.
"Is that a good idea?" Asked Emma.
"No offense but you boys are not the right idea for role models. Not for someone so young as they are." Said Katie shaking her head.
"What do you mean? We are good role models." Said Sirius.
"Are trying to say that they should stay with you instead? Well I'm sorry but they know us they barely met you." Said Remus.
"Besides, they want to stay with me." Snapped James. Not good role models, he thought, who has been taking care for them this whole month.
"But it wouldn't be right, for girls that young to stay in the same room with boys." Said Emma.
"You have no modesty, they might see something that will scar them for life." Said Katie.
"We are modest. We wouldn't do anything to hurt them." Said Remus.
"Humph!" Snorted Katie.
"Give them here I have to get them ready for bed." Said James. I'll show them, he muttered.
Remus and Sirius quickly stood to take one of the girls and helped James go up the stairs to their dorm.
"Poor girls." Said Katie.
"Will you lot do that in the restroom, we have the girls here remember." Said James when he noticed Sirius getting ready to change. The girls were sitting on James bed their eyes wide capturing everything around them.
"Blast! I had forgotten. Sorry." Exclaimed Sirius and quickly ran to the restroom.
"Maybe we should have left them with the girls James. What happens if they wake up wanting to go to the restroom? I don't know about you but I'm not taking care of that." Said Remus trying to keep the girls occupied with a pack of exploding snaps.
"You are right. But they want to stay with me. What am I going to do?" Said James running his hands in his hair. "And they are my responsibility until mother comes tomorrow."
"Well, I agree with Remus. You know that Sirius sometimes speaks in his sleep. What if he says something that they shouldn't hear?" Said Peter who had closed the curtains around his bed and was getting changed inside.
"There is that. Do you think the girls are still up?" Asked James as he heard the twins giggle at Remus antics.
"I'm sure they are." Remus said.
"Will you look after them while I go and get them?" James asked as he turned to leave the room.
"Sure." Peter and Remus responded.
James walked silently down the corridors searching for the one where the girls' dorm was. I hope they are still awake, he thought, oh boy! What did I get myself into?
The corridors were dark, the only light on his path came from the window. Lanterns were out and he had left his wand behind. He swore as he hit one of the beams on the corridor, but he finally found the corridor he was searching for.
He heard voices and giggles coming from inside the room. He knocked. The room turned silent and he heard footsteps coming toward him. A pair of startled eyes met his when the door opened.
"James? What is wrong?" Said Emma opening the door wider.
"Er, sorry if I disturbed but I though about it and I think you are right, the twins should stay here with you." Quickly said James.
Emma gave him a told-you-so look and turned into the room to speak with somebody James thought was Katie.
"Very well, they can sleep in Lily's bed. We'll go with you to get them." Said Emma and walked into the room. James waited patiently for them and gave a sigh of relief when he saw them coming out with cloaks around them.
They quickly walked down the corridors. The girls were smart enough to remember their wands so they got to the boys' room faster than it had taken James to go to theirs.
The twins were giggling when they entered the room. Sirius was jumping around the room making faces trying to keep them entertained. He stopped when he heard the laughter coming from the door.
"There you are, what took you?" He asked with an impish smile.
"I forgot to take my wand." Said James approaching the young girls sitting on his bed. "Francie, Cassie. You are going to sleep with my friends all right? They are going to take care of you so you have nothing to worry about." He said sitting on the bed beside them.
The twins' happy expression fell and tears started to appear in their eyes. James groaned. He couldn't stand seeing them cry. "Oh don't worry, it will be only at night, I will be here in the morning. Think of them as your nurse. You don't sleep with me at home do you? Then this is no different." He was happy to see that their eyes dry once more.
Emma neared the bed and sat by James. "Don't worry, we are much better than sleeping with boys, they snore." She said in a tone that made the twins smile up at her.
"Hey!" Four male voices exclaimed.
"Oh you know it's true. They would have much more fun with us than you, we know what it's like to be girls." Said Katie. "Come dears, you can play with our stuffed animals." She said going to the bed to pick up one of the little girls.
Emma reached for the remaining twin and turned to James. "Do you have any clothing for them?"
James shook his head. "Their visit wasn't planned." He said with a sarcastic tone. "If I knew they were coming I would've prepared something." Emma glared at him. "Professor Dumbledore said that I could transfigure something for them. Lotty went in search of some clothing to do so." James said.
"Well tell him not to bother, we might be able to shrink something of ours." Said Katie. "See you all in the morning." And the girls quickly left the room.
"It's for the best you know." Said Remus when he saw James worried expression.
"I know." James said with a sigh.
"You are lucky that tomorrow is Saturday." Said Sirius. "Can you imagine, going to class with two three year olds tagging along." He shuddered at the thought.
The other three looked at him in horror. "Oh lord." James finally exclaimed.
"That would've been a disaster." Said Peter.
The boys had an uneventful night and the twins enjoyed spending the night with the big girls. Early the next morning giggles woke James up.
"Shhhh." He groaned putting his pillow over his head. Then he felt some weight falling on to his stomach taking his breath away. "Umph."
"Uncle James."
"Uncle James."
Oh, I should've known. He thought. He pushed the pillow above his head and opened his eyes to see two pairs of blue eyes looking down at him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
"Wake up."
"It's day now."
"All right, all right, I'll get up." He sighed. The girls quickly climbed down from him and stayed on the bed watching him as he looked around for his things. "Where are Emma and Katie? You are supposed to be with them."
"They're busy."
"In the bathroom."
"Why didn't you stay to wait for them?" Quietly said James, he had remembered that the others were still sleeping.
"Why?"
"Do we have to?"
James sighed once more. I'm not having daughters, he thought, they're too difficult to understand. "Ok, stay here and keep quiet the others are still sleeping." James went into the restroom, sure that the girls would stay still until he was ready.
The girls stayed on James' bed for five minutes until they started to get bored. They turned around and with wide eyes studied every single thing in plain view. They suddenly heard movement from one of the curtained beds. They turned to look at each other with wide smiles and slowly climbed down from the bed. They tiptoed to the closest bed and shimmied behind the curtains. They saw a dark haired boy in bed. He was snoring softly and the blankets that were supposed to be covering his body had twisted around his bed. The girls giggled, trying to be silent. The sleeping boy groaned and turned. One of the girls noticed something sticking from below the mattress. A feather. They giggled again when she reached for it.
Sirius felt something tickling his leg. He reached to scratch in his sleep. He could've sworn that he heard giggles. He felt it once more and tried getting away from whatever it was by moving to the other side of the bed. He felt again. He moved further. Again. He moved, right out of the bed.
Remus and Peter were woken by a thud followed a loud exclamation coming from Sirius.
"What? What happened?" Asked Remus opening the curtains to look at his friend looking stunned on the floor.
"Did you have a nightmare Sirius?" Said Peter peering from between the curtains on his own bed.
"No I don't kn-" He never finished what he was saying. Giggles interrupted him. Giggles coming from his curtained bed. Sirius stood and snapped open the curtains to find two small bumps underneath his blankets.
Sirius rolled his eyes. Peter and Remus chuckled. They knew what they would find underneath the blankets.
"Hmmm.I wonder what made me fall." Said Sirius in mock surprise.
"Maybe a pair of pixies decided that you were too lazy." Said Remus leaving his own bed to stand beside him.
"Or maybe your snoring bothered them." Said Peter also approaching the bed.
"I don't snore." Exclaimed Sirius.
Giggles were heard coming from beneath the blankets.
"Shh.you hear that." The giggling stopped. "I think I hear the fairies." Sirius said. He took one corner of the blanket and pulled. "There are the fairies!"
"We are not fairies."
"You are silly."
The girls said at the sight of the three boys looking down on them.
"I stand corrected." Said Sirius. "Do you mind telling me why you got me out of bed." He said with a smile.
"It's day."
"You should be up."
Was all the girls said. The bathroom door opened and James stepped out.
"I see you lot are up." He said. Looking at the group near Sirius bed.
"We had no choice." Said Peter walking back to his bed. He thought he might as well get dressed, there was no way he was going to be able to go back to sleep.
"Your nieces threw me out of my bed." Said Sirius as he tickled the girls. The girls rolled in laughter on his bed.
"What did they do?" Asked James with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I told them to stay put."
"Oh don't worry, it was time for us to be up anyways." Said Remus with a wave of his hand.
They heard running steps coming toward their room and the door opened with a slam.
"James, the girls, they are gone." Katie was saying even before she stepped into the room.
"We told them to wait while we got ready and then they weren't there." Emma said as she came into the room.
"Don't worry, they are here." Said James motioning toward Sirius bed where the girls were seen sitting playing with Sirius.
"Oh thank god!" Sighed Emma with relief.
"We'll take them to the common room while you lot finish dressing." Said Katie and quickly approached the girls.
"We'll be down there soon." Said James as the girls left the room. "Ok, you lot, get ready." He said to the others.
The boys groaned but bounced out of bed and started to get ready.
Half an hour later, the Marauders came into the common room to find most of the female population in the Tower in one side of the room.
"What is going on?" Asked Sirius.
"I don't know but I don't see the girls." Said James trying to look round be group.
"I think they are in the middle of that group." Said Remus motioning toward the large congregation.
The boys groaned.
"I'm not fighting my way through that lot. I'll never come out alive." Said Peter shuddering at the thought of having to fight his way in to the middle where they guessed they twins were.
They didn't need to worry as a couple of squeals where heard and shouts of "Uncle James. Uncle James," were heard and the group of girls parted to let the little girls run to their uncle.
"Are you ready to go down to eat?" James said as he hugged the young girls.
"Yes." The twins said.
"Come on then." He said and took both of their hands and turned toward the picture hole.
The little girls chattered as they walked down the corridors. James noticed that all the girls were following them. Sirius and Remus chuckled while Peter kept turning worriedly at the girls behind them. Emma and Katie giggled ahead of them.
The Gryffindor table was very lively that morning. Almost everybody tried to outdo each other trying to make the twins laugh. It started with those in Gryffindor but soon students from other houses came and tried to make the twins laugh as well, except Slytherin of course.
"I can't wait to see what those little girls will do when it's time for them to join us Minerva." Said Dumbledore with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes.
"Humph, I'm sure I will be holding my breath." She answered with disapproval. "But we must do something, they are interrupting our meal."
"Oh Minerva, it's Saturday, let them be. Those girls are pure magic." Said Dumbledore but Professor's McGonagall's expression showed that she didn't agree with him.
James and his friends were sitting on a blanket at the edge of the lake as the twins ran and played near the shore. The tentacles of the giant squid that dwelled in the lake peeked above the water making the little girls giggle at the sight.
"They seem to be having fun." Said Sirius as he popped a grape into his mouth. Remus and Peter had sneaked into the kitchens to steal some food to take with them to the lake.
"They are young. They see fun in everything they do." Said Katie.
The silence was suddenly broken by a shout. James and the others turned to look behind them toward the castle entrance to see Mrs. Potter running toward them.
"Thank the gods she is here. I don't think I could stand having them here for another day." Said James with relief.
"That is mean of you. They are precious little girls." Emma chided as the twins ran toward their grandmother.
"Gran."
"Gran." They shouted.
"It's not that I don't love them. I love having them around, but let's face it, I don't know anything about little girls." James said.
"That's true. Those little munchkins would be lost with just James in charge." Laughed Sirius.
The others laughed. "I'm not that clueless." Exclaimed James among the laughter.
"I see that you are having fun today." Said Mrs. Potter approaching the group. The twins were running alongside her.
"Hello mother, hope you had a good trip." Greeted James as he stood to kiss his mother's cheek.
"Yes dear. You don't know how glad I was to receive your owl. The household was in chaos until then." She said.
James gave her his hand to help her down to the blanket as the others slid to make room for her.
"I thought you would be worried. I was in quite a taking when I saw them among my things let me tell you." Said James as he served her a glass of butterbeer.
"Thank you dear." She said sipping from her glass.
The twins continued running around the group and were soon joined by Sirius and Remus. Giggles and laughter filled the air as an impromptu game of tag got underway. Soon only James and Mrs. Potter stayed on the blanket watching the game.
"You see to have done well with them." Said Mrs. Potter with pride.
"I suppose, but I had to rely on my friends. I don't know anything about little girls mother." He exclaimed. "I'm not having daughters, they are a handful."
Mrs. Potter laughed. "Oh don't worry James by the time you have children there will be a woman by your side. I'm sure your wife would know something about girls." She said.
"When are you leaving?"
"We'll leave tonight. I want them to be in their own bed tonight." Said Mrs. Potter.
James nodded and turned to look at the lively game.
The morning passed, by the time luncheon was served in the Great Hall, Mrs. Potter and the twins were ridding down the carriage to meet the Hogwarts Express in Hogsmead. James had stood at the steps in the entrance of the castle waving them goodbye.
"Don't worry James, you will see them again in four weeks." Said Sirius standing beside him.
"I know, but I will still miss them." James said.
A/N: One more chapter and seventh year is done. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Don't forget to review! : D
Chapter 19 ~ Welcome Back
The next week was painful and strenuous for Lily. Every morning she waited by the fireplace for the nurse to come and collect her to go to therapy. During the first couple of days it seem that no progress was made. She was sad and had started to think that it would take years until she was ready to walk once more. She had tired of the wheel chair she had been given. It was a muggle chair. The hospital thought it would be best if she used it instead of the magical one. It wouldn't do to scare the neighbors.
By the time the seventh day of therapy arrived Lily felt too depressed to go.
"Why should I go? Nothing seems to change." She muttered in a low voice. Her parents were too enthusiastic and optimistic, she really didn't want to disappoint them.
"What was that dear?" Asked Mrs. Evans, who was waiting beside Lily.
"Nothing mum. Just thinking out loud." Lily replied with a smile.
"Oh. She should be here at any moment." Mrs. Evans looked at the grandfather clock standing on one corner of the room.
"Hmmm."
"I wonder where Petunia went. I haven't seen her during the mornings lately." Asked Mrs. Evans with a frown. She hadn't been too happy with her eldest daughter lately. She hadn't been all too helpful with Lily and Mrs. Evans had once found her taunting her sister. But Petunia was twenty now and it was too late to punish her. Perhaps it was for the best that she would soon be marrying and leaving the house.
"Don't worry mum, she's probably with Marge Dursley. I heard her leave an hour ago." Said Lily with a shrug. She didn't mind not having her sister around.
Before Mrs. Evans had time to respond, fire intensified in the grate and a bespectacled young nurse stepped out of it.
"Good morning." She greeted with a sunny smile.
"Hello Jane." Answered Lily. She really liked this young woman. They were close in age and they spent a lot of time talking about Hogwarts and boys. Lily had to stifle a giggle as she remembered one of their conversations.
"Now make sure that you bring her on time Jane. And I wondered if you would have time to join us for luncheon today when you return." Said Mrs. Evans as the girls prepared to step into the fire.
"Oh thank you Mrs. Evans I will see what I can do." Responded Jane. Soon after both girls disappeared from sight.
Lily soon found herself in a room in which several people were found doing exercises.
"Hello Lily, nice to have you back." Said a middle-aged witch.
"Hi Mrs. Linley." Responded Lily.
"Are you ready to start?" At Lily's nod she led toward a room where several apparatus lined the wall. "We'll begin with the stretches we have been doing lately and then we will begin with some new exercises." She said.
Lily nodded and for the next two hours did stretches and exercises designed to build the muscle in her legs.
"How long do you think it will take for me to start walking again?" Asked Lily as they worked on her legs.
"Well, I cannot exactly tell you. Some people take longer while others do it soon. It all depends on the situation." Mrs. Linley replied. She knew that the young woman in front of her was finding all this tedious but she still worked hard. She was hired to help her walk, and she would do it.
There was no more conversation after that. Lily fell on her chair very tired after her session. It seemed that they kept getting harder and harder.
"Don't give up Lily, your legs are getting stronger and you will see some progress soon." Said Mrs. Linley as they waited for Jane to return for Lily.
"Do you think so?" Lily looked up at Mrs. Linley with a hopeful expression.
"Yes I do. It's never easy but you are doing just fine." She replied with a smile.
Jane soon appeared and led Lily to the grate in a cozy room with couches and comfy chairs.
"What is this room used for Jane?" Asked Lily as Jane reached for a small urn on top of the mantel.
"It's a waiting room. Some of the patients who come for therapy come with family members and this is the room they wait on while the patients are inside." Said Jane extracting some Floo powder from the urn. She threw it into the fire. The flames grew and the light intensified. Lily and Jane soon disappeared into the grate.
"Ah there you are." Said Mrs. Evans the moment the young girls appeared at the Evans' sitting room.
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" A scream filled the air. Lily put her hands on her ears as Mrs. Evans and Jane jumped startled.
"Petunia really! There is no reason for you to go on like that." Exclaimed Lily as she pulled her arms from her ears.
"What do you thing you are doing? Don't you care that there are some of us who care not for your abnormal ways." Screamed Petunia, who had been sitting on one of the couches when Lily returned.
"Speak for yourself sister dear." Snapped Lily.
"Petunia!" Exclaimed Mrs. Evans. She was shocked at the behavior of his oldest daughter. Where did I go wrong? She asked herself. "Apologize to Lily this instant."
"Oh sure, take her side. You don't care that our name is going down the drain with a freak like her." Screamed Petunia as she stormed off the room.
"PETUNIA NADINE EVANS COME HERE THIS INSTANT!" Mrs. Evans yelled. Lily and Jane turned to look at each other with expressions of horror.
"I'm sorry you had to see that Jane. I hope you can stay with us for luncheon." Said Mrs. Evans with a distracted air.
" Oh, hmmm.I'm sorry Mrs. Evans I have to return to the hospital." Jane said and quickly returned to the grate.
"I don't blame her, the poor dear. Your father will hear of this, make no mistake. Petunia has gone far enough." Exclaimed Mrs. Evans in anger.
"Oh boy, I'm sure glad I'm not Petunia right now." Muttered Lily.
Needless to say, the Evans household was not a happy one that evening. Lily stayed in her room the whole evening. She could hear the yells and the arguing going on in the kitchen. She felt saddened that it had to happen, but, she thought, Petunia deserved it.
After a couple of hours, the arguing stopped. She heard stomping on the hall and the slamming of a door. She imagined it was Petunia. She then heard other steps coming up the stairs. She was playing with the sheepskin pillow that she was hugging as she sat on her bed when the door opened.
"How are you feeling Princess?" Mr. Evans greeted his daughter. He hadn't got a chance to come and talk to her before he argued with Petunia.
"I'm fine Daddy." Said Lily with a sad smile.
"What's wrong Princess? Is it because of Petunia?"
"Why does she hate me so much?" She asked with tears sparkling in her eyes.
Mr. Evans quickly approached the bed and sat beside her. "It's not you she hates, she just doesn't like things that aren't like her."
"But why does she treat me so shabbily?"
"Because she can't understand. She doesn't know how to react to it but with unkindness and anger. Don't let her get to you Lily, you are a special person with a special talent. Just because there are some people who don't understand it and don't like it doesn't mean that it's evil. Do you understand me Lily?"
"Yes Daddy." Lily hugged her father tight. "Thanks. You know, James said something similar once. When I got the letter about Petunia's engagement party."
"Humph. Susan wrote to us. They are doing fine."
"Who they Daddy?"
"Well James, the twins and herself or course. After Aliaster's death they had a really hard time."
"What? Why wasn't I told that Mr. Potter had died? When did it happen? How did it happen?"
"Oh sh--! I'm sorry Lily, you weren't supposed to know yet."
"What do you mean, when was I going to be told?"
"We hoped you would walk first before you were told." Mr. Evans looked sheepish, how could he have let it escape. He could kick himself for telling Lily.
"Daddy!"
"Princess, don't worry, he is doing just fine. Focus on your therapy and when you return to Hogwarts you can give him your condolences in person." Mr. Evans quickly left the room before Lily got anything more out of him.
Lily stayed brooding. How could they not tell her? Why didn't her friends mentioned anything about it? *****
"Mother, I made a decision." Said James one day over breakfast.
"Oh? What is it?" Mrs. Potter asked with surprise. Their conversations had been somewhat strained after their argument the previous week.
"I'm going back to Hogwarts, there are only four more weeks for the exams and two more for the end of the term, I suppose Sanders can keep an eye on the estate for me while I'm away, he can always owl me if there is something that needs to be taken care of."
Mrs. Potter refrain from saying that it was the same thing she had said the previous week. She knew men liked to think that they were in charge and that the ideas came from them, not anyone else. Well, the Potter men did.
"That is right dear. When are you going back?"
"I'll stay to take care of a couple of things. I reckon that I'll be ready to return by the end of the next week." James said as he thought it over.
"Well, if you feel you must."
James didn't say anything else as in just that moment Francesca and Cassandra ran into the room.
"Grandma."
"Grandma."
"Yes darlings."
"Here."
"We gathered them."
"For you." The said as they presented Mrs. Potter with a handful of wildflowers. She smiled and kissed them.
"Thank you dears. Go and say Good morning to your uncle."
The girls ran to the other side of the table.
"Uncle James."
"Uncle James."
"Well, what are you two little rapscallions up to?" He said and started to tickle them. The girls giggled even after he stopped. They turned to with a trusting look in their blue eyes.
"Can we ride?"
"With you."
"Please."
"Uncle James."
"Hmmm.well, let's see what does Mrs. Manning says." He answered.
Their sunny countenances fell. James heartstrings pulled. His mother was right, he was going to spoil them.
"Oh very well. Run along and tell Mrs. Manning to get you ready." He grudgingly said.
The girls squealed and ran out of the room.
"James, really. You are going to spoil them."
"I can't help it, every time they look at me and I see Elizabeth."
"I know it's hard James. I see your father everywhere, I keep waiting for him to enter that door. But we have to let go, we have to keep living. Even if it's just for the girls."
"You are right." He sighed. "I'm going to tell Roberts to prepare the car. I'll take them for a drive." He said and slowly left the room.
"Perhaps I should follow what I preach. Right Aliaster?" She muttered as she stared at the flowers she clutched in one hand.
The week went by and both James and Lily made progress. By the end of the week Lily was strong enough to stand on her own, and had started taking a few steps. But she tired too soon, her efforts took enough energy from her.
James visited all his tenants, making sure that they didn't need anything. He made sure they knew they could call on Sanders if there was a need. He closeted himself on his office in the first floor of the house with Sanders to go over the estate management. Sanders had at first been skeptical about James abilities to run the estate, but he was soon relaxed after seeing James' handling matters after a couple of weeks. Now he couldn't imagine having a better employer, the previous Mr. Potter, rest his soul, he thought, didn't have much talent with the management of the estate, he far preferred to be in London and take care of things at the Ministry.
"Now, you must remember to start the preparations for the Midsummer Feast, the tenants expect it from us, it has been an annual event for centuries and I don't think father would mind if we held it this year." James was saying.
"Of course Master James, you will find everything in order by the time you return from Hogwarts." Said Mr. Sanders with a nod. "Mrs. Potter has started to talk to the ladies in town and they will come up to the house next week to start with the preparations."
"Good. I think this would be good for mother, she needs something to take her mind off things. Although the twins have been doing a good job of it." James said with a smile as he remembered his little nieces.
Sanders smiled as well. The girls had brought a fresh and merry atmosphere to a household that had every right to feel morose and saddened. Just the day before the girls had followed Mr. Sanders all over the stables asking questions about the horses, the cattle, the puppies in the kennel and about every single animal found in the estate. They had been carrying their pet rabbit and they had told him very seriously that they where giving him a tour and introducing him to new friends. "The girls are a treasure, Master James." He said.
"They truly are. I will miss them but at least it will be for only a month. I will return soon enough." James said.
They continued on with their plans in a happier mood.
"You are doing it Lily, just one more step, one more, yay you made it." Mrs. Linley was urging Lily along. She was standing by some bars that helped her with her balance to help her stay standing as she tried walking.
"Oh." Lily sighed as she sat on her chair. She was happy that she was finally doing big progress but she had never imagined that it would be so tiring.
"Now, we will do some stretches and we will be done for the day. Remember to do them at home as well." Said Mrs. Linley as she gathered all the equipment they had used.
"Of course Mrs. Linley. Thank you." Lily responded as she took some water from a bottle at her side.
"I'm very happy with how things are going. We will have you walking in no time." Mrs. Linley said with a smile. They had done so much progress in the last week, she had been quite surprised at first, but her patient's determination had given her the strength to go on.
"Do you truly think so? I cannot tell you how bored I am of this chair." Said Lily pointing to her chair.
"Oh don't worry, you will be rid of it soon enough." Said Jane smiling as she sat beside Lily, waiting for her to be done.
"Jane is right, you are doing great progress, you will see yourself walking soon enough. Just make sure you do your stretches and exercises at home." Said Mrs. Linley.
Lily smiled and watched as Mrs. Linley and Jane put all the equipment away.
"Very well." Mrs. Linley exclaimed when all was in order. "Jane will take you home now. I will see you tomorrow Lily." She said waving Lily goodbye as Jane pushed the chair toward the waiting room.
"Bye Mrs. Linley, see you tomorrow." Lily waved back.
Lily was smiling as she entered the grate and Flooed to her house. As usual, her mother was waiting for her in the parlor room.
"How did it go dear?" She asked when she saw her daughter appear from the fireplace.
"Oh, mum, you should've been there, I walked, I actually walked." Exclaimed Lily. "Well, I did have some help but I did walk." She added.
"Oh my dear, that is great news, maybe we should have a celebration as soon as your father gets home." Mrs. Evans squealed and hugged her daughter.
"I'll be going now Lily, Mrs. Evans, they are waiting for me at the hospital. I'll see you tomorrow." Said Jane as she stepped into the fire.
"Bye Jane." Mrs. Evans and Lily said.
"Well dear, what do you want to do? Want to go out to a nice restaurant or do you want to stay home tonight?" Asked Mrs. Evans as she took her daughter to the dinning room where lunch was waiting for them.
"Stay at home, I don't want to go out yet." Said Lily. She hadn't left the house, only to go to the hospital, during all the time she had been home.
"Very well dear, if that is what you want." Mrs. Evans was now serving and Petunia had come into the room.
"You are back, are you? What does the princess want now?" Hissed Petunia in Lily's ear.
"Don't worry Pet, we won't include you if you don't want to be here." Said Lily in a low voice so that their mother wouldn't listen.
"Don't call me that." Snapped Petunia.
Lily just stuck out her tongue. She knew it was childish but she couldn't help herself, Petunia was really a bore.
"Now there you are dears." Mrs. Evans said after serving the plates.
The three women ate in silence. As soon as dessert was served Mrs. Evans said.
"What do you want for dinner then Lily, we must have your favorite dishes I think, after all it is a celebration in your honor."
Petunia looked startled at first. "Celebration? Whatever for?"
"For Lily of course, because she is doing great progress in therapy. She will be walking soon enough, mark my words." Said Mrs. Evans with a huge smile.
Petunia looked daggers at Lily. Oh dear, Lily thought, now she will be angry again.
"I see." Petunia finally said. "Well, I'll be going to Vernon's."
"Oh but dear, wouldn't you like to celebrate with us? It is a big event." Said Mrs. Evans. Lily kept silent. If Petunia didn't want to be there it was fine with her.
"I told Vernon that I was coming over, we have to start preparing for the wedding." Petunia said.
"You still have time for that." Said Mrs. Evans. "I'm sure Vernon won't mind."
"I promised mother, and I'm sure you don't want me to break my promises." Petunia said and got up from the chair. "I will see you later." And left the room.
"Hmmm.that girl needs some lessons in family unity." Said Mrs. Evans as she saw Petunia leaving the room.
"Don't worry about her mum, I don't." Said Lily as she finished her ice cream.
"Well, I suppose, but your father is going to hear about this." Mrs. Evans said.
Lily sighed. Great, she thought, something more for Petunia to hate me.
"Do you want to go to your room Lily? Or do your want to go to the parlor and watch some telly?" Asked Mrs. Evans as she started to clear the table.
"I'll go to the parlor, I'll get bored in my room." Said Lily.
"Very well, just call if you want something."
"Ok, mum." Lily wheeled her chair to the parlor and turned on the television. She didn't pay any attention to it. Her mind was too busy thinking of her sister and of her friends.
"Are you sure dear that you have everything?" Asked Mrs. Potter at the end of the week as she and her son waited for the car to drive up to the front door.
"Yes mother." Said James once more. He had lost count of the times his mother had asked that same question.
"Does Dumbledore knows that you are coming?"
"Yes, I wrote to him earlier this week to tell him. Hogwarts Express will be waiting for me in the station."
"Where are the girls? I thought they would be here to see you off." Said Mrs. Potter as he looked around hoping to catch sight of her granddaughters.
"I saw them earlier today. Mrs. Manning and I decided it was best if they didn't come with us. They cried enough when I was there."
"Well, perhaps you are right. Where are they now?"
"Mrs. Manning took them to play hide and seek."
"That will keep them occupied." Said Mrs. Potter as she saw the car drive up to the door. "There you are Martin, help James with his luggage please."
"Yes Madam." Said the driver as he lifted some of the luggage. James followed with the cage (in which Hermes was happily watching all the bustle) and with his book bag.
Once everything was settled, James opened the door for his mother and then they soon were on the road.
"How long will it take us to get to London?" Asked James.
"I'm not sure dear. Martin? How long until we get to London?"
"A couple of hours madam."
"When will the train leave dear?"
"Dumbledore said it would depart as soon as I was ready."
"Oh good, we don't have to hurry then."
"We have plenty of time."
"I noticed your trunk is quite battered, there were wholes on the top." Said Mrs. Potter as they looked out the window watching the scenery pass by.
"It has been there for a while mother, you just noticed it?" James laughed. "Besides, I will need it for only one more month, once I return I will have no need for it."
"I suppose you are right. What did your friends say when you told them you were going back?"
"They don't know. Thought to give them all a surprise, the only one who knows that I'm returning is Dumbledore."
"Very well. Lotty will apparate at the castle once you get there."
"I hope you are happy with Minnie mother."
"Oh she will do nicely. Of course, I will have to give her up once your first son is born."
"That will be a while mother."
"Well, with the time you are taking, it will certainly take a while."
"Mother don't start again, I seem to remember a similar conversation when I left for Hogwarts in September."
"All right, I get it, you don't want to listen to it."
James nodded.
"I really liked Lily you know. I hope she is doing better. Rose said that her therapy is helping a lot. But she thinks that Lily might not return to Hogwarts. They don't know how long it will take her to start walking again."
Mrs. Potter continued talking about her correspondence with the Evans. James didn't say anything to stop her. He just listened but a thought kept popping in his mind. Lily might not return to Hogwarts. He really missed her. He wanted her to be there with him. He wanted to see her. He wanted to hear her voice.
A couple of hours later they got to the outskirts of the city.
"We will be there soon Madam, Master James."
"Thank you Martin." Said Mrs. Potter. "Now remember James to behave yourself, I don't know if your title of Head Boy will be given back to you or not, but I don't want to hear from Dumbledore, you are so near graduation. And remember to study for your exams. I know you did all the work while you were with us but I want to make sure that you are prepared. If you want help don't hesitate to ask, I'm sure Dumbledore and Minerva will be pleased to help you."
"I know mum, don't worry." Mrs. Potter smiled. It was the first time James had called her mum since Aliaster's death, and she had missed her boy, he had become a man overnight and though she was glad and proud that he had stepped into his father's shoes without hesitation she still wanted her son back the way he was before.
"We are here madam, Master James." Said Martin the driver as he parked the car in front of the station.
"Well, let's get you to the train." Said Mrs. Potter as James opened the door and held it open for her. "Thank you dear. Help Martin with your luggage."
James turned to help Martin to pile his luggage on to a cart. Soon James walked into the station closely followed by his mother.
"We'll cross the barrier together, let's wait until that group of muggles pass." Said Mrs. Potter when he saw a group of muggles standing by the barrier.
James nodded and started to look around. During all those times he had been here waiting to cross the barrier he had never truly looked around and paid attention to the place. It was not as busy today. The hour was late and only some groups were seen passing through the station. He noticed a board in which all the schedules of the trains were posted and saw that no trains were scheduled to arrive within the hour.
"Now it's our turn James. Everything set? Let's go." Said Mrs. Potter attracting James wandering attention.
They quickly crossed the barrier to see the familiar engine waiting for them.
"Mrs. Potter, James." The engineer greeted them when he saw them appear from the barrier.
"Hello there Mr. Donner. Everything in order I trust." Said Mrs. Potter as soon as the old engineer approached them.
"Oh yes, everything is ready to take young Mr. Potter here back to Hogwarts." He said with a smile toward James.
"I'll take this up then." Said James with a nod and pushed the cart up to the train to start loading his luggage.
"How are you doing Mrs. Potter, I never got the chance to give you or young Potter my condolences." Said Mr. Donner.
"We are doing fine, thank you. How are things at Hogwarts, it has been a while since I had news from Hogwarts."
"Oh things couldn't be better, of course all the seventh years are in an up roar over the exams and the ball."
"Oh I imagine they are, after all, we went through the same during our times in Hogwarts." Mrs. Potter said with a laugh.
"I'm ready." Said James as he approached at the chatting couple.
"Very well dear, try to have fun James. And write to me often." Mrs. Potter said as she kissed her son goodbye.
"I'll owl you. Tell the twins goodbye for me." He said and quickly turned to get onto the train.
"Well, goodbye Mrs. Potter." Said the old engineer and quickly made his way to the train. Mrs. Potter stood on the platform until she saw the train disappear from sight.
Lily had just returned from her therapy and was resting in the parlor. She heard the front door ring and her mother opening it. Lily didn't pay any attention to it. She didn't expect it to be a visitor for her. She didn't have any acquaintances in town anyways, all her friends were in school.
"Lily dear. There is somebody here to see you." Said Mrs. Evans opening the door to the parlor.
Lily turned to the door in surprise.
"Hello Lily dear, I hope you are feeling well enough to have a visitor." Said a voice from behind Mrs. Evans.
"Hi Mrs. Potter. Come in." Lily said with a smile.
Mrs. Potter smiled and sat in a chair near Lily.
"I will bring some refreshments." Said Mrs. Evans leaving the door open and quickly going to the kitchen. This will do Lily some good, she thought.
"Your mother tells me that you are doing much better. That therapy is doing you good." Said Mrs. Potter as soon as Mrs. Evans left the room.
"Yes, the doctor says that there is nothing to worry about and my physical therapist believes that it won't be long until I'm up on my feet again."
"Oh I'm so glad dear. We worried you see." Said Mrs. Potter.
Lily knew that this was the perfect time to ask for James. But she was afraid of what the answer would be. She didn't have enough courage.
"I'm sorry about Mr. Potter. He was a nice man." She said instead.
Mrs. Potter's expression fell. She still missed her husband especially now that James had gone back to school, she was afraid to feel alone.
"Thank you dear." She said.
"Here we are. I hope you enjoy some cold lemonade Susan, I thought it would be nice to cool down a bit." Said Mrs. Evans as she entered the room with a tray.
"Oh that is all right Rose. It has been warm lately."
"It has been, especially here in the city, it can be unbearable sometimes." Replied Mrs. Evans as she passed the glasses and placed a plate with cookies on the coffee table.
"I can imagine. I'm glad that James decided to take us all to the country estate instead of staying here in the city. It has done wonders for him and the girls."
"The girls?" Asked Lily. What is James doing with girls in his house, she thought in horror.
"Yes dear, my granddaughters. James was named their guardian in my daughter's will." Said Mrs. Potter.
Lily sighed in relief. "How old are they?"
"Oh they are both three, soon to be four. They dote on their uncle of course. And he dotes on them, I'm quite afraid that they will be spoiled."
Lily laughed. She never imagined that James would be a doting uncle.
"Are they twins. You said there were two." Asked Mrs. Evans happy to see Lily smile with sparkling eyes.
"Yes, identical twins. You don't know the trouble they get into. But they certainly bring some joy into the house."
"Oh I'm glad. They must be a handful." Said Lily, wondering how James handled his nieces.
"Oh they are. They always escape their nurse to follow James around, and James just makes things worse by allowing them to do so. He usually just takes them up with him to visit the tenants and see things around the estate."
"Sounds like they have him wrapped around their little fingers." Laughed Mrs. Evans.
"He is. They were so sad when he told them he was leaving."
"Leaving?" Asked Lily.
"Oh yes dear, he went back to Hogwarts today."
"Oh? Wonder why the others didn't mention it?" Of course, Lily thought, they kept the matter about James' dad secret as well.
"They don't know dear, James didn't tell them. Only Dumbledore knows."
"A surprise is it?" Said Mrs. Evans.
"That's what he planned." Mrs. Potter replied.
Mrs. Potter stayed with Lily and Mrs. Evans for a couple of hours. Lily went to bed filled with thoughts of James and everything she had learned that day.
He is back at Hogwarts, she thought, I wonder how the guys will take it. She smiled in the dark. She wished she was back in Hogwarts now, ready to welcome James back.
Hogwarts stood out against the dark sky. James looked lovingly at the big castle as the horseless carriage made it's way down the driveway. He would soon be back in his dorm. To his curtained, four-poster bed. Back to enjoy the last Quidditch game of the season. Back in time to enjoy the last month of the school year with his friends. But he was going to miss someone very especial. He was going to miss Lily.
He was soon standing in front of the castle. The doors being held open by a familiar figure.
"Hello Hagrid." James smiled at the big man waiting for him.
" 'ello there James. Glad to have ye back." Hagrid said with a smile. "Need help?"
"No, I'm fine Hagrid. Where is everybody?"
"Dinner. Barely started."
James smiled. Perfect time to make his entrance. "I'll join them then, I'm famished."
A small figure appeared next to Hagrid. "Master James sir. Lotty will take the luggage to Master James' room." The small elf said.
"Thank you Lotty. Make sure you go to the kitchens and get something to eat as soon as you are done." Said James as the small elf skipped down the stairs to gather the luggage in the carriage.
"Yes Master James." Lotty said.
"Ready then?" Asked Hagrid.
"Yes. Let's go to dinner, shall we?" James said with a smile.
The pair slowly made their way down the main corridor to the Great Hall. They could hear the sound of laughter and chatter. It was a sound that James had missed during the time he was away.
"Maybe you should go in before me Hagrid. Tell Dumbledore that I'm back." Said James stopping in front of the Hall doors. Hagrid nodded and entered the room.
James took a deep breath and waited for a couple of minutes before pulling on the handles. The doors opened without a squeak. He gave another deep breath and stepped into the Hall.
Nobody had noticed him standing by the door. Everybody was talking and eating. Nobody bothered to look around. Then Dumbledore's voice was heard. "Ah there you are." He exclaimed.
The hall fell silent as they turned to look at Dumbledore. What was the headmaster talking about?
James smiled and slowly started to walk up to the teachers' table. Whispers started to fill the hall as some people noticed the figure walking up to the professors.
"Welcome back Mr. Potter." Dumbledore said. The Hall broke into applause and everybody turned their heads to get a better look as the professors welcomed their original Head Boy back into their midst.
The Gryffindor Table was the most boisterous of all. Their Quidditch captain was back, much to the relief of Tobias Wood who preferred to be part of the team instead of their leader, as well as the acting Head Boy, he was really looking forward to giving back his duties to James.
"Perhaps you better seat at your table Mr. Potter, your friends seem to be eager to welcome you back." Said Dumbledore with a smile as the last teacher shook James hand.
James nodded and quickly joined his friends at their table.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Was the first thing Sirius said as soon as James sat.
James smiled and quickly piled food on to his plate. He was really feeling famished. "Thought you guys would like a surprise better." He said before he started eating.
"Well, we were certainly surprised. But we could've given you a party you know." Said Remus.
"We could still do it. We have experience, we know how to give a party at a last minute." Said Sirius.
"But now you've told him. It won't be a surprise anymore." Said Katie hitting Sirius arm with her spoon.
"Ouch." He glared at her.
"You are acting as if I've been gone for too long, I was only gone for one month you know." Said James with a laugh.
"Long enough. How is your mother?" Said Emma who was sitting on the opposite side of the table next to Peter and Remus.
"Oh, fine. The twins have been keeping her entertained." He said.
"Oh, I haven't met your nieces, how old are they?" Asked Katie.
"Three, four this summer. Quite the little devils." He said with a laugh.
"Take after their uncle do they?" Sirius teased.
"That's what mother says." The group laughed at James' response.
While James was enjoying dinner with his friends, Mrs. Potter had apparated back to the estate. What she found scared her.
The servants were running from one place to the other.
"What is wrong Roberts? What happened?" She asked the butler as soon as she entered the entrance hall.
"It's the young misses Mistress. Mrs. Manning is quite agitated." Was all he could say before running off leading the servants.
The twins? What had happened to the twins?
James sat finishing his food. Students had pass by welcoming him back before they left for their respective rooms.
"And then that git had the nerve of blaming us for it, like he needs help making a fool of himself." Said Remus with a laugh. The others join in his laughter. They had been trying to tell all the school news to James as the dinner progressed.
Suddenly James felt a tug on his robes. He turned to look at was pulling on his robes and was quite surprised at seeing Lotty.
"What is it Lotty?"
"Please Master James, you have to come with Lotty. It's an emergency."
James fell his heart sink. What had happened now?
The group scrambled out of their seats in a hurry. What was wrong? In all the seven years James had been in Hogwarts his elf had never interrupted his meals nor classes, always staying in the kitchens until they were needed.
Lotty led them to the Gryffindor Tower, surprising the inhabitants of the common room who had never seen an elf before.
"Where are we going Lotty? What is wrong?" Asked James as they started to climb the stairs.
"It's important Master James. Lotty doesn't know what to do about it, Master James."
The group turned to look at each other with consternation. Each hoping that nothing tragic had happened, James had gone through enough.
Lotty was very agitated. They had only once seen an elf looking that agitated, and that had been Minnie when James had been sick.
Meanwhile, at Gryffindor Manor, Mrs. Potter was having trouble calming Mrs. Manning down. She hadn't been able to find out what was wrong with the girls yet. Mrs. Manning was sobbing and the servants looked worried as they ran from one place to the other.
"Mrs. Manning, please, tell me what happened. What happened to the girls?" She said.
"Oh Mistress, I did all I could. I swear I did. I sent you an owl but it must have missed you because it came back with the note." Mrs. Manning wailed.
"What happened?" Said Mrs. Potter fighting the urge to shake the nurse and make her talk.
"Oh Mistress, the poor darlings." Mrs. Manning said and started sobbing once more.
Mrs. Potter screamed in exasperation. What happened? Why wasn't anybody saying anything?
James and the others had arrived to the boys' dorms. Lotty stood by the door looking concerned and wringing his hands.
"Oh well, let's see it then." Said James. And opened the door. He gasped at the sight that met his eyes. "Bloody hell!" He exclaimed.
Mrs. Manning stopped sobbing long enough to tell Mrs. Potter. "Sorry Mistress. But the poor angels. We were playing and they were only out of my sight for five minutes, I swear it was that long. They disappeared Mistress, we can't find the twins anywhere." Mrs. Manning resumed her crying.
Mrs. Potter stood there in shock. Oh no, she thought, where are the girls?
"Uncle James."
"Uncle James."
The twins exclaimed as they ran to James the moment they saw him.
"What are you doing here? Forget that, how did you get here?" He exclaimed.
The girls started to cry. Emma and Katie glared at James and kneeled to gather the girls in their arms and console them.
"I'm sorry girls, come here, I was just surprised to see you here." Said James kneeling by them and opening his arms.
The twins turned to hug him.
"We were scared."
"It was dark."
"It was an accident."
"We were playing."
"Did you girls hid in my trunk?" James asked.
The girls nodded. James sighed and turned to look at the others.
"Remus please get Professor McGonagall, I'm going to send an owl to mother, she will be worried. Could you girls keep an eye on them?"
"Of course." They all said. Soon everybody had something to do.
The house was in an uproar, where were the girls? They had searched everywhere and they hadn't been able to find the girls anywhere. An owl flew overhead and watched the humans running around the estate grounds. Then it spied the human it was looking for and flew down to her.
"Oh Hermes, what are you doing here?" Said Mrs. Potter surprised to see James' owl. She noticed the letter tied to its leg and took it. Hermes flew off once she took it.
Mrs. Potter read the note with apprehension. What had made James write to her the moment he arrived to Hogwarts. Once she read it she felt a load being lifted from her shoulders.
"Roberts." She called the butler. "Tell everybody to go in to the house, I have news of the girls." Roberts nodded and went to get the rest of the crew.
Once all the household was inside the parlor room Mrs. Potter spoke.
"I just got a message from James. It seems that the girls hid in his trunk, they are at Hogwarts with him." Everybody just gave a sigh of relief.
"What now Mistress?" Asked Mrs. Manning who had finally stopped crying.
"He writes that he will consult Dumbledore, I will apparate at Hogsmeade and go to Hogwarts tomorrow, they will be fine for tonight." Mrs. Potter said.
James was pulling his hair, what to do? He thought. He was in Dumbledore's office where he and the twins where told to go by Professor McGonagall. At that moment the girls were looking at Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, who was looking back at them with piercing eyes.
"Uncle James?"
"What is he?"
"Is he an owl?"
"What kind?"
"He isn't an owl, he is a phoenix." Said James making sure they didn't pull on Fawkes' tail feathers. He didn't want Dumbledore mad at him because Fawkes was hurt.
"He is pretty."
"Can we touch him?"
"Ok, but be careful. Don't pull on his feathers." James warned.
The girls carefully petted Fawkes, who seemed to enjoy the attention.
"He always had a soft spot for pretty girls." Said a laughing voice from the door.
James turned to look at the old Headmaster with a sigh of relief.
"I'm sorry Professor to bother you this late, but I don't know what to do with them." Said James with exasperation in his voice. The girls stopped petting Fawkes and turned to look at the old man standing in the door talking to their uncle.
"That's all right James, Professor McGonagall told me the circumstances." He said nodding toward the woman standing behind him.
"Well yes, I sent a note to mother and she answered that she will be here tomorrow morning." Replied James.
"Very well, so young girls thought to keep your uncle company did you?" Said Dumbledore kneeling in front of him.
"Accident."
"Was playing."
The girls said. They seem to sense that they had somehow gotten in trouble.
"Don't worry, it wasn't your fault. Although I cannot say that it happens often." Said Dumbledore with a chuckle. The girls smiled and one of them reached to touch his beard and pull. Dumbledore laughed. "Like my beard do you?"
The girls giggled and continue to stroke his beard. James just shook his head and Professor McGonagall smiled, it had been a while since she had seen Dumbledore play with small children.
"Well, what do you suggest Professor. Where can they stay for tonight?" Asked James.
"We could give them temporary beds in the girls' dormitories." Said Professor McGonagall.
"We want to stay."
"With Uncle James." The girls pouted.
"It would be best, in case they wake in the middle of the night." Said Dumbledore.
"What about one of the personal quarters?" Asked James.
"We have been using them to store the exams, we can't move them to anywhere else at the moment, tomorrow we could." Said Professor McGonagall.
"They will have to stay with James, I'm sure the others wouldn't mind in sharing the room with the girls." Said Dumbledore.
"If you think it best. But I don't have any clothing for them. Would it be all right if I transfigure some old cloaks Professor?" Asked James.
"Of course, take what you need." Said Dumbledore as he stood up.
The girls were watching sleepily at the others, both yawning and rubbing their eyes.
"Very well, I'll return to the Tower then. Good night." James said and took the girls' hands.
"Night." Two small voices piped.
"Good night." Answered both professors.
Dumbledore shook his head and chuckled. "Those two will keep James on his toes."
"He certainly seems to be doing well with them." Said Professor McGonagall. "I can't wait to see what kind of a father he will become.
"Oh I'm sure he will do just fine." Dumbledore smiled.
"Uncle James."
"Can we stay with you?"
"Please?"
"You are staying with me, didn't you hear, you are sleeping with the boys tonight." He said. He wasn't sure if he agreed with that. He didn't want the girls to see what the others could be up to. He certainly didn't think that in most cases he took part in the adventures they had.
"No, Uncle James."
"We mean to stay."
"Until you go home."
"Can we?'
"Er.I don't think that would be a good idea. Mother will come tomorrow for you and take you back. You like grandma don't you?'
"We love grandma." Francesca energetically replied.
"But we'll miss you." Cassandra said.
"And I will miss you too. But don't worry, I will be here for only a month. I will return home soon." James said as the trio walked down the corridor leading up to the Gryffindor Tower.
The girls stayed silent for a moment, until they heard a commotion coming from one of the classrooms.
"Uncle James?"
"What was that?"
"That is the Hogwarts' Poltergeist. His name is Peeves." Said James walking faster past the room. He didn't need Peeves bothering them now. The girls would never fall asleep if he did.
"What is that?"
"Is he like Lotty and Minnie?"
"No, Lotty and Minnie are elves, a poltergeist is a mean ghost." He said.
"Why is he mean?"
"Is he sad?"
"Is he bored?"
"Well, he certainly could be all of those things. He just likes to bother people in the castle it's all, he thinks it's funny." Said James.
"Like you do?"
"When you play."
"With your friends."
"Why do you say that?" Asked James bewildered.
"You and your friends."
"Like to trick others."
"For fun."
Oh lord, he thought, how did they come up with this? But he chuckled, now that he thought about it, their pranks and adventures could be considered mean like Peeves' by their victims.
"Well, we are here." He quickly said as soon as he spied the portrait of the Fat Lady.
The girls were looking around with eyes wide full of fascination and awe. When they stopped they turned to look at the picture that stood before them.
"Who are you?"
"What do you do?" They asked before James got the chance to say the password.
"Girls, that is rude." Said James and saw the curious expressions fall to look to their feet.
"Sorry." Both said.
The Fat Lady smiled. "Oh don't worry James, they are young and curious, I'm sure you were the same when you were younger."
The girls turned to look up at the portrait with bright smiles.
"So you want to know who I am and what I do?" The girls nodded. "Well, I'm the guardian of the Gryffindor Tower, nobody can pass through without giving me the correct password." She said.
"What happens?"
"If they know it?"
"If they know it then I let it pass."
"But what if it's a meanie."
"And doesn't belong in there?"
"Oh well, it that case they get into trouble."
"Uncle James?"
"Will we be in trouble?"
"We don't know."
"The password."
The Fat Lady and James laughed.
"Don't worry, I know it and you are given especial permission to go in." James said with a smile. The worry in the girls' faces disappeared as they smiled once more. "Shall we go in then?" The girls nodded.
"Spring Showers." Said James and the portrait opened.
"Why did it take you so long?" Said a voice as soon as they entered.
The whole group was waiting in the common room for them. Katie and Sirius sharing an armchair, while Remus and Emma sat together on one of the couches. Peter had fallen asleep on the floor.
"I didn't take that long." Said James as Emma and Katie took one of the girls and sat in a couch talking softly to them.
"Well? What did Dumbledore say?" Asked Sirius.
"They are staying with us until mother comes tomorrow." James sighed.
"What do you mean us? Which us?" Said Remus hoping that it wasn't what he thought it was.
"I mean that they will stay in our room for tonight." Said James hoping that they wouldn't explode in front of the girls.
"Is that a good idea?" Asked Emma.
"No offense but you boys are not the right idea for role models. Not for someone so young as they are." Said Katie shaking her head.
"What do you mean? We are good role models." Said Sirius.
"Are trying to say that they should stay with you instead? Well I'm sorry but they know us they barely met you." Said Remus.
"Besides, they want to stay with me." Snapped James. Not good role models, he thought, who has been taking care for them this whole month.
"But it wouldn't be right, for girls that young to stay in the same room with boys." Said Emma.
"You have no modesty, they might see something that will scar them for life." Said Katie.
"We are modest. We wouldn't do anything to hurt them." Said Remus.
"Humph!" Snorted Katie.
"Give them here I have to get them ready for bed." Said James. I'll show them, he muttered.
Remus and Sirius quickly stood to take one of the girls and helped James go up the stairs to their dorm.
"Poor girls." Said Katie.
"Will you lot do that in the restroom, we have the girls here remember." Said James when he noticed Sirius getting ready to change. The girls were sitting on James bed their eyes wide capturing everything around them.
"Blast! I had forgotten. Sorry." Exclaimed Sirius and quickly ran to the restroom.
"Maybe we should have left them with the girls James. What happens if they wake up wanting to go to the restroom? I don't know about you but I'm not taking care of that." Said Remus trying to keep the girls occupied with a pack of exploding snaps.
"You are right. But they want to stay with me. What am I going to do?" Said James running his hands in his hair. "And they are my responsibility until mother comes tomorrow."
"Well, I agree with Remus. You know that Sirius sometimes speaks in his sleep. What if he says something that they shouldn't hear?" Said Peter who had closed the curtains around his bed and was getting changed inside.
"There is that. Do you think the girls are still up?" Asked James as he heard the twins giggle at Remus antics.
"I'm sure they are." Remus said.
"Will you look after them while I go and get them?" James asked as he turned to leave the room.
"Sure." Peter and Remus responded.
James walked silently down the corridors searching for the one where the girls' dorm was. I hope they are still awake, he thought, oh boy! What did I get myself into?
The corridors were dark, the only light on his path came from the window. Lanterns were out and he had left his wand behind. He swore as he hit one of the beams on the corridor, but he finally found the corridor he was searching for.
He heard voices and giggles coming from inside the room. He knocked. The room turned silent and he heard footsteps coming toward him. A pair of startled eyes met his when the door opened.
"James? What is wrong?" Said Emma opening the door wider.
"Er, sorry if I disturbed but I though about it and I think you are right, the twins should stay here with you." Quickly said James.
Emma gave him a told-you-so look and turned into the room to speak with somebody James thought was Katie.
"Very well, they can sleep in Lily's bed. We'll go with you to get them." Said Emma and walked into the room. James waited patiently for them and gave a sigh of relief when he saw them coming out with cloaks around them.
They quickly walked down the corridors. The girls were smart enough to remember their wands so they got to the boys' room faster than it had taken James to go to theirs.
The twins were giggling when they entered the room. Sirius was jumping around the room making faces trying to keep them entertained. He stopped when he heard the laughter coming from the door.
"There you are, what took you?" He asked with an impish smile.
"I forgot to take my wand." Said James approaching the young girls sitting on his bed. "Francie, Cassie. You are going to sleep with my friends all right? They are going to take care of you so you have nothing to worry about." He said sitting on the bed beside them.
The twins' happy expression fell and tears started to appear in their eyes. James groaned. He couldn't stand seeing them cry. "Oh don't worry, it will be only at night, I will be here in the morning. Think of them as your nurse. You don't sleep with me at home do you? Then this is no different." He was happy to see that their eyes dry once more.
Emma neared the bed and sat by James. "Don't worry, we are much better than sleeping with boys, they snore." She said in a tone that made the twins smile up at her.
"Hey!" Four male voices exclaimed.
"Oh you know it's true. They would have much more fun with us than you, we know what it's like to be girls." Said Katie. "Come dears, you can play with our stuffed animals." She said going to the bed to pick up one of the little girls.
Emma reached for the remaining twin and turned to James. "Do you have any clothing for them?"
James shook his head. "Their visit wasn't planned." He said with a sarcastic tone. "If I knew they were coming I would've prepared something." Emma glared at him. "Professor Dumbledore said that I could transfigure something for them. Lotty went in search of some clothing to do so." James said.
"Well tell him not to bother, we might be able to shrink something of ours." Said Katie. "See you all in the morning." And the girls quickly left the room.
"It's for the best you know." Said Remus when he saw James worried expression.
"I know." James said with a sigh.
"You are lucky that tomorrow is Saturday." Said Sirius. "Can you imagine, going to class with two three year olds tagging along." He shuddered at the thought.
The other three looked at him in horror. "Oh lord." James finally exclaimed.
"That would've been a disaster." Said Peter.
The boys had an uneventful night and the twins enjoyed spending the night with the big girls. Early the next morning giggles woke James up.
"Shhhh." He groaned putting his pillow over his head. Then he felt some weight falling on to his stomach taking his breath away. "Umph."
"Uncle James."
"Uncle James."
Oh, I should've known. He thought. He pushed the pillow above his head and opened his eyes to see two pairs of blue eyes looking down at him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
"Wake up."
"It's day now."
"All right, all right, I'll get up." He sighed. The girls quickly climbed down from him and stayed on the bed watching him as he looked around for his things. "Where are Emma and Katie? You are supposed to be with them."
"They're busy."
"In the bathroom."
"Why didn't you stay to wait for them?" Quietly said James, he had remembered that the others were still sleeping.
"Why?"
"Do we have to?"
James sighed once more. I'm not having daughters, he thought, they're too difficult to understand. "Ok, stay here and keep quiet the others are still sleeping." James went into the restroom, sure that the girls would stay still until he was ready.
The girls stayed on James' bed for five minutes until they started to get bored. They turned around and with wide eyes studied every single thing in plain view. They suddenly heard movement from one of the curtained beds. They turned to look at each other with wide smiles and slowly climbed down from the bed. They tiptoed to the closest bed and shimmied behind the curtains. They saw a dark haired boy in bed. He was snoring softly and the blankets that were supposed to be covering his body had twisted around his bed. The girls giggled, trying to be silent. The sleeping boy groaned and turned. One of the girls noticed something sticking from below the mattress. A feather. They giggled again when she reached for it.
Sirius felt something tickling his leg. He reached to scratch in his sleep. He could've sworn that he heard giggles. He felt it once more and tried getting away from whatever it was by moving to the other side of the bed. He felt again. He moved further. Again. He moved, right out of the bed.
Remus and Peter were woken by a thud followed a loud exclamation coming from Sirius.
"What? What happened?" Asked Remus opening the curtains to look at his friend looking stunned on the floor.
"Did you have a nightmare Sirius?" Said Peter peering from between the curtains on his own bed.
"No I don't kn-" He never finished what he was saying. Giggles interrupted him. Giggles coming from his curtained bed. Sirius stood and snapped open the curtains to find two small bumps underneath his blankets.
Sirius rolled his eyes. Peter and Remus chuckled. They knew what they would find underneath the blankets.
"Hmmm.I wonder what made me fall." Said Sirius in mock surprise.
"Maybe a pair of pixies decided that you were too lazy." Said Remus leaving his own bed to stand beside him.
"Or maybe your snoring bothered them." Said Peter also approaching the bed.
"I don't snore." Exclaimed Sirius.
Giggles were heard coming from beneath the blankets.
"Shh.you hear that." The giggling stopped. "I think I hear the fairies." Sirius said. He took one corner of the blanket and pulled. "There are the fairies!"
"We are not fairies."
"You are silly."
The girls said at the sight of the three boys looking down on them.
"I stand corrected." Said Sirius. "Do you mind telling me why you got me out of bed." He said with a smile.
"It's day."
"You should be up."
Was all the girls said. The bathroom door opened and James stepped out.
"I see you lot are up." He said. Looking at the group near Sirius bed.
"We had no choice." Said Peter walking back to his bed. He thought he might as well get dressed, there was no way he was going to be able to go back to sleep.
"Your nieces threw me out of my bed." Said Sirius as he tickled the girls. The girls rolled in laughter on his bed.
"What did they do?" Asked James with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I told them to stay put."
"Oh don't worry, it was time for us to be up anyways." Said Remus with a wave of his hand.
They heard running steps coming toward their room and the door opened with a slam.
"James, the girls, they are gone." Katie was saying even before she stepped into the room.
"We told them to wait while we got ready and then they weren't there." Emma said as she came into the room.
"Don't worry, they are here." Said James motioning toward Sirius bed where the girls were seen sitting playing with Sirius.
"Oh thank god!" Sighed Emma with relief.
"We'll take them to the common room while you lot finish dressing." Said Katie and quickly approached the girls.
"We'll be down there soon." Said James as the girls left the room. "Ok, you lot, get ready." He said to the others.
The boys groaned but bounced out of bed and started to get ready.
Half an hour later, the Marauders came into the common room to find most of the female population in the Tower in one side of the room.
"What is going on?" Asked Sirius.
"I don't know but I don't see the girls." Said James trying to look round be group.
"I think they are in the middle of that group." Said Remus motioning toward the large congregation.
The boys groaned.
"I'm not fighting my way through that lot. I'll never come out alive." Said Peter shuddering at the thought of having to fight his way in to the middle where they guessed they twins were.
They didn't need to worry as a couple of squeals where heard and shouts of "Uncle James. Uncle James," were heard and the group of girls parted to let the little girls run to their uncle.
"Are you ready to go down to eat?" James said as he hugged the young girls.
"Yes." The twins said.
"Come on then." He said and took both of their hands and turned toward the picture hole.
The little girls chattered as they walked down the corridors. James noticed that all the girls were following them. Sirius and Remus chuckled while Peter kept turning worriedly at the girls behind them. Emma and Katie giggled ahead of them.
The Gryffindor table was very lively that morning. Almost everybody tried to outdo each other trying to make the twins laugh. It started with those in Gryffindor but soon students from other houses came and tried to make the twins laugh as well, except Slytherin of course.
"I can't wait to see what those little girls will do when it's time for them to join us Minerva." Said Dumbledore with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes.
"Humph, I'm sure I will be holding my breath." She answered with disapproval. "But we must do something, they are interrupting our meal."
"Oh Minerva, it's Saturday, let them be. Those girls are pure magic." Said Dumbledore but Professor's McGonagall's expression showed that she didn't agree with him.
James and his friends were sitting on a blanket at the edge of the lake as the twins ran and played near the shore. The tentacles of the giant squid that dwelled in the lake peeked above the water making the little girls giggle at the sight.
"They seem to be having fun." Said Sirius as he popped a grape into his mouth. Remus and Peter had sneaked into the kitchens to steal some food to take with them to the lake.
"They are young. They see fun in everything they do." Said Katie.
The silence was suddenly broken by a shout. James and the others turned to look behind them toward the castle entrance to see Mrs. Potter running toward them.
"Thank the gods she is here. I don't think I could stand having them here for another day." Said James with relief.
"That is mean of you. They are precious little girls." Emma chided as the twins ran toward their grandmother.
"Gran."
"Gran." They shouted.
"It's not that I don't love them. I love having them around, but let's face it, I don't know anything about little girls." James said.
"That's true. Those little munchkins would be lost with just James in charge." Laughed Sirius.
The others laughed. "I'm not that clueless." Exclaimed James among the laughter.
"I see that you are having fun today." Said Mrs. Potter approaching the group. The twins were running alongside her.
"Hello mother, hope you had a good trip." Greeted James as he stood to kiss his mother's cheek.
"Yes dear. You don't know how glad I was to receive your owl. The household was in chaos until then." She said.
James gave her his hand to help her down to the blanket as the others slid to make room for her.
"I thought you would be worried. I was in quite a taking when I saw them among my things let me tell you." Said James as he served her a glass of butterbeer.
"Thank you dear." She said sipping from her glass.
The twins continued running around the group and were soon joined by Sirius and Remus. Giggles and laughter filled the air as an impromptu game of tag got underway. Soon only James and Mrs. Potter stayed on the blanket watching the game.
"You see to have done well with them." Said Mrs. Potter with pride.
"I suppose, but I had to rely on my friends. I don't know anything about little girls mother." He exclaimed. "I'm not having daughters, they are a handful."
Mrs. Potter laughed. "Oh don't worry James by the time you have children there will be a woman by your side. I'm sure your wife would know something about girls." She said.
"When are you leaving?"
"We'll leave tonight. I want them to be in their own bed tonight." Said Mrs. Potter.
James nodded and turned to look at the lively game.
The morning passed, by the time luncheon was served in the Great Hall, Mrs. Potter and the twins were ridding down the carriage to meet the Hogwarts Express in Hogsmead. James had stood at the steps in the entrance of the castle waving them goodbye.
"Don't worry James, you will see them again in four weeks." Said Sirius standing beside him.
"I know, but I will still miss them." James said.
A/N: One more chapter and seventh year is done. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Don't forget to review! : D