HP Life after Hogwarts
Chapter 6
The Press
--
A few days later in Sanctuary
"You wish me to go where?" Harry stared at his Grandfather, as if he had two heads, all the while rocking Dani back to sleep.
Stephen continued with their conversation, while he changed Mia's diaper. "To your older sisters and brothers' engagement party tonight, as heir apparent you should at least make an appearance."
"The girls are three days old. I can't leave them or Hermione." Harry walked into the bedroom, so he could set his sleeping daughter back down into her bassinet. "No that's not right, won't is more like it."
"Paddy and Mattie are here to watch over the two of them, so Hermione and the girls will be fine." Stephen set Mia down in her own bassinet.
"Grandpa is right, Harry, one of us should be there for them, and you're the only one that can leave the girls for a short time." Hermione was cuddling Ally in her arms.
"They'll be fine." Stephen placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Wills, Rory, Henry, and Dromi really want you to be there, it's a big day for them, and they wish to share it wish you." Hermione played the one card that she knew would make him completely cave in.
Harry owed the four of them, if they wished him to be there, then he was honor bound to make an appearance. "Okay, I'll make an appearance, but only because they need my support." Harry grudgingly gave in to their request.
"Just say the triplets and I are in smashingly good health and that it took everything in you to tear yourself away from our side." Hermione set Ally down in her bassinet, so she could focus on Harry.
"Hermione is the first royal in years to have her children at home and not at St Mary's Hospital. The press, not to mention the public, is still buzzing about that. Now add your press release that she had three girls, instead of one, the newest royals are also nameless so far, has them in even more of frenzy." Wills walked into the room thru the adjoining doors to the nursery.
"I could careless what the Muggle public, press, or media think. I released that, because I don't wish to share that information about the girls as of yet. In our world, it's different, because the press here knows their boundaries, where as the muggles do not." Harry grumbled.
"Three days is a long enough information blackout or they tend to go into frenzies. Besides, I will gladly let these three beauties outshine our big day." Wills was smitten with his nieces.
"Nanda is going to be there, so if you'd like have her scoop everyone with an exclusive." Hermione smirked.
"She already knows their names, but hasn't leaked the story because of your friendship. That's more than earned her my respect and trust. I'll give out their names if asked, but very little else. I could careless if Aunt Di proudly showed you and Henry off just days after you were born. Times have changed and I don't trust any of them." Harry despised nearly all the Muggle media.
"Easy there, baby brother, no one is asking you to so relax. In the eyes of my world the girls are a month premature, so it's natural for them to be out of the eye of the public." Wills assured him. "Now in Grams private apartments feel free to show off as many snaps and digital media as you want. She wants a full update on Hermione and the girls."
"Dad will have no problem doing that, he's one proud Grandpa. I know that Aunt Elizabeth, Aunt Katherine, and Uncle Alex wish us to officially show off our girls, as is tradition in your world. I don't trust anyone, other than family, near them right now." Harry found himself staring at his first-grandparents. "Am I that loud?"
"If you are referring to your feelings on letting the girls see daylight anytime soon yes, but that's not the reason for our visit. The two of us wish to check on our newest granddaughters." Merlin smiled down at the girls snoozing in their bassinets.
"The dark times are over; no harm will befall any of them or our family for centuries to come. The dark ones will be hunted down till they are no more. Our worlds are still celebrating their joyous arrival and William adores his nieces to distraction, as does Henry." Mab reached down and carefully scooped up Dani in her arms. "Their world has few things to celebrate these days. Why not let them be joyous about your girls." She placed a gentle kiss to Dani's forehead.
"Granny has a nursery all set up in her private apartments for the girls, for when you do decide to show them off." Wills cooed down at Mia.
"Let's start with names then ease into it from there." Hermione suggested. "It's really hard for him to trust anyone." She put her arms around him and laid her head against his chest.
"I want Hermione to be able to show off our girls, so names will have to do for now." Harry held her close to him.
"Well, it's a start." Merlin knew how much that had cost him and wasn't about to push him anymore. "Mab and I will gladly watch over Hermione and her angels, while you go support them on their engagement tonight." He grinned when Harry stared at him in surprise.
"Yes, Harry James, even omni powerful grandparents don't mind watching over newborns and their mother." He chuckled.
"Good, now that we have that settled, kiss Ducky and the girls' good-bye for a few hours, grab your garment bag, and let's be off." Wills checked his watch it was going on three the party was at six, but the press conference was at half past four.
"Don't worry, lion, we'll be fine." Hermione kissed him. "It's only for a few hours."
Harry kissed her back. "I know that I'm being silly about all of this, but it's just that I don't want to leave you and our girls."
Dani was beginning to fuss in Mab's arms. "Now don't you start…He will be back in awhile." He spoke softly yet sternly down at the newborn princess, so very much like her famous father.
Dani glared up at him, but settled down.
Harry kissed her sisters good-bye, before bending down to place a gentle kiss on Dani's downy haired head. "See you in a few hours, princess. Be good for your mother and grandparents."
Dani pouted up at him and let out a whimper of protest.
Wills and Stephen had to drag Harry out of the bedroom.
"We love you!" Hermione called after them.
Dani was not happy and let them all know it by howling in protest.
"Kick up a fuss all that you like, he isn't coming back until after the party." Merlin told the furious newborn.
"She'll settle down in a bit." Hermione was amazed that Dani wasn't waking up her sisters. "She's just like her Dad when he doesn't get his way."
"This little one is like her father in many ways, but even he had to learn that one cannot always get their own way." Mab smiled down at the infant in her arms. "Come now Danielle, you must learn to share your father; after all he is quite famous in both our worlds."
--
Windsor Castle- the Queens Apartments
"Relax Harry, you've called her ten times on the mobile, and they are all fine." Draco calmly sat in chair, while Harry paced the floor.
Ron checked his watch then glanced up at Harry. "Draco's right, Harry, you have to meet the press in five minutes. It would be best if you faced them with a clear head."
"This castle is a fortress. It's like being in a cage to me. How does Aunt Elizabeth tolerate all the security?" Harry stopped pacing, only to stare out the window.
"Granny ignores the fact that any of it's there and goes about her day." Wills came to check on him. "Why aren't you dressed yet?"
Harry rolled his eyes at him, closed his eyes, and concentrated on wearing his suit. "Happy now, big brother," He snarled sarcastically.
"Cool it with the attitude and temper. You're acting more like an eighteen-year-old, than your actual twenty years. Now let's get this over with. The conference will be brief, only ten minutes or so, after that we'll have an hour to relax before the official engagement party." Wills narrowed his eyes at Harry.
Harry flipped him the universal up yours greeting in response, but went over to join him anyways. "I enjoyed showing Aunt Elizabeth and the family video's and snaps of my girls, but this whole official press rubbish is codswallop I think."
"Hey, baby brother, its okay. You can more than handle the press without Hermione by your side." Wills reined in the urge to box his ears or better yet strangle him. "Now let's go!"
"Did he just call him yellow?" Ron frowned at Draco.
"Yeah Ron, I think he just did." Draco got up to head after them.
Harry glared murderously at Wills. "I am not yellow! It just sucks that we're in the spotlight all the time!"
"It's okay, big brother, the press are intimidating to everyone." Draco set a hand on his shoulder.
"That's what I'm here for, mate, to make this experience easier on you." Ron did the same.
"See, baby brother, we're here, so there's nothing whatsoever to be afraid of." Wills decided it was easier to tease him than to throttle him and joined in.
"Button it!" Harry snarled. "Or you will be answering questions with an acute case of acne!"
"Harry James Merlin! Behave yourself!" Lily growled at her son.
"Yes Junior, this is LIVE. Hermione and the girls will be watching." James also reined him in.
Harry swore in Parseltounge for a full minute and as if on cue his mobile rang.
"Hi angel… No. I'm not giving everyone hell…Yeah, I will be on my best behavior. No. I will not jinx the tar out of Wills…Who's that howling in your arms? Is that Dani? Put the phone against her ear, so I can talk to her. Dani, its Daddy. I want you to be a good girl for your Mum and go back to sleep. There's a good girl. I'll be home in awhile…Look, love, I have to go…I promise to be good after all it's going to be LIVE on the Telly…Love you angel…Sure I'll bring you home some dessert. Love you…" He ended the call. "Look. Dani's not happy nor am I, so let's get this over with."
"Dani's like you were when James left for more than a few minutes. You wouldn't calm down, until he returned, you heard his voice on the phone, or saw his face in the fire." Lily hugged her son.
"Can we please just focus on getting this over with?! By that I mean the press conference," He was in Hermione and triplets withdrawal and was about to say the hell with being the good brother or HBP and go back home.
"Easy, little brother, we're going." Rory kissed his cheek.
"After all, we don't want a freak storm drowning everyone when they arrive for the party." Dromi kissed his other cheek.
"Grams already made the official announcement this morning, so this is just a brief appearance in front of the media." Henry hated the press as much as Harry did.
"Family photo moment in two minutes, let's not keep the world waiting." Andrew walked into the salon.
"No, after all, our bloody private life is theirs to view under a magnifying glass!" Harry muttered darkly.
"Don't mind Junior. He's just in Hermione and their triplet's withdrawal." James led Harry out of the salon by the neck.
--
They all stood in an area just a few yards away from the Queen's Apartments, where the press and media were all jockeying for the best shots. It was the first time in months that both royal families were together for the whole world to see.
"Princess Andromeda! Princess Aurora! Show us the rings!" They shouted.
The girls proudly held out their left hands and the rings.
"Princess Rory? May I ask what kind of stone is in your ring? It isn't what one would usually see in an engagement ring." Someone asked from The Daily Mirror.
"First, thank you for calling me Rory." Rory smiled warmly at them. "It's nice to know the fine people of the media don't mind calling me by my nickname. It took Wills forever to call me Rory." That got a laugh from the press and a kiss on the top of her head from Wills. "Now to answer your question, my ring's a Paraiba Tourmaline surrounded by Russian Alexandrite's and Tanzanite's and I love it. Wills is my soul mate and I love him more than anything in the universe. He and I are two halves of one whole, and I will love him forever until the end of time."
Wills pulled her to him for a long kiss and the cameras went wild.
"Princess Andromeda, could you tell us about your ring?" All eyes were now on Dromi.
"I would be delighted to Nanda and please call me Dromi." She smiled. "Henry Charles gave me this pink diamond surrounded by Tanzanite's and Russian Alexandrite's. Although, I love my ring it doesn't even come close to how I feel about my prince, which is a love that will last an eternity. He is my soul mate..."
Henry cut off her declaration of love by kissing her senseless.
"Prince Jamie, have you and Princess Hermione named the triplets yet and was it difficult for you to leave them this evening?" Harry was now the one in the spotlight.
"Wills had to literally drag me from their side. But the four of them have supported us in more ways than you can imagine, so I'm here for the two of us on their happy day." Harry flashed them all a winning smile.
"The triplets and Hermione are in smashing good health, but at three days old are not quite ready for all of this yet. The girls all have names now and are as follows. Danielle Stephanie Anastasia, Danielle after close family friend Daniel Radcliffe and Stephanie Anastasia after my Grandfather Stephen and Grandmother Anastasia. Next is Allysia Jamie Alexis, Allysia after a close family member, Jamie after my Dad, and Alexis after Hermione's father. Lastly but no less perfect is Amelia Lily Katherine, Amelia after close family friend Emma Watson, Lily after my Mum, and Katherine after Hermione's mother."
"Are they all identical?" Someone from The Sun called out.
"The three of them are carbon copies of each other except for one feature." Harry grinned.
"What's that your highness?" Nanda asked.
"They each have different colored eyes otherwise Dani, Ally, and Mia are identical. Nanda, Hermione loved those huge care packages that you sent for her and the girls." Harry winked at her.
"Three girls was more than enough reason for her to get spoiled as well as the girls." Nanda smirked when her fellow members of the media all glared at her.
"Well, you know what they say three's the charm." Harry was one proud papa.
"Why didn't you go to hospital? Wasn't it a huge risk to have the girls at home?" The person from The Royal Watcher called out.
"On the contrary it seems more dangerous going to hospital. We didn't want to take the chance of her or our girls being exposed to the M virus. Hermione always had the best care around her. We've had everything all planned out months in advance. The girls weighed in at 5lbs 12oz and 21inches they were nowhere near premature." Harry had no problem answering the question.
"Look everyone, homebirth is not some archaic ritual and it's done all around the world. She had all of us there to support her. It was a private family thing. We paced, not in waiting room, but downstairs in a Common Room filled with love and support for Harry and Hermione." Henry growled.
"Eleven hours in labor at home in your own bed is far better than in a hospital delivery room." Draco agreed.
"Hermione would have been climbing the walls." Ron seconded.
"She doesn't really like hospitals." Luna nodded.
"Well, you have to admit they are scary as of late, so who could blame her." Ginny frowned.
"We know who Prince James and Princess Lily are, as well as King Stephen and Queen Anastasia of Avalon. Now who are the four of you?" All eyes were on them.
"Prince Draco Sirius Lancelot Pendragon is the silver blonde gent, and my younger brother. Princess Lunette "Luna" Serena Diana Pendragon is the blonde haired beauty and my younger sister. You know her as Luna Lovegood, Hermione's, and my press liaison. The fiery haired gent next to her is my best mate, Ronald "Ron" Bilius Arthur Weasley. He's Luna's fiancé and our press liaison. The fiery haired beauty next to Draco is Princess Ginevra "Ginny" Molly Elizabeth Weasley-Pendragon. She happens to be Draco's soul mate and bride of what a few weeks now? You see they decided to elope at the Register's office on her birthday, because we really don't like huge royal weddings." Harry smirked.
"That's just too damn bad, because there will be one this fall. The location is still up for discussion, but it is going to happen." This announcement had Stephen fielding questions from the press for several minutes.
"We look forward to that joyous occasion, but for now we are all here to celebrate the engagement of my boys to James' girls, as well as the births of our newest little royals." Andrew smiled at everyone.
"We have a birthday cake with twenty-one candles on it for both our angels to blow out. They both turned twenty-one yesterday." Wills brought Rory's hand up to his lips and kissed it.
"I just want all of you to know that my brother and my decision to hold off the wedding until after our tour of duty is over, has nothing to do with our feelings for them. We feel that it will be less stressful on them if we wait. I love Rory more than anything in this universe. She is my heart, soul, and completes who I am." Wills cuddled her close to him.
"She is a rare treasure, thus the rare gemstones on her ring, and just to add to our commitment to each other she has given me this ring to wear as a symbol of our love for each other." Wills proudly showed off the band of gold on his left hand ring finger and then kissed Rory.
"Dromi is my perfect fit. She tames the wild side of me and has filled the void that has been empty in my heart since Mum was killed. She is my heart, my soul mate, and forever isn't even near enough time to show her how much I love her. She proudly wears my ring on her finger and I proudly wear this ring that she gave me on mine." He also proudly showed off the band of gold on his left hand ring finger, before pulling Dromi into his arms for a kiss.
"That concludes our press conference for this evening. Those of you who were lucky enough to be invited tonight will see, as well as the UK and the world, that their future King and Queen are very much in love and happy to share it with the world. The same goes for His Royal Highness and his Princess." Ron ended the press conference like a pro.
"Thank you all for coming." Luna smiled.
"Nanda," Harry walked over to where her and her crew was packing up their gear. "Please join us inside. Your camera crew will have to wait until the party."
"I'm here to cover all of this for a few weeks, plus I plan on doing a piece on the Isle of Avalon. Is there a chance for me to see Hermione and the girls? Off the record of course, I just can't wait to hold them." Nanda gave him a hug.
"Let's discuss this inside." Harry arched a brow at her camera crew. "No offense or anything, but you can't come."
"My crew is loyal to me. You see in the States living by ones heritage doesn't pay the bills."
"So you are aware of what you are." Harry's grin widened even more. "Sure Nanda. I'll give you an interview, since you respected our wishes, and treated us as people and not an exclusive last July." Harry led them away from the press areas hearing range.
"I only have permission to bring you. Now as for your crew, well, since they are of both worlds they can stay in the Guest cottage at my home, while you enjoy a guest suite in the main house."
As if on cue three pieces of parchment appeared in their hands,
"Please sign those nondisclosure agreements, its protocol." Harry then suggested the crew hang with the others news crews, until it was time for the party, while he and Nanda entered the private apartments of Windsor Castle.
--
"Nanda Lewis, meet the family. Everyone this is Hermione's and my friend and ally in the American media. There's a reason she's able to out scoop her competition. She's of both worlds and uses it to her advantage…one second." Harry's mobile rang. "Hello, my heart, so how did I do…" He chuckled as he listened to her response. "Well, I'm glad that everyone at home approved. Yeah, as a matter of fact, she's right here…well of course you can chat with her…" Harry handed Nanda the mobile. "She wishes to chat with you."
Nanda took the phone and went to sit down to chat with her friend about the girls.
"You're right, Harry. She really is so much more human than her other counterparts." Wills arched a brow at Harry.
"Yeah, I guess she's worthy enough to stand in our inner sanctum." Henry agreed.
"I had a lovely chat with her when the girls were born." Dromi smiled. "She was more concerned about Hermione and the babies than getting an exclusive."
"She has snaps and streaming video of the girls and hasn't used any of it and that more than makes her trustworthy in my eyes." Rory smiled.
"Then it's agreed, she's earned an exclusive with the four of us." Wills had a good feeling about her.
"We'll do it sometime during the party." Henry agreed.
"Now, I don't feel as much of a failure during our first time-out as Liaisons last July. She's one of us, no wonder she knew how to out fox us." Ron grinned.
"That and she's a pro at what she does for a living." Luna agreed.
"Gin you all right?" Ron was concerned about his sister, who was looking a bit peaked.
"Peaches," Draco was holding her in his arms. "Are you feeling sick again?"
Ginny glanced at the doorway; they were bringing in tea and cakes for them to snack on before the party. "Oh goddess, I hate being sick!" She wriggled out of Draco's arms and raced for the bathroom.
All eyes turned to Draco.
"Didn't she take the potion?" Ron, Wills, and Henry frowned.
Draco nodded.
"Then how is it possible that she's…" Luna couldn't say the word.
"Before you panic Wills and Henry into nervous breakdowns, you need to know that Ginny left out a key ingredient to the potion, and it backfired on her." Harry spoke up.
"Backfired? What do ya mean by that?" Ron scowled.
"Without the key ingredient it does the opposite of its intended purpose." Lily explained.
"So it makes…no wonder she's a mum-to-be." Luna and her mother went to go check on Ginny.
"I take it that this ingredient is extremely rare." Wills frowned.
"Lily has it growing in the greenhouse, but it's not widely available. Lucy could have given her the correct potion, but then Ginny didn't wish to reveal their secret marriage." James calmly sipped his tea. "The dead giveaway was him sneaking back to his room at dawn for over two weeks and Harry solved the mystery of the extra bear that Draco and Logan brought back from the Straus's."
"Extra bear," All eyes were back on Draco.
"There were others besides the pink, mint, and lavender ones for the girls. Three to be exacted a ginger furred bear with Matthew on it, a black furred one with Oran on it, and a silver furred one with the name Darien on it. She insisted that I have it." Draco explained.
"Ferria flew over and sat on my head a few times on the eve of the triplets' birth and that's what clued me in." Ginny stood in the doorway munching on a cracker.
"Luna and I decided not to tempt fate and wait for the official wedding. After all, it has a way of coming back at you and biting you in the ass." Ron arched a brow at Draco. "Isn't that right, mate?"
"How was I supposed to know that Harry's dream was all muddled up? I was going on the assumption that we wouldn't be parents for a few more years." Draco grumbled. "Not that I'm not happy about our son, I am…It's just come as a bit of a shock." He added hastily.
"The future is not set in stone. Harry was shone what could be. You as always are the creators of your own futures." Stephen lectured him.
"Although in Junior's case, Merlin was dead-on about the girls." James grinned.
"Just be happy about your little one. There is nothing like holding your child in your arms...nothing like it in the whole world." Harry smiled.
--
One week later at Sanctuary
"Okay everyone smile for the camera." Colin wasn't going back to Hogwarts. He was living his dream as a photographer and reporter. Today he was taking official royal photos of the girls for the family, as well as The Quibbler.
Hermione was holding Ally and Mia. Harry held Dani, as they happily sat for the girls' first official snaps.
Nanda, having finished her interview with them, was content to just sit and hold MJ and Bell in her lap. "This place is heaven. I don't want to go next week."
"It does seem to have that effect on people." Wills stood in the patio doorway. "I'm sure gonna miss it."
"Forty-four weeks is a very longtime to be away from your family." Nanda agreed. "Not to mention your fiancé."
"It will be hell, but it's what both Henry and I have to do regardless whether we wish to or not." Wills sighed.
"Harry lucked out being Prince of the Wizarding World." Nanda gazed at the happy family smiling for their family photos.
"Harry is an Auror/Hit wizard, which is the equivalent of the Wizarding World's Army." Wills corrected her.
Nanda stared at him in surprise. "It takes three years after graduation from a Wizarding school to become that rank and even that is rare."
"Both Harry and Draco trained all last year under a Master Teacher and Merlin. My Rory is an Auror as well; she got her badge on Valentines Day. The reason Harry's an Auror of the highest rank is simple. He's a natural born Auror. Last Halloween, Morgana Le Fay cast a curse on both him and Draco. The curse deaged them to the age of six for about five days. Morgana went as far as nearly causing Hermione to freeze to death in a blizzard, after tricking her into thinking that Harry was hurt. Merlin and Mab used the counter incantation first on Harry missing his age of seventeen by two years. The plus was that she also gave him all the knowledge of a nineteen-year-old wizard and three times the knowledge. He easily scored O's on every N.E.W.T that they gave him, sailed through the Auror trials, and scored A's on our hardest tests in our world. He is the Next Merlin and Hermione is the Next Mab. No big shock, since she's the smartest witch in a century, and genius level by Muggle standards." Wills picked up Bell. "Draco is well on his way to being an Auror, so he, Harry, and my angel all chose to enlist in a way. Their grandfather and father aren't likely to throw Rory into harms way. She's also studying to be a Healer, as is Dromi. Healer is also Hermione's chosen profession. She plans to specialize in younger patients and babies. Ginny is also studying to be a Healer as well."
"That's fascinating when most young royals choose to take a gap year, after all you and Henry did." Nanda laughed when MJ started to play with her hair.
"Neither of us came close to experiencing what they did." Wills set Bell down on the floor. "Okay Izzy. Go show big brother what you can do." He patted her diaper-clad bottom and off she zoomed towards Harry on all fours.
"Har Mine!" She squealed happily.
"Way to go Izzy! You're crawling!" Harry encouraged his baby sister. "Wills, could you hold Dani for me, while Izzy shows off her new skill?"
Wills didn't need to be told twice. "Come to Uncle Wills, my angel." He cuddled her in his arms.
Colin got snaps of Wills holding Dani.
"Come here, baby sister." Harry knelt down, so she could crawl into his arms.
MJ was content to sit on Nanda's lap and watch his twin show off for their brother.
Bell squealed in delight, when Harry scooped her up into his arms.
"Crawl around to your hearts desire, this place is baby proof." He kissed her on her nose.
"I can't believe that it's really happening." Hermione took in the sight of Wills sporting his new army regulation haircut, cooing down at her daughter. It made her heartache knowing that both he and Henry were going away for forty-four weeks. They were like big brothers to her and she was going to miss them terribly.
Wills looked over at Hermione with tears shining in her eyes and instantly blinked back tears of his own. "Baby sister, you're tearing my heart out looking at me like that." He growled hoarsely.
"I can't help it. You've both been like big brothers to me and we've bonded so much in this past year. You're going away to be molded into disciplined military officers of the crown. It's not fair that you'll miss everything during those forty-four weeks away." Tears streamed down her cheeks and her voice broke as she spoke.
"That's what video CD's, instant messaging, texting, e-mail, and letters are for. Life as a royal really bites sometimes, but Henry and I are obligated to serve for at least one tour. So, we've put our lives on hold, until that duty is completed. Harry can't be away from you for more than a few hours without feeling like his hearts half gone. We have to grit our teeth and endure forty-four weeks of hell away from our girls, because we have a duty to our subjects and our country. It will help that we'll have brief times away from Sandhurst, but it won't be the same. It will also help that we share our private links to each other, but that can't replace holding Rory in my arms…" Wills blinked back the flood of tears that was threatening to flow down his cheeks. "You hold two precious miracles in your arms, because you and Harry endured a hell of a lot more than our forty-four weeks at Sandhurst. The two of you are an inspiration to all of us that even with the occasional roadblock there will be a happy ending."
A single tear splashed down onto Dani's face.
"Henry and I have had it fairly easy until now, minus our Mum's death. So now it's our turn to sacrifice for a while."
Yet another tear splashed on Dani and it was evident that her Uncle Wills was about to shed a flood of them any second. So, she focused on her bottle sitting on the coffee table by her Aunt Nanda, it flew off the table, and landed at Wills feet.
Nanda and Hermione stared at the bottle, astounded that Dani could do that at one-week-old.
Harry walked over and picked up the bottle. "She thinks that you're hungry, because you're crying. You see to her, tears or crying means food or hungry." Harry, having felt the magic firsthand when she was still inside Hermione, wasn't the least bit surprised. "Daddy's angel just surpassed me by four weeks." He smiled down at her.
Wills blinked down at his niece and bent to kiss her nose. "Thank you, munchkin, it was thoughtful of you to share."
"Colin? Did you get that?" Nanda saw that Colin had a digital recorder in his hands.
"Sure did, but only so Wills can replay his speech when anyone else goes teary on him." Colin added hastily. "I'll set this right here in case you want it." He set the video recorder onto an end table.
"Colin, feel free to use the darkroom here, unless you need to head off to the paper." Harry tried to put him at ease.
"Thanks Harry, I'll see how these turned out." Colin grinned.
"Hey Colin, thanks for recording that, it saves me from having to lose it like that again." Wills composed himself and the tears vanished. "Five weeks of hell, then we can see you for a brief time anyway. That's when we get our first break. Rory and Dromi have this crazy idea that they can visit us anytime, but I say that it's too risky."
Rory, under the guise of an invisibility cloak, tapped him on the shoulder. "My poor Dreamboat, did baby sis bring you to tears?" She crooned into his ear.
"Rory play nice. Especially, when big brother is holding one of my girls," Harry reached over and flipped the hood on the cloak off her head.
"Well Dreamboat? Still think my little plan won't work?" Rory her eyes dancing with mischief grinned down at him.
"I've never truly thrown the rule book out the window. I'm the good one out of the two of us." Wills looked up into Rory's twinkling eyes. "I can't do it. I'm not like Henry; it's just not in me."
"I'm sorry Rory, but I agree with Wills. He'll be in the Army, no longer considered the next King. He'll be Officer Cadet Windsor and Henry will be Officer Cadet Wales during those forty-four weeks that they are at the mercy of their Colour Sergeant." Hermione frowned at Rory.
"She's right Rory. Why do you think he and Henry have been practicing ironing, making their beds to perfection, and keeping everything spotless? They're gonna enter hell and the last thing they need is distractions after a fourteen to twenty hour day." Harry put his two cents into the discussion, as he walked beside Bell currently crawling towards a sleeping Radcliffe.
"William, is this true?" Rory frowned down at him.
"Is what true, my love?" Wills fed Dani her bottle.
"What Harry and Hermione said is it all true? The fourteen to twenty hour days, having things always immaculate, and no longer having the power of your birthright?" Rory worried her lower lip with her teeth. The very thought of her Dreamboat under the mercy of some tyrant Colour sergeant made her blood run cold.
"Oh that yeah, I guess Harry and Hermione summed it up fairly nicely. They left out the ten plus mile hikes with a fifty pound kit on our backs, the brutal wilderness course, and other ghastly backbreaking activities." Wills hadn't expected her to gape at him in horror. "It's the Army. They break you down and then build you back up to be strong, competent, and reliable officers. It's not unlike the training for being a Wizarding World Auror."
"Uh, Wills, we may get worked to the bone, but they aren't nearly as harsh as Sandhurst." Harry had Izzy cuddled against his shoulder.
"You already are a competent, strong, and reliable person." Rory growled. "Any fool with eyes can see that."
"I'm touched that you feel that way, my angel, but to a Colour sergeant I'm just another Officer Cadet. Who in my case will be King when I'm thirty." Wills burped Dani on his shoulder, as he calmly explained what was what to Rory.
"I don't care what they think! If I feel that they are on purposely giving you a foul time…" Rory narrowed her eyes at him.
"You will do nothing, Katherine Aurora. There will be no jinxing my superiors for doing their jobs. I am a big boy and can handle it fine without magic." Wills stopped her plotting.
"But…" Rory pouted.
"But nothing, Katherine Aurora Lily Elizabeth, I will take my lumps as they come and that is final!" Wills got all regal in tone with her.
"Just keep your temper in check. Our magical sides tend to activate when our tempers are up." Harry warned.
"In that case they don't stand a chance." Hermione let Rory hold Mia. "You and Henry have hot tempers especially when pushed too far."
"Henry yes. Me not a problem, I have reigned it in all of my life, and I don't intend to let myself lose control now." Wills got up to set Dani down into her bassinet.
"See that you don't. Last time you broke yourself." Rory set Mia down in her bassinet, so she could go snuggle against Wills.
"Tigress, I don't intend for that to happen again. You'd appear out of the blue, kick my ass, and by doing so out our entire world." Wills stared down into her eyes.
"You bet your gorgeous bod I will, dreamboat…" She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Let's discuss this in private, wife." He growled into her ear.
"That's a smashing idea, husband." She purred against his mouth and the two of them vanished.
"Anymore of that and the room would have caught on fire." Nanda smirked.
"They've only been wed for a month, so we're lucky to even see them." Harry chuckled.
"No wonder those four are okay with a long engagement. They're already married in our world, so why rush into a tedious royal muggle wedding." Nanda grinned.
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Chapter 7
The Magus Modestus charm
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I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.
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Cindra 2004-2008