Chapter Two

All grown up (kind of)

A/N- not HBP compatible

"Mum, are they here?" Laura yelled running down the stairs. Today everyone was coming home for her birthday party. Laura was already turning 12, Harry and them were already about 22, Ginny was 21, and well you figure out the rest. It was much quieter now; it was just Laura and her parents. Yet, Laura didn't mind she had never actually been their when all seven still lived their, being nine years younger then Ginny.

"We are!" Ron and Hermione yelled. Laura bounded down the final steps and ran to greet her brother and soon to be sister-in-law. They were going to get married after the war was over, but when that was nobody knew.

"So how old will you be?" Ron teased. Laura rolled her eyes before answering.

"I'm twelve." She replied. She smiled as Fred and George walked in.

"Not until tomorrow if I'm correct." George corrected Laura.

"My birthday was yesterday." She replied. Laura really wanted present time to come.

"Laura!" A girl squealed. Laura rolled her eyes.

"Hope!" She yelled pretending to be excited. Hope was Fleur and Bill's daughter. She was 11, and much to Laura's displeasure would most likely be in Gryffindor. Over the next half hour various family members arrived, as did certain Order members and others Laura didn't know.

"Can you get everyone seated for dinner?" Molly asked Laura who had just entered the kitchen. Laura nodded before walking into the living room, den area. She hopped onto an empty chair.

"Everybody outside for dinner!" She hollered, it quieted down and everyone head for the many connect tables outside. That was one good thing; Laura's birthday was in August, the 21st to be exact. It was very hot out so they could very well eat out their. Maybe 20 minutes and a few shattered plates later everyone was settled. Laura was sitting between Ron and Hope. Bill, Harry, and Fred were directly across. Mrs. Weasley clanked her glass, the table settled.

"Were here today because it's Laura's 12th birthday. It seems like just yesterday se was turning 6. And now well," She started. "After this she'll, and" She was cut off.

"I'm dieing of old age here, so I'll cut in, it's my birthday, so eat!" Laura yelled. There were a few murmurs of laughter as she shoveled some mashed potatoes into her mouth. Her mother looked at her from across the table.

"I us ungry." She said sweetly shrugging biting another slice of bread.

"You're starting this year right?" Laura asked. Hope nodded.

"Then I would avoid Hermione." Hope finished for Laura. Laura laughed, gulping down Ron's pumpkin juice.

"Hey that was mine!" Ron complained.

"Mine now." She said taking another sip. The Molly appeared from behind her, holding a lit cake.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Laura, happy birthday to you!" Everyone sang. Laura took a big breath, and then put out all 12 candles. Afterwards she eagerly cut herself a piece of cake and shoved the cake aside, digging in.

"You dropped the cake." Hope said. She looked down; the remains of a cake covered the ground. Laura ignored it and went back to her own piece.

"I wanted a piece." Ron muttered.

"Use uor aund" Laura replied, mouth full of cake. Ron pulled out her mouth and repaired the fallen cake. It was then cut up and passed around until everyone had a piece.

"No what's odd?" Hope asked.

"What?" Laura replied.

"You have blonde hair." Hope explained. "Everyone has red hair, even I do."

"Well I don't" Laura replied casually. She didn't really care, but naturally she was curious.

"You don't what?" Hermione asked. She had come over to talk Laura.

"She doesn't have red hair its blonde." Hope answered. Hermione just shrugged, pretending she didn't know. The subject was quickly pushed aside as Laura head toward a table covered in different colored and sized packages. She went to open one when a strange man, with Laura's white blonde hair and ice blue eyes pushed the gate open.

"Laura?" He asked.