Time seemed to go extremely quickly. I was sitting on the sofa for about 45 minutes, before I heard the first wail. It was surprisingly one I didn't recognise. I groaned, and stood up, beckoning to Robert, who was lounging beside me.

"Who do you reckon?" he asked me, getting up and following me out the room.

"Maybe Al? Sounds a little high to be James or Liam or Mabel" I suggested, walking up the stairs. I was correct, for when I walked out into the landing, I saw two pairs of eyes from the doorway to Liam's room.

"Who's crying, James, Liam?" I asked, opening the door.

"It's Al" James said at once, obviously identifying his brother's cries. I sighed again.

"I better go and get him." I muttered, turning on heel and walking into the room opposite, towards the cries. I gently pushed open the door, and to my horror, saw Al on the floor, clutching his head. Mabel sat opposite him, looking terrified and upset. I automatically reached down to him, and lifted his hands away. I was appalled to see a small red cut there, dripping blood under his fringe. I gently brushed the cut, and Al whimpered in pain, covering his forehead with his hands again.

"How did this happen?" I asked him and Mabel.

"Don't know" Mabel said, looking at Al curiously. I looked towards the door to see James and Liam there, also staring at Al.

"What happened?" I repeated, glancing at Al who was still clutching his head.

"Ouch!" I all that was heard from the 2-year-old boy. James suddenly came beside his little brother, and sat next to him, making Al turn his head.

"Did you get hurt?" James said gently, and Al nodded his head, tears still forming in his eyes.

"How?" James said. I was impressed. James was getting through to Al better, but maybe that was because Al still wasn't really comfortable around me yet. After all, he didn't know a world without James.

"Bang" Al said quietly.

"Bang on the bed" Mabel piped in, tapping the side of her bed lightly. The pieces of the puzzle finally fitted together, and I nodded reassuringly.

"Can I see, Al?" I asked him gently, placing my hand on top of his. He nodded a bit, and let me prise his hand away. Now I looked at it better, I realised it wasn't as bad as I initially thought. There was a small red cut that went across the top of his head, however, his black hair was stuck together with blood, and was parted in a strange way.

I didn't know if Ginny wanted me to bath her child, but I also didn't think she would want to bath him at 9 O'clock tonight.

"Shall we clean you up?" I asked, pulling him to his feet. He nodded again, and reached for James' hand. James let him hold it, and I led the boys out the bedroom, and into the bathroom.

"Right, sit here, and I'll clean your cut" I announced, lifting Albus onto the counter, and making sure he wasn't going to fall off again.

"Clean?" he asked, looking at me apprehensively.

"With some water" I nodded, wetting a flannel, and dabbing it on his head.

"Cold" Al announced, placing a tiny hand on top of the flannel.

"You're right, its cold" I agreed, dabbing carefully. He didn't struggle like Mabel or Liam, but rather sat there, watching me.

"So you're 2?" I said, springing up a conversation. I was doing a sneaky way of seeing how far his vocabulary ranged.

"I 2" Al said, nodding.

"And you're 3 in December?"

"Delember" Al told me, shivering slightly, "Water cold"

"Sorry, I'm almost done" I grinned, removing the flannel. Al lifted his hand and gingerly touched his head.

"I better?"

"For now" I said, lifting him up, and putting him on the floor. He looked up at me expectantly, and I didn't have a clue of what I was meant to do.

"Bed" Al said, looking around for his brother. I glanced at my watch and saw it was 8 O'clock. I inwardly kicked myself for not realising the time, and shot downstairs to get the bed things. I picked up the bags, and hurried back up the stairs, callin for Mabel and Liam to get ready for bed too.

"Where are we sleeping Mrs Liam' Mum?" James asked me, rummaging inside the bag.

"In our bed, and then your Mummy or Daddy will come and collect you soon" I said, watching him pull out his Pj's.

"Cool" James replied, running back into Liam's room to get ready together. I smiled happily, and looked back at the bag, which was moving again while Al looked for his clothes.

"Do you need any help?" I asked him.

"Help, please" He said, looking at me imploringly.

"Of course" I said, reaching into the bag myself, and feeling for material that felt like clothes. I found something, and I pulled it out to reveal Al's bed clothes.

"Mine" Al said, reaching up and holding them tight. He then looked at me again. "Help?"

I nearly laughed. He was utterly adorable and ever so polite. I directed him into the master bedroom, and helped him out of his jumper and trousers.

"So do you have lots if cousins?" I asked randomly, making Al jump slightly.

"Lots 'n lots" he grinned, shaking his arm to let the sleeve fall loose.

"Do you see them all a lot?"

"Wose 'n 'ugo" he told me, slipping inti the fabric.

"Are they Auntie Hermione's children?" He nodded and jumped up back into his feet.

"I ready" he announced, attempting to clamber into the bed, but failing miserably, and falling in a heap on the floor.

"Up" he said, reaching his arms out. I plucked him off the floor, and placed him carefully in the middle of the bed.

"James will be here in a minute" I told him, dimming the light and walking from the room, to get James, Liam and Mabel settled.

"James!" I called, as quietly as I could, "ready for bed?"

"Yes" I heard in reply, and watched as James trotted out if Liam's room, and standing obediently in front of me.

"Goody, I'm just going to put Mabel into bed, then you can join Al in a second" I said, a bit bewildered at how obedient the Potter boys were.

"Cool. Can I play with Liam?" He asked, looking uncannily like Harry.

"For 5 minutes, then bed time for both of you" I nodded, walking into Mabel's room as James darted back into Liam's. When I entered, I was pleased to see Mabel rubbing her eyes sleepily on the foot of her bed, already in her bed clothes. I silently thanked Robert, and picked her up from the floor, and placing her in her bed.

"Night Night Sweet girl" I whispered, pulling the cover over her, and kissing her forehead.

"Nigh' Nigh' Mummy" she replied, closing her eyes, and drifting off into an easy sleep. That's 1 out of 4 I thought to myself, and checking my watch in the process. I was doing Ok for time, but I really wanted to get the two boys into bed sooner than later.

"Right" I announced, sidling into my eldest son's room, "Ready for bed?"

"I want James to stay" Liam said miserably, from his bed.

"But what about my Daddy?" James said, his face falling a little.

"You're going home in about an hour James, and you'll see him tomorrow, Liam" I answered, switching off the main light in Liam's room.

"Oh" James said, watching as the light dimmed down, "How did you do that?" he exclaimed excitedly.

"What?" Liam said, also watching the light.

"That!" James said, pointing to the light on the ceiling.

"That's a light" Liam commented, looking confused.

"But it got darker" James cried, and looking like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah, don't you have one?" Liam said. James shook his head, and gazed up at the light with amazement. I grinned, and led James out of Liam's room, and into my own. Albus was dozing in the centre, but groggily opened his eyes when he heard our footsteps across the carpet.

"Mummy?" he said sleepily, turning his head.

"No, its Katie, and James" I whispered back, helping James onto the big bed.

"Where Daddy?" he said suddenly, head snapping up and watching his surroundings, alert.

"At home" I lied, hoping Harry had made it home, and was ready to greet his sons.

"I go home" Al said, trying to get out of bed. I wondered what had changed his mood so drastically, for he had being fine about the arrangement's minutes prior.

"You'll go home later. For now, sleep here" I said firmly, gently pushing him back down. James got the gist, and pulled Al onto his back again.

"Jamie" Al said, turning over, and hugging his older brother. I realised that James and Al must be close, because for the next 10 minutes or so, the two boys drifted off into a deep sleep together, Albus resting his head on James while James' arms wrapped around his brother. I love Liam and Mabel, but I do sometimes wish they have a relationship like James and Al. Liam and Mabel squabble a lot, and you definitely wouldn't catch them sleeping like this together.

I left the Potter's sleeping in the room, and quickly checking up on Mabel and Liam, before returning downstairs in order to wait for Harry or Ginny.

I wasn't waiting very long, 15 minutes or so, before a soft knock on the door made me spin to feet, and quietly open the door.

Ginny was standing there, alone, and not looking very well.

"May I come in?"

I nodded, and stood aside to let her through, before softly shutting the door behind her.