As the small party of 5, Al trialling loosely behind reached the door, Ginny suddenly turned around to look at Harry.
"What happened with her?" She whispered, pointing at Lily.
"Oh," Harry sighed, "It was Fürsicka."
"What?" Ginny replied quietly, looking at her husband with huge eyes, "What did he do to her?!"
"He tried to hex her," Harry started, "But couldn't get past the charms completely."
"Oh," Ginny breathed, visibly relaxing, "Thank merlin you keep on top of that stuff."
"Yeah," muttered Harry, glancing back at Anna, who was standing nervously at the door, her greying brown hair seemingly stood on end as she shook with apprehension.
"Hey," Ginny said softly, placing a comforting hand on Anna's shoulder, redirecting her attention, "You'll be fine."
"What if they walk out on me?" Anna whispered, her fingers shaking as she flattened down her jumper, "What if I'm no longer wanted?"
"Don't think like that," Harry said calmly, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've got the impression that Katie is a loyal person. She won't just walk out on her Mother."
"I've heard her read stories to Liam and Mabel about magic," Anna replied, "She's a no-nonsense sort of person, and so is Howard."
"They'll come to terms with it eventually," Ginny reassured her, "I know how hard it's been for James to keep it all a secret, and it was the last straw when he saw them all get obliviated."
Anna nodded hollowly, before looking back at the Potter's.
"I'm ready," she murmured, her fingers tapping rapidly on her elbow.
Harry nodded and pushed open the door to reveal Katie, Robert, Howard and Mabel all looking at them expectantly.
As soon as I heard the door slightly brush against the floor, I sat up straight. Harry walked in first, his arms full of Lily. He nodded when he saw me looking at him, and I raised my eyebrows in anticipation.
My Mother came in next, and I was shocked to see her trembling within an inch of her life.
"Anna!" My Dad exclaimed, standing up to embrace her, but she shook her head, moving away to sit in an opposite chair. My Dad's arms fell limp and hurt was all over his wrinkled face.
Ginny entered last, and quietly shut the door behind her, Al scampering in at the last minute.
"What's going on?" Robert asked, glancing at everyone. Harry looked over to my Mum, who's eyes lowered.
"I-" she began, and I looked on in confusion, "-I have to… tell… you something."
"Anna," My Dad said quietly, "What's wrong? You were fine in the car, what happened?"
She didn't look up, keeping her head fixated on the floor as my confusion and panic began to rise.
"Mum?"
"I'm a witch." She whispered, her hands beginning to shake violently as she muttered those 3 words.
I felt a small smile grow on my lips, and I realised that she must be trying to find light in this tricky situation.
My Mum must have felt my smile, for she looked up, desperately, and glanced at Harry and Ginny. My smile faltered, as I noticed that she was not laughing.
Harry sighed, and nodded in her direction, before looking back at me, and Robert, my children, and my Father.
"Magic exists. You're surrounded by it, but because of who you are, we couldn't tell you. We shouldn't really be telling you now, but given the circumstances," he said, glancing at my Mum, who had tears pouring down her face.
I laughed nervously as Harry's words began to sink in.
"Ha Ha, nice joke," Robert grinned, "Now, what's up?"
"I'm not messing around with you, Robert," Harry said firmly, "We'll show you."
And to my horror, Harry's hand rose to his side, and he drew out a thin piece of wood.
"Magic's not real," My Dad whispered, his eyes wide with terror, "Tell my it's not true, Anna!"
My Mum didn't say anything, and finally, after all these weeks of terrifying mystery, the truth had found its way into my mind.
I drew back, dragging Mabel with me, refusing to believe that what Harry was saying was true.
Ginny looked sadly at me, but I couldn't process anything. Lost pieces of puzzle were put in place; the blue pen, James' magic stick, the commute to London, the bangs, our house, everything.
"That's not true," Robert said, shaking, also grabbing onto Mabel, "We would have known if magic was real."
Harry bought the stick down over his face, and scarlet sparks shot out the end. I screamed, and shielded my face, feeling Robert's arm snap around me.
"You couldn't have introduced it any gentler, could you?" I heard Ginny say, but her voice was only a distant whisper.
"Mummy scared?" Mabel said from beside me, and I hugged her close.
A slight rushing sound fell over the room, and I vaguely lifted my hand to see pink glitter falling from the ceiling.
"Gitter!" Mabel cried, scrambling out of my lap, despite mine and Robert's attempts to keep her back.
"It's Lily's favourite," Harry commented, watching as Lily smiled from his arms.
"What the fuck?" Robert yelled, staring at Harry in dread, "This is your fucking secret?"
"What did you expect?" Harry said, looking dimly bemused.
"Certainly not this," I whispered, "Mum? You knew about this?"
My Mum nodded begrudgingly, before pulling out her own stick of wood, waving it gently. The glitter disappeared, and Mabel shrieked in excitement.
"C'mere Mabel," Robert said, dragging her back to the sofa.
"I know it's a lot," Ginny said, "But I promise that we'll explain everything."
"You don't say?" Robert growled, "Magic? As in fairy-tale magic?"
Ginny looked over at Harry, who nodded. He tucked the wood away again and placed Lily in Ginny's arms.
"This case has all been magical." He said bluntly, "Every murder that was on your news was done by a wizard, a wizard we've now got contained in a high-security cell, deep in our ministry."
"Ministry?" Robert scoffed, "There can't be that many of you?"
"You'd be surprised," Harry said, "It's just we're all so low-key, you wouldn't know if you were talking to a wizard or someone like yourself."
"And I assume that long piece of wood was your magic wand, huh?" Robert muttered, and Ginny looked at him in confusion.
"How'd you know that?"
My eyes widened and snapped back to where Harry had placed the stick of wood. Harry followed my gaze and pulled it out again.
"I don't go anywhere without it," he said calmly, offering it for me to take.
"I wouldn't, Katie," My Dad said warily, but something about the look Harry gave was comforting, and so I took it.
Mabel looked curiously over my shoulder, before giggling.
"Magic wand," she said, looking at me happily, "Mummy do magic."
"Just a stick of wood," Robert murmured, but Harry shook his head, taking the wand back from me.
"Tell me something to do, Gin?" he said, glancing over his shoulder at his wife. She shrugged.
"I dunno, Accio one of Lily's blankets?" she offered.
Harry flicked the wand, and before I knew, a blanket was soaring through the living room, before landing in Harry's open hand.
I gaped, my heart rate going faster.
"Lift me!" Cried Al, bouncing up from the sofa, and darting around Harry's feet.
"Don't freak out," he warned me and Robert, and he flicked the wand yet again. This time I felt the blood drain from my face.
Al was hanging upside down, his face bursting full of giggles as he swayed ominously above the floor.
Mabel shrieked in laughter, trying to wriggle off the sofa, but I held her tight.
"Stay here, Mabel," I said, as Al continued to laugh.
Harry reached out and pulled him back the right way, and set him down on the floor again.
"'gen!" Al giggled, but Harry shook his head.
I looked over at Robert, whose mouth was open in shock, and I realised that the truth must have hit him fully too.
"You're a witch?" My Dad whispered, looking at my Mum, his face deeply hurt.
"Don't leave me, Howard," she begged, "I've waited so long to do this, but I've never had the courage."
"You've always been a witch?" My Dad asked, and my Mum began to cry as she nodded.
"I thought maybe if Henry or Katie had been one, I would have told you, but they never were, so I carried my secret until today."
"I could have been magical?" I asked in shock, and my Mum nodded.
"Your kids might be magical," She wept, "I didn't wish to inflict this upon you, Kate, Robert. I'm so sorry."
"No," Robert said, "Liam and Mabel are perfectly fine."
"Magical kids are normal too, you know," Ginny said roughly, picking up on Robert's hint, "James and Al are doing magic, and yet you wouldn't even know."
"Al do magic?" Mabel said in amazement, and Al nodded earnestly before he focused his attention on a nearby table. He scrunched up his hand, and the glass upon the table shattered.
"Albus," Ginny said reproachfully, "Don't do that."
Harry waved his wand absentmindedly at the shattered glass, and it clinked its way back to a full object.
"Most magical kids with non-magical parents start to show magic by the age of 6," Harry said, "But Al has a knack for doing things like… that."
"Is it common?" I asked shakily, "For a child to be magical without magical parents?"
The words were so new to me.
"The odds are about 1 in 100," Harry said, "But you've already got known magic on your side."
"What happens if they are?"
"Then they'll get sent off to a school for magic in Scotland."
"How come you knew who they were, Anna?" My Dad interrupted, apparently on his own train of thought.
Anna grinned slightly at Harry and Ginny, who both returned an identical grimace.
"It's because she's famous," Harry said quickly, indicating Ginny, who scoffed.
"You know you're more famous than me, Harry," She shot back, making Harry scowl.
"Maybe I was 10 years ago, but not after your career," he replied, and she shook her head.
"Not everyone follows Quidditch, but everyone knows about you." She smirked, and Harry's eyes narrowed.
"Everyone knows both of your names," my Mum added, "You're seen as a pair."
"Both as equally as famous," Harry said, and Ginny grinned.
"How'd you get famous?" My Dad asked, and Harry and Ginny's smiles faded.
"It was a long time ago," Harry muttered, "But people still talk about it."
"You saved us all," My Mum said gently, "I don't care what you say about his curse rebounding on yours, I've heard all those stories, but we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."
"Loads of other people-" Harry started, but Ginny groaned.
"Stop being so damn noble about it, Harry," she told him, "You know damn well that it was your choice to walk into that forest and do what you did."
"I had to!" Harry said desperately, taking Al into his arms, "You heard what he said, you were there, Gin."
"I know," Ginny sighed, "But you're missing the point."
"I'm not having this conversation," Harry muttered, and Ginny nodded her agreement.
"Is that why he's named after 2 people who saved your life?" Robert asked unsteadily, pointing to Al.
Harry nodded slowly, looking away.
The room went silent, and I looked nervously at Ginny.
"I still don't believe this," I whispered, "I feel like I'm dreaming."
Ginny shook her head, smiling sadly.
"I felt so bad keeping all this a secret, but because of our laws, we were forbidden to tell you."
"But you just did," pointed out Robert.
"Yes, because your mother in law is a witch," Ginny explained, "Family is an exception."
"Can your whole family do magic?" I wondered in amazement, and Ginny nodded.
"Wow," I breathed, still in shock, "Why didn't you tell us, Mum?" I added, feeling hurt.
"I was afraid you'd leave me," she whispered, "I didn't think you'd stand for such nonsense."
"Mum," I said, "I would never."
"Howard?" My Mum said, looking over at my Dad hopefully.
He blinked, before roughly standing up and embracing my Mum.
"I would never leave you," he said tearfully, "I don't care what you are, Anna."
My Mum began to cry into his shoulder, her arms gripping him tightly.
"We need to tell Henry," My Mum said, releasing herself, "In person." She added as I started to get my phone out my pocket.
"He's busy," My Dad tried to reason, but my mum shook her head.
"This is important." She said simply.
"He won't be able to get here for another 4hours," I told her, but she looked at me desperately.
"Call him, please, Katie," she begged, "Tell him to come down here as soon as he can."
I nodded begrudgingly and got to my feet. I wandered upstairs alone, my mind going 100miles an hour, and my feet feeling extremely heavy.
I finally got to our room, and pushed open the door gently, collapsing on the bed with my phone in my hand.
Henry's number was dialled, and it rang for a couple of seconds before he answered.
"Hey, Kate," he said, sounding cheerful.
"Hi, Hen," I replied, smiling at the sound of his voice, "How are you?"
"Good, actually," he said, "What about you? How are the kids?"
"We're fine, I guess," I sighed, "But Mum needs you."
"Huh?"
"She needs you to get over here as soon as you can."
"What? Are you with her?"
"Yes," I said, "Technically she's with me, in Kent."
"What's wrong?" he said nervously, obviously picking up on my tone, and I instantly felt guilty that I hadn't told him anything about anything.
"I miss you, and so does she," I said tearfully.
"What's wrong, Katie?" he asked again, this time more urgently, "Is it Dad?"
"No," I said quickly, "No, he's fine, but Mum really wants you here."
"You know I can't get time off work like that," Henry sighed, "And the girls are at school. I'll try and get down to you for Saturday."
"Look," I said, "I assume you've heard about those horrible murders, yes?"
"Yes." Henry said cautiously, "What about them?"
"I'm so sorry for not telling you," I blurted out, "We've been involved, and I'm currently staying in the house of the head of the case."
"What?" Henry cried, "What d'you mean 'you've been involved'?"
"I can't tell you over the phone," I said desperately, "Just please come."
"I-" he stuttered before the line went silent.
"Henry? Hello?" I said into the phone, but there was no reply, and when I removed the phone from my ear, I saw that he had hung up.
"What?" I said to myself, confused, hurt, and mixed up in a whole array of emotions that shouldn't be put next together.
But then I heard a 'ping', and looked down to read the text:
'We'll be there at 6. Give us an address.'
I breathed a huge sigh of relief and tapped in the Potter's address.
When I returned to the living room, my Dad had moved seats and was now sitting comfortably next to my Mum. They both looked up when I entered.
"What did he say?"
"He said he'll be here by 6," I replied, and my Mum smiled thankfully.
"Hey, Gin," Harry said suddenly, "Didn't you say to James that Louis and Fred could come over? Just remembered."
"Oh," Ginny said softly, "I did, didn't I."
"Might as well invite everyone," Harry suggested, and Ginny looked at him warily.
"What, as in, everyone, everyone?"
Harry shrugged, "Why not? We could introduce them to Katie and Robert, now they know."
"You think they'd behave?" Ginny said sceptically, and Harry grinned.
"We could always lock them up in a room if they get too rowdy," he suggested, Ginny laughed.
"Ok, fine, go owl them." She said, and Harry nodded, getting to his feet, and heading out the door.
"Owl, them?" Robert asked, confused.
"Moki and Nova's most important use is to send our letters," Ginny explained, "It's our main form of communication."
"That's cool," Robert commented, "Is that why they're so well trained?"
"Yeah, I guess," Ginny shrugged.
Again, there was a brief spell of quiet, before Harry returned.
"Ok, she's gone," He said, sitting back down, "Now we wait for our responses."
"How long does it usually take?" I asked curiously.
"Depends," Ginny replied, "The owls'll get there pretty quickly, but if the person we're trying to contact doesn't have a quill and parchment handy, then, you know. It'll probably take longer."
"You don't have an owl, do you?" I suddenly said, turning around to look at my Mum, "You would know wouldn't you Dad?"
"I do," My Mum said miserably, and when both m looked at her curiously, she added, "He stays in a tree in the woods nearby. I only use him to communicate with my family."
"What d'you mean?" My Dad said painfully, "You're families passed, haven't they?"
"I've got a sister," my Mum admitted, looking ashamed, "But she doesn't approve."
"Of what?"
My Mum looked down.
"Mum?"
"Marrying into non-magical families wasn't seen as good when I married you, Howard. Now it's more accepted, but, my sister is old. She follows old rules, keeps to the traditions."
"Did she ever marry?" I asked, curious to know about this mysterious aunt.
"She did, yes," My Mum said, looking at me painfully, "I'm so sorry I haven't told you, Katie, and you too Howard."
"I'd love to meet your sister, Mum," I said, smiling at her slightly, but she didn't return it.
"I'm afraid she wouldn't approve of…"
I didn't want to hear the rest of her sentence, for I already knew the answer.
"Anna," my dad said reproachfully, "Don't say things like that."
"Old families won't abide by new laws," Harry told us, "Are you half or pure, Anna?"
"Pure, I think," My Mum answered, "I'm a Pinkerton, but I have relatives connected with Ollivander, somewhere."
"Even more of a reason for your sister to be traditional," Harry nodded, and my Mum gave her agreement.
"Pure?" Robert said, "What?"
"Wizards have blood statuses," Harry explained, "But it's not what you think, Robert." He added at my Husband's face.
"Muggle Born, Half-blood, and Pure-blood," He continued, "Based on how magical your parents are, and their parents."
"But surely all wizards are fully magical? How can you only be half-blooded?" I asked in confusion.
"I'm a half-blood because my grandparents weren't magical at all, but my Dad's side was pure back to the middle ages," Harry said, "But Ginny's family's pure."
"So if I were magical I would be half-blood?" I asked, and my Mum nodded, "But what about Mabel or Liam? What would they be, if they were wizards?"
"Muggle-born," My Mum said, "Neither you nor Robert are magical."
"Oh."
The thought of one of my children having the ability to do magic, the thing they read about, watched about, played about, in my home was unbelievable.
"But I don't think Liam or Mabel would be one," she added, "The odds are small, and seeing as you're not one, well…"
"But let's say they were," Robert said, "What would we have to do?"
"'ogwarts," Al said, looking at his parents for confirmation, and when they smiled, and looked back at me, eyes wide.
"'bel come to 'ogwarts?"
"Where?" I asked, looking away from the small boy, and up to his parents.
"Hogwarts, the magical school young wizards and witches attend," Ginny said, and my eyes went even bigger.
"Is that where you met?"
Harry and Ginny nodded, glancing at each other.
"'bel go?" Al repeated, coming up to me, and placing two small hands on the sofa, pulling himself up to sit next to me.
"No," Robert said, in my opinion, rather harshly. Ginny narrowed her eyes slightly.
Al looked at Robert sadly, his green eyes boring into Robert's so intently that he had to look away.
"Where I go?" Mabel twittered from beside me, looking at Al.
"Nowhere, Mabel," Robert said, and Mabel nodded, eyeing Robert sceptically.
"So, that's our secret," Harry said, disrupting the conversation abruptly, and swinging me back to where we started, "Anything that seemed unusual would have been because of magic."
"Magic," muttered Robert, and I hardly dared to believe it, "Magic, for god's sake."
The afternoon flew by.
Before I knew it, it was time to collect the boys from school, my parents in tow.
When we got in the car, Robert rounded on me.
"You can't honestly believe what they were saying, Katie." He said, and I looked back firmly.
"My Mum wouldn't lie about anything, Robert," I replied, "And I refuse to believe that Harry and Ginny would either."
"But, magic, Katie," He said desperately, "C'mon. Think logically."
"Logical things don't happen much these days," I whispered, "Destroying our house wasn't a logical thing to do, and yet-"
"Destroying houses and magic are two completely different things!" Robert protested, watching as my parents manoeuvred out the driveway.
"Maybe the magic destroyed the house?" I argued back, convinced on Harry's explanation, "Everything makes sense when magic's involved!"
"Magic doesn't make sense." Robert muttered, following my parents, and taking the lead on the road, "I'll have to see to believe."
"He showed you!" I said, "You saw! The glitter, and the blanket, done with magic!"
"You believe things too easily, Katie," Robert said quietly, and it was like a knife through my chest.
"Just stop talking," I replied, "I don't want to hear it."
It was quiet for a few moments, and I watched Harry's car through the wing mirror.
"Look," Robert began, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."
"You meant every word you said, Robert, and don't you dare deny it," I said coldly, refusing to look at him.
"I'm not denying what I said, Kate," he answered, eyes fixed on the road, "I'm said I'm sorry. I'm sorry we've got into this. I'm sorry I'm refusing to believe. Its… it's hard."
"You don't say!?" I replied, "The world doesn't revolve around you, Robert Williams! Maybe sometimes it's easier to believe rather than deny, deny, deny. I'm not sorry we've got into this! I've learnt loads, seen loads, and felt loads more than I did before! My Mum was hiding a huge part of her life from me, and I don't think you realise how much that hurts!" And before I knew, I had tears streaming down my face again.
Damn these emotions.
Robert didn't say anything, so I carried on.
"Maybe magic's saved us, Robert. It's probably everywhere! Helen could be a witch for all we know, your parents could be wizards, but we'd never know because they'd never tell you! Loosen up, Robert, for me, and the kids. They'll understand more now, and so will we! Did you not place anything back at the house? Everything is what it is because of magic!"
"I hear you, Katie," Robert replied, "I do understand, but it'll take some time to adjust."
I nodded in satisfaction and turned my head to look out the window, my eyes trailing haphazardly with the hedges.
"Can I do magic, Mummy?" Mabel said from the backseat, and I realised that she must have been quietly listening to mine and Robert's argument.
"No, sweetheart," I told her, "Only Al."
"Oh."
She was silent again as we pulled up into the school gates, and when I got her out, I was shocked to see her face wet from tears.
Mabel wasn't a crier. Certainly not a silent crier, and that's exactly was she was doing in the backseat of the car.
"Oh Mabel," I said, gathering her close into my arms, and letting her sob into my shoulder, "What happened?"
"Mum and Dad were talking loud," she sniffed, and I felt my heart break a little at the use of 'Mum and Dad' instead of 'Mummy and Daddy'. The signs that she was growing up were appearing fast, and there was nothing I could do to ease my sadness. I couldn't coddle her. I had to let her grow up.
"It's ok," I whispered, cradling her head, "You're ok."
Robert came round and offered his arms for Mabel, but the girl in question shook her head firmly and clung onto me.
He looked a bit hurt – Mabel had never rejected his hold – but he didn't pursue it, rather walk next to me quietly.
I met my parents, Harry, and Ginny at the gates, and together, we all trundled up the pathway to the school.
"You alright?" My Dad muttered, and I nodded, smiling reassuringly at him, trying not to give any indication that Robert and I had argued.
"Time to see Liam," My Mum said, looking much more relaxed, and seeing her relaxed, made me relax too.
"Yeah," I smiled, "He missed you."
My Mum smiled back, looking positively thrilled. He was her only grandson, after all.
We waited outside the classroom, keeping a respectable distance between the rest of the parents, namely, Helen. I looked around and realised that anyone here could be magical, but I wouldn't know, because I'm not magical.
But then I remembered my Mum saying that Harry and Ginny were famous in the wizarding world, and so wouldn't that mean they would get swarmed by any wizard they met?
No, their world must be complex than that.
My thoughts were struck when the bell rang, and the doors to the classroom were flung open, revealing the children.
"Grandma! Grandpa!" I heard Liam cry, and my parents beamed. He ran up to us, his bag trailing carelessly behind him as he rushed into my Mum's open arms.
"Hi, LiLi!" My Mum said, hugging him tight, "I missed you!"
"So did I!" Liam replied, his voice muffled as he hugged back.
"Hi," A voice added, and I looked to the left and saw James, his hand outstretched towards my Dad, who was looking at him in amusement.
"Hello, young man," My Dad said, shaking James' hand, "And who are you?"
"James Sirius Potter, nice to meet you," James introduced, smiling proudly up at my Dad.
"Ah," My Dad said, looking back at Harry, Ginny, Al, and Lily, "I should have guessed; the hair."
"You know my Mum and Dad?" James asked, and My Dad nodded, "How?"
"They've let us stay at your house for a bit," He explained.
"Oh," James said, averting his eyes, and bounding up to his parents.
"Did you ask if Louis and Fred could come over?" He asked excitedly, hopping about.
"They haven't replied, yet," Ginny said, and James giggled with jubilation.
"I know they'll say yes," he told everyone, "They won't say no."
"Who?" Liam asked, obviously a bit behind on the conversation.
"Fred 'n Louis, my cousins!" James said, bouncing around.
"Can I still play with you?"
"Yes," James nodded, but then he suddenly looked nervously up at his parents, "They don't know, Mummy."
"Let's go," Harry advised, sensing where the conversation was going and concerned about how many ears it would reach.
We all nodded our agreement and swiftly headed back to the cars, Liam, and James eager to go home and play.
Robert and I let Liam go with his grandparents, ignoring Mabel when she sent up a wave of frustration about it, and drove out the school gates, turning onto the right road, and driving back up to the Hollies.
I could see my parents' grey Mercedes out the wing mirror, and distinctly saw my Mum turn around to supposedly talk to Liam.
"James must be excited to tell Liam about magic," Robert mumbled, and I looked over.
"Yeah, I guess," I replied, "It must have been hard. There must have been times when he almost blew it."
"Probably," Robert shrugged, "I think I'm finally coming to terms with it."
I sighed out a breath of relief.
"The magic can repair our house, then," Robert said, his voice much gentler and airier.
"Sure," I smiled, relieved.
We turned the last turning into the Hollies and pulled to a stop just behind Harry.
"I've got Mabel," Robert muttered, and I nodded in acknowledgement.
Harry got out first, and I watched as he pulled out his magic wand, and tap it thrice on the doorknob. A slight purple glow engulfed it for a minute before it died down, and Harry pushed the door open.
"Dad!" I heard James cry, "You're the one telling me not to talk about magic, and you're doing it!"
"We'll tell you inside," Harry said, catching my eye for a second.
I waited for Liam, my Mum, and my Dad, and headed after Harry and James.
James was looking back and forth at us, and his Dad, his face screwed up in concern.
So they didn't tell him in the car I thought, He must still think we don't know.
"Right," Harry announced, once everyone was inside, "James, Liam, into the living room."
"What have I done?" Liam whispered nervously, clutching my hand.
"Nothing, Li, don't worry," I assured him, and leading him into the living room.
I sat him next to James, who was already there, looking expectantly at his Dad.
"What?" James asked, a little snappily, "What've we done?"
He sounded defiant, and I grinned a little, noting his accusing tone directed at his Father.
"Tell him, James," Harry said, smiling, "You've waited this long, so go ahead."
"Tell who about what?" James queried, looking back sceptically.
"Tell Liam about Magic," Harry repeated, sitting down in an armchair.
James' mouth fell open.
"You did it!" he cried happily, "They all know!"
"Except for Liam," Ginny pointed out, and we all turned our attention to my son, who was looking bewildered.
James rushed back to Liam, and pulled him off the sofa, dragging him over to Harry.
"Magic, Liam," James panted, "I can do magic!"
"Magic's not real," Liam said nervously, but James shook his head frantically.
"'course it is!" he yelled, "But 'cos of the secret Statue we couldn't tell you! I'm a wizard! So is my Daddy, and Al! Mummy's a witch, and Lily too!"
Liam looked over to me, and I nodded to confirm James' words.
"Show me," Liam demanded quietly. Like Robert, he'd have to see to believe.
"Daddy," James said, rounding on Harry, "Flip Liam upside down!"
Robert looked like he was going to protest, but Harry spoke to fast for him.
"I can't flip Liam, James," Harry said, making Robert relax, "But I'll flip you, ok?"
James looked thrilled.
"Watch, Liam," James giggled, as Harry reached into his pocket, and pulled out the wand. He did the same flick movement I had seen this morning, and all of a sudden, James had been flipped upside down, his hair stuck straight.
Liam yelled in fright, looking at James in terror, before he was silent, and looked at Harry quizzically.
"Put him down, Harry," Ginny sighed, and Harry obeyed.
James' feet softly met the ground again.
"Do something else," James pleaded, and Harry flicked the wand yet again. Liam's eyes trailed it carefully.
Nothing happened.
"What's-" I started, but Harry pointed to the pictures that lay on the wall.
Only, they weren't pictures anymore. They were videos. On the wall.
However, they didn't replay after a certain amount of time, in fact, the very people within the frames seemed to be alive.
"We had to freeze them when you lot came around," Harry explained, reaching up to take a photo from the mantle, "But this is what they usually look like."
Liam's mouth formed a perfect '0' as he stared intently at the moving figures in the frame. It was a large gathering of people outside a crooked looking house, and the abundance of red told me it must have been Ginny's family. I looked closer and spotted Harry and Ginny towards the right of the picture. I also saw a tiny James, sitting on the grass in front of the adults, his legs stocky, and his cheeks still chubby. He looked to be about Al's age, but when I looked for Al in the photo, he was nowhere. I looked back up at Harry and Ginny and noticed Ginny's slight bulge under her dress. She was probably still pregnant with him.
"There's me!" James said, pointing to the younger picture of himself, who was picking some grass by his side, "Then there's Louis, and Fred, and Teddy, Domi, Vic, but not Al, Lily, Rosie, Roxy, or Hugo, yet. Al's there." And he pointed to Ginny's stomach.
"How do I do magic, Mum?" Liam asked suddenly, and I found myself at a loss for words.
