'Two cans of milk, right?'

'One of milk and one of water.'

'Damn.'

Harry sighed, shaking his head as he circled another advertisement in the newspaper. Nate was playing the pots and pans as Kit stood by the stove, stirring a mass of red liquid in a pot. Harry looked up in time to see Kit make a face of frustration, and he stood.

'Do you need help?' he asked loudly, stepping over Nate and standing next to Kit. She simply handed the spoon to Harry, and he stirred furiously, reaching through the steam to turn down the heat. As the tomato soup curdled, Nate squealed and his drumming increased in ferocity. Kit turned around to find Ron air guitaring with what appeared to be a bottle of champagne. She grinned as Hermione stepped through the doorway holding a card. Kit put a hand up to stifle her own giggles as Hermione, grinning broadly, stepped behind Harry.

'I'm glad we brought food,' she said over the noise as Harry dropped the spoon in surprise and Kit let out a snort of laughter, 'because that doesn't look edible…anymore.'

Harry turned around, a smile splayed on his face as he engulfed Hermione in a hug.

'Why are you here?' he asked happily as Nate threw down the spoons and ran squealing into the living room.

'Your housewarming party, you dolt,' Ron laughed, clapping Harry on the back.

'But we never planned –'

'Surprise!'

Harry and Kit beamed as Mrs Weasley bustled happily into the kitchen, laying a platter of sandwiches on the counter. Mr Weasley followed her, a case of muggle ale in hand.

'Happy housewarming!' Mrs Weasley smiled, embracing them both briefly in a hug. 'Ron has a bottle of virgin champagne, or Arthur has that ale.'

'Thanks, Mrs Weasley,' Harry grinned as Mr Weasley pushed a bottle of ale to him.

'It's my pleasure, dear.'

'Hey, can we have a tour?' Ron asked, poking his head into the kitchen.

'Sure,' Harry said as Kit moved forward to help Mrs Weasley unwrap the sandwiches. 'Follow me.'

As Harry took the rest of them upstairs, Mrs Weasley looked sideways at Kit, who had begun filling the sink.

'What were you trying to make?' she asked, trying to hide the cheek in her voice.

'Soup,' Kit replied meekly, averting her eyes. Mrs Weasley snorted and Kit frowned at her. 'What?'

Mrs Weasley shrugged, busying herself arranging the sandwiches and refusing to answer.

'No, what?' Kit pushed, shutting off the water and turning to face her.

Mrs Weasley turned to her, a patronizing look on her face. 'It was soup dear. Soup is basic. Easy.'

Kit scowled. 'Well, I couldn't make it,' she said simply, turning back to the dishes.

'Which is one of your weak points.'

Kit froze. 'Weak?'

'Oh, maybe not weak,' Mrs Weasley elaborated, scrutinizing a chip in the granite counter, 'but ill-equipped to perhaps be living on your –'

'Are you saying I'm a bad mother?'

Mrs Weasley half shrugged, spinning to find the table littered with crumbs and used napkins. 'I mean, look at this!'

'You caught us by surprise,' Kit said in a low voice. 'We had no time to –'

'We? Can't you –?'

'I'm only one person,' Kit replied, her voice rising.

'And the wife of this household, apparently,' Mrs Weasley cut in. 'How are you going to keep it together when Harry is at work all day and you're here with Nate – teaching him to read and –?'

'Nate is going to nursery school.'

Mrs Weasley spun around, shock etched on her face. 'You can't send him to something like that!'

Kit met her gaze. 'Yes, I can, and I will. It's only logical. I'm going to go and work –'

'Why?'

'Surprise!'

Mrs Weasley and Kit jumped as Tony and Julia appeared in the doorway of the kitchen holding sweets.

'Oh, are we interrupting something?' Julia asked softly as Tony deposited the candies on the table.

'Yes.'

'No.'

Tony laughed. 'Glad that's settled. Where are the others?'

'Tour,' Kit said pleasantly. 'Would you like one?'

'Sure!'

Kit grinned, moving in front of Mrs Weasley and leading the others quickly upstairs.

The trio had met up with the others in Nate's bedroom where Ron and Nate had begun playing with some trucks. However, they all lost interest and stampeded back downstairs where Mrs Weasley, Kristina, and Charlie were eating in the living room. After more congratulations and hugs all around, ales were opened and sandwiches inhaled as the doorbell continued ringing with more arrivals. As Carrie and Jake joined the fray, introductions were made and all magic ceased. The men continued drinking, with the exception of Ron, Harry, and Nate, who were drinking the non-alcoholic champagne. The party seemed to pick up after Harry ordered a dozen pizzas by delivery and Remus slipped in the back door.

'How's the party?' he asked Kit quietly as the others decided on music.

'Remus! You made it!' she laughed, moving farther away from the others and giving Remus a hug. 'It's just getting pumped up. The pizza is on its way. How was the, er –?'

'It was alright,' Remus shrugged, grabbing a small mint from one of the many sweet bowls on the table. 'I've come straight from there so I wouldn't miss anything. I haven't, have I?'

Kit shrugged. 'I don't think so.'

'Think?'

'Mrs Weasley and I, er –'

'Say no more,' Remus chuckled. 'I know all about that. I did live at Number Twelve when Sirius and Molly were going at it over the littlest of things.'

'She thinks I should take cooking lessons.'

Remus raised his eyebrows. 'Are you any good at Potions?'

'Nope. But I can make that green pistachio thing.'

'Good enough for me. Wouldn't hurt though, would it?'

Kit shrugged, turning back to gaze at the partiers. 'I guess not.'

Remus grinned, falling silent as Nate toddled over to them.

'Candy!'

Remus laughed as Kit lifted a bowl of hard candies off the table. 'What do you say?'

'Pwease, mum!'

Remus laughed harder as Kit grinned and lowered the bowl for Nate to pick a candy.

'No! He's too small! He'll choke!'

Kit and Remus turned to find Mrs Weasley bustling into the kitchen and snatching the bowl from Kit, the gaze of some partiers following her. Nate held tightly onto his candy.

'No he won't!' Kit argued.

'He will too! I've seen it!'

'Can I be the mother here?'

Mrs Weasley fell silent as Kit scowled and the other room fell quiet.

Kit turned to Nate, crouching before him. 'And you sit nice on the chair until you finish it, okay?'

'Yes, mum!'

Kit grinned as he hoisted himself up onto the chair and unwrapped the candy. Kit turned to Mrs Weasley as the noise level rose in the living room.

'I still think you should take those classes to be a good housewife.'

'I'm not a wife!'

'Yet!' Harry shouted from the other room, and Remus laughed harder than ever. As he began to choke on his candy, Kit let out a snort of amusement.

'Big boys sit down to eat candies, too,' Kit said smiling as Remus regained control and sank into the chair next to Nate. Mrs Weasley glowered as she slipped out of the kitchen and Kit shook her head.

'So I take it the house is a good thing?' Remus smiled.

Kit grimaced. 'So far. We feel more like a family now…not completely, but more so than before when we were more like three people butting into someone else's family. Almost like orphans.' She sighed. 'Does that make any sense?'

'More than you think,' Remus replied quietly.

'Pizza's here!' Charlie called from the living room, and Nate slid off the chair and ran out to the others.

I didn't want to leave it like that, but school is a wretched thing. I'd like to thank you all for your support, and my loyal beta says that you should appreciate me. Which if the feeling is mutual... Welcome "Floss", who has read all of Secret Past like a crazy person...I'm glad I have a fan! And I know I'm not supposed to have anoy of these, but you all are so awesome I had to give shout outs and all that crap. Awesome! My posting will be sporadic, so hopefully when I update it will be a surprise and you will love me forever and ever for it! Yay! You rock!