Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter- JK Rowling does
A/N: I didn't want to put out this chapter until I got a review but mark my words, I will not put out the next chapter until I get at least 1 review.
Thanks for sticking with me this far for the people who have read all the chapters.
Two weeks had passed and then it was December. The weather became chillier and I had begun wearing a jacket to go outside each day. I started off each morning with a shower and getting dressed. I would then hop downstairs to eat breakfast, and then play a quick game of wizard chess with Abby. No longer did she complain about everything I did or even grumble, now she beamed up at me and waited for approval. I loved it. Abby had become my adoptive sister. After our daily chess game we would go outside and play our makeshift quidditch game. At lunchtime Stan would come home from work. He left each morning before I woke up and came back at 12. Every time Stan came home at exactly 12, never a minute early or late, I could here Mrs. Shunpike telling him how proud she was that he worked a regular schedule now. He would just smile and kiss her cheek. Then Stan and I would spend the rest of the day doing whatever the hell we wanted, whether it be another round of quidditch, a game of gobstones or even touring Diagon Alley. On days we spent on the familiar streets of Diagon Alley Stan was stopped by everyone. Various people would come over to him and thank him for taking them on the Knight Bus. Each time this happened I couldn't help but break out into a huge smile and beam with pride. One morning, after a particularly good trip to Diagon Alley, I woke up to find Stan sitting in his bed, reading a piece of parchment. I looked at the clock to see it was 8 in the morning. Why hadn't he gone to work yet?
"Stan?" I said in a question. He jumped and looked over at me in surprise.
"I thought you were sleeping," He said gruffly. He slipped the piece of paper under his pillow and stood up.
"What are you still doing here? I thought you had work," I said, my eyebrows furrowed. Something was wrong; Stan was never late to school. Stan had a blank face and he hadn't seemed to hear me.
"We need to get out of here. Let's go somewhere." He said standing up suddenly. He raced over to his closet where my clothes and his both shared the cramped space. He threw a dress of mine at me as he pulled out jeans a t-shirt for himself. He stripped down right in front of me. I blushed and turned away quickly. What was he talking about? "What are you doing? We need to leave!" He said loudly throwing my jacket at me. The zipper hit my lip and I felt blood begin to slowly pulsate out of it. He looked at me shocked. "Sorry." He mumbled and stalked out of the room. I swallowed the blood on my lip and quickly threw on the dress Stan had handed me, it was particularly worn, black knitted and knee-length. I threw on my jacket and slipped on my shoes. I said an incantation under my breath as I grabbed my wand from my dresser and my lip stopped bleeding immediatley. I only had a chance to glance at myself in the mirror in my hurry and saw a rather bad looking scab. I shrugged off my insecurities and opened the door quickly determined to follow Stan. "Shh" He whispered from his position directly to the left of the door. He grabbed my hand and we side-along apparated. I wasn't ready for this and felt as if a bucket of ice cold water had been poured on me as well as the usual horrible feeling known as apparation. I felt as if I was being turned inside out. We landed some time afterward in an unfamiliar place. All around me were houses, most of them looking alike, in columns and uneven rows. The hedges were perfectly cut and all the cars were shiny. We had landed in front of a smaller house, the door painted bright red and the hedges slightly untrimmed, although the house was beautiful it looked disgustingly out of place.
"Where are we?" I said when I found my voice again. I looked over at Stan but he was too busy pacing that he didn't hear me. "STAN!" I yelled to him. He looked up as if noticing I was there for the first time. "Tell me what's going on!" I said. How dare he apparate me to an unknown place and not tell me what was happening. He walked over to me.
"Your lip looks pretty bad," He put a finger where the scab was. He took it off as I flinched. "Sorry about that," I shrugged him off and stepped away.
"Where are we? Why are we in this muggle neighborhood? Why are we here?" I demanded. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
"My dad," He started and looked to me, "He moved here. I've told you about my dad before, right?" I nodded although Stan rarely talked about his dad.
"You've told me that he left you guys when you were in your fourth year of Hogwarts and that's why you had to drop out and support your family." I said quietly. Stan hated talking about his dad. I guessed this was his house that we were standing in front of. We had come to his father, hadn't we?
"Yes, but I never told you about why he left. My father was very independent, very self-sufficient. He grew up in an all-magical family, dating back for ages. He worked at the Ministry in Magical Cooperation, you know? He had a good head on his shoulders; he was going places. He married my mom when the got out of Hogwarts and they had me soon afterward. I always knew my father was different. He didn't like to do everything by magic; he liked to teach us lessons by making us go days without magic. My mother thought he was just spontaneous and smiled at him when he did things like the dishes or mow the lawn the muggle way. After Abby was born, he turned even…funnier. He didn't use magic at all and he even frowned when Mum started using magic in front of us. I guess I should have saw it coming. 3 months after Abby was born he just left. He went off to live in the muggle world. He sent the papers to my mum and that was the last thing we heard of him. Mum thought this was just a temporary thing, and sometimes I wonder it she still does, she's still in love with him. I mean she didn't even change her last name! I hadn't heard from him since. So this morning I got an owl with this letter," He pulled out the piece of paper he had been looking at that morning. It was creased most likely because he had bent it so many times. "Well, he gave me his address. He wants me, and the kids, to come and visit him." He looked so angry I could see the fury in his eyes. I didn't say anything, but then again how could I? What would I say? 'Well that sucks?' He apparently didn't need reinforcements to continue. "This is his house." He jammed his finger to the house with the red door. He sighed and pushed his hair back once more. "But that's not the worst part. He's remarried. He has kids. Muggle kids. They don't even know their dear old dad is a wizard. And he expects us to come and visit with him, like what he did was all right. I would never visit him," He spat angrily. I stared silently.
"Well then why are we here?" I said trying to make some sense of all of this. His mad look drained out and was replaced by a confused one.
"Well, I don't know. I just thought… I'd give him a piece of mind?" He asked me as if the thought suddenly occurred to him. My eyebrows furrowed.
"Ok, I admit your dad is horrible. You shouldn't talk to him if you don't want to. But you obviously miss him. I think we should come over for tea and see what he has to say. And then afterward you can make your final decision on what is best for your family and yourself," I said calmly. I couldn't help but think of money. If Stan's dad wanted to see his kids again, wouldn't he have to pay some child support, even if he hadn't before? That means that Stan would be able to afford his own expenses and not have to worry about his brother and sister's fees. "Do you want me to come along or do you want to go by yourself?" I asked him. I spaced the words seperately and suddenly felt as if I was talking to a toddler.
"You can come. I mean, please come with me," He said his eyebrows furrowing deeper. I laughed.
"Well I mean you already practically forced me here captive and you bloodied my lip. I don't think I have a choice." I said. I received a single forced laugh for Stan and then he lapsed back into stony silence. He rigidly walked to the front door, his hands moving jerkily at his sides. I glanced at him from the side. He wanted to go to his dad's house since he'd gotten his letter that morning; he just needed someone to persuade him a little more. Why else would he apparate us here? I rang the doorbell since Stan couldn't. All though he tried to hide it, I could see his hands were shaking. A busty blonde woman answered the door. I could have sworn I saw her on the cover of playboy magazine last month.
"Hello?" She said glancing from Stan and then to me. "Do I know you?" Her perfectly shaped eyebrows dipped down. Her brown eyes, surrounded by clumps of mascara, showed no recognition. Stan cleared his throat.
"I got a letter," He held up the letter so the blonde could read it, though admittedly I don't think she could read past a third grade level, "From my dad." He stopped as if he had done enough explaining. The blonde's face lit up and her mouth, covered in no doubt 'Kissable Pink' lip-gloss, braced a huge grin.
"Stan?" She asked him. Stan nodded as jerkily as he walked. Before he could protest she pulled him into a big hug, her fake boobs squashing into his small frame. He looked embarrassed.
"Are you my dad's-" But the blonde cut him off.
"And you must be Maddie!" She squealed her arms outstretched.
"Oh no. I'm not-" But before I could say anything the woman pulled me into a huge bear hug. My head barely reached her chin. She was very tall, taller than me, and almost the same height as Stan. Which I was saying a lot since Stan was 6'4". She quickly released me and I jumped back a foot in a half. Ugh, she probably gave me some sort of disease. With Mrs. Shunpike I enjoyed her hug, her slim but curved figure was very relaxing and I felt like a mom was holding me. While with Blondie, I felt as if I was hugging a cactus, all of her bones poked out since she was so skinny, good thing her bosom made up for all of that. I knew the reason Mr. Shunpike had married her. "I'm not Maddie." I said as she backed up. She pouted her lips and looked disappointed.
"Well, I know you can't be Abby, I thought she was 9." She said. I noticed a cold breeze and wished she would let us inside already.
"She is." Stan answered. "This is my…" He trailed off and looked at me.
"Your what?" Blondie said impatiently.
"This is Brooke, my girlfriend?" He said with a questioned. I rolled my eyes but blushed at the same time. I could play girlfriend for this visit. That's what I was, wasn't it? I shook my head to myself, no we were just friends. That's what we'd been fighting about for the past 2 weeks. I mentally face-palmed. I looked up into Blondie's face and nodded with a smile. A self-satisfied grin played on Stan's lip as I shook the woman's hand. "I didn't get your name…" Stan said trailing off.
"I'm Sunny." She said and smiled. I mimed barfing as she reopened the door to the house and led us inside. Stan loudly snorted. But he saved it by making it an unbelievable cough.
"You know you should get that cough looked at," I said winking as we followed Sunny. I grimaced at that name. Personally I liked 'Blondie' better. She led us past a few doors and turned into a kitchen on the right. Unlike the Stan's house where all the furniture was worn down, everything at Mr. Shunpike's house looked brand new. I felt like I was walking into an Ikea catalogue. Sunny set to making some tea as Stan and I sat down on the uncomfortable chairs. "She seems… perky." I said quietly. Stan snorted again as Sunny came back in bearing all matching cups, no scratching to be seen. I drank the probably designer tea as Sunny sat down across from me.
"Your father should be home soon, he's dropping off Avery at school." She beamed at us. I looked down at my watch and was surprised to see it was only 8:30 in the morning. "Did your father tell you about wanting you and your siblings over every month or so?" She asked as she set down her tea. I saw Stan stiffen at the mention of this. He stayed silent. I felt the need to protect him.
"Maddie and Tyler are at school and don't get many breaks except for Christmas and Easter and Abby has home schooling everyday, so their schedules might be hard to juggle. Stan's busy too, he has a job." I beamed proudly. Sunny turned to Stan with surprise in her eyes.
"What do you do for a living, Stan?" She asked curious. Stan looked at her excitedly. He was waiting to brag to someone.
"I drive the… a bus…" He finished lamely. I turned to him and glared, driving the Knight Bus was better than driving any old bus.
"He drives the Knight-" But I was stopped mid sentence as Stan kicked my shin. I glared at him again.
"Do you have any creamer?" Stan asked Sunny, not taking his gaze from me. I heard her mumble something and took off towards the kitchen.
"She's a muggle!" Stan whispered loudly, "She thinks dad's muggle. She doesn't know anything about-" Sunny came scurrying back in with creamer in her hand. Stan stared blankly at it until he realized he had asked for it. He put the creamer into his tea, although I knew for a fact that Stan took his tea black with two sugars. I heard footsteps coming from the hallway that we had just walked in from and a gray haired man at least in his 40's came towards to the table. On his hip was a girl about three or four who was sucking her thumb. His nose was so long, he took on a bird like appearance. I looked up to him and saw where Stan got his height from. He looked at Stan and me and slowly put the girl he was carrying into her mother's arms. He never took his eyes off of Stan though and I don't think Stan did so much as to blink. Stan's father stepped towards his son but pulled back and returned to Sunny's side.
"Son, it's been so long." He said in the voice I heard Stan use when he is nervous. Stan nodded slowly. "I guess I should say I'm sorry for taking off like that but I just couldn't lead a life like that anymore. I don't expect you to understand." He seemed at least a little bit remorseful and I was grateful for that. I could still see anger boil up in Stan's eyes.
"I would have at least have the digintiy to visit my kids every now and again," Stan flared. Mr. Shunpike turned to me now, just noticing I was there.
"Maddie, I know this has been hard on you. You've grown so big, I barely recognize you." He said to me. I blushed crimson. Please don't, I begged silently. Please just be joking.
"You can't even recognize your own daughter?" Stan said stupefied.
"I said I barely recognize her. Don't put words in my mouth. I think I would know my daughter when I see her," Mr. Shunpike said angrily. I wanted to laugh but my tongue was stuck to my mouth. It was an innocent mistake when Sunny had said it but when Mr. Shunpike made the same mistake it was just wrong. Even his wife stared at him irreconcilably. Stan stood up and I followed suit.
"C'mon, Brooke," He said showing emphasize on my name. Mr. Shunpike looked dumbstruck. "I think maybe I'll let the others come over here," He said turning to his father. "Not because I approve but because after all you are their father, but don't expect to see me ever again." Stan stalked from the room and I grabbed his hand as I followed him out, just to make Mr. Shunpike feel even worse. We exited the house and apparated back to Mrs. Shunpike's house. Our hands were still clutched together but I had no inclination to pull away. I felt Stan put his head on my shoulder. I looked over to see the mop of brown hair on my shoulder and I smoothed it down for him. I felt him shudder and I wondered if he was crying. It was my turn to rub his back. I led him onto the porch swing and I sat down and let him cry on my shoulder, my shirt getting wetter by the minute. I kissed his forehead continually and murmured nonsense words to him. He eventually quieted down. I barely felt the chill winter air and when he kissed my cheek I felt like it was over 100 degrees. "Thanks," He whispered into my ear. He brushed one of my windswept hairs behind me ears. He stood up suddenly. "Don't expect me to cry like that ever again. Consider that all the tears you will ever see from me." He said and I could see a faint blush creep into his cheeks. I stood up next to him and grabbed his hand as we walked through the front door of his house. "So… you're my girlfriend, huh?" He said nonchalantly and a blush was on my face in mere seconds. I hit his arm.
"I only agreed to that because you said it!" I lied. He however seemed unimpressed.
"Uh huh, yeah, sure," He smiled down at me.
"Friends," I said firmly. Not, my mind whispered.
"Friends," Stan repeated, laughing.