Getting the Best
As the Christmas party approached Harry started to feel excited about getting his friends, who he missed very much. As the basilisk teeth were inside Hermione's trunk, he and James decided to keep the diary locked to prevent anyone from falling in temptation of using it.
The morning of the day before the party they would seat on the breakfast table to plan which would be the "route" to pick everybody that day.
"Morning, Mum." James yawned when they got to the kitchen, which already smelled great for the food.
"Harry, darling, I've made cookies for you…"
Harry smiled. In little time he learned to appreciate the special care Mrs. Potter had for James and his friends, and didn't blame Sirius for liking her so much. Every morning of every day she would make him cookies, after knowing he liked them very much, as well as a big sandwich of bacon and eggs for James. Harry, who had never been treated so well even by the Weasleys, felt a clutch in the heart by the thought of the end of the holiday, along with this special care.
"Let's start by the Prewett's house." James planned as they ate. "But they won't come with us; Hermione needs to destroy the diary with the teeth. After I'll go to Peter's house to pick him up, and you can go to a near village where Frank lives with his mum, Augusta. When Peter, Frank, Alice and Neville are with us, we leave them here and travel to London, where we go straight to the apartment."
"OK. Sirius will bring the gifts, won't he?"
"Yes. Everybody sent their gifts there; I just hope Sirius hasn't opened any…"
After finishing eating and saying goodbye to Mrs. Potter they entered the fireplace one by one. Harry glued his elbows to his body when they touched one side of the bricks, whilst the sound of voiced became increasingly louder.
When all finally stopped he stepped beside James, gazing bewildered at the Prewett's house.
It was a large room, but full of people, and the boys were received by Ginny, who held a boy with her.
"James, Harry!" she smiled, kissing them both on the cheek. When they parted she noticed they inquiring gaze upon the child with her, and smiled when said:
"This is Charlie. Charlie, say hello to Uncle Harry, will you?"
Harry let his chin fall down when he looked at the red – headed boy biting a fur dragon, not imagining how he could one day become Ginny's older brother. He couldn't be more astonished until another boy, few years older than the one she held, entered the room and nested near her.
"Cousin, tell Uncle Gideon to stop scaring us with monster stories!"
"Gideon, stop it, stupid! Then Bill can't sleep and I have to care for him! Don't you know Molly can't be awake at night, git?"
Gideon entered the room grinning.
"Sorry, I was just trying-"
"GIDEON, COME HERE!" Fabian yelled from the far. "MOLLY WANTS TO GET DOWN, AND I AM SURELY NOT LEVITATING HER OVER HERE!"
"Where's Arthur?"
"Working, duh." Ron got in carrying some toys. "Hey, Harry, James, how are you?"
The two gazed at each other, bewildered of all that mess.
"Is this-"
"Granny Prewett's house." Ginny laughed as she messed Bill's hair. "It's always like this. Grandpa and she are travelling so they invited Molly and Arthur to stay here and take care of Fabian and Gideon, but who's taking care of her is us, really. She's pregnant." She completed with a blink.
The room's door opened again, and Fabian and Gideon walked in, each one holding an arm of a pretty red – headed woman, carrying a big belly. Harry and Ginny exchanged looks, smiling at the sight of Molly Weasley, almost twenty years younger, entering and smiling at them.
"Oh, you must be Fabian and Gideon's friends, aren't you? Sorry for such inconvenience, but it's so hard to carry two babies at once! I just hope one of them is a girl, Arthur and I have been wishing a girl so dearly…"
Helped by her brothers, she sat on an armchair and stretched her arms to the kids.
"Charlie, darling, come with mummy… Ginny, thank you for helping with the boys, I'm so glad to have a woman to help… Bill and Charlie like you so much, I'm impressed!"
She grinned and Ron cleaned his throat.
"It's a pity, Molly; they are here for us… We'll have to go, I'll call Hermione."
The woman's smile faded.
"I'll miss you… Where is Hermione, speaking of her?"
"Studying upstairs… She can't rest!"
"Excuse us…" Harry followed Ron.
"Tell her to take the teeth. We've found the diary."
Ron's eyes widened and he nodded as he climbed the stairs. Relieved, Harry started going down, almost tripping on Bill, who was running after Charlie.
"Well, promise me we'll see each other soon." Molly beamed and Ginny hugged her.
"We promise, Molly. You're surely going to see us soon."
Ron and Hermione hugged her as soon as they arrived. Hermione vanished first through the fireplace, followed by Ginny. When Ron was about to depart, he lowered to Charlie's height and whispered:
"Well, bye, Charlie… If someday you have a younger brother who, in a complete accident, makes you break a leg, please don't be mad at him, or hang him by the ankles outside the window, ok?"
Harry saw Ron grin and blink at him.
"Potter's House!" he yelled, vanishing. James looked confused at Harry, but said nothing. After saying goodbye to the Prewetts the two boys took the fireplace and ended at different directions.
Harry got out dizzy at the Longbotton's living room, and was relieved to see no mess in there. Alice, Frank and Neville chatted excitedly, under the gaze of Mrs. Longbotton. When he arrived the woman walked sternly towards him, giving her hand.
"Hello, you must be Frank's friend." She smiled. "Dear, get your things…And Alice's too, be a gentleman please, boy."
"So, you go to the Potter's house by Floo Network, ok?" he explained, indicating the fireplace with his hand. "I'll meet James in a moment, but we go alone."
They nodded, and in few minutes vanished. He heard a click, and James appeared beside him holding the arm of a chubby man.
"Thank you, Mr. Pettigrew!" the thanked, and the man disappeared. "Let's go, New Kid?"
They made their way again to the fireplace, and Harry wondered if someday that dizziness of travelling by fireplaces would ever stop. A cold wind hit his face, and he opened his eyes. They were in a room filled of colorful presents. When he stepped out of the fireplace, James and Regulus were already putting the colored boxes into a bigger sack. Sirius then appeared, and James rose to give more instructions.
"Take that to my house, ok?"
The two brothers held the sides of the sack and Sirius helped Regulus to apparated. When they were gone, James turned to Harry.
"Now we go to Lily's parents…"
"Do you want to go alone?" Harry asked insecurely. James widened his eyes.
"No! I mean, I'm not scared… I just don't know a thing about muggles, need your help… Of course you don't need to go if you don't want to…"
"It's ok, I'll go."
"Thank you! Really, how can a thank-"
"Just shut up and don't mess things with the Evans, ok?"
Harry walked to the fireplace and started a fire with his wand. When he entered, Harry noticed James was getting nervous and sweaty.
"Are you sure their fireplace is in the network?"
"What? Oh, yes, yes. My father called his friends at the Department of Magical Transportation and they arranged it."
"Ok, I'll wait for you there."
And the last sight he had of James was a quick movement of his hand over the hair before vanishing.
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