NOTE: It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, since then, I've moved up to my college apartment and done some more writing for other stories. But who has seen the last (*tear*) Harry Potter movie? I was switching between dry sobbing and crying the entire time. And of those who've seen the movie, who else thought Maggie Smith was BEYOND amazing? The whole cast was. What was your favorite scene? Mine were the epilogue and Snape's memories. Those two, along with the use of the track "Leaving Hogwarts" from the first movie were my absolute favorite parts. What about your least favorite parts? I only found two things that bugged me- the fact that Harry didn't repair the phoenix wand at the end and Harry's confrontation with Voldemort. Other than those two parts, the movie was perfect! Anyway, sorry for the super long A/N. Enjoy~
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Valentine woke up to see her cousin Angela on the top bunk, arm dangling off the side of the bed. Annabeth was on the bottom bunk, lying on her side with her back to Valentine. The room's walls were so thin that she could hear Percy's snoring relatively clearly. She suppressed a chuckle.
Valentine laid in bed for another hour and a half until she looked at her calender. July 24th. The clock said 8:09am. Valentine shot out of bed. "Mum!" She practically ran to Lois' room and opened the door quietly. Her parents weren't in bed- she heard the shower and knew that her father would be in there. He had to be at the hospital at 9am every day. She smelled bacon- that would be her mom cooking. Valentine ran downstairs. "Mum?"
"Yes dear?"
"Do you want me to wake everyone else up?"
"Please do."
Valentine walked back upstairs, pausing on the landing to savor the scent of bacon. There was another scent that she hadn't smelled before- fresh bread and eggs, seasoned with all sorts of spices. It smelled delicious.
Valentine ran the rest of the way up the stairs to the boys' room. She pounded on their door. "Chip! Percy!" No response. "If you don't get up soon, I'll drop dungbombs on your beds!"
She heard a thud and a groan. The door opened and a bedraggled Percy answered. "What?"
"Breakfast. Wake Chip up for me."
"No need," said Chip, passing Percy and Valentine up. Upon smelling the delectableness of their breakfast, he practically flew up the stairs.
Percy made to follow, but Valentine stopped him. "Hey! What gives?"
"How is he?"
"What do you mean?" Percy crossed his arms and sighed. "It takes him forever to fall asleep, if that's what you mean. Sometimes he has nightmares and wakes up." Valentine's eyes grew soft with worry. Percy didn't miss it. "He'll be ok."
Valentine hugged him suddenly. He patted her awkwardly on the back. She went to the door of her room and looked back at Percy. She smiled. "I'll see you downstairs." She opened the door.
She shook Annabeth's shoulder. "Anny!" She used the nickname because it bugged her. Annabeth pulled the blanket over her head and groaned.
"Breeeeeeakfast!"
Annabeth uncovered a single eye. "What is it?"
"Your faaaavorite," said Valentine, dragging out the word.
Annabeth sat up and yawned, her hair a sleepy halo around her face.
"You guys are so loud," grumbled Angela, as she got out of bed.
Valentine laughed. "Come on! Fresh bread, bacon and eggs."
They came as fast as they could downstairs. Breakfast conversation turned to their summer plans- Lois and Peter could only get three weeks off apiece, so the kids wouldn't be with both of their parents all summer, but other family members would be there, aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins, both young and old.
"Early this year," remarked Lois as she turned around. She opened the window and five owls flew in, one for each student. The family then decided to go school shopping that day. They'd be there anyway, so why not?
Ms. V. Lynn
The kitchen
6 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
Valentine found her booklist, and saw that there were only two authors on the list, but no less than eight books on the list: The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk; and Break with a Banshee, Gadding with Ghouls, Holidays with Hags, Travels with Trolls, Voyages with Vampires, Wandering with Werewolves and Year with the Yeti, all by Gilderoy Lockheart.
"The new Defense teacher must be a witch," said Percy.
"What makes you say that?" asked Angela.
"Look at the bottom seven books," said Percy, handing his list over.
"I've got the same seven!" exclaimed Angela.
"What are they?" asked Valentine. "I've got seven Lockheart books on the bottom."
"Me too!" exclaimed all the other students.
"Accio!" Lois summoned the lists to her. "We'll handle this when we go to Diagon Alley. For now, eat!" She looked at the lists and wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, Gilderoy Lockheart. I never liked him." She took a plate of food and sat down at the table. "We went to school together. He was stuck up then and he probably hasn't changed at all since then."
The kids hadn't known that. "Wah hooz wa he een?" Percy's mouth was full to bursting. The girls and Chip chuckled as Percy swallowed it all with a gulp of milk. "What house was he in?"
"He was in Ravenclaw with me. He tried so hard for years to get me to go out with him. He's a prat."
Peter came downstairs dressed for work. "Morning dear." He put some food on his plate and sat down. Lois flicked her wand and his tea made itself. Another flick, and the full tea cup landed right in front of Peter. "Thank you."
They finished eating. Peter had gone, so it was just Valentine, Chip, Angela, the twins and Lois. The clock now read: "10:13am". Lois flicked her wand and the dishes cleaned themselves. Within a few minutes, they were neatly stacked in the various cabinets, ready for use at dinner that night.
"Now go get dressed, kids!"
"Bu Muuuuuum! I'm not a kid!" whined Percy.
"You are when you whine like that." She gently shoved him up the stairs.
A few minutes later, all the kids were dressed, wearing their cloaks, aside from Chip and Angela. They went to the fireplace and Annabeth stepped in, grabbed some Floo powder, yelled out, "Diagon Alley!" and was gone a second later. A few minutes later, all six of them were brushing ash off themselves in the Leaky Cauldron.
"'Allo, Ma'am."
"Good morning, Tom," said Lois with a smile. She ushered her charges into the back and opened the gate.
Gringotts was first on the list. They approached the white marble building and entered. They came to the counter. "Morning," said Lois to the goblin in charge. "We need to transfer some money."
"You have both keys?"
Lois pulled them out. "Vault 230 and 327 please."
"Gox!"
And it was the same goblin that helped them out last year. They first went to James and Cynthia's vault and transferred it all to Lois'. She swept a lot of gold into a big leather pouch.
First they went to Ollivander's for Chip and Angela's wands, a nine inch, maple and phoenix feather and a ten inch with dragon heartstring, respectively. They got their robes at Madame Malkin's, potion ingredients and cauldrons at the apothecary, everyone's books and owls for Chip and Angela. It was finally time to get Terry from the Leaky Cauldron.
The six were sitting for only a moment when Terry and his mom came through the door.
Valentine stood up. "Terry! I didn't know you lived in London!" She came over and gave him a hug.
Terry eyed the packages. "It's a little early for school shopping, isn't it?"
Valentine shrugged. "It was easier." Then she grinned broadly. "The only thing left on the list is my broom! Wanna come with?"
Terry smiled. "Sure, but after lunch. I'm starved!"
Valentine laughed. "That's just like you!"
Linda hugged Terry from behind. "I'll see you soon, ok?" She handed him his trunk. "Send an owl if you need anything."
Terry hugged her back. "I will, Mum. I love you."
"Love you too," she said. Linda kissed Terry on the cheek and apparated away. Terry wiped his cheek.
"So, on to Quality Quidditch Supplies then!" said Valentine.
"After lunch," said a weary Lois.
They ate a hearty lunch, and with their packages, trudged to the store. They wandered around the store for a while, and eventually, Valentine chose a new broom called the Tailwind 360.
Once they were back at the Leaky Cauldron, they went back to the house via the Floo network. Lois divided the remaining gold into five piles, one for each child. Annabeth and Percy got a little more because of Hogsmeade. They swept the gold into leather pouches and put their school supplies in their trunks, minus Valentine's broom.
"Mum, when do we leave?" asked Percy.
"When your father gets home," said Lois.
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Peter got home three hours later, irked by his boss Dr. Gregory Wilson. After a quick rant about how absurd his policies were, Peter went upstairs to shower and pack.
It was decided to take a portkey. Lois got some Floo powder and threw it into the fire, stuck her head in and clearly yelled, "Cheryl Lynn's kitchen!" Her head popped up in the kitchen and coughed. "Ash mouth. Yuck."
Luckily, Cheryl was there. "Lois!" She knelt by the fire. "Yes?"
"If I haven't already let you know, Valentine invited a friend along."
Cheryl smiled. "No worries. You told me before- I have plenty of room."
"Great! There are eight of us- me, Peter, Val, the twins, Angela, Chip, and Terry. We'll be arriving by portkey soon." Lois winced a little. "My knees hurt. Anyway, I'm almost out of Floo powder, so portkey it is." She coughed. "The trip to Diagon Alley early cleaned me out. When the kids are situated at your house, I'll go get more."
"And by soon, you mean..." Cheryl gestured with her hands.
"Within the hour. We'll see you soon." Lois pulled out of the fire place to find everyone waiting, apparently for her.
"Got your bags?" asked Peter.
"Of course!" Lois levitated their portkey to the middle of the room. "Into the backyard, everyone." Once outside, Lois said, "Grab hold. One, two...three!"
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NOTE: Heeeey people! What did you think?