Hi guys, sorry it's been so long. This isn't the best chapter but I hope you like it!

Chapter 27

Alexis's POV

I apparated home as soon as the battle ended. I felt horrible for not helping with the clean-up but I couldn't face Charlie. I had seen him, across what was once the quidditch pitch, fighting back to back with Bill, his face set in a mask of anger and concentration. I had lost sight of the pair of them as I fought, throwing killing curses at approaching Death Eaters. My parents were in my living room when I arrived, Mum was clutching the note I left. They were overjoyed to see me and reprimanded me for my foolishness. I told them of what I had seen of the battle. I told them of Harry's victory, and of what had happened to Fred. Mum held me as the tears flowed as I recounted every detail of my shield charm, my first killing curse and seeing the others move but not him. Dad was shocked that I had cast an unforgivable curse, Mum didn't really understand.

"You cast a killing curse on the Death Eater?"

I nodded, "And others. He wasn't the only one."

He didn't say anything; he sat silently, his head in his hands.

"Dad I had to. I kn…"
"I'm not angry or upset Alexis. Not with you. I am somewhat with myself for allowing you to be in such a situation. But I'm… well, I suppose the only word I can use is proud. Proud that you were strong enough to do such a thing and save so many people."

"I did what I could. I don't want to do it ever again. Ever."

We sat in silence for a few minutes until the repeated message on the radio was interrupted.

"Ladies and gents, boys and girls, the war is over. Harry Potter was victorious. Voldemort is dead," George's voice crackled through the speaker. "Unfortunately, the casualties were many. Many brave people died tonight protecting what is right, they will never be forgotten."

I cried silently, waiting for him to say that his twin was dead.

"And on a brighter note, a lesson was learnt tonight by my dear twin. That lesson would be…" George said, letting the sentence go unfinished.

"Never, ever put your wand away in the middle of a battle."

I sat up; astonished at the voice I had just heard.

"And always help your incompetent friends with their shield charms, you never know, they may save your life one day," Fred finished.

"That was Fred," I laughed, "He's alive. My shield charm worked!"

The weeks following the end of the war were horrible. The list of those that had lost their lives seemed endless; it took up pages upon pages of the Daily Prophet. The other thing I noticed that saddened me was the advertisements for orphanages. There were so many children that had lost their parents during the days of chaos and had no one else to take them. I looked at the ads for a few days before I made my decision. I was going to adopt one of the orphans. I apparated to my parents' house to inform them of my decision.

"Mum, Dad, I have something really important to tell you. Promise you won't freak out," I said after I had gathered them into the living room.

"I have decided that I'm going to adopt one of the orphans from the war. There are so many of them and I'm not really doing what I was planning on doing at this stage of my life so I figured I should."

"But Alexis you're so young!"

"Mum, there are plenty of girls out there that have children of their own and they are younger than me. I'm not doing anything; I'm working a muggle job, not studying magical creatures like I wanted to be. I need to do something worthwhile, and I always wanted kids anyway, this wasn't really what I had planned but none of this was."

After much debate they finally saw my point of view.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Mum asked.

"No I'll be alright. I'll let you know how I go," I said before apparating to the address I had seen advertised.

The orphanage didn't look like I expected it to. It wasn't a dark, run down place like in the movies but it wasn't a bright, happy place either, it was just a large building. I took a deep breath and went inside. There was a bored looking woman sitting at the reception desk.

"Can I help?" she asked, barely glancing up from her paperwork.

"I'm looking to adopt."

She stopped writing and looked up smiling, "Oh good. I thought you were dropping more off. We seem to have more coming in than going out these days. I'll just get Arlene and she will talk you through the process."

I read the posters on the wall while she went into an office and came out with a short, plump lady.

"Hello dear, looking to adopt? I'm Arlene."

"I'm Alexis."

"Come through to my office and I'll tell you a bit about the process before we go any further."

I followed her through to a cosy little office and sat opposite her.

"Alright, there are just a few questions I need to run through with you first, just to get a bit of an idea of if this is right for you."

I nodded, slightly nervous.

"How old are you, dear?"

"Almost twenty," I responded.

She made a note on her parchment and continued, "Any other children?"

"No."

"Partner?"

"No."

"Occupation?"

"I work at a muggle supermarket," I said, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Do you live in your own house/ flat etc.?"

"Yes."

"Do you own it?"

"Yes."

She nodded, seemingly impressed.

"Did you finish school?"

"Yes. Not last year the year before."

"Have you had experience with children?"

"Not really, no. But I really want to do this and I am a fast learner."

"Do your family and friends support your decision?"

"Yes."

She was silent for a moment while she looked over her notes.

"Well, while you are younger than most of the people we have come through, I think you'll be alright. You seem very mature for your age, and determined. Follow me and we'll go and see the children."

I grinned as I followed her out of the office and further into the orphanage.

"This is all the children under two play," she explained as she led me into a brightly coloured room.

There were eight children in this room, some playing and some eating. A blonde boy playing in a ball pit caught my eye. He was throwing the balls in the air and laughing as they landed around him. I headed over towards him.

"This is Lucas," Arlene told me, "he's 22 months old."

"Hey Lucas," I said as I sat beside the ball pit.

He picked up a ball and threw it at me, laughing. I picked up a ball and gently threw it back to him. He laughed when it landed amongst the other balls.

"Are you going to say hello, Lucas?"

"Hewo. Want ball?" He asked, handing me a ball.

"Thank you," I smiled as I took the ball from him

"I want him," I told Arlene.

She looked a little shocked, "Are you sure? You haven't even met any of the others yet."

"I'm sure."

"Alright then. Lucas, this is your new mummy, Alexis."

I held my arms out to Lucas and he put his arms up, wanting me to pick him up. I picked him up and followed Arlene back to the office to fill out the necessary paperwork.

Half an hour later I was back in my flat. I sat Lucas on the floor and let him play with the balls Arlene had let him take while I flooed my parents.

Mum was already in the living room, waiting for news, when my head appeared in her fireplace.

"Hey, you guys should come over," I said, before disappearing again.

Five minutes later my parents apparated into my living room, Mum must have wanted to get here fast, she hated it when Dad apparated her and avoided it if she could. When she regained her balance and could see straight, her eyes darted around the room, until they landed on me.

"Mum, Dad, this is Lucas."

Mum came and sat beside me on the couch, looking to Lucas.

"Can I hold him?" she asked.

I handed him to her and she sat with him on her lap tickling him and talking to him.

"How old is he?" Dad asked.

"22 months. Both of his parents were magic so he should be too."

"I thought you would have gone for one a little older," Mum said.

"I didn't know what age I wanted really and I didn't get past him anyway. I saw him and knew it was meant to be."