A/N: Hello, sorry it's been a while. Please review and follow!:)
"Clara Lake," the professor called, "Here's yours, very well done. You're doing as well as your father did."
After she said this the room fell silent, everyone was staring at Clara. Despite the fact that a few of them knew her only by name and blood status, they were all still rather shocked. Clara obviously looked the worst; it took her quite a while before she could muster up the energy to start a sentence. The elderly professor was beginning to worry when no one spoke and everyone's mouths had dropped.
"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" she said in her neat Scottish accent.
"No, no, my father was a muggle; I was muggle-born," Clara stuttered after a long pause.
"No, I am certain he went to Hogwarts, he left in fourth year. Miss Lake, your father was a wizard, I didn't know he hadn't told you but he was definitely a wizard," she said.
"No, you're getting it wrong, my father went to some boarding school in Scotland. He worked in some ministry…" at those words the professor raised an eyebrow. That was when it hit Clara, "…Oh!"
A few in the room found it a little funny that it had taken her so long to realise that he was a wizard, the rest were still shocked. Clara didn't speak after that, her face had paled and she looked sullen. Professor McGonagall handed out the remainder of the results and wished them a good holiday before she led them out of the room to finish packing.
"Clara, are you okay, you look slightly ill." Rose said as they made their way to the Gryffindor tower.
"No I'm fine, a bit shocked, that's all," Clara said as she picked herself up and forced a smile. Rose and the others were still worried though, she still looked a bit lost and uneasy. They reached the portrait hole and stepped through into the busy common room. Eliza was sat on the sofa reading a book, she looked up when she heard the swing of the portrait, she had been waiting for them to return, and wanted to find out why they hadn't got their results and what the headmistress wanted with them. The others walked towards her, Clara at the front, her forced smile no longer on; she had reverted back to the pale sullen ill look.
"Merlin's Beard, Clara, are you alright? What happened?" Eliza asked as Clara walked towards her and sat down.
"She's okay, I think. She has just found out that her dad was a wizard; not a muggle like she thought," Rose said as she sat down on the rugged sofa next to Clara who mumbled something incoherent as she nibbled a bit on her nails. Eliza set her book down beside her and leant over to Clara, and hugged her.
"Aww, Clara that must be shocking to hear," Eliza said.
"I'm not annoyed or anything; it's just that he never said. Like I understand that he died when I was only four, but still even my mum never said anything to me after then, or when I got my letter. I'm disappointed more than anything," Clara said glumly, "I am going to get so annoyed at her when I get home. She never said anything to me or Katie. Why didn't I see that he was very weird about his job, and he rarely spoke about when he was younger. It may also explain why I never saw my grandparents."
"Clara, don't blame yourself. It was their fault for never telling you. Also, just a question, was your mum weird about it when she found out you were a witch?" Rose said.
"Not really, well no weirder than any normal person would react in that situation. But she is a good actress, I am certain she knows. I won't say anything till I'm home tomorrow though. My mum and Katie are both coming to pick me up from the platform," Clara said as the others worried slightly about what she was going to do when she got home. Clara decided that it was best if she just retreated back to her dorm room and finished packing.
"I think we should check on Clara after she gets back, I don't want anything bad to happen, like her falling out with her mum. Clara said a few weeks ago that her fireplace was now able to be used to floo. I think I will just check the day after we get home that she's okay," Al said. The others agreed.
Clara tried to put it behind her that evening, thankfully her friends made that easy. The last evening was rather fun, and slightly manic thanks to the disorganisation of many of the students. Rose obviously had packed almost a week ago; Louis packed the next morning…ten minutes before they had to go to Hogsmeade station.
They went to bed rather late on the last night, understandably.
"So, where do you go on holiday?" Scorpius asked Eliza, they were all in an abandoned classroom as the Gryffindor common room was so busy, and they wanted to speak to the Scamander twins and Scorpius.
"I think we're going to Switzerland next Tuesday, my sister doesn't get off school till Friday. What you up to?" Eliza said slightly bored at the prospect of skiing, it seemed odd that it bored her to everyone else in the room.
"I think I'm being forced up to one of our other houses in Devon…wait no…Scotland… yep I'm going with Scotland, final answer," Scorpius said modestly whilst laughing, then reaching for a fizzing whizzbee.
"We're coming to yours obviously, and I also think we're coming over for a few days while our parents are away for work," Lorcan said as he stretched his legs in weariness.
"We're also going away Puerto Rico as dad's discovered a Striped Scrimble…or so he says he has, you never know with him or mum," Lysander mentioned amongst yawns.
"Oh wait I forgot to clarify. You're all okay to sleep over on New Year's. Mum said that we get the tree house and the younger ones get the outhouse. So like bring sleeping bags and stuff," Al said just as he remembered.
"If my dad's coming what the hell are we going to do like about Ron?" Scorpius said, shocked as he realised half-way through his consumption of a liquorice leech. He had managed to spit on Rose, who was sat opposite him. Rose wiped her face in disgust.
"Thanks!" Rose said disgusted.
"Sorry!" Scorpius muttered shyly.
"I think we will make a plan-" Rose started.
"Of destruction," Lorcan said triumphantly as he lifted his arm up in honour or victory. Everyone laughed at Lorcan's comment.
"No! A plan of desimation obviously!" Rose mocked as everyone laughed once again. They never did get round to the actual plans for New Year's, the Napoleonic wars came up. So the topic of famous wizards and witches that are appear to be muggles that aren't was discussed in a lot of detail, it shocked Eliza, Poppy and Clara all of whom hadn't got much knowledge of the wizarding world. They laughed for quite a while until they heard a prefect going past the door, at which point they decided that they should go back to their dorms as they didn't fancy losing points on the last day of term.
They creeped back to the towers in pairs in five minute intervals. Lorcan was in Ravenclaw but his twin, Lysander, was in Hufflepuff, they both had been hat stalls and both could have been in either house; they were as loyal and clever as each other. They all slept meagrely that night, the excitement of the holidays was one of the multiple reasons.
"What time do we need to be down at the entrance hall?" James asked his younger brother the next morning as he chewed his cheeriOwls sleepily.
"Ten fifteen I think," Al answered groggily, he wasn't fully awake yet.
"Sshh, please don't talk too loud, it's like nine and I got basically no sleep; so please shut up," Poppy moaned as she gave the Potters a hard stare before she returned to her tea, which had many sugars in.
"Ooooooooh! That's nice!" James mocked sarcastically. Poppy replied by throwing two pieces of recently buttered and rather jammy toast at him. His face was now covered in a sticky pinky-yellowy paste which everyone around him was now staring and laughing at. He quickly wiped it off, but his face still looked rather pink. Whether that was from the raspberry jam or his embarrassment no one knew. Fred and Molly found it the funniest; it also appeared that they wouldn't probably ever let this go; him getting in a food fight with a twelve-year old.
"Thanks Poppy, he really needed that," Molly said as she turned to the short blonde haired girl next to her.
"You're very welcome," Poppy answered as she pretended to bow.
A few minutes later the girls from Clara's dorm left to check that they had everything they needed for the holidays, as they were leaving some of their stuff at Hogwarts.
"I really need to go to Diagon Alley at some point, anyone want to come?" Rose asked as they reached the top of the stairs.
"Ooh yeah I really need to get another copy of Fantastic Beasts, I think Violet stole it, I saw her snooping in my bag in Potions," Poppy said, "Clara, you want to come?" Clara nodded; she hadn't spoken at all really since the day before.
"I'll write or something, Anna you want to come?" Rose said as they reached the portrait, recited the password then walked inside. The petite girl shook her head then ran up the steps to their dorm.
"That was weird," Eliza said as she looked up the stairs, and then looked back at the others with a weird expression on her face.
Half an hour later most of the students who were going home for the holidays were in the entrance hall.
"Where the hell are they?" Rose called as she looked up at the stairs, four of their friends still hadn't come down, Louis, Al, Chris and John, the last two they didn't actual know all that well, but they were all in the same dorm.
"Come on we need to go, Louis. Right we're leaving without you, you're spending the holiday with Lewis here. See you soon, we'll tell Vic, Dom and your parents that you couldn't be bothered to pack in time so you won't be home for Christmas. We'll say you're sorry," Al shouted as he pretended to leave.
"Geez, I am packing we're not going to die for being late, they know we're not staying here over the holidays," Louis shouted as he shoved a few t-shirts into his case.
"Right I'm going now. Lewis, have a nice holiday see you soon, I'll write. Come on Chris and John leave Louis. Bye Then!" Al said as the other two followed and he closed the door.
"No, no wait. Right I'm ready," Louis shouted as he patted his pockets and lifted his suitcase before saying goodbye to Lewis and exited the room, running up to the other boys.
"Oh wait, here they are!" Scorpius said as he looked back up to the stairs and saw four boys running down the steps. They quickly dumped their bags on the trolleys, and then walked over to their group of friends. The rest of the journey home was hassle free and rather fun. They reached platform 9¾ just before five, there were loads of parents and siblings on the platform edge, all waving frantically. Teddy Lupin was standing next to his godfather smiling sheepishly and holding roses for his girlfriend, Victoire. The train was busy and rowdy as it ground to a halt, bags were thrown around and people rushed off the train. Vic was one of the first, she was wearing probably one of the biggest smiles ever, and she sprinted towards Teddy, kissing and hugging him quickly. James obviously pretended to be sick as he stepped on to the busy platform and walked over to his sister and parents. Clara kept a straight and annoyed face as she walked over to Katie and her mum. Ginny and Harry walked over to them, along with Al and Lily.
"Hello you must be Louisa, Clara's mum, and this is Katie, right?" Harry said as he stretched out his hand, for Louisa to shake.
"Yes, I am,you're Harry and this must be your wife, Ginny, good to meet you. Are you sure you don't mind having us at New Year?" Louisa said as she picked up Clara's rucksack and greeted them kindly.
"Yes, yes that's fine. I'm sure Al's told Clara that the kids are staying over. You are welcome to stay over as well, If you want, do you?" Harry offered as his hands retreated back to his pockets, and Hermione and Ron's family also came up behind.
"Yes, but are you sure that's fine?" Louisa said as she adjusted the bags straps. Ginny and Harry both nodded. Ginny and Harry and their kids said goodbye to Louisa and then to Hermione and Ron before they excused themselves and they headed for the wall which would take them back to the muggle station. Hermione quickly after the Potters left she caught up with Louisa, who were now leaving.
"Sorry Louisa, I'm Hermione, Rose's mum. I was wondering if your family would like to come round for dinner sometime. I have a son your younger daughter's age, and Rose said that you liked reading and things, and I think it would be nice if we maybe got to know each other before the New Year's party, so you'd maybe know a few more people?" Hermione said as Louisa turned around.
"Oh that would be lovely, do you have a number? I could call you" Louisa asked. Hermione nodded then fished around in her handbag, then drew out a piece of paper and a pen. They exchanged numbers, and then they left, heading towards the floo station on the platform. Clara hadn't spoken since she had left the platform, her mum found this weird, because usually Clara was a very chatty girl, but this time she was silent and wore a hard stare. They soon found themselves in their kitchen, rather sooty, but fine. They dumped their bags, and Louisa put the kettle on. A few minutes later the three girls were sat at the kitchen table all with tea in their hands.
"So how's school?" Louisa said as she slowly sipped her rather hot mint tea. Clara didn't say anything, and continued to stare out the window where she could see the large tree house.
"Clara, hello. How was school?" Louisa said a little louder, as she frantically waved her hands in front of her daughters face. Clara looked away again.
"Come on, Clara what's wrong?" Louisa said as she pushed the plate of custard creams towards Clara.
"You tell me," Clara said as he cold stare, now looked into her mum's eyes, making her uncomfortable.
"Clara, what is it?" Louisa said as she fidgeted around in her seat
"Were you ever gonna tell us that dad was a wizard, huh?" Clara said.
"Clara-" her mum started before she was interrupted by her daughters shouting.
"WHAT, DAD WAS A WIZARD!" Katie shouted, almost choking on her tea.
"Why did you never tell us? You never said anything, not once!" Clara shouted as she put her tea down, not that calmly.
"DAD! ARE YOU SERIOUS HE WAS LIKE YOU AND ME?" Katie continued yelling.
"YES! Katie shut up he is, leave it and ask the actual questions!" Clara shouted at Katie.
"Mum, why won't you tell us?" Katie yelled.
"Katie Calm-"Louisa said calmly.
"You knew all along, we thought he was normal and we were just weird. We knew barely anything about him, and you knew so much more!" Clara shouted as she slammed the door, and walked out into the garden.
"Katie, I'm sorry-" Louisa started, before Katie too turned to leave.
"You're evil, to never say anything. Were you ever going to say?" Katie said as she went up the stairs to her room. Louisa sighed heavily, shook her head and continued to sip her tea. She decided it was best if she left them to cool down, and would explain what happened later, when they were less annoyed. She knew this day would come about eventually, but she had hoped it would be later on. She hadn't said anything for a reason but wasn't in love with the idea of telling her two children, who were both witches.
A few hours later Clara came back in to the house, Louisa was staring hard at some graphs for her work.
"Clara, please listen. If you go and get Katie, I will explain," Louisa said as she looked and folded the pages over.
"Promise?" Clara said.
"Yes, I do want to tell you, but you were being a little bit irrational earlier," Louisa said earnestly. Clara, still a little sceptical, ran up the stairs in search of Katie. She reached the door with the large poster of the Avengers on it. She knocked then called for her to come down. They went down the stairs and joined their mother who had made another three cups of tea.
"Right, I am going to explain what happened. Please don't judge me or your father for what happened, he didn't want you to be in danger," Louisa said before she started with her speech. Both her daughters wore sceptical looks, certain that they would have a fight after the conversation was over.
"Firstly, you know how I met your father?" Louisa asked after she had taken a rather large breath.
"Yes," The girls said in unison.
"Well, that really wasn't the whole story. You know how I said he was sat opposite me on the tube, and he was reading the paper and I asked if I could read one of the articles, and then we got chatting and we missed our stop. Well that's not what really happened. Clara, you know that the wizarding papers have pictures that move," Louisa said, before Katie interrupted.
"Cool!" Katie interrupted.
"Well, what I said was partly true, he was reading a paper, but it was a wizarding one. The picture on the front was peculiar, it was a young girl on a broomstick, but she kept flying around the page. Obviously I thought it was the weirdest thing ever so I asked what it was, and he denied that it moved, and then I commented on the weird article titles, 'Potter Girl is flying her best season, while pregnant!' He started laughing, and then we had an argument about whether it was real. After we got off on the wrong stop, he offered to buy me a drink, in compensation that I had missed my stop. We met up for coffee for a few weeks, and then he decided that we should have dinners rather than coffee. He met your grandparents, and then we went on a family holiday to Scotland. That was when he explained the newspaper, and then he told me that he was a wizard. I admit that I overreacted a little bit…" Louisa said with a large smile on her face, when she said the last comment Clara and Katie both had a 'you serious' face on.
"Okay, a lot," Louisa rephrased, "After that holiday I didn't see him for a week, but after that we moved in together. Two and a bit years later we got married, then four years later I became pregnant with you, Clara. We didn't tell you for a reason after you were born; I can't and won't tell you why. Someone with more knowledge of your world needs to tell you, I don't think I should. You should just know after he went, and I was left alone, thinking he hadn't been honest. I was a wreck when they found his body, but I knew he left for our safety. That's why I never told you afterwards, I didn't want you to get caught up in the mess he was. I am sorry you found out like this, I was going to tell you but I was worried what you'd think of me or him. Do you believe me that I didn't tell you for a decent reason?" Louisa finished letting out a big breath of air, waiting for the answer from her daughters who wore an unreadable expression.
"I guess, but you haven't really explained it all. I think I'm just going to think it over, can I go see Will and Georgie maybe?" Clara said quite uneasily. Her mother nodded and she left the room, grabbed her coat and left.
"So what's for tea?" Katie perked up, her mum was half glad and half confused by her daughters disregard for the information she had just received.
"Pizza?" her mum answered, after she had wiped her eyes, and lightly shook her head. Katie nodded enthusiastically as she then left to fetch her notebook, which was lying on the side of the breakfast table. Katie wrote everything down in notebooks; she had used up around sixteen since she had taken up the habit.
Clara didn't come back till late, a long time after the others had eaten, she had eaten dinner at Will's. She didn't say anything when she got back; she just headed straight to bed and was asleep by the time Louisa went to bed. The next morning Clara woke up late, as per usual. The others were already dressed by the time she came down at eleven.
"Morning, or shall I say almost afternoon," Katie said as she checked her Lego watch. Clara grumbled as she wandered over to the kettle and very slowly made herself a tea. She then made Nutella on toast. She was very tired, so there was quite a lot of Nutella on the toast, if Louisa had come into the room before she had lathered the Nutella on the toast. A few minutes later they heard a weird popping sound come from the fireplace, they turned and saw Al and Rose standing their, covered in soot.
"Umm, hello? What are you doing here, not being rude?" Clara asked with a mouthful of toast.
"Sorry, we were just checking you were okay, that you got back fine and stuff," Al said just as Louisa who thought them suddenly arriving was a bit weird, but she knew she would have to get used to people randomly dropping in.
"Actually, we were just checking nothing bad had happened about your father because you said you were really annoyed, and we are just checking you're okay," Rose said, Clara nodded then they said their goodbyes, and they went back to the burrow. Clara had a counter-productive day. She spent pretty much the first three days not really talking and reading in the garden on her own. She did however send letters to her friends, and saw Georgie and Will. Clara felt a little bit weird being with them though, because they were different now, well Georgie was. It wasn't like when they were together in primary school anymore, they had all grown up a bit in the last few months.
"Clara, we're going to Rose's house tomorrow night for dinner," Louisa said as Clara walked through the house dripping wet, "Wait, hold on a minute; why are you soaking wet?"
"Have you seen the weather?" Clara said as she pointed out of the window. Louisa ahh'd before she went back to her conference call.
The next day at six in the evening, the Lake family found themselves on the doorstep of Rose's house.
"Remember be polite, Clara don't ignore Katie when you're with Rose. Katie you aren't writing in that notebook the whole time, it's rather rude. And be polite," Louisa said just after she had knocked on the door. Seconds later Hermione answered the door, hair loosely tied in a bun, apron and oven mitts on.
"Come in. Hugo and Rose are in the living room," Hermione said as she ushered them in, taking the large tub of cupcakes Louisa had made earlier from her hands.
"Thank you so much for inviting us!" Louisa said as she followed Hermione into the kitchen, "Hello! You must be Ron, I'm Louisa."
Ron shook her hand then went over to a cupboard and asked what drink she'd like to have. Louisa opted for water; Ron then left the room and called for the children. Rose and Clara were in a deep conversation about some book; Hugo and Katie were talking about some TV show they both watch. They all sat down on the large dining room table, and Hermione started serving the lasagne.
"So what do you do in the muggle world?" Hermione asked after everyone had got their food, and they had dug in.
"Umm, well I am in science. I work with telescopes, I am an astrophysicist. But I'm not quite sure you know what that is," Louisa answered as she sipped her water. Hermione nodded enthusiastically as Louisa spoke.
"That sounds really interesting, we did astronomy in school up until third-year. What sort of thing do you do?" Hermione asked.
"Umm well, I study stars, like star systems. My speciality is sorting new stars that we find and sorting them into their types like Brown or White Dwarf etc. What do you do in the Wizarding world?" Louisa answered, hoping they'd understand at least some of what she was saying.
"I work in my brother's shop in Diagon Alley have been there. It's the rather large joke shop at the end," Ron answered laughing awkwardly.
"I work in the Ministry, I work in the Department Of Law Enforcement," Hermione said.
"That sounds really interesting. I saw your shop when I went with Clara. It's the one with the Puppet guy at the front that takes off his hat, right?" Louisa said.
"Yeah, we're trying to open a new shop in the village next to Hogwarts, where we are trying to get a puppet to dance on the roof," Ron said laughing. The children were all immersed in a conversation about Quidditch. They were telling Katie about it, Hugo was explaining which team was the best 'nicely'. By dessert they were all laughing like old friends.
"…and then it went all over my face!" Louisa said laughing, "I was wondering, how you two met?"
"School. I think you met Harry at the station last week. Well, we were all in the same year, we were really good friends, since our first-year. During the last year of school we ended up together and Harry ended up with Ron's sister, Ginny, who you also met," Hermione explained.
"How did you propose?" Louisa asked, a huge smile on her face.
"Shall I do it, Mione?" Ron asked looking at his wife, she nodded, "Well when I first met her I was on the train to Hogwarts, and I was with Harry. We didn't like her at first, but as she left the compartment, she pointed out that I had dirt on my nose. A few years after we had left school we were living together, and I came into the front room with a little bit of dirt on my nose," at this moment Louisa aww'd, Hugo imitated being sick, "Thanks Hugo, well Hermione looked at me and walked over and asked to get the dirt. I said its luck for what I'm about to ask. Then I asked her and she freaked out, and then said yes."
Then Hermione and Louisa helped clear up in the kitchen, they had let the kids watch a movie in the other room. Ron had escaped to feed Rose and Hugo's guinea pigs, he didn't really want to disturb them and make them feed the animals.
"Thank you for having us over, it's nice to know some else that will be there on New Year's," Louisa said as she dried up the large lasagne dish.
"Yeah, I think it's good for Katie and Clara," Hermione said as she washed the cups up, "Ooh wait, do you want to see our library? Rose said you liked reading."
"Oh yes please!" Louisa answered. She then followed Hermione into the hallway, then she opened a door, that didn't look like a door, it was secret door. The door opened to a small room which was basically all book shelves.
"So this is the library. I always loved books growing up, so when I moved here just before Hugo was born, a book room was the first on my agenda. So what do you like to read?" Hermione said as she looked up and around.
"Romance books. Classics. I love Jane Austen," Louisa said as she looked along the spines of some of the books.
"Oh if you like her you have to try this. She's a witch, but she writes the sweetest books," Hermione said as she looked for the author she had in mind, "Borrow this one."
"You sure?" Louisa asked as she took the book, Hermione nodded. Hermione then showed her the reading room which was disguised behind a door that looked like a bookshelf. The reading room in question was filled with cushions and throws.
It was beginning to get late, so Louisa went to fetch Clara and Katie.
"Sorry girls, we need to go. I have work tomorrow," Louisa said as she put her coat on. The girls moaned before they got their coats.
"Thanks so much for having us, and for the book. Girls say thanks," Louisa said.
"Thank you," the girls said in unison.
"Our pleasure, see you soon," Ron said as he closed the door.
The girls stepped into the cold evening in search of the car.