I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Extended Family
Chapter 80 – Knowing where to Look
Starts before chapter 144 of Family.
"Mummy?"
"Yes Bun?" Angelina said, smiling at her daughter.
"I love you."
"Aww, I love you too Bun." Angelina hugged Hailey warmly. "Now tell me what you want."
"Hmm?"
"Don't give me that. I know you're buttering me up." Angelina's breath caught in her throat when Hailey looked up at her with impossibly wide eyes brimming with emotion. She blinked slowly, her eyes soulful and expressive. Angelina hugged her hard, anything to banish the expression before freezing.
"Wait a second. I know that look." She held Hailey at arm's length and the little girl's lip quiver had nothing to do with showing emotion but with withholding laughter. "Where did you learn that? Did Papa Harry teach you that?"
"Uhm, maybe?" Hailey looked away.
Angelina tickled her until the girl was squirming and giggling. "Fess up! Did Papa Harry teach you the Look?!"
"Never!" Hailey shrieked as she tried to stop the ticklish assault. She managed to squirm away and dash away giggling.
"Don't think I can't catch you even with me pregnant!" Angelina chased after her and scooped her up, flopping down on the couch and holding onto her. "Now I got you!"
George walked in, smiling broadly at the sights and sounds of his wife and daughter laughing and squealing. "What's going on now?"
"This one used the Look on me and I want to know how she learned it!" Angelina said, talking loudly over Hailey's shrieking laughter. "Confess!"
"Help me, Daddy!" Hailey squealed.
"Sorry Bun, there's no going against your Mummy when she's like this," George said, wearing a look of deep resignation. "This goes against every bit of my being, but you might have to fess up to who taught you."
"That looks like that hurts you to say that," Angelina snorted.
"You know my history of never confessing to anything," George snickered. "But mum's have powers that cannot be denied when you're this age."
Hailey resisted for a few more minutes before she finally capitulated. "Papa Harry didn't teach me, I watched him do it."
"Oof, they're at that age already," George groaned. "Better start watching myself."
"You never have before, why start now?" Angelina smiled.
"Gosh, you just get me," George smiled and kissed her. "So who did Papa Harry use the Look on? KatiMum should be fairly immune to it."
"Nana Andi. She was mummy scolding him and he used it on her and she stopped. He also did it to Grandma Sammy to win an argument against KatiMum."
"That's dirty," Angelina laughed. "I hope this is a lesson for you Bun. Using the Look on me might not get you what you want."
"I wanted hugs and tickles."
Angelina's heart melted. "Okay, sometimes it does. But don't let it be a habit." She sighed softly when Hailey used the Look on George and she ran off squealing with George in hot pursuit. "In one ear and out the other."
She waved her wand and a small mirror came flying to her. "Alicia Wood," she said. The mirror's surface shimmered and after a few minutes, Alicia's face appeared. "Hey. Question."
"Of course."
"Have your babies used the Look on you?"
"Melanie has not, since she is still an actual baby, but Hadley did recently. I've been meaning to ask you if you taught her that." Alicia huffed. "I was telling her to clean up her toys and she used it on me. It took considerable will to not double down or relent." A small smile appeared. "So, Hailey used it on you?"
"Yeah and it's a good one. She said she learned it from watching Rabbit."
"Hadley said the same."
"So seeing how they learned it from him, we should teach Dally."
"He technically didn't teach them per se," Alicia mused.
"No, but they still learned it from him."
"Why should we be the only ones that suffer from it?" Alicia smiled.
"Exactly."
"Though you know, she has him wrapped around her finger regardless."
"All of the girls have him wrapped around their fingers."
Alicia laughed. "True and he somehow has managed not to spoil them rotten."
"He's the best," Angelina laughed.
-0-
The next day, Angelina brought Hailey and Dahlia to Alicia's home for a play date. Before they got into real playing, Angelina had Dahlia sit on the couch in front of them and had Hailey and Hadley run around for a few moments without Dahlia.
"You're not in trouble," Alicia said comfortingly, juggling Melanie from one shoulder to the other. "AngieMum and I wanted to teach you something."
"Oh, are they not supposed to know?" Dahlia asked, feeling better.
"No, they already know it and I didn't want to teach them something to use against us. Which means don't you use what we're about to teach you against us either Dally," Angelina said.
"Uh…okay?" Dahlia said, obviously confused.
"Do you know what the Look is?" Alicia asked.
"Mummy's 'pointed face look?"
Angelina grinned. "No, not the disappointed look."
"Hedwig's bacon look?"
"Not that one either," Alicia snorted.
"Oh the Look Daddy does sometimes?"
"Yes that!"
Dahlia looked concerned. "Mummy said I can't learn that Look from Daddy."
Alicia and Angelina wore identical grins. "Well good thing you won't be learning it from Daddy, isn't it?" Their grins widened at Dahlia's happy clapping.
"So the key to the Look is using your eyes. Keep them wide, stare, and blink slowly without breaking eye contact. Try to summon up every ounce of looking cute and pitiful." Alicia narrowed an eye. "What."
"You look silly," Dahlia giggled.
"Your face is silly!"
Angelina bit her knuckle and turned away to hide her expression, shoulders shaking silently.
Alicia coughed. "Okay, well, I never was great at it but my reasoning stands. Now you try it."
"Tilt your chin down some and look up more," Angelina coached. "Yeah like that. It makes it that much more adorable."
"Good job," Alicia smiled after some more practice and tips. "Now, you are never to use this against us since we taught you and be careful on who you use it on. Clear?"
"Clear! Thank you AliMum and AngieMum!" Dahlia hugged both women and kissed them on the cheeks before running outside. The women could hear the girls chatting and giggling through the open door and it was a sweet sound.
"You know she's going to be teaching the other two," Angelina said.
"And they will be teaching her in turn," Alicia said.
"We created monsters."
"Ideally we won't be subjected to it too much. I made sure Hadley knew that her Look won't work on me that much."
"So far Hailey does it to us when she wants us to chase her and tickle her."
Alicia smiled. "Adorable. Also quite kind of her to keep you fit with exercise."
Angelina patted her front gently. "Sure, that's one way to look at it. Makes sense your bunny wants to get out of things with it."
Alicia snorted richly. "Quite. I wonder what Dahlia will use it for."
"For snuggling I bet," Angelina laughed.
"Baby bird will be forever trapped if the girls use the Look on them for that," Alicia laughed. "As if he wasn't already."
-0-
Alicia picked up her mirror and smiled at the face within it. "Hello Katie."
"Was it you?" Katie asked, a wry grin on her face.
"Was what me?"
"Teaching the bunnies the Look."
"I can honestly say it was not just me," Alicia hedged.
"Uh huh," Katie said, clearly disbelieving.
"What happened?" Alicia asked, smiling broadly.
"The girls used the Look on Harry and begged to cuddle with him after lunch. He melted and refuses to leave the chair now and asked me to write a sick note to the team Healer."
"And what's the problem with that?" Alicia asked, fighting laughter.
"He's not sick and I'm the team Healer! Then the girls turned the Look on me!"
Alicia howled with laughter. "Well just write a note to the team and say that you both came down with something or need to watch the girls for the afternoon. Isn't it an off week for Portree anyways?"
"That's not the point!" Katie shook her head, unable to shake her smile away. "And it really is tempting but that's beside the point. I thought we'd swear never to teach the girls that."
"Hadley knew it before I could say anything," Alicia shrugged. "I assumed she taught the other two."
"I need to figure out who taught them. Harry wouldn't. He doesn't need to have it used on him for him to be with the girls. I called Angelina first and she said the same thing you did."
"A mystery then," Alicia coughed. "Do you want me to come by and pick up Hadley then to reduce temptation?"
"No it's okay. Practice this week was mostly light anyways so it's not a big deal. I just thought you'd get a kick out of it." Katie's giggles mingled with Alicia's. "Besides, would you want to ruin this?"
Alicia cooed at the sight through the mirror, of her daughter and god-daughters snuggling with Harry in his big comfortable chair in a happy pile. "No, I would be a monster."
"I'm going to go back to the Port to do some paperwork and to tell them that Harry got 'indisposed' somehow. Then pick up some things on the way back. You want to come over for dinner tonight?"
"Sounds wonderful to me. I'll bring some sweets."
-0-
A few years later.
"Auntie Luna?"
Luna wandered to the front of her home and smiled at the visitor. "Hello Dally. How are you?" She happily hugged the girl.
"I'm good! I'm delivering pies."
"Oh thank you so much," Luna said and took the plate, popping one into her mouth. "Delicious as always. Did you help?"
"How did you know?" Dahlia asked, preening slightly.
"The texture is a little bit different. Not bad, but slightly different."
"I'm surprised you can tell," Dahlia said, eyes wide.
"I notice odd little things like that." She blinked a few times. "Such as you seem a bit put out. Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine," Dahlia said slowly. "I'm just feeling silly."
Luna hummed. "Do you wish to talk about it?"
"It's nothing bad. I just tried to give the Look to Aunties Daffy and Taffy and they said it was good but it wasn't that effective." Dahlia pouted slightly.
"Go on then." Luna observed Dahlia closely. "Unfortunately, I must agree with them. It's a good Look but it's a bit limited."
"Boo," Dahlia said glumly. "I normally don't want to use it but if I don't use it, how do I get better at it?"
"By having someone help you of course. Come in, I will teach you."
"Really?!"
"Oh yes, I am quite good at it if I may say so," Luna smiled. "I mostly use it to amuse myself and the others but it is very effective."
"Where did you learn how to do it?"
"Your Daddy of course."
"AngieMum and AliMum taught me," Dahlia giggled.
"A fine foundation and like all good foundations, plenty of room to build on top," Luna said confidently.
-0-
"Hi Luna," Harry smiled as he opened the door. "Come in."
"Is Iris or Dahlia available for auntie time?" Luna asked as she walked into the home. "And I am here to visit with you too of course."
"Dahlia is out with Katie and SamaMum. I'm pretty sure I know the answer but Rilly, would you like some Auntie Luna time?" Harry grinned when Iris held her arms up to Luna and she squealed happily when Luna picked her up. "That answers that."
Luna sat on the couch with Iris and held her close. She flicked her wand and a few of Iris' plushies began to dance and the little girl clapped with glee. "What are the ladies doing today?"
"Shopping. Dahlia begged to go along which actually reminds me." He playfully narrowed an eye at Luna. "Did you teach Dally the Look?"
"No," Luna said glibly.
"Okay. Did you help her polish the Look?"
"Yes," Luna said smugly.
Harry laughed. "Figured so. She's a good girl and never does it to take advantage of anything she shouldn't. But I've been on the receiving end of it more often than not compared to Katie and the Look she gave her Mummy and Grandmum wrecked them. Way stronger than she's used on me. Which means she either holds back or she's been getting tips."
"Both probably," Luna said prosaically. "She knows she barely has to do anything with you to convince you on small things. But yes, I have taught her how to really make it a force to reckon with."
"Thought so. She really does the giant eyes things with the lip quiver and I know that's your go-to."
"Like this?" Luna demonstrated it perfectly, giggling when Harry poked her.
"Yes, exactly," Harry snorted.
"It could be worse," Luna said. "She could be misusing it or it could be a dirty look."
"True, luckily she isn't at that age yet. Hopefully I can survive the teenage years."
"I do not think any of your children will ever be wild and terrible teenagers," Luna said, giggling at the thought. "What do you think Rilly. Will you be a terrible teenager to your poor daddy?"
"No!" Iris shouted.
"No indeed," Luna praised and kissed her forehead.
Harry smiled warmly. "Will you be teaching Iris the Look eventually?"
"If I don't, someone else will," Luna laughed.
-0-0-0-
Ghostwriter - Thank you. I really wanted this fic to be more slice of life fluff and fun with the occasional tougher chapter and AU. Glad you like it.
odonnellzoo99 - The most silly of shenanigans happen when small things like that occur and it's wonderful. I had the randomest thought of Hedwig sliding around like a penguin and that's what made the chapter happen. I don't know how it happens sometimes.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - Glad you liked it.
alix33 - When I learned that a group of penguins was called a waddle, that made my day. Had to include it.
