Author's Note: I know, it's been three months since an update. It wasn't that I didn't have the ideas for this story, it simply came down to time to put the ideas down. My job morphed again, and I'm struggling to manage it, my family, my aging mother living with us, my second job and my health. There have just been too many balls in the air. That said, I just had a vacation week and I was a writing machine. Chapter 8 is already half done. Thanks to anyone who has stuck with this. Drop me a note and tell me what you think. Thanks. MNF
Chapter 7:
Old Ways, New Ways
31 October 1980
Life was beginning to return to normal for the families, even if everyone was still living on the Potter property. Frank and Alice lived in the dowager house, his mother and father had gone to the continent and were planning to stay there. Alice's Mum and Dad were staying in the dowager house with them as their home – Highmont – had mysteriously burned six weeks earlier. Another 'cottage' on the property was being prepared for Clare and Jeffery Nighman; if you could call a six bedroom home a 'cottage'. No one had lived there in nearly a century.
In the big house, James and Lily were on the second floor, their rooms abutting the nursery. Eva and Remus were on the third floor – opposite end from Anwen and Sirius and often helped with their two. Dorea and Charlus lived on the first floor and often stayed in their rooms and had the elves bring them food as they aged. They enjoyed their daily visits from the four babies. Everyone came to Sunday dinner, which Anwen usually baked the pudding for.
Alice had returned to work at eight weeks post-partum, knowing Hindsa, the nanny elf, and her mother would care for Neville very well and Lily had returned to brewing for the Potter Potions Company about two weeks later. She didn't go into the offices however, she strictly brewed at home and an elf delivered her finished product. This put Harry into the nursery during the days as well. Anwen had put off returning to work, but she only had one more week until she'd need to either be put on the rota or lose her position. A recent incident where Eva had several ribs broken and a punctured lung due to Death Eaters raiding the hospital for potions gave her pause. The hospital was not safe anymore – not for someone who was of mixed race, like Eva and probably not for a half-blood like Anwen. Eva put in her noticed and would be leaving at the end of next week. She'd been so brutally attacked she didn't feel safe in the magical world. More and more, she and Remus were sticking to the Muggle one.
Anwen liked being home with her children and nephews, and didn't want to overtax the nanny elf, so she was leaning toward staying home. The war had taken enough, she wasn't going to risk any more. Sirius, James, Frank, and Alice being on the front line was risky. There was no need for her to risk her life and ultimately the welfare of her family for a job she didn't need. Anwen had planned to speak with her husband about her choice, but the day before he came home and promptly fell asleep. He'd been on duty for nearly eighteen hours as the DMLE simply didn't have enough staff, couldn't recruit more folks to train and they were beginning to be seen as the losing side of the conflict. He left before dawning this morning, everyone worried about what Samhain might bring. The Order was doing what it could to supplement, but with Dumbledore's restrain and detain orders they weren't very effective.
Anwen and Eva were in the nursery with the quartet. At nearly seven months, Alfie was determinedly attempting to roll over, he was just getting stuck on his arm. The other three were cooing at the coloured sparkles Anwen was making with her fingers. All four were wearing matching hats that looked like pumpkins, with little knots at the top in green for stems and a few little leaves embroidered onto the knitting. They were a gift from the children's great-great auntie Dorea. Arcturus had stopped by as well and brought the children their own stuffed dragons – Violet's was purple, Harry's green, Alfie's red and Neville's blue. They looked nothing like real dragons, but the wings were easy to grasp and pull toward their mouths. Lily was upstairs sewing away, although she wouldn't tell anyone what she was doing.
"This is the most peaceful place in the world," Eva said, lifting Neville to give him a cuddle. He was most affected by her voice, and when he started to grumble during the day, it was Eva who could calm him. However, when his mummy was around, no one was better.
"Hard to believe there's a war going on when we're surrounded by so much love in here," Anwen agreed. Violet then began crying, and Anwen rolled her eyes. "Vi, sweetie, do you understand what I'm saying?" At this the baby jutted her bottom lip out and cried louder.
Anwen picked her daughter up and began walking her around the room. Thankfully she was the only baby who had serious colic. It wasn't uncommon for pre-term babies, and Violet was twenty-four days early.
"I fed her two hours ago, and she's acting like she wants to eat again."
"She's little, Win. Go ahead and feed her."
"It's a problem though because she doesn't completely drain either side when she eats. This snacking is killing me." Anwen sat in the rocker and unbuttoned her shirt and began feeding her daughter.
"You're the paeds healer, do I need to explain it to you?" Eva said mockingly.
"No, you don't. The only question I have is if we are both home, what are we going to do to keep ourselves busy?" Anwen queried.
"These four aren't enough?"
"I'm not sitting in the nursery every day and being at the beck and call of this little girl," Anwen said. "She needs to let others feed her occasionally. Plus, there must be something we can do to help the war effort. We are both healers."
"I was actually thinking of going to Muggle Uni with Remus and working on my degree in psychology," Eva said.
"Brilliant. I'd like to go to medical school, but one of us needs to be with the kids and Sirius is going to be on the front lines, then I think whatever I do will need to be home based," Anwen said. "I know how powerful he is, and when he and Jimmy are working together, they have each other's backs but…"
"Anwen, I understand, believe me I do, and I can't imagine having a little one, let alone two to take care of. You know, you are allowed to just be a mum It's a choice too and don't give me that 'new age for women' stuff. You have Alfie and Violet to think about as well. Let yourself take care of them."
"You're quite the brilliant therapist, my friend. Thanks for giving me the permission I couldn't give myself," Anwen said thoughtfully, taking the sleeping Violet from her breast and buttoning up her blouse. She laid the little girl down in the Moses basket at her feet and set a warming charm on it.
"They're finished!" Lily announced excitedly as she entered the nursery. Her exuberance awoke Violet and Neville. Anwen and Eva picked up the pair and began comforting them. Harry looked up at his mama surprised. Alfie was quite determined to get to his Auntie Lily, and finally pushed himself up and over the arm trapped beneath his body. None of the adults caught it.
"What is finished?" Anwen asked, annoyed that Violet had been disturbed.
"These," Lily said holding up a small bunch of fabrics, "the kids' Halloween costumes."
"You made them costumes?" Eva asked, surprised someone would think to dress up such little babies. It's not like they were going anywhere.
"I did, because Grammy Mimi invited them to the party at Hogwarts tonight," Lily explained.
"Why exactly are we going back?" Anwen hastily asked. "Someone was trying to breed with me or kill me every other week. Did you talk with Sirius and James?"
"Please, Anwen, we'll be with the professors, and two skilled DMLE officers, and Remus and Eva and you're no slouch in the Defence department." Anwen sighed. This was not how she wanted to spend the night. She and Sirius were planning on honouring the dead and sending them blessings, as the veil was thinnest this night.
"Okay, but not too late," Anwen said with a resigned huff. Going against Lily when she was like this was never a good idea. "You only get up with one. Alfie still doesn't sleep through the night, and Violet eats every two hours."
"Let's get them dressed," she said excitedly, and the children did look adorable in their costumes. Alfie was a dragon, Harry a wizard, Neville a knight and of course, Violet was a princess in a pink and purple dress.
"Why is my daughter the princess?" Anwen asked.
"Well, no one would believe her as a prince," Lily responded.
"No, I mean why couldn't she have been a witch or the knight?" Anwen asked again, this time with more emotion. "I don't want my little girl to be boxed into anything as she grows up!" She then fled from the room with her daughter.
"What just happened?" Lily asked Eva. "I didn't mean to make her cry."
"Anwen decided to not return to work, but she's feeling like she's disappointing all of womankind by staying home with her children. Unlike Harry, Violet was a few weeks early, feeds every two hours, has colic plus she's managing Alfie as well. She wasn't striking out at you, she's exhausted," Eva explained. "It doesn't help that Sirius is on the front lines and she can't talk with him as much as she's used to. This is a big adjustment for her."
"I don't see James as often as I'd like," Lily countered.
"And I don't see Remus all that much, either, but we weren't bookends with our men since we were little. Anwen and Sirius have had each other almost constantly since they were six. It's not an excuse, but it is something I worry about. Just, tonight we need to watch her. I'm also going to tell her, as her healer, to put Violet in the nursery for the night and let her take a bottle from the nanny elf."
A&S A&S A&S A&S A&S
The babies were a hit at the feast. Students who still remembered the gang came over to say hello and coo over them. Professor McGonagall, or rather Grammy Mimi held and cuddled each of her surrogate grandchildren, however, she doted on Alfie the most.
"Those eyes are so bright," she said to Anwen. "Yes, they're the traditional grey of the Black family, but he is seeing everything going on and reacting already. He's going to be doing magic soon. He's a bright boy, just like him mum and dad."
"He's already summoned a toy and one of Harry's socks that was laying on the floor," Anwen said. "Still, not like Violet. I don't know what we're going to do about her…well, she takes after her ma, doesn't she."
"Anwen, you're going to be with her, in a magical house that can withstand whatever discharges she has," Minerva said gently. "You need to relax. Many a Potter baby has challenged that house, and it has never fallen. It did survive your brother and Sirius growing up."
"That is true." Anwen leaned into Minerva, the woman who had become a sort of surrogate mother for her since Fee's death. That was when Albus approached her. Sirius came over and stood behind his wife, holding their daughter. Violet was pulling at her daddy's hair in an attempt to get it in her mouth.
"Don't you have any teething toys for Violet, Sirius?" Albus asked.
"Oh, we do, but my hair seems to be her favourite thing to put in her mouth," he answered.
"Yes, well…you make the perfect picture of domesticity," Albus said to the pair. "It's a shame it's such a waste of precious talent," he said sadly with that grandfatherly look that used to make Anwen trust him. Instead, she shook her head and swore under her breath. Both Sirius and Minerva heard her.
"Why do you need to act like that?" Anwen asked rhetorically. "Minerva, it's been pleasant," she continued, standing and picking up her son. "I assume I can still unlock your office?" Minerva nodded. "We will use your Floo. Let James know we're at home." Anwen didn't acknowledge Albus's muttering as they left.
A&S A&S A&S A&S A&S
Four days later, Sirius tumbled out of the Floo and immediately ran up the stairs. Peng and Wilken stood at the bottom of the stairs looking at the pile of damp, muddy, bloody clothing he'd left on the marble floor of the entrance hall. Anwen was napping with both children in the king-sized bed they shared. He was mortified when he slammed the door open, causing Anwen to wake, sit up and point her wand at him. A beat later both kids began crying.
Then Anwen began to laugh.
"I know you've been randy lately, but sweetheart, you could have left your pants on until you made it into our room, and I had the children in the nursery."
"What? Or, er my clothes needed to be burned. Robes and under clothes," he said panting. "We had a horrible fight with some Inferi. Blood, guts, brains. Let me shower." Sirius rushed past her, into the shower in their ensuite loo. Anwen calmed her children, all the while laughing at her husband.