I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Extended Family
Chapter 155 – After the Storm
Takes place directly after the last chapter.
A staccato of pops and cracks filled the air and empty space fluctuated some before a bright flash heralded the arrival of multiple people by Portkeys. Forms appeared from the air and some people stumbled and lost balance but no one truly fell over. The smaller forms were connected with a cord and that helped them remain stable as they all found their footing.
"I love coming home," Harry sighed as he stretched and took in the sight of the village. "I'll never get tired of it."
"Me neither," Katie smiled, hugging him and kissing him sweetly. "Our home is amazing."
"I still can't believe you sold us the land for a Galleon," Alicia said, shaking her head but smiling warmly at him. "And we've lived here for years now."
"Best investment I've ever made," Harry smiled.
"Can we be let go now?" Alex and Abby asked together, tugging on the cord.
"I don't know, I kinda like having you two tied down," Angelina mused, holding onto it. "Keeps you contained and out of trouble."
"Saw that coming," George sighed when Alex and Abby threw themselves forward at the same time and started dragging Angelina. Startled, she was pulled along a short distance before she dug her feet in and hauled back, making the cord go taut and the two forces strained at each other.
"Wow, either they're really strong or Angelina is really tired," Hermione remarked.
"A bit of both honestly," George chuckled. "Then again, if they were both at peak, it still might be close. Good girl for not joining them," he praised and smiled when Hailey looked up at him flatly.
"And saw that coming," Fred said to much merriment when George was dragged off his feet by Hailey pulling on the cord.
"Don't you even think it!" Alicia said sharply because she saw Hadley and Melanie actively thinking about it.
Harry smiled and undid the cord around Dahlia and Iris. A few Impediment Charms kept the twins, Hailey, George, and Angelina in place and he undid the cords binding them. "Be free and run along," he said happily after freeing Melanie and Hadley. After a flurry of hugs, the children ran off together with Heather being released by her mothers.
Andromeda handed Lucas to an eager Jean and flexed her fingers lightly before grabbing Harry by the ear. "Now let us have a talk about your latest deviation from good sense!" she scolded.
"Ow hey!" Harry winced. "I was better this time around! I subbed out more often with Shelia and Lizzie and didn't overdo things!"
"Surfing on the broom all those times isn't overdoing it?" Samantha chided.
"I've practiced it a lot and-ow MumAndi-and I know what I can handle and what I can't!"
"Think about what we can handle sometimes!" Andromeda said loudly.
"You know, if you really feel the need to scold someone, you should scold Oliver too for instilling this sense into Harry at a young and impressionable age," Hermione sniffed.
It was Oliver's turn to wince. "I knew you hadn't forgiven me for that practice in your first year."
"Don't look at me, I agree," Alicia smiled pettily.
"And do you still have to do those skateboarding tricks on a broom when you're hundreds of feet up in the air?!" Samantha continued.
"I don't have to but-" Harry yelped.
"Shouldn't you be helping?" Luna asked.
Katie sighed. "I feel like I should but I also agree with them? But I also trust him so I find myself somewhere in the middle."
"I've had my ears pinched by Mum for ages and I don't miss it," Tonks muttered, making her ears shrink.
Katie heard something, making her look over. A large smile blossomed on her face. "Thankfully, it looks like I won't need to interfere right now."
Andromeda paused in mid-scold. "What is that sound-" She shrieked when a small red hand pillow hit her squarely in the face, causing her to let Harry go.
Hedwig came swooping in, barking like a bugle. Following her were the children waving Weasley War Pillows and they leapt into action, thwapping and swinging them at Samantha and Andromeda. They swarmed them and shouted and laughed as they swung energetically, making Samantha and Andromeda dance back as they were overwhelmed.
"That's a cavalry bugle call," Hermione laughed.
"Hedwig and I were watching an old western movie a bit ago," David smiled. "She really liked the cavalry charge."
"What! Hey, why me?!" Thomas laughed as he was attacked too. "I wasn't involved!"
"We are now!" Ted gasped as he too was lovingly attacked.
"Thank you, Hedwig," Harry smiled and hugged his owl, kissing her. "My hero."
She cheeped lovingly and bit his nose gently before she took off into the air, grabbing a pillow on the ground and joining the fray. The others watched and laughed at the melee before Harry conjured a few pillows and threw them into the mix for the grandparents to arm themselves.
"It's only fair," he smiled. "And they won't be as tough and aerodynamic as the Weasley ones."
"Still one of the best products we've ever made," Fred said proudly. "It's in constant demand. We even started designing more with fun features like different sounds."
"Be careful about that," Angelina said, smiling. "I sat on one the other day and scared myself because it sounded like a bomb went off."
"That's just your delightful derriere being awesome," George said glowingly.
"Ugh," Alicia retched and kicked him. "That was terrible!"
"I liked it," Angelina smiled and kissed him. "Though at the time I genuinely thought you blew something up again."
"Not an unfair assumption but I've gotten better," George laughed.
Luna took Lucas from Jean and she bounced the baby boy, smiling as not only Jean and David were swept up into the pillow war, but the Delacours as well. "It's so nice that they all can have fun like this."
"Happy grandparents, happy grandbabies, and an early bedtime for all," Katie smiled.
"Better get started on dinner," Harry grinned. "Something tells me everyone is going to be ravenous."
-0-
Night had fallen over the village and the chill was kept at bay with a few strategically placed fires. The cooking fire pit was comfortably warm, the coals smoldering and releasing plenty of steady heat. Tables and chairs were brought out for those that preferred them with cushions and non-war pillows for those that wanted to sit on the ground. Tiny blue fireballs floated all around giving more than ample light and the air was rich with laughter and chatter and savory smells.
The families of all the residents had been invited and a very large happy gathering had come to welcome everyone home and to continue to celebrate the win.
"I have not done that in quite some time," Andromeda said with a smile from ear to ear. "That was a lot of fun!"
"Feel free to come and do that whenever you want," Angelina said fervently.
"I just might. Good for the body and the soul." She shook a finger at Harry. "Do not think judgement has been forgotten because you were saved by them."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Harry said placidly and put a very large cheeseburger in front of her alongside a mountain of chips.
"So how does it feel to be one of five in the history of the World Cup?" Sebastian asked grandly.
"Surreal," Harry smiled. "I mean, we definitely earned the win, but it's something else after actually achieving it."
"Last time it happened was over a century ago," Charlie said. "That's amazing."
"We're awesome!" Angelina crowed, an arm around Harry and Oliver's shoulders.
"The Cauldron was packed," Bill grinned. "And you could hear cheering and chanting all day and night in Diagon."
"The Ministry was also very jubilant," Percy smiled. "Not a lot of work was done and that is perfectly fine. I think every department had the game on the wireless."
"I think they started broadcasting it over the whole Ministry right after the midpoint," Arthur laughed.
"I can't wait to try some of the stuff we saw," Mirabelle gushed.
"Oh yeah, the casual league is going to be a little less casual," Fred grinned.
"Oooh, we should get another alumni day going when school starts up again," George said. "Or just see if we can have a day at Hogwarts before the term starts."
"I would be very amenable to that," McGonagall smiled, bouncing Lucas in her arms.
"Think they'd chance playing us?" Katie said with a hungry smile.
"Probably! Especially with Ced and Cho heading the team up. You know how Seekers are, arrogant with self-inflated senses of superiority," Ginny grinned. She squawked when she was belabored by a flurry of pillows and she chased after the squealing children.
"You'd think she'd learn by now," George snickered.
"She loves it," Neville smiled lovingly.
"She always did things the hard way and not admit that she likes some things," Bill laughed.
"Like her brothers?" Angelina asked innocently.
"Some of them at least," Ron chortled.
"Is there going to be another celebration party?" Layla asked.
"Yup! All the families of everyone on the team and it'll be at Trafalgar's Pitch again," Oliver said with his characteristically large grin. "We'll play the combined memories of the game for everyone to watch and I already confirmed the orders for the replica Cups."
"Do you order them before you even win the game?" Luna asked.
"Yeah but if we didn't win, they'd be conciliatory Cups," Oliver said to collective snorts and laughs.
"We have the butterbeer barrels waiting," Hannah smiled.
"Ooh I'll need to stretch my stomach beforehand," Angelina said. "It was rough right after last time."
"You could drink less," Layla said wryly.
"That doesn't make sense," Angelina frowned.
"Of course it doesn't," her mother sighed.
The dinner and welcome home party meandered and elongated, everyone enjoying themselves. Eventually Ginny, once again attacked for some perceived slight by the children, retaliated and was joined by some others. An errant pillow hit Molly and she waded in enthusiastically.
"Mum still got it," Ron said conversationally as he watched Bill, Ginny, Charlie, and the children flee from her, the former yelping and the latter squealing.
Angelina whistled when a pillow she banished hit Charlie square in the back, sending him flying. "Wow! That's some aim right there."
"Mother used to say that she could hit any one of us with a stinger from the kitchen window to the furthest edge of the orchard," Percy smiled fondly. "And she was right about that. I do not recall her ever missing."
"Looks like the kids aren't afraid of her though," Harry smiled. The bunnies had leapt onto their grandmother while the others clambered on with Molly laughing exuberantly all the while.
"Her kids are," Ron said to laughter. "We know better and she's a lot gentler with them."
"As she should," Percy snorted richly. He smiled again. "She does sound very happy though."
-0-
Everyone ooh'd and ahh'd when the replica World Cups were revealed. They were replicas done to the same scale as the actual Cup and they reflected the sunlight with dazzling brightness. Oliver patted one with extreme satisfaction. "Look damn good," he said gustily.
It was the celebration for Team England and their win, being repeat World Champions of the Quidditch World Cup. The whole team, players and staff, were there at Trafalgar's Pitch with family and friends in attendance. Plenty of food and drinks were provided by the team's organizers and backers, and the atmosphere was warm and bright.
A portion of the pitch had the memory of the game being constantly played by the modified pensieve that was created the last time and people were always there, watching and commenting on the game. The players enjoyed the replay, learning new tactics and skills, and appreciating what happened from different perspectives.
When the Cups arrived, delivered by the person and their team that made them, everyone gathered around eagerly. They remembered what happened last year and wanted to enjoy the spectacle once more and none would be disappointed.
"Fill her up!" Oliver said happily and the Weasley twins gleefully poured golden bubbling butterbeer into the large vessel.
"Bottom's up!" the twins shouted and with Harry's assistance, Oliver did just that. He held the Cup high and drained it to the last drop amid cheers and applause. With a devilish grin, he pulled his wife to him and Alicia barely had a moment to shriek an expletive before they kissed and she leaned into it, kissing him for a long time before she pushed him away, blushing furiously.
Angelina and Ginny guzzled theirs at the same time to riotous applause and belched noisily in victory, much to the chagrin of their mothers and the appreciation of the others.
Dahlia and Iris cheered with Lucas gurgling happily when Katie and Harry shared their Cup. Then Harry refilled it and shared it with his daughters who were beyond happy to join in. Even Lucas got a little sip of juice they poured into the cup, belching loudly and making everyone laugh.
"Gosh, I wonder if they'll continue the tradition at school," Hermione said lovingly as Harry helped the rest of the children join the tradition, filling the Cup with more butterbeer and holding it for them to drink from.
"I hope so," Oliver said warmly.
"Oh hey, gather round everyone!" Miranda waved everyone over. "The new posters are done and we just got the first set to look at!" She opened the tube that just came in and started unraveling them, having them float up for all to see.
"Mummy is so cool!" Hailey, Abby, and Alex cried as they looked up at Angelina's poster. For the briefest moment, Schmidt was seen before he was bodily checked, thrown tumbling through the air by photograph Angelina. The picture player then flexed for the poster before flying about and the scene repeated itself.
"You're such an Amazonian brute," Alicia said admiringly.
"Heck yeah I am!" Angelina said as she hugged her children.
"What?! You did that?!" Charlie exclaimed. A post of Ginny showed her throwing the Quaffle at a zooming Bludger that knocked it into the hoop, scoring a goal.
"Didn't think it would work but I'm glad it did!" Ginny laughed.
"It's a legal play now," Miranda smiled. "Approved by the international Quidditch committee." She shot Harry a look. "Also, broom surfing is a legally recognized style that is highly discouraged by said committee due to its inherent 'risky nature' and should only be attempted by those that are confident in their abilities and automatically accept the risks of the maneuver."
"Why would they legitimize it?" Andromeda groaned; the sentiment echoed by more than a few.
"Because it was brought up to the committee as an illegal method of flying," Miranda said. "Not by Germany or Japan, thankfully. So they had to review it and think of the legality and they reluctantly approved of it."
"I consider all of the consequences of my actions, thank you very much," Harry sniffed.
"Since when?!" his nearest and dearest exclaimed loudly.
"Just because it doesn't seem like I do, doesn't mean I don't actually," he protested.
"Speaking of the daredevil idiot," Miranda said. She waved her wand and the newest poster floated up. It showed Harry at his peak once more, in front of the peak of the magical Mount Olympus. He stood on his Firebolt, hand in the air with the Snitch within, and the mountain behind him. Lighting rolled and flashed and flared all around him and he was surrounded by laurel leaves. He punched the sky and lightning seemed to emanate every time he did, the Snitch shooting off golden lightning bolts as he roared victory.
"You look so cool Captain!" Mirabelle cried.
"You look like a prat!" Ron roared with laughter before he yelped after being kicked by the bunnies.
"You should hear what they're calling you in Greece," Sirius grinned.
"Please let it be cheesy and embarrassing," Tonks smiled.
"Oh no, don't tell me," Harry groaned.
"Oh do tell," Lyla said.
"They're calling him England's Zeus, God of Thunder and Lightning," Sirius said proudly.
"Don't smite us almighty smiter!" the Weasley twins shouted and prostrated themselves before Harry.
"First Raijin, now Zeus, you're moving up in the mythological pantheon," Hermione smiled.
"I didn't ask for any of it!" Harry said, burying his face into his hands.
"A consequence of your actions," Daphne said, eyes dancing. "You have only yourself to blame!"
"I suppose," Harry sighed but smiled when Katie kissed him.
"Seeing how Harry is Zeus-" Alicia began.
"No I'm not!" Harry shouted.
"-seeing how Harry is Zeus," Alicia repeated loudly, ignoring Harry's interjection, "you Olympians seem to be in some trouble now. You cannot play against your leader, now can you?"
Cedric smiled. "Guess we'll have to come up with a new team name. I'm not afraid to play against Harry though, two-time winner or not. Just no smiting while on the pitch please."
"I don't smite anyone," Harry sighed, ignoring the twins as they wailed out loud once more.
"I'm rather smitten," Katie said, batting her eyelashes and giving the salute to Angelina who gagged audibly.
"Other way 'round," Harry said and kissed her.
"You two are so gross," Ginny groaned. "Hey! I see you!" she shouted, glaring at the bunnies. The bunnies looked at each other, shrugged, kicked Ginny and ran off squealing as she chased them.
"Oh, by the way, I believe you more now," Tina said to her bemused cousin.
"About what?" Cho asked.
"Hedwig," Tina said.
"I told you!" Cho said loudly. "What made you finally believe me?"
"Seeing her train the team and fly at high speeds for an extended period of time," Tina said. "It's really impressive and a little intimidating."
"Hedwig's a sweet cuddlebug," Mirabelle protested.
"I'm still getting hair pins in the mail," Cho said. "And it's been years since we left school."
Harry looked to the side and frowned a little. Hedwig had taken one of Harry's jerseys and made a nest inside his Cup with it and was sitting within it comfortably, plumped up and fluffed and happy. "I thought you mailed them all back before the end of the school year that year," he said softly.
Hedwig's eyes were wide and full of insincere innocence as she tilted her head at him, blinking soulfully at him with feigned confusion.
"Oh I've been helping with that," Luna said quietly. "And they're brand-new hair pins. They just look like the ones she wore before."
"Of course you are," Harry smiled. He shook his head as Hedwig and Luna giggled together.
-0-
"They look good side-by-side," Katie smiled.
It was the next day and Harry was arranging a corner of their sitting room, where they put special pictures and things. He put the two replica Cups beside each other and was arranging two new pictures. One was the whole team together and another was the children posed around the Cup like their parents had before. Both pictures were full of smiling faces and laughter, examples of pure happiness.
"Yeah they do," Harry said happily as he wrapped an arm around Katie's shoulders.
Katie leaned into him, sighing with contentment. She looked at the very first picture of the original Team together, after they won the House Championship Cup. As her eyes moved, the pictures showed those moments in time from year to year. The people within always looked just a little older, but they were all still together and they were all still deliriously happy.
She smiled up at him. "There's space for a third Cup."
Harry laughed brightly. "I won't count my eggs before they hatch, but I won't be upset if it comes to pass."
"Just saying," Katie smiled. She pulled him down to kiss him and so wrapped up in each other, they missed that every photographic Katie did the same to every photographic Harry.
A history of love, repeated time and again, of moments at different times yet at the same time, unchanged.
-0-0-0-
odonnellzoo99 - Angelina is one of the best at clearing the road and comes in clutch. Yeah it was a bit of a long chapter, not as long as the first Cup game. I think that still has the longest word count of any chapter that wasn't a one shot. Glad you liked the game.
Hawk2010 - That really would. We will see.
61394 - Close on the Hermes line. Glad you enjoyed.
DOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - It's fun to use names again and show different versions of the same characters that are different due to the circumstances and setting.
TheSphynx - I was really happy using that line. I think it added a lot. I really liked the mid-air swap too, it was similiar in style to the amazing but not being the same.
No Vigilance - Seems like they are.
Jessica Dallas - We will have to see in the future. Glad you liked the game. Harry is the Wind Rider and the best of the best.
poka - I liked how similar the beginning was to the last Cup run, but different enough and still very adorable. That sounds so cool. I only have pictures to go off of and I wonder if me writing about these places loses some authenticity because I haven't been there. I hope my descriptions based on pictures do it justice. I thought it was fitting that it was the Firebolt again and that the swap made sense and was exciting to see happen. And you are right, the Vogels are the same.
Ghostwriter - Thank you.