Vignette 15: It Will Cost You II
AN: Okay, since y'all asked for it, here's the sequel! This one is dedicated to cshiela, who reviewed the last chapter.
The door at Flourish and Blotts opened and Harry was hit by the musty smell of aged parchment and leather. He took a deep breath, letting the smell wash over him. The store seemed smaller than it had years and years ago, when he had visited it during his Hogwarts years, and its patrons were much smaller. His three children darted in from behind him, leaving his robe swishing.
"Watch out for your sisters, James!" he called out after his eldest, who ignored him and clearly had no intention of watching his sisters. Instead, James ambled towards the storekeeper, booklist clutched firmly in his hand and an eager look on his face. He reminded Harry more of Percy Weasley than of James Potter, although he would never admit that out loud.
Shaking his head, he held the door open for his wife.
"Thank you darling," she said, pausing next to him. "They've already run off, have they?" Harry could hear Anastasia and Layla's shrieks from the back of the store. Undoubtedly, they had found something to fight about.
"You know it," he chuckled. He breathed in again and slipped his hand into his wife's.
"Do you remember…?" asked Daphne teasingly.
"I do," he answered with a smile, kissing the top of her head. She always asked him that question every time they walked into the Flourish and Blotts. "It was the best day of my life."
"More than our wedding?" she asked bemused.
"More than our wedding," Harry answered firmly. He paused and then continued, "Draco Malfoy was at my wedding."
Daphne considered his answer. "Can't fault you for that, I suppose," she said finally. Malfoy had managed to marry Astoria Greengrass, much to both his and Daphne's distress. "Do you remember, he complained about the ice cream bar? I mean, who complains about an ice cream bar?"
Daphne brought up the ice cream bar at least once a month. Usually it was before they had their monthly dinner with the (ugh) Malfoys. They both hated those, but at least the kids got along.
"That berk," said Harry automatically, and Daphne nodded her head approvingly at his reaction.
They wandered over after Anastasia and Layla, pausing for a moment besides the medical books section. Harry winced as his eyes travelled past When Bones Won't Behave: Skeletal Spellwork Simplified and A Stitch in Time: Magical Mending for Healers - Updated Edition to the wall above the bookshelf, where a plaque announced "Harry Potter met his wife here for the first time on 15th August, 2003." Daphne had mentioned it to the storekeeper in passing a few years ago and the man had gotten so excited he had rung their order up wrong. A few days later there was a breathless article in the Daily Prophet about the new sign going up in the bookstore.
Daphne squeezed his hand knowingly and pulled him along.
"Mum, Mum, the new Arya Moonquill book is out," shrieked Anastasia, waving the book in their face. "Look, Arya and the Midnight Coven, I didn't think it would come out till Autumn and I'd already be at Hogwarts by then, Mum Mu, can I have it please please please?"
Layla snatched it out of her hand. "It's mine, it's mine, I saw it first," she cried, even though Harry didn't think she had read a single Arya Moonquill book.
"MUM!" screamed Anastasia, turning wildly to face her mother.
"Would you two shut up," snapped James, coming over with his books already rung up. "Come on, I have to go get my Potions ingredients before we meet up with the Weasleys."
The girls instantly stopped fighting and turned around to face their brother.
"Oh the Weasleys," simpered Layla.
"No no Layla, not THE Weasleys. Maybe a single Weasley," giggled Anastasia. "We all know which Weasley James cares about."
"James and Rose, sitting under a tree," sang Layla, watching her brother who was turning purple and pulling his wand out.
"Expelliarmus," said Harry calmly and James' wand flew into Harry's hand.
"Dad!" whined James.
"No pulling your wand out on your sisters," said Daphne sternly. "Besides, we don't have time to go get your Potions ingredients, we have something more important to get."
James crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, but the girls shrieked.
"Ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream!" they chanted, dancing around Harry and Daphne before running towards the exit.
"Girls, wait!" called Daphne, rushing after them. Harry smiled fondly after them and handed James back his wand.
"Let's go son," he said, putting his arm around James' shoulder and steering him towards the exit.
But before they left, he made eye contact with the storekeeper and held up two fingers. The storekeeper mouthed something back and a gallon and four sickles floated out of Harry's pocket towards the counter, along with two copies of Arya and the Midnight Coven. James didn't even notice. Harry left the store with his son, whistling a tune to Hogwarts Hogwarts Hoggy Warty Hogwarts.
AN: So how was it? It's not maybe as plotty as some of the other vignettes, but it's a nice little slice of life. I especially enjoyed writing the characters of Harry's kids. LMK what you thought of them especially!