The Kirkland Mansion Chapter 27:

It was rare that anyone used the front door because they planned to leave the grounds. In the Kirkland Mansion, one was more commonly found to use Portkeys, Floo Powder or Apparition. Although there were only certain places one could do either, never all.

It was safety reasons really. Had been so ever since the Second Wizarding War, especially because of the end of it.

Not that the Kirklands had been Death-Eaters. Oh, no. but they'd had some unfortunate relations to Death-Eaters.

So unfortunate that people not Death-Eaters had a nasty habit of harassing them.

Of course, they were protected by the usual charms, Fidelius, Shielding, Protego Totalis, and so on. But when people were motivated, very motivated and scarily passionate, they would always find a way to harass them.

It wasn't something the Kirkland kids knew from the cradle, although they probably had their suspicions, kids normally do, but they got to know it when the adults thought the time was right.

And that time, was right after they got their wands. But until they turned seventeen the Kirkland kids were forbidden from going outside the grounds alone. Even one single step outside the gates alone was forbidden.

Things would've course been easier if people would just realize that they'd never had any deep connections with the pureblood side of the family. For the Kirklands were descended from a branch of the Shafiq family who had once upon a time committed the "crime" to marry a "mudblood" by the name of Kirkland. Unfortunately, that was their only mixed blood 'contribution', so they were technically pureblood. That, coupled with the unfortunate relation (closer than they liked to admit), made it more prudent and logical to not let family members go anywhere without the means to protect themselves.

As mentioned above, it was rare that anyone used the front door because they planned to leave the grounds.

But sometimes that happened.

Like when they'd to go to a place that was Charmed against anyone Apparating, Portkeys would cause alarms to go off, there were no wizarding fireplaces at their destined location (nor anyone around), or any fireplaces at all, and the place in question was close by.

In instance, the only instance, the "Crystal Clarity".

The "Crystal Clarity" was where the nearest Naming Seers were located.

The last time they'd been there, however, was when Peter had been born.

So, therefore, it followed that when Mr. and Mrs. Kirkland went to an emergency meeting, in which case they needed to bring a lot of luggage, they would use Floo Powder for themselves and House-Elf-transportation for their bags.

It also followed that they'd sensors on the front door that alerted them every time it was opened or just unlocked.

'Peter!', mrs. Kirkland said in a strict manner to her youngest son while she stared at him equally strict. 'What do you think you are doing?', she said in the snobby voice she always got when she was mad.

'I just wanted to try out my new toy-broom.', Peter said, hoping against hope that that would be enough to let him out; when compared/contrasted to the thousand and one excuses he'd given over the years as he tried to go somewhere else than indoors on his family's estate.

'Then you can try it out in the library, in the dining room, in the ballroom; anywhere not the grounds.'

'So unfair! I want to go outside! It's so much better there!'

'You know the rules,', mrs. Kirkland started.

'" Unless you've got a wand, you're not to go anywhere outside without someone with a wand with you"', Peter quoted.

'Peter,', mrs. Kirkland said gently, 'there's a perfectly good reason for …

'It's so unfair! I'm the only one whom can't go outside, just because I'm the youngest!'

'Peter, that's not why …'

But he wasn't listening and just stormed away.

'Oh, Peter,', mrs. Kirkland sighed, 'just be patient a little while longer. Your time will come.' But she knew that he, like all his brothers before him, would be impatient and sulking until the day came when he, too, would have a wand and could finally go outside.

Author's notes:

As I've hinted in this chapter, the Kirklands are a traditional family, Naming Seers being something most other families aren't using when naming their children. They're, however, also progressive, which I hope to demonstrate more strongly in later episodes.

In the next chapter:

True, his older brothers weren't exactly civilized themselves, however none of them had ever held so many tantrums as Peter did