A Streak Of Blue
"Come on! What in the name of all things holy was that last call?" Ginny grunted at the top of her lungs as she waddled from the castle and through Hogsmead. Ginny was very pregnant and somehow it added to her unnecessary fury. Her hands were holding her back but she had an aggressive look of fury in her eyes.
"She doesn't normally yell at the refs during every game I swear." Harry whispered to Samantha apologetically. He had little James' hand as they walked. "Normally, she's more professional when she writes about games."
"Potter, I may be her boss but I'm also her best friend. As long as I get articles I don't care what she does." Samantha chuckled. "Besides, I agree, that last call was an odd one."
Ginny and Harry had joined them for the final Hogwarts Quidditch match of the year. Ginny wanted to write a piece for the Prophet and Samantha was happy for the company. They'd invited a few others, but no one else could get the time.
Unfortunately, Slytherin had won the final and Ginny was sure it was because of bad calls.
"That kid who took the bludger would also agree,I think." Neville said as he carried eight year old Teddy Lupin on his back. Teddy was Remus and Tonk's son and the Potter's Godson. When he wasn't staying at his grandmothers, he was with Harry and Ginny.
"Do you think he will be ok?" Teddy asked as Neville leaned down to let him onto the ground. Teddy stuffed a big gob of candy floss into his mouth.
"No." Ginny grimaced motioning for Teddy to walk beside her. She looked at the candy floss in Teddy's hands. "Where'd you get that?"
Duke flew off of Samantha and sat on Teddy's shoulders. He kept his eyes on the candy floss watching it go into Teddy's mouth.
"Uncle Neville gave it to me. He said he got it from house elves." Teddy explained stuffing a handful into his mouth. His hair shifted to a bright pink color mimicking the candy floss. He was like his mother and could transform his appearance.
Ginny gave Neville a disapproving look, he looked terrified. "And is Uncle Neville the one who has to try and get you to sleep later with all this sugar in your system?"
"No." Teddy shook his head but kept eating the candy floss.
"Then remind me when Uncle Neville and Aunt Samantha have children that we need to give them plenty of candy floss." Ginny glared at them both.
"Ok." Teddy shrugged but continued eating.
"Gin." Harry cautioned. "I told Neville he could have it."
"We're still giving their kids candy someday." Ginny crossed her arms over her stomach.
Neville and Samantha looked at each other with furrowed eyebrows. They had discussed it a few times and they often avoided telling people they weren't having children. Any time they did, someone would try to talk them into it. They weren't completely closed to the idea, but at the moment it didn't seem plausible. Her career was too strenuous, but she wasn't ready to just give it all up and with his career, he was gone to Hogwarts for most of the year. If they had a child, nothing would be consistent for them.
Samantha interjected loudly, changing the subject, thinking of the first thing she could, "You know what's funny? I could have been cheering Slytherin on today."
"Why do you say that?" Harry asked looking curious and picking up James.
"Sorting hat almost put me into Slytherin." Samantha shrugged.
Harry laughed, his face turned upward "Me too."
"I mean there would probably be so many more changes than just who we'd be cheering on, but it's weird to think about right?" Samantha laughed before they made their way into the Three Broomsticks and looked for somewhere to sit.
Ginny gave Teddy a coloring book as they sat down and Duke snuggled into Teddy's shoulder for a nap.
Ginny joked leaning her head back against the booth after propping James up in a little booster chair. "I'm confused Sam, Slytherin really? I knew about Harry of course, but I'm shocked, you?"
"I have ambition and an ability to do whatever I can, to get what I want." Samantha gritted her teeth. "I'm glad it decided Gryffindor though."
The waitress took their order for four large butter beers and two small pumpkin juices.
"It sat on my head for two seconds, realized I was a Weasley, then I was in Gryffindor." Ginny shrugged. "No other options for me."
"I begged to be in Hufflepuff." Neville looked nervous.
"My mummy was a Hufflepuff." Teddy exclaimed loudly. "Right Uncle Harry?"
"Yes." Harry nodded before playing with Teddy's hair. His hair turned black and changed to match Harry's. "And your dad was a Gryffindor."
"Just like my parents." Neville offered to Teddy who gazed in awe. "My mum was a Hufflepuff and my dad was a Gryffindor."
Samantha always felt surprised when Neville mentioned his parents. He didn't often bring them up to everyone. He'd taken her to meet them a couple of times, and she had been honored to go. It wasn't easy, sometimes they recognized he was their son at least.
"Now the big question is Teddy, what house do you want to be in someday?" Ginny asked Teddy after the waitress left the drinks and took their orders for food.
Teddy put his crayon down and shrugged, "I dunno, probably Hufflepuff like my mummy."
"Good choice." Samantha said wrinkling her nose at him. "She was a very strong person." As she said it, she could see a similar look in Teddy's eyes, one that looked remarkably like his father. His parent's dead bodies flashed through her mind and she shoved her hands under the table as they began their shakes.
"What houses were your parents in Aunt Samantha?" Teddy asked.
"Well, my daddy is an American muggle and so he didn't go to Hogwarts. But my mummy is a proud Ravenclaw." Samantha revealed uncomfortably trying to get her hands to stop. With the shakes, that uncontrollable fear started creeping in again. She was so happy right now, what if her tea leaf reading was right? What if everything good she had, was not permanent? It certainly wasn't permanent for Remus and Tonks.
"Oh that reminds me, I finally made my appointment with your mum to get my dress made for your wedding. This little guy should be out within the month, so I'll be ready to get my measurements." Ginny said rubbing her belly.
Samantha decided to focus on getting married instead. That was a much better thought. The shaking persisted but she tried to focus on answering the question. "Good and I don't really care about the style or anything, just look pretty and show up."
"I can manage." Ginny smirked.
She certainly didn't want anyone seeing her shake at the table. They all had their own reactions to memories from the war and she didn't want to trigger them. Samantha felt Neville's hand slip under the table and take her shaking hand. She smiled at him lightly, but looked past him out the window.
She thought she saw streaks of blue hair on a woman outside on the street. Her head immediately switched to think it could be Freya Jade, the woman who had killed Kai Jones and held her brother hostage. The woman certainly had the same hair and it made her stomach turn.
"Sam?" Neville asked noticing her distraction.
"Hey Gin." Samantha said turning to her, "Does that lady with the blue hair streaks look familiar?"
Ginny looked out the window, "What lady?"
Samantha turned back, no one was there. She shook her head before laughing it off. "Sorry, I'm just going crazy. Probably just the fire whiskey I snuck."
She was sober, but decided not to frighten her friends. It had to be her imagination. Samantha tried to focus on the rest of the friendly conversations but the damage was done, she couldn't stop shaking and worrying.
Neville continued holding her hand almost the rest of the night. He barely let her hand go until the next day after they Apparated with her brother, to her parent's for dinner. Her brother had Cherry Blossom to meet their parents and Artie who they'd been watching all weekend.
To say that Artie did not take well to Cherry Blossom was an understatement. She screamed and refused to leave Samantha's shoulder as soon as she saw the large Puff. Duke however, was ecstatically rolling around the floor with Cherry Blossom. The two of them were leaving a pile of destruction in their paths.
As Jack attempted to keep Cherry Blossom and Duke out of trouble, her father was listening to muggle records and kept expressing shock when Neville knew none of the bands.
"Dad does realize Neville doesn't know any muggle music right?" Samantha whispered to her mother from the kitchen where her mother was working on some kind of casserole. Samantha was keeping her company and watching her magic. Her magic in the kitchen was almost as good as the magic she used on her art.
"Yes, which is why he's educating him dear." Her mother laughed heartily. "If he wants to join the family, he may as well learn about Led Zeppelin and Fleetwood Mac."
Samantha laughed along as she watched her mother wave her wand to bewitch a knife to chop a salad.
"Besides, I happen to remember his father sneaking a few Led Zeppelin and Beatles records into Hogwarts." Her mother sighed reminiscently. "And it's a shame he wouldn't ever know that because I'm sure Augusta had no idea."
Her mother had very recently revealed that she had known Neville's parents in school. They were all in the Slug club together. She wasn't exactly best friends with them or anything, but they had the occasional conversation. She'd barely brought it up before their engagement, expressing it had always been too difficult for her, especially knowing their fate.
Samantha suspected it also had to do with the fact her mother didn't talk about her past much at all. From what Samantha knew, growing up a Brenna was full of trauma and generational curses.
"Well, I'm glad dad is giving him a thorough education." Samantha nodded understanding and nuzzling into Artie. "I thought you said Neville's dad was a git though."
Her mother had said that Neville's mum was pretty and smart but she was a very naive girl. His father was supposedly brilliant, but stuck up and hot headed.
"He was." Samantha's mum sat down at the table as the vegetables continued chopping. "But he had good taste in music. You wouldn't dare tell him I said that though right?"
Samantha shook her head, "Merlin's pants no."
She and her mother both laughed as another crash was heard from Cherry Blossom and Duke.
"Well, at least she's keeping your brother occupied." Her mother smirked, "He's doing so well."
Samantha nodded and smiled, "I know."
"You know we are proud of you for bringing him home?" She asked and took Samantha's hand.
Samantha appreciated the sentiment but wondered where it was coming from, "I know mum."
"And your brother may not know what you sacrificed for years, but we all do." Her mother gripped her hand tighter. They'd chosen to never tell her brother about the full extent of her deal. She didn't want him caused more guilt. "And we know you worry about it all being taken away, but you can't keep letting your past effect your present."
Samantha nodded realizing why her mother was bringing this up, "Neville must have,"
"Sent an owl this morning," Her mother interrupted, "he said the shakes are really bad again and that you are worried about nothing. Not to mention you are seeing people that aren't there."
Curse words flooded her mind again.
"Don't get cross with him. He's just worried about you."
Samantha nodded and crossed her arms.
"Please." Her mother looked her in the eyes. "You need to relax about whatever it is you are worrying about."
"Everyone has their moments and days mum." Samantha argued quietly. "Everyone I know has their days when war memories creep in."
"Yes, but they gave themselves healing time. You just began healing last year." Her mother said as the salad began distributing itself.
Samantha nodded and Artie cuddled in closer.
"It could be wedding jitters, but you really don't have too much to worry about. Luna's practically planned it well enough that all you have to do is show up." Her mother giggled, "You are lucky to have a friend like her."
"I know." Samantha smirked remembering how she'd planned to just hire a real planner and just hand the wedding off, she didn't have the time to worry about it all. Then Luna insisted she could do better than someone who didn't know them personally, so Samantha gave her a budget, a small guest list and a few requests before handing it off. She expected that it would at least be interesting. "She's doing great I expect. I'm going to pay her too, whether she lets me or not."
"Good, now promise me you will start relaxing about everything." Her mother begged. "Your only stresses now, should just be whatever it is you deal with at the Prophet my little lion."
Samantha nodded and breathed. She took her mother's advice and tried to relax. She was being ridiculous, everything was fine. It had to be fine.
Later that evening they dropped her brother off at his apartment in Hogsmead before Samantha began her walk with Neville to Hogwarts's gate. She'd say goodbye before Apparating back to her apartment in Diagon Alley and get ready for the week.
They were walking through the streets of Hogsmead when Neville recognized a man Samantha had seen before.
"Marwood?" Neville greeted the short but stocky man joyously.
"Good to see you Longbottom." The man wasn't as joyful to see Neville, but looked surprised to see him.
"I haven't seen you since the academy."
"Yes, it's been a while." Marwood said nodding and his eyes darting between Neville and Samantha. "I assume this is your future wife. I recognize your face from the back of my paper mam."
"Oh yes, Sam, this is Atticus Marwood, we were in Auror training together." Neville introduced the man to her.
"Samantha Fyre." Samantha reached out a hand to shake. "Nice to meet you."
"What brings you to Hogsmead?" Neville asked with a smile.
"Bad business I'm afraid, Miss Fyre, do you know the whereabouts of your brother, Jack Fyre this evening?" Atticus asked his face still morose.
"We just dropped him at his apartment." Samantha responded and the sinking feeling entered her stomach. "Why?"
"Unfortunately I have a warrant for his arrest." He admitted,
Samantha's throat closed, "On what charges?"
"Murder."