Chapter 5
3 June 1977
"Now, you behave for Uncle Edgar and Aunt Phil," Gwen said. "Otherwise, I might just decide to leave your new pet where it is."
"We'll be good," Joel promised. "I've wanted a pet for ages."
"Thanks for inviting them over. Now, if they get to be too much--"
"I think the four of us can handle six kids." Edgar said. "And honestly, it's much easier when with guests. The girls can get fed up with each other. We try to organize play dates, but these days...."
Phil changed the topic. "Have you decided about Hogwarts yet?" she asked.
Gwen made sure the kids were out of the room before answering. "Not yet. There's Drumstraang and Beaubatons on the continent, but I don't like Drumstraang's reputation, and Beaubatons has the language barrier. There's my mum's alma mater Ilvermorney, but it's so far away...."
"Have you asked Marie her opinion?"
"Not yet. Whenever I try to talk about it, she just says she can't imagine being there without Lily." Gwen sighed. "And to be honest, I want all my babies where I can see them, no matter how safe Hogwarts is."
Edgar nodded. "Anything else you need before you go? Tea, biscuits, floo powder?"
"No thanks. Jerry is muggle, so I'll be apparating to the edge of the property."
"Really?"
"He's an old friend of Dad's--they met on a wildlife expedition in Cameroon when I was younger. Has his own private zoo. They sometimes trade specimens. He's got a sugar glider that he's looking to pass on; Dad thought it'd be a good fit for Joel."
"Sugar glider?"
"A sort of flying squirrel. Muggle, but still kind of cool." Gwen adjusted her watch. "I'd better be going. I told Jerry I'd be there at 5:30."
"Are you sure you don't want a second helping?" Jerry held out the dish of potatoes. "You look under the weather."
"Jerry," his wife Jackie scolded. "Don't be rude."
"I'm full, but thank you." Gwen said. "You really didn't have to invite me to stay for supper."
"Nonsense. What did you expect, just a quick pick-up and drive away? I don't hand over my babies that easily."
"Dad's the same way."
"How is your dad, by the way? He sounded a bit frazzled on the phone."
"Oh, busy as ever."
"I keep telling him, nothing wrong with hiring some help."
"It's a matter of finding the right people. And there's a labor shortage in our area." Many families were emigrating because of the war; most of the remaining Hogwarts graduates were snapped up for government positions. Private businesses were struggling to hire, especially the kind of specialized help Newt wanted. "He's not going to stop, though. If he sees a need, he'll go for it. Speaking of which, what's the requirements for the sugar glider?"
"I have it all written down, though if you have the time, we can go through it personally."
"Of course."