Playdate
Harry and Ron were very excited, they had been invited to play at Neville’s, and they could hardly stand still from the excitement. Ophelia had been invited too, but she wasn’t as excited.
‘Now I want you two to listen to me,’ said Mrs Weasley crouching down so she could talk to Harry and Ron properly.
‘I want you to behave yourselves.’
‘Yes Mummy,’ said Ron.
‘Yes Mrs Weasley,’ nodded Harry eagerly.
‘I want you both to do as you’re told, if Mr or Mrs Longbottom ask you to do something, I want you to listen to them.’
‘Yes Mummy,’ said Ron.
‘Harry?’ asked Mrs Weasley raising her eyebrows.
‘Yes Mrs Weasley,’ stammered Harry.
‘Hmmm,’ she muttered.
‘If you are naughty, I will be bringing you both home early, do you understand?’
‘Yes,’ they both said.
‘Sweetheart,’ said Remus gently carrying Ophelia on his hip.
‘Are you sure you really want to go to Neville’s?’ he asked.
‘You can stay here and have a lovely time.’
Ophelia nodded her head, she had heard that Neville’s house had lots of nice books, and Alice was going to read with her. She liked books!
‘Alright princess,’ said Remus putting her back down, ‘but if you do want to leave early, what do you do?’
Ophelia beamed, and put her hand in the air, and then pointed towards the fireplace. As Ophelia couldn’t talk in front of most people, there was usually a lot of pointing. To get an adults attention she would put her hand in the air, and when they had realised she needed them, she would point to what she wanted. If she pointed to the fireplace, that meant she wanted to take the flu home.
‘There’s a good girl,’ said Remus giving Ophelia a hug and a kiss on the forehead.
A few seconds later, there was a knock on the front door. Remus opened the door to find a very wet and bedraggled Frank wearing a cloak. It wasn’t raining in Devon, but it was clearly chucking it down in Yorkshire.
‘Afternoon Frank,’ chuckled Remus.
Frank took down his hood and shook a large amount of water out of his hair.
‘I hear we’re going to be having some visitors this afternoon,’ said Frank beaming at Harry, Ron and Ophelia.
‘Can we go flying?’ asked Harry.
‘Not today Harry,’ said Frank, ‘we can go flying another day. But we can have lots of fun inside.’
Ron and Harry looked at each other unimpressed, and Frank chuckled.
‘You’ll see when we get there,’ laughed Frank, ‘we can have lots of fun inside.’
Frank took Harry and Ron’s hands, and places Ophelia on his shoulders.
‘Don’t let them get hurt!’ called Mrs Weasley.
‘Don’t worry Molly,’ beamed Frank, ‘if they end up in St. Mungos, I’ll let you know.’
‘Hold on tight kids,’ said Frank, ‘we’re going for a ride.’
Harry and Ron gripped onto Frank’s hands, and Ophelia clung on to him tightly, as they span away. Five seconds later, it was no longer sunny, but pouring down with rain. Fortunately, the Longbottom house was in sight, and the door was already open.
Harry and Ron let go of Frank’s hands as soon as they stopped spinning and jumped in puddles merrily as they ran to the house. Frank let Ophelia off of his shoulders, and they walked into the house more slowly together.
Alice was standing in the doorway to the house, with her wand ready to cast drying and warming spells on them all.
‘Next time it’s raining like this you’re taking the flu,’ said Alice taking Frank’s soaking wet cloak off him.
‘You try travelling by flu powder with three toddlers,’ said Frank.
‘You take more than one trip,’ said Alice obviously, as she dried off Frank and the children with her wand.
‘Hello Mrs Longbottom,’ chorused Harry and Ron, as Ophelia waved shyly.
‘Hello boys,’ she smiled warmly.
‘Sorry about you having to come through the rain. I’m married to a very silly man,’ she muttered eyeing Frank meaningfully.
‘It’s ok,’ said Harry, ‘we got to play.’
‘We jumped in puddles!’ laughed Ron.
Frank grinned widely, that the boys were on his side. Alice merely rolled her eyes at Frank.
‘Harry!’ exclaimed Neville running into the room, ‘Ron!’
‘Hi Nev,’ said Harry.
‘Your Daddy’s fun,’ said Ron.
‘He is,’ laughed Neville.
‘I’m fun,’ mouthed Frank smirking at Alice.
‘Hello Ophelia,’ said Neville awkwardly, knowing that Ophelia wouldn’t talk back to him.
Ophelia said hello in her own way, by giving Neville a big hug, which pleased Neville greatly.
‘Now then kids I know it’s raining,’ said Frank, ‘but I’ve got a plan.’
‘What is it?’ breathed Harry in anticipation.
‘We’re going to play hide and seek chase.’
‘That doesn’t sound like fun,’ muttered Ron. He played hide and seek at home, what was so special about it.
Neville though was beaming, his Daddy always came up with the best games!
‘Well you four know how to play hide and seek,’ said Frank, ‘and you know how to play tag. This is a combination of the two, you hide, but if the person who is it is close to finding you, you can run away if you want and hide again. They have to actually tag you to make you it.’
‘Sounds fun,’ laughed Harry.
‘It is fun,’ nodded Frank.
‘And Mummy’s it,’ Frank stage whispered.
‘I’m what?’ asked Alice who had not signed up to be it.
‘Alright,’ said Alice, ‘but Ophelia gets to help me.’
‘Why do you want help from her?’ said Harry.
‘She’s a baby,’ said Neville.
Ophelia was a year younger than them all and was only two whilst the boys were three.
‘Never underestimate the power of girls boys,’ said Alice tapping her nose.
‘Come on boys,’ said Frank running from the room to go and hide holding Neville’s hand.
‘And no cheating!’ called Alice.
‘That means no using magic Frank!’
‘No fair!’ called Frank.
Alice shook her head exasperated and started counting up to fifty.
‘Are you ready to go find some silly boys?’ laughed Alice taking Ophelia’s hand.
Ophelia nodded excitedly and skipped next to Alice as they went out of the sitting room. Ophelia was very good at trying to find the places where the boys might be hiding, as she was quite small and could fit in all sorts of places. There was also the face that Ron and Harry were giggling.
Ophelia walked over to the bookcase, and checked behind it and saw a shoe lace poking out, as well as stifled giggling.
She pulled Alice over to the bookcase, and pointed at it.
‘Good girl!’ said Alice proudly as she checked behind the bookcase.
Frank had fit Harry and Ron into the crevice behind the bookcase before running off to go and hide with Neville.
‘You two have got five seconds to start running, then the nasty girls will be after you!’
‘No!’ shouted Harry and Ron looking at each other aghast before running off.
Alice caught them easily, and gave them both a huge hug.
‘Now come on,’ laughed Alice pulling herself off the ground, ‘let’s go find where my husband has got to.’
Even with all four of them searching it took them ages to find Frank, he was an auror and had stealth training. Also every time that Alice came into the room he was hiding in with Neville, whilst Alice was searching, he’d slip out behind her and go and hide again.
But Alice had had enough of this, she had been searching for Frank and Neville for over an hour, and Frank wasn’t the only one that was an auror. Whilst Alice and Ophelia searched the kitchen, Alice placed Harry and Ron on the kitchen door so they could tell her if Frank was trying to escape.
‘Mr Longbottom!’ yelled Harry and Ron as Frank came out of the kitchen panty with Neville.
Frank tried to run, but he wasn’t fast enough. Harry and Ron clung onto Frank’s ankles, and Alice finally managed to tag him.
‘Well done boys,’ beamed Alice handing Harry and Ron chocolate frogs.
‘You cheated!’ said Frank.
‘I used the resources I had available,’ said Alice kissing Frank.
‘Well played Alice,’ said Frank impressed, ‘well played. I might just have to marry you one of these days.’
‘You already did five years ago,’ laughed Alice.
‘Can we play again?’ asked Neville.
‘No Daddy’s too tired,’ said Frank pretending to go to sleep on the kitchen floor.
‘You being silly,’ said Harry as Harry and Ron poked Frank to wake up.
Frank jerked his eyes open and looked around confused.
‘Is there something you haven’t told me Alice?’ asked Frank.
‘I thought we only had one child, but now we’ve got four!’
Everyone had to laugh at that one, even Ophelia giggled at Frank.
‘I’ll tell you what,’ said Alice, ‘why don’t we get out photos out, we’ve got lots of photos from school.’
‘We’ve got pictures of your Mummy and Daddy Harry,’ said Frank, ‘we were very good friends.’
‘And your Daddy when he was younger Ophelia,’ added Alice, ‘we’ve got lots of them.’
‘My Mummy and Daddy?’ asked Ron.
‘No, they were older,’ said Frank, ‘but we have got photos of your Uncles.’
‘Cool!’ said Ron.
‘Very cool,’ agreed Alice.
Alice pulled out a large box of photos from back in their Hogwarts days, most of the photos on the top were of Frank and Alice and their friends, Fabian and Gideon were in a lot of the photos.
‘They were your Mummy’s brothers,’ explained Frank showing him the photo, ‘Fabian and Gideon were twins.’
‘Like Fred and George?’ asked Ron looking at the moving photo of the two seventeen-year-old boys with bright red hair who were identical even down to their grins, and the glint in their eyes.
‘Yes,’ said Alice, ‘like Fred and George.’
‘And here’s your Mummy and Daddy Harry,’ said Alice, finding a wedding photo.
‘This was a very special day Harry,’ said Frank, ‘that’s the day Alice and I got married, which is why she’s wearing a pretty white dress.’
‘Daddy?’ asked Harry pointing at James with his unruly hair that Harry had already inherited.
‘Yes that’s your Daddy,’ said Alice coming over with another much smaller box which was labelled The Marauders.
‘Ophelia,’ said Alice, ‘did you know that your Daddy used to be a very naughty boy?’
Ophelia shook her head in surprise.
‘Well your Daddy along with Harry’s Daddy, and your uncles Sirius and Peter used to cause lots of trouble and do very silly things.’
‘Like what?’ breathed Harry excitedly.
‘Like planting dung bombs on the exit to the showers,’ chuckled Frank reminiscently, ‘I’d just got cleaned up, and I got covered in dung bombs and had to start all over again!’
‘That’s silly!’ laughed Ron.
‘Very silly,’ agreed Alice, ‘but not as bad as the time they changed McGonagall’s hair to bright red in time for the Quidditch final.’
Alice pulled out a photograph of a very irate McGonagall with fire red hair. A laughing Remus and Peter who looked about fourteen had their arms around McGonagall, and James and Sirius were holding the Quidditch cup in the air triumphantly. All four boys looked very carefree, and Remus had noticeably less scars on his face than he did now, but this photograph was ten years old.
‘She never actually punished them for that one,’ chuckled Frank, ‘because they won the match!’
Ophelia pointed excitedly at Remus who was laughing in the moving photograph, and sometimes shaking his head at James and Sirius dancing triumphantly.
‘Yes that’s your Daddy,’ said Alice.
‘Padfoot!’ said Harry pointing at Sirius.
‘Yeah Padfoot,’ agreed Neville. Both Harry and Neville still remembered Sirius playing with them when they were little.
‘Look Harry,’ said Frank trying to change the subject, ‘there’s your Mummy.’
Lily was in the background of the photo chatting animatedly to Mary.
‘Do you have any more?’ asked Harry.
‘Far too many,’ laughed Frank.
‘This one’s from their fourth year,’ said Alice pulling out another photograph.
There was about ten people in the photograph all wearing Muggle bellbottomed jeans, and brightly coloured shirts. James’ shirt was bright red and had ruffles, and he was trying to flirt with Lily who was standing near him. Lily’s red hair had been back combed so it was frizzy and it was all hanging down her back. Frank and Alice were in the photograph too, laughing at Fabian and Gideon who were holding up a trophy.
‘There was a dance contest in our sixth year,’ explained Frank, ‘and the fourth years helped us out. We wanted to take down the Slytherins, who were the Hogwarts ballroom dancing champions.’
‘It was just a dance contest,’ laughed Alice, ‘no rules about what kind of dancing. So Remus taught us all Muggle disco dancing!’
‘We got freaky with it,’ said Frank demonstrating some of the dance moves.
‘The Slytherins were so appalled they pulled out of the contest,’ laughed Alice, ‘and the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws thought it looked so brilliant, we taught them all afterwards.’
‘Dumbledore thought it was brilliant!’ said Frank, ‘and we won the cup!’
‘Look Ophelia,’ said Alice, ‘there’s your Daddy.’
Remus was standing towards the front of the group looking very embarrassed in a pair of flared jeans, and a sequined shirt. Sirius and Peter were clapping and cheering, as a very foolish looking Remus shook hands with Professor Dumbledore. Remus had been the dance captain, so he had to accept the cup from Dumbledore.
‘We’ll send you home with some copies of these, ok?’ said Alice seeing that it was time to send the children home.
The rain had let off, so Frank apparated the children home. Ophelia ran into Remus’ arms who was in the sitting room.
‘Hello princess, had a nice afternoon?’
Ophelia nodded her head excitedly.
‘We played games and looked at photos,’ said Harry.
‘Did you now?’ asked Hope.
‘Oh that’s right,’ said Frank handing Remus the box of photo’s.
‘Don’t worry,’ he said, ‘we made copies.’
‘Um thanks Frank,’ nodded Remus placing the box under his arm as Ophelia was still hugging him.
Remus gave Harry and Ophelia their baths and then it was time for stories. Harry wanted Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump, so Remus read that to the two children.
‘Alright Harry,’ said Remus picking Harry up off of Ophelia’s bed, ‘time for bed.’
‘Wait!’ said Harry.
‘Uncle Remus, where’s Uncle Padfoot?’
‘What?’ asked Remus shocked at the question.
‘Where’s Uncle Padfoot?’
‘Uncle Jamie and Peter are gone,’ said Ophelia confused.
‘But where’s Uncle Sirius?’
Remus bit his lip for a moment as he tried not to burst into tears.
‘Somewhere where he can’t hurt you,’ said Remus, ‘don’t worry little one’s you’re safe.’
Harry and Ophelia looked at each other confused, and Remus took Harry to bed. Ophelia dropped off to sleep that night, wondering where her Uncle Sirius actually was.