Through His Mother's Eyes - Updated 10-17-04

Post by **bistyboo1974** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 3:00 pm

Author's Note: So as not to confuse the daylights out of you, ten months have passed since last we saw the Potters...we can assume nothing earth-shattering was going on in their lives up until now. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=";)"> Chapter 16 - Halloween The cake Ginny made for the occasion oozed a green, slime-like substance from an opening in its center. This, under normal circumstances, would be cause for concern for the dinner guests gathered round her dining table. This day, however, circumstances were different. Enchanted crepe paper bats could fly around the dining room ceiling while the dessert on the table below leaked goo. This day, much to the pleasure of the Potter children and their young guests, was Halloween. "I want a slice with extra slime!" sang Reid Weasley, a little louder than his mother liked. He and the other children at the table – James, the twins, Lily and Molly, and their cousin Artie – bounced gleefully in their seats, eyeing the tempting treasure as it bubbled and burped on the serving dish in front of them. This treasure was real, honest-to-goodness Cauldron Cake – not to be confused with the feeble imitation peddled by witch vendors on the Hogwarts Express – but authentic Cauldron Cake, which had been a Halloween dessert staple since before any living witch or wizard could remember. It was a massive black-frosted cake with a hollow in the center, much like the bowl of a real cauldron, and from this hollow crept an endless supply of the thickest, greenest, sweetest, jaw-rottingest substance your mouth would ever taste. It made the modern-day, pre-packaged simulations look like baby food. And any self-respecting connoisseur of real Cauldron Cake wouldn't be caught dead eating one of the baby food fakes. It was once said, once you'd had the real thing you could never go back. "Please sit down, Reid," Hermione said to her son. Her face was paler than usual and her voice weaker. "Aunt Ginny will serve you in just a moment." Reid perch himself on the edge of his seat. His eyes were all but glued to the cake, but his limbs became fairly still at his mother's behest. Ginny smiled at her eager nephew and plopped a large portion of cake onto his plate. A steady stream of gloop began to trickle from the slice and Reid licked his lips in anticipation. "Please don't make a mess on your Aunt Ginny's tablecloth," Hermione said, eyeing her son's fork as it traveled to his mouth. Droplets of sugary green goo were slowly sliding from its tines. "It's okay if some of it drips," said Ginny, slopping a serving of cake on Artie's, then James' plate. "This tablecloth has seen its fair share of messes – all of which were easily cleaned up with the aid of Mrs. Skower I might add!" "You sound like an advertisement," commented Ron as he accepted a slice of cake from his sister. "And I should get royalties, too, for promoting the stuff," said Ginny as she offered cake to her husband. "I mean, I actually carry a container of magical mess remover in my handbag!" Ron chortled and took a bite of his cake, savoring the overly-sweetness of it as he chewed. The kids looked as if they might slip into sugar shock as they gobbled their slices down, but it would take more than three five-pound bags of granulated sugar to decelerate Ronald Weasley's appetite for sweets. He took several more bites and grinned. "This is just as good as Mum's," he said, his teeth coated and slick with green slime. Ginny beamed at the high compliment and ignored her brother's dental catastrophe. She offered Hermione a slice then sat down with her own plateful of cake, which she intended on sharing with her two daughters. Molly and Lily were beating a drum roll on the trays of their high chairs, enthusiastic about tasting their first bites of cake since their first birthday. "So, Artie," Harry said, looking across the table at his nephew. "Are you keen to get your Hogwarts letter?" "My birthday's not until the spring," Artie said, "and I can hardly wait." His face was practically glowing. Ginny sighed at the thought of another child being old enough to attend Hogwarts already. George's daughters, Bianca and Beatrice, had just started their second year at school, and in nearly four short years James would be getting his Hogwarts letter. Ginny felt a lump taking shape in her throat. "Mum-mum-mum," chanted Molly, never at a loss to vocalize. She thumped her chubby little fists, which were now tinged green from gloop. "One more bite," said Ginny to both of her small daughters. The last thing she needed to do was scrape them off the ceiling later that evening when they detonated from their sugar high. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Later in the evening, as the children played rambunctiously in James' bedroom, the adults sat in the living room, sipping coffee and chatting. "Drinking coffee after eating Cauldron Cake is like adding insult to injury," said Ginny, her hands trembling as she clutched her coffee cup. "I'll be going into convulsions soon after all of that sugar, and now caffeine to boot!" Ron sighed. "Yeah, isn't it great?" Ginny eyed her brother warily and they all took small swigs from their cups, digesting even more of the liquid stimulant. The din from the kids at play was the only noise in the house, when at once Ginny and Hermione decided to speak. "I have a bit of news," Hermione said. "There's something we'd like to share with you both," said Ginny at the same time. "Oh, you first," said Hermione graciously, taking another swig of coffee. Her legs were crossed and her left leg, which was draped over her right, was kicking back and forth at an alarming rate. She set her cup down on the small table beside her chair and said, "And I think I should be cut off from this stuff." "I can get you something else," offered Harry. "Butterbeer?" "No, Harry, thank you…that stuff's too sweet," said Hermione quickly. "A glass of water would be fine." She turned to Ginny. "What were you going to share?" Ginny smiled as she heard Harry whistling in their little kitchen. "Well, after much deliberation, we've decided a change of address is in order…we're moving." "Moving?" said Ron, looking surprised. "Congratulations…where? Have you found a place?" "We have, actually," said Ginny. Harry came back into the living room looking like a waiter – he was balancing a serving tray with a glass of water for Hermione and three bottles of butterbeer for the rest of them. When he offered Ginny a bottle, she passed. "None for me, dear, but thanks just the same – convulsions, you know," she said. Harry found his wand and tapped the butterbeer bottle. In a hazy puff, the butterbeer had transformed into a glass of water. "How about this?" he said, offering his wife the glass. "Much better," said Ginny and sampled the water. "Perfect – when I do that, I can always still taste a hint of whatever it was before. I never quite got the knack of that." She took another swig. "So, where is this place you've found?" asked Hermione quietly. "Not too far from here, in fact," replied Harry. "A few kilometers past town, to the east. It's an older place." "The previous owner passed on about two years ago, and her son is ready to sell," added Ginny. "Won't it be difficult, leaving here?" said Hermione, looking around the room. "All the memories…" "Don't remind me," said Ginny, her voice faltering just a bit. She took a deep breath. "But it's inevitable…we're just running out of room here, with three children. And one day we might decide to have another…" "Are you?" asked Ron disbelievingly, almost spitting his butterbeer in the process. "No, no…not right now," laughed Ginny. "My hands are a bit full at the time being, but you never know what the future holds." Hermione sat quietly for a moment, then nodded her head in agreement. "That's true, you don't." "I'd love to see this place," commented Ron. "How big is it?" "It's three stories, but it's narrow," said Harry. "Only one room wide and two rooms deep, plus there's an old carriage house in the back – the old witch who lived there before actually kept hippogriffs in the stables, to fly her around places. We saw the old nests when we viewed the house with the estate wizard." "Oh, and it was smelly, too," said Ginny, wrinkling her nose at the memory of the putrid hippogriff lodgings. "It'll take a lot of spell work to get that place fit to work in." "Work?" said Ron. "We're going to make the carriage house Ginny's studio," said Harry proudly. "That'll be nice," said Hermione, but her tone made it unclear whether or not she really thought it would be nice. "We'll definitely take you both round to see it sometime soon," said Ginny. "I'd like that," said Hermione, again in the same imprecise tone. "But enough about the house for now," said Ginny, "I want to hear what news you've got." "Oh, yes…well," said Hermione somberly. "I've decided…well, we've both – Ron and I, that is – decided it's time I give up work at Hogwarts. I came to the conclusion, and after discussing with Ron, he concurred – it's time I give up teaching." Ginny didn't know what to say. She's been hoping for news that there'd be a new little Weasley on his or her way soon, but news that Hermione was quitting her job? Ginny was flabbergasted. Hermione responded to Ginny's surprised look. "I know what you're probably thinking – and I do love teaching. Arithmancy was always one of my favorite subjects when I was in school, and I've always enjoyed teaching it…and the kids are great, most of the time. It's none of that, it's just that working at Hogwarts is not conducive to my maintaining sanity in my life anymore. My main concern right now is not reporting for staff meetings and hashing out accounts of why this student or that lost house points or what my timetables will look like for next term's exams…my priority has to be my family." Ginny nodded her head. Hermione went on. "I mean, there was one week last year, when Ron was so busy with things at the Auror office, and I was constantly worrying about my fifth and seventh years passing exams, that I let Reid spend three days at the Burrow, then the remaining four with my mum and dad – I honestly won't let that happen again. Not that it's a bad thing to let Reid spend time with his grandparents, but to have doled him out so readily and without question, just because my job required my attention. Well, I never plan on giving my work more attention than my own child again, let me tell you." "Oh, Hermione…I didn't realize things had got so out of hand," said Ginny sympathetically. "If Ron and I ever want to consider having another child, something had to give," said Hermione matter-of-factly. "And to be honest, I'm relieved. Living in Hogsmeade is lovely, but it's too far away from everyone else. My parents refuse to use the Floo Network, and I can hardly blame them, so if they want to visit, it's quite the trek to that part of Scotland. It's impossible for them to Apparate, they can't get onto platform nine-and-three-quarters the way we can to take the train and no Muggle roads lead into the village. And that's not even mentioning what a pain it is for you to try and visit…your girls are both too young to use Floo powder, and they're so antsy on the train, so until they're older…" She sighed deeply. "I'll be finishing out the term at Hogwarts, and then our illustrious, eminent, I-owe-him-my-life Headmaster has agreed to let me go." "I know he agreed to that grudgingly," said Harry, who had stood up to pat Hermione on the back. "Hogwarts is losing one of their best." "Thanks, Harry," said Hermione gratefully. "And it's sad to go now that Neville is set to start teaching Herbology next year. I would have liked working with him." "Oh, is he?" asked Ginny. "I didn't know that was official – so, old Professor Sprout is finally hanging up her hedge clippers, eh?" "Indeed," replied Ron, "and as soon as Hermione finishes out the term, we'll be in the market for a new home ourselves." Ron looked around the room and a large grin spread across his face. "Know of anyone who's looking to sell?" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author's Note: Wow, what a blessing that my Muse came to visit me while I was in the throes of the world's busiest semester at school! Our term ends next Friday, and I didn't think I'd be able to spare a moment in the midst of grading and averaging for report cards. Thank goodness for Columbus Day, for without a day off from school, this chapter would have been left incomplete. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=";)"> I will try to update again soon. A chapter with a visit to the Potters' future home is in the works right now. Stay tuned! <center><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rpg/patronus" target="_new"><img border=0 src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/1 ... tharry.gif" /></a></center> <center>I tend to think that if someone is sufficiently engaged in one of the books, he's not going to be too disappointed if, at some point, his hero holds hands with a little girl. - Jo Rowling</center>

Post by **bistyboo1974** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 3:02 pm

Chapter 17 - 20 Elizabeth Street Ginny, Harry, Hermione and Ron Apparated into the front garden of 20 Elizabeth Street, where the estate wizard awaited them. The wizard glanced down at his wristwatch and gave a short snort of disapproval as he led the four of them up the steps to the long porch on the side of the house. The yellow exterior paint was chipped and peeling, and the number 20, which had been etched in gold on the transom window above the door, was fading, but the old place still exuded a warm, welcoming feeling. Ginny looked out at her surroundings before going inside. A long stretch of nature for as far as the eye could see lay in either direction. The narrow road wasn't flanked with any dwellings for many miles. Numbers one through nineteen were far off down the road to the left, and who knew where number twenty-one was? Ginny had never ventured that far down Elizabeth Street. The estate wizard cleared his throat and Ginny entered the house. She could hear hollow footsteps above her – evidently Ron and Hermione had gone up to check out the next floor. She looked to her right to see Harry inspecting the fireplace in the drawing room. "Is this place linked up to the Floo Network?" asked Harry, whose voice echoed as he peered up the chimneypiece. "I'm not certain," replied the estate wizard. "I'll have to ask Mr. Lunsford." Harry backed away from the grate and Ginny laughed loudly. His head was smothered in soot. He looked like one of those chimney sweeps from a Muggle film Hermione had shown James and Reid at her parents' house – the one about the nanny who popped in and out of pictures and sang songs. He took off his glasses and wiped them on his shirttail. As he blinked, his green eyes looked like bright emeralds set in ebony. "It's stuffy in here," said the estate wizard, and he aimed his wand at the transom above the door. The window's hinges squeaked loudly as it opened, and a soft breeze blew three years worth of dust across the entry hall. Ginny sneezed as she crossed the hall to the dining room. Old, grey wallpaper was peeling from the top portion of the walls and the wainscoting at the bottom was rotting in several different areas. Ginny imagined warm colors for the new paper in this room – and maybe she'd hang a mirror to make the room look bigger. Harry joined her in the dining room looking a little less sooty than before, but his right sleeve was filthy. Ginny grinned and aimed her wand at him. "As adorable as the grunge-look is on you, I insist…" She muttered an incantation and smiled as the desired results took effect. "Clean as a whistle." She kissed him on his unsoiled cheek. They walked together into the kitchen, where the estate wizard stood, looking at his wristwatch again. "This kitchen wasn't original to the house," said the estate wizard in a monotone drawl. "Mr. Lunsford added it the year after his mother died, hoping it'd be more marketable whenever he got around to selling. The original kitchen was in the carriage house, which is where all of the house-elves lived, obviously." "House-elves?" said Hermione. She and Ron had finished touring the upper floors and had joined them. "Yes, the Lunsfords were a wealthy family, so naturally they had servants," replied the estate wizard. "Oh, naturally," said Hermione, her voice drenched in sarcasm. "The new kitchen looks nice, though" said Ron quickly, hoping to curtail any emphatic outbursts from his wife about elf rights. "And definitely the right size for a family without a staff of house-elf chefs." Hermione shot him a piercing look. "Did you like the upstairs?" asked Ginny quickly, hoping to curb Hermione's desire to throttle Ron for speaking. "It's lovely," said Hermione in a calmer voice. "Four bedrooms and two baths, plus that attic is enormous. It's quite ample enough to be a fifth bedroom." "I quite agree," said the estate wizard, looking bored. "Shall we proceed to the carriage house?" Ron and Hermione nodded and followed, but Harry shook his head. "We'll be right out," he said. "As soon as we give the upstairs a quick inspection." "Suit yourselves," answered the estate wizard, and he led Ron and Hermione out towards the dilapidated old carriage house as he once again glanced at his wristwatch. Harry took Ginny by the hand and led her toward the staircase. She giggled as she followed him up the stairs. "What are you up to, Mr. Potter?" she said in mock bewilderment. "I just thought we could, erm – test out – the flooring in the master suite." He pulled her into the musty old bedroom and gave her a sly look. "Harry," whispered Ginny, who was feeling like she'd be mortified if anyone realized what they were up to. "What if someone comes up here?" "No one will be back anytime soon…they're in the carriage house, and Hermione'll keep that estate wizard busy forever with a litany of reasons why having sheltered house-elves in the same facility as a team of hippogriffs was unhealthy as well as unethical." "You planned this, didn't you?" said Ginny. "No, actually, but I'm all about seizing opportunities when they arise." He gave her another sly look, and she felt herself flush right down to her toes. "Harry Potter!" she whispered loudly as he backed her into a corner of the room. "You're absolutely—" But whatever he was, he never discovered. His mouth had taken control of hers, silencing her with his warm tongue as it slid between her amazed, yet very willing lips. His hands traveled under the soft fiber of her chenille jumper and she gasped at his boldness as he tugged it over her head. She fought back the thought that they would surely be discovered in their tryst as she unbuttoned his shirt, trailed her hands lovingly over his smooth chest and then tossed the shirt carelessly atop her jumper on the floor. Ginny's head rested upon the discarded tops as she heard the zipper to her jeans descend with a very promising ZZZZ-sound, and it was just when the rough material was being yanked down past her hips that she heard voices downstairs. "Oh, Merlin," she gasped. "They're back!" "Shh," said Harry into her ear. He pressed a finger to her trembling mouth. "Harry, mate," called Ron's voice up the stairwell. "We're ready to clear off." "All right, then," shouted Harry. "We'll see you later…I just need to finish showing Ginny some…er…fixtures." Ginny choked back a laugh and gave Harry a desperate look. "See you later," called Ron's voice. "'Bye," shouted Hermione. "'Bye," chorused Ginny and Harry together, and after a moment of silence, they felt it was safe to proceed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ginny nuzzled against her husband, wrapped in a quilt he had conjured, and kissed his neck softly. "I think this house will suit us just fine," said Ginny. "I agree," said Harry, kissing her atop her head. "It's a good house." Clomp, clomp. "What was that?" hissed Ginny, imagining she'd see the ghost of old Elizabeth Lunsford wafting into the bedroom any second. Clomp, clomp. Creak. The door swung noisily on its hinges and opened to reveal the estate wizard, looking extremely annoyed. "I do hate to interrupt, Mr. Potter, but if you've quite finished showing Mrs. Potter your fixtures…" He checked his watch for the thousandth time that afternoon. "…I'm quite ready to lock the place up." He shut the door with a sharp thud and called back to them, "I'll just be downstairs while you both make yourselves decent." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That evening, as they sat on the sofa in their living room, Harry chuckled, "I guess it's a good thing we actually like the house…because if we didn't I think we'd have had to buy it anyhow just to keep the old bloke quiet about what went on there this afternoon." Ginny shook her head and laughed despite the situation, "You know what, Harry? It's never a dull life with you, is it?" "Indeed, no," he assured her, leaning in to kiss her. "And you wouldn't have it any other way, would you?" As Ginny, for the second time that day, heard the familiar ZZZZ-sound, she had to agree that she wouldn't. <center><a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rpg/patronus" target="_new"><img border=0 src="http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-8/1 ... tharry.gif" /></a></center> <center>I tend to think that if someone is sufficiently engaged in one of the books, he's not going to be too disappointed if, at some point, his hero holds hands with a little girl. - Jo Rowling</center>

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 3:11 pm

Foolish EZBoard knocked me out <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/frown.gif ALT=":("> Love this story

Post by **majiklmoon** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:07 pm

zzzzzzz Fixtures bahahahahaha <center>It all started with a boy, a girl, and a silver handprint.</center><center><a href=http://pub84.ezboard.com/bmajiklmoonsrealm><img src=http://members.aol.com/majiklmoon/image ... a></center>

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 5:56 pm

[quote][/quote]

so how does that differ from before?:?

Post by **Island Breeze** » Fri May 05, 2006 2:44 am

Love it!

The cake Ginny made for the occasion oozed a green, slime-like substance from an opening in its center. This, under normal circumstances, would be cause for concern for the dinner guests gathered round her dining table. This day, however, circumstances were different. Enchanted crepe paper bats could fly around the dining room ceiling while the dessert on the table below leaked goo. This day, much to the pleasure of the Potter children and their young guests, was Halloween.

"I want a slice with extra slime!" sang Reid Weasley, a little louder than his mother liked. He and the other children at the table – James, the twins, Lily and Molly, and their cousin Artie – bounced gleefully in their seats, eyeing the tempting treasure as it bubbled and burped on the serving dish in front of them.

And this line especially:

This treasure was real, honest-to-goodness Cauldron Cake – not to be confused with the feeble imitation peddled by witch vendors on the Hogwarts Express

dreaming of the incrowd · Sun May 18, 2008 7:17 pm

Fantastic HP story!

Fan Fic and More

Through His Mother's Eyes - Updated 10-17-04

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Re: Through His Mother's Eyes - Updated 06-19-04

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Re: Through His Mother's Eyes - Updated 10-17-04

Differance

Re: Through His Mother's Eyes - Updated 10-17-04