Xander looked at the gathered family, the whole of the Weasley clan were around the table or on their way. It was a family meeting, called by Ron. He knew why, it was nice to see Ron back in his own clothes.

Ron came out of the fireplace and brushed himself off, then stopped to look at Draco. "That's my shirt!" he complained. "Give it here."

Draco looked at him. "Yours? I thought it was mine." He took it off and looked at the tag in the collar. "No, you're right." He handed it over with a shrug. "I got it out of my closet."

"Go through it again tonight," Ron said. "This is getting ridiculous. You're not the person I want wearing my shirts." He sat down and looked around. "Where is she?"

"On her way. We had a consultation and she was buttering them up," Draco said with a slight smile. "Sorry about the shirt."

"Not your fault," Ron said, looking over as Ginny came out of the fireplace. "Sit, thief."

"Ron," Bill sighed. "Is it really that bad?"

"I nearly got fired!" Ron shouted. "Two reprimands for it!" Bill whistled. "All because *someone* stole all my clothes."

"I'm just happy that you fit into mine," Xander told him. "You going naked to class would be kinda bad."

Arthur coughed. "Yes, that would have been," he agreed. "Ron, has it really been that bad?"

"She's lifted over six hundred sickles worth of clothes. Most of them bought to replace the stuff she'd already stolen."

"I didn't do it," Ginny snorted. She stood up and Percy grabbed her. "Let me go!" she said, struggling.

Percy grunted in pain as she kicked him and it brought out the over-protective instinct in Xander. He stood up and pushed his cane into her throat, stopping her. "Stop it. No one hurts Percy, not even you, Ginny." She stilled and gave him a scared look. "You can either calm down or be bound. Your choice."

"I'll calm down," she said, and he let her go, then Percy did. "This is shit," she told him.

"Sit," George snapped. She sat and gave him a scared look.

Fred looked at Xander. "Why do you protect Percy over the rest of us?"

"Because the rest of you are better fighters and Percy needs the help against you," Xander told him. Then he smiled. "If you become a really bad fighter who can't stand against George then I'll protect you too."

Percy cleared his throat. "He decided early on that I needed the protection. It's become a function of our friendship." He smiled at his best friend. "Thank you though. I don't particularly want a broken foot from her heels."

"Heels are evil," Xander agreed.

Bill looked over at Xander. "If it comes down between George and Percy, who're you going to pick?"

"Both of them," Xander said with a grin.

George nodded. "Xander made it clear that if we pranked Percy ever again, he was going to get us, but if we really hurt Percy and it turned into a family fight then he was getting *all* of us." He kissed his mate on the cheek. "I understand. Percy needs protecting. He's sick."

"I'm fine," Percy told him.

"I didn't mean your heart," George told him, smiling.

Fred snickered. "Percy's not sick. He's solid. Like a block of marble."

"Oh, yeah, that's why we had that scene on the table," Xander reminded him. "Not in the least cold, though I did hear Kandy call him hard-headed."

Molly rolled her eyes. "Stop it. Xander, you're supposed to stick up for George before Percy."

"I do, unless they're picking on Percy."

Arthur smiled at them. "That's good to know. Ginny, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"I didn't do anything. You can check my closets."

"Considering Ron just found *me* wearing one of his shirts and I haven't slept with him," Draco told her, "I doubt that. Ron, I'll have someone check my closet for more of your things." He looked at Ginny. "You've been acting odd anyway."

"You're just pissed because I quit playing with you from across the office," she sneered.

Ron looked at Fred. "Does she remind you of someone? That look on her face looks familiar to me."

"That greasy idiot she was dating," Bill offered. "The one who stole from the girls." He stood up and pulled Ginny up, patting her down. "No obvious devices."

"Check for scars, it could be contagion," Charlie said, getting up to help him. He loved family meetings. He hadn't had anything to do at work, unless he really wanted to clean out the medical ward again, and here he was fighting with his little sister. He lifted her shirt, and smiled, pointing at a scar. "When did she get that?"

"The spring before last," Draco said, looking at it. "While she was dating that idiot. She said she fell outside and got herself on a rock in the park." He ran his fingers over it and she screamed, thrashing against her captors. "I'd say that's it."

"Hey, not a possession," Xander said happily. Draco nodded.

"Why would it be?" Molly asked hesitantly. She had been possessed once, but they had sent her contagion far away.

"Draco's father was pulled out of Sirius Black earlier this year," Ron told her.

"He followed us back to the school when he figured out that haunting my house was only making me bored," Draco added. "Started by picking on the children. Very stupid of him, he started with Iggy."

Arthur snickered. He had heard that story. "I'm sure he's very sorry, wherever he may be at the moment." He looked at his daughter, who Charlie had bound. "What do we do about this?"

"First, we need to test her for contagion," Ron told him. "It's the same procedure as if she were possessed and she needs to go to the same facility mum was at. They'll take it from her like they did mum."

"What is this?" Xander asked. "Is this like a possession or is it just like an infection?"

"If it's a side-effect of the Law of Contagion, it's an infection," Bill told him. He considered it for a second. "It's probably like a possession from a living being instead of a dead one. He probably bled into her cut and some of his spirit is infecting her. It's not that bad usually, but he was a blighter." He looked around. "Are we set on this course?" Their parents nodded. "Then we'll drop her off."

"I should," Ron told him.

"Stay," Charlie told him. "We can do this while you find the rest of your shirts."

"And boxer and pants," Xander added in a tired voice. He put his head down. "I think it's nap time if this is settled."

"It's the pain medicine," George explained, stroking his husband's back. "Over break, we're going to have to go back in for more surgery on his knee. One side's gone funny." Molly 'ooh'ed. "He's fine, but under orders to take pain medicine every day. This is his normal nap time." Xander murmured and shifted so George pulled him against him. "We'll be fine and he'll be in less pain." He looked over as Harry came out of the fireplace with Simone and Denver. "Get it all?"

"All of what?" Molly asked.

"Ron asked us to go find his clothes," Harry said, handing over a bag. "All yours," he said with a smile. He pulled both kids out of the way as Iggy came out of the fireplace with a large box.

Ron hopped up to go through the boxes. "Everything but my boxers," he said happily. Draco groaned. "You didn't," he said, looking at him.

"No, but it's the most likely place for them to be," Draco told him. He shuddered. He could be wearing Ron's underwear. "I'll let you have them all and I'll buy more."

"Toss them," Ron said, waving a hand, looking sick. "I'll buy new ones too." They shared a nod. The rest of the family broke up in laughter, finding it really funny. "What? That's nasty!" Ron told them.

"I don't know," Denver said with a shrug. "Every once in a while I have to borrow something of Iggy's because he has more pairs than I do and I'm behind in my laundry."

"Son, no," Draco told him. "That's disgusting. Underwear should not be shared. I'll buy you more."

"I need more too," Iggy admitted. "I've outgrown them." He held up his arms, showing that his clothes actually fit him. "I'm still growing."

"We'll take you to a department store," George sighed. "Is anything else too tight?"

"Well, my shoes only have one more size of growth," Iggy admitted, "but I think they're okay for now. I can wait for boots. But I do need a new uniform. My last one is now too tight and I'm going to bust a seam."

"Can't your captain get you one?" Fred asked, turning to look at him. Iggy shook his head. "Why not?"

"They're on back order."

"You could try on one of ours," George told him. Fred nodded. "As long as we get them back."

"Thanks, daddy," Iggy said with relief. He hated this growing stuff. "Can we get me new underwear today?"

"Sure," Fred agreed, standing up. "I can take you there."

"I have to go anyway," Draco told him. "And my son as well." Denver sighed and nodded, not understanding what the big deal was if they were clean. "Iggy?" Iggy nodded, looking pleased. "Diagon or muggle London?"

"Muggle London," Iggy told him. "You can get a whole lot more for the money and I need it."

George tossed over a few coins. "That should change into enough to get you some decent clothes. Do you need more school uniforms?"

"Robes, but I took my allowance and bought a few more," he said with a grin. "You can pay me back with getting my next book order."

"How much is that one?" Fred asked, looking unsure. He had heard about the sixty-eight galleon book.

"Three galleons, ten sickles, and four knuts," Iggy told him. "Including tax and shipping. Two more galleons than my new robes."

"Deal," George told him. "Get yourself some pants if you want. I know you could use some more jeans." He tossed over a few more, counting on the exchange rate. "And get something for your sister. Something pretty. William's only wearing your old shirts and Maeve won't wear anything that's not a robe."

"Yes, sir." Iggy looked at Draco. "Now or later?"

"In a few moments." He looked at his son, noticing his clothes were a little too tight too. "We'll buy you free-time clothes, uniforms next month." Both boys nodded. "Did we need to bring Simone or Anastasia?"

"Simone could use some new underwear too," Denver told him. "All her boxers are getting thin. She was running around in them before practice and you could see through the buttcheek part."

Arthur looked at him. "Simone is wearing boys underwear?"

"This is Simone, Granddad," Iggy pointed out.

Arthur nodded. "Good point." He smiled. "Have fun. Did you need some help?"

"No, I think we can handle a single stop," Draco told him. "A large enough department store should have something for all three of them. Does Melvin need any?"

"Yes," Denver and Iggy said together.

"He's borrowing my pants," Denver told him.

Percy tossed some money. "Have fun," he said with a smile.

Draco shook his head. "Wonderful fun. If you don't give me a headache, I'll spring for pizza."

"Daddy, I need both of my cauldrons replaced for Christmas," Iggy said before disappearing.

"It never ends," George sighed. "All that plus fees if he's accepted to Braun."

"How much are fees?" Arthur asked.

"Sixty galleons a term," Fred told him. Molly gasped. "For two terms this summer."

"There's no way," Percy told him.

"I'd like to say the same thing," George sighed, "but it does suit him and it's his future we're talking about. If he gets accepted, then he's assured a spot once he graduates." He looked at his sleeping husband. "We have it, but it's painful to think about it. Three more summers like this, plus travel and housing expenses for the terms, then travel expenses for when he goes to start his meeting of the colonies and their elders."

"At least you'll have a bit before William needs to go to school," Bill reminded him. He lifted Ginny. "Come on, you. Let's get you checked over." He hauled her over to the fireplace and went with her, Charlie following them.

"You could wait for another year," Molly suggested. "Surely he's got things he could learn this summer from you and Professor Snape."

George nodded. "He can, but if he doesn't go this year, it looks bad because it looks like he's not that interested. He's only just now eligible and they like to see their students applying as soon as they're eligible because it makes them look superior."

"Still," Percy said with a frown. "That's an atrocious amount of fees. Isn't there one in country, where he wouldn't have to pay for it?"

Xander sat up and rubbed his eyes. "What's the dt?"

"Iggy and Braun," Percy told him. "Isn't there a local one?"

"There's supposedly one," Xander admitted. "Albus told me." George looked at him. "It's nearly mythical and almost no one gets in," he told his husband. "Albus sent them a letter of suggestion last year and they never answered." He looked at Percy. "Other than an alchemy program or a college degree in Chemistry, there's nothing else."

"There're other, less expensive schools, but they don't have the reputation and if he goes to one of the ones which has a pre-graduation program, he can't get into Braun."

"Is it really that important?" Arthur asked.

"He's assured a job with a degree from Braun," Fred said with a shrug. "They literally guarantee that he'll get a job or they'll refund all his fees back to the pre-graduation program." Molly looked impressed and his father shook his head. "It's a matter of reputation. Plus, he's virtually assured a spot because Snape went there."

"They're actively recruiting him," Xander added.

"There's no aid?" Molly asked.

"Not until he gets into the regular program," George told her. "I talked with them the other day, they're the worst sort of snobs. Apparently, he's supposed to get sponsorship somehow."

"An apprenticeship would almost be better," Percy said in disgust.

"I haven't talked to the elders of the colony but I'm assuming that they can't do much to help, beyond helping him get in."

"I'm sure you'll manage," Arthur told them. "We did with all of you."

"And like someone said, we've got time to save up for William and Maeve after Iggy's depleted our savings."

"Hopefully," Xander added.

George looked at him. "Why hopefully?"

"Think about it, dear. There's all sorts of things that could happen and with our luck sometimes, they could."

"Good point," George agreed with a smile. "Hopefully."

"I'm sure you will," Percy told him. "The rest of us can help somehow. Have they shown any affinities yet?"

"William likes fire," Xander said with a grin. "He's such a little me."

The family snickered, a few shaking their heads.

***

Draco walked the children into the department store, muggle money safely stashed in his pocket. "Underwear first," he said, steering the children that way.

"I need to go to sporting goods anyway," Simone agreed. "And my size is on the other side of the store, near the exit."

"Then we'll go there last," Draco said, giving her a smile. It wasn't like she wouldn't find half of everything she needed in the boys' section anyway. How his daughter had picked up on wearing boys underwear he wasn't sure, but he would have to talk to her about it some day. Eventually. He let the boys run free. "Pick things you can study in," he reminded them, stopping to look at a shirt. "Very nice," he told himself, searching for a better color. White silk wasn't for him.

"Can I check out the bookstore here?" Iggy asked as he handed over a blood red shirt. "Just to see?"

"If we must," Draco sighed, looking over at him. When had the boy gotten so large? "Go find clothes." Iggy held up three packages of underwear. "You know the exchange rate, go find some real clothes, Ignatius." The boy nodded and went to do some real shopping. Draco glanced around but none of the muggles shopping in the store were near them. He walked over to his daughter and frowned at her. "Those are not for you," he told her, taking the smurf boxers out of her hands, along with the carebear ones. "Get something reasonable."

"But they're funny," Simone told him, taking them back. She stuck her tongue out at him. "I like them, dad."

"I'm not buying them."

"I changed some of my allowance."

"Which would mean I'd still be buying them," he pointed out. "Find something reasonable." She sighed and walked away. He kept his smirk to himself, he was a good father. No matter what the ghost had tried to tell him. His daughter would not wear hideous things on her body. He found a few more things that he liked and gathered them together, then went to help the boys. His daughter could fit himself, the boys probably wouldn't. He found Ignatius in a changing room, staring at himself in the mirror. "Those are a bit tight," he noted, wondering how the boy stayed in such good shape. He never did anything other than potions these days.

"I do work out," Iggy told him, turning around. "I also haven't grown in the last few weeks so I might be able to keep these." He checked out his butt. "Do you think they're cute?" Draco nodded. "I'm supposed to casually run into Raena next week when I go up for some scheduled research. Her mother is arranging it." He nodded. "I like these."

Simone walked over and whistled. "Trying to get some?" she asked. Her father glared at her. "What? They're so tight you can see everything he has. Or as that comedian says, what religion he is." Melvin walked up behind her, his arms full, and nodded.

"Which would be the point," Iggy told her.

"Can you wear them comfortably?" Draco asked. Iggy nodded. "Then get that pair and the rest in the next size up." The boy laughed and went back into the changing room to put back on his clothes, carrying out his selections.

Denver met them there, holding onto some clothes. "I've got my stuff."

"Try it on," Draco said patiently. "We can wait." His son rolled his eyes but went to try on things. He came out and showed that they hung on him a little bit, but not too much. Just right for a growing boy. Draco let himself be drug to the sporting good section, where Simone did most of the rest of her shopping, then through girls' clothes so she could find a few more shirts. By the time they were done, the boys were tired. Melvin had even started to complain. They headed back into the mall so Iggy could browse through the bookstore, and the others headed for a music store because it sounded interesting in there. Draco went with them because it had movies and he still needed something for Xander's birthday.

They met up in front of the science store, which Iggy and Melvin went into because they had some herb kits and various low quality gemstones. Then they went to the food court for pizza.

Iggy held out the stones he had found. "I think we can use the green one for Little Ron." Simone leaned over and looked at it, nodding because her mouth was full. "The blue one's for something else I'm working on."

"Good," she said, taking a sip of her soda. "What did you find in the bookstore? I saw the small bag."

"Did you know they had stuff on what Tara does?" Iggy asked, glancing around. A few people were looking their way, but it was mostly other teens admiring their hot bodies.

"Really?" Draco asked. "Did you buy any?" Iggy handed over the bag, watching as he looked through them. "Interesting." He came to the last one and smacked his nephew hard across the back of his head. "That one's dangerous, thank you." He confiscated the Necrinomicon, putting it into one of his bags. "No more. We'll tell someone that they're there, and nothing more." Iggy nodded, picking up his soda to sip. "Did anyone need anything else?"

"I saw a locket Ana would love in the jewelry store," Melvin put in.

"We didn't bring enough money for a jewelry trip," Denver told him. Melvin opened his mouth. "Trust me, I went with her when she was browsing in The Emerald Field. She not only has expensive tastes, but is very picky and only wants the best."

"It wouldn't hurt to look," Draco told him. "If we had to, we can always come back." He looked at Iggy. "First, we'll go to the bookstore and look at the ones you found, just in case." Iggy nodded. "Then the jewelry store. Anywhere else?"

"Pet store?" Simone offered. "Ana still can't find the kitten she wants."

Ron wandered up to them and pulled a chair over. "Did we find everything?"

"Plus something odd," Iggy said, showing him his books. "Tara does that stuff, right?" Ron nodded, handing the bag back. "Did you find anything you needed?"

"Everything," Ron said with a smile. "Plus a new pair of jeans and a few new shirts. It's cheaper to buy them here."

"Yes, but they're not tailored," Draco reminded him.

"Madam Malkin tailors Xander's when he buys them here, she might do mine," Ron said. He picked up one of Denver's fries and ate it. "Where to next?"

"Bookstore, jewelry store, and pet store," Simone told him.

"Okay, I can go there." Simone looked at him, then around at all the noisy teenagers. "I know, but it's better to watch you guys. I caught Melvin's glare at the goth kid a few stores back." He stole another fry.

"You could get yourself some," Denver pointed out, moving his fries out of range. "You're an adult, you don't depend on an allowance."

"No, I depend on a paycheck, which has went to clothes this year," Ron told him. Denver handed him a few more fries. "Thanks." He smiled and ate the first one. "Why the pet store?"

"Ana still wants a kitten," Melvin told him. He pointed at some kids at another table. "Why don't we have kids like them in our school? We have muggles."

"True, but they're probably groomed before they come," Ron told him.

"Don't point, you'll upset them," Draco chastised. "Then they'll come over here and we'll be forced to deal with the hair color issues." He finished off his lasagna and put down his plastic fork. "Not eating?"

"Mum fed me earlier," Ron said with a shrug. "She enjoys feeding us."

"She made me a snack," Iggy admitted, eating more of his food.

"Maybe if you quit eating, you'd quit growing," Simone offered. Iggy tossed his napkin at her. "Hey, it was only a suggestion." She glared at him. "How are you doing your uniform?"

"I'm borrowing one of dad's or Uncle Fred's. They said I could." He reached over and stole one of Denver's fries. "Hurry up before I finish them for you."

Denver glared at him. "Go get your own! I'm a growing boy too!"

Draco smiled. "That's very true, you are a growing boy. Ignatius, if you're still hungry, get something else to eat." He handed him a ten-pound note and watched him walk away. "Get Ron something too so he quits stealing food."

"Yes, Uncle Draco," Iggy called back as he walked away. He ordered and came back for more money, then went to get it. He came back with a full tray and the boys dug in, except Draco.

***

Iggy looked in the jewelry store, then pointed. "Tasteful and small."

Draco looked down. "Very true. Anastasia would probably like that and it would be tasteful enough for daily wear." He snapped his fingers and the salesman walked over. "May I see this one?" The necklace was pulled out for him. He held it up to the light, looking at the stone. "Small flaw, not exactly the most high quality stone, but this is for daily wear." He handed it back. "How much?"

"Three hundred pounds," the salesman asked.

Iggy winced. "For that? I've seen cheaper."

"With cheaper stones," the salesman said haughtily.

"Uncle, we can find better ones at the other store. The one they had was prettier anyway."

Draco looked at him, then at the other kids. "In jewelry, price is usually indicative of quality. As is reputation." Iggy shrugged. "Would you rather say that you got this from here, or from the other place?"

"I'd rather say I got something sensible," Simone put in as she joined them. She looked at the necklace. "It's too long for our uniforms, father." She pushed some of her hair back behind her ear.

Denver walked over with Melvin and held out a bracelet. "May I?"

"If you want," Draco agreed, after looking it over. Pure gold, very tasteful. He looked at the necklace again, then shrugged. "Are you sure, Simone?"

She grabbed it and put it on, showing him how far it fell. "It's a cleavage drawer. She doesn't need the help." She took off the necklace and tossed it back. "Besides, it's light. Ana only likes heavier jewelry. Like that one," she said, pointing at a cameo and ribbon choker.

Draco looked at it. "It won't go with her uniform colors, but it would go well with Ravena's." He pointed at that one. "We'll take that and do you have it in red or gold?" An antique gold one was pulled out. "Ah, excellent. How much for those two?"

"Thirteen hundred pounds."

Draco looked at Iggy. "Hold it for a few moments, let me go to the bank. Ignatius?"

"Yes, sir," he said, walking out with him. "You're sure? It usually takes some time to get down there and they're nearly closed."

"It won't take that long, I left some cash at the front desk in case we needed it," Draco told him. He took his nephew's hand and looked around before they disappeared. They reappeared a few minutes later with a large bundle of muggle money. "There we are," he said as he walked back into the store. "Much better." He handed over the cash, smiling when the salesman tried to fall all over himself once he had seen the cash. "Let's look in this other place, children." He led them out, letting Melvin hold the bag with the jewelry for him. The problem with muggle malls was that you couldn't bring a house elf to carry bags for you. They walked into the other jewelry store and Simone headed right for the charm bracelets. She adored them, even if they were girly. Iggy saw the little crystal statues and was glued to their case. Melvin and Denver helped him look over the smaller pendants for his other daughters. "Simone?" he called finally. She walked over and tried on everything for him, helping him pick out three or four things that his spoiled daughters would adore.

"Daddy, can I show you something?" Simone asked. He nodded so she led him over to the charm bracelets. She pointed at one. "I like that one."

"I think it suits you," he agreed, waving a clerk over. "My daughter likes that one," he said, pointing at the one next to it. She nudged him. "Not the one with the fairies?"

"Father," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "The one with the bats." It was brought out for her and she tried it on. "Do you think it's cute?"

"I think it's adorable," he agreed, giving her a kiss on the head. "She'll take that one, without the rackets on it. Just the bats and balls for now." The clerk nodded and hurried away to take off the extra charms for them. "Did anything else spark your interest?"

"No, but I think we're going to need a prybar to get Iggy away from those," she said with a smirk, pointing at her cousin.

Draco walked over to look at the rotating case. "Which one was it?" Iggy pointed at the small cauldron as it passed by them. "Very cute."

"I was thinking about it as a present," Iggy said quietly. "Sixty pounds."

"That's less than a galleon," Draco told him.

Iggy straightened up. "Do you think Severus will like it?"

"I think he'd think it was cute and fragile," Draco said delicately. "Tara might like it more." Iggy nodded. "He's not usually into small trinkets."

"Good point, but I should give him something for Christmas." He looked at the rotating case again. "Besides, those are really cute. I wonder how you do that."

"Those are laser carved," the clerk said, coming over with Simone's charm bracelet. "How's that?"

"Perfect," Draco told him. He pointed at the case. "Laser?"

"Lasers, those lights that cut things?" the clerk told him. Draco looked like he understood. "It's not hard. With the proper chisels and books, you could probably start carving little figurines out of other rocks. Crystals are very delicate and best left until you've got experience."

Iggy looked at him. "I'll take the small cauldron and the broom." He dug in his pocket but his uncle handed him some cash. "I have my allowance."

"And a book habit that rivals some people's drug habits," Draco said dryly. "I can afford it and I'd like to see the look on his face when he gets it." He watched as they were pulled out and wrapped up for them. "How much?" The clerk went to add everything up and came back with a slip. Draco didn't even wince because he kept in mind the exchange rate. Of course, it wasn't good formal jewelry, but for everyday wear it was fine. He accepted the bag and merged it with Melvin's. "Are we done?" Simone shook her head. "Why not?"

"Pet store. We're supposed to meet Uncle Ron in front of it in about ten minutes."

"All right, let's go there," he sighed. He was tired of this place. He smiled at Iggy, putting an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Do you feel satisfied?"

"A little. I've always had a hard time picking out presents for others," Iggy told him. "I still don't know what I'm giving daddy for his birthday."

"Give him a foot rub, he'd probably appreciate it more than nearly anything," Draco advised. Iggy nodded, that apparently sounded good to him. "The key to giving good gifts is knowing about people; what they like and what they need. Giving someone something that they don't need or want is a waste of money."

"Yeah, but I'm not that good with people," Iggy reminded him. "I relate better to creatures than I do people some days."

"I noticed." Draco gave him a squeeze. "Don't worry, you'll learn. Your father loves sensual things. Soft things, things that make him feel good. George likes things that are interesting and make him think. Fred likes funny things, or things that are odd. Snape is another matter entirely. I offered to give him a present one year for his birthday and he nearly went through the roof of the house's common room." He looked around and found Ron waiting on them. "Is there anything in there?"

"I only glanced inside. Six kittens, a few birds. Nothing really great." He followed them inside, frowning at the animal Simone had immediately gone too. "Croonshanks Junior," he said, eyes wide. She looked at him. "Have you seen Harry's cat?"

"I thought it was *her* cat," Simone said, putting it back down. "It's a very sweet cat."

"Yeah, but this is going to Ana," Iggy pointed out, walking up to the windows. "Wow, look at that one." He pointed at the pair of cats in the window. The black and silver one was holding down a red one, but the red one was fighting hard.

Draco laughed. "That does look like Ravena and Ana some days." They switched positions and the red one beat the snot out of the black and silver one for giving it a bath.

"Definitely them," Simone agreed. She smiled at the clerk. "Are those two aggressive and cuddly?"

"The red one's very aggressive and cuddly," the woman told them, pulling her out. "The other's a little less aggressive, but very tidy and neat." She watched as the obvious family gathered to look at them.

"We'll take them," Simone told her, "and the orange one for Uncle Harry." Ron looked at her. "His cat is getting old, Uncle Ron. I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

"Let him pick his own cat," Draco told her. He wasn't so sure about this, they weren't familiar quality so they'd die sooner. "How long are their breed expected to live?"

"About twenty years. They're both Siamese."

Simone shook her head. "They don't have points or a mask. They're Burmese." She looked at her father. "They share many traits, but these are more people oriented. They're oriental cats." He nodded, accepting her expertise. She was the animal person in the family after all.

"Then what's the orange one?" Ron asked.

"It looks like a Himalayan or an Exotic Shorthair. The nose structure and coat give it away, along with the large eyes." She pointed at one in a wire cage. "That's a Korat. I'd get one of those if my bird liked cats." She pointed at another which looked earless. "That's a Scottish Fold. So named because of its ears." She smiled at him. "They're supposed to be loving."

"Harry probably would want to save one from the pound," Ron told her. "He likes to save things that need love." Draco looked at him. "He said they reminded him of him one time."

"Oh." He looked at his daughter. "I'll let you snatch him later and take him to a pound." He looked at the cats, both of them giving him pitiful 'save us' looks. "But we will take these. Ravena can have the black one and Ana the red. It matches her hair perfectly." Simone bounced excitedly. "Find them the necessary things for the creatures." She hurried off, coming back with piles of stuff inside litterboxes. "What are those?"

"Kitty toilets."

Iggy shuddered. "Eww. Get something to cover them."

"These are covered, they've put them together," Simone said, showing him the two layers. "They even have a filter so they don't stink up her dorm."

"Will her school allow her to have animals?" the saleswoman asked.

"Yes," Iggy told her.

"They let me have my bird and a number of girls in the dorm have cats." She patted the red one gently. "You'll like Ana. As long as you cuddle, she'll love you greatly. Especially once I teach you to hiss at my bird so it leaves you alone."

"You have an aggressive bird?" Simone nodded. "I've heard some of the exotics can be that way."

"She's protective," Simone told the poor muggle. "She's bit people over me before." She accepted the red cat from her father, petting it gently. "Here we go, to your new home." She carefully put her into a carrier and smiled. "There."

"I thought Ana had a cat," Melvin said.

"It ran off," Simone told him. "We think it's living under the kitchen but she's been lonely." She watched as her father paid for everything, plus some large bags of food and treats, then helped him carry everything out to the alleyway. Iggy helped her and Melvin back to the school while her father got himself, the bags, and Denver. They appeared in the house and looked around. No one. "Do you think they're at Grandma's?"

"I hear snoring so at least someone's here," Draco told her. "Go find your sisters." She hurried off, leaving the cats there. "Boys, no letting on how much anything cost. Ravena hates to be spoiled with expensive things for some reason."

Melvin nodded and dug out his bags. "I understand, Uncle Draco." Ron appeared, holding a little furry creature. "What's that?"

"A familiar for my three," Ron told him, showing off the little Korat that Simone had told him about. From inside his jacket something meowed. Draco looked at him. "It was cute," he said with a grin, taking out the Scottish Fold. "And it looks funny, I enjoy having animals that don't laugh at me."

"Phoenixes don't like cats," Denver reminded him.

"Murphy can bloody well keep his beak away from the pets," Ron told him with a grin. From the nest, something squawked. "Yes, you, you great fluffy creature." Murphy flew down and immediately hissed at the cats. Ron smacked him on the beak. "No! Mine."

George came down the stairs. "If you hit the bird again, I'm going to break your arm."

"I didn't hurt him."

"Yay." George looked at the insulted Murphy. "Oh, get over it. You can't hiss at his creatures. He's allowed to give his three animals too." Murphy glared at Ron then took off. "You're going to be apologizing for the next year or so," he said as he looked at the cats. "What's that?"

"A Scottish Fold."

"It's so ugly it's cute," George said, lifting it up to look at it. "You're an odd duck."

"It's a cat," Xander said from the stairs. He flicked his wand at Ron, making him yell. "Never hit my bird again or you'll suffer worse." Murphy squealed his agreement from his shoulder.

"Sorry," Ron groaned. Xander released him. "Oh, damn." He held his stomach. "I'm sorry, Murphy. I should know you're smart enough to understand and not some stupid bird like the ones we saw today."

Murphy came over and looked down at him, obviously waiting for more.

Ron sat up slowly, reaching up to pet him. "I'm sorry, mate. I shouldn't have hit you. I'm a bad human. You should bite me in the middle of the night for the next few years until I beg you to stop." Murphy fluffed himself up. "You're too smart to not like the cats, it was just an instinctive reaction. I'm sorry."

Murphy settled down, and looked at the creatures. He waddled down the back of the couch, getting closer to the cat in his mate's human's arms. The cat batted at it and he hissed again, so the cat pulled back and meowed in fear. A proper attitude for such furry things. The second one hissed back and swatted at him with its claws out. A feisty one. That one would be good for the children. He looked at Ron and settled himself down.

Harry walked in with Anastasia. "You wanted to see her?"

"Presents," Denver told her. She squealed and ran over to the couch, digging through the bags. "One of the cages is yours too."

She looked inside and picked up the red cat, pulling it out to look at it. Murphy peered down at the creature, then nuzzled the little girl. She swatted at it. "Get off. You've got a human. My cat." She glared at the bird. "If you scare off this one, I'm going to get you and turn you into fried chicken, Murphy." Murphy cooed at her then went back to looking at the odd creatures. That fluffy one wouldn't give him or his chicks any trouble.

Simone and Ravena walked in together and Ravena plopped herself down, looking at the bags. "Father, I don't need anything."

"Most of the bags are ours," Simone told her, settling down to sort out the bags. She stole one of her brother's boxers but he caught her and snatched it from her. So she did it straight, just taking her stuff back with her. The boys followed her back to their houses with their own things.

Ravena looked at the other cat, then up at her father. "You got me a cat?"

"And everything that the creature could need," Draco agreed patiently.

"Thank you, Father," she said with a smile, taking it from its carrier to look at. "You're tiny." The cat licked her fingers and looked at her. "Thank you. Kitten kisses are supposed to be wonderful for the skin." She cuddled it while she looked at the things laid out in front of her sister. "Why did she get jewelry?"

"Because I asked for some," Ana told her, picking up the diamond and garnet pendant. "That's beautiful and will go well with my uniform," she said happily.

Harry walked around to look at the creature in Ron's hands. "You're cute," he said, picking it up to hold. "Very adorable." The cat gave him a pitiful look. "Oh, you poor thing," he said, holding it tightly. The other cat jumped down and came to get in on the petting as well. "Oh, you're like those temple cats."

Ana looked back. "That's a Korat. It's a Thai temple cat, considered good luck." She smiled at her Uncle Ron. "Very auspicious."

"I got them for him," Ron said, nodding at Harry. Harry beamed at him. "If you don't want them, then they're going to stay with the kids."

"I love them," Harry said happily, hugging them both. "Croonshanks will adore you both I'm sure, but she's getting very old and mostly lays around." He took them with him, heading back to his house to introduce his new comforting creatures.

"Nice job," Xander told him. "It still doesn't get you off the hook."

"Forgive him," George told him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "He said he's sorry and Murphy forgave him." The fire discharged Charlie. "How is she?"

"They found a substantial contagion. He bled a lot into that scrape." He looked at the kittens the girls were holding. "Wow. Very nice." Ana grinned at him. "Are you going to take care of them?" She nodded. "Good. I'd hate to have to take them from you if you don't." Draco gave him a look. "I will. I won't stand for animals being mistreated." Ron flinched. "What did you do?"

"He smacked Murphy on the nose," George told him, getting out of the way. "He apologized."

Ron nodded. "I did. Tell him, Murphy."

Murphy leaned closer to the human and sung at him, sounding happy. He would forgive the human idiot, this time. Next time, he would be losing a limb. Or his head. Either of them.

Charlie petted the phoenix like it deserved. "Thank you, Murphy. I'm sure he knows better now." Ron nodded. "Good." Ravena held up her cameo. "That's cute."

"Her cousins and sister helped pick everything out," Draco told him, sitting down. "Are there two little boxes in there?" Ravena dug them out and held them out. "Murphy, those are Iggy's. Can you take them to him?" The bird grabbed them and took off, heading for the Gryffindor tower. He looked at Ron. "So, what are you going to get the children now?"

"I'll figure that out later," Ron told him, sitting down himself. He nudged the bags that had been sorted out for him by Simone with his foot. "Did we really just spend the afternoon in a muggle mall?"

"Yes," Draco sighed.

Xander laughed. "It always seems like more when you're in there." He sat down on the couch beside the girls, petting Ana's cat gently. "You be good," he told it. "She'll take good care of you."

"Yes, I will," Ana said, moving her kitten away from him. "Father, did you buy us anything else?"

"Just the jewelry." She gathered everything up and brought it to her room, going to show her friends. He looked at Ravena. "Do you like them?"

"I like them a lot, father," Ravena said, getting up to give him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow." She grabbed her stuff and headed back to her room, going to introduce Hemlock around. It was a suitable name for her cat.

Ron stood up. "I'm going to put up my new things. Be right back." He grabbed his bags and headed up the stairs.

Draco pulled his closer and looked through them. He headed up the stairs, meeting Ron half-way. They exchanged bags and went back to where they had been.

***

Ryan Rosenberg tapped on the first year girls' door and it opened under his hand. "Ravena?" he called. She waved from her bed. "May I?" She waved him in and the other girls didn't say anything. "I hear we have a new addition to the house?" Something attacked his foot and ran away. "Oh, how cute."

Ravena sat up and snapped her fingers and her kitten came running back to her for the treat she held. "This is Hemlock," she said, holding him up. "He's a ferocious attack beast who loves strings, hair, or anything that looks like it." She set the cat on the bed so he could pet it. "Did Agatha want to see?"

"No, she heard. She's allergic to cats, especially her mother's." He smiled at her. "He's very cute. Where did your father find him?"

"In the muggle mall of all places," she told him with a smile. Then she grabbed her new necklace and showed it off. "He found this there too."

"Why was *your* father in a muggle mall?" Agatha asked from the doorway. She walked in and looked down at the creature. "You're small."

"He's only half grown," Ravena told her. "Hemlock, this is Agatha. She's a cousin and you're to stay away from her because she's allergic." Agatha looked at her. "Ryan said so."

"Oh." She sat down and picked up the cat to look at. "You're safe. Her father would skin me if I hurt you." The cat batted at a loose piece of hair. "Thank you." She put it down on the bed. "Hemlock?"

"I thought it suited him," Ravena said with a smile. "He held his own against Murphy for a few seconds." Murphy had come to visit the new furry creature and check it over, and Hemlock had indeed hissed and spat at him. "He looks like a Hemlock to me."

"What was your father doing in a muggle mall?" another girl asked.

"Underwear shopping. My cousins and siblings needed new underwear. Since they're all growing right now, Iggy's father made him go to the muggle places because they're cheaper and they could outgrow them without worrying about it." It was a good lie to protect her father.

"What's a mall?" another girl asked.

"A conglomeration of stores in the same building," Ryan told her. "It's somewhere that teenagers hang out in as well."

Ravena nodded. "Simone likes to shop there because she can find the bras she likes."

"She's wearing one now?" Ryan asked.

"Sports bras. She says they flatten her down." Ravena shrugged. "I agree with mother and Ana, I like pushup bras. When I finally need one, I'm expecting a small celebration and a lot of new clothes."

"My father blushes every time I talk about underwear shopping," Agatha admitted, pushing some of her hair back into place. "I'm going to have to take Grandmother when I need those dreadful devices."

"You could ask my mother, or Ryan's," Ravena reminded her. "Willow seems to have decent taste half the time and my mother only goes to the best and most exclusive clothiers anymore." She yawned. "When she's not stealing Uncle Ron's clothes."

"Is that what happened to his shirts?" Agatha asked. Ravena nodded. "Wonderful. Is she fixed?"

"She's in the hospital. Uncle Charlie said she was under some sort of contagion." Her kitten batted at her fingers so she scratched it gently. "How's that?" she asked it. It rolled onto it's back and spread out. "My, you are loving." She continued to pet her new friend, treating it very well. "Your father just took home the two that Uncle Ron had been gushing over."

"Oh, joy. More animals who won't like me," Agatha said as she stood up. "Were they purebreeds like yours?" Ravena nodded. "At least there's that. Any new word on other family business?"

"Nothing about your mother. Your father went home but he might be back. Ana just got some jewelry from father. Simone now has her new bat."

"Bat?" Ryan asked. "Doesn't she already have one of those?"

"Now she's got a cricket bat," Ravena told him. "I saw it in her bag. She's been wanting one now for a while. Ever since Uncle Xander took her bra shopping I think."

"Professor Harris took your oldest sister bra shopping?" one of the roommates asked, sounding like she was sneering.

"Simone needed things for sports. He understands that much and was a suitable chaperone while knowledgeable saleswomen helped her. Father and mother were out shopping themselves at the time." She looked over at her. "He also got her those workout clothes you were admiring. He's very knowledgeable about physical activity of that sort."

"Good for him," she muttered. She flipped the page on her magazine. "Keep your cat out of my bed."

Ravena stood up and walked over, then punched the girl as hard as she could in the middle of her chest, making the girl gasp and grab herself to make sure she hadn't died. "Touch my cat and my sister won't be the one you have to worry about. Are we clear?" she asked the room at large. The other girls nodded and mumbled responses. "Thank you. I will try to keep Hemlock at bay, but do tell me if he becomes annoying." They all nodded. "Thank you." She sat down and handed over another treat for her cat. "You will be a good boy," she told him. "If you are, I won't have you fixed." The girl on the next bed wheezed. "Did I hurt you?" she asked with a slight smile.

"no, not at all," the girl whispered, leaving the room.

Ryan and Agatha both looked at her. "Nice show," Ryan told her with a smile. "Did you get anything else?"

"Just the cameo and things for my little darling." She picked up her cat and put the collar on it, then clipped the leash. The cat immediately laid down and refused to move. "Come on, we'll head down to the common area so others can see you and know you're mine." She picked him up and carried him down the stairs. She set the cat down on the floor and sat behind him, watching as the others watched her. "My father thought I needed something softer."

The boys all looked away. They wouldn't mess with her for anything. Not even when they were older would they touch that girl, not even if she begged. They all knew what would happen to them if they tried to get anywhere near her.

Ravena kept her smile to herself. Maybe she should pick a mate now and start working on him. Though, all the boys in the tower bored her to tears. She'd have to give them instruction in knowledge as well as how to be her consort. She'd start some other day. That was too much work for a Saturday.

***

Gwen looked around. No one was there. Not even her brother and sister. They were all still asleep and she was bored. She stomped her foot but not even the phoenix chick curled up on the couch paid her any attention. She would have to do something about that. She grabbed some of the pretty green powder that her father used to go places. She did just what he did, tossing it in and then stepping into the green fire. "Uncle Percy's house," she said. Nothing. She grabbed some more powder and did it again. Still nothing. She screamed in frustration.

A head appeared at her feet. "Where are you trying to go?" the floo information woman asked.

"Uncle Percy's house," she told her. "He tells nice stories."

"What's his name?"

"Uncle Percy." She stepped out of the fire and the head grew. "He has a large house and a daughter."

"If you say so. Do you know his last name?" The girl shook her head. "What's your last name?"

"Weas'ey!" she said happily.

She looked down for a moment. "Then call out Percy Weasley," she enunciated, "and you can go there. Say Gryphon's Tower to get back where you are." She nodded. "Thank you for using Floo Information." The head disappeared.

Gwen grabbed some more powder and tossed it back in, spreading some in front of the fireplace. "Percy Weas'ey!" she said once she was inside. The floo spun her off, making her squeal in delight. She loved this ride! It discharged her in her uncle's house but it was empty. So she curled up on the couch to wait for him, taking a short nap.

***

Ron woke up and walked into the nursery, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Something was not right and he couldn't tell what, but something was definitely begging for his full attention. He blinked a few times. All the furniture was there. Ray, Minnie.... "Gwen?" he asked. His mind fully engaged and he ran down the stairs, checking all the rooms in the tower. He even checked Slytherin's library, even though she couldn't possibly have gotten in there. He ran up and gave George a hard shove. "Gwen's missing!" he shouted when his brother mumbled at him.

George sat up and looked at him. "What?"

"Gwen's missing. As in not around here anymore."

"She's probably watching tv," George yawned. "Cartoons or some such."

"I checked, she's not anywhere!"

"Shit." George flung the covers off and went to wake Xander, who was in the nest. "Dear, wake up. One of the kids is missing." Xander mumbled and shifted. "Xander! Up, now!" Didn't work. "Vampire!" he shouted. Xander sat up and looked around. "Dear, Gwen's missing."

"Damn." He got out of the nest and grabbed some clothes. "Where have we checked?"

"The whole tower," Ron told him. "Why were you in the nest?"

"Because he was thrashing last night and decided not to wake me up for a third time," George told him. "Go put on clothes, Ron, and we'll meet you downstairs. She can't have gone far." Ron nodded and left. "Are you awake?"

"More or less," Xander agreed. He pulled on a pair of pants. "Enough for right now. Let's check the living room again, she had to have passed through there." He headed down first since it took him longer and when he was sleepy, he tended to trip. He looked around carefully, checking the library since the door was open. He stopped when he noticed the powder on the floor. "I think we may have to search further," he announced.

Ron came jogging down the stairs. "The others are playing in the nursery." He looked at where Xander was pointing. "Floo powder?"

"Simone flooed when she was five," George reminded them.

"Okay," Xander said. "Start with the obvious members of the family. Charlie, Percy, the others who tell her stories. I'll get Albus to pull rank on Floo Information. Between the two, we should be able to find her pretty quickly."

"With her lisp, she might be anywhere," George pointed out when Ron opened his mouth. "Call Charlie, she loves hearing stories from him." He went to check the Gryffindor tower, she adored playing over there too and technically, there was a floo address attached to the main fireplace, though only for calls supposedly and it wasn't well known.

Ron settled down in front of the fireplace with the pot of floo powder. "Charlie Weasley," he called out with the first handful. Charlie's head appeared. "Is my daughter there?"

"Why would either of them be here?" Charlie asked.

"Because Gwen's missing and we found some spilled floo powder."

"Oh. Dirt!" he yelled. His head turned around. "Anyone seen a little girl runnin' around?" he called. Apparently he got negative answers. "Ron, stay there, I'm comin'. Calm down. We'll find her." His head disappeared.

Ron tossed the next handful into the fireplace. Charlie would come out in the teacher's lounge if they were busy, Xander had set it up that way with the floo people. "Percy Weasley." No answer. "Under-minister Weasley," he tried. Percy's head appeared. "Do you have floo forwarding?"

"No. What's wrong?"

"Gwen's missing. We found spilled floo powder."

"I'll get away as soon as I can and check my flat," Percy told him with a smile. "Who else have you tried?"

"You're right after Charlie. I'm doing Bill and Draco next." Percy nodded and disappeared. "Magical Conceptions," he called. An older woman appeared. "Is my daughter there?"

"You don't look like Arthur," she told him with a laugh.

"I'm Ginny's brother Ron and my daughter's gone missing. Is she there? Or Bill?"

"The snoring lump is on the couch, let me get him up. I haven't seen her, Ron." She disappeared and Bill's head appeared.

"Bill, is Gwen there?" Bill shook his head, starting to yawn. "She's missing, we found spilled floo powder."

"Let me look around. I was napping. Stay there and I'll be up as soon as I'm finished. Try Percy, she loves his stories."

"Already did." Ron broke the connection and got out of the way because he heard the 'whoosh' of an incoming person. "Charlie," he said with relief. "Haven't found her yet. Bill's checking his spot."

"Let me talk to the ghosts, maybe they'll have seen her. If I remember right, one of them was always down this hallway." He hurried off.

Ron tossed some more powder into the fireplace. "Lovenest." It took a minute but Draco did eventually appear; this one went right to his bedroom and study, depending on where he was. "Is Gwen there?"

"Why would she be here? It's barely dawn."

"She's gone."

Draco glanced around. "Let me check the house, I'll be right there." He disappeared.

Xander came back in. "Floo information are idiots. They recorded that they answered a call for information from here, but not where she wanted to go. Any luck yet?"

"I just got through to Draco, nothing yet." He turned back to the fire. "Ginny Weasley." A nurse appeared. "Is my daughter there? She's missing. Blonde, three, has a small lisp."

The nurse shook her head. "I'm sorry, but she hasn't appeared here at all. What's her name? I'll have her paged."

"Gwen. I'm not sure she'll answer if you call her, she barely does it for me. She's blonde, three years old, cute as a button. Ginny should have a picture of her in her wallet."

"All right, we'll check around, Mr. Weasley." She disappeared.

"Damn," Ron said, rocking back. Then he got a bright idea and called his best friend. "Harry?" he asked when he appeared. "Is Gwen there?"

Harry, and the cat sitting on his head, shook. "Haven't seen them since I left, Ron. Which one again?"

"Gwen. We found spilled floo powder."

"You'd think they'd have blocked off access a long time ago to kids."

Xander came over. "They said it's so kids can escape if they're being hurt," he explained. "We yelled at them when we found out Iggy had been flooing all over Hogsmeade instead of walking or running."

"Reminisce later," Ron said harshly. "Thanks, Harry."

"Try your parents," Harry reminded him. He knew how Ron's mind worked, he often missed the obvious when under stress.

"Good idea, I hadn't gotten to them yet." He broke the connection, calling his parent's house. "Mum, is Gwen there?"

"No, Ron. Have you tried Percy?"

"He's at the office." He looked over as Charlie and George walked in. "Nothing?"

"Not in the tower," George told him.

"The ghosts said she was here, nothing more." Charlie shrugged. "Hi, mum," he called.

"Hello, Charlie." Arthur popped up. "Which one's gone?"

"Gwen. Could she be at your office?"

"I'll call over and check with security. They'd know." He waved and disappeared.

Ron sighed and relaxed. "I've tried everyone."

"But Fred," Xander pointed out.

"Oh, yeah." But Ron was moved because Draco came out. "Thanks. Nothing?"

"Nothing at my house." He grimaced. "Where haven't you tried?"

"Fred," Xander told him. "Draco, you do this. Ron, go see Percy personally. Things tend to get wrapped up around him and he never manages to get out of the office, even if it's on fire, in under five minutes." Ron nodded and left via the floo. "Draco, we've checked everyone but Fred and Elizabeth. I'm going to do another round of the school, just in case. Guys, with me." They headed out, taking different hallways, just in case the spilled powder wasn't from her. Xander headed directly for Hagrid's hut, knowing she liked the big man and his dogs. He knocked. "Hey Hagrid, sorry to wake you. Is Gwen down here? She's managed to escape."

"No, not a bit of her here," he said tiredly. "Are the others around?"

"Yeah, but this is Gwen we're talking about. She usually beats the rest of us up by at least an hour." He looked him over. "Are you okay?"

"A bit more tired."

"You want to head to the infirmary?" Hagrid shook his head. "Do it anyway, we'll probably need you later and Iggy will hurt you if you get sick." He turned and walked off.

Hagrid shook his head and went back to his tea. He was fine, just tired.

"I mean it," Xander called. "I'm telling him as soon as we find Gwen and he's going to pounce you for a cure."

"Fine," Hagrid sighed, getting up. The dogs stood up and followed him into the school, guarding him as he walked up to the infirmary. "I was ordered to appear," he told Madam Pomfrey. "Xander threatened me with Iggy and his potions."

She pursed her lips. "Well, you do look sick. Sit down, let me have a look at you, Hagrid." He obediently sat and let her look him over. "Oh. Well, I think I'll need to send you for more tests."

"Why?"

"I've found a lump." She caught him as he passed out. "Oh, dear." She got him back onto the bed and checked him over again, then went to summon someone. George ran in. "He'll be fine."

"Not here about him," he panted. "Gwen's missing."

She shook her head. "I haven't seen her, George. Tell Xander his pushiness was right this time please." George nodded and hurried out.

***

Ron landed beside Percy, frowning at him. "You haven't left yet?"

"Just one more thing," Percy said, signing his name. His pen was taken and tossed. "Ron," he sighed.

"Percy, my daughter, my precious baby, is missing, and you're signing paychecks."

"Yes, because I'm going to get lynched if I don't." He picked up another pen and finished signing his name. "There, now we can go." He brought the stack of papers with him, tossing them at his assistant. "We're off to find my missing niece. I'll be back soon. No loud music this time." He and Ron went to the floo point, only Ron got a bright idea and went to Diagon to look there. Percy went to his house and smiled as he saw the little body on his couch. "Gwen," he said as he sat down, gently waking her up. "You're in trouble, young lady." A sharp pain traveled through his body.

"You 'kay?" she asked, climbing into his lap to give him a hug. Hugs always made her feel better. "Uncle Percy?"

"I'm all right, but we need to get you home." Another pain shot through him. "Gwen, this is very important. I need you to go get me the pink bottle on the dining table. I forgot to take it this morning." She slithered off him and hurried to get the bottle. He closed his eyes and hoped that Xander was listening.

Back at the school, Draco's head popped up. "Percy's in trouble," he said.

"Thanks, Lassie," Xander said patiently. Then he smiled. "How do you know?"

"He said so."

"All right, I'm going to check on him. At his house or work?"

"House, and Gwen's with him I think." He shook his head. "No, not now. She left."

Xander sighed. "All right, you check with Ginny again. Does she have floo forwarding?" He teleported to Percy's house, kneeling down in front of him. "Percy?"

"Pain, no medicine," he gasped.

"Okay, we're going to the hospital. You can tell me about the amazing disappearing act she just did." He picked Percy up and slung him over his shoulder, making him grunt. "Sorry, I can't walk and carry you the other way anymore." He walked to the floo, he didn't know enough about the hospital to get him there by teleportation. He appeared out of the floo. "He's got a heart condition," he called. "He's having pains." Two orderlies rushed over and took Percy from him. The nurse pulled him behind them. "He was at home on his couch, after looking for a missing niece. He said he didn't have any medicine." She nodded. "His name is Percy Weasley, Under-minister over the Ministry Archives and Forbidden Library. He's been here before, his doctor's upstairs on six somewhere."

"All right," she said, showing him into a waiting room. "You stay here and call about." She hurried off to find his chart.

Xander got down next to the floo, doing the responsible thing first. "Arthur Weasley's office." Arthur appeared. "Percy found Gwen, then she left after trying to help him. He's back in the hospital. I'm 'porting over to Ginny's because I think she's there."

"Why is Percy there?"

"I found him sitting on the couch gasping in pain. He was pale, shaky, and looked close to death. Get here so I can get Gwen." Arthur nodded and disappeared. Xander walked out of the waiting room, stopping a nurse. "I'm here for Percy Weasley, but I have to leave because of the family emergency that set this attack off. His parents are on their way via floo." She nodded. "Thanks." He teleported from right there, going to Ginny's house. He had been here before to help Simone get something and had left a thumbtack in the corner of the living room. "Damn," he sighed, seeing the people now staring at him. "Guys, what are you doing here?"

"What are *you* doing here?" he asked.

"This is my sister-in-law's house and I doubt she invited you. Get out. Now." They laughed and stood up, starting toward him. He dropped his cane so he had both hands free and sent a desperate thought to anyone who could hear him, including Draco, Dumbledore, his son, and an auror who could touch the pure magic. The first one took a swing and he punched him as hard as he could. This wasn't happening. It really wasn't. George was going to be so pissed.

***

Draco perked up. "Xander's in trouble. He's at Ginny's." He hurried through the floo, but ended up in her hospital room. "Floo forwarding?" he asked as the other brothers appeared. She sat up and nodded. "Can you cancel it from here?"

She slid out of the bed. "Is everything okay? Did you find Gwen?"

"She's at your house," Draco told her, sounding casual. "As are about ten people who were apparently tearing it up looking for things." She canceled the floo forwarding for the second time that morning and they disappeared, heading to help Xander. He came out of the fireplace and grabbed the first of the idiots, sending him crashing onto the floor. The other brothers came out swinging too, and soon it was a real brawl.

So when the aurors appeared a few minutes later, the only option was to stop everyone. When the kids appeared a few seconds after them, the fight just got messier and the aurors decided to step out of the way.

Iggy appeared at the top of the stairs. "Simone, rooms. Denver, attic. I'm going downstairs, it's already a brawl." They headed their separate ways. Someone tried to stop him but he punched the idiot out. "Fucker, my father's in that." Simone came down the stairs, slapping her new cricket bat against her hand. "Got one for me?" She handed over her spare and they dove into the fight.

The aurors looked at each other and backed further away. That girl was *legendary*, and a possible future hire if their boss had his way.

"Iggy, get the edges," Draco ordered. He ducked a familiar bat. "Simone, *pick* your targets, not just anyone. Join your cousin on the edges and make sure no one leaves." The kids fought their way out.

George came out of the fireplace and looked at the brawl. He noticed the aurors. "My husband?" The crowd was pointed out. "Thank you. Why are you here?"

"We got a call," one of the aurors called back. "We think they were trying to find something, there's evidence of damage to the structure." He pointed at the hole in the wall beside one of his coworkers.

"All right then." George exercised his common sense and froze the *whole* group. "Dear," he said patiently. Xander was unfrozen and gave him a sheepish look. "Is Gwen here?"

"She's upstairs," Denver said as he came down the stairs. "I locked her in the bathroom so she couldn't get hurt." He looked to his right. "Oh, hey, late again," he said with fond tolerance. "I stunned three idiots in the attic. Want them too?" A few of them headed up the stairs. "There's another in Aunt Ginny's room, under her bed," he called after them. He unfroze his cousin and sister. "Guys, sort bodies. All ours, unfreeze, the others, put in painful positions." They waded into the group and started pulling apart the fighters.

"Nice work," the auror George had talked to told him. "Want a job when you're older?"

Denver snorted. "Me? *Work* for a living? A Malfoy?"

The auror nodded, smiling at him. "It's okay, I understand. We don't get many like you." He got off the wall and went to help sort out people. "I think he needs medical attention," he said, pointing to Charlie, who was bleeding against the edge of a table. "Looks nasty."

Xander grabbed him. "George, Percy's back at the hospital. Come when this is sorted out." The auror opened his mouth. "You know where I'll be." He disappeared with his brother-in-law. When he appeared in the emergency room, the nurse gave him a funny look. "We found the missing niece, and a group of people trying to rob the house she was in. He's got a head injury." Charlie was taken from him and he was led into a room himself, the nurse putting him down onto a bed. "I'm fine."

"Bet me. You're bleeding and bruised." She looked him over, helping him out of his robe. "Besides, every time you leave, you come back with more patients. We don't need more."

He submitted. George would yell otherwise.

***

Ron grabbed his daughter, holding her tightly. "You're grounded," he whispered. "You're getting a leash and you're never leaving my sight again."

One of the aurors cleared his throat. "Can we please get a statement?"

"You let my son fight." George suggested. "I should hit you for that." He smiled his sweetest, and therefore meanest, smile. "How's that?"

The auror smiled. "If it were my son, I'd kick my ass too, but it's not like we can stop your son."

"Good point," Bill agreed, holding the ice pack against his forehead. "Where're Charlie and Xander?"

"Xander took him to the hospital because his head was bleeding. Before he left, he said something about Percy," George said, starting to frown.

"We can do this there as well," the auror in charge agreed. "Let's floo there." He got the Weasleys moving, only sparing a glance for the blood on the carpet and the three bodies they still had to move. Were these guys suicidal? They messed with *this* family? They landed in the emergency room and he watched as the ones who had brawled were led away, but Ron never let go of his daughter as he was led away to get stitches. He led George back to the waiting area, finding the rest of the family fairly quickly. "Okay, let's start over. How did that start?"

"Gwen went missing," Molly told him. "Did something happen?"

"She was at Ginny's when Xander got there," George told her. "So were about thirteen other people who were trying to tear apart Ginny's house. Guess where I found my husband," he said as he relaxed.

"Okay, so that's why you were all there," the auror said, making a note on his pad. "That's good to know. Who threw the first punch?"

"Who cares?" Fred asked him. "Those other people weren't supposed to be there. They were breaking and entering."

"And breaking walls," George added.

"Which means that they're fair game," Fred finished.

The auror nodded. "I know, but I still need to ask for the report." He smiled at them. "Ministry paperwork is often like that, it asks stupid questions for no reason." Arthur nodded. "So I have to ask. Who threw the first punch?"

"Xander never hits first," Fred told him. George nodded. "Is he okay? We haven't seen him yet."

"He brought your older brother in," the auror told him.

Molly stood up. "I'll check on the rest of the family. You answer the questions."

"Is your daughter in this facility?" the auror asked before she could leave. "Can we talk to her? We might need to walk her through her house, see if anything's missing."

"I'm sure she'd like to have an afternoon out of her bed," Arthur agreed. The auror nodded and made another note. "How many were there?"

"Fifteen." He looked up. "Your son Charlie apparently hit a table with his head. Your son Ron had a large cut on his cheek and a black eye, possibly a broken nose. Your son Bill wasn't in that bad of shape, looked like he was growing a lump on his forehead. Your son-in-law Draco was bloody and I'm not sure where it came from. Your granddaughter was just fine, the other children trapped her in the bathroom. Your grandson Ignatius had a few bumps and a sore wrist. Your granddaughter Simone is hell with a bat, and ducks very well, and your grandson Denver stayed against the wall with us, sensibly using his wand." By the end, Arthur's mouth was open. "Has anyone told Under-minister Weasley's son that he's here?"

"Not yet," Fred sighed, standing up. "I'll go get Melvin. You guys stay put. I don't want to have to fight for you guys too." He left them there, he couldn't be of any other use at the moment. He ran into Snape and Dumbledore in the staff room. "We found her, she's fine. They found her in Ginny's house, along with fifteen thieves." He smiled. "Ron and Xander will be late today, Headmaster, as will Denver, Simone, and Iggy, who are probably holed up with the aurors getting job offers."

"At least the girl was found," Albus said gently, starting to smile. "Is everyone else all right?"

Fred shrugged. "We don't know. Percy's having another heart attack, the brothers are all being looked at. Someone said Draco was bloody but they weren't sure why. Fifteen thieves, sir, and guess who was in the middle of the fight."

Snape snorted. "I'm sure Xander had fun beating them senseless. Should I make him some pain potion?"

"I'd probably stock up on it. I need Melvin, sir."

"Of course. I'll have him brought down." Dumbledore walked away.

Snape waited until they were alone. "Mr. Malfoy was *bloody*?" Fred nodded. "No obvious injuries?"

"The auror filling out the report didn't know. He's being looked at too I imagine. He should be fine and we'll be back by this afternoon." He smiled as Melvin was brought in. "We found Gwen."

"I heard. How's my father?"

"We're waiting for news," Fred told him. "Do you want to join the family or stay here?"

"I'm coming." Melvin tugged on his robes. "Can we go now?"

"Sure," Fred said, getting out of his way. "I'll send everyone back as soon as the nurses give up trying to fight the wall of stubbornness." Snape snickered and walked away. Fred left through the floo, following his nephew. He found Arthur waiting on them. "Bad news?"

"Good news actually." He smiled at Melvin. "Your father's in surgery, but it's a good one. They found a fault with a valve and they're fixing it right now." Melvin nodded. "It's a routine surgery and he'll be fine. His doctor is one of the best in the country."

"Good. I'd hate to have to sic Simone on them," Melvin said with a small smile. "Can I wait with them?"

"Of course. They're in the waiting room with the green door." Melvin headed that way. "Fred?"

"They're excused for the day," Fred told him. "Snape's making pain potions." He crossed his arms. "The auror?"

"Gone. He got what he needed and the muggle police appeared at Ginny's."

"Wonderful," Fred said dryly. "How's Xander?"

"Beaten fairly badly, like normal. George was finally allowed in there with him when they realized that he would make Xander quit complaining." Arthur smiled. "He's just sore so George let it go this time. He said it had a good reason and Xander did call for help quickly." Fred nodded. "How was Ron?"

"I didn't see Ron."

"Oh. They didn't tell Molly they had him." He shrugged. "We'll have to go ask." They walked back to the waiting room, finding Ron and Gwen there. "Where are the other ones?" Arthur asked.

Ron got this big-eyed look. "The nursery." He handed over Gwen to his mother and left to get them. He found one of the senior Gryffs watching them. "We found her," he announced. "She's fine, everyone else is a bit beaten up." The kid looked up at him, looking unsure. "We found people trying to break my sister's house up."

"Oh." The Prefect nodded. "That explains why you look like you got mashed." She handed over the other two kids. "Maeve and William are with Professor Maclay. She insisted, sir."

"That's fine. Thank you. Fifty points." He hurried away, taking the kids to the hospital.

***

Xander walked into his classroom, raising an eyebrow when the students gasped. "What? It was a fist fight with humans." He put his cane on his desk and sat down. "Where were we?"

"Succubi?" one student suggested. He nodded and pulled out the notes for it. "Sir, is the reason you look like that the same reason that Professor Weasley looks like hell?"

"Yup. Fifteen guys trying to rip up his sister's place." The kids winced. "Hey, I had help. This was a good fight." He smiled. "Succubi are mean, they seduce you poor men and turn you inside out. The only way to fight them is to say no, and if they've got their hooks into you, you're pretty well going to need a priest." The kids wrote it down. "Any questions?" One girl raised a hand. "Yes, there are Incubi as well, but I'm tired, sore, and cranky so we'll do them next time. Most everything you'll need to know about them is in common." The kids nodded and gathered their things, going to leave him alone.

Xander groaned as he got comfortable. He had another one of these in an hour. He gave his son a smile when he came in with a pain potion. "You okay?"

"I had a bat, you stupid git. You're the one who took them on with your fists." His father gave him a look so he sighed. "I'm fine, father. You look like hell so take this, that way I can give some to Uncle Draco and Uncle Ron." Xander obediently took the medicine. "Thank you, father. I'll see you tonight, once you wake up." His father's lids started to droop and no matter how hard he fought, he fell asleep. Iggy wrote a note on the board. "Disturb and die. Got into a fight, am in pain. Will kill you." He signed Simone's name and left to do the same to his other uncles.

When the next class came in, the first students turned and ran back out, spreading the word before anyone could get hurt.

***

Simone looked at the formal robes in Gladrags in Hogsmeade and shuddered. Nothing was suitable for her. She didn't want to go to the stupid ball anyway, but she had to. It was an honor thing. Their heads had planned it this year and everyone had to attend unless they were ill, and then Iggy was under threat if he didn't cure them. She picked up one and held it up to look at it, turning to look at her brother and younger sister, who were much more fashionable than she was. "This one?"

"No," Anastasia said, coming over to help her. "With our coloring that color is much too dark. You can do light blue, we both look good in that." She pointed at one. "It's not too bad."

"Eww."

"It's velvet at least," Denver put in. "Not something crinkly and annoying." He wandered over to look for one for himself. Iggy was already digging through the rack. "Anything promising?"

"Not a thing," Iggy told him. "Got a date yet?"

"Nope. You?"

"I got conned into being asked. Someone wants to take her sister, but she's a year younger. Since I'm helping her, she begged nicely. I'm thinking that they're going to be disappearing once we're inside. They're like that." He pulled off a black robe and held it up. "You think?"

"No." Denver put that one back. "With your black hair and pale skin try for a dark red or a dark blue."

A saleswoman walked over and smiled at them. "Fourth years?" They nodded. "We have a special rack for you guys over there," she said, pointing. "Fairly basic and easy to wear." She looked at Iggy. "I think you're too big for anything on there though." She pulled out a dark red one, holding it up for him. "How about this? Your father wore one just like it on his wedding day. He looked lovely in it."

Iggy looked it, then slowly shook his head, starting a subvocal whisper. "It looks like spilled blood."

"But you'd look good in that color," Anastasia told him, coming over. "Dark red or dark blue, or dark purple, Iggy." He gave her a pitiful look. "We have to go. The Heads both said we have to go." The saleswoman looked at her. "They planned it this year."

"Oh. How nice for them. You're all in the same house?"

"Gryffindor," Denver told her. "He could wear house colors?"

"My father wears shiny stuff, not me," Iggy told him. "Can't I wear black?"

Draco walked in and smiled at them. "I thought I might find you in here." He looked at the robe the saleswoman was holding, taking it from her to look at it. "It would look nice on you, but I doubt you'd wear it," he said, smirking at Iggy. "Is Snape telling you to wear black?"

"He's not making it mandatory, but he said that if I showed up in something that my father would wear he was going to give me a detention for every minute before I went to change."

Draco put that one back and pulled out a royal purple one, holding it up against the boy. "That would look decent enough. Put some black trim on it?" Iggy looked more hopeful. "Have you picked a color that you like?"

"Nudity? I hate buying robes."

Draco put that robe back and pulled a slightly lighter one out, handing it to him. "Try that one on and we'll figure out what to dress it up with." Iggy headed for a changing area. "Denver, take this one," he said, handing over a black one. "I had one just like it at your age." His son walked off and he looked at his daughter. "Do you need help, Anastasia?"

She snorted. "I have mine." She patted the robe folded over her arm.

"Help me, daddy. I'm lost."

He walked over and looked through the robes, finding one that would look excellent on her in a pleasant shade of green. "Try this one," he soothed. "You'll look very feminine, but it should be comfortable enough." She trudged to the changing rooms to try it on. He looked at the saleswoman. "They're not ready for this yet, I don't know why third years are now allowed to go, or fourth years even."

"It's cute," the saleswoman told him. "A rite of passage into the dating arena."

"I'm going stag," Simone called.

"Me too," Denver agreed.

"My date's only using me to get in," Iggy called.

"I have a real date," Anastasia snorted as she put on the robe and came out to model it. "Father?"

He looked her over. "You look very nice," he told her. And she did, she looked at least two years older and very mature. All her assets were shown to their best advantage and the color picked up the highlights in her hair. The wide scoop of the neckline made her shoulders look graceful and the fact that it was barely sitting on her shoulders gave her an excellent frame for her neck and hair. "That will do. Am I meeting this young man?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Not a chance. As a matter of fact, I'm going to bribe the Headmaster so you can't come." She stepped up onto the stool and held her arms out. "The sleeves are a little long and I'll need my garnet set from at home please."

"Of course, Princess." He looked over as Simone walked out, tugging the top up already. "Leave it, dear." He turned her so she was staring in the mirror, watching as she blushed. "You look lovely," he whispered in her ear. "It will make everyone think twice about you." She glared at him in the mirror. "Please, for me? I'd like to see you in that outfit because it makes you lovely."

"I could care less about how I look," she whined.

"I know, but I appreciate you looking like this." He gave her a squeeze. "Just think about all the boys who will be admiring you for more than your brains and beater skills." She softened up so he went in for the kill. "You look like my heir, Simone, and I'm very proud of you. It's the first time that you've surely been my daughter instead of your mother's."

She smiled at him. "Okay," she sighed. "I'll wear this. But someone has to do my hair."

"I'll bring you some lovely jewelry, silver and moonstone," he told her, pulling back some. "Will you wear that for me?"

She nodded. "If I must." She stepped up onto the fitting stool. "Do I have to wear a bra under this?"

"Take it off and see," the fitter suggested. The bra hit the floor and she smiled. "I think you can stand to go without it." She looked at the father. "Don't you?"

"I do," he agreed. He hadn't realized she was that built already. "I think she looks lovely just like that, though I will bring some jewelry for her, and have her sister help her with her hair."

"She's doesn't have enough to style," Anastasia complained.

Draco pulled his wand and fingered the tip, then flicked it at her. Her hair grew down to the middle of her back, the little curls tangling together. "How's that?"

Anastasia looked. "Nearly perfect. A few clips in her hair to push it away from her face and it'll be perfect."

"I don't need long hair," Simone reminded them.

"You can cut it over Christmas," Draco said tolerantly. She glared at him. "Sorry, but you do look stunning. Look at yourself like you would another female, or a painting, not as yourself."

Simone looked at herself, turning slightly to see her back. "I look fine," she decided.

"Better than fine," Denver said as he came out. "You look *fine*, sis." She smiled at him. "Father?"

Draco looked at him and sighed. "Did I look that pale?" he said.

"Yes," the saleswoman said with a smile. "I remember you buying yours in here and you did look that pale. Your father was adamant though." She hurried away and came back with something in a dark purple. "Try that one." Denver shook his head. "You'll look nice in it."

"Yay, it's crinkly and sounds like a girl's robe."

She laughed and led him over to the robe rack, letting him pick out his own. He came away with a dark gray one. "Very nice. Go try it on." She helped him back into the dressing rooms. "Iggy?"

"I'm not coming out," he said, sounding like he was pouting.

"Now!" Draco ordered. The boy walked out and looked at him. "You look good in that. Or you could try the dark red one." Iggy glared at him. "You look fine."

"I hate this."

"It's something we all must go through. Most adults wear robes every day."

Iggy walked over and picked up the dark red one again, taking it back into the dressing room. "I'll be back if I look better in this one."

"You looked fine," Anastasia called after him.

"Bite me!" Iggy yelled back.

"Ignatius Harris-Weasley," the saleswoman shouted.

"Sorry," he said in a softer tone of voice. "Please don't tell my fathers."

"You had better watch your mouth, young man."

"Yes, Madam Slyvestrin."

"Thank you." She tapped her foot until Denver came out. "Very nice," she told him. She turned him toward the mirrors. "What do you think?"

"I guess," he sighed. "I don't want to go, father."

"Get over it," Draco told him patiently. "You do look good, but possibly a bit less soft looking. Perhaps silk instead of velvet?" The saleswoman nodded and went to look for him. She came back and bustled him back into the changing room, giving him the silk one. "Thank you. Ignatius," he said. The boy came out, still whining. He had his most pitiful look on his face and was dragging his feet. "Now." Iggy moved closer. "You do look nice in that," he admitted. "I liked the purple one. This one does suit you though."

"I don't wanna," Iggy whined.

"Keep it up and I'll tell your fathers, make them buy you both of them," Draco said with a smirk.

Iggy gave him a horrified look. "Please don't do that. They'll give me 'aww's and tell me I look cute. I don't want to be cute."

"I could always call Amsterdam," Draco said, examining his nails. Iggy shivered and the front of the robe started to shift. "If you're good, I'll make sure she gets pictures of you from the ball," he said with a smirk.

"You will?" Iggy asked, swallowing as he turned back to the mirror. "This one or the other one."

"Get both," the saleswoman told him. "Decide that night."

"You'll need the other one for your interviews anyway," Simone agreed. "Formal robes would be appropriate to wear, right, daddy?"

"I suppose, though I would expect they'll want him in his school outfit," Draco said with a shrug. "I agree, get them both."

"Dad only gave me five galleons," Iggy told him. "Everything else has to come out of my allowance."

Draco walked over and looked at the boy, then shrugged. "I liked the other one, it brought out highlights in your hair. This one compliments you, but that one made you look better."

"I can give you them both for five, plus five knuts each for tailoring," the saleswoman offered. "You'll probably need it for some other event." Iggy shook his head. "Really?"

"I could take him with me to the Christmas Lights ball," Draco admitted.

"I'm not going," Denver and Simone said in unison.

"I'll go, Father," Anastasia told him with a sweet smile. "I'm always up to be worshiped."

He smiled at her. "I'm sure you deserve it too. You do look splendid in that color. What color is that?"

"Mink."

Draco nodded, making a mental note to remember that. "Garnets you think?"

"It has gold and red highlights," the fitter told him. "Either would be appropriate." She turned Anastasia so her father could approve of the fitting.

"A little tighter across the chest," Anastasia told her. "I'm very proud of my chest and like to show them off."

"Don't make it dip any lower," Draco agreed with a subtle nod. The fitter nodded and worked on that part of her, putting in small darts to accent the girl's tiny waist. "Very good," he said when it was done. Iggy had gone back and gotten into the other one, coming back in it. "Yes, definitely that one." Iggy firmed up some more. He smiled at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Thoughts of Raena drooling," he admitted. He looked at the saleswoman. "Can I have your opinion?"

"I think you look wonderful in both of them," she told him. "I like the other one better, it makes you look less innocent." She grinned. "It's the color."

Iggy looked in the mirror and firmed up a little more. "I am hot," he admitted.

"Get them both, I'll make up for the extra," Draco told him. Iggy looked over his shoulder at him. "I'll take pictures of you in both of them and send them on, plus the offer does stand to accompany Anastasia to the Christmas Lights Ball."

"Okay," Iggy agreed. He knew his father hated it when his Uncle bought things for him, but he did look hot in it. "I'll wear this one that night and the red one the other one." Draco nodded. "You promise to take pictures of me and send them on?"

"I'll even let him use Glinda," Simone said, turning to look at him. Her jaw dropped. "You do look hot," she agreed. "Maybe a bit of a trim?"

"I think a little line of highlighting would be fine," Draco agreed. He walked over and ran a finger down the top seam. "There?"

"That would be fine," the saleswoman said with a smile. She let Iggy get up to be fitted, taking care of him herself. "You do look stunning." She tried hard to ignore what was beside her head. Boys were always so much fun, not.

***

Simone screamed in frustration as her hair fell again. "That's it, it's coming off," she yelled.

Anastasia ran in and grabbed the scissors from her sister's hand, leading her over to the bed to help her. She quickly and efficiently put up her sister's hair, making it fall gently down her back but back away from her face, and grabbed the makeup palette, doing it for her sister as well. It wasn't like her sister knew how to do this stuff. "There. All done," she said with a smile. "Come help me." She went back to her dorm, she still had to figure out how to do her own hair. She sat down at the dressing table and tried a few looks, but decided on a simple style, leaving it loose. It fell on her shoulders, hinting at the skin that showed because her robe barely sat on the edge of her shoulders. She carefully applied her makeup and jewelry, then got up and let someone else use it while she finished getting dressed. As soon as she was ready, she stood up. "All done."

"You make that look so easy," Simone sighed.

"It takes some practice, but it's not that hard," Anastasia agreed. "This is my speciality, sister dear." She checked herself one last time and took Simone's hand. "Come on, let's be worshiped by the boys."

"When am I meeting and threatening this date?"

"Never."

"Oh, come on, I'll be *nice*," she told him.

"Fine. I'll let you see him." They joined the boys at the bottom of the stairs, and immediately she had to help Denver. His robe was straightened and his hair unmussed for him. She looked at Iggy. He looked decent enough. "Was Father here?"

"Not yet," Iggy told her with a smile. "I can dress myself." He looked at Simone, whistling. "Damn, you even look like a girl. With breasts!" Everyone in the common area looked at them, then stared at Simone. A lot of jaws dropped and a few girls even whimpered.

"The Malfoy hotness was hiding under all my usual clothes," Simone agreed with a smile for them.

"Brush your teeth," Denver sighed. "You've still got quiche from dinner." She went back upstairs and Anastasia followed her to help her touch back up her makeup. He looked at Iggy. "Do I really look good?"

The Head Girl walked over and looked at them. "I've seen you look worse, and you're now cute enough to date, if you were older." She pinched Iggy's cheek. "You look hot as well."

He grinned. "Uncle Draco's sending pictures of me to Raena."

"When are we going to meet this mythical woman?" the Head Boy sneered.

"She was here while we were all sick, she made my potion personally," Iggy told him, brushing past him to answer the door, letting in his Uncle. "How do I look?"

"You look like you've been cuddling a cat," Draco said, pulling out a lint brush and helping him out. He grimaced at the Head Boy. "Clean yourself up," he sneered, handing over the brush. His daughters came down the stairs and he smiled. "Very beautiful, the both of you," he assured them, kissing them on the cheek. He straightened Anastasia's earrings and pushed one of Simone's hairpins back into place. "There, perfect as always." He let them out the door, taking back his lint brush when the Head Girl handed it back. "Thank you. Remember, we will be patrolling for anything illegal, including kissing and groping." He walked out and followed the children. As soon as they got into the Great Hall, he put Iggy in front of one of the wonderfully decorated trees for the picture. "Smirk," he told him. Iggy gave the camera a shy smile and he took the picture. "Excellent." He looked over at Anastasia's dates. "Well. A sixth year," he said dryly.

"Let Simone threaten him," Iggy said, giving him a hug. "I'm going to go find my *date*."

"She and her sister met up at the door and went off to find their friends," Draco told him. He snapped his fingers and the captain of the Slytherin team came running. "Would you relent and dance once with my nephew?"

She looked Iggy over. "It can't hurt my reputation. Don't step on my toes."

Iggy led her onto the floor. "Ana taught me how to dance." They joined the formal line dance and bowed to each other.

Draco smiled at his brilliant plan. Iggy needed a girlfriend for now to teach him how to deal with women on a more intimate level. Someone tapped on his shoulder and he looked back, smiling at Ron. "How do they look?"

"Iggy looks mature and Ana looks nearly adult." He smiled at Simone as she was moved past them by her dance partner. "Someone got her to dance?"

"They grabbed her and insisted." Draco led them over to a spot on the wall, watching his children as they interacted. "I'm letting Iggy escort Ana to the Christmas Lights Ball."

"Do his fathers know?"

"Oh, yes. Xander said he wanted copies of the pictures from both nights. Is he coming tonight?"

"He'll be down soon. George growled at him and pounced him against the stairs." Ron smiled as Denver was forced onto the floor. "It looks like there's some social connections going on."

"It can only help the other children by being seen with mine," Draco agreed.

Ron looked at him. "Arrogant bastard," he said with a grin.

"If it's the truth, it's not bragging." He smiled as a dainty seventh year came over and blushed. "Did you want to dance?" he asked her. She nodded. "With which of us?"

"You?" she squeaked. "Please?"

He nodded graciously and led her to the floor, joining the dance in progress and staying for the next one.

From his perch on the dias, Snape watched all this with a raised eyebrow. Courtly manners indeed. He motioned his apprentice over. "What did I tell you about wearing decent clothing?"

"Uncle Draco picked it out and it would have insulted him not to wear it," Iggy told him, looking very serious. "He said I looked good, sir, I'm sorry. I tried to get him to let me buy black, but he refused."

"Fine," Snape sighed. He couldn't argue with Draco over clothing, the boy did have decent enough taste. "At least it's dark and unshiny, not at all like your father's taste. You may go." Iggy jogged off, going back to his dance partner. He was snagged by two other girls, who nearly came to blows over who would dance with him. Snape could see the boy's ego inflating as each moment went on. The door behind him opened and he looked back, noticing what Xander was wearing. It was blue, bright blue, but fortunately didn't gleam in the candlelight. He sighed and moved farther away from them so the hideous color didn't transfer to him.

Xander looked out, picking out their kids immediately. "Dear," he said, pointing at his son. "Is our son really that hot or are the girls just horny tonight?"

George looked and his eyes widened. "That's Iggy?" He shifted to see him better. Indeed, it was their son. "When did he get taste?"

"He said Draco forced him to buy it," Snape told them.

"Oh." George nodded. "That explains it then." He smiled and waved at his niece, who held out her arms. "Holy Merlin, she does have tits," he muttered, smiling back and nodding at her. She was grabbed by another boy and forced to dance with him.

Xander smiled at his mate. "Want to go join them or have a flashback to our first ball?"

"Hmm. Dancing first I think, which would qualify for the second since we did dance that night." He licked his lips. "Quite a lot if I remember right."

"In and outside," Xander agreed with a wicked smile. "Want to go dance outside?"

"Let's do this inside first, then we'll go outside," George told him, standing up and helping his husband to his feet. "Can you?"

"I've got the brace on for this very reason," Xander assured him. They joined the children on the floor, groping in ways that the kids wouldn't even realize. He caught Draco's eye and winked.

The younger man smirked and spun off to go dance with a female Slytherin fifth year who had just had her partner abandon her for a young lady in a nearly see-through formal robe. "May I? He was horribly rude and it is unimaginable that his parents raised him that way. I know they'd be upset and would probably beat him for such horrid manners." She smiled and let him lead.

On the other side of the room, Ryan Rosenberg and his consort walked in, looking like the heads of their house that they were. Agatha had let Ravena help her with her hair and it looked stunning, with the jeweled clips tucked among the bun and the simple jewelry around her throat. Ryan wore a coordinating robe, they had gone shopping together so they could look this good. They moved onto the floor and started to dance, gently talking about the couples they passed, making little comments for each other. Ryan nearly stopped when he saw Simone look at them, but she shrugged and went back to her dance partner. "Well, a truce for the evening, how pleasant," he told his consort. She frowned so he pointed out the Malfoy-Weasleys and Iggy.

"Well, their father obviously dressed the group," she said snidely.

"Be nice," he whispered in her ear. "They do the best they can and they're comfortable with what little they have in physical beauty." He noticed Anastasia. "I think she's the only one in here who could rival your beauty, my love, and she's younger than you and on a completely different scale because of her Weasley looks."

She smiled as she looked at Anastasia. "She does look nice," she admitted. "Very grown up for a third year." She shifted so she was rubbing against her mate's stomach. "Did you want her?"

"No, love, I have you," he said, giving her a smile. "Why would I want some little girl when I can have you." He leaned closer. "I doubt she could stimulate me in any manner, where you do so on many spectrums." She shivered. "We'll talk about that later, once you've told me your good news."

She nipped his ear. "I started."

"Oh." His smile got wider and brighter. "Really?" She nodded. "You do know that means we have to have a discussion about what happens next between us." She shivered again. "I thought as much, but I want to make sure first." She nodded. "By this summer, you will be mine, in all manners of the word, Agatha Potter."

She smirked at him. "Really? What makes you think you won't be mine?"

He chuckled. "Because I'm the one with the book that you'll want to read." He winked. "My mum sent it for me for you." He spun her around and led her over to the punch table, getting her some. "Here you go. Fairly sweet from the smell of strawberries."

She sipped it, looking him over. If she had to be linked to someone, at least he was cute and had a nice body. Plus, she knew which book he was talking about. There were all sorts of things in there that she wanted to read up on. Maybe this wasn't such a bad arrangement after all. She could put up with him and his little schemes, he did ask for her advice before doing anything. She saluted her Uncles with her cup and smirked at them.

Ron walked over, looking them over. "You look very nice tonight, Agatha. We've got a camera if you wanted a picture. We're sending them to mum tomorrow to be developed."

"Together if you don't mind," Ryan said. "We look more stunning together than we do apart."

Ron nodded, he understood the boy's protectiveness. "If you want. Draco has it in his pocket. Want me to get him now?" Someone bumped into Agatha and he barely kept her punch from spilling on her. "Careful." He glared at the young Slytherin, who nearly cried as she ran away. "I'm sure she's very sorry."

"I'm sure she is as well," Agatha agreed. She checked herself in the window. "Did I get any on me?"

"Not a bit," Ryan assured her. He waved Draco over. "Professor Weasley said you had a camera?"

He pulled it out and stepped back, taking pictures of them. "Very nicely turned out, the both of you," he congratulated. "Agatha, I like your hair."

"Your daughter helped, these are her pins."

"They were her grandmother's," Draco agreed. "I recognized them." He smiled at her. "Even Anastasia needs help now and again with such matters. You do look nice though. May I?" He held out a hand and she took it, allowing herself to be led onto the floor. "How are you doing?"

"Very well, Uncle Draco, and yourself?" she asked pleasantly.

"You know what I meant."

She smiled. "The answer's still the same. I ...appreciate what he has to offer me, including power and someone who listens to me. I can mold him as much as I need to, and he suits me rather well. Though I have let him have the illusion that he's the one in control in our relationship."

He chuckled dryly. "I'm sure you have, my dear. Did you want me to give your father a copy of the picture? I'm sure he has some sort of scrapbook started for you." She shrugged. "Are you sure?" She nodded. "Then I'll have Molly make more than one copy of your picture." He let her step back as the song ended and took her back as the next one started. "Is there anything you wanted to ask me, perhaps about a more...adult relationship? Your father suggested I talk to you about such matters as he can't."

She grinned. "He does tend to stutter whenever sex is mentioned. May we talk about that tomorrow? I've just recently met the criteria Ryan set for us to move further into our relationship."

"Of course. You can come to me whenever you need something. I don't know if I've told you, but I applaud how you've adjusted to this bad situation and how well you've molded him into an appropriate consort for you. Quite a nice job with that last part actually. He's learned a lot from you about proper behavior and is starting to seriously look into his future prospects. I think you've managed to turn him into an acceptable member of your social class, something that's very hard to do." She grinned a silly little grin. "Are you happy with him?"

"He listens to me and expects me to know my own limits, which is much more credit than most people give me. Plus, he's said I'm beautiful."

"You are," Draco agreed. "I'm simply making sure that you think he suits you on a long-term basis. If he does, then I can have a quiet word with your grandparents over the holiday to have him invited over for part of the summer, or for next year's holiday."

She nodded. "I think he does. He still has that nasty desire to be in control, but we work well together and he does like me for who and what I am. He even said my darker side was beautiful to him."

"Then I'm very happy for you and I'll stick up for you if you need me to."

She smiled up at him. "Thank you, Uncle. Has father been worried much?"

"We don't exactly talk to each other on a regular basis," he reminded her drolly.

"No, but Uncle Ron does and he does tend to gossip. He won't tell me, but he might have told you."

Draco nodded. "True. Your father was worried that he was using you sexually and emotionally, but I think you've managed to move beyond that to a more useful relationship for you both. Do be careful though, you don't need to get pregnant anytime soon."

"I don't want children. We're all little beasts," she said, bowing to him as the dance ended. "Thank you for your approval. It means a lot to us." She walked back to her consort's side, allowing him to lead her back onto the floor.

Draco smirked as he went back to his resting spot near one of the darkened corners. "Yes, my niece, you do have him wrapped around your finger and he doesn't even realize, but so does he to you." He accepted the mug of punch from Ron as he joined him. "Very interesting, that couple."

"Is she okay?"

"Fine. They suit each other well. I'm going to have to pull out my old contraception spells soon, but everything should be fine." Ron spluttered. "What? You thought it wasn't coming to that?"

"I thought we had a year before she matured that much. Her having female problems isn't a happy thought."

"She's already had them and you never noticed," Draco told him, sipping his punch. He noticed Xander and George sneaking back inside. "It's amazing how in love those two still are after all these years."

"Did they just come in?" Ron asked, looking at the happy couple. Draco nodded. "Then it wasn't long enough to do much more than grope."

"You'd be surprised at what you can do in under five minutes with the right partner and some desire." He strolled away to talk to Professor Snape, stopping only to remove some poor boy's hand from his dance partner's rear. "Three inches," he chastised.

"Sir, does that rule count for those thongs or only for regular underwear?" the girl asked with a smirk.

"Regular," he said without missing a beat. "Anything that is normally covered by regular underwear plus an additional three centimeters from any edge is not to be touched by another student while you are in school." She nodded and they danced off. "Children," he sighed. "Someone should teach them all the art of teasing so they don't become bad lovers." He walked up onto the dias and took a seat. "Having fun?"

"I loathe these events," Snape reminded him. "That was very nice work in the house earlier tonight."

"It was necessary. Someone sent their daughter a bright pink robe. It was so bright it almost had a glow of it's own. It was merely self defense for my eyes." He looked out, finding the girl he had changed the color for, smiling at how the rose pink made her look like she was blushing. "Yes, much nicer for all of us."

Xander walked up to join them. "One of these days, you'll be able to eradicate all bad taste, son," he noted as he sat down. He put his cane against the table. "Thank you for getting Iggy something suitable."

"It was nothing. I wanted him to look equal to her radiance at the Christmas Lights Ball." He smiled as Anastasia twirled past the table. "She does look nice."

"She looks hot," George told him. "Admit it, your daughter's one of the most beautiful girls in the school."

"Oh, I know," he agreed. That mink color really did suit her very well.

***

Simone collapsed onto Iggy's bed with a sigh, letting him take off her boots for her. "Damn, I never knew my ass was so attractive," she told him. He giggled. "I swear, I have bruises, Iggy."

Denver flopped onto his bed, face down. "You and me both, but someone pinched me somewhere else and suggested I let her do more," he said into his comforter.

Iggy shook his head. "Be thankful, you both clean up nicely." He sat down and took off his own shoes. "Agatha looked nice, did you notice?"

"Very," Simone agreed. She waved at the boys coming in. "Hey. I'll leave in a few so you can get undressed and all that." She sat up and nudged Iggy. "I wonder who helped her clean up so well."

"Your sister probably," the boy in the bed across from Iggy said. "Agatha did look nice, but she was so obviously sleeping with her keeper. He all but had her on her knees at one point."

"She was in a chair and at the right height," Simone said with a shrug. "I think they're at the teasing stage still. She's still blushing too much to have *actually* done anything with him." She scratched a spot just under her collar, making the boy moan. "What? It's an itch."

"Your nipples just hardened," he whined. "No fair. You're supposed to be one of the guys."

She got up and went over, kissing him hard and making him moan and go limp. "I'm still one of the guys," she said with a grin. "Only now you know I've got the body of a goddess and the rack of a supermodel." She winked and bent down to grab her boots. "Night, guys. Sleep well. Or whatever."

Iggy snickered. "Between her and Ana, I'm sure the line for the bathroom will be very long."

Denver lifted his head. "If Ana weren't my sister, I'd have begged to go on my back for her tonight," he admitted. "We'll let you guys go first."

"That's nasty," one of the other guys said.

"Hey, I said if she *weren't* my sister," Denver pointed out. "I'm personally going to be thinking of the hot little girl in the pink robe. She just looked edible and delicate, and that's how I like them."

Iggy sighed. "There were many pretty women there tonight. Oh, I got a new picture of her," he said happily. "It came right before we went down." He pulled out the picture and showed it around. "That's my Raena."

The boys all drooled in appreciation. Iggy had good taste! The first boy got up and headed into the bathroom, closing the door quickly behind him.

Iggy accepted his picture back and put it carefully into his hiding spot. He leaned back and undid the fastenings on his robe, thinking about her.

"Close your curtains," Denver reminded him. The curtains snapped shut with a flick of the large wand and he smiled. "She would have thought you were hot tonight, cousin. Trust me, she would have been begging and whimpering by now for you to quit teasing her."

"Nasty git," Iggy complained. "She'd never have to beg, only ask."

The other boys snickered and the next guy headed into the bathroom once it was free. Ana's name floated out a few times but they had mutually agreed to ignore any strange noises coming from in there. Not that Anastasia Malfoy-Weasley would mind, she knew she was hot and wanted by nearly everyone on this side of the house.

Denver smirked. Yes, his sisters were not only hot, but exciting, and they had brains. The ultimate in a woman as far as he was concerned. But tonight, he would be thinking of that little Slytherin beauty, she of the delicate nature and the pretty blushes. He closed his own curtains and carelessly tossed his robe off the end of his bed.

***

Raena accepted the letter from the phoenix, giving it a piece of dried fruit. "Thank you, Glinda," she said, smiling at the mother phoenix. "How was the ball? Did you go?" The phoenix showed her many pictures of the ball, including one of Iggy standing there looking so hot she nearly drooled. In that outfit, it was hard to remember he was so much younger than she was. He looked nearly eighteen. She wiped her mouth off. "Thank you, dear. Is this his letter?" Glinda chirped and settled down on the desk to watch her read it. Iggy had asked for her to record it for him.

She opened the letter, noticing the pictures that came out. "Oh, my," she said, smiling at him. In both of them he looked fantastic. Eager, a little horny or slutty in the red one, but very tight body. Oh, the crush he had on her was still there, it was very apparently from the way he was looking at the camera. These pictures had been taken only for her. The last one was covered with a piece of parchment so she lifted it off, gasping in the library. She hid it before her mother could come over and see.

Her mother leaned down and looked at the pictures. "He looks so nice in those," she said, smiling at her daughter's shocked look. "The only problem we have with him is that he's so young, dear. We like Iggy quite a lot. Your father would even agree if you told him you reciprocated a little bit and we would start to nudge his parents toward a commitment once he's out of school."

She shook her head. "He's so young, mother. Just a boy."

Her mother took out the hidden picture and uncovered it. "That is not the body of a boy. That is the body of a young man who is so hot for you that he's aching every night. I should know, your father used to give me that same look." She handed over the picture of Iggy in a pool, in a tiny bathing suit, and walked away. "You should think about it. He'd be a prestigious mate. Even if he doesn't get in here."

"Mother!" she sighed. "He's seventeen years younger."

"Yes, dear, and you often think at least ten years younger yourself. Like I said, we like the boy and you're obviously interested in him." She smiled and went back to her desk. Oh, her husband would laugh about that pool picture and how it had been covered up. The boy obviously hadn't been aware of it being taken or sent. This crush he had was so cute and it made her daughter glow so.

***

Ron looked at the train in front of him and then down at his children. They were all bouncing and happy, going to grandma's was always a happy occasion for them. The carriages started to pull up so Ron bundled his kids onto the train and locked the teacher's compartment so they couldn't get free. Then he went out to help supervise loading. He stopped one fight, and three groping sessions, and got everyone settled on. By the time he got onto the train, his darling offspring were free. "Bloody fucking hell!" he yelled.

"Two are back here, sir," one of the Slytherin Prefects yelled. The girls were handed over with a smile. "They were well behaved and only wanted to pet my cat. I thought it best to trap them in here for you."

"Thanks, ten points. Remind me when we get back. Did you see my son?"

"No, sir, all I saw was a naked rear disappearing up the train."

Ron groaned and went to lock his children back into the teacher's compartment. Fortunately, a sympathetic teacher was in there. "I've got to go find the other one. Can you read to them?" he asked Lupin.

Remus smiled. "Of course. I enjoy watching all you parents struggle with your children, it's almost as nice as having one of my own." Black snorted from his seat. "Why don't you help him find little Ray?"

"Don't worry, he's naked and on the run, someone will turn him in," Ron said with a grateful smile. He headed back to the student compartments, narrowly missing Tara and Maeve. "Hey, we're missing Vinnie. I'll be right back." He jogged back, checking in the compartments. He wouldn't even think about his son falling off the train. He heard a scream and headed back that way, knowing his son had caused it. "Raymond Vincent!" he yelled when he caught him. He was naked and playing with himself because the Ravenclaw was screaming. "Where are your clothes!" He grabbed his son. "Sorry, he just wanted to hear you scream." He carried him back to the teacher's compartment, grumbling the whole way about beating the child. He ran into Draco's back as the train started to move and braced himself. "Sorry."

Draco looked at him. Then at the boy. Then back at the father. "Making women scream in horror?"

Ron nodded. "One of the Ravenclaw second years. I'm sure I'll get a letter from her mother soon enough." He slid past him. "I'm going to try to dress him again. See you up there?" He walked into the teacher's compartment and found both his girls drinking juice. "Finally," he sighed as he sat down. "Gwen, where are his clothes?"

"He flushed them," she said happily.

Ron groaned. Tara laughed and Snape just shook his head. "Son, you're not only grounded, you won't get to make snowmen this afternoon." His son started to sniffle. "I mean it. That was bad and wrong. You don't go torture girls by being naked in front of them. You don't flush your clothes, and oh, damn, one of them was mum's shirt to you."

Tara smiled and pointed at a small bag on the corner of a seat. "I rescued it. They didn't quite go down."

Draco came in and shut the door. "We're having a serious snogging problem," he announced. "I just broke up six different couples, four of which were already naked." He sat down and took Vinnie from Ron, putting him in the shirt he took off himself, the boy's favorite outfit. "There, wear that and you're not to give the bigger children any more ideas." He let him loose and the baby went to get some juice from Tara.

"Which houses?" Snape asked.

"Three of the couples were yours, two were Ravenclaw, and one was that Gryff couple who're engaged."

"Ah." Snape nodded.

"Hold on, why are they his when they misbehave?" Tara asked. "You're a Slytherin and you take a lot of interest in the kids." Screaming started in the halls. "That sounds like some of *your* kids now, Draco."

Draco stood up. "I was better behaved. I never shagged in public where I could get caught." He opened the door between the compartments. "Shut up!" he roared. The screaming stopped so he walked back to see what was the cause. He brought the culprit back, handing him to Snape. "He was doing what Vinnie was." He sat down again and looked smug. "Have fun with his parents."

Snape stood up and dragged to the boy to the platform between compartments to yell at him. He came back a few minutes later. "He won't be doing it again. He seems to think that Agatha will have him castrated." He sat down and smiled at Draco. "It is rather handy to have her around."

"I'm sure. Though you never had to threaten *my* class. You've lost your touch, old man."

Ron choked. "Don't say that, he'll kill you! I'll have to fight Tara to try and save you and she's faster." Tara nodded and smiled. Minnie clapped. "You, no fighting until you're twenty, no matter what your Uncle Xander said."

"She's a future Slayer," Tara reminded him gently. "She'll probably end up fighting sooner and hopefully live until she's twenty." Ron looked hurt. "We'll all do our best to help her, but she's going to end up fighting, Ron."

"I know, I'm trying to forget about it though."

She smiled. "Of course you are. It's a horrible fate for any child." She looked at her man. "What's wrong with Hagrid?"

"They found a small lump in his stomach," Snape told her. "He's going to the hospital for more tests and treatment." He relaxed. "I've had the hardest time trying to keep Ignatius from making a potion for him. Since we don't know exactly what it is, we can't make a potion to help him yet. The boy doesn't seem to care about that right now. He's quite a lot like his father in that manner."

"Iggy will be at school part of the time over break," Ron pointed out. "I'm sure he's working on that right now."

"Probably, if he weren't asleep," Snape said dryly. "His father was most happy with the development since he needs his rest before his surgery tomorrow."

"I think it's cute that Xander's such a worrywart," Tara admitted. "I had to knock him out to get Maeve away from him, and Zach, because he didn't want them on the train. He decided it was dangerous."

Ron nodded. "It is. Those platforms are scary and the train wiggles, throwing you off balance." She rolled her eyes. "Think about it, do you want Zach wandering around by himself?"

"No! But they're not running around." Ron pointed at his three. "Why didn't you lock the door?"

"I did! Both of them."

"They unlocked the door?" Draco asked, looking at the children. "I guess that settles whether or not they're witches and a wizard."

"Hopefully," Snape corrected. "We don't know which one it might have been, or if one of the students gave them some help."

Ron sighed. "I'm sure they are. Even Willow was sure they are."

"I heard," Tara admitted, "but it still has to be witnessed. You never know, two might be and one be muggle."

"Which would kill them," Ron pointed out. "They'll hate to be separated that way."

"Has anyone realized that there will be a Weasley of some sort in the school for about the next twenty years?" Remus asked, breaking up the serious discussion. Draco looked at him. "Some branch of the family, real or adopted. A Potter, a Malfoy-Weasley, a Weasley, a Harris-Weasley. It will be seventeen years before the last Harris-Weasley is gone from the school."

Tara frowned. "Damn, we've got that long with them? No breaks between the groups?"

"Ravena will be graduating in six more years," Draco said thoughtfully. "Tananda will be in her fourth year at that time, and fifth when Lucien and Maeve enter." He nodded. "He's right, the school will have some sort of Weasley for the next seventeen years."

"That's assuming Fred and the others don't have any kids," Ron pointed out, smirking at the horrified looks. "Fred's got a girl. Bill's dating someone from what he was hinting at. Charlie might have to knock up a dragon to carry on the fine family name, but everyone else is going on most likely. Plus, Percy could have another if he decides he likes anyone he's been trying to see."

"He's dating?" Tara asked happily.

"He tried. We thought he had a winner, but he dumped her because he said it didn't feel right." Ron shrugged. "He's got a right to be picky. I know I'm not ready to date yet and I didn't have half the rightness with Buffy that he had with Kandy."

"Two women with strange names, both with strong impact in your family," Sirius said. Ron glared at him. "Sorry, just an observation." He pulled blanket down from the overhead rack. "I think I'll rest." He settled in and Minnie crawled up into his lap. "What do you want?"

"Minnie, let him rest," Ron warned.

"Story," Minnie demanded.

Draco laughed. "Xander was right." Ron and Tara looked at him. "He said that Gwen is a little Buffy, but that Minnie is a little Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I saw that same look on Buffy's face when Xander denied her chocolate once."

Tara burst out laughing. "That is *so* true," she agreed. "Gwen is *exactly* like Buffy in her downtime, but Minnie is all violent and moody Buffy, like when she was fighting or training. That is so cute!"

"Then who's Vinnie?" Ron asked.

"Xander said a miniature you," Draco said dryly. His former Head nodded.

Ron frowned. "He is not. I never streaked down the train!"

"You weren't on the train at that age," Draco said dryly. "How would you know if you would've or not?"

Ron shook his head. "I don't see it." He looked at the man he had a truce with, and somewhat of an understanding of. "Does that mean one of your children is you?"

"He's a cross between Denver and Ana," Tara told him. Draco looked offended. "You are. There are plenty of times when you can be a Princess. And sometimes you're a lot like Denver. I can't wait to see him start trying his moves with the ladies."

"He has," Ron and Draco said in unison. They glared at each other. Then Draco shook his head.

"Not only has he tried, he's tried a bit too much. He got slapped last week by one of the Hufflepuff girls."

"He should try within his house first," Snape said. "It usually works better that way."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Draco told him.

"Odd exceptions to the side," Snape added.

"They are that," Remus agreed, smiling at Draco. "Is anything new on your relationship front?"

"Not presently. She's still spurning my advances toward legitimacy. You, Tara?"

"When Ginny does, we'll make it official," she told him.

"Hopefully before then," Snape told her. "I don't feel like waiting that long."

She smiled at him. "I'm not ready to be married yet," she reminded him. "When I am, I'll let you know."

Draco and Snape shared a look, understanding flowing between them. That's why they missed Ron's evil look of doom.

***

Snape peeled off from the group to talk to a parent while Tara and the others monitored the disembarking. The mother of the streaker started to scream and Draco walked over. "Shut up," he told her. She gasped. "Your son was flaunting his pitiful body against the will of the girls he was forcing to look at him. Were we at school, he would be most harshly punished. Since we were on the train, we're going to depend on *you* to stop him." She started to say something. "Do not even try to argue. We can provide you with written reports from the young women in question. Beside that point, you might want to see if he's been drunk recently since he's off throwing up in a trash can like the most horrid sort of muggle." She sniffed and walked off. "I hate parents like that."

"You *are* a parent like that," Snape told him. He looked at the young man. "I was handling it."

"Yay. The faster she got over it, the sooner we can leave and you can go on vacation somewhere far from Iggy. I don't want to have to stay while you argue with the stupid cunt." He walked away, clapping at the remaining students. "Who's missing a parent?" he yelled. A few students raised their hands. "And who's missing bags?" A few more students raised their hands. "Ron, deal with the bags, Tara, dear, would you mind watching the little creatures, especially the one trying to get back *on* the train. I'm going to search for people still on there." He climbed onto the train and searched the compartments, shooing out the students who were asleep, still shagging, or too busy to notice the train had stopped.

Ron found the parent he was looking for and gave Tara a look and a nod at the girls. She nodded so he drug his son over to the parent, clearing his throat. "I'm sorry." She looked confused. "My son decided to misbehave on the train and I thought I'd tell you directly instead of waiting for the owl."

"Oh." She nodded. "Which professor are you?"

"Weasley, Defense." He shook her hand. "My son decided to streak up the train and make your daughter scream. It seems he enjoys hearing people scream," he admitted with his cute little boy grin.

The mother laughed. "Don't worry. I have a son who did that once in the house." She looked at her daughter. "Was it as traumatizing as it was last time?"

The girl nodded. "He was playing with his icky boy parts," she complained. "That's just nasty. Of course I screamed."

Her mother laughed and looked at Ron. "I understand, I really do. Little boys of that age like to discover things like that. It'll be fine, Professor Weasley." She looked down at the little boy. "It's not nice to make girls scream, sisters run the world, young man."

"I'd make him apologize, but he's not old enough to know what one is," Ron told her.

"That's fine." She gathered her daughter and walked away with her.

Ron looked down at her son. "You're still grounded this afternoon. She may have forgiven you, but I know you better than that, Raymond Vincent." He pouted. "Don't even start." The boy giggled and ran over to pounce one of his sisters, making her squeal.

As soon as Draco stepped off, he saw the glares aimed at him. "What? I have things I want to do today, as does everyone else." Gwen came over and clutched his leg. "Hello, little creature from hell. I'll see you in a few days. You behave." She giggled. "I know you'll miss me. Torture your grandparents, they appreciate it." He got her off him and handed her back to her father. "Are we done?" he asked, glancing around. Two children were still there. "No parents?"

"You're being an ass," Ron told him with a smile. "I knew you hadn't lost your touch." He whistled, making the two kids look at him. "Come on, we'll go wait at the Leaky Cauldron. Your parents should know where it is by now." He got them headed that way, their trolleys rumbling in the quiet of the empty station.

Draco glanced around again. "Good. I'm off to shop and deal with mundane matters. I'll see you all on the train back." He apparated out.

Snape looked at Tara. "We must stop Xander from influencing him. It's getting extreme and annoying."

She laughed. "I'm sure it is." She grabbed their kids and followed him, letting him get the bags. Three whole weeks without a student or Iggy. What a wonderful vacation.

***

Draco opened his mother's vault and looked inside. Everything was still in there and nothing needed to be counted, so he closed the door and got back into the cart so he could check the other four vaults. His lawyer said he had to do it, even though this was dreadfully dull. The next vault came up so the cart slowed and he got out to look inside. This one looked a little short. "I think some of it's missing. The piles should be as tall as I am."

The goblin looked inside, then up at him. "Who else had access?"

"Not that many people. Myself, my children. You lot." He crossed his arms. "Stolen?"

"Possibly. We had a thief down here a few months back. We'll check at the switching station on the way back." He climbed back into the cart, letting the young man follow him. He noticed a few coins were picked up and looked at. "Not yours?"

"They look strange," Draco told him, holding one up. It was copper, but it was stamped as a galleon. "When did we switch money?"

"Those are bigger," the goblin told him. "Fifty galleon pieces. Internal bank issue."

"Oh." Draco put it into his pocket. He still had some Christmas shopping to do. The vault slammed shut behind him "When did they come out?"

"Six weeks ago. Many switches. We sent letters."

"It probably went to my lawyer," Draco said with a shrug. "One more and I'll take money out of that one." The new one held the interest from the other vaults. They came to the next vault and he got out again, looking inside. All the money in here looked normal. He grabbed a large bag, just in case. He had a bad feeling about this. He climbed back into the cart and the vault door slammed, but not before he saw someone run in there. "Someone's in there," he told the goblin. It looked at him and started the cart off again. Draco waited, but he knew they weren't heading up. The air was changing, becoming more metallic. "Up if you don't mind," he said haughtily.

"We are."

Draco pulled his wand, then thought better of it. He apparated out, landing upstairs in the lobby. He stormed over to the watch goblin's desk, picking him up. "I will see the branch manager," he snarled. The goblin motioned one over and he was shown into an office. He didn't have long to wait.

"Mr. Malfoy," the goblin said as he walked in. He put a file in front of him. "That was rude, leaving the cart is not allowed for safety reasons."

"We were going down instead of coming back up," Draco told him. "I found that out after I noted that someone had entered my vault." The goblin opened his mouth so Draco pulled the strange coin. "What's this?" He put it onto the desk.

The goblin looked at it, then shrugged. "I don't know. Where did you find it?" The vault's key was put onto the desk. "Just this one?"

"Piles about waist high, instead of the gold piles that are supposed to be up over my head. The cart goblin said it was the new coinage, which I hadn't heard anything about. This was before I noticed something going into the latest, interest, vault."

The goblin stood up. "Let me check on this, I'll be right back." He disappeared through a small door and came back a minute later, smoke following him. "There is something odd. May we freeze your accounts for a few days?"

Draco took out the bag of gold and looked into it. "This should keep me for a bit, yes. How long?"

"One week. It won't take us longer to break the cart goblin." He put the copper coin back down. "No one's seen these before. Did he react to them?"

"He looked inside and didn't say anything when I said the piles were smaller. When I pulled one out to look at it, he said it was the new coin and that it was internal bank issue." He stood up. "I'm leaving this in your hands so I don't have to get too upset over it. I'll expect it to all come back."

"That's why we suggest people like you come in yearly and count your vaults," the goblin told him calmly. "We'll come to you with an accounting of your vaults in one week."

"Very well. I'll be at my in-laws. The floo address is The Burrow." The goblin nodded and wrote it down. "I'll be expecting you." He left, taking his gold with him. He made a quick stop to his lawyer to inform him of this, then proceeded to do something enjoyable, shop.

***

Tara looked up on Christmas Eve, smiling at the owl coming toward them at the inn they were staying at. "It looks like we can't lose Iggy after all," she said with a tolerant smile. Attached to the letter was a box and a vial. Snape took it. "What are they?"

Snape grimaced. "A present." He handed the vial and note attached to it to her and took the boxes himself. "As you thought, from Ignatius." He paid the owl and it took off. "He sent it needing payment too."

"Poor kid probably spent all his allowance." She opened the note and her mouth fell open. She quickly tucked the vial into her pocket. He looked at her. "I'll show you later," she told him. "What are yours?" She peered over as he opened the box, then gasped. "Those are beautiful," she sighed, touching the little crystal broom. "That was sweet of him."

Snape grimaced. "I don't need presents."

She smacked him on the hand. "Presents are customary among people who like you, which he does. Write him a nice note." She touched the little cauldron, smiling when she saw something under the cover. "He even mixed you something."

Snape picked up the note and read it. "He didn't say what it was." He opened the little lid, sniffing the concoction carefully. "I have no idea what that is," he admitted.

She smiled. "I might have a clue. Touch your finger in it." He did so and his eyes bugged. "Feels good?" He withdrew his finger, rubbing it against his thumb. "This is Iggy we're talking about. Thirteen year old, hormonal Ignatius, whose father can shag his husband senseless in under ten minutes."

"Still," Snape said, trying hide the fact that the potion had made him quite hard. "What was yours?"

"An anti-fertility potion," she said with a smile. She handed over the card and the vial, watching as he read. "They probably came from the same book."

"Indeed," he said, glancing around. "Do take it now."

She giggled and slugged the potion back, then stood up and walked away, heading back to their room. He gathered up the two remaining presents and followed her, sure that the children were more than happy at the inn's daycare. Little did he know that Iggy had sent them gifts too, things from his parent's store. By the time he got back there, the daycare was in shambles, but all the children were happily laughing and painting each other. Tara leaned against his arm. "I guess they got presents too."

He looked down at her. "I'm sure. Hopefully we don't have to pay for any of this."

The daycare worker saw them and rushed over, smiling happily. "Please leave them, they're a lot of fun," she said, speaking rapid Spanish.

Tara nodded, it was good for her. She led her man away, going to stroll around the gardens with him. She appreciated any time spent alone with him.

***

Iggy bounced into his grandparent's house, giving everyone a hug. "They got my presents." He shared a smile with Simone. She broke out in laughs, leaning against her brother for support.

"What did you get them, son?" George asked patiently.

"Passion potion and an infertility potion good for a thousand nights." He grinned at Fred. "And I got the kids some of the nicer painting blocks from the kid's section in the store."

Fred shook his head. "I'm sure they'll appreciate those." He looked at his twin, who was trying so hard not to laugh. "I wonder if that's a thousand nights of use or just a thousand nights?" George broke and fell onto the floor, laughing so hard he was crying.

"I hear mirth," Xander called from the back porch. Iggy headed that way and soon his father was nearly rolling too. As was Ron who had listened in.

Arthur and Molly smiled at each other. Their family. What an interesting lot they were.

***

Draco came out of the floo and stopped, everyone was staring at him. "What?"

"There's a goblin here for you," Fred said, pointing at the kitchen. "Scared mum. She's off calming down."

"Someone broke into one of my vaults and stole from it," Draco told him, heading to talk to the goblin. He came back a minute later with a smirk. "Xander, your vault's been restored as well." Xander lifted his head off the couch. "Yes, you, you great lump."

"I'm doing what I'm supposed to," Xander protested. "How was it broken into?"

"They went back through the stolen items bags and found something of yours. It went back into your vault, as has most of the contents of one of mine." He walked in there and sat down. "He's gone, you can tell Molly she can come back now."

"She's with Ginny."

"Oh. How is she?" Fred looked at him. "Every time she sees me, she starts acting inappropriately so they asked me to stay away for a while."

"She's doing better. They think they'll have her totally clear just after New Years." Xander picked up his book. "You missed Iggy's debut as a force of Mischief." Draco looked at him. "You'll have to ask him, son."

Draco sighed but got up to find his nephew, who was of course playing in the snow with the smaller children. His nephew saw him and ran over, whispering excitedly in his ear. Draco burst out laughing, falling down into the snow to try and control himself. "Dear Merlin!" he gasped. "I wish you'd sent a camera. I'd pay to see the look on his face when he realized it."

Iggy grinned down at him. "I am good," he crowed, then he went back to his playing. The triplets leaped at him, pelting him with half-formed snowballs while his brother and sister threw loose snow at them.

Draco got up and tried to dust himself off, but he was already wet. He decided to help poor little Iggy beat back the horrors of the children by pelting them with snow.

"Draco Malfoy!" Molly yelled from the doorway. "Put on a coat and gloves. And a hat!"

"Yes, mum," he called, but he was having too much fun. By the time he got back inside, he was blue and shivering, but he was still laughing. Molly shook her head at him and sent him up to Ron's room to change with a swat. He found Ron in there. "Sorry, your mum sent me up here to change."

"Looks like you had fun," Ron said, putting down his book. "Snowball fight?"

Draco nodded. "You should have been out there."

"Stomach problems."

"Oh. Sorry." He quickly changed his clothes. "Have a nice rest. I'm going to teach your children the right way to make snowmen."

Ron sighed. "Thanks." He laid back down and put the heating pad back over his stomach. "I wish I wasn't sick."

"Ask Iggy to help you. He can make nearly anything."

Ron grinned. "I heard about his present to Snape."

"I wanted to see his face when he figured it out," Draco told him. "Want anything?"

"Some soup would be nice." Ron watched him leave and curled back up again. He hated stomach problems. Soon, his mother came in with a mug of soup. "Thanks, mum."

"You need to take something for your stomach, Ron. This can't keep going on."

"I know, but I'm usually fine. It's just during breaks. It's like all the stress piles up and makes my stomach hurt." He sipped at the soup.

Fred knocked on the door. "Let me, mum." He smiled until she left then he locked the door. "Ron, answer this with a single word. Home?"

"Buffy," he said automatically. Ron groaned. "I knew that, Fred."

"Yes, but if you're still missing the home you had with her, then you're not doing as well as you thought." He sat on the end of the bed. "Even if you think you're over her, on some level you're not and that's what's making you sick every break. When you should be going home to her and the home you built."

Ron put down his mug and sat up. "I get that," he admitted. "But I thought I had a home at the school."

"School is school. It's a job, and a calling in some people's cases. What do you consider home when it's not in session?"

"Here."

"Which was your childhood home, and you've outgrown it."

"You think I need to buy a house?"

"Not necessarily," Fred said, standing back up. "But maybe working on making a real home might help. Mum and dad won't always be here. Neither will this house unless they're giving it to one of us." Ron nodded, slumping a little. "It's the nature of life. We grow up and move out when we start to form our own families. Maybe you should start looking to form your own home, whether it be in the tower or not." Ron nodded so he left him alone to think. He walked down to the living room and sat down at the end of Xander's perch. "I told him."

"I think he'll be happier eventually. This isn't making him happy," Xander told him. He looked at where the kids were coloring. "Buffy would want him to move on."

Molly gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sure he'll move on in his own time."

Xander looked up at her. "It's time, Molly. He's over her death for the most part because he can joke about her. I think maybe it's time to start putting options in front of him."

Ron came down the stairs. "I know my options."

Xander looked back at him. "Really? Did you realize you were checking that blonde out at the Three Broomsticks the other night?" Ron shook his head but Xander and Fred both nodded. "You were, Ron."

"I wasn't!"

"You were," George called from somewhere. "You were drooling too."

"I was?"

Xander nodded and gave him an encouraging smile. "You can joke about her, Ron, really. You're farther down the road than you realize because you're trying *so* hard to ignore it."

Ron shrugged. "I'll think about it."

"That's what we wanted, for you to think about it," Fred told him.

Ron nodded. "I will. How's Percy?"

"Doing well," Xander told him. "I think he's slid a little, but he's facing the future and not flinching too much now."

Percy came down the stairs, he had been hiding in his room. "They didn't remind me of Kandy."

Xander groaned. "They're not supposed to remind you *of her*, they're supposed to remind you of *how she made you feel*," he pointed out. Percy stopped like he had been hit. "Is that why you dropped Candace?" Percy nodded. "Gee, does she fit now?"

"She does," Percy agreed, sitting down blindly. "I never realized."

"Guys, the women won't ever come back, but the happiness remains. Search for the happiness." He grinned. "End of my wise act for the day. For more wiseness, go see your mother."

"You got it right, Xander," Molly told him, giving him a smile. "Would you like a brownie?"

"The doctor told me I'm not to gain any weight over the break," he said sadly.

"We'll work it off you," Molly assured him. "You can work off the brownie peeling potatoes." He smiled and nodded. "I'll go get you one." She walked away to get him a treat.

Fred nudged him. "If you ask, she'd have put you to work."

Xander looked at him. "I'm not allowed to do that. If I have to stand up, I'll get yelled at. My doctor gave your brother permission to kick my ass if I stand up for longer than it takes me to go to the bathroom."

Molly laughed. "I'm sure we can find sedate tasks for you, Xander. Would folding laundry suit you?"

"I can do that," he said with a grin as he took the brownie from her. "Thanks, mom." She gave him a hug and went back to the kitchen. "What did I do?" he asked.

"You haven't called her mom since her possession," Ron told him. He stood up. "I'm going to go feel miserable in the sun." He went out to the back porch and lounged around for a bit. It felt good to be here, he had missed the solitude.

***

Draco walked out of the fireplace with his children, steering them toward the dinner table. "They're even presentable," he joked. He had to fight for *hours* with Simone to get her to dress up. A pants suit wasn't what he had in mind, but it was clean, ironed, and dressier than what she had wanted to wear. He settled them around the table and took his seat.

Molly smiled at the children. "You all look nice. Simone, why do you persist in wearing such boyish clothes?"

"Because I'm more comfortable this way. I don't have to tug on anything I wear to settle it into place, nor do I have to shave my legs, cross my legs, or worry about people looking up at my undies." The guys at the table laughed and her sister gave one of those 'look what I put up with' sighs. "Besides, I'm *much* too young to worry about any man touching..." Her father covered her mouth with his hand.

"I think we get the idea," Draco told her. "You're much too young for a man." He looked at her and she nodded so he removed his mouth. "Thank you."

Xander wiped his mouth off. "Simone, did I hear that someone sent you poetry?" he teased.

"It was supposed to go to Ana," Simone said quickly. Everyone looked at her. "Oh, fine, the psychotic...." Her mouth was covered again and she stomped on her father's foot. "The psychotic darling over in Slytherin thinks he can match me in the physical department. I sent a wonderful note to his parents, complete with the poem he sent."

Arthur smiled. "I heard he was turned in for evaluation," he told her.

"He should be. Some of the things in that poem were rather gross and best not to be discussed around nice people." She served herself some stuffing since everyone else had food on their plates, handing things down to Anastasia and Ravena. Denver was on the other side of them and Lucien was hogging the baby seat between the grandparents. "Uncle Ron, did anyone say anything to you about practice when we get back?"

"You guys have practice two nights after classes start again," George told her. "Until then, I'm supposed to work with you and the other beater because he's slacking off. Iggy, son, did we need to take you shopping?"

"I need shoes," Iggy told him. "I'm good on uniforms now that I've quit growing again."

"I'm buying you clown shoes," Xander told his son. Iggy glared at him. "Really. You've gone through four sizes since school started." He looked at his son. "And your uniforms are all too small too." Draco nodded. "We'll go shopping the day after tomorrow."

"You're still not allowed to stand up," Draco noted. "Denver and Simone both have to go, he can go with them."

"Or I can take them all," Xander told him, smiling at him. "I'm still not helpless and my knee hurts a hell of a lot less now that they've fixed it."

"You can go together," George told him, stopping the argument. He noticed Draco touching his pocket and pointed his fork at him. "If you turn him into a cat ever again, I'm going to think up something so horrible it will make you cry."

Draco smiled at him. "I told him I wouldn't do that again and I won't." Xander smiled at him. "That doesn't mean that I won't turn him into something else."

"He's make a cute rottweiler," Simone told him. Xander growled at her. "But you'd have to make him a puppy or he'd pounce you."

Arthur cleared his throat. "He really shouldn't turn Xander into anything. He does try to be good."

"I do more than try," Xander defended. "I make good things for the store, I teach my kids lots of useful stuff, and I learned how to call for help. I've been good this year."

George nodded. "He has. It's been amazing how good he's been."

"Hmm, not even any sex in public," Fred agreed. "I'd say George has successfully housebroken Xander finally."

"I'm not a dog," Xander reminded him. "If you want a dog, talk to Hagrid, or Sirius."

Harry laughed. "We know, but you're so much fun to pick on, Xander. You do it to us."

"I know I do, fluffy." Harry groaned. "What? You looked like a fluffy this morning."

"I'm going to get you for that," Harry told him. He looked at his son. "Are you going to stick up for him or me?" He touched the braids the girls had given his son again. "I'm starting to like this look on you. Very practical."

"Thanks, daddy," Little Ron said with a smile. "Am I going back on the train or tomorrow with Iggy?"

"You're coming with me," Iggy told him. "Otherwise I'll be there by myself."

"You can do whichever you like," Harry told him. He looked at his silent daughters. "You can also, Agatha."

Mellie put down her spoon. "Daddy, is she coming back?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. Nothing sure yet. If she is, I'm going to tell you first." Mellie nodded. "Did you want to talk about it tonight?"

Mellie shook her head but she looked up at her grandmother. "Can I come stay with you if she does?"

Harry looked like his heart was breaking. "I promise she won't hurt you, Mellie. She won't come back if she would hurt you. I won't let her."

"If you feel like you have to get away for a night, you can always come stay with us," Molly told her. "But I'm sure she's not coming back for a very long time." She noticed Harry stiffening up. "The last I heard, she was still under a lot of supervision and she's being asked all sorts of questions about what she would do in the future. I'm sure you could ask the doctors talking to her to ask her something for you."

Harry nodded. "I've been offered the chance to read her answers too," he admitted. "She was asked, Mellie, and she swore under truth serum that she never meant to hurt any of you and that she doesn't want to hurt any of you." His youngest daughter nodded but she didn't look that happy with his answer. "We'll talk about it tonight, just us two." He looked at the other two and they nodded, they could wait. Mellie needed more reassurance.

"Father, may I floo over to spend some of the holidays with Ryan's family?"

"No, I think that's inappropriate for a girl your age," Harry said firmly. "It's only two more weeks then you can see him again."

"Besides, his mother's in a tizzy," Xander added. "They're working on her wedding right now."

Agatha looked at him. "Really?" He nodded. "Do you know if he's going to have a part in it?"

"He will and I'm pretty sure Willow was going to suggest that you escort him to it this summer. I think she was going to deal with that around Valentine's day, when she makes the official announcements."

"Are we attending?" George asked his husband.

"She was my best friend in childhood," Xander pointed out. "I think it'd be bad if I didn't." His mate nodded. "She came to ours."

"Good point," Fred agreed. "Doe she have any other family?"

"A few. Her mother's still living, but is off somewhere working in the Peace Corps from what Willow said. I don't think she's got any other relatives, but then neither does Wesley."

"She's marrying him?" Molly asked. Xander nodded. "I've met him through Percy, a nice young man." She took a bite of turkey, it was the only thing that would feed all of them. "What about her daughter?"

"Amelia is her last," Xander reminded her. "They've talked about adopting or getting a surrogate, but Willow's not sure she wants to have any more. She's liking her research time and Amelia is getting old enough to have more friends over and spend more time by herself." He cut up some of the dark meat on his plate and took a bite. "Amelia will be coming to school. She manifested the other day. She changed Wesley's tie to a different pattern because it offended her sensibilities." He smiled. "It changed from a subtle pattern to large pink and blue dots with a yellow background."

Fred laughed. "I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun with her at the school."

"Remus made a point," Ron put in. Most everyone looked at him. "It will be seventeen years before we're out of the school." Bill opened his mouth.

Draco nodded, before Bill could say something. "It will be seventeen years before the last child presently in the family is out of school. There will be one of us there every year for the next seventeen years."

Xander looked at his mate. "We need another one in five," he joked. "If we try really hard as a family, we can go for fifty years without a Weasley."

George tossed a piece of potato at his mate's head. "No more children, dear. Work your magic on Bill and Percy."

Percy choked. "I have plenty," he argued. "Even if I marry again, I probably won't have any more."

"Father, you love kids," Melvin reminded him. "You should have more if you remarry."

"You wouldn't mind if I did?" Percy asked.

Melvin shook his head. "You're miserable alone. Pick someone who likes us, and whom we like," he said with a grin, "but you need to have someone there. If not, you'll go insane when Tananda starts school."

"I'll keep that in mind," Percy told him, giving him a smile. He looked at Ron. "What about you? If you finally marry, will you have more?"

"I've just got out of the toddler stage with triplets," Ron reminded him with a horrified look. "With my luck, it'd be quads next time and I'd go nuts." He stuffed his mouth before he could say anymore.

"I'm not having any," Charlie announced. "Hit up Bill for the record-setting family. Or Draco, he seems to enjoy having little ones around."

"Five is enough," Draco told him. "Unless I end up knocking up some stranger, I've had all the ones I need."

"Or want?" Ravena suggested.

"Or want," he agreed, giving her a bright smile. "How about you, Bill?"

"I might have a few someday," Bill admitted. "Don't hold your breath though."

"By the time Lucien and Maeve are out, one of us might have had one," Little Ron pointed out.

"Very true," Molly agreed, smiling at him. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Why? They're much less interesting than the snitch." His father ruffled what little hair he had loose. "Of course, so are classes. I'd rather just play quidditch for a living."

"The problem is," Xander told him, "you'll age. Or you'll get hurt. You can't play quidditch forever. You'll have to have something to do for when you can't play anymore."

"That sucks," Little Ron told him.

"I know," Harry agreed, "but it's true. Not even I can play the entire length of my life. You've seen what Uncle Oliver's gone through because he fell. It can happen to any of us. That's why you're expected to do well enough in school. Besides, no one wants to play with someone who doesn't know his basics."

"Yeah," Xander agreed. "Look at the American football players. Some of them don't have anything else so they keep playing until they're too hurt to move anymore. Then they get lost because they don't have anything else in their life."

"I'm good at transfiguration," Little Ron offered. "What can I do with that?"

"Lots of things," Ron told him. "I used it all the time when I worked for Nimbus."

"You worked for Nimbus?" Little Ron asked.

"That's what I was doing when I worked before I started teaching," Ron told him. "It's a great training place. Especially since they changed owners to someone decent. Firebolt too."

Little Ron looked at him like he was God. "Wow. Maybe I'll do that." His father gave him a tolerant smile. "Would that be okay? Or maybe design a broom?"

"It would be great for players," Harry agreed. "You'd know what the different positions needed and what worked best for real players. I'd buy one if you designed it." His son beamed at him. "If you want to do that, maybe your Uncle Ron could introduce you?"

Ron nodded. "I know someone at Firebolt right now, in their safety department. I could probably get him a tour where he could ask all the questions he wanted. I can't guarantee though."

Little Ron grinned at him. "That would be wicked, Uncle Ron. I'd love you forever if you'd do that for me."

"I'll try," Ron told him with a grin. "Eat." He looked at his other nieces and nephews. "Any of you need the same help?"

Simone wiped her mouth and put down her cup of milk. "If I can't play pro, then I'll do something else and become queen of a local league. I like the playing, but the broom angle really isn't me. I'm not that dexterous manually."

Agatha sighed. "Willow's offered me some of her old books so I'm going to talk to her about my options."

Harry looked stunned. "Do you want to practice that form of magic?"

"She said she thinks I'd be good at it because I do have the discipline sometimes. She's sending them to Ryan and gave me her permission to read through them and see if it interests me." She looked around then back at her father. "I'm not becoming her," she said quietly. "I refuse to become mother."

"As long as you don't, and you're not hurting anyone, I'll support you in whatever you want to do," Harry told her. She nodded. "What about you, Mellie, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

"I'd like to be a movie star, like the ones on tv," she said, sounding happy.

"I'm sure you'd be great at it," Fred agreed. "Though you'd have to pretend to be a muggle."

"But I can do that," she told him. "It's not that hard. They have all sorts of things that compensate for the lack of magic. Like washing machines and dishwashers. Oh, and microwaves, which cook really fast."

Xander smiled. "Yes, they do. It still isn't the same though. Flicking a wand at something and having to carry it to the machine, load and unload it, and tend to it, are really different, Mellie. But if you want to be an actress, you'd be a really good one. You pretend very well." She smiled at him. "When you come to school, you should take Muggle Studies, that way you'll be set in case you want to do that."

"I think they should make that class mandatory," Harry said. "Just so that the misunderstandings are eased."

"I don't know," Draco said, taking up the argument. "What good is it for witches and wizards to learn about muggle things? We've already surpassed them in most areas. As Xander said, even their devices to compensate for lack of magic aren't that great, and besides, why should we bother?"

"Because the world is getting closer," Ron told him. "Things like the Ministry of Technology, or had you forgotten that the game shows you like so much are muggle in origin?"

"While that's an excellent point, we'll never be fully integrated. I can see the two worlds merging a bit more because of things like the television and washing machines. I personally love my dryer to death because I'm not sleeping on crunchy sheets anymore," he admitted. "I can't see the two worlds becoming so merged that they'll do the same for us. So why should we do it for them?"

"Because Ron has a point," Percy told him. "The muggles have this invention called the internet." Draco nodded, he had heard something about that. "On it you can find information on almost any subject, including magic like Tara uses. If they're the intermediate step between the two worlds, like most people assume, then we'll eventually end up on there too and will be known about. The time is coming when we won't be able to hide anymore, if only because the muggle world is drawing itself together and expects everyone to take part in the closeness. Even now, people are working on getting everyone onto the internet so that we share that common bond and for various other purposes, like education."

"And porn," Fred added helpfully. "Humans are funny things, Perce, wizard or muggle. There's always going to be some distance between us, even if it's just a little bit. Humans will never live in full cooperation because it's not in our fundamental nature. The same as there are groups out there that don't participate and are being dragged kicking and screaming into the future, the wizarding community will do the same for as long as possible."

"Or at least until the government starts going door-to-door to make sure that we're all wired into their world," George added. "I can see both sides, but I don't think it's necessary yet to make Muggle Studies a mandatory. Certainly by the time Lucien is graduated I can see it. I can see the necessity very clearly now for more people to have an understanding, so maybe some lectures in other classes, but not making it a mandatory class yet."

Charlie put down his fork. "We had muggles come onto the preserve the other day," he admitted. "Hikers, not in the least bit lost. They followed their map as they backpacked across the region and wandered into a lethal situation. Our boundaries didn't even phase them."

"That's another problem," Percy agreed. "More muggles are becoming magic resistant. Of the police that showed up at Ginny's house to see about the noise complaint, two of them were magic resistant. Out of twelve. One has a relative at Hogwarts, but still it's not a good average."

"So you're saying that the muggles are catching up?" Draco asked.

"Just that there can never be another person like your father," Percy told him. "The muggles are too resistant now and someone like him could never destroy a town without *someone* being able to break the memory charms." He took a sip of his water. "It's a shame really. Many of the older wizards are scared that we'll end up cornered in a small part of the world, hiding from everything. They're trying to find a way to move their families to other planes, possibly even make new planes just for us, because they're scared of what's going on."

"Even some muggles are scared," Xander told him. "There's a lot of people who say the changes are going too fast so they're trying to go back to an idyllic time for them. Too bad time doesn't go backwards, and neither does technology, but it scares them. The technology changes so fast that you don't get that comfortable spot where you can get used to it before getting pushed on. Fifteen years ago, when I was in school, they were fighting to have all the muggle schools in America wired into the internet. Now, if you're a student and you don't have a computer, you might as well not go to school because you can't do half the work. Only ten years before that, computers were a lot bigger, heavier, less complicated, and could only do half of what they could do fifteen years ago. It's that missing comfort zone that's eating away at a lot of people. And I think some wizards are starting to feel it, even though the Ministry of Technology is intentionally going slow. Giving us tv first has introduced us to a lot of stuff, but it's also farther away. You can't touch the stuff that's on tv, and you can't snuggle up to it. You can snuggle up to some of the things that are scaring people."

"So you think that this comfort zone will appease some fears?" Molly asked.

Xander nodded. "Look at history. How much change was there in technology for the last six thousand years? Things moved slowly, people had time to get used to the changes. People fought when the changes got too drastic. Then all of a sudden, the industrial revolution happened. Suddenly, people had a lot of things coming at them, things that hadn't been there before. Nothing that the average person could fix if it broke, like they could the usual stuff around the house. Now you had to have knowledge about special things, and the ideas that went with it, and it makes people uncomfortable. Personally, I think the wizarding community will end up being like Tara's version of witches are today. Little groups here and there, hidden spots and shops that are just for us, but with the occasional curious muggle getting drawn into them. Probably the Ministry will have a spot on the 'net in a few more decades and they'll figure out a computer interface that will work with our wands to log us on. Taking these steps now means that we don't have to take them later and we can go slower, giving people that comfort zone." He shrugged. "But I do agree with my husband. Start with small lectures now and slowly move Muggle Studies into a mandatory class."

Arthur looked thoughtful. "How do witches like Tara hide?"

"In plain sight," Xander said with a grin.

He smiled back. "Have you noticed deprivation feelings among the muggle born?" Xander nodded. "Just for the tv or for other things?"

"Every year we have at least one kid who wants to know where the computer lab is," Ron put in. "They're usually the ones who look most devastated or create hell about having to drop back levels of technology. I think Lupin put out a sign last year that his office was not a computer lab because there was a joke going around that it was by the upper years."

Xander smiled. "Our very own current Head Boy actually started that one."

"So that's why Lupin wanted the annoyance noise machine," Fred said, smiling.

"At least it worked and it got him beaten by the other boys in his dorm," George told him. "He's been forgiven, and has promised never to do it again."

"I'm sure we can handle it if he does," Fred told him.

"Point. And it was wonderful advertising for the annoyance line. We sold three more machines the next weekend the kids were in town for younger siblings." George speared a piece of potato and used it to emphasis his point. "The kids do get over it within a few weeks. Some of them get wrist strain from having to write so much but they get over it. The day Hogwarts goes to computers, we're all going to be missing out on part of the tradition, the quill pens breaking in the middle of a word during a test."

"And the blotches of ink," Ron added with a grin.

"Or the tips that you can't get sharp enough so your letters are two inches thick," Draco put in.

"Oh, let's not forget the honorable tradition of the spilling of the ink bottle," Charlie said with a smile. "That used to be Bill's specialty while doing homework."

Percy laughed. "Or the ever-wonderful shedding feathers that one can't remove from your robes no matter how much tape you use."

Xander smiled. "We had a kid have her ball point pen confiscated the other day." He stabbed a piece of turkey. "I was so proud of myself for holding up the old ways."

Ron snickered. "I'm sure she was thrilled. She hates the quills, can't write with them at all."

"Muggle pens are more convenient," Percy agreed. "No having to dip into the inkwell, no annoying blotches or drips. And you can throw them away when they're empty or go bad."

"Some are refillable," Xander told him. "They cost more. Plus, we do have the muggle equivalent of a quill, though you have to work to find a fountain pen these days. I reminded her of the school tradition - she was there to learn magic, not to use muggle technology. She pushed the tv back in my face so I told her how I had went without cable for ten years. She nearly cried, she couldn't imagine it."

"I can't now," Draco agreed. "How did you manage?"

"We can quote some of those movies," George said dryly.

"And shagging," Xander agreed with a grin. Simone choked. "You okay, muffin?"

"Uncle Xander, please quit calling me cute names," Simone begged. "The other kids are starting and it's annoying!" He smiled at her. "If you do, I'll beat up the Head Boy for you," she offered.

Ron coughed. "No. Even though he tried to say he was kicking Ana out, you can't beat him up."

"Why would this waste of skin want to kick out my daughter?"

"He was trying to pull a prank," George told him with a cold smile. "He's still very sorry, trust me." His mate nodded, sharing an evil look with him.

"He tried to say that he was kicking me out because I was an uptight bitch," Anastasia told her father. "Of course the others came to my defense, but he insisted that he has the right to kick people out and that I was to go pack my things. Fortunately, Uncle George came in and grabbed the putz before Simone could get down the stairs and hurt him quite badly."

Draco smiled at his older daughter. "At least you tried," he comforted. "May I speak with this waste of his mother's time?" George nodded, chewing on his chunk of potato finally. "Thank you."

Ron looked down at him. "I need your help with a plan later, want to?"

"With what?"

"Tara and Snape."

"Oh." Draco smiled. "I would like to see an end to that situation. He's getting quite a nasty reputation around the community. Even though everyone knows it's her fault they're not married."

"Someone should lock them in a room with an officiate," Xander said. "You and Ginny too, Draco. You're ruining her reputation," he said when his 'son' looked at him.

Iggy cleared his throat. "I may have forgotten to mention this part to anyone, especially them, but what I sent them for presents was part of a bonding set. It came out of my Middle Ages book, the notations said it was from the Celtic traditions but I'm not sure about that part because I've never found another mention of it. One potion for her, a sympathetic one for him. When they come together, it should bind them tighter than the almost-vows they took together this summer." He smirked at the looks he was getting. "She's hurting my master."

Draco laughed. "Good point. Ron, I'll help you, he deserves to be happy."

"That just leaves you and Ginny," Xander said.

"Actually, she's ruining my reputation," Draco told him. "It's considered the wizard's fault if the witch won't marry him. That's why Tara's not getting much said about her, but Severus is nearly ruined among the community, as I am if Ginny won't ever straighten herself out and join with me."

"I'm sure she'll straighten herself out soon," Molly soothed. "We all know the truth."

"Yeah, she's a pig-headed brat," Bill agreed. His father glared at him. "She is! If she were my woman, I'd have to take her away and force her to marry me. I wouldn't have put up with what Draco did."

"Times are changing, son," Arthur reminded him. "We should support Ginny's decisions, even if we don't like them. I don't like what she's doing either, but we can't force her to marry anyone."

"Technically, I could," Draco pointed out. "I'm not that concerned about my reputation though." He sighed. "Let her have her little games. If it bothers me too much, I can always have custody taken away from her."

Molly looked at him. "Hopefully you'll allow the rest of us to visit?"

He nodded. "Of course. Where else would my children learn practical skills from?"

Iggy cleared his throat. "Grandma, I've been wondering if you'd teach me how to cook."

"Son, you already have a hectic life," Xander told him.

"Yeah, but this is necessary. It's not like I'm going to be earning a salary that will allow me to eat out every night." He smiled. "Besides, cooking is like potions, only with food." Molly nodded. "See!"

Xander rolled his eyes. "Learn over your summer break, or tomorrow. I doubt anyone's going to be cooking tonight."

"That's true," George agreed. "Tonight is the traditional dinner ritual known as leftovers." He looked at his mother, who had just rolled her eyes. "It's a formal part of the holiday process, mum, you can't ignore it."

"How else will the children learn about the wonders and horrors of next week's turkey casserole?" Fred offered.

Molly looked at her most troublesome children. "Remember, I can decide never to cook for you again."

"Ah, but now we'll have Iggy!" Ron pointed out with a smile.

Molly looked at Xander. "Put a tighter leash on them, dear, they're running rampant again."

Xander smiled at his brother's and mate. "If you piss her off, she'll give us food poisoning on purpose." The twins and Ron both dug into their food. "Needed anything else, dear?"

"No, thank you, Xander," she said with a smile. "I'll gladly help any of you learn how to cook, Ignatius," Molly told her grandson. "It's a very practical skill that everyone should learn."

"The Board of Regents is trying," Draco told her. She chuckled lightly. "They've all but ordered Dumbledore to put back in the Practical Skills program. He's resisting so far, but I think he'll have to crack before leaving everything to Tara."

"Tara's the Deputy Headmistress?" Iggy asked. The adults all nodded. "How come the students don't know this? When it was McGonagall, we all knew it was her."

"Because Tara doesn't like to stand up in front of you guys," Xander told him, then he ate a bite of beans. "She's like that."

"I know," Iggy told him. "We still need to know about these things. How else can we butter her up for when she takes over?"

Charlie shook his head. "That never worked with McGonagall."

"Tara's nicer," Iggy said with a smirk.

"Good point," Bill agreed. "Might work with her, or it could backfire and she'll think you're a kiss ass."

"She knows I'm her mate's apprentice, it's not like I don't have to do it anyway," Iggy pointed out. "Trust me, if it were up to me, Gryffindor wouldn't have lost so many points so far this year." His father patted him on the back of the head when he frowned. "Hold on, he had me deliver some and I don't think I did.... But no, those were other kids," Iggy sighed.

"Try harder, I'm sure you can misplace some from your own house," Simone told him.

"Yeah, like yours," Denver snorted. She glared at him. "You got kicked out of potions on the first day."

"I was being good that day," Simone reminded him. "He thought I was up to something mean and nasty, and he didn't appreciate me taking his spot."

"I saw the idiot you dosed," Iggy told her, waving his fork around. "Really nice job with the potion, cousin." He smiled. "It actually took my Lord and Master a whole two hours to figure out what was wrong with him. You frustrated him to no end. You did hear him ranting about you, right? That he was going to have you expelled if he found out who it was?" She nodded, but didn't look worried. "Try to keep it more subtle. The next one in that book is much worse, but mimics a natural disease process. Giving them a magical version of the wizard flu will make them miserable for many more weeks than the simple exploding problem you gave him." He stabbed some turkey and nibbled on it.

"Son, eat like a normal human, not one of the phoenixes," Xander reprimanded. Iggy stuffed the whole bite into his mouth. "Thank you. Simone, did you make that poor kid sick?"

"No," she said, looking innocent. "But I know what the spell was. I'm the one who found it. I was going to but I decided to let him live in peace because I can kick his ass in other ways." Her father groaned. "Sorry, daddy, I didn't get to be evil this time," she said, giving him a pat to the arm.

Melvin looked at Iggy. "You can give someone a case of the flu with a potion?"

"It's a mimic," Iggy told him. "Acts just like it, even responds to the medicine, but it's not caused by the virus like the flu is. And it's the nastier strain it mimics too," he said happily. "I wonder how our beloved Head Boy is feeling." Ron spit out his water. "Sorry, Uncle Ron, but I couldn't resist. I only gave him enough to make him miserable for a few days."

"Grounded," Xander said, smiling at him. "Let the adults handle him, son."

"Yes, daddy," Iggy sighed.

Xander looked at the other Gryffindors at the table. "You guys too. Report him and we can deal with him. Taking it into your own hands means that he can continue."

"Yes, Uncle Xander," Draco's three oldest said in unison.

"Thank you," Ron sighed. He glared at Iggy. "I can suspend you for that."

"Prove it," Iggy said with a smirk. Ron's eyebrow went up. "It's totally untraceable. Not even Severus can trace it because it is a mimic."

"Unless he shared that fudge around," Denver told him. Iggy looked at him. "I saw you making it, you goof. The whole tower did."

"Yes, and did you see how many of the Gryffs got some?" Iggy asked with a smile. "Besides, it's the nature of the flu to spread to those around you. Or don't you remember?"

Denver smirked. "I like the way you think. Care to get Professor Black with it?"

"Denver, no," Xander told him. "He's very sorry for trying to get you guys in trouble." Ron nodded, backing him up.

Harry coughed. "What did my Godfather do this time?"

"He decided to be mean and pick on us," Simone told him. "The same as last time. He tried to use Denver for an example and I took his spot. He can't transfigure me for some reason and it irritates him to no end."

"I think it's time someone had a discussion with him," Draco said quietly.

"I will," Harry said, staring him down. "He is my family and I can do so."

"Daddy, he's been showing me special favoritism," Little Ron told him. "The other kids are mad at me for it."

"Then I'll definitely talk to him. You're to have a normal education, nothing should get in the way of it, favoritism or the lack thereof."

"Severus doesn't treat him badly," Iggy told him. "I'm usually in there for his class because it's my free period. He's treated like every other Gryff in that classroom."

"Yeah, you get to be his favorite," Melvin snorted. "He took points of me because you should have helped me with one of my potions instead of letting me flounder."

"He told me not to," Iggy told him, starting to frown. "I'll talk with him." Draco laughed. "Trust me, if he doesn't lay off Melvin, I can't do my work. Melvin's the one who's getting me all my herbs. He'll see sense." Draco smirked at him. "And if not, then I guess I'll have to tell him exactly what that potion was," Iggy finished, with his own version of the evil smirk. His fathers both started to cough. "All right, daddies?"

"Fine," Xander gasped. "Don't tell him," he wheezed.

"He'd want to know," Draco pointed out.

"Tara will kill him," George reminded him.

"Oh, right, forgot about that," Draco said. "Let me talk to him. Melvin, how are you doing in there?"

"Shitty."

"Melvin!" Percy snapped. He glared at Simone. "Quit influencing his vocabulary. I'd like him to sound respectable."

"Wasn't me," Simone told him. "He picked it up when he was six off Uncle Xander, the same way I did."

Xander shook his head. "That one didn't come from me. You only learned bitch and whorehouse off me." He smiled at her. "Shitty came off Uncle Fred, who was sick for a while that year with the flu."

Percy rolled his eyes. "Don't start, Xander. They don't need to hear more of those words."

Xander shrugged. "Just correcting the blame. I didn't teach them that word, though I've used it enough I guess." Fred reached over and gave him a shove. "Hey! Be nice or I'll use you as a test subject."

Fred smirked. "Try it."

"Deal," Xander agreed, giving him his coldest, meanest look. Fred shuddered. "What should I try first?" he mused.

"Dear, please leave my twin alone," George begged. "I need him the way he is or nothing will get done around the shop, and then I'll have to do all the work myself and we'll never have time for sex."

Xander blew him a kiss. "I'll be nice, but he challenged me. I have to answer it."

"This I'm sitting around for with popcorn," Draco said, and Ron nodded his agreement. "When shall we commence this test?"

"Tonight," Xander told him. He knew *exactly* where to start.

****

George looked over at his twin as he scratched himself for the fifth time in ten minutes. "Itchy?" he asked. He had tried to find one of Xander's Nibbles on his twin, but to no effect. Fred nodded, starting to look miserable. "Well, you did get into this. You'll have to tell him he won."

"He didn't," Fred ground out as he scratched at his balls. "I don't know how he did this but I'm going to get him for it." He removed his hands and clenched them on the arms of the chair. "I won't scratch, I'm not giving him the pleasure."

"Gryphons are like that by nature," Ron said patiently, but he was grinning. "Do you think he made up some of the potion from it and just dropped it on you?"

"It needs an intermediary contact," George told him, turning the page on his book. "It has to be transferred through another medium."

"I'm not making him itch," Xander called from the dining room, where he was folding clothes. "I've got much worse things planned."

Fred groaned and his brother Ron looked over at him. "Could Elizabeth have a yeast infection?" Ron asked. "Buffy got one of those and it was horrible."

Fred shook his head and went upstairs to take a shower. He managed to shoo all the kids out of the bathroom within minutes and relaxed under the warm water. As soon as he did, the itching got worse. He tried hotter and it just made it worse so he had to go colder. As soon as the water was icy, the itching stopped. "I'll get him," he muttered, not enjoying this at all. Maybe some ice on his balls?

***

Draco looked over as Xander brushed off a fly, the last in a long line of them. "His spell?"

"Annoying, but not dangerous," Xander said with a shrug. He picked up an atomizer and sprayed himself with it. "And Iggy makes the antidote." He smiled as he handed the atomizer over, then walked away, his treated leg stiff in his brace.

Draco looked at him in awe. He was worse than the twins together. George was helping Fred and they still couldn't beat Xander. He heard loud laughter and went to see what had happened. Xander was now sitting on the couch without any clothes on and didn't look like it phased him at all. "Go put something on before you teach my daughters to go after an American," he sighed in agitation. Ana and Ravena would never settle for a British wizard with Xander's example of a body.

Xander flicked his wand and called down his bathrobe and a pair of underwear. "The others are weakened. I'll have to treat them later. I always wondered what nudists got out of it." Charlie and Bill, who were in the living room and had laughed, goggled at him. "What?" Xander asked innocently. "Another annoyance, which I excel at. That's the line I make." He put on the clothes and got comfortable to read his husband's book.

The two brothers looked at Draco, who just shook his head. Popcorn was probably going to be necessary tomorrow.

***

Iggy looked up at his Uncle and Father as they loomed over him. "I'm not getting into this. Other than making antidotes, leave me alone." He turned the page of his textbook.

Fred sat down and closed the book for him. "I will buy you *four* of the most expensive books you want if you help us," he offered.

"That would make up for my allowance disappearing for a year?" Iggy asked.

His father sat down across from him. "It's a matter of pride, son. He can't beat us."

Iggy laughed. "Have you listened to yourselves yet? You sound like you're my age again." He stood up. "I'm staying out of it, go get Simone to help you. I've taught her quite a lot."

"Yes, but you have knowledge," Fred pointed out.

Iggy dug something out of his pocket and unbuttoned the elastic shrinking cord around his book of jokes. "Here, search," he offered. "Daddy hasn't yet." He walked away, not getting in this one. He was having too much fun watching.

George shifted over so they could go through the book together. It had some very interesting ideas, but nothing that would make the family laugh at Xander. He looked at one, then at his brother, tapping it. "This one next."

Xander, innocently sitting in the living room resting, smirked at them. He knew everything in that book, he had bought it for his son and had looked through it. He flicked his wand at them, turning on one of his favorite spells. They now looked funny, but they'd never notice it because only other people saw it. He looked over at Percy, who was trying not to laugh. "What?" he asked innocently. "It wears off." He went back to his reading. It was actually an interesting autobiography of the potion master Iggy was named after. He'd never heard of anyone who could wear out sixteen prostitutes in one night. And hey, the guy gave tips on how he had done it.

***

Fred glared at Draco as he laughed. "What?"

"Your nose," Draco wheezed. "It's so...so....potato-like. It's even the same color." He grabbed the back of the chair in front of him to hold himself up.

"It's not," George told him. Then a bright bulb lit. "That shit!" he exclaimed. "That absolutely horrible creature whom I fuck routinely." Fred looked at him. "He has a spell to make us not look any different to *us*, but everyone else sees what he does. We need a truth mirror." He went to find his mother's. Then he screamed in horror. No wonder he hadn't gotten laid last night!

Fred rushed up and took the mirror. His scream was nearly muffled by the laughter. "XANDER!"

"Yes?" Xander called in the most sweetly innocent voice.

Iggy walked into his grandparent's bedroom and handed them a vial. "A stopper," he said, then he left them alone. He went to finish the color-changing antidote for his father. This was fun on a lot of levels, but it was getting out of hand. Making his father's nose look like a penis was a bit much, especially when it was the same size as his father's. He stirred his cauldron gently, trying hard not to smirk. Uncle Draco was still laughing in the dining room, supposedly while getting some work done for the consulting firm. Two more hours and then he'd have something else to make.

***

Xander woke up in a hammock outside, and wondered how he had gotten there. And what was that smell? He paused, then realized it was him. He shrugged and set the hammock swinging. He was warm and comfy enough and it was a pretty day. He wouldn't let a little smell get to him. Someone would bring him food because they knew he shouldn't be walking. Sure enough, a mug and a plate popped into existence on his stomach. "Thank you," he called. "How about something to read and some sunglasses?"

Little Ron walked over to him, clothespin on his nose, and handed over some reading material. "Three hours," he said, then ran away before the smell could cling to him too.

Xander smirked. "I wonder if Fred realizes he put me into *his* comforter." He pulled his wand and swished it lazily in the air, forming slow, glowing symbols in the crisp air. In the house, someone bellowed. "Oops, think I got more than Fred that time," he said, smiling in amusement.

Really, did they think a little bit of stink was going to bother him? With the slime he used to get on him?

In the house, Charlie thumped on the twin's door then went in to thump them for his missing parts. He had liked that where it had been!

From the doorway, Draco shook his head and smirked. He'd have to ask for that spell.

***

Arthur looked at his sons and his son-in-law. "Boys, call a tie," he pleaded. "It's upsetting others now." They all shook their heads. "Please? Fred, do you really want to wash that comforter again? Xander, thank you for putting back Charlie's parts, but please, put back Fred's as well. He makes a horrible girl."

Xander shrugged. "I was challenged. I won't give up until I win. That's the gryphon way." He blew a kiss at his husband. "I'll make you apologize after I win, dear. And possibly even beg." He strolled away, casting a shield charm around himself before Fred could do anything to him.

"This means war," Fred muttered. George looked at his brother like he was insane, which he probably was... now. "I'll make sure he spares you," he promised. "I'll make it a condition of his surrender."

Their father groaned. "Boys, please," he begged. "Your mother was very upset when she found you two as mice in her cereal bowl this morning. He's got access to spells you've never seen before. Please, give it up."

"No," Fred told him. "Where's your family pride, father?"

"Sleeping with your mother, who you've driven to bed," Arthur told him. "Please, Fred, I'm begging. Stop this silly war. Xander will let you go gracefully. He might even show you how to do some of those things. They made the rest of us laugh."

"Totally unsuitable for the store," George told him. He patted his brother on the back, careful of his new wings. "We'll get him and make sure I'm not tied down for too long," he soothed. They were twins after all. If one of them was insane, the other was obligated to head there as well. "We'll get some help," he told him. "The son will help us." He led his poor brother away to talk to Draco and get them some help. His wings nearly got caught in the doorway, but he managed to get them back against his skin with a little bit of effort. "Draco, we need your devious mind," George told him, sitting next to him. "Wedding chapels in Vegas? Isn't that a bit trite?"

"Just looking," Draco said smoothly, putting away the brochure. "What can I do to help?" He looked at the supposed terrible twosome and shook his head. "At least your wings look good on you."

Fred smiled at him. "Help us get the slimy git, Draco, please?" he asked.

"What's in it for me?"

"Free run at Ginny," George told him. "We won't stop you at all if you go after her."

Draco laughed. "What makes you think you *could* stop me?" He stood up. "I will help. If only to get things back to normal." He waved his wand and brought a book to him from his house. He handed it over. "I was planning on this as a birthday gift for Xander, but oh well." He strolled away. This was going to be interesting. He could wait to see the explosions.

***

Xander sneezed up another firework, this time a pretty green and blue sunburst pattern, then wiped his nose with his napkin. "'Scuse me, I seem to have caught a cold." He smiled at his mate. "Ready to give up yet?"

George opened his mouth but nothing came out. It was hard to talk when you were stuffed.

A squeak came out of Fred's stitched mouth.

Xander smiled at the rest of the family. "Was that a yes?"

"No," Molly said impatiently. "Xander, do stop this nonsense now." She waved her wand at her poor sons, but it didn't cancel. "Undo it please?"

"Xander," Draco said with a smirk. "How did you do that?"

"Backlash," Xander said happily. "They tried something and it happened to them by their own hands." He shrugged. "I can't remove it, sorry, mum."

She sighed in aggravation. "Then help them undo it, dear."

Harry coughed. "Xander, Simone needs them to practice with."

Xander shrugged. "They did it, they have to cancel whatever spell they tried to do that did this to them." He smiled at his husband. "Dear, you might want to do that since you're the one who can speak." He dug into the meatloaf. "This is really good, Molly."

Draco shook his head. This was getting more and more interesting by the moment.

George waved his wand angrily and they both returned to human. "No fair using *old* magic, Xander."

Xander smirked at him. "All's fair and all that."

***

Iggy finished the pain potion for his father and poured it into a ceramic mug. "Here," he said, handing it to the waiting spouse. "All done." He watched as his father was dosed with the potion and quickly fell asleep. "Daddy, please stop this," he begged. "You nearly hurt him this time."

"I didn't do this," George told him.

"You did!" Iggy exclaimed, standing up to him. "You're the one who *tried* to change him. Thank Tara's Goddess that Uncle Draco was around to fix it. Otherwise, we might have had to rely on Uncle Ron and Simone working together. This ends now!" He stomped his foot.

George looked down at his son, though not too far down. His son was so big now. He might even be taller than Xander if he kept growing. "This is between us," he said coolly.

"Yay, then you can mix your own bloody fucking potions," Iggy told him, crossing his arms. His father glared at you. "You'll find that I inherited the stubborn streak from *both* sides of the family and that I've managed to merge it due to my studies. Giving me that look won't help you any. You can stay an orange cat for all I care, but you will not hurt father!" He stormed off.

"I didn't do that!" George called after him. "I'm going to beat my twin for that." He walked into the living room. "Now you've done it. Iggy's threatened to leave you like that."

"I heard," Fred told him, looking miserable. He looked at the unconscious man on the couch. "He should be fine."

Draco glared at him. "No thanks to you two. You know it's not your thing to transform people. Don't try it again. Next time I might have to turn it back onto you."

"I didn't mean to hurt him," Fred reminded him. "I was going to use your spell to change him back into a cat."

"My spell is a very advanced one," Draco said patiently. "And mostly a gryphon spell. You can't do those." Xander moaned as he finished shifting back into human form. "This stops now."

"Let him have a chance to retaliate," George told him.

"No! It ends now!" Iggy said from the doorway. He pointed his wand at them. "Fucking thank you for doing this." He changed them both into mice. "Now then," he said, glaring at them. "Stop it now. Everyone else isn't having nearly as much fun as you are. The rest of us not only can't sleep because of this...." He trailed off because he turned into a cat very much like his father.

"Thank you." Draco looked at the assorted animals. "Are we done now? Do *I* win?"

Molly walked in and screamed. "Draco!"

"It stopped it," he told her with smirk. The cat pounced at his uncles. "Stop it," he snapped. Iggy jumped and glared at him. "I can keep you that way."

"Turn them back," Charlie said as he walked past the doorway. "Iggy will eat his uncles and then we'd always have to watch him. Once you eat a human, they say you'll always crave them and I don't care to be eaten."

Draco sighed and turned everyone back. "Now, have I made my point?"

Iggy looked at him. "Hey, if you stop the idiots then I'm all for staying a cat."

George smacked his son. "Grounded for the next year. No more potion's lessons." His son opened his mouth. "I won't take that from you, son."

Iggy stomped off. "You're the one who hurt my father," he called back.

George looked at his brother. "Maybe we should concede?" Fred glared at him. "Do you really want to become a mouse again?"

"I won't," Fred said with a smirk. The rest of the family rolled their eyes. They'd let Xander deal with him.

***

Xander handed Percy the little box. "That's all you have to do," he assured him. Then he smiled his most winning smile. "Just walk up to them and put it down near them."

Percy nodded, about to get back at his brothers for all the hell they'd put him through. He walked into the house and put the package in front of Fred, who still wouldn't give up. Even though his life had been a living hell for the last few days. "For you," he said with a smile.

"Don't touch that," Xander said, walking in. He smiled at Percy, who ran off. "Now, do you give up?" He pulled his wand and fingered the tip. "Do you?"

"No," Fred tweeted through his new beak. George, who had conceded, just shook his head and moved away. "This isn't over yet."

Xander smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that. I've been working on this idea since I found out I had magic." He tapped his wand on his hand. "Last chance."

"No way."

"Your choice," Xander said, pointing his wand at the box. "Environate." He walked away. "Clear the house!" he yelled. Everyone went running for the outside. He closed the door and checked his watch. "Someone give me a five-count?" Simone pulled up her watch and watched it. Inside, something exploded. He smiled. "Molly, there won't be anything bad happening in your kitchen for a *very* long while." He put his arm around his son's shoulders. "So, tell me about this new potion you're learning your first day back?" he asked as they strolled away.

Molly looked at George, then at the smirking Percy. "Do I want to know?"

"I think he'll need a new wand," Percy told her, jogging into the house. "Oh, my God!" he yelled, bringing everyone running. Fred was about six, blue with purple stripes, and was screaming because his hands were now paws. His wand was lying in pieces on the table but the core wasn't anywhere and the room reeked of being scrubbed of everything magical. Percy licked his finger and held it up. "There's no magic anywhere in the room," he said in awe.

"Bloody hell," Draco said, looking around in appreciation. "No dirt either." Molly glared at him. "You know those spots you were fretting about," he said, pointing at the former grease marks on the ceiling. "They're gone."

Molly looked around. The kitchen had been scrubbed spotless, there wasn't a trace of anything organic anywhere. She frowned when she noticed anything that had been food-like was also gone, and walked over to the refrigerator. "It's all right, dinner was in here." She looked around and smiled. "This is wonderful. He cleaned it quite well, for a man." She smiled at her son. "George, will this wear off?"

Percy nodded. "In two days, right before we all have to go back," he admitted. Then he burst out laughing, sharing it with Draco.

***

Fred looked over, now that he was back to normal, and stood up. "I apologize to everyone who got caught in my little tiff with Xander. I didn't mean to catch anyone else and I'm sorry if it bothered you." He sat back down and touched his new wand gently. "I've learned my lesson. Xander is a wonderful wizard and he deserves our respect, love, adoration, and .... Oh, yeah, and our everlasting gratitude for showing me up." He grimaced at his brother-in-law. "This is over, until next year."

"It had better not start again next year," Molly said harshly. "I've had enough. It was bad enough you became a child again, I'm not going to reraise you totally next time."

"Think about going back through school," Ron told him.

Fred shuddered. "No thank you." He looked over at Xander. "I'm sorry you got hurt."

Xander grinned. "It's okay, I got suitably pampered because of it. But next time, I'm turning you into something that'll make your mum cry." He stuffed his mouth when Molly looked at him. "Great casserole, Molly."

"Thank you, Xander. Accept his gracious apology."

"I accept with humble thanks, Fred. I'm sure you'll win one day, when I'm old and too sore to move fast." He took another bite.

Fred mumbled something and his nephew glared at him. "I'm sure that day will come soon," he retorted.

"I'm feeling *much* better," Xander admitted. "My knee doesn't hardly hurt at all and I'm walking better."

"Good, then you can help patrol the train," Ron told him. "Iggy, you get to watch the kids back at Hogwarts." Iggy nodded. "We're leaving tomorrow *early*, Xander."

"Okay," Xander agreed, nodding. "Get my unhappy butt up and make sure I have coffee, I'll be fine." He sipped his milk, looking over at his husband. "Are you coming back with us?"

"No, we're going to open the store. Some of the kids always stop in on their way back," George told him.

"Business has been great this last week," Fred agreed. They had left for the store each day during the break, and apparently it had been very profitable. "We'll need to restock before the next weekend in town."

"I'll come down and help, with permission of course," Iggy told him, looking at his father. Xander shrugged. "You won't mind?"

"That's up to Severus, he monopolizes your time," Xander pointed out. "You'll have to get his permission, and Dumbledore's."

"Thanks, dad." Iggy stuffed his mouth with the rest of his food and reached for more. "S'great, Grandma."

She smiled at him. "Eat as much as you want, Iggy. I've not forgotten what growing boys eat like."

"That's a good thing," Ron told her. "You've got two of them again." Draco looked at him then at Little Ron. "He's not growing yet. Give him a year. Then he'll pig out for energy."

"Ron, why are you still eating like that?" George asked with a smile.

"Because some of us still work out and aren't just brewing potions," Ron reminded him. He grinned. "I still take the time to work out every week, unlike you and your mate."

"I can't do it," Xander told him. "Soon, but not yet. After my next appointment."

"When is that?" Fred asked.

"A month." He shifted his stiffened leg. "One more month with this itchy, heavy brace and one more month with as little moving as possible."

"At least you don't have to teach the seventh years how to box," Draco reminded him. He looked at Ron. "How is your plan going?"

"Excellent," Ron said with a smile. "Snape should know by now. He hasn't said anything back yet. Iggy, expect some temper tantrums from him tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night, I'm brewing an engraving potion in the common room so we can mark our brooms." Little Ron nodded.

"Is it smelly or dangerous?" George asked.

"Corrosive if spilled, and only mildly smelly. Less so than dinner. You have to get really close to inhale the bad fumes." He stabbed a tomato and pointed it at his Uncle. "He said it was okay."

"As long as you don't spill it or hurt anyone," Ron reminded him.

Iggy nodded. "I won't. I'll even have the spill powder with me just in case. Severus gave me the green light before break." He ate the tomato. "Hagrid's feeling better. I called Madam Pomfrey and she said they've asked us for a special potion out of the Giant books. Severus was on the same line and told her we'd make it starting the first day back because it wasn't an immediate need and he had to find the books." He ate more of his salad. "Grandma, are you packing lunches tomorrow?"

"If you want," she said tolerantly. "Won't they be feeding you tomorrow?"

"Maybe," Iggy told her, "but I don't want to make more work for the house elves."

"They don't mind, they like their work," Draco told him. "Demand away, within limits. It makes them happy to be of service."

"Plus, there's that one that dotes on the family," Xander added. "When you show up, I'd be expecting treats." Iggy nodded.

"Don't let mine eat cookies for lunch," Ron told him.

"Let them," Xander sighed. "It's okay once in a while and this will be a treat for them."

"Eat, Xander, or you'll never get better," Molly told him gently. He stuffed his face. "Ron, it won't hurt them any more than it hurt you boys when you gorged on cookies," she said with a smile. "Let them be spoiled tomorrow. They'll be missing the train."

"Oh, yeah, Ray will definitely be missing streaking on the train," Ron said dryly, looking at his son. Molly gasped. "I didn't tell you that?" She pointed out the window.

"What does it take to make those idiots go away?" Draco asked, pulling his wand to go deal with the black robed idiot walking through the back yard. Ron was right behind them and together they made the man beg long before the auror called by Fred showed up. They walked back in shaking their heads and sat back down to eat dinner. "He apologizes for his rude behavior," Draco told Molly. "His mother never taught him better."

"Was that Crabbe or Goyle?" Ron asked, picking up his fork.

"Ron, your knuckles," Molly said, wetting her napkin to wipe at the scrapes. "Why don't you boys use your wands for that?"

"Why give him the pleasure of it?" Ron asked her.

"There's something very cathartic about going at it with your fists," George added. His mother looked at him. "What? Wizards can still fight physically. Most of them don't expect it, so it's a brilliant strategy if you can fight, but there's nothing stopping us from it. So, which one was that?"

"Crabbe. Goyle is hiding in Devonshire with his family. His son's starting next year from what I hear." Draco finished his water and got up to get himself some more.

"I'm sure Ravena will make him beg for mercy at least once," Ron told him. Little Ron glared at him. "What?"

"Ravena has better taste than to take up with anyone who Uncle Draco hung out with when he was an evil bastard," he defended.

Draco looked at the little boy, then smiled. "You like her?" Little Ron blushed and ducked his head. "Well, at least you're a *decent* little boy, with good prospects. I won't harm your father for your daring to like her."

"Leave him alone," Ravena snapped. "Little Ron is a good little boy."

"He's older than you, you can't call him a little anything," Fred told her.

She glared at him. "Shut up." He opened his mouth. "Uncle Xander, make them leave Little Ron alone!"

"Leave him alone," Xander said with a smile. "First crushes are often embarrassing and having a family who enjoys picking on you about it makes it worse." Little Ron shot him a thankful look. "Of course, if you want to start seeing Ravena formally, you'll have to go through her father and I hear he's going to try and be scary with all the kids' boyfriends and girlfriends." Draco laughed as he walked back over to sit down. "Do you think Little Ron is suitable?"

"I think he's got good prospects and comes from a partially pureblood family, that makes him eligible to date her. I'd have to watch their behavior together to see if he's good enough for her." His daughter glared at him. "As I would for anyone wanting to date one of my children."

Little Ron looked at him. "I think she's really pretty and smart."

"That's a wonderful start," Xander agreed.

Draco patted him on the back. "That's right, it's a great *start*. Remember, I will be watching, Ron." Little Ron nodded and tucked back into his food, sneaking glances at his crush.

"Hey, she's the same age almost," George said happily. "That's a wonderful change from most of the children so far."

Ana coughed. "The one boy I like is near my own age." Draco looked at her. "I'm not sharing anything further because we've agreed to take it slowly and you scare him shitless, father. You don't need to threaten him." She smirked. "You'll meet him when we make it official, if we make it official. That's why I kept him away from you at the ball." She picked up her milk and sipped at it.

Draco shook his head. "Wonderful. Simone, is there something you'd like to share? Or Denver?" The older two shook their heads. "Iggy, any new development in your love life?"

"I'm considering how to get experience to match my woman before we get together. It wouldn't be great to finally land her when I'm still an innocent."

"Son, she's seventeen years older than you," Xander reminded him. "She's already far ahead of you. You'll never catch up."

"Yes, but I don't *have* to be an innocent when I finally convince her that I'm for her."

"Then I'd be finding a girlfriend," George told him. "The only way to learn how to treat women is to take up with one." He smiled. "When you're eighteen and she's thirty-five, you can offer your hands for her service and pleasure." Iggy blushed. "Until then, you're not going to keep hitting on her. I doubt her parents appreciate it that much."

"Her parents like him," Xander told him. "They're coming this spring for a game to formally meet him."

Molly's mouth hung open. "She's that much older than him and this is being allowed?"

"She's made it clear that I'm too young at this time," Iggy told her. "We're staying friends, but they got asked up so Raena can answer questions for Big Bill. They've scheduled it so they can see the game against Ravenclaw. I plan on being brilliant. Denver, you'd better be able to match me in my brilliance so I don't look like I'm trying too hard."

"Yes, dear," Denver said in a high falsetto. "I'm sure she'll love you dearly, dear."

Iggy tossed a napkin at his cousin. "You're just jealous because I'm going to be the love slave of a beautiful and brilliant woman some day and you're not."

"I don't need brilliance, I need someone who can carry on a conversation about things that I understand," Denver told him in his normal voice. "On the other point, have I *ever* let you down so far?"

"No," Iggy told him, "I just need to make sure it doesn't happen on purpose to make me look bad."

Simone smiled at him. "Okay, I won't send *any* bludgers your way, Iggy. I won't let you get hit, won't smack you around, and won't knock you senseless so you fall off your broom."

"You're just jealous," Iggy told her.

"Of?" Simone snorted.

"She's an exciting woman who doesn't count on her sexuality or sensuality to get anywhere, yet she's still one of the top people in her field. And she never had to try and be one of the guys."

"I like myself, unlike someone who's dreaming about the impossible."

"Stop it," Xander said quietly. "You four will not fight. I won't have this part of the family divided over a crush or a spouse. The fighting ends."

"Yes, Uncle Xander," Simone told him.

"They weren't really fighting," Draco pointed out. "This is normal teenager sniping."

"Which usually leads to breaking up of friendships," Xander told him. "So they'll drop it."

"Okay, father, but I wouldn't hurt them over their jealousy. I'm not letting them go anywhere, our friendship is still safe." Xander nodded.

George patted Xander on the back. "It's hard when you've watched some of your best friends drift away because of a relationship."

"Is that what happened to you and Willow?" Simone asked. Xander shrugged. "Not the whole story or not at all?" she pushed.

"Drop it," her father told her. "It was a lot of things and some of them aren't very nice. You don't need to know." She nodded and went back to her dinner. "What are you getting Willow for her wedding?" he asked in the small silence.

"I was thinking something pewter, maybe something like a serving set," Xander said, shaking off the morose memories. "Or maybe something classy and ceramic. Probably something muggle since she lives in that world and Wesley is a muggle." He took a bite of food. "George, did you have any ideas?"

"Nothing other than something to make her be embarrassed," he admitted. Fred nodded.

"Be nice," Molly sighed. "Something for her house would be an excellent idea, Xander. It's very traditional. Possibly some picture frames? You can usually find some very nice ones of those and she'll have more pictures from the wedding that will need a home."

He nodded. "That's an idea." He smiled. "Thanks. I'll come steal you to help me find something since George can't be trusted to get something tasteful."

"I can so do tasteful," George protested. "She'll need something funny. Wesley seems a bit humorless."

"He's a nice guy," Xander told him. "He's solid and nice and decent. He'll keep her sane and help her find herself again. And he'll keep her from going bad again."

"We can only hope so," Draco agreed. "I can help you shop if Molly doesn't. I do have excellent taste, as shown by my house."

Xander nodded. "Okay, I'll steal you both then." He scraped his plate and ate the last bite. "Great meal, mum." He stood up and smiled at his mate. "I'm going to lay down since my leg is numb." He blew a kiss and left to go lay on the couch.

George smiled. "It's nice that everything is back to normal again."

"Haven't got any yet?" Draco asked.

"He's forbidden for another two weeks, just in case he's got a blood clot or something." George sighed. "I want to go beat his doctor."

"There's always your hand," Simone said philosophically. Molly gasped. "What? That was dad's advice to us before we started school!" Denver and Draco both groaned and shook their heads. "Sorry."

Fred patted her on the back of the head. "It's okay, you just set the family record for tastelessness. Ron had the old record and you've just beaten him." He smiled at his brother. "Though she is right."

"Fred!" Molly gasped.

Fred gave her an apologetic shrug. "Sorry, mum." He quickly grabbed something and stuffed his mouth full.

"Simone, we will be discussing your problem with public places," Draco told her simply.

"Yes, daddy," she said with a smile. That was a *great* reaction and she hadn't even tried for it.

***

Xander came back from a hall patrol on the train and sat down with a sigh of relief. "I said I'd go," Ron told him, not looking up from his book.

"It's okay," Xander told him. "Three compartments with closed curtains. Two were actually sleeping." Tara smiled at him. "So, did you like Iggy's present? He thought he was being cute." She blushed and Snape's lips thinned. "It could have been worse. You should see the ones he decided *not* to do because they were naughtier."

Tara laughed. "I'm sure he chose the most tasteful one he could." She patted Severus on the thigh. "Did you have a good vacation?"

"Fred and I got into a prank war," Xander said with a proud smile. "I won." Snape's mouth fell open.

"Don't ask," Ron told him, looking up. "Really, just don't ask."

"It was not only ridiculous, but quite entertaining," Draco told him. "Just a bit extreme. Did Fred end up throwing out that comforter?"

"No, he sent it out to be cleaned," Xander told him with a smile. "He liked it too much to toss it out."

"Grandma gave it to him," Ron told them. Draco looked impressed. "It's lived through a lot." He closed his book, his thumb holding his place. "It was cute up until Fred tried to change Xander into a cat and couldn't quite do it. Then Xander pulled the ultimate stunt. He stripped Fred and the kitchen of everything magic and nearly everything organic."

"It broke his wand," Xander said with a smile.

"It ate all the food left on the counters, turned him funny colors and deaged him too," Draco added. Snape cracked and smiled. "It scrubbed that place spotless. Not a spot of grease, dirt, or germs anywhere in the kitchen, only poor little, funny looking Fred laying on the table wailing pitifully because his wand was broken." Snape cracked more and started to laugh.

"And for the next two days, Fred just gave me this hurt look like I had destroyed all his dreams for the future. George helpfully pointed out that I could have left him that age and he could have gone back through school again." Snape laughed harder. "Poor little Fred, six-years-old, blue, nose changed back to a penis, wandless, and wailing for his poor little wand. Both of them because he was supposed to have a date that night." Tara burst out in giggles and Snape leaned against her, laughing so hard.

Draco looked at Xander. "I thought it was an excellent idea. I didn't know you had it in you."

"I'm calling it the argument stopper," Xander said with a proud smile. "Fred promised to put it on the special product's list."

"I'm sure it will bring them a lot of money," Ron said with a maniacal grin.

Snape shook his head. "Oh, dear. I can't believe you didn't get caught by the Misuse office."

"I got a letter," Xander admitted. "When Arthur explained it to them, they all cracked up too and told Arthur that Fred probably deserved it. To them, who hate jokes, I'm nearly a hero now." He smirked. "So, did you like Iggy's gift? You might want to check the history of that spell, Severus."

Snape looked at him, then at the little crystal cauldron sitting on the top of his bag. He stood up and pulled Xander out onto the platform between the cars. "What is it?"

Xander made sure the door was closed and Tara wasn't anywhere near it. "He said something about sympathetic spells? One male, one female part." Snape's mouth started to open. "He was trying to help you out, big guy. He thinks what she's doing is mean and nasty so he's working to make it better for you. Don't tell him I told you though. He'll be upset if you don't figure it out for yourself." He walked back inside and sat back down, stretching his leg out.

Snape nearly cheered. If the boy had done what he thought, then *everyone* could tell. Yes! He would have to talk to his associate later.

***

Snape walked up to the Gryffindor portrait and knocked. He could just barge in, being a teacher, but it wasn't proper. The door opened and one of the Prefects looked at him for a second before getting out of the way. "Iggy!" the Prefect called. "Visitor!"

"Send him up! I'm doing my book collection!"

Snape walked up and headed to the open door, pausing inside. The saw the case sitting on the bed. "Shrinking spells?" he asked.

"They're called practical bands. Basically, it's a rubberband that's closed with a button and then you put a permanent shrinking spell and a feather-light spell on them so they change once they're closed up," Iggy said as he worked. He looked up. "It's really neat. I can fit all of my books into this case with my component's box and it doesn't hurt the books, no matter how magical they are. It shrinks them in proportion all the way around." He went back to sorting them by title and area. "What's up?"

"I need that book." Iggy looked at him. "The one in which you found my present."

"Is it working?" Iggy asked as he tossed over a book and a set of tweezers to open the button with. "Don't tear it." He started on the next row, sitting down to work on the tiny titles.

The Head Boy walked in. "I thought the rules stated that you could only have fifteen books over here."

"These take up less room than fifteen of my books," Iggy told him, continuing to work. One of them was picked up and he snatched it back. "Don't touch, you'll contaminate that one. It's magically written in Gryphon." He placed it into its future spot and worked around it. "Page three-hundred-ninety-one, sir," Iggy told him.

The Head Boy looked at the binder the Professor was pouring through. "What's that? It looks boring."

"It's all the potions I've done since I was nine," Iggy told him. "Seven thousand of them. Complete with notes and most with bibliographies of where I found them and their history." He looked the boy over. "I could help you get your books organized too if you wanted. I hear the NEWTS are difficult if you haven't studied in a while." The Head Boy left. "Piss ant."

Snape looked up at him. "Don't say such things in my presence."

"Sure, if you quit picking on Melvin." Iggy gave him a dry look. "I came to a decision over break. Everyone thinks I should be a sullen and angry teenager, I can play that part." Snape smiled. "And I mean it, sir, no more picking on Melvin or I'm going to take a leaflet out of my father's holiday and do something horrible to the Slytherins."

Snape snorted. "I'm sure it'd restart the old war again." He tapped the page. "May I copy this?"

"Sure. Want some parchment?" He watched as his mentor waved his wand and came up with an exact copy. "Hey, no fair!" he complained. "You never taught me that!"

"Your handwriting needs the work," Snape said, redoing the band. The book fit securely in the palm of his hand and barely weighed a gram. "That's a very nice spell."

"You can borrow the pamphlet," he offered, handing it over too. He put his personal potions reference into the top pocket of the case and closed it. "There. All done." He shrunk it down and put it into the pocket of his robes. "And I can carry my schoolbooks in there too," he said smugly.

"I'm sure that will be a help to you. Are they all in there?"

"All five hundred and so," Iggy agreed. "Oh, and I need to go with you when you go on that stocking run. Dad forgot to get me ingredients over break." Snape nodded. "Did you want the opposite spell as well?"

"There's another?" he asked, looking at the papers in his hands. Nothing on them had the ingredients but it did have a description so he could figure it out, his student had after all. "Why didn't you mix that one as well?"

"Because getting her to use it will be trickier," Iggy said with a grin. "Plus, it has the side effect of letting you know *exactly* what she's thinking and how she's doing. I hear that can be quite distracting. It has to be mixed by someone else, but I can give you the history I found on it."

Snape nodded, smiling at him. "I would imagine so." He sat on the side of the bed next to him. "Have you sent in your application?"

"And the fee, even though it made Uncle Fred wince in pain. I've gotten a letter back saying I've got an interview, but nothing more until March." Snape nodded. "Do you really think this is necessary, sir? It's rather expensive."

"It's well worth the cost, and most students make commitments so that people will pay their tuition for them. Won't the gryphons?"

"I don't think anyone's asked. My dad sees it as a matter of honor; I'm his son so he should pay for it. The problem is, the first two summer classes are one-twenty." Snape hissed. "I take it the price went up?"

"I never dealt with the fees, my parents did all that for me and kept telling me it was worth it." He shrugged. "It was, in the long run, though it was very demanding and challenging."

"Oh, yay," Iggy said drolly. "Just what I need, more of a challenge. Is it going to be harder than you are or easier?"

"It depends on the instructor. They'll expect you to be competent and able to follow instructions."

Iggy shifted and got comfortable. "Will I be able to do what I'm doing now?"

"For the most part," Snape agreed. "I did that a few semesters myself while I was writing my mastery potion. You'll end up spending a lot of time not sleeping if you choose to go that way." He stood up. "See me tomorrow, once I decide on whether or not to do the sympathetic spell." Iggy nodded. "Did you have a good break otherwise?"

"In between making antidotes for my Uncles and father," Iggy agreed. The professor smiled. "I take it you heard?"

"I was informed about that last spell your father did," Snape said, then he left, sweeping out with his robes flowing behind him.

"Hmm, wonder if dad knows I have the spells involved in that one," Iggy muttered as he grabbed one of his cauldrons and went to make the engraving solution. "I'm making slightly smelly stuff," he announced. "Anyone who needs something engraved, give it to me in an hour. Guys, I need twigs to do this with. It'll eat a brush." He sat down and pulled out his case, putting it back to its regular size so he could pull out what he needed.

"That's a neat trick," the Head Girl said as she came over to look down inside the case. "Are all those your books?"

"My entire collection," he said proudly, waving a hand at them. "All miniaturized and sorted alphabetically by subject." She looked impressed. "Did you want to borrow one? I've got mythology, history, potions, alchemical theory, and cooking right now, along with a small selection of joke books."

"Wow." She sat down, pulling out one of the books from the top row. "What's this?"

"It's called a practical band. They sell them at Flourish and Blotts, and then you spell them to do what you need them to do. In this case, I've got a shrinking in proportion and a feather-light spell on them. Fifteen sickles for ten of them, but it's worth it when you have this many books." He tossed the cauldron to Simone. "I need seventy grams of water." She sighed and went to get it for him. "Denver, twigs suitable for writing. Take Melvin with you to make sure you don't get pine, the sap will make the potion explode." He left. "Little Ron, I'll need our brooms in about an hour. Got it?" Little Ron nodded, smiling at him. "You're in charge of anything that needs engraving." The boy nodded again. "Good boy." He accepted the book back. "It's really helpful. My dad got me the brochure on how to do it for the start of school, that and how to make a neverending book." He pulled out his potion reference and opened it, watching as she flipped through it, while he took the cauldron back and watered the plant beside the fire until it was the right weight. "Thanks, Simone." She grunted and sat back down to read. "I finally got it done."

"So I can tell. Are you going to Diagon anytime soon? I need something."

"I am, we forgot to do my herb buying over break and I need to replace my cauldrons." He taped the one on the fire, it sounded hollow. "It's getting thin already."

"Most people only have one cauldron their entire life," the Head Girl told him, carefully buttoning back up the book. It didn't quite go in though.

"Don't worry about it, I need that one anyway," he told her with a smile. "I'm doing an engraving potion to mark our brooms. They're balanced differently and we only notice it once we're on them." She nodded. "I've had these cauldrons for about two years now. I've already went through two sets of two. I think I'll try to talk my father into buying me one of the deluxe sets and another two student ones. I'm tired of using the school's and I could use my own anyway, I'll need them this summer." He waved as Ron walked in. "An engraving potion, just like you said I could."

"I know. I was looking for you for another reason. Your father remembered you needed a new cauldron?"

"I need new caudlron*s*," Iggy corrected. "And herbs. I'm nearly out and we were supposed to go the other day but Dad's knee was acting up. Do they want to go now?"

"Tomorrow after school," Ron told him, giving the Head Girl a smile. "Aren't those cute? They look like baby books." He peered down in the case. "Is that all of them?"

"Every last one, except my schoolbooks," Iggy said proudly. "I can carry them around all the time now." Ron beamed at him. "Which father wanted to go?"

"George. Said something about uniforms as well."

Iggy sighed. "I still need a bigger uniform for games. I ripped the seam on Dad's seventh year pants. He's going to kill me."

"It can be fixed," the Head Girl told him, patting him on the back. "Is this harmful?"

"Only if you directly breathe in over the pot or if it's spilled on you," Iggy told her. He pulled out his bottle of spill powder. "This neutralizes it so the carpet should be fine."

"Good." She stood up. "Maybe I'll come grab one of your mythology books later on." She smiled at Ron and went back to her books and friends.

Ron leaned on the back of the couch. "How long does this take?"

"An hour, but I can put it off if they're willing to go now." Ron nodded. "Okay, give me ten to put everything back in here and then I can go. Simone, tell the guys I'll be back in a few, but I'll still need the sticks." She nodded patiently, watching as he packed everything back up and the cauldron was put beside the fire. "Laters." He put the shrunken case into his pocket and walked out with his uncle.

"How much is your book collection worth now?"

"Close to a thousand galleons over all. Uncle Fred was joking about getting it insured." He blew a piece of hair out of his eyes. "I'll have to get Ana to do my hair tonight."

"Get it done while you're down there," Ron told him, giving him a pat on the back. "Have fun in the component shop. Did you need your allowance?"

"Oh, probably," Iggy sighed. "I'll be spending my book allowance for herbs this time." He opened the door and jogged up the stairs to the living room area. "You wanted to make my fondest wishes come true?" he asked with a teasing grin.

George put down his book. "I just remembered, I'm sorry, Iggy."

"It's okay. I was going to beg for money and head in with Professor Snape when he went tomorrow if you didn't remember. Herbs, cauldron, and clothes?" he pleaded.

"Not the bookstore?" Ron teased.

"Not this time," Iggy sighed. "I've got to almost fully restock all the herbs and stuff. I'm out of most everything." His father winced. "I can do most of it with my book allowance," he offered.

"No, it's okay, that was a pain in the back wince, not a pain in the wallet wince." He pointed at the floo. "You need a haircut too," he said before they disappeared. He landed behind his son in the Leaky Cauldron and found it empty. "Hey, Tom, are you remodeling again?" he called out.

"It's a tight spot," Tom said, coming out of the kitchen. "We had one of your stink bombs explode yesterday and it's just about cleared out now." He smiled at Iggy. "Could you do me a favor and quit selling the gross things?"

"I'll tell Fred and we'll put up a sign," George agreed with a smile. "We can even get some Ministry paper from dad." Tom laughed. "Sorry about that."

"It's all right, most everyone was gone yesterday anyway since their kids went back." He nodded at Iggy. "Shopping again?"

"We forgot to get him stocked up on herbs and components."

"And a few new cauldrons," Iggy added.

"Few?"

"Both of my student ones are worn thin, Dad. I'll need to replace them both and I was going to beg for one of the deluxe sets, the one with most of the standard sizes included. That way I don't have to bum off Professor Snape anymore."

George rolled his eyes. "We'll see." He steered his son into the alleyway. "We'll see you in a few, Tom. Sorry again." He opened the portal into the alley and walked in after his son. "Bank first, then we'll do clothes next. Maybe she'll even have your uniform in now."

"If she does, I still might need a bigger size," Iggy told him. His father looked at him. "I kinda, um, tore out one of the seams in the set you guys loaned me." George shook his head. "It's not my fault I'm growing." He saw a familiar blond head in front of them. "Can I go jump Uncle Draco?"

"No, son," George said patiently. "I'm sure he's busy right now." He steered his son into the bank and went down to grab some money. It was always an expensive trip into the herb and component store. When he got there, he noticed the piles looked larger than they should. "Xander must have deposited some of his paycheck." He grabbed a good sized bag full and went back to the cart, letting the vault door slam behind him. "Okay, off to Madam Malkin's first." Another expensive stop as it turned out. Iggy had outgrown everything for school. But at least his new team uniform was in and it fit him well. With a quick stop at the shoe store, they headed into the cauldron shop. "Go find what you want and bring it back here," George told his son, leaning against the counter.

"Again?" the salesclerk asked.

George nodded. "Again. They're thin already. Two years, two cauldrons already gone. I don't even go through that many and I do seven to eight potions a day right now." He watched as his son lovingly touched a huge cauldron. "Not on your life," George called. His son grinned at him and grabbed two of the student cauldrons, then put them back when he found they were thin. "I thought those were standardized."

"Your brother tried, but no one listened to him," the salesclerk said with a shrug. "We've had a few of the foreign ones get eaten through recently and hurt people, but no one listens. Iggy, there's some cast iron ones in the back and the good pewter ones are off to the side, the right side." The boy nodded and headed to check them out, coming out with two. "Initials as always?"

"Yeah," Iggy said with a smile. He went back to look at the cast iron ones, picking out a good two of them, and then stopped to look at the deluxe sets. "They're on sale, daddy."

"How much?" George asked. The sign was held up. "Ouch. How many in a set?"

"Sixteen." Iggy carried the huge stack over and put it no the counter, showing it to him. "And these are the *good* ones as far as I can tell." The salesclerk shook her head. "No? They look uniformly thick."

"The middle size is too thin. If you want, go get the ones that're blue on the outside and I'll give you that set for this price. They're the type your master uses." Iggy nodded and went back to look at them. "I figure the really good ones will last him longer."

"I can only hope," George sighed as his son came back with a wrapped set of pots. "Those don't look heavy enough."

"They're stainless steel," Iggy told him, putting them down. "They're also in different sizes, but they have two fewer to the set." He glanced around and walked back, coming out with a glowing white set. "I want these. Give me them for the same price?" he asked with a grin.

The salesclerk laughed. "My boss would kill me, kid. You know that."

"What are those?" George asked, looking at them. "Silver?"

"Two silver, sixteen *pure* pewter, and four gold. Plus another, larger, cast iron one and one in that funny muggle metal aluminum. It's six galleons more but I can put back the other cast iron since I'll have this bigger one."

"Is that a complete set?"

"Except for the extra-small medicinal ones, and the largest three sizes," Iggy told him. "But they're pure, they're expensive, and they're guaranteed to last for ten years. Or your money back," he finished with a smile.

"Would your mentor approve of these?"

"He was drooling over the set last term," the salesclerk told him. "You can call and ask." He pointed at the fireplace.

George went over and tossed in some powder, connecting to Snape's private office. "Iggy's picking out a new set of cauldrons and wants a specific set, I'm checking with you first." Snape nodded so he got out of his son's way.

Iggy put them in front of the fireplace. "The super-deluxe set," he said with a smile. "The blindingly white ones."

"They'll not be as shiny on the outside, but the interiors are good," Snape told him. "Janice, get him the set I *really* wanted him to have." Then his head disappeared.

"Yes, sir," Janice said, using her wand to pull something down off the back, dark shelves. She handed it to Iggy. "The one you were supposed to get for school." She sent the other sets back while he looked at them.

"Wow," Iggy said, showing them off. "The same one as the other one, only with the coatings already applied and these are heavier." He let his father see them while he stood up. "Those are begging quality. No, those are 'I'll sleep with you if you'll buy them' quality."

George examined the set. "Are you sure? This top one looks thin."

"It's a medicinal one and they're supposed to be that thin," Iggy assured him. "Those are for the charred herb antidotes and the like. How much?"

"Oh, a lot more," she said with a smile. "A whole lot more." She leaned on the counter. "Those are the professional set. Medical grade metals. Alchemist approved, and they blow stuff up like you wouldn't believe." A heavyset man came out of the back with a leather apron on, still smoking with sweat dripping down his face. "Hey, Alvin. This is Iggy, he's Snape's student."

"Heard of you," he said with a nod. "Going for the foreign mades? We made good ones here."

"I know," Iggy told him with a grin. "I'm getting two of the domestic student pots as well. My teacher said I should get this set though."

George nodded. "For this price, he should be buying them for you." He handed them back to his son. "That means you can't get anything *exotic* at the component store."

"Okay," Iggy said happily. "The only *really* expensive thing I need is Julia flowers." George winced. "About two ounces, daddy, don't worry. That and Klondike Gold are the biggest things I'll need and I only use them once every four months." He set them on the counter. "Don't worry about engraving these. If they disappear, I'm hunting someone down and hurting them. There's not another set of these at school." The salesclerk smiled at him. "Thank you for your help."

"Not a problem. Still want the engraving on the student ones?"

"It's now mandatory," George told her. He paid her without a wince, but there went most of this month's paycheck. Now on to spend last month's. He watched as his son disappeared and came back almost immediately. "Where did you stash them?"

"The dungeon, in the office. Right where I'm supposed to put them," he said with a grin. "With my clothes on top of them in case anyone was going to snoop." He followed his father over to the component's store and took his case out of his pocket before the saleswoman, a very old Romanian woman, could get to them. "It's a restocking run," he told her, pulling out his component case.

"I thought you couldn't do that. Draco couldn't do that with his stuff for his lab."

Iggy leaned closer. "Potion Master secret charms," he whispered. "Sev taught me. It sure beats carrying large boxes of *everything*." He gave his father a hug. "Thank you."

Snape walked in and glared at the boy. "What are you doing putting your clothes in my office?"

"It was a partial stop so I could put the cauldrons somewhere safe and do this," he said, waving an empty box. "I'm out of everything." He handed over the case and the list he had been composing now for weeks. "And all those please. The normal amounts."

Snape snatched the list, then looked at the boy. "I thought I told you not to try and change potions yet."

Iggy shrugged. "Ana's scary! I'm going to fix that girl yet, one way or another. If it takes me revamping the female problem potion so it works better, then I'm all for it. Besides, you said I was ready not two weeks before break, sir." Snape glared at him. "Did you like my new cauldrons? They're very pretty."

"Yes, they are," Snape agreed. He looked at George. "At least you're buying him the durable ones."

"It's self-defense," George told him. "He's worn through his last two already." The herbalist choked. "Yeah, him. Two cauldrons in two years. And you wonder why he's in here so often?" She laughed and continued to fill the order, filling little bags with the necessary weights worth of herbs and things. When the case was filled, she held out a hand for the list. "Give it to her," George told him. Snape handed over the list, after adding six things to the bottom. "Expensive?"

"Things he forgot for antidotes, which we'll be working on next," Snape said, looking around. He looked at his protégé. "Do you feel better now?"

"I have clothes that fit, a uniform for my next game which is brand new and fits, and I'm getting restocked. I feel wonderful," Iggy told him calmly. "Next is the engraving potion and then I'm going to relax for the next day." He grinned. "So, can I take up alchemy as a hobby? At least I'll be able to pay for my schooling without bankrupting my father."

Snape grimaced. "If you must."

"Daddy, I need a beginning alchemy textbook," Iggy told him with a smile. "They're cheap and easy to find used."

George patted him on the head. "If you succeed in making a new Philosopher's Stone, you're paying for your next restocking run, Iggy." He left them alone to talk herbs and went to the bookstore. He smiled at the woman behind the counter. "My son sent me. He's on a new mission of hobby."

"What this time? Oh, his mythology set is in."

"Wonderful," George said dryly. "At least that's useful. He wants to take up alchemy as a hobby." The woman laughed. "Do you have a beginner's set?"

"I can do you one better, Mr. Harris-Weasley," she said with a smile. "We had a frustrated alchemist sell back his *entire* collection the other day because he couldn't get anything to work. It's used, beaten up, and written in, just how your son likes them." She reached under the counter and pulled out a two-foot stack of books tied with a ribbon. "We were going to send them to Hogsmeade tomorrow but since you're here anyway." George nodded and looked at the large stack. "Does he need more bands?"

"Oh, yeah," George sighed, nodding. "This brings him up to six hundred books I believe. You guys must love him."

"When he finishes school, we're not sure we'll be able to keep the Hogsmeade store open," she told him with a wink. He laughed. "Let me go get that set. It's large."

"He can shrink them down then," George told her. She nodded and went to get the boxes, coming back with them. His mouth fell open. "Oh, shit."

She laughed. "I've only seen one other parent do that and it was Harry Potter's former wife's parents." She put the three large boxes down and put the mythology books on top of them. "That'll be twenty galleons, six knuts please." He put the money down. "Did you need help? I put the bands in the top box, I figured I'd give him enough for the whole set."

"Thanks. He's in the herb store and I'm about ready to die." George pulled his wand and lifted the stack of books. "By any chance, Fred's books aren't in, are they?" She nodded. "I'll tell him tomorrow. I'm not spending any more today." He was stopped by another clerk. "What?" he asked cautiously. Another shipment, already?

"You might want to tell your niece that *her* set of books, the animal guides, are in as well," she said with a smile.

He nodded and headed out. Someone took the top box from him. "Oh, hi, Draco," he said in a tiny voice. "Iggy's new hobby. Alchemy."

Draco shook his head. "At least he's not getting into trouble."

"We're too poor for him to get into trouble. But at least these were all used. They're from a frustrated person who couldn't get them to work." He shook his head. "Simone's animal care guides are in."

Draco frowned as they walked toward the herb shop. "I didn't know she had any."

"They said my niece and I assumed," George told him. He walked into the herb shop and dropped the boxes, letting Draco put down the others. "Son, you now have to do a lot more book binding. Someone got frustrated and sold their library last week," he said at the happy look. "Your mythology books were in too."

Iggy launched himself at his father and gave him the hardest hug he could. "I love you." He smiled at his uncle. "Isn't he great?"

"Wonderful," Draco agreed. "Which one of the girls had the animal guides?"

"Simone. Uncle Charlie ordered them for her for Christmas but they hadn't come in yet."

"They're in now so we'll tell him tonight," George said. "He and Fred both can pick up their own books. And speaking of picking up..." He gave the boxes a meaningful look.

"Yes, father." He danced away to finish filling his order. "Those aren't Julia flowers," he complained. Snape said something quietly. "Oh, never mind. That's fine." He smiled back at his father and watched him wince.

Draco patted George on the back. "Those pains in the wallet are called children," he said quietly. George snorted and shook his head. "I wanted to talk to you about his education."

"We've got it covered," George told him.

"I wasn't offering, mostly because I know that Xander would beat me up." He smiled. "No, Ginny was contacted today by the Gryphon elders while I was visiting with her. They wanted to talk to your son about his education. Apparently they expected to have to pay for it since he'll be working for them." George opened his mouth. "That's the way it's normally done, unless one is independently wealthy like Severus was."

George nodded. "I'll send him down there this weekend. I'm sure he and Bill will be great book nerd togther again for the whole day after the meeting." He was about broken for the day, he just nodded a few more times and started to slump as his son talked about a few new herbs that he wanted to work with.

"What are those?" Draco asked, pointing at the bags Iggy was holding.

"Component bags. For the serious potion person." He grinned. "He told me how to make them. You can shrink them and everything." He looked at his father. "Is he okay? He's looking a bit like Uncle Percy again."

"He's fine," Draco told him. "Just a little bit of shock." He nodded at the bags being put into the case. "How much will this stop run you?"

"Less than my new clothes did," Iggy told him. His father sighed in relief. "I don't use the really expensive stuff."

"The school provides for those," Snape agreed. "We can put half of his herbs on the school's budget as well. Albus was wondering why I hadn't; he nearly yelled at me when he found out Ignatius was buying his own a few moments before I came." He looked at the books. "What are those?"

"Someone sold their alchemy library because they couldn't get it to work for them," Iggy said with a smile. "I think it'd be a wonderful hobby."

Snape shook his head. "You don't need another. Potions and your practices should be your only life. Everything else should be secondary."

Iggy patted him on the arm. "I'm talented and I intend to have a life, Severus. That includes a woman in the near future so I have a clue what to do when I finally get my dream woman." He smiled. "Besides, this way, maybe I can pay for my upcoming education." He saw the skeptical look. "It's not like I've ever had an easy life. I've always done more than most people thought I should so this is normal to me. I've never known how to not multi-task this way."

"The gryphons wanted to talk to you about that," Draco told him. "They called Ginny while I was visiting." Iggy opened his mouth in shock and awe. "You actually expected to have to pay for it yourself?"

"At least until I graduated," Iggy agreed.

"That's not how it works for the truly talented," Draco pointed out. "Children like you get sponsors, who then do things like pay for your components and books." Iggy shook his head. "Yes, they do," he said in exasperation. "That's how it works for us wizards."

"But...but daddy...."

"Got one hell of a library from the gryphons," George pointed out. He looked at Draco and his eyes narrowed. "Speaking of sponsorship, I noticed that the vault was a little fuller than it should be."

"The goblins said they had found some money of yours that had been stolen," Draco said with a shrug and an innocent air. "Maybe it came from there." He smiled and waved a hand. "How much? I'll consider this your birthday present."

"Um, how much?" Iggy asked.

"Fifteen-nine," the herbalist told him. "Unless he wanted the other things, the rest of his necessary stash."

"Most of them would wear out and he doesn't need them," Snape told her. "If he does, we'll send him back." He nodded at the case. "Put that up. Put it on Hogwarts account." She nodded and looked slightly impressed. "Come along, Ignatius, you still have to clean my office."

"Yes, sir," Iggy said, beaming happily. He grabbed the three boxes and took them with him, coming back for his case. "Laters." He disappeared again.

George opened his mouth but Draco held up a finger. "He's happy, let it be," he warned. "This is the way it works for the truly talented, it's a very old system. Besides, he needed it and you look like you need a drink." He led the stunned father away with a nod to his mentor, who waited until they were gone to laugh.

Severus leaned on the counter. "Send the rest of the usual necessities to the school under my name. Albus said we were getting him a complete set this time. Put them all in the usual rolling cart with drawers for him, and mark what's on everything. He still has a problem with herb identification." She nodded and smiled, going back to fill the large order. He smiled and went to get himself a new book. Someone had just come out with a poisons manual and he was sure it was trash but he would at least give it a look-through.

***

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