Happy Endings

By

MissJudged16

Disclaimer: Nope, not I.

Warning: This story may be slightly AU and fluff filled. You have all been warned.

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What had happened to fairy tales? Where in Cinderella or Snow White, or Sleeping Beauty had it said he would eventually be imprisoned? I swore it was our happily ever after, the beginning of the rest of our lives. In ten years we would have two boys and two girls, live in a large white house, and still be blissfully in love. Naturally we would live next to the Potters and they too would have two boys and two girls all the same age as our children. They would eventually go to Hogwarts and one day have children of their own. And sooner then I'd ever anticipated, we would be retired and growing old together, reminiscing on how our lives used to be, and planning Sunday lunch with the grandchildren. But once again, life threw a wrench into my plans and I was thrown headfirst into a lifestyle I wasn't ready for. And just as quickly as I had planned it out, it was gone, all of it. Even the white house.

I was in the midst of a wonderful dream when my alarm clock rang out shrilly. I rolled onto my back and knocked it off the bedside table. It stopped. I ran threw a mental list of the things that needed to be done today: I had to call the repairman, (the TV had short circuited again); Anna had ballet lessons at four and James had piano at 4:30. It would have to be a quick dinner tonight because James had a quidditch match at six and Anna needed to make sure her homework was done early because she promised him she'd be there to watch. Olivia had a doctor's appointment this morning at eight because her cough was getting worse. I had a feeling it was some sort of infection; she always seemed to get them around this time of year. With the day planned out, I got up and stumbled into the shower.

After I was clean, and dressed, I set about making breakfast. In the middle of cooking eggs, our family owl Hoot began tapping on the window above the sink. I turned down the stove and let him in. He soared around the small kitchen for a few moments before dropping the mail, and a rolled up newspaper onto the table. Then, he was off to my room where I kept his cage on top of the dusty wardrobe. I skimmed threw the mail half heartedly, three bills, a few coupons for Dragon blood, (sales were way down), and a letter. I frowned at the handwriting on the front of the envelope. It was a slanted curving script that looked vaguely like my old Headmasters. But why would he be writing me?

"Mom, have you seen my black stockings?"

I was pulled from my musings by my eldest daughter Anna. She was only half dressed and her hair was not yet done. I put the letter onto the counter and began to dish up the eggs. "No, I haven't seen them. Don't you have more then one pair?"

"I had three, but one is in the wash and Hoot hid the other pair. I can't find my others."

"Did you look under your bed?"

"Yes Mom." I could just sense her rolling her eyes.

"Did you look in Olivia's room?"

"Yes."

"What about under the couch? Or in the couch for that matter?" I set three plates piled with food on the table while she searched the couch.

"Found them."

"Good. Is your brother up?"

"I doubt it. We have double potions today. You know how much he hates that class." Anna was already half way down the hall, stockings in hand.

I sighed and pulled out my wand. After casting a heating charm on the plates, I followed Anna down the hall towards her bedroom. It was a mess, not that this was anything new. Clothes were scattered across the floor, and old pieces of homework were crumbled around the over flowing trash can. A bunk bed was farthest from where I stood. The top bed was already made, but the bottom one held a large lump that I assumed to be Anna's twin, my son James.

"James, get up. It's almost seven."

"I'm sick," he moaned.

"Well, then I guess that means that you're simply too sick for quidditch or piano today."

He sat up and ran a hand threw his shaggy black hair. "Maybe I'm not that sick."

"I thought so. Get dressed, breakfasts on the table." I turned to leave, but Anna's appearance made me stop. She was already dressed in her school uniform: a black skirt, a white dress shirt, and a gold and blue stripped tie. Her stockings had been pulled on her feet and her black hair had been tied back in two braids. But what made me stop was the length of her skirt. It was at least eight inches above her knees. "Your skirt's too short."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is. I told you not to alter it."

"But it was too long before."

"It was the perfect length before."

"No, it's perfect now."

"It's too short now." I pulled out my wand and readjusted it so it was only a few inches above her knees. "That's a good length."

"Mary's skirt isn't nearly this long!" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't care if Mary's going to school in the nude. I won't let you walk around in a skirt that's too short for Olivia to wear."

"You are so old fashioned!" Anna swung her book bag over one shoulder and stormed from the room.

James let out a low whistle. "Aren't you glad I'm a boy?"

"Get dressed James." I left and headed to the room across the hall. It was a lot smaller then any of the other bedrooms. A small twin sized bed was under the window. My youngest was still sleeping peacefully. Her window had been thrown open last night and the bright Miami sun was streaming threw. Her uniform had been hung up neatly on the back of her door, and her things were all put away in the correct place. I sat on the edge of her bed and pushed her hair back from her warm forehead.

"Mom?" She rolled onto her back and yawned.

I noticed the large leather bound book by her bed. "How late were you up reading last night Ols?"

"I don't know, some time after midnight."

"I thought I told you to go to sleep at nine?" I smiled and planted a kiss on her cheek. "What am I going to do with you?" I picked up the book by her bed and frowned. "Where did you get this?"

"The linen closet next to the bathroom. It was buried under the towels and sheets. It's not what I was reading last night. I never got around to it."

I ran a hand over the worn leather and sighed. "Well, anyway, you have an appointment at eight, so it'd be best if you got up now. Make sure to bring your school things because I'll be dropping you off at school directly after. You should be there in time to give your Charms report. Breakfast is on the table." I stood up and left her to get dressed.

Anna was sitting at the table moodily eating her eggs. I placed the book on top of the fridge not sure if I should burn it or bury it. While I debated this in my head, I poured myself a cup of coffee.

"Not that short," Anna mumbled.

"Drop it Anna," I said.

"Ann, you forgot your homework in our room." James appeared carrying parchment in one hand, his black dress shoes in the other. His uniform was much like Anna's, except he wore black pants and his shirt was wrinkled and untucked. His tie had been loosely done up and for a moment I could have sworn he was his father. He dropped the shoes by a kitchen chair and gave the completed homework to Anna who muttered thank-you. After pushing his hair from his storm colored eyes, he sat down and began to devour his breakfast.

"Slow down James. It's not going anywhere." I smiled slightly at his antics.

"No, but the bus is," he said threw a mouth full of toast. "If Olivia's not here in ten seconds can I eat her toast?"

"Don't you dare!" Olivia squealed as she emerged from the hallway. Her uniform matched Anna's exactly, right down to the black shoes. She'd placed a small blue barrette in her short black hair and it seemed to draw out her matching eyes.

"I wouldn't let him Ols," Anna said.

"If I paid you, you would," James smirked.

"How much?"

"Five dollars."

"Sorry Ols."

The bickering was cut short by a loud and urgent knock on the front door. I frowned and put my coffee mug down, while making my way around the protruding furniture and cluttered living space. I reached the door and double checked the position of my wand in my back pocket before opening the door. I could have died from shock. Professor Albus Dumbledore was standing outside my flat.

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A/N: Here I am again with another story! I'm not sure how long this one will be, but it's been bouncing around in my head for a while. It's a little different then what I usually write, but it still should be interesting. I'm not going to bribe you into reviewing, but I will say that usually the more reviews I get the sooner I update. And I almost always read and review my reviewers stories, so there!

Love,

MJ16