Believe

Chapter; Seventy-One

Status; Growing Old

Alice stuck her tongue out the side of her mouth, trying really, very hard to concentrate. These pumpkins were not going to carve themselves!

"Alice? What are you doing?"

Alice turned around to face Harry with a slightly crazed look in her eye, about fifteen pumpkins were scattered around the room, all with a degree of scariness on them.

"Carving pumpkins, what does it look like Potter?"

Harry nodded his head, and then he got a smile on his face. "Let's have a competition?"

Alice grinned widely. "You're so on! You cannot beat me! HA!"

The two of them set to work, Harry getting the last pumpkin that Alice hadn't carved yet and Alice working on the one that she had been. It was Halloween, they needed scary pumpkins!

After five minutes of intense carving, Alice turned to face Harry to find he was already looking at her with a smirk. "You first," he said.

Alice turned her pumpkin around to show a vampire pumpkin, complete with fangs and dripping blood – not real blood of course. She might lose her internship at St Mungo's if it was.

Harry smiled and turned his around, the first thing she noticed was that there was no scary face. Just writing and…. It said; "Will you marry me?"

Alice screamed and threw the pumpkin she had been holding at Harry, who dodged it – his apprenticeship seemed to be fine turning his reflexes.

"Well?" Harry asked, pulling out of red ring box and falling to one knee.

Alice stared at him. "Only if the rings pretty."

Harry laughed and opened the box; Alice saw the prettiest ring she thought she would ever see. It was gold, and there was a big diamond in the centre surrounded by small rubies. Alice smiled.

"Yes!"

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"Harry, I want pickles! Damn it! Pickles!"

"We don't have any pic-" Harry tried again.

"I want fucking pickles!" Alice yelled throwing the pillow she had been sitting on at Harry. "Pickles!"

"Why me?" Harry muttered. Right then there was a knock on the door and Harry yelled out; "Come in!"

Sirius walked in with a large grin on his face and a jar of pickles. Alice's eyes lighted up. "Pickles! Thanks daddy!"

Sirius laughed and passed the jar over to Alice, who opened it and started to munch away on the pickles happily.

Harry's shoulders dropped. "She was just throwing things at me…"

Sirius patted Harry on the shoulder. "Pregnancy does that to a woman. Should have seen Allison, she was terrible… Damn scary woman."

Harry groaned and Alice said around her food; "It's your entire fault Potter."

Harry rubbed the back of his head. "Thanks for the pickles Sirius."

Sirius grinned and sat down next to Alice. "Now, because I got the pickles, does he get to be named after me?"

"No."

Sirius pouted and looked up at Harry who was still standing by the door – a little unsure of what to do. Harry shrugged his shoulders. "His name is going to be James."

Sirius wagged his finger at Alice. "No more pickles for you!"

Alice's eyes opened wide and horrified. "No… more… pickles?"

Sirius shook his head, and Harry looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there.

"James Sirius Potter, that's the best you're getting dad," Alice grumbled, but Sirius looked astatic.

"Yes! I know I could wear you down!"

"Daddy?" Alice said slowly.

"Yes?" Sirius asked with a big grin.

Alice held out the empty pickle jar. "I need more pickles."

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"James! James! Will you stop you bloody menace!" Alice shouted after her two year old son.

"Alice!" Hermione scolded, her belly swollen to the size of a beach ball. "Don't swear in front of children!"

Alice's shoulders dropped. "He may look like Harry, but he is like a mini-me."

Hermione giggled lightly. "James, dear, would you come here and you can play colouring in?"

James small face scrunched up in confusion, thinking the offer though before his gray eyes widened. "Okee Aunt Hermyonee!"

James then ran to the table a picked up a pencil and started to colour in. Alice glared at Hermione, and looked back at her messy-haired son.

"Why does he listen to you and not me?"

Hermione shrugged. "Magic touch?"

It was at that moment that Ron and Harry walked into the room looking beat, Ron grinned at Hermione walking over and placing a kiss on her lips. Harry came over and rubbed Alice's bulging belly and Alice placed a light kiss on Harry's lips.

"How's work? Kill anyone?" Alice quizzed and Harry laughed.

"Not today, just paperwork."

Alice huffed. "How boring."

Harry chuckled and looked over to his son. "What are you doing James?"

"Colouring in," James replied shortly, not bothering to look up.

Harry chuckled. "How did you get him to behave?"

Alice jerked her head towards Hermione. "Not me – her."

"A saint," Harry muttered. "You better not be like your brother and mother young man!"

Alice heard Ron laugh. "Any thoughts on what you're going to name him?"

"Severus," Alice replied.

"No way, you can't Alice!" Ron said heatedly. "Don't do this to me!"

Harry snorted. "Albus Severus, it's a nice name."

Alice thought on it for a second. "Oh, alright then… What about you Hermione?"

"Rosalie," Said Hermione with a smile. "Rose for short, Rosalie Molly Weasley."

Ron beamed pride on his face. "And she's going to be as smart as her mother!"

"Oh Ron…"

Alice turned to Harry. "Albus better end up acting more like you or I might hurt someone."

"At least you know how you were growing up."

"Me, Harry? I was an angel!"

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Alice walked around the muggle supermarket frowning at the muggle brands. Why was she shopping in the muggle world again? Oh that's right, bloody fame.

Alice hated everyone… And where in god's name was James and Albus? Alice sighed before she yelled after her four year old and two year old. "JAMES SIRIUS POTTER, ALBUS SEVERUS POTTER, YOU HAVE UNTIL THE COUNT OF THREE! ONE, TWO-"

"Here mummy!" James said with a cutesy smile on his chubby face. Alice narrowed her eyes at her oldest son. "Where is your brother?"

James gave her a look that meant trouble. "James…"

"On his way to Siberia."

Alice looked at the boy with a raised eyebrow. He didn't try to send his brother overseas did he?

"Excuse me, is he yours?" Alice turned around to face a woman who was holding Albus out to her.

"Mumma!" Albus cooed. Alice sighed, feeling like she was near tears.

"Albus, yes, thank you," Alice said taking her green eyed baby off the woman.

"They are a handful," the women said with a smile.

"Mine more than any…" Alice said hunching her shoulders, turning to James. "James! What did you do!?"

James grinned and shuffled his foot. "Albus wanted to!"

"He did not!" Alice retorted.

"Cute children," another woman came up beside the first one, and when Alice turned around her face turned into one of shock. "Mum?"

Sarah's face twisted into one of shock as well, taking in the young children clinging to her. "Alice?"

"I, I uh – well, I was shopping."

"Yes, yes, me as well, with my friend Amanda," Sarah gestured to the woman who had handed her Albus, who looked more confused then everyone.

"Who's that Mummy?" James asked, not liking the attention not being on him.

"That's your Grandmother, James."

James's little nose scrunched up. "Grandpa Siri's wife?"

Alice shook her head. "No, Jamie."

"Daddy's Mommy?" Albus asked, his green eyes wide, and his shorts messy black hair was falling into his pretty eyes.

"No, another one," Alice replied.

Her boys were confused. Alice smiled.

"We have to talk… over coffee?" Sarah asked leniently.

Alice shrugged her shoulders a nodded her head. "Why not?"

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"Harry James Potter!"

"Yes Love?" Harry asked poking his head around the corner.

"I want-"

Harry walked into the room already holding a jar of pickles. Alice beamed at him. "I love you."

"You use me for my pickles," Harry bemoaned.

Alice nodded her head seriously. "Why else would I keep you around?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders.

"I want to name her Alice."

Harry raised an eyebrow at Alice. "No."

"What are Ron and Hermione naming their son again?"

"Hugo David."

Alice huffed. "Well, I don't care – her name will be Alice."

Harry shook his head. "How about Lily?"

Alice bit her lip, realising how much this would mean to Harry. "How about… Lily Alice?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "No."

Alice pouted. "Ah! Why not!?"

"You don't name your child after you," Harry responded calmly.

"Your dad did!"

"That was, uh, different… Wait." Harry said trailing off slightly.

Alice froze and then she realised what was wrong.

"It's quite," Harry said, slowly. "Too quite."

"ALBUS SEVERUS POTTER, JAMES SIRIUS POTTER, GET YOUR ARSES HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Her boys marched into the room, not ten seconds later – Albus looked very ashamed, and James looked pleased.

"What did you do?" Alice pressed.

"Nothing!" James said.

Alice and Harry both looked at Albus, until he seemed like he was going to crack. Then James suddenly shouted. "Is Teddy coming over for dinner?"

Harry looked at his son sternly. "Yes, he always comes on a Saturday, you know that James."

James gave them a cute grin, showing off his dimples. "Just making sure!"

"What did you do!?" Alice almost yelled.

"It was all James's idea!" Albus yelled.

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"Mummy! Jamie turned my dolly into a spider! Mummy!" Lily yelled her long straight- (HA! No messy hair for her daughter!) trailing behind her.

Alice sighed, hugging the five year old. "JAMES SIRIUS POTTER, GET HERE RIGHT NOW!"

James slinked into the room looking sheepish. "I didn't do it!"

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You didn't? Who did then?"

"Al did!" James exclaimed.

Alice's eye twitched, she was not in the mood for this. "ALBUS SEVERUS POTTER, GET IN HERE NOW!"

Albus walked into the room, his head buried in a book. "Yes mum?"

"Okay," Alice said looking at her three annoying children. "If I hear one more word, you're spending the night with Uncle Ron when The Cannons lose tonight."

"But mum!" James protested.

"I can't read when he yells!" Albus protested.

"What about my dolly!" Lily yelled.

"I don't care! Please, just annoy daddy?"

James grinned widely. "Okay mum, we will, we will."

He then marched a groaning Albus out of the room and was followed by little green-eyed Lily – who just wanted to fit in with her bothers.

"Sorry Harry, but I am tired."

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"You're going to be in Slytherin!" James taunted.

"No I won't! I'm going to be a Gryffindor!" Albus yelled back.

"I'm the one that's been to Hogwarts, I would know!"

"I'm going to be in Gryffindor!" Lily chimed in.

"We know, Lils," James comforted his little sister.

Albus groaned. "I hate you James."

Lily gasped. "Don't say that Al!"

"Don't say thing like that Albus, you may just regret your words," Harry sighed looking at his children over his newspaper. "James, stop winding your brother up."

"But dad, Al could end up in Slytherin…" James trailed off, as Alice shoved some more French toast on his plate. "Thanks mum."

Harry rolled his eyes, as Alice kissed his cheek and gave him more bacon. "It's a fine house and I'd be proud."

Albus looked at Harry with big wide eyes, Albus looked like a mini-Harry had when he was eleven, except taller. "You would be?"

Harry nodded his head, and James added wickedly. "Mum would disown you!"

Albus looked worriedly at Alice. "I'll always love you. Ignore James, he just wants attention."

"Hey!"

"Mummy!" Lily called. "Can I go to Hogwarts too?"

"No, you're not old enough," Alice replied, sitting down next to Harry to begin her breakfast.

"But, mum!"

"No."

"….Daddy?"

"No."

Lily pouted. "Can we go see Grandpa after Jamie and Al go to Hogwarts?"

Alice thought on it for a second. "Sure, Grandpa must be missing us by now."

"Yay!"

"Aw, I want to see Grandpa…." James complained.

Alice eyed her eldest born and said; "You only want to see him so he'll tell you stories about what it was like when he was at Hogwarts."

James shrugged. "He has good ideas! Mum, can Freddy stay for Christmas holidays?"

Alice raised an eyebrow. "If it's okay with his dad…"

James quickly nodded his head.

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"Harry."

"Yes Alice?"

"My daughter is dating a Malfoy," Alice said with dejection.

Harry sighed. "Isn't he one of Albus's friends?"

Alice nodded her head. "That part is okay but…"

"But?"

Alice turned to look at Harry in horror. "What if I – Alice Potter nee Black - have to deal with Draco on a friendly – familyish basis!?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "The horror," he said dryly.

Alice looked at Harry with annoyance didn't he see how bad this was?

"Mum, dad?" Albus said, walking into the room, Lily not far behind him.

"Yes, Al, Lils?" Harry asked.

"Well, we've been invited to Malfoy Manor for dinner, and…" Albus began.

Alice shook her head mourning, before she broke off in a hysterical cackle of laughter. "I told you this would happen, Harry! I told you!"

"…Mum?"

"It's alright kids; your mum has just officially lost it."

THE END