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(Adriana) Birthdays
Author: Bill Weasley
Date: 01-06-17 08:34
Adriana uncorked a bottle of champagne and drank straight from the neck as she walked around the abbey and wished her followers a happy new year. It was still the middle of the day and perhaps a bit too early for champagne and celebrations, but she didn't have any plans to go anywhere or do anything, and she didn't expect the Death Eaters to commit any acts of terror on her behalf on this last day of 2010 either.
This past year wasn't entire successful, she had to admit, but she didn't want to dwell on her failures. Her plot to disrupt the Muggle government was a sore spot with her for sure, especially upon finding out that the Order of the Phoenix one-upped her in that regard. Thanks to Gibbon's undercover position at the Ministry of Magic, she knew all sorts of things she shouldn't know, though it would have been nice to have learned about everything before her great plans went up in smoke.
She resolved to only look forward and wanted to put all her focus into two things: the full recovery of the Dark Lord and finding the last Deathly Hallow. Random attacks just to keep up appearances would of course be on the agenda, but Adriana had no detailed plans or specific targets.
She spotted Gudrun spiking fruit punch in a crystal bowl with firewhiskey and raised her champagne bottle in acknowledgment and approval. Gudrun, Barty and Bellatrix had done wonders in using their expertise in resouling the victims of the Dementor's Kiss to speed the Dark Lord's recovery along. With Alexander's knowledge as a healer, Adriana had complete faith that her spiritual father would be well again in the new year.
She decided to go check on him. The trip down the stone stairs to the crypt was a bit precarious, on account of her tipsy state, but she made it and managed to secure the door behind her. Although everyone knew that someone or something was in the crypt, because only certain individuals were allowed there and strange outbursts had been heard from time to time, few knew who was really down there.
Adriana found Voldemort sitting in a chair with a wool blanket over his legs. He had a vacant expression on his face and appeared completely still. She couldn't decide if she preferred this docile version of her spiritual father or the unpredictable, noisy one.
She climbed onto a table near him and took a swig of her champagne. "We have a lot to celebrate today," she said, using the back of her hand to wipe her mouth.
"Today," she said, pointing the neck of the bottle at him as she spoke, "is your natural birthday AND your resurrected birthday. How about that!"
She took another drink and sighed. "If only you were whole again."
He didn't say anything and didn't even look at her. After a while, Adriana slid off the table's edge, teetered on her feet, and then turned to go back upstairs. She got halfway across the room when she heard him call her name.
"Adriana… Adriana…"
Adriana turned slowly, not quite believing her ears, and her eyes widened in shock. Voldemort was standing tall on his feet and staring straight at her with his blood red eyes.
"It is a new year," he said, the first complete sentence to come from his lips in over a decade.
The champagne bottle fell out of Adriana's hand and shattered on the floor.
New Year's Eve
Author: Carys
Date: 01-06-17 11:42
Tristan and Tyler stood on the back porch, all bundled up in their winter coats, hats, scarves and mittens, and threw bang snaps onto the ground. Each one made a loud popping noise and made the boys whoop and laugh and sometimes jump where they stood. Griffin occasionally went out to supervise, but mostly he watched through the window from the warmth of the indoors.
Meg mercifully slept through the cacophony. She was in a bassinet near the table where Carys was busy writing a letter to her father. February would mark ten years since his arrest. Carys could hardly believe that so much time had passed. She also couldn't believe how much her life had changed during that time. She'd gotten married. She'd finished her education. She had her own business and business partner. Her great grandfather had died. She was also a mother of two now.
The doorbell rang and Carys got up to answer it, leaving Griff to keep an eye on the two ten year olds making a ruckus in the backyard. Jude, Juliet and Jody were standing on the front stoop. Jude carried a giant gift basket, which looked to contain crackers, cheeses, and a couple bottles of wine. The Fairchilds' visit wasn't a surprise, though they were a bit earlier than expected.
"Come in, come in," Carys invited. She took the gift basket from Jude and set it on the side table in the foyer. Then she hung up their coats and gestured for them to follow her to the back of the house. Griff was already moving in their direction to greet the guests.
"Sorry we came early," Juliet began. "We were at my sister's house and left a bit sooner than intended after my nephew decided to projectile vomit while we were all eating lunch. Rather than go home in between visits, we decided to come straight here. I hope that's not an imposition."
"Not at all," Carys replied. "Are you two thirsty? Coffee or tea before we broach the wine?"
They settled on tea and sat around the table with their cups and a plate of biscuits. The boys came in when Griff gently rapped his knuckles on the window, signaling for them to give it a rest for a bit. Jody didn't seem too happy about the banging outside on the porch. The boys frowned, put down their boxes of bang snaps, and came inside the house. Their noses were cold and red.
"Can we have biscuits?" Tristan asked, upon spying the plate. There appeared to be some leftover gingerbread from Christmas.
"Of course. Take of your coats, wash your hands, and sit down at the table," Carys instructed.
The boys were so quick that Carys doubted they'd done a thorough job of washing up.
Midnight Visit
Author: Tiberius Nott
Date: 01-06-17 14:18
It was New Year's Eve and Tiberius was spending the evening at Endhope Abbey. In the past, the sumptuous house had witness several luxurious New Year parties, but now silence reigned. Most of the divisions had its expensive furniture covered with white sheets and the figures of the portraits had departed on to better sights.
He was alone, has Titus was spending the holidays with Casper and Cecelia. Tiberius suspected such visit had been authorized by Judith so the brothers would not spend Christmas together at Hogwarts. He tried to keep himself busy, planning lessons for the next term, and also doing some Christmas shopping. He had to buy a gift to Edwina Trainor, second year Hufflupuff and one of his students. Edwina was Tiberius' Secret Santa.
He was used to buy things for women. It was easy to charm them with an expensive piece of jewelry, a fashionable bag, or some high-quality robes. But Edwina was not a woman he planned to conquer or impress. She was a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl and he knew nothing about girls that age. What sort of gift would she appreciate?
At first Tiberius thought about a broomstick. Everyone would love to have a broomstick, no? But then he realized not everyone liked to fly. Some people could even be fearful of doing so. Tiberius tossed the broomstick idea aside. What to give Edwina, then? In the end, Tiberius sort of become true to himself, since he got Edwina several items he thought someone of the female gender might enjoy. He got Edwina a cardigan, a skirt and a yellow top with black lace. A pair of black ballerina shoes. A silver pendant with a badger that she could either use on a bracelet or necklace. A pen, which was a Muggle artifact for writing in case she liked Muggle things, and a genuine leather briefcase.
Since he was alone in the house and without any plans, he decided to open a bottle of Fire Whiskey. He drank a glass, seated on an armchair by the fire, listening to WWN on the radio. Soon his head dropped down, as he fell asleep. Boredom could be tiring.
He dreamed with his mother, and how she was there, drinking with him, wishing him a Happy New Year. Despite the fact she seemed to be on a festive mood, Lucinda seemed disappointed with him and his behavior. Being a teacher at Hogwarts was not something she had planned for her firstborn. Not to mention the way he allowed Judith Foxcastle to dictate his and Titus's lives. She should be dead like all the others from her family that had perished when the Nott family was in the service of the Dark Lord. As he should be right now.
He woke up hearing the distant sound of fireworks coming from the nearby Muggle town. He looked to the side table, ready to fill his glass one more time, when he noticed something odd: there was not one, but two glasses on the table. How did that happen? He also noticed a second armchair closer to the fire, next to his. The sheet that covered it was on the floor, at the corner of the room, where the armchair had been.
"Lottie!" Tiberius summoned his house elf, which appeared right away.
"Yes, Master?"
"What is all this?" he asked pointing to the extra glass and the spare armchair.
"I am sorry, Master. But she insisted on the glass and the chair…"
"She?
Who?"
"Your mother, Master. Mrs. Nott." Tiberius looked perplexed at the house elf. His mother was dead. He had killed her himself. What sort of prank was this? As if fearing a reaction from Tiberius Lottie elaborated: "Her ladyship is not dead. Well, not really. She is a ghost now."
Hoping For A Great 2011
Author: Jared
Date: 01-07-17 10:35
Abigail reaches out to smooth a hair that's sticking up. Jared gives her a Muuum look. She smiles lopsidedly then says, "You still aren't eating enough."
"I eat plenty, Mum. You saw how much I put away at Christmas and at dinner tonight."
"You're still too thin."
"But you yourself have mentioned that I've put on weight."
Abigail shakes her head. "Not enough." She moves her hand to his shoulder. "I miss having you around regularly."
"You visit often. I'm here almost as much as before I moved."
"You're exaggerating."
"Maybe a little."
"Or a lot."
"The job ends soon. Two weeks and I'll be back here looking for a place and going back to work at the Ministry."
Hugging him Abigail excitedly asks, "Really? For good?"
"For good unless I do another one of those projects somewhere." Jared hugs his mother back. "It's nearly midnight. Best go find Dad so you two can be sure to kiss the near year in."
Abigail gives Jared another squeeze before going in search of Gawain, eager to share Jared's news. Etta slides into the spot where Abigail had been standing. "So you're coming back."
"Eavesdrop much?"
"I was standing right there. How is that eavesdropping?" Etta pauses before asking, "You're going to be okay back at the Ministry?"
"I don't know but I can't avoid it forever; or, I guess I could but that would mean living somewhere else long term, maybe even changing jobs. I might have gone off sulking for a few months but they are not running me off permanently."
It's Etta's turn to move in for a hug. "It will be good to have you back."
A few minutes later, champagne in hand, they join the rest of the party to ring in the new year, Jared hoping 2011 goes much better than 2010 had.
Last Few Minutes of 2010
Author: Hermione Granger
Date: 01-07-17 12:12
The number of guests at the Weasley household outnumbered the amount of champagne glasses available. Wine glasses, water goblets, and a few coffee mugs were set out in addition to the flutes on hand. Ron uncorked a bottle of champagne, which made a small bang but one not loud enough to wake the many sleeping children in another part of the house. He handed it to Hermione to pour and worked on opening another bottle.
There was a lot to celebrate in the new year. After much talk between the Ministry of Magic and the PM's office, Hermione finally met with the man and was interviewed. He seemed to like the fact that she had grown up outside of the wizarding world, though by now she had spent more years in it than out. They met a few more times before she was vetted and formally offered a position as Special Liaison to the Prime Minister. The title was vague enough to not raise any eyebrows to Muggles not in the know.
With New Year's Day falling on a Saturday this year, Monday the 3rd was a public holiday. Hermione's first day of work would be on Tuesday, January 4th. She was looking forward to it very much. A new day in a new job was always an adventure, and this would be especially interesting since she would have one foot in each of her worlds.
"Have we got enough?" Ron asked, after Hermione emptied the first champagne bottle and reached for the one he offered her.
"I think so, and if not, there's another bottle. It's nearly midnight," she went on, "so why don't you start handing out the glasses?"
Ron gathered up a handful and went around to his guests, offering a glass to whoever wanted one. Hermione finished filling up glasses with the open champagne bottle and then handed them out while simultaneously keeping an eye on the clock.
The end of 2010 came quickly.
"10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1… Happy New Year!"
She clinked her glass with Ron's and gave him a loving kiss.
(Mark) Party-Hopping
Author: Isolde
Date: 01-07-17 15:40
One of the interns in the Department of Magical Transportation invited Mark and some of his other coworkers to a party taking place somewhere near the campus of St. Emrys University. Mark had initially thought he wouldn't attend the party, but his mother had convinced him to get out of the house. He could have offered her the same advice, because all she did these days was lounge about in her pajamas. Her decision to take a break from Magical Match had had the unfortunate consequence of turning her into a slothful slob.
Mark arrived at the party and mingled with his coworkers some. Several witches he didn't know approaching him to either engage in flirtatious conversation or get him to dance. Mark didn't feel like dancing, but he chatted. He kept a drink in his hands at all times to avoid having to do much else. After a while, the intern, whose name was Gaspard, suggested they go somewhere else. There were plenty of other parties in the area, and the night was still young. Their other coworkers decided to stay where they were, but Mark agreed to go with Gaspard.
They arrived at a timber-work house that was filled to capacity. In fact, the party-goers had spilled out onto the barren lawn. Heat charms had been cast here and there to keep everyone comfortable, and a firepit burned brightly under a giant tree. Mark hoped the tree was charmed to not go up in flames because the position of the firepit had to be hazardous. It also didn't help that a lot of guests were already drunk.
Mark was a bit buzzed, but he still had the majority of his faculties. He followed Gaspard up the stone steps into the house, which was nice and warm due to the many bodies crammed inside.
"G-dog!" someone shouted upon catching sight of Gaspard.
Mark observed the two friends shake hands and clap each other on the back, and then he was introduced, but he could barely make out what was being said. Music pumped loudly in the background, and the conversation and laughter all around him was almost deafening.
Someone shoved a drink in his hand. It was a beer, which Mark preferred over champagne any day. He glanced at the time on his wristwatch and saw that it was nearing midnight already. He looked up and saw that Gaspard had migrated through the crowd to talk to a group of girls standing by the staircase railing. Mark looked around to see if he wanted to follow or go elsewhere, and that's when he saw Kate.
She was standing across the room, wearing a dark green dress and looking very pretty. Mark guessed that she had come to the party with friends, but she appeared to be alone at the moment.
Kate had, in fact, come with some of her classmates. The other girls were all dancing in the crowd. She watched them with a smile on her face and then noticed Mark staring at her from across the room. Her smile widened.
Mark didn't even hesitate. He set off for Kate, elbowing his way through the crowd until he reached her. At that very moment, the clock struck midnight. Someone shouted, "Happy New Year!", and someone else shook a bottle of champagne and sprayed it on those nearby. Squeals and cheers sounded.
Mark knew exactly how he wanted to start the new year. He reached for Kate's cheek with his free hand and bent down to kiss her on the lips.
(Alanna) Turning Point
Author: Beck
Date: 01-08-17 09:26
Alanna counted to ten and then slipped out of her bed. Reed snored on, completely wiped out from a late night of celebrating the new year. Alanna felt tired herself, but she'd drunk minimally in order to keep a clear head. In the past, she would have gratefully drowned her sorrows with expensive champagne, but she was bound and determined to end Reed's control over her. To do that, she always had to be alert.
She slipped a robe over her silk pajamas, slid her feet into a pair of fuzzy slippers, grabbed her wand from the bedside table, and walked out of the room. As she moved through the house, she pulled her hair up into a twist and secured it with her wand since her robe didn't have any pockets. Alanna didn't expect Reed to rise any time soon and felt assured that she could continue sorting through the documents in his secret room without him knowing.
Alanna had already found a goldmine of information and had taken steps to make sure it went public one way or another. Thanks to the generous allowance Reed gave her on top of her own salary, Alanna had paid good money to a wizard she'd met in Knockturn Alley. He specialized in a variety of covert tasks, from security spells to forging identification documentation. She'd learned about him through a client and never thought she would stoop so low as to use his questionable services.
Desperate times called for desperate measures, though. The wizard, called Yardley but whether that was his first or last name no one knew, charmed several packets for Alanna. The packets contained copies of some of the files she had found in Reed's secret room and had been delivered to Katherine at The Daily Prophet. A note on each packet stated that Katherine should publish the information within on the contingency that Alanna was unable to publicize it herself. Until and if such event happened, Katherine couldn't even open the packets to see the damning documents.
Perhaps it was foolish to delay when Alanna had already found enough to expose Reed, but she knew there was more to discover and she wanted to make sure she had everything so that he couldn't weasel out of anything. Alanna knew that Reed had a knack for getting out of tight places. He had managed to free several notorious Death Eaters and had orchestrated a series of terrible events that had only resolved themselves because Alanna had agreed to marry him. Even with all the evidence against him, she was afraid she would fail.
Alanna entered the library and secured the door behind her. Then she pulled on the lone yellow book on the shelf. The secret chamber revealed itself. Alanna stepped inside and continued searching where she'd last left off. Reed was very organized and also very thorough. He'd detailed all his exploits, and Alanna had the feeling it was more about personal accomplishment than documentation so he wouldn't forget the details of each scheme.
She opened a new box and froze when she realized the first file was about Jared. Alanna lifted the documents out with trembling fingers and thumbed through them with a heavy heart. The file detailed how Reed had paid a witch an exorbitant amount of money to claim Jared had sexually harassed her. The accusation had caused Jared to be under house arrest for several months. He'd also lost his job.
"Alanna."
She jumped up and dropped the file. Parchment scattered on the floor.
Reed looked extremely worse for wear, but he also looked angry and disappointed.
"You weren't supposed to find this chamber," he stated matter-of-factly. "Did you find it by accident, or were you looking for it?"
"How was I to know this was here?" Alanna countered.
"So by accident, then," Reed decided, though that was only a half-truth. Alanna had been looking for evidence against him and had found the room exactly a month ago in her search for answers.
He ran his fingers through his disheveled hair and remarked, "You already surmised the truth, or you would never have agreed to marry me."
"I didn't have proof till now, though."
"It looks like we're at crossroads," Reed said. He took a step into the room. "Either we continue on as we have, or I start destroying those you care about one by one all over again. I think I'll start with Wynbourne, if we go that route. So, what will it be?"
"It's over, Reed. I'm finished playing your game."
Reed shook his head slowly and said, "That's very unfortunate, Alanna." Suddenly, his wand was in his hand. Alanna reacted slowly to grab hers from her updo. He didn't point it at her, though. Instead, he aimed for the box at Alanna's feet and shouted, "Incendio!
Alanna quickly used her wand to extinguish the fire, because the contents of that particular box she hadn't yet duplicated and sent to Katherine. Reed, meanwhile, set fire to some of the other boxes. The room was small and started filling with smoke very quickly. Alanna sent the box she'd saved flying from the room. The corner of it beaned Reed in the head and caused him to fall.
Alanna ran past him and tripped when he grabbed her by the leg. They struggled on the floor until she used her wand to send books toppling down from the shelf. They fell onto Reed but weren't enough to keep him down, even though they were heavy legal tomes. He threw the books off of himself and scrambled to his feet. Alanna shot a spell at another bookcase, causing more books to fly from the shelves and hit Reed. He growled and lunged for her, but she darted away, causing him to fall onto a low, heavy wooden filing cabinet.
Alanna heard an awful squelching sound and observed Reed quivering and gasping. She realized that one of the flying books had struck the statuette of a mounted Amazon warrior, causing it to turn such that the long, sharp spear it held was pointed forwards instead of sideways on the cabinet. The slim spear had pierced Reed in the chest.
Alanna watched him in his death throes and couldn't believe that she would finally be free of him. Her surprise and relief was short-lived when the smoke from the secret chamber suddenly overwhelmed the study and caused her to pass out onto the book-strewn floor.
Coffee
Author: Fritz Schnackenpfefferhausen
Date: 01-08-17 12:28
Fritz rubs sleep from his eyes and then accepts a coffee mug from his mother. He and Coco spent the night at his parents' house after ringing in the new year. They are set to head home sooner than later, since they have a bunch of pets to let out and feed. Coco is upstairs, getting showered and dressed. Fritz is still in a T-shirt and flannel pajama bottoms and is debating apparating home as is and going right back to bed.
"Thanks," Fritz says in German, taking a strong pull from the piping hot coffee. He winces as it burns him, but it hits the spot nonetheless.
"When does your semester start again?" his mother asks. She leans against the counter and sips from her own mug. She's wearing a beige cable knit sweater, slacks, and slippers that seem to match her outfit. Her hair is still wet from her own morning shower.
"Hogwarts starts up again on the 10th, and my university coursework resumes on the 17th," he replies.
"Have you decided what you'll do after you graduate?" Mitzi asks him. "Your position at Hogwarts is only part-time, isn't it? It can't possibly pay very much. As it is, I don't know how you managed to afford that farmhouse, put additions on, and build stables for your many pets."
Fritz sips his coffee some more instead of answering. Coco knows where the money comes from, but his parents don't. He's thought about telling them a million times, but he doesn't know how to approach the subject. The more time that passes, the more difficult it becomes. Then there's the matter of the letter he received at the beginning of last month. He never showed it to Coco because he didn't want her to worry, but if he ever got another than he probably would and he'd probably also go to the authorities.
Fritz finally says, "I'm going to apply for a position at the university, though I may also apply to work at some of the apothecaries if teaching doesn't pan out."
His mother nods and then asks, "When are you and Coco going to get married? I've been waiting for the wedding to happen ever since you announced your engagement. It's been, what? A year and a half already?"
Fritz smiles. "What's the rush? Coco and I have been together for over eleven years. We'll get married when we finally decide it's time."
Coco enters the kitchen then. "What are you two talking about?" she asks. "My German is so terrible I only understood elf and Zeit."
Fritz touches her arm. "It's probably time we head out. Have some coffee while I get our stuff together and then we can go. The dogs are waiting for us."
Coco smiles and goes to the coffee maker to pick up the carafe and fill up her own mug. Fritz, meanwhile, heads upstairs and thinks about maybe it is time that he and Coco finally tie the knot.
Working New Year's
Author: Ron Weasley
Date: 01-09-17 19:11
Ron ducks as a pint of a dark ale dances by his head. He ducks again when a plate whirls by followed by a conga line of the fish and chips that had been on it.
Deciding to stay low, he makes his way towards a young woman of 18 or 20 with such vivid red hair he can't help but wonder if she's a cousin of some sort. She stands on top of a barstool, cackling maniacally as she waves her wand as an orchestral maestro might as she directs all the items she has circling the room.
A hit wizard Ron doesn't immediately recognize crawls up beside him. "Looks like we've got another one?"
"One who's still on a bender from last night?"
"One who's on whatever it is the other seven have been on."
"You've been on seven calls like this today?"
"Only one other," she says with a shake of her head but back at the office others are talking. All seven are in holding. So far as I know, none have come down off the high."
"How have I not heard about this trend until now?" Ron asks, edging closer to the laughing witch.
"Have you been under a rock?" the hit wizard jokes.
"I did miss the shift briefing."
"That would do it though with the buzz around the department I'm surprised you didn't hear at least a little something. On three?" she asks, meaning tackling the young woman off the barstool. They'd tried throwing a few spells at her but somehow, even in her state she's deflected everything.
"On three," Ron confirms.
The hit wizard, whom Ron now vaguely recalls might be called Meredith, counts it off. On three they both lunge at the witch, Ron knocking her off the barstool, the hit wizard wrappinng arms around her to buffer her fall to the floor.
The witch, with Meredith's arms still around her, splays out spread eagle, sniggering as though she's heard the funniest joke of her life. With a roll of his eyes Ron takes her wand then helps Meredith subdue her and get her up.
As soon as they have her booked into holding, Ron starts asking around about the other seven, learning that the going theory is that they, and this new one, attended the same New Year's Eve party where they took the same drug. What drug that may be no one has a clue because no one's seen anything quite like this with a high lasting for hours and no end in sight as yet.
No sooner has Ron finished his part of the report then he, along with a few others, are sent out on a report of someone acting like these other eight. Downing what's left of a cup of coffee Ron thinks that if he has to work New Year's Day at least there's something interesting.
Lazy New Year's Day
Author: Ginny Weasley
Date: 01-10-17 19:00
Ginny sits on the edge of the bed lightly touching Harry's cheek. "Even though you didn't drink that much I thought you were sleeping last night off as well as taking advantage of the boys not being home but you've got a fever."
"My head is pounding and my throat hurts." Harry sounds hoarse.
"I'll get you something."
When Ginny returns she gives Harry a glass of water into which she's stirred a potion that has a slightly sour aroma. Crinkling his nose Harry drinks it. Though she can tell he'd love to whine he wordlessly hands the glass back, an expression of disgust on his face. "It's going to make you even more sleepy."
Harry snuggles back down under the covers. "At least it's already making my head feel better." His eyes start to flutter closed only to fly open. He says with concern, "You shouldn't be so close or touching me. I might be contagious."
"If you are, too late to warn me, eh?" Ginny says this with a smile. "You're supposed to work a shift this evening, aren't you?"
"Yeah. The complaint desk can be busy on New Year's but maybe it won't be as bad tonight but if I went I'd likely end up passed out at my desk."
Ginny rises, not without difficulty what with being almost 7 months pregnant. "I'll let your office know."
After contacting the Ministry, Ginny settles on the couch with the dog and the cat that is a more recent addition. She dozes in between reading a mystery novel, forcing herself to get up when it's time to fetch the boys home. With Harry sick she treats Jamie and Albus to Burger Wizard where they run into a few people they know, each of whom makes a point of telling Ginny she looks like she's having the baby any day now. Much as she would dearly love to tell each and every one of them how rude that comes off, Ginny smiles and chuckles, holding her tongue though she has no idea why. She could tell someone a comment is rude without being rude herself and without making a big deal out of it.
Shaking her head as she thinks about this, getting the boys settled in front of the fire with a board game, Ginny maneuvers herself down to sit with them at their little table. The game keeps them occupied until time for baths after which they each pick a book. Because they played hard all day neither protest overly much as she gets them in bed and opens the book Albus selected. By the time she's read it and Jamie's choice, it's all Ginny can do to keep her own eyes open.
After checking on Harry, Ginny returns to the couch rather than with the boys or an empty bed, enjoying the warmth of the fire and reading more of her book, falling asleep with the book ending up across her face.