Authors' note: Just a note as to why we're not responding to LD reviews- in order for us to fully 'break' from this story for a bit, we need to walk away completely from it. You guys have been really great to us and we're glad that you understand the need for this hiatus. This is a fun chapter with lots of flashbacks!
Ethan was filing some paperwork in the office he shared with Justin when he heard a knock on the doorframe. "Hey Dad," he greeted his father. "The perks of being an Auror, right?"
"One of my favourite parts of the job," Harry deadpanned. "You could probably get someone to do that for you."
Ethan laughed. "I tried that with Uncle Neville. He reminded me that I was just a rookie."
Harry laughed too. "Remind him he was a rookie once as well."
"I'll do that," Ethan said. "What's going on?"
"I wanted to find out what your plans are for this weekend?" Harry asked.
Ethan looked thoughtfully at his father. "Well, I was going to play a pickup game of Quidditch with some of my mates, but that's about it. Why?"
"Look at this," Harry tossed a folder onto his son's desk.
Ethan opened the file. "Nikolai Dolohov...but I thought he was in Azkaban..."
"Was," Harry supplied. "We're being sent out to track him. You interested?"
Ethan gaped at his father. "Really?"
Harry laughed. "Really..."
Ethan could hardly believe his luck. Dolohov's grandfather had been responsible for a plot to assassinate Hermione a few years ago and word had it that his grandson was trying to formulate a plan to do the same. He'd been incarcerated a couple of years ago but according to the file had escaped.
"Does Mum know?" Ethan asked seriously.
Harry nodded. "She's quite aware."
"I'd love to be the one to bring him in," Ethan said eagerly.
"That makes two of us," Harry answered. "We leave for Reading at four am on Friday morning. That's where we'll start tracking, anyway."
"Just you and me?" Ethan asked.
Harry nodded.
Ethan smiled. "It…it means a lot to me that you think I'm ready for this, Dad."
Harry grinned at him. "I always knew you'd be a great Auror."
Ethan's grin grew wider. "I had a great teacher."
"Do you remember that time when you were about five and you were determined to go with me on a mission?" Harry asked.
Ethan groaned. "Dad..."
"Come on Ethan," Harry replied. "You had that suitcase and everything--"
Ethan didn't remember the actual event as much as he remembered the endless stories his parents had told him about it.
***
At five years of age, Ethan James Potter thought his father could do anything and everything. Whenever his father returned from work, Ethan would beg him for details about his latest missions.
Harry was currently getting himself packed to leave for four nights on a trip to Leeds. Hermione was helping him and Ethan kept running in and out of the room to ask questions.
"Four nights by myself," Hermione teased her husband when they were alone. "You promise you're not going to forget about me?"
Harry scoffed. "As if I could."
Ethan ran into the room. "How long are you going to be gone again, Dad?"
"Four days, little man." Harry picked him up and swung him into the air.
Ethan laughed. "Dad!"
"Harry, don't get him too fired up," Hermione cautioned. "It's near his bedtime..."
"It's okay Mummy," Ethan told her. "I'm going to go with Dad."
"Sweetheart, you have school," Hermione reminded him gently. "You can't go with your dad."
"But I have to," Ethan insisted.
"Why's that?" Harry asked.
"Because I want to do everything you do," Ethan said simply. "And I'm going to be a good Auror."
"I bet you will be," Harry replied. "When you're older. For now little man, you have to stay home and take care of your mum."
Ethan squirmed out of his father's arms and ran out of the room.
"He'll be okay," Hermione reassured Harry.
"I wish I could take him," Harry looked at the empty doorway.
Ethan ran into his older sister's room. "Help, Jules!"
"What's the matter Ethan?" Julie asked, setting her book aside.
Ethan tugged at her arm. "Hurry!"
"Is something wrong?" Julie was growing alarmed.
Ethan pulled at her until she got to her feet and followed him into his room. The little boy flung open his closet door and pointed to the top shelf where his little suitcase was. "Get it for me!"
Confused, Julie lifted it down. "Ethan what in Merlin's name is going on?"
Ethan didn't answer her as he hurried to grab whatever he could to throw it into his suitcase. He didn't want his father to leave without him.
"Ethan!" Julie stood in front of his closet. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going with Daddy," Ethan announced, picking up a few of his toy cars and tossing them into the suitcase.
"But Dad's going on a mission," Julie shook her head. "You can't go with him, Ethan."
"Can too," Ethan said stubbornly. "I'm going to be an Auror just like him."
"Ethan--" Julie began.
"Everything okay in----what in the world?" Hermione asked peering into the room. "Ethan, what are you doing?"
"Going with Dad!" Ethan said, putting some socks into his suitcase before closing it.
Julie looked at her mother. "He came into my room and asked me to get his suitcase down. I didn't know what for..."
"Ethan James," Hermione said gently. "You can't go with Daddy. Not now, okay?"
"You're just mad because you can't go because you're a girl," Ethan said pulling his suitcase down off the bed.
"Ethan!" Hermione exclaimed.
Ethan dragged his suitcase behind him. "Daddy and I will be back soon."
Harry was coming down the corridor when he saw his son lugging his bag. "What are you doing little man?"
"I'm ready to go," Ethan announced.
"Go where?" Harry asked, bemused.
"With you to Weeds," Ethan said simply.
"Weeds?" Harry asked, barely holding in his laughter. "Oh I get it... you want to go on my mission still, don't you?"
Ethan nodded. "I'll be a good partner, Daddy. Gran said I was just like you."
"I think she's right," Harry nodded as he squatted down. "But I have a bigger mission for you, little man."
"What?" Ethan asked curiously.
"I know it may not be as exciting," Harry began. "But I need you to stay here and watch your mum and your sister for me."
Ethan shook his head. "I don't want to."
"You'll have to take orders like this if you want to be an Auror," Harry told his son.
"But--" Ethan protested.
"Little man," Harry looked down at him. "You'll be in charge while I'm gone, okay? This is a really big assignment."
"And you don't want to leave us alone, do you?" Hermione asked from behind him.
"Yeah, Ethan," Julie chimed in. "We need you here."
"You do?" Ethan looked as if he was on the verge of tears.
"Of course," Hermione said kneeling down.
"But I want to go like Daddy," Ethan said. "I want to do everything like Daddy."
Harry mussed his son's hair. "You will, Ethan James. You just have to wait a little longer. Someday, I'll take you with me. I promise."
"Promise?" Ethan asked.
"Promise," Harry said grinning at him.
***
"And you kept that promise," Ethan said, looking down at the folder on his desk. "Man, I was pretty insistent wasn't I?"
"You get that from your mother," Harry said.
"And a little from you," Ethan grinned at him.
"Maybe a little," Harry said. "Ethan, you're a great Auror. And you've worked hard. "
"Thanks Dad," Ethan said. "I still want to make you proud of me."
"You have, son," Harry said.
"I can't wait to tell Maddie," Ethan shuffled through the folder again.
Harry smiled. "Give her my best."
Ethan nodded. "I've just got to finish this filing and I'll be done for the day."
"Read up on Dolohov," Harry told him. "You need to get inside his head, Ethan."
"Right," Ethan nodded. "I'll go into the archives before I leave and see what I can dig up on him."
Harry nodded. "Good night, son."
"Bye Dad," Ethan said. "And thanks again!"
"No need to thank me," Harry said. "This is something you earned."
"Yeah but I've been waiting for this ever since I could talk," Ethan said with a grin.
Harry laughed. "Just about right."
"See you Dad," Ethan said as his father left.
A few minutes later, Justin came back in from going out to question a subject with Neville. "Hey," Justin said taking off his cloak and slinging it over his chair.
"Hey," Ethan said. "Guess what?"
Justin shrugged. "What?"
"I'm going with my dad to Reading this weekend to tag Dolohov," Ethan could barely contain his excitement.
"No way!" Justin exclaimed. "Are you serious?"
Ethan nodded. "He was just in here!"
"That's great, Ethan," Justin grinned.
"I'll be gone all weekend," Ethan told him.
"So I guess we should find someone else to take your place in the match this weekend?" Justin asked.
"Sorry mate," Ethan said sheepishly.
Justin laughed. "It's a no-brainer, really. Let's see on the one hand you have a case that could make or break your career or you could play a match with us...."
"Some other weekend, I promise." Ethan stuffed the Dolohov file into his case. "I've got to hit the archives before I go home."
"I have to finish up some paperwork for Neville," Justin grumbled.
"I'm sure you won't be here too much longer," Ethan stood up and reached for his cloak.
"Right," Justin said sarcastically. "Get out of here, Hot Shot."
"I'll see you," Ethan said as he left the office. He spent about an hour in the archives digging out as much information as he could before taking off for his house.
"Mads!" Ethan called out when he opened the door to their home.
"I'm in the kitchen!" Maddie called back.
Ethan hurried into the kitchen and saw his wife cooking dinner, with Blue looking adoringly on from his cage. "I had the best day, Maddie."
Maddie turned to him with a smile. "What happened?" she asked after giving him a kiss.
He excitedly told her about what he would doing that weekend. "Can you believe it?"
"I think that's wonderful," Maddie gave him a hug.
Ethan hugged her tightly. "Me too."
"You'll finally get to show your dad just how great you are," Maddie said proudly.
"I've been waiting for this," Ethan told her, even though she knew. "I've been working hard and now I have this chance to prove myself to him, Maddie."
Maddie kissed him again. "I'm so excited for you, Ethan. This is going to do wonders for your career."
"It's not just that," Ethan said. "Antonin Dolohov tried to kill my mum. Nikolai's trying to continue their twisted family tradition. I want to put him back behind bars, Maddie."
She nodded. "I know you'll do it."
Ethan beamed at her. "I hope so."
"What do you think, Blue?" Maddie asked. "Are you proud of Daddy?"
Ethan laughed as the pixie rattled his cage. "I'll take that as a yes."
"We can let him out for a few minutes," Maddie unlocked the door.
Blue flew out of the cage causing Ethan to grin at his exuberance. "I don't remember Dolly being this animated, Mads."
"Blue's got a personality all his own," Maddie laughed as the pixie zoomed around their heads.
"That and he gets to fly out of his cage more often than Dolly," Ethan said with a laugh. "Your dad made you keep Dolly in that cage all the time."
"I think part of that reason is because Dolly was wild when we caught her," Maddie said as Blue landed on her shoulder.
"That and she loved to cause trouble," Ethan said. He looked over at the kitchen table. An old photo album lay open and Ethan peered over it. "That's your old house in Ireland, isn't it?"
Maddie nodded. "Mum owled me and told me they finally sold it. They've been renting it these past years since we moved back."
"It's bigger than I remembered it being," Ethan commented.
"I really liked that house," Maddie said thoughtfully. "It's really the first one I remember living in."
"I think you were the only one," Ethan said remembering how the other Weasley children were not too pleased to move away from home.
***
It was summer and all the Weasley children wanted to do was have fun with their friends, but the moment the older children had returned from Hogwarts, Ron and Luna had broken the news about the move. Needless to say none of them arrived in Ireland all that happy.
Maddie tumbled out of the new fireplace with her mother and laughed. "Mummy that was fun! Can we do it again!"
Luna smiled at her youngest daughter. "Sometime soon," she agreed.
"This place looks really old," Darla commented picking up a tarp and peering under it. "And dusty!"
"I bet it's haunted," Drew said shivering as she looked around. "And it smells...."
"It does not smell," Luna told her. "It's a very nice house. And you three all get your own rooms here."
"And that smell might be your little brother," Ron said picking RJ up out of his carrier.
"Gross!" Darla exclaimed. "What did you feed him anyway, Dad? Beans?"
"No," Ron said defensively.
"I'll change him," Luna offered. "How about you show the boys where their room is."
"Wait," Josh said holding his hand up. "You just said that Darla, Drew and Maddie get their own room. Please don't tell me I have to room with the pig?"
"You ALL get your own rooms," Ron said.
"And I am not a pig," Jon poked his brother's shoulder.
"You are the messiest person on the planet," Josh shoved him. "And you're always losing things and wonder why..."
"At least I'm not--" Jon began.
"Boys!" Ron got between them. "Let me show you your new rooms. Come on."
Jon rolled his eyes at Josh before following their father upstairs. "Dad did we really have to move here?" he asked. "Wasn't there a way we could have stayed in England with everyone else?"
"We moved here because of the shop, Jonathan," Ron replied. "And it's not like I moved you lot to the ends of the earth...you can still see your friends."
"I know," Jon said glumly, thinking of one friend in particular.
"I'm going to take a few pictures later and owl them to Julie," Josh announced.
Jon smirked. "And I'm sure she'll sleep with them under her pillow every night."
Josh shoved him. "Shut up, Jon."
"I'm not the one in love with a girl that'll never see me that way," Jon replied sarcastically.
Josh reddened. "I'm not in love with Julie."
Ron stifled a laugh. "Okay, Josh ...this is yours...."
Josh pushed past his brother and into his new bedroom.
Ron clapped his son on the back. "See, you have your old desk...and your books..."
"Thanks Dad," Josh smiled at him. "It's great..."
Ron grinned. "I'm glad you like it, Josh."
"Is mine the one across the hall?" Jon asked.
Ron nodded. "We hooked up the old television in there for you so you can play those games..."
"Bloody brilliant!" Jon said, racing into the room.
Ron followed him inside. He was glad that his sons liked their rooms.
Josh followed a few minutes later with a picture frame. "Did Mum do this one for me?"
The photo was of the twins with Julie, Ethan, Frankie, Allison and Chiaki.
"I think so," Ron nodded.
Josh grinned. "This is great."
"Why didn't I get one, too?" Jon asked grabbing for the frame.
"Why would you want it?" Josh asked, snatching it away.
"They're my friends too," Jon said reaching for it again. "Come on, Josh! Let me see it!"
Josh reluctantly handed it over. "Don't smudge it up."
Jon rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to." He sat down on the bed and looked at the photo that was taken last Christmas. Josh was looking adoringly at Julie. But that wasn't what caught Jon's eye. He looked at the pretty brunette who had her arm around Frankie.
Ron pointed his wand at the photo and duplicated it. "If you both like it, you can both have one," he said.
Jon smiled. "Thanks, Dad."
"Why did you want this picture?" Josh asked when Ron left the room.
"I just did," Jon lied setting it down beside his bed. "Have you heard from Allie since we last saw her on the train?"
"No," Josh replied. "She'll probably write to me later this week."
Jon nodded and wondered if maybe he should write her. He didn't have long to ponder over this because Maddie launched herself at him. "Jon! Come see my roooooooooooooooom!"
"What's so special about your room?" he teased his baby sister.
Maddie gave him her look. "Come see, Jon! You too, Joshie!"
Jon shared a look with his twin. "How does she do that?"
Josh laughed. "I don't know. Okay, Mad Dog. Lead the way!"
Maddie eagerly took their hands in hers. "Dolly has her own little area where she can live!"
"Is this your imaginary friend?" Jon asked teasingly.
"She names everything Dolly," Josh reminded his brother.
"It's my teddy bear," Maddie told them. "But she can talk to me!"
"What does she say?" Jon asked picking her up and tickling her side.
"I can't tell," Maddie giggled. "It's a secret!"
Josh opened the door to Maddie's room and grinned. "Madeline Molly....everything's pink...."
"I love pink!" Maddie said excitedly.
"We couldn't tell," Jon said dryly. His sister's twin bed was covered with about 20 stuffed animals and dolls.
Maddie wriggled out of Jon's grasp. "Dolly lives over here," she ran to one of the shelves in the corner. "And my princess tower is my bed!"
"And you're really going to sleep in here?" Jon asked. "You've been sleeping with Mum and Dad forever, Mads."
"But this is my big girl room," Maddie told him.
"Oh," Jon grinned. "I forgot, Maddie."
When Ron had finished with Maddie, he'd gone to check on his twin daughters. While Darla seemed to be unpacking her room, Drew was staring listlessly out at the backyard.
"It's a big yard," Ron said from behind her.
"It's okay," Drew shrugged.
"We can put up some swings," Ron suggested.
"It still won't be like home," Drew complained.
"You can make it like home," Ron said putting his arm around her.
Drew felt only a little better as her father gave her a hug.
"Sweetheart, I know you miss home," Ron said softly. "But this is going to be good for the family. You'll see."
"Maybe," Drew moved away from the window and towards her boxes on the other side of the room.
Out of all of his children, Drew was the most sensitive and Ron knew the move was going to be hardest on her.
"Nana and Grandpa will stop by all the time," Ron told her. "And Grandpa Ernie, too."
"I'll just miss everyone," Drew said quietly, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I hate it here, Daddy."
Ron sat down beside her. "I know, sweetheart. But you haven't given this place a chance. We've only been here a few minutes, Drew."
Drew leaned against him. "I love it back in England."
"I know," Ron said feeling guilty yet again for uprooting his family. "You'll be starting Hogwarts in a couple of months though."
Drew smiled a bit. "I am excited about that," she admitted.
"And your mum and me are going to miss you something fierce," Ron told her.
"I'll miss you too," Drew hugged him. "I love you, Daddy."
"I love you too," Ron said hugging her tightly. "No matter where we are."
"Drew!" Maddie came running in. "Come see my room!"
Drew shook her head. "Maybe later, Maddie."
"Please," Maddie said. "I don't want you to be sad Drew..."
"Okay," Drew relented taking her father's hand. "Come on, Daddy."
"It's my most favourite room ever," Maddie chattered away.
Darla joined them in the corridor. "It's the only room you've ever had other than the nursery you shared with RJ, Maddie."
"But it's still my most favourite!" Maddie insisted. "It's pink and it's got new toys!"
Drew followed her sister into the room and she could see why Maddie was so enamoured of it. But, this wasn't their real home. And she'd gladly go back to sharing a room with Darla if it meant that they could go home. "It's nice, Maddie."
"It's better than nice," Maddie jumped onto her bed. "It's the bestest room and house ever!"
Luna laughed as she joined her family. "I'm so glad you love it, Maddie. We had a feeling you would."
Maddie bounced off the bed and ran to her mother. "Can we get a pet?"
"We already have a pig," Josh mused earning a shove from Jon.
"That's not nice Josh," Maddie said.
"I was only joking," Josh said hastily.
"What sort of pet do you want, love?" Luna asked.
Drew rolled her eyes and whispered to Darla. "She'd ask for the zoo and they'd probably give it to her."
Darla giggled while Maddie thought for a moment. "I want a pixie!"
"A pixie?" Luna asked.
"A Cornish pixie," Maddie nodded. "Tomorrow?"
"We'll think about it," Luna said brushing a strand of hair behind Maddie's ear.
"Please?" Maddie gave her mother her special look.
"We'll think about it," Luna said firmly.
"Hey Maddie," Jon said with a grin. "Ask Mum and Dad if they'll buy you a new racing broom that I can use."
"It only works for things she wants," Drew said angrily. "I bet if she'd wanted to stay, we would have!"
"Drew," Luna said softly.
"Just leave me alone," Drew said before running out of the room.
"Why don't you all keep unpacking before bed," Ron said, looking over at his wife. "We need to talk to Drew."
"Daddy can I help?" Maddie asked. "I make everybody happy."
Ron smiled. "I think its best if you just let us handle it, sweetheart."
"Okay," Maddie was subdued. "I don't like when Drew's sad."
Ron gave her a hug. "Me either."
"Why don't you go unpack your books and put them on the shelf?" Luna suggested.
Maddie nodded. "Okay, Mummy."
Ron and Luna left Maddie and went to their oldest daughter's room. "Drew?" Luna knocked softly on the door. "Let us in, sweetheart."
Drew opened the door, but avoided looking at her parents.
"Sweetheart your father and I don't want you to be unhappy," Luna began. "We love you so much."
"I just want to go home," Drew said wiping at her eyes. "That's all."
"You are home," Ron sat down on the bed and pulled her into his lap. "Like it or not, this is our home now."
"This is a wonderful opportunity for your father, Drew," Luna said gently. "And with such a large family, we need this. I know you don't understand..."
Drew sniffled back her tears. "I just miss our house in England. It's where I always lived."
"Home isn't just where you live," Luna said softly. "It's your family and we're all right here."
Drew nodded and wiped her eyes. "I'll try to like it here..."
A knock on the door made all three of them look up. "Drew," Maddie said. "I have a present for you."
Drew looked over at her. "What?"
Maddie held out one of her favourite stuffed animals, a large pink pig. "You can have Dolly."
Drew shook her head. "I can't take that, Maddie. That's yours."
"But I want you to have it," Maddie said. "It'll make you feel better."
Drew took it from her sister. "Thanks, Maddie. That's really sweet of you."
Maddie hugged her. "I don't like you to be sad."
Drew smiled as she hugged her sister back.
***
"You never let anyone be upset for long, did you?" Ethan asked his wife. "And you really did name everything Dolly."
Maddie laughed. "Well, I always did like that name and I never have liked seeing anyone I love upset or sad. You know that."
"I know that," Ethan reached for her hand.
"And I am so happy for you right now," Maddie said giving him a hug.
"The only bad thing about this assignment is I'll have to be away from you," Ethan wrapped his arms around her.
"Just promise me that you'll be careful," Maddie said softly.
"I'll be extra careful," Ethan said.
Maddie kissed him. "You'd better be. I don't want anything to happen to you, Ethan."
"I'm not about to let anything happen," Ethan pressed his lips to hers. "Not when everything in my life is this perfect."
"It really is, isn't it?" Maddie asked dreamily.
"I got the perfect girl," Ethan kissed the side of her neck. "Perfect house..."
"Perfect pixie," Maddie grinned as Blue buzzed happily around them.
Ethan laughed "Perfect pixie," he agreed.
"I wonder what Blue and I will do when you're gone," Maddie said thoughtfully.
"Eat fish and chips?" Ethan joked.
"There's an idea," Maddie said. "But you know, he has developed quite the taste for pizza lately."
"Pizza?" Ethan asked. "Why didn't you say something- I'd have stopped off at Antonio's on my way home."
"Because I'm cooking," Maddie told him. "And I hope that you are hungry."
"I'm hungry for quite a few things I won't get this weekend," Ethan commented.
Maddie grinned. "Hmmm... well, after dinner, we'll see if we can do something to tide you over."
"That's always a good dessert," Ethan said, his eyes dark.
"It's my most favourite," Maddie said. "It's even above chocolate chip muffins."
"I rank above chocolate chip muffins?" Ethan acted surprised.
"Absolutely," Maddie said walking back over to the stove. "Above chocolate chip muffins, crisps, and spaghetti."
Ethan shook his head. "I don't know what to say," he teased.
"You should be very honoured," Maddie said.
"I am," Ethan put his arms around her waist.
"I love you," Maddie said turning her head to give him a kiss.
"I love you too," Ethan said. "I'm such a lucky bloke to have you."
Maddie smiled at him. "I'm the lucky one."
"You're the one who's lucky to eat off my plate," Ethan teased.
"Ah," Maddie grinned. "One of the many perks of being Mrs. Ethan Potter."