Here's our first post HP chapter- don't worry, we'll still be around for awhile, bringing you the REAL Potter and Weasley children ;) If you love Emma, which so many of you do, you'll love this chapter! Please review!
It was Christmas morning and everyone had just arrived at the Burrow to spend the day together. Jon, Allie and the girls had spent the night there and were leaving in the afternoon for dinner with Neville and Cho.
"Em tried to be really good this year," Emma said to Ethan. "So Santa brings Em lots of presents!"
Ethan picked her up and sat her on his lap. "He must have thought you were really good this year."
"Hope so," Emma eyed the mountain of gifts under the tree in the corner of the room.
"Nana, come on!" RJ called out. "We're all ready to open presents!"
"Just a minute dear," Molly replied. She was getting hot chocolate for everyone and had to levitate three trays behind her.
"Where's your better half, Junior?" Josh asked.
"Spending the day with her family," RJ said referring to Audrey. "I'm going over there for dinner."
Josh shared a look with Jon. "Ooooooooooh..." they cooed in unison.
Darla hit Josh on the shoulder. "Stop teasing him!"
"Ow," Josh said. "You hit hard."
"I grew up with you two," Darla said. "A girl has to defend herself."
"You make it sound like we tortured you on a regular basis, Mrs. Feinbach," Jon said sarcastically.
"No, that's what you two do to me," RJ grumbled.
"It's a rite of passage," Jon picked up Adam from where he was tearing across the room.
"Da!" Adam exclaimed. "Hmmmmph!" He pointed at a big box beside the tree.
"What's that little guy?" Jon asked. "I think that one's for you!"
Adam's eyes grew large.
"Em wants to open presents!" Emma started bouncing on Ethan's lap. "Now, now, now!"
Casey giggled and began imitating her cousin. "Now, now, now!" she sang.
Molly came into the sitting room and set the trays of hot chocolate down on the coffee table. "Okay, begin."
"Em first!" Emma screamed.
"Emma Madeline," Allison cautioned. "Remember, we start with the youngest first. But I'm sure Adam would love it if you helped him."
"Okay," Emma slid off Ethan's lap.
Molly had put each child's presents in separate piles. Jon set Adam down in front of his pile.
"Adam, which one do you want to open first, buddy?" Jon asked.
"Da!" Adam pointed to the big present.
Emma grinned. "It's almost as big as you, Adam!"
"Em!" Adam pointed to the gift.
Emma tore off the paper with a little help from Adam. Jon helped her open the box and Adam squealed when he saw it was a big, stuffed dragon.
"Ooooh," Emma's eyes widened. "A dragon for the princesses!"
"Dag!" Adam pointed. "Dag!"
"That's right Adam," Jon set the dragon in front of his son. "Em... I'm sure Adam wouldn't mind you playing with it, but remember it's his, okay?"
"Does he breathe fire?" Emma asked innocently.
"It's just a stuffed dragon, baby." Jon chuckled.
"We can pretend," Emma said grabbing another box for Adam. She helped him tear into it. Inside was a small green jumper with an "A" on it for Adam.
"That's so cute, Molly!" Allison exclaimed. "I was wondering when he was going to get one."
Molly beamed. "I hope it fits him!"
"You've never gotten it wrong," Arthur said putting his arm around his wife.
"Another one for Adam!" Emma announced, putting another box in front of him.
"From Santa," Caroline said to her brother.
Adam grinned up at her and grasped the paper with his hands.
Adam opened the box and looked over at Emma.
"Cars!" Emma told him. "Like you had on your list!"
"Car," Adam said thoughtfully.
Emma helped Adam with the rest of his presents, which were mostly toys. Afterwards, he seemed more interested in balling up the discarded wrapping paper.
Chloe went next and Drew sat in the middle of the floor with her. "Which one do you want first, sweetheart?"
Chloe looked at her mother, then back at the gifts.
"How about this one?" Ron asked handing her a package. "This is from Grandma and Grandpa."
Chloe looked at it, her eyes wide.
"I think my baby girl needs a little help," Drew said with a grin.
Caroline knelt down in front of them. "I'll help her, Aunt Drew."
"Thank you Caroline," Drew smiled at her niece.
Caroline carefully opened the gift and smiled when she pulled out a teddy bear. "Look, Chloe. You have a bear!"
"Ooooh," Chloe reached out for it and hugged it to her.
"Grandpa, you've given each of us our first bears," Caroline said smiling at him. "You and Grandma."
Ron smiled at her. "It's tradition, Angel."
Chloe clutched her bear to her while Caroline opened another present for her.
"Blocks!" Caroline exclaimed. "You'll have so much fun with these, Chloe."
"Those were from Santa," Drew whispered in Chloe's ear while Brian took a picture of the two of them.
"Mmmmm..." Chloe said, looking up at her mother.
Caroline helped her cousin open up a few more packages of toys and clothes.
The triplets were next and the three of them didn't need any help opening their presents.
"Look!" Casey screamed as she tore through her presents. "EM!"
Emma looked at her cousin. "Ooooh! What did you get, Case?"
Casey held up a pink dress. "Princess!"
"Ooooooooooh!" Emma squealed. "Sissy! We have a new princess!"
"We'll have to have a ceremony," Caroline said. "So she can be official."
Casey beamed at them.
"Which one will she be?" Lizzy asked.
Caroline looked thoughtfully at her aunt. "Well, I'm Jasmine. Em's Ariel. Hannah's Belle. She could be Sleeping Beauty or Snow White."
"Beauty," Casey replied.
"She does like to sleep," Josh grinned.
"Sleeping Beauty it is," Caroline smiled at her cousin. "At our next meeting, you'll officially be a princess."
"Daddy!" Casey looked at her father. "I'm a princess!"
"You sure are," Josh said tugging at one of her curls.
Casey showed him the dress. "Wear now?"
"Open the rest of your presents first, baby," Josh said.
"Kay," Casey set the dress aside and attacked the rest of her gifts.
"TRUCK!" Noah shouted happily.
"Me too!" Aidan said holding his truck up for everyone to see.
Molly squeezed Arthur's hand as she waited for the triplets to open the jumpers she'd made for them.
Casey's was red, Noah's was green and Aidan's was blue.
"Ooooh!" Casey squealed. "Pretty like dress!" she held her jumper up.
Molly grinned. "Oh! I'm so glad you liked it, love!"
Casey toddled over to her great grandmother and hugged her.
"Boys, why don't you hug Nana too?" Josh whispered to Noah and Aidan.
The two boys dutifully got up and threw themselves in Molly's embrace.
Molly hugged them all tightly. "I love you three soooooo much!"
"Love Nana too," Noah told her.
Emma looked up at her mother. "Now for Em?"
Allison laughed. "Go for it, baby."
Emma dove toward her presents. "Stand back."
"No one get in Em's way," Maddie joked.
Ethan grinned. "I did and I don't mind telling you that I don't remember what happened after that."
Maddie laughed and leaned against her husband. They had resolved to put the troubles of trying to have a child aside for the day and just enjoy being with their families.
"Sissy, watch!" Emma told Caroline.
"I'm watching, Em." Caroline promised.
Emma tore into her first package and what she found inside left her speechless.
"A wireless!" she held the small radio up. "Em's wireless!"
"That was on the top of your list, Em," Caroline said smiling at her.
Emma could hardly form the words thank you to her parents, she was so enthralled.
Emma reluctantly set the present aside and opened another package. Molly had knitted her a purple blanket.
"Thanks, Nana!" Emma said grinning at her.
"I hope you like it sweetheart," Molly smiled at her.
"It's the prettiest blanket ever," Emma said softly.
"I made one just like it for Hannah," Molly told her. "So you'll match."
Emma grinned. "Thanks, Nana."
"This one is from us," Luna said handing her a gift.
"Ooooh," Emma opened it in a hurry.
Emma looked quizzically at the box.
"It's an Easy Bake Oven," Luna told her. "You can make your own food, sweetheart."
"Em makes her own food?" Emma asked, her whole face lighting up.
"You can make your own biscuits," Luna said. "And your own brownies and cupcakes."
"Right now," Emma pulled at the tape on the box. "Em will make a cake."
"Em, maybe you should wait---" Allison started to say.
"Noooo!" Emma screwed up her face.
"I can help her," Maddie offered. "While everyone else opens their presents."
"Are you sure?" Allison asked.
"Absolutely," Maddie replied. "If Em will let me..."
"Yes," Emma nodded. "Mad can help."
Maddie smiled and together she and Emma dragged the box over to an empty corner of the room. Maddie pulled out the instructions and the mixes that came with the oven. "Okay, we can either make brownies, chocolate chip biscuits or cupcakes."
"Cupcakes," Emma decided.
"Excellent choice, Chef Emma," Maddie said in a dramatic voice.
"And Em and Mad can eat when we're done," Emma said happily.
"That's the best part," Maddie said giving her niece a hug.
It didn't take them long to mix up the little pan and soon three small cupcakes were baking in the oven, which Maddie had powered using her wand.
"I had one of these when I was little," Maddie told her.
"Did Mad make dessert all the time?" Emma asked, peering in the little door.
"I did," Maddie said remembering. "I didn't do too well my first few tries, but I eventually got the hang of it."
"Mad is good at everything," Emma said faithfully, watching as Caroline started opening her gifts.
Maddie smiled at her. "Thank you, Emma."
Caroline gushed over a music box from her grandparents that played the same tune she'd danced to in the recital. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome love," Luna smiled at her. "We were so proud of you up there."
She also received a new pair of ballet slippers and a couple of new leotards. Molly had even knitted her a new jumper since she'd outgrown her last one.
"Thank you so much," Caroline hugged her great grandmother. She knew it must have taken Molly a long time to knit everything.
"And now I think it's time for the Mad Knitter to get her present," Nick said.
Molly waved her hand. "Having you all here is present enough for me."
Nick handed her an envelope. "I'm not taking no for an answer, Nana. This is for you and Grandpa."
Molly took it curiously and opened it with Arthur peering over her shoulder.
"Nicholas," Molly gasped looking at the portkey ticket. "We can't---"
"Australia," Arthur said grinning at his grandson. "Nicholas, I don't know what to say."
"Just say thanks, we'll have a great time." Nick replied with a smile.
"It's a great tour," Julie said when Molly seemed still not able to speak. "You have two weeks with the group. It's really romantic."
"Thank you both," Arthur said gratefully.
"We're happy to do it," Nick said giving his grandfather a hug. "I missed out on a lot of Christmases with you and Nana."
Molly gave Nick so tight a hug he nearly felt his ribs crack. "You're good to us, Nicholas. And I'm so happy you're here."
"Thanks," Nick wheezed. "Me---me too."
Arthur laughed at the look on his grandson's face. "Let him go, Molly. The boy can't breathe."
Molly dabbed at her eyes as she sat back down.
"Who's next?" Julie asked.
"RJ," Josh replied.
"All right," RJ moved himself onto the floor.
"I help!" Noah told him.
"Come here then," RJ grinned as his nephew plopped down on his lap.
"Big one first," Noah said, reaching for the large gift.
"Size does matter," RJ quipped earning groans from his sisters.
"Don't you dare teach him that," Maddie swatted his shoulder.
"It's a joke," RJ said rubbing at his arm.
"Open!" Noah said impatiently.
"Okay, okay," RJ said tearing off the paper with Noah's help.
RJ grinned when he saw the new jumper that Nana had knitted for him. "This is great!"
"I worry about you getting cold during your practises," Molly said. "I want you stay warm."
"This will definitely help," RJ said appreciatively.
The next gift he opened was smaller and was from Ron and Luna. RJ grinned when he saw the silver watch.
"Just what he needs," Drew said dryly. "Maybe he'll be on time now."
"I'm always on time," RJ retorted as he put the watch on.
"Do you like it, RJ?" Luna asked.
"It's fantastic," RJ nodded. "Thanks Mum. Thanks Dad."
"You're very welcome," Luna said giving him a hug.
"Gamma, move!" Noah said frowning at her. "In way!"
"Noah," Josh chastised. "You don't' speak to your grandmother that way."
"Sorry, Gamma," Noah said before tearing into another of RJ's presents.
RJ grinned and sat back. "Glad he's having so much fun."
Noah opened a box to reveal a couple of jumpers from Drew and Darla. Since this wasn't a toy, he'd tossed them over his shoulder dismissively.
RJ laughed as he leaned over and retrieved them. "It's a good thing these aren't for him."
"The important thing is that you like them," Drew said mussing her brother's hair. "And do you?"
"Of course I do," he assured them.
"This one is from me," Maddie said handing him a package.
RJ unwrapped the heavy package to see a new camera. "Hey!" he said in surprise. "How did you know I wanted this?"
"You kept hinting at it the other week when you were over at the cottage," Maddie said smiling at him. "And Grandpa Ernie said this was the best camera on the market right now."
"Thank you," RJ said gratefully. "I'll put it to good use."
"No one's opened a single thing we've given them," Fred pouted from the sofa.
"For good reason," Ron retorted.
Casey toddled over to Fred. "Gif?"
"Would you like an extra present?" Fred lifted her onto his lap. "In that case--"
"Fred Weasley," Lizzy said crossing the room in two quick strides. "You are not going to try out any trick or prank on my children."
"Oh come on Liz," Fred pleaded. "It's a simple one- just makes them sprout feathers for a day or so..."
"Em wants feathers!" Emma squealed forgetting about her cupcakes. "Mummy, can Em have feathers?"
"No you may not," Allison said.
Emma pouted. "No fair!"
"You wouldn't like it after an hour," Allison said firmly. "No feathers."
Fred looked at Ron who vehemently shook his head. "No, Fred. And I told you those things didn't test well."
"Guess we still have a little work to do," Fred grumbled.
"Hmmm?" George asked finally focusing his attention on what was going on.
Drew noticed that her usually outspoken uncle was awfully quiet today. "Uncle George?"
George looked over at his niece. "Yes?"
"Are you okay?" Drew asked. "You're never this quiet."
"Yeah, what happened?" Charlie asked. "You can't be this upset that no one in the family wants to try out one of your jokes, mate."
George looked over at Fred who studiously glared in the other direction. "Nothing..."
Drew and Darla exchanged a look. "Okay....what's going on?"
"Ask him," the twin boys said in unison.
Charlie rolled his eyes "George?"
"Apparently, I'm not allowed to date anyone who went out on a date with him over 50 years ago!" George said glaring at his brother.
"Who are you talking about?" Charlie asked.
"One date?" Fred retorted ignoring Charlie. "She and I were together for nearly a year."
"You went to the Yule Ball," George pointed out. "And then you even told me you weren't serious about her!"
"Who are you talking about?" Darla asked in exasperation.
"Angelina Johnson," both Fred and George said in unison.
"Angelina Johnson-Murphy," Ron corrected. "She's married to that bloke that invented those brooms that fly backwards...."
"Was married," George told him. "She's been divorced for over two months now."
"And my dear brother decides it's okay to ask her out when he sees her the other day," Fred said darkly.
"Well, what's wrong with that?" George asked. "I mean she's single and I'm single. And we always did get along. It's not as if you've been pining over her for 50 years, Fred."
"Like you would know," Fred muttered.
"You're just mad that you weren't in the shop when she came in," George said angrily.
Molly reached for an old photo album and pulled out a picture of Fred and Angelina from the Yule Ball all those years ago.
"Ooh, let me see, Nana!" Caroline exclaimed.
Molly showed it to her. "What do you think, darling?"
"She's really pretty," Caroline said. "I love her dress robes!"
"She's still that pretty," George said, also looking at the picture.
"So when she came in the shop the other day," Drew guessed. "You and Angelina really hit it off?"
"You could say that," George replied. "Until Fred here walked in."
"What did you do?" Ron asked looking at Fred.
"Nothing," Fred turned a deep shade of red.
"Set about making me look like an idiot is what he did," George said.
"Didn't take much," Fred retorted.
"Angelina was really nice about it though," George recalled fondly. "And I asked her if she'd like to grab a bite sometime and she said yes."
"Because you put her in a bad position," Fred said picking up a piece of discarded wrapping paper.
"I did not," George denied. "I even asked if she wanted to only go as a casual thing... but she said no, she hadn't been on a date in awhile and it sounded nice."
"I think that sounds lovely," Molly said. "You two boys are the only ones unmarried now and I was always hoping that some girl would finally come along..."
"George is NOT marrying her," Fred told his mother.
"Well, of course not," Molly said shaking her head. "He's just going out on a date, but it sounds like they both like each other. No harm in seeing where it goes."
Fred said nothing, merely glared off into space.
"Fred," Molly put her hand on his arm. "You and George are best friends and brothers and business partners. I'd hate to see that fall apart over a woman."
"It would have been fine if it wasn't Angelina," Fred answered.
"Be honest," George asked him. "You hadn't given her any thought until you walked in and saw her talking to me. You know, I'm right."
Fred only shrugged in response.
"I'm going to go out with her Fred," George said quietly. "And I hope you can support that."
Fred got up and went into the kitchen without a word.
George sighed. "Well I tried..."
"He'll come around," Drew tried to reassure her uncle.
George shrugged. "I don't care. Angelina wasn't ever really his girlfriend."
"He still has feelings for her though," Julie commented.
"50 years later?" George scoffed.
"Good point," Julie said quietly.
"He needs to get over it," George stood up.
"How about we all get over it over some breakfast?" Molly asked.
"I like the way you think," Ron shot to his feet.
"Grandpa," Emma called. "Em has a cupcake for you!"
Ron smiled and looked down at the little redhead who was holding a cupcake. "Did you make this with your new oven?"
Emma nodded. "It's good!"
"I would love to try one," Ron said taking it from her. He took a bite.
"Good?" Emma asked hopefully.
"That," Ron said kneeling down. "Was the best cupcake I've ever tasted."
"Really?" Emma beamed at him.
"Absolutely," Ron said picking her up. "And you are the cutest baker in the whole wide world."
Emma giggled and kissed him on the cheek. "Em will make biscuits later."
"Happy Christmas, Baby Girl," Ron said hugging her.
"Love you Grandpa," Emma wound her little arms around his neck.