=== November 1, 1997 ===
In spite of the late night Harry and Hermione were up early and got everyone ready for breakfast. They shuffle everyone down to the Great Hall and soon everyone is eating. Colin comes over to them. "Hey, Harry, can I talk to you?"
"Sure, sit down." Harry says.
"I meant at least somewhat privately."
Harry looks at Hermione who just shrugs. Harry gets up and walks with Colin. They leave the Great Hall and find an unused room where Harry casts a privacy charm. "Is everything okay?"
"Sorry, you know how hard it is to keep a secret around here." Colin says.
Harry nods. "Of course."
Colin clears his throat. "Harry, I'd like to ask Ginny to marry me, I was hoping for your blessing."
Harry stands there stunned for a second. 'Harry!' Hermione shouts in his head. 'Answer him!'
"Harry?" Colin asks.
"Sorry, I'm just shocked you're asking me instead of Arthur." Harry replies.
Colin looks embarrassed as he rubs his neck. "I can't exactly go see him or Xenophilius during the school year."
"So wait until the end of the year, after you ask their fathers." Harry says.
"I was hoping to ask during winter break, when we're in Paris." Colin says.
"On top of the Eiffel Tower?" Harry asks, and Colin nods. "That sounds romantic."
'Help him do this properly.' Hermione says in his head.
'I was thinking the same thing.' Harry replies."Come on, Colin. Let's go see about getting this done right." He drops the privacy charm and walks towards the Headmistress's office. The stairway is open and they head up.
McGonagall is sitting at her desk when Harry and Colin walk in. "Mister Potter, Mister Creavey, how can I help you?" McGonagall asks.
Harry pulls out his wand and casts a more powerful privacy charm, stopping the painting from seeing them. "Good morning, Headmistress. Mister Creavey here needs our assistance."
"Is that so?" McGonagall smirks.
"Y…yes, Head…Headmistress." Colin says nervously as he looks at Harry who just nods. "I, um, was hoping to be able to go see Arthur Weasley and Xenophelius Lovegood."
"What for?" McGonagal asks.
"I.. I want to ask them for their blessings." Colin answers.
McGonagal nods and looks over to Harry. "Will you be accompanying him?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Harry says.
"Very well," McGonagall says as she writes out a slip and hands it to them. "Be back by supper."
Colin takes the paper. "Yes, Ma'am."
Harry takes Collin and they apparate away.
#####
They appear at the Burrow. "It's Saturday." Harry says. "So they should both be home. I'll distract Molly while you go ask Arthur."
"Thank you for this." Colin says.
Harry nods. "No problem." They walk into the house, Molly is as always in the kitchen and Harry goes to her. "Hey there, Molly."
"Harry!" Molly exclaims as she goes over to him and hugs him. "What are you doing here during the school year?"
"Lavender was a little worried about you since they took the girls with them." Harry lies.
"Oh, that's so sweet." Molly says.
'I'll make sure Lavender knows.' Hermione says.
'Thanks.' Harry replies mentally before saying aloud. "Yeah, you know Lavender."
Whilst they talk Colin slips through and finds Arthur in his office. "Morning, Mister Weasley." Colin says.
"Colin, what are you doing here?" Arthur asks.
"I wanted to ask you something." Colin answers.
"You have my attention.*
"I've been dating Ginny for some time now, and I'd like to ask her to marry me. I was hoping to get your blessing." Colin says.
"What kind of blessing?" Arthur asks.
"He's asking if you approve of him marrying his daughter." Xenophelius says as he walks into the room.
Colin can't hide his surprise when see Xenophilius. "How do you know so much about it?" Colin asks.
"When my daughter started dating a muggleborn I figured I'd better do some research." Xenophilius answers.
Colin nods. "That makes sense."
"Can I assume you were going to come see me next?" Xenophilius asks.
"Yes, sir." Colin answers. "I am hoping to marry both Ginny and Luna."
"Not that you need it, but you have my blessing to ask Luna." Xenophilius says.
"That's all?" Arthur asks. "No spell or anything?"
"It's a muggle custom, so no spell or incantation." Xenophilius answers.
"I'm not going to stand in the way of Ginny's happiness."Arthur says. "So you have my blessing as well."
"Thank you both." Colin says, then he looks into the kitchen and sees Harry is still talking to Molly. "Hey, could I ask another favor?" He points to the kitchen.
"You slip on out, and we'll distract Molly." Arthur says.
"Sounds good." Colin slips out.
"So, Xeno, what brought you here this morning anyway?" Arthur asks.
"Missus Potter sent me a patronus asking me to come see you." Xenophilius answers. "Now I know why."
Arthur nods. "Distraction time." He clears his throat and speaks loudly. "Molly! Look who's here!"
"I better see who this is." Molly says to Harry.
"I need to be going anywhere." Harry says.
Molly nods and walks into the other room. "Xenophilius! What a surprise!"
Meanwhile Harry slips out and finds Colin. "Everything go okay?" Harry asks.
Colin nods. "Mister Lovegood showed up so it went perfectly."
Harry nods. "Good timing on his part." Then mentally. 'Good job.'
'You too.'
=== December 7, 1997 ===
McGonagall is sitting in her office going over paperwork when Shannon walks in. When it's obvious McGonagall hasn't noticed her she speaks up. "Excuse me, Headmistress."
McGonagal looks up and chuckles. "Shannon, is everything okay?" She asks, concerned.
"I was wondering what the rules are about a student going somewhere other than their home for winter break." Shannon asks.
"Is this regarding Miss Delacour?" McGonagall asks.
Shannon nods. "She just got a letter from her sister saying that they are not going to be home for break." McGonagall nods. "As you recall Rose and Iris begged me to join them this year."
"Aye," McGonagall says. "I remember, they slipped out of Daycare and asked me to allow you to."
Shannon smiles. "That sounds like them."
"Make sure that the Potters are alright with her being there. Then write to her sister and ask if she's okay with it." McGonagal says. "If everyone is fine with it then I see no reason to step in."
"Thanks, Mum." Shannon says as she runs off.
#####
Shannon hurries to the common room, upon entering it Rose and Iris immediately come up to her. "Is everything okay?" Iris asks.
"We were worried when we didn't see you with your friends." Rose says.
Shannon looks over and sees Gabrielle, Eliza and Lotte playing a card game of some sort before looking back at Rose and Iris. "I needed to ask Mum something. Now, I need to talk to you and your parents."
They nod and pull her over to where Harry and Hermione are watching the triplets crawl around and play on the floor. "Hey, Shannon, everything okay?" Harry asks.
"I just found out this morning that Gabrielle isn't going home for winter break." Shannon answers. "So, I was wondering if I could invite her to come along?"
"That's up to Rose and Iris." Hermione answers.
"Us?" Iris asks.
"Yes," Hermione replies. "If Gabrielle comes, some of Shannon's attention is going to be turned to her friend."
Both girls nod. "We didn't ask Shannon to join us because we wanted her attention." Iris says.
"To us she's family." Rose says. "So, if she wants to bring Gabrielle, let her." Iris nods in agreement.
Shannon smiles. "Thanks, both of you." She hugs Rose and Iris.
They both hug back. "Now go be with your friends." Iris says.
Shannon chuckles then walks over to her friends. "Hey, what are you playing?"
"We're teaching Gabrielle how to play poker." Lotte answers.
"We can teach you too, if you'd like." Eliza offers.
"Sure." Shannon says as she sits down to play.
#####
At lunchtime Eliza and Lotte clean up and rush to the hall. "Come on," Gabrielle says. "We'd better catch up to them."
"Before we do, I wanted to ask you something " Shannon says.
"What's that?" Gabrielle asks.
"Would you like to spend winter break with me at the Potters?" Shannon asks.
"Of course!"
"We just need to write your sister and make sure she's okay with it." Shannon says.
"I'll write her after lunch."
=== December 20, 1997 ===
Harry and Hermione file into their usual car, followed by Shannon, Gabrielle, Lotte and Eliza. Hermione expands the car with barely a thought.
"Wow!" Gabrielle says. "I've never seen wandless magic like that before!" She looks at Hermione amazed. "Will I be able to do that in my seventh year?"
"If you work hard nothing is impossible." Hermione answers as she turns to the four first years. "But I'll let you all in on secret, I have an advantage." She allows the diadem that's sitting on her head to appear.
"I've seen that in Hogwarts a History!" Eliza says.
"That's correct, Rowena Ravenclaw is wearing it in the picture of her." Hermione says as she allows the diadem to vanish.
"Why do you hide it?" Lotte asks.
"Some people wouldn't be happy with me wearing an artifact like this, even if I am her descendant." Hermione answers.
"I mean, they're not wrong." Lotte says. "It gives you a very obvious advantage."
"The professors all know about it." Hermione says. "I taught them the spell to detect it so I can't hide it from them."
"That sounds fair." Eliza says.
They all take seats. A short time later Ginny and Luna join them and the train starts them on their way. Harry speaks up. "So, are you two excited to be going to Paris?"
"I'm a little nervous to be honest." Ginny answers.
"Why?" Shannon asks.
"We're taking muggle transportation there." Ginny says.
"There's nothing to be worried about." Hermione says. "Airplanes are perfectly safe."
"Then why haven't you used one?" Ginny asks.
"We've never gone anywhere where a plane was necessary, but Amanda's parents have flown from America." Hermione says.
"True." Ginny says, obviously not convinced.
"We've flown a couple times." Eliza says.
"Really?" Ginny asks.
"Yeah, after our parents split our dad tried to bribe us into choosing to stay with him." Lotte explains, "so he flew us a couple places with his new girlfriend." She says the last word with a vehemence that expresses the less that's said the better.
"Her point is that they're perfectly safe." Eliza says.
"Though, if it makes you feel better, did you get the package from Gringotts?" Harry asks.
Ginny looks confused but pulls a package out of her robes. "Identification card, passport, muggle money, and I don't know what the bracelet is for."
"It's a phrase activated emergency portkey." Harry says.
"What's the phrase?" Ginny asks.
Hermione grins slightly. "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!"
Ginny blinks a few times as Rose,Iris, Lotte and Eliza all snicker. "Excuse me?"
"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." Hermione says again.
"This is a joke right?" Ginny asks.
"We wanted a word you would not accidentally say." Harry says.
"So you picked…" Ginny says, trailing off as she can't remember the word.
"Super-" Iris starts.
"-cali-" Rose continues.
"-fragi-"
"-listic-"
"-expi-"
"-ali-"
"-docious!" They finish the word together then giggle causing Eliza and Lotte to bust out in laughter.
"How..how do you two know that word?" Ginny asks, incredulously.
"You can thank my father for that." Hermione explains. "He thought that we would get a kick out of seeing a movie about a magical nanny."
"I thought we weren't supposed to be using magic in front of muggles." Gabrielle says.
"They didn't use any real magic." Hermione says. "They use technology to make it look like magic is being done."
Gabrielle nods. "Really?"
"You read Hermione's book didn't you?" Shannon asks.
Gabrielle reaches into her bag and pulls out a copy of A Magical's Guide to the Muggle World. "This one?"
"Yes," Shannon says as she takes the books and opens it. "Here, this will help."
"Did you really write that?" Eliza asks.
Hermione nods. "It's just now being released for sale. That's one of the copies they sent me."
"Cool." Eliza says.
"Can we get back to the bracelet?" Ginny asks.
"Sorry." Eliza says.
"So if I say the word now it activates?" Ginny asks.
"No, the bracelet has to be touching your skin." Harry says.
Ginny carefully places the bracelet back in the package. "Okay, I'd better get this word right. So, one more time, please."
"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!" Luna answers, for them.
"Beat me to it!" Lotte says laughing
Ginny sighs. "Show offs."
#####
The train comes to a stop. "Well," Ginny says. "We're going to say hi to your parents and then we're off."
"You two take care." Harry says as he hugs them both.
"Don't do anything we wouldn't do." Hermione says as she takes her turn hugging them both.
"We won't." Luna says then she and Ginny run off.
"We'd better go." Eliza says.
"See you all on the return trip!" Lotte says as they quickly follow Ginny and Luna..
Harry chuckles. "Come on kids!"
"Yes Dad!' Rose and Iris say as they head out of the train car.
"Yes Father." Shannon says as she grabs one of the triplets.
Gabrielle looks at Shannon then at Harry. "You can say it if you want." Harry says.
"Okay…Dad." Gabrielle says as she grabs another one of the triplets then follows Shannon.
"Looks like our family is growing, huh Daddy?" Hermione teases.
Harry kisses Hermione passionately. "You can call me that later." He says, then grabs the last of the triplets and leaves the car.
Hermione chuckles slightly and returns the car to normal before following them. By the time they make it out there Gabrielle is standing with her parents.
"I see you picked up another child." Richard teases.
"This one is extra special." Hermione says as she puts her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. "She's the one I told you about."
"What did you tell them about me?" Gabrielle asks.
"Just your involvement in the tournament." Hermione answers.
"She told us you were very brave, volunteering to be held hostage for the tournament." Helen says.
#####
Once at home Shannon gives Gabrielle the tour while the Potters settle in. Harry and Hermione are just finishing getting the triplets ready for bed when Shannon and Gabrielle come in. "Nice place you have here." Gabrielle says.
"I'm glad you like it." Hermione says. "Have you picked out a bedroom for yourself?"
"I was hoping I could share with Shannon." Gabrielle answers, blushing slightly. "If that's okay with her."
"I don't mind." Shannon says.
"That's not a problem at all." Hermione says. "A little magic and everything will be ready." She heads to the room, Shannon and Gabrielle following her. "So bunk beds or completely separate beds?"
"Bunk beds sound good." Shannon answers.
Hermione nods as she enters the room and quickly modifies the bed, then adds additional furniture for Gabrielle. "Anything else?" She asks and they both shake their heads. "Good night then."
"Good night!" They both say and Hermione leaves.
Shannon looks at Gabrielle. "You're the visitor, pick your bed."
Gabrielle nods and climbs up into the top bunk. "I'll take this one."
Shannon chuckles as she gets into the bottom bed. "Good night."
"Good night."