𝕋𝕠 ℍ𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕠 ℍ𝕠𝕝𝕕 [ʙᴏᴏᴋ 3]

࿔ Danica ࿔

Christmas 1979

Danica wakes up to the sound of giggling coming from the nursery. She can hear Regulus in there, talking quietly to the twins.

Danica stretches and sits up, smiling. She pulls on her robe and walks across the landing into the nursery. She rubs the sleep out of her eyes as she leans against the doorframe watching her husband and children play. Regulus looks around at her and smiles widely.

"Morning my love," he says as Teddy and Rose clumsily crawl around on the floor.

"Morning," Danica says, walking in and kissing him. She kneels next to him and watches the children. "Can you believe it's already Christmas Eve?"

"Where's the time gone?" Regulus asks, shaking his head.

Rose crawls to Danica so she picks her up and holds her against her, knowing she'll be hungry. Danica leans back against the wall as she feeds and she stares into Rose's beautiful eyes. Her plump fist rests on her chest and Danica can't help but rub her tiny knuckles. Teddy waits patiently, watching as Regulus creates a light display on the ceiling using magic. Danica smiles at them, listening to his giggles and watching Regulus's eyes lighting up with joy.

There's a knock at the door then and Danica sighs.

"Who's coming to the house at this time?" She asks.

Regulus shrugs and gets up.

"Dada will be back," he says to Teddy then leans down and kisses Danica before walking downstairs. She listens, straining her ears as the front door opens.

A familiar barking voice fills the house.

Mad-Eye Moody.

What's he doing here?

There are footsteps on the stairs and Danica frowns, knowing that Moody is about to see her breastfeeding. Rose knows no difference and Teddy is oblivious.

"Danica," Moody says, standing in the doorway. "I'm sorry to intrude," when he says that Danica is pleasantly surprised, "but I've got some bad news."

She looks at him and creases her eyebrows. As if Teddy understood, he begins to cry so Regulus walks past Moody and picks him up.

"Should we be told around the kids?" He asks, bouncing his son in his arms.

"I'm not waiting," Moody says gruffly. "Dumbledore died last night."

Danica goes wide-eyed and her breath catches in her chest. Regulus looks at her with a similar expression, Teddy not settling in his arms.

"But," Moody continues, "he did something none of us knew about... he destroyed the final Horcrux and sought out Voldemort. They fought. He used his last strength. We've won."

Danica breathes slowly to keep her heart rate steady. Regulus sits on the floor next to her and puts an arm around her shoulders. She doesn't necessarily feel sad - should she feel sad? She feels relief, a strange buzz that everything will be okay.

"So that's it?" Danica says as Rose finishes feeding. Moody, thankfully, looks away so she can pull her robe back up.

"That's it," he nods. "But I don't know if it will ever be over."

Regulus sighs quietly.

"So what can I do now?" He asks.

"Well, we've won haven't we?" Moody barks. "I guess that if you want to get back into the wizarding world then you can, but, obviously, stay vigilant."

Teddy and Rose jump and start crying and Moody looks at them both with resigned distaste. He clears his throat as the young parents settle them again.

"Never been good with kids," he says and steps back onto the landing. "I'll see you around. Take care."