Enchanted by freckles - short stories

Story 12 - Blood traitors

Garreth's point of view (at the time of Sebbi and Eddie's start of school):

After the big ceremony I took the boys to the Gryffindor common room and then went home.

I opened the door at home and all four of them ran towards me. I grinned widely.

"So, tell us!" said Caelie, looking at me excitedly.

"BOTH GRYFFINDOR!", I exclaimed happily. Caelie hugged me and Sebastian pulled out his wallet. We had made a bet, which he had now lost.

"But Seb, don't feel bad. The hat thought really long and hard and I believe Sebbi only wanted to go to Gryffindor because of Eddie. Ed just started to cry when the hat thought about Sebbi for so long," I said laughing.

"How desperate is Matilda?", Seb asked me laughing. "On a scale of one to ten? Twelve I'd say." "I'm looking forward to my time at Hogwarts," Sammy said. He still had two years to wait. "But which house do you think you'll go to?" asked Caelie. "I couldn't care less, honestly." "You're going to Gryffindor, let's not kid ourselves," I said laughing, "I'm really looking forward to Potions with them for the first time."

We enjoyed the evening and the weekend. Fiona and Sammy mostly played quite quietly and we didn't have to worry about the little ones getting into mischief. Sammy, just like Caelie used to in my case, was always there when Eddie was being silly, but he didn't really do anything bad on his own.

And Fiona usually played with her dolls in the room when she wasn't with Anne and Ominis' children. Like Sebastian, she was rather quiet and, impressively, she learned to read before her fourth birthday.

We already thought Sebbi was early at five, but Fiona topping that was truly remarkable.

After the weekend, I returned to the castle early on Monday morning.

"Well Matilda, how were they at the weekend?" I asked curiously. "Unexpectedly well-behaved, in fact. I think Eddie's worst crime was that he started playing the bagpipes in the common room at six o'clock in the morning. Then I asked him to go outside and he and Sebbi sat outside for most of the weekend," Matilda replied. She looked very reassured.

Before breakfast I went into the Gryffindor common room to pick up my two boys. When they came into the main room, they both hugged me, even though there were many other students standing all around. They didn't care and that in turn I found really touching.

"So, how was it?", I asked curiously. "Boring." " Yeah, but why don't you do anything with the other students? If you just stay hidden together, nothing will become of it," I said laughing and ruffling the hair of both of them.

"Come on, let's go to breakfast. You'll get your timetables there," I said and shoved them both outside while countless students greeted me.

I grabbed the Gryffindors' timetables and handed them out. I had Potions with the first years for the first time tomorrow, and I was really looking forward to it.

After the last lesson, just as I was about to go home, the boys intercepted me.

"Dad, were your favourite places in the castle in the past?" asked Sebbi. " Yeah, we want to explore the favourite places of you, mum and dad." "Sure, do you want me to write you a list?" "No, we wanted to ask you if you could show us."

I looked at my watch. "Yeah, that's fine, but boys, I can't stay longer at the castle every day. After all, the four at home are waiting for me. Okay? But let's go for a walk today, but I'm leaving before dinner. Your dad is making cottage pie today and I don't want to miss it."