The Brightest Sun

Chapter 19

They had managed to settle into something of a routine these last months.

Elia spent most of her days with her children and Teddy, wrestling her daughter into lessons that the princess did not want to sit still for, or going through the Potter library as she and Harry discussed the goings-on of the Wizengamot.

He had taken her words to heart, dutifully attending the sessions and joying at the utter chaos his active presence caused.

Of course, his enjoyment aside, they had not yet found a reason for her to avoid the Malfoy wedding and the complications their going would cause.

“Oi, Rhae my turn!” Teddy shouted, muffled giggles following his call.

Poking her head into the sitting room, Elia held back a sigh of exasperation at seeing them play with their game cards. The children were seated near the open door that led to a small garden and patio, their cards thankfully kept away from the furniture and the portraits hanging overhead.

“How many times have we told you not to play without one of us here?”

“Granddad is keeping watch,” Teddy replied, laughing as the card exploded in Rhaenys’s face. To their astonishment, the flames grew in size as a giggling Rhaenys blew them toward the other cards. The entire deck exploded in a shower of sparks, and Elia stared in horrified relief, as none of the children seemed harmed.

Swiftly, she moved forward to ensure that they were well, smoothing a hand over Aegon’s dusty hair as she checked the three of them for any scorch marks.

“Teddy,” came James’s strangled voice. “No magic with the games, remember.”

“That wasn’t me granddad,” Teddy replied, a growing smile on his face.

Elia stared at Teddy, confusion on her face until he pointed to her daughter. “Rhae’s the one making the cards go boom.”

Oh, she thought.

Rhaenys had a smug smile on her face, before lighting the sparks into a small flame. “Look mama! I can do the same thing,” she cheered.

“I see,” Elia replied, forcing a smile onto her face, reaching out to stop Aegon from putting his hand into the fire. “Perhaps we should wait to show Harry that trick.”

James Potter’s face looked as she felt, though he managed to clear his expression before lightly chiding the children about using their magic unsupervised.

“Anyone want to go flying?” James asked loudly, staring at Elia with a pleading expression that was mimicked by the children.

“Flying!” Aegon cheered, and Elia withheld a snort at the wide-eyed look the boy had picked up.

“I suppose the weather is good enough,” she said reluctantly, laughing at their cheers before Teddy bolted off to bring their brooms.

To her horror, Harry had bought toy brooms for her children, loudly insisting that they would not deprive such wonderful flyers of the opportunity, James nodding fervently in agreement behind him.

As the children raced outside, Elia asked, “How bad is it?”

“It’s not a bad thing,” James answered uneasily, shifting at the look of disbelief she shot him. “No, really. It isn’t here.”

“Here as in Potter Hall?” Elia asked sardonically.

“Well…yes,” James admitted.

She rolled her eyes; as amusing as he was, James often downplayed the severity of events.