"Elenora Potter please report to the headmasters office." The announcement came, but it wasn't a usual voice. I knew the voice and it certainly wasn't someone who should be at school. I made my way down.
"Bartemius Crouch Junior!" Mcgonagall's voice rang. I laughed as I picked up my pace.
"Hi Uncle Barty." I said as I rounded the corner.
"My girl!" He cheered as he scooped me up in a hug. "Minerva-" She cut him short with a glare.
"Professor, her mother and father both know I'll be taking her today. Please?" She rolled her eyes before they landed on me.
"Don't fall behind." She told me and walked off, I looked to uncle Barty who finally set me down.
"It's a Sunday?" I asked. He nodded.
"Ah I've missed you! Uncle Evan's back home, we desperately need an Uncle-Niece day." I smiled and wider.
"Now, Aunt Marls is out for the day but I think you'll survive just fine with us for the day."
"I've missed Uncle-Niece days." I admitted. We used to have them often. The two of them would watch me when mum and dad had long meetings, or busy days. They'd take me for butter beer and ice cream. We'd watch muggle movies and Uncle Evan would cook dinner. They'd tell me stories about everyone that no one else dared to touch. Uncle Barty would let me put clips in his hair and color pictures with me while we waited for dinner.
I glanced down to his wrist where he still wore the tattered, faded, friendship bracelet I'd made for him as a kid. He had to have retied it a million times by now, mine broke on a tree branch when I was ten. It hung from a cork board in my room at home. He told me that day he'd always be my Uncle Barty, no matter what people told me about him. I didn't know what he meant until I went away to school. Kids got ruthless when their parents weren't around.
The first fight I got in was over Uncle Barty. A third year, Ravenclaw boy told me he was a traitor, that my family was stupid for taking him in, that he was untrustworthy. At least, I think that's what he was getting at. I'd punched him in the nose before he finished his sentence. Two weeks detention. Grounded for a month. Uncle Evan picked me up and bought me ice cream, told me I was eleven and didn't need to concern myself with such issues. I told him my family was my concern. He dropped me off that night with a bag full of sweets.
"So I was thinking," Uncle Barty started, pulling me from my thoughts. "we could start by swinging by to get sweets. Then, we go back and watch some movies, Uncle Evan will be mad if I keep you away too long, finally he cooks some dinner we eat and catch up and I run you back here before Minerva bites my head off. Sound like a plan?"
"Sounds like the best plan."
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"So, we wanted to ask you something kid," Uncle Evan started. I raised an eyebrow as I poked at the food on my plate. "We wanted to know if you thought we'd make good parents. You spent the most time with us as a kid, figured you're the expert." I couldn't hold back the smile.
"I think you'd made great parents." I told them. They both smiled wide. "It'll be weird to have a cousin so much younger."
"Yeah, we thought about that too."
"Mum's having another though, so maybe it wouldn't be so strange." They both nodded.
"Who's the mum?" I asked after a beat. "Aunt Marlene already had Cassie, I mean I'm sure she'd do it again but-"
"Aunt Pandora. So they're equal parts ours." Uncle Evan explained. I nodded.
"A good choice. I hope they're blonde and strange like Luna. I quite like Luna."
"Back to your drama, fill us in." Uncle Barty waved me off. I smiled.
"Right, so Harry totally likes Draco, but Dray is being so difficult. Oh Merlin, have I told you about Matty and Cassie? For fucks sake, they're obsessed with one another but won't talk! I think they're hooking up on the low, but neither one will tell me." They listened to me ramble over dinner, adding their own stories every so often.
"Did you know I used to fancy your mum?" Uncle Barty threw out at one point.
"Did we ever tell you about the time we almost killed her? We didn't end up hurting her, your Uncle James instead, but still." Uncle Evan recalled.
"She made me puke for hours and your dad knew!" Uncle Barty told me about mum putting puking potion in his drink after. I laughed until my sides hurt. They recalled all the good and bad with fondness. We were a weird family, but we were all each other day.
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Mum stood with her hands on her hip as we approached the castle. I looked up at Uncle Barty.
"Uh oh, we're busted." He told me. I glanced between him and mum quickly.
"We? You told me and Professor Mcgonagall you had permission to take me." He shrugged.
"Don't call her Professor Mcgonagall, it's weird." I rolled my eyes.
"Bartemius Crouch Junior!" Mum scolded as we got within earshot. "Elenora Minerva Euphemia Potter!"
"Two middle names, you're fucked." Uncle Barty whispered. I looked back to mum.
"I was taken hostage!" I blurted, throwing my hands up. Mum shook her head. Uncle Barty smacked my arm.
"So much for partners in crime!" He shook his wrist to accentuate the bracelet. I rolled my eyes.
"Barty. How did you acquire my daughter on a school night?" Mum asked. I saw dad approaching from behind her. I threw my head back. Uncle Barty was right. I was fucked.
"Well, I showed up and asked for her. They should really up the security here. Isn't.. ya know.. always trying to kill your nephew? They should get guards." I giggled, he bumped my hip.
"Barty." Dad warned. He hung his head.
"I just needed her for the evening."
"For what?" Mum asked as she placed her crossed arms on top of her belly. He looked down at me. I nodded once.
"I- well not I, we, with the help of Panda, we're gonna have a kid, but we wanted our number one kids permission." Mum raised an eyebrow.
"You and Rosier?" He nodded. Her smile finally broke free as she walked forward to hug him. "Merlin help us all."
"Oh help us, a Crouch and a Rosier." Dad chuckled as he wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into the hug.
"Is it a girl or a boy?" Mum asked. Uncle Barty shook his head.
"We forbid Panda from doing her prophecy shit. I have no idea."
"Well I hope it's a little girl. This one," She nudged my shoulder. "Grew up with all boys and I don't think I'd want to do that again."
"Hey! Wait- it's a girl?!" I nearly shouted. She covered my mouth with her hand.
"Yes, sunshine, shh." She said with a chuckle. I smiled against her hand. She smiled back.
"We were going to tell you over dinner this weekend." Dad told me.
"And we were going to tell you next time we got everyone together, so no one felt left out, so you two have to keep a secret." Uncle Barty chimed in. Mum and dad nodded.
"Okay, you guys aren't letting Panda do her prophecy thing, but can I let Panda tell me your fates?"
"I'll kill you, Potter."
"You've never been successful before."
