Karina Potter, Aunt Marauder

Chapter 14

The party was going well. The kids played upstairs, while Karina made up a good many stories for the Granger's to explain a few things, like why Harry's cake was shaped like a broomstick, though she had no idea how she would get the Grangers out of here in time for presents. No doubt magical presents were going to be given to Harry, and she couldn't very well just tell Harry he can't open his presents with his friends.

"In his mind, he's got this little game he made up he calls Quidditch." She told Mercy later in the kitchen. Robert was being interrogated by Arthur on questions about dentists. "He told me that you play it on brooms, so therefore I thought a broomstick cake would be quite befitting of his favourite sport." Mercy laughed merrily at that.

"Well its extraordinary that you got the cake to form so perfectly! I've been practicing shaping cakes into books for Hermione, since she loves to be read to, but I'm not so good." Karina nodded, thinking back to when she had used her wand to shape the cake.

"Maybe I can make on for her third birthday for her." Mercy's eyes went wide and she nodded quickly.

"Oh yes, please! That would be perfect!"

"Mama?" Both women turned to see Harry standing in the doorway, Ron next to him, with Hermione trying to push past Ron to get into the kitchen, Neville a little ways behind, still trying to make his way through the crowded living room. "Can we have cake?" She smiled at him, shaking her head.

"How about we eat dinner first?" She told him, and he nodded, jumping up and down.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" And Ron hurried back into the living room, pushing Neville back towards the stairs.

"Neville! Go get other kids!" He ordered. "Dinner time!" Neville bobbed his head up and down, before making the slow climb up the stairs. Ron, however, ran to the living room, running around and tugging on everyone's shirts.

"Come on! Its time for dinner! Come on! If we eat dinner, then we get cake! Come on! Come on! Come on!" Most of the adults chuckled and obliged by Ron's words.

However, Mad-Eye Moody, who wore an eyepatch over his magical eye, gave Ron a stink eye when he tried to pull Mad-Eye off of the couch and into the kitchen.

"Excuse me, lad, but I am quite capable of standing and making my own way to the kitchen." He told him in his gruff voice, before pulling himself up and looming over Ron, who squealed and ran to the kitchen.

The other kids came thundering down the stairs excitedly, Nymphadora and Charlie bringing up the rear, helping Neville down the stairs.

Fred and George, however, zipped down the stairs, past everyone in the living room, and jumped into chairs at the table, standing in the chairs and jumping up and down.

"Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake!" They exclaimed, before Molly saw them.

"Fred! George! Sit down at once!" Both boys collapsed into their chairs, still grinning. "And we told you, we're having dinner first." Fred looked to George, as if shocked by this news. George stuck his tongue out at Fred, and Fred pushed George into the wall that was next to his chair.

"And anyway, boys, we're going to be eating in the living room." Karina told them, setting a large bowl of pasta on the table, Remus right behind her with a little bowl of cheese and salads. "There's not enough room at the table for everyone, so I'm going to set you kids up at the coffee table." Karina's house wasn't built to host parties. She didn't have a dining room, just a kitchen table scooted into the corner, with only three chairs set up. Normally, it was only her and Harry, and sometimes Remus. But today, she set Fred, George, Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Neville up at the coffee table, made sure Snilkins was shut up in her bedroom so she wouldn't bother Bill, Charlie, Percy, and Nymphadora, who had to sit on pillows on the floor, and brought the three dining chairs into the living room for herself, Remus, and Arthur, while the other adults sat on the couch and in the two arm chairs.

"Good idea for dinner, Karina." Molly commented as she took Ron, Fred, and George's shirts off so that they wouldn't get pasta sauce all over them. Karina had already done that for Harry, who had already spilt sauce down his front.

"I had to think, what food does every child enjoy and isn't too terribly hard to clean up? Pasta and some salad!" That was when they heard a beeping noise! Mad-Eye jumped up, reaching for his wand that wasn't there.

"What the devil was that!?" He exclaimed furiously, and Robert meekly  held up a small black device.

"M-My beeper. I'm getting a call from the office." He looked to Mercy. "Mercy, we'll have to go! We've got two teenagers with their braces tangled together! Sounds like a wild mess!" Mercy jumped up, hurrying to get her purse.

"Oh dear! Sorry, we have to rush out of here, Karina!" She said, picking her purse from where she left it by the front door, while Robert hurriedly picked up Hermione. "But, work calls! Hope you like your present, Harry!"

"Its a top." Hermione told him sadly, rubbing her eyes as they hurried out the door, the others sitting in silence, hardly realising what had just happened.

"Well, I suppose that's one way to have the Grangers leave to open magic presents." Karina finally said after a moment of silence.

After dinner, Karina carried in the cake, lighting the candles with her returned wand, singing along with the rest of the room, excluding Harry of course, who's eyes shone with glee at the sight of the broomstick cake.

"Happy Birthday to you!
"Happy Birthday to you!
"Happy Birthday dear Harry!
"Happy Birthday to you!" As soon as the cake was set before him, Harry blew out the candles, getting a little spit on the cake.

While they ate, Harry opened his gifts, getting a foam Beater's bat from the Weasleys, a copy of the Tales of Beedle the Bard from Remus, a rainbow top as Hermione had said, and a noisy Sneakoscope from Mad-Eye. Even Nymphadora, who had come with the Weasleys, pitched in and got a helmet made for little league Quidditch that had Harry's name painted across the front. It was clearly handmade, and gorgeous.

"One more, Harry." Karina told him, bringing in a long box. "This is going to have to wait for when you're a bit older, but I couldn't wait that long!" She set the package down in front of Harry, who tore into it, to reveal a new broomstick! It was for older kids, five and up maybe, but in Harry's eyes, it was amazing.

"Wow! Thanks, Mama!" He told her, jumping up and diving into Karina's arms. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Karina smiled, hugging her little boy back.

And later that night, when everyone had left and Karina tucked Harry into bed, she knew, no matter how hard she tried to push it away, she was Harry's mother. And she was going to be the best mama she could be.