I Dare You

Chapter 8

The kids took the trunks out of the boot of the car and walked onto the porch with their dad.

He unlocked the door. They stepped in. Ginny was in the living room. Harry picked up their trunks and brought them upstairs. 

"James, Albus, Lily!" Ginny exclaimed. She hugged all three of them at once. "It's so good to see you again!"

"Good to see you too, Mom." Albus replied in a deadpan voice. 

The three of them didn't know what to think. They wanted proof that their mom hurt their dad, but they were still wary of her. 

"Hey kids! How about we watch a movie?" Ginny smiled.

"Okay." James agreed. His younger siblings nodded.

They all went into the living room. Ginny turned on a Muggle movie called Spirited Away. 

Eventually Harry came back downstairs and sat in the living room, away from Ginny. 

They watched movies all day, even though the dad and his kids felt restless. At one point, they got up to go to the kitchen to eat lunch. Ginny didn't follow. 

It was ten minutes til 6.

"Harry, go make dinner." Ginny ordered, glaring at him. He opened his mouth to say something but quickly closed it. He got up and walked to the kitchen. 

Ginny turned to her kids with a smile. "Don't worry, your father will be done with dinner shortly." She stood up. "Right, honey!?"

They could practically hear him flinch. "Yes."

They went into the dining room, and Harry followed with the finished food, pasta. Ginny took a bite.

"It tastes better handmade, Harry. I've told you this." She gritted her teeth.

"I couldn't make it quickly if I didn't use magic." Harry retorted. 

They glared at each other. The kids quickly scarfed down their food. They asked to be excused. 

"Of course." Harry answered. The kids ran upstairs.

"No, they may not!" Ginny yelled. 

"But they're done eating!" 

"We're a family!"

"If they want to leave the table, they should be allowed to!"

The yelling was muffled when they reached the upper floor. James and Albus finished packing. James looked into Lily's room. She hasn't packed anything. 

"Lily, why haven't you packed yet?!" He asked. 

"I'm not going."

"Yes, you are." He grabbed Lily's bottomless suitcase out of her closer and started shoving things in. 

"No, no! James, stop!" She yelled, trying to pull him away. 

"Lily, Mom clearly isn't well! We need to leave until she gets better!" 

"B-but...." Her bottom lip quivered. She sniffed. ".... o-okay."

"I'm helping you." James and Lily shoved the rest of Lily's personal items into the bag. 

They heard glass shatter. They rushed over to the ledge over the living room. 

Their parents had moved their fight into the living room. Harry was holding the side of his head. It was covered with blood. The remaining pieces of the bottle was on the floor next to him.

"You... you cheated on me!" Ginny yelled. "I can't believe you, Harry!" Ginny yelled. "What is wrong with you?!"

"'What is wrong with me?' 'What is wrong with me!?' Oh my God, Ginny, you are so fucking stupid!" Harry yelled back. "I did it because he makes me happy! He makes me feel wanted! Unlike you, who makes me feel worthless! You make me feel like shit! I hate that your coping mechanism is getting drunk and yelling at me!" Tears creeped from his eyes.

"You could help me!"

"I did! I tried to, but your response was to throw a glass bottle at me!" Harry wiped his eyes. "It's over! And I'm taking the kids!" Harry turned around to walk upstairs.

Ginny took out her wand. "One more step. I dare you."

Almost done with this book! Can't wait to finish this for you guys!