Thievery

Thieves, Love, and Harry Potter

"Please, Margot! Just one quick story and I'll go straight to sleep. Mum and Dad always tell me a story before I sleep, and yours are the best anyway." Lily Potter stared up at her sister with a pleading expression. Her wide eyes were the approximate color of grass, and similarly dewy. She pulled the duvet up to her chin, fingers curled around the carefully hemmed edge.

Relenting with a mournful sigh, Margot settled herself on the edge of Lily's bed. "Just one..."

Lily sat up straight with a glorious whoop. It echoed through the halls of Number 12 Grimmauld Place and alerted Albus—asleep in his bedroom next door—as well as both James and Teddy, who were engaged in a tedious game of gobstones. In mere moments, both of her brothers came bursting through the bedroom door. Teddy was, as per usual, only a few steps behind. He pleaded with James in hushed tones to keep it down so that his siblings would get to bed on time, but it seemed his begging was all for naught as all three children stood with wide, expectant eyes on the threshold of Lily's bedroom.

"Were you going to tell a story without us?" Albus pouted from where he stood beside the armoire.

"Oh, great. You've alerted Al...and James." Margot said dryly.

"I tried to stop him," Teddy said, rubbing the back of his neck with a nervous grin, "but hey, since we're here...I'm always down for a story."

"Whatever." James attempted to feign nonchalance, but the glimmer in his brown eyes betrayed his excitement. He was just approaching his teenage years, and with it came the need to prove nothing held his interest beyond a cursory glance. Bedtime stories and quality time with his siblings was beneath him, so he'd be the last to admit that he enjoyed his sister's stories as much as anyone else. Margot had a way of turning the mundane into something magical, and as such managed to enrapture all who met her (despite the fact that she was thoroughly content to stay out of the spotlight).

"When you go away to finish your seventh year we won't get to hear any of your stories until Christmas." Albus told her with a grim sense of seriousness.

"Yeah, Al's right. You owe us a few extra now to make up for it." Lily crossed her arms, allowing her covers to slip down into her lap.

"You do tell the best ones," Teddy said with a smirk. Although initially remorseful, he quite enjoyed causing Margot the slightest bit of discomfort because her reactions were frequently entertaining.

"Whatever," James said once more, "Only if there are thieves this time."

"I like the ones with love," Albus smiled shyly. The ten-year old was a real sucker for happy endings, especially those involving pretty girls.

"No, I want to hear about the brilliance of Harry Potter, best dad ever!" Lily said.

Everyone groaned at the suggestion. The kids already knew everything there was to know about their father at this point. Or at least, they thought they did. Margot pondered the suggestions for a fleeting moment. It seemed there was no way of getting out of this situation, so she'd have to make the best of it. All she had to do was think of a way to satisfy each member of her anxious audience.

"Hmm...thieves, and love, and Harry Potter? Well, I do know of a tale that involves all three of those things. Although, this Harry Potter is different in every regard except name, and not in the story much...but he is a wonderful father! As for love, well it has a lot of that, but not in the sweet, easy way you prefer, Al. And there's thievery, that part's integral to the plot. Of course, it's not entirely planned. It's far more a product of circumstance than something intentionally harmful, but it causes plenty of chaos."

"Stop stalling and get into it then!" Albus clasped his hands together in excitement.

"You heard the kid," Teddy mused, "Margot Lynne, take us away."

"Very well then," Margot relented with a great sigh, "Once upon a time..."