The Next Generation Book One: The Ghost of Ackron (Complete) [WATTY AWARDS 2011]

Chapter Fourteen: Ice Cream at Aunt Hermione's

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Chapter Fourteen: Ice Cream at Aunt Hermione's

After the huge Weasley gathering, Hermione and Ginny had made plans for James, Albus, Rose, Lily, and Hugo to have some "cousinly bounding time." All Hermione's idea. (Remember S.P.E.W? This is C.B.T.)

Lily and Hugo complained because they wanted ice cream, which made Ron have to go and get ice cream.

"Please Uncle Ron! Please!" Lily whined.

"Yeah, dad! Please!"

"Ronald, it'll only take a few minutes. Just go," Hermione said.

"Fine," he grumbled, "What kind do you want?"

"Cookie dough!" Lily and Hugo said together.

James shrugged and Albus just said, "I'll have cookie dough, too."

"M'kay, be back in about ten minutes," Ron grabbed the car keys and walked out of the house.

"He's so stubborn," Hermione said, shaking her head.

"He always has been," said Ginny, slightly grinning.

"YEAH! ICE CREAM!" Hugo screamed, throwing his hands in the air.

James rolled his eyes at his cousin; sure it's ice cream, but no need to freak out over it.

"So James, what do you want for you're birthday?" Hermione asked as she sat down on the couch next to Rose, who was intently reading a book.

James had completely for gotten that his birthday was January second. "Um, I don't know..." he said, "I haven't really thought about it."

"You know, James," said Rose, looking up from her book, "I think that's the first time you've ever said that."

"It is the first time he's ever said that," Albus looked over at his brother, frowning.

"Well, school's been really awesome and I just never thought about it."

Just then, the doorbell rang and Hermione stood up to answer the door. There stood Neville, Stacy, Trey, and their daughter who would be at Hogwarts next year, Alice. "Merry Christmas!" Neville said.

Alice looked around the room and saw all of the others that were there. She smiled at Rose, who smiled back. They hadn't seen each other since the new year at Hogwarts started.

Trey, on the other hand, was frowning. His dad had nearly forced him to come home when he didn't want to. He prefered school- it was just more fun.

"Come in!" Hermione said happily, "Ron's just gone to get ice cream for the kids. He should be back any minute now."

"You never know with Ron," Ginny said.

At about that second, he pulled in the driveway. Lily and Hugo ran up to the window chanting, "Ice cream! Ice cream!" as he walked up the path and into the house.

~_-_-_-_~

A few minutes later, all of the kids (and Ron) were eating cookie dough ice cream with delighted faces- even James and Trey.

"I wish they had ice cream at school," James said.

Hugo and Lily both looked up, "No... ice cream at.... Hogwarts?" Hugo asked.

James and Trey nodded.

Lily and Hugo nearly burst out in tears- but he couldn't blame them. Ice cream was good... they just didn't have it. But they did have a bunch of other deserts that he'd never even heard of before.

~_-_-_-_~

James fell asleep that night easily. It'd been a long day. First waking up at about six to open gifts, be at grandma and granpa's by nine, quidditch, and then Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron's house.

He couldn't quite figure out what he wanted for his birthday, though. He'd figure it out in the morning, probably making a list longer than Lily's Christmas list.