It was day time, and summer, no need for candles, really. There were plenty of light bulbs and natural light, besides. But Molly couldn’t help touching the tip of her wand to the wick of one, and then another— the first one a butter white, the second pale purple. The universally loved scent of vanilla met her nose seconds later, followed by lavender. The glow of the tea candles was wan in the flood of light from the garden, but it didn’t matter. It made things look homey and smell lovely.

Molly set her wand down and fumbled with the fluffy, freshly laundered contents of a little basket on the vanity: more washcloths than their guest could possibly need. But then he might. Teenage boys didn’t strike her as fond of doing laundry, but Molly knew he couldn’t bunch them all together. Teenage Casper had deviated wildly in some manners, for example. She smiled at the thought, happening also to smile at her own reflection in the mirror. It could still catch her off guard, a little, the roundness of her tummy. She pressed her palm beneath it, as if it had caught her in the act. “I’m sure our new friend will be brilliant.”

Another audience member appeared at her ankles, weaving round her legs for attention; the cat seemed to think she had been talking to it, which was just as well. “Come on, you!” She said, her voice more inviting than authoritarian. She plucked her wand from the counter and whirled in a way that suggested she trusted the candles quite wholly to do their job.

The cat mewed and followed, darting ahead as Molly made it to the landing. It took the steps in a flurry while its owner held the railing and made a slower descent. “The bathroom is ready. How are those charms?” She asked, popping around the staircase to spring up on Casper. In addition to cleaning and preparing for their guest, they’d been busy stocking a nursery, making things for their future family member, and reinforcing household charms for the benefit of everyone— though Molly wasn’t as annoyed by potentially distracting noises as she was liable to let her imagination run away with their sources. If Casper liked a quiet, organized study, Molly loved the rattling of pots and pans and the loudness of the occasional passersby. She was more likely to hear a creak on the stairs and worry over that.

“Do you remember that spell that never let you up in our dorms in school?” She asked cheerfully. “Maybe we should find a version for babies.” Slides were safer than stairs, weren’t they? She was already imagining curious toddlers toppling backwards. “But then you might accidentally stop all boys from climbing the stairs, and that would be a problem,” she teased, as Casper were likely to pick the wrong spell. No, it was Molly who would get distracted and do that. “Thank goodness we have so many fluffy knights for soft landing. What would you do without them?” She leaned toward him, poking his rib before kissing his cheek.

outfit

Casper stared down at the chess board, his fingers ghosting over the pawns lovingly. He tried to keep his study a cat-free zone. And for the most part, he succeeded. There were many times he wondered how his beautiful, sexy, funny wife could be such an old, creepy cat woman. The level of commitment with the cats was almost worse than one for a baby. Maybe even more so; at some point, a child should learn how to clean up after itself. The cats, on the other hand, had to have their litter scooped at least every other day.

His hand pulled back from the board to pick up his glass of water, sipping from it before he turned his attention to the rest of the room. It was neat and orderly and perfect. After a quick nod to himself, a mental note, Casper walked out and shut the door, prodding a cat away with the toe of his shoe. “Go on, no chess for you.”

Quiet nights lounging in the study with a glass of wine while he got lost in a book or tried a few different moves out on the board, it was all coming to an end in a few months. Casper was torn on it, but mostly over his loss of independence. It was slightly terrifying (or more than slightly) to realize there was going to be a living, human being depend on him for everything.

He supposed the student they were having live with them was going to be a trial run. Lips pursed as he frowned. The entire share your house with a smelly Hogwarts student for the internship was not his idea. Casper had known, though, that their time had come for it. The house was pretty well put together; they had escaped it for years, due to their other living arrangements.

Casper turned to the sound of Molly’s voice, watching her as she stepped down the stairs. He smiled warmly at her, eyes darting down to her stomach and back up. She was gorgeous. “The ones keeping grubby teen hands out of my office?” A wink was given to his wife before he offered her the glass of water.

At her next inquiry, Casper reminded himself there were other reasons he had fallen in love with Molly than just her sweetness and that face. She could be brilliant too. “Why would that be a problem? I can look into it... I don’t know how practical it would be, or how permanent it is.” He rubbed his chin in thought, other hand resting on his hip as he stared at the stairs in thought. It wouldn’t be so hard to put a low barrier at the bottom of the stairs.

It wouldn’t be as fancy as Molly’s idea, but it might be more practical in years to come. Eyebrows rose in consideration. That could be one way to get rid of the cats... use the baby to do it. He’d have to think on that as well. Eyes rolled at the poke, pulling away from her finger slightly. “Get off your feet, woman.” Casper stepped up behind her, his hands resting on her hips as he gently prodded her forward. He kissed the side of her head before helping her down to sink into the couch.

“The house looks great. As always.” Even when it didn’t, it had a certain Molly flare that Casper had a hard time getting mad at. Or staying mad at, anyway. “I wish we had a little longer to ourselves.” He sat down next to her, fixing his shirt before his arm rested on the sofa behind her. His other hand rested gently on her stomach for a moment, leaning over to talk to the baby quietly. He finally pulled back with a smirk.

“How much do you want to bet that the kid is late?”

“The ones that keep you sweet!” Molly met his question with widened eyes, but they were replace with crinkled ones and a smile at the wink and princely offer. Water. She was very thirsty lately… or… at least had to drink a lot of water, anyway, thanks to their other very welcome guest. “Sweeter than this,” she added, taking a sip. “I’m sure he’s not grubby if he’s working for your department. He must be very impressive!” Molly was certainly impressed with her Obliviator.

If it had been a whim of an idea that bloomed into something she found both perfectly reasonable and unattainably extravagant, Casper seemed to approach it from a very level-headed direction and give it serious consideration. This was why she loved him; he entertained all of her ideas… and applied logic. “Every house needs something impractical. It makes it a home,” she informed him. She smiled again, enjoying the way he touched his face when he was lost in thought. She wasn’t that serious about needing such a charm; they could find any number of solutions. And yet, it would be fun to have a slide in the house.

Her smile seemed to cross into laugh territory at his reaction to her poke, but she took instructions well. At least from her favorite, oldest tutor. With his help, she soon found herself in a much more comfortable position (or equally comfortable to leaning back into Casper). The rounder her stomach became, the more sore her back seemed to get. She wiggled her shoulders into the back of the cushions and took another lingering sip of water as she looked around. “It does look pretty good. I don’t think our intern—” He was their’s, suddenly— “Will be scared away. And I think we’ll have nearly everything done when the baby gets here.” Her eyes followed him as he sat down beside her. “We’ll still have plenty of us time,” she promised. “Everyone in this house knows about Molly and Casper Time.” All of the ones with whiskers and tails.

As he leaned over, she grinned elatedly and placed a hand on the back of his head. "I think it will be great to have someone that age around for the summer. I hope those candles don’t make him too hungry.” Not that there wasn’t plenty of food and that Molly wouldn’t be shoving it down his throat every chance she got. “Maybe I should buy some more manly scents.” She trailed off. She loved to listen to him to talk to her stomach. It almost made her want to be pregnant for longer, but it felt like it had taken half a century so far. She wanted the baby even more than she wanted her husband to cutely talk to her stomach.

As he pulled back, her eyes followed him again. Already betting on their yet-to-arrive guest? “I would say a dozen biscuits, but you shouldn’t be placing any bets.” Molly tilted her face down while her gaze came up, scrutinizing him. It was not particularly menacing. Cheeks bunched in a brief smile before she settled back. Sighing, she added, “I could use a dozen biscuits right now.” She was always hungry. And the thing under her cupped tummy had only been encouraged by Casper’s voice. But Molly loved it, every kick and movement she could feel. “I bet he’s wonderful."

He frowned in thought, tapping his chin with his pointer finger before pointing it at her. “I don’t think I ever learned those particular charms. We’ll just have to make do.” She took the glass of water off his hands, at least. Casper was one to worry after someone and act on those worries through action over words. Hence why he offered water instead of asking Molly how much she had had that day. He wasn’t there to be her keeper.

Casper opened his mouth and paused, lost for words for just a moment. Finally his brain caught up with his mouth. “We don’t get a ton of applicants... So we usually take what we can get.” Very impressive was one way to put it. The Law Enforcement office had more applicants to weed through than his, he could admit that. Or even the Department of Mysteries. For some reason, catching bad guys and the unknown drew curious teenagers to their internships faster than a flame and a fly.

“Isn’t that what the cats are for?” How impractical was it to keep more than one in a single home? That was Casper’s stance on the matter.

He eyed her with a raised brow; they had better have plenty of us time. “Doesn’t stop them from interrupting it, though.” Casper smirked and glanced to a passing cat. There was something diabolical about the cats and their desire to get involved in anything that rolled around under sheets and duvets.

Candles were nice to smell and added a wonderful ambiance. Casper couldn’t disagree that he enjoyed a good lavender candle almost as much as a crackling fire in the fall. He kissed her belly through the material. “And when you get out, I promise there will be less cats to contend with.” The whisper was still loud enough for Molly to hear. He was scared and eager to meet the little jelly bean they’d created.

Molly had the worst ideas for bet placements ever. Biscuits, while good for trade, had little value when placed in bets. He would just take twelve of hers and give them back if he lost. Casper shifted and pushed himself up. “We’ll see soon enough. Let me get you some biscuits.” He grinned before leaning over her, kissing her gently. He stood and strode to the kitchen, humming to himself as he put a small plate together for his wife.

Once he was back in the living room, he stole a biscuit off the plate before offering it to her. With his mouth half full, he spoke around it. “I should get to the train station, so I’m not late.” He looked down at her with a grin before tucking the shirt in a little more in the front, fixing his belt after. “Are we cooking dinner, or ordering take away?” They didn’t often spend a lot of extra money on take away, but now and again it was a nice treat.

“Sure you did, you’re always sweet to me,” Molly countered, loving his frown. Even if she knew Casper’s sarcasm and less impressed side were very easy to coax out— and mingled nicely with his sweetness, in fact— she always found him perfectly charming. She might have been biased, being married to him. She also knew she got all of the best bits to herself. “But the sound proofing, grubby-hand monitoring charms will help with that.” Because a Casper with a clean, organized office was the easiest to make smile.

Molly watched him carefully, considering his words but not really appearing to. Even if what he said was true, she was still sure their new houseguest would be perfectly lovely. The Ministry wouldn’t send someone awful to their house… they had to screen their applicants… ish. Molly didn’t want to dwell on that, really. “Don’t make yourselves sound so desperate,” she offered cheerfully. “Obliviators are my favorite people.”

She couldn’t help it, laughing at his jab at the cats. It was innocent enough. But Molly quickly offered one a consoling face. Even if it had coolly ignored Casper.

“You just have to get creative. Although I suppose it’s harder for me to cover bits now if—” Molly cut off mid-sentence, giggling. The idea of someone interrupting them was… well, she was no voyeur.

She ran a hand through his hair gently as he continued to talk to her belly, but tapped the side of his head lightly in not-very-convincing chastisement as he threatened the cats. Their baby was not going to be an a cat hater. It wouldn’t hate anything, if Molly could help it. “Don’t be a bad influence.”

There was still plenty to be done, even if they were ready for their guest, but Molly didn’t mind a bit of lounging around in the middle of the day. The healers had encouraged rest, hadn’t they? And one of the best parts of being married to Casper was just laying on the couch with him, jumping from topic to topic, letting their varying opinions keep them entertained… and fit together perfectly, somehow, just like their hands.

When he returned with the biscuits, she sat forward and took the plate, watching him eat the one he’d stolen with a big smile. There were plenty to share. Even with a pregnant belly. “You, late?” She asked, sounding a little shocked and raising brows as she picked up a biscuit. “The only thing you’ve been late for in your life is knowing when to kiss me,” she joked, nose scrunching a bit teasingly as she continued to smile. She pulled at his trouser leg lightly, inviting him down for just such a (biscuit flavored) kiss. She inspected his clothes not very thoroughly. She always approved. “Mmm, we have plenty for dessert, so let’s order out. And don’t scare him before he gets here. I'll owl for food. Chinese, curry, pizza, or chips?” They all sounded brilliant to Molly's pregnant belly.

An eyebrow rose at her as he smirked. “What can I say; you bring out the worst in me.” Casper made a face at her before chuckling, shaking his head. “Yes, yes, the charms are all in place. As requested. You could pull out your wand and practice some too, you know.” He rested his hand on his hip, behind his back, leaning his waist out as if to stretch himself.

Casper winked at her. Of course they were. She fit very well with this Obliviator, anyway. “It’s not that we’re desperate... we just don’t need a lot of holes filled like the Auror department does, when graduation comes up.” Like this year. They were taking on one new Obliviator. At some point, there would be a handful of retirees. Not yet, though.

His eyes widened as the thought finally came to him. Oh Merlin, what if someone did walk in on them? His cheeks colored slightly at the thought, shaking his head and licking his lips. “We’ll just have to lock it every night. With the cats on the other side.” Who knew what those four legged felines were up to at all wee hours of the night? Scheming and plotting the downfall of Casper, that he was sure of.

Who knew one could be paranoid of a bunch of cats?

There was something very calming about her hand through his hair. Casper almost didn’t want to get up and get to it. The tap on the head was obviously to his comments. He kissed the material over her belly. “Just because you asked... I’ll stop for now.” He smiled at her as he sat back up.

He loved how relaxed he could feel around Molly. It was always a breath of fresh air, to be able to stretch and relax and be himself. He could put down the facade of professionalism once he got home. She was home. This was their future. He liked it very much. Even when she irritated him to his wits end. She just knew him too well. Eyes rolled at her picking on him for not being late for things. “Hey... I always know when I want to kiss you.”

Casper leaned in and kissed her, enjoying the added flavor. Another couple of brief kisses were placed on her lips before he stood back up, allowing her to straighten him out. They always had plenty of dessert. Which he loved. A grin came out easily, and he wiped at his lips for any stray biscuit. “Mmm... We haven’t had a Chinese in a while. Let’s do that.” He leaned in for another brief kiss, stealing a last biscuit from her before he laughed, pulling away. “Ok, I love you.”

His rolled sleeves were pushed up above his elbows as he walked down the street. He checked his watch; plenty of time to get to the train station. If Casper stopped along the way, glancing into the flower shop and the butcher, it was because he had that on his list for tomorrow. He wanted to inquire about some fresh seeds with the flower shop, at the very least. As pleased as he was with his growing garden, he wanted to double the types of daisies he had growing. Some gerbera with the white... he wanted to encourage Molly to his garden more than she already came.

It was a few minutes before he reached the edge of town. With his wand in hand, and a friendly nod of greeting to a fellow resident, Casper apparated on the spot to the nearest local muggle town. Once he was settled there, he made it into the train station and stood near the display, trying to guess how late the trains might be behind. Another glance at his watch: he was thirty minutes early. He stopped at the coffee display for a newspaper and coffee, sitting down on a bench to browse the front news section while he waited. It could be surprising, to some, how many leads his office got for potential magic wrong-doers from muggle newspapers.

Merlin certainly hated him, Nicholas thought as the train finally left the last station before Barnstaple.  The two girls in front of him had chattered non-stop about movies and celebrities that he only vaguely recognized.  What little he'd talked to his muggle friends in the few days he'd been home he'd heard about the same movies, and just nodded his head in agreement with whatever they said.  Now though he had to listen to celebrity gossip non-stop.  It would have been fine had he been able to find his iPod.  It had disappeared from the drawer where he was sure he'd left it when he'd packed his trunk for school.

He thumbed the wand in his jacket pocket, if only he  could cast a charm so that he could sit there and not have to hear them.  He'd even thought they were cute when they first got on the train in Exeter.  He'd tried talking to them to, but the first sign that he didn't know what they were talking about they cut him out of the conversation.  Not that there had been much of one.

He was nervous as the announcement was made that they were arriving at the station, which he found surprising as he wiped his hands on his jeans. He'd been looking forward to the internship since the career fair.  But now it was actually happening.   The train ride was only three and a half hours and yet it had felt like twice that.  He didn't know how muggles did it.  He much preferred apparating.  Not that he'd had much time to take advantage of it yet.  But he'd also never been to Godric's Hollow before, or apparated that far.  The trip to Hogwart's had never felt that long.

Magic-less and music-less it was the worst train ride he'd ever had. Except for the promise of the very sexy oblivator waiting for him when he got off.  Which also just added to how nervous he was.  He was going to be working and living with the man, and Nicholas wasn't 100% sure that he could control his reactions, actually he was 100% sure that there was one very obvious reaction he couldn't control or hide.

He got his trunk off the train, cursing under his breathe the lack of house elves and magic as he looked about for his host.  He moved away from the train before finally spotting Casper sitting with the newspaper.  Nicholas looked at his watch, crap, the train was nearly fifteen minutes late.  Not that he had any control over the trains, but he still wasn't happy that he was late.  Generally he couldn't care less if he was on time, except for when it caused him more of a headache than it was worth, but this time it had mattered.  He'd even arrived at the station way to early that morning.

Moving through the other passengers making their way from the train, Nicholas approached the Obliviator, "G'afternoon, Mr. Bagman.  Sorry about the ah train being late."  He was already kicking himself, why was he apologizing for something he had no control of.  "So, ah, how are we getting to Godric's Hollow?"  Please not a bus, he repeated to himself several times.

Casper had nearly finished his small coffee when he heard his name. He glanced up from the newspaper - most of the local news was boring at best. Nothing had jumped out at him, and he’d nearly gotten through the entire thing. He was on the sports section, having thumbed through the finance area with little interest. If wizards were playing the housing market, it wasn’t necessarily going to jump out at him. Usually those things made first to third page news, anyway.

There were a few times wizards tried to buy a nice, friendly muggle home with galleons.

“Mr. Bevans.” Casper inclined his head and glanced around, setting the coffee cup down and folding the paper over itself. “The rail system was such an advancement when it was made. You’d think they’d improve on it. I hope the ride wasn’t too terrible?” He smirked knowingly before standing up, tossing the coffee away in the bin nearby before offering a hand for a shake. “And please, Casper will do while at the house.”

Once the greeting was done, Casper tucked the paper under his arm. He frowned just slightly before glancing around again, eyeing a nearby muggle carefully. “We’ll get to town by foot.” After making sure Nicholas had his trunk, Casper led them out the side entrance, motioning to the alleyway.

It wasn’t long before it was just the two of them, the newspaper, and the trunk. The smirk slipped back over his face as he pulled his wand out from his trouser pocket. “I hope you don’t mind appariting.”

Casper grasped Nicholas’s hand before taking them along for the gut-wrenching ride. Once they were back on solid ground, he let go of his hand, feeling his stomach in his throat. It took a few moments to get his wits before he put a hand out, showing off the rather uncharismatic alley wall. It was a safe appariting spot to and from. “Welcome to Godric’s Hollow.” Casper gestured to the trunk. "Do you need some help with that? We have a few blocks."

There was a nice mix of people in the community. Their home was nestled between a witch who had lived there since before the first great war, and a middle aged couple and their teenager. A few charms around the place, and it wasn't too loud. “I hope you’re hungry! Ordered a Chinese and there is plenty of dessert. You’re not allergic to cats, are you?” If Nicholas was... that’d be the perfect reason to ship them off to her brother’s. Casper would have to work that angle.

"I don't know how they do it."  Nicholas replied, "I'd rather face a dementor than another muggle train."  He said half jokingly.  At least if you survived a dementor, someone would give you chocolate.  Maybe he should write the muggle train people and tell them to offer chocolate at the stations, before and after.

"Oh, well, then call me Nicholas please...Everywhere."  He smiled, he would have added something cliche, like that's my father, but he'd  never met his father and he certainly wasn't a Mr. Bevans.  He'd almost said that made him sound old, but Nicholas didn't want to inadvertently call Casper old.  And for once, he wasn't tripping over his tongue saying all the wrong things.  And he hadn't even checked the older man out, until now.  Oh well, he thought, as he tried to unobtrusively enjoy the view while they made their way down an alleyway.

"Nope not at all," He managed to partly get out before his voice cracked as Casper took his hand.  Which thankfully only led to uncomfortable feelings for a moment before the unpleasantness of apparition wiped the rest away.  He preferred apparition, it was quick and got you write where you wanted to go, but it wasn't the best feeling in the world to be squeezed through nothingness.  But at least he landed on his feet, and not crushed by his trunk...or splinched.

"No, oh I've got it.  Thanks."  Nicholas said smiling, "Are we going to walk by the memorial?  I've never seen it, didn't even know anything about it until like third year."  Was that when they covered the war.  He couldn't remember.  History of magic involved a lot of reading that he'd never actually done.  But he had listened to those lectures, since had things gone differently or he'd been a few years older, he wouldn't be standing in Godric's Hollow now.

"Starving."  He said quickly, the thought of food making is stomach growl.  He hadn't realized he was hungry until the obliviator brought up food.  "Umm, I don't think I'm allergic.  Never had any pets though.  Well until I got my mum an owl so she'd stop sending letters to Hogwarts through the muggle post."  Which now that he thought about it, probably ended up with obliviators modifying the postman's memories.

“You think that poorly of the rail system?” Casper stood taller and thought that over with a look on his face. “Hm...” Dementors were not beasts to trifle with. He’d hated the feeling they gave off at Hogwarts. It was not something he wanted to experience again, ever. He wasn’t exactly sure how long the chocolate started to work after eating it in correlation to a Dementor attack, and he would prefer not to find out.

“Nicholas... Not Nick?” Molly had all sorts of nicknames for Casper, and most of them he didn’t mind. He smirked and raised an eyebrow. No doubt poor Nicholas would have to endure some of them throughout the summer. And the cats... That nearly stole the smirk right off his face.

Once they were back in town, Casper felt himself relax a little. Here, he knew where he could be free with his words. When Nicholas said he had the trunk, Casper left it at that. He glanced over Nicholas as he considered the memorial. “We can...” That meant they would walk the main road back. It wasn’t a big detour, really, just a block extra round trip. “How old were you when the war went on?” Had he even been born yet? How old was Casper? He rested a hand on his chest and tapped a finger against his shirt for a moment as he considered it. No... Nicholas would’ve been alive during it.

It wasn’t that long ago. “The Potter family, yes. I vaguely remember their tale coming up at home, when I was little.” He had been nearly four when the incident had happened, but recalled it a few years later when his parents brought it up again, for some reason or another. He’d probably been taken to see it when he was a child. Regardless, he did walk near it when he made a stroll around the town. They continued to walk as they talked, and Casper led the way with pointed hands and turning instinctively.

If Nicholas wasn’t sure he was allergic, could Casper swing that his way? A laugh did escape as they came out onto the main street, walking down the sidewalk. “I can only imagine that poor postman’s face.” It did help to have someone working for the post office, to help weed all those muggle family letters through. How else would a postman deliver mail to someone who lived at an address that, by muggle knowledge, didn’t exist?

When they made it to the memorial, Casper eyed it carefully, glancing around it to make sure the charms were still working well. “There aren’t too many memorials out there.” Definitely not so obvious to the muggle eye, either. Casper dusted off the bench near and sat down, paper folded in his hand as he waited for Nicholas. When he was done, Casper smirked and tilted his head to the side. “If we step about fifteen-twenty feet away, you’ll see what the muggles see.”

Casper sprung up and motioned with his paper, taking them over to about where he meant. Turning around, he waved the paper held hand at the memorial, the tribute to fallen world war veterans unreadable from so far. Finally the paper was tucked back under his arm and he motioned his head the way they had stepped towards. “It’s not much further, if you’re done with the memorial. It’ll be here tomorrow, as well.” Casper smirked and winked, turning and walking down the street. Molly would probably love to walk to it.

Once they rounded a couple more corners, he nodded his head to the house surrounded by wild plants. Casper had been slowly weeding it all away and hoped by next spring for it to be the perfect front garden. For now... it was still quaint and colorful. “Welcome to the Bagman Cottage. Come on in!”

Molly popped up, biscuit in hand, trusting the rest to remain safe on the coffee table, despite her sprawling four-legged family. She half-nibbled, half-danced her way the sun-drenched blue room at the side of the converted greenhouse, fishing around her desk for a quill and smoothing out parchment to scrawl the order. If it was an over order, that was alright: it was always better to have leftovers in the Bagman house, than to not have enough— she never knew when someone might pop in, and she could be creative with how she packed Casper’s lunches.

Soon the owl disappeared to the little take away place around the corner, and Molly returned to the living room, tidying it just-barely and needlessly (it was already clean, but not austere), before lighting more candles and inspecting the room from a new angle. “I think you’re going to like this place,” she hummed to her belly before reaching for one more biscuits. Her little listener didn’t need to speak back; Molly knew the baby could hear because of the constant grumbling in her tummy, and those endless cravings. Despite the impending dinner, she nibbled at the sugary treat and opened one of the windows, taking a moment to simply enjoy the fruits of summer and Casper’s hard work with those weeds. It was more colorful now than it had been when they’d bought it.

She caught the clock, as if it had appeared out of nowhere, and banished the plate to the kitchen to warm. She followed it a moment later, deciding it would be nice to eat in their new dining room when the weather was good.

Soon, the table was set, and Molly was surprised when the food arrived before her husband. It smelled so delicious that she almost cheated, almost plucked an eggroll from its little wrapper, but she caught a cat watching— their oldest. If he could be described as mean and ugly by one of the cottage’s permanent residents, Molly’s love for him outweighed any of those comments (which she always hushed). “I know, I know, but we have to wait," she informed, as good as a promise that he would get a bit of chicken later.

Casper wasn’t late without good reason, so Molly could only assume that the train had been delayed. That, or the boy had a pile of luggage that would impress his petite host. She pictured a mysterious set of teenaged arms behind a pile higher than her head, Casper leading the way. She was still grinning over it when she heard them approach, heard the muffled welcome through an open window in the next room over.

Molly’s face lit up and she floated back through the rooms to their cozy living room, throwing open the door like a hug. “Is everything alright?” She asked, having remembered the time again (the food a tantalizing reminder). But they looked perfectly healthy and not splinched. She leaned up reflexively to kiss Casper’s cheek, as if he had just arrived home after a long day, and then she moved past him in the doorway, to offer the younger wizard a half hug of introduction. “And you’re Nicholas. Here at last! I’m Molly. We’ve been waiting all week to meet you.” Or Molly had. She supposed Casper had met him, briefly, but we sounded friendlier. She beamed at him. “Come in,” she insisted, already moving back into the living room, pressing Casper into the wall to let the boy through.

At least two of the cats, sensing their impending neglect at the fault of the youth, mewed their way to the front door, crowding it further. “Was your train ride long?” She asked, gingerly dodging one of them, but then bending, a moment later, to scratch his ear. “Casper can take your stuff upstairs.”

Nicholas shrugged in response, yes he felt that way about the rail system, but he wasn't exactly clamoring to meet a dementor in person.  There were easier ways to get chocolate... hell he could have it delivered every week by owl if the house elves didn't already provide plenty any time he went to the kitchens while at school and asked.

"Never Nick,"  He said quickly, "I can't stand Nick.  Only my mum calls me that, and that's only cause she always has and I can't get her to stop."  It drove him crazy when people called him Nick, made him feel like a kid, and he might put up with it from his mum but he wasn't going to from anyone else.  That and it wasn't like it was so hard to say Nicholas.

"It was what  1997...wait no it ended in 1998, right?"  Nicholas said, thinking back to the one of the few readings he'd done without too much complaint or procrastination.  "I would have been five or six..  I didn't know anything about it, I was still in a muggle primary school."  He shook his head, he was glad that he missed it all.  He'd heard stories and they'd sounded terrible.

"He probably thought my mum was crazy.  The first letter she sent was addressed Hogwarts, Somewhere In Scotland."  He dropped his voice near the end and glanced around to make sure no one was around to overhear.  The last thing he needed to do was let some muggle hear about Hogwarts before he'd even started his internship with the Obliviators.  "It got to me though."

When  they got to the memorial, he walked around it looking at what appeared to be a happy couple with their baby.  Nicholas had never really thought about the fact that Harry Potter had grown up without his parents till now.  Of course it was always mentioned, but the statue just kinda made it tangible.  Nicholas had only really missed his father a few times, and not at all since he'd found out he was a wizard, but he'd at least had his mum.  He couldn't imagine growing up without her.

He moved back to the area Casper indicated and the statue turned into an obelisk memorial for some muggle war.  As Casper asked if he was done, Nicholas's stomach growled.  "Yeah, there's food right.  Let's go."  He said returning Casper's smile.

"Wow.  Nice place."  Nicholas said when the cottage was identified.  The place looked homey, and was the kind of place he could see himself enjoying if he decided not to live in London after Hogwarts.  He accepted the hug from the very pregnant woman who came out of the cottage, a bit awkwardly though since he wasn't used to hugs from people he didn't know.  Or really from most the people he did know.  And he was pretty sure that was the first pregnant person to hug him. "Nice to finally meet you.  Thanks for those cookies.  They were amazing."

He looked up at Casper and then back at Molly, "The train was slow," he said succinctly.  "Ah, okay.  Thanks."  He set his trunk down after they made their way into the cottage, and watched as a cat inspected it.  He wondered what the cat could smell on the trunk, it had after all spent most of the last six years in a Gryffindors' boys' dorm.  "I heard there was food?"  He said as his stomach growled loudly.  He should've eaten a bigger breakfast.