Almost

Chapter 64: Peace Offering

Katherine slept a full eight hours that night. She didn't have a single nightmare, just dreams of flying over Jenny Lake. And when she woke up Sunday morning, the sun was already brightly shining through her windows.

The smell of coffee and something citrusy baking downstairs pulled her from her bed. Smithwick, who had been sleeping on her chest, pounced lazily to the ground and padded around her feet as she washed her face and brushed her teeth. As she walked back into the main room, she opened her hand and let Nestor fly to a sleeping Corliss's side on her windowsill with a contented chirp. She made a mental note to make sure the owl went for a long hunt tonight—everyone had been feeling the effects of her illness, and her watchful animal companions were no exception.

The scene in her kitchen sent a shiver down her spine. Arthur sat at her kitchen table, the Daily Prophet in hand and cup of tea stirring itself by his side. Molly was next to him, glasses perched on the end of her nose while she knit. And Ezra was cutting thick slices of lemon loaf that was still steaming from the oven. George was pacing on the front porch, and Angelina leaned against the doorway keeping her eyes between him and the kids perched on the couch.

"George, love," Angelina said, standing up straight.

She didn't care that she hadn't yet brushed her hair out from yesterday's fallen braid or that her freshly washed face was red and blotchy and bore an indent from the seam of her pillow. She didn't care that her pajamas were rumpled. All she could see was the relief plastered on his face as he saw her, standing straight and tall, with her eyes back to their flaring teal.

"Hey Dad," she said, the voice of a little girl that she wasn't embarrassed by.

He made it across the room in no more than three long strides and wrapped her so tightly in his arms that she had difficulty breathing. She did manage to laugh, however, and hug him back. He only let go when Molly threatened to stun him. At least while her grandmother hugged her, however, she could look over Molly's shoulder and see the tears falling down Arthur's cheeks, full with his smile. Angelina gave her a full once over before her shoulders would fall, as if her healer's eyes had to see the change herself before she'd believe it was real. But Katherine relished the feeling of holding onto her and not shaking, not having to be held up. She was so sturdy, in fact, that Fred had the audacity to ruffle her hair while he and Roxy came her side.

"Listen here, kid," she said with a laughing emphasis, "I am your big sister, and you will respect me as such!"

He clearly didn't agree, only continuing to jab at her. But she had her own tricks up her sleeve and started to tickle him senseless with Roxy's help.

"I give! I give!" Fred called when he had nearly toppled over.

"Children . . ." Angelina warned, looking to George. But he was so past words at the sight of his children, all of his children, laughing around him, that he couldn't chastise them.

"Breakfast is going to get cold," Ezra said from the kitchen, leaning against the counter.

"Yes, yes, to the table now," Molly called. "Katherine, dear, do you mind if I—"

Before she could even finish the sentence, Katherine had grown the table to accommodate them all, and chairs started to replicate around them. She'd barely lifted her hand from her side.

"Show off," Ezra muttered as she sat down and looked up at him over her glasses. "Take it easy, please?"

"I think we've seen the side effects well enough of me not using my magic," Katherine reminded him. She stretched her arms up above her head, still stiff with sleep, and flicked her wrist until all of the plates he'd prepared came and landed softly on the table.