Brave { Neville Longbottom}

Chapter Twenty Five

"Alright, here I come!" Kefira called after counting down as she was told to do. Blindfolded, she had to maneuver her way around the house to find her sisters who were all hiding.

Cardel was in the kitchen drinking a glass of water, watching as Kefira began stumbling around the living room to find the others. Almost instantly, she tripped over a footstool and fell to the ground laughing.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?"

Kefira whipped her head in the direction of his voice before giving him a thumbs up. He set his glass down on the counter and walked over to her. He easily lifted Kefira up to her feet and whispered something in her ear.

"Thanks Dad." she whispered to him before yelling, " I'M COMING FOR YOU GUYS!"

Cardel chuckled to himself as Kefira left the room and moments later he heard the other girls groan when she found them.

"That's cheating you know." Alana said crossing her arms from where she stood in the doorway.

"What? I didn't do anything." Cardel told her.

"Oh really? Because I'm pretty sure you tipped Kefi off."

"No, I just gave her a nudge in the right direction." He smiled at his wife.

"That's still cheating, Car."

"Not cheating, friendly assisting is what I like to call it."

Rosemary was attempted to braid Kefira's hair that evening while Kefira leaned against her telling her about some of the things she had experienced at the school. Including the three headed dog that she didn't dare to mention to her parents.

"Three heads? You lie!" Rosemary said.

"No!" Kefira jumped up and turned to her oldest sister. " I'm being completely straight with you Rosemary. It was absolutely massive!"

"And it really had three heads?"

"Yes!"

"And why is there a massive three headed dog at your school?" Rosemary asked with concern.

Kefira pondered for a moment. "Because they wanted a pet? I don't know!"

"You didn't think to ask?"

"Well, we technically weren't supposed to be up there to begin with. Please don't Mum, she'd flip her lid."

"You know I'm not going to say anything but with things like that Kefi, you need to be careful! We don't need you going and getting hurt."

Rosemary hugged her sister into her chest, only to get a face full of curls, making her gag.

Kefira giggled.

"Alright, come back down here and let me try to tame that mane of yours!"

"You can't tame what's meant to be wild!"

"Don't I know it, Mum's been trying to tame the little lion in this family for over eleven years."

"Not going to happen."

Christmas morning, Kefira was burrowed in her covers, sound asleep, only a stray red curl poking out when Cardel snuck into the room.

He rubbed his hands mischievously before climbing onto the bed and began jumping up and down.

"Wake up Kefi! It's Christmas!"

Kefira lifted her head from the pillow and tried to get out of the tangled covers but ending up rolling out of the bed.

Cardel pulled the blanket off of her, revealing a poofy haired, sleepy child trying to wake herself up.

"Wh-what?" she looked over.

"It's Christmas, sweetheart."

Kefira's opened all the way as it all registered. "CHRISTMAS!"

"Want to go help me wake your sisters up?"

"Yes!" she said scrambling to her feet and running after her father out of the room.

Alana allowed everyone to open gifts after they shared breakfast together in the kitchen much to the delight of all the daughters.

However, Kefira was the first to open her gift.

"Arrived this morning for you." Cardel said leaving outside.

"What did you get me?"Kefira asked curiously looking back and forth between her mother and sisters, but no one answered.

Finally, her father came back holding something covered in a sheet.

"Come here." Cardel motioned her over.

Kefira pushed herself up and wandered over to where her father stood.

"Oh not on the kitchen table, Cardel." Alana groaned but it was too late as the man set whatever it was down.

"Sorry, dear." Cardel apologized as the family gathered to watch Kefira open her gift. "Go ahead Kefi."

Kefira took hold of the sheet and pulled it off only to jump when an owl screeched at her.

"Oooh! It's an owl!" Kefira jumped up and down excitedly. She turned to her parents. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

She hugged both of them and out of pure excitement hugged each of her sisters before turning back to the bird.

"Hi there." she waved at the tawny owl resting in the cage. She opened the door and to her mother's displeasure, the owl hopped out onto the table.

"You're beautiful." Kefira told the owl. She turned back to her family.  "How did you guys manage to get me an owl?"

"We contact your professor."

Kefira furrowed her brow. 

"Which one?" 

"The one who came here silly. We sent a separate letter while you were in school with one of the owls that you sent home with a letter. He helped us out."

The girl was baffled. "Professor Snape helped you two get me a gift? You're joking right?"

"No, not at all." Alana said. "He was very helpful. Be sure to thank him the next time you see him back at school."

"Will do." Kefira smiled. "Will do."