That's Ace {Fourth book in The 'I am Who?' Series}

Chapter 11

The next morning the house was awoken by screams from Teddy later joined by Fred. Instantly, everyone clambered into his and Ace's room to find him pointing at Fred and Fred doing the same back to him

Remus dropped down next to his son. "What's wrong, Teddy?" He asked his son.

"Ace! Look at him! He's old!"

Fred glared at the boy, "I am not old thank you very much. And I am not Ace. I am Fred."

"I thought- oh my. This is embarrassing. Why are you in Ace's bed?" Teddy shook his head wiping the sleep from his eyes as everyone else sighed in relief and annoyance.

"Yeah, dad, why are you in Ace's bed?" Asked Poppy folding her arms at her father, an expression on her face that made her look so much like her mother.

"He stole my bed!" Fred told his daughter.

"I don't want to hear it. Get dressed and behave." Poppy said and stalked four of the bedroom pushing through everyone else.

"Now I'm worried that Ryan has de-aged. Poppy takes after her so much, it's uncanny." Fred sighed.

Orion chuckled from the doorway, her arm around Ace who watched her his father flip back onto his bed, Elliot and Esme jumping on him, followed by Roxie.

Fred groaned as the three children bounced, "Merlin help me." He begged.

Everyone walked out of the room leaving him and the three children.

Teddy leaned against his mother apologising to everyone. "I thought he'd grown old in the night."

"Are you calling my dad old?" Asked Poppy, raising her brow at the elder boy.

"No, ma'am." He said quickly.

Poppy Laughed, "Not it's cool. He's ancient."

Poppy continued to laugh until she saw her mother and Uncle George looking at her and she stopped. "But that doesn't mean Mum and Uncle George are. They're pretty darn young. Who gave dad an aging potion?" She looked around the room.

"That's my girl." Orion patted her shoulder and turned to Ace.

Despite the boy being fifteen he didn't object when his mother pulled him onto her lap and wrapped her arms around him. "Did it happen again?" She whispered to him.

He shook his head, leaning back and his hands rested on his mother's. His fingers toyed with her engagement and wedding ring staring down at his knees. "Can I talk to you after breakfast. Alone?"

"Of course, sweetheart." He kissed his cheek and hugged him tighter.

"You know,"Said Sirius who was helping with breakfast his infamous spatula in his hand. "Any other fifteen year old would object to sitting on their mother's lap and her kissing their cheek."

"That's because he's a mummy's-boy. And knows that I'm better than his father at all everything." Orion smirked as Fred hobbled into the room groaning, the twins and Roxie giggling behind him.

"Clearly I am the best trampoline though. I think they broke my ribs." He winced pressing his rib cage.

"Boo-hoo."

He gasped, "my own wife. So mean! That's it, my peasant children, your mother and I are no more. She doesn't care about me! G'bye!" He fell to the floor dramatically. Only to have the three jump on him again.

"Did you just call us peasants?" Questioned Poppy.

"No."

"Thought not. Esme, Elliot, Roxie. Keep going. He'll regret calling us peasants in the end." Poppy patted their heads and walked over to Uncle George.  "That's why you're the better twin. You're more sensible." She told him.

Charlie burst out laughing. "Him sensible? No chance!"

"I'm sorry, Pops, he's right. But you're right about the first part. Now come here and give me a cuddle." He opened his arms for the girl.

Once breakfast was over, Orion led Ace our to the garden and further away from the house. They sat down on the grass and Ace burst into tears.

Orion pulled him into her chest letting him cry. "I lied." He said.

"What about?" She asked him, rubbing circles on his back before moving her hand to his hair.

"Last night wasn't all that's happened. Your going to think I'm crazy but I know it happened. I moved a rock without magic. And..and...sparks came from my fingertips." He sobbed into her chest. "Sparks, mum, sparks!"

Orion nodded. It was a lot to process and she didn't know what was going on. She hadn't heard of this before and it did seem absurd but from him floating yesterday, she wasn't going to call it impossible.

"Okay, sweetheart. I don't think you're crazy. Yes, I haven't heard of it but I'm not going to say it's impossible. Like I said, I will read up on it. But for now, can you show me?"

Ace sniffed wiping his nose on the back of his sleeve. "I don't know. I don't know how to control it or do it, it just happens."

"Right, alright. Well, we'll have to see what books say. For now, this will stay between us. If you need to talk, come to me. You know you can. Just because you're a teenager doesn't mean I don't care about you just as much as I care about, Poppy, Esme and Elliot because I do. And so does dad, he loves you all to pieces like I do."

"I know. That's why I told you. It was hurting keeping it built up. Please don't tell dad, though."

"I won't, don't worry. Now, is this why you've been acting all different, and your hair?" Ace nodded. "So you didn't just want to change it because I can change mine?"

"No, I did."

Orion snorted, smiling at her son and pulled him back into a hug. "Ooh, we're hugging?" Called Fred who was running towards the mother and son. He crashed into them, hugging them both tightly.

"I thought you broke your ribs?"

"Hush, Ryan. No need to lie." Fred shook his head. "Such a bad influence on our son."

Ace smiled at his parents and pulled away from them. "I'm going to go inside now. Good talk, mum." He walked away from his parents leaving Fred holding onto Orion.

Fred buried his head into her neck, "what was you talking about?"

"Nunya."

"Nunya?"

"Nunya business." Orion told him. Fred laughed into her neck and began to kiss her, leaving trails of kiss up and down it.

"You're so mean."

"But you love me."

"Unconditionally." Fred lifted his head up, "should I be worried about what you are talking about?"

Orion shook her head, lying, "no. He just wanted some time alone with me."

"He got enough of that last night. Cheeky boy, stealing my bed and my cuddle buddy."

"Aw, sad times." His wife cooed.

"So, so, so mean."