Chapter 94

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December 2002

"Letter!" I snatch it out of the air, feeling some kind of strange energy take over me, something conflicting between laughing non-stop or curling up on my bed. The owl perches on the edge of the table, looking at me disgustedly before trying to peck at my fingers.

I manage to pull them away in time, narrowing my eyes at it, then transform into a wolf before barking madly at it. It seems to shriek, then flies back out of the window, and the babies clap and cheer, laughing.

"You know," Dudley comments as I transform back and collapse on the sofa beside my husband, "I don't think I'll ever not be weirded out by that."

I grin at him, finally opening the letter, getting some festive notes from Luna. "That's sweet," I smile, showing Fred. He skims it, then chuckles at the mention of mistletoe keeping away the Nargles.

"Guys..." Maddie starts after a moment, fingers fidgeting on her lap before Kal gently takes them in his own. "I have something to tell you." It's a moment, then, "I'm pregnant again."

Taylor chokes on her Firewhisky – surprisingly she's the only one showing restraint for the beverage, but she allowed herself one glass for Christmas Day, even if it's drawing to a close in a couple of hours. "WHAT?!"

"Don't shout," I hiss at her, glancing at the sleeping Violet on Georgina's rocker. The other three kids are fine, Georgina playing with a ball, Rafe toddling over to try play with it before deciding against it at the last minute and toddling back to where he crouches in the corner, shy. Leo's just keeping himself company, chewing tiredly on his hand.

Scattered on the walls are drawings, beautiful drawings. Not the kind that move, but the kind that you can stare at for ages and keep finding new details about. I didn't know Fred could be this good at drawing, but more often than ever I find myself telling him to wash his hands before taking Georgina to get rid of the charcoal. He's found a new muse in her. "My two best girls," he's always saying to us.

Kal grins anyway, glancing at Leo before looking back at Taylor. "Two months. Leo's going to have a baby brother or sister."

"Honestly," Taylor tuts, managing to get over it quickly. "You overpopulate this Earth."

"Taylor, you literally had two kids, the second one conceived one month after you gave birth," Fred chuckles, referencing to Rafe and Violet.

Dudley smirks. "Well, it's not our fault that–"

A gag escapes my lips and I press my hands to my ears. "Don't finish that sentence, Dudley. We don't need to hear it, trust me."

"Especially when everyone is getting some of that for themselves."

Taylor spits the drink out this time, right in her husband's face. "KAL?! WHAT HAPPENED TO NIBBLES, PEOPLE?! WHEN DID HE BECOME THIS?!"

He casually shrugs, sipping his Butterbeer, off the alcohol for the sake of his wife. "America changes people."

"Amen to that," Dudley snorts, taking a sip of Taylor's Firewhisky for the first time once he's wiped his face, eyes lighting up. "This is great, by the way. But yeah, went for our honeymoon. Uh... mixed emotions."

"American accents are hot."

"No, Tay," Maddie scolds. "You're married and have two kids."

"Doesn't mean I can't appreciate it," she shrugs.

And now it's my turn to say, "Amen." Ignoring Fred's eyes as they bore into my head, I sip my Firewhisky before coughing, suddenly feeling flops in my stomach. Yeah, probably should keep off that – must've ate something bad earlier, because I suddenly feel queasy.

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