The Doors of Hogwarts are Always Open

[feuillu]

[Welcome students young and old, faculty, friends and family. In celebration of the defeat of He Who Must Not Be Named, Hogwarts has opened its doors to all who have passed through its hallways-- as well as those who have yet to do so. Current and former students, faculty, and the families thereof are all welcome to join us in our celebratory feast.]

Comments

im gonna dO THIS YEAH

[sunflowersister]

[ everyone is celebrating, and why shouldn't they be? a war has been won and a tyrant is dead, soldiers would be coming home to safety and peace, and it seems like half of the world over is toasting the name of a child. there are firecrackers at every corner and no heed for the secrecy, not when the joy is too great. there hasn't been such a warmly-welcomed November in years, and meanwhile, Katya had held one hand under her belly and the other against the doorframe to the room of her sleeping daughter, and wept until she trembled -- half with grief for another baby who had lost his family in such a stupid ugly war, and half with selfish relief that her own family could be whole again now.

and now, though traveling at such a late stage in her pregnancy isn't ideal, Katya's desire to see the old friends she'd missed since moving to Canada is overwhelmingly powerful, so they as a family make arrangements to attend the Hogwarts celebratory reunion. eight months pregnant and visibly waddling, Katya makes her way through the Great Hall like a woman with a mission -- a mission to find a chair so she can sit down near people she knows and just bask in the knowledge that everyone is okay again. ]

yEAH

[redwhiteandhero]

[Al spots Katya from across the hall and smiles, pulling a chair out from the nearest table with a wave of his wand and beckoning for her to come sit.] Glad you could make it!

just keep swimmin

[sunflowersister]

[ the smile she casts her brother-in-law is one full of gratitude, and when she sits down she pulls him in for a series of welcoming kisses across his face. ] And you too. I'm so happy to see everyone too, I thought perhaps not many people would want to, not so soon.

[ Stephanie of course gets her own bundle of kisses from her auntie, and a tender attempt by Katya to smooth down one of those unruly little cowlicks with her thumb. ]

[redwhiteandhero]

I think everyone's so relieved to have a chance to celebrate for once. [He returns a kiss to her cheek and places a gentle hand on her belly, while Stephanie fusses at the attention.] And who could resist a Hogwarts feast?

[sunflowersister]

That's true... It's like a dream now, after a nightmare. [ oh, there she goes getting maudlin. that won't do. her hand covers his, and she moves it over to just a bit higher so he might feel the baby kick. this one's been fussy, more so than Reinette had been at the time, getting more than a few energetic digs in under her ribs recently, so the chances are good there. ]

How has Stephanie been sleeping? Is she okay with all these people? We had to coax Reinette into the castle when she saw how busy it was, she's so used to it just being her and Mama back home.

[redwhiteandhero]

She's not a fan. She's been hiding her face this whole time. [Stephanie chimes in with an emphatic "NO" to prove his point.] But she's a good girl. And she's been sleeping a lot better since I've been home, I'll tell you what.

[sunflowersister]

I bet she has! We'll all be sleeping better now that our Daddies have come home where they belong, won't we, little bunny?

[unicorntails]

Not a bunny.

[sunflowersister]

No? How about a big bear like Uncle Matthew? [ Katya curls her fingers up by her face in an approximation of paws. ]

[redwhiteandhero]

[Stephanie squeaks and hides her face again, and Alfred chuckles.] Or a mouse maybe.

[sunflowersister]

[ Katya rubs Stephanie's back soothingly and smiles. ] Don't worry, lovely, he's a tame bear. He mostly naps. [ well, now that he's not out fighting battles in places that involve censor bars on the letters he sends home, at least.

she takes a moment to look around at the huge expanse of food laid out, looking like the elves had thrown their own joy into the presentation, but her stomach turns rebelliously a little anyway, not in the mood for so much familiar heavy fare. however, she does flick her wand and bring over a couple glasses of juice for herself and Alfred, because while her appetite is still giving her trouble, she is thirsty almost constantly. ] Maybe now that things are going to be calming down, you two could visit sometime.

[redwhiteandhero]

You know we'd love to.

[sunflowersister]

I think it might help Reinette too, you know? To get used to the idea of a bigger family. [ Katya touches the swell of her belly again, gently. ] This one will be coming soon and I don't want her to be upset, since unexpected changes just seem to overwhelm her more than I think most babies.

[redwhiteandhero]

And Steph could probably do with having more gals around too, y'know?