Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and months turned into another year.
But Stormy's attack never came.
However, Kingsley never loosened up the security, the Aurors remained around them just the same. He, Aurelia and Chris knew whatever it was, it was just a calm before the storm. But Chris didn't let her fear get in the way of living this time.
Sirius told her that the best way to defeat one's enemies was to live their lives to the fullest – that and punching the enemies on the nose. Chris asked how effective those two were, and Sirius replied, "Very" with a chuckle.
So life went on, and before she knew it, they had celebrated Teddy's eleventh birthday and September had arrived.
"Don't push Teddy, Reggie," Aurelia called after the two boys laughing and pushing each other and the trolley in front of them.
The King's Cross station was busy and packed as always. Nobody really paid attention as two boys and four adults slipped between Platform 9 and 10 and walked straight through the barrier.
Sirius, Aurelia, Harry, Chris and Regulus - or Reggie as he now liked to be called came to drop Teddy off at Platform 9 and three-quarters to catch the Hogwarts Express.
Smoke from the scarlet steam engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks. Reggie tried to run off, so Sirius and Aurelia ran after him, calling his name. Harry went to load Teddy's trunk on the train and Chris hung back with Teddy.
Teddy's new, very elegant-looking barn owl hooted happily in its cage, but Teddy stopped in his tracks, staring at the sea of people. Many, many people turned to stare at them as they realised who they were. Chris even heard some people whisper her and Harry's name but she ignored them and turned her focus on Teddy. His hair had changed his signature blue colour to red, which only happened when he was nervous.
"You alright, Teddy?" Chris asked stopping beside him and dropping her arm over his shoulder.
Teddy looked startled as he turned to Chris, but quickly tried to play it cool.
"Yeah, yeah," Teddy tried to smile.
Chris tried to crouch down which was extremely difficult for her because of her very 8-month pregnant belly. So after trying for a bit she gave up and just leaned down to Teddy's eye level. Seeing her struggle, Teddy started laughing quietly.
"What? Chris asked jokingly.
"Your belly is so big, you can't even move, Tina," Teddy replied giggling.
"Hey! That's only because —" Chris began to explain but Teddy spoke up.
"Because you ate a baby!" Teddy announced laughing.
"Hey!" Chris whispered, trying to look angry, but ended up laughing with Teddy. It was Reggie and Teddy's new favourite joke that their Tina ate a baby, which is why it's in her belly.
Some passerbys gave them looks but Chris ignored them again and smiled at Teddy.
"So ready to go?" Chris asked and the smile disappeared from Teddy's face. "What is it, Teddy? Tell me the big worry and I'll make them go away."
"It's fine, Tina," Teddy shrugged and looked away.
"You promise?" Chris asked and Teddy looked down. He could never lie to Chris and Harry.
"Sorry," Teddy mumbled. "Just worried about school. What if I don't fit in? What if I don't have friends? What if people think I'm weird?"
"You know, who was actually weird in my school year?" Harry appeared in front of Teddy with a smile.
"Who?" Teddy looked up.
"There was this boy who knew nothing about the magical world, who didn't even know how to enter platform 9 and three-quarters," Harry explained mysteriously.
"Really?" Teddy looked surprised. "But yeah, I guess it can be hard if you don't know how to get to the platform. Was he a Muggle wizard? Like the muggles who become wizards and witches?"
"Nope, a half blood," Harry grinned. "And he was pretty famous too."
Chris lightly swatted his arm.
"You are going to make him late with your puzzles," Chris told Harry before turning to Teddy. "It was Harry, Teddy. He was the one who didn't know how to get to the platform. In fact, he didn't even make it to the station in his second year."
"What? Harry? Why?" Teddy looked so shocked that Chris and Harry couldn't help but laugh.
"Well, you see —" Harry began but at that moment Sirius and Aurelia came back with a sulking Reggie.
"What happened?" Chris asked glancing at Reggie.
"He got scolded in front of everyone," Sirius said sheepishly.
Aurelia rolled her eyes at them before looking at Teddy.
"So Teddy, do you have everything? Are you ready to go?" Aurelia asked.
"Harry was just telling me —" Teddy began but Chris quickly glanced at her watch and stopped him.
"That's a story for another time, Teddy. You are gonna be late. It's almost 11 and the train leaves on time," Chris ushered him.
"Alright," Sirius smiled before hugging Teddy. "Have fun in school but don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"That means absolutely nothing. There's very little you didn't do in school," Aurelia remarked before smiling and hugging Teddy tightly. "So don't listen to Sirius. Listen to the professors. Be good, alright?"
Teddy nodded, and Aurelia let go of him, and immediately, Reggie jumped on Teddy, almost tackling him down with the hug.
"Bye! I'll go with you next year. Then we will rule Hogwarts together!" Reggie grinned and all of them laughed.
"Alright, that's a big ambition, Reggie," Chris ruffled Reggie's hair before hugging Teddy. She whispered in his ear, "You will do great at school, ok? And if something bothers you — anything bothers you, you can always go to Harry or Neville. They would be in the school. And of course, you can write me letters every day."
"Ok, Tina," Teddy smiled happily.
"Now let's go," Harry said steering him towards the train. He then turned around and kissed Chris quickly. "See you tomorrow. Take care of yourself and the little one, alright?"
"Yup, See you tomorrow," Chris replied smiling. "Love you."
"I love you too," Harry said as the engine whistled loudly. "Bye!"
Harry quickly grabbed Teddy and ran to get on the train before it started moving. They succeed, barely. He and Teddy waved at Chris, Sirius, Aurelia and Reggie. They waved back until the train disappeared from sight.
"Now let's get you home," Aurelia said to Chris as they started to head out of King's Cross. "Did Ron has his entire day off?"
"No, not really. Just half of the day," Chris answered. "I keep asking him to take a break but he doesn't listen, really. He just says if he gets to hang out with his bestfriend almost everyday it doesn't feel like a job."
"He is just trying to keep you safe," Sirius said as they reached Chris's car. "Should I drive?"
"Sure," Chris said reaching for the car keys but at that moment someone grabbed Chris and pulled her back and Reggie just doubled over and threw up all over his parents.
"Regulus!" Aurelia yelled in shock.
Chris turned around sharply to see who pulled her back to save her from the vomit projectile but found nobody standing there. A few people where walking away on both directions so she thought her saviour was one of those people.
"Reggie?" Sirius looked over at his son, who didn't look quite done. "Oh god, what did you eat?"
"Ca-candy," he managed before starting to hurl again.
Aurelia pulled him away from Chris's car. The smell made Chris feel like she was going to throw up too, so she turned away with a hand over my mouth.
"Merlin's Beard, Reggie, where did you find the candy?" Aurelia asked but Reggie couldn't answer so Aurelia quickly got into mom-mode. "I don't think he had a normal candy. We have to let him throw up sometime then we have to get him some medicine and one of us need to drop Chris off. Are you alright, Chris?"
"I'm fine, you two go on," Chris managed to say, stepping away from them. Because of her pregnancy she thought the smell was affecting her more. She felt like she was going to be sick.
"But we can't leave you alone to —" Aurelia started but Sirius interrupted.
"Auri, look at ourselves, we are covered in vomit. We would make her feel worse if we stay with her," Sirius gestured around their clothes and sick Reggie.
"Ok, I'm sending a message to the Aurors nearby, they would take you home," Aurelia said as she started walking away with Reggie.
"Stay put until then," Sirius said following them.
Chris nodded, still hand over her mouth, barely holding on. After a minute however, she realised she couldn't stand there with the vomit smell on the road, she quickly got in her car and drove a little far away.
Chris was about to park just on the road accross, so that the Auror could find her but that was when her phone blinked. She stopped the car and checked the message, it was from Isla, her assistant.
"There is a huge problem in the warehouse. I'm here but I don't think the launch could happen tomorrow."
"What the hell?" Chris muttered under her breath reading the text and messaged back. "What major problem?"
The message didn't go through. Chris tried four more times but all of them were failed so Chris got mad and started the car again.
[To be continued]