baby mine (alice)

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-April (after the students have been returned)-

Things were easily worse this year than they had been since Hannah was a student, and she wished more than anything that her kids didn't have to go through all of this like she did. She had lost her mother in her sixth year, and every day she was grateful that her kids still had theirs. Her own life mattered to her, of course, but moreso because of her worry for those she'd leave behind.

She was at the school now, and the majority of the students had been found and returned. She was tired, exhausted and stressed, but she tried not to show anyone, save Neville.

She had hung back in a separate Greenhouse as Neville taught his 7th year class next door today. Once it was over she slipped in in time to catch Alice before she left. "Hey sweetie," she said, moving to hug her daughter as the other students filed out.

@alice

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Things were relatively back to normal now that Casey and the others had returned to the school, so that meant that classes were back on regular scheduling. For Alice and her fellow seventh years, that meant the N.E.W.T. exams were to commence. Alice had spent what felt like her entire educational career leading up to this moment and she knew all of her qualifications to take on her desired career as a magizoologist. Luckily the subjects required were two of the ones she was best at. Care of Magical Creatures came naturally to her and Herbology was in her blood. Her Herbology class had just let out and that was when Alice was reminded of a class she wasn't really looking forward to examining in... she stared at the potions book in her bag as she had begun to fill it with her herbology things and immediately felt an anxiety toward the amount of studying she would have to go do for potions still.

Alice was just finishing up putting her papers and notes away when she heard footsteps approaching her instead of leaving the greenhouse and for a moment she thought it was her dad but was pleased to be met with the same blonde hair as her own when she looked up to see her mother. "Mum," she greeted happily, accepting her mother's hug. "What are you doing here?" She asked as she pulled back to smile at her mother.

@hannah

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Hannah shrugged at her daughters question, ”I’ve been helping your father out today and talking with Caroline about some of the students injuries, just trying to assist any way I can. How are you? How are the exams?” she asked, sure it was probably a sore subject for all students, seventh years especially. Still, she had no doubt in Alice’s abilities to do well. She was sure Alice was working her hardest and trying her best to assure that she would have good marks in order to impress any future job applications. Her experiences with Luna this summer would also certainly help her in being able to get a job wherever she wanted and with whatever mazoologist she wanted to work with.

@alice

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Alice glanced around for her father as her mother mentioned she was still there helping him. He must have caught sight of his wife coming in and retreated into another greenhouse, which was so like him; Alice laughed lightly at the thought. Alice's face suddenly went very solemn at the mention of the injuries of fellow students. She looked down at her feet for a moment before looking back at her mother. "Is everyone doing okay?" She asked, the sadness in her voice evident still even though the kidnapees had been returned days ago.

It was then Alice's turn to shrug at her mother's question. "They're okay... it's a lot easier to focus with everyone back, now. I'm happy Casey is back. It was hard to see James and Abby so heartbroken." She said quietly, thinking back to how sad her best friends had been about their friend and Abby's sister being taken. It was hard for Alice, too, as she had known them both personally and was even friends with Casey. But now that they were back, things seemed... slightly more normal. Alice could live with that for now.

@hannah

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Hannah nodded, ”everyone’s doing all right,” she assured Alice. It probably was nerve racking seeing her mother there and Alice expected bad news, it seemed. It was only natural at a time like this. ”Just came by to say hello to everyone and make sure Jayden and you guys were doing all right with everything around here. Jaydens fine, I just wanted to check up on him. It’s been a rough year on you all, of course,” she explained with a sigh.

As for Alice’s classes, Hannah nodded at her words, ”I’m sure school is a lot better for everyone now that they’re back. How is James doing, then?” she asked. She knew James and Alice had their differences this year but she hoped they had turned it around and were talking again.

@alice

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Alice let out a small breath she didn't know she had been holding when her mother said everyone was okay. With all that had gone on this year, Alice had sort of learned to expect anything and any time - good and even bad. But especially bad, lately. Alice had never thought that the things that had happened would ever happen to her and her friends, yet here they all were - recovering from what may as well be the Second Battle of Hogwarts and a mass kidnapping of students. It was scary and Alice wasn't sure when they would all fully recover. "Good," she said quietly, smiling lightly. "I'm glad." She continued to put her things into her school bag and then turned again to face her mother when she had finished. "I know that you've been busy... but I am glad things are slowing down a bit. For all of us."

At the mention of James's name, Alice realized she did not feel the same bout of butterflies that she used to when she had had strong feelings for her best friend. She hesitated a moment before answering. "He's... good," she nodded once, not meeting her mother's eyes for a moment as she thought of the right words to say. She looked then at her mother. "I think that Aurora is good for him." She gave another small nod, confirming the thought. It suprised herself, really. "I think that... she really grounds him. And she has really helped him through this year... far more than I have, for certain," she said, shaking her head slightly at herself. She had acted so foolish earlier on in the year and she regretted it deeply but was glad that she and James were back in a good place.

@hannah

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”Agreed,” Hannah nodded as Alice said she was glad things were slowing down. ”Hopefully it’s an uneventful summer,” she said with a little smile. It was an odd thing to say. Most people wanted their summers to be exciting and fun but Hannah wanted nothing more than some peace and quiet with her kids safely under her roof and in her arms. What more could she ask for?

Hannah nodded as Alice said that James was doing good, glad that Alice didn’t seem as bitter as she once did. Then she looked back up at Hannah and spoke of Aurora, causing Hannah to nod once as well. ”I’m sure you’ve both been helpful, but I’m glad that he has her as well. She’s a very wise girl,” she said, not wanting to delve too much into it. However, it seemed she would when Alice shook her head. She reached out and placed a hand on Alices shoulder, ”you shouldn’t feel bad, Alice. You shouldn’t apologize to anyone for your feelings, especially if they were in the past, and especially to yourself,” she said slowly.


@alice

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As much as an uneventful summer sounded nice after the year they had all had, Alice was very much looking forward to her trip to the United States with her Aunt Luna and her twins. Truth be told, Alice kind of hoped it was anything but uneventful... "Yes... I really don't want to hear of anything bad happening while I'm away with Aunt Luna," she said, her voice trailing off slightly. "I don't think I could handle being away if anything were to occur." Alice hoped to Merlin that nothing like that would happen, though. The prospect of being away from her family for a long time after all that had happened was already scary enough.

Alice looked up at her mother when she felt her gentle hand on her shoulder. A small smile formed on her face at her mother's reassuring words. "I know... I just regret acting so childish, is all," she shrugged, looking at her mother. Alice knew she could not go back and time and change the way things had played out and that only made her feel more guilty about the way she had acted toward James and Aurora both. But there was one thing she had not quite voiced out loud to anyone... and Alice figured her mother was the one to voice it to. "I'm... really glad you and dad 'adopted' them," she said, referring to Andromeda and Aurora. "I know that I may not have seemed so happy about it at the time but, I'm glad you saved them. I know it really made Phil and... and James happy." She struggled to keep eye contact with her mother while being so honest. "And that's all that matters to me in the end... that the people I love are happy."

@hannah

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Hannah nodded as Alice said she didn’t want to hear anything bad happening while she was away. ”I’m sure everything is going to be just fine this summer. At least all the students will be in their homes and, hopefully, the enemy doesn’t try to mass target again. That’s the best we can hope for,” she knew it wasn’t the most hopeful thing to say, but she didn’t want to be unrealistic. ”You just focus on your studies with Luna, okay? You deserve to take your mind of things,” she added.


Hannah was always glad when that smile came out of Alice, no matter how big or mall it may be. ”I understand feeling that way,” she agreed softly as Alice said she regretted acting childish. ”But these things do happen, and eventually we need to forgive ourselves, yes?” she encouraged.


Then Alice spoke again and Hannah was honestly a little surprised by her words. She was glad, she had said, and she was glad it made others happy. Hannah understood that. That the people you love being happy was the most important. Hannah nodded softly, ”that’s very wise of you, Alice. Thank you for telling me that. I know it’s not easy,” she said, removing her hand of her daughters shoulder, ”but you’ve always been good at adapting to things that aren’t easy,” she finished with an encouraging smile.

@alice

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As always, Hannah always knew what to say to make Alice feel even a little bit better. For a short moment, Alice thought about if that ability just came to a woman when she became a mother and there was a brief second in which she wondered if she would ever know what to say to make someone feel better like her mother... Her mother had been through a lot. Her whole generation had. And her parents had raised her around the stories about the first Battle of Hogwarts (it was weird to now call it the first battle.) And while her parents had never outright told them, "hey, you gotta expect this bad stuff because that's life," she had appreciated the sense of realism that they had instilled in she and her brothers. "Hopefully," she nodded weakly, but forced a small half smile. Right now, it really was the best they could hope for.

Alice had definitely had troubles sharing things with people growing up, but she always appreciated how easy her parents made it when she finally did decide to go to them with how she felt about certain things. While it had taken Alice a long time to admit what she just had to herself, admitting it now to her mother was much, much easier. She didn't have to force a smile now. "That's because I've always had two good mentors to look up to that I like to call Mum and Dad."

Pleased at the turn of the conversation, Alice made an effort to sound a little more chipper. What was done was done and she wanted to go forth into her first summer as an adult with a positive outlook. "So, have you and Dad anything planned this summer?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at her mother. She knew that Philip was going to Brazil to attend Castelobruxo and she, herself, would be in the States with Aunt Luna and her family. Alice was curious as to what the rest of her family possibly could have planned while two of them were away.

@hannah

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Hope was really all they had, really. Hope, family, friends and love. What else was there? Then Alice said that she had good mentors to look up to, referencing to she and Neville. Hannah smiled, "well, we do our best," she answered softly. She wasn't going to pretend that she didn't know she was a good mom. She had tried damn hard to be who she was and it was not an easy task, she was proud to take credit for the work she had Neville had done together and were still doing. "You've made us proud," she added, moving over to wrap an arm around Alice's shoulder and start leading her out of the Greenhouse so they could walk the grounds a bit.

"Your father and I just have a little camping trip planned but that's mostly it. We want to relax, but I doubt I'll get much of that! I have a few of your fellow soon to be graduates coming to work with me and some students interning over the summer. It's going to be a rather busy place about there, more than usual," she chuckled. "Summers are always like that, though. Are you excited for your trip with Luna and the boys?"

@alice