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[clumsy_auror]

*Soft humming and the sound of bare feet on a wood floor drift into the bedroom. A moment later Nymphadora appears, wearing a black button-down shirt a few sizes too big. She carries a plate of apples with peanut butter, and as she walks into the room, two glasses of milk obediently float behind.*

She's still asleep. Not for long, though -- she's doing that thing with her foot -- so I fixed her a snack so it'd be ready. And then I got hungry, too.

*Grinning, Nymphadora hands Bernard the plate of apples and climbs into bed beside him, burrowing under the covers before plucking the glasses out of the air and handing him one.*

Comments

[clumsy_auror]

Yeah. 'S not activated yet, though -- I'll cast the spell once Sunny's awake.

Basically *she puts her own bracelet on* there's two parts to the charm. One connects her room to ours. We've got a one-way Silencing Charm on our room already -- we can hear things happening outside, while anyone outside can't hear in -- but this new charm will let us hear her clearly while she's in her room. If she's talking at a normal level, just baby-babbling, we'll hear it, and our bedroom door will glow blue to let us know she's awake. If she's upset, yelling or crying, the door glows red.

*she taps his bracelet*

These are for when we're out of the flat while she's asleep. Same deal, with the blue and red glowing, only they also heat up. Warm when it's blue, hot but not burning when it's red.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*He listens to her, nodding, and puts his on.*

Cool.

You know, I've been a little surprised. Knowing what happened to her family, and then what happened to her after, I expected her to have a lot more nightmares than she does, but she's only had a few.

[clumsy_auror]

I know, I expected more, too. Not that I'm complaining...it's amazingly lucky to have a kid this age who sleeps as well as Sunny does.

I think probably she's blocked some of the worst of it. Kids do that, after a trauma. Adults too, really, but kids' minds are more...protective, in a way.

She might have to deal with it more fully when she's older.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*He blows out a long breath, looking tired and worried.*

Well, here's hoping she hasn't blocked anything that's too horrible.

[clumsy_auror]

*Nymphadora slides her arms around his waist and rests her head on his chest.*

We can't do anything about what happened to her.

But we are here to make sure she's okay from now on.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*He puts an arm around her shoulders and kisses the crown of her head.*

We are.

*He closes his eyes and sees his whole life stretching before him like a road.

He smiles.*

Wonder what she'll be like around age 15 or so.

[clumsy_auror]

Are you kidding? With the trouble she gets in as a two-year-old? She'll have us up all hours with worry, I have no doubt.

*But she's grinning.*

Besides which, you saw what she's going to look like. We'll be beating back the boys/girls/anthropomorphic personifications with a stick.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Oh, God, I didn't even consider the Endless. Fuck.

My whole life, I never thought I'd have to confront Desire of the Endless on my back porch with a shotgun, warning hir to keep its hands off my daughter.

[clumsy_auror]

*She chokes and then cracks up, flopping over as she laughs helplessly.*

I'm not sure what's funnier -- the thought of Desire hitting on Sunny, or you with a shotgun and an outrageously stereotypical southern accent.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Hey, now, I once dated an entire chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Savannah, Georgia.

Well. Except the, you know, mothers.

*He reconsiders*

Except for that one. Golly.

Anyway.

I can do Southern.

[clumsy_auror]

*she quirks an eyebrow*

You worry me sometimes. You really do.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

Well? I mean, I needed saltpeter. Lots of it.

*He shrugs*

[clumsy_auror]

*a teasing smile, as her fingers creep up his arm*

And I'm sure they were willing to supply you with anything you wanted.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*A knowing grin not unlike the one she saw on the cover of that New York Times from 1970.*

Well.

I am a loyal and passionate patriot.

[clumsy_auror]

So I'm learning.

*she grins and settles back against his chest, leaning up to kiss his cheek*

I still can't believe you had a gang. And it was named after you and everything.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*He flushes again, and bites his lip*

Well, it wasn't all that organized, you know. I'm afraid I was compared more often to Charlie Manson than to John Kerry or any of the more sedate protestors, and how weird is it that I met him in Washington once and he ran for president last year?

*He laughs shortly*

Looking back, seems like I was cut out for this sort of thing all along. The Woodpecker Gang was just a practice run.

[clumsy_auror]

*thoughtfully*

I can see that, yeah. Seems like this gig has a bit more staying power, anyway, which is a very good thing.

...You met Kerry? Huh. Nice guy?

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*A cough*

Um.

We got into a fistfight.

[clumsy_auror]

...You didn't.

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*A winning smile*

Um?

[clumsy_auror]

*She facepalms.

Totally not laughing. Oh no.*

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*He snickers and bites his lip, wrinkling his nose*

I called him a pussy.

[clumsy_auror]

*There's a shriek and a thump as Nymphadora slides off the edge of the bed, still laughing.*

[the-woodpecker.livejournal.com]

*He leans over the edge of the bed and delivers the final blow*

Hasn't changed much really.

[clumsy_auror]

*She waves her hand at him, gasping for breath*

Stop! Mental picture -- can't breathe --