The Importance of Being Different
Playdate

“Ok Annie lets go over this again,” said Irwin as he stirred the last tablespoon of the Draught of Living Peace into her cup of tea.

“I disapparate from outside the house,” she sighed as she drunk her tea, “go straight to the Ministry.”

“If I feel there’s anything strange going on at work, I go replace someone like Harry Tonks or Kingsley.”

“That’s right,” he nodded as he tried to coax her into eating her toast.

“After work I come straight back here,” she finished.

“Like you have done every other day this week, don’t worry darling, you’re going to be fine.”

Anne nodded uncertainly as she finished her cup of tea.

“You ok Mummy?”

“I’m fine sweetheart,” muttered Anne.

“There’s some very nasty people looking for Mummy, but she’s going to be fine.”

“Nasty people like Tom?”

“These people were friends with Tom,” he explained.

“I’ll see you tonight,” said Anne as she finished her tea.

“Bye Mummy,” said Olivia giving her a hug.

“Be safe,” whispered Irwin having given her a quick kiss.

Anne headed out the door and apparated straight to the Ministry.

“Ok princess,” said Irwin, “you finish your breakfast and then we’ll get straight to school.”

“Yes Daddy,” beamed Olivia as she finished her piece of toast.

“You got your book?” asked Irwin as he helped her pack her school bag.

They had finished reading Matilda last night, so she was going to take it back to change it for a new book.

“Alright then princess, let’s go.”

Irwin took hold of Olivia’s hand, and they walked to just outside the house, and then they side apparated to the alleyway outside the school.

“You ok?”

“Yes,” she nodded; she was starting to get more used to the feeling of apparating.

Irwin looked around to check that nobody had seen them apparate and they then walked over to the school.

As they walked over to the school gates, Irwin noticed that there was a person watching them as they walked over, but as Irwin looked again, he noticed that they were gone.

“You have a nice day princess; I’ll pick you up this afternoon.”

“Bye bye Daddy,” she said giving him a huge hug.

“And don’t forget,” he said firmly.

“Don’t talk to anybody strange.”

“Go and play with your friends,” he muttered, “and Bethan’s coming round after school so I’ll bring the car.”

Olivia ran off to go and play with her new friends and Irwin headed home.

There was a lot of work that needed doing. He and Kreacher had to hide every sign of magic in the house.

“Ok Kreacher, if you get started on the kitchen, I’ll start going through the books.”

Irwin started going through the bookcases and took away all the magical books, whilst Kreacher started replaceing all the magical things in the kitchen such as the self-scrubbing pans.

Irwin looked at the photo collage over the fireplace, he put a freezing charm on the photographs. It felt slightly weird when the photos stopped moving, almost as if the life had gone out of them. It was only temporary though; he could unfreeze them later.

He put all the magical books such as the magical fairy tales and the other books like A History of Magic and Moste Potonte Potiones into a cardboard box.

Irwin and Kreacher carried the cardboard boxes up to the attic, Olivia and Bethan would never go up into the attic.

Irwin checked his watch and saw that it was already three o’clock, he had to get a move on if he was going to have to drive to pick up the girls.

“Kreacher, I need you go to 12 Grimmauld Place, if you stay here there would be too many questions.”

“When you want me to come back Master Irwin, just call,” he said before dissapparating.

Irwin went out to the car and drove to the school and then parked just outside the school. It was twenty past three, he was a few minutes late.

As Irwin walked up to the school gates, he noticed that there was a man who was trying to dress like a muggle in a lime and peach pair of golfing trousers and a leather jacket. He was trying to take a photograph of Olivia and her friend Bethan.

“Get away from my daughter,” said Irwin firmly putting a hand on her shoulder.

The man gave him a quick smile before taking one last photograph and walking away smirking.

“Are you two alright?” he asked crouching down to their height.

“Yes Daddy,” said Olivia giving him a hug.

“Who was that man?” asked Bethan as they walked to the car.

“I don’t know Bethan,” said Irwin, “but you’ve both got to remember not to talk to strangers.”

“Yes Daddy,” nodded Olivia as she did up her seatbelt.

“Yes Mr Scamander,” said Bethan.

Mr Scamander, thought Irwin, that was going to take a lot of getting used to.

“So what do you two want to do this afternoon?”

“Can we play princesses?”

“Does Bethan want to do that as well Livi?”

“I like princesses,” nodded Bethan.

“Who’s your favourite?”

“I like Snow White and Cinderella.”

They got out of the car and headed back into the house.

“Why don’t we show Bethan your room Livi?”

“I have a Disney princess room, my favourite’s Belle so my room is like Belle’s.”

“Have you got any princess costumes?” asked Bethan as they headed upstairs.

“We’ve got all the princess costumes,” chuckled Irwin

Irwin helped Olivia and Bethan into their princess costumes, Olivia wanted to be Belle and Bethan was Cinderella.

He then headed downstairs to make the dinner, fish fingers and chips. Fortunately, all he had to do with any of that was put it in the oven.

Anne came in through the door and she looked exhausted.

“You ok sweetheart?” asked Irwin as he pulled the dinner out of the oven.

“Just a long day,” she sighed sitting down at the table, “we’re trying to work on the new curriculums, we’ve got a new Defence teacher, but we still need someone for Transfiguration and Potions.”

“Term doesn’t start until September, that’s not for a few months,” said Irwin putting an arm around her.

“I know, I’m just kind of worried about the deatheaters as well.”

“I know sweetheart, we’re going to make some more potion tomorrow ok?”

Anne nodded slightly as he started to plate up the dinners.

“As for now, we’ve got Livi’s little friend round for tea.”

“So,” he said as he put the plates on the table, “no worrying about deatheaters or professors or new curriculums, just take a night off ok?”

“Ok,” she nodded, “I’ll go get the girls.”

“Livi!” Anne called up the stairs, “Bethan! Tea’s ready!”

“Mummy!” yelled Olivia running down the stairs in her princess costume.

“Hi there little Livi,” said Anne giving her a huge hug.

“You must be Bethan?”

“Hello Mrs Scamander,” waved Bethan who was still wearing her Cinderella costume.

“So how was school?”

“We’re going to have a school picnic at the end of term,” said Bethan.

“That’s exciting,” said Anne, “did you learn anything exciting today?”

“We went on a nature walk and we saw a hedgehog,” said Olivia, “and in story time we learnt about Red Riding Hood.”

“Is there a big bad wolf in that one?” growled Irwin.

“He’s scary,” muttered Bethan.

“Daddy’s not scary,” beamed Olivia, “he keeps scary things away.”

“Like the scary camera man earlier?” asked Bethan.

Olivia nodded.

“What camera man?” asked Anne nervously.

“Its nothing sweetheart,” Irwin assured her.

“I’ll tell you later,” he mouthed looking at the two little girls.

Irwin gripped onto Anne’s hand under the table and she nodded but didn’t eat any of the rest of her dinner.

Not long after dinner Bethan’s parents came to pick her up, and then Anne gave Olivia her bath.

“Bedtime story?” asked Irwin as they both sat down on her bed.

Olivia nodded and summoned over the book she wanted.

“Anne of Green Gables,” beamed Irwin as he looked at the book she had chosen, “this is one of Mummy’s favourites, she was named after the little girl from this book.”

“I know,” nodded Olivia, “that’s why I want this book.”

“One chapter,” said Irwin opening the book.

Olivia got comfortable and Irwin read her the first chapter of the book

“That’s all for tonight princess,” said Irwin kissing her on the head.

“You ok Mummy?”

Anne hadn’t said a word to anyone since she had heard about the strange man at dinner.

“I’m fine,” she muttered tucking her in properly, “good night sweetheart.”

Irwin shut the door and they walked through to the bedroom.

Anne sat down on the floor and leaned against the bed.

“Annie,” said Irwin gently, “what’s up?”

“Livi said there was a strange man at school today,” she muttered.

“I’m sure it’s nothing sweetheart,” he lied pulling her in close as he sat down next to her on the floor.

“They’ve found us, haven’t they?”

“What do you mean Annie?”

“Well we moved here so we could get away from people,” she sobbed.

“We have got away,” he assured her, “no one knows we’re here.”

“Then why has a strange man with a camera been harassing our daughter?”

“Annie,” said Irwin, “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“Why don’t you get to bed, you’ve had a long week.”

“Hmm,” she muttered.

Irwin picked her up off the floor and tucked her into bed.

“Where are you going?” she panicked as Irwin left the room.

“I just have to go check something downstairs quickly.”

“Kreacher!” he called as he left the bedroom.

“Yes, Master Irwin?” asked Kreacher as he apparated

“The muggle girl’s gone now,” he said as he headed down to the kitchen, “it’s safe for you to come back.”

“Can I help you with something Master Irwin?” asked Kreacher as Irwin started to riffle through the kitchen cupboards.

“We’re out of ingredients,” he muttered shaking his head.

He needed ingredients to make the Draught of Living Peace tomorrow, and they were completely out of everything. They were going to have to go to Diagon Alley.

He headed back up to his room where Anne was waiting for him.

“Is everything alright?”

“We’re going to have to hit Diagon tomorrow, we need potions ingredients.”

Anne sighed deeply, she had been avoiding Diagon Alley, even more people would be staring at her in Diagon Alley than they already were at work.

“We should take Livi,” said Anne resigning to the fact that they were going to have to go, “she’s been dying to go, and we need to get her a cloak.”

“Ok sweetheart,” he said as Anne settled into bed and closed her eyes.

“I love you my beautiful goddess,” he whispered.

“I love you to,” she muttered as she fell asleep.