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Thomas Moon

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OOC First Name
Maia
Wand
none-muggle
Thomas wasn't sure how to feel. A side of him rejoiced, his daughters were fully grown, and happy. Surely a father couldn't ask for more, but he did. He wished he could go back, he wished he could relive the time when they thought he was a hero, the days when their childish innocence had lifted his spirits. Kate was living with a man for God's sake! Sara was becoming an auror, some sort of wizarding agent. From what he understood; it was dangerous. His daughters had been through so much; Kate had been ill, she'd been caught in that earthquake. Sara.. He didn't know about Sara, not anymore. The little girl whose mind he'd been able to read was gone, and he'd seen her collapse into her own despair during her teens, without being able to help. She seemed okay now, they both did, but he still worried. He always would.
This was his chance though, to do something for them, to let them know how much he loved them; this party was his last hurrah as their father. Star and Ryan had a few more years to go, but the first two were officially grown now. He watched as the last of the preparations were completed. He'd rented this apartment for the night, seeing as the girls' lives were in New Zealand now. They were so far away. He sighed, leaning back against the wall as the catering staff finished up. It would be a fun night, and no doubt the twins would enjoy it. That was another thing though; they had different groups of friends now, and seperate lives. He could recall a time when they'd spent all their time together. Though, they were very different people, and he could understand the distance. Sara was unpredictable, with a fiery temper and she was quick to judge. She saw the world as rather black and white, with very little wiggle-room. Kate was different; more calm, and trusting. If you'd asked him when they were twelve what they'd be like now, he'd probably have been able to say. He'd never tell Sara, but he wasn't at all surprised that Kate was in such a serious relationship, while her twin still flitted around. Sara got too easily bored, while Kate was better at seeing what she wanted, and needed, and going for it. He liked her boyfriend; Stefan. It worried him a little that she'd only ever had one boyfriend, but Kate wasn't the type of girl who'd run men through her hands. She picked a person, and stuck with them.

The girls would arrive soon; he'd given them an earlier time than everyone else. He'd immediately dismissed the idea of a surprise party. One, they'd have figured it out immediately; they were too smart for that. Also, he wouldn't put it past his eldest daughter to whip out her wand and injure someone. The auror training made her edgy at best. He smiled at the thought, and stood up straight, waiting for them to arrive. He hoped he'd reached all of their friends, he didn't want to miss any of them, or for them to be offended. It was more of a job than he'd thought to set up a twenty-first birthday party. The place looked great, though his wife had picked most of the decoration. That wasn't Thomas' forté. He was more practical, and so, it was the organising that had fallen to him. He'd tried helping put up decorations, but had been ordered away after failing to hang a streamer correctly; he didn't even know there was an incorrect way to hang a streamer.
 
Sara smiled as she listened to the click of her heels on the pavement as she walked to the address her father had indicated. The invitation had almost come as a surprise, since in the wizarding world she'd become an adult at seventeen, and in the muggle one, at eighteen. However, things were different in Ireland. At twenty-one, you were considered grown, and you were given a key to the house. Since she'd lived away from home for about three or four years now, it was more symbolic than practical, but it still felt special. It felt like she was saying goodbye, to her family, to her childhood. It wasn't a good feeling, nor was it a bad one really. She would miss her family, that much was true, and part of her wished she could just go back and relive her happy childhood back home in Ireland, well; her partly happy childhood. She'd been bullied at school, but home was a paradise. They'd played in the fields, and spent their time playing at imaginary worlds. The first time Sara had used magic was after reading 'Matilda' she'd concentrated on a single pebble for a good five minutes, when it had started to rise. Startled, she'd run from the room, convinced she'd imagined it.

Thinking about things like that made her melancholic. To think that magic was now a part of her daily life seemed odd at times, but she knew she was blessed to be a part of this world. Imagining living life as a muggle, without magic, not knowing about magic's existence. It was inconceivable. She stopped outside the door, that she knew would be open. She hadn't seen her Dad in a while. Yes, she called him, or wrote to him constantly; her Mam too, but seeing them was different. Seeing them could be upsetting. Her parents were getting older, and that terrified her. As a child she'd always thought of them as constant, but now she knew more, knew that she'd have to live without them some day, and the thought chilled her bones.

Shaking her head, she cast away all negative thoughts, and pushed open the door, climbing the stairs and walking into an apartment that looked amazing. There wasn't much furniture, which was a given as they didn't actually own the place. Sara had bought her parent's apartment in New Zealand from them, and so they had no permanent residence here now; they were on the lookout for something bigger. In a moment she saw him, and flew toward him, her arms outstretched. "Daddy!" she cried, pulling him to her in a hug. She'd almost forgotten his smell, and clung to him even tighter. This man would always have the ability to make her feel like a little girl, like his little princess. She pulled away after a moment, a glowing smile warming her face. "Thank you so much for all of this, it looks amazing." Her eyes didn't leave him though; he looked well, more relaxed, but sad. It was strange to observe her Dad like this, to imagine how he must be feeling. Old. his daughters were fully grown for Merlin's sake, of course he felt sad, they were leaving him.
 
Kate was looking forward to this evenings gathering. She sometimes found it hard to believe she was now almost twenty-one. Probably if she was a muggle she'd be going out partying hard for the night but she that wasn't her cup of tea. Instead she would be spending her birthday with a few close people and saying goodbye to her childhood. She hadn't felt like she was a child in years but was still a part of her that was sad to officially let this part of her go. She was been surprised by the invitation. She hadn't had much contact with her parents, a distance had grown between them over the years but that did not mean she didn't love them or miss them. She had plenty of pictures of them in her home and she often emailed her parents. The last time she had seen them face to face was after the earthquake. She did feel bad for all the sorrow and worry she had caused them and her family. She had instigated a lot of tension in the household and a lot of the time she just wanted to turn back time and prevent herself for acting the way she did. She pushed away help and took out of her frustration with life on her family, her parents especially. They had never been anything but kind and supportive to Kate and during the early teenage years she had just thrown it back in their face. She had talked to them about this, apologized for what had happened but of course they had never been angry with her, they had just worried. They saw their oldest twins separation and then their younger two and then all four of the Moon teenagers had undergone many changes personality wise. However despite everything, they had all turned out okay and while they wee no longer as close a knit family as before, they still loved each other

Kate was also excited about this evening. Tonight she and Stefan would be informing everyone of their engagement. They hadn't said anything to anyone, it was still fairly recent. Kate still couldnt stop looking at the ring on her finger. She loved the simplicity of it. It was simply beautiful and she loved it. She hadnt seen any of her friends and family in the past few days so it could be a surprise. For the past few days herself and Stefan had been getting used to the fact they were now going to be husband and wife. She had been thinking every now and again of the ceremony. They were in no rush though Kate had guiltly been looking at wedding dresses. She wasn't looking for anything extravagent but she did get a thrill looking at the dresses and knowing she would be buying one soon. She was looking forward to telling her friends and family. She had been thinking about who would be her maid of honour also. Kate hoped her parents were okay with this, she was young but she and Stefan loved each other and she couldnt picture herself with anyone else. As she left the house she kissed Stefan goodbye "See you later"She said smiling. Her father had given her an early time to arrive. She was looking firward to this gathering, she hadn't seen them in ages.

She soon found the address and looked up at the appartment. She sometimes forgot her parents had lots of money. They hadnt grown up with it so it wasnt ingrained in her. But it had been handy whenever she was sort. She didnt like getting money from her parents, she preferred to earn it. She hoped she looked suitable, she had bought a new dress for the occassion. It wasn't a color she usual wore and she hadn't worn heels this high since the Yule Ball. She didn't wear heels much but she did enjoy buying them. She didnt have much jewellery on, just the necklace Stefan had given her on their first date all those years ago. When she entered the appartment she grinned at the decorations. It was beautiful. She looked over and saw Sara and her dad. "Dad"She said grinning before going over and giving her dad and big hug. She hadn't seen him since the earthquake and she had to admit she missed him. She gave him a tight hug. "I missed you Dad"She said whilst hugging him. She then turned to Sara "Hey Sara"She said smiling "Happy Birthday sis"She said smiling. She had a small gift for her sister. They hadn't celebrated their birthday together in a long while.While traveling she had come across a woman in a market who made this woven bracelets but with the a persons name in Japanese.She would have bought some then for her family but the earthquake interrupted that. So she had returned to Japan, hoping the market was still there which it was and had got one made for Sara. It was small but she hoped Sara liked it. "I love the decorations"She said looking around.
 
Thomas' smile widened as the door opened, knowing it would be one of his girls. The sight of his eldest daughter warmed his heart immediately, and he held her tightly, rejoicing in the fact that she still called him Daddy. He missed that, missed the feeling that they needed him. "Hello my little princess." he laughed, releasing her. "I've missed you." Sara was like a lightning bolt, she flew in without warning and turned everything upside down. His memories of her as a child often comprised of her running into a room, deciding that they were going on an adventure. She'd run out in a storm once to dance in the rain when she was around eight or nine. He'd had to carry her back inside, but hadn't admonished her; it was the way she was, nothing would change that. He waved away her thanks, smiling down at his tiny daughter. They'd always thought she'd be tall, but neither of them were particularly. Sara had always had longer legs though, and they'd assumed they'd keep growing, but they didn't. She was miniscule, and seeing her always reminded him of how dangerous a life she was living. There was nothing he could do to protect his children; they were more powerful than any force he'd ever known. That had been what terrified him most when they'd received their letter and someone from the ministry had explained everything. His children were going to be so powerful, and he was powerless. There were dark things in their new world that he couldn't shield them from, no matter how hard they tried. Sara couldn't tell him much about her work, but he knew there was something brewing every time he asked how things were going, he could read the worry in her voice.

Kate's arrival was different, she slipped in, elegant and calm as always. He walked over to her, arms outstretched. "Kit-Kat!" He exclaimed, holding her tightly, not having to lean down as much as with Sara. "I've missed you too.." he smiled, his voice full of emotion, it was just so wonderful to have the two of them here, and happy. Well, Kate was happy; Sara never gave much away. Kate had always been happier, better able to look after herself, and he'd strained at seeing her so independent. When she'd gone travelling, he'd worried constantly. That earthquake had almost destroyed him, seeing how hurt she'd been. As a teen, when she'd started losing weight, he'd been helpless. she lived halfway across the world, it wasn't as though he could've force-feed her from England. He'd always wondered at their letter coming from Hogwarts New Zealand. He'd spoken to Sara about it, and they were going to try to trace back any relation they might have to the wizarding world. It was too uncanny that all four of their children had magical powers. He'd thought Stefan might arrive with her, and was glad of this chance to be with his two eldest children. "You two are so grown up." he smiled sadly, stepping back and placing a hand on each of their shoulders, after they'd said their hellos. "You have no idea how strange that feels. in my head you're still the little girls who begged me to make up stories for them." he laughed, pulling them both into a hug again.

They'd both commented on the place, and so he stepped away, and brought them over to the catering table, where their cake waited. "It's representing your shared love." he explained, that was why they'd gone with the musical theme. Both girls had always loved music, and so the cake had seemed perfect. The food looked good too; they had all of the girl's favourite foods. The deserts alone filled a table, and he hoped they had enough food for everyone. He smiled down at the twins who had made him so proud. "You know, it's great to see you two here. I don't know how long it's been since our family has all been together." Now that he had them alone, it was time for their gift. "Girls, as you know, it's traditional to get a key to the house at twenty one. You two don't live at home, so these are more symbolic, but they do open the manor door; just in case.." he smiled, pulling out two identical boxes, containing identical bracelets. He hoped they would like the gifts. He'd seen bracelets like them in the window, and pouncing on the idea, he'd ordered a pair of identical bracelets made, with a key that actually fit the family home's lock. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, and he desperately hoped it really was one. He handed them to the girls, no-women in front of him, a nervous smile crossing his face. "I hope you like them." he whispered, watching their faces for their reaction.

OOCOut of Character:
Hope the nickname's okay.
 
Star Moon was a completely different person. She walked confidently down the streets of the Obsidian Harbour. She had cut her hair, it was now shoulder length. She also had a slight color to her skin and a lot more freckles. She looked older, she was no longer a little girl who shied away in the corner. She was a woman, who would soon be turning twenty. She looked happy and she felt happy. She was delighted with the way her life had turned out. She loved her new job, she got to travel the world and do what she loved doing best. She still found it hard to believe that she was working for such a high profile magazine company. She got to travel to some amazing places and meet amazing people. Her experiences in the past few years had changed her and for the better. She was a much more confident woman now. She always seemed to walk with a purpose, she no longer walked with her head facing the ground. Of course that side of her was still there, it was part of her and sometimes it did creep up, when she was out of her comfort zone. She was still the same person in other ways. She still cared for her family and she was so delighted that they were all happy doing well in their lives. She had been so worried in Hogwarts. No one was letting her help them, still considering her a baby and she had just watched helplessly as they all fell. But thankfully they had all stood back up and continued with their lives and were no doing quite successfully. Ryan was gaining a good fan base, Sara was almost and auror and Kate would soon be a teacher and was living happily with Stefan. The fact that her siblings were doing so well contributed to her happiness. She couldn't be happy if her family ween't, it seemed fundamentally wrong to her and she was so glad that despite their battles everyone had pulled through.

Star had just recently returned from China. It had been an interesting experience and had been overwelmed by the sheer amount of people. She had almost collapsed into her former shy self but once meeting some of the people, soon warmed to the country. It had been a wonderful experience, she was still technically supposed to be there but one evening away wouldn't cause any trouble. No one would expect her to be gone to New Zealand for this evening anyways. Obviously no one knew she was a witch and when she was left to her own devices she often traveled to meet family as long as it wouldn't interrupt with her work.She was really looking forward to this evening. It was a long time since the whole family had been together and she couldn't wait. She had been visiting her parents regularly though she had only received the invitation to the party this evening as it had taken the poor owl a long time to find her. She rarely used her mobile phone, being in Hogwarts for all those years meant she hadn't grown up with the electronic devices such as mobiles, however they had had a laptop at home which she had often used and really she would be lost with out her laptop or camera though while she was working she didn't like contacting people as she preferred to work alone and experience the country alone. Thankfully she had got the invitation in time, she had a present for Sara and Kate already so her only problem had been finding an outfit to wear. She had chosen a simple summer dress, forgetting the difference in seasons over the equator, she would be inside however so Star didn't mind.

She soon arrived at the address and made her way up to the apartment. When she entered she smiled at all the decorations. She then turned and saw her two sisters and father. "Hello everyone"She said grinning widely. She hadn't seen Kate and Sara in a long time and it was good to see them again. She rushed over and gathered her two sisters into a big hug "Happy Birthday"She said before letting go of them and handing them their gifts. It had taken a while to make them but it was their special birthday and she didn't mind putting in the effort. They were two separate photo scrapbooks. One for Sara and one for Kate. She had been asking around for a while now for pictures to fill the scrapbooks with. The two were completely full over pictures of the two of them since they were babies till recently. Pictures with their friends their families, Hogwarts, various places around the world which Star figured they liked. She also had gotten certain people to write messages to the two twins. There were messages from Star, Ryan, and her parents among others. She really hoped they liked them. She then turned to her Dad "Hey Dad"She said smiling before giving him a tight hug. She sometimes felt sorry for her parents and all the changes they had gone through. "How've you been?"

OOCOut of Character:
For the scrapbook, anyone who wants to, can say they wrote a message . I don't mind.
 
Ryan had just finished putting on his clothes. It wasn't his usual type of outfit but since it was his elder sister's twenty-first he figured he should put in some effort. He had been at one or two twenty-firsts here in America. They were a big deal here too and Ryan had had some good times. It was nice to hang out with muggles. He barely used his magic anymore. He didn't really see the need for it, he had manged to scrap enough money to get himself a decent motorbike and his parents had bought him his apartment. Having rich parents did pay off every so often though he hated taking money from them. He wanted to earn his money and he still felt bad for the trouble he had caused them. They had refused to budge on buying him the apartment, it had been his 18th birthday present really. He loved it, it was in a nice part of the city and it was fairly modern. It wasn't over the top or anything which he was glad of. He wasn't into extravagance, he preferred his life to be simple. He had almost returned to his former self. He was once again easy-going and more outgoing. The former anger which had been stuck inside him had blown out of him that day with Sara up on the cliffs. She saved him really, he wasn't sure where he would be now if she hadn't given him a kick up the arse. He was forever grateful that his family hadn't given up on him. He sometimes forgot how truly supportive they were. Despite everything that had happened, the Moons were almost back on track. Sure they weren't living together but the relationships between them were healed, almost. They weren't the same, there was no way they could be but none the less, compared to what that had been like, they were at least all talking to each other.

Ryan's music was going good. He had a fairly big fan base now and it was growing steadily. He had gotten into this whole technology thing. He had a small band who had helped him get into technology while wondering how on earth he had never owned a mobile phone before. The problem with living the muggle life was having to come up with a back story. It had been quite fun he had to admit. Realistically all he had to change was where he went to school and he doubted they were going to do a back round check on him. He had made a good set of friends and he enjoyed writing his music. It was an escape really though thankfully life was fairly on track of late so there wasn't much for him to escape from. He missed his family though, the only person he ever really saw was Star. Kate and Sara were busy in New Zealand with their own lives. He did visit his parents every so often but really he didn't have much to say. He preferred going with Star because she could do most of the talking. He had grown awkward in his interaction with his parents. He didn't have a problem with people his own age, he could be a smooth talker when he wished but for some reason, he wasn't sure whether it was because of the change he found it difficult to relate to his parents. It didn't really matter, he didn't see them much, though if he had a big gig, his mam would fly over and watch him. His Dad couldn't get away from work,it was a problem and it annoyed Ryan sometimes how his Dad often put work ahead of his family but at least he had organized this birthday for Sara and Kate. He was looking forward to spending the evening with them. He would hopefully meet some of Kate and Sara's friends also. He had only met Kate's boyfriend once and he wanted to get to know him better, he also sort of hoped Samual Kaster would be there. Ryan still felt bad for the way he had treated the poor man last time and though it was a long time ago he wished to apologize or at least show him that he was no longer an @ss. Ryan wasn't sure who else his sisters were friends with but he was looking forward to meeting them.

Once he had gathered his things, he apparated to the Obsidian Harbour. It was much cooler here and he almost wished he had brought a jacket but he figured he would be spending much of his time inside. He found the apartment fairly easy and soon was outside the door. He hadn't been sure what to get them for their birthday. He didn't know his sisters as well as he once had and although he had grown up in a house with girls, he never knew what they wanted. But he did know that they liked music and musicals. He just hoped they liked their present. Slowly he opened the door, the place did look great. He saw that Star,the twins and his father were already there. He idly wondered where his mam was but he figured she was off doing something for the party. He smiled as he saw his sisters and Dad. "Evening everyone"He said before walking over to them, he brought his two elder sisters into a tight hug. It was weird being so much taller than them, even with their heels on. "Happy Birthday you two"He said before sliding out the two envelopes from his pockets. "Well here ye go, two vouchers for Broadway"He said smiling at them. They were two vouchers for two, he figured they might not want to go alone and they might want to see a different musical to each other so he had splashed out and got two vouchers for two. He really hoped they liked them. He turned to his twin "Hey Star"He said grinning before enveloping his little twin in a tight squeeze. Ever since Hogwarts he had grown more appreciative of his twin. He really didn't know where he would be with out her and he had made a promise to himself that he was never going to hurt her again. He turned to his Dad "Hey Dad"He said giving him a man hug. He had missed his Dad, he didn't see him much anymore and it was nice to see him. "How have you been?"He asked
 
Shiloh Denton had not been back in New Zealand since her Graduation. Ever since she had met Grace, they had talked about buying their own little bakery. As it turned out, a Bed and Breakfast had been the way to go and moving out into the country came next. It had taken about a year, but now Shiloh and Grace were fully established and they loved it. Working together was amazing and Shiloh had learned a lot about herself and about Grace in that time. They worked really well together and had quite a client basis. These days they even had a young girl staying with them, the young girlfriend of Grace's little brother, Jeremiah. Ai was a lovely girl and she helped out a lot when she wasn't in school. The cooking and tea making was mostly left up to them, but Ai was good for the cleaning and preparation help. Every now and then, Shiloh would even break out her guitar and give a little show. Their little Inn was a really lovely environment to relax in or meet with friends. Very neutral and relaxing. They had one couple that celebrated every anniversary with them and as loyal customers, they got the best room in the place. Grace and Shiloh had always made sure that they had a family friendly environment that catered to both magical and muggle people. Not that they got many magical clients. With the use of port keys and apparition, magical people did not need to use much in the way of a place to stay. Shiloh had been very surprised to be invited to Kate and Sara's twenty first birthday. It seemed like years since she had seen them and honestly, it had been years. She and Grace had been so busy, visiting friends had never really been a priority. Maybe this had come at a good time.

Lifting her packages off of the tables, Shiloh nodded over to Grace as they left the motel. They had stayed there over night and probably would be staying there again tonight, before making their way back to England. Looking back down at the address, Shiloh made sure Grace was ready before making her way out the door and flagging down a taxi. Shiloh didn't know this address at all so she could only assume that it was new. The taxi ride wasn't all that bad. There was some really nice scenery around this country. Nothing compared to what they had back in England, the scenery there was amazing, something that Shiloh often prided herself on. Since Shiloh had not seen the girls in rather a long time, gift choice had been limited. She really did not know what to buy them. She had eventually settled on a hand crafted music box for Kate. It played fifty classical songs and she could easily get them changed if she didn't like the ones that Shiloh had picked. Sara had been harder. Shiloh had originally been more Kate's friend then Sara's but she still knew enough about the girl to consider her a close friend. For Sara, Shiloh had brought something a little unorthodox. It was charmed with magic, which enabled it to self replicate and grow as it was used. A diary was Sara's gift. Shiloh remembered that she had liked writing when they were in school and the great little extra was that it could also play music from the little bell on the front. It could only play two or three songs, but she was sure Sara would enjoy it anyway.

They finally came to the right street and Shiloh stopped to get out. She had no idea what kind of place it was or even if it was magically hidden. Of course after she waved the taxi away, she remembered that the Moon's were muggles, so a magical place would be highly unlikely. But that was no big problem, after all, it was not like it was far to walk. Reaching the apartment, Shiloh hesitated slightly. She had not been here before and she was very eager to see her friends, but she was worried they would have forgotten what she looked like, which was silly of course. Shaking her head, Shiloh entered the room with Grace right behind her. "Hello!" Shiloh immediately smiled as she saw the occupants in the room. It appeared that they were all here, though she had no idea who else would be coming, she had to wonder if maybe Tara would be here. "It is lovely to see you guys again!" She placed her presents on one of the tables and went to hug Kate and Sara. "I've missed you girls. Thanks so much for the invitation!"
​
 
Sara grinned at her Dad's use of her old nickname. She always felt so safe with her parents, she felt like a child, as though she had the entire world in front of her again, as though there were no need to be frightened. She hugged him tightly. "I missed you too. We don't see each other enough; any of us." She whirled around as Kate entered, beaming. Sara was older, but Kate had always seemed more mature to her, as though she had herself sorted out, at least; in the last few years. When they were younger, Kate had more than her fair share of problems. Sara watched as her twin and her father embraced, a small smile gracing her lips, as she thought about the fact that their family hadn't actually been together in so long. "Kate." she grinned, giving her a hug, and smiling; a couple of years ago this would've been unthinkable. "Happy Birthday to you too! How are you?" she asked, pulling away and looking into Kate's face. She looked so happy, and that was wonderful to see. She accepted her sisters gift, grinning as she opened it. She was a real bracelet girl; she wore them all the time. She slipped it onto her wrist, hugging Kate again. "Thanks sis, I love it! I have something for you too." she laughed, pulling out a box; which contained a little locket, with a picture of their family on the inside, bearing the engraving "Ní neart go chur le cheile" an Irish saying, which translated to "No strength without unity." Their family had always cited this phrase, and Sara herself loved it. She'd been trying to think of a present for Kate; they used to be so close as kids, and Sara didn't know how to articulate how much she loved her twin, even if they weren't that close. she hoped desperately that Kate would like it.

Sara laughed aloud as their Dad pulled them in for a group hug. "Well, I haven't really grown up much." she quipped; her height was a running joke with her Daddy. She followed him over to the table, glancing across at Kate and throwing her eyes to Heaven. Dad always had a penchant for the dramatics, and choosing a cake to represent their shared interest was very Thomas Moon. The cake looked great though, and she couldn't wait to try it. "Looks fab Dad." she smiled, placing a hand on his arm. She stayed silent though, as he explained his gift. she hadn't been expecting what he pulled out; thinking he'd gotten them some large, decorative key or something, but this was much smaller. She looked across at Kate again, and opened the box, a smile breaking across her face. It was lovely. "Oh Daddy, they're beautiful! Thank you!" she enthused, reaching up to hug him again. This had the potential to become an extremely emotional night. It was just so Irish that they'd decided to add in the practicality of the working key. It made her miss home, as she slipped it onto her wrist, next to Kate's gift.

The next person to arrive was Star; who Sara hadn't seen in an age. She almost leapt out of her skin at how much older she looked. She managed to choke out a shocked hello, before her sister enveloped the two of them in a hug. "Oh my God, Star; you look amazing." she smiled, stepping back to look at the sister she in no way resembled. all the rest of them were relatively dark when they were younger; though Ryan's hair had lightened as he'd gotten older, just as Sara's had darkened. She couldn't believe this beauty was her little sister. She took her gift, and looked down at it, carefully opening it, and gasping as she realised what it was. It was such a wonderful gift. "Oh Star.." she she began, fighting the emotion in her voice. These were her memories; trips to the beach, days out with the family. She held it to her chest, looking up at Star. "This is such a wonderful gift Star; thank you." she smiled, ignoring the itch behind her eyes that indicated her wish to cry. However, Ryan's entrance distracted her. "Ryan!" she half-yelled; the brother she'd always adored as a child, the boy she'd so desperately wanted to look after. That had always been the way when they were younger; Kate and Star were closer, while Sara and Ryan were closer. She hugged him tightly, and tears were seriously threatening at this point. "You're so tall!" she exclaimed, looking up at him. She laughed as he handed them their gifts. "You know us too well; my big, little brother." she grinned, winking at Kate. She smiled as he hugged Star; glad they'd sorted out their differences. She knew how hard Star had found it when Ryan went AWOL in Hogwarts.
Sara whirled around once more as some guests arrived. Shiloh and Grace! She laughed as they walked into the room, already feeling the buzz of a crowd. She was never happier than in a large group. "Hi girls!" she beamed, looking across at her Dad. How had he tracked them down? He'd been pretty thorough, and she was glad of it. She gave Shiloh a squeeze, a smile splitting her face, she felt such unbridled joy. "It's been too long! Last I heard you two were in England; yes?" she asked; "Are you kidding? Thank you for coming! Would you like a drink or anything guys?" she walked over to the table, ready to serve if anyone wanted anything.
 
Andronikos had stayed longer that day at the office. He had volunteered to stay longer just to finish the pile of paperwork waiting to be sorted. Earlier, the work was processed relatively fast for as long as he was cooperating with Sara, his partner. But when she mentioned that she had her birthday today, Andronikos told her to just leave and enjoy the rest of her day after wishing her happy birthday. It was a great opportunity since their foreman didn't come to the office due to an illness. "Just leave before I change my mind." he insisted and let her go. It was her special day, she sure had many far more interesting things to do such a day. He, on the other hand, was going to just return back to his apartment and probably continue his book. He could just stay longer and finish everything on his own. A cup of black coffee and this pile wasn't going to look so intimidating.

Sara left and he went to the building's cafeteria for the much needed coffee. He returned later back in the office with the steamy mug to find a letter dropped on the floor. His initial thought was that probably was dropped accidentally by Sara but as he read through it, it turned out to be an invitation from her father who had prepared a party for his daughter. Andronikos casted a desperate look at the papers awaiting him on the desk and pursed his lips. He really needed to socialize a little bit more. He had almost no friends in this country apart from his colleagues that you couldn't really call friends. It was a great opportunity to meet new people and get to know Sara as well. After all, it seemed that the two of them were going to work together for a long time. Andronikos took a determined sip of the coffee and settled down. He was going to finish his work and go to Sara's party. At least he was going to try.

Four hours later and his head was going to burst. Fortunately, the pile previously towering on his desk was now decreased to just a few sheets. He was so tired however to just finish them. It was going to be first thing next time he was at the office. He could actually come earlier and sort them before Leonzio was going to show up. He locked the office and went at the shops. Just before they closed for the day, he managed to get a present for Sara. He then rushed back to his apartment to have a quick shower and change into a clean shirt, trousers and a sport coat. Before leaving, he remembered to take with him the present and the invitation which included direction to the party's location.

The direction were pretty instructive and he found the building easily. He climbed the staircase and reached the apartment to find the door open and the room inside already with occupants. "Hello everyone." he greeted as he stepped inside, after knocking the door despite finding it open. Andronikos knew none of them except from the birthday girl. He smiled when he spotted her amongst her family and friends. "Happy birthday again!" he wished her and gave her the present he was holding. "It's a sneakoscope with the colors of Ireland." he said before she was going to open it. He remembered that her family was from Ireland so when he found those sneakoscopes with the colors of different countries, he knew exactly what was going to be her present. "I didn't know if you had any but better have many than none." he jested to break the ice.
 
Kate was looking forward to spending this evening with friends. She did wonder who was coming, how had her father contacted them? There were lots of people Kate hadn't spoken to in a long time. She was sad that a lot of people who had once been close friends, had drifted and almost disappear. Two of her closest friends had seemingly vanished and sometimes she missed them. Each if her friends had brought something different to her life and although they had been missing for some time it was still strange. Kate was one who valued friendships, they meant the world to her and sowing them hit her hard. At the time she had been too wrapped up in her own problems to realise they were gone. Kate sighed, it was unfortunate but there was nothing she could do now. Despite the loss of some friendships, the ones she had now were perfect. They were there for her when she needed them and had proved how loyal they were plenty of times. She was looking forward to when Stefan would arrive, it hadn't even been long but she missed him and she always felt more comfortable with him around. It would be interesting to see who else arrived.

Kate laughed when her Dad called her, her old nickname "God, I haven't been called that in a long while"She said hugging her Dad tightly. He smelled the same, like home. It brought back memories of her childhood. Him and her mother represented her old life, her magical one. It was strange how all four children were magical but their parents not. Kate didn't mind, she felt like she had the best of both worlds. Magical siblings and muggle parents, couldn't get much better then that. "You can still make up stories, I'd love to hear one some day""she said grinning as he brought them into a group hug. It was weird, she couldn't remember the last time they had all hugged and just spoke together. Kate smiled, she was glad she and her sister had moved past their differences. Sara was her twin and it didn't feel write when they weren't on speaking terms. Kate smiled, glad she liked ever present. Kate looked at the present Sara gave her, it was lovely "Oh Sara, I love it"She said grinning, she took the pendant out of the box and tied it around her neck, it now rested beside her heart-pendant. It was perfect and it was also a lovely picture of the family, it reminded her of their happier times.

Kate grinned when she saw the cake. It was perfect, she loved it. "It's great Dad, good choice"She said smiling. She had sort of lost touch with her musical side, seeing the cake reminded her what she was missing out on. She loved music and she had a pining to get back into it. Kate sighed, it had been a long time too long. Kate grinned widely as her Dad explained their gifts. It was a wonderful thought, traditionally but a nice tradition. "Aw, thank you Dad, I love it"She said pulling him into another hug. She put the bracelet on and smiled, it made her want to see home, she hadn't been there in a long time and even though it had never really felt like home she still missed it. Kate turned as the next person arrived. "Star!"she exclaimed looking at her baby sister. She looked so grown up and beautiful. Kate couldn't believe it. She and Star ahead been corresponding but not as much as she would have liked. She hadn't seen her in so longing seeing her now, Kate almost couldn't believe this was the same girl she had seen entering Hogwarts. It made Kate aid seeing her baby sister so grown up. "I've missed you so much, you look beautiful"She said as she hugged her insisted. Star had herself had always been closer, they were more similar. Kate looked at the present star handed her. She opened it curiously and gasped "Star this is.." She couldn't find the words, it was the perfect present. So sentimental and Kate's heart swelled looking at the pictures. She gave her sister a tight hug "Thank you so much" She said still holding her sister close. It was nice to just hold her again.

She let go of Star when the door opened again. "Ryan" she exclaimed, wait for Sara and Ryan's hug to finish before giving him a tight hug herself. He had grown so tall, he was a good head taller than her. "It's been too long" She said smiling up at her little brother. Well maybe younger was a better word. Kate looked at his present. "Perfect, thank you so much Ryan" she said smiling widely. Maybe she and Stefan could go some evening. It would be a nice night out for the two of them. She was very impressed with her gifts so far, they were all so lovely. Kate turned again when she heard the door open. "Shiloh, Grace" Kate said her mouth opening in surprise. She hadn't seen either of them in so long, she wondered how on earth her. Dad had managed to contact them. It was wonderful to see them again after is long. She walked over and gave both of them a big hug "It's so good to see ye both, how have ye been?" she asked grinning. "I've missed ye too, I'm so glad ye are here"

Soon the door opened once again. Kate turned and frowned. She did not recognise this man but he seemed to know Sara. Kate idly wondered who he was, she waited until he had given Sara her present. She walked over "Hello"She said smiling "I'm Kate, Kate Moon"She said holding out her hand.
 
It was an exciting time for the librarian, it was the first time in a long while that he was truly feeling on top of the world. It was the first time in his still short life that everything was going really well for him. He was happily in a job that he found fun and incredibly interesting. It wasn't the best job, and it certainly what most other would want to spend their time doing, but for Stefan it was perfect, and it brought him great joy. He was always looking forward to going to work each day, as much as he looked forward to coming home to Kate. It was nice, they'd really settled into a routine. It wasn't just that which brought him joy, but that he had asked Kate to marry him, and she had said yes. This to him was the thing that just brought him the most amount of joy. He was smiling all the time, and he could feel all the love he felt for Kate just spilling over. Sure, being engaged changed nothing about their relationship and he'd been very happy with them just being together but he felt like this truly meant that he was committing his life to her. He wanted to be with her always. Stefan wanted to spend his life with her, trying to bring her the world. Showing her with each and every day that he loved her more than he could express and was more than thankful to her for all she'd done for him. With that in mind, his joy was even more so, as it was Kate's birthday. Well, Kate and Sara's and they would be celebrating the birthday all together at a party that Stefan was actually looking forward to. He hadn't really attended many parties in his life, and he knew that him and Kate would be planning, but actually going to some was not something that he did all that often. It was however understandable since he couldn't really have gone to that many considering his father. Which was why he was incredibly excited about what this party, and this night would bring. He had been in the kitchen when Kate had come into the room to say that she was off. He turned to look at her, and had really been blown away by her. She was just so beautiful to him. "See you soon" He repeated, and then kissed her lightly. Stefan was joining her a little later, he still had to get ready, and he was cleaning up a little bit, but it was nothing too major. It wasn't going to take the former slytherin too much longer before he was done with the task at hand, and heading to this party.

Stefan Archer was ready just over an hour later. He had taken his time picking out the clothes he would wear, it was a smart shirt, and a pair of nice looking jeans. he was going with a more semi-casual look. Stefan knew this was a fancy party, and he did have fancy clothes, but it hadn't really felt right. After spending so much of his life limited in the choices he could make, Stefan was choosing to wear things that he wanted to, rather than just what he had. With that, he spent a few moments brushing his hair, and then with his glasses firmly on his face, he was finally ready to go. The last thing he had to do was get the gifts. It felt odd buying for both Kate and Sara, since when they were younger the same gift for the two worked fine, but the dynamics was different. He was dating Kate, so he believed that he should get something better for her than for Sara, but it didn't feel that right when he was attending a party for the two of them. So, Stefan had opted to buy Sara a bottle of very nice champagne. Well, he imagined it was nice, and for Kate, he opted for a much simpler gift of a dress, it was little light blue dress. He couldn't really say much more about it, other than he hoped it fit and he hoped that she liked it. He had other gift's for Kate waiting for her either later that night or the next day, but this was the one she was receiving with Sara. With both gifts in hand, the boy glanced at the address of the place which Kate had left for him, and tightly gripping the wand, he apparated to where it was. He stood in front of the building and then headed to the room. It blew him away just the sheer beauty of the decorations and all the work that had been put into the room. He stood slightly in awe at the edge of the room. There was always a part of Stefan that forgot about the amount of money Kate's family had. For him and Kate, it wasn't so much of a matter, they lead simple lives and Stefan had never had much money at all. This was something else. As Stefan glanced around for Kate, he noticed a few people he knew, two girls whom he was sure he'd met before, and a man he hadn't. It wasn't too hard for him to then spot Kate and her family. He made his way over to them, well Kate in particular, "Kate!" He called to her, as he approached. Smiling happily at her. Placing the gifts down on the gifts down on the table where the other gifts appeared to have been placed. Stefan smiled at his fiancee before he then greeted the others, "Happy Birthday Sara! You look great!" He smiled at her, before glancing at Star and Ryan, he had met them on a few occasions, and he was surprised by how much they both appeared to have grown. He held out his hand to Ryan to shake, Stefan stood at about the same height as Ryan, though that was one of the few traits they shared. He was glad to see them again, and made a mental note to tell Kate that they should have them round more often. Stefan's attention was then turned to Kate's dad.

Stefan Archer was always nervous around Kate's parents, on the few occasions he'd met them. He was nervous, just because he was never sure what this man had been told, or figured out about him. He found it difficult to talk to his own family about it at times, and he knew this man was probably incredibly nice and completely unlike the father Stefan had experienced but it still made him feel nervous being around him. Stefan held out his hand to him as well, "Mr. Moon, sir" he stated with a smile, "This party looks incredible" He spoke with all the confidence that he could muster. Before he was finally able to put his arm around Kate, and hold her close to him. "You must be so proud of your children, sir" He smiled at both Kate, and her siblings. He was sure that Kate's dad was very proud at the success of his children. Stefan was sure that had his mother lived, and his upbringing had been a lot more normal they would've been proud of him. He took Kate's hand and gave it a light squeeze. "You look beautiful Kate,", he turned to the man he didn't know and the girls that he was sure he knew from somewhere, probably early on in school. "Hi, I'm Stefan, Kate's boyfriend", he was looking forward to seeing who else would attend, see if there were some others that perhaps he knew.
​
 
Grace held her tiramisu protectively as she travelled with Shiloh to Kate and Sara's birthday. She had not seen the girl's in a very long time, as she and Shiloh had been much too busy with their life back in England. They had to balance the Inn, and the caring of Ai Edogawa, and Shiloh's family was very involved - the thought of actually visiting friends in other countries had never occurred to either woman. She looked forward to seeing Kate and Sara again, as they rarely went out to meet anyone that wasn't Shiloh's family, and while they were wonderful people, Grace was far more interested in seeing her old friends again. She tapped Shiloh's arm as they made ready to leave. "Don't forget the presents," she reminded, inclining her head to them. Shiloh had rigorously sought those presents and it would be a shame if she forgot them now. Grace was busy getting her tiramisu safely to the party. If she dropped it, there was no getting another one, and she could not simply conjure another one, as there was no spare one made - not one she had made. There was no alcohol in this particular tiramisu, mostly because she was not sure of the age of all the guests. It wouldn't be fair if someone couldn't have some simply because they were too young.

Gracie peaked over Shiloh's shoulder at the address, and took note of it as Shiloh had. And while the pureblood settled herself into the taxi cab, she looked outside in order to try and get her bearings with regards to scenery - which she finally decided she had no idea how to identify. She glanced over at Shiloh, hoping that she had not gotten them lost - Grace wasn't sure the tiramisu could survive such an ordeal. She took a deep breath as they reached their destination, and put on a bright face, before stepping out of the car. She paused as Shiloh did, and tilted her head at her friend. "Shiloh?" she queried, propping the tiramisu gently on her hip. She nodded firmly as the blonde continued to the door, as the brunette had the same unspoken fear as Shiloh did. Grace had left before Shiloh did, and while she hoped they had not forgotten what she looked like, the Italian still feared the possibility, no matter how much she also felt it irrational. Following Shiloh into the room, she smiled brightly at the occupants, some of whom she did not recognise, but she did recognise Kate and Sara. She smiled at the two of them specifically. "Hello ladies,"she greeted as Shiloh had, placing the tiramisu on a table. "We brought some tiramisu, however, it is non-alcoholic." She nodded as Sara spoke. "England, yes. We run an inn near the countryside for both magical and muggle residence," She explained. And, as Sara had offered her something to eat or drink, Gracie shook her head. "No thank you, I'm fine - but maybe some water?" She then focused on Kate. "We've been quite well, thank you Kate. How have you been?" She then smiled at Stefan as he too spoke. This was going to be quite a party if the number of attendees said anything.
 
The proud father kissed the top of Kate's head as she commented on his use of her nickname. He'd always had nicknames for them, and he wasn't going to change now. Thomas watched his two daughters exchange gifts, a huge smile on his face. He hadn't seen them so amiable in years. There'd always been some sort of tension in the air. Sara had always been angry with Kate for how she'd pushed the family away during her illness, and Kate had been angry with Sara, and disapproved of her going off the rails for a while. He'd spent so much time worrying about these two, and here they were; adults, and balanced. It was a lovely thing for a father to see. He laughed aloud at Sara's comment about height. "And we all thought you'd be tall.." he replied, releasing them. He was glad they liked the cake, but much happier about their reaction to the gifts. He hugged them both again, tiny tears forming in his eyes. He missed being a Daddy.

Star's arrival brought a smile to his face. She'd always be the baby of the family to him. He watched, delighted as she gave the girls their gifts. It was such a thoughtful gesture, but that was Star; she had the innate ability to pull upon one's heartstrings without even trying. "Hey Superstar." He smiled, hugging his little girl and lifting her into the air, as he'd done when she was a child. "Ahh! I'm getting too old for that!" he laughed, placing her back on the ground. "Oh, I can't complain; looking down at the daisies instead of helping them grow. How about you? How's work going?" he asked, eager for news. He had more contact with the older two, and missed knowing about his children's lives. Sara and Kate had went through a phase of not keeping much contact too though, and it must be hard for Star to do so, she was always travelling.
When Ryan walked into the room, Thomas thought his heart would burst with pride. His son had grown up so much, and it was almost hard to look at him. He adored his daughters, but when Ryan had been born, he'd felt as though they'd finally achieved balance. He'd been dying to have a boy. He watched as he greeted his sisters, and was surprised when his son enveloped him in a hug; he was a grown man, and he'd worried he'd think it childish, but hugged him back, delighted. "I've been good, all the better for seeing you four in one room." he replied. "And you? You're doing so well!" he exclaimed. He'd been unable to go to many of Ryan's gigs, but followed him online, and checked up on him regularly; not that Ryan knew. He had quite a big fan base, and Thomas was proud as punch.

After this, a large group of people arrived in succession. He vaguely recognised the two girls who arrived; friends of the twins from school. He allowed them to greet the girls, and smiled at Sara as she offered them refreshment. "Hello girls, I'm the twins' Dad." he explained, and went over to the table to get a water for the second girl, waving Sara away, back to the conversation as he did so. He handed the girl a glass, smiling down at her, glad so many people had come. The second, a man; he didn't recognise, but his greeting Sara made him think it must be her partner in the office. She'd mentioned him in letters, and Thomas had hoped he'd come; she seemed to like him, and he knew how hard Sara could find it to relax around people. This man would be watching his daughter's back, and he wanted to have some idea what he was like "Hello. I'm Thomas; Sara's father." he introduced himself, extending a hand to shake his. He looked strong, much bigger than Sara. It slightly terrified him that Sara was working with, and against people who were so much stronger than her, physically. He knew magic was more important in their world, and Sara was a good witch, but the thought of her in combat petrified him.
However the next arrival distracted him completely. Stefan. He liked this boy, but he knew that he'd hurt Kate before when they were young. He liked him, but was very protective of his children. he greeted him and shook the boys hand, extending a hand to shake. Well, he wasn't a boy any more; he was a man, but it was hard to think of his daughters' old friends as adults, that meant admitting the twins were adults. "Please, you can call me Thomas. Yes, I'm very proud of them of all of them." He smiled down at all four of his offspring, his smile wide. "How have you been Stefan?" he asked. He knew that Stefan was working as a librarian now, and according to Kate he was enjoying the work.
 
Tara was running a little late. She had received an invitation in the mail a few weeks ago as an invite to her friends 21st. It was weird how old everyone was getting. 21. when she was younger and was trying to see herself as twenty one years old she would not have even in her wildest dreams expected were she was today. She would have thought she would still be in Joshimath, married with maybe three children. A house maybe, though lightly living with her in-laws and maybe a small garden to keep no where near the relative luxury she was living in now. Though her family, and even praneil now was saying she should get married. she was just to busy at work to have much of a social life.
Now work that was the reason she was late. someone came in just as they were about to close and decided to sit in whilst they ate their dinner in a painstakingly slow speed, eventualyl she had got away and apparated home to change out of her work clothes and into something a little more dressy. she even had a quick shower but left her hair. She was going to smell like curry anyway so why waste time. once she was dressed she picked up the presents she had baught on her last trip to india and apparated to near the address on the card.
She foudnd the building and reached wht partys location. unable to knock on the rood as her hands were full she entered and put the large tray of cakes, pastries and other goodies down. there was a rather a selection, mostly french nad european bu also some indian flavors too. basically it was what hadnt sold at the cafe but it was all good stuff and it was better bring it here than leaving it there. and of course were the two parcels wrapped in bright coloured fabrics. one for sara and one for Kate. once she had her hands free she went to see who was there. first port of call was the oldest man in the room. "Hello and Thank you for inviting me Mr Moon, I am Tara" she said bowing her head in greeting. once She had followed her manners she looked around the rest of the party there was a lot of familiar faces, but next was the birthday Girls. "Kate, Sara Happy birthday. how have you both been?" she said excitedly handing them each their presents. she hoped they liked them even if they never wore them, in the boxes were a pair of earings and a Tikka or head piece that sort of came across the top of the head and the decoration dangled on the forehead. Looking around the room she saw a lot of her other friends there, Stefan of course, he she had seen most recently in the cafe, then there was Shiloh and Grace who had been good friends, and kate and Sara's younger siblings, Star and Ryan who she didn't know that well. she was pretty sure she would have a great evening talking to all her friends again, especially the ones she hadn't seen in a while.
 
Star was glad that the four Moons were back together again and not fighting. It just warmed to heart see all four of them, talking and smiling almost like nothing had ever happened. Of course one could never forget the past, it doesn't define you but it is part of who you are. Star's past caused her to become the woman she was today. But she didn't let her dictate her present of future. She had chose her own path to love now and right now it was the best decision she had made. She didn't just feel more confident she felt more happy and alive. She actually felt like she was living her life, not just passing through. It was a wonderful feeling and Star wondered how she could ever have just let life pass her by. She almost felt a pining for all the friends she could have made if she had just out herself out there but unfortunately she couldn't change her past and to be quite honest she didn't want to because despite the hardships she had gone through she had come through a better, more confident person and that wouldn't have happened otherwise.

Star blushed when her sisters complimented her, she was terrible at taking compliments, she just wasn't used to them at all. It was nice to just chat with her sisters though.Star beamed when she saw her sister's reaction to her present "I'm so glad you like them"She gushed pulling them into a hug once more. She was so happy, this was just perfect.She grinned when she saw her twin enter. He looked so different but to her he was still the same Ryan. Her protective twin. He looked so much better. The frown that had been permanently etched on his face no more, instead a smile usually graced her face and nothing made Star more happy than seeing her twin smile. She and Ryan ahead always been closer than Sara and Kate even as kids. She guessed it was due to the fact that as a child she hadn't been so independent and had depended on Ryan, making them closer as nothing was kept from each other. She was glad her two elder sisters had managed to push their anger to the side and become sisters again. She hugged Ryan back just as tightly "I've missed you"She said sincerely. They were both so busy these days, s did her best to attend most of it's gigs but it was hard.

Star giggled when her Dad lifted her in the air. It took her back to her childhood. "You will never be too old to lift me"She had laughing , her cheeks flushed. "It's great, I love being able to travel, the world is so beautiful"She said excitedly. Sure the world could be a fairly horrible place but once you started looking, Star found that you could find beauty in the most simplest of places. Soon more of Kate and Sara's. Friends began to arrive. Star didn't really know any of them that well, there was one man Star had never seen before, he seemed to know Sara though. Star figured she would say hello later, Kate and her Dad were already over there. Despite Stefan being Kate's boyfriend she had only ever spoken to him once or twice, she had heard things about his past, RHI and all but Star knew it was none of her business and kept quiet. She saw how Kate looked at Stefan and him at her, that was all Star needed to be assured they were good for each other.

 
Though Ryan did perform in front of big crowds most nights, this kind of party wasn't exactly his forte. He had once been good at making small talk and mingling with everyone but that had died. He found it hard to make conversation though he did try and he smiled at everyone hoping he looked approachable. There was something about singing on stage that just calmed in. Even when he had been in the depths of despair, his music had always comforted him. It was weird, music had never been that important in his life before Hogwarts. Sure he had enjoyed singing and playing his guitar but it had been a hobby he took interest in every now and again but once he had lost it, he had put everything he had into his music. He had wrote it all down, how he was feeling what he wanted to say, his frustration. It had been a good way to calm his anger and he was making something good out of his pain. It hadn't cured him but it had prevented him from going completely insane. But the one thing even better then writing music was performing it. You could just never get passed the buzz, the adrenaline from hearing people screaming his name. Even when the crowd had been small, when they were starting of, it didn't matter how big or small, even seeing one person he still got the rush. It just made all the hard work worth it.

He grinned when Sara came bounding over. Wow, she really was small. But that didn't stop him from giving her a big bear hug. He laughed "and you're still small"He teased. He ruffled her hair playfully. It was fun to be teasing his sister. He really was grateful to her, she had saved him, brought him back from the dark place he had been hiding in. He turned yo his other sister and hugged her back tightly "I know" he said sighing but smiling down at his sister. He worried about her sometimes, worried she could turn all skinny and depressed again. He had been so angry with him that he wasn't there to help her when she needed him. They had both been in their own worlds, oblivious to the pain they were causing their families. But now she was okay and she looked beautiful and happy. "I'm glad you like them" he said almost shyly. He had been worried that he had picked the wrong present or something but it appeared he had made the right choice.

Ryan grinned he saw the surprise on his dad's face when he hugged him. Sure he found it more awkward but he loved his Dad and no matter what age he was, he would always be able to give Dad a hug, a manly one of course. He did after all only have one Dad. "I know, it's a nice change"he said smiling looking at his three sisters. Three of the four most important women in his life. Ryan smiled proudly "Yeah, we're really coming along now, I'm a bit surprised really"He replied honestly. It had been a shock when their number of fans had grown suddenly. It had been a real boost to their confidence. Soon more people entered. He recognised Stefan and Tara. He hadn't spoken to Stefan much, he could see how much his sister and him loved each other, he felt good knowing she was so happy. He knew Tara from their house welcoming party all those years ago. They hadn't spoken but he remembered seeing her. He wasn't sure what to say to anyone so he just stood back enjoying the company of so many people.
 
Shiloh smiled smiled at Sara as she was offered a drink and nodded in thanks as one was handed to her. "Yes! We had originally been talking about a bakery, perhaps you remember?" She asked as she took a sip of the beverage. "However, we continued to expand what we were doing. It became a cafe after a while, then we added a sort of library part, then there was the children's room and then after a while we started allowing people to stay the night." She began to smile at the fond memories. She then looked over at Grace. "I think eventually we realised that maybe an Inn was the best way too go. So we closed up our shop in London and moved out into the country. Out past Kent." Shiloh pulled a pamphlet out of her pocket and handed it to Sara. "If you ever have business in England, you should come and stay with us. We cater for muggles and us magical folk." She grinned. They did not have a massive client base but they were doing well and were covering all of their expenses. They weren't extremely expensive, but you definitely got the quality you paid for. Shiloh had been adamant in having both affordable and expensive pricing, it really depended on the amount of people and the package deal they wanted. Then of course for the wizarding world it was different again.

Grinning at Kate, Shiloh walked back to the table and picked up both of the presents. "Everyone please help yourselves to our tiramisu, you'll find none better anywhere, Grace is an amazing baker as it turns out." Shiloh smiled at her best friend and returned to Kate and her twin. "I wasn't sure what to get you Kate, but after a while we settled on this." She placed the present in her friends hands. "It plays one hundred classical songs, but you can change them if you do not like the ones I chose as a default. I can show you how later." Shiloh moved back to Sara. Sara, it was even more difficult to decide for you, but I think we worked it out." She told her friend before handing her a box. Inside was a journal or diary that was self replicating and played music from a little bell. "it also plays some music, but only two or three choice pieces and once you've set the music you are unable to change it. It also all sounds like bells to the tune of the song, but I think if you choose the right music it could sound really quite wonderful." Shiloh had been happy with her choices and she still was, she hoped that Sara and Kate also liked them. Taking another sip of her drink, Shiloh turned back to the door as a man she was unfamiliar with entered the room. He appeared to be a friend of Sara's, possibly a work friend, though Shiloh could not quite recall what her friend was doing now. She had heard that Kate had been travelling a while, but she had not seen her in that time. Shiloh made to move towards Kate before the door opened again, revealing another boy, one she was more familiar with. Stefan something. She couldn't quite recall his name, but she had never been all that good with names and she met so many people in her work. She smiled at him when he introduced himself as Kate's boyfriend. She remembered they had been close. "Awe, you make a wonderful couple. Stefan it is wonderful to see you after so many years. I'm sorry I never got to know you all that well. Promise me that you and Kate will come and stay with us at some point, we would love to have you!" She popped a pamphlet out of her pocket and handed it to them, making sure, not very discreetly, that the section on weddings was blaringly obvious.

When another person entered the room, Shiloh almost squealed. It was Tara! One of her first friends at Hogwarts. "Oh, Tara!" She threw her arms around her dear friend and smiled at her. "It has been far too long! How are you?" The last time she had seen Tara had been Graduation, much like many of her other friends. So she wondered how she was. "What have you been doing with your life? Anyone special?" She looked at Kate and Sara and Stefan. "How about the rest of you? I am so very curious what we have all been doing in our lives. Of course Grace and I also extend an invitation for everyone to come and stay with us at our Inn whenever you like. We would be absolutely delighted to have you all!" She thought for a second before adding, "I would also like to personally extend an invitation for all of you to come to my birthday party in July. It will be at the Inn and I would be delighted to have all of you there. If anyone needs to travel, you are welcome to stay the day before or after if you wish as well." Shiloh had not had a birthday party in years and so Carah had decided that they should have one this year and of course Shiloh had readily agreed.
​
 
Sophie couldn't believe it. Her daughters were officially adults now. Gone were the days when she used to carry them. Gone were the days when she used to tuck them in their sleep. They were all grown up now, and they grew up beautifully. Time, indeed, passed too quickly. Who would have thought that twenty one years had passed since she first laid her eyes on her twins? She could hardly believe it. She could still remember rocking them in her arms, calming them down when they cry, and helping them learn their first words. She could still remember the first time they laughed, or the first time that they called her and her husband. Those precious memories were still fresh in her mind, and somehow, though she was already happy with where they were now, she couldn't help but wish for her to be able to relive those times. She missed her daughters, and her other children too. They do visit them at times, but they were all grownups now. They were a lot different from what they used to be before. They had their own lives now, lives where her and her husband had little part in. And as a mother, it pained her. It was hard to watch her children finally spread their wings and fly away from home. It was hard, but she was learning how to accept it. The children at the school where she was teaching were great help. She loved being surrounded by little ones, it made her happy, and she treated them like her own. She was really glad that Kate decided to follow in her footsteps. Sara was leading a more dangerous life. She knew very little about her daughter's job, and it terribly scares her. She knew of the dangers and the possibility of her daughter losing her life in the path that she had chosen. No mother, or parent, for that matter, should ever suffer the fate of seeing her daughter's life end before her. But she knew that she couldn't stop her. It was what she had chosen, and she could do nothing but support her and protect her, no matter how insignificant and powerless she was. Star and Ryan had their own paths too. She greatly misses them.

Sophie checked her watch, she was running late! And for her daughters' birthday too! She and her husband had rented an apartment for a small party for their daughters. She had been in charge of the decoration, she was the more creative of the pair after all, and Thomas, her loving husband, dealt with most of the planning. This party had to be special. Aside from their daughter's birthday, this would be a time for their whole family to get together again. She glanced at her watch again, a bit restless. The kids must be there already, and she wanted to surprise them too! Even though this party wasn't much of a surprise anyway. Sara and Kate were too smart, there was no use in keeping it a secret for them. She had been with her husband earlier, doing some adjustments in the room that they rented. She had to leave to fetch some of the party goods but had been caught in a heavy traffic on her way back. With a sigh of relief as she finally spotted the building, she quickly exited the cab and headed towards the room that they rented. As soon as she opened the door and saw her precious children, she couldn't stop the tears the forming. She missed them. She missed them a lot. She had barely given the other occupants of the room any attention as she quickly approached her family and gave them a hug. First was Sara. She had been really worried about her. She tried not to worry so much, but she was a mother, it was her job to worry about her children twenty four hours a day. She cupped the younger's face with both hands and smiled before she hugged Kate too. She was proud of her children. Really proud. "Happy birthday. I missed you," she told them, wiping away the tears from her eyes. They looked really grown up, but they would always be her little girls. She then turned her attention to her younger twins, Ryan and Star. Star had been traveling a lot and that worried her too. While Ryan, Ryan had been doing a great job. While she had not been able to attend any of his gigs, she did check on him regularly. He had been doing really well, and she was really glad. Her kids had really grown up really well. "You too," she told them, hugging them both. "I'm really proud of you and I love you, you know that." She smiled, walking towards her husband. "Thank you for coming." She greeted the other occupants of the room. They were all Sara's and Kate's friends. They had invited them; after all, they were great parts of the twins' lives.​
<i></i>
 
Sara was delighted that her twin liked the gift. She'd desperately hoped that it was a good idea and smiled as Kate slipped the necklace around her neck. Sara loved occasions like this, when they were all together. She relished these few moments for just the family before the guests began to arrive. She laughed as her Dad hugged them both again. Glad, when the twins arrived, well; the other twins. Ryan's comment about her height made her laugh, but she was still a bit sentimental about them all being together.
Sara was glad her Dad decided to look after the guests, and turned back to Shiloh as she spoke about her new Inn near Kent. She was so proud of her, and it was great that she was doing it all with a friend. It must make things so much easier. "Thank you! I'll be sure to do so." she replied, flipping through the pamphlet. "This looks amazing guys; you've done such a wonderful job!" she grinned. She smiled gently as Shiloh gave them their gifts. Kate's was perfect, and she knew she'd appreciate, but she wasn't prepared for how lovely her own gift would be. "Oh thank you! I love it, I've been so meaning to get back to writing!" she exclaimed, hugging both Grace and Shiloh, completely ignoring convention. "Thank you."

She excused herself as she saw Andronikos enter; how did her Dad track him down? That was so wonderful! She'd seen him that very morning at work. "Andronikos! I didn't know you were coming! This is a lovely surprise. Why didn't you tell me this morning?" she exclaimed, laughing as he wished her happy birthday. "Thank you; again." She took the gift he handed her and smiled. "I didn't have one! Thank you!" she beamed, leading him into the group. "Guys, this is Andronikos, he's a friend from work." she introduced him, not sure if she should call him a friend yet, though she considered him one. "Thank you so much for coming." she smiled once again, and allowed her sister to claim him as she came over to greet him. She gave him a wink, as Shiloh announced an inclusive invitation to her birthday. "That sounds great!" she resisted the urge to clap, and her smile widened as Stefan Archer entered the room. She smiled as he approached them all, and greeted Kate. They were perfect for each other really, and she was so glad to see them both happy. Especially Stefan. She loved her sister, but she knew some of what Stefan had been through, and what hadn't been confirmed; she'd guessed. It was just so wonderful to see him healthy and smiling. "Thank you Stefan." she smiled, pulling him into a hug. This had been a habit since they were kids; she'd always pretty much known he wasn't particularly comfortable with hugging and such, but had vowed to cure him. That had never actually happened, but she still hugged him whenever they met. She resisted the urge to laugh as he greeted their dad. He was so formal, and she couldn't help a small, amused smile.

Tara's arrival prompted another burst of happiness. She remembered attending one of Tara's birthdays in school; they'd had a paint fight, and it had been wonderful. They'd all grown a lot since then, though Sara didn't feel too different from the little girl she'd been. She embraced her in greeting. "Hi Tara, I'm great; how are you? What have you been up to?" she asked, eager for news of these people she hadn't seen in quite a while. She'd been so preoccupied with work that she'd lost touch. She smiled at the thought that they were all together again.
Her Mam's entrance lifted her from overjoyed to absolutely ecstatic. "Mammy." she whispered; running over to her. She hugged her tightly, smiling as her mother cupped her face. "I missed you Mam." she smiled as she addressed them, reaching forward to wipe away a tear on her cheek. "Aw now, don't cry, or I'll start and pretty soon we'll all be at it." It was so typical of Sophie Moon to be late. She was always looking after everyone else. She smiled at her praise, beaming at her siblings. Times like this really made her miss living with them all, it made her miss home.

 
Justin hated birthdays unless they were his own. It was a fact that he was not shy about. However, he was still in new Zealand when he (rather surprisingly) got a letter about something he had never thought of. Sara's birthday. Did that mean she existed still even when he was not around? He scratched his cheek as he slipped his sunglasses on for coverage, as he had bags under his eyes that could take themselves to America and back. He had not had any time to himself lately, and quite frankly he doubted a twenty-first was the way to go about getting some 'me time', but he had been planning for the event, and it was the only excuse to leave the temporary home he and Kiara had without actually taking Kiara. She was more self-absorbed more than he was (if that were at all possible). There was no way she was going to actually go to a party that wasn't hers. He paused for a moment as he let the front door close behind him. Didn't Sara have a sister or something? He looked at the invitation, and cursed. She had a sister, and obviously, this meant that Justin had to locate another gift. He didn't celebrate birthdays, not really, and so the whole 'let's give gifts' thing was aggravating for him. What was he supposed to do now?

Deciding to simply 'acquire' one of Kiara's nicer paintings, Justin continued to his destination. He had a card, at least, and had placed Kate's name on it as well, and signed the card with Penelope as who it was from, an inside joke that he was sure Sara would understand, but doubted very much Kate would understand. Fortunately, for him, he didn't very much care. Very quietly, the blond opened the door and peeked inside, being slightly deflated at the fact that there were quite a few people here. "By the spirits..." he muttered, slipping in and leaning Kate's painting - that was pathetically wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper Kiara had left lying around - against a wall, and opened up his floral blue shirt as he felt like he couldn't breathe. He quickly made a beeline to Sara, but first paused to address Kate, though he barely paused to actually address her. "Your present's over there-" his hand gestured to the landscape painting of woodlands, which he assumed were French wilderness, as Kiara has painted it there, but his geographical knowledge was zilch. "Merry birthday, here's a card." He then returned to locating Sara, avoiding bumping into people, and ignoring those who were speaking with Sara, he brushed her arm for her attention, and smiled awkwardly. "And here is your gift, Sara." He presented a parcel that was far superiorly wrapped (in birthday styled wrapping paper), and inside was a playsuit, as he had remembered how lovely she looked in the last one she wore so long ago. "Anyway, I'll just, yeah." He was already thinking of escape. He'd shown up, given the mandatory gift and congratulations and that. Now it was time to make a sound escape.
​
 
Andronikos waved awkwardly as he was introduced to everyone in the room which seemed to be gaining more and more guests. It was nice to see that his partner was surrounded by so many people who loved her and cared about her. He instantly felt welcome into this bunch of strangers. He also earned an invitation to another birthday party from one of Sara's friend who invited the entire room. Andronikos didn't know from now if he could attend the birthday party of a complete stranger to him but he liked the spontaneity. "I'm glad you like it." he said relieved when it turned out that Sara hadn't in her possession a sneakoscope. He used to think that he was terrible when it came to gifts and maybe he was stressing a little bit too much about whether his presents will be liked or not. "You should thank your father. He was the one who sent the invitations at the office." he said as Mr. Moon approached him to introduce himself.
"Nice to meet you sir. I'm Andronikos, Sara's colleague." he grasped the other man's hand and exchanged a handshake. "I wish the best for your daughter." he said, wondering what exactly were wishing English speaking people in such occasions. Back to his country, people were wishing first and foremost good health and prosperity to the person who was celebrating. Of course there was the wish about reaching one hundred years but this would sound the most awkward out of them all. A girl looking a lot like Sara approached him as well and introduced herself. "Oh, you must be Sara's twin." he reckoned and accepted the handshake. "Happy birthday to you as well. I'm the lucky guy who Sara helps with the paperwork." he jested in an attempt to break the ice.
 
There were so many people at this birthday. Stefan felt a little overwhelmed by it all. All the ones who were greeting him. He smiled fondly at Sara as she drew him into a hug. He thought of Sara like a sister. She felt like family to him, which he would've never thought possible in his second year, but yet here they were, and soon, they'd actually be family. Kate's family would be his in-laws. Which was a strange thought, but one that was also likely to happen. Stefan's immediate family were all dead, his parents that would've be her in-laws would've been the worst people at that. He was happier knowing that really it was his cousin's parents that would fill in that role instead of his actual parents. Stefan loved his parents as much as boy like him could, but he knew that they had not in the slightest been good parents. His mother had died when he was young, there was no way of knowing what she would've been like, but he was happier not knowing. If she would've protected him or not, was an entirely different matter. Glancing at the two girls, Shiloh and Grace, as Shiloh greeted him. He just smiled at the pair of them, he remembered the two vaguely, though not as much as he knew he should. They both seemed nice, and he gladly took the leaflet from Shiloh. It was always nice to know they had places to go if ever they decided to go on holiday. "Thank you" He said to them, smiling brightly at the pair. Before his attention to Kate's siblings, well the younger set of twins. He was sure that it would be nice to have them round for dinner more often. Sara too for that fact, Stefan was sure that everyone would enjoy something like that. He was sure to bring it up with Kate later that night. He was more than happy to have people round. The house always felt better when people were in it. Those few days he spent alone in his own home were tricky days. Easier than before, he just preferred when it wasn't like that. When someone else was there with him. It was understandable really considering the ghosts of the house. Finally he was face with Kate's father, who seemed wary of him. He wasn't sure if Kate's father liked him or not. He could understand it either way.

"I'm very well, thank you sir" He replied to him. Of course the man was proud of his children, he'd raised them all well. They had all turned out very well. "How about yourself sir?" he returned the question to the elder man. Listening to his response, acting polite to the man, who was Kate's father. Then Tara stepped into the room, and Stefan did feel his smile growing immensely. He really liked Tara. She was a good friend. He waited until she had greeted the twins before she smiled at her, and gave her a small wave. Unsure about if she was wanting to give him a hug, there were a lot of people. "Tara! How've you been? Diner keeping you busy I imagine" He said to her, smiling brightly as he did so. Stefan hadn't really been around this many people in a setting like this in a while, and it was a little strange to him, he was finding it perfectly fine. The next person who walked in, considering the greeting she got, he realised that it was Kate and Sara's mother. He waited until she had said hello to her daughters, and son. "Mrs. Moon, great to see you again" He held out his hand to her. Knowing that it was the right thing to do. She might not be so interesting in any way of saying hello. Hugs were definitely out the question but he had to do something. As someone else, whom Stefan didn't know arrived, he turned to Kate. Kissing her lightly on the cheek, before leaning into her ear. "You want to tell them?" He asked her quietly, knowing that she was definitely know what he was talking about. They'd planned to tell everyone during this celebration, and well, it seemed like everyone was here, and since it was Kate's family, he was sure that it should be her who tells everyone. He leaned out and smiled at her. He was so happy about their news, and he knew Kate was too. He couldn't wait to tell everyone.
​

Sorry this took so long, and that it's pretty terrible too.
 
Kate wished Stefan were here. Sure she was comfortable with all these people but a small part of her missed him and she couldn't wait to tell everyone the news. It was all bottled up and she was just ready to spill the beans, she was actually surprised no one had noticed the ring on her finger yet. She still sometimes got a jolt of surprise when she saw it on her finger, then she just couldn't stop looking. They were in no rush to get married they had plenty of time but she knew things would really get real once she told their family and friends. She had been trying to think of a good time to tell them when the invitation had arrived. Stefan and she had agreed this would be the perfect time to tell people as almost everyone that was close to them would be in the one space at the same time. It was still hard to believe. She had never pictured her wedding as a young girl. She had never seen herself falling in love either. She had wanted to live her life before she settled down, travel the world and see what it had to offer before being tied to someone as she had thought when she was younger. She had been somewhat a feminist as a child and she still was, not to the same degree but her view on a boyfriend had changed. She knew that if she loved someone, you weren't tied down by them. If they loved you the would let you live your dreams if you needed. She was lucky to have someone life Stefan, he was also so understanding and she just loved being around him and being in love with him. The marriage wasn't a necessity but it was just a formal way to show everyone and make a promise to themselves that they would always love each other even when they were grey and old. It was then she heard Stefan's voice, her face instantly lit up "Stefan, welcome to the party"She said grinning widely. She was happy he was here. She watched slightly amused as he greeted her father. She knew it was strange for him but he had nothing to fear, her parents liked Stefan. She put her arm around Stefan and leaned into him. "I've been good Grace, how has life treated you since leaving school? "She asked smiling. Grace had always been so polite and Kate admired her etiquette, she was also a lovely girl and Kate hadn't seen her in so long. She seemed to be doing well with the motel, and Kate was happy for them.

Next to arrive was Tara.. Kate's smile grew wider. Tara was one of Kate's closest friends and she hadn't seen her in quite some time. Kate made a mental note to maybe ask Tara to dinner some time or pop into Tara's diner. "It's so good to see you Tara, I've been great and you?"She said giving Tara a tight hug before taking the present. She opened it curiously and gasped when she saw what was inside. "Wow Tara, they are beautiful. Thank you so much."She said smiling once more. She loved them, unfortunately she already had a pair of earings in but she would wear them as soon as she could. She set the present on the table and put her arm around Stefan once more. Kate smiled at Shiloh's invitation. She would love to take a visit and see what the Inn was like. Shiloh then came over with Kate's present. "It's wonderful Shiloh, Grace thank you so much"She said looking at the device. It was wonderful, perfect. Kate grinned as Shiloh spoke to them once more. She looked up at Stefan and smiled, Kent would be a lovely place for a holiday, it sounded like a lovely idea. Kate smiled when Shiloh invited them to her birthday "Oh that would be wonderful"Kate said. Next to arrive was her Mam. Kate smiled but sighed when she saw her mothers tears. She was always emotional, Kate was a lot like her Mam. She hugged her tightly when she came over "I missed you too Mam, and Sara's right, don't start or we'll all be in floods"She said laughing. Soon someone whom she did not recognize her pointed over at a present. Kate gave the person a confused smile and barely said thank you before he was over by Sara. He seemed to be a friend and Kate let him be. Kate then turned to the man who Sara introduced as Andronikos "Nice to meet you"She said smiling "Oh you're an auror also? Well I'm glad to know someone has my sisters back"She said almost seriously but still smiling. She did worry about her sister and her line of her work, it was a dangerous job but paperwork seemed to be the only thing she was doing currently so Kate wasn't overly worried.

Kate soon was by Stefan's side again and she smiled when he whispered to her. She guessed now was as good a time as any. She coughed trying to get everyone's attention. She moved close to Stefan suddenly a small bit nervous but excited also "Stefan and I have some news"She managed to get out. She looked to Stefan and smiled, took a breath and then faced the people in the room "Stefan and I are getting married!"She said rushed out excitedly.

OOCOut of Character:
Sorry I'm so late!
 
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