A child's cry

[Ginny Weasly]

"Moommmaaa!" The sound of her child crying not only woke Ginny, it broke her heart slightly. She opened her eyes, but it made no difference. Darkness enveloped the room, except for the digital clock. She quietly distangled herself from the covers, slipping out of bed and to the door.

She shut the door to her and Xaver's room behind her and stood for a moment in the dim light of a small nightlight plugged into a hall outlet. She ran a hand through her hair, listening for Cody's cries again. She head him sobbing softly into his pillow and moved down to his room.

Cody lay on his belly, his face buried into a pillow. Ginny went and sat on the edge of his bed, her hand on the small of his back.
"Angelbaby?" She said softly, "Did you have a nightmare?"

Cody let out a sob and sat up, throwing his arms around her neck, pressing his face into her shoulder, "Uh-huh.." He said, between sobs. Simply by her presence, he began to calm. She rubbed his back, leaning against the headboard and whispering to him softly. He slowly began to fall back asleep, and murmured, 'Momma, sing to me...?"

Ginny kissed the top of his head, thinking for a moment. Then, slowly, she began to sing.
"Dancing bears,
Painted wings,
Things I almost remember,
And a song someone sings,
Once upon a December
Someone holds me safe and warm,
Horses prance through a silver storm,
Figures dancing gracefully across my memory...
Far away, long ago,
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart used to know
Once upon a December"

Her voice was soft, low and quieting. Even before she finished singing, Cody was asleep, comforted by her voice.

[Xaver]

Xaver stirred at Cody's cry, blinking into the reddish clock-light as he heard Ginny's footsteps fall across the floor of their bedroom. Slowly, after a moment, he followed her, a phantom to her footsteps.
He stood in the doorway of Cody's room, unnoticed, watching the scene, his family. Taking a moment to be a step back - to watch, and absorb. It warmed him. When Ginny began singing, Xaver as well closed his eyes, her mellow tones soothing his senses - and when she finished, and Cody's soft, even breathing reached his ears, Xaver smiled to himself, padding to them. He ran his fingers through her hair, and squeezed her shoulder, planting a kiss upon the top of her head.

-Nightmares..?- he sent softly.

[Ginny Weasly]

-Yes...a malady that seems to have come from us.- She told him, scooching over on Cody's bed to give him room to sit. She still held Cody close, her hand absently rubbing his back. He cuddled closer, warmed by her, and relaxed at her touch.

Ginny smiled slightly at Xaver, -Thankfully, his nightmares are the kind common to children. Not at all like the ones we dream.- She was thankful for this, she never wanted Cody to go through the nightmares she experienced.

[Xaver]

A malady from them?
Had he passed on to Cody his habit for bizarre, frightening nightmares..? Xaver didn't know, really. There were so many things, still, so new to him...
Worry etched itself into the tired lines of his handsome face - and he sat, slowly, beside Ginny, his eyes flickering over Cody.

He looked at her, when she spoke to him again, and the tension in him eased, slightly.

-That's ...well. A relief, I suppose...-

Xaver gently ran his fingers over Cody's head, through his hair, and he smiled, halfishly.

-Though, I suppose nightmares can only really be what you think up. ..You and I have seen far more terrors than we let on.-

He nodded, slowly, not really knowing why, staring at the top of Cody's head.

[Ginny Weasly]

-Cody has been protected...for that I am thankful...- Her voice was laced with sleepyness and she leaned her head against his shoulder, shivering slightly in the nighttime cold. She closed her eyes and continued rubbing Cody's back.

-He knows not of the evils of our worlds. I hope he never needs to find out.-

[Xaver]

Xaver scooted close to them, flush against her side, wrapping an arm around Ginny's shoulder, his arm across her chest and his hand resting on her other shoulder, his chin atop her head, his other hand planted on the bed. He sighed, very softly, looking down at Cody.

-I don't know if I can ever be free of my evils,- he said quietly, -but, maybe, someday.. I can be away from them.. I don't know..-

He hugged her when she shivered.
-I want to protect him,- he admitted.
-I just...-

[Ginny Weasly]

-To protect him is my first instinct...-

She smiled in the dim light, hugging Cody to her, making sure he was completly asleep. She was going to get up in a few minutes, and didn't want him waking up.

-I almost killed that awful Umbridge woman when she took him from me.-

[Xaver]

Xaver nodded, understanding.
Protecting Cody was more natural to him than breathing. Both, were necessary for his own survival.

He stilled behind her, when she mentioned Umbridge.

-She. WHAT? .-

[Ginny Weasly]

-She took him. Hold on, let me settle him into bed and we can go back to our room. I don't want him catching a stray thought.-

Ginny shifted, laying Cody on his side giving him her spot as she carefully climbed over Xaver, standing on the edge of the bed. She reached over, pulling a blanket over Cody and patting his head while he slept on.

[Xaver]

Xaver remained mute. He planted a kiss upon Cody's head, and whispered a few low, gentle words, before he rose and waited for Ginny to tuck him in. He took her hand, and led the way to the door, looking back over their sleeping son for a moment, before he carefully closed the door, and padded down to their bedroom, entering, and repeating the process after she'd come in as well.

"She took him.." he repeated, quietly, a frown etching darkly over his lips.

He hated that woman.. Umbridge..

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny nodded, walking away from him, "He was playing in Mum's garden...and the Minister came to see Dad. Umbridge came as well, and the two of them saw Cody playing with the elements."

She shook her head, flicking on a soft lamp and sitting on the edge of the bed, watchng him.
"So Umbridge coaxed him away with candy, " She grimaced, "and took him to the Ministry. They had no way of knowing he was my son. There was no record of me having a child at all."

"Well, she wanted him, until he showed his wings." Ginny ran a hand through her hair, "By that time, I had arrived at the Ministry..."

[Xaver]

Xaver watched her, his arms folded, intent upon her story.
He shivered slightly, when she turned on the light. Automatically almost recoiling, though he covered it well.

"Until he showed his wings?"
He paused.
Curiously.
"She didn't want him after that?"

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny scowled, her face becoming dark and angry and hateful, "No. The stupid bi*ch is a fanatic about anything that might be a half-breed." She spat the word, getting upset, "She knows nothing of true power. She called him half human." She pulled her legs up, crossing them and rubbing her face roughly, "My son is more human than anyone I know."

She was visably upset at the memory, adgitated and angered.

[Xaver]

"He's more humane, certainly."

Xaver remained expressionless.
It hadn't been too long since he'd been pinpointed for his own ...breed. Or whatever they called it.
The topic was still sensitive.

He laughed, without humor, and walked to her, leaning against the bedpost beside her.

"Good thing she didn't meet me, then. What did they call it? Full-blooded beast. Rawr."
He shook his head, his eyes dark. Solemn.

"Cody is unique - but as you have said, half of each of us. He is one in his own... But he is very much our son. And whew! That boy's mother.. What a looker!"

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny paused, cutting him a sideways look. She tried to keep her anger, but it dissolved when she looked at him and she giggled, "That's not what I hear. I heard the handsome boy took after his father..."

Xaver was one of the few who could bring her out of anger. Or sadness for that matter. The only one who could make her smile no matter what. The only one.

The one.