Within a Star (2052)

Ciaran finished helping his wife set the table, humming the last few bars of Beethoven's 5th. They were going to have a nice family dinner and he could hardly wait for it. Now that their children were no longer children, he missed them. Not just there presence, but the missing items to pick up, put down, turn off and reminders. He missed the notes he and Kiara had to pin all over for Greta to remember by. The smiling face of Rossa with a new song to try out on him. Edan's magic through muggle tricks and pranks, always making him laugh. He missed it all...

Rossa was coming; that meant a great deal to him. And with her lovely little family. Tav and Kay with their children; Greta and Edan couldn't make it. The first for poor reasons, the second for better ones. Ara and David had been happy to be invited. Edwin and Sine were bringing their growing family and Beagan was bringing his girlfriend for the family to meet.

It was ironic, in both a good and sad way that the McConn children had not all decided to come, but that their places had been filled by Kiara's brother Edwin and her sister Ara.

"Table's set, love." he called, heading back into the kitchen to see if Kiara need any help. Esis had invited herself and was currently setting a bowl of something on fire on the table.
"It's suppose to do that." she assured them. Ciaran wasn't sure he totally believed her.

The call from the fireplace pulled him back into the living room and he smiled broadly as Edwin stepped out of the fireplace, brushing ash from his robes as he bent to help Sine through. Seven year old Alastar beamed up at him as he came in with his 13 year old sister, Winifred, who looked put out about something. Ruffling the already messy hair of nine year old Tio, Ciaran scooped Alastar up into his arms and wrapped an arm around twelve year old Ama. Although Edwin was more so old enough to be his son than his brother-in-law, he played his part properly as Uncle Ciaran.

"Kiara! The McKevin's are here." he called to her, knowing she'd know which. "All six of em."

Kiara smiled as she listened to her husband hum as she got the last of the food in the kitchen ready. She found it different living in the house with no more children.. not that it was ever to quiet.. with nieces, nephews and grandchildren to visit and sometime babysit, she was never overly sad about the now emptier McConn home.

She been a bit diappointed Edan and Greta couldn't come, but life was life she supposed, and they would have very full house as it was.

She gave the dish Esis left a funny look for a moment, half expecting it to explode.. "Sure wish I knew what it was..." she mutterer to her self as she place the last of the food down.

She grinned as Ciaran annouced The McKevins were here, Edwin and Sine's family.

"Ah so glad you all could make it" She said entering the room and approching them.

"Hope you guys are hungry, I made enough for an army, at least I hope I did" She said with as chuckle to the children.

Turning to Edwin and Sine she smiled, "Come make your selves at home, you guys are first to arrive, dinner won't start for a litte bit yet" she said.

__

*By the door*

Beagan walked up to the door with his Girlfiend Abby, he was currantly trying to calm her nerves. She was petrified of meeting his parents and many oher relatives of his...

"But Beagan... I" Abby started nervously..

"Abb.. they will Love you trust me.. My Mum an Da are the nicest people you will ever meet"

Abby sighed and looked at the door fearfully.. Being horribly shy... family dinners as this scared her to death... she would said something stupid and make fool of herself and Beagan she just knew it...

Beagan placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and kissed her forehead, then knocked on the door..

Esis giggled in her usual manner and wiggled her eyebrows at Kiara.
"What you don't know won't... well usually doesn't hurt ya." she teased. Clapping, she left the smoldering dish to engulf Sine in a hug.

Chuckling, Edwin nodded and handed his sister a dish covered with a dancing reindeer checked cloth.
"Thanks, Kiara." he smiled. "We're thrilled to see everyone." Sine gasped in mock pain as Esis finally released her from a bone-crushing hug.
"Sheesh, glad you aren't happy to see us." Sine teased, turning from Esis to gently hug Kiara. "I know you said not to bring anything, but I had to. Chocolate brownies." she winked, seeing Ciaran's smile brighten even more. It was no secret that he had a certain fondness for brownies.

"Yay! Army food!" Alastar beamed, happy with all the attention.

"I'll get it!" Esis shouted, making a dash for the door. Sine rolled her eyes.
"You'd think she'd slow down a bit these days." she whispered to Kiara.
"Ya can't be faulting Esis now, Sine love." Ciaran returned, overhearing the whisper. "Can't blame her for desirin youth, aye."

"What's that, Uncle Ciaran admitting he's heading down the hill?" Edwin teased, chuckling.

Esis yanked the door open, beaming broadly when she spotted Beagan and the lovely young woman with him.
"Oh Beagy darling, come in!" she engulfed him in a hug rather than letting him in and then turned her wild eyed attention to the woman. "And lovely to meet you, I'm Esis, Beagan's er aunt I guess." With barely a pause she pulled them both by the wrist into the room. "You can't stand outside all day, sheesh."

Kiara smiled at Sine and chuckled " Very thoughtful Dear, thank you, I am sure they will be greatly enjoyed at desert" she said her eyes moving to Ciaran for moment in strong amusment.

She laughed at Sines remark about Esis, "Sine, I swear Esis will sing and dance with the youthfulness of a 20 year old till the day she dies" she said with a laugh.

She chuckled at Edwins tease and smirked.. "Never" she said smiling with a wink at Ciaran.. perhaps it was her biased veiw.. or through rose colored glasses.. But Ciaran was still as youthful as the day she met him. Her Darling scot of a husband..

...

Beagan smiled sheepishly when Esis answered the door and mentally appolgised to Abby.. Feeling sorry for her.. here she was nervous beyond all words and it was Esis of all people who quite literally drags her in the house...

"Hello Aunt Esis... This is Adigail McCauley my girlfirend" he introduced.

Abby quite on honestly didn't know what to say... and she felt like a fool for not saying anything... "I.. uh. Pleasure to meet you" she uttered as she was draged into the house..

She stared and blinked wide eyed for a moment... "I.. " then she nodded... feeling quite embarrassed with her self.

Beagan chuckled and nodded to Esis, while giving Abby's hand a squeeze. "Of course Aunt Esis, are my Mum and Da around?" he asked hoping his parents could undo some to trama Esis had done on his Addy... who now looked plan petrified...

Sine chuckled, nodding.
"You're right of course." she smiled. Both Ciaran and Edwin laughed heartily at Kiara's wink, although the former more so than the latter appreciated it fully. How he loved his wife. Sometimes... like when he remembered that Edwin had once been a cheeky little toddler and now had four children aged 14-7, he felt old... But then Kiara wasn't old and she was always his anchor of truth. He set Alastar down and glanced toward the door, just in time to see Esis all but drag Beagan and a pretty young woman in. Gesturing toward them, he left the group to 'save' his son and company.

"Let's try not ta frighten them all away, shall we, Esis." he chuckled, smiling kindly. Esis rolled her eyes and shook Abby's hand enthusiastically.
"Pleasure to meet ya." she beamed, embracing the young woman tightly.

Ciaran motioned to Kiara to come over, noting Abigail's wide eyes and frightened look. It was what most in the McKevin and McConn family called the "Esis-Eye" since it had the near look tot the deer caught in head-lights. All in good humour though.

"Hello, my dear." he stated, gently prying Esis off of her. "I'm Ciaran, Beagan's Da and this is Kiara, my wife and Beagan's Mum." He pointed behind them to Edwin and Sine, who were helping their children sort through the toy bag. "That's Edwin, Kiara's younger brother and his wife, Sine. They have two lasses and two lads."

Sine approached, smiling broadly, but nonetheless with reservation that Esis had never had.
"Never mind, Esis, she's harmless and she's the worse one of the bunch. The rest of us are tame compared to her." she chuckled, playfully.

Kiara smiled and followed Ciaran to greet her son and "rescuse" his firend from Esis's at times over welming personality.

Standing beside Ciaran she sent Abby a kind smile, "welcome to our home dear, we are glad you could come." she said and it was all truth..

Abby almost sighed with relief when the over ecitable woman was taken off her.. she as unsed to strangers being so... openedly firendly. She slowly un glued her self from Beagan feeling slightly less freaked out at Beagan's Mum and Dad's calming voices.

Beagan smiled, "Mum, Dad... this is Abigail.... my girlfirend, thought it was about time you finally met her" he said as if he were presanting the most valuable thing in the world... and really to him, he was.

She nodded, and finally spoke up, "Honor to meet all of you... Beagan speaks highly of you " She said shyly."Oh.. and Call me Abby please?" she asked, only her parents ever called her by her full name... as they refused to call her Abby...

She then smiled over at Sine and a spark flicked in her eyes for a moment when she spotted her children. She loved children and worked at the day care at the ministry for workers who didn't have anyother place for there children to be cared for as they worked.

"Our tremendous pleasure, Abby." Edwin smiled, wrapping his arm around Sine's waist. "Glad you could come. And sorry about Esis, she just loves people." he snickered when said woman rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, lets all gang up on poor Auntie Esis." she teased, stomping back into the kitchen.

The door chimed again behind Beagan and Abby. Ciaran politely slipped around his son and the charming young woman to open it and was nearly knocked over by an extremely happy Zafirah, who at almost 15 looked so much like her mother it was amazing.
"Hiya, Uncle Ciry." she beamed, embracing him tightly. Behind her Zeki came in, far more reserved than his sister by personality as he smiled at his assembled aunts, uncles and cousins.

"Abby, this is Zafirah and Zeki, Kiara's nephew and niece." Edwin introduced, as Zafirah offered her cordial hand to Abby.
"Oh Merlin, this is your gf, Beagy! She's so pretty!" Zafirah gushed, beaming. "Please call me Zafy, my name is way way too long." she giggled.

Behind her, Ara and David slipped in. Ara carefully handed the dish she'd brought to Sine, stepping up to hug Kiara.
"Brought some rolls." she murmured, smiling.

Abby gave Edwin a small smile and nodded. "I can see that" she said quietly. She then gave a guilty expression when Esis stomped back the kitchen believeing her feelings had been hurt...

Abby blinked as the excitable girl came in, if anything the McConn and McKevin families were certainly animated.. Beagan hadn't been over exaterating when he said his family dinners were never boreing.

She blushed when she said she was pretty, and before she could said anything Beagan was beaming, "That she is Zafy"

Always bashful she looked down still blushing... "It is a pleasure to meet you.." she said glancing to both Zafirah and Zeki.

Kiara smiled and chuckled as she hugged her sister, "Why do I bother saying there is no need to bring anything, none of you listen" She said in amusemnet. She then turned to Abby.

"Abby, this is my Sister Ara and her husband David" she introduced.

Abby nodded, "Yes Professor Venice, plesure to meet you again sir"

David chuckled, "No need for Professor anymore Ms. McCauley, your are done and Graduated, please call me David" he said.

Abby nodded, though mumbled, "Might take some getting used to sir"

Chuckling David nodded, "tell me about it..." really he didn't feel old enough to already meeting his former students, but alas he was...

Kiara laughed, "none of you are ones to talk" having seen all of them go through Hogwarts it certainly was beyond strange to see her students teaching students...
She looked at Zafirah and smiled, it seemed like only yesterday Ara had introdused her to her little neice, and now she was turning into quite the young lady.

Speaking of young lady, Emma entered in behind David, 19 years old she was well on her way, surprisingly she had decided she wanted to be an Auror and was just Starting her training, and was ejoying the challange emencely.

" Hi all" She said with a chuckle showing off her brandnew Auror cadet uniform.

Kiara beamed, "Ah Emma, it looks wonderful on you dear, do tell us how your training his going eh?" she said smiling to the young woman.

"You bet Aunt Kiara" she said beaming.

" Alright, Come on now, all of you make yourselves at home, no need to stand in the hall way, we are still waiting on Tav, Kaylie, Rossa and Demyan to get here.. and they shouldn't be to much longer. Then we can start dinner" she said she said with a spark in her eyes... it was true. Kiara McConn had never looked happier.

Zafy giggled happily and wiggled her way in between her mother and Aunt Kiara, hugging the former.
"Hi!" she chirped, kissing the older woman's cheek. "And I helped make the rolls. There not even burnt this time!" she punched the air in a victorious gesture and then bounced off to find Esis, who was needless to say one of her favourite people.

Ara chuckled softly, shaking her head at her daughter's antics.
"She's quite the handful, Kiara." she murmured. "And you're right, if you don't want something brought, this is the wrong family." Turning her attention to Abby, Ara offered her hand and warmly shook the younger girl's.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." she stated softly, smiling. "And do call him David, Professor makes him feel old." she teased, poking him lightly in the stomach.

"Yeah, you are the ancient of the group, Kiara." Edwin chuckled, wrapping an arm around his sister's shoulders. "To think, you've been Headmistress for... 34 years now. Almost as many years as I've been alive." he teased, having Sine burst into laughter.
"Oh ignore him, Kiara. I think you're as young as you feel and trust me... you're so not old."

Ciaran playfully punched Edwin's shoulder.
"Watch it, lad. That's me wife yar callin 'ancient'."

Edwin threw up his hands in mock defense.
"Okay guv'nor. Don't be gettin yar panties in a wad." he chuckled, earning himself a whack from Ara.
"Language, Edwin!" she chastised, smiling nonetheless.
Zeki slipped from the group after nodding to his relatives, more of a loner.

"EMMA!" Sine shrieked, running to embrace the girl. "Oh Merlin, you look great!" she giggled. "Turn around." Edwin clapped at Emma's attire.
"You'd make Tav very proud there, girl."
"Not ta mention yar Uncle Ciaran." Ciaran chuckled, kissing Emma's cheek. "Very proud of ya, darlin,"

Edwin and Sine herded their children out of the hallway while Ara hung up everyone's cloaks and assorted coats.

No sooner had Esis engulfed Ara, then David, and then Emma into her energetic hugs, than another knock or more so rap sounded at the door.
"A galleon says that's Tav." Edwin chuckled, knowing Tav liked a smart tap to a regular knocking. "I'll get it, Kiara." he murmured, going to the door. "Tav you old devil, stop rapping on the door like some SS agent." he thundered, throwing open the door. To his near horror and suddenly bright red cheeks, his mother, rather than nephew gave him a slightly annoyed glance and a raised eyebrow. To her left Horatio chuckled with his weathered hand over his mouth, obviously amused with the situation.

"Err... Mama, sorry about that." he chuckled, trying to salvage himself. Eglantine smiled, obviously only playing with him and gently kissed his cheek.
"Of course." she nodded, passing by him.
Horatio beamed.
"You ought to open doors before you shout at people, Edwin." he chuckled.
"Yeah yeah yeah, nice to see you too, Papa."

Ciaran lightly touched Kiara's arm to get her attention and then whispered that he'd invited her parents as a surprise.
"I think Edwin might have been wee more surprised than ya, darlin." he teased.

Kara laughed as Zafy made her way to the Kitchen to join Esis, and gave Ara a quick hug once again at her comment about Zafy being a handful.

“Oh that I have no doubt” she said as a amused smiled played on her lips.

“She is like her mother” David said with a chuckle and wink.

Abby laughed slightly “I will try my best….” She paused for a moment… what to call her former professor’s wife.. Really she mentally hit her self for not thinking about all this before hand. She was in relationship with the headmistress’s Son… Of course her family would be in close relation to the school.

“ Uh.. Mrs. Venice?” she ended wondering if that was to formal….

David laughed at Ara’s comment, and poke, couldn’t help but agree in this instance, having his fully grown former student call him professor did make him feel old.. The he heard Abby call his wife Mrs. Venice and he snickered..

“Mrs. Venice eh? My… been a long time since I herd someone call her that” he said in amusement.

Kiara sent Edwin a mock glare and tapped her fingers on her arm the moment “Ancient” left her little brothers mouth.

She did however chuckle when Sine and Ciaran came to her defence. “ Why thank you dears,.. “ she then smiled at Edwin.. “You know Edwin, for being old, I remember as clear as day a little boy who spilt drink all over my wedding dress on my wedding day… I am not to old to get you back for that” she said playful spark in her eyes.

Emma beamed, glad she made all of them proud, she hugged Sine and her uncle Ciaran briefly and then brought her two fingers up to her forehead to salute him.
“Thank you Uncle Ciaran Sir” she said in Auror fashion before giggling. “I shall do my best to be a good one”

David went to join Zeki, feeling bad the lad had yet to really get a word in yet..

Kiara stayed to help Ara with the coats and other things left in the hall, not about to let her sister clean up after guests when she in fact was a guest as well..

Looked up and beamed when Eglantine and Horatio walked in, she giggled at Edwins awkward encounter… only he could have his foot in his mouth so many times.

Her smile brightened at Ciaran when it was revealed it was his doing for inviting them here.
“That maybe Love, but not by much” she said with chuckle as she kissed him. ”Thank you Dearest” she said softly to him.

Then she went over to greet her Mother and Father, “ Eglantine, Horatio wonderful surprise you could come.. I was under the impression you had other plans?” she said as she gave them both a hug.