WHO: Imogen Montague & Graham Montague. WHAT: Easter Egg Hunting! WHEN: Easter 2005. WHERE: The Dinosaur Museum, Dorchester. WARNINGS: None.
"Maybe the Easter bunny will be here too," Imogen said, trying to entice her younger brother into not squirming away from her grip and getting distracted as they entered The Dinosaur Museum. This had always been her favourite place — somewhere that her father had taken her, before he'd become too preoccupied with the manuscripts he had to read and the books piled up, and there was an unexpected child on the way.
A sign on an A-Frame in spring-themed pastels announced the reason for their visit. The annual Easter Dinosaur Egg hunt would begin shortly. All around them were children, with their parents, excited as they were handed out wicker baskets with brightly coloured ribbons.
"No, I want the pink one!" a four-year-old boy shouted crossly at his mother before snatching said pink-ribboned basket from his slightly older sister. She promptly burst into tears.
Imogen wasn't here to find her own eggs, though, she was just the fill-in nanny since Graham's last one had quit a few days before she'd returned home from Hogwarts full of stories about Prefect meetings and rounds and OWL stress.
"What a cry baby!" The young Montague announced, looking up at his sister for encouragement. HE wasn't about to embarrass himself by crying. He didn't want Imogen to go away as well. The nanny had been stupid and mean but she was nice and listened to him and didn't want to just tell him what to do.
AND they were going to see dinosaurs and go on an egg hunt. Really, Imogen was the best person ever!!
"The colour doesn't even matter. Bigger is better," the six year old pronounced.
Imogen laughed and ruffled his hair. “Well, it wasn’t very nice of her brother to take the basket, was it? But it doesn’t matter what other people have. What matters is you’re going to have so much chocolate!” Graham was easily her favourite member of the family. They had an Uncle Lawrence, who she always found a little weird and embarrassing, and two cousins who she sometimes liked, though they had a mean streak to them. But Graham? He was just energetic and bold and adorable all wrapped up in one.
"I'm going to find the MOST chocolate," Graham boasted, beaming up to Imogen. "And I'll share it all with you," he promised as he carefully selected what he thought the biggest basket was. "And maybe some with Mother and Father if they're home when we get there."
The smile on Imogen’s face froze a little. Graham was too young to feel the disappointment that would be their parent’s disinterest in his Egg hunting. But by the time he looked back at her, it was back to her usual warmth. “Have I told you lately you’re the coolest and best brother ever?”
"Of course I am!"
Imogen grinned. “Race you to the start line!” And watched as he burst forward, overtaking the other kids with their baskets. At least she could make one of them happy.