The Sleeping Princess

Prologue

As for the twins, they were given the Blessing of Laughter-meaning that they would grow into the kind of people to bring laughter to everyone they met. And it was true already... you couldn't help but smile whenever they were around.

As for the last prince, he was given a very unusual blessing indeed. Albus had given him Blessing of Determination. Meaning, that he wouldn't give up... no matter how tough that things became... that even should he become lost, he would return to complete whatever he had to do.

Now that the princess had been born, her parents were wondering what kind of blessing she would get.

"I don't see why not," the Queen sighed happily. "But let us wait for a few more days at least. I do wonder what he will be giving our baby this time."

"Absolutely, in two nights time..." he said with a smile as the queen held her daughter close to go to sleep.

It was two days later that the whole kingdom celebrated the birth of the princess that they had been waiting for so long. The entire kingdom rejoiced and had celebrations for three whole days as they did with the princes. On the final day of celebrations, a grand ball was planned and the guest list included the rulers of neighboring kingdoms, magical creatures and of course, the wizards. The party was in full swing, people making new friends, eating good food and cooing over the baby princess as a giant hoard of presents lay behind the crib.

The ballroom looked magnificent with the walls covered in beautiful scarlet and gold tapestries. The long elegant tables were covered in beautiful red silk, trimmed with gold. The china and silverware was gold in color and was set according to each person's hand.

The King and Queen had sat next to each other at the largest table in the center. Next to them were their children in the order of their age, oldest to youngest, with the baby girl in a cradle between her parents.

As the night went on, one of the servants ran into the hall and blew a horn. He bowed politely at the king and queen and walked over the golden cradle where the princess was sleeping.

"I present to you the wizard to grant our princess with her blessing!" A guard's voice rang. Everyone turned to the front door to where a tall man with thick, auburn hair and twinkling blue eyes had appeared. "I present Albus Dumbledore!"

The young man smiled as he walked into the hall to great applause. A girl walked in beside him, and everyone knew that she was one of his closest friends, Minerva, who often accompanied him on his journeys. They both bowed respectfully to the King and Queen before they looked into the cradle to see the sleeping princess.

"First, I must congratulate you both," Dumbledore told them both smiling. "A beautiful little girl she is..."

"Thank you," Arthur smiled back, getting up to shake his hand as his wife did the same to Minerva. "Now, please tell me. What gift will you give our daughter?"

"I have thought long and hard about it," he told him. "Because, as we all know, once a blessing has been given, it will set the course of the child's life."

He looked at the queen and said, "I have thought about something more tradition such as beauty or song... but now that I see her, I don't think that it will do at all. I can tell she will be beautiful when she grows up... and song is so common that I don't want to give that to her either."