Chapter One
The Other Set of Weasley Twins
December 28th, 1992, morning
Molly and Arthur Weasley had just come home from visiting Bill in Egypt, when they heard a knock at the door. Molly rose from her chair, and went to answer the door. She was rather shocked to see a tall man with dark brown hair standing in the doorframe.
"Hullo, Molly, you look rather shocked to see me," he said smiling, "Can I come in? Only I'm rather cold."
"Who is it, dear?" Arthur called.
"It's Grant, dear," she answered as she stepped aside.
"Grant? As in Grant Winfield?" Arthur asked.
"Yes," Molly answered. "Sit down, Grant." She busied herself making tea. "You're lucky you caught us, you know," she told Grant as Arthur came in. "We only just got back, we were visiting Bill in Egypt."
"How is Bill? And Charlie? Is he still in Romania chasing dragons?" Grant asked.
"They're fine, and yes, Charlie's still chasing dragons. But why do I get the feeling your not here for friendly chit-chat?" Arthur asked.
"Well, I've got good news and bad news," Grant replied. "Which would you like first?"
"The good news," Molly answered.
"Well, Audrey had the twins, identical girls."
"What are their names?" Molly asked.
"Congratulations! Accio wine!" Arthur said. A bottle of wine came zooming into his hand. He poured them each a glass.
"The eldest is Alexandra Audrey Marie, and the youngest is Samantha Audrey Eleanor. Sam and Alex for short."
"Who are the godfathers?" Arthur asked.
"That's part of the reason why I'm here," Grant said slowly, "We'd like Fred and George to be the godfathers."
Arthur and Molly choked on their wine.
"Fred?" Molly asked incredulously.
"And George?" Arthur asked in disbelief. "Are you sure?"
"Grant, think of what you're saying, they're practical jokers, and they're only fourteen," Molly reasoned.
"Yes, yes, I know that. Audrey agreed. We want someone who knows what it's like to be an identical twin," Grant explained. Molly and Arthur looked at each other.
"Well, I suppose we could ask them what they think of it," Molly said slowly.
"You said there's bad news, what is it?" Arthur asked his brother-in-law.
"There's no easy way to say it… Audrey is… well, she's dead. She died about an hour and a half after the twins were born."
"Oh, Grant, I'm so sorry!" Molly said.
"And I'll understand if you say no, but Audrey and I decided if anything should happen, I was to ask you first."
"What is it Grant? We'll do whatever my sister's husband asks us do," Arthur prompted.
"Well, they're going to need looking after, and I can't do it."
"Why not?" Molly asked.
"Because You-Know-Who wants me dead. Don't look like that at me, Molly. You know he'll come back, it's only a matter of time, and I'll be putting them in danger.
"But Grant, we're the biggest family of blood traitors there is, and Ron is friends with Harry Potter. Don't you think they'll be in more danger with us?" Arthur asked. Grant shook his head.
"Grant, we haven't got the gold to look after them," Molly said. Grant waved his hand impatiently.
"Don't worry about that, Audrey's vault hasn't been touched since we were married; her paycheque's been added to it, of course. There should be enough to look after them until after their first year Hogwarts," Grant explained.
"So what do you want us to do? Adopt them? Molly asked.
"Molly, please, you know I would not ask, but I also offended Greyback, and he swore he'd attack my first-born. So, I'm going to tell my family and yours, Arthur, Audrey died in childbirth, and Alex and Sam were stillborn. We got all sorts of stuff for them, I'll bring it all over," Grant said.
"But where are we to put them?" Molly asked.
"Bill or Charlie's room?" Grant suggested.
"May Molly and I discuss in the other room for a moment?" Arthur asked him. Grant nodded. Molly and Arthur got up and went to the sitting room.
" Well?" Arthur asked his wife.
"I suppose we could put them in Bill or Charlie's room until we build them a room," Molly said. "And if Audrey's vault hasn't been touched since they got married, that would mean five years of untouched gold, and Audrey was a Healer."
"I think it should all come down to if Fred and George are willing to become their godfathers," Arthur said. "We'll Apparate to Hogsmeade, walk up to the school, request to speak to Dumbledore, tell him why we're there, shouldn't be difficult. Let's go tell Grant our decision." They walked back to the kitchen.
"Grant, we've come to a decision. If Fred and George are willing to be their godfathers, we will adopt them. We are going to see Dumbledore and speak to Fred and George. I was wondering if you could bring Alex and Sam with you." Grant nodded and Disapparated. Molly and Arthur grabbed their travelling cloaks. He reappeared a few minutes a later with a baby girl in wrapped tightly in a green wool blanket, with the letter 'A' stitched in it.
"I presume this is Alexandra?" Molly asked as Grant handed Alex to her.
"Yup," Grant said before Disapparating to get Samantha. Molly and Arthur looked at the small, sleeping girl in Molly's arms. A bit of flaming red hair was poking out of the green woollen cap. Grant reappeared with Sam in his arms, done up exactly like her sister only her blanket was stitched with an 'S'.
"Ready?" Grant asked.
"Just outside the Three Broomsticks," Arthur said.
"On the count of three then," Molly said. "One, two, three!" The three of them spun on the spot, and reappeared in Hogsmeade. They walked quickly up to the school, and the moment they entered, they ran into Professor McGonagall.
"Arthur! Molly! What are you doing here?"
"We just need to speak to Professor Dumbledore, Minerva," Arthur told her.
"This way then," she led them to the gargoyle that hid the entrance to Dumbledore's office. "Sherbet lemon." When they reached the office door, Professor McGonagall knocked on the door.
"Enter." When they did so, Professor Dumbledore looked up from what he was doing, and when he spotted Alex and Sam, he said, "Ah, Minerva, can I ask you to fetch the Weasley children?" Professor McGonagall nodded before leaving the office.
"I am assuming Audrey is no longer with us," he did not ask, but merely stated it. A few moments passed before Professor McGonagall returned with Fred, George, Percy, Ron, and Ginny in tow.
"Mother, what's going on?" Percy asked.
"Yeah, we'd like to know," Fred said, indicating himself, George, Ron, and Ginny.
"And what's Uncle Grant doing here, and who are they?" George asked spotting Alex and Sam.
"Well, this is your cousin Alexandra and your uncle is holding her twin, Samantha," Molly said. "And your Uncle Grant has something to ask you two."
"Well, your Aunt Audrey and I were wondering if you two wanted to be Alex and Sam's godfathers." Grant asked Fred and George. Fred, George, Percy, Ron, Ginny, and even Professor McGonagall's jaws dropped at this.
"Seriously?" George asked.
"Seriously," Grant said nodding.
"Then we'll do it," Fred said at once, George nodding his agreement.
"So where's Aunt Audrey?" Ginny asked.
"Audrey died about an hour and a half after they were born," Grant said.
"And we're going to adopt Alex and Sam because Grant has to go into hiding from You-Know-Who and Fenrir Greyback, so we'll be protecting them in a way," Arthur said.
"How so?" Percy asked.
"I'm going to tell everyone that they were stillborn," Grant explained. The five Weasley children nodded before heading to the common room, while Dumbledore arranged the adoption with Grant, Molly, and Arthur.
July 31st, 1993, one o' clock in the morning
Harry's POV
I picked up Ron's letter and read.
Dear Harry,
Happy birthday!
Look, I'm really sorry about that telephone call. I hope the Muggles didn't give you a hard time. I asked Dad, and he reckons I shouldn't have shouted.
It's brilliant here in Egypt. Bill's taken us round all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one. There were all these mutant skeletons in there, of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff.
I couldn't believe it when Dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred galleons! Most of it's gone on this holiday and Alex and Sam's first birthday present., but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year.
We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you there?
Don't the Muggles get you down!
Try and come to London,
Ron
PS: Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week.
PPS: If we do meet you London, DO NOT call Alex and Sam, Alexandra and Samantha they absolutely hate it. Oh, and Mum says I'm s'pose to tell you they're seven months old, in case you wanted to know.
I remembered the day Fred and George had become godfathers.
I had been waiting in the Gryffindor common room waiting for the Weasleys to come back because they had been taken to Professor Dumbledore's office by Professor McGonagall, whatever I had been expecting whey came back, did not even come close to the news they delivered me.
"So what did Dumbledore want?" I had asked the moment they came into the portrait hole. Percy, Ron, and Ginny looked like they were in shock, Fred and George, however, looked like it had been announced Gryffindor had won the House Cup, Quidditch Cup, and Christmas had come again, and upon seeing me, they promptly turned around and left.
"What has made those two so happy?" I asked. Ron and Percy explained what Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had told them.
"And our Uncle Grant made Fred and George their godfathers," Ron finished. I felt my jaw drop.
"C'mon we should tell Hermione," I said. We got up and practically ran to the hospital wing.
Hermione's POV
July 24th, 1993
I laughed as I read Ron's letter. He had been telling me that Alex and Sam were perfect little angels when it looked like Fred and George stole his quill.
Hermione, they're little angels, you wouldn't believe–
Don't worry, Hermione, we plan on changing that. Yeah, by the time they're in Hogwarts, they'll be the new troublemaking Weasley twins. Oi! Stop stealing my quill. Write to her yourselves. Gits. Anyway, hope to see you in London, if not, see you on the train.
From,
Ron
Dumbledore's POV
June 24th, 1995
Just after Snape and Sirius left
"Molly, where are Alexandra and Samantha?" I asked.
"With Fred, George, Ginny, in the common room," Molly replied.
"It would be easier to explain everything if I didn't have repeat everything," I said. "Could someone get and get Mr. and Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Weasley?"
"I'll go," Ronald said getting up and heading out the hospital wing.
Ron's POV
June 24th, 1995
On the way to the Gryffindor common room
The whole point of not allowing under-age wizards was to make the Tournament safer, but Harry still got in. And a wizard of age had died. Cedric Diggory. Fred and George never really forgave him for beating us at Quidditch, when Harry fell off his broom, but I mean each house wanted to win the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup. But Cedric died because of You-Know-Who.
It all comes back to him, doesn't it? Ever since my first year here, it's been affected by You-Know-Who. Well, ever since Harry entered the wizarding world. In our first year, You-Know-Who was after the Philosopher's Stone, then in our second year, he possessed Ginny, last year, Wormtail escaped back to him, and this year he got his body back.
And what happens know to Alex and Sam? They love Fred and George, they love us. Heck, they adore Fred and George. They even love Harry and Hermione. What would happen if Dumbledore took them away?
Once I reached the Fat Lady, I clambered through the portrait hole, and found Fred, George, and Ginny in front of the fire, with Fred and George holding Alex and Sam. I walked over to them.
"Dumbledore wants you three to come to the hospital wing, and to bring Alex and Sam," I said.
Fred's POV
June 24th, 1995
On the way to the hospital wing
With You-Know-Who coming back, Alex and Sam'll be in more danger, I s'pose. So will Uncle Grant. Sigh life's a bit complicated, isn't? When George and I first agreed to be Alex and Sam's godfathers, I thought it'd be normal stuff. It was even more surprising when Mum and Dad adopted them. And here's the thing, George and I would do anything for them. Merlin, how many seventeen year olds say that? Mum says we spoil them too much, but we pointed out we only see them for two months, and then we're off to school, and Ginny, Bill, and Charlie spoil them too. And they've figured out if Mum, Dad, Percy, or Ron say "no", they come to us, 'cause we almost always say "yes". They've become Bill, Charlie, Percy, Ron, and Ginny's sisters, mine and George's daughters. Sorta. I mean, once we've moved out, we'll take care of them. If Mum'll let us, which I doubt. Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh! Where's George? I sound old!
George's POV
June 24th, 1995
Halfway to the hospital wing
I looked to see if Sam's still asleep, only to see her hazel eyes staring at me. Damn it, she's not. That'll mean Alex'll be awake.
"Georgie?" Sam asked, rubbing her eyes.
"Hmm?"
"Where're we going?"
"To see Mum, Harry, and 'Mione," I answered her. She rested her head on my shoulder.
"Where's Alex?"
"Fred's holding her."
"We're here," Ginny said, holding the door open.
Fred and I sat on the bed opposite of Harry, and laid Alex and Sam down. We turned to Dumbledore and waited for him to speak.
Dumbledore's POV
June 24th, 1995
Hospital Wing
The first thing I noticed about Alexandra and Samantha, is they inherited the telltale Weasley red hair, their father's hazel eyes, and they're taller than most girls their age.
"With Voldemort coming back, this is puts Alexandra and Samantha into grave danger, if anybody tells Lord Voldemort of their existence," I said, I noticed everyone looked to see if they heard, but they had fallen back asleep.
"This means, if anyone asks you who they are, you'll have to come up with a different story, because the wizarding world believes these two to be in a grave next to their mother, in Tinworth. This also means Grant will also be in grave danger. If Grant should die, Fred and George will be Alexandra and Samantha's legal guardians.
"It would probably be best if they were only in public when it was absolutely necessary. Only tell the people you trust, and are not Death Eaters or in contact with the Death Eaters in anyway. Each and every one of you will have to protect them from harm. Grant trusted all of you. He does not care about his own life just his daughters' lives."
It was several minutes before I spoke again.
"I must go downstairs. I must see the Diggorys. Harry– take the rest of your potion. I will see all of you later. You three–" I said indicating Fred, George, and Ginny, "–can go back to the Gryffindor the common room."
Author's Note: Well, what d'you think? It was just an idea that popped into my head. The first couple of chapters'll be like this one. After Dumbledore's funeral, it'll follow a solid timeline for a bit, then we'll jump ahead to when they're at Hogwarts.