Author's Note: I came up with this idea last night—well, sort of last night—while I was supposed to be sleeping. Actually, the idea was simply, 'How did Ginny get her name Ginevra?' It wasn't really a name you hear a lot, so I wondered how. Then after that, I thought, what did Molly do before she became a mom? Did she and Arthur have any problems starting a family? In short, all the questions I had were answered by, well, me.
Disclaimer: Anything familiar isn't mine.
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Molly Weasley sighed as she Apparated to her 'office.' It was really the soup kitchen that served both Muggle and wizards. The red-haired woman loved her job, don't get her wrong—actually, it wasn't her job she was sighing about. I suppose I should tell you about Mrs. Weasley, shouldn't I?
She was a recent graduate of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, and an even more recent wife to Arthur Weasley, a man with a passion for Muggles. Molly wasn't against Muggles at all, unlike some of the many pure-blooded wizards she had met in her lifetime. So, she and her husband chose jobs that would benefit both Muggles and wizards, whether the wizards wanted to admit it or not. Mrs. Weasley worked in the one soup kitchen near their little home in St. Otterey Catchpole, which they called the Burrow, but it wasn't what Molly wanted to do her whole life. No, what the woman wanted to do more than anything was just out of her reach at the moment—to be a mother. You see, for months now, the couple had been trying, and it depressed Molly more than anything in the world. After all, who didn't want the sound of little pitter-patter feet in the house? Now that you know more about Molly, why don't we return to the present, where we find Molly in the midst of serving breakfast?
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"Molly, why the glum face?" an old woman with a fiery spirit and long gray hair asked Molly as she went through the line.
"Oh, it's nothing, Gin. Arthur and I just can't get one," she murmured, trying to keep a cheery smile on her face.
"Oh, you'll get through it alright," Ginevra sighed, patting Molly's shoulder encouragingly. "You'll have one soon," she added and Molly tried to smile back. She had always looked up to the old woman—she was a homeless woman who had once gone through Molly's predicament. When Ginevra was finally able to get pregnant, her husband left her for some floozy before she could tell him. Ever since, her life had gone down because of the complications of the birth. In the end, Ginevra was left with a dead baby and an unfaithful husband in her past, and a warm meal and great friends every day for the rest of her life.
"Thanks, Ginevra. If we do, and she's a girl, I'm naming her after you," Molly chuckled, even though she knew all about Arthur's family's history. Not a single female Weasley had been born for generations, but Molly could still hope couldn't she?
"Of course, you will, Molly," the woman said before seating herself with a few older men. The group started laughing at some story or another as Molly watched on.
"If I ever have kids, I want them to be like—oh," Molly murmured, clutching her stomach.
"Is something wrong, Molly?" her co-worker, a Muggle named Camilla, asked, coming over to the redhead.
"I—I don't know. It might just be a—excuse me," she replied, running to the back where the bathrooms for employees was located. Once she got there, she opened the toilet seat and started puking.
"Mol, are you okay?" Camilla asked as she rapped on the door to the bathroom.
"Mm-hmm, I just—do you think you can cover for me?" Molly asked as she washed the puke out of her mouth.
"Of course, Molly, but what's wrong?" Camilla asked as Molly exited the room.
"I—I need to go to the doctor," she said happily, putting a hand to her stomach.
"Oh my God, Molly, are you pregnant?" Camilla asked ecstatically, clapping her hands together and holding it up to her lips to keep from screaming.
"That's why I have to go to the hospital, to have them tell me," Molly sighed and Camilla nodded.
"Go, I'll take care of the rest of the guests," Camilla said, ushering Molly out of the building through the front door.
"I told you so!" Ginevra called out happily as she watched Molly rub at her stomach.
"You surprise me sometimes, Gin," Molly laughed before she walked out. She had thought of just walking home, but then she got the intense feeling of bile rising up her throat, so she Apparated home and ran into the bathroom. St. Mungo's could wait for a little while as she threw up.
Not like she really needed the test since she hadn't thrown up this much in, well, ever.
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"Well, Mrs. Weasley, I think that you're positive for a child," the St. Mungo's Healer said happily, as she read out the words her wand had charmed onto the parchment. She was an old woman with a gently voice, and Molly felt even happier when she heard it from a mother-like figure.
"Can you tell me if it's a boy or a girl?" Molly asked, and the Healer shook her head, before giving a small chuckle.
"I tend not to check, but I'd have to guess that it's a boy, due to the name Weasley," she replied, patting down her thick gray hair.
"Well thank you, Miss..." Molly trailed off as she stood up.
"Aldridge—Rebekah Aldridge," the Healer replied. "Come back in a couple of weeks so I can check on you again, Mrs. Weasley," she added as Molly made a move to leave.
"Thank you, Rebekah," she sighed before going out to the lobby and Apparating to the Burrow. Molly sat on the couch at home as soon as she Apparated in. She hadn't even bothered to take off her cloak; she simply sat there with a hand on her stomach until her husband came in through the back door later that day.
"Molly, dear, what's for supp—er? Molly?" Arthur asked worriedly as he didn't spot his wife in the kitchen, like she usually was when he got home.
"I'm in here, Arthur," she called out in a weak voice from the living room.
Arthur, worried deeply for his wife, ran over, simply dropping his things onto the ground in the kitchen. "What is it, dear? Did something happen to you? What's wrong?" he asked as he knelt in front of his wife, who just looked at him for a moment before speaking.
"I—I went to St. Mungo's today," she replied and he gripped her hands tighter in his. "I met this wonderful Healer who gave us the most wonderful news, Arthur," Molly continued, leaning forward to press her forehead against his. "I'm pregnant," she chuckled, breaking into a huge grin.
The red-haired man looked at her in shock before sitting down on the ground, leaning on the coffee table. "You're—you're pregnant. You're pregnant! You're pregnant!" he screamed for joy, standing up and pulling Molly up with him. He started dancing around the living room, laughing, as she laughed along with him. "Is it a girl?" he asked hopefully once they stopped laughing.
"Rebekah, she's the Healer, doesn't tell, not sure why, though, but in a couple weeks, I'm going back so she can keep check on the baby. I'm hoping I can get her to tell me," Molly explained and Arthur danced around.
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What happens next is a story that everyone knows well. Molly Weasley gives birth to a baby boy named William—Bill, as everyone knows him—on November 29, 1970 and is overjoyed. She soon starts going back to work with Bill alternating his days with both his mother and father. Until, that is, Molly finds out she's pregnant with another child two years later. Returning to Rebekah Aldridge, she excitedly waits for the positive on a girl, but is disappointed.
Charlie Weasley is born on the 12th of December in 1972. This time, Arthur takes Bill to work with him every day he can and Molly is still able to work at the soup kitchen. With the help of Camilla, Molly stays with the group. Three years later, she gives birth to Percy Ignatius Weasley on August 22, 1976. Soon, Molly is just a little bogged down and starts taking a few days off every week.
Finally, when Bill was about to turn seven, and Charlie five, while Percy was already two, she decided to quit. The decision, which she knew she might regret, also came because Bill was starting to show his magical abilities and she was, yet again, pregnant.
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"Oh, Molly, I really wish you didn't have to quit," Camilla said compassionately as the whole group held a little party, funded by the employees, for Molly's goodbye.
"I do too, but I've got these three to take care of," Molly said, gesturing to the little pen they had made where Bill and Charlie were arguing over something and Percy was sitting in the corner, studying one of the blocks. "And with this one coming along," she added, putting a hand on her stomach. "Bill, get off of your brother," she called to her
"It's not a girl yet, is it?" Ginevra asked simply and Molly shook her head.
"Actually, Rebekah isn't sure what it is yet. There seems to be something blocking her view, she hopes it isn't anything dangerous," Molly replied, pushing back a strand of red, curly hair.
"Hm, I think you might have twins," Ginevra laughed as she placed a hand on Molly's stomach as well.
"I think I'll take your word for it, Gin. You were right about Bill, weren't you?" Molly laughed just as a block hit her on the head and Percy started crying. "Oh, I'd better get these three home," Molly sighed, grabbing the three pieces of string she had been using to keep hold of her boys when they went on walks.
"But before you go, Molly!" Camilla added. "Grey and I wanted to give you this," she said, going out back to retrieve the present from her husband and herself. "We saw it at the store one day and knew it was perfect for you!" she called as she came out with a two-person baby stroller. "And here is something you use to tie around the kids. We weren't sure how many you were planning on getting," Camilla said, gaining a laugh from the whole building, "so we got you a ten-pack of the string. Now, you can put Percy and Charlie in here while keeping track of Bill," she added and Molly smiled.
"Thank you so much, Camilla. Thank Grey for me as well, will you?" Molly said as she gave everyone a last round of hugs before slipping Percy and Charlie into the stroller and tied one of the strings around Bill's waist. "Say good-bye everyone," she told her boys, who all waved with burbles of good-bye mixed in.
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"Just get them out of me, Aldridge!" Molly yelled on the first of April in 1978 as she took deep breaths. She was currently in the middle of giving birth to her twin sons. Yes, Ginevra was correct in predicting that Molly's most current pregnancy was with twins.
"Take deep breaths, dear," Arthur said unsurely as she held onto his hand with an iron death grip. "Dear, I'm losing feeling in my—," he started as she gave a cry of pain.
"Get those bloody boys out of me, Aldridge, or you'll never see the light of day again!" Molly screamed and finally she heard a small scream. She was about to breathe a sigh of relief when she had another burst of pain. "Out—NOW! Out, out, OUT!" she shouted as she gave another push and finally, a second cry joined the first. Molly took a deep breath and released the grip she had on her husband and leaned her head back onto the pillows.
"Come on, Molly, let's get you cleaned up," Rebekah said as a few Healers came over and pushed her out of the room.
A few minutes later, she was back in her room, taking a small rest with Arthur sitting on one of the chairs next to her bed.
"Molly, Arthur, do you want to come hold your boys?" Rebekah asked as two trainee Healers came in holding two little boys with small tufts of red hair.
"Oh, they're gorgeous, Arthur," Molly whispered as she held one and the other was handed to Arthur.
"That they are, Molly," he replied. "Who's turn is it to name them?" he chuckled as he stroked the sleeping face of the baby in his arms.
"Well, I named Bill, and you named Charlie, I got Percy as well. But there are two, so I suppose we get to name them," Molly replied, rubbing the tip of her nose against the little ones.
"I think I like the name—George for this one," Arthur murmured, gently rocking the baby.
"Fred for this one, then," Molly sighed, kissing Fred's forehead. "Fred and George Weasley, our newest little angels," she whispered as she leaned her head back and slowly fell back to sleep.
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Of course, we all know that Fred and George, in fact, did not live up to that phrase. As soon as they started crawling at the beginning of the summer, they terrorized their older brothers, especially Percy. Molly actually started using the stroller, which she had decided to place in the corner of the kitchen, as a time-out place for Fred and George because she couldn't trust them anywhere else. Soon, seven-year-old Bill wanted his own room away from five-year-old Charlie and two-year-old Percy.
After a bit of persuasion, she was able to get Arthur to build in all the little extensions for their home. Of course, Arthur had built the extensions to go higher, not just wider, so they had to use magic to keep it up. Molly, of course, didn't mind, because by giving the boys their own rooms (sans Fred and George, whom Arthur had persuaded her to give them the same room), she was able to just send them there if the bickering got out of hand.
The new extensions, and the amount of mouths to feed, made money a very tight situation for the Weasleys. They were able to pull through it, though, as long as they didn't have to buy everything the boys wanted. So by June of 1979, Molly and Arthur had already figured out how to pay for their clothes, and, most importantly, school books.
Although, they definitely didn't plan Molly's little announcement.
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"Molly, what is this all about?" Arthur asked as she paced in front of the fireplace. Arthur was seated in his favourite armchair with the boys, in order of age, were seated on the couch, watching their mother intently. At least, the older three were—the twins were busy poking each other.
"I—I don't know how to say this, really, so I'll just be outright with it," she said simply. "We're having another baby," Molly said, giving her family a weak smile.
"Again, mummy?" Percy asked in his small, innocent voice.
"Yes, Percy, dear, again," Molly said simply, watching her husband's face for his reaction.
"Do we have enough room for another one, mum?" Charlie asked worriedly.
"I don't have to share my room with it right? I like having my own room," Bill said.
"Well, Charlie, I'm sure we have enough room if we just—plan it right. And Bill, you'll practically be living at Hogwarts by September, and the baby isn't due until March, so I think—well, your father and I will talk about it," Molly finally finished, sighing as she sat down on the armrest of her husband's chair.
"Okay, can we go back outside now? I was getting Charlie to help me practice for Quidditch," Bill said simply and Molly nodded tiredly. "Come on, Charlie, let's go," he called out and they ran out the backdoor to the home-made Quidditch hoops that Arthur had put up when Bill was eight.
"I was in the middle of reading, so I'd better go finish that book," Percy said firmly, standing up and leaving, while the twins just snuck off.
"How do we deal with the housing, Arthur?" Molly asked and Arthur shushed her.
"We'll do fine, Molly, we always do," he reassured her, kissing her softly on the lips.
"I know, but it's getting tiring. Bill's always asking things about Hogwarts, and Charlie keeps picking up random animals and bringing them into the house, Percy's always hidden in his room with one book or the other, and the twins keep terrorizing him," Molly sighed as she recounted all the mishaps of her household in the past few weeks.
"Molly, you and I will get through this, I know we will," Arthur said firmly, ands he nodded.
"Yes, but I just wish it wasn't so hard," she murmured before a loud explosion came from upstairs and Percy's voice cried out.
"MUM!" Percy screamed and Molly stood up.
"Fred! George! What did you do to your brother?" she cried as she stormed up the stairs.
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So there is another piece of Molly's life as a mother to the most chaotic, but very affable, group of children. We, unlike Molly and Arthur, know that the birth of Ronald Bilius Weasley on the first of March was not the end of their obstacles. The addition of another hungry mouth to add did not have a positive effect on the Weasleys' bank account, but they were still able to survive.
After Ron was born, at around Christmas time, Molly decided to go visit her old friends at the soup kitchen. She and Arthur planned it so that he would off that day so that she would have his help with the boys when she went down. A couple of weeks before Christmas, the Weasley family went on their 'field trip,' with Bill and Charlie, who were ten and eight, were talking animatedly as they each held one of their father's hands, while five-year-old Percy was attached to the stroller with one of the strings that came with the stroller, Fred and George, now two, were seated in the stroller, and little Ron was on a little baby carrier on Molly's front.
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"Molly, is that you?" Camilla asked, cutting Molly off as she was in the midst of discussing the soup kitchen with her husband.
"It is, Camilla," Molly said happily as she and her family entered the soup kitchen. "We thought we'd come visit you as a whole family," she added, looking around at the familiar and new faces.
"Oh, Molly, I was just going to ask about you," Camilla said as Bill and Charlie went off to talk to a couple of wizened old wizards that had been there when they were younger, and Percy had his father untie him so he could go join his older brothers. Fred and George attempted to escape from their stroller—the one thing they still hadn't learned how to operate.
"Why's that?" Molly asked her old friend as Arthur got into a discussion with a Muggle about some sort of Muggle contraption.
"You see, Ginevra—she, well, she died a few days ago," Camilla explained. "Right in the sleeping bunks actually," she added, talking about the building next door where the poor could go sleep at night. "And the last thing she said was, 'Tell Molly: not quite whole yet.' So I was going to deliver that message, but I couldn't really find you, so I stopped for a few days. I was just going to start again after Christmas break," she continued as Molly listened to her story in shock.
"What does that mean? Not quite whole yet?" Molly asked her friend, who merely shrugged.
"I don't know, but I just thought I'd let you know," Camilla replied, putting on a happy face as she looked down at Ron, who had been studying the woman intently. "Hello there, little one, you're new here aren't you?" she chuckled before turning to Molly. "May I?" Camilla asked and Molly nodded, helping get Ron out of the baby carrier.
"I'll go get Fred and George before they tip over the stroller," Molly laughed as she went and picked up her twin sons, but not before attaching them to two strings that were attached to her own belt loop. "Fred, George, Ron, these are all Mummy's friends. This is where she used to work," she told the boys; just as Fred tugged at her waist, studying an old man eat.
"Mummy, why is he eating slowly?" Fred asked seriously.
"What's wrong with him, Mummy?" George added and the old man laughed.
"Nothing, sons, nothing but age," the man chuckled before Molly could reprimand them.
"Don't worry about old Randall, he finds little kids amusing," Camilla said as Ron burbled incoherently to her, not like a nine-month-old really could say anything coherent.
"Of course," Molly said absently as Ginevra's message still bothered her.
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"Molly, you're pregnant again, aren't you?" Rebekah Aldridge laughed as she saw the plump, red-haired woman enter her ward a few weeks after Christmas.
"That's what I've been feeling like the past few weeks. I thought that I'd wait until a month was up before seeing you. This way, you'll be able to tell me if it's a boy or a girl if I really am pregnant," Molly laughed as she sat down.
"Of course, of course," Rebekah laughed. "I'm surprised that you're not sick of me yet. After I gave birth to all—what is it?—six of your boys," the old woman chuckled.
"No, of course, not. Actually, I'm surprised that you aren't sick of me yet," Molly said honestly as Rebekah performed the charm to get the results.
"Merlin's beard!" Rebekah said in surprise as she read over the results.
"I'm not pregnant?" Molly asked worriedly. She had seen all the signs; sure they were a little different, but they always were, weren't they?
"Oh no, Molly, you're definitely pregnant. The only thing is," Rebekah paused, still trying to absorb the information, "it's a girl," she said, an ecstatic smile on her face.
"A girl? Is it really a girl, Rebekah?" Molly laughed as Rebekah nodded fervently. "I'm having a girl!" she cried happily as she picked up her bag. "Oh, wait until Arthur hears! Thank you so much, Rebekah!" Molly continued, giving the old woman a hug before walking out, singing 'I've got a baby girl!' to herself as she exited the ward and Flooed home.
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"Molly, you aren't serious, are you? We're going to have another baby?" Arthur said, a look of disbelief on his face, after Molly made her announcement at the dinner table.
"I don't have to share my room, will I?" Bill asked worriedly.
"Oh, Bill, don't worry. She gets her own room," Molly said indifferently, waving her hand dismissively.
"Who's she?" two-year-olds Fred and George asked simultaneously as Arthur spat out his food.
"Dad, that's disgusting," said a five-year-old Percy, making a face.
"She? As in a girl?" Arthur asked incredulously as Molly gave him a small, knowing smile. "Boys, it's time we celebrate!" he cried out and the twins high-fived each other at the same time that Bill and Charlie did to.
"With what, Dad?" Percy asked, raising an eyebrow at them. "Why?" he added.
"We'll go to Diagon Alley tomorrow and we'll get some ice cream! And because you're getting a sister, Percy!" he laughed in reply as the boys suddenly looked worried for their father.
"Arthur, calm down and finish your food. We'll discuss ice cream tomorrow," Molly said firmly and the seven boys all obeyed.
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And so, eight months later (Molly had waited around a month before going to Rebekah), in the early light of August 11, 1981, Molly's water broke as she lay in bed. Arthur was the first one to find out since he woke up to Molly's alarm.
"Molly! You're water's broke!" he laughed as he jumped out of bed.
"Oh Merlin's beard!" Molly cried as her first contraction came. "You can't be serious!" she said before yelling a few choice expletives. "Get me to St. Mungo's!" she added as Bill came in.
"Bill, tell St. Mungo's that you're mother's about to give birth, just like we practiced," Arthur told his oldest son as he packed some clothes.
"Mummy's giving birth?" Charlie asked with his eyes widening with horror as Bill ran downstairs to the fire.
"Yes! Now go make sure your brother's are safe, Charlie, there's a good boy," Arthur said as Charlie went to go check on Fred, George, and Ron.
"I sent the letter to Great Auntie Muriel already," Percy said simply as he stood at the doorway.
"That's great, Percy, you're a natural at this, now go stay with Charlie and Bill while I—," Arthur was cut off when Molly screamed loudly. "Take care and you all know the rules," Arthur said just as a St. Mungo's orderly popped in. "Oh, good, I thought I might have to leave my kids!" he said, giving a sigh of relief.
"Miss Aldridge told us about your situation," the orderly said simply before he transported the screaming Molly to the hospital.
"Boys, pack a few things while I go contact your Auntie Muriel," Arthur said simply. "You all know what you'll need," he added before running downstairs. "Muriel?" he asked the woman as she frantically searched about her house.
"Oh, hello, Arthur, how are you? Why are you sticking your head in the fire? Don't you have to take care of your kids?" she asked, stopping what she was doing to converse with him.
"I am. St. Mungo's took care of transport. Now I'm going to take care of the kids, but thank you," Arthur said and before she could say anything, he disappeared.
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Ten hours later, Molly Weasley had successfully given birth to a beautiful baby girl with soft red hair, just like her whole family.
"What would her name be?" one of the officials for birth certificates asked the couple as they gazed longingly at the baby.
"It's your turn, dear," Arthur said softly as they watched the baby girl sleep.
"Ginevra," Molly said, remembering her promise to the old woman, and Arthur nodded.
"And Molly for a middle name of course," her husband added, and Molly simply smiled.
"So it'll be: Ginevra Molly Weasley?" the official asked and the couple nodded.
"Oh, and will you tell them to send in my children, please. I want them to meet their new little sister," Molly said quietly and the official nodded.
"Ginevra?" Arthur asked his wife when the official left.
"Yes, after an old woman at the soup kitchen. I always thought she was a Muggle, but she made such accurate predictions that I'm not sure anymore," Molly explained.
"Like what?"
"Well, the day I found out I was pregnant with Bill; I was feeling down because we thought that we hadn't succeeded. Ginevra told me that we would soon, and then Rebekah told me about Bill," Molly started. "Then with the twins, she said, 'I think it'll be twins,' and so they were. And when we visited that time before Christmas, Camilla told me that Ginevra said, 'Tell Molly: not quite whole yet,' right before she died. Then I found out I was pregnant with little Ginny," Molly finished and Arthur nodded.
"Sounds like a good idea then," Arthur said, kissing the top of his wife's head just as the boys came running in.
"Oi, I call first dibs!" Bill cried, pushing in front of everyone.
"How come?" Charlie yelled as he shoved at his brother.
"Because I'm older!" Bill replied, and the two got into a shoving match.
"Boys, if you two will come on both sides of your mother, you can both see him," Arthur told them and so the two boys fervently climbed onto the bed. "And as for you three," he added, hoisting Percy, Fred, and George onto the bed.
"Here's the little one, Arthur," Rebekah said as she came in, holding Ron and relieving the worried look off of Molly's face. "She's a beautiful little girl, and if I'm right, the first in quite a while," the Healer said happily and the family nodded. "Well good luck with little Ginevra then," she added, smiling happily. "You know, I had a sister named Ginevra. Poor girl—lost touch completely with us. Mum had high hopes of her as a Seer too," Rebekah replied quietly, obviously lost in thought.
"Was she married to a man who cheated on her while she was pregnant and lost her baby in the process?" Molly asked curiously.
"Why, yes, yes, she was. After the baby died in her womb, she just disappeared—how did you know?" Rebekah asked and Molly smiled.
"She ate at the soup kitchen I used to work at," Molly said. "She died at around Christmas, so she's buried in the cemetery behind it, unless someone claimed her body," she added as Rebekah opened her mouth to ask about her lost sister. "Actually, she was the one that predicted about my children," Molly added, putting a hand on Bill's head, and he simply smiled briefly before returning to watching the new baby. Only Percy really seemed to be interested in the conversation happening between the two women, since everyone else had converged around the baby.
"Oh," Rebekah said, holding back tears. "Well, good luck with little Ginevra," she added, smiling weakly.
"It's Ginny actually," Molly said just as the little girl opened her eyes to reveal ice blue eyes with a fiery spirit behind them.
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Author's Note: What did you guys think? It took me forever to get the dates and ages right. The Harry Potter Lexicon became my best friend, actually. So, anyway, this is what a whole afternoon's labour makes. I'd like a review of your thoughts, if you have time.
-imagine everything