For some, the name Weasley means blood traitors, Muggle-lovers, and impure blood. For others, it means red hair and a gaggle of children. Some, seeing the red hair and freckles of the Weasley family, see war heroes. Some people see colleagues, fellow aurors or ministry officials. Some see former classmates, saviors of the wizarding world. Others see famous Quidditch players; they see former Hollyhead Harpies Chaser Ginny Potter or Gryffindor's youngest ever Seeker, Harry Potter.
Children see Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, or, if they go to Hogwarts with the Weasley family children, they see James Potter and Fred Weasley, famous pranksters. They see the beautiful Victoire and Dominique Weasley, or the brilliant bookworm Rose Weasley. They might think of quick-tempered Lily Potter or her ever-present shadow Hugo Weasley. They may see the Gryffindor Beaters, blunt Roxanne Weasley and Lucy Weasley, shy everywhere but on the Quidditch Pitch. They may see the kindly, motherly Molly Weasley. Girls may giggle and gossip over the part-veela Louis Weasley, or black-haired Al Potter. In the end, though, Hogwarts students see all of them as one, their different personalities blending together into that imposing structure, the Weasley clan.
For the Weasleys themselves, however, and those fortunate enough to be adopted into the family by females of the Weasley persuasion, the name Weasley means far, far more.
It means comfort. It means Lily Potter hugging her cousin Hugo when he doesn't make Gryffindor Chaser for the third year in a row and saying he's sure to get it the next year. It means Al, James and Lucy forcing Rose to come get breakfast when she wants dearly just to stay in bed, devastated by failing a quiz. It means all the Weasley males plus Roxanne going out to hex Lucy's ex-boyfriend repeatedly while the females try to assuage the hurt of his cheating on her.
It means protection. It means all the Weasley guys forcing any male who wants to date a Weasley to go through an extensive interview process, and then threatening them with certain and imminent death should they hurt her. It means the Weasley girls doing the same to any girl who wants to date one of the male cousins. It means giving the younger Weasleys a place to stay in the upper years dorms if their roommates get too annoying. It means Louis getting a week's detention to keep Rose out of trouble for staying out after curfew to study in the Restricted Section of the library.
It means family. It means Weasley Christmases, when the Burrow turns into a war zone every year over holiday breaks. It means prank wars between Fred and his younger cousin Al. It means sneaking out to Hogsmeade as a family for an after curfew party at the Hogshead. It means near daily theft of the Marauders Map and the Invisibility Cloak, passing between all the members of the family. It means teasing Molly for her mothering instincts, "just like her grandmother," and teasing Louis for his ever present group of female admirers.
For those lucky few who have been adopted into the family, the name Weasley means even more. It means acceptance, it means having family members all over the place when before there were none. It means Weasley sweaters at Christmas, it means a place to stay over the holidays, and it means always having someone to talk to.
For Scorpius Malfoy, the Weasley name means Roxanne Weasley jinxing a group of Seventh Year Slytherins for bullying him, even though she's the only Weasley who actively dislikes him. When he thanks her, she just responds "I still don't like you. But you've been adopted into the family by Rosie and Grandma Molly, along with my nauseatingly nice cousin Molly, and that makes you a Weasley. I don't let anyone hurt my family except other family members." She then walks way, only to turn back and shout "By the way, expect a prank from Fred and James sometime soon. Just a friendly warning." Scorpius spends the next three weeks jumping at sudden movements before realizing she was just trying to scare him.
For Alice Longbottom, it means Hugo Weasley tutoring her in Potions without her even having to ask for help. It means Rose teaching her how to perform difficult charms, and it means Fred teaching the younger girl how to stand up to others. It means Lily Potter hexing a bunch of guys who laugh at her for tripping on the stairs, and being there for her when she feels like a clumsy, overgrown clod.
For Frank Longbottom, Alice's twin, it means the entire Weasley clan helping him ask Lily Potter out. When he doesn't get the mandatory threatening speech and he asks about it, they all just laugh. "Don't worry, mate. You're already a Weasley in all but name. We trust you well enough, and it would be brilliant if you're actually a member of the family by law," James replies. Scorpius, who has been a part of the Weasley threatening sessions since third year, then adds, "Plus, you've been around for enough of the dreaded Weasley threats that you know them by heart, I'm sure. Consider it said, just in case."
For Lorcan and Lysander Scamander, being a Weasley means having the entire clan join them in their hunt for Crumple Horned Snorlacks, even though they know full well that none of the Weasleys believe in them, except perhaps for Hugo, who, according to his sister Rose, spent way too much time with their Aunt Luna as a young child. Despite their disbelief, all of the Weasleys come along to the Forbidden Forest, and turn the whole thing into a fun outing. Lorcan even thinks he saw a Nargle, though Lysander is convinced he's batty, since everyone knows Nargles live in mistletoe, not in the Forbidden Forest.
For Susan Grey, it means having Head Girl Molly Weasley let her out of a detention, even though Susan just hexed someone in full view. "No one can call a Weasley a Mudblood and get away with it scot-free. In fact, come along to the Head's Common Room after dinner tomorrow, dear, and I'll teach you a few better hexes for the next time." To Susan's protestations, Molly just laughs kindly. "Not a Weasley? Susan, you've been an honorary Weasley since the time you punched that utter prat Avery for insulting Lucy in your first year. Also, you're a redhead, so I'm very glad the Potter curse focused Al's attention on you, rather than some stuck up snot like James' crush." Molly then gives her a motherly pat on the back and walks away, leaving Susan standing in the middle of the hall, spluttering.
For latecomers like Kevin Finnegan, the name Weasley means love. It means being threatened by all the Weasleys, plus Malfoy, the Scamanders, the Longbottoms, and Susan Grey when he finally worked up the courage to ask Roxanne out. It means having to ask more than 20 people before he has permission to ask for her hand in marriage. It means being insulted by his ever blunt (but oh so beautiful) Roxy constantly, and then being laughed at by all his new cousins-in-law. It means having pranks pulled on him just to see what his reaction will be, and then responding with a laugh and a smile. It means feeling that he belongs, when before he never did.
Finally, for Nymphadora and Remus Lupin, twins and the first members of the next generation of Weasleys, it means having 20 uncles and 11 grandparents. It means having 13 cousins by the time they are 8, with more on the way. It means comfort. It means knowing they will lead the Weasley clan back to Hogwarts, to cause more mischief and mayhem. It means protection. It means being destined, though they are too young to realize, that they will be leading the famed Weasley threatening sessions throughout their seven years of Hogwarts. It means having their Aunt Lily teach them the infamous Bat-Bogey Hex, and having their Aunt Rosie and Uncle Scorpy, the aurors, teach them to always have "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" It means family. It means Weasley Christmases, when the Burrow turns to a war zone for a week, and it means sharing the Marauders Map and the Invisibility Cloak with their younger cousins. It means prank wars between Cassie and Augusta and Sirius and Arthur.
Above all else, above all the mayhem, heroism, pranks, studying and teasing, the Weasley name means loyalty. It doesn't matter whether a Weasley bears the name Potter, Longbottom, Finnegan, or even Malfoy. It doesn't matter if they are smart or athletic, popular or nutty. It doesn't matter if they're a boy or a girl, pretty or ugly, humble or arrogant. If they are a Weasley, whether it be by blood or by adoption, they are loyal beyond all measure. In many ways, that's the main prerequisite to being a Weasley. Those who are Weasleys by blood, or raised along with the Weasleys like the Longbottoms or the Scamanders, are raised with loyalty as their first principle. Those who are adopted Weasleys are adopted because they are loyal.
Scorpius Malfoy, Harry Potter, and Susan Grey weren't adopted into the family because they were friends with Weasleys, or because they were smart or athletic, though all of those are true. If that were all that was needed, then Seamus Finnegan or Dean Thomas could be a Weasley. No, true Weasleys are adopted into that exclusive group because they stick with their friends through thick and thin, because they hex people for insulting one of the Weasleys. Harry Potter was adopted because he was willing to fight a basilisk to save a Weasley from death. Susan Grey was adopted because she was willing to punch out a guy two years older and far bigger than her because he had insulted her friend, a Weasley. Scorpius Malfoy was adopted because he would purposely take a detention to keep a Weasley from getting one, because he knew how badly she would react. Their loyalty, more than anything else, convinced the Weasleys that they were Weasleys too.
Loyalty defines the Weasleys and makes them what they are. They may be blood traitors or war heroes; they may be a family that runs on nepotism or one that always looks out for its own. They may be condescending prats or kind protectors. They may be suck-ups or good students. They may be arrogant sods or kids who just like a bit of fun. They may be any number of bad and good things. But above all else, they are loyal. That loyalty may fade, may be overpowered by other things. A Weasley may abandon his friends or his family. But that overarching sense of loyalty will always bring them back to the fold, will always keep them in the Weasley name.
They are comfort and protection. They are Weasley threatening sessions. They are Quidditch matches and prank wars. They are Prefects and trouble makers. They are detentions and they are O.W.L.s. They are writers for the Daily Prophet and they are Quidditch Stars. They are mothers and ministry officials, they are fathers and aurors. They are loyalty. They are family. They are the Weasleys.