Disclaimer; I own nothing except the wild and crazy plot.
Chapter One
A Knock
Ron knocked on the door that had once been so familiar his stomach fluttering as he thought of the ten years since he'd last knocked on it. Had it really been that long? He waited as there was rustling and shouting behind the door, a sound so familiar he almost just pushed straight in. When the door did swing open it revealed a blonde girl, about twenty, a little girl on her hip about five. Her long blonde hair was caught in the fist of the little girl as she pouted and the older laughed.
She turned and directed her smile at Ron. "Hello," she said laughing still. "How can I help you?"
Suddenly Ron was filled with dreadful nerves in the pit of his stomach and he could only stare into the helpful blue eyes that seemed so familiar. "Is Molly here?" As he said it realisation struck and he was suddenly looking upon his stubborn ten year old niece again, her eyes shining with tears as she said goodbye to her Uncle Ronnie. He shook his head quickly as the girl turned to get Molly Weasley, the women Ron was here to see.
Minutes later another girl appeared at the door, this time she was pulling along a little boy with identical red hair he had seen on the little girl moments before and on himself during his youth, he looked about the same age and was smiling a toothy grin at the red haired teenager.
"Sorry, you wanted to talk to me?" The red head turned to him and smiled.
"No, no, I'm looking for Molly Weasley?"
"In the flesh." The girl said gesturing to herself. "Oh, you mean Gran? You should of said you were looking for Molly Snr." She smiled again before sending the boy standing beside her to fetch the Weasley matriarch. "Honestly, I've been back from school a week and this is the fourth time this has happened one way or another. Sorry, I forgot to ask, what's your name?"
"Ron, Ron Weasley." He replied smiling at the tenacious young women who looked so like his little sister. She froze immediately when he said his name, eyes widening and taking a step back.
"Vic!" She called over her shoulder, suddenly blocking the doorway. When she got no reply she cried again, urgently "Victoire, come here!"
The other girl returned still smiling. "What's wrong now? I thought you sent Freddie for Gran?"
"I did that was before I found out this was Ron. Ron Weasley!" Victoire's eyes flashed with recognition and the smile fell from her face.
"Molly, go and tell Gran, take Fred and Roxanne out the back with everyone else. Tell them I'm taking them to the muggle cinema before dinner. Oh and call Ted and tell him to let Uncle Georgie and Harry and my dad know as soon as possible what the situation."
Ron's brow furrowed in confusion. "Vicky? What's wrong, don't you recognise me?" Victoire shot daggers at her Uncle.
"Molly, go!" She stepped outside and closed the door behind her. "Of course I recognise you Uncle Ron, that is exactly the problem. I remember, unlike some of the younger ones and I'd like to keep it that way. The less they know about dear, dear Uncle Ron the better!"
"What are you talking about Victoire. I can't wait to meet my nieces and nephews!"
"Great, but what about you wife? What about your kids? You weren't so keen to get to know them. You weren't so keen to meet Hugo!"
"Hugo?" Victoire sighed in frustration.
"You wait here. Gran will be down in a minute then she can tell you to stick your head where the sun don't shine but I'm out of here!" She turned round and stormed back into the house, head aloft and feet stomping.
She made her way to the back garden and stopped at the back door to smile. Albus, James, Rosie and Fred were legging it around the garden with Lily, Hugo and the twins in hot pursuit. Molly and Lucy stood to the side, cheering the little ones on. She laughed as James and Fred mock-fell to the ground in unison and Lily and Hugo immediately leapt on top of them. The twins suddenly turned and ran towards the girls at the side and tackled Molly and Lucy to the ground as the booming voice of her grandfather called out to them all. This was going to break his heart all over again.
She made her way over to his side and he slung an arm over her shoulders. "Well Little Toire, what can your old Gramps do for you today?"
"Nothing really, but I think you should maybe come inside. Don't worry about this lot, I'm taking them to the muggle cinema later on."
Her grandfather smiled at her, his eyes crinkling warmly. "You do love your muggles. Just like me, so what is awaiting me inside? What is it I've done now that your Gran has sent a summons." Victoire couldn't resist his smile, warm and inescapable like sunshine, and a small smile lit her face too as she replied.
"You haven't done anything actually Granpa, I'm just not sure the little ones should hear this. Not Rose and Hugo anyway." Arthur's smile faded and worry darkened his eyes.
"Well you'd best lead the way then."
Arthur followed her inside and as soon as they were out of ear shot of prying ears he turned to her. "It's Ron." Victoire said, attempting not to frighten him. "He's here, outside. Waiting." Arthur's mouth dropped open as he spoke, confounded.
"Ron?" He whispered. "Our Ron? Outside? Well I say." There was a moment of silence as the old man gazed towards the front door that held so many questions. "Does Molly know?"
"I don't know. Fred went to get her before I realised who he was but I think little Molly stopped him in time. She knows, but we didn't want the kids finding out, what with everyone gone for the month. We didn't know what Auntie Hermi would say, and then Ron just asked if I recognised him and of course I did, I was eleven Granddad and he just looked like Uncle Ron and I've missed him but I hate him and he nearly broke everyone's heart when he left, and its been eleven years and well I didn't know what to do for the best..." Without another word Arthur reached out and pulled his eldst granddaughter to him, kissing her head reassuringly.
"Don't you worry my love, you don't have to sort anything out. That's what I'm for. Now I am going to bring Ronald inside so you had best get the kids out of here. The cinema as planned hmm? There is muggle money in the shoe by the back door, we don't want anyone to meet him until I'm sure what him I'll be talking to. I'll call your Grandma down in a minute, if I'm not mistaken she's napping just now and it'd best they don't hear all the yelling."
Victoire nodded quietly and followed his orders, heading back outside the door into the summer sunshine, as she approached the rabble of Weasleys she noticed a distinctly blue head of hair amongst the now pile up. She sighed in relief as the ruffled head of Teddy Lupin shot up, shooting her a crooked smile as Lily hung from his neck. He gently placed the red haired Potter to the floor and wandered over to her, hands in pockets.
"Hello Tor." Victoire offered him a small smile and kissed his cheek lovingly before falling into his embrace. He tucked her head under his chin, hugging her tightly for a moment before bending down to speak in her ear. "Now are you going to explain what my urgent summons was about that I got from Molly not ten minutes ago that gave me the fright of my life?"
Victoire shrugged shyly, her lip quivering as he pulled her back to him. "Later please Ted. We have to get everyone out of the Burrow for a while, we're taking them to the cinema is that ok?"
Teddy nodded and kissed her cheek again, staring into her eyes for a minute, his gaze questioning before he turned around, fingers entwined with hers tightly and began talking to the younger Weasley's, herding them out the garden gate, grabbing Lily's hand who in turn took Louis' as Victoire scooped up Dominique allowing Teddy, hand still tightly in hers to lead them from the one place that was always her sanctuary from the one person who had nearly torn her family apart ten years ago.
Flashback
Victoire peered out of the gap in the stairs as her Mummy rocked Aunt Hermione back and forth gently. Her Aunt was sobbing loudly into her sister-in-laws shoulder and Victoire was worried. She hadn't seen her Uncle Ronnie all day and whenever she asked anyone where he was and why Aunt Hermione was so upset they just kept telling her to go and play with Rosie. But the toddler was asleep now in Auntie Ginny's old room and so Victoire had wandered downstairs to help.
From his place across from her mother and Aunt on their old settee her dad had noticed her and crept unnoticed towards her place on the stairs pulling her into his lap. "Hello Princess" he had whispered "Not asleep?"
"Is Uncle Ronnie ever coming home to us Daddy?"
"Well Vic, that depends." Victoire looked up at her dad's eyes eagerly. Her innocent blue orbs shining with tears.
"On what?" Her dad pulled her closer, resting her head on his chest.
"On your Uncle Ronnie sweetie."
"But I don't understand," she mumbled, tears starting to fall "Why would Uncle Ron want to leave us? Didn't he want the new baby?"
"No darling that's not it. He really wanted to meet Aunt Hermione's little baby but he didn't know if he would be, well if he would be good enough for them all. He didn't want to ruin their little family." Bill Weasley had told her regretfully.
"But that's silly," the young Victoire insisted confused, "if he loved them then why would he leave?"
"Don't think like that. Your uncle Ron was, well, it's like he's been confounded. Something happened that made him think he'd have to leave. He thought he had to leave because he loved them?"
Victoire looked up at her dad again. "So it was like magic. Like bad magic? The sort that made Uncle Freddie leave too?"
Her own father's eyes glistened with tears now "No Ron's not gone like Fred. But it was bad, very bad indeed."
It wasn't until years later Victoire realised her dad wasn't talking about the magic.