Family Tree
By Howard Howe
Ron levitated the long roll of tapestry down the Hall to the great room while George and Fred went ahead to make sure they didn't run into anyone.
Ron grinned manically. Mom was going to go spare in a good way over this. The project represented in the tapestry had taken the nine of the Weasley children the better part of a month to acquire the materials for it. Then there had followed an intense day with George working under Professor Snape's direct tutelage to complete the work.
To give the work even more potency the younger Weasley's had all supplied three drops of blood. Bill having talked quietly to Percy and Charlie, their blood had come in stasis crystals. Percy had even sent the *huge* (fully twenty foot tall and twelve foot wide) blank tapestry. It was the best material available woven with unicorn and griffin hair into its acromantula silk fabric and a three inch thick lightning struck live oak hanging rod with gold end caps for the supporting rod.
It almost made Ron want to rethink everything he thought about the git but he still hadn't apologized to their father for what he had said the last time they had met face to face.
But still almost.
Fred and George agreed but Charlie had made the observation that maybe there was something else they had missed. That had got all the boys from Bill down thinking. Where was their eldest sister? The stunning thing had been Ginny's blood showing up in another stasis crystal the next day. Clearly labeled obviously they where being watched and someone had connections. This had led the boys into a quite game of spy vs. spy over the last month. While they had no clue as to what their observations meant Ron had a suspicion that Charlie and Bill knew something else. Things they couldn't share with brothers because of Oaths.
His other three sisters; Deirdre, Emily and Brianna had simply stepped into the lab at the right moment and given their blood up willingly. Much too the shock of the brothers. Ron wondered at that and at the fact that they seemed less concerned about Ginny going missing then the rest of the family. Another datum for the spy versus spy session later tonight.
Last night George had 'painted' the tapestry and his use of the wand in that regard had drawn Snape's acerbic if backhanded complements. George had just smiled. So now the boys where taking it into the great hall to hang and do the final Revelation spell.
Dobby had already been down and hung the four brackets in the wall that night and rearranged the furniture to give then a little workspace.
As they walked through the doors into the hall Ron wondered at the number of people here today. All of the immediate family of Weasleys, except Percy who had sent presents, and Ginny. Fleur Delacour was there hanging onto Bill like a limpet, his guest with news he had said and acting a tad nervous? From the Order of the Phoenix there was Sirius, Snape and McGonagall and Alistair Moody. Along with the manors other inhabitants. Not too mention its owner his best mate Harry Potter sitting on a couch by the fire with Nymphadora Black-Tonks.
A bloody gorgeous Black-Nymphadora Tonks had given everyone a shock by simply walking and announcing dinner last night. Her being there was a surprise and even more when she had taken the opposite end of the table from Harry. She hadn't said anything at all last night but had played the hostess flawlessly and surprised everyone buy not showing any of the clumsiness that had marked her school years. Th3e fact that both his older brothers had had to ask for introductions and be informed that this was her base form shocked everyone. Moms comment about an Albino version of Belletrix Black was a bit strange.
The muggle government people and the Watchers and Slayers Council had turned out to be good people. Dawn Summers was the Councils chief researcher; she reminded them a lot of Hermione Granger but with a razor whit and shaper tongue. Right now the brunette was passing out presents to the half dozen slayers and watchers still present. While trading light hearted banter with Dean Winchester the liaison from the American muggle government.
Far from ignorant if not conversant about his world then he would have thought, Arthur Weasley had been in heaven talking with them and learning everything he could. In truth it was the frank exchanges between Arthur Weasley and the muggles that had shown all the wizards and witches just how much they had to and should learn about the muggle world. Especially about the magical community outside the enclaves the ministry had been ignoring. His family had been shocked when Authors mask as the calm but baffled father had slipped and he had spoken clearly and concisely on several of the subjects in question. Especially about technomancery a subject band in England but apparently not in America.
Cecelia was there and the soft smile from her made Ron's heart leap. He smiled back in remembrance of the 'present' she had given him last night. He was so distracted by the memory he barely kept the tapestry from running Harry down where he sat on the couch. Harry went over backward and landed across Dean Winchester, much to the older mans annoyance and Cecelia's amusement.
"Sorry Dean. Don't worry your not my type. Watch that Ron, I'd like to live to see this present of you guys have been working on." His best friend said without heat as he straightened his glasses. Cecelia smiled in a way that promised much more and made Ron blush even harder.
"Yeah try not to bug splat the rest of us will you." Dean said as he helped Harry off him. Ron regained control of the long rolled tapestry and sat it down before the wall they would hang it from but not of his face which was nearly the color of his hair.
"That represents several days of work by others. Not least of all myself. Do try to remember that." Muttered Snape snidely. Sirius glared at Snape and the potions master glared back as he took a scroll from his robes and handed it to Bill Weasley, "The final charm."
Both Arthur and Molly wore puzzled expressions but a look at Snape brought a sly smile of understanding to Arthur's face and he moved up to stand next to his wife to one side of the rolled tapestry. One arm draped around her waist and another holding a large eggnog. "Let's see what the kids have cooked up now, Molly dearest." He then looked around at rest of the Manors current inhabitants. "Gather round this should be an interesting bit of magic for you all to watch."
Soon most of the manors inhabitants had gathered to watch the event. Bill levitated the rod up unrolling the golden tapestry as it went and hung it from the brackets. Then George activated the tapestry with the last charm. Putting the capstone on his term potions project for his N.E.W.T.s. class.
As the magick flowed into the golden cloth it began to ripple and wave as if blown by a wind. Then the cloth fell flat and colors began flowing out from the ten names that appeared in the lower third of the tapestry. Across the tree green, copper and gold appeared. Then colored names and runes and glyphs in gold, purple, blue, white, grey, green and silver began writing themselves. Molly Weasley gave a short squeal as she watched the names of the family begin appearing and her eyes shown with pure happiness as the family tree tapestry began taking its current shape.
Charlie caught Bills eye as they finished casting and at his nod walked up to their mother and gave her a card. "This is from all of us mother, even Percy helped…Ginny found out somehow and sent a vial even." Both she and Arthur read the card. Then Molly hugged and kissed all of her children. Desperately wishing her other two where there.
"This is the best thing you could have…," Molly broke down in tears of happiness as her face glowing with pride at their gift.
Professor McGonagall was looking intently at the tapestry. "Thirty generations… quite the accomplishment young Mr. Weasley. Wouldn't you say Professor Snape?"
"Yes, 'O' level work," the potions master said grudgingly.
Minerva gave a slight smile and turned back to look at the tapestry some more. After a moments further perusal she gasped softly and then spoke in a quite tone. "Arthur, Molly would you come here please." When the couple came over she simply pointed at the tapestry. Molly was so shocked at what she saw that it was Arthur who spoke first.
"Boys, is there something you need to tell us?" said the pale faced and wide eyed head of the Weasley family after he took a slug of eggnog. The boys and the rest of the room where just as gob smacked.
Sirius looked up from his own smiling perusal of the lowest tier of the tapestry, the extensive tier leading down from Arthur and Molly's children and laughed. "The boys have been busy."
~~*~~
Dawn came over and looked at the tapestry with a quizzical expression on her face. Looking on the tapestry she quickly found the children's names …and then several others that shouldn't be there. "No wonder the locater spells wouldn't work. Stupid bloody wizard wards…" After a moment and a glare at Charlie Weasley she grabbed her cell phone and pressed a speed dial.
"Figures my sister could never go for the normal type…Buffy? You have some explaining to do!"
~~*~~
"When did you meet Faith? I mean she never mentioned Bill," asked Dean as he stood up from the tapestry. Both Bill and Fleur blushed and looked at each other wondering how to tell the others of that wild week in Vegas. "Is she a friend of yours?" The tall American asked with a smirk.
Fleur looked at Bill's worried expression then decided not to be afraid of what was going to come out. She turned back too Dean and said with a deeply unabashed smile on her face. "A friend of…*ours*," Her voice was pitched low, leaving none of the listeners ambiguous as to how much of a friend, Remus choked on his laughter at Dean's, Sirius' and Giles' expressions. "There was this party in Las Vegas, St. Patrick's?"
"Yeah, I vaguely recall that. We cleared out a nest of Fyrals, a master Vampire and few nests he spawned then went for the post slay blow out," said Dean. "Much green beer and corned beef was consumed and other adult entertainments where indulged. We used the time to blow off more than a little steam. Now that you mention it she did disappear part way through the first evening and I think that was you two with her when she walked out…didn't see her for a week."
"She's a Slayer?" asked Arthur Weasley still trying to come to terms with the lowest tier on the tapestry. Molly was still making small noises and her temper had been derailed by the tapestries revelation not to mention the matter of fact attitude from her eldest son's girlfriend? And trying to listen too Deans comments.
"Yes, number two longest lived slayer in the world and currently in Cleveland running the primary training academy due to her ... condition." Dean said quietly. "She used to lead the float team to take on hotspots around North America. Vegas was one of them."
Bill started to say something but Fleur broke in, "whatever her reason for being there. We three met while dancing and after many drinks ended up…together. She appears to have taken something away from that week.
Dean nodded, "Yeah, and she's been awfully closed mouthed about the twin's father. Not that she wasn't in a really good mood for most of April… until she started puking at the drop of a hat that is."
"I totally sympathize, while my… condition is most likely the result of a little Champaign, steak tartar and chocolate dipped strawberries in Marseilles in July."
"I did propose to you that day." said Bill softly. Molly Weasley squeaked and clutched her husband tighter a little at that news.
"And I said *yes* and the things that went on *afterward* are why I am *in* this… condition." Pointing to her place next to Bills name on the tapestry and the single line extending down from it, directly opposite Faiths and her dashed line next to Bill's.
"What are we going to do about Faith?" Bill said. Fleur simple smiled and shrugged, "we will talk..."
"Why is her entry changing?" asked Dean. And the rest of the room looked back at the tapestry. What had been a split line and symbols indicating two girl children yet unborn now had today's date and two new names; Theresa Samantha and Delilah Marie. Molly sat heavily on the sofa and Arthur handed her another eggnog with shaking hands.
"Twin granddaughters..." he whispered looking very shell shocked and fighting between delight and outrage. Remus handed him a healthy slug of fire whiskey.
Dean turned back too a gobsmacked Bill with a huge smirk on his face, "Congratulations, to little twin daughters just what every good man needs to keep him on his toes. A word of warning though, her father is far from pleased and is even more ticked that he couldn't find you. Especially after the money he spent. Multi-billionaires get irate when they can't find things out."
"Billionaire?" Squeaked Molly.
~~*~~
Dawn was having a rather tense phone conversation with her sister. After a quick filling in from Dawn's perspective on the events of the last few minutes.
"I thought … no I will not… tell your dad and Sam today or I will. You should also talk to Charlie he's standing three feet in front of me… No your not getting out of it Buffy," she said pointedly and Charlie sat his eggnog down and motioned for Dawn to hand him the phone. Dawn held up one manicured hand for him to wait, "You both also *need* to call Satsu and talk... According to this she is… Fine do that but first, talk to your kid's father!" She turned to Charlie and handed him her phone. "It's Buffy…*one* of the mothers of your kids, figure things out." Then stood there glaring at the man. Charlie ignored her he had been glared at by pissed off nesting mother dragons.
"Buffy? I see what you weren't telling me in Tokyo… Can I at least come over to talk and at least see *our* children. They are… Yes and Satsu too I see… I don't know how… I took my precautions but it seems they didn't work, either time." Sirius, who had been listening to the conversation, hid his laugh in his eggnog but Charlie still glared over at him.
Arthur turned too Dawn. "Your sister Buffy…"
"Currently the Oldest slayer on record and yes she's my sister or rather half-sister. The rest is … well that's complicated. Dean and his brother Sam are her half-brothers through their mutual father and while me and Buffy share a mother together. The twins showed up the summer after her freshman year in college. Love them to death but now we know where they get their talent for magic and animals and trouble." She sent a death glare toward Charlie and the twins.
Arthur took another slug of eggnog. The twins where looking to their own parts of the tree.
~~*~~
"Fred"
"Yeah George"
"Millicent Bulstrode??? Does Alicia know?"
"Yeah… just something that happened. Besides, who do you think got us those I-squad patrol schedules, last year and all the Slytherin passwords this year. And yes Alicia knows, she hooked up with me an' Millie at Easter last year. It's been interesting all around."
"Cor… You realize she's underage. And looks like a cow."
"Yeah, but take off the glamour's she uses to keep the upperclassmen and the rest of the male population at bay and you'd take a chance. Slytherin or not. Her father just murdered her mother for Lord Voldemort's evening entertainment two weeks ago," the room cringed at this news as Fred kept speaking, "She's staying at my flat in the Ally over Christmas before Hogwarts reopens."
"Merlin did I miss the gene for multiple girlfriends?"
"What? You, Angelina and Katie Bell in the locker room, the prefect's bath and a couple of charmed classrooms don't count?" Fred rounded on his twin. George blushed furiously. His mother and father glared and both took strong gulps from their eggnog.
"At least I remembered the infertilus charms", He shot back. Then grinned. "With the four you lot just gave mum plus the rest a coming she'll be off our backs about grandchildren for quite awhile." He said with a smile.
Molly glared at the twins as the rest of the non-Weasleys in the room choked on their tongues or aspirated eggnog. Sirius and Remus where red faced trying to control their laughter. Harry was looking pensively at the rest of the lowest tier as it stabilized.
A triple chime sounded from the tapestry and it began fluttering before it died down. Along with much of the laughter. Harry cringed at what was coming.
"Oh Merlin, what now?" said Arthur.
Three of the entries on the tree had changed. Arthur's Great Uncle Algernon had died... leaving Arthur as head of the Weasley clan. Arthur held out his right hand and after a moments concentration a heavy gold ring landed in his palm. After a deep sign, he put it on his right hand fore finger and it shrank down to fit. For a moment a glow surrounded him.
"Damn, Algernon hoped he last through the holidays. But at a hundred and eighty-three…"
"The Creator givith and taketh away. Blessed be his name." Cecelia said softly. Several soft amen's and different blessings sounded from the more religiously inclined.
"It was his time. But it looks like Creator's into giving more this year, Lord Weasley" said Remus with a stern look toward Ron. "What?" Asked the confused teen.
Remus silently pointed toward the tapestry. There next to Ron's name was a dashed line to Cecelia de Jesus. From the solid line down was the symbol of a male child. Both the people in question looked gob smacked.
"Do we need chastity belts for you Weasley?" quipped Dawn. Arthur looked at his youngest son with a thunderous expression before Molly grasped his arm for support and shrieked, "Ginevra!"
Every Weasley head snapped back around to look at the tapestry again. From the oldest Weasley girls name there extended a double yellow line capped with an ornate rune. Below it extended a split line indicating twins, a boy and a girl due in just two months. The name next to Ginevra's though…was Neville Longbottom?
"How in Merlin's name did Neville end up with Ginevra when she was taken by the Winter Queen?" asked Remus. Harry winced and ducked his head down.
"Taken by the Winter Queen?" asked Dawn. Remus was quite calm as he quickly spoke to the room who didn't know that part of the story. He had seen and wanted to understand Harry's reaction.
"Two years ago there was a spot of bother between the Unseelie Fae and the Ministry. Due to his blatant corruption of the Minister at the time the Wizengamot let some men go when they should have gone to Azkaban for what they did to three water-nymphs. This cost us dearly; because the fool had given assurance to an emissary of the Winter Queen that justice would be done. Then reneged and left us all in the crack and the Winter Queen incredibly brassed off."
Dawn and most of the magically inclined in the room winced, the Winter Queen was one of the two great powers that ruled the Never-Never, the thought of her in a bad mood, let alone brassed off, couldn't be good for someone.
"The Winter queen called for arbitration under the Unseelie accords and we lost. The minister lost his magic and his life, we as a nation paid a cash wergild of almost a quarter of a million galleons, that's about a eighty-four point four million pounds sterling," everyone in the room winced, "The part that hurt the most was the twenty-two young witches…virgins all between eleven and sixteen years of age, except the eldest who was the head girl at Hogwarts plus their dowry monies and titles if any. The girls where taken by the Winter Queen and for a few weeks... disappeared. Then they came back to school, they wouldn't speak of their experiences and refused to socialize out of their own little clique or their close female friends from before and have not been back to their family homes since. Every boy at school who's tried to get close too them has been verbally shot down or hexed if they get to forward. Once more a powerful spell prevents any man from touching them. They call them the Ice Queen's Maidens. They are a thorn in the side of the Purist and Conservative faction, a constant reminder of failures of the past. And their taking shredded a dozen Alliances among the Noble houses not to mention started a score of blood feuds and not a few duels. Why they are still here and not in the Never-Never is a mystery and not a little source of worry."
"So this is the first time anyone's breached their protections?" Asked Dean.
"Yes, to my knowledge…" Remus looked at the strange and silent conversation going on between Harry and Sirius. Then he got suspicious and remembered some of James older wilder stories when he was drunk, stories that hinted at connections between the Winter Court and the House of Potter. "What can you tell us at this time? Lord Potter."
Sirius looked at Harry and quirked an eyebrow, "What too answer that pup?"
Harry who had kept his face neutral and looked at Sirius questioningly. Seeing the look of cold seriousness he spoke quietly. "That's not my place to answer that, Lord Black."
"But Arthur and Molly deserve to know. They need to know she'll be safe."
"And you want to give away the winter queens surprises? Regardless of my involvement, your nuts!" Harry took another gulp of eggnog. Then he noticed it had slush forming in it. "Aww shite…" and looked toward the door.
"Tell them all of it my young dragon…" said a cold melodious voice. Every eye turned to the stunning vision of a tall blond and blue eyed women in white walking into the room. Nymphadora stood quickly and served the women eggnog, an eggnog that was quickly forming into a slush. Harry gulped again in real fear. But stood and in a strong voice introduced the new guest whose very presence had every slayer, witch and wizard standing wide eyed and reaching for weapons or wands. "My lords and Ladies may I present her majesty Mab, Queen of Air and Darkness, ruler of the Unseelie Fae, the Winter Court of the Sidehae," seeing the tension ratchet up, he stepped on it, "put your weapons and wands away she will not harm any here unless attacked and she and you are guests of my House."
"Sure about that Harry?" Asked Moody.
"Yes, Alistair I am. The House of Potter and the Winter Court have been... sometime allies, more or less, for a thousand years. For now her goals and ours are close enough to compromise on." Harry paused and looked at the rest of the room. "This is my house and you will not attack another under its roof, you may defend yourself but any attack will be on the Hospitality of my House," Harry's voice dropped into a cold and formal tone. "You would not like my response to such an act."
At Dawns nod Dean put his gun away and the rest of the slayers lowered their weapons.
"Thank you for the introduction young dragon. Now tell them of my revenge. Start with the division of spoils." Mab said in quite savoring tone as she sat and crossed her legs in plush chair by the fire…a fire that was quickly cooling as it died. "Tell them of Grandfather Drakon."
Harry groaned, as every eye in the room turned toward him. He held his head back as he felt a headache coming on. He would much rather be upstairs snuggled between his wives watching the kids unwrap presents but the plan needed him here. There was silence for several seconds.
"Yes, your Majesty," said Harry and then he composed himself for several seconds, took a slug of eggnog and started the explanation. "Officially at the end of the Arbitration Mab was satisfied. But she had a problem, she is constrained from taking magic capable humans into the Never-Never against their willing consent regardless of how they came into her possession, it's an old agreement that dates back to a deal made by the Myrriden Ambrosias. In her own way she solved her problem of what to do with twenty-two young women. Her Majesty owed several debts to the various drakon lords. So she goes to Grandfather Drakon who has been slowly rebuilding his power-base and does a deal." Arthur paled and Molly whimpered, "She offered the ladies in exchange for her markers on various boons back…and pounds sterling against all the dowries in a bank in Bimini."
"You mean the Dragon Lords aren't gone!" Charlie said in a worried tone.
"For those of us not in the know who or what are the Dragon Lords?" Asked Dean.
"Drakon, not dragon. In a nut shell…" said Remus, "they where the eleven families of war-wizards who helped put Alfred the Great, on the throne of Britain in the tenth century and kept him and his descendents there until the Norman kings invaded. Rumor was that they had more then a passing familiarity with some drakons, the high magic using greater dragons…and from them they learned a lot of magic and left them with a…unique heritage. Grindelwald and Voldemort boosted of subverting or exterminating those lines…"
"They missed," said Harry, "Those that survived went into hiding or fled Britain. Too avoid the Social Conservatives under Dumbledore as much as the Purists. As to the heritage…" said Harry with a laugh and he stepped up besides the dead fireplace and taking a deep breath, blasted white hot dragon's fire into it, restarting the great hearth with a roar. The glowing green eyes he turned to the room here slit vertically like a dragons. Every wizard except Sirius and Remus paled. Harry set his eggnog on the hearth stone to warm.
"Not asking you for a light," quipped Dean. Dawn glared at the interruption in the information flow. Mabs laugh aroused and sent shivers of cold and dread down everyone's neck at the same time but the mood noticeably lightened.
"As to how Ginevra ended up with Neville. The night Mab came too Hogwarts, myself and a few…friends of like heritage, which includes Neville, had skived out at the end of the Halloween feast and gone off to play games and talk. Normally we would be sparing or studying a couple three nights a week like we had since I was eight but on feast nights and every full moon we played games told stories and sang the old songs. That night it was liar's dice, with both Occlumency and Legilimancy added in for spice. For sickles and knuts while enjoying a double case of butterbeer, snacks and some music. This gets interrupted to confront her Majesty in the entrance hall after the selection. There, I wrote a check to cover the vaults and we took possession. Then we came here and...divided…things up."
Harry said calmly, then stopped and looked a little mortified, "As to how she came into Neville's specific... protection... we'll your not going to like this part…seven-fives" he said. As the confused silence reached a peak he continued. "Neville bid six-fours that night they where taken. I raised him to seven-fives. He called it and I... lost." There was moment of profound silence.
"My SISTER ended up as the table stakes in one of the sparing clubs games of Liar's dice!!!!" screamed Ron. Every Weasley and most of the women looked thunderous. Harry gulped some eggnog slush and slapped every Weasley their in a wandless impedimentia jinx.
Not a little impressed by the magick Dean jokingly asked "How many did you get?"
"Four." Harry said dead pan.
Dean was still trying too wrap his head around women being used as table stakes and looked jealous but broke down laughing at the look of exasperation on Harry's face. "So total hen party."
"Not that we had much choice... Grandfather Dragon or her majesty gave us the choice of taking them or seeing Mab sell them in Marakesha and pocketing the cash." Arthur and Molly gaped in horror at the fate their eldest daughter had dodged. Most witches going to Marakesha ended up in a rendery or as a Dark Wizards blood sacrifice at best they where sex slaves of the lowest order. The rest of the family was numb with a mix of joy and anger. Harry stood still for a moment and organized his thoughts. "We paid equivalent amounts in dollars for the rest of the Wergild and the girls, about a hundred and seventeen million US. We get the ice Maidens as debt bonded concubines and Her Majesty gets to stick the entirety of Wizarding Great Britain in the ass. Though they don't know it yet and she has the use of large amounts of money. And there is nothing anyone can do about it."
"If you will my Lord Potter can you tell Lord Weasley and our family what the terms of the bonding where?" said Bill formally.
"Standard terms for remittance are twice again at thrice prime and or a remittance in blood divided."
"How many times divided my lord?" asked Arthur.
"She each rolled a single dice, a six," said Harry mildly. Arthur winced.
"Could someone translate that for the non-wizarding?" asked Cecelia where she stood next to Ronald.
Mab answered her, her voice cold with amusement, "The debt each concubine has to pay back their lord for her freedom was set by wizarding law at three times the prime interest rate compounded annually after an initial mark-up of 200%. The blood debt remittance allows the concubine to buy her freedom in exchange for issue of her own body. Each issue taking out a set portion of the debt."
"She has his kids?" asked Dawn in an outraged tone.
"Or carries those of his wife's too term as a surrogate, and by law has no legal claim to them as the law considers her property at best," said Sirius.
"Clear the books and make my enemies scream…it has been so much fun to watch it build, even more fun when they figure out how badly I've…hurt their plans. I'm sure none here will tell them and spoil my... fun" unsaid was her displeasure at those who spoke out of turn. Everyone there knew they would never talk about what was being said unless she told them. "Good, I will leave you now Lord Potter have a good day," she nodded to Nymphadora on her way out, "Lady Potter thank you for the drink."
"Lady Potter?" asked Remus along with several others around the room. Nym and Harry both groaned.
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