The Return of Normalcy
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A/N Happy Troika Day! Happy Birthday! Merry Christmas! (And a Happy New Years!) Jennibear! (aka Tofu.Melon)
Here's your fic!
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Chapter One
Ronald and Hermione Weasley lived a normal life, in a normal neighborhood. They were raising a normal family with normal troubles and normal goals. They were planning for a normal future.
But Mrs. and Mr. Weasley did not have a normal past.
It was easy for the couple to forget about that past, though they had promised they never would.
It was easy, of course, until that past came knocking on their door, 18 December, six years after the couple had settled into their normal suburban home in their normal suburban neighborhood.
Every third week of December this particular normal suburban neighborhood had a Christmas party, attended by most every family.
Each year one family was nominated to host this party, and this particular year the Weasleys had won that honor.
Had the Weasleys known six years previous that their days would have been filled with simple things, like diapers or school arrangements, and more recently pumpkin pies and turkey, they probably would have been torn between tears of relief and blatant astonishment.
One does not simply go from being a key player in a secret civilizations' civil war to Suzie Homemaker and spouse after all.
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It was a cold night, there was no denying that, but the cloaked man ignored the weather as he approached the unremarkable house.
Drawing closer, the man could hear laughter and music from inside. Memories of past celebrations and parties resonated in his mind before he could push him aside.
There was no time or place for frivolities in his world any longer...
The man hesitated, his hand stretched toward, poised to knock.
But perhaps there was a place for it in their world.
The man turned from the door, retreating as silently as he had approached.
He could wait. He would allow them their joy while he could.
Soon, he knew, there would be little laughter for this family, and the only music in their life would be the funeral dirge he knew so well.
Besides, thought the man, this reunion would do best without witnesses.
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He watched, hidden, as individuals and groups left with increasing frequency.
The time between departures grew until he was confident that only the home's residents remained; the man crept from the shadows as he had before, but this time, undeterred.
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It was late.
The guests had left.
The children were asleep.
The house was a mess.
"Thank you so much for helping, Eileen. I knew the clean-up would be overwhelming, but I hadn't anticipated the Henderson's triplets," Mrs. Hermione Weasley smiled gratefully at her friend, though both grimaced at the memory of the three toddlers.
"Hermione, sweetheart, you'd do the same for me. In fact, you did so last year."
"Well, either way, I'm grateful."
Smiling, they turned back towards their task.
"Oh, Hermione, did you--"
The door bell rang.
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A slightly muffled voice rang from inside the house. "Ron, can you get it?"
The man grinned at the woman's voice.
It was familiar despite the years; it was missed because of the years.
Steeling himself for the inevitable (and required) reunion, the man cleared his face and stood strong.
The door opened.
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"Harry?"
"Hello, Ron."