Surprise, Surprise
The week passed and Ron and George got a few more entries to the raffle. IT was Saturday rolled around bright and early. It was brisk and snow had just fallen the night before. George was out shoveling a path in front of the shop when one of the other nearby shop owner came out.
"Morning, George," he called. George waved back as he pushed the last bit of show out of the pathway. George headed back inside and shivered as the door shut.
"Blimey its freezing out there," he complained as Ron cast some heating charms on the inside of the shop.
"It won't stop the kids from coming down though," Ron reminded his brother.
"This is going to be a good day for us," George said with a laugh. They did tend to do better on days when Hogwarts students paid the shop a visit. Ron moved to flip the sign on the door from 'closed' to 'open'.
"You suppose any of them will be trying out some of the new stuff?" Ron wondered.
"Course they will you dolt. You know the regulars will be first in line to test them out," George scoffed.
Some forty minutes later the first wave of students came bursting through the door, all appearing to take comfort in the heating charms. In the group were Victoire and Teddy. Teddy wandered off with a few sixth year Gryffindor boys, leaving Victoire to browse the front of the store alone.
"Morning Victoire," Ron greeted his niece.
"Hi Uncle Ron. How's business been?" she answered.
"It's been alright. How is your second term fairing? Doing well with classes?" Ron questioned.
"We've barely gotten into the term but I'm afraid I'm a bit on the nervous side. We have OWL examinations coming up soon," she admitted in a hushed tone.
"Oh don't worry too much about it," Ron said with a smile.
"Oi! Victoire look what I found!" Teddy called, running up to her with a box of Firecracker fireballs.
"Oh no! Didn't your Grams tell you to stay away from hot things like that?" Victoire exclaimed.
"I didn't say I was going to buy it. I was just saying that I found it," he replied.
"It's one of the new products. Makes you're mouth erupt in all sorts of flashy colors. Brilliant," Ron informed the two. Victoire merely shook her head and went looking at some of the items on a nearby shelf.
"So how have you been?" Ron addressed the boy in front of him.
"It's alright. Grams was happy to have me back," Teddy answered. Just then a group of boys came out from the back of the store, their arms full of merchandise.
"Oi, George. You going to ring them up?" Ron called. Apparently George had not heard him, or was feigning deafness because he got no response. Ron just shook his head.
He began to ring up the purchases, coins passing over the counter at rapid speed. Once the last customer had taken his or her bags, Ron slumped back in his chair, George finally reappearing.
"Where the bloody hell did you go?" Ron demanded.
"I had to get some extra boxes out of the back. They cleaned us out," George answered.
"Next time, you run the register," the younger of the two grumbled. They had a slight lull before the next wave of students came pouring in. Business continued in this manner until closing. Ron had never been happier to close than he was today.
"We need to make a deposit to Gringotts in the morning," George commented as he swept the floor. Ron merely nodded before apparating home.
Miles away in France, Bill was pacing back and forth outside the bathroom. Fleur had been ill the past few days and he was starting to worry. He'd insisted she see a doctor bt she refused. She claimed it was just readjusting to the weather after being in Romania. But he knew it wasn't related to the weather. He had a sneaking suspicion it was a much more serious situation. The door finally opened and Fleur flung her arms around her husband's neck and kissed him.
"Everything alright?" he asked, looking into her captivating eyes.
"Oh Bill. Eet ees vonderful," she exclaimed.
"Darling…what's wonderful?" he asked. He needed his suspicions confirmed or denied and he needed to hear it from her lips.
"We are 'aving a baby," she answered, glowing vibrantly.
"Bloody hell," he groaned. He'd been right. With all the new additions to the family in the last few months he'd wondered if they would be next.
"Aren't you 'appy, Bill?" she asked, taking a step back to look at her husband. He gave her a warm smile.
"Of course I'm happy, love. It's just…well it's been a while since we've had a baby in the house," he muttered.
"Don't be silly. We vill be fine," she said laughing. Fleur headed for the kitchen and Bill followed her.
"What are you doing?" he asked when he found her reaching for a quill and parchment.
"Writing a letter to zee girls," Fleur answered without looking up. He nodded and sighed.
"I suppose I ought to Floo Mum and Dad then," he muttered, heading for the sitting room. While Fleur continued to pen her letter to Victoire and Celeste, Bill bent down in front of the fireplace. He caught Arthur and Molly sitting down to dinner.
"Oh Bill dear you scared us," Molly said, clutching at her chest.
"Apologies Mum. Just thought I'd let you know…Fleur just found out we're expecting," Bill said through the flames. Molly dropped her knife, sending it clattering to the floor.
"Oh how wonderful. All these new babies!" she squealed.
"Congratulations, son," Arthur said, beaming.
"Thanks," he said and disappeared. When he returned to the kitchen, Fleur was folding the parchment and addressing it.
"I'm sure the girls will be thrilled. Mum was ecstatic," Bill murmured, kissing the top of her head. Fleur couldn't stop smiling even as they fell asleep in each other's arms that night.
The following morning found Teddy and Victoire sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room, pouring over books. Teddy had offered to help Victoire study for her OWLs. He knew the pressure it put on all the fifth year students. They looked up and caught each other's eye. He leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek.
"I think we've studied enough for now," she said, giggling a little.
"We've been at it for twenty minutes. I think you should study a bit more. After all, you don't want to cram at the last minute," he teased. Before she could say anything else the portrait hole swung open and Celeste came bursting through. She was clutching a piece of parchment.
"What is it, Celeste?" Victoire asked of her younger sister.
"It's a letter from Mum," the twelve-year-old exclaimed happily. Victoire took the letter from her sibling and began to read it.
Dear girls,
I hope you are enjoying your term at school. It is quite cold here in France. Much different than Romania. I trust you are behaving and not giving Uncle Ron and George too much of a hard time at the shop.
I write today to tell you that your father and I are expecting a baby come October. We are both very happy at the news. I wished you were with us to find out so I write to tell you as soon as we knew. We shall keep you informed on the baby.
Lots of love,
Mum
"Oh this is wonderful!" Victoire cried, throwing her arms around her sisters. The letter fell to the chair she had just vacated and Teddy picked it up. He scanned it and smiled.
"Congrats you two. Do you suppose it will be a boy or a girl?" he said.
"We can't know for a while…but I hope a boy. I want a brother," Victoire answered.
"Dad would be happy with a boy," Celeste agreed.
"He'd be just as happy with a girl too," her sister remarked.
"I sure hope Harry and Ginny aren't having any more kids. They can barely keep James and Alby from throttling each other," Teddy chuckled.
"I want lots of babies when I get married," Celeste sighed.
"No you don't. You told me just last week you don't want to so many because it is too much work," Victoire snorted.
"Well maybe I changed my mind," Celeste said with a pout.
"We shouldn't be thinking about children of our own just yet," Teddy said sternly. His comment made them all burst out laughing.
"Oh it is just so exciting. All the new babies in the family. Oh Grandma will be so happy. You know, Mum is always saying that Grandma wants lots of grandkids," Victoire commented. Teddy nodded and suddenly burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing about?' she demanded.
"Nothing…just had a funny thought that's all," he said, trying to stop the laughter.
"Well what is it. Come on…tell us," Celeste begged.
"I was just thinking…there are enough grandkids right now to make a full Quidditch team," he explained.