The Beater and Badger
Chapter 11: Grandparents Granger
Rose dragged herself to breakfast, plopping down next to Lysander. He was immersed in the morning mail—the latest edition of the Quibbler. It was flipped sideways as he read it eagerly, not even noticing as Babbitty the rabbit ate off his plate and as a slender barn owl hooted indignantly while perched on his goblet.
"Good morning Rose," He said, goldfish eyes peeking over the top. She muttered something vague and slumped into her seat. Yesterday had been the exhausting Ravenclaw versus Slytherin match. It managed to last almost five hours and during it all, Rose had screamed herself hoarse by the time the banners fell limp. Lucy and Molly had resorted to talking about the weather for it began to finally snow three hours into the game.
And since her birthday, she had taken to staying awake at night as she puzzled over the mysterious midnight meeting she had witnessed. Someone had fixed the Quidditch games? And who was the ones who had caught her coming back from practice?
It was quite possible that she fell back asleep even amidst the chatter and sunlight of the Great Hall because the next thing she was aware of was the barn owl screeching and bursting into flight, knocking Lysander's goblet of pumpkin juice into her face. As Rose gasped and blubbed in shock, wiping at her face with a napkin stained orange, Lysander's twin from the Ravenclaw table crossed over to them, the barn owl perched on his elbow. Lorcan was likewise carrying an edition of the Quibbler sideways as he approached.
"Lysander, I think this was supposed to be opened," Lorcan Scamander said, blinking slowly behind green-tinted glasses and holding out a letter. His brother rolled the paper up and inserted it into the barn owl's mouth before accepting the letter. Rose watched this comical display of normalcy for the twins, Lysander shaking his head full of tiny braids as he read.
Finally, he looked up, looking much more interested than before. "Oh, that was a bit expected though, wasn't it, Lorcan?" he asked.
Lorcan shrugged as he took the Quibbler from the owl's beak and handed it back. "I suppose so, although I wonder about how magic is shared between two bodies like that, for such a period of time. Would it deplete the energy or would it gradually grow and could magic be revealed at such an early stage?" He questioned edgily as he slinked back towards Ravenclaw.
"What is he saying?" Rose asked bewildered. Lysander beamed.
"He's wondering about the effect pregnancy would have on magic—would the mother and child both being magical increase the mother's power or would it diminish from the amount of dependence…" Lysander explained happily as he slathered his toast in jam.
"But why?" Rose asked again.
"Because Luna is pregnant of course," he said obliviously before unrolling the Quibbler and reaching out for his goblet.
"Pregnant?" Rose gasped. "Luna and Rolf?"
But Lysander only looked surprised at her. "Well, yes. They were pregnant to have me and Lorcan. I know you are supposed to be married first, but they are now and they wanted another baby while we were in South America," He said compliantly.
"There's a huge age difference between you though." Rose said.
"No, Lorcan's older by four minutes," Lysander said absent-mindedly.
"I mean that you and Lorcan are thirteen years older than this baby," Rose corrected herself. Lysander nodded.
"We'll actually be fourteen, Rose. Our birthdays are in May and the baby's due in early July," He said lightly.
"Class!" Neville said good-naturedly like always. "I know we're all excited but we've got to get through this lesson first." The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs groaned. "Oh, cheer up. I gave you the end of term exam last time so we wouldn't have this complaining." He said amusedly. "Besides," He said airily, "I thought you might enjoy some stories."
He had said the magic word as the heads all lifted, suddenly alert.
"About Dumbledore's Army, Professor?" Duncan asked interestedly. Neville shook his head.
"No, not today…" he said, musing. The class groaned again and a few complaints shot out.
"It's not fair…"
"My uncle tells me war stories all the time!" Edith claimed behind Rose.
"My sister says that you told her class about when you killed Voldemort's snake—"
"Children!" Neville blustered, holding up a hand as the class quieted. "Those are stories that I was even too young to be part of at seventeen." He sternly admonished. "They sound heroic and brave, but really, we were all scared and only doing them so another student wouldn't have to. But I do have a deal for you all," He said, softening his voice and adding in a wink as the class leaned forward eagerly. "Next year, you will be third years. Come third year, Professor Thomas and I offer you a chance to join the DA."
There was a sharp intake of breath. "Dumbledore's Army?" Rose asked.
"Half-correct, Miss Weasley. We did call Dumbledore's Army the DA, but our group only shares the initials. We are known as the Defense Association." Neville explained kindly. "We do tell old stories from time to time, but mainly, we teach and help you learn how to defend yourself safely. I believe Professor Thomas offers it as extra-credit for her class. But that's a year away still for you lot, unfortunately," he said as the class groaned again, having been so caught up. "But I don't suppose you wouldn't want to hear about the Chamber of Secrets?" They all quieted and Elora shot Rose a wide, delighted grin as Neville began. "It was right after the Halloween feast…"
The bell rung from far away, jolting them all back to the greenhouse.
"And that's why we study Herbology, class." Neville said proudly. "Have a Happy Christmas and I'll be seeing you next year!" He called out as the students grabbed their bags and ran out into the path they had trampled out of the snow back to the castle. Neville chuckled as Elora and Rose hurried up to his worktable. "Hello Elora and Rosie," He said fondly as his daughter hugged him. "Excited for the holidays yet?" As always, the Longbottoms looked very much alike when next to each other: blonde-brown hair, hazel eyes and rosy cheeks.
"Definitely," Rose said in a flash. "We're going over for Christmas dinner at Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny's and they invited the Scamanders too." Neville nodded.
"We have a small number of guests this year for Christmas, but it will still be plenty busy around the Cauldron," He said jovially. "But Hannah always pulls together a feast for us and the guests and my grandmother."
"I'd better finish packing then," Rose said a bit reluctantly. "See you on Christmas!"
She walked back to the castle, shivering in her robes and wool as she wished she was in the warm greenhouses, following the path trampled out for her back to the Entrance Hall. All around her, the snow was white and higher than her mid-calf, except for the path and the footprints where someone had veered from the way back to the front steps of Hagrid's Hut and then back around.
"Rose!" Hugo shouted as he came running into her compartment. "I've found them! We're waiting for you." He added impatiently.
"I'm coming, Hugo." She said as she floated her trunk carefully off the rack above. "And you didn't see that or else you will see a bat-bogey hex," she quickly countered.
Quick on his feet as always, he muttered, "Er, right, Rose," before hurrying off again.
"Ready to go face the lions, Rose?" Albus teased, carefully wrapping a Slytherin scarf around his neck.
"Ready or not, here we come," she answered cheerfully.
As she and Albus made their way off the train, they were able to pick out the crowd of mostly redheads that made up the Weasley families picking up their children.
"Dominique, ma fille!" Aunt Fleur exclaimed as beside her, Lucy and Molly were discussing their grades with their father.
"I do think that an E in Herbology is understandable, especially considering all my other grades," Lucy encouraged.
"Rosie! Al!" Their parents called out to them; James, Hugo and Lily already there.
"Dad, Mum!" Rose said exuberantly. But she broke it off to shout after a family of blondes. "Scorpius!" She called out, as the boy and his parents turned around. "Have a nice holiday!" She shouted as Albus chipped in similar greetings too. Scorpius waved back before his parents led his away into the crowd.
"All right kids," Dad said as he rubbed his jaw. "Pile in, throw your trunks in the back, this is just a short trip."
Rose raised her eyebrow, arching it primly. "We live four hours away!"
"We are going to go and see my parents first," Mum said plainly. "It's almost Christmas and they don't get to see you unless it's summertime, so I thought we should drop in and see them on our way."
Nana and Grandpa Granger lived in Oxford, in a Victorian style house that was ringed by roses in the summer. It was the same house that Mum had grown up in and despite its age, had been well up-kept by Grandpa. They were retired dentists, both having gone grey-haired by the time Rose had been born, but for being rational and straightforward Muggles, they accepted their daughter and grandchildren as magical and loved them, if sometimes apprehensively.
The old house was standing still, its lilac paint muted by snow, but the inside of the house behind Nana was alive and cheery with early Christmas cheer.
"Oh, Hermione!" She exclaimed, reaching out towards her daughter as the family was bustled inside. "Ron, Rose, Hugo!"
Rose took a single step inside the house and was immediately engulfed in warmth as she hugged. Then Nana took a step back, releasing her and called out over her shoulder, "Richard! Richard, Hermione, Ron and the children are here!" before sweeping Hugo into her arms.
Grandpa stumbled out of the bathroom, a copy of The London Times tucked under his arm as his wry face broke out into a grin.
"You don't say!" He said in his tenor tones. "Helen, release that boy, I need his advice on a word—67 across, a five lettered word for a musical play. And Ronald, help yourself to the telly, I think there's a footie game on. Wildflower! I don't remember your mother being so tall at that age," he said, kissing Rose's cheek, as he let Hugo lay the paper out of the kitchen table. "Hermione, my dear, I don't suppose you've seen that article in the paper…"
"Tea, anyone?" Nana called out over him. "I know you prefer that ghastly American drink, Hermione dear, but it stains your teeth."
"Mum, I'll drink your tea over coffee any day," she said, accepting a mug. "Just not in the mornings."
"I'll have some too, Nana," Rose said as she bounded over.
Nana filled her a cup too. "How old are you now dear? I only have two grandchildren, but the two of you grow up so fast! Ronald, why must your family live so far away and have the children at boarding school too?"
Dad rolled his eyes, but grinned. It was a long-asked question with an even longer-asked answer. "Helen, we're wizards. We can Apparate, use a Portkey, and if you'd let me install the Floo network..."
Nana huffed. "Not again! The first time we had it, a drunken wizard fell through!"
"That firewhiskey is mighty good though," Grandpa said absently. "Ronald, did you bring any with you?"
Before Nana could berate Grandpa or Dad mention they had brought a bottle, Rose piped up. "I'm thirteen now, Nana. My birthday was the second of December."
Nana clapped a hand to her forehead. "How could I forget! Your birthday present, it's a very special one, Rose. Richard, where did you hide it now?"
Grandpa scratched his head. "Eh, Helen, you know how my memory's going...But don't worry Wildflower, we'll send it up with the Christmas presents."
"Grandpa, eight across is Toto, Dorothy's dog." Hugo said, erasing an answer.
This was why she loved her family, Rose thought as Nana bustled to brew more cups of tea. And not just the Weasley, Wizarding side alone either. She loved how they accepted each other unconditionally despite their Hogwarts Houses, grades, flaws, Quidditch teams, magic or no magic. It warmed her as much as Nana's rose-hip teas did.
Rose ran up the slippery steps and threw the front door open. "We're home!" She shouted to the empty home, her family coming up the steps behind her. With sharp barks, the clicking of nails against the hardwood floors greeted Rose as Cannon and Sabre came running, wagging their two tails each. Moving out of the doorway, she happily got on her knees to scratch their ears. "Hullo boys," Rose said cheerfully. "Did you miss me?"
"Almost as much as we have," Dad said as he tugged her luggage through the door. "It's a good thing we kept each other company while our kids were away at school."
With a final pull, Mum and Hugo got his trunk through the door with a gasp. "Rose, take your trunk upstairs now and get settled in. It's late and nobody's had any dinner yet," she said, as Rose dusted off her pants and grabbed the trunk off the floor.
It took a mighty effort, even with all those hours of beating Bludgers, to get her trunk up the stairs. And to think how effortless it would have been to use Wingardium Leviosa! She thought grudgingly as she kicked open her door. Lifting her head up, Rose managed to drop her trunk on her foot as she let go by surprise.
Gone were the walls of pink and white, her baby wallpaper that lasted through childhood. Instead, the walls were bright blue, with white clouds drifting by lazily. Her carpet had turned sunny yellow and were it not for the furniture lying innocently neat, Rose might have thought she was floating.
Pushing the trunk off her toes, Rose ran downstairs, thundering two steps at a time before she dashed back into the kitchen. She made it barely quick enough to see her parents drop their knowing smirks and resort to placid ignorance.
"Did you put your things away yet, Rose?" Mum asked blandly. "You'll have plenty of time for it before dinner's ready. "
"Mum!" Rose exclaimed. "You remodeled my room!"
"You really didn't think that we'd leave you with your nursery forever?" Dad asked amused from the stove. "Besides, my little Rosie's a teenager now. You might as well have a nice room to stay locked up in away from those teenage boys."
"Daaaad," she whined, turning pink. Why was twelve okay for hanging out with boys, but not thirteen?
"Do you like it, Rose?" Mum asked, dropping all pretenses now. Rose smiled.
"I love it!" She said happily.
"Good!" Mum replied, turning back to the dishes. "Now go put your things away in your new room."
"OW!" Hugo hollered from upstairs as an ominous thunk sounded through the floor. "WHO PUT THAT TRUNK THERE?" Mum smiled as Rose coughed.
"I suggest you start with your trunk then," Mum suggested dryly.
Happy birthday Rose Weasley! According to my assigned birthdate for her, today would be her 4th birthday. :)
Just a nice, happy little chapter today after the plot twisting the last one that at least 70 people read but only 1 reviewed...*cough* Santa's not the only one watching you, you know!
