Victoire holds Teddy as he cries. Harry had just left. Victoire knows her cousins, Uncle Harry's children had never really gotten along with the Dursleys. So she doubts they are as torn up as Teddy.
Dudley had truly been an Uncle to him. Before he had married he had spent as much time with Harry and Teddy as he could. Even after he married a woman remarkably like his mother, he made time once a month to meet Teddy.
Now Dudley was dead, barely 50 years old and dead of a heart attack. Even though Dudley had tried, he still tended toward being over weight and the abuse his body had taken since birth had finally taken it toll.
TLTLTL
Teddy sat next to his god-father staring straight ahead. Their being at the funeral had not been welcome by Dudley's father. Time had not been good to Vernon, if anything it had made him more bitter. He had never achieved the status he sought in the business world. His son had far outstripped him.
He also lived in fear that one of his grandchildren would prove to be magical. So far none had.
Petunia looked as if her world had ended. Her only child, the bright light in her life was dead. Even she didn't care much for her grandchildren. They were remarkably like her husband, a person she had come to loath. She only stayed with him because she had no other option. Besides Vernon never noticed her anyway. It was like living alone.
After the service Teddy and Harry lingered at the grave. Everyone else had left, presumably to return to the Dursley's home for a meal, they had not been invited. Teddy looked around to make sure they were truly alone an removed a Bounty candy bar from his suit coat pocket. Using his wand he dug a small hole in the freshly turned earth and buried the bar.
"Thanks Uncle Dudley for all the candy, the visits and the love. I hope you have found peace."
Harry hugged Teddy close as they Apperated away.
TLTLTL
A few months later Teddy learned Vernon had died. He felt nothing. Harry said that Petunia was facing a tough time, but refused when Harry had tried to give her some money. Pride goeth before the fall! Victoire, Bill, Fleur and Teddy were discussing it as they watched the boys playing on the beach at shell cottage.
"I wish she would have let Uncle Harry help. I know Uncle Dudley would have wanted his mother to be taken care of." Teddy shook his head sadly.
"Vat about Dudley's widow? Weel she 'elp her muzzer-in-law?"
"Haven't you heard? She packed up the children. Sold their house and moved to Spain a month after Dudley died. Apparently his life insurance and investments will allow them to live quite comfortably."
Victoire said; "Would she let us help?"
"I'd love to for Dudley's sake but she won't take any money that has been "earned with magic".
Bill's eyes lit. "I have an idea. She has never met Louis has she?" Teddy shook his head. "Harry says he is really good at imitating muggle businessmen. Why don't we have him set up a muggle bank account and present it to her as a forgotten investment of Vernon's?"
Teddy flooed Harry immediately and within a month Petunia was lauding her new found security to the neighbors.
TLTLTL
Victoire was feeling decidedly unwell. She had never been so sick in her life. Even the smell of freshly picked produce made her ill. Teddy was worried. He came back from a month long undercover assignment to find his wife thin and pale, unable to keep more than tea and broth down. He immediately took the boys to his grandmum's, (Bill and Fleur were in France, visiting her parents), and his wife to St. Mungo's.
A tense three hours later they had their answer. Victoire was pregnant. Not just pregnant, but pregnant with triplets.
TLTLTL
This was defiantly the worst pregnancy Victoire had EVER had. Her other two had hardly affected her. This one she had no energy and no appetite. The healers had ordered her to take it easy and Uncle Harry had put Teddy to office work so he could be home each evening.
Ginny and Andromeda had stepped in and were getting the twins ready for Hogwarts. Molly had moved in and was cooking and looking after the house.
Victoire could now keep some cheese down too and her mammon set about making various broths for her to try.
TLTLTL
There was a problem with the sheep farm. Garwp was caring her gently to see. It look as, to Hagrid, that a large animal was eating the sheep. Sandy had found a scorched tree near a field that held the calving heifers on the dairy farm too.
Victoire looked around as Garwp sat her down. "Do you think we have a dragon about?"
"I don know, but I bet Charlie could tell us!" Hagrid hurried to send Charlie and owl. A bit later Charley was sitting in the parlor.
"It looks to me as if you do have a dragon around. It might have wandered over from Wales. I tell you what, if you don't mind a few extra people about I'll contact some of my colleges and see if we can't get a capture team here. In the mean time I'll see if some of my 7th years want to end their summer early and help with patrol. We'd better let Freddy in on this or he'll skin us alive! He's not announced it yet but he's giving up quidditch to get his degree in magi zoology. Doesn't enjoy being knocked unconscious as much as he used to!"
TLTLTL
It had turned out they had a young welsh green. It was captured and returned to the reserve in Wales before the Hogwarts express left on September 1st. Victoire felt well enough to see her eldest two off that morning. Now she was happily snuggled in to the sofa at Grimald Place.
Harry and Teddy were due home from work soon and Ginny was preparing a hearty broth with good crunchy bread for dinner.
Some of her nausea was gone now. The only problem was she had so little room. She was short, like her mother and thin. So being four months along with triplets she looked like an olive had been speared on a toothpick.
Their meal had turned in to a celebration as James stopped by with his girlfriend Maggie, to announce they were engaged.
Soon as many of the cousins that could come were crowded in to Grimald Place celebrating. Victoire's only advice had been not to repeat Ambrose's stag night! With that the older men all groaned! Louis laughed and added "Scorpios and I will not volunteer for duty that night!"
"Did I hear my name?" Scorpios came through the door holding a bottle of fire whiskey in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other.
After having the conversation repeated he added; "You got that right mate!" Scorpios and Louis had turned out to be as good of partners as Ron and Teddy. As strange as it might seem, Scorpios was at the Potter and Weasley house's as often as the younger set were at his.
Draco had slowly built back up their wealth, through wise investments and hard work. His mother lived with them and by all accounts they both were different people than they had been before.
The room quieted as a barn owl flew in to the room. Teddy took the note and read it aloud. "Dear Mummy and Daddy, We made it! We are both in Gryffindor. Saw Lorcan and Lysander, did you know Lysander is a Perfect? The hat asked me if I was going to cause as much mischief as cousin Freddy did! When George sat down it groaned and asked if the decedents of the Weasley's were going to keep sending him twins! Uncle Charlie laughed when we told him! I've got to get to sleep. Tell Harry we miss him and we will write each week so he knows everything before he gets here in 3 years! Love, Fred and George"
A toast was held to the next generation. Then Victoire and Teddy slipped off to a guest room for some well deserved sleep.
TLTLTL
I know that JKR has not been very nice to Dudley in her post DH interviews. But in my world I went from the changes he had already started in DH.
I had a moment between packing and fighting a cold that is trying to ruin my vacation. I promise I'll try to get the babies here before I leave.
As for the question I got PM'ed: No I can't take my laptop. I'm going to be recreating the 12th century. No electricity or wireless.
I hope the plot bunnies don't beat my head in while I'm away from the computer! Grandma Beth
