In Her Nature
Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction. I make no claims of ownership over these characters and settings.
x
Molly was pregnant, again.
She didn't even need to cast the spell to confirm it. After five pregnancies and six children she knew her own body. Still she took her wand and muttered the incarnation.
As she feared she was bathed in a soft golden light.
It was too early for the gender spell to be applied but what would be the point of that? Every Weasley child in seven generations had been a boy.
Seven was the number primarily on her mind. Arthur was a seventh son and now she was pregnant again.
A seventh son of a seventh son. When had that ever ended well?
The myths and legends were full of such things. They always went dark or mad or both.
This was the thinking that found her in Hogwarts infirmary.
Poppy was an old friend and if anyone could help she could.
"There's nothing reliable Molly. No magic I would dare to use. No potions that don't do more harm than good. The diets recommended in the magazines are only fifty percent reliable. Which is the same odds everyone has.
"Not the Weasley's. It's a curse. It's boys always boys."
"I'm not certain how that is a curse." Poppy dismissed. "There are no ends of families who have died out from only having girls."
"Boy's inherit, girls marry. After seven generations there is nothing left to inherit. We're now left living in a converted pigsty. One of Arthur's ancestors went to see a Hag to ensure he had a son then refused to pay. The hag couldn't undo her own magic so strengthened it. Seven generations of boys is what we've had and unless I do something it will continue."
"If it was a hag's curse then you will have to see another hag. Their magic is more elemental than ours, connected to the earth."
She left disappointedbut not surprised. She had to find a Hag and soon.
X
Hags were meant to live in caves. Not muggle warden run retirement homes.
"They think I'm old, they think the warts and teeth have come from age. They are fools."
Molly kept her opinions to herself she needed help not to antagonise.
"So what can I do you for my dear and that child growing inside you? I can smell it
I can taste it. Do you want to be rid of it? I can do that and no one will know."
"No, never." Molly put her hands protectively around her stomach.
"So what does Molly Weasley of the light want with a creature such as me? It involves your child growing inside you that I'm sure."
Molly bit back her comments. She knew she was being deliberately provoked.
"I want to ensure I have a daughter." Molly kept the explanation simple. This creature didn't need to know the details.
The hag laughed and Molly huffed at the display. "Have witches really got to the point they can't control their bodies anymore. This is the simplest of things. It will barely cost you a groat."
The hag motioned for Molly to lie back and then moved her hands above her starting at her head and working down her body. Molly watched the wart covered, slightly scaly hands hover over her abdomen for a few seconds work their way to her feet then back up stopping above her womb once more."
The hag sat back down on her armchair took a long pull on her pipe before speaking. "What aren't you telling me?"
Molly repeated the story of the curse over the Weasley's. The Hag nodded along as if she knew it already.
"It was powerful magics that did this. If you came to me before you were with child I could undo it. I most likely still could. The child would die, maybe you too but it would be possible. There might still be a way. How much do you want this?"
Molly tried to think of her answer. She was honestly scared of what this child might become but she feared the price this creature may demand. "Tell me how much this will cost and I'll tell you."
"Oh don't you worry my dear this won't cost you anything. This I'll do for the challenge of doing and because I'm curious to see what might happen. Although I doubt Molly Weasley of the light will do this. If you have a human child it will be a boy. A seventh son of a seventh son. That is what you fear isn't it my dear. One dark lord is gone and you fear the next will be your child. So don't give birth to a human or not a full human. I can invite a nymph in. It will merge with your child. It will take new form and she will be born in the normal way in the normal time."
"You want me to swap a chance of a son who might go dark for a dark creature, never." Molly got up to leave.
"Go if you want. If you leave now it is ignorance and fear that makes you leave. Stay and I shall speak truth then you can your chose. "
"How can I trust you?" Molly asked hands wrapped protectively over her stomach.
"You came to me, to allow me to perform magic on you and your unborn child and you don't trust me?" From somewhere unseen a knife appeared in the creatures' hand and for a moment Molly feared for her safety. It drew the blade across its hand letting the blood pool in it's palm. It then spat into the pool of blood and before Molly could move it smeared the mess across Molly's forehead.
"My blood and my fluids mark you. May they burn hot if I speak false hood."
Molly had a look of disgust on her face. "I intend you no harm. That dress makes you look quite pretty."
Molly felt the blood and spittle heat up on that last phrase.
"Now that is the difference between the truth and a lie. So ask me Molly Weasley partaker of blood magic, what do you want to know about nymphs?"
"Are they dark creatures?"
"No, they are elemental creatures. A fire is useful for warming and cooking but it may burn down a house. We breathe in air but a wind can blow down trees. Without water we die or drown in too much. A nymph may kill you but it will never go dark. Only human's delight in causing pain and misery. If you do this thing and it's goes dark it will be the human part causing it, not the other."
"Why do you want to do this?"
"I am a hag, we deal in nature. A nymph in a human shell. It would be a god incarnate to my kind. I want to do this to see what happens."
"What will the child be, how will it be different from her brothers?"
"She will be female, that will be the major difference and the most profound. She will be a witch that is guaranteed, no squib for you. She will be part fey. Her dreams may come from anywhere from anytime. She might know things she shouldn't. Her temperament will reflect the type of nymph who bonds with her. Fire, earth, water or air."
"I have never heard of earth nymphs." Molly admitted.
The ignorant call them wood nymphs, they are the same thing."
"Who gets to choose what type, you?"
"No you allow the nymphs to choose."
Molly paused and worked through her concerns in her mind. The blood hadn't burnt apart from when the hag had complemented her dress.
"So the child will be female, not dark."
"I never said not dark. She will be no more likely to go dark than your other children."
Molly ignored the interruption and the insinuation. "She will appear human?"
"To you humans yes. Those of us in touch with nature will be able to tell."
"So what are the other differences?"
"She will see and be swayed more than is normal by spirits and ghosts. She will live a longer than average lifetime. Some of your magic's she will be able to do instinctively, some spells never. "
Before Molly could ask the question the hag elaborated. "A water nymph will never cast fiendfyre a fire nymph will be able to control it. Maybe, I'm guessing. Will you do this?"
Arthur would never forgive her. Dumbledore she knew, would advise against it but she kept seeing in her mind's eye a Weasley gone dark, killing those who stood in his way."
"Yes." She barely heard her own voice.
"Return tonight at midnight. You can even wear that pretty dress again. It won't matter, for the ritual you will be naked."
The bloody mess on her head burned reminding her it was there.
She returned that night still not believing she was going to do this. The hag opened the door to her. She stood before Molly fully naked without a hint of embarrassment.
"Molly Weasley, blood magic user, are you ready?"
Molly squashed down her doubts. "Yes I'm ready."
"No you are not. You are dressed. You will strip down and then we will apparate to the place of the ritual. I'm surprised you never asked what this ritual entailed."
Molly felt herself grow cold as she unsnapped her bra. She froze in place wondering what it could entail the hag continued speaking ignoring Molly's lack of movement.
"There will be no modesty for you tonight Molly Weasley."
Molly even more reluctantly peeled of her underwear . "Tonight it will be easiest to use your magic to get to our destination. You apparate but allow me to guide us to the grove."
It was a waxing gibbous moon that hung above them, not quite as bright as a full moon but it gave enough light for them to find the path. They had apparated into a wood the hag set off confidently walking briskly, Molly struggled to keep up each foot step brought pain as she stepped on twigs and stones.
The path led into a wood henge. The light here seemed brighter, it may have been there where less trees casted shadow or the place held some magic of its own in the centre of the circle was a stone alter. Around that where 4 smaller stones.
On one burned a small flame, on another a plant grew, the next held a bowl of water the last stood empty. Molly glanced quizzically at the Hag.
"Air is everywhere and has to be free. If we place anything there then the rituals always fail. Now you need to lie back on the large stone. I will summon the nympths and we shall see which one will join with you."
Molly tried to keep her trepidation to herself as the hag spoke her spell. Molly didn't understand the language but something about her understood the power that was being called forth. She suddenly felt Goosebumps over her naked body that had nothing to do with the cold.
Then there was something else, a wave crashed over her, she was suddenly floating under water then the water passed and she was buried alive pressed in on all sides, the whirlwind picked her up throwing her high into the sky like a storm tossed leaf. The flames slowly burned up her legs then the fire seemed to move inside her gently warming her from the inside. She felt the warmth burn with gratitude and love from within her abdomen.
"So Molly Weasley partaker of nature rituals, have the spirits chosen? The ritual is over, the nymphs visited. Which one chose you?"
Molly tried to answer but she felt tears build within her. The child she now bore, this part human part fey creature loved her and was radiating that love throughout her body.
"Fire." She was finally able to answer.
The hag smiled knowingly. "With the Weasley temper it was never in doubt."
X
A.N.
'Tis a strange thing this. An idea popped for a scene into my head. All this was written so the scene would make sense. However I feel the scene weakens what came before so it has been left out.
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Ginny looked and behaved just like any other child. It was many years before Molly started to see signs that everything wasn't quite right.
Molly book down the book on the bedside table, The Adventures of Harry Potter Boy Wizard. It was Ginny's favourite and usually helped her to settle down, tonight she seemed more agitated.
"I'm going to Marry Harry when we're older." Ginny told her.
"I'm sure you'll be very happy together." Molly wasn't really paying attention she was more trying to get her daughter to settle than listen to her words.
"Not really, I've got a temper and Harry doesn't know how to handle angry people. We'll have free children they will be beautiful but sad, famous before they are born. Everyone wanting something from them. I'll enjoy the fame Harry will hate it. I'll try mum." Ginny was in tears now. "I'll try but I won't be a good wife for him."
