Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Ron sighed, barely stopping himself from pulling out clumps of hair in exasperation. They had been over this more than ten times.
"No magic at all." He lectured Rose sternly "And if you do it, the Minister will send you to Azkaban." He knew this was a lie, and not a good way to parent, but she was driving him insane. Rose was now six years old and off to her first day of muggle primary school as a grade 1.
Her accidental magic had only gotten worse over the past four years and he needed her to not randomly become invisible in front of tons of muggles during class. In fact, although it had been a while since he'd needed to think about underage magic, he was pretty sure the ministry would detect that and punish her for it. So maybe not a lie.
"Nu uh. Minister Kingsley likes me." He rolled his eyes and sent a prayer to the heavens, making a note to talk to Hermione about having the Minister of Magic over when she was babysitting his children.
"Yes, but it's his job. He'll have to arrest you, no matter how much he likes you. And Daddy doesn't want to visit you in jail. Besides, there's no cookies in Azkaban." She frowned at this and Ron shook his head in amused exasperation.
"I'll try Daddy. But sometimes I can't help it."
"I know love. Just try not to apparate or suddenly become invisible at school. Okay?"
"Okay." Ron nodded, satisfied. Rose yawned and made Ron do the same. They were up very early so they could drop Izzy at Theo and Astoria's. Vaguely he wondered why muggle school started on a Tuesday anyways before remembering Hogwarts started whenever September 1st was.
He buckled his younger daughter in her car seat next to her sister and put Rosie's shiny new pink backpack in the back of the car. He had gotten his license so he could drive them places because he quickly learned that apparating with small children was a mess and a hassle. It made them throw up, cry, scream, and generally throw a fit.
He pulled up to their house at ten to eight. For some reason Rose went to school from eight until three, which meant whoever was looking after them had to pick her up two hours before Ron came to pick them up.
He went around to the side door and unbuckled Izzy. In the early morning light, she looked strikingly like a miniature version of Daphne and the remembrance caused a lump in his throat. After all this time his emotions hadn't quite sorted themselves in regards to his deceased ex-wife. He found it crazy how much Izzy was already starting to look like her. Rose looked much more like him and her resemblance to her mother was much subtler, but enough to remind him of her anyways. In his worst moments he wished she hadn't died so that he could hate her. She walked out on them damn it, and he wasn't even allowed to be angry.
He shook his head and smiled at his daughter who was looking up at him with eyes identical to his own. He kissed her nose and tickled her and she squirmed. "Daddy! Beard picky!" She declared. Ron ran a hand over his face. He quite likes his slight beard. Hermione said it looked dignified. Ginny said he looked like a mountain man.
He carried her to the door and raised a hand to knock but Theo opened it before he could. "Morning Ron!"
"Hey mate. Thanks for taking her earlier, I've gotta get Rose to school."
"Hi Uncle Theo!" Rose screamed from the car." Theo chuckled and waved enthusiastically at the backseat.
"Have fun at school!" He called. "See you later." He said to Ron, carrying Isobelle into the house.
"Alright Rosie." Ron muttered to her once in the car. "Let's go to school." The drive was pleasant and short, mercifully. They pulled up at the modest building to a grass pen enclosure type thingy. Ron was temporarily boggled by the strange muggle ways. He got Rose's backpack on successfully as she craned her neck around them.
"Daddy, where are they?" She implored.
"They'll be here. Aunt Hermione and Uncle Draco are never late, you know that. As for Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry…" He added the last part under his breath as he was cut off by a scream from Rose.
Two blond haired children were swarming Rose. Kassiopoeia Malfoy and her younger brother Scorpius were students here. Scorp was starting with Rose and so was Albus, Harry and Ginny's middle child. He looked up at the familiar faces of his long-time best friend and ex-nemesis-turned-best-friend. "Wotcher." Draco said and Ron was reminded irresistibly of the Slytherin's cousin.
"Morning." He responded.
"It's too early to be morning." Harry grumbled, a sleeping Lily on his shoulder, Albus in the fray around Rose, James long gone. Ginny snorted in amusement and took their daughter from him.
"Wood used to have you up way earlier than this for Quidditch and you didn't mind." Ginny commented.
"Oh I minded." He responded. "I just didn't dare show it. He could be a little…intense, about Quidditch."
The teacher blew the whistle and the other parents, who had done this before, said goodbye to their kids without much fanfare. Ron knew that he gave his children to various family members to look after every day but somehow sending Rose to school felt different. Like she was already starting to leave him. Merlin he was not going to handle them going to Hogwarts well.
He crouched down to his bubbly little girl's level and hugged and kissed her. "Be good Rosie, I love you." He said gruffly.
"Love you Daddy!" She said sweetly back before grabbing Albus and Scorpius by the hand and disappearing into the building. Hermione threaded her arm through his and Harry's.
"Crazy isn't it. Our children going to school when it feels like we just left."
"The three of them look like the three of you and they're just as close." Ginny commented.
"Merlin help us." Draco muttered. "Another golden trio." Ginny chuckled and Hermione rolled her eyes at him.
"Ready for tomorrow? George told me to tell you guys he has a bet going on whether Bill and Fleur will cry." Ron informed them.
"That's awful!" Hermione said reproachingly. Ron privately agreed, knowing he was going to be a mess.
"Tell him I'm in for 10 galleons, Bill cries and Fleur doesn't." Ginny said and Harry chuckled. Hermione was aghast.
"Ginny!" The redhead shrugged.
"They'll bet for all of us too, might as well make it just as bad for the rest of them. Anyways, see you lot tomorrow, I have a meeting in ten minutes."
Ron made it through the day, watching the clock more than the customers. Eventually George sent him home so he could pick Rose up from school for the first time. He drove back to the school, nervous.
"Hi Rosie, how was school?" He asked as he got an armful of his daughter.
"It was amazing! Al almost got detention except it wasn't his fault so he didn't and I learned about the different vowel sounds and we got to have reading time!" She babbled the whole way to Astoria and Theo's who invited them in for tea.
She regaled them all with stories, he had no idea how she had so many from one day. Izzy sat on his lap and listened, content to snuggle as she was half asleep. Eventually they left for home and he surprisingly got both girls to bed without incident. He fell asleep in the living room and eventually got up to bed.
The next morning, he sent Rose to school but kept Izzy. He and George had left the story in Verity and Lee (who Ron strongly suspected were mad for each other) in charge of the store so they could go to Kings Cross with the rest of the family. The whole family had gone to send Teddy off last year and this year it was Vic's turn. Ron wondered how many years they would have to do this to get through all of the Weasley grandchildren.
George nearly left without his wife who was not happy with him for forgetting her. Luckily, they were apparating so Ron wouldn't have to put up with their arguing for long. He held tight to Izzy and held her close as they spun away.
George and Angelina had brought Roxy, Fred was in school. At the platform they met up with Bill and Fleur and all three of their children; Victoire who was going to Hogwarts, Dominique, and Louis. The two younger children had been allowed to miss school today to see their older sister off. Charlie was there, holding Aquilla, Draco and Hermione's youngest. Percy and Audrey were there but both of their girls, Molly and Lucy, were at school. He had Izzy; and Ginny, Harry, and Lily were present. James and Albus were at school. Mum and Dad were of course there too as were Teddy and Andromeda.
Bill and Fleur were fussing over Victoire who was trying to seem unconcerned but was clearly excited and nervous. Ron remembered his own first train ride to Hogwarts with fondness. He had no idea how much his life was about to change as he sat across from the friendly black-haired boy with glasses. He grinned at his brother-in-law who was hugging his godson goodbye. Ginny caught his eye and waved him over.
"So far no one has cried." Ginny informed him. As soon as she said that, Molly burst into tears and Ginny sighed. "We forgot to bet on Mum!"
"I wouldn't. She's be livid if she ever found out." Ron said, picturing his mother's reaction to finding out they'd bet on whether or not she had cried.
"True." Ginny said flippantly. She'd always been the bravest of the lot of them. Not that he would ever say that to her face.
In the end, Bill and Fleur both teared up but didn't cry. Victoire did cry until she turned around to face the outstretched hand of Teddy Lupin and his familiar smile. His hair was his trademark turquoise but turned pink as she took his hand.
Ron raised an eyebrow and met Harry's amused gaze. "Looks like my godson could be real family after all." He said and Ginny snorted.
"He already is though." She added softly and Harry nodded.
Bill and Fleur held onto each other, waving until the train was out of sight, and the rest of the family hung back. Ron noticed Dom and Louis were with his Mum and Dad. Eventually they joined the rest of the family. Fleur grabbed Dom's hand and Bill hoisted Louis into his arms, kissing his blond head.
Later that night they all gathered for dinner even though it wasn't Sunday and enjoyed each other's company. It was the weekend now and they all stayed over with the remaining kids, which was insanity but amazing all at once. This would later become a Weasley family tradition carried even into the generation after Ron's kids.
Ron smiled at his girls who were curled up on either side of him in the magically expanded sleeping bag/mattress and gazed fondly at the rest of his family sprawled on the floor. Mum and Dad were the only ones absent, upstairs because they said they were too old to sleep on the floor.
Fred set off a whizzbang and woke everyone at 2 a.m. and his shrieks of delight turned into Angelina's yells as she scolded him and George's quiet snickers. Ron grinned to himself. His family was batty. But he loved them.