Chapter III
June arrived as did the first wave of seasonal visitors. They met with a lodge that was fully prepared. Luna and her staff were ready to give the muggle visitors a first-class experience inside the lodge. Outside, Rolf was waiting with views of his newly acquired herd of Vampire Deer, which he called Chinese Water Deer on his non-magical reserve tours. Ginny, despite being hugely pregnant, had the magical side of the lodge ready to shine. Harry, for his part, spent most of his time assisting Ginny.
Molly arrived a few days before their children were due home from Ilvermorny. She said she was going to stay and help out because Ginny should not be working too hard these last weeks. She was a welcome addition to the lodge.
"They are going to be very surprised to see me, '' chuckled Ginny to her mom as they sipped tea while waiting for a batch of cookies to finish baking.
"Yes, dear. They certainly will. It reminds me of when I came home with you from St. Mungo's. The boys were expecting another brother. That's all we had in the Weasley family. It was to be expected. They were all arguing about what you should be named when your father and I arrived with you. Their top picks were Wiznut and Frunobulax. When I showed them their new sister...well, they weren't ready for you. They said we should take you back. We obviously had the wrong baby. It was quite a scene."
"They're still not ready, the tossers. I honestly don't know why you kept them."
"That's true," laughed Molly as she stood up to remove the biscuits from the oven, "but they turned into a fair lot. They protected you until you were old enough to take care of yourself."
"I guess so, if you call pulling pranks on me dawn to dark protecting," snickered Ginny.
"Ginny, dear. It made you strong. Look at you. You battled through the war when you were still underage. You played professional quidditch, raised a family. You took on this whole new life. Not everyone could manage that," asserted Molly with a hint of pride in her words as she moved the biscuits off the cooking sheet to cool.
"I guess you're right. You and dad did raise a pretty good family considering what you had to work with."
Ginny and Molly picked up their plates, cups, and table service. They walked toward the muggle-side kitchen and put them in the sink.
"What else should we make?" asked Molly.
"We don't have to make anything, mom. The elves will take care of that."
"I know, but I like to cook and bake, and so do you. You haven't forgotten how to cook and bake, have you?"
"No, mom," said Ginny as she shook her head and smiled. "I can still cook and bake. Let's make some more pies and mince tarts. I'll have the elves bring us what we need from their kitchen."
Ginny and Molly spent the afternoon baking and talking like old days back home. Molly felt forty years younger and Ginny felt like the little girl learning at her mother's apron. Everyone was most appreciative of the time they spent together. It was a chance to rediscover old treats and tastes long absent from their lives.
Four days later, there was an explosion at the front door of the lodge as seven children burst through and into the lobby followed by Harry. Luna ran to greet them. Rolf, who was in between tours, got up and walked over to welcome them in a very Rolf-like fashion. Harry had gone to Vancouver to meet the children while everyone else stayed to run the lodge. He had driven a vehicle to a nearby remote location then used a portkey to get to Vancouver. Once he collected the children they used the portkey to get back to the vehicle.
"Where's mama Ginny?" asked Lily, looking around.
"I think she is in the loo," replied Luna. "She'll be along in a minute."
Luna and Rolf continued chatting with the children, catching up on the details of school while Harry made his way to the table and all of the treats and drinks. Suddenly, a door across the room opened. Ginny and Molly entered carrying platters of treats.
"MOM!" screamed Rhonda, the first to see her. "OH...MY...GAWD!"
The others stopped mid-sentence and turned to see what had Rhonda so stirred up.
"Bloody hell!" exclaimed James, sounding for all the world like his uncle Ron.
"Mom! Are you...pregnant?" squealed Lily.
Ginille, the youngest of the group at eleven, ran over and hugged Ginny. "Are you going to have a baby, mama Ginny?" she asked in a sweet voice.
"Actually, I am having two," responded Ginny in a voice loud enough for all to hear.
"How did this happen?" asked Rhonda in a concerned tone. "Why haven't you told us before now?"
"We didn't want it to interfere with your schoolwork," said Harry, still chewing on a bite of pumpkin pastie.
"Interfere with our schoolwork?" snipped Albus in a snide voice more befitting of his middle namesake. "That's lame."
"Maybe it is," replied Harry. "But that is why we didn't tell you. Now, mind your manners. None of you have said a word to your grandma.
Ginille immediately ran over and wrapped her arms around Molly. "I love you, Gramma," she gushed.
The others, feeling the pressure, halted their inquisition and turned to Molly. As the tension in the room abated, Ginny took a seat in her favorite chair. The children all gave Molly a proper greeting and then, properly distracted from Ginny, turned their attention to the table full of treats and drinks.
Fortunately, all of the guests at the lodge were out enjoying nature and not there to witness the scene. By the time they started to return for drinks and pre-dinner snacks, the kids had settled down and were reacclimating themselves to life in the lodge.
By evening, the mood of the family had eased to a more peaceful, normal level. The kids were all interacting with the children of the muggle visitors. Many of them were occupied playing games on the big television. Ginille and a couple of other young girls were playing with dolls. James and Rhonda had slipped into the magical wing to hang out with some of the younger witches and wizards, some of whom they knew from school.
The days passed and the children blended into the lodge like they had never left. They helped out with many functions. None of them carried their wands unless instructed to by one of their parents. They had all become so acclimated to working with muggles over the years that magical mishaps requiring fixes were nonexistent.
On the evening of June 25th, Madam Qingwa appeared. She had a large bag that was most assuredly filled with everything she would need to perform the upcoming cesarean procedure. Maomao, Luna, and Molly assisted her in setting up the place in what would become the nursery to handle the operation as Ginny watched.
Before long, a table was in position and covered with some pads and several sheets. Pillows were there to support Ginny's head and body. Another small table was set in place to hold all of Madam Qingwa's equipment.
"Nothing to worry about," she said mostly to Ginny, but also to Luna and Molly. "I have done this many times. You don't worry. I will do good job. You and babies be very happy."
"Thank you," said Ginny. "I am nervous about this, even though I have already had three children."
"You'll be fine, dear," said Molly, trying to sound serious, but starting to chuckle at what she was about to say. "I didn't have any problems with Fred and George...at least until after they were born."
Ginny started roaring with laughter at her mom's statement. It took Luna a moment, but soon, all three women were laughing as Maomao and Madam Qingwa stood by looking at them like they had gone bonkers.
Once the room was ready, it was all down to the waiting. After lunch the following day, Madam Qingwa had Ginny lie on the table where she would perform the operation. She positioned the pillows and explained what would happen. She was going to use the Calvorio spell to remove all of the hair from Ginny's pubic region.
Next, I going to insert a foley catheter in her bladder to drain your urine and help prevent infection. We learn about these from muggle doctors. Very good things."
Ginny and Molly winced at the description of the catheter process. It did not sound inviting.
"First, I use spell so you feel nothing in bottom half your body. Then I cut you and take out babies. You don't feel anything. No labor pains. Once babies out, I heal your cut. Then you take care of babies."
"That seems reasonable," said Ginny.
"Yessss," added Luna. "I think I would have liked that more than the regular way."
The last thing they did was have Maomao show Molly how to massage Ginny's legs during the operation. Madam Qingwa said she could get blood clots if they did not keep stimulating the muscles.
Once they were finished, they all went downstairs for lunch.
"Eat good lunch," said Madam Qingwa. "Once lunch is over, you get no more food, just get liquid until babies are born."
Ginny went upstairs to rest after finishing lunch. The rest of the group tended to guests. Madam Qingwa and Maomao also went upstairs to avoid contact with any of the muggle guests.
The rest of the day passed. The last thing Ginny, Luna, and Molly did before turning in for the night was to go out to the hot spring for a relaxing soak. Even with the potions from Madam Qingwa, Ginny was having a lot of back pain for the obvious reasons. They talked with a muggle couple from Australia who had come up to see 'the top half of the world'. The Nakatsuo's, Mick and Carol, were very interested in hearing about England once they learned that Molly was visiting from there. A UK tour was high on their bucket list.
The morning of the twenty-seventh seemed to arrive extra early. Everyone ate except Ginny. She was given some juice and tea. After breakfast, everyone except Ginny and Molly began attending to the normal business of the lodge. Visitors still needed to be entertained, animals needed to be tended to, new guests needed to be welcomed.
Molly Madam Qingwa, and Maomao began preparing for the birthing process. The plan was to do it after lunch when the guests would be out of the lodge. The three of them would perform Ginny's procedure. The others were welcome to attend if they could break free from other duties. The children, on the other hand, were expected to either help out with guest duties or to stay out of the way.
At one-thirty, Madam Qingwa had Ginny take her place on the birthing table. She raised Ginny's gown and prepared to begin. Molly took Ginny's hand and said, "Relax, dear. Everything is going to be fine."
"Yes. Relax Mistress Ginny. Maomao will give you the best of care."
Thanks, mom," replied Ginny, her hand tightening on her mother's. "Thanks, Maomao. I am glad you are here."
Madam Qingwa pulled out a wand that appeared to be made of willow, much like Ron's second wand, but two or three inches shorter. She waved it in a circular motion over Ginny's pubic region saying "Calvario".
All of the red hair between Ginny's legs seemed to wilt. "Ventus minima", said Madam Qingwa with a swishing motion that caused all of the suddenly loose hairs to be blown away.
"Much better than muggle way," said Madam Qingwa. "They use razor or clipper to do this. Bad for skin."
Molly watched the hair as it finished falling to the floor while Maomao moved down beside Ginny's left leg. Maomao knew from other cesareans what was happening next and where she should position herself.
Madam Qingwa began moving her wand in counterclockwise circles. "Torpere!" she said as she touched it to Ginny's swollen belly and traced it down her left leg all of the ways to her toes. Ginny felt the feeling wash away from her lower body and leg. Madam Qingwa repeated the spell, tracing it down Ginny's right leg. Ginny now felt completely numb from her stomach down.
Molly moved down beside Ginny's right leg and joined Maomao in massaging Ginny's legs as she had been instructed. Madam Qingwa moved into position for the beginning of the actual procedure.
"Okay. We do operation now. You have babies soon."
"I think I'm ready," said Ginny.
Madam Qingwa picked up the foley catheter and started to insert it into Ginny's bladder. After a moment, a yellow stream started filling the bag on the other end of the catheter assembly just as Luna entered the room.
"Good you are here," said madam Qingwa. "You help us. Clean hands and arms.
Luna looked at her clothes and removed her top and pants. They were not clean enough for what they were doing.
With the catheter in place and working, Madam Qingwa felt Ginny's abdomen to identify the exact spot of the incision. "Septumsempra," she said in a soft voice as a red line appeared behind her wand as she created a six-inch incision. After inspecting the initial incision, she made a few additional small incisions until she was satisfied that Ginny was ready for delivery.
Maomao stopped massaging and picked up a device that looked a bit like fireplace bellows with a tube attached to it. She inserted the tube into the incision and used it to draw out about a pint and a half of fluid according to the volume she emptied into a nearby basin.
Once Maomao finished removing the fluid and returned to massaging Ginny's leg. Madam Qingwa began birthing the first baby. As soon as its head was out she used a small device to clear the fluids from the baby's nose and mouth. She then pulled out the shoulders, then the rest of the baby.
Luna was standing by in just her bra, panties, and shoes as Madam Qingwa turned and handed the baby to Luna. "You hold while I get other baby and placenta."
"It's a girl, Gin," gushed Luna.
"Great," said Ginny, trying to smile.
Luna gently held the baby. She could not move too far because of the umbilical cord. Madam Qingwa maneuvered the second baby girl up and out a couple of moments later. Once the placenta was out they stepped back and they sat the babies in a tub. "You clean babies while I close incision."
Luna started to gently wipe the blood, fluids, and vernix off the babies. Maomao and Molly continued their massaging as Madam Qingwa moved to start closing the incisions.
"They're beautiful, Gin," said Luna as she gently wiped the babies. "They have light red hair and very fair skin." Maybe they'll be little girl Fred and Georges."
Oh gawd, no," said Ginny as she beamed the widest smile she could muster.
"WA!" blurted Madam Qingwa, breaking the moment and causing everyone to jump.
"What's the matter?" said Molly in a frightened voice.
"Nothing the matter. There another baby inside her."
As the stunned group watched, Madam Qingwa pulled out a third baby. This one was a boy with the darker hair completion of Rolf. She handed it to Luna. Luna started cleaning it.
"That is all," said Madam Qingwa.
"Thank goodness," said Molly. "Three is more than enough."
Madam Qingwa inspected the placentas. Next, she started moving her wand over the incisions repeatably while saying "Vulnera Sanentur. Unlike muggle medicine, which would leave Ginny with a multitude of sutures, the incisions healed themselves in a matter of minutes.
"Where your wand?" Madam Qingwa asked Luna.
"In my pants," replied Luna.
You get and cut cords. They need cutting.
"Yes, Luna," said Ginny. "You are the father. It is your job."
"Yes, I am." came the oddly proud-sounding response.
"What are you talking about?" asked Molly in a concerned, almost worried voice.
"Nothing, mom. It's just a joke."
"Really. You're as bad as your brothers."
Luna retrieved her wand. With three quick flicks of the diffindo charm, she severed the cords. Madam Qingwa placed two of the babies on Ginny. The joy on Ginny's face was beyond measure. Molly was handed the third baby. She was in grandmother's heaven as tears of joy freely flowed down several faces.
Madam Qingwa moved her wand in the rough shape of a shield over Ginny and said, "Finite Incantatem." A red light glowed around the lower half of Ginny's body. She instantly felt her feelings returning to her.
"You feel better, now," said Madam Qingwa as she unstoppered a bottle label 'Dittany' in English under the Chinese symbols 迪塔尼 and began applying some to Ginny's abdomen.
"I do feel better," remarked Ginny as she snuggled with her twin girls. "That was definitely better than regular childbirth...uh...not that I would want to do it again."
A few minutes later Harry and Rolf quietly came into the room.
"Is everything fine? Are you okay, Gin," asked Harry, trying to survey the room.
"Everything is wonderful," gushed Molly. "Now, you two stay away. You're filthy."
"It's wonderful," reiterated Luna. "We have two beautiful girls and a handsome boy."
"Tr-triplets," stuttered Harry.
"That's wonderful," said Rolf in his typically understated manner.
Everything was cleaned up and organized over the next several minutes. The nursery layout was reorganized. Once Ginny was properly dressed and settled in her bed, Luna went downstairs to gather the children and bring them up to introduce them to their new sisters and brother. The boys tried to feign indifference, but the girls were all bonkers.
Madam Qingwa gave Molly a paper with a recipe for baby formula just in case Ginny could not manage to feed all three of them. Even if she didn't need it, now, it promised to be important as the babies grew larger.
It took most of the next day for them to settle on the names for the babies. They ignored the suggestions of the other children as much as possible. In the end, they finally picked Reishi Molly Potter-Scamander for the eldest twin. Her sister was named Chanterelle Tina. They named their son. Remus Newton Potter-Scamander. On the morning of the third day, Ginny proudly entered the lobby pushing a triplet's stroller Harry had found on a hasty trip to Vancouver. Life at the lodge was going to be interesting.
End of Chapter 32
If you have never seen or heard of Chinese Water (Vampire) Deer, google them. They are pretty cool.
Reishi is a common variety of mushrooms. It has been called the mushroom of immortality. In Chinese, this mushroom is known as Ling Zhi. It is native to Europe, Asia and North America. The Latin word 'lucidus' in its scientific name means "shiny" or "brilliant".
Chanterelle is the common name of several species of mushrooms. They are among the sought-after and deletable wild mushrooms`` common to North America.