April 1, 1989
"Now, boys. You must never tell Molly or Minnie what we are about to tell you," Sirius said, cornering the twins outside with Remus.
"We have your birthday present, but it's not a physical present, yet," Remus said, a twinkle of mischief in his eye.
"What? You got us a riddle for our birthday?" Fred asked, looking mock injured.
"That's just cruel," George added, smirking.
"Ah, but we don't have the gift, you see," Remus said, smirking back.
"It's tucked in Filch's office at Hogwarts. All you have to do is get into his office, preferably with detention, say 'accio Map,' and 'BAM,' happy belated birthday present, twins," Sirius told them, smiling a mischievous smile.
"And what do we do when we get said map?" The twins asked in unison.
"Say, 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.' That's all," Sirius told them, suddenly looking out for stray adults who would only want to stop their fun.
"You got that, boys? 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.' Remember that," Remus repeated.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," The twins replied.
"Good job, now, let's get back to your party. The women-folk might get suspicious. Oh, and one more thing, when Harry is get's to school, he's allowed to use the Map whenever he wants. It's part of his inheritance, after all," Sirius told them. With that, they all trooped back into the Burrow.
"What did Padfoot and Moony want to talk about?" Harry asked, sliding in next to them at the table.
"Nothing important. Just explaining why they didn't get us a gift," George whispered to Harry, knowing he would understand his uncles' peculiar behavior better than any one. Harry just nodded a knowing nod, then turned back to his cake.
"Lily, why don't you slide in there next to James, yeah," Sirius said, pushing Ginny down the bench to Harry's side, causing Draco to look just a bit put out that his best friend was sitting next to a girl.
"Not Lily or James, Padfoot," Remus said, tired of this particular correction. Sirius had made the mistake so much that it was a wonder he knew Ginny's name at all.
"Close enough," Sirius dismissed, turning to get cake.
"Is he ever going to get that right? Or stop calling me red." Ginny asked, leaning towards Harry.
"Probably not. He still calls Hestia 'Jones' when they row," Harry confided.
"How does that end?" Fred asked loudly, ready to get Sirius in trouble.
"With Hestia kicking him out and making his stay at Black Manor with Cissa," Harry replied, catching Hestia's attention.
"You lot stop that. We are not here to make poor Sirius feel bad about himself. We're here to celebrate the fact that Molly hasn't murdered these boys in the last 11 years. To Fred and George!" Hestia cheered.
"To Fred and George!" The party echoed.
June 5, 1989
"Sirius, she's been dead for years now. You have to do something about that house," Narcissa admonished.
"You're ex-husband has been in Azkaban even longer, and you have yet to purge that house of all it's dark contents," Sirius shot back.
"I remarried! It doesn't recognize me as a Malfoy and I certainly won't send Draco in there alone," Narcissa replied, keeping her cool, but only just.
"I agree! But don't lecture me when you don't have your own house clean!" Sirius yelled.
"Maybe when Draco is older, then I'll go through it." Narcissa huffed. "But I will not do it now. You, however, have an excellent reason to get that house in order. Two, actually."
"You're acting like I would let my children go anywhere near that awful place. It has nothing but horrible creatures and Kreacher, the slime! Won't even let me in the house without yelling 'Blood traitor' at me!" Sirius replied, throwing his arms in the air.
"As if you've never been called names before? As if you've called someone else names before? You need to stop acting like a child, Sirius, and start acting like a man. You've made great strides in that area with Harry and the twins. However, in terms of that house, you have to face your past, Sirius. You're letting her win if you leave it full of dark magic. Soon, it will become a living thing," Narcissa warned.
She left him there to think about she had said. He stared out of the window, pondering what his cousin had challenged him to do. Face his past, literally in this case. Face all those memories he left locked in that house when he left at 16. Hours later, he made his decision.
"Hestia, I'm going to 12 Grimauld Place. Floo if you need me, but don't let the children through and don't send Remus. This is something I have to do myself."
August 25, 1989
"Alright, usual teams! Fred, Harry, and Neville against me, Ginny, and Draco. Ron, you're Keeper for both teams, got it?" George said, organizing the teams for the last time before school started.
"Aw, why do I gotta be Keeper for both teams? That just means that Neville and Ginny will be tossing the quaffle at me all day while you two pelt me with bludgers!" Ron complained.
"You want to be Chaser/Seeker with me, mate?" Harry asked, pointing to the snitch that was already released. "You gotta play against Draco, and we all know he's a cheat!"
"I am not! Besides, you're the one what flew through the house last time we played, knowing it was out of bounds AND you're the only one who came make that corner!" Draco shouted, throwing his broom to the ground.
"You could keep up if you weren't such a mama's boy!" Harry replied, throwing his broom to the ground and raising his fists.
"Woah! Settle this on the pitch, like always," Fred said, stepping between the two.
"Fine!" Harry and Draco yelled in unison, grabbing up their brooms and mounting up.
"Play ball. I guess," Ron said, getting the game started.
Fred hurled the quaffle straight up, then jumped on his broom, batting a bludger straight at George, per their ritual. George returned the favor, then they proceeded to knock the bludger at anyone but each other for the rest of the game. Ron was doing a superb job of stopping the quaffle, only letting three goals past- one for Team Fred and two for Team George. He knew he would have to let Neville score next time, or else face Fred's wrath for favoring Ginny and George over him. Draco and Harry were diving between the action, helping Ginny and Neville score, and searching the skies for the snitch.
Fred's team scored again, solely from their own skill Ron would later swear, and tied the score up. Harry found the snitch flying over the pond, so he took off after it, determined to win. Draco saw and followed, not wanting to be left behind. They rocketed across the yard at speeds Sirius swore their brooms couldn't go, zooming for the snitch. As they closed in on it, it dove down to avoid being caught, causing the boys to veer as well. The speed, while manageable in a straight line, caused the boys to lose control and fly into the water. The other children stopped the game and flew to the water's edge, waiting to see who caught the snitch, knowing one or the other would come up victorious.
Draco and Harry broke the surface of the water at the same time, gulping in air. Then, Harry's hand came up out of the water and proudly showed the snitch. Fred and Neville cheered while Ginny and George pouted.
"Ron, why aren't you more happy, we won!" Neville asked, jumping around.
"You three win or those three win. I always lose," Ron said, indifferent to the situation.
"You only lost because you let four past this time and only let three past last time. That's the only way you lost," Ginny informed him, knowing he could be in a mood the rest of the day.
"See, I lose. I was right," Ron said, pulling Harry from the pond. "Now, let's go find your brooms before Mum and Aunt Hestia figure out we lost them, yeah?"
"Where did they go?" Harry asked, suddenly regretting his dare devil stunt.
"I'll bet there in the pond, they have those dumb safety charms that make them stop when the rider falls off so Sirius doesn't have to find them," Draco said, pulling himself onto the beach.
"You lot are in trouble. Just thought I should warn you," Marly suddenly appeared next to Neville.
"What do you mean, Marly," Neville asked, pulling his sister away from the water's edge.
"Here comes Mum and Aunt Hestia, they'll tell you," Marly told her brother, brown hair blowing in the wind.
"Harry James Potter, explain yourself right this second. What on earth would cause you to pull such a harebrained stunt? Honestly, it's like you ignore everything I say and only listen to Sirius!" Hestia exclaimed, accio-ing the brooms from the water.
"Don't you even think of slinking off Draco Malfoy. You're in just as much trouble, young man." Alice said, grabbing the back of his shirt. "Back to the house with the lot of you. You're going to de-gnome the garden and think about what consequences your actions could have had."
The children whined about the fairness of it all as they hiked back to the Burrow, dragging their brooms along. Alice and Hestia stayed behind to make sure they all went to the house and that no one escaped their punishment.
"We're seriously lucky, though," Alice whispered to Hestia.
"Yeah, if Minerva or Sirius had been here, they would have given Harry and Draco an award for that stunt. Trying to make Seekers out of both of them," Hestia replied, counting her lucky stars.
September 15th, 1989
"Alright Marly if you're going to play, you have to be able to stay on your broom. That means no tricks like Ginny does." Neville said, holding onto her broom with one hand.
"Yeah, Gin is good at playing, but she was still a beginner when she was your age." Draco told her the quaffle in his hands.
"Are we ever going to play? Ginny groaned. "It's going to be lunch time by the time we start and then mum's gonna yell at us then degnome the garden." She told the boys. "Look we're going to play the game lower to the ground, so if you fall, it won't hurt. Promise." She told Marly, forcing Neville to let go of her broom. "Come on boys, or are you afraid Draco and I are going to crush you without Fred to hit us with the bludger?"
"We could play boys against girls," Harry smirked. "Do you really think you can take on all of us?"
"At least then someone good at Quidditch could teach her how to play." Ginny smirked back.
"Good idea then. me, Harry and Marly against Gin and Neville. Sounds fair." Draco shrugged.
"Take that back! Right now, Draco Malfoy!" Ginny said, rushing towards him.
"Draco isn't scared of you," Ron laughed.
"You are!" Ginny snapped. "Take it back."
"I want Ginny to teach me!" Marly cried.
"Come on, Marly," Ginny said, grabbing Marly's broom and going to the pond.
"Boys will be boys. That's what my mom always says." Marly could be heard from a distance.
October 31, 1989
"I'm telling you, you'll love Muggle Halloween! I can't believe we've never done this before!" Harry shouted, jumping around the house. Neville, Ron, Draco, Ginny, and Marly, were in Potter Manor, getting ready to join Harry in Muggle trick-or-treating. No one had thought to tell the children that the reason they had never done this before was fear of what Fred and George would do if they ever found out about this tradition.
"Are you sure it's safe?" Draco asked, looking skeptically at his plastic sword, having chosen a pirate costume while shopping in Muggle London with Hestia.
"It's totally safe! Even better! There's loads of candies involved!" Harry cheered jumping around in a blue Man City football uniform, a tribute to Moony's ability to get Harry involved in muggle culture.
"What is a 'ninja?'" Ginny asked, holding up the black mask that came with her costume. "And why does it need a face mask?"
"A ninja is a Japanese Auror. They're known for being very sneaky. The mask is so that no one will know who they are. It adds to the sneakiness. Why did you pick it if you didn't know what it was?" Remus explained.
"I thought it looked wicked, and I was right," Ginny shrugged, then handed Remus the face mask to tie on her head.
"Why did you have to pick the little witch outfit, Marly? You can be a witch any time," Neville lamented, pulling at his cape.
"Now, if I do any accidental magic, I'll tell the muggles it's a trick!" Marly said, giggling at her brother's silly questions. "Besides, the dress is super cool!"
"Now, everyone hold still, we need a picture. Ron, you and Neville need to be beside each other. Why on earth you two chose Batman and the Joker is beyond me. Draco and Harry next, then, Ginny, you and Marly up front. Wonderful. Now, smile and say cheese!" Hestia commanded, taking a wizard photo of the group. With that, they headed into the nearby muggle neighborhood to get some candy and celebrate Halloween.
April 7, 1990
"Happy Birthday, Fred and George!" The crowd cheered.
Percy and the twins were home from Hogwarts for Easter Hols. Charlie had opted to stay behind with Nymphadora Tonks and study for their NEWTs. At least, that's what they said they were doing. Andromeda seemed to have her doubts about Dora's ability to think that far in advance, especially with the handsome Gryffindor seeker staying behind as well.
"Why do they get presents, even though their birthday is past?" Harry whined.
"They are in school on their birthday, which you never are. Doesn't that seem like a fair trade off?" Sirius asked, knowing that Harry got presents year round.
"I guess. Can I have a new broom for Easter?" Harry asked, still upset that Draco had a faster broom.
"Not right now. Maybe for your birthday," Sirius said as a pro forma answer.
"C'mon, Harry, let's go!" Ron said, yanking on Harry's arm and effectively ending the conversation. "With Marly playing Seeker against you now, Neville has volunteered to be the other Keeper. We're going to have an actual game this time!"
"Marly's still a bit too small to be playing with bludgers. Especially the ones you lot are using. Maybe in a couple of years, but not today," Alice said, putting her foot down. There were whines and groans all around, until the floo sounded.
"Hey, sorry I'm late," an unfamiliar voice said.
"LEE!" The twins shouted, running for the fireplace.
"Twins!" Lee replied, laughing.
" What's a Lee?" Marly asked.
"He's a Lee!" Fred called from fireplace. "Now we can play Quidditch. He's a decent Chaser."
"Then who'll play seeker?" Neville pouted.
"Draco usually does it," Ron pointed out.
"I don't want to! Harry cheats when he plays against me!" Draco whined. " Besides, I have a better shot making a house team if I can play more than one position."
"I'll do it," Ginny said, jumping up from her chair. "I've always wanted to!"
The boys all looked at each other, seeking silent confirmation.
"Oh, why not?" George asked. "She already beats us all at chaser, maybe she needs to lose at something."
"Great way of looking at it, George," Ginny said, rolling her eyes.
"How are we going to do this?" Fred asked, getting serious. "I mean since Gin is already playing out of her element, you should take Ron as Keeper."
"I'll play the other Keeper," Neville volunteered, shocking everyone.
"Okay, then. Good job Neville. Lee, you're on my team as Chaser," Fred said, the first to come to his senses.
"What team am I on?" Ginny asked, folding her arms across her chest.
"George's team like always. You and Draco are just switching positions," Fred informed her.
"So, I'm playing against Harry?" Ginny smirked. "Think you can manage losing to a girl?"
"Don't see any girls here," Harry shrugged, smirking at her.
Ginny took three steps to him, giving him a peck on the lips. "Girls snog boys. So I guess that makes me one. Prepare to lose, Potter."
"Uh…" was Harry's intelligent response. Neville and Ron's mouths were open, and Draco had gone as white as a sheet.
"Come on, mates. Figure it out later," George said, pushing everyone outside, winking at Ginny.
The game was long and hard fought. Neville made an exceptional Keeper, claiming all his years of keeping Marly from falling off the stairs or out of windows as experience. He and Ron were an equal match, very good for their age. Lee was hesitant to play against the younger Chaser, but after Draco elbowed him in the ribs and stole the quaffle, he understood that this was just as dirty as any Hogwarts house game. Fred and George enjoyed themselves, hurling the bludgers about as though they were dandelion fuzz.
The scores were even, 30-30, when Harry saw the snitch hovering over the Burrow. He shot forward, victory in his sights. His hand was just there, reaching forward, fingers brushing the snitch's feathery wings. Suddenly, the snitch was gone and Ginny was holding it triumphantly in the air, arms pumping above her head as she crowed her victory.
"Ha! Told you, Potter!" Ginny shouted, landing her broom. George, Draco, and Ron landed, cheering their victory. Fred, Lee, and Neville landed, baffled at the loss. Harry had been a solid Seeker for them, only losing every third game at most.
"Good catch, Ginny," Neville congratulated, genuinely happy for his friend.
"Thanks, Nev. It's nice to win a game for once," Ginny said, jumping up and down.
"Hear that, Malfoy! They'll replace you next time!" Fred said, coming out of his stupor and hugging Ginny close.
"If she makes that catch again, she can have it. At least Harry doesn't cheat when he plays her," Draco said, grabbing Ginny from behind and spinning her.
"Good catch, Ginny," Lee said, smiling at the scene.
"No. Not good catch! Where the hell did you come from?" Harry shouted, much to angry for losing a pick-up game at 9.
"The right," Ginny told him, still smirking.
"That's not.. You weren't… How did…" Harry spluttered.
"Just because Draco's favorite strategy is to let you do the dirty work and then swoop in and steal the snitch, doesn't mean that I'm going to use the same one. You went left, so I went right. I was closer, but only just. Besides, I'm lighter, and everyone knows that's what makes me a better Seeker," Ginny explained, getting serious.
"Harry, mate, she doesn't have to defend herself just because she beat you," Ron said, getting in Harry's face.
"Yeah, mate, you need to take a walk," Draco suggested, pointed Harry towards the pond.
"Yeah, and if you don't check your attitude, I'll bat bogey hex you!" Ginny threatened, causing everyone but Lee to shudder.
"What's a bat bogey hex?" Lee asked, falling in love with the crazy group of friends he had found.
"A nasty bit of accidental magic Ginny managed to harness into pure torture. Pray you never find out from experience what I mean," Fred explained, causing everyone else to laugh and the tension to ease out as they trooped into the house, ready to eat.
March 1st, 1991
Everyone was scattered around the dinner table, even Minnie had left Hogwarts to come and celebrate the event with the family. Ron sat staring at his cake, ready to get a sugar rush and run around with the others.
But before they dove into the cake, Minnie pulled something out of her robes handed it to Ron. He let out a breath, and rushed over to her wrapping her into an embrace. "Thank you!" He told her, holding the letter out for the others to see. "I thought-I thought when I wasn't going to go." He confessed.
"Well, I figured that this was the best way to give it to you!" Minnie told him, returning his embrace. "The first of many this year, isn't it?"
Ron nodded and opened the letter.
"I can't believe it's finally time." Molly said with tears in her eyes. "Next year is going to be so quiet!"
"Hear that Marly, we need to be louder." Ginny said, making the whole room laugh.
"This is the best birthday present ever." Ron said, forgetting about the cake.
June 5th, 1991
Draco should have been happy. He should have been as happy as Ron. But Draco wasn't. He could only think about the Black and Malfoy traditions that came with this day. He had gotten his wand and brand new robes and even a new owl. The party was still underway, but Draco found himself looking up at the stars,the only lights faint from the house.
"Adhara said that you like to come up here," Ginny said, forcing Draco to open up his eyes. "I've never seen you up here."
"That's because most of the time we're at your house or Potter Manor. I blame Severus." Draco said.
"Why are you sad?" Ginny said sitting next to him. "You were smiling at the manor and happy to see everyone, but you're not happy. I can tell."
Draco pulled at Ginny's jumper, making her lay beside him. "I'm just thinking is all."
"Thinking and being sad. That doesn't sound like a good way to spend a birthday." Ginny told him, watching the stars. "What's so upset that you are going to mope for?"
"What if I am sorted into Slytherin." Draco whispered. "Everyone will hate me."
"I won't hate you. Why would any of us hate you?" Ginny said, sitting up.
"My dad was a Slytherin and a Death Eater. So was my mom, and every other Black and Malfoy besides Sirius."
"But you're not him or any of your family. You're you" She shrugged. "It's like what my mum says to the twins. You might not have control of the situation, but you can choose how to respond, and it's never a good idea if you get detention for it. I don't get the last part though."
"I don't want to be like my father." Draco confessed.
"Then don't be him. Be you. Our choices are our own. You'll still be another brother to me."
"I'm not your brother, Gin." Draco said blushing in the night.
"Fine, then leave the awesome club of Ginny's brothers." Ginny huffed. "Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. You're always going to be my Draco."
July 31, 1991
"Mum, where is my Hogwarts letter?" Neville asked, tears in his eyes. Alice could have just hexed Albus Dumbledore.
"I… I really don't know. Maybe Minerva has it, like she did for Draco and Ron. You and Harry are having your joint 11th birthday supper tonight. Maybe we'll see it then," Alice comforted her son, knowing that he was afraid of being left out. He could manage a broom and grew flowers wonderfully, but he wasn't sure about his magic.
"Yeah… maybe," Neville parroted, not convinced.
"Neville!" Harry cheered as he came out of the fireplace.
"Neville!" Sirius repeated flatly. "I've been replaced by a Longbottom."
"Oh, Padfoot. You have Hest and Moony, silly," Harry laughed, grabbing Neville's hand and running out of the room. "There's cake, Nev! And treacle tart!"
"I've been replaced by a Longbottom and treacle tart. Do you hear that, Moony?" Sirius asked as Remus came around the corner.
"I heard. It reminds me of the time I was replaced by a Jones and firewhiskey. That was, what, Halloween '78?" Moony asked, smirking as Sirius' eyes went wide.
"We never speak of that," Sirius turned on him, panic evident. " I don't think she remembers."
"Of course she does," Hestia said, pecking him on the cheek as she passed by, grabbing his hand and leading him into Potter Manor's larger dining room.
"Hestia, love, have I told you how gorgeous you are lately?" Sirius asked, grinning in a cheeky manner.
"Oh, hush, you. I've forgiven you," Hestia said, pulling him in for a hug.
"Oh, I could just kill that man!" Minerva interrupted their moment, storming past them. "Harry, Neville, happy birthday to both of you," she said, grabbing them into a hug.
"Aunt Minnie!" They cheered. "Do you have our letters?"
"I… yes, I have your letters. That is something I will have to speak to your parents about," Minerva informed them.
"I don't have parents. You can give me mine," Harry informed her, much too comfortable using his orphanhood to garner sympathy from certain parties.
"That's enough out of you. Why don't you boys go see what Fred and George are up to?" Sirius said, pointing them to the other side of the room, where Fred and George were rigging up fireworks. "Ah, Alice, Frank, Minnie has something she would like to speak to us about."
"What is it, Minerva?" Alice asked as Frank, Hestia, and Remus formed a circle.
"Albus was going to send these on the wrong days," Minerva informed them, holding up the boys' Hogwarts letters. "He intended to send Harry's yesterday and Neville's today via owl, even though I have been hand delivering most of the letter this year. Quite a few muggleborns coming in, so prepare Harry to have to answer uncomfortable questions. At least one that I spoke to late last year has already been through Hogwarts: A History by now, if I read the girl correctly."
"The point, if you please, Professor," Remus said, catching his old head-of-house's attention.
"Everyone else calls me Minerva, or some disgraceful version thereof," here her eyebrow raised in Sirius' direction. "You sir, can at least find it in yourself to do the same. Secondly, the point is, Albus has no interest in telling those two boys apart. He has known every detail about every student since he became headmaster, and yet he finds those two interchangeable, even after that horrid prophecy he took stock in? Something is up with him. I'll keep an eye on both him and the children this year, but I would plan to make those training camp weekends doubles over the hols," Minerva councilled, remembering some of Albus' more masterful plans of trying to reason with Voldemort instead of taking him down when he had the chance.
"Where are the letters, since you obviously intercepted them?" Alice asked. "Neville was so worried last night when he didn't get his. Thought he was going to be left out of Hogwarts."
"That boy? Left out? Not on my watch. He'll do great things, just you watch," Minerva said, motioning for Molly to bring Harry and Neville over.
"Yeah, and all of them will be in a greenhouse," Frank said under his breath.
"We should be so lucky," Alice hissed back, elbowing him.
"Harry, Neville, here are your Hogwarts letters. I assume, since you are receiving these or- or close- to your birthday, that you are coming next year. You've already been added to the roster, as the deadline was after you would have received these. We don't often have children born this late in the summer. But that is of no consequence to you. Here, boys. Enjoy," Minerva said, handing the boys their letters amid cheers of delight.
"I guess this means a trip to Diagon Alley is in order," Hestia said, beaming at the boys.
"Yes! We can go to Zonko's!" Sirius cheered, causing the boys to laugh, Hestia to roll her eyes, and Minerva to wonder just how on earth she was going to handle having the Weasley twins, James Potter's son, and their rag-tag crew of friends running loose in Hogwarts for the next five to seven years. Her only silver lining was the bottle of firewhiskey she had confiscated off of a couple of seventh years that had better feel lucky she wasn't informing their parents while she had the chance.
Gabs: First things first, merdarkandtwisty, great catch last chapter. In December 1988 there would have been 2 and half years until Hogwarts, not three. All I can do is blame my poor math skills for this error.
Kat: Yeah, there's a reason we stay away from math in general. Anyone else ready for Hogwarts?! What do you think about the characters and how they are developing? Also, Gabs and I have a little incentive for you all!
Gabs: We do?
Kat: Yeah! If you review, Gabs or me (probably me) will send you a PM with a little section from the next chapter! So, review!
Gabs: Oh yeah! I remember that conversation. Thanks to PigletKatie, Hanslaught, desireejones99, cruisechick, Fredasally, scrappy8, homer, GinnyPotter6891, Rocketeer101, minerdude, and I.C.2014 for all your reviews. We love them.
Kat: As always, we don't own anything.
xoxo Gabs and Kat
