All the usual disclaimers apply. Ms. Rowling owns everything. I don't own
anything except a twisted mind. This is my first fanfic, please be gentle.
A puffy-eyed and sniffly Molly Weasley stood with her husband and Remus Lupin at Platform 9 ¾ and waved goodbye to her two youngest children and the boy whom she had come to regard as a 7th son. Molly always felt rather conflicted about seeing the children off to Hogwarts. Arthur and Remus believed that Hogwarts was the safest place for them during these dangerous times; but Molly could not help but remember that her children seemed to have near death experiences every year at the school.
"Are there Aurors on the train?" Molly asked the men, "I don't trust that Malfoy boy not to try something. Like father like son I always say."
Arthur Weasley put a comforting arm around his wife's shoulder. "Yes Molly, there are plenty of Aurors on the train and members of the Order are watching over it as well." Arthur reassured his wife.
"Don't worry Molly." Remus added, "I don't think Malfoy or his drooling mates pose much of a danger to the kids. I dare say Harry and Ron will have a sporting good time making them look foolish."
"I can't believe Albus let those boys back into Hogwarts at all after what their fathers did in the Department of Mysteries." Molly complained, "It's just not right."
"Come on there Molly, there's no evidence that the boys were involved in their fathers' crimes. I'm sure Dumbledore will be keeping very close tabs on them." Arthur replied.
"I know you're right Arthur, but I don't like it just the same." Molly took a deep breath and stood up straighter which was her way of indicating that it was time to move on. "Well, I suppose we should be heading back to the Burrow. Care to join us for a cuppa Remus?"
"I'd like that" Remus answered and with that they Apperated to the Burrow.
~~~
The Burrow was entirely too quiet for Molly with the children gone. She busied herself in the kitchen preparing the tea and biscuits while Arthur and Remus discussed Order business at the table. The quiet was broken in grand fashion by a cheerful voice calling in from the front door.
"Put on your clothes and put away those wands. Your Muggle neighbor is here bearing gifts!"
"Rosemary!" Molly called to her unexpected guest as she crossed the parlor to answer the door, wiping her hands on her apron along the way. "Come in dear! I'm just putting out tea and biscuits. Join us!"
"I'm surprised. I expected that you and Arthur would be snogging like teenagers now that you have the house to yourselves." Rosemary teased Molly as she followed her into the kitchen.
"How do you know we weren't?" Molly joined in the risqué repartee.
Rosemary pulled on Molly's apron string. "What do you call this? Lingerie?"
Arthur and Remus were taking in the conversation. Arthur was laughing and rising to greet his neighbor. Remus was amused, intrigued and confused by what he heard. A Muggle at the Burrow? Surely not. There were so many concealment spells on magical homes that Muggles would never be able to find them. Always the gentleman, he rose from his seat when the smiling, chestnut haired woman walked into the kitchen. She was carrying an enormous basket full of all sorts of vegetables and an assortment of cut flowers.
"Hello Rosemary!" Arthur smiled and kissed her on the cheek. "Let me help you with that." he said as he relieved her of her burden. "Are these all from your garden?"
"They sure are. I don't know what Ron and Harry did when they worked for me this summer, but whatever it was they ought to bottle it. I've got more veggies than I could eat in a lifetime."
"Well thank you dear. Ron was so happy to earn his first Galleons. Sit down." Molly invited her neighbor to join them at the table. "Gracious, where are my manners? Rosemary, this is our good friend Remus Lupin. Remus, this is our neighbor Rosemary O'Brien."
"Pleased to meet you Miss O'Brien" Remus said as he shook her hand.
"It's Mrs. O'Brien actually, but please, call me Rosemary." She replied pleasantly.
Remus was a man who was used to disappointment and took the news of her marital status in stride. He dropped intrigued from his present emotional menu and thought it safest to stay with amused and confused.
"Did I hear you say that you're a Muggle?" Remus asked.
"Yes, you did. Not even the slightest bit of magic in me. I take it that you're a wizard?" She inquired of her new acquaintance.
Remus now dropped amused from his list of feelings and was entirely consumed with confused. "If you don't mind me asking.", Remus fumbled with his question not wanting to sound rude, " .I'm a bit confused..I mean with you're being a Muggle and everything."
"How did I find the Burrow?" she completed his question much to his relief.
"It's the most amazing thing actually", Arthur took it upon himself to answer the question with the boundless enthusiasm he always displayed when discussing all things Muggle. "Our Rosemary here is completely unaffected by magic. Hexes and charms just bounce right off of her. The twins offered her some of their Puking Pastilles and she ate them just like they were chocolate frogs. Not even so much as a burp. It's quite amazing. I've never seen anything like it."
"You can't be magic-ed at all?" Remus asked scarcely believing what he was hearing.
"Nope. Not even a little bit. Go ahead, give it a try. I know you're dying to." Rosemary gave Remus a mischievous look daring him to do his worst.
"Oh.um..I don't know if that would be appropriate" Remus stuttered. It's not everyday that a beautiful woman dares you to hex her.
Before Rosemary could double dare Remus to give it a go both Weasleys had their wands out and were laughing as they threw every silly hex they could think of at her. Watching them, it became clear to Remus where Fred and George got it all from. If Remus heard all of the hexes correctly Rosemary should have been floating around the room in a full body lock, covered with boils and laughing hysterically from tickling. Instead she sat across the table from him calmly sipping her tea and giving him a So? Whatcha think? look. Remus' curiosity finally got the better of him and he tentatively threw a sneezing hex at her. She didn't even scratch her nose. He shook his wand and tried one more time with feeling. Nothing.
"Do you see what I mean Mr. Lupin?" Rosemary offered, seeing that he had finally gotten the message. "I am completely immune to magic."
"Silencing charms? Concealment charms? Potions? Are you telling me that nothing affects you?"
"Nothing yet and I do believe that Fred and George tried to hit me with everything except the Unforgivables this summer. Potions are a different story. They don't have a magical affect on me but I can be poisoned by the ingredients like any other human being. Too much mandrake will kill anyone."
Remus' head was swimming. How did she know about Unforgivable curses? What would a Muggle know about mandrake? He could not believe that the woman sitting in front of him was casually discussing the most amazing thing he had ever seen in his life as if she were discussing Molly's recipe for chocolate biscuits. This beautiful woman defied every magical law known to wizarding kind. The professor in him started looking for reasonable explanations for the absolutely impossible events that he was witnessing. With a sigh of relief his eyes rested on an item, which he was sure, would explain everything and set his world spinning properly again.
"What is that amulet you are wearing around your neck?" he asked suspiciously, "Is it charmed to protect you from magic?"
"Oh, this?" Rosemary asked lifting a pendant consisting of two gold rings and a rather largish diamond. "There's nothing magical about this. These are Kevin and my wedding bands and my engagement diamond. I had them set into a pendant after he passed."
"I'm so sorry." Remus said quietly, flushed with embarrassment. "I wish I were invisible right about now."
Rosemary reached over and patted Remus' hand. "Please, don't give it a second thought. It's been a while now. I'm OK. Besides, Ron and Harry have already tried invisible on me and it didn't work. To me they just looked like two giggling gits sitting under an enormous black and silver scarf."
"Filch would love to have you working at the castle." Remus joked. "I can't believe Harry knew about this and didn't tell me! Wait till I see him again."
"Walk with me Remus. There is something I want to show you" Arthur rose from the table. "Will you excuse us for a moment ladies?"
Once outside the house Arthur became very serious. "Remus, we told the children not to discuss Rosemary and her, um, difference with anyone."
"Arthur, what's going on?" Remus' voice was laden with concern.
"Nothing is exactly wrong. It's just that I'm not sure how the Ministry would react to the prospect of a Muggle who cannot be affected by magic. I fear that there are members of the Ministry who would be threatened by this and wonder how many other Muggles are like her. It could put the Muggle Protection Act in jeopardy. Her life might actually be in danger."
"Besides," Arthur continued lowering his voice even further and becoming more serious, "I think she could be useful to the Order."
A puffy-eyed and sniffly Molly Weasley stood with her husband and Remus Lupin at Platform 9 ¾ and waved goodbye to her two youngest children and the boy whom she had come to regard as a 7th son. Molly always felt rather conflicted about seeing the children off to Hogwarts. Arthur and Remus believed that Hogwarts was the safest place for them during these dangerous times; but Molly could not help but remember that her children seemed to have near death experiences every year at the school.
"Are there Aurors on the train?" Molly asked the men, "I don't trust that Malfoy boy not to try something. Like father like son I always say."
Arthur Weasley put a comforting arm around his wife's shoulder. "Yes Molly, there are plenty of Aurors on the train and members of the Order are watching over it as well." Arthur reassured his wife.
"Don't worry Molly." Remus added, "I don't think Malfoy or his drooling mates pose much of a danger to the kids. I dare say Harry and Ron will have a sporting good time making them look foolish."
"I can't believe Albus let those boys back into Hogwarts at all after what their fathers did in the Department of Mysteries." Molly complained, "It's just not right."
"Come on there Molly, there's no evidence that the boys were involved in their fathers' crimes. I'm sure Dumbledore will be keeping very close tabs on them." Arthur replied.
"I know you're right Arthur, but I don't like it just the same." Molly took a deep breath and stood up straighter which was her way of indicating that it was time to move on. "Well, I suppose we should be heading back to the Burrow. Care to join us for a cuppa Remus?"
"I'd like that" Remus answered and with that they Apperated to the Burrow.
~~~
The Burrow was entirely too quiet for Molly with the children gone. She busied herself in the kitchen preparing the tea and biscuits while Arthur and Remus discussed Order business at the table. The quiet was broken in grand fashion by a cheerful voice calling in from the front door.
"Put on your clothes and put away those wands. Your Muggle neighbor is here bearing gifts!"
"Rosemary!" Molly called to her unexpected guest as she crossed the parlor to answer the door, wiping her hands on her apron along the way. "Come in dear! I'm just putting out tea and biscuits. Join us!"
"I'm surprised. I expected that you and Arthur would be snogging like teenagers now that you have the house to yourselves." Rosemary teased Molly as she followed her into the kitchen.
"How do you know we weren't?" Molly joined in the risqué repartee.
Rosemary pulled on Molly's apron string. "What do you call this? Lingerie?"
Arthur and Remus were taking in the conversation. Arthur was laughing and rising to greet his neighbor. Remus was amused, intrigued and confused by what he heard. A Muggle at the Burrow? Surely not. There were so many concealment spells on magical homes that Muggles would never be able to find them. Always the gentleman, he rose from his seat when the smiling, chestnut haired woman walked into the kitchen. She was carrying an enormous basket full of all sorts of vegetables and an assortment of cut flowers.
"Hello Rosemary!" Arthur smiled and kissed her on the cheek. "Let me help you with that." he said as he relieved her of her burden. "Are these all from your garden?"
"They sure are. I don't know what Ron and Harry did when they worked for me this summer, but whatever it was they ought to bottle it. I've got more veggies than I could eat in a lifetime."
"Well thank you dear. Ron was so happy to earn his first Galleons. Sit down." Molly invited her neighbor to join them at the table. "Gracious, where are my manners? Rosemary, this is our good friend Remus Lupin. Remus, this is our neighbor Rosemary O'Brien."
"Pleased to meet you Miss O'Brien" Remus said as he shook her hand.
"It's Mrs. O'Brien actually, but please, call me Rosemary." She replied pleasantly.
Remus was a man who was used to disappointment and took the news of her marital status in stride. He dropped intrigued from his present emotional menu and thought it safest to stay with amused and confused.
"Did I hear you say that you're a Muggle?" Remus asked.
"Yes, you did. Not even the slightest bit of magic in me. I take it that you're a wizard?" She inquired of her new acquaintance.
Remus now dropped amused from his list of feelings and was entirely consumed with confused. "If you don't mind me asking.", Remus fumbled with his question not wanting to sound rude, " .I'm a bit confused..I mean with you're being a Muggle and everything."
"How did I find the Burrow?" she completed his question much to his relief.
"It's the most amazing thing actually", Arthur took it upon himself to answer the question with the boundless enthusiasm he always displayed when discussing all things Muggle. "Our Rosemary here is completely unaffected by magic. Hexes and charms just bounce right off of her. The twins offered her some of their Puking Pastilles and she ate them just like they were chocolate frogs. Not even so much as a burp. It's quite amazing. I've never seen anything like it."
"You can't be magic-ed at all?" Remus asked scarcely believing what he was hearing.
"Nope. Not even a little bit. Go ahead, give it a try. I know you're dying to." Rosemary gave Remus a mischievous look daring him to do his worst.
"Oh.um..I don't know if that would be appropriate" Remus stuttered. It's not everyday that a beautiful woman dares you to hex her.
Before Rosemary could double dare Remus to give it a go both Weasleys had their wands out and were laughing as they threw every silly hex they could think of at her. Watching them, it became clear to Remus where Fred and George got it all from. If Remus heard all of the hexes correctly Rosemary should have been floating around the room in a full body lock, covered with boils and laughing hysterically from tickling. Instead she sat across the table from him calmly sipping her tea and giving him a So? Whatcha think? look. Remus' curiosity finally got the better of him and he tentatively threw a sneezing hex at her. She didn't even scratch her nose. He shook his wand and tried one more time with feeling. Nothing.
"Do you see what I mean Mr. Lupin?" Rosemary offered, seeing that he had finally gotten the message. "I am completely immune to magic."
"Silencing charms? Concealment charms? Potions? Are you telling me that nothing affects you?"
"Nothing yet and I do believe that Fred and George tried to hit me with everything except the Unforgivables this summer. Potions are a different story. They don't have a magical affect on me but I can be poisoned by the ingredients like any other human being. Too much mandrake will kill anyone."
Remus' head was swimming. How did she know about Unforgivable curses? What would a Muggle know about mandrake? He could not believe that the woman sitting in front of him was casually discussing the most amazing thing he had ever seen in his life as if she were discussing Molly's recipe for chocolate biscuits. This beautiful woman defied every magical law known to wizarding kind. The professor in him started looking for reasonable explanations for the absolutely impossible events that he was witnessing. With a sigh of relief his eyes rested on an item, which he was sure, would explain everything and set his world spinning properly again.
"What is that amulet you are wearing around your neck?" he asked suspiciously, "Is it charmed to protect you from magic?"
"Oh, this?" Rosemary asked lifting a pendant consisting of two gold rings and a rather largish diamond. "There's nothing magical about this. These are Kevin and my wedding bands and my engagement diamond. I had them set into a pendant after he passed."
"I'm so sorry." Remus said quietly, flushed with embarrassment. "I wish I were invisible right about now."
Rosemary reached over and patted Remus' hand. "Please, don't give it a second thought. It's been a while now. I'm OK. Besides, Ron and Harry have already tried invisible on me and it didn't work. To me they just looked like two giggling gits sitting under an enormous black and silver scarf."
"Filch would love to have you working at the castle." Remus joked. "I can't believe Harry knew about this and didn't tell me! Wait till I see him again."
"Walk with me Remus. There is something I want to show you" Arthur rose from the table. "Will you excuse us for a moment ladies?"
Once outside the house Arthur became very serious. "Remus, we told the children not to discuss Rosemary and her, um, difference with anyone."
"Arthur, what's going on?" Remus' voice was laden with concern.
"Nothing is exactly wrong. It's just that I'm not sure how the Ministry would react to the prospect of a Muggle who cannot be affected by magic. I fear that there are members of the Ministry who would be threatened by this and wonder how many other Muggles are like her. It could put the Muggle Protection Act in jeopardy. Her life might actually be in danger."
"Besides," Arthur continued lowering his voice even further and becoming more serious, "I think she could be useful to the Order."