Chapter 26: Of Friends and Family
Accalia stared at Remus for what seemed like hours trying to process what he just said.
"Really?" whispered Accalia.
"Of course! In fact…" said Remus reaching into his desk draw and pulling out a small box, "I found this."
Accalia took the box from Remus and opened it. Inside was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen.
The band was white gold with a large diamond set in the middle and two rubies set either side.
"What do you say?" asked Remus smiling taking the ring out of the box.
"Yes! Of course I will!" laughed Accalia throwing her arms around him.
Remus beamed at Accalia as he slipped the ring on Accalia's finger.
"I just saw it and I knew," explained Remus.
"It's beautiful," whispered Accalia looking at the ring on her finger, sparkling in the light.
"Just like the woman wearing it," smiled Remus.
"Oh for Gods sake!!" laughed Accalia getting up from Remus' lap, "You're such a sap, you really are!"
"Where are you going?" asked Remus.
"I'm going to show this baby off," smiled Accalia waving her ring hand at Remus.
"And I'm coming with you!" called Remus rushing after Accalia as she left the room.
--
Accalia and Remus walked down the corridor hand in hand. It was lunchtime and there were people everywhere.
"God, she's so lucky," Accalia heard a group of sixth year girls whispering, "Professor Lupin is such a catch!"
Accalia laughed out loud.
"What?" enquired Remus.
"Apparently I'm lucky, you are 'such a catch' according to those sixth years," smirked Accalia.
"Well I've never been called that before!" laughed Remus wrapping his arm around Accalia's waist rubbing her stomach affectionately.
"Anyway I agree with them. You're going to be great father and an even better husband," smiled Accalia as they arrived at the school entrance.
"Looks like Tonks down there with Ginny playing Quidditch. Do you want to go and see them?" asked Remus pointing to the Quidditch pitch.
"Lets go," smiled Accalia.
--
"Hey you two," waved Tonks from the air as Remus and Accalia reached the field.
Tonks landed and ran over to them.
"Just practicing a bit of… Whoa! Accalia! Is that what I think it is?!" exclaimed Tonks.
"Depend what you think it is," smiled Accalia leaning in to Remus, pressing her hand firmly on Remus's chest.
"Unless it's the iceberg that suck the titanic, I'd say that's an engagement ring!" exclaimed Tonks.
"Sure is," smiled Remus kissing the top of Accalia's head.
Tonks let out a jubilant scream that rather scared Accalia as Tonks started jumping around.
"Here comes the bride, da da der der," sang Tonks hugging Accalia.
"Oh my god! You're getting married?!" exclaimed Ginny who had just landed.
"You'll have to let Harry, Ron and Hermione know!" said Tonks.
"We'll send them a letter won't we Accalia?" said Remus resting his chin on Accalia's shoulder.
"I have a better idea," smiled Accalia, "Come on Remus, its Friday! Let's pay them a visit at Grimmauld Place!"
"Great idea!" smiled Tonks, "I'll bring Severus along and we can tell him too!"
"Accalia, I don't know. In your condition…" began Remus concernedly.
"Come on Professor!" appealed Ginny, "Accalia's pregnant, not an invalid!"
Remus sighed in defeat, he was not about to argue with three women, especially when one was pregnant and hormonal, and then said,
"Okay. If it'll make you girls happy!"
--
Ginny, Tonks and Snape went by Floo but Remus insisted him and Accalia go first, before them, by train much to the annoyance of Accalia.
"Better to be safe than sorry!" Remus had said.
"Remus! I'm fine, really!" assured Accalia as Remus helped her up the steps to Grimmauld Place.
Accalia knocked on the door and heard the footsteps of two people. The door opened and there stood Ron and Hermione.
"Accalia? Remus? What are you doing here? I mean, what a surprise!" exclaimed Hermione.
"We have some news," smiled Remus.
"Bloody hell," said Ron as Accalia and Remus entered through the door, "Accalia, no offence but you're huge!"
"Ron!" scolded Hermione elbowing Ron in the stomach.
"Well it's not surprising Ron, I am pregnant you know. If you think my stomach is big, you should see the size of my boobs!" said Accalia calmly setting a small case down.
Hermione snorted with laughter as Ron went slightly red.
Even Remus laughed at her remark. It was one of the things he loved about her, if anybody said anything vaguely insulting she turned it around to make him or her look like the idiot. Okay, it may not one of her best qualities but it sure made him laugh.
"How far along are you now?" asked Hermione.
"About 26 weeks," smiled Accalia.
"How long is that?" whispered Ron, out the side of his mouth, to Remus.
"Six and a half months," explained Remus.
Harry then appeared from the lounge along with Ginny and Snape with a rather dishevelled Tonks.
"I should have come on the train with train with you," muttered Tonks brushing soot off her top.
"More visitors!" smiled Harry, "Come into the kitchen and I'll make you all a hot chocolate."
--
"So what reason have we to be graced with all your presences?" asked Harry setting several mugs of hot chocolate onto the table.
"Your guess is as good as mine," muttered Snape.
"Show them!" exclaimed Tonks excitedly.
Accalia held out her left hand to reveal the ring on her finger.
"Oh, you are kidding me?!" exclaimed Hermione grabbing Accalia's hand.
"We're engaged!" smiled Remus.
"That's great news!" exclaimed Harry.
"I hope you are planning to get married soon," said Snape, "Can't have the child born out of wedlock."
"Actually we were planning to get married after our son is born," explained Accalia.
"What? You can't!" said Snape becoming slightly agitated.
"Severus…" whispered Tonks slipping her hand over Snape's clenched hand.
"What difference will it make?" explained Remus as Accalia grabbed his hand, "Really Severus! He will be loved just the same. It won't change anything, nothing will happen that will change it. Accalia and I may have our fights but we always sort everything out."
"I bet you have fun sorting it out," smirked Tonks.
"Tonks! Really!" smiled Accalia shaking her head.
Accalia looked at her brother who had seemed to have listened to Remus' words and smiled. Well, sort of.
"As long as you're happy Accalia, I am," smiled Snape.
"I am happy, very happy," smiled Accalia.
Suddenly there came a familiar voice from the lounge.
"Hello?"
It was the unmistakable voice of Molly Weasley.
In she came followed by Arthur and the twins.
"Oh! Why is everybody here? What's happening?" asked Molly.
"Accalia and remus are engaged!" explained Tonks.
"Do you think we should make Tonks our official spokesperson?" whispered Accalia to Remus who let out a low chuckle.
"Oh how wonderful! About time! With the baby and all," beamed Molly.
"Baby?" came a voice from the kitchen door.
Accalia looked over to see Charlie Weasley standing in the doorway.
"Hello Charlie," smiled Accalia standing up nervously.
Charlie looked at Accalia and then down at the bump of her stomach.
"Charlie?! What are you doing here?" asked Molly rising from her seat.
"I came to see you for the weekend. When you weren't at the Burrow, I knew you'd be here," explained Charlie almost emotionlessly still staring at Accalia.
"I tried to get a letter to you about what has been happening but nothing was getting through to Romania," explained Molly.
"That's probably why we haven't heard from your father Accalia," said Remus standing behind Accalia reassuringly.
Remus could feel the tension and was relieved when Harry broke the silence and suggested everyone go and relax in the lounge while he and Molly made everybody something to eat.
--
Accalia held her back as she tried to sit down on the couch.
"Here, let me help," said Charlie holding Accalia's arm.
"Oh, thanks," smiled Accalia looking up at Charlie.
"How long have you got left?" asked Charlie settling down next to Accalia.
"Eh? Oh, two and a half months," answered Accalia.
"Are you feeling alright?" asked Remus sitting down on the other side of Accalia.
"Yes, I'm fine Remus. Stop asking me every five bloody seconds!" snapped Accalia.
Remus didn't say anything. Accalia knew she had snapped at Remus again and turned to face.
"I'm sorry Remus," apologised Accalia moving a stray lock of Remus' hair from his face, "But like Ginny said, I'm pregnant, not an invalid."
"I know, I know," said Remus.
"Well I'm still sorry," smiled Accalia and leaning forward kissed Remus fervently.
"Hmmm," whispered Remus, "It's times like these I wish we alone."
"Me too," purred Accalia.
But Accalia knew they couldn't be right now so slipping her hand into Remus' and turned to talk to Charlie.
"So what have you been up to in Romania? Seen much of my father?"
Accalia, Remus, Tonks, Snape and Ginny went back to Hogwarts late Sunday afternoon after a rather relaxing weekend with their friends and family.
--
It was the Wednesday after the weekend at Grimmauld Place and Accalia was in a meeting with Albus Dumbledore. They had both agreed she should stop teaching when she got to seven months.
As Accalia went to get up there was a knock at the door.
"Enter!" called Dumbledore.
And with that in came Cassius Nix.
"Daddy?" said Accalia rising to her feet.
"Accalia! I just got your letter. I can't believe… Look at you! You look radiant!" exclaimed Cassius.
"Thank you Dad," smiled Accalia walking over to the door, "Come on Dad, we can go to my office. See you at dinner Albus."
But as Accalia turned to say goodbye Dumbledore had already disappeared.
Cassius looked at his daughter incredulously.
"Don't worry Dad. He does that a lot," smiled Accalia.
--
"So anything else you have to tell me?" asked Cassius as Accalia handed him a glass of his favourite whiskey, "You seemed a bit vague in your letter."
"Well I'm pregnant obviously, we've found out that's the baby is a boy…" began Accalia.
"A boy? That's fantastic news!" interrupted Cassius, "Oh sorry, please continue."
"And last week Remus asked me to marry him!" smiled Accalia.
"I really am so happy for you," smiled Cassius.
"I was also wanted to ask you something," smiled Accalia, "Would you give me away at the wedding Dad?"
"I couldn't think of anything that would make me more proud."
Not a long chapter but good nonetheless! I hope! The next chapter should be really good! It will be so much fun to write! So it should be up soon cos I don't think I will be able to stop writing the chapter! Oh yeah and I would read chapter 25 again cos I made some changes cos I just realised that's some bits didn't make chronological sense! For example The Trio would have left before the last bit of that chapter and I had them in lessons! Duh!
Oh well! Don't forget to Read and Review!
Helen88UK