The doorbell went, and Percy got to his feet to answer it. To his surprise, Severus was stood on the doorstep. Dressed in black trousers and a dark woollen coat with his hair tied back from his face, Percy blinked at how well the headmaster carried off muggle.
"Severus welcome, please come in," Percy said, stepping back out of the way.
"Thank you," Severus, said with a slight nod of his head.
Percy indicated the front room and followed his guest through. "Let me take your coat. Tea? Or?"
"Yes, thank you. Tea will suffice," Severus answered, and Percy hustled off to hang up the coat and make the tea. Audrey smiled in welcome at Severus.
"You are well?" Severus asked.
"Yes," Audrey answered. "Tired but well, the potions Percy got for me helped a lot. The nurses commented on how well I seemed to bounce back."
Percy returned with the tea handing the cup to Severus before retaking his seat next to Audrey.
"I apologise if we missed your floo call."
Severus raised a hand negligently. "I thought perhaps your parents might be here, so I endeavoured to cause no suspicion. Your floo is in your cellar and while concealed from casual eyes explaining why I was in your cellar might have been ... interesting."
"Yes, I can see how it might be," Audrey said with a laugh. "Mum and Dad are coming over later."
Severus nodded. "I," he paused. "Perhaps Audrey, you are unaware, but Hogwarts has a Book of Admittance. Every child born who will eventually be invited to attend Hogwarts is listed within it. It's a magical process, possibly created by the founders themselves, although there is no evidence to support that claim either way." Severus took a sip of his tea. "As headmaster, I have access to this book. Indeed, it is a ritual of sorts for Hogwarts headmaster to periodically check the book. I happen to do so this morning as I do every Sunday morning. Your daughter, she is Margaret Florence Weasley?"
"Yes," Audrey, her voice suddenly hoarse. "She is…?"
Severus nodded. "Yes, she is listed in the Book of Admittance. Your daughter is a witch."
Audrey looked over at the tiny bundle in the basket next to the sofa. She was sleeping peacefully unperturbed by the discussion of her future going on around her. Audrey felt her eyes fill and blinked to stop the tears falling, it was good news her daughter would be part of her father's world. She smiled at Severus. "Thank you for telling us."
Severus shrugged laconically. "It's nothing you wouldn't have found out for yourself eventually once her magic manifested."
Audrey's response was interrupted by the whimper coming from the basket. A hand thrust upwards, Audrey reached into the basket to pick up her daughter. Smiling down at the bright blue eyes that blinked back up at her.
The doorbell rang again, and Percy got to his feet again to answer it. Audrey rolled her eyes. "This place has been like a train station for the last four days. Would you?" She proffered her arms.
Severus visibly froze for a moment before nodding. Audrey smiled handing over her daughter.
"You're lucky," she said, "Percy has barely let me hold her." Severus adjusted the baby in his arms and sat back in the chair. The blue, blue eyes blinked at him, and the tiny fist closed around the finger he proffered.
"Well," a soft voice came from the doorway. "There's a sight for sore eyes." Minerva entered the sitting room with Percy on her heels.
"Minerva," Audrey greeted the witch. "We weren't expecting you."
"Oh well," Minerva replied. "I had to come didn't I, to see this little one. Although I am surprised to see you here, Severus. You're not having a change of heart about children, are you?"
"Miss Weasley is much more intelligent than the horde inside the castle Minerva," Severus said his voice pitched not to startle the child he held. "She has already mastered the art of silence."
Minerva harrumphed sitting herself down on the sofa.
"I came in my role of Headmaster," Severus added.
"The book?" Minerva asked, sitting up to peer at the bundle Severus was guarding.
"Indeed."
"Oh, how marvellous," Minerva said, looking at Audrey and Percy. "Now Severus, be a dear and hand her over. You've got a perfectly good cup of tea going cold there."
Severus rolled his eyes at the older witch and handed over the baby.
"If she is magical, will she still be able to go to school?" Audrey asked.
"Primary school?" Severus asked. "Yes. The muggle-born obviously manage in till their letter arrives, there is no reason that your daughter cannot, although there is a greater risk that she might accidentally slip and speak of the magical world. In the very young, it would be dismissed as fancy though as she approached the age for Hogwarts, it would perhaps raise more questions."
"What are the alternatives?"
"Home-schooling," Minerva answered as she cooed at her armful. "All of the Weasley children were home-schooled."
Audrey pulled a face. "I don't think I want to do that. She'd miss out on so much."
Percy laid a hand on her arm. "We can cross that bridge when we come to it. We've got four years yet."
"True," Audrey agreed "Although you know my Mum has already put her name down for St Bart's."
"I have one other piece of news," Severus commented. "Your reforms, they have been examined in depth by the staff, and a course of action has been put to the Governors. As of September, the Muggle Studies elective will offer students the opportunity to gain five GCSEs in English Maths and the three separate sciences, by OWL year."
"You're going to do it?" Audrey asked. "It's really going to happen?"
"On a trial period," Severus nodded. "This incoming third year will be the first to have the option. The numbers of students who have currently expressed an interest is reasonable. Whether that interest translates into students selecting the elective, we shall have to wait and see."
"Phil's niece, Suzanna, she'll be a third-year next year," Audrey said turning to Percy. "She'll get to take the course. Do you think she will?"
"I hope so," Percy replied. "If possible, I would like to be kept abreast of the situation in terms of take-up numbers and the like. I have earmarked a small amount of budget that could be funnelled to you, dependant on the number of students. It's actually a muggle government fund, the conversion rate means it shan't be a great deal of money, but I am hoping that I can push it through Finance Department and have the Ministry make up the difference. I doubt I'll get all of the deficit from the conversion rate, but I may be able to recover at least half."
"Well, that would certainly help the situation with the Governors," Minerva commented. "They aren't going to stop the changes, but they are keeping a close eye on it. The need for more staff has put a few noses out of joint. Finding out there's money in it might sweeten the pill."
"There is a small amount of funds available should you enter your results in the muggle league tables and show an improvement in the results of your student's year on year. There may, unfortunately, have to be some Ministerial interfering to gain this for you, however. The league tables use Ofsted scores as well as the results. Ofsted is the board that inspects muggle schools to ensure they are meeting standards, and well, the inspectors can hardly come to Hogwarts. Perhaps something could be finagled, I have a contact in the Muggle Worthy Excuses department, and while I am not so fortunate as to be in the position of them owing me a favour, they are reasonable people. We may be able to come to some arrangement. If I can get a copy of the Ofsted inspector's reports, Hogwarts may be able to fill in the blanks, and we can run the results in house. Perhaps not the most objective result, but that can't be helped."
"This is how politics works, is it?" Minerva asked drily.
Percy sent Minerva a knowing smile. "Not at all. There's usually a great deal more dishonesty involved. The results will serve a dual purpose. Not only will it net you funding, but it will be something to offer the parents of the students who are more familiar with the muggle educational system. I am certain that being able to indicate Hogwarts standing in the league tables would go a good way to allaying the concerns of the muggle-born parents."
"Yes, it would," Minerva answered thoughtfully. "I have been asked before by parents, but it has never been something we can address in a meaningful way. I am hopeful that when it comes time to make the visits to the muggle-born this year, the parents finding out that we are now trialling these GCSE's, will go some way to help them accept everything."
September 2002
Audrey rechecked Maggie's arm. As much as she'd called her daughter her full name while carrying her, the twin's habit of calling her Maggie had caught on, and Audrey found her thinking of her as Maggie more than Margaret.
The rash that had appeared on her daughter's arm was getting worse. Moreover, it was quite clearly a magical rash. Or if it wasn't, then little Maggie was going to cause a stir at the doctor's surgery. Her arm was turning green.
It had been the typical healthy pink but had slowly become sallow throughout the morning now it had a distinct tinge of green to it much like a bruise in reverse. Also, the skin was starting to dry out and become leathery despite the vast quantities of aqueous cream she had applied.
Audrey had no idea what could have caused it, but Maggie was exposed to a fair bit of magic between her enchanted toys, Percy's small garden of magical plants, and whatever came through the floo every day when Percy got home.
Audrey sighed in resignation. Leaving Maggie in her cot gumming a stuffed bear, happily oblivious to her colour changing arm, Audrey went to pack a bag. She put into it enough clothes for her and Percy to be away overnight, and for Maggie to be changed several times. The nappy bag was packed, and extra bottles of formula were thrown in on top. Audrey didn't know if Percy would be available, but she dug out the mirror from her handbag. Opening it, she clearly stated his name and waited.
Percy didn't answer. Thinking, Audrey wondered if she should call Fred and George or Fleur. Fleur might have more experience in mysterious magical illness, but she had her own children. Fifteen month old Victoire and one month old Dominique were more than a handful meaning Fleur might not be able to take Audrey where she needed to go. The twins it was then. Audrey made the call and waited only moments for it to be connected.
"Audrey?" Fred asked in surprise
"Hello, Fred. I'm wondering if one of you might be free to take Maggie and me to your hospital. I've tried Percy, but he's not answering."
"Maggie? What's the matter with her?" Fred said in concern
"Her arm is turning green."
"Green?"
"Yes, it went yellow first."
"Let me let George know, and I'll be right over. I'll send an owl to Percy as well, so he'll know."
"Thank you, we really should get an owl, but the mirrors make it seem a bit unnecessary," Audrey said gratefully.
Fred was as good as his word, and less than five minutes later, they arrived at the entrance of St Mungo's.
"This way," Fred sad leading Audrey to the welcome witch desk.
"How may we help?" the witch asked.
"Hello," Audrey said. "It's my daughter, her arm turned yellow and is now turning green. The skin has become leathery as well."
The witch nodded. "How old is she? Has she ingested anything? Caught a stray spell? Accidental magic?"
"Six months and no to all of those," Audrey said.
"Name?"
"Audrey Weasley. My daughter is Margaret Florence Weasley."
The witch nodded, filling a form in swiftly. With a tap of her wand, it vanished from in front of her. "Paediatrics is on the fourth floor, the lift is that way," she pointed. "They're expecting you."
Fred led the way. She didn't need to ask why Fred knew the way to paediatrics having known Percy's brother for as long as she had. She rather assumed he had a frequent flier card. Letting Fred guide her steps gave her a chance to look around. The waiting room was a bit like an A and E reception only very different. Instead of bandaged bleeding people clutching a variety of injuries, it looked a bit like the circus had run straight into a radioactive experiment. Green was not the most interesting colour of skin. There was one wizard who appeared to have turned himself into some sort of metallic rainbow. The colours pulsed faintly making Audrey blink as she tried to make sense of it.
She nudged Fred and discreetly pointed as they passed.
Fred cocked his head in thought, giving the wizard a once over. "Colour changing charm with an extra swirl on the brightness charm. Not sure what he was trying to do, though."
"How do you know?" Audrey asked
Fred chortled. "I used something similar to George once when we were kids. Nicked dad's wand. George hated me for that, especially when the mediwitch refused to remove it and instead let it fade in an attempt to teach us to behave. Didn't work, but we did learn that there is an amazing number of shades of purple." Fred smiled with fond remembrance.
"What did he do to you?" Audrey asked, aware of the twin's method of retaliation.
"Charmed my shoes. Made me feel like I was walking in high heels for a week. Every pair of shoes that he could find. Tied to my magic somehow, so if I nicked his shoes, it would still work but not for him. Deucedly difficult that since our magic is nearly identical."
"Has anyone told you that you are both a pair of prats?"
"Nearly every day," Fred said good-humouredly.
"Is Maggie going to be ok?" Audrey asked, glancing down at the sleeping infant snug in her carrier seat.
"She'll be fine," Fred said, wrapping an arm around Audrey's shoulder and giving her a squeeze. "The mediwitches are top rate."
They entered the lift and got out on the fourth floor. Fred led Audrey to the desk where an elderly witch looked up. "Fred Weasley as I live and breathe. What have you done this time? Aren't you too old for paediatrics?"
"Mrs Hudson, you are a sight for sore eyes. It's not me or George but my niece." Fred gestured at Audrey and the baby carrier hanging from one hand
"Ooh, niece, is it?" the witch stood and bustled out from behind the desk. "Oh, let me have a look at her." She threw a glance at Audrey, asking for permission. Audrey nodded, when the witch paused at the buckles holding Maggie in, she put the carrier on the floor and released Maggie picking her up and handing her over to the witch.
"Muggle is it?" the witch asked of the carrier as she cooed down at Maggie.
"Yes," Audrey said
The witch hummed. "Much better than some things we see." She gave Maggie her finger to grasp. "Perambulators the size of hippogryphs. And do they know how to steer them? No! Just because we can fix the holes in the walls with a spell doesn't mean they should put them there in the first place, does it precious? No, no, it doesn't."
Audrey stood by helpless as the witch ignored her in favour of her daughter. "Her arm?" she asked nervously.
"Oh, this? Nothing to be worried about. Someone is allergic to dragon's bloom aren't they, my darling. Yes, they are, but we'll have it right in no time." The witch went back behind the desk, reclaiming her seat. A twirl of her wand and an aeroplane memo went sailing down the corridor.
"She's baby mad," Fred said quietly. "Mum had to bring all of us when we came in, and well let's just say Mum wasn't complaining she had one less kid to worry about. Mrs Hudson can get the stroppiest of babies to settle. Ginny was putty."
"How is Ginevra?" Mrs Hudson asked proving she'd kept part of her concentration on their conversation.
"Graduated already," Fred said.
"Well, I say, doesn't time fly. I haven't seen her since you last got your foot stuck to your brother."
Fred blushed bright red. Audrey looked at him. "How did you?"
"You probably don't want to know," Fred said. "It was stupid, and we've never tried to modify that set of spells since."
Mrs Hudson chortled. "You two were a pair."
They were interrupted by a wizard in green robes coming down the corridor. "Mrs Weasley? Oh, Audrey! I wondered if it was you," Ted said with a welcoming smile. "Andromeda did say she'd heard you had your little one."
"Ted, I didn't know you worked here," Audrey said.
"Oh yes, not nearly as long as Mrs Hudson mind. You're in with an allergic reaction?"
"Err," Audrey said helplessly gesturing to Maggie who was contently gurgling at Mrs Hudson.
"Mrs Hudson, might I have my patient?" Ted asked with exasperated fondness.
"Oh, yes, yes. Of course Healer Tonks," Mrs Hudson handed over Maggie then turned to Audrey. "She's a delight you should be very proud. Are we expecting your husband?"
"I don't know. If we're here long enough."
Ted nodded. "The treatment will take a couple of hours, and I'd like to keep her for observation. One allergic reaction might indicate further allergies, and it's better we find out now rather than have you in and out every time she has a reaction. Mrs Husdson if you could tell Percy Weasley we're in room four."
"Oh, you're Percy's wife? Oh well, aren't you a love," Mrs Hudson gushed. "Percy always was one of my favourites."
Fred made a choking noise from beside Audrey.
"None of that young man," Mrs Hudson chid. "You and that brother of yours were trouble. Percy was such a sweet, polite boy. Always wanted to know if he could help me at my desk, and he did a good a job as anyone keeping you two out of trouble."
"Oh, umm," Audrey said as Ted walked off with Maggie obviously not interested in encouraging Mrs Hudson in her reminiscing, or he knew the witch didn't seem to be stopping any time soon.
Fred caught up her arm. "Well, let him know where we are won't you, Mrs Hudson."
"Of course," the witch said. "Go on with you. You'll want to be with your wee one."
Audrey and Fred caught up with Ted as they entered a room. "You'll have to forgive Mrs Hudson," Ted said as he laid Maggie down on a padded table. "She has been here forever and remembers everyone, although even I remember the Weasley twins." He gave Fred the once over.
Audrey laughed. "Were you two really that bad?"
"They had their own room, we used to leave it empty just for them; they were here so often. Now, Audrey, Maggie here has been exposed to dragons bloom it's not a very unusual plant, but we don't see it very often. Was it part of a potions kit? You must be very careful to make sure you wash your hands properly after handling potion ingredient. A scouring spell is really the best way to make sure no contamination occurs. Percy needs to make sure he does it every time. Really that goes for you too, Mr Weasley if you are brewing then visiting, you must make sure you use a scouring spell."
"Percy doesn't brew," Audrey bit her lip worriedly.
"We use a scouring spell after each brew due to cross-contamination. Trust me when I say George, and I learnt that lesson early on. It wasn't pretty."
"Oh, a bouquet then perhaps? She's gotten hold of a flower, or the pollen has rubbed off in passing?" Ted suggested as he stripped off Maggie's t-shirt to examine her arm more closely.
"I don't have any bouquets in the house currently. We've recently planted up the back garden, but I'm not familiar with the plant. Do you have a picture?"
Ted was thoughtful. "Yes. It would be odd for her to have a reaction just to the air-born pollen, but still, I'll find the book." He swept from the room and returned with a coloured sketch and a small tub.
"Umm," Audrey said. "I'm not sure. But Percy should be here soon, and he'll know, he bought all the plants."
"Well in the meantime, we'll get Maggie's treatment underway. As long as she isn't exposed to it again. Now this cream needs to be rubbed into all of her skin and allowed to soak in, then repeated every half an hour for four hours. Just because she's here and has shown an allergic reaction I'll get a mediwitch in here to take a blood sample and do a full screening for any other allergies."
Ted continued rubbing the cream into Maggie's arm while Audrey removed the last of her clothes. The mediwitch arrived and with a quick spell had the sample vial filled. Audrey blinked. Maggie hadn't seemed to notice, and she'd screamed the surgery down when she'd been taken for her inoculations.
Once Ted was satisfied the first covering had been done, he wiped his hands on a towel then cast a cleaning spell on his hand and Audrey's before incinerating the towel.
"You can put her nappy back on and her vest, the room will stay warm enough. There's no point in dressing her fully, you'll only have to take it all off again in half an hour. I'll be back to check on her progress and as soon as we've got the results of the allergy test. Mr Weasley can presumably remember where tea coffee etc. can be accrued from."
Fred nodded with a slight grin.
"Very well, I will leave you to it."
Audrey pulled a clean nappy out of the baby bag and Maggie's vest. Once she was covered again, she sat in the other chair in the room cradling Maggie. "You don't need to stay," she said to Fred.
"It's fine," Fred waved her off. "I'll stay till Percy gets here and if he's going to be an age, I'll get George to swap with me. No offense Audrey, but you've no magic and Percy would skin us alive for leaving you to fend for yourself."
"But the shop?"
"Can manage without me for a while. Usually one of us is in the back room anyway. It's fine."
Audrey nodded relieved that Fred wasn't rushing off. She glanced at her watch to note the time. "So since we're in here for a while, care to tell me about the time, you stuck your foot to George?"
Fred flushed. "No. I really don't. However, I will tell you about the time George gave me whiskers."
Fred entertained Audrey with tales of their childhood mischief until it was time to reapply the cream to Maggie. Once it was done, they settled back down, and Fred picked up his tales again expanding to cover the antics of some of his other brothers. He was in the middle of telling Audrey how Charlie had broken his arm climbing on the roof of the Burrow which he had been expressly forbidden from doing and how he and Bill had tried to pass it off as Bill throwing a quaffle really hard at his brother when the door open and Percy came in.
Percy crossed the room to Audrey in hurried steps. "Mrs Hudson told me Maggie had an allergic reaction. I'm so sorry. I was in a meeting, I came as soon as I got the owl."
"It's okay, Fred brought us here."
Percy turned to his brother. "Thank you."
"It's no problem," Fred said. "It's something to come back here, just like the old days."
Percy smiled. "I must admit Mrs Hudson was happy to reminisce."
"Oh yes," Audrey said. "She pegged Fred as soon as we came up, though she was quite taken with Maggie too."
"What did the healers say?" Percy asked, looking at his daughter with concern. Maggie was fast asleep in her carrier, oblivious to the drama she had caused.
"It's an allergic reaction to dragons bloom. I wasn't able to say for sure if we had one in the garden. The book is over there with the picture in it. They've taken a sample to do a screening for other allergies she might have. We've got to rub cream into her every half an hour for the next four hours, of which we are one hour into."
Fred stood up from his seat, offering it to Percy. "You can stay?"
Percy nodded.
"Well then, I'll make my excuses then. I'll let George know, and we'll probably pop round in the next day or so to see how she's getting on."
"Thank you," Audrey said. "For everything."
"It was no bother," Fred said. "Might be good practice."
Percy looked startled. "I didn't know you were dating, never mind seriously."
"I'm not," Fred said, holding his hands up in mock horror. "But you know you're going to want a babysitter eventually, and at least you know I know where to bring her."
Audrey laughed at Percy shocked face. "Well, maybe when she's a bit older," Audrey said. Fred winked and made his exit leaving them alone.
Percy settled into the chair Fred had vacated eyes fixed on Maggie.
"What was your meeting?" Audrey asked.
"Oh, I was at Hogwarts."
"Oh?"
"Hmm, to go over a few details about the Muggle Studies course. There are thirty students on it."
"Thirty, is that a lot?"
"Well, its more than usually take the subject and while the majority is muggle-born and those students who have a muggle parent or close muggle relative, there are a handful of pureblood students. Mostly Ravenclaws, but that was to be expected. Severus has said that a couple of the fourth years who took the subject last year have asked if they can attend the classes. I think that they are going to consider it and let the students take the exams a year late with the third years. I'm not sure what that will do about taking it to NEWT level, but perhaps they won't want to. Or will complete the courses after they leave Hogwarts."
"That's brilliant news though, isn't it. That it's been such a success right from the off."
"Yes, and Suzanna has elected to take Muggle Studies."
"I'm proud of you, you know," Audrey said, picking up his hand and squeezing it. "You're making things better, fairer, and Maggie is going to be able to be whatever she wants to be, and it's down to you."