In the morning, Percy woke up to shadows continuously zooming past his window. He rolled his eyes at the thought of his siblings getting up early to play Quidditch, rolled over to get a little more sleep, then realised what time it was.
He shot straight out of bed, scrambling to get dressed. It was 10am and no one had come to wake him. He added setting an alarm to the tasks that he had to do himself from now on.
Regis flew past the window, laughing at something below him. Percy could hear Charlie also laughing and Will shouting at someone. Quickly, Percy looked out the window and saw Silas helping Tommy toward the house, their brooms cast aside.
"Great," Percy muttered to himself, but he forgot for a moment when he opened his door. The scent of Christmas baking hit him and he rushed downstairs.
"What have you done?" his mother asked a crying Tommy and an annoyed-looking Silas.
"He was being stupid and fell off his broom," Silas huffed.
"He did not," Percy said sharply from the foot of the stairs as Tommy yelled the same thing. "Both your brooms are landed: I could see them from my window."
Andromeda looked up at Percy, then asked, "What happened, Tommy?"
"He crashed into me and hurt my arm," Tommy whimpered.
"Let's see," Andromeda said, and reached for her youngest son's arm as Richard appeared from the sitting room. "Sprained, I think," she announced after a diagnostic spell. "Silas, I know you boys play rough: please don't lie to me, okay? Tommy, you'll be fine; I just have to do one spell."
She noticed that Richard was watching curiously and asked him, "Are you interested in Healing?"
Richard nodded eagerly. "I've been considering it—Will and I have career talks or whatever they're called next year, and it's good to know anyway."
"Prefect Grey, handing out detention and taking house points," Percy mused. "Next year."
"I don't know about that," Richard said modestly. "But that would be nice."
"You for Ravenclaw and Will for Gryffindor," Percy said confidently. "Will's the only responsible Gryffindor in his year, anyway."
This made Andromeda smile and she said, "There you go, Tommy. Now don't let him get you again." He grinned at his mother and ran back outside.
Percy came to his mother. "I didn't have breakfast."
"Everyone's been eating whatever they want," she said. "It's almost lunch, but I can warm up breakfast for you unless you want to wait a few more minutes. I've made pies for tomorrow, and tonight we'll make the cookies."
"Okay," Percy said. "At least a snack, please. I didn't mean to sleep so late."
"I wondered," his mother said ruefully. "But I didn't want to interrupt your sleep if that's what you needed on break."
"Your mum's cool," Richard said to Percy. "Mine never lets me sleep past 8am unless I'm sick. She says it's payback for my keeping her up when I was a baby."
"That's what babies do," Percy frowned, glancing at his mother for reassurance. "Don't you have siblings?"
"No," Richard answered. "I think I scared Mum. Besides, what if I had magic and my brothers and sisters didn't? That would be awful."
"Yeah," Percy agreed, glad when his mother brought him the food. "Thanks," he said, and ate quickly. He was still sitting at the kitchen table when the others entered the house, their faces pink from the cold.
"Percy!" Will and Charlie said together. "Mum refuses to let us have any pie!"
"That's for tomorrow," Andromeda smiled at their teasing. "No, no! Go wash up, all of you. And where's Elsie? I thought she was with you."
The boys shook their heads and Andromeda went upstairs to find her daughter.
"Go wash up," Richard said to Will. "You heard your mama."
"Just because you're a mama's boy," Will said warningly, then grinned and went to wash up.
Andromeda came downstairs with an angry-looking Elsie whom all her brothers ignored. Their mother put lunch on the table for them and Percy sat with them, eating lunch too. He was going up the stairs when Charlie called after him, "Hey, are you going to decorate cookies with us later?"
"Probably," Percy called back.
"And hang out with us," Will called.
"I'll be in your room," Percy answered.
"It was Percy, in Will's room, with the Arithmancy text," Richard intoned.
"Sounds like a murder," Charlie said. "I'd never suspect Percy."
"It's a murder mystery game," Richard laughed. "Analytical and memory based."
"Wow," Will laughed. "Nice, Charlie."
"Oh, that reminds me," Regis said, turning to Charlie. "Tommy's gotten really good at chess while you've all been away. You should play him while you're here."
"Really?" Charlie said curiously. "I might have to see about that."
The older boys went upstairs, upsetting Silas and Tommy, who complained loudly until Andromeda hushed them and threatened to silence them.
"The one twin is a little pushy, isn't he?" said Richard thoughtfully.
"Yeah," Charlie sighed. "Silas is...a lot."
"He refuses to let Regis have his own opinions at all," Percy said, looking up from the corner. "Regis doesn't want Gryffindor and I'm worried about him."
Percy's brothers looked at him, appreciating his words. "Me too," they said. "I plan to talk to him before they're sorted," Will added. "I'm the Head of the family at school, and I won't let Silas bully his twin."
Charlie nodded firmly. "We've got to figure out what to do in case Silas does something stupid."
"We need to know what Regis wants," Percy said. "Or at least make sure he doesn't want Gryffindor before we do anything. Obviously I'll support him, what house he is, but I've never heard him say what he wants."
"Of course," Charlie agreed. "And Dora will defend him too: we've talked about this."
"Did you talk about me like this before I was sorted?" Percy asked his brothers.
"Yep," Charlie grinned. "But we weren't worried about Silas controlling you." He laughed.
"Ah," said Percy, nodding.
"We'll take care of our brothers and sisters," Will said firmly. "And when I graduate, somebody'll have to take over for me."
"Don't graduate yet," Percy said in alarm, and the others laughed.
"Three years," Will shrugged.
"So little time," Richard said, shaking his head.
"WILL! CHARLIE! PERCY! It's cookie time!" came a shout from the hallway.
Will tumbled off the bed. "Come on, everyone!" he ordered. "I'll race you downstairs!" Charlie and Richard thundered after him and Percy followed in a much more dignified manner.
On Christmas morning, Dora ran into Ronan's dorm room and jumped up beside him, poking and tickling him until he groaned, "Go away or I'll hex you."
"It's Christmas, Ronan!" Dora grinned, curling up next to him for a moment before jumping up again. "Come see what you got!"
"I—what time is it?" he yawned.
"Nine," Dora huffed. "I let you sleep."
"Bring the gifts here," he mumbled. "I'm not getting up."
Dora rolled her eyes at her cousin and hurried off to get his packages. She came back with his and hers and said, "Mum sent us both cookies. Isn't that nice? Usually, we would have all decorated them yesterday with Mum."
"Ew, what if that Mudblood—"
"They're Mum's cookies, not his," Dora rolled her eyes. "Don't be stupid."
"Who sent that?" Ronan asked upon finally sitting up and seeing a long, thin package. "I swear it's a broom."
"If it's a Comet," Dora groaned, "I'm never showing my face again." She ripped open the package and Ronan whistled in amazement. "It's a Stratus!" she said in shock. "But—" She knew it was from her parents, and reached for the note that had fallen out of the wrapping.
Merry Christmas, Dora. We figured you would open this package first. Yes, this is the second newest broom—only because your mother managed to secure a deal that we can upgrade it once the next version is released.
Dora's mouth fell open and Ronan looked impressed. "I'll have the newest broom?" she breathed.
Ronan picked up the note. "It looks like it. Oh—your twin has the same thing, apparently. That's really nice, Dora."
Dora yelled in excitement and Ronan laughed. "Christmas is over," Dora announced. "Let's go to the Pitch."
"Open the rest of your presents, silly," he told her, laughing. "We have all day."
She huffed, but grinned and sat down, beginning to tear into the rest of her gifts. Ronan began to open his too, and exclaimed over something he uncovered. "Mum," he breathed at the sight of the photo.
"Is that a photo album?" Dora gasped, ignoring everything except the cookies and moving closer to see.
"Yes," Ronan breathed. "This is Mum and Dad's wedding photo." He opened the books and stared. There were pictures of his parents, of him with them as a baby, of his mother pregnant, and lastly, pictures of him and Dora at the Manor.
He froze, and Dora wrapped her arms around him, her head on his shoulder. "Bella's pretty," Dora said, looking over the young married photos of Bellatrix Lestrange. "And your dad looks like a kid."
Ronan managed a smile. "He was nineteen. Mum was eighteen," he said. "Dad liked her for a long time before they were married."
Dora lifted her head and looked at her cousin. "You look more like your dad every day," she said.
"I've never seen most of these pictures," he murmured, ignoring Dora's words. "Look." He pointed out a picture in which his mother was holding him and trying to curse the person behind the camera. "She was a little dignified," he said.
Dora smiled, pointing at a picture of Ronan as a toddler learning to walk. "Look at how proud of yourself you were."
Ronan nodded. "Dad must have taken these pictures because he's not in most of them after I was born."
"Documenting the life of his heir," Dora smiled at Ronan, ruffling his hair teasingly. "Roddy's favourite little miracle."
"Stop it," he said, a troubled look on his face as he remembered something.
"What's wrong?" she asked him quietly.
"Mum never wanted me," he muttered, looking at the photos of an angry-looking pregnant Bellatrix. "Dad had to force her to have me."
"What?" Dora frowned.
"Mother doesn't like children, and never wanted any," Ronan repeated. "I remember...she used to scream at Dad all the time that she'd kill him before she'd agree to have more kids. She only stopped when you came because she had to make you feel welcome and safe.
"How did he force her?" Dora frowned. "Mums are pregnant for ages—she could have got rid of you."
"That's the miracle," he muttered. "Why didn't she?"
"I don't know, but I'm glad you're here," Dora said firmly. "Even my mother didn't want her first baby until he was born. Your mum loves you now, Ronan."
"Really?" Ronan said in surprise.
Dora nodded. "He was an accident. Dad told Mum that he didn't care if she ever liked him, but that the baby needed love—but Mum says that the moment Will was born, she didn't ever want to be without him. I think your mother has some of the same feelings even though your dad always claimed you for himself—you know, whisked you away for Lestrange heir things."
"Yeah," Ronan smiled. "I hope you're right."
"I know I am," Dora said. "But I understand. I grew up thinking no one loved me, either." A look crossed her face and she went on, "But now I know Mum and Dad better and I know that's not true."
"Mum only wanted you for—"
"I know," Dora said quickly, "but it doesn't mattered because I'm not hers. You're hers."
"I'm glad you're here, Dora," he said gratefully, and she smiled.
"I'm glad we could spend Christmas together. Come on, have a cookie," she told him.
"I haven't had breakfast," he answered, and she rolled her eyes.
"You sound like Percy. Come on," she said. "Open the rest of your presents and let's go fly."
The Weasley parents laughed at Charlie's expression when he realised he was going to have the newest broom. He hugged both his parents so hard that Andromeda laughed, "Hey, let me breathe."
"Thank you!" Charlie said over and over as Will and Richard laughed.
"I want a new broom," Tommy pouted, and Silas agreed.
"But there's enough to go around now," Percy pointed out.
"Yeah," Regis nodded. "That'll be nice."
"If you make the Quidditch team or become a prefect, we'll see," Andromeda said to Charlie's younger siblings. She was surprised that Elsie made no fuss, but they never let her play Quidditch with them anyway.
"Thanks," Charlie breathed again, and Richard and Will grinned in amusement.
"You're welcome," Andromeda laughed. "Percy, your turn."
The morning after the Weasleys and Richard arrived back at Hogwarts, Charlie and Will hurried down to the Quidditch Pitch so Charlie could fly his new broom around the field.
"Have you told the captain about your new broom?" Will asked his brother.
"No," Charlie smirked. "I was thinking of not telling him and just showing up to the next match with it."
"And practising with it on your own?"
Charlie nodded. "Shouldn't be too hard. It handles nicely."
When they walked up to the field, they saw three others already there. "We booked the pitch for the next two hours," the older Slytherin told them, and the Weasleys shared a look.
"Charlie!" The lone flier spiraled toward the ground and landed in front of them. "Come on up," said Nymphadora, grinning as she tightened her ponytail. "Good day today."
"No, Weasley," the Slytherin team captain began, but Dora interrupted.
"The broom's fine," Dora said firmly. "I can clearly handle it and we don't need the extra fifteen minutes—none of the rest of the team is here yet."
"Wha—?" Charlie looked around. "Oh, of course it's Ronan."
"Don't be an arse," Dora warned Charlie. "Come on."
Charlie mounted his broom and the Slytherin captain opened his mouth to speak, but Charlie interrupted. "I'll be gone before you know it. I don't need extra practices to kick your ass." He took off after Dora, the two laughing and whooping as they raced and swooped around each other.
After several minutes, they slowed down to fly side by side. "I'm not going to tell my captain I got it," he told Dora. "I'm just going to show up at the next game with it."
Dora laughed. "Going to make him worry?"
"Yep," Charlie answered.
"You're so mean to your captain," she smirked.
"So are you," he retorted. "Look, the rest of them are here."
Dora rolled her eyes. "Shall we join them?"
Charlie smirked. "No thanks. I can beat them. Race you." And he dived straight toward the Slytherin team, Dora yelling something and diving after him.
They pulled up and landed in unison in front of the rest of the Slytherin Quidditch team. "The twin got one too?" one of the new chasers smirked. "Your parents will probably go hungry for a year—"
"Charlie!" Dora gasped, seeing her brother punch the kid full in the face.
"Damn," Charlie said, "Slytherins do bleed red."
Several of them drew their wands and Dora said, "Don't! You wouldn't take an insult to your family, either."
"Get out of here, Weasley," the captain hissed.
"That's what I was trying to do," Charlie said coolly, turned, and walked away.
The little chaser got up, blood pouring down his face. "Hex him!"
Dora scowled at the second year. "If he hadn't punched you, I would have cursed you," she told him. "Suck it up, Flint."
"Weasley, take him to the Hospital W—"
"I will not," Dora snapped as Ronan's calm voice said, "No need." He had his wand out and said, "Hold still."
In a couple of minutes, Ronan had the younger student cleaned up. "Charlie Weasley has anger issues," he told Flint. "Don't taunt him about his family. They look poorer than they are."
"How do you know?" one of the beaters laughed.
"I have my ways," Ronan answered, and Dora raised an eyebrow at her cousin.
"Most of my brothers won't cause trouble unless someone bothers them," Dora sighed. "They'll tease, but they won't be rude without reason. Don't give them reason. Be more clever than to go for the money talk. You can't expect eight brats to be dressed like kings—but we're not starving—" she eyed Flint. "So keep your mouth shut, or I'll knock out your crooked teeth."
She took off into the sky and Flint muttered, "Bitch." He looked up at the sound of Ronan Lestrange laughing. "What are you laughing at?"
"You have never seen her angry," Ronan said simply. "Even now, she wasn't. Even her twin wasn't angry: he just popped you in the nose and walked away. If you or someone ever makes them truly angry, you will not walk away with just a bloody nose."
"What are you saying?" Flint demanded.
"I'm saying they're more dangerous than they would seem," Ronan answered. "Don't look at them with just their father in mind. That's not who they take after, nor who taught them their pre-Hogwarts spells."
"Why? I don't even know who their mother is," the seeker shrugged. "It doesn't matter."
Ronan considered telling him, then decided not to. "All right," he said, "but I've warned you." And he went back to the stands.
When he and Dora walked back up to the castle, she asked, "What did they say?"
"Nothing unusual," Ronan answered. "Flint's a little salty, but no one really cares except the captain. Like most Quidditch players, he prefers that his team stay intact."
"If he was smart, he'd keep his mouth shut," Dora shrugged.
"Clever and resourceful doesn't mean intuitive," Ronan said thoughtfully.
Dora rolled her eyes. "That's for sure."
"So," said Will to Percy as the train began to leave Hogsmeade station, "were you top of the class?"
Charlie raised an eyebrow at Percy, who finally nodded and added, "It's only first year, though."
Will shrugged. "I'm sure you'll be top of your year for a couple more years at least," he said.
"You stayed top of Gryffindor," Percy smiled. "Did you even try?"
"He actually studied," Charlie grinned. "And so did I—but I don't want to know how I placed. I'm not here for a contest."
"Do you think you'll do all right in your Owls next year?" Percy asked.
"I'm going to enjoy the summer and worry about that when it comes," Will said decisively.