Author's Note:
Reviews and Comments: To Seriously Sam: Is everyone vegetables to you? Now George is a parsnip? Haha! To Enimia13: I'm glad you didn't expect it! And ha, it might make Tonks get the baby fever a little, yes. To bellajxhnson: Thank you! I've been waiting to bring in single dad Charlie since Harry was in third year! To GryffindorHealer: I send kudos back to you! To Leapyearbaby29: Molly will definitely not want Charlie leaving yet, you're right. Hannah's dad was killed in the first war. Theo will get there. To AnAussieDownUnder: No, in regards to Charlie and Theo. Thanks for getting the Glee reference. To Endinium: I'm glad you hated Caroline Abbott right away, that was my intention! To Julia: Thank you! Eventually it will come to an end (I hope LOL), but don't worry, there's definitely a lot more to come! To Jmcglynn522: I love the BFE card too! I think it makes sense that the Ministry would be informed, but yes, it doesn't help them. Wow, already making her another hated character, what can I say, I got skills. (Looks away coolly, blows on nails). To Felice: interesting to make Hannah good at Potions, but I don't see her that way. But if it inspired you to write a story with Hannah and Penny Haywood as friends, go for it!
To xXQueenofDragonsXx: I think he'll be an amazing dad, too. Thanks! To PurpleLotus: I thought the forget-me-not was an iconic plant for not only the name, but also because it was the first flower Finn ever sent to him. Foreshadowing? Maybe… ;) To Steelcode: Nah, no hot seat, but there will be some shock that's for sure LOL. To Raindrops & Flowers: I'm so happy that Aydin remained a surprise! Sometimes things I think will be one, someone guesses them, so this made me happy. Great names for the twins, but as I said, the names will be revealed when they are born and not before. I agree completely about Molly, she would know everything. She's not an absent mum and I think she lets them get away with things more often than not. Neville and Hannah will happen, but we need some time as she did just break up with Kevin a few weeks ago.
To ScoutGinevra: Thank you! I think Charlie being a single dad suits him as well. Yes, Tonks will be back with Remus in time for Christmas. To JamesTKent: Yes, if Augusta finds out, it would be interesting, wouldn't it? You're right, it does illustrate the notion that all of the younger generation thinks they invented sex, Molly wasn't born yesterday. Crouch definitely needs emergency castration therapy, yes. To alix33: The blanket is definitely darling. To Periwinkleeblue: Thank you. I like writing Harry and Neville's friendship. To elin2002: I think Tonks would definitely tell him that and thanks, I tried to give Caroline a nice Terri vibe. To phoenixstarmidnightshadow: Thank you! I do try to keep it getting better and not stale. To justaRANDOMGIRLofftheinternet: I hope everyone appreciates Molly's reaction this chapter. To kittikatlova: Thank you!
To Tmrpotterhead250: Neville is definitely someone who Hannah can lean on, but right now she hasn't realized that yet. To Wolf's scream: No, Ginny didn't slip Theo a calming draught or sleeping potion. To Tiegdalewills15: Yay, plot twist! To Lolikiano: I couldn't resist adding that line in. I'm quite proud of it so I'm happy that you think it's one of the best one-liners I've made. To Nightwing2013: You're right, I will fix that, thanks for noticing. Charlie is definitely a rascal! To rodrimiry: Blaise and Draco will remain a mystery just yet and I hope everyone likes the twins' names when they are finally revealed. To Apurva roy: A new baby is a great Christmas present! To midnitewanderer: Your way with words honestly slay me! "her mother is the human embodiment of a twat faced, hot sauce infused asshole, turd nugget that ever gave birth to a somehow sweethearted child." LOL! To Dianne: You might be right about Molly being distracted by the new grandchild. Hannah's mother was killed in the sixth book, yes, but I took a different direction there since we didn't know much about her. I wish there were more artists who drew ASC characters as well! I would love to see some of that amazing art from people. Tonks and Charlie are total friendship goals!
To B: I really miss Sirius, too. I don't plan on writing an AU within my own series, but I never say never either. To Vaarshneyan: Thank you. More Romione will come. To coloredwords: That's funny how everyone thought Tonks was going to take Aydin for a split second, no way, Charlie is already head over heels for that girl! To Queen Raja: Thank you! It will be a surprise! To DeadFish37: I was inspired by a friend's mother and wanted to give Hannah a similar home environment with some changes. To tanuskagina11: I can't make any promises on waits before killing someone, LOL. To tim2604: The chapter was definitely not short LOL. Thank you for saying you love the dream sequences, I know a lot of people don't like them, but I feel that they're important. As to Hannah and Neville, I agree, I don't think Hannah is ready yet. She needs some time. To Bumlewis: Thank you for being awesome! To Just William: Thanks, I'll take good chapter as a compliment. To Menna Taha: I'm glad you like my Charlie storyline and I'm sorry that you see my version of Hannah "as devoid of everything you love about her character," but I'm enjoying writing her this way. To pix25 and Krazyasibe: Thank you! To Potterhead2009: Happy to help with your exam stress, good luck! To Guest: No, Finn is gone. To CharmHazel: Thank you and it might help Theo a little. To CarpenL: Really? You thought there was a kid involved? I thought I had finally managed to surprise everyone! To GreekGeek: Haha, wouldn't we all like to reach through the screen and punch Hannahs' mom.
To speedsONEandONLY: I love Molly being "a mother always knows" character. Good guess for the twins. You will have to wait and see. To Funbunnypotter26: Charlie is definitely devoted to dragons and will be equally as devoted to his baby girl. To jadely31: We will see Draco and Blaise soon. And yes, new life into the life of a confirmed bachelor. To WinkingSkeever: I did, see, it's been updated. To HGRHfan35: Not my Thanksgiving, I'm not American, but thanks anyway. To RavenJoy: Thank you. To WeasleyCousin: Mother Gothel vibes, LOL. To Purab: Thank you for saying this is one of the best fanfics you've ever come across and that you tried to stop reading and couldn't, I'm honoured! Thank you!
My posting schedule: Once a week.
Thanks to Dusk for her amazing editing skills.
As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!
Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!
CHAPTER TWO-HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIVE:
Despite how little time Harry had managed to spend with his girlfriend over the last week, he was still keeping busy. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and he just wanted to have some time to relax. In between decorating for Christmas, visiting Neville, popping by the Burrow, playing with Padfoot, and helping Zee bake, he hadn't done much relaxing.
But today was by far his favourite day of the holiday so far. Not only had Ginny managed to sneak away for a bit, but Zee was napping in the living room with Padfoot snuggled up with her - which meant that Harry had taken that opportunity to bring Ginny out to the treehouse.
Now they were horizontal in the hammock, Ginny on top of him as Harry let his hands slide down to cup her firm arse. A mix of The Beatles, The Cranberries, Abba, and Green Day were playing on shuffle and Harry was rather enjoying his afternoon with his girlfriend.
Her plans of coming to stay with him the week before Christmas had obviously been shot due to the death of Finn. He missed spending time with her, but he understood. The only reason he'd gotten her for a few hours this afternoon was because Bill and Percy had taken Theo home for the afternoon to collect some of his things and the gifts he'd had sent there.
He let his hand squeeze her arse more firmly just as a knock sounded on the door before it opened a crack.
"Harry?"
Harry made a groaning sound, but called out come in. Remus stepped into the the treehouse a smile on his face.
"Sorry to interrupt. I didn't realize that Ginny was here."
Ginny sat up, snuggling herself into Harry's side in the hammock. "Hi, Remus. Everything all right?"
"Yes," he said. "Tonks had to take off rather unexpectedly and I was feeling a bit restless, but I see that Harry isn't alone. I will leave you two be."
Harry frowned when Remus turned to go. He desperately wanted some alone time with Ginny. He wanted his hands on her, his mouth on her, in her. He wanted her hands and mouth all over him. But the first night of the moon was tomorrow and he knew exactly how restless Remus could get.
"That's ok, Uncle Rem. Let's have a snowball fight or something."
Remus chuckled. "That sounds great. I'll come back in an hour or so."
"An hour?"
He smiled. "Yes. I just remembered that I have some things to take care of first."
He closed the door behind him and Harry grinned at Ginny. "What just happened?"
She flushed. "I think Professor Lupin just gave us some time alone."
Harry still seemed confused by this, but he quickly got his bearings when Ginny's lips found his again. Then she was lying on top of him once more and he was kissing her back. It wasn't long before he had her shirt and jumper off, admiring the dark green bra she was wearing. He kissed the swells of her breasts, hands kneading as he buried his face between her breasts happily. Then she was crawling out of the hammock and pulling him with her.
"Where are we going?"
Ginny tugged him over to the armchair in the corner, unbuckling his belt and Harry's stomach flip-flopped. It had been so long since they'd had any time alone. Between school work, Defence Club, Quidditch, the Herald, and his lessons with Dumbledore, it was quick stolen kisses and nothing more. When his jeans and boxers were pushed down he grinned at her, sitting in the armchair.
Ginny knelt down in front of him in her tight blue jeans and dark green bra and desire ran through him. Her long red hair cascaded over her shoulders and down her back. She kept her chocolate eyes on his as she ran her hands up his thighs. Then her lips were on his thighs, peppering his skin in soft kisses that left him wanting more. When she finally pressed a kiss to his balls, he shivered.
"Gin…"
She smiled up at him, her mouth planting hot, wet kisses along his sack, over his length, kissing every inch of him as he hardened even more under her ministrations. Then she opened her mouth and took the tip of him between her lips and he groaned. She continued to slide her hands along his thighs as her tongue leisurely stroked the tip of him. She slowly trailed her tongue around his head before she used both hands to hold him, sliding him deeper into her mouth.
"Fuck…" he gasped when he hit the back of her throat.
This time she was more prepared for it: The size of him, the shape of it, the taste and texture… how different it felt in her mouth as opposed to her hands. She turned her head and took more of him and he moaned. His fingers ran through her hair lovingly as she worked him. She used her hand to squeeze and fondle his balls, loving the feel of them under her fingers. She danced her nails over them gently in a teasing fashion that had him panting as her mouth moved. She swirled her tongue around and around, sucking and licking like he was a candy that she was savouring.
She turned her head, sucking on him now as her hand stroked his base. He wanted to watch her, his eyes on her brown ones. They were dark and full of desire, her cheeks hollowed and making the freckles stand out more on her face. He reached down to stroke her hair and she sucked him harder. Then she was letting him go, to kiss his length, placing soft kisses on his balls, sucking lightly and he was trembling. She nuzzled his cock against her cheek, dancing her fingertips up his length in a tortuous fashion as she sucked on his balls.
Harry couldn't stop watching her and it turned him on even more. He reached down to cup her cheek tenderly; the feel of her mouth wrapped around him through her cheek almost sent him into sheer ecstasy. His fingers slid down her throat, stroking gently and Ginny turned her head, taking more of him.
"Ginny," he gasped.
She slowly slid her lips off of him, her tongue dancing over the head of him. "Good?"
"Merlin, yes!"
She kissed the head, tongue twirling around him, teasing him, nipping below at the sensitive spot she knew drove him crazy, sucking the skin there between her lips and Harry groaned. She took him back into her mouth, feeling him pulse and tremble and she sucked him harder as her name burst from his lips. Ginny moaned around him, getting every quake from him before she slowly slid her lips off, kissing the tip of him softly. Then that warm mouth was wrapped around him again and he knew that he wasn't going to last.
He cried out as he came, trying to keep his eyes open to watch her. But his release took over and his fingers dug into the arms of the chair as she licked him clean. When he finally came down from his high, she kissed his tip. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes wide when she met his gaze, her lips wet.
"I think with some more practice I'll get even better at that."
Harry's neck flushed. "Feel free to practice as much as you want."
She grinned and climbed into his lap to kiss him deeply. "No fighting with me about it anymore?"
He flushed. "It's not that I fought you on it, it's that… I didn't want you to just because I've been using my mouth on you."
"Harry, when have you ever known me to do anything that I don't want to do? I want to do that for you."
He grinned. "Noted."
She snuggled back against him. "And I like it. I like the intimacy of it. I feel closer to you. I like watching you fall apart, making you feel like that."
Harry nuzzled her neck, his lips brushing the skin. "I can understand that as I feel very much the same when I get to touch you."
"It makes me feel very wanton," she admitted, kissing his jaw.
"How so?" he asked, cupping her bum in the tight denim.
Ginny's brown eyes were full of desire when they met his. Her lashes lowered as she stared at his lips and when she spoke, she was a breath away from him. "Because I rather like having your cock in my mouth."
Harry felt himself stirring again at her words as he took her mouth in his. The sound of Padfoot barking interrupted them and Harry quickly zipped himself up as Ginny pulled her shirt and jumper back on. They had just settled back in the chair to kiss again when the door to the treehouse was pushed opened and Padfoot came running in.
Ginny slid down to the floor to play with the dog and Harry stuck his head out of the treehouse to see Zee waving at them from the patio. He gestured to Ginny and the two of them headed down into the cold. They had left their jackets inside since the treehouse was warmed, so they hurried across the garden to reach the house.
"Hi, Ginny," Zee said. "I didn't know that you were here."
"You were sleeping when I came in and Harry and I didn't want to wake you."
"You okay?" Harry asked, his eyes on the way Zee was rubbing the small of her back.
"I'm okay," Zee assured him. "Just achy from my nap. Are you two hungry?"
"I am," Harry said. "But Ginny had a big snack earlier."
When Zee turned to head into the kitchen, Ginny smacked him and he laughed, putting his arm around her.
"Sit down, Zee. Gin and I will put something together for dinner."
"I can still get around, you know. I'm not an invalid."
Harry kissed her cheek and helped her sit in a chair. "Indulge me."
Zee smiled as she put her hands over her large stomach. "They say twins always come early, but these two seem to have no plans of coming out any time soon."
Ginny moved to the cupboards to see what was there. "They don't always come early, Zee, and you still have three weeks left."
"Eternity," she said.
Harry chuckled as he pulled chicken from the ice box. "Uncle Rem is going to pop by later. He said that Tonks had to take off somewhere and tomorrow's the first night of the moon. I think he's feeling a bit restless."
Zee nodded. "Well, Tonks and I are going to spend the night together while you stay with Remus. We spoke about it last week."
"Sounds good," Harry said. "Then it's Christmas Eve. It kind of feels like it snuck up on us."
Zee's eyes met his. "It's going to be different."
"We'll make it work. Now sit and relax," Harry told her.
Within twenty minutes, Harry and Ginny had chicken baking in a casserole dish with garlic and herbs surrounded by red potatoes and asparagus. Ginny put a salad together as Harry set the table and then the three of them sat down to eat as Remus came in through the living room. Harry pulled the chair out next to him.
"Perfect timing."
Remus grinned and took a seat. "I lost track of time. Thanks. How was your nap, Zee?"
"Helpful," she admitted. "But I'm still feeling a bit ragged. Harry and Ginny made us dinner tonight."
Remus smiled. "Lovely. Thank you."
The four of them ate as they chatted. Ginny filled them in on the activity at the Burrow: From Percy's intense workload, to Bill and Fleur's wedding planning, to doing what they could to help Theo.
"How's he doing?" Harry asked.
Ginny shrugged. "I'm not sure if I'm honest. Some days he seems okay. He helps Mum and I in the kitchen, he plays chess with Ron, but then I catch him just staring off or turning the claddaugh ring on his finger or staring at the forget-me-not in the pot. His nightmares seem to be more frequent."
Remus nodded. "I can't imagine what he's going through."
"I think the only plus out of the situation is that Abraxas Malfoy was killed. Theo keeps saying that's great news and that it's a good thing."
"It is," Remus declared, darkly. "Abraxas Malfoy was a horrible man and I think he lucked out with decapitation. He's the one who hid the diary for Lord Voldemort that ended up in your hands."
Ginny frowned at that, putting her fork down. "But it was Lucius Malfoy who gave it to me?"
"Yes," Remus said. "But it belonged to Abraxas. He was holding it for Voldemort and while Lucius claims he didn't know what it would do, he still knew enough that it would hurt you."
Harry reached out to take Ginny's hand in his.
Ginny stared up at Remus. "Theo says Lucius Malfoy is a good man, a good father."
"I'm sure he is a good father," Remus admitted. "It's clear he loves Draco and Theo very much. He killed Thaddeus Nott for Theo. But just because he loves his son and Theo like a son, doesn't mean he can't be capable of terrible things."
Harry knew that was true. He snuck a glance over at his girlfriend. "What about Blaise?"
Ginny shook her head. "He hasn't said much about him. He just said that he's glad Blaise is there for Draco. His heart is too big. Blaise took the Dark Mark! He lied to him and all he can say is that he's glad Blaise is there for Draco! I can't wrap my head around it."
"Draco is stuck in a bad spot, Ginny," Remus said. "It's clear that he didn't want to take the Dark Mark and he refused to hurt Finn when it came down to it. Theo knows him better than we do and if he can forgive him that, we have to wonder how far Draco has gotten himself."
"He gave the diadem to Snape," Harry said. "He didn't know that it was a fake."
"That's true," Zee said. "But he also couldn't hurt Theo or Finn. He has a strong sense of self-preservation and one can't fault him for that."
The four of them looked up when the phoenix Patronus appeared in the kitchen.
"Meeting. Tonight at seven," Dumbledore's voice rang out before the Patronus disappeared.
Harry's eyes met Remus'. "Did something happen?"
Remus shook his head. "You know as much as I do, Harry."
Harry turned back to his dinner, wondering what it was that was so important for Dumbledore to call a meeting the night before Christmas Eve.
~ ASC ~
Harry, Zee, and Remus were the first ones to arrive in Grimmauld Place that evening. Kreacher immediately put out snacks and drinks for the coming people and it wasn't long before Bill and Fleur arrived with George, Fred, Angelina, and Percy. Moody shuffled in a little bit later, followed by McGonagall and then Dumbledore.
"Thank you all for coming today. I know that with tomorrow being Christmas Eve, you're all busy with holiday plans," Dumbledore said, his eyes on the room. "Where's Tonks tonight, Remus?"
"She was called away on something important. I'll fill her in later."
Harry wondered where it was that Tonks had been called off to. He thought that it was odd that his father never claimed she was at work, but only that she had been called away rather suddenly. He would have to ask him about it later. But his thoughts left him when Dumbledore once again commanded the attention of the room.
It was the first meeting of Operation KSB in a while and he was feeling anxious. With nothing left but Nagini before they took Voldemort down, he had no idea what this meeting could be about. Then he realized that it wasn't about KSB at all, but an Order meeting. Mr and Mrs Weasley came into the room along with Kingsley, Snape, and a few others. Snape scowled at him and sat at the opposite end of the table next to Slughorn. Harry was surprised to see Slughorn there at first, but he realized that it made sense.
"Harry, dear, don't you think that you're a bit young to be sitting in on the Order meeting?" Mrs Weasley asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Zee placed her hand over his. "He's in this, Molly. He stays."
Before Mrs Weasley could protest this, Dumbledore spoke up.
"It has come to my attention over the last week that Hogwarts has many students who will not be returning come January. I know that with the escalating attacks happening, people are afraid to send their children to school, but it is not because of a safety issue, but for something far worse. Lord Voldemort."
"What, has he recruited them?" Harry asked, sitting up straighter in his chair.
Mundungus Fletcher looked over at him, his hands wringing together nervously.
Dumbledore folded his hands in front of him as he spoke. "Some of them I'm sure he has, but it's not recruitment that he's working on right now. The Wizengamot Administration Services Office has recently been made aware of marriages that have taken place over the last week. Many of them Hogwarts students, and most of them married to those a lot older than them."
Zee made a sound of disgust, her hands over her large stomach. "He wants to make more purebloods."
"Yes," Dumbledore said simply. "What troubles me is that my source claims that none of them were forced into it through magic or blackmail or by any threats, but that they chose to be married off. That's what I find worrisome. I thought our society was past those older traditions and it looks like many of these young people still follow them."
"Who are the students, Albus?" Mrs Weasley asked, her eyes wide in worry.
Remus cleared his throat. "Yes, who are the students? How many won't be returning?"
"OWLs are the necessary requirement for most jobs," McGonagall replied. "Once students write them, it's not strictly required for them to return, but it's highly encouraged. Sixth and seventh year classes give students the chance to learn more life skills along with mastering their classes and going on to write NEWTs, giving them a better chance at a higher paying job. But we haven't seen a drop out rate like this in as long as I've been teaching."
"The last one I saw was in the 30s. Grindelwald also wanted to encourage marrying purebloods and producing children," Dumbledore said. "But that was sixty years ago and times, I had hoped, had changed by now."
"Most of them are Slytherin students," McGonagall continued. "But there are many from other houses as well."
Remus' eyes widened as he looked at the list Dumbledore had put up on the board. "That's over twenty students and almost the entire sixth and seventh years of Slytherin House!"
"Marriage certificates came pouring in," Dumbledore told them. "The Ministry was given the names and… as I said, my spy has informed me that none of them were forced."
Harry stared at the names that Dumbledore put up on the board as Dumbledore spoke.
Avery, Titus Jr (42) m. Scarlett Lympsham (14)
Baddock, Malcolm (14) m. Alecto Carrow (38)
Belby, Marcus (17) m. Marian Lofthouse (17)
Bole, Lucian (20) m. Laila Shafiq (21)
Crabbe, Vincent Senior (44) m. Loretta Cornhill (16)
Crabbe, Vincent Jr (16) m. Olivia Rowle (20)
Crouch, Bartimeus Jr (35) m. Millicent Bulstrode (16)
Crouch Bartiemus Jr (35) m. Hestia Carrow (15)
Derrick, Peregrine (23) m. Laura Bole (25)
Dolohov, Antonin (41) m. Calypso Fields (37)
Goyle, Gregory (17) m. Pansy Parkinson (16)
Greengrass, Gareth (22) m. Giselle Bonaccord (21)
Ledbury, Holden (17) m. Aeliana Avery (18)
Lestrange, Rabastan (37) m. Ophelia Rowle (16)
Lofthouse, Xander (17) m. Juliet Parks (14)
Parkinson, Castor (46) m. Beatrice Macnair (20)
Pucey, Adrian (17) m. Gertrude Meads (22)
Pritchard, Graham (14) m. Shanae Templeton (15)
Rowle, Abel (26) m. Bridget Ledbury (15)
Rowle, Caleb (28) m. Flora Carrow (15)
Rowle, Thorfinn (55) m. Siobhan Templeton (18)
Selwyn, Woodrow (37) m. Selena Macnair (17)
Warrington, Cassius (18) m. Josephine Macnair (22)
Zabini, Blaise (17) was supposed to marry Isabella Shafiq (18)
"Three of these marriages took place over the last few months, but I added them up here nevertheless. Parkinson and Macnair married in October and are already expecting their first child. I believe that Greengrass and Derrick both wed for love and had nothing to do with Voldemort's breeding plans, but the fact that they are purebloods needs to be taken into consideration," Dumbledore explained. "On top of this, it has come to our attention that Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini are in fact, missing. They were last seen in Hogsmeade last Saturday standing over Theodore Nott and Prince Finley Alexander, next to the decapitated head of Abraxas Malfoy. We know that Prince Finley was killed by an iron dagger that Draco Malfoy had in his possession. But no one seems to know what happened to them after that moment. Mr Zabini was apparently supposed to be wed to Isabella Shafiq, but he did not show up. It seems that Crouch Jr wed two brides, so far he is the only one to have done this, but if Zabini does not show up soon, I have heard that Shafiq will be married off to someone else, someone who may even already be married."
"They ran," Harry interrupted. "Zabini was pulling Malfoy along with him, he might have been unconscious at that point, but I was duelling Crouch and I didn't see where they disappeared too."
Dumbledore nodded. "Malfoy and Zabini both had the Dark Mark, we know that much, but as to how willing they were to accept it, is still up in the air. Regardless of their willingness, the Mark proves that they are both followers of Lord Voldemort."
"Zabini is now of age," McGonagall said. "But Mr Malfoy won't be seventeen until June and his wand was found in Hogsmeade. Wherever they've disappeared too, they've covered their tracks well."
Andromeda tapped her fingers on the table. "I think your spy has it wrong, Albus."
Dumbledore's eyebrow rose.
"Those names up there, most of them are children!" Andromeda exclaimed. "You're telling me that they chose to get married of their own free will? That no one forced that decision upon them, that no one held a wand to their heads? That's codswallop!"
"I agree with Andromeda," McGonagall said, her eyes on the board. "I know these students. I've seen them sitting in my classroom and some of them I can see accepting this, but others… they were coerced in some way, Albus. They had to be!"
"They were all willing participants according to my source," Dumbledore said. "I don't want to believe it either, but until we hear otherwise, I don't know what to say. None of them will be returning to Hogwarts as they are now married and the matters are out of our hands. As long as they had parental permission, a witch or wizard can marry at the age of 13. The laws have never been changed."
"Well, they should be!" Mrs Weasley interrupted. "Thirteen? Albus, at thirteen you can't possibly get married! No one knows what they want at that age! They're children! It's absolutely preposterous!"
"Molly, the laws were written centuries ago when our society married younger; married when a young woman flowered and as time went by, people stopped this practice and the laws were never changed because no one married that young anymore. Sixteen is usually the youngest and at sixteen, one does not need parental consent," Dumbledore explained. "It's barbarous, I agree, but there's nothing that we can do to change the fact that these young men and women up there, have been married and bedded."
Harry looked over at Zee who was frowning at the names. He knew that Mrs Weasley had a point and he also thought that Andromeda was right. He highly doubted that all of them happily went up the aisle without being threatened. Even though Dumbledore hadn't named him, they all knew his source was Snape. Would Snape have lied about that? Would Snape have told him that none of them had been coerced if it were so? Or had Snape maybe not known the whole truth of the situation.
Andromeda was obviously thinking along the same lines. "Snape, whatever you think you saw, there's no way that those children married of their own free will!"
"They did," Snape said, sharply. "They said their vows and they did it without a hitch. From what I understand the bedding happened easily enough as well."
Zee reached out to grab Harry's hand. "Bedding of children? That's sickening. You're telling me those fourteen-year-olds willingly agreed to have sex with people so much older than them? Old enough to be their parents? I doubt that. He pawned them off! He paid off their parents or used an Unforgivable on them or did something, but there's no way that they went up there willingly."
"They did so because they all know how important it is to breed pureblood children," Snape declared bitterly, standing up. "None of you understand what it's like for me to step in there and do my job. Do you think that it was easy for me to brew lust potions to give to them? So, no, Zacarias, not all of them were willing to fuck anyone just to get knocked up by a pureblood." His eyes dropped to her stomach before he sneered.
"How dare you!" Zee shrieked, her wand in her hand. "How dare you stand there and say anything bad about Sirius!"
Snape sneered. "Sirius Black got what was coming to him and you know, I'm not sorry he's dead! He was a bullying arse no matter how much so called good he did for the Ministry and he sure as hell didn't deserve an Order of Merlin for it!"
"Severus," Dumbledore said, sharply.
Snape shook his head. "I'm tired of playing both sides, Albus! I'm tired of being forced to do things for the greater good and then being mocked for it by those I try to help! And those names up there, unlike me, they know what their purpose is — to breed! And trust me, I brewed enough fertility, stamina, and lust potions that they should all be pregnant within the next month. They chose this."
"And how many of them chose the Dark Mark?" Andromeda demanded. "How many of them were coerced into following him the way you were, Severus?"
Snape glared at her, slamming his hands down on the table. "I — wasn't — coerced! I chose it and I have to live with that decision every bloody day of my life!"
"Well, they didn't choose it," Andromeda exclaimed. "Draco didn't and neither did Zabini and that's why they removed it."
"That's impossible!" Snape spat. "You can't remove the Mark. People have tried and the Dark Lord tortured them to death for it."
Dumbledore looked genuinely surprised by Andromeda's words before he masked it. "Severus is right, Andromeda, it's impossible. Even severing one's own arm doesn't remove it. How could they have done it?"
Andromeda nodded, her eyes gleaming in triumphant pride as she spoke. "It was painful for them. At one point, I thought it was going to kill them, but it didn't stop them. Zabini removed the Mark — from both of them. I thought that they were incredibly brave for going through with it."
"That's impossible," Snape repeated, his eyes turning to slits. "You can't get rid of it. It becomes part of you!"
Andromeda gave him a seething look. "Well, they did."
"How do you know this, Andromeda?" McGonagall asked.
Ted raised his wand. "Because Andromeda and I helped them. They've made a run for it and have since gone into hiding."
Everyone stared at them.
Andromeda cleared her throat. "Those boys came to us seeking sanctuary and we provided it. He's my nephew and... both of them were terrified! Draco was unconscious when Zabini showed up."
"Can you contact them?" McGonagall asked.
"I have no idea where they are," Andromeda admitted. "But Zabini is an intelligent young man and he figured out how to remove the Dark Mark. I helped him and it's gone — from both of them. Voldemort can't track them."
"You didn't think to let one of us know?" McGonagall asked.
"They came to me and Edward, Minerva. I may not know him as well as I'd like, but Draco is my nephew and if I can help him, I will. He's more like Narcissa than Lucius I can tell you that."
Snape stared at them. "If they truly removed the Mark, that explains why the Dark Lord thinks they're dead. He can't track them."
Ted nodded. "We don't know where they went, but they're very much alive."
Snape's eyes glinted in suppressed rage before he turned and stormed out of the room, ignoring Dumbledore who was calling his name. The front door slammed with a deafening bang behind him.
Andromeda huffed. "I don't care what that man says, those children did not choose this willingly. Not all of them! Draco and Zabini are an example of that. Zabini must have known he was about to be married off and that's why he chose that moment to disappear."
Dumbledore nodded. "Even if that is true, Andromeda, there's nothing that we can do about it at this time. The two of them are missing and hopefully somewhere safe. If you or Ted hear from them, please let them know that we will protect them if they choose to return. As to the rest of them, those young witches and wizards are now inside of his inner circle." He tapped his fingers on the table. "As we said, that's over twenty students who won't be returning and that's something that we don't want to see happening again any time soon. Voldemort has obviously decided that more pureblood children need to be born to help further his cause. He wants to show the world that he's taking a stance on why purebloods are better than the rest of the world and this is the route he's taken."
Harry raised his wand into the air before he spoke. "Professor, making people have pureblood babies is one thing, but they're still just going to be babies. It's not like he can use them as part of his army?"
"No," Dumbledore agreed. "But it's the start of him making good on his word which may inspire more people to join him. Kingsley, has there been any news on the former Deputy Minister?"
Kingsley cleared his throat. "Nothing new. As you all are aware, the former Deputy Minister Whitney Dashwood's body was discovered last week. After the chaos of the attack in Hogsmeade, her body was found tossed in the alley behind The Hog's Head. She was clearly held and tortured for most of the time that she'd been missing. We don't know what information she may have had or potentially given Voldemort and his followers and that's something that Minister Bones is worried about. Dashwood was her right hand. The DMLE has increased the security on Minister Bones and in the meantime, we're discussing the plans for finding a new Deputy Minister. Bones made an announcement on the wireless the other day talking about Dashwood and her amazing career and accomplishments in both the Ministry and as a friend and mother. She's going to be missed."
"What's next?" McGonagall asked. "He's taken children from our school and there's nothing that we can do to stop it. What can we do next?"
"We wait," Dumbledore said. "It's not what I want, but right now it's our only option."
"I agree with Dumbledore," Kingsley said. "My Spook Squad has been getting some intel and I think that we're starting to see more of what he wants. Snape's intel is important no matter how unlikable the man himself may be."
Dumbledore frowned. "He plays a dangerous game and I think that we all sometimes forget that. Voldemort wants to take over our world and to lead it the way he thinks we should be led. We all know that this can't happen, but it's not going to be easy to stop it all. Snape has to make difficult decisions, but he was doing his best to protect those two boys and the fact that they didn't tell him what they were planning worries him."
Andromeda's eyes softened. "I never even thought… he's worried about them, of course he is. He's head of their house."
Harry tried to stifle a snort but Remus heard it and gave him a look. Just because Snape was head of Slytherin House didn't mean that he cared about his students. Granted, Harry did notice that he was nicer to the Slytherins so maybe he did care about them in his own way, but Snape being nice was something he really couldn't see. That one time he had told him that he was like his mother and had apologized to him before he had claimed that he knew Harry could do better in Potions than the work he was giving him — it still confused him. Snape may have stopped generally verbally abusing him, but the looks of pure hate had definitely only increased. Not to mention the insult he had given Zee. If she hadn't been holding his arm, he was positive he would have hexed the man.
He turned his attention back to the meeting. Dumbledore didn't have much else to say. They spoke more about the precautions being taken by the Ministry, the loss of the students, and then he was saying goodnight.
"Harry, may I speak with you before you leave?"
Harry looked over at Dumbledore in surprise before he nodded. "Yeah, I mean, yes, Professor."
Everyone had soon cleared out and Harry was left in the kitchen with Dumbledore, Remus, and Zee. Zee stood up slowly, rubbing her back before she kissed Harry's cheek.
"We'll see you at home."
Harry watched them go before he turned back to Dumbledore. "What can I do for you, Sir?"
Dumbledore looked at him over his half-moon spectacles. "I was hoping you wouldn't mind us having another lesson."
Harry's eyebrow rose. "Was there something else that you wanted to discuss about the diary?"
"No, I was actually hoping to give you a practical lesson this evening if you had the time?"
Harry's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yes," Dumbledore answered. "I had been hoping to get to it before the holiday, but with Dashwood having gone missing, I'm afraid that the Wizengamot took up more of my time than I intended. Is there a room here that is good to spread out in?"
Harry nodded and led Dumbledore down past the boiler room into the lower level where it was mostly empty. Sirius had told him once that it was where his parents had duels and meetings and where Remus had told him, Sirius had once been been kept in irons as a punishment. Harry understood why his father had hated the house, but for situations such as this, it was worth having it. It was a big open space and with nothing really in the room, the perfect place to spread out and practice any kind of spellwork.
"Now," Dumbledore began. "What kinds of spells do you think that you can learn from me, Harry?"
Harry frowned. That wasn't what he had been expecting, but it should have been. Dumbledore wasn't exactly known for being clear and concise. In fact, the more of an enigma he was, the more it seemed to fit. It was frustrating and yet was so Dumbledore that Harry couldn't imagine him any other way.
"I don't know, Professor. You're one of the most powerful wizards in the world, Sir. I reckon you can do all sorts of magic that others can't."
"I am powerful," Dumbledore agreed. "But despite what people think, I don't believe that I am any more powerful than the average witch or wizard, it is merely how I choose to use my powers. I am first and foremost an academic. I always strived to do my best in my studies, to learn everything that I could and to study the heart of magic itself; to break it down and to understand how and why it works. It fascinates me. That's part of how I created a talking Patronus. We have all of these incredible spells at our disposal and yet I think they can be used in many different ways. Misha Zacarias has been teaching you to duel, yes?"
"Yes," Harry responded, still not sure where Dumbledore was going with his talk.
"He's been focusing on defensive and offensive spells, I take it?"
Harry nodded. "Yes. We've worked on my Patronus and using it as a shield and most recently he was teaching me how to use my magic when I lose my wand."
"Wandless fighting?"
"Yes, Sir."
Dumbledore smiled, his fingers threaded through his long silver beard. "I applaud you for that. There's a lot of magic I do wandlessly, but in a fight, I am no match without my wand."
"Papa's been teaching me how to not let my guard down, how to fight defensively rather than offensively, but to always have an offensive plan if needed. He said that as an Auror the goal is always to take the suspect in alive."
"And that's a good strategy to teach," Dumbledore agreed. "As an Auror, Misha knows how to incapacitate a foe and to get the better of them in order to bring them in alive and safely. That's an excellent quality to bestow upon someone, especially someone who has an interest in law enforcement. But it's also important to know that not every suspect is willing to be taken alive. Grindelwald was and that's part of the reason why he is now in prison."
Harry nodded. "Did you duel defensively or offensively against him?"
"A little of both," Dumbledore admitted. "But my way of fighting is not as much about force as it is about illusion. It's about distraction, a little about showmanship, and most importantly, strength. When you think of me and performing magic, what do you imagine?"
Harry shrugged as he thought about the headmaster's words. What did he think? Everyone knew that Dumbledore was one of the most powerful wizards in the world, if not the most powerful. That had to mean that he could do everything, right? He could do any spell he wanted.
"I don't know, Sir. In the Ministry, you made statues from the fountain fight for you. You kept a shield up while shooting this thin whip made of fire to try to hold Voldemort, you surrounded him with this water globe thing and… it was the coolest magic I've ever seen, Sir."
Dumbledore smiled. "Thank you, Harry. Do you know what my secret was?"
Harry shook his head. "No. We don't learn magic like that in school."
"Ah, but you do. You just haven't realized it yet." At Harry's look of confusion, his lips curved. "One of the first things that we learn as students is that magic is based on the elements, so that's where I want to start off tonight."
"The elements, Sir?"
"Yes. Can you stretch your mind back all the way to first year? I know it's difficult to comb through those academic cobwebs, but let's go way back to when Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall would have told you all about the elements of magic. There are five of them: Earth, Air, Water, Fire, and Spirit."
Harry nodded, suddenly realizing that this was real. Dumbledore was going to teach him something. A private lesson from Dumbledore was definitely a rarity. He focused on the headmaster's words and tried to remember his lessons from six years ago.
"We use them all the time in magic. They crackle in the air and we feed off the natural powers around us along with the natural powers that we ourselves were born with," Dumbledore continued. "Something that a lot of people forget is that it's those basic powers that often pack the most punch. Today, I want to teach you how to tap into that with charms that you already know."
Harry frowned. "So, you're going to teach me something that I already know?"
"Yes, and no," Dumbledore said as he pushed up the sleeves to his robes and brandished his wand. "It's the simple spells, Harry. People always think that we need some big grand spell or charm to win a duel, but that's not so. When you were a first year, how did you and Mr Weasley defeat a mountain troll? Did you use some intense and powerful magic that outsmarted the troll and left him for dead?"
"Er, I jumped on his back and shoved my wand up his nose and Ron used a levitation charm to knock him out with his own club."
Dumbledore smiled. "Exactly. You used your environment. You knocked him out with his own club. Was it dangerous? Definitely. Could it have backfired? Exponentially, but it didn't. You took a risk and I applaud you for that. Risk is always high in a duel, but using your environment significantly lowers that risk. You said that what I did at the Ministry was some of the coolest magic you've ever witnessed, but what did I do? Water. Fire. Earth. Air. Spirit."
Harry's brow furrowed as he contemplated the headmaster's words, watching him tick off each element with his fingers. Fire had come from his wand like a whip to surround Voldemort. Water had come from the fountain to act as a weapon, like a powerful globe to knock him back. The statues came from the Earth, the environment around them to be used as weapon once animated. Air could be considered how Fawkes had helped.
"How did you use Spirit?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Spirit can be interpreted in many different ways and the discussion about his fear of death is one of the ways I incorporated that element. But when it came to actually fighting, no, I did not use the Spirit Element in any way. I see you made the connection to the others. Using your surroundings is just as important as using your knowledge as you saw with the troll. You can use as many spells as possible, but throwing off your opponent by using what's around you is another way to ensure distraction."
"And distraction is good?"
"Yes," Dumbledore said. "You can be the greatest wizard to ever have lived, but one day there will always be someone who comes along who is better than you. It's the law of the land. When in a fight, you must use everything around you to your advantage, you must never let your opponent gain the higher ground. Whether that's through distraction or not is entirely up to you."
Harry nodded. "Using the environment… like how you animated the statues to work as shields?"
"Yes," Dumbledore repeated. "The water came from the fountain. I used my surroundings as part of my weapon and I used simple charms to do so."
"Animating statues is more than a simple charm, Sir," Harry told him.
Dumbledore chuckled. "That one is a bit more higher up, I'll agree, but the water charm wasn't. How do you think I did that?"
"I'm not sure. It was like… it was like you syphoned the water from the fountain and made it into a shield."
"Combining simple charms together can sometimes create something amazing," Dumbledore said. "I did syphon water from the fountain and then I used a non verbal petrifying charm to hold it in place like a shield."
"That's it?" Harry asked. "We learn those kinds of charms in first year."
Dumbledore smiled. "Exactly. The powers we learn as students may seem like pointless charms when we learn them, but if we can learn how to control them, how to use them to our advantage, they can be powerful weapons. For example, if I combine Aguamenti with Wingardium Leviosa and a little bit of conjuring…"
He moved his wand in a half moon motion, his brow furrowed, and that little jet of water expanded into a circle until it was big enough that it looked like the eye of a hurricane. The water seemed to spiral out of Dumbledore's wand like a spinning top, growing larger and larger until it became a whirlpool. Harry could feel the wind on his back as the whirlpool spiralled into a water tornado centred around the eye; then the eye exploded, knocking him back into the wall with the force of wind and water and soaking him to the bone.
Harry shook the water off his face and hair as Dumbledore extended his hand to help him stand.
"Like that," he said simply.
Harry stared at Dumbledore in amazement. "You made a hurricane."
"More or less packed the punch of one, did it not?"
Harry grinned. "Wicked. How does one even fight against something like that?"
"Carefully," Dumbledore said. "It's about fighting the elements with the elements. Fire is powerful, but it can be distinguished by water. Water can be beaten by the earth, buried under the soil. Air is one of the most dangerous elements for it can spread fire, lead the water, and alter the earth. It's about knowing how to use them. It's the simple spells. Wand out, Harry."
Harry pulled out his holly and phoenix feather wand. "You started with Aguamenti?"
Dumbledore nodded. "It's about performing the spell non verbally which makes it more difficult, but you must concentrate on what you want to see. Think of the water being levitated and then conjured into something bigger, something even more powerful."
Harry stared at his wand for a moment before he did just that. The spell came easily as he'd been doing it for years, but the conjuring was the harder part. Every time he managed to channel the eye, it would dissolve before his eyes. Dumbledore was encouraging, like Misha he had the ability to make it seem easy. They worked at it for almost an hour and it was only when Kreacher came into the room to see if they wanted any refreshments, did the spell finally work.
The hurricane seemed to rise up from his wand, spiralling out bigger and bigger until it tossed Kreacher about like he'd become lost in a tidal wave. The elf flew across the room, riding the waves in surprise.
"Kreacher!" Harry exclaimed, dropping his focus and making the water crash everywhere before it evaporated. "Kreacher, I'm so sorry!"
"Tis okay," Kreacher said, coughing up the water. "Kreacher shouldn't have intruded into Master Harry's lesson."
The elf shook off his wet body before he Disapparated with a loud crack.
Harry laughed. "I feel bad, but that was kind of brilliant!"
Dumbledore smiled. "It was. But I think that you can make it stronger. England is an island, and we have access to the water that surrounds us. You can use it, make it bigger, make it come to you."
Harry nodded and once more brandished his wand. It took him another hour, but he managed to not only make the hurricane, but to give it force enough to stop Dumbledore from blocking it. The water hit Dumbledore like a wall, smashing through his shield and crushing him against the brick of the room.
"Sir! Are you all right?"
Dumbledore was chuckling as he climbed to his feet. He squeezed water from his long beard. "I'm fine. Well done, Harry."
"Shall we try it again, Sir?"
"Alas, I am an old man and I think that's enough for tonight. You did very well. Come the new year we will discuss more about using the elements. I want you to think about what I said, about combining spells that you already know; how to make them into something bigger. It's all about how you brandish your wand and the illusions that you bring to it. I think that if you give it some thought, you might even create some new spells yourself."
When Dumbledore bid him goodnight, he thought about the headmaster's words and wondered what other powerful illusions he was going to learn. For despite the word illusion, Harry knew that they were definitely so much more than that. Dumbledore was teaching him how to truly use his magic in ways that he had never imagined.
He had a feeling that it was going to be one hell of an interesting ride.
~ ASC ~
Ginny let herself inside the warmth of her father's shed, closing the door behind her. Arthur was sitting on a stool in front of his workbench where a pile of miscellaneous screws, nails, paperclips, thumb tacks, and other random items sat before him. He was concentrating as he carefully organized them into baskets.
"Dad, playing with your Muggle things again?"
Arthur grinned sheepishly, holding up a red thumb tack. "What do you suppose one does with this? It looks like a tiny skewer?"
Ginny chuckled. "I think Hermione calls those thumb tacks. How was the Order meeting last night?"
Arthur frowned. "Illuminating." At her look, he sighed. "If your mother asks, you didn't hear this from me."
Ginny hopped up onto his work bench to listen.
"Many students won't be returning to Hogwarts in the new year. They were married off to known Death Eaters with plans to get them pregnant. Dumbledore wanted us to be made aware."
"That's awful," Ginny said, her brown eyes full of horror. "Married and forced to breed like animals?"
Arthur nodded. "More or less."
"Dad, someone wrote to me, as Compass, asking my thoughts on arranged marriages. Do you think it was… did they know?"
Arthur looked sad. "I imagine some of them did. Some of them may have even agreed to it, but I think most of them were forced into it either by their parents or through dark magic of some kind. What advice did you give them, Ginny?"
"I told them you and Mum have been married for twenty-six years and that love should never be overlooked. That's why… in Hogsmeade, Crouch said something to me. He said something about being in the market for a pureblood bitch and asked Harry if he was willing to share his blood traitor…"
Arthur moved to stand in front of where she was sitting on the work bench. He leaned in and pressed his lips to her forehead. "He will never touch you. No one will touch you ever again."
Ginny wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "It wasn't your fault, Daddy."
Arthur held her close for a long moment. "Sometimes I wake in the middle of the night wondering why you don't resent me. It was my job to protect you and I failed you."
"No!" Ginny insisted. "You didn't fail me! How could you have protected me when you didn't even know?"
Arthur kissed her cheek. "Crouch won't touch you. He'll have to go through me."
"And Bill and Charlie and Percy and Fred and George and Ron and Mum and Harry… I know."
He chuckled and hugged her once more before he pulled away. "Mum and I are so proud of you, holding your ground out there. You've been forced to grow up much faster than I ever wanted for you."
"We all have," she said. "But I can take care of myself, Dad. I've been learning how to defend myself."
"And I've never been prouder," Arthur said.
Ginny smiled. "Well, if I can pull you away from your Muggle things, we've been asked to go over to the Lupin's cottage in Wrexham."
"Why?" he asked, his brow furrowing.
"Tonks didn't say, but she just asked for me and you to go. She said that it was important."
Arthur frowned and wiped his hands on his robes. "All right then, let's go."
"Mum's too busy showing Theo how to bake to notice if we sneak out for a bit."
"She'll notice when she orders you to do the next part," Arthur responded. "It's Christmas Eve, you know how much she values you helping her on the holiday."
Ginny grinned. "Which is why I told her that I needed some important father/daughter time and she shooed me off."
"Smart woman."
Ginny walked companionably alongside her father to the property line. She hugged him tightly as he Disapparated them to the Welsh countryside. They made their way through the wards and headed up the drive to the Lupin cottage. Remus opened the door before they'd even knocked and graciously invited them in.
Ginny looked around in interest, realizing that as much time as she'd spent in Remus' Hogwarts suite, she'd never been inside his cottage, outside of their wedding. It was a nice mix of Tonks' eccentric taste and Remus' warm studiousness. Then her eyes widened when she saw her brother sitting on the sofa next to Tonks. It wasn't the fact that Charlie was there that surprised her as much as seeing the bundle of blankets in his arms.
"Charlie," Arthur said slowly. "We've talked about you bringing the whelps home. You know that dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks Convention of 1709. Dragons don't belong in England."
Charlie grinned. "I know that, Dad. But this little whelp, she's extra special."
"That's what you say about all of them," Arthur said in exasperation. "Tonks, did you really let him bring a baby dragon into your cottage?"
Remus chuckled. "She didn't, Arthur. I for one would have protested that, no matter how much I like Charlie."
Arthur frowned as Charlie turned the bundle slowly towards them. Ginny gasped at the sight of the tiny smooth pale cheeks, slightly rosy, and wide open blue eyes.
"Dad, Ginny, this is Aydin Dora, my daughter."
Arthur's mouth opened for a moment before he closed it. He opened his mouth a second time and then took his glasses off to clean them on his robes. Ginny moved to sit next to her brother, her fingers touching the blanket.
"Aydin. She's beautiful, Charlie."
Charlie smiled down at her. "Isn't she?" He looked up at his father. "Dad, there was this woman and… we're not together and she doesn't want her. She signed away her parental rights and brought Aydin to Romania."
Arthur moved to sit on the other side of his son. "Aydin?"
"It means 'little fiery one.' I called Tonks and made her come because after almost three weeks I was going spare. I didn't know what to do. I don't know anything about babies."
Arthur chuckled. "May I?"
Charlie passed the bundle to his father and smiled when Arthur's face lit up.
"She's beautiful," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "A Weasley girl, too; that's a rarity."
Charlie grinned. "I had the healer on the reserve take a look at her. She's in perfect health and we did a blood test just to be sure. I'm her papa, Dad."
Arthur held her expertly, taking her tiny hand, his face lighting up when she gripped his finger tightly. "You know more about babies than you think, Charlie. You have six siblings and five of those are younger than you. You changed nappies for both Ron and Ginny."
He nodded. "Yeah, but… you and Mum were always there and this is… it's different."
"When I showed up in Romania, I think that he was waiting for me to tell him that he could do it," Tonks interjected. "You should see him, Arthur. He has this little sling to hold her tightly to his chest. He takes her around the reserve and the dragons and the creatures there are so attuned to the innocence of children. People on the reserve are there to help. It's like he has this big family there to help him and I told him that he's going to be an incredible father."
Charlie shrugged, his lips curving when Ginny's hands covered his. "The last thing I expected was to become a single father, especially when I didn't even know I was going to be one. I had no time to prepare. Aydin was born on the first of December and Adreana brought her to me on the third. It's… been an interesting three weeks."
"Charlie, I had nine months to prepare for each of you and I still wasn't ready. You learn as you go. All you can do is love her with all of your heart and do what's best for her, the rest will come, I promise."
"Thanks, Dad," Charlie said, wrapping his arm around Ginny. "I asked Tonks to be her godmother. I named her Aydin Dora Weasley because Dora means gift and she is a gift."
"That sounds perfect, Charlie," Ginny said, her eyes on her niece. "Can I hold her, Dad?"
Arthur smiled and carefully passed his first granddaughter across to Ginny. "Hold her head."
"Hi, Aydin Dora," Ginny said. "I'm your Auntie Ginny."
Charlie turned to Arthur. "The reason I asked for you and Ginny to stop by is, well… how exactly do I put this delicately…?"
"You need help telling your mother," Arthur replied, making his son laugh.
"Dad, on a scale of one to ten: How is Mum going to take this?"
Arthur hesitated. "The fact that she has a grandchild is going to be a high ten, but the fact that you're unmarried doesn't bode well for you. However, the mother signed away all parental rights and that's not really your fault, but if she hadn't…"
Charlie shook his head. "No, Dad. We spent three days together at a conference in Italy. I barely knew her. We just… had some fun. I wouldn't have married her even if I had known she was pregnant, but you know that I would never have abandoned Aydin. You raised me better than that."
Arthur nodded. "I know. But another thing is Satul de Foc Albastru… are you sure that's where you want to raise your daughter? Your mother and I would welcome you home, to help in any way that you might need?"
Charlie's eyes met his father's. "I know that, but the Village of Blue Fire is my home. I just bought a house and I'm going to turn the extra bedroom into a nursery. It has a big garden and there's lots of space for her to play. Dad, I can't come home. England isn't my home anymore."
Arthur clasped his hand on his son's shoulder. "I know that, too. You made a home for yourself out there and now you have to make it a home for you and Aydin." Arthur reached out and Ginny passed the baby carefully back to her father. "Hello, Aydin. Your papa is going to take such good care of you. He's going to teach you all about dragons," Arthur said, kissing his granddaughter's cheek. "As your grandpa, I'll make sure that you learn about other things too, like Muggles. Muggles are fascinating, you'll see."
"Grandpa," Ginny said, her lips curving. "Blimey!"
Arthur grinned, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "You know, considering I thought you'd brought home a whelp, I bet your mother will think the same thing…"
Ginny grinned, an idea forming. "If we tell the others, Fred will start a betting pool on how long it takes her to figure it out."
"What if she cries and gives it away?" Charlie asked.
"Does she cry a lot?"
"Well, no, but if she's hungry she might. I mean, she's a baby after all!"
Ginny smiled. "Feed her before we go to the Burrow. I'll bet you five Galleons it takes Mum at least half an hour to realize you have a baby and not a dragon in your arms."
"I'll take that bet," Arthur said. "But I say forty minutes."
Charlie chuckled. "Tonks, I think that we forgot how mad my family is when we talked about how to tell my mum."
Tonks, who was standing in the doorway of the kitchen with Remus' arms wrapped around her from behind, smiled. "Looks like you lot have it all planned out."
Arthur stood up, cradling his granddaughter in his arms. "Yes, we do. Let's go home, Charlie. I want to show Aydin my work shed."
Charlie grinned, swinging the changing bag over his shoulder. "Yeah, let's go."
~ ASC ~
When Ginny came back home that afternoon with Arthur, Charlie, and Aydin, she found Theo sitting in the living room in between Bill and Percy. The two seemed to have taken him under their wing in some way and were speaking to him about the Wizengamot. In fact, all of her brothers had been going out of their way all week to speak with him. Fred and George spoke about the shop and asked his opinion on their new products. Bill and Percy spoke about the Wizengamot, the Ministry, and how great Theo's ideas were. Ron convinced him to play chess and even though he kept losing to Ron, it got him out of bed.
Ginny's heart broke a little when she looked at him. All of the light seemed to have gone from his eyes. She moved across the room and urged Percy to budge over, pushing herself onto the sofa next to Theo.
"Hi, Theo."
Theo lips curved slightly. "I'm fine."
"Hardly," she retorted. "But I have something that might cheer you up. A little wager, perhaps?"
His eyebrow rose. "A wager on what?"
Ginny urged Bill and Percy to come closer as well. "Dad and I are placing bets on how long it takes Mum to figure out that Charlie didn't bring home a baby dragon, but a baby girl."
"What?" Bill hissed in surprise.
Ginny grinned. "Charlie's a dad. You can get the full story later. Are you in? I said thirty minutes."
"Charlie has a baby?" Percy asked, clearly flabbergasted. "How? When?"
"Long story," she repeated. "We can go over how babies are made later, Percy. Dad's telling Ron, Fred, and George outside right now. Theo, what do you say?"
"None of my business," he muttered.
Ginny smiled. "Since when is making a bet not your business?"
His eyes twinkled for a second before he caught himself. "Fine, five Galleons and I give her less than five minutes. Your mum's a lot sharper than you lot seem to think."
Fred came in from outside with George and Ron and sat down next to Ginny. "Can you believe this? I'm shocked."
"He's going to be such a good dad," Ginny said.
Fred nodded. "Yeah, he's gonna be great at it. Charlie was always the best at settling us lot down and keeping the peace. Still a shock though. I always imagined that if Charlie would bring anyone home it would simply be more baby dragons and that would be that. I reckoned if anyone had a kid first it would be Bill or George considering how much he and Angelina go at it like rabbits."
"I heard that," George said.
"Wasn't whispering," Fred replied.
"Where is Angelina tonight?" Ginny asked, turning to look at George who was sitting on the sofa across from them.
"She was having an early dinner with her grandparents and then she's coming by. "
They all looked up when Arthur came into the living room with Aydin in his arms.
"She is pretty freaking cute," George admitted, getting up to get a closer look at his niece.
"And growing up surrounded by dragons? She's going to be such an absolute badass!" Fred said. "Her Uncle Fred will make sure of it."
Percy scoffed. "That's not really an environment conducive to raising a child in! And where's the mother?"
"She gave up all parental rights," Ginny told him. "She told Charlie that she didn't think she was fit to be a mum and left him with Aydin."
"Irresponsible. Does he not use the contraception charm?"
Bill placed his hand on Percy's shoulder. "Perce, nothing is full-proof. You know that the contraceptive charm is only like ninety-seven percent effective, right?"
"What?" Percy exclaimed, his eyes wide. "Why doesn't anyone tell you that?"
Bill raised an eyebrow. "We did when we taught it to you, Percy. You can't control everything your body does and we all know that us Weasleys have a high sperm count."
Theo snorted and Ginny linked her fingers with his.
"So, how much are we all betting?" George asked.
Fred clapped his hands together. "Five Galleons a piece that means the winner gets forty-five Galleons if Fleur is in?"
"She's in," Bill said, smiling when his fiancee moved to sit in his lap. "What's your bet, love? How long do you think it will take my mum to find out Charlie is holding a baby and not a baby dragon?"
Fleur looked thoughtful for a moment. "Dix minutes."
Fred took down everyone's guesses just as Tonks stumbled through the front door.
"Hey, Tonks! How do you walk and talk at the same time?"
Tonks made a rude hand gesture that made him grin.
"No really, sometimes I wonder how Remus hasn't put you in a bubble yet."
"Piss off," Tonks said, but there was no anger in her words. Fred only chuckled.
Arthur began to rock in the chair, a soft smile on his face as he looked down at his granddaughter. Ginny thought her father looked so happy it made her heart ache. She had a sudden desire to hug him tightly.
Molly stepped into the living room just as Tonks tripped over the rug by the fireplace, grabbing the mantle for support and knocking over one of the stockings.
"Tonks, dear, do watch where you're stepping."
Tonks shrugged. "Sorry, Molly. Happy Christmas Eve! I just came by to drop off a slacker." At Molly's confused look, she pointed behind her and Charlie came into the living room with a rucksack over his shoulder.
"Charlie!" Molly exclaimed, rushing over to hug him. "I thought that we weren't going to see you until tomorrow! What a lovely surprise!"
He kissed her cheek and hugged her tight as she returned his greeting. "Missed you, Mum."
"Oh, you!" she said, swatting him with her dish towel. "Go sit down. Ginny, dear, will you help me bring out the cheese and meat plates we made up? Theo helped me make some lovely tarts for later."
Ginny hopped up to do just that as Arthur passed Aydin back to Charlie. Charlie curled up in the rocking chair with Aydin snuggled in his arms. He carefully adjusted the white blanket around her, holding her in the crook of his arm. She was holding his finger and he smiled down at her, his blue eyes bright in joy.
"Charlie, what creature did you bring home this time?" Molly asked in exasperation when she returned with the food. "If it's another Kneazle and it destroys my rug, there will be hell to pay, young man!"
Arthur grinned. "Molly, you know what he's like."
Molly put her hands on her hips. "Yes, I do! I don't know how many times I can tell him that dragons do not make good pets. He can't bring a dragon home from Romania, no matter how adorable they may be as babies. Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks Convention of 1709 for a reason!"
"I know, Mum," Charlie said, rolling his eyes. "That was practically your mantra when I was a kid."
Molly stared at him. "Well, you needed constant reminding. Putting a dragon in a onesie doesn't make it excusable. Charlie, you know the rules, no more magical creatures in this house!"
Before anyone could stop her, she marched across the living room to scold her son on bringing in another magical creature, but her eyes fell upon the child and she gasped.
"Charles!"
His blue eyes met hers. "Want to hold you granddaughter, Mum?"
Molly blinked, her eyes wide in surprise. Her mouth opened to form a perfect O before she closed it again. Her eyes filled up with tears and Charlie smiled.
"No tears, Mum. She's beautiful, isn't she? And she's excited to meet her Gamma."
Molly stared at him, her bottom lip quivering. "Her Gamma, I can't believe… yes, give her to me. Gamma wants to hold her."
Charlie carefully passed her Aydin and she stared down at the little girl, her eyes wide in wonder. "Aydin, this is Gamma."
"Aydin," Molly whispered, her lips pressing against the baby's forehead. "She's beautiful."
Charlie kissed Molly's cheek before he rested his chin on her shoulder. "Her mum doesn't want her. She signed over all parental rights. I didn't even know about her until she showed up at the reserve giving me my daughter. I love her so much already."
Molly turned and cupped her son's chin. "You're a good boy and you're going to be a great father."
"Are you disappointed in me?" he asked.
Molly kissed his cheek tenderly. "Never have I ever been more proud of you."
Charlie hugged her tightly from behind as he held his daughter's hand. "I made Tonks come to help me tell you, but I guess I didn't need her."
Tonks walked over to hug Charlie. "BFE always stands. Happy Christmas, Weasleys. I must get over to my own family."
They all waved goodbye to her before Theo turned to Fred.
"Easiest forty-five Galleons I ever made. Hand it over, ladies and gents."
Fred rolled his eyes as he passed Theo the coins. "Yeah, because you're a suck up."
Theo made kiss-y faces at him as he accepted the money. "Not my fault I called it. Your mum's a smart woman."
"And completely infatuated with the baby," Bill said, a soft smile on his face.
Ginny stood up, moving to wrap her arms around her father.
Arthur held her close to his side, his hand running up and down her arm. "Got another girl in the family. I never thought that would happen," he admitted.
Ginny hugged him tighter and Arthur kissed the top of her head. "She's going to be spoiled."
"Yes, she will. Come on, baby girl, let's go check on dinner while your mum bonds with her granddaughter."
Ginny hugged her father closer. "I can't believe that I'm an auntie."
Arthur kissed the top of her head again. "I can't believe that I'm a grandfather." He held her close, holding her in a tight hug that reminded her of when she was little. Nothing in the world felt better than her father's arms. "You okay?"
Ginny nodded. "Yes. I just missed your hugs."
Arthur chuckled. "My hugs are available twenty-four seven."
She grinned. "I love you, Daddy."
Arthur smiled when she stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. "I love you, too."
Ginny moved out of his arms. "I'll get Theo to help us with dinner."
Theo followed her into the kitchen when she flagged him down. He made a point to jingle his pockets. "Maybe you shouldn't have let me join the bet."
"Anything to see you smile."
His lips curved, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
Arthur's arm draped over his shoulder. "It will be okay, son. I know it doesn't seem like it, but it will be okay."
Ginny threw her arms around Theo, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back, not speaking as his hands fisted in the back of her jumper. "I love you, Theo."
"Love you, too," he whispered.
Ginny knew it was going to take him a while to heal, but she felt like every small step was a good step.
"Come on. I'll show you how to make Mum's famous Shepard's Pie and you can tell me what you brought over from the manor."
Theo nodded and followed her over to the counter as Ginny met her father's eye. One step at a time, she thought. One step at a time.