This is the fourth and final story.

Here is an account of what happened between A Certain Disaster and now: Fred and Verity were never married. She heard about Fred's death the next day, but it wasn't until a day after that when George came to her flat and told her himself. He asked her to return when he re-opened the shop, and she agreed. She attended Fred's funeral, but told no one else about their relationship or about their baby that she was pregnant with.

One month after the funeral, she dragged herself out of bed, and went back to work at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. This was not easy. Just entering the shop, she could see Fred everywhere. He had kissed her for the first time behind that counter. She laughed, thinking about the first time he grabbed her arse. He walked away right after that. She glanced up at the ceiling. She was standing directly under his bedroom, where they spent many secretive nights wrapped in each other's arms, alternating between lovemaking and sleep. She was relieved when George had finally discovered them and Fred revealed his true feelings for her. They progressed to their engagement soon after. George was the only one who knew. They were going to tell his family in the summer, but before that could happen, she found out that she was pregnant. Fred was still in hiding, and he had agreed to meet her during that first week in May. She hadn't yet told him, but she was excited about this new life, and she knew that he would be as well. She waited for him, but he never came.

One month later, as she stood near the counter, she glimpsed his face, and her heart leapt, but only for a moment. She realized immediately that it was George, standing in the space between the shop and the storeroom. As she approached him, he stepped towards her and gave her a hug, and then they started on the work of cleaning up the shop from its war-time abandonment. Charlie and Bill were also in the back, helping George with the heavier items. They all worked tirelessly for hours until the shop was gleaming in its usual Weasley twin splendor.

Verity stood, admiring their handiwork with Charlie at her side, both wearing sad smiles. It looked great, but there was a presence missing, and they all knew it. George and Bill turned to the two of them, and when they smiled, Verity saw Fred in George. They were so alike, yet so different. She had fallen in love with Fred long before they had begun seeing each other clandestinely. As she stood there thinking about Fred, she felt a sudden pang in her stomach. Was she hungry? When was the last time she ate? She tried to remember, but then an overwhelming wave of dizziness swept through her and she swayed. She reached for Charlie's arm, but couldn't quite reach it as she plunged to the floor, hitting her head.

She woke up in Fred's bed, everyone staring at her, and she heard a door close. George smiled – it was a real smile, and she hadn't seen one like that on him in this past month, but there he was, standing at the edge of his brother's bed, smiling broadly. Charlie sat beside her, holding her hand. It was then that George told her that the healer had just left, and he told them that she was pregnant. Did she know? Charlie and Bill didn't understand at first, but George explained her engagement with Fred, and now, she was having his baby. It was a Weasley miracle.

In the three years that followed, Charlie and Verity had become very close. He and George were both there when Fred's baby was born. A girl. Verity named her Chloe. This is three years later.

A New Beginning

"Uncle Charlie!" Chloe exclaimed. "Where did you come from?"

"I just apparated in, Button. I'm starved. Can you make me a sandwich?"

As Chloe entered the house for Charlie's sandwich, he pulled Verity into an embrace. "You know you've spoiled me for other women."

"You're being daft." He laughed and gave her a probing kiss, pulling her body to his, pressing her soft curves against his hard body.

He looked into her eyes. "Come back to Romania with me."

Chloe was spying from the house and saw her mother's head shake side to side. She turned from the kitchen window as she heard someone emerge from the floo. "Uncle Bill!" She jumped off the counter and threw herself into his outstretched arms.

"I thought you'd like to come to Gran's and play with Victoire. Where's your mum?"

She scrunched up her face. "She's kissing Uncle Charlie." She sounded disgusted.

Bill laughed, hoisting her up on his shoulders. "Let's go see." They let the back door slam closed, startling Verity and she and Charlie abruptly separated. Charlie was still staring at Verity's flushed face. She finally met Bill's look which was accompanied by a smirk.

"Hi Bill. What are you doing here?"

"I flooed over to invite Chloe to The Burrow so she could play with Victoire. Is that all right?"

"Of course. Would you like to go Chlo?"

"Yes mum. Do you want to come Uncle Charlie?"

"I'd love to," he said very seriously, staring at her mum's face as the color rose with each new word he uttered, "but your mum and I have to do a few things before that can happen."
Bill choked on his laugh and Verity closed her eyes for a moment.

"You go and have fun Button. We'll be along later," he said to his niece.

"Why do you call me Button?" she asked, hugging Charlie's leg before he lifted her up for a proper hug.

"Because," he said, pushing a finger on her nose, "you remind me of a button nosed dragon I read about once in a fairy tale."

"Should I tell mum to expect you two for tea?" Bill asked.

"Shoes on, Chloe," Verity was saying; then returned her attention to Bill. "Yes. I'll be along in a bit. It shouldn't take much to finish up my chores here." She glanced at Charlie out of the corner of her eye.

"Chores?" he asked. "I'll show you chores," he exclaimed indignantly, grabbing her around the waist, ending her gasp with a deep kiss and as one hand pressed against her back, his other went to her hair, pulling the ribbon out, letting the blonde tangles fall to her shoulders as his lips left hers to caress her neck with kisses. They did not notice Bill take Chloe's hand and disapparate with her to The Burrow as Charlie pulled Verity down into the grass of the garden. The blades were soft and cool under her skin, but she felt warm as she flushed deeper when Charlie pressed himself intimately against her. "Chores?" he whispered into her collarbone. He kissed her lightly. "Chores?" he repeated in his hushed tone, and then surprised her with a more passionate kiss, capturing her mouth, his tongue tangling with hers until they were both breathless. "I know I'm not him, but I love you. I want to be with you, and help you raise your daughter; my niece." He stared at her with a gaze that sometimes frightened her in its intensity. "Think about it," he said quietly, placing a soft kiss to her forehead and rising from the ground.

She craned her neck and watched as he walked into the house, not looking back at her. She laid her head back in the grass and closed her eyes, wishing she didn't love them both so much. Her thoughts drifted to a special box she had hidden in her bureau. It was covered in green velvet and inside she kept a second smaller box and a key. The key didn't work any longer and the box had a ring inside. It was a beautiful ring, and not worn nearly long enough. It had the word "Hogwarts" inscribed on the top of that smaller box. When she looked at the word, it saddened her that it would never change back to 'home', but in that moment of clarity, she had made her decision. She looked towards her small cottage, and she knew what she would do.