Hey everyone here's another chapter. thanks for all the reviews, they're very appreciated. i hope you all enjoy this update, i always wondered how a conversation like this one would go, so i wrote it!... anyway please read and review!
ENJOY!
It's the end of July now and Rose has been back from her first year at Hogwarts for just over a month. Charlie is five months old, her twin brothers are about a year and 10 months old, Harry is just over two and a half, Hugo turned seven in May, and Rose turned 12 while she was at Hogwarts.
The boys are old enough now that the play together constantly and it really does feel like all three of them are the same age. They've been going to the Burrow with Hugo and Lily during the week and I know that they're keeping Molly on her toes, not that she'd ever complain. I think having three little boys running around her house is really reminding her of Fred and George when they were growing up and in some way is helping her finally put Fred's death to rest.
Charlie is an adorable little girl. Her chocolate eyes seem to get more and more vibrant with each day that passes and I'm scared to admit that Harry was totally right- boys are going to love this little girl. When Rose came home from Hogwarts she seemed much older than when she left, much more independent. I think that's okay though; I think every kid needs to feel independent when they're growing up and I know that she'll always come to me for help if she needs it. I am however, very happy to report that she had a completely 100 totally normal year at Hogwarts with no three headed dogs or teachers with dark wizards sharing their bodies.
Rose also received an award this year for achieving the highest marks of a first year ever in the school's history, she even beat me! We attended the ceremony a few weeks ago where my blushing daughter had to accept a plaque with her name on it in front of her entire family and school; fortunately her entire family is basically the same size as the school so she wasn't too uncomfortable.
Neville became the Head of Gryffindor House this year, making him the proudest Herbology professor you could possibly imagine and we were proud of him too. His kids are all at Hogwarts now too and I know he loves being able to see them everyday.
In the beginning of July Ron and I took a couple weeks off and took all of our kids to Romania to visit Charlie for a week or so and then went to spend one more week in my parent's vacation home in Southern France. It was an amazing trip despite the screaming children and it was really nice to be able to spend some time with Rose since we both missed her so much last year.
I'm turning 37 in just a few months and I can't help but smile at how happy I am at this point in my life. All my kids are healthy and happy and Ron and I seem to have uncovered even more of each other in the past few years. I feel closer to him now than I ever have before and I know that the love I have for him is probably the most honest thing in my life. It's like second nature to love Ron, like I never knew how not to love him. It's sort of like with my kids… When they were born I just loved them right from the start unconditionally and forever, and with Ron I feel like I wouldn't be able to stop loving him unconditionally even if I tried.
Charlie just started going to the Burrow with her siblings while Ron and I work and Rose has decided that this summer she'd like to be in charge of taking care of Charlie during the days at the Burrow since she's had to miss the first few months of her younger sister's life and I'm sure that Molly will be happy to have the support. It was nice having Charlie in the office with us for the past month that I've been back at work but in some ways it does feel good to have my office go back to being where I work; I feel like people are starting to take me seriously again instead of as a woman who can't seem to stop having children.
Ron and I have been eating lunch with Harry and sometimes Ginny basically everyday and it's odd, but I feel like our relationship with them has grown deeper somehow too. Like they've seen the absolute worst in Ron and me and still love us and I know that we can count on them for anything. We've also started our own ritual of having meals together with our kids every Friday or Sunday night on top of going to the Burrow with the entire family on Saturdays. I think this is nice for Hugo and Lily since their older siblings aren't around all the time to play with.
This summer Ron and Harry started a project: a Weasley-Potter Quidditch pitch in the stretch of yard behind our house. It's coming along very well and after I secured the permit from the Ministry, I placed every kind of muggle repelling spell there is on the pitch so now the kids can fly as high as they like while they play. Every day we've had off so far this summer Ron and Harry and sometimes Ginny have been out on the pitch with James, Al, Hugo, Lily and whichever cousins want to come, playing until the sun goes down. Hugo has taken a natural liking to playing Beater and he is easily as good as Fred or George ever was, probably better.
James' seeking is improving by the day and I can't help but wonder what would be different if Harry had had the opportunity to play this much; he'd probably have gone pro just like Ginny. James might be able to as well with his talents. Albus is a fair chaser, and wants to try out for the House Team this year so Ginny has been helping him with learning moves while Ron has been playing Keeper to train him up. The Weasley and Potter kids are going to end up taking over the entire team at this rate; and the school once all the kids are there.
Its late afternoon on a Monday now and since Ron and Harry are in a meeting I'm on my way to the Burrow to pick up all the kids with Ginny. She should be at my office any sec- I hear a knock…
"Come in," I say as I quickly close the book I was using for research and as I put it in my desk door Ginny walks in.
"Hey there Mrs. Weasley," she says with a laugh, "you ready to go?"
I chuckle, "Yes Mrs. Potter, I actually just finished for the day."
I gather my things quickly and lock up my office and before I know it Ginny and I are at the Burrow and talking to Molly about the happenings in the family. After an hour or so of catching up, I know that it's late enough now that the kids are going to start getting hungry so I gather them all together and let Rose floo with Jack, Hugo with Ollie, and I take Harry and Charlie together.
I smile when I get into my own living room and find that all the kids are already settled down and playing together. Rose approaches me quickly and says in a very grown up manner, "Mum can I help you make dinner?"
I smile and put my arm around her and guide her into the kitchen, I love spending any kind of time with Rose because it's like getting to know myself all over again. She's basically exactly like I was when I was her age.
We make dinner together as Rose asks me question after question about my time at Hogwarts.
"Mum I know that you don't really like talking about it, no one does, but could you tell me what happened when you and dad went with Uncle Harry to get Voldemort?" I must've looked as stunned as I felt because she added quickly, "I'm sorry, it's just that a lot of people at school know who me and James and Al are, and all the other Weasley's, and they don't give us a hard time or anything but they do treat us differently sometimes. Especially that Scorpius Malfoy who is a dreadful mean boy. Always calls me a mudblood. I know that you guys are heroes, and I know that you stopped Voldemort together instead of going to your seventh year, but what happened? Why is Uncle Fred gone? Why are you in all my textbooks?"
I feel stunned. As she was saying all these things I basically just stood sort of in shock, I hadn't really ever realized that we'd never given any of the kid's warnings about our days fighting Voldemort, and hearing her say that a Malfoy calls her a mudblood sort of made my blood boil a bit; they never learn.
"Rose honey, I want to give you an explanation, and I will, I promise, but I think that for now I'm just going to tell you that your dad and I will talk to Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny and see if we can get all the kids together and tell you at once. You all deserve to know why everyone knows your name. And as for that Malfoy boy calling you a mudblood, don't think on it for a second Rose. His father used to call me the same thing at school but it was really only because they're both jealous of the brains we have, and they have some crazy idea about pureblood being superior. It's a death eater mentality that I honestly haven't heard a lot of people express in a long time. If he says it again you tell Neville, okay?"
She nods in agreement, "so you're going to tell us everything?"
I pause before answering; I can't tell my twelve year old daughter the details on horcruxes. No one should know about them, "Rose I'll tell you what you've asked, I promise, I just need to make sure we only have to do this once. None of us like reliving the experiences we went through that year," I answer and I'm relieved when Ron's voice sounds in the living room- he must've just gotten home.
After dinner that night once all the kids are in bed Ron and I are sitting in the living room talking about the work we did that day and the meeting he went to when I remember Rose's inquisition.
"Ron," I say getting his attention, "Rose asked me earlier all about the war with Voldemort, about why we're in textbooks, why everyone knows who we are…" I pause and clear my throat, "why her Uncle Fred isn't here." Ron looks a bit surprised and sad when I say this but I continue, "She told me that Malfoy's kid has been calling her a mudblood," Ron's face goes red with anger at this point, "but I told her not to worry about it and to tell Neville next time." That seems to appease Ron for now.
"She was just asking a lot of questions, about Voldemort, about seventh year, and she says that James and Al have the same kinds of questions. What do you think we should do?"
Ron looks at me and takes my hand, "what did you tell her?"
"I told her that she would get her answers but that I needed to talk to you and Harry and Ginny first, hopefully so that we could make it so we only had to do this explanation the one time," I say and Ron nods.
"Okay so tomorrow we'll talk to Harry and Ginny about it and maybe tomorrow night we could have everyone over here for dinner and then afterwards we'll explain it all to them. Not the twins or Charlie or little Harry though, they're too young and it'll mess with their heads."
I agree and Ron and I continue talking until it gets late enough to go to bed.
The next day Harry and Ginny meet us for lunch and we all make an agreement to tell our kids what happened, leaving out all the details on Horcruxes since we all feel the same way: no one should ever know the details on such horrible things.
Harry and Ron are picking up food for dinner tonight while Ginny and I picked up the kids and now we're all back at our house just eating dinner and afterwards we're going to gather so we can tell the kids what happened. It'll be late enough that the youngest kids will be going to bed so after that we'll sit down with James, Al, Rose, Hugo and Lily and tell them the story of Lord Voldemort.
I start the conversation, knowing it'll be easiest for me since I can talk about it like its right out of a textbook.
"Okay kids, I know you all have a lot of questions, but if you guys want us to be able to tell you all of this it means you're going to have to not interrupt us for a little while okay?" Once all the kids express their agreement I start the story.
"A long time ago now, about 45 years ago, there was a wizard who was evil. His name was Lord Voldemort, or Tom Marvolo Riddle. After rising to power for about eleven years, Riddle heard of a prophecy concerning a child that would be born at the end of the seventh month of the year, to people who had thrice defied him, and this child would have the power to vanquish him because he would have power the dark lord knows not. This boy was Harry Potter."
The kids all had heard the basic story before, but none of them knew the whole truth behind Harry's scar exactly. The kids looked strangely intrigued and Harry continued.
"The Halloween after my first birthday I was with my parents and we all lived in Godric's Hollow. We were in hiding because my parents became aware, through Albus Dumbledore that Voldemort was looking for them. They were betrayed by a man named Peter Pettigrew who gave Voldemort their location and he attacked. He killed my father, who tried to give my mother enough time to get me and her away, but Voldemort caught up with her as well and she sacrificed her life to save mine. When she did that she put what I guess you could call a mark on me. She protected my life with her own and her sacrifice protected me when Voldemort turned his wand on me. That night Voldemort lost all his power after his killing curse bounced off of me and hit him. That's why I have the scar on my forehead, and that's why everyone in the wizarding world has always known my name."
"But that's a good thing to be famous for isn't it Dad? I mean you stopped him! That's amazing," Albus said quickly and the rest of the kids looked inclined to agree.
"In some ways it was good. I mean, I did remove him from power for thirteen years, but remember that I was also famous for the most tragic moment in my life. It wasn't exactly easy to grow up with that constant reminder, although it didn't affect me right away since I wasn't raised in the wizarding world," Harry answers this quietly and then Ron takes the reigns.
"Now through our first few years at Hogwarts we went through a lot together. There were a few attempts on Harry's life by followers of Voldemort who were trying to secure his return, and there was also this book that was given to your Aunt Ginny in her first year that actually held part of Voldemort in it and was working to release his memory into Ginny so he could come back," Ron sighed and Ginny continued.
"The book was slipped into my schoolbooks and I started using it as a diary and I didn't know right away, but eventually I realized that I was being possessed by Voldemort and that the bad things happening around the school were my fault."
"Not your fault Gin," I say very quickly, "Ginny wasn't in control."
"Basically Voldemort tried to come back to power by stealing Ginny's life force, but luckily Harry got there in time to stop it and he killed the diary in the process. Remember what your Grandpa Weasley always says kids, never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it's brain lives," Ron says very seriously and the kids all nod, clearly afraid of what happened.
"In our third year a man escaped from Azkaban who was put there for crimes he wasn't guilty of. He was my godfather and his name was Sirius Black. Eventually we got his name cleared when we proved that Peter Pettigrew was at fault but Sirius still died a few years later at the hand of one of Voldemort's most loyal followers, Bellatrix Lestrange. But Sirius is the reason that I found out what really happened to my parents and he took good care of me when he could after that. Bought me a Firebolt, the first one!" Harry said and smiled sadly, I noticed Ginny wrap her hand tightly around his; Harry never truly got over losing Sirius although I know seeing him with the resurrection stone helped a lot.
The kids all looked impressed at the mention of the broomstick and then I continued, "During our fourth year there was this tournament held, called the Triwizard Tournament, and Harry was-" I was cut off by Rose who looked very eager.
"I read about this! It was the first time the tournament had been held in a really long time because of the death count and three schools compete between each other for 1000 galleons and the cup and ETERNAL GLORY! The champion for Beauxbatons was Aunt Fleur!" She paused and looked at us for confirmation which we gave, "She came in last place though, and then there was a Durmstrang Champion, the best seeker in the world at the time, he played for Bulgaria and his name was Viktor Krum. Mum you dated him!" She said this happily and I felt myself blush.
I cleared my throat and could hear Harry and Ginny giggling, "Rose where did you hear that?"
"Oh after I read about the tournament I was looking at newspapers and stuff and it said you dated him. You did didn't you?" all the kids were looking at me now as Ron sat next to me with his arms crossed.
"Well we didn't date exactly," Harry laughs, "we went to the Yule Ball together and were really good friends for a long time afterwards. We still write actually, not often, only if something major happens in our lives, like when I had you guys!"
"Let's move on," Ron says quickly and Rose once again takes up the floor. I glance at Ginny who I can tell is hardly keeping her laughter concealed.
"Anyway, they use the Goblet of Fire to select the champions but it got confunded by a dark wizard who made sure that Uncle Harry's name came out too so Hogwarts had two champions, Cedric Diggory and Uncle Harry."
The room went a bit quiet, the kids were sitting around being impressed at Harry I think, or maybe being amused at Ron's jealousy, but us adults were thinking of the death of Cedric Diggory. Surprisingly, it was Harry who started talking next.
"Cedric and I both touched the Triwizard Cup at the same time and a death eater had turned it into a port key so we were transported to where Voldemort was. He killed Cedric and then used my blood to come back to power, which he did, worse than ever before," Harry said this with a tone of regret and finality.
"During our fifth year Voldemort was after the prophecy that he'd heard before, when he went after me. He wanted to know what happened and why he couldn't kill me when he'd tried. The prophecy was in the Department of Mysteries and one night he used a connection that he had to my mind to put a fake image of him torturing my godfather in the Department of Mysteries to lure me there into a trap. Sadly, it worked and although me, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville escaped, my godfather was killed that night. It was after that night that Dumbledore finally started being straight with me and letting me in on his plan to kill Voldemort forever," Harry said this all quickly and the kids were now totally enthralled with this story.
I'm glad we're only giving them the light version of the story though, it's already been almost an hour and the full version would've taken a lot longer.
"Dumbledore was a brilliant man of course, and he had figured out that Voldemort had used these things called Horcruxes to make himself immortal." Harry paused here and looked very seriously at the children, "Now I'm telling you this because I believe you are old enough and mature enough to hear it. You will never see this version of events in any book, we've never given the details, and we're not going to now. The only thing you need to know is that a Horcrux holds a piece of soul and that Voldemort had many of them which is why he didn't die the night his own killing curse bounced off me and hit him."
The kids looked a bit surprised at Harry's seriousness, but it is imperative that they understand.
"After our sixth year, Dumbledore passed away and at the time of his death only two Horcruxes had been destroyed. We knew that there were five more to finish off, including the piece inside Voldemort, so after Dumbledore's we decided to leave Hogwarts and finish them off ourselves," Harry said and glanced at Ginny, I know he's thinking of the year of their lives they were apart and she probably is too.
"So that summer we went to your Uncle Bill's wedding to your Aunt Fleur, and during the evening we received notice that the Ministry of Magic had fallen and we had to get out of there. After that we were on the run and for months searching the country side and looking for a way to stop Voldemort," Ron adds next.
"We went everywhere we could and were attacked and tortured," I shudder as I remember Malfoy Manor, and Ron kisses my forehead, "and we even broke into Gringotts and rode out on a dragon," now the kids looked impressed, "and once we'd found all these horcruxes we ended up back at Hogwarts where the final Battle took place."
"That's where we lost your Uncle Fred kids," Ginny says and I can tell she's holding back tears. I rub Ron's back affectionately and Ginny adds, "and that's also where Harry sacrificed himself for the lives of all the people he loved. He died that night in the forest."
The kids just looked shocked now and Harry spoke up.
"I didn't know at the time, but apparently a piece of Voldemort's soul had been inside of me ever since the night he tried to kill me, so when he killed me that night in the forest he actually killed a piece of himself, and I got to come back and be wholly my own. No more connection to Voldemort, and finally Voldemort was a mortal man. Neville finished off his snake which was also a Horcrux and then finally in the end it was just me versus Voldemort. He tried to curse me as I tried to disarm him, and it didn't work out because his own curse hit him and he died," Harry paused, "Finally."
"The reason that everyone knows who we are is because everyone knows that we were the ones who finished him off in the end. That's why they know who you are, and that's why we're in your textbooks."
"You guys saved the world, we already knew that, but Dad," James directed at Harry, "you sacrificed everything."
I'm glad the kids understand the depth of the situation.
"James I did what I had to do to help the people I loved and the people that were suffering. Voldemort and his followers were evil and he needed to be expunged from this world and I'm proud to say he is now," Harry answered quickly and clasped his sons shoulder.
"But why does Scorpius call me a mudblood?"
I take a breath, preparing to answer but surprisingly it's Ron who speaks up first.
"Rose, Voldemort's followers called themselves death eaters and the Malfoy family have been in that circle for years and years until the very end. They didn't fight for Voldemort in the end, and in fact Narcissa Malfoy, Scorpius' mother actually saved your Uncle Harry's life by lying to Voldemort and saying he was already dead. Those wizards though, the death eaters, and even some people who aren't death eaters, just crazy, believed and some still do that a wizard with pureblood, that is, from an ancient wizarding family, is better than a wizard who is muggle-born or half-blood. Mudblood is a really nasty name for someone whose birth they thought wasn't good enough. It's a load of tosh really," Ron smiles up at me, "Your mum was a perfect example of that in school. She's the brightest witch of her age and she was a muggle born. They called me a blood-traitor because I am a pureblood and I don't care about blood status at all. Your grandparents taught me a lot better than that."
Rose nods in understanding and the other kids do too.
"Wow so you guys really are heroes, no wonder people treat you like you're famous, you guys saved everything," Lily says quietly and smiles up at us.
"Something you kids have to realize is that we did what we had to do. We never asked for any of the fame that came with defeating Voldemort, we only did it because we made the choice between what was right and what was easy. So you kids remember that if you ever have to make a similar choice, you always choose what's right, not what's easiest," Harry tells them very clearly.
The adults in the room share a look of understanding; it's been a very long time since we've given any version of our story to anyone, but I hope the kids understand clearly.
"And kids, please don't boast about these things or tell people these things. It doesn't matter what they think or if they have questions. They can get their answers in textbooks, don't give details to people about what happened, you never know who'll get a hold of that information," says Ginny and I agree. Reporters are always looking for ways into our lives for stories so we do have to be careful.
"Does everyone know?" Hugo says curiously.
"Well the family knows the entire truth, but you won't find very many people besides them that do," Harry answers and sees that Al is struggling with something so he asks, "What's wrong Al?"
Albus looks a little uncomfortable for a second then asks, "So why is Severus such an important name. I know that Albus Dumbledore was Headmaster and a great man, but I don't know anything about Snape other than that he was the bravest man you ever knew."
Ron looks like wants to be angry at the thought of Harry saying Snape was that brave, but it was true and he knew it too.
"Al, Severus Snape was a professor at Hogwarts while we were there, but he went to school with my parents and he loved my mother. He followed Voldemort but when he found out that Voldemort was going after my parents he turned on him and spied for Dumbledore at great personal risk for years, and when Voldemort came back to power he went back to spying on him and he passed information to the Order of the Phoenix for years. He did everything in his power to keep me alive because he loved my mother, and eventually Voldemort killed him for no reason other than convenience. His last act was to give me the answers to finishing off Voldemort, which he gave me in a memory and that memory explained to me that I had a piece of Voldemort inside of me and that I needed to sacrifice myself if the wizarding world stood a chance at survival," Harry took a breath, "he and I never got along, he hated me but he still did what he could to protect me and for that I will forever be in his debt. He had his faults and he was not a perfect man, but at some point in his life he was my mother's best friend and in the end his love was stronger than his hate."
Al nodded in understanding and I glanced at the clock and noticed how late it was.
"Okay kids it's getting really late, do you have any other questions for us? You don't have to ask them all now of course, you can always ask us anything you want, but just remember that this isn't the easiest topic to talk about for us, not in details anyways," I say and I can see Harry, Ginny and Ron nodding in agreement.
"Okay if you guys don't have anymore questions then James, Al, Lily we should get home," Harry says and he and Ginny stand up and start getting the kids together as Rose and Hugo make the way down the hall to their rooms. While their kid's floo back to their house Ginny and Harry stand with us for a few seconds.
"Well I'm glad we didn't go into too much detail, we would've been here all night," Harry says and we all chuckle.
"Yeah it would've been hard to put that many years into a couple hours," I say "but thanks guys, I'm glad that we told them."
"It's important for them to know why people look at them differently, it bothered me when I was young and no one would give me a straight answer about my scar," Harry said very casually. It's nice to see that Harry has sort of put all this behind him. "It was weird talking about all this again though," he adds and I agree.
Once they leave, Ron and I are tired enough that after saying quick good nights to Rose and Hugo and checking on our youngest four children we waste no time in going to bed and after a few minutes of quiet reflection on the evening I let sleep take over as I nestle my face into Ron's chest.