Always There For You
Chapter Four
The train ride was nothing that Molly was not used to already. After all, it just seemed like another year at Hogwarts for her. Arthur on the other hand, was squirming in his seat. Ginny and Harry sat across from them both next to their future son and their friend Hermione. Everything had worked out as planned. The Order, although shocked that the two of them had traveled from the past, had eventually come to the conclusion that they should go to the school. As Arthur had pointed out, it was the safest place for them all.
The headmistress McGonagall told them that they had to keep their marriages and pregnancies a secret for as long as possible so that they could remain as safe as possible. Both Molly and Ginny had agreed hands down. On the other hand, that also meant that they would not be sharing quarters. For both couples, this was a hard thing to accept.
"So Ron, do you have a girlfriend?" Arthur asked. Molly knew he was just trying to get over his uneasiness with the situation.
"Well no. I'm not dating anyone." He glared at Hermione, which Molly didn't understand at all. Luckily, it seemed that Arthur did. The topic quickly changed to that of Quidditch.
"How long have you been seeing each other?" She asked her daughter and son-in-law.
"Well, I've known Harry since I was ten." Ginny grinned up at him and then continued. "He pretended I didn't exist then, didn't you Harry?"
"Well then you were just Ron's little sister to me." he smartly replied.
Molly could see the love in his eyes and she was pleased. She was not yet Ginny's mother, but she was happy to know that her future daughter would have such a loving husband. The two seemed happy now that everything was out in the open about the two of them.
"So how did you and Arthur meet?" Ginny inquired.
Molly looked to her lap for the answers. She didn't want to tell such an embarrassing tale. Unfortunately, Arthur had heard the question and was happy to oblige.
"Molly was six years old at the time." the devil grinned and put his arm around her. Molly buried her face in his side. "She was with her Mother in the park and had just finished digging up a rather large pile of dirt. Her Mum told her to go play with her brothers but she didn't want to. It was something about not wanting to play with meanies wasn't it Molly-dear?"
"I don't remember." she mumbled, still refusing to glance at the faces around her.
Everyone in the small compartment was held to the spot wondering at her display of embarrassment. They waited patiently for Arthur to continue.
"I was standing by the swings at the time. I was nine years old then and I couldn't figure out why such a pretty girl would ruin her robes like that. I was with my friend though and I didn't want him to catch me staring at her so I pretended not to notice. It wasn't until I heard this awful screaming that I turned to watch her again. My little Molly was covered in ants."
The entire room burst in that moment. Arthur even noticed that Molly cracked a grin at her own expense.
"Anyway," he continued when the room calmed down a bit, "I didn't know who she was, but I ran over there and ordered her to stop screaming. She just looked at me like I had lost my mind. But she did stop."
"Only because you scared me." Molly interjected. "I was sitting on the grounded covered in ants and you were towering over me and dishing out orders. I remember I wanted to hit you for that. Mostly because you scared me but partly because my Mum thanked you."
Ginny started laughing again.
"Well," Arthur continued, "she did get them all off you. You were just making too much noise to notice that they weren't biting you anymore."
Molly blushed again. Arthur held his satisfied grin.
"The next time we met we were at school. I didn't even realize he was that scary boy from the park until we started comparing stories. Not even our Mum's told us until we asked them. They were friends and witnessed the whole thing." Molly smiled in remembrance.
"I'm going to go get something to eat from the cart. That still exists doesn't it?"
"Yeah." Ron muttered.
"Oh me too then. I can't wait to get my hands on a few chocolate frogs. I wonder if anyone we know has become famous enough to be on a card."
Together, they rushed into the corridor and out of sight.
"You guys, I don't know about this." Ron rubbed his eyes and leaned back between Ginny and Hermione. "They are our Mum and Dad. They are going to write about every little thing we do wrong. Don't you think it is just kind of weird?"
"Yes it is." Ginny said. "I agree it is weird to have them here. But maybe this will bring us closer to our own parents."
"Gin don't you realize that they are our parents? I don't want them here. I know that they will turn on us. Parents always do. Mum will be writing to them every day wondering what is happening. Especially with you and Harry."
Ginny glared at her brother. "You really are trying your best to putme in a bad mood aren't you?" It had only been four days since she and Harry were wed and she hadn't quite forgiven Ron for attacking Harry yet. She wasn't going to conceed that she had worried over the same thing that very morning. "I think that it will be fine. They are our friends now. I think we should treat them like they are one of us until they go back to their time. Besides, how bad could it be?"
"I don't want to see my parents making out in the common room Ginny." Ron exploded.
Hermione hit him on the shoulder. "Grow up Ronald."
Arthur and Molly came rushing inside in that moment. "We got enough for everyone." Molly thrust a frog toward each of them. Now you can't say we didn't think of you." she grinned and sat on Arthur's lap while she ate her own frog.
Ron continued to scowl at Hermione, as if to say 'I told you so'.
The sorting was slow and boring as usual. The school sorted all the first years and then started on the transfers. Molly elected to change her name to Molly Andrews to keep up appearances. Arthur decided to keep his last name since it was kind of obvious that he was a Weasley, and only change his first name to Adam. The Order decided that Molly would be of no relation and Arthur would be a distant cousin who had moved in with the Weasley family over the summer.
Harry seemed worried about that arrangement but didn't say anything. Molly decided to wheedle it out of him the day before they traveled to Hogwarts and he explained that the house of Slytherin had it out for the Weasleys because of their big family and was likely going to be a bigger pain this year due to Arthur's claim. He also said that if anyone started snooping, they could probably find out everything. Harry just didn't think it was a good idea to attract attention to themselves. Though even he had to admit, you couldn't go around calling a Weasley something other then a Weasley.
Both Molly and Arthur were sorted into the Gryffindor house and went to sit with their children at that table. Neither of the two noticed a certain blond boy staring their way.
The day of their first classes was very exciting for Molly. Even though any grades that she made didn't count, she was determined to make the best of things. She also wanted to spend her time exploring her interest in Charms while she could.
Her first class was with Remus Lupin. She had to admit that she had never taken Defense Against the Dark Arts before. It was a new addition to the school since Voldemort's rein.
Molly was determined to spend as much time as she could on this particular topic, even admitting she would study this subject instead of Charms if necessary. She wanted to be up to snuff with her defense for obvious reasons, or so she told Arthur and Harry during their morning meal. She was amazed at how much the classes had changed. She was also amazed to see that the castle had not changed one bit.
The first day of Defense was easy, or so Remus told the class. He wanted to start with duels to see how much information they had retained over the summer.
Molly was paired with a brown haired guy who seemed to be happy that she was his partner. He was tall and strong looking. She was sure she could take him but she was glad she didn't have to. They stood side by side with two other students on the opposing end. The guy smiled at her and then took her hand. "Are you ready for this?" he asked. Molly of course, was ready for anything.
She had never experienced a duel where people held hands but if this was how they did things in the future then she wasn't going to say a word.
"Wands at the ready." Remus commanded. The guy dropped her hand, struck a pose, and raised his wand. Molly realized that hold hands while dueling was a foolish concept to begin with and did the same.
After two rounds with different couples Remus had put a stop to the dueling. He declared that he was proud of them all for not slacking in their Defense studies over the summer and dismissed the class.
Arthur sat at the lunch table and waited for Molly. They were supposed to have never met before but he wanted to make sure they 'met' right away to stake his claim on her. The last thing he needed was for other guys to think they had a chance.
When he saw her walking in with Hermione he had to smile. She was the most beautiful person he had ever seen. Hermione took her hand and walked over to him. "Adam this is Molly. Molly, this is Adam Weasley, a distant cousin of the Weasley clan." she smiled at Arthur and he nodded in thanks. Arthur saw that Molly was trying not to laugh at that obviously planned out and very public introduction.
"Arthur dear, don't you think that the students know we have met when we came off the train together? Or even when we were on the train?"
Arthur flushed bright red but looked quite serious when he said, "My name is Adam."
They took their seats when the rest of their group entered the banquet hall. Ginny and Ron looked tuckered out already while Hermione and Molly couldn't stop talking about how wonderful their classes were.
"Pass this to Molly." A male voice was heard from down the table. "Pass this to Molly." Another said. And so it continued until Arthur had received the message along with a note that said Molly on it. He had to smile a little about how popular his wife already was. He tapped her on the shoulder and waited for her to turn.
"Yes Adam?" she inquired, her eyes twinkling.
"A message for you my dear." He handed her the folded sheet of paper wand Molly stared at it in amazement. "Open it." Arthur urged.
She did as he instructed and began to read. Ron, who stood over her shoulder to read it himself, snorted in disgust and went to sit back down next to Hermione. Molly looked at Arthur and saw his face was completely pale.
"What does it say?" Harry asked.
"Nothing." she replied. "It's just a letter from a guy who partnered me in Defense. He thinks we worked well together."
At this Ron snorted again. Molly placed her hand on her very tense husband's knee and gave it a little squeeze. "You are the only man I will ever love Arthur. You do know that right?" she whispered in his ear.
All of the tension in Arthur's body was released on the spot and he took her hand under the table.
Both Ginny and Hermione exchanged looks that said they would get the truth out of Molly later.
Molly glanced up at the teachers table to see if Minerva McGonagall had witnessed the exchange. Molly didn't think that she did. She seemed to be in deep discussion with one of the other professors that Molly had yet to meet.
She looked down the table and noticed a very large man. He had long, stringy, tangled hair and shining eyes. He was talking to Professor Flitwick. Molly had made sure she knew who he was right away. The big man looked very familiar to her.
"Who are you looking at?" Arthur asked her quietly.
"There is a man up there I think I know." Arthur immediately turned to look. "He's the big one sitting next to the Charms teacher."
"Hagrid?" Harry asked. "Hagrid is the Games Keeper and the Care of Magical Creatures teacher."
"Hagrid." she mumered, pensive with thought. "He wouldn't happen to be the Hagrid who got expelled for killing that girl would he?"
"Hagrid didn't kill her." Harry growled.
"Harry they don't know." Ginny pointed out.
"What don't we know?" Arthur asked.
"Hagrid never killed anyone. It was a Basilisk that killed her. Voldemort was behind it."
"Really. Now that is interesting. I remember writing a paper on him when I was in school. It was when I was in trouble for being kind to a baby dragon I found and took to school after Christmas break."
"Really?" Ron asked, interest peeked.
"Well, it was a scandal and everyone knew the story. I had to write everything I knew about the crime and why I didn't want that to happen to me."
"But what about the dragon?" Ginny asked smiling.
"Well I gave it to my brothers and they took it somewhere. I really don't know where. But, the thing decided that I was good enough to munch on. I was just handing it over to Gabe when it bit me but good. I wore a cast for a month."
"It was adorable though, your pinky cast."
"Oh shut it Adam." Molly glared at him. Her words reminding him of where they were and that he shouldn't have known her back then.
"Why do you find this so funny?" Molly asked Ginny who couldn't stop laughing.
"Well, Charlie works with Dragons in Romania remember?" Ginny answered. "We are all just realizing why you hate his job so much."
"Well of course I hate that job. Especially for him. That baby nearly took my finger with him. Charlie works with full grown ones doesn't he?"
Harry and Ron started laughing then.
Molly, Hermione and Ginny were sitting on Molly's bed later that afternoon. Everyone else was outside enjoying the day. The girls decided to let the guys to it and have some girl chat. Arthur went to take a nap in his room and Harry and Ron were playing chess in the common room.
"So what did that letter really say?" Hermione asked.
"It, ah," Molly stalled.
"Oh come on, tell us." Ginny pushed. She bounced on the bed to get closer to Molly.
"It was a love note from a guy named Seamus Finnagan. We dueled together in class today and he wanted to know if I would go out with him sometime."
"Oh that is just hillarious." Ginny cried out. "My own future Mum getting asked out on the first day of real school by Seamus Finnagan!"
Hermione couldn't keep quiet any longer. "You must have that mysterious quality about you. Well, being 'new' to the school and all. I'll bet Arthur hated that."
"He was so stiff sitting next to me I thought he had become stone."
"Oh this is going to be so much fun. Now you can tell us all about yourself. Maybe I can figure out why you are so protective of my brothers and me." Ginny sighed, running her brush though her hair.
"And I," Molly began, "can figure out what you are like. That way in the future when I have you as my own, I can understand you better."
"But you know I am going to be different when you raise me Molly. With you knowing my every hope and fear now, I wont have any of those when you raise me. You will protect me from any fear and help with every hpe. That is the mother I have now. Even if she is a pain sometimes. Dad calls Mum Mollywobbles."
Molly smiled. She didn't tell Ginny that Arthur called her that now too.
"This is very interesting though. Haven't you guys thought about it yet?" Hermione mused. She turned to Molly. "Why would your brothers send you here? Why was it necessary? Did they tell you how Ginny and Ron are supposed to die? Why can't we stop it but you can?"
"Hermione you think too much." Ginny answered. "Just leave her alone about that for now. We will all just have to be extra careful right Molly?"
"Right. But I wondered that too Hermione. It is very strange."
"Let's go down and bug the guys for a bit. There is nothing more funny then watching Ron beat Harry at a game of chess. Harry either sits back and takes it and then rants to me later, or, he will start trying to make Ron lose his focus by blabbering on about the stupidest things. I am surprised that Ron hasn't noticed yet. I guess it doesn't really matter though, Ron still doesn't lose."
"That does sound entertaining." Hermione agreed.
The three women stood from the bed and left the room. They were just about to enter the common room when Ginny stopped them. She stood very still and that was when the other two caught on and started to listen too.
Harry and Ron and had ceased to play chess a long while ago. For the last ten minutes they had just started confiding their fears. It was rare that they did this, but when they did, they became all the closer for it.
"I don't know what to do Ron." Harry said, toying a castle between his fingers. "I love your sister but I feel like I have done everything backwards. Your parents hate me, Charlie, Fred and George want to kill me, and Ginny is the only thing I have left. You guys are the only family I have really ever known and if I die in this war then that leaves Ginny alone. She has her family but what would you all want with a child of mine. I disgraced her in front of all of you."
"I can tell you Harry, we would protect her and your baby with our lives."
"Thanks Ron."
"I'm serious. I would die before I let you die anyway. And not just for my sister. I would die to protect you for me. You are my best mate Harry. Look at me, I have no future, and two sets of very poor parents who do not know how to stop having children."
"Ron don't talk like that."
"It's true. When the school finds out that Molly is my Mum and that she and Ginny are pregnant do you know what they are going to say about that? They are already talking about Arthur and how he moved in with us like he is one of the 'Weasley children' too. I can only take so much Harry. I can't kill everyone for every insult they dish out. And my family just doesn't care. Nobody cares what I think about anything. I am glad that Ginny and myself are here, don't get me wrong, it just…"
"You wish that you lived in a better house, is that it?" Harry snarled.
Ron stared at his friend. "I wish that I could have been loved more. Bill was the first, Charlie the apple of everyone's eye, Percy the perfect one, Fred and George commanded the most attention, and Ginny is the only girl. Where does that leave me Harry? Your best friend?"
"Your parents, brothers and Ginny love you Ron. You are family. Don't you think I wouldn't die to have my Mum and Dad back? I wouldn't mind one bit trading my life with yours."
"You would lose Ginny if you were me, Harry."
"You know what I mean Ron."
"I now have two sets of parents. I have the ones who still don't notice me, and I have the ones who can't stop groping one another. What am I to do Harry? Tell them that she cant get any more pregnant then she is? Here's a thought, maye if I sleep with someone and get her pregnant then I might be important to them too."
"We need to find you a girlfriend mate."
"No we do not. I already asked the one I want and she turned me down. The point is Harry, I would not mind giving my life for yours."
Molly, Ginny, and Hermione had heard enough. They snuck back up to Molly's quarters and sank down on Molly's bed. Each had a stricken look gracing her features and each was lost in her own thoughts. It wasn't until Molly started crying that Ginny followed suit. Hermione just sat there and watched, knowing that to even try to help, would make it worse.