Chapter 18: Provenance

July 4, 2042

Virginia Weasley sat in her kitchen, nursing a cup of tea that was growing cold as, for the last hour or so, she had been engrossed in the latest file that Hugo had brought home. In the back of her mind she knew that she should really get dressed and start the process of getting ready for their guests, but it was just too interesting; a series of art forgeries, and good ones, had been discovered in of one of the biggest museum collections in the wizarding world. The trail had led back to England but had died out suddenly, leaving the Aurors and the other involved magical enforcement agencies from other countries stymied. Besides, everyone converging on their house was hours away.

She took a drink of tea, bangle bracelets jingling slightly, and didn't even really notice that her tea was cold. Instead her attention was focused on her husband, who seemed determined to make their house as spotless as a Witch Weekly photo spread. "Hugo, don't worry, it's just our families. They don't care about things like that."

"Oh, right. Like you haven't seen Mum find the toast crumbs on the table and sweep them into her hand before." He stood there with his wand and cast a scourgify spell at the sink. "And where are the boys?"

"Out in the garden. They're here somewhere."

"Somewhere? You let Vincent take Georgie outside by himself? Wonderful, let the eight year old take care of the four year old." He looked at his watch. "They'll all be over in an hour or so and Merlin knows what those two have cooked up."

"They're boys, Hugo. They'll be fine." She sat down the teacup. "Now about this file…"

"Bugger the file, Polly! I know you're interested and you were a great help on the last one, but…"

A series of small explosions were heard outside, and when Hugo and Gin looked out the window they could see bright blue and purple sparks shoot by, followed by the unmistakably excited voices of their sons.

"Oh bloody hell, Gin, where did they get the fireworks?"

"Hmmm…Dad or George, not sure. They were both by yesterday when you were at work."

"They'll burn the house down! Lovely, fucking lovely, Mum and Dad show up and the place is on fire, and then I'll get to hear it from Rosie again about how our boys are little hellions, that they would never let their lot do anything like that, and…"

"I put fire-retardant charms on everything yesterday when they were napping. It's the Fourth of July, Hugo. You know how Dad likes to do the fireworks bit, especially when he has all the grandkids in one place. 'American heritage' and all that. Relax."

Hugo walked out of the kitchen mumbling about how he couldn't relax when his children or his Mum would most certainly catch on fire. Once he'd left Gin closed the file, put it on the bookcase next to her collection of art books and decided that ten in the morning was way too early to get dressed.

-ooo-

Not surprisingly her parents were the first ones to arrive at the house, a little after lunch, but they did arrive a bit earlier than Gin expected as they caught her only half-dressed. Her mum knocked on the bedroom door and then cautiously entered.

"Oh good, you're almost ready. I'm pulling my hair out, Virginia, your father's not only brought over fireworks, exactly as I told him not to do, but he's been talking with George about it. He's almost seventy-five years old, for Merlin's sake! I swear he's more like one of the grandkids the older he gets." Melody sat down on the bed and looked at her oldest daughter. "Aren't you concerned?"

Gin shrugged. "Like I told Hugo this morning, I put fire-retardant spells on everything yesterday, not to mention that George already has some sort of Muggle repelling thing in place so they won't see or hear the fireworks, it's all nice and contained here in Satterbourne. Relax, Mum."

Melody put her glasses on top of her head and patted her grey hair back into place. "Relax? How am I supposed to relax when all of the grandchildren are going to be here?"

Gin stood up, took off her robe and slid on a Harpies t-shirt. "Um, it's more than that, Mum. Rose and Simon are coming with their boys, and I invited the Lupins as well. Oh, and the Potter kids and their parents as well. Artie told them all about the fireworks over at Ginny and Harry's place, and I couldn't tell them no."

"Merlin's pants, Virginia! Anyone else? Artie's class at Hogwarts? London?"

"Mmmm…Finn and Mary Caroline. I think that's it."

Melody covered her eyes with her hand. "You never gave me this much trouble when you were a girl. What happened?"

Gin gave her mother a stern look. "Mum, this is my house, and we've had this conversation a million times. My house, my rules."

"Or lack of rules." She shook her head. "If they weren't so well-behaved everyplace else I would, I…well, I'm not sure what I would do but I'd do something. If they acted at Colony House like they do here I'd be mental. Mental, Gin. Mental."

After closing her eyes for a moment Gin sighed. She'd had the same conversation with her mum over and over. Yes, her boys were proper little hellions without a set bedtime at home, but when they were anyplace else they minded their p's and q's quite well. They were polite, listened, followed instructions well, obeyed the rules…but not at home. Gin and Hugo had several rows about how to raise them, and eventually Hugo gave in to Gin's more 'free-spirited' thoughts regarding child rearing. She knew that he'd complained to Hermione once that it was 'absolute anarchy' at home but surprisingly Hermione had sided with Gin. Rule-loving, proper decorum Hermione Weasley had sided with her daughter-in-law; mostly because of how shockingly well-mannered Vincent and Georgie were at her house. As for Rosie's boys, though, that was a different story.

A knock on the door quieted her Mum as her father's head came around the corner, eyes covered by his hand. "Are you decent?"

"Yes, Dad."

Hank took his hand from over his glasses. "Want me to start the grill?"

"Sure, Dad." Gin gave her mum a big smile as she took her father's arm. "You know, I haven't heard the story about how you're not supposed to light fireworks, you know, the improper procedures, in a long time."

-ooo-

The grass felt good in Gin's toes as she sat in a garden chair next to Rose and Mary Caroline, the surprisingly warm afternoon sun shining down as the three of them sipped lemonade. After taking a drink Gin lifted up her wand and dispatched a water balloon that was headed towards them, causing the balloon to break and he water to dissipate into the air.

"Mum's put out about the fireworks. Did I tell you that she came into the bedroom while I was getting dressed and…"

"Gave you a dressing down?" Rosie smirked. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

"That's a good one." Mary Caroline looked over her shoulder to the left and pointed; Gin blasted the next water balloon out of the air. "It feels so weird to be here on the Fourth of July, though. At least your Dad's doing the fireworks, Gin."

Gin put her wand behind her ear. "It's about time you and Finn came over; you've been in Richmond too long. What's it been now, three years?"

Mary Caroline closed one eye and thought for a moment. "Two years, Archie was two, remember? We have that picture of him and Georgie together. Besides, when was the last time you came over to visit me? Ages, sugar."

"Right." Gin took her wand and stopped another water balloon. "You'd think they'd figure out they're not going to get us."

"Where are your boys, Rosie? It's been so long since I've seen them." Mary Caroline nudged her in the arm. "You're not expecting again, are you?"

Rose's drink of lemonade came out in a giant spit-take.

Gin winked at Mary Caroline and joined in. "Sure, Rose. I mean, women have babies in their forties no problem these days, happens all the time. Maybe you'll have a girl this time."

Rose siphoned off the lemonade from her shirt and gave them an icy stare. "I am done. Done. Five boys are plenty. No more." She glanced around quickly and then motioned for them to lean forward. "About a year ago I went and had a little Muggle procedure done. No more kids for me. And believe it or not, Simon likes it so much that…"

This time a water balloon did get through, hitting Gin in the side of the head and exploding in a shower of icy cold water. A cheer went up near the shed.

"Thanks, Rose." Gin shook her head as Mary Caroline siphoned away the water and gave her hair a quick dry. After returning to normal she looked back to the crowd of kids and saw Walter, Rosie's oldest, accepting congratulations. "Actually, I suppose I should thank your oldest."

-ooo-

Eventually everyone arrived; Mione and Scorpius and their four girls, Minnie and Alan with their daughter Gwen, even the James Potter and the Al Potter families. Al's family was the last to arrive, as always. Apparently their Maeve, who would start Hogwarts alongside Mione's oldest daughter Karen that fall, was a bit of a diva when it came to getting ready; if a hair was out of place she wouldn't move.

Mione soon joined the group of women in garden chairs and sat down with a rather exaggerated move that said she was tired. She levitated a lemonade over and drank half of it straightaway before speaking. "Sorry, they've had me on the go all day, plus all the bloody questions! 'When are we going to Aunt Gin's? Is it time yet? Is so-and-so going to be there? Can I take my broom? Blah blah blah. I think even the house elves were tired of it by the time we left. At this rate I'm going to drop them at Malfoy Manor for a week."

Rose smiled and held up one finger, causing all of the other mothers to laugh. Rose always had the trump card, five boys with Weasley genetics.

Lily laughed. "You know, I think Hank and Uncle Ron keep hoping one of us will help break the grandchild race wide open. I'm out of it, so it's up to you, Rose. And Mione, Minnie and Gin."

"Actually it's up to Rose and Minnie." Gin shook her head. "Dad's happy to be in the lead with eight, and if Hugo and I had another, Merlin forbid, it would still add to Dad's total. Rose, can that thing be fixed?"

"Something wrong with my sister?" Hugo stood behind Gin with a Muggle beer in his hand. "Want me to fix it, Rosie? I'm pretty good…"He never had the chance to finish as all the women dissolved into laughter. After they'd returned to some semblance of propriety Hugo tapped Gin on the shoulder. "Um, there's something you need to address in the house."

Gin looked at him oddly. "Hugo, what's going on?"

"Um…" he shifted his weight back and forth "…just do me a favor and head in there, will ya? For me, Polly?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "It must be something big, he called you Polly."

Hugo gave her a rude gesture." Bin it, Lils."

"Fine." Gin got out of her chair and looked back to Mary Caroline. "If I'm not back in twenty minutes send in a search party."

-ooo-

The raised voices were evident the moment she walked into the house; Victoire Lupin and her sixteen year old daughter Dorrie. The location of the voices, though, gave her pause, as the row was coming from her bedroom. After opening the door it was quite obvious why Victoire was angry as there, in all of her lithe sixteen year old glory, stood Dorrie in the blue dress that used to belong to Melody. The antique blue dress that seemed to be liquid as the wearer moved, one of her mum's favorite things that had been handed down to Gin, not to mention the good times she'd had whenever she'd worn it. Things began clicking in Gin's head, and as the pieces fell into place she knew what had happened.

"It fits you, Dorrie."

The Lupin ladies turned and looked at Gin, Dorrie red from embarrassment and Victoire red from anger. Victoire took the lead, grabbing Dorrie's arm and leading her over to Gin. "Dorrie, I believe you owe Mrs. Weasley an apology."

Gin held up her hands. "Calm down, Victoire. Tell you what, let me talk to Dorrie and then I'll come find you, ok?"

Without saying a word Victoire let go of her daughter's arm and left the room. Dorrie kept her eyes on Gin and flinched as the slam of the door echoed throughout the house.

"Let's have a seat." Gin sat down on her bed and patted a spot beside her, Dorrie reluctantly following. They were both quiet for a moment as Gin looked at the girl; sixteen, full of piss and vinegar and the irritation of someone who's been told to wait. In other words, a teenager. She definitely inherited some of her Grandmum Fleur's build, even more so than Victoire. Gin gave her a flat smile. "So, couldn't wait, huh? I told you I'd let you borrow it this year for the Tri-Wizard tournament ball. Any specific reason you had to try it on today?"

Dorrie's foot tapped nervously against the floor and she was silent for a long time. Eventually she looked up to Gin. "I'm sorry, it's just…Mum and Grandmum just don't get it. They're both blondes and I've got this…" she reached up and flipped the ends of her chocolate brown hair "…stuff. Everything they've picked out would look wonderful on them, but on me? And I'm sorry, but I was reading Celebrity Wizard Weekly and they had this list of best looks ever, and you were wearing the dress for one of Al Potter's movie premieres and I just couldn't stop thinking about the dress, how wonderful it would look and how Max…"

"Max?" Gin swiveled around on the bed so she could sit cross-legged. "Interesting. Do I know him or his parents?"

Dorrie shook her head. "Professor Muggle will, though, he's in Hufflepuff, he's going to be head boy this year."

"Head boy, nicely done." She watched as Dorrie relaxed a bit. "So, how'd you get caught? Come on, it's just us, one Slytherin to another."

"Holy hippogriffs." She covered her face with her hands. "Um, Vincent. He came in when I was changing and…"

Gin rubbed the bridge of her nose rapidly. "Bra and knickers? Please tell me it was bra and knickers."

"Yes."

"Thank Merlin for that, he is eight, you know. Still, I should probably have Hugo talk to him because it's obvious where Vincent gets it from. Now, about your mum…I'll tell her that I forgot to mention that I told you that you could try on the dress today. Simple mistake. She'll feel bad about it for a bit but she's a big girl and she'll get over it. Now as for you…Hugo and I haven't been out in ages as a couple. How about Saturday night you watch the boys? Fully clothed, of course."

Dorrie looked up at her in surprise. "You're not mad?"

"Mad? No, not really. Surprised? Yes. Take your time changing clothes; I'd say ten minutes should give me plenty of time to calm down your mum. After that ask next time, please. Now, since you've obviously got the dress, what are you going to wear with it?"

Dorrie bit her bottom lip slightly and looked embarrassed. "I really liked the pendant you had on in that picture…I don't suppose…"

"Nope, not that one. Sorry, Dorrie. That one's off limits."

-ooo-

As the sky grew darker Gin nudged Hugo. He held Mione's youngest daughter in his lap as the four year old tried to pick out all of the freckles on Hugo's arm, one of his little games with her. It was always fun to watch Hugo with his nieces, to watch him turn from the Dad who played with dragons and roughhoused with their boys to the quiet, kind uncle. His voice changed considerably, taking on a much gentler tone. It had been a mutual decision to stop at two boys, something that they'd talked about from all angles, both of them coming to the conclusion that two was enough. Still, watching Hugo with Mione's girls, part of Gin wondered what it would be like; after all, she was only thirty-two, only a little bit older than her mum when Minnie and Mione were born. And then there was poor Hermione, seven grandsons! Hugo's voice brought her out of her thoughts, as he was trying to convince Kitty to do something; she looked over to Hugo.

"What are you doing now, trying to get Miss Catherine into trouble?"

He shook his head. "No, I just asked her if she wanted to join the parade." He looked down to the little girl. "Are you sure, Kitty?"

"No." She pulled her stuffed hippogriff closer and hugged it. "No parade."

"Suit yourself." Gin chuckled and looked at the sky again. "Dad better get things started or we won't have enough light for the pictures. HR?"

In the chair next to Gin her brother uncrossed his long legs. "Fine, fine. Don't get your panties in a twist. But this is your house, Gin, and like you always say, your house, your rules. Sorry, Hugo." He got up from the chair and headed towards the back of the garden. "Will Gin let you come out and play cards on Saturday night?"

Hugo covered Kitty's eyes with one hand and made a rude gesture at HR with the other hand.

They didn't have to wait long as it appeared that the younger children were quite ready to begin the Fireworks Parade as it had been named; the younger kids came first, holding up fireworks in a line that began losing its straight quality almost immediately as Georgie, Gin and Hugo's youngest, didn't follow the path and started walking directly towards his parents. After some finger pointing from Hugo the dark-headed little four year old regained the path, ending up in the official ending spot, Granddad Hank's chair at the end of the garden. The rest of the kids walked by, fireworks growing in size along with the kids. Normally an event such as this was considered too childish by the older kids; some Christmas traditions had been abandoned by the older set as it was just too much 'little kid stuff,' but the Fireworks parade was different. Only the older kids were allowed to handle the bigger pieces, much to the dismay of Artie. As the oldest Boyd grandchild he usually came last, carrying the big finale piece, but this time Dorrie Lupin was at the end of the line proudly holding a rocket that looked almost as tall as she was.

As the last of the kids ended up by Hank he pushed his glasses onto the top of his bald head and looked at all of them. "Repeat the pledge!"

All of the kids and teenagers put their hands over their hearts. "We promise to listen to all the grownups and not do anything stupid or else."

"Exactly." Hank held out his wand and did the only thing he really could with it, make a little bit of fire come out of the end. "Age limits still apply. All Hogwarts students stay here, the rest of you go find someplace to sit where you won't catch on fire." He put his glasses back on and smiled. "Ah, all Hogwarts students, including new first years in the fall, can stay here."

Gin watched as Vincent went with most of the kids and sat down on a blanket in front of the chairs, but Georgie came over and climbed into her lap. After assuring him that eventually he would be big enough to light the 'really wicked stuff'' Lily stood behind her chair and whispered in her ear.

"Gin, take a look at Artie and tell me what you see."

She turned to the line of 'big kids' and couldn't see Artie, Franklin Lupin and Rosie's three oldest boys were in the way, but after a few minutes, there, right next to Maeve Potter and Karen Malfoy, was Artie, focused on nothing else but Dorrie Lupin.

"Oh God, Lils. He's fifteen, you and HR have talked to him about…"

"Of course, Gin. Give us some credit." Lily shook her head. "He's got it bad, doesn't he?"

"Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it? HR used to look like that when you were around, you just didn't notice it."

Hugo leaned behind Gin's shoulders and looked over to Lily. "Yeah, Lils was too busy hanging out with complete…jerks. That's it." He covered Georgie's ears with his hands. "Complete assholes."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Really, Hugo? Still? I mean, it's only been seventeen years, why not keep beating that dead horse?"

The first rocket went up into the air and exploded in a shower of green and gold sparks, cutting off whatever retort Hugo had planned. One more rocket went up into the air and Georgie decided that his parents were sitting too far away; he climbed down off of his mum's lap and ran as fast as he could to the big blanket in the middle of the garden. As Georgie settled down with his Grandmum Melody and his Malfoy cousins Gin sat back in the chair and watched the fireworks stream into the night. Most of the things had been wizarding fireworks courtesy of George, but the last one that went up was a Muggle one; it had exploded into a crisscross of red, blue and almost white bolts until it resembled a faint American flag.

"Remind you of something, Polly?" Hugo slipped his hand into hers. "Remember?"

Gin moved her chair over next to her husband by moving it with her feet. "Of course I remember. We'd just moved into the top part of that house Mary Caroline and I rented. Horrible loo, Merlin, that was awful. Spent the whole time there before our wedding and we watched the fireworks on the roof. Ten years ago and it seems like yesterday." She looked over at him and smiled. "One of the best times of my life."

"Me too, Polly. Me too."