Title: She Never Expected This
Author: Samaside
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: The characters and storyline off which this story is based are the sole property of JK Rowling and her publishing companies.
Summary: A short, one shot about life at Auntie Muriel's after the Burrow has been abandoned. Told as Ollivander is arriving with Bill. Told from Molly's point of view.
Author's Note: Spoilers for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This is a one-shot story about the Order relocating from the Burrow to Auntie Muriel's house. I wish we had been taken there because while everyone must have been on edge, just imagine getting all of those people together with the twins still selling their wares out of the old bat's attic.
The linen closet in the hallway was out of blankets as was the one in the laundry room. Molly Weasley sighed and grabbed a broom. She walked up stairs and prodded the door to the attic with the wodden handle. "I need three more blankets!" she shouted. "Try that big box by the old radio that's got it's atena bent in half."
There was a sound of scrambling as someone rushed to comply. A few moments later, after the sound of crashing cardboard boxes and an explosion caused by something Molly didn't even want to know what was, the door to the attic opened up and one of the twins handed down three old blankets. She looked at their condition and frowned. They looked like they hadn't been used in over a decade and she realized that was probably true. Still, they were warm and once she turned a wand on them they would hopefully shape up better.
"Mum!" came a call from downstairs. "Mum!"
Molly shifted the blankets in her arms and made her way towards the stairs. "I'm coming, Ginny," she answered. "Just give me a moment, I'm-" She started a bit as Ginny rushed out of one of the bedrooms and nearly ran into her.
"Sorry, Mum," she said. "But, Mum, Auntie Muriel is going on about that tiara of hers again and-"
"I expect Bill will send it along with the others when they come," she said. "It's not like there was much chance to get it back since the wedding..." Molly trailed off. There really hadn't been much chance of anything since the wedding.
She passed the blankets to Ginny. "Why don't you take these down stairs? Luna is going to be with you and Dean and Charlie are going to be in the living room with Kingsley."
"Charlie's in the living room?"
"We can't ask Mr. Ollivander to sleep on the floor now can we?" she said. "Not after all he's been through. And Charlie volunteered. Besides, Mr. Ollivander will probably bit a bit better company for poor Elphias. I dare say Charlie's a bit too modern for him to keep up with."
Ginny smiled at her mother and took the blankets and scampered off.
"Molly, is that you?" she hears her aunt call from a nearby bedroom.
Resisting the urge to sigh heavilgy and audibly, Molly simply rolled her eyes and turned around. "Yes, Auntie."
"That boy of yours has horrible taste in women," she said. "I suspect that French hussy has kept my tiara on purpose, you see. She knows what it's worth. And you know you can never trust the French. Really, Molly, how could you have-"
"Auntie, please," she said aggrivated. "Bill and Fleur cannot just leave their home to bring you some stupid tiara. Every time they leave home they risk being captured and killed. So, please, just wait. I'm sure they'll send it along when the others gether."
Muriel glared at her but said nothing more. She slammed the door in Molly's face and this time she did sigh. She loved her auntie but having to live in her house with her was not something she had ever expected to have to deal with. But, then, she had never expected any of this. She had never expected that they would have to flee their home. It hurt to think of the Burrow. She could only imagine what the Death Eaters had done to the place. It would be a miracle if it was even still standing.
But, Molly couldn't afford to get misty eyed.
She started downstairs and walked into the living room. The light was off and she made for her wand to flick it on when someone shouted in protest as she accidentally trod on a figure on the floor. She stepped back hastily as the person jumped to their feet, wand raised. Molly felt about and hit the lightswitch.
The wand lowered. "Molly, it's you. You-you gave me something of a start."
Molly gave reached out and took his forearm. "I'm sorry, Kingsley," she told him. "I had forgotten you were in here. People just come and go-"
"It's fine, really, it's fine," he said.
She picked up the jacket he had been sleeping on and led him over to the couch. "Here, why were you on the floor, anyway? Sleep on the couch for goodness sake. And none of this," she said, taking the cloack he had been using as a blanket and placing it on the back of the couch. Molly grabbed one of the blankets that Ginny had set on one of the reclining chairs and waved her wand. It wasn't perfectly clean but it would do for now. "Here."
Kingsley took the blanket and settled himself down on the couch.
"I'll put the lights out again," Molly said but he stopped her.
"No, Molly, please-" He stopped, embarrased. "It's fine. Just leave them on."
Molly nodded knowlingly. With her hand she dimmed the lights a bit and moved on to let him sleep. She walked past the dinning room and into the kitchen were Ginny was standing with Charlie and Lee.
"Okay, so, they've got a trace on that one heading so we've got to choose a different broadcasting channel for next time..." she over heard Lee saying to Charlie. Her son nodded, making a few notes on a piece of parchment on the table while Ginny bobbed about, looking for anything to occupy her time. She had thankfully brought home some of her books with her for the holidays but what child can really focus on school work all the time?
"Can't I help?" Ginny pleaded and Lee laughed.
He patted her shoulder. "If we needed anything, you'd be the first to know," he told her and she heard the honesty in his voice. He understood. He had been in hiding, himself, with his father at the beginning. But then they had found them and Lee had just barely gotten away. He had started the radio program just so he had something to do.
Molly smiled sadly, watching them and then made her way into the breakfast nook. Arthur was there with Remus, going over some reports that had come in from some of the Order members in other parts of the country. From their expressions, the reports were grim. Remus, himself looked very grim. A full moon must be on it's way.
"Arthur, Remus," she said softly. "Do you want something to drink? I can put on some tea."
"Thank you, Molly," Remus said.
At the sound, Arthur looked up with a start. "Oh, what? Oh, yes, yes. That'd be wonderfuly, dear. Yes..."
She turned to go back into the kitchen when Lee shouted out, "They're here! Mrs. Weasley! It's them!"
Remus and Arthur jumped to their feet and ran to the back door. "Who is it!?" Remus shouted at the closed door.
"It is, I, William Arthur Weasley, son of Arthur and Molly Weasley, married to Fleur Weasley who lives at Shell Cottage," he shouted back. "I've got Ollivander with me!"
Arthur opened the door and let them into the house. Bill was half supporting the frail old man. Remus stepped forward and helped Ollivander over to a chair in the breakfast room, sweeping all of the correspondence into a ramshackle pile. Molly rushed to hug Bill and then busied herself making tea as the others gathered around to greet him.
"Bill, where are Luna and Dean?" Ginny asked.
"They wanted to stay a bit longer," he answered. "Probably until the others leave at last. I'm sorry I couldn't get word to you about the change in plans." He reached out and pulled her into a hug. "It's good to see you."
Molly brought the tea over to Ollivander who took the cup and saucer with shaky hands. She watched the scene and smiled sadly. She had never expected any of this. She had never expected her husband to be working in a breakfast nook with a werewolf while her son and daughter worked in the kitchen with a renegade radio host. She had never expected one of the greatest wand makers in the world to be sitting there with them while old Elphias Doge slept in a bedroom upstairs. She had never expected to trod on an Auror on the floor in the living room after checking on her children while they took refuge in another's house.
No, she had never expected any of this.
And then there was an explosion that sounded like it came from the attic and the sounds of Auntie Muriel screaming here head off and banging on the ceiling with one of her canes.
She may not have expected any of this but they were safe and she really couldn't have hoped fo rmore.