Griffindor 'til the end

Adventurous and brave

Fighting for truth

And the wizarding way

From the song "I Have Red Hair" by Ginny and the Heartbreakers

Chapter 17: Ginevra Molly Weasley

It was late, but the Burrow was bustling with activity. The kitchen was filled with the aroma of Chicken soup and blueberry muffins. The twins were getting whiny, but nobody was bothering to put them to bed. Charlie sat at the table slicing bits of cheese for himself and the twins.

"Bill, where's the sugar bowl?" asked Madam Bridget. The midwife was preparing tea for Molly to go with her soup. She was an attractive older woman with angel soft white hair pinned up in a haphazard bun. She wore long flowing silk robes dyed vivid shades of magenta, purple, and blue. They fluttered about her gracefully as she swept around the kitchen. She thanked Bill when he finally located the sugar bowl in an unlikely cupboard and said, "It seems like yesterday when I was here for your birth." There was a knock at the kitchen door.

Bill answered. Alastor Moody stood there in black and yellow wizard robes, having changed from his muggle jeans and flannel shirt. His hair was combed neatly and he carried a bouquet of daffodils.

"Evenin' Bill. Sorry to call so late. Your dad sent Errol with the word that your sister was born," explained Alastor.

"Yeah, that was Maddy's idea," replied Bill.

He smiled surprised and nodded. "That's, that's nice."

"Come in, Alastor," Madam Bridget said sweetly. She had a proper yet warm manner about her.

"Thank you, Bridget." He made a sort of nervous bow-nod thing and stumped inside, shutting the door with a wave of his wand. The midwife took the flowers from him, conjured up a glass vase and as she arranged the flowers, she said, "Bill, take the tray to your mother. Alastor, you go too." She handed the vase of flowers to him.

"Oh, I don't suppose they want..." he tried to protest.

"Nonsense. Arthur said to send you right in when you got here," said the midwife.

He nodded awkwardly. She flourished her wand and sent the tray smoothly through the air toward Bill, but Charlie intercepted it. "I'll take it," said Charlie, taking the tray out of the air. Then he gestured with a nod to Alastor. "Come on." As they ascended the stairs Charlie spoke in a low voice. "Mum's not angry anymore". Alastor opened his mouth but Charlie answered his question without having to ask it. "Madeline's ok too." Charlie paused to turn and look at the auror. He saw Alastor looking downward. "She's not angry with you. She never was, really, if that's what you thought." Charlie knit his brows in thought as they continued on up. "Madeline, well she gets upset real fast, but it doesn't last long." Alastor nodded silently. Charlie was a very astute boy for only being eight and a half.

Charlie entered his parents' room followed by a hesitant old auror. With a staff in one hand and flowers in the other, he stood there looked like a gargoyle recruited into garden statue service.

Molly and Arthur were sitting up, side by side in bed. Molly was cradling the newborn in her arms and Arthur was holding Ronnie. Madeline was kneeling down with her arm around Percy who was standing beside the bed looking at the baby. Arthur was the first to notice the visitor. "Alastor, hello, meet the new member of the Weasley clan, Ginevra," he said, beaming with joy. "Charlie, set that down there," he continued. He flicked his wand at the table beside his wife which caused the items on it to rearrange themselves to make room for the tray.

Madeline smiled at Alastor. "Look at the baby. She's so pretty." The girl stroked Ginevra's soft delicate curls. "She has more hair than Ronnie did when he was born," she said with a giggle.

"How could she not?" laughed Charlie. "He was bald."

Alastor smiled and tried to walk softly toward Molly, but he felt rather awkward and decided to change his route and moved toward Arthur's side of the bed instead. "Congratulations to you both. Er," he paused. They thanked him. Then Charlie relieved Alastor of the vase and took it to the table.

"Charlie," said his mother, "take Ginny to see Alastor. I'm just going to have a bite to eat, dear."

Charlie lifted the baby carefully. "I forgot how floppy they are when they're new." This sent Madeline into a lovely peel of laughter.

The atmosphere was lighter than when Alastor was last at the Burrow. Molly had almost forgotten her previous anger. It was as if everything that went on prior to the birth occurred a million years ago, though it was only hours.

Charlie carried his new sister to the old auror. He looked into her tiny face.

"I finally have a girl," Molly said proudly.

Charlie saw his father shoot an uneasy glance in Madeline's direction. This prompted Charlie to look at her as well. She seemed ok to him.

"She's lovely," said Alastor, gazing into Ginevra's tiny face."

"You wanna hold her?" offered Charlie.

Alastor looked as though he was asked if he wanted to take the Mona Lisa out for a pint of lager.

"Oh, no."

"It's all right," said Charlie, "she's just been changed."

"Ok, then," Alastor chuckled. He sat at the foot of the bed. Ron scrambled over after Charlie set the baby into his arms. He began patting the baby's face.

"Gentle, Ron," said Madeline. She took his hand and showed him how to stroke the baby carefully. "Ginny," she said, "you're going to need to be tough to keep up with all the boys in this house."