If they had thought Madame Tonk's insistence on Pureblood manners and traditions would end at her daughters wedding they were in for a surprise. The Tonks family joined the extended Weasley family on Christmas Eve for the traditional exchange of gifts for the younger generation and contacts, gossip and information for the older generation. The stiff form of her words as she introduced her self and presented each child with their gift left them dredging equally stiff forms of polite thanks from memories and books.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Andromeda Flora Tonks nee Black, mother of Nymphadora Tonks betrothed to your maternal first cousin Charles Septimus Weasley. Our closest line is between my aunt Cassiopeia Weasley nee Black." She told their cousins Eric and Luke, both attending St James's School in London.
Luke had stared at her for a long moment until Eric jumped in, "At your service Madame Tonks." He bowed a quarter, kicked Luke in the foot and shook her wand hand with his.
She held out two small parcels wrapped in bright green fabric. "Might I give you a gift towards your next year?"
Luke mouthed the words back at her and turned to Eric. After an embarrassingly long pause Eric said, "We are always pleased to receive what edification our elders seek to give us. We hope to bring honour to our family and to do our duty to our family over the next year and our lives."
Their presents once opened weren't that bad. Books for everyone at school and educational toys younger kids. While the books and toys for most of the cousins were fairly generic - My first Potions Kit, My First Herbology Patch, a potions textbook that made the twins, Percy and Hermione drool, and three history books, one overview of the last 2000 years of European and Turkish magical history, one on combined British magical and muggle history, and the last on international magical politics from 1901 to date - and revealed more about what Madame Tonks found interesting or thought was important, for Percy, the twins, Ron, Harry, Ginny, Luna and Hermione she had managed in their short meeting or by questioning Tonks to know enough of their preferences to buy unique gifts.
Percy got two slim books, one with the unassuming title of Knowing Your Name, that was rather incendiary on the inside detailing such things as the cause of the Malfoy-Weasley feud or why the Shacklebolt and Bell families shouldn't marry, the other was the equally dull sounding Organised Mind but Percy guarded it fiercely. The twins got a terrifying combination of theoretical potions and transfiguration books that made their cousins quiver and put the quintet on their guard until school started. Ron got the autobiography of Articus Crouch, former minister of magic, the tenth and youngest son of a poor family, who was never prefect or headboy, married a similarly poor girl and had a large family, worked as a DMLE officer when the department was newly created in the early 1700s, was nominated as a Ministerial candidate in an attempt to force a win for the Pureblood favourite but is still remembered as one of the most popularly loved minsters and for his wide ranging reforms still improving the lives of working class witches and wizards to this day. Harry received an album full of his photos of parents and their friends and Luna one of the only copies in existence of a book on spell creation her mother published. Ginny and Hermione respectively were given books of curse breaking and healing that made Mrs Weasley's face very stiff when she first saw them and caused a very quiet argument to break out between Lady Weasley, Mrs Weasley and Madame Tonks by the kitchen door that no one seemed to win.
In comparison Christmas Day was, as per tradition, reserved for immediate family only. Mrs Weasley was weepy knowing that next year it would dinner only with Charlie as he and Tonks would be required to visit the Tonks family for lunch and soon even less as they had their own family. However once Mr Weasley turned on the Wizarding Wireless and Ron teased Hermione into slipping and calling them mum and dad, Mrs Weasley brightened up and Christmas Day was the same chaotic and joyful experience as last year.
While the only food on offer at the Christmas Eve gathering had been minuscule canapés made of fish roe, buckwheat, spinach and other foods oddly appealing to adults for Christmas Day Mrs Weasley had press ganged everyone she could trust not burn water or chop off their fingers in to helping her prepare. There was a gamey cock from the chicken coop stuffed with dried thyme and wild garlic gathered during summer holidays and strung out on racks above the Aga since. The bottom of the roasting tin was lined with potatoes, parsnips, carrots and the last few leaks from the vegetable garden which dripped grease down your chin when you bit into them and melted in your mouth. Bright red cranberry jelly, that had been stirred for hours was dug out from the pantry cupboard and smeared sharp fruit against the soft cream of chicken breast. Knobs of rough wholemeal bread left on the top shelf to go stale were crushed to crumbs and stirred in to white sauce to make a light brown bread sauce smelling of home baked bread or packed with butter and herbs to stuff the bird. Green sprouts were cut from the stork, rinsed clean of dirt and added to boiling water until just cooked. Chestnuts stabbed, roasted and shelled, adding a sweet nutty smell to the house and filling texture to the meal. The mince meat had been mellowing for a month and the smell of rendering suet long since escaped the kitchen leaving only the spicy fruit and wave of port when the jar was opened to fill short crust pastry cases, covered with more buttery pastry and baked to be served hot with brandy butter. Three bronze Knuts were carefully secreted in the Christmas pudding and the pud steamed while the main course was devoured until stomachs strained at the gorgeous food that needed one more bite to be eaten. Only then did Mrs Weasley turn out the lights and carry in the flaming pudding to rapturous applause.
The table, covered in the best table cloth and a central wreath of holly, ivy and mistletoe, heaved under the serving platters piled upon it and as would be expected by letting the twins help with food preparation more than a few prank potions were present in the meal prompting laughter from everyone, often at the twins expense.
The seasonal celebrations done, wedding preparations took over the rest of the holiday. As per Wizarding traditions the wedding was to take place at the Family Home in this case that was Weasley Manor as the Tonks family were only a generation old and unless Tonks kept her surname and gave it to her first daughter would die out with the marriage.
The Weasley Manor wasn't grand like Malfoy bragged about his family's being or like Neville sometimes let out his was but it was homely and its cobbled together shape full of good quality worn furnishings suited the Family. When Mr and Mrs Weasley married it had been full of Mr Weasley's younger siblings so they had built the Borrow thinking that one of their children would inherit. It had, as detailed in Madame Tonks interesting book Know Your Name, become quickly clear Mr Weasley didn't have a head for House politics and none of his younger brothers had any desire to take on the crown of heir apparent so the dubious honour had passed to Bill. Bill was trained from infancy in House politics by their devious grandmother Cassiopeia, call me Grandmother Weasley, and their far more pragmatic grandfather, call me Grandad. In return for hosting the gathering Mrs Weasley was releasing Percy to Grandmother Weasley's care for the summer and sending the twins, Ron, Harry Ginny, Luna, and Hermione over one afternoon a week to improve their history education before it was too late.
The Manor had a large flat wildflower pasture in front of the main house at the back of which was a gazebo covered in honeysuckle and climbing roses with a cobbled path that lead up to the gazebo from the main house. Every Weasley wedding for ten generations bar one had been held under that a gazebo and Grandmother Weasley and Madame Tonks were determined that Charlie and Tonks' wedding would not be cursed as Abraxas Malfoy and Theodora Weasley's marriage had been. Their insistence had led to the combined Weasley Family children spending every day outside in the snow coaxing fairies to dance in the honeysuckle branches, conjuring intricately carved and stained glass globes with a centre of bluebell flame to line the path, and Percy and some of the older teens created delicate snowflakes glittering with an eerie blue light to hang about the gazebo. The fairies loved the snowflakes, it wasn't uncommon to come outside and find them all mesmerised by one. The normal ancient wooden chairs carved with the Weasley family crest and covered in oak and holly leaves were laid out in the banquet hall, an empty room that was far less grand than it sounded and when the Manor was fully occupied was the dinning room. Every charm know for preservation from the elements was cast on the chairs and on the silk cushions in silver and blue before the children were set to putting them outside.
Mrs Weasley, Grandmother Weasley, Madame Tonks, Charlie and the various aunts, who seemed to multiply every time you dared to step foot in the kitchen, were busy making a feast that would be fit for a king and big enough to feed an army. Hermione swore that she'd seen Lady Malfoy one time. Tonks, Mr Weasley, Grandad, Mr Tonks and the various uncles were doing strange and mysterious things with the Master of Ceremonies that seemed to involve lots of pipe smoke and brandy. The Master of Ceremonies was a tall man of indeterminate age, with a stern face accentuated by large hooked nose on which perched minuscule round gold glasses through which he looked down on them. Out of his sleeve a thick dark wand poked at all times. The assembled Weasley children were of the united opinion that he was creepy, a reputation that was enhanced by Tonks regular escape attempts to heavy lifting in the meadow.
It was with some relief that New Year's Day and the wedding dawned to the expected chaos. Charlie had under the orders of Grandmother Weasley and Madame Tonks slept at the Burrow to prevent Tonks escaping to their cottage and the groom seeing the bride on the wedding day before the wedding ceremony. Bill and his current girlfriend, a vapid blonde woman with an obvious selling point, had arrived without warning the night before hand. In compensation for the additional intrusion into his room Percy's date Penelope had been invited over and as necessary to provide minimum inconvenience to Penny's Hogwarts Head of House or her boarding house she stayed the night. To apologise to Ginny, Luna and Hermione for the additional two people in their room Neville was invited over and to the wedding. His grandmother arrived, took one look at the chaos gathered Ron, Harry, Ginny, Luna, and Hermione's wedding robes into her deceptively small carpet bag and informed Mrs Weasley she would deliver them to Weasley Manor at 8am exactly.
Madame Longbottom's panicked elves managed to scramble the room assignments in their hurry to prepare five extra beds putting Neville and Luna in his room, Harry and Hermione in the adjoining room and Ginny and Ron across the hall. Madame Longbottom's shrug and muttered comment of "Well they're too young for any of that." did not ease Neville's tomato red blush or make him anymore comfortable for the night. That Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione were used to sharing with each other and Luna couldn't see any difference between sharing with him or Ron, Harry, and the twins made Neville unhappy for reasons he couldn't explain or really identify. Embarrassment and this undefinable discontent combined together to create an uncharacteristically moody Neville who disappeared off to the greenhouse as soon as he woke.
Left to their own devices Luna and Ron wandered off into the grounds their heads full of house elves and nargles, Ginny and Hermione in their search for Neville found the Library and Harry wasn't quite sure how he ended up on the roof. Madame Longbottom's first warning that Weasley disorganisation had entered her normally regimented home was sitting down to breakfast in an empty dinning room. The second was two separate panicked elves arriving as she poured her tea.
The elves were too distressed to speak one at a time. One clutched at its ears, the other clung to its clean white pillowcase as the spoke over one another. "Tibby is sorry- Lulu is sorry- Madame Longbottom but Tibby- the young mistress Lovegood and young master Weasley- is not knowing what to be doing about Lady Alice's Godson."
"What's wrong?" Madame Longbottom asked hoping for some inkling of what was happening.
"Little Master Potter- A Jarvy is- is on the roof!- in the garden!" They wailed.
She nodded once, "I will deal with Mr Potter," her wand flickered, "on the roof I believe. You will gather the children for breakfast and then deal with the Jarvy"
A levitation spell later and Harry and a rather pale Madame Longbottom were with the rest in the dinning room, Harry happily buttering his toast as he explained, "I was just looking for Neville to apologise for all the fuss. Got no idea how I got up there but it was pretty cool."
Madame Longbottom's stuffed vulture looked like it wanted to fly off by the time they arrived at the Weasley Manor to find Penny trying to mediate a row between Mrs Weasley, Bill and Bill's new girlfriend, Charlie wandering around in one sock, his boxers, and a half buttoned shirt trying to find his cummerbund, Percy encouraging whatever mischief the twins were planning, and Grandmother Weasley rolling her eyes at the general disorder.
Seeing reinforcements Mr Weasley and Grandad slipped out the room to entertain the Master of Ceremonies, Percy extracted Penny from the argument grabbed the twins, Ron, Harry, Ginny, Luna, Hermione, and Neville and took them to the living room, Grandmother Weasley grabbed Bill and introduced him to Madame Longbottom then collected Charlie and got him organised leaving Mrs Weasley and Bill's girlfriend to their row.
Two hours later everyone was dressed, no potions had been made despite much pleading on the twins and Hermione's parts, Mrs Weasley hadn't started baking but her mood was much improved, Bill was acting the gracious host as heir apparent while his girlfriend was stiff and cool, and Penny and Percy were proving themselves to be natural politicians and side bets were being taken on how long it would take before the Clearwater Family was an entry in the Book of Houses as the guests trickled in.
As would be expected from the number of Weasleys attending the wedding the bride arrived before all the guests. Tonks tripped over discarded toy in the entrance hall, sent the precariously balanced drinks tray flying through the air and landed at the feet of Lord Malfoy. The drinks tray tumbled gracelessly through the air, scattering glasses and spraying champagne on its way to Draco who didn't duck fast enough being hit square in chest but avoided any glass. The resounding crash drew Charlie out of the gentlemen's parlour, where he and the other men were entertaining the Master of Ceremonies, and he was unapologetically hit with a conjunctivitis curse.
Lord Malfoy sneered down at Tonks, "Dear niece," he said, "I suppose it was to much to hope you would have learnt some decorum now you are marrying into a semi respectable family."
Grandad, in Lord Weasley mode from his stern visage and carefully controlled movements, waved Lord Malfoy into the parlour. Madame Tonks ran across to Draco who was clutching his chest and pretending he wasn't crying.
Tonks stood, brushed herself off and grinned cheerfully. "Don't worry Aunt Narcissa, Mum'll fix up Cousin Draco in a second. Now excuse me while I tickle to death the person who left this out." She bent and picked up the toy broom with attached training wings and catchable snitch, height, distance, and speed adjustable. Her words scattered the listening children with a squeal leaving only the teenagers who felt themselves above being chased around the grounds by a laughing metamorphmagus with wildly changing hair and features in a champagne soaked wedding dress.
By the time Grandmother Weasley and Madame Tonks had healed Draco and fed him sickening amounts of Mrs Weasley's toffee, cured Charlie's eyes, sobered the Master of Ceremonies up, recaptured Tonks and her Wedding Party and fixed their robes it was mid-afternoon and the pallid winter sun was sinking behind the trees lighting the sky a flamingo pink before the guests were shown to their seats.
The Master of Ceremonies stood at the apex of the gazebo his normally grey complexion broken by livid red cheeks as Charlie and his groomsmen processed down the aisle in age order with Bill sitting in the front row. Percy took the best-man's position at Charlie's side with the twins, Ron and Harry arranged down the aisle their hands on their wands, traditionally the only wands openly carried at a wedding. Then with almost over eager speed Tonks entered, the train of her gown held evenly between Ginny, Luna and Hermione.
Grandmother Weasley and Madame Tonks had done a good job on Tonks' robe. Anyone who didn't know wouldn't be able to tell the bride had last been seen rolling on the floor wrestling one of her future cousins to the ground. However they hadn't managed to work the same magic on her bridesmaids, a large oozing graze graced Ginny's chin and one eye was swollen with the beginnings of what would be a spectacular black eye, Luna's shoes had gone missing somewhere and her worn mud covered green wellies peaked out from beneath her skirt, and Hermione's intricate do had come undone and her hair was now twisted up in a messy bun with her wand and a quill acting as pins.
Tonks reached Charlie and they grinned each other seeming not to see the Master of Ceremonies getting impatient, their guests grumbling that lunch had not yet been served or scandalised by Hermione's hair accessories.
It took Percy kicking Charlie for them to look at the Master of Ceremonies. In a disgruntled tone the Master began, "We are gathered today to witness the joining in matrimony of these two, Charles Septimus Weasley of the Ancient House of Weasley and Nympadora Tonks Heir Apparent of the Neophyte House of Tonks, and the alliance of their Families.
"If any witch or wizard present has any lawful reason to object to this marriage speak now or for ever hold your peace." The Master wasted a scant second before continuing, "Do you, Charles Septimus Weasley, take this witch to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forth, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part, taking her family as your own?"
There was a gasp from some of the collected guests at the last part over which Charlie clearly spoke, "Upon my magic I do solemnly swear." He held his wand arm out palm up which the Master if Ceremonies clasped causing a thick gold cord of magic to wrap around Charlie's wrist shining brightly enough to cast his and the Master of Ceremonies face in a golden glow.
The Master turned to Tonks, "Do you, Nymphadora Tonks, take this wizard to be you lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forth, for better for worse, for richer for poor, in sickness and in health, to love cherish and obey, till death do you part?"
Tonks pushed her arm forward so fast the Master of Ceremonies stumbled and rushed her assent.
The Master recovered, clasped her palm creating a similar cord and then joined Charlie and Tonks hands together saying, "You have declared your assent and magic has agreed. May your union be fruitful and strengthen your Houses."
There was scattered applause and awkward silence until Charlie said to laughter, "I could eat a horse. What's for lunch mum?" And the party soon adjourned to the banquet hall.
The ravenous guests descended on insane quantities of food Mrs Weasley, Grandmother Weasley, Madame Tonks, and the uncountable hoards of aunts had prepared like locusts. What had seemed like enough food, wine and spirits to satisfy an army now seemed alarmingly little and it was every man for himself to grab enough to eat.
When they planned the layout of the room Grandmother Weasley and Madame Tonks had placed a U shaped table along the back of the room at the centre of which Charlie and Tonks sat with their guests over 15 on either side and at the front of the room was a long table for the younger guests. The centre of the room was free of any clutter ready for dancing once the formal meal was finished.
The twins, Ron, Harry, Neville, Ginny, Hermione, and Luna were on the children's table while Percy and Penny were considered adults. They could see Mrs Weasley's gaze rising to make sure they were behaving themselves every so often.
"So what's Hogwarts like?" One of the more distant Weasley cousins asked.
"It's cold," Ginny flailed. "It's a castle, with a lake and forest. When you first see it as a first year it's an awe inspiring sight then you realise that it's Scotland and most of the year you can't go outside because it's either raining, snowing or the midges are biting."
"Are they all posh buggers?" He asked.
Hermione muttered, "Oliver Sherwood, great uncle Marcus' grandson. He's a fifth year."
Ginny cocked her head a smidgen. "In our year in our House, Neville has a hereditary place and so does Harry. The rest of us tested in. In our year, I know Draco has the Black hereditary place," she waved down the table to indicated him. "There are three Hufflepuffs, Macmillan, Smith, and Bones, I think another four Slytherins and two Ravenclaws."
Malfoy had been obviously listening since she waved at him, "There are four houses with ten students per year." He said in a very posh voice. "Priority for places goes to hereditary places with the remaining places split between wizard-raised and muggle-raised who test in. In our year as Ginevera has said, in Gryffindor two places are taken by hereditary places leaving eight free places and three in Hufflepuff leaving seven free seats. She's wrong about Ravenclaw, Corner and Midgen have hereditary seats, the Patil twins father is in the process of purchasing the place they are using and Cornfoot is on the Crouch scholarship which only leaves five free places. For Slytherin, father brought our place after the war as the maternal Black line may use the paternal Black lines place only if permission is granted which wasn't possible with Lord Black in prison, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott and Greengrass also have hereditary seats which leaves another five seats.
"But your question was are we all posh buggers? Midgen's only have their seat left, Corner a blood fanatic but nouveau rich," he flicked his eyes to his father but saw only his mother watching and they shared a fond smile. "The Patils' are an old pureblood family but they moved to England ten years ago, Cornfoot's an orphan who was raised in a Muggle orphanage, Crabbe and Goyle are incapable of getting to class on their own, Nott and Cornfoot are best mates, Greengrass falls in with the Patils since Longbottom abandoned her, Macmillan is a snob, Smith is a indiscriminate bigot and Bones is very down to earth and what you'd expect from Madame Bones' niece. The remaining 25 places are split between who ever tests in, even if like Ron and Ginevra they have hereditary seats at Ogma Scoil."
Having answered Oliver's question and left Oliver showing his Weasley ancestry at his dismissive response Malfoy compounded problem. "Why don't you ask to use the Weasley Place at Ogma Scoil?" He asked ignoring the frantic hand waving.
"What's St Bride's like?" One of Oliver's sisters asked over his response.
"It's a school." The cousin she'd asked answered. "Mostly day students with weekly boarding offered. We have a small sixth form shared with St Patrick's. Core subjects are taught with Care of Magical Creatures, Muggle Studies, Magical Languages, Modern Foreign Languages and Healing as electives, but we don't have flying or quidditch. Is St James's any different?"
"We're in the monastery outside Ottery St Catchpole and are on the Floo network so we're all day pupils. We have flying and quidditch but we have an Accountancy elective instead of Healing. We don't have a sixth form you have to get into Hogwarts or Ogma or go to St George's in London for NEWTs. We have squibs." Oliver said like it was the most shocking thing he'd ever heard. "They take Potions, Herbology, Astronomy, and History of Magic with us and then they take two of the non-magical electives at first year and the other two at third."
No one else looked horrified and the cousin at St Bride's was nodding, "St Patricks has squibs. Some of them stay on to take a NEWT Care of Magical Creatures on our campus. They aren't that different and it's better to teach them what they can learn than drown them at birth or hide them in the family home."
The conversation between the older teens still at the children's table fell to discussions of electives, future career plans and what that meant for post-OWL education. Mind numbingly boring for Ron, Harry, Neville, Ginny, Hermione and Luna, who found themselves with a dirth of similar age cousins, even the twins were engaged in a lively debate on the merits of NEWTs if you were planning an unconventional career path. The younger cousins were either too young to care about school or arguing about which school they would go to. Looking around the table it was just them, Draco and lots of empty serving plates.
Neville sat through a couple of minutes of stilled conversation before he stood and walked over to Draco. With his wand hand held out to shake he asked, "Would you like to join us?"
Draco stood and shook his hand briskly, "Thank you for your invitation Longbottom." Then he dropped the attitude, "You've let your manners slip hanging around Weasleys, what would your Grandmother say?"
"Hush, Malfoy, or we'll leave you to wither in boredom."
"And your conversation is so scintillating, Longbottom?"
There had been some signal and now all the adults were pouring on to the floor and cousins Amelia and Lucille were dragging Mr and Mrs Weasley over to two violins. Ginny grabbed Harry, Ron grabbed Hermione and together with Luna and the twins they turned to watch. Cousins Amelia and Lucille had picked up the violins, "Fiddles" Luna whispered, and after a few moments of fiddling were playing a slow song that evoked imagery of a softly slowing stream on a lazy summers day. Mrs Weasley was beet red and looking at her feet and Mr Weasley looked uncomfortable until he suddenly shrugged and began to sing in a rich unexpected baritone, his West Country accent filling each syllabus with warmth.
The adults bodies twirled in graceful formal dance, their hands touching only for a moment before spinning away again as Mrs Weasley's lilting alto joined the melody. At the centre Tonks and Charlie spun touching for seconds before they were separated by the masses again. They sat riveted by the sight and sound until their eyes slowly closed.
It was late when Ron drifted awake. He was in a heap of children by the fire place all lain on soft blankets and he could hear soft talking and the clink of glasses. On one side Hermione was softly snoring, almost a purr, her fingers wrapped in Ginny's hair and on the other side he could see Luna staring into the fire her face blank. If he listen carefully he could distinguish his mother's voice from the drone.
"We wanted to foster after the war." He could hear her saying.
"We were going to adopt." Another voice said. "At least two little girls and maybe another boy if I could convince Lucius." Lady Malfoy but she sounded a lot less crisp than normal. "We thought when Sirius was imprisoned she would go to us or Andy not be sent back to the Muggles." Her voice caught like she was crying.
Uncomfortable Ron turned back to Luna, she was looking at the fire muttering. "We're lying in front of a fireplace the embers still warm, Hermione's fur is so thick it's smothering me. I stand and stretch digging my claws into the rug until my hips pop and my tail is curled like a question mark above me. I bat at her bushy tail until she curls it tight to her body where I was and then I look for something else to do. Ron is on the other side of me, he has a red feather sticking out if his mouth, one of Ginny's feathers, his hind legs twitching in his sleep ruffling his russet fur. Looking up I can see Hedwig, Harry and Ginny perched on Errol's perch, Ginny is curled under Harry's wing, who is pressed close to Hedwig. I stalk away looking for The Rat to play with." Ron can hear that The Rat refers to one rat and Luna is angry with it. She was silent for a long time, and he stared at her waiting for her to react, before she blinked and turning towards him said, "Divination then."
"I'll take it with you if you want?" Ron's said wriggling closer until they're sides were touching. She nodded pressing her wait in to him. "What were we then?"
"Ginny's a red kite, Harry's a Sparrowhawk and Hermione's a Wildcat."
"We already know that." Ron nudged her, fancy hair style gave up and tumbled down into her normal messy curls.
Luna smiled fondly, "I'm a blue pointed Siamese and you're an Irish Setter."
There was a long comfortable pause then Ron said. "Just Neville to find out then. He wasn't there?"
After another sleepy pause Luna answered, "No. I didn't recognise the room but it was somewhere we called home."