Mother Molly
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
During the following months, Molly enjoyed herself training and researching with the Unspeakables, happy to know that Arthur and her twin brothers were slowly making progress with the Animagus transformation, while she had no idea that her children studied the same let alone that some of them were able to transform their left or even right hands into cat paws.
One day, Molly and Fabian were perusing a couple of old tomes and potions books to possibly find an antidote to a poisoning liquid that the twins had closely examined in the lab. At the same time, Gideon, Regulus and Arcturus had gone to try recovering one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. At least, they were fairly certain that one of the Horcruxes, the Gaunt ring, had to be hidden in the old Gaunt house.
Knowing that the two Blacks as well as her twin brothers, as mischievous as they were, used to be extremely careful and level-headed, Molly was not overly worried; however, when Regulus returned alone after a while, she almost jumped at the young man in shock.
"Where are Gideon and Arcturus?" she enquired, only to add, "What happened?" upon noticing that his robes were torn and a large scar covered the lower part of his wand arm.
"They're in the hospital, but they're going to be all right." Regulus let out a deep sigh. "We got the Horcrux all right. I already destroyed it. But the house was full with all possible kinds of obstacles that attacked us including snakes and whatever." He handed her a ring.
"That was the Horcrux?" Molly stared at the ring with bewilderment. "How did you destroy it?"
Regulus sighed. "Buckbean helped me destroy it using one of the goblins' swords. According to Grandfather, goblin-made swords are the only way to destroy them apart from Fiendfyre, which I didn't want to cast here in the office." He stared at the ring in Molly's hand. "Now, it's only just a ring, the Gaunt ring. Apparently, there's a history behind it, but you'll have to ask Grandfather about it."
"I'm going to see them." Only then did Molly realise that Fabian had already left. "Reg, go and turn in for the night. I'll see you tomorrow."
Regulus shook his head. "No, I'll go with you."
"They will be all right." Molly eyed the youngest in their team in concern, noticing that he seemed not only exhausted but completely shaken. "Go to Prewett manor if you don't want to be alone. Tell Arthur that something happened."
Regulus nodded. "Thanks Molly. I'll do that. Even if I can't tell them anything, it'll help to not be just by myself."
Smiling, Molly left the team room. 'Thank Merlin that we completely moved to the manor at the beginning of the year. We wouldn't have the space at the Burrow to invite them all every now and then,' she thought in relief that quickly returned to worry, as she approached the Unspeakables' hospital.
HP
"Calico," she introduced herself to the healer coming to greet her. "I wish…"
"Come. They're over there." The healer led her into one of the adjacent rooms.
"Will they be all right?"
"They will. Give them a few days, and they'll be back to their usual selves."
Molly realised that Arcturus seemed to be unconscious, while a couple of healers busied themselves around Gideon's bed.
"Ra was bitten by a snake, and they're just brewing the antidote," Fabian filled her in. "Ganko was cursed, and the healers are just trying to counter the curse."
"How do you know that?" Molly enquired, more to herself than to her brother.
"He informed me though telepathy."
Molly nodded. 'If he still can do that, it can't be so bad,' she thought against better knowledge.
Fortunately, the healers were right, and two days later, their team was complete again and happy knowing that they had efficiently collected and destroyed one of the Horcruxes.
HP
It was on the day before the full moon at the end of July that Severus handed Remus a small potions phial.
"Here, Lupin. This is for your upcoming transformation." Severus sighed. "I am sorry. It is not a cure. I hope, however, that this will change you into a dog instead of the Stealth cat."
"Thank you, Severus, but why would Remus want to transform into a dog?" Molly eyed the small phial that contained a light green liquid in confusion. "I had the impression that he was quite happy with his Stealth cat form."
Remus nodded, looking at Severus in apparent expectation.
The Potions master smirked. "If this works, and I can't guarantee it, so you'll have to be locked up this time, I'll be able to work on a cure."
"Really?" Remus' eyes lit up in obvious excitement.
"Yes. Really." Severus rolled his eyes, causing Molly to step over to the younger wizard and hug him.
"The full moon is tomorrow night. Should I take this right away?" Remus enquired and, seeing Severus nod, uncorked the phial and gulped down the concoction without further ado.
"Thank you so much for doing this for Remus." Molly smiled, broadly, just when her twin brothers' voices could be heard.
"Let the barbeque begin."
Molly smiled. It was Harry's second birthday, and the whole extended family had gathered at Prewett manor for a celebration in the form of a large barbeque organized by Fabian and Gideon with Lissy's and Sissy's support.
Fabian led Molly to her seat at the long table, and she noticed in surprise that she was sitting between Arthur and Arcturus, while all the younger children had adults sitting on both sides who helped them fill their plates.
"Mummy!"
"Yes, my dear?" Molly turned to Ronald, who was sitting on his father's other side, only to shake her head in exasperation. "Ronald, don't make such a mess and eat slowly."
"Yeah, but Mummy, Harry and I want to be twins, too. Why is only his birthday now and not mine, too?"
"Tell me, Ronald, when is your birthday?" Arcturus asked in a soft voice.
Ronald shrugged. "Not today."
"His birthday is on the first of March," Molly replied in his stead. "He's almost five months older than Harry."
"On the other hand, Harry's birthday is much too well-known in the magical world to efficiently hide him." Arcturus quirked an eyebrow at her. "Changing his birthday might be an option."
Molly nodded and rose from her chair, just when the dessert popped up on the table. She walked around the table to where Harry was sitting between Minerva and Sirius.
"Harry, Ron told me that you and he want to be twins. Is that right?"
Harry nodded, wide-eyes. "Yes please."
Minerva turned to her and opened her mouth, probably to comment on the idea, when her head, along with Harry's and many others transformed into a cat's head.
"Fabian, Gideon." Molly sighed in exasperation, just when her twin brothers jumped from their chairs and transformed into Stealth cats. 'They did it! They managed the transformation,' she thought in surprise that turned into shock, when Bill, Charlie and Harry transformed as well. Percy, Fred, George and Ronald were spiking one or even two cat's paws along with their cat heads.
While Lissy and Sissy cleared the table from the all but forgotten dessert, a whole group of Animagi began to play in the park.
=Let's try to play Quidditch,= Bill suggested at some stage, and in spite of Molly's concern that the children had only just managed the transformation, everyone agreed.
While Bill was captain of one team, Charlie became captain of the other.
=Bill, you begin.=
=All right, I am Keeper.= Bill set to clean his left front paw in apparent excitement, while he waited for his brother to continue.=
=I'm going to be Seeker. Bill?=
=Uncle Fabian as Beater.=
=Uncle Gideon as Beater.=
Bill smirked in his feline form. =Mum as Chaser.=
=Granny Minerva as Chaser.=
=Harry, do you want to play Seeker or Keeper?=
Harry cast his older brother a questioning look.
=I suppose that we're going to lose, but Bill, Harry is brilliant at catching the Snitch,= Charlie advised his brother.
=Harry as Seeker.=
=Remus as Keeper.=
=Dad, do you mind becoming the referee? We can change positions later on.=
=Bill, I don't mind. It's fine,= Arthur agreed.
They used a normal Snitch as well as a couple of soft balls as Quaffle and Bludgers, which Arcturus gently transfigured for them.
Although Minerva was the better Chaser and Remus the better Keeper, Bill's team always won due to Harry's catching the Snitch every single time. They even exchanged the players and formed new teams; however, Harry still always managed to catch the Snitch, before the opposing Seeker had even spotted it.
By the end of the afternoon, Ronald had also managed the transformation into his Stealth cat form, and Sirius and Severus were trying to help Percy to transform his last limb, the left leg, before they transformed as well.
"Apparently, their potion was not a sole prank potion," Arcturus explained, before he showed the others his own transformation closely followed by Regulus.
Suddenly, Severus transformed back. "That is correct," he admitted. "These unsufferable twins, Fred and George, told me they had practised the transformation for months and wanted some help, which is why we brewed a combination of the Animagus potion and a simple prank potion."
"Will this be permanent?" Minerva's lips were stretched to a thin line. "Will they all now be able to transform into Stealth cats whenever they want?"
"I believe so." Molly chuckled, as she observed Percy transform back and forth a couple of times. "I will see to it that we'll get them all registered."
"We'll charm the registration documents to not be publicly visible though," Arcturus decided. "Let's keep this family Animagus form a secret."
HP
During the remaining months of the summer holidays, the children spent much time in their Animagi forms, and whenever there were enough people present for two mall Quidditch teams, they played Quidditch without brooms.
"Ah, I can't wait for all of you to come to Hogwarts," Bill said to his siblings, when he readied himself to travel to the station and board the Hogwarts Express. "I am going to miss playing Quidditch in our Stealth cat forms."
"Two more years," Charlie replied, letting out a theatrical sigh. "Such a long time."
tbc...
Thank you for the kind reviews for the previous chapter. Please continue feeding my muse. Any ideas, suggestions or opinions are welcome.