At her mother's question, Ginny nodded shyly, her heart pounding in her chest. Mrs. Weasley's hand trembled as it rose to cover her mouth, her eyes welling up with tears. "Let me get your father," she managed to say, her voice choked with emotion.
Sirius, witnessing the overwhelming moment, offered a comforting presence. "I'll let you talk to your parents," he said, taking a step toward the door before pausing. His eyes filled with wisdom as he turned back to Ginny. "Please, do try to talk to them. Listen to them and explain how you feel," he advised gently.
Ginny smiled at him gratefully as he exited the room, making way for her parents who arrived moments later. Mr. Weasley spoke first, addressing his daughter with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Your mum said you named the babies," he said, glancing at the bassinet holding both infants.
Ginny nodded and leaned in, cradling Layla in her arms. "This is Layla," she said, passing her daughter to her mother, who gazed down at the baby with a mixture of awe and emotion. Only when Mrs Weasley started to cry did she hand Layla to her husband.
Ginny patiently waited as her father introduced himself to Layla as 'Grandpa.' After a few moments, Mr. Weasley passed Layla back to Ginny, who tenderly kissed her on the head before placing her back in the bassinet. She then carefully lifted Joey.
"This is Joey," Ginny introduced, handing her son to her mother, who had regained her composure. Mrs. Weasley held onto the boy for a long while, savouring the precious moment, before passing him to Mr. Weasley, who once again introduced himself as 'Grandpa.'
Once the babies were settled, Ginny turned her attention back to her parents, fully aware that they wanted to talk. Breaking the silence, Mr. Weasley spoke gently, his voice tinged with concern. "Ginny," he began, "you have to understand that you are very young. As your parents, we only want what's best for you. We want you to have the best life you can have, which includes going to school. Not just for your education, but also for a chance to be a normal kid."
Mrs. Weasley took over, her voice filled with warmth and understanding. "That's why we wanted to discuss the possibility of us taking care of the babies while you attend school. We won't try to keep them from you, and you can spend all your holidays with them. But we do think it's important for you to have the opportunity to go to school."
Ginny shook her head gently, a sense of compassion for her parents filling her heart. "No," she said softly, "I'm staying with my babies." Pausing for a moment, she contemplated her words carefully. "You both gave me a wonderful childhood, and I never doubted that I was loved or wanted. I want to give my babies the same kind of childhood—a childhood with their mother," she paused again, her voice uncertain. "And maybe their father," she added, a note of hope colouring her words. "They deserve to have their mother by their side as they grow up. The thought of missing even a second of their lives fills me with dread." She looked at her parents earnestly, her eyes pleading for understanding. "Besides, I haven't been a child for a while. Being possessed by Voldemort really forces you to grow up fast."
Her parents shuddered involuntarily at the mention of Voldemort, silently acknowledging the darkness their daughter had faced. Mrs. Weasley nodded, her arms opening wide, and Ginny walked into her embrace, allowing her mother to pull her close. "Oh, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley whispered, her voice filled with empathy, "of course I understand. I could never have left my babies either. You're so young, and I'm so sorry this happened to you. It's not fair that you can't just be a laid-back teenager and that motherhood was thrust upon you so suddenly. But if this is what you want, then we will do everything in our power to support you. Okay?"
Ginny nodded against her mother's shoulder, relief flooding her being. "Good," she said, a hint of laughter in her voice, "because I don't know what I'm doing."
"You're already doing a remarkable job," Mrs. Weasley assured her daughter, her voice filled with pride. "You did something drastic just to stay with those babies and nourish them. That's the love of a mother."
Ginny felt a surge of love and pride welling inside her as she absorbed her mother's words.
She spent nearly an hour with her parents, discussing plans and assuring them of her determination to care for her children. Eventually, Joey's cries interrupted their conversation. "You'd better see what he needs," Mrs. Weasley said, a warm smile on her face. "I need to go cook dinner. Would you like to eat up here with them or come down? We're expecting some Order members for dinner."
Ginny expressed her desire to stay with the babies and asked her mother to bring the food to her room.
Several hours later, Ginny found herself sitting on her bed, Layla peacefully nestled on her lap. Smiling down at her daughter, she delighted in the gurgles of joy emanating from the little girl.
Suddenly, with a soft pop, Dotty appeared at the foot of her bed, causing Ginny to jump in surprise. She felt a pang of guilt for momentarily forgetting about Dotty's presence.
"Hello, Dotty," Ginny greeted her, striving to sound as though she had anticipated the elf's arrival.
"Hello, Mistress," Dotty responded, her eyes gleaming with eagerness. "Dotty has been cleaning our new home. Kreacher has been trying to stop Dotty, but Dotty wants her Mistresses and Master to live in a nice house."
Curiosity piqued, Ginny inquired, "Who is Kreacher?"
"Kreacher is the house-elf that belongs to the Black family," Dotty explained. "He has been alone for a very long time, Mistress. He does not want his house to change from the way his last Mistress left it. Kreacher does not approve of his Master, Sirius."
Ginny nodded, realising that Sirius's past held layers of complexity she had yet to fully comprehend.
"Is there anything Dotty can do for you?" Dotty asked eagerly.
"No, that's alright, Dotty," Ginny reassured her with a warm smile. "Just relax for now."
Dotty expressed her gratitude and promptly disappeared, leaving Ginny to attend to Joey, who had started crying from where he had been sleeping. She gently set Layla down and lifted Joey into her arms, comforting him until he settled down.
A knock on the door interrupted the peaceful moment, and Ginny called out, "Come in."
Fred and George timidly entered the room, their eyes bright with curiosity and affection. "We're here to meet the new twins," Fred announced, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "And we brought you dinner," George added, holding up a tray of steaming food.
"Brilliant!" Ginny exclaimed, a smile spreading across her face as she invited her brothers inside. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, making the aroma of the food all the more enticing.
George placed the tray on the desk, and both twins gravitated toward the bassinet holding Layla. Ginny joined them, cradling Joey in her arms. "This is Joey," she introduced proudly.
"Can I hold him?" Fred asked tentatively, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness.
"Of course," Ginny replied warmly, passing Joey to his uncle. George settled in beside Fred, gazing at the baby over his brother's shoulder. "We'll teach you everything you need to know," he said, addressing Joey with a playful grin.
"Well, everything important anyway," Fred interjected, unable to contain a mischievous chuckle. "Mainly how to play a prank," he admitted with a wink to Ginny.
Ginny rolled her eyes, but a fond smile tugged at her lips. Her brothers' presence was comforting, and she was grateful for their support during this challenging time.
"This is so strange, Ginny," George admitted, his voice tinged with a mix of awe and amusement. "Only you could fancy a boy so hard that you magically conjure two babies into existence." He ducked playfully to avoid Ginny's half-hearted swat.
Fred joined in the laughter, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "And now you've got him stuck at his aunt's! Ron is raging. He's not even allowed to owl Harry. Hermione says she's been warned against trying to contact him either."
Ginny felt a pang of guilt at the mention of Ron's frustration. "I didn't do anything," she reminded her brothers, her voice tinged with regret. "Is Ron upset?"
"You know Ron," George replied reassuringly, his tone understanding. "He'll need a moment to process all of this." He exchanged a knowing glance with Fred before adding, "But he'll come around."
Ginny nodded, taking solace in her brothers' reassurance. Uncertain of what else to say, she walked over to Layla and picked her up, introducing her to her uncles before passing her to George.
"She looks like you!" George exclaimed excitedly, his eyes lighting up.
Ginny tilted her head, considering her brother's words. "She has my hair," she admitted, "but I don't think either of them looks that much like me. Layla does a bit. Joey is all Harry. Sirius says he looks exactly like Harry did when he was born."
Ginny continued to chat with her brothers, their conversation flowing naturally. They shared stories, laughed, and enjoyed the presence of the newest members of their family. Time slipped away, and as the food grew cold, the babies' cries reminded them of their needs.
With gratitude in her heart, Ginny thanked her brothers for their company and bid them farewell. As the door closed behind them, she settled back on her bed, Layla resting contentedly in her arms. The sounds of her children's gentle breathing filled the room, soothing her weary soul. She knew that challenges lay ahead, but in that moment, surrounded by love, she found comfort and hope for the future.