Advance Arrangement
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.


'Oh Merlin, if Molly is going to Azkaban for ten years, who will raise her children? Arthur has a full-time job at the ministry. I wonder if they have any relatives. Perhaps, Pandora would be willing to help, as they're neighbours with the Weasleys,' Lily mused, her thoughts wandering to her godchild Luna. She looked up in surprise, when Amelia joined them in the visitors' gallery and addressed Arthur.

"Arthur, what are you going to do now?"

Lily rose from her chair. "May I make a suggestion?"

Arthur gave her a weary nod, and Lily continued. "I am Unspeakable Fluffy. I suggest asking Pandora Lovegood to look after your children. Her daughter Luna is of the same age as your Ginevra after all."

"Do you believe that Pandora would be willing to look after our seven children? So far, Molly has home-schooled Bill, Charlie and Percy."

Amelia nodded in apparent understanding. "Arthur, please go home and explain everything to your children. Unspeakable Fluffy, if you don't mind, I shall go and speak with Pandora. I'll contact you later on."

Lily smiled. "Thank you, Amelia. That would be wonderful."

Arthur let out a sigh of obvious relief. "Thank you so much, Amelia and Unspeakable Fluffy. I really appreciate your kindness."

Amelia smiled. "That's what friends are for, isn't it?"

Arthur returned a small smile. "If Pandora won't agree, I'll ask Andromeda Tonks, but considering that the Lovegoods are our direct neighbours, they would be the best option."

Merlin and Caesar rose from their chairs. "Unspeakable Fluffy, let's go. I believe that our assistance is not needed here anymore."

Lily gave Charlus a grateful look. "Good luck, Mr. Weasley," she said to the man, whom she had always respected, before she excused herself from her colleagues and went to look for Minerva McGonagall, recalling that Minerva had promised to visit her on the North Pole after Dumbledore's trial.

HP

Back home on the North Pole, she led Minerva straight to the screen room, noticing in relief that Santa had already switched the screen to display the Lovegoods' house. She introduced her old mentor to Merlin, Santa and Claire, before she apologized to the older witch and set to watch the conversation between Amelia and Pandora.

"No need to apologize, dear. I want to know what's going to happen with the Weasley children, too." Minerva cast her a rare smile. "Where are Harry and Bobby, by the way?"

"James is looking after them today." Lily cast Santa a questioning look.

"They're doing puppies again, chasing a stag," Santa supplied, causing Lily to chuckle.

"They're doing what?" Minerva enquired in apparent shock, just when their attention was drawn to the screen.

HP

"Amelia, do you know what you're asking of me?" Pandora seemed horrified at the idea of raising seven children beside her own daughter. "Raising eight children until they're of age to attend Hogwarts? You know that I'm a Potions mistress and have been inventing new potions for a year now."

Amelia let out a deep sigh. "I know dear, but frankly speaking, raising children is safer than to experiment with potions just on your own. You'll still have the evenings just with Xenophilius and Luna, as Arthur will take his children home, as soon as he'll be back from work."

Pandora sighed. "For Luna, it might be good to grow up together with many children, and as the owner of the Quibbler, Xeno makes enough money, so that I don't necessarily have to work. Please let me ask him before agreeing on this though."

To Lily's relief, Xenophilius immediately agreed with their plan. "I'd love to have the house full of children. The more the merrier."

"Thank you, Xeno," the women chorused, and Amelia and Pandora headed over to the Burrow with Baby Luna in her mother's arm.

'At least Luna is already nine months old, but Ginny was only born three months ago. The Wizengamot really should have considered that and not make Molly abandon such a young baby,' Lily thought, shaking her head in annoyance. 'Perhaps, I should tell Pandora who I am, but I don't want the whole Weasley brood to know. I can't be of much help anyway, as I have Harry and Bobby to look after. I can't always rely on James to occupy them like I did for the trial today. He'll want to become more active with the Unspeakables, now that our situation is settled, anyway.'

Lily was brought back to reality, when her husband entered the room closely followed by four white puppies.

"Minerva!" James stared at the old witch in apparent surprise.

"Hello James. It's good to see you, too." Minerva smirked. "Where are your sons?"

Grinning, James pointed at the canines. "The ones with green eyes are Harry and Bobby."

"The what?"

Lily laughed aloud. The look on her old mentor's face was priceless. "Harry and Bobby, please change back. Granny Minerva is visiting and wishes to see you."

An instant later, two identical toddlers were trying to climb onto Minerva's lap in apparent happiness at her sight. "Gwanny Mina!"

"Harry and Bobby, I am very happy to see you so well." Turning to Lily, she enquired, "Are they natural Animagi? I've never seen anyone so young transform."

"These two are their familiars," James explained, pointing at the puppies who were perched on the sofa on both sides of Minerva, "and when they bonded with the twins, they instantly transformed."

"Accidental Magic?"

"No." Santa joined the conversation. "The twins, who are my many times great nephews, as they're my brother Merlin's great grandchildren, are children of the North Pole. They have the magic of the North Pole at their disposal."

"Oh Merlin, I'm sure we're going to have fun when they arrive at Hogwarts at the age of eleven."

HP

Lily and James soon got used to having twins who were bonded to white puppies and transformed into their Animagi forms every now and then.

The weeks leading up to the beginning of the Christmas season passed relatively uneventfully; however, at least the adults waited for the December full moon in expectation.

"Santa, are you sure that I won't be able to harm anyone here? Shouldn't I lock myself up somewhere?" Remus asked Santa in the morning of the full moon what he had already enquired at least a dozen times.

"Remus, there is no need to lock yourself up anywhere." Santa smiled. "Just head out onto the grounds and take James and Sirius in their Animagi forms with you. Claire and I will join you as well."

"Are you Animagi?" Remus cast Santa a worried look.

"Yes, we are both reindeer." Claire smiled.

"I'm in." Merlin smirked. "As I am only a phoenix, I shall ask you to give me a ride, Remus."

"In my werewolf form?" Remus stared at the ancient wizard in obvious horror.

"I'll stay with the boys and make sure that they won't transform to join the Animagi party outside," Lily resolved, wondering what was going to happen.

tbc...

Thank you for the kind reviews for the previous chapter. Please continue feeding my muse. Any ideas, suggestions or opinions are welcome.