My name is Ginerva Morgana Weasley, but I go by Ginny. and I am TIRED. As the oldest child of Arthur and Molly Wesley, and the ONLY girl- I have become a second MOTHER to my siblings! I have been getting up before 6am to wake the "littles" (my brothers - ALL 6 of them) and getting them dressed, teeth brushed and ready to eat the breakfast I cooked. This is done while my mum sleeps claiming "she's earned a lie in"while I'm run around crazy for hours. My mother continues to pop out child after child, while I cook, clean, apparate, get groceries, etc...
Not that i don't love my brothers, I do! I just look forward to heading off to Hogwarts to get away from the daily cooking, cleaning & child care. This is also why I have not told them of my offer to play professional Quidditch!
I do love my brothers and I try and spoil them when i can; however, with my mom having children number EIGHT & NINE, my frustration is through the roof! They were her SECOND set of twins!! So now, they have 8 boys and 1 girl- who is me, and I am STILL burnt out!
I am tired of waking up at 5:5:30am to feed the second set of twins that Mum decided to have when Percy was sent to Hogwarts this year. So I received an owl explaining, no DEMANDING , that I was expected to return home after graduation to take care of my newly born twin brothers Fabian & Gideon who were born while I was finishing up my 7th Year at Hogwarts. Boy is mum going to flip her lid when I tell Dad, with her and everyone listening, about my new career and that SHE will need to be a parent and not push it ALL on me,
I am wrapping up my last year at Hogwarts and I'll will be graduating at the top of my class! I also have a fully signed contract with the Holyhead Harpies and I'm the youngest 1ST STRING SIGNED Chaser in over 200 years! My SIGN-ON bonus is the largest they have ever paid because of my best friend's Dad, who is a lawyer, and who insisted on going with me to negotiate. Ted Tonks was able to get me so much money and a the 50,000 gallon sign on bonus shocked everyone who follows Quidditch. My best friend, Dora, who is in Hufflepuff, is in the class below me, but we are best friends anyways. She is pushing to become an Auror and I keep telling her to follow her dream and I promised her I would be there for her no matter what.
I am going to miss Hogwarts and seeing the brothers that are here with me daily. It has been SO wonderful being a sister and not another lil' mother. I have so many amazing memories here at the Castle.
It was actually nice to see my brothers at school while I was a 7th year Quidditch Captain plus Head Girl, a FEAT Dumbledore said had not happened since Neville's Mom -Alice over 20 years ago! . I got to see Percy sorted into Ravenclaw, the little genius that he is. I love that these memories of him being a sweet, scared little guy coming into school. Like the 3 brothers before him, I showed him to my Heads suite and gave him the password to be used in Emergencies and for only him!
Thinking back to the other sortings, I was starting my 2nd year when Ron was sorted into Gryffindor with me. Then going into 5th year, Fred & George were happily sitting with me on the train, but surprised us ALL when they were sorted into Slytherin together! This shocked the family something fierce but Dora mentioned her mom was in Slytherin and she was the sweetest lady we all knew! This made Dad feel better and soon the twins dominated the dungeons with their inventions and power, PLUS they are SO cunning! I gave them the passwords to the prefects bathrooms in case they needed me and advised them to make sure to stay out of trouble. I was please to ensure we studied Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sundays in our table at the library. Anyone if my brothers friends were allowed to come as long as they studied and didn't not goof around.
Ron & Dora dated for awhile (Eeewwww!! Makes sense since they were in the same year and had classes together!) and then he decided he wanted to focus on his Mastery of Potions and asked for her advice only to be introduced to her mother - Andromeda Tonks née Black who was a Potions Mistress and she was so impressed with Ron's passion in brewing and his drive to succeed that she offered him a 2 year Apprenticeship in France! It was where they had moved after she was disowned but I was happy to see Ron's excitement. He was set to leave the same year as I was because he was so gifted in Potions - the school board had him sit for his NEWTs early where he received O's in Potions, Charms,Herbology, and Defense. He did receive EE in Arithmacy, Ruins, Transfiguration & History of Magic. So all 8 subjects he took- he received NEWTs in! Mom and Dad were so proud and told everyone what their 1st born son had accomplished in his SIXTH year! My younger brothers have a lot to live up to with Ron being the oldest.
I was able to get 10 NEWTS on my record with a lot of time crunching! Being Head Girl took so much time with the patrols and reports, but having the single room suite was worth it! I will never share a room again! It sounds pompous I know, but I have decided to spoil myself. My 10 NEWTS are in: DADA, Herbology, Charms, Potions, Ruins, Arithmacy, transfiguration, History of Magic, Muggle Studies and Care of Magical Creatures. I love learning so taking all the classes I can was no other option for me!
My Dad was over the MOON with pride! He told everyone about my ten newts! My mom, however, would make snarky comments like "why would a GIRL need SO many NEWTS just to have kids and get married?" Little does she know that my plan is not that! Dad would just roll his eyes but not say anything- which sometimes would make me so angry! Why doesn't he stand up to her? He would tell me over and over that he likes to keep the peace but I hated the way she would plow over his ideas and make everyone feel small. She does not know this but I will never marry someone like that- maybe never marry at all.
Today I graduated from Hogwarts and saw my entire family standing there clapping and yelling for me! Dad was crying with tears of joy running down his cheeks, a pram was sitting next to mom while little Fabian & Gideon lay watching everyone with a look of wonder on their little 3 month old faces!! I had flooed home for their birth in February and spent the weekend helping mom so she could sleep, but then I had to go back to school to finish my Head duties and get back to practice.
With them being only three months old, it meant they were still breastfeeding and sleeping most days. Charlie, at 9 years old, is clapping loudly and standing on a chair to see, with little Bill who is almost 8 years old. They both see me and start frantically waiving. Percy is there with his blue tie from Ravenclaw looking very handsome and put together at just turning 12 last month. Fred & George are wearing their green and silver ties are very handsome at almost 14 year old, they are standing perfectly still and ensuring they are properly holding up the Slytherin values of Public decorum with absolute perfection, who would have thought that sorting them into Slytherin would give them a sense of purpose and pride? Ron is the tallest and looks so handsome in his silk apprentice robes with the Black-Tonks crest indicating he was being sponsored by a Noble House. I thought she was not a Black anymore so this surprised me, I'll have to ask Dora because Magic knows things we do not. It doesn't matter as much as my amazing and large family! I love them ALL and I'm SO proud of being the oldest! I'm shuttering as I think of the conversation coming up when we get home. Dora is coming with me to help explain the legal jargon- she has been trained as a Lawyer since before she could walk, so she can answer questions with me.
Flooing into the Burrow still brings a smile to my face. I am holding Giddy and Dora has Fabian so we get them calmed down because they hate Floo travel almost as much as apparition but mom comes walking back in holding two Gold bottles with "FW" & "GW" embossed on them! I start to ask how they can afford the breastfeeding bottles with each new twin when I notice a small crack on one of them. THEN I realize they are the Fred & Georgy's old breast milk bottles. This will only work if the family is the same and the initials are the same AND the original twins have to "gift" them to their brothers. "Mum" I say, playing innocent, "these are lovely bottles! I'm so glad you were able to get Giddy & Fab their own bottles." And smile softly, knowing she would either lie or spout nonsense.
"Oh! Don't be silly Gin. You KNOW moneys tight right now! We are reusing Fred & Georgie's!" She said triumphantly,
"But Mum, these are specially MADE for each child's Magic and cannot work on another child!" I say and look at Dad who is red-faced and looking at the ground and not talking.
"That is NOT TRUE Ginerva. You will mind your tongue! We simply had them gifted to the twins!" She smirked at me, like I was an uneducated idiot.
"Oh! How does THAT work Mrs W? I've never heard of this kind of magical gift!" Asked Dora with wide questioning eyes and she looked at me with confusion.
"Oh! It's SO EASY Dora! They just got Fred and George to magically "gift" their own breast milk bottles- who they should have SAVED to be USED on their FUTURE Children to my other baby brothers!" I said and looked at my parents with anger! This was a gift from Aunt Andy who bought them specifically for Fred and George when they were born- she is going to be so upset when she finds out.
"Wait! Arn't these the bottles my mum bought for Fred & Georgie? They are linked to their Magic Aunt Molly! Even if they are gifted to someone else- they may work a little but the babies are NOT getting all the breast milk they should!" She said with her eyes narrowing accusingly.
I felt my face flush! I looked down at my baby brothers- like REALLY looked at them and picked them up, I ran several spells over them and looked up at my mom and dad. They are THREE months old and ONLY weigh 4 KILOS! That is barley NINE pounds!! The wind began to pick up as I begun to shake! I felt RAGE!! Power came out of my hair and hands!!! Dora grabbed me and said "STOP GIN!! YOUR brothers!"
I sucked in a breath and whipped out my wand, casting my patronus and my Dolphin swam around the room! "Go get Aunt Andy and ask her to bring a healer to the Burrow right now! It's urgent! Dora is here too! " It swam in a flip and vanished. I held my brothers in my arms and cooed at them- softly telling them I would take care of them and I promised to fix it.
After a loud gasp from my mum, I see a silver Snake slithering into the room and Aunt Andy's voice was heard, "I have the healer with me, is the Floo open?" And I sent back a "yes, you can come through."
I corralled the rest of my brothers and sent them outside to play, promising them food in a little bit. Bill stayed next me and held on tight - like he didn't want to leave. "Don't worry Billy, I'm not leaving yet. I'm just going to talk to the healers about the babies" and he smiled and went outside.
The green fire of the Floo roared and Aunt Andy, Uncle Ted & a handsome man with long hair that looked familiar walked into the house. "Hello Darlings! " Andy said, "Allow me to introduce to you Healer Black, who is my cousin Sirius, and these are the Weasley's- Arthur, Ginny, babies Fabian & Gideon and their mother Mo-"
"NO!! Get OUT of my HOUSE!" Molly yelled and turned towards me, "How DARE you call a Healer without asking permission! We cannot AFFORD a home visit right now for TWO patients!! You selfish little--" and was interrupted.
"SHUT UP MOTHER! I will PAY myself for the BLOODY visit to make SURE my brothers are healthy! How DARE you speak to me that way!" I yelled right back in her face!
Molly turned bright red and said "YOU are going to pay for the Home Healer Visit for two babies? What do you know about how much this costs? Like YOU have the galleons for this! I SAID NO! I am YOUR MOTHER and --"
"SHUT THE BLOODY HELL UP!!" I screamed and looked down at the floor to take deep breaths to calm down. I could feel the windows rattling and saw the lights going on and off. I felt a warm strong hand on my lower back and gasped as I tried to regain control. I tried and stared into the grey sparkling eyes of the Healer and felt myself calm down immediately. Bloody Hell! He's gorgeous! I think to myself.
Molly looked shocked and her face turned bright red! I turned away from her, knowing Dora would watch my back if she did anything, and proceeded to explain my concern to Healer Black and my Aunt & Uncle. All of a sudden I felt Dora tense up and shoot a spell out of her wand, looking around I see my mum bound on a chair with a silencing charm being cast my Dad.
"Thank you for your quick thinking, Miss Tonks! I saw my wife start to cast but I was at a bad angle to try and respond with my babies right there! You have my gratitude" he said softly, his eyes looking at mum with a hard and furious glare that I have never seen.
"All right, Miss Weasley" Healer Black began to say, "if you can place the babies in their pram so I can begin to examine them. Which one is Fabian? He is the oldest by 2 minutes right?" I said yes, and pointed to Fab who has less hair but a rounder belly than Giddy. "And please call me Ginny, Healer Black" I smiled at the handsome man.
He smiled back and said "Please call me Anytime then" and gave a slow wink- Aunt Andy groaned and Uncle Ted chuckled, I just blushed and let him cast his diagnosis on Fabian, soon he did the same thing to Giddy. He made notes on the quick writing quill and kept checking them.
"Well, Mr Weasley you should be very proud of your daughter and thank her for spotting a severe problem! May I speak freely or do you want to speak privately? " Healer Black said softly and when Arthur shook his head and waved his hand to continue, Healer Black said " I am very sorry to have to tell you this but these babies are highly malnourished. They are almost 4 kilos and should be around 5.5 kilos which has me concerned. I am told that you were using a breast milk transfer bottle that was intended for your other set of twins?" He looked at Molly with questioning eyes and she nodded yes and pointed at her mouth.
Arthur released the spells and Molly said "Yes but so what? I had my other children gift them over to them. It doesn't matter as long as they are eating. We did the same thing with Charlie and Billy. We used Rons for a Percy but he didn't like it. So we used Percy's with Charlie and Bill and it worked just fine!" She said with a wave of her hand, like saying "get on with it".
I was so angry that I was vibrating! "It was NOT FINE MOTHER! I ASKED you over and over when Charlie would throw up constantly after a bottle! He was fine when you breastfed him but with the bottles he was sick! Oh my God! So was Bill! What the HELL is wrong with you!! These are CHILDREN not little dolls you play with when you feel like it!" I yelled.
I looked over at my Dad for the first time, and I was stunned at his rage! His face was red and he was so angry! "Molly, did you know this was not working when you fed the kids?" He asked quietly and he looked at me and said to shut up with his EYES as he shook his head no and told me to hold on.
"Arthur!! We couldn't SPEND almost 50 galleons on new bottles each time we had a child! Plus, they worked just fine! So you had to feed them a little more often! So what? They were little babies anyways and didn't eat a lot!"she shrugged like it didn't matter.
"Molly, I will ask YOU ONE MORE time and you will ANSWER me truthfully as Head of House Weasley and YOUR PATRIARCH, DID YOU KNOW these bottles were NOT working properly with our younger kids?" The POWER of the Patriarchal Order vibrated through the room and Molly was FORCED to respond: YES! I KNEW they would not work as well without their signatures and they would ONLY get about half the milk but I THOUGHT SO WHAT?? I produce a lot of milk so I can feed them more often!" She whined and shrugged her shoulders!
Everyone was silent as they pondered this question. Finally, I turned to Aunt Andy, "When you bought these for Fred & George- do you know remember much they were? I know this was like 15 years ago but I am just curious on the price?"
Aunt Andy said, "Yes, I know exactly because I put the order in when she was still pregnant because they can take 5-7 months to make with the amount of ruins and Magic they put on them. For 2 Nursing Bottles it was a total of 110 galleons plus I had them initialed so they could absorb Magic and fit to each child easier so it was 30 more galleons. So 140 galleons total, they are supposed to last a few lifetime through several generations."
Arthur paled at the amount of over 500 British pounds and smiled at Andy appreciatively and thanked her several times . Then, he looked back at the Healer and said "What do I need to do Healer Black? How can I help my babies?"
Healer Black sadly said to all of us, "unfortunately this is not a quick magical fix. I will need to admit them into St. Mungo's for a complete medical work up and analysis and get them on several nutritional potions. This may take several weeks of care. It depends on how well they adapt to their new potions. Also I'm sorry to have to tell you this but I will have to get the Auror's involved. With malnutrition of this severity I have to report this and an investigation may be launched. Also having heard that Mrs Weasley KNEW they would not be getting adequate nutrition ties my hands. I must report this. My reports will tell the truth about the situation and they can ask me whatever questions they have. The other younger children will need to see me as well, we must document if they are having any lasting effects from the malnourishment in their infancy- so i will need to see the three youngest boys" he said and smiled softly. He raised his wand and a silver shark came out and he gave instructions to it.
A little while later, our Floo turned green and several people came through at once. Healer Black started giving out orders and both babies were surrounded by magical medical fields around the pram and it was widened so they could stay tougher, while hanging bags of IV vitamins stayed right next to each baby. I walked over and lovingly placed my hand on each little head, Healer Black smiled at me and waved his wand and whispered "numbing spell" and then waved it again and the needle magically inserted into each child's forearm- soon a little splint covered it. Ii noticed that Fabian's was dark red and the split said FW on it while Gideons was Gold and said GW. Soon they were all hooked up and falling into a deep comfortable looking asleep. They even had little smiles on their faces as they watched me with their light blue eyes. Another wand waiving from Healer Black and he whispered "protective enchantments that attach them to me as their healer and to their guardian as well" he explained. As he turned around and stared pulling out several medical portkeys and keying them into (I'm assuming) specific rooms at the Hospital- he turned to me and said "Ok, we are all ready to go!"
PANIC flooded through me! I looked at Healer Black and said "Healer Black! Wait a minute! You're just taking them? Wait! They don't know you and your just taking them away without someone they know?" He smiled and placed a hand of my arm and said "the medicine we have given them will make them sleep for several days and I am going to stay with them too, since they are assigned to my care. Andy was informing me before we came on your new job so after you have spoken to your parents and settled things, please head to the hospital because I am recommending you are granted TEMPORARY GUARDIANSHIP while this is happening!"
I feel my face go pale! I look down at my Dad who has also gone pale and look at my Mum, who is enraged! "Wait a minute! What about my Dad? He didn't do anything wrong? Why can't he-" Healer Black cuts me off, "In medical emergencies like this, we appoint a guardian while we determine what to do about the neglected children, YOU acted and saved your brothers lives! I know you will be ok. Your Dad can still come see the babies but we are going to launch an investigation on this. Do you realize that if you had not done anything, they could have had permanent brain damage, stunted growth & possible magical loss?" He patted my shoulder gently and vanished with the babies. Right before he left, he gave me a business card that he said I can use as a port-key to come see them after I talked to my parents, and several Aurors who were also at my house.