I know right, two chapters in as many days! Don't expect it to become a regular thing though. I have exams coming up so I'll be pretty busy.
Thank you so much to Qoheleth for the inspiration and to Brooke412 and to Rosesaresweet for the comments. Thank you to everyone for reading and following. Please do comment, it makes me write a lot faster.
As before JK Rowling is a genius and I am not, sadly. So everything you recognise belongs to her.
It was 6 in the evening and each and every one of the Weasley children had been scrubbed and polished.
They had all been seated at the table and told in no uncertain terms what trouble they would be in if they even thought of misbehaving.
When she heard the tap at the door Molly gave Arthur a hopeful smile before hurrying to answer.
Before her stood Albus Dumbledore, just as he had done earlier. However this time he was accompanied by not one but two small boys.
'I…' Molly clutched hold of the doorframe to keep herself steady. She hadn't been aware she had signed up to look after twins. Though on closer inspection… they couldn't be twins… true they were both about Ron's age but one was plump, blond and thick necked and the was thin and pale with a mop of messy black hair.
She looked up at Dumbledore for some kind of explanation. He beckoned her out of the door into the fading summer light.
Looking apologetic he said, 'I'm aware this was not our agreement but my information has changed somewhat since our conversation this morning. I was at that moment not informed on the Dursley's treatment of their own son.'
Molly was shocked. Surely they couldn't have been treating their own son as badly as they had been treating their nephew. Alright, her children sometimes got on her nerves but she loved them to the ends of the universe and would die for them without a second thought. The idea that any mother might not feel the same was incomprehensible to her.
'While they were not technically maltreating him the muggle authorities have not judged them fit parents, partly due to their treatment of Harry and partly due to their lack of discipline of Dudley. They let him eat whatever he wanted, watch on TV whatever he wanted, and bully any other child he wanted. There is also something which I didn't make you aware of this morning.' Dumbledore lowered his voice and looked carefully around the scruffy yard.
'When Lord Voldemort-' Molly whimpered slightly at the name, 'When lord Voldemort tried to kill baby Harry, Lily Potter stood in the way of the curse. Harry survived because of his mother's sacrifice. Voldemort-' Molly winced again, 'was destroyed by the rebounding curse. While Harry calls home where his mother's blood dwells, Voldemort cannot touch him.'
Molly thought she knew where this was going…
'Harry's last living relatives on his mother's side are Petunia - her sister, and Dudley - her nephew.'
'We'll take them both.' Molly didn't know what had happened to her today. They couldn't afford one more child nevermind two! Where would they sleep? What would they wear?
'Thank you Molly and thank Arthur. You've really… goodbye.'
He made to walk off towards the apparition point by the fence but Molly called him back.
'Dumbledore is he…' she gestured at Dudley, 'Is he a wizard?'
Dumbledore sighed. 'I'm afraid I don't know. I have studied Mrs Potter's family tree. Her maternal grandmother was a squib. Daughter to Archie and Hermia Dagworth. It was hushed up and she was sent off to a muggle boarding school. Her muggle family was not aware. There is a chance that Dudley is magical. That's all I know.'
With a final bow to Molly and the two small boys he strode across the dying grass and vanished with a crack.
Molly looked down and saw Harry staring at the spot where Dumbledore had disappeared in silent confusion. Preparing herself for the coming weeks Molly scoped a startled Harry into her arms and ushered Dudley into the kitchen with them.
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As the three of them entered the house, she registered the noise she had blocked out during her conversation with Dumbledore. It sounded as if the twins had fed Percy a peppermint imp. The bespectacled boy was wailing loudly while Arthur scolded Fred and George. The slightly wonky front door creaked loudly when she used her hip to push it open.
She sighed to herself seeing the chaos in the kitchen, nevermind there was no point putting up fake appearances if Harry and Dudley were going to be family now. Ignoring her children for a minute she looked over to Arthur who started when he saw the two boys. When she mouthed 'I couldn't say no, explain later,' he just nodded before bending down to scope Ginny from the floor where she and Ron were playing with a rather large spider they had found.
It took several minutes but in the end order had been restored to the cramped kitchen. Molly put Harry down and bent over to talk to the two boys. Harry was silently taking in the kitchen and rabble of red headed children with wide, scared eyes and Dudley was whimpering for his mother and something called 'telly'.
Arthur had conjured up two more child sized chairs, but they wouldn't last, they'd have to find a more permanent solution soon.
'So remember how I said you'd be getting another brother. Well you're going to have two more. I expect you to treat them just the same as you would treat each other.'
The children all stared silently at one another.
'Why don't we go round the table and all introduce ourselves for Harry and Dudley. Just say your name and age and um maybe something else about you. Bill you start.' Arthur suggested smiling gently at Harry and Dudley.
The eldest Weasley child smiled kindly at the two thoroughly confused and tired boys.
'I'm Bill. I'm 14 and in September I'll be going into my fourth year at hogwarts. I would love to travel and explore the world.'
Charlie was cradling something in his knee as he started to talk.
'Um I'm Charlie I'm 12. I'm going into second year. I love ani-come back!' A pure white rabbit had leapt from his arms. There was a moment of pure panic while everyone tried to grab it. Eventually Fred appeared from under the table holding the squirming creature with his small hands.
She rounded on her second son, 'Charlie you promised no more animals! You already have the snails, newts and a beetle! It'll have to go!'
'Mum! It can live outside?'
'What in? I never noticed the rabbit hutch we apparently have in the yard.'
'I'll build one.'
'Fine… fine. Keep it. But NO MORE. We can't feed them.'
When she turned back to Harry she was shocked to see he was trembling. He was so scared of her, even though the anger hadn't been directed at him. Oh she was going to kill Petunia!
She bent down slowly so as not to scare him.
'Hey Harry it's alright. Do you want to go to bed now?'
He nodded timidly.
The whole family was silent. Somehow even the younger children understood it was important not to frighten Harry.
'Arthur, can you put Ginny and Ron to bed? And Bill can you make sure the twins actually go to sleep. I don't want a repeat of last week.'
'Harry, Dudley, do you mind sleeping on the sofa for tonight. We'll get you proper beds soon. And tomorrow you can meet the rest of my children.'
Harry nodded slightly and made to follow her. Dudley however planted himself firmly on the floor.
'I'm not sharing with him. I want my mummy!' and without warning he burst into noisy tears.
Molly sighed. It was going to be a long few weeks.
Thanks for reading x
