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Author: Grandma Kate Story: Ginny's Sixth Year at Hogwarts Rating: Everyone Setting: Pre-DH Status: Completed Reviews: 6 Words: 45,693
The Harry Potter Universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. I’m just borrowing the characters for a while. This is for pleasure only, no profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended. A/N: This story is told from Molly’s Weasley’s point of view and parallels Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and the summer after it.
Cully bowed from the waist and said, ‘Mr Arthur, Mistress Molly, and little Miss Ginny must come in and have some breakfast. Mistress Muriel is not getting up so early, but she will be happy to see you when she awakens. Please put your belongings down and I will be taking them to your rooms.’ He led them into the kitchen where his wife, Dinky, was stirring porridge in a small cauldron in a very large brick fireplace. ‘The Weasleys will be needing breakfast first and then they will be needing to get settled in the wing of the house where they will be living.’ Molly, Arthur, and Ginny sat at the kitchen table while Dinky filled three bowls with porridge and put them on the table with spoons, pitchers of cream, and pots of honey. A teapot and three cups floated behind her and settled quietly in the middle of the table. Arthur, Molly and Ginny were each worried about Ron being captured but ate without talking about what must have just happened. Suddenly, they heard a huge racket right outside the kitchen so they got up and looked out the window. Fred and George had landed on the far edge of Auntie Muriel’s kitchen garden with what looked like a wooden coop of some sort and several large parcels, done up in brown paper and tied up with string. Arthur, Molly and Ginny watched the twins levitate the small building into the back yard. Then they picked up the parcels and headed for the back door. Cully ran to open it for them. ‘Mr Fred and Mr George, you are in time to eat breakfast with your parents and little sister. Give me your parcels and I will take them to your room.’ The twins walked into the kitchen and greeted their family members, Cully, and Dinky. ‘If you please, we’ll each have a cup of your finest coffee, Dinky,’ said Fred. ‘And I could do with some toast,’ added George. ‘We were up with the birds this morning!’ As though on cue, fifteen owls circled the backyard and went into their roost to sleep. George shook his head and laughed, ‘Those birds are smarter than we are.’ ‘Do you know what happened to Ron?’ asked Molly in a worried voice. ‘Bill told us that he had been caught by Snatchers, but I don’t know how he knew,’ said Fred. ‘Remember, he told us after Christmas that he had cast a Captivity Spell that would only be activated if Ron was tied up,’ reminded George. ‘So unless he and Hermione…’ began Fred, but stopped at his mother’s glare. ‘Bill thought he might find out more from some old friends at Gringotts,’ said George, helpfully. ‘Goblins are such gossips.’ Cully and Dinky cleared the table. ‘Please follow me to the wing in which you will be staying,’ said Cully, with a bow, as Dinky pointed her finger at the dishes and they began to wash themselves. Cully led them to the back of the big old house. ‘Mr Arthur and Mistress Molly will be in the bedroom suite on this floor. It has its own sitting room and an en suite bath.’ He indicated a large double door. Molly and Arthur started through it as they heard him continue, ‘Little Miss Ginny will be staying in the room right above yours and Mr Fred and Mr George will be on the top floor.’ ‘Please follow me, Mr Fred and Mr George and little Miss Ginny,’ Cully said as he started up the staircase. Molly was pleased to find all of their belongings neatly stacked by the small sofa in their sitting room. She shook her head a bit at the cabbage rose wallpaper but put the Weasley Clock on the wall with a Sticking Charm. Percy’s and Charlie’s clock hands both pointed to ‘Work’. All the rest were clustered on a new classification- ‘Safe’. Molly called out. ‘Arthur, look at this! Ron is safe now. His hand says so!’ The Weasley parents decided to try out their new bed before they reversed the Shrinking Charms. It was very comfortable so they took a nap. When they awoke, they dressed and started toward the kitchen to see if Auntie Muriel was up yet. They could hear her ringing tones before they arrived. ‘So my great-niece and her family have arrived,’ she boomed out. ‘That means that the new regime has found out that Ron never had Spattergroit. They’ve had the wool pulled over their eyes for nearly nine months. They won’t like that at all!’ When Molly came into the kitchen, she saw Aunt Muriel for the first time since Bill and Fleur’s wedding. She looked exactly the same, except that she had on a mob cap instead of a feathered pink hat. She was sitting in a rather imposing chair with big wheels at the kitchen table. A pot of tea and a plate of scones were in front of her. ‘Come in and have a bite, dear Molly and Arthur,’ she said in a loud, but kindly, voice. Dinky floated another pot of tea with a jug of cream and some honey over to the table, followed by a platter of hot scones. Molly and Arthur each kissed the air next to Auntie Muriel’s cheek and sat down. ‘I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your taking us in, Auntie Muriel,’ began Molly. ‘There is no need for you to thank me, Molly. This house was Grandmother Macmillan’s and you have as much right to be here as I do, and far more need,’ said Auntie Muriel firmly. ‘The five of you are no problem at all. There’s room for a dozen, at least.’ Ginny, Fred, and George came into the kitchen as Auntie Muriel stopped speaking. They went over to her over-sized chair and thanked her profusely for letting them stay with her. ‘Nonsense!’ she replied. ‘You are my flesh and blood. You three have the excellent Prewitt teeth, and charming smiles. Molly, why don’t you get rid of that bruise on our dear little Ginny? Now, sit down and have your elevenses.’ Molly used her wand to heal Ginny’s cheek as she mouthed, ‘We’ll talk later.’ Dinky brought more tea and scones with the jugs of cream, honey, and jam that went with them. They tucked in, and Molly realized that none of them had eaten anything but porridge and toast since dinner last night. ‘Ron is safe. My clock says so,’ said Molly. Ginny, Fred, and George jumped up and started doing a dance of joy, chanting, ’Ron is safe! Ron is safe!’ Ginny stopped suddenly and was run into by her brothers. ‘Harry? Is Harry safe? And Hermione?’ Ginny’s expression suddenly went from wild happiness to deep concern. ‘I don’t know,’ said Molly. ‘I wouldn’t even know about Ron if it were not for his hand on my clock.’ Arthur said, ‘Bill will get word to us as soon as he knows anything. He and Fleur can’t go to Gringotts now that our duplicity has been revealed but they have friends who can communicate with them.’ ‘Goblins are such gossips,’ repeated Fred solemnly. George nodded as he spread jam on a scone. ‘They know everything as soon as it happens.’ ‘How is Harry Potter?’ Auntie Muriel said in a peevish voice. ‘I thought that he’d surely be at the wedding since he and Ron and he and Ginny are reported to be so close.’ Molly thought that house-elves must run a close second to goblins so far as knowing all the gossip if Auntie Muriel knew about both Ron’s and Ginny’s connections to Harry. ‘Auntie Muriel,’ began Fred in a loud voice, ‘George and I have put an owl roost in the area next to your big chicken coop.’ ‘We’ll be able to continue the Owl Post portion of our Weasleys’ Wizarding Wheezes business while we are hiding out,’ said George, leaning toward Auntie Muriel. ‘Fred has Disillusioned our owls so they can’t be seen from the time they leave the grounds of Macmillan Manse until they arrive at their destination.’ Auntie Muriel smiled and nodded her understanding and approval. ‘Quite clever!’ she boomed out. ‘Lord love a duck! You two have some of Fabian and Gideon’s deviousness and cleverness. They were quite the pair!’ She went on and on about various accomplishments of her favorite twin great-nephews and the difficulties that they had managed to overcome. Fred and George muttered several comments under their breath to each other, but never loud enough that she could actually hear them. They excused themselves to fill some orders but not before Auntie Muriel reminded them that dinner would be served promptly at two in the afternoon. Auntie Muriel followed the old ways as far as meals were concerned. She was not an early riser but was accustomed to eating a large dinner in the early afternoon, followed by a nap. The twins made a few comments to each other about eating in a room with chintz-covered walls, but the food was good and plentiful, so they did not complain too loudly. A proper tea was always served a little after five. Auntie Muriel’s bedtime was earlier than any of them were used to, but they adjusted. Cully and Dinky were always available to make bedtime snacks or serve another pudding course. The five Weasleys settled in to Auntie Muriel’s routine quickly. Arthur made himself useful fixing things in the house and outbuildings. He also helped the twins with their accounts. The twins kept all their financial records in the two boxes he had brought from his shed at The Burrow. Proceeds from the Owl Post service went directly into their Gringotts’ account and automatically paid their rent on the shop. They made enough that they could have contributed to Auntie Muriel’s household expenses if she would have permitted them to do so. Fred and George greatly admired her shrunken head collection in the china cupboard in the dining room and spent hours talking to her about it. She remembered where and when she had obtained each one of them. During the first few days that they were at Macmillan Manse, Molly tried to spend some time every day with Ginny. She patiently drew her out about what had happened to her at Hogwarts. Molly was sickened when Ginny described the cruel behavior of the Carrow brother and sister. She thought that a student being forced to curse other students was horrifying. Ginny said that the other teachers tried not to send anyone for discipline once they found out what had been going on in detention. At first, it was hard for Molly to imagine that anyone could be worse than Dolores Umbridge but Ginny’s reports of what the Carrows had done were worse. Arthur was as distressed as she was about the danger that Ginny and the other students had been in at their school where their parents expected them to be protected. He comforted Molly and reproached himself for allowing Ginny to return after Christmas. Ginny soon began to look and act much more like her old healthy self, although she said that she missed the other members of Dumbledore’s Army and worried about what was happening to Neville, in particular. She was also concerned that she would not get to see the baby that Tonks was soon to deliver since Molly refused to let her leave the grounds of Macmillan Manse to go to see Tonks, much less be present for the birth. Molly said, ‘I am as disappointed as you are but we cannot risk the Ministry following your Trace and finding us. Kathleen promised to get word to us just as soon as the baby comes. Arthur has sent her directions so she can find us easily.’ On the first of April, Dinky stood by looking worried as Molly baked a huge chocolate cake for Fred and George. The old house-elf obviously did not approve of witches mixing sugar, butter, eggs, flour, cocoa, and milk to make cake batter. She was relieved to see that Molly used her wand efficiently and did not make a mess. Molly relented and let Dinky put the cake layers in the oven and ice the cooled cake when she realized that her baking was upsetting the old house-elf. At their birthday dinner, Fred and George told everyone how happy they were to be with their family as they turned twenty. Bill had sent them some rather advanced spell books with an encrypted note addressed to Arthur. He took it into the sitting room to decode it. He returned smiling and said, ‘Good news! Ron, Harry, and Hermione are at Shell Cottage.’ Everyone cheered. Ginny and the twins did their happy dance and chant. “There’s more,’ said Arthur. ‘Old Mr Ollivander, Luna Lovegood, and Dean Thomas are with them, along with a goblin named Griphook.’ ‘What did you say?’ asked Fred. ‘Mr Ollivander, the wand maker? The one who was kidnapped by Death Eaters right out of his shop?’ ‘And two more Hogwarts students and a goblin?’ said Fred in amazement. ‘Bill and Fleur must have expanded their cottage.’ ‘Were Harry, Ron, and Hermione really caught by Snatchers?’ asked Ginny. ‘How did they get away?’ Arthur shook his head. ‘I do not know. Bill says that he will tell us the rest of the story as soon as he can come over. He didn’t want to risk a note being intercepted.’ ‘Did Bill enclose my goblin-made moonstone and diamond tiara?’ asked Auntie Muriel loudly. ‘I’m sure he wouldn’t steal it if it were up to him, but you know that pretty little wife of his is French.’ Everyone looked at Auntie Muriel is amazement. ‘These are perilous times, Auntie Muriel,’ said Molly in a kind but strong voice. “I’m sure Bill and Fleur are being extra cautious lest it be stolen. They will undoubtedly hand-deliver it. They know how much it means to you.’ “Easy enough for you to say that since it isn’t your goblin-made family treasure,’ sniffed Auntie Muriel. Fred and George began prancing around as though they had on tiaras. Then they began bowing and waving to imaginary crowds. Eventually, everyone was laughing at them, even Auntie Muriel. ‘I am amazed at the volume of business that you two are conducting from the back room on the top floor. It seems as though owls come and go at all hours of the day and night,’ she said in her booming voice. ‘But on the other hand, I do believe that your owls are eating all the mice in the fields.’ ‘We won’t charge you anything for our pest-removal service,’ said Fred in an equally loud voice. ‘Just joking,’ George said hurriedly when Auntie Muriel frowned. ***** Friday afternoon just before teatime, Kathleen Pen Apparated to the boundary of Macmillan Manse and walked up to the front door. She followed Cully into the sitting room and found Auntie Muriel, Molly, and Ginny there. Molly introduced Kathleen to Auntie Muriel and asked her if the baby had come. Kathleen nodded. ‘Ted Remus Lupin arrived shortly after dawn. Both mother and son are dong well. We all needed some sleep after being up all night or I would have come earlier. Andromeda is watching Tonks and little Teddy. Remus has gone to inform his friends and Teddy’s godfather. They’ve asked me to be his godmother.‘ ‘Tell us all about little Teddy,’ said Ginny. ‘Which parent does he look like?’ ‘Remus and Andromeda say he looks like Dora. However, she says he has his father’s eyes and mouth. His hair was dark when he was newly born but has since lightened to a ginger. Andromeda says Tonks’ hair started changing color almost as soon as she was born,’ said Kathleen. ‘I am pleased to have met you, Auntie Muriel. I hope to see you all again soon, but I promised Andromeda that I’d return immediately.’ Molly and Ginny walked Kathleen to the door and told her to give their love to Tonks. ‘Ginny is still underage so we cannot risk the Ministry following her Trace if she leaves here. Please ask Tonks and Remus to bring Teddy over when the midwife says he is ready to go out.’ Kathleen promised that she would, walked to the end of the path, and Apparated back to the Lupin home. ***** Bill arrived that night with a very frail looking Mr Ollivander, who was carrying a familiar, worn velvet case. Arthur and Molly went out to help Mr Ollivander up the front steps. Auntie Muriel was wheeled into the front hall by Cully. She immediately stood and offered Mr Ollivander her chair with wheels, saying, ‘I use my chair in the winter when the weather makes my joints stiff. I am well over one hundred, so I sometimes have a hard time getting around.’ Mr Ollivander sat in Auntie Muriel’s chair and said, ‘For the moment, I think that I will take up on your kind offer. I am sure you will be delighted to have the contents of this case returned to you.’ He handed Auntie Muriel the case containing the tiara. She squealed with delight. ‘You’ve brought back my beautiful goblin-made tiara! Bill, I never doubted that you would return it as soon as you could. I would never suspect that you had stolen it, regardless of how long you kept it!’ Then Auntie Muriel smiled broadly. ‘It has an Anti-Fertility Charm on it, so it is just as well you have returned it if you are thinking of starting your family.’ Bill blushed and replied, ‘Auntie Muriel, these are dangerous times. I wanted to be able to return it in person.’ Auntie Muriel bowed and said, ‘Of course. I understand. Now let me direct Cully to settle Mr Ollivander in a suitable room.’ Mr Ollivander thanked Bill profusely for taking care of him. ‘If my lovely Luna had not cared for me in the dungeons at Malfoy Manor, as well as your kind wife at Shell Cottage, I would not be alive.” Ginny and the twins had many questions. ’How did you get away from Malfoy Manor?’ asked Ginny. ‘Dobby gave up his life for us,’ he said in a mournful voice, as Cully wheeled him in the direction of Auntie Muriel’s wing of the house. ‘Bill, please tell us how they got away from Malfoy Manor,’ begged Ginny. ‘I have been so worried about Harry.’ ‘Harry forgot about the Taboo and said the name of You-Know-Who after the last Potterwatch. Hermione tried to disguise him but Fenrir Greyback thought he recognized him and took him to Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix Lestrange was there and tortured Hermione because she thought that they had stolen the sword of Godric Gryffindor from her vault at Gringotts.’ ‘Bill, I stole the sword of Godric Gryffindor from the Headmaster’s office,’ said Ginny. ‘But we were caught before we could get it out of Hogwarts. How many swords of Gryffindor are there?’ ‘The sword in the glass case in Snape’s office was a fake. The one that Ron and Harry pulled out of a pool of water is real. It is at Shell Cottage now.’ Bill looked at the clock on Auntie Muriel’s mantle. “I am going to have to leave soon, so let me just say that Dobby rescued six humans and a goblin from Malfoy Manor. Unfortunately, Bellatrix killed him with a knife and we buried him in the garden of Shell Cottage.’ ‘If I have anything to say about it, Bellatrix Lestrange is doomed. She has committed more evil than I can imagine,’ said Molly in a steely voice. ’Harry must be devastated by having both Hedwig and Dobby die while trying to save him,’ said Ginny sadly. ‘He tends to blame himself for everything. Tell him we love him. Tell Ron, Hermione, and Luna, too.’ Fred and George each clasped hands with their oldest brother and told him to take care. Bill kissed his mother, father, and sister and promised that he would give messages to everyone who was still at Shell Cottage. Then he walked quickly to the end of the path, and Disapparated. ‘We forgot to tell him about the baby,’ said Molly. ‘I wonder if he is to be the godfather?’ ‘I think that Tonks and Remus have chosen Harry,’ said Ginny. ‘He would be such a good godfather.’
This chapter was made much more readable by my pre-beta bookish 327 and my beta Trelawney 2213.
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