Chapter 1
Molly woke up early and leaving Arthur in bed she made her way downstairs. The house was dark and quiet, all the rooms lay empty, for now. She never thought she'd miss the occasional bang and clatter from the attic but even that had gone now too, the ghoul had left when all the children had moved out, the sudden quiet had unsettled it too much. She waved her wand as she descended the stairs and the house came to life in a vision of twinkling lights and crackling fires in the kitchen and living room. The sudden warmth washed over her and filled her with the excitement of another Weasley, Potter, Granger family Christmas.
Originally they had done their own thing for Christmas with everyone traipsing around between all the family members but two years ago with both Hermione and Ginny pregnant and with 1 year olds on both sides, Harry and Ron had decided to visit and stay at The Burrow for Christmas and since everyone would normally visit everyone during Christmas, the result was that the Burrow ended up filled to the rafters with family. Molly had fussed and fretted about not having enough of everything or indeed enough space for everyone but it just worked, like magic and this year they were to have their 2nd full, family Christmas and she couldn't be happier.
She waved her wand again and breakfast, lunch and dinner preparations began at once. Her eyes swept the Christmas tree, spotting the frozen Gnome on top and her eyes momentarily filled with tears before she started laughing. The sudden memory of Fred had filled her with sorrow but the memory of his humour and spirit lived on in the little touches here and there that different family members had contributed to the Burrow. George was responsible for the yearly Gnome fairy that lived on top of the Christmas tree, a throw back to the childrens teenage years. The underneath of the tree was already crammed with Christmas presents and there was still more to come.
She glanced at the ceiling where she thought she heard the first signs of her husband stirring from their bed. Thinner than she liked him to be and a little older looking these days he was still consumed by the childish delight that Christmas brought and would no doubt be more excitable than most of the children.
"Oh the children"
Molly muttered out loud. It was a good thing that she'd always wanted a large family and by golly had she gotten her wish. Today's festivities would see the arrival of not only her 6 children but also Fluer, Aubrey, Angelina, Hermione, Harry, Hagrid, Hugo, Jean and Andromeda would all arrive at some point during the day. That would also bring all 12 of Molly's grandchildren under one roof and of course where Harry was, so was Teddy Lupin. She gave a happy sigh as she imagined the chaos that was to come.
She heard the hurried footsteps on the stairs seconds before Arthur burst into the kitchen, half annoyed, half exburant he questioned why she hadn't woken him.
"I was only coming down to start the food, the others won't be here for at least another hour or so"
It did seem to be a Weasley trait, that even though everyone would arrive on time, the Weasley side always managed to look slightly rushed and harassed.
She sat with Arthur, enjoying the blissful calm and eating some bacon sandwiches. She could see Arthur pretending to read the newspaper whilst listening attentively for the whoosh of the fire or the pop of Apparation from the garden that would signal the arrival of the first members of their family, secretly she was listening just as closely as he was. She was therefore incredibly shocked when a loud Crack signalled from the kitchen. She raced through to check on the food, only to find Kreacher in the middle of the kitchen floor. She clutched her chest
"Kreacher is sorry Mistress Weasley, Master sent Kreacher along ahead of them to offer his help with food"
Molly was greatful for the help, even if she was still a little shocked by the sudden appearance. She soon put him to work supervising the vegetables and watched for a second as he moved around the kitchen in a knitted jumper (she'd made it for him last year) and a pair of children's black dress trousers,she chuckled to herself. Harry had offered to free Kreacher but kreacher had refused. As a compromise, aided by Hermione and her work in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, Harry had instead offered Kreacher money that he could purchase his own clothes with and he (Harry) never ordered Kreacher to do anything, instead asking if he could or would mind helping out with something.
She had just returned to the living room as the flames in the fire turned emerald and the first of what would be two little girls stepped out on to the rug. Molly ii looked just like her dad. At 8 years old she was tall and slim. She had missed out on the red hair but did have glasses exactly like her dad's. Who appeared revolving in the fireplace seconds later. Molly jamp up and embraced them both. She remebered only too vividly a time when she feared the estrangement of her third eldest son would last forever but now she stood with him safely in her arms eagerly awaiting the arrival of Percy's wife Audrey and their youngest daughter, 5 year old Lucy.
If Percy was here the others wouldn't be far behind.
Detaching herself from the fresh arrivals, Molly went to ask kreachers help in getting the breakfast food onto the table.
A pop from the furthest corner of the garden heralded another arrival and when the sound of bickering reached her ears she knew Ron and Hermione were on their way in, she rolled her eyes, a smile pulling at the edge of her lips. If she didn't know the two of them so well she'd worry about them but arguments and squabbles had seen them safely and happily together for the last 11 years and now with 2 kids in tow they seemed as likely to spend their lives together as Arthur and herself.
"Go show Granny Molly what you found Hugo"
"Dada, food"
"I know there's food, son but show granny Molly first"
Hugo reached out his hand to his granny and Molly took the card with curiosity, recognising it as a chocolate frog card but before she could look much closer Hugo, who appeared to be much more interested in the food shouted
"IT NUNCLE NARRY NOW FOOD, please?"
Hermione rolled her eyes skyward
"you have all the patience of your father, you will get food in a minute and only after you've slowed down and spoken nicely"
"sorry mama" muttered Hugo turning red at the ears
"it's OK baby boy, why don't you tell granny Molly whose on the card"
"it's Uncle Harry"
"what's me?"
came a confused voice from the doorway. In the commotion over the chocolate frog card they hadn't heard the Potter's appearance in the yard or their messy entrance through the front door as the two boys had evidently tried to enter the house at the same time and tripped over each other.
Hugo took the card from Molly and presented it instead to Harry as Ginny helped both boys off the floor.
"it's you"
rang the little boys voice, triumphantly, as though finding this card was a great personal achievement. Harry smiled as he turned the card over to see the picture of himself. He still throughly enjoyed the fact that all of the Harry's in wizarding photos looked as though they were trying to escape the confines of the frame. Lily giggled as she pointed at the card from her vantage point on her dad's hip
"daddy" she mumbled and giggled again.
"still a scrawny git, though, aren't ya"
"GEORGE!"
Molly scolded before laughing at the timid look that had appeared on his face from being caught.
"The kids have that same look when I tell them off too" laughed Angelina looking at George's face with amused interest.
"We were at Bill's a couple days ago and he says they'll be here at lunch time, they are going to nip over and visit Fleur's family first and Hagrid's coming from the Leaky Cauldron, he caught the Hogwarts Express the other day so I wouldn't wait around for him either" said George.
"Hermione dear do you know when Jean and Hugo will arrive?"
"mum said they should be here around lunchtime"
"just Charlie then and we can start breakfast"
"HE'S HERE" rang Percy's voice from the living room and with that the family headed towards the breakfast table.
There was much talk and laughter as breakfast was consumed with all the children, bar Molly and Lucy who waited for permission to leave the table, ending up in the living room and edging closer and closer to the now overflowing stack of presents beneath the tree.
"we'll open presents after lunch little ones" chided Molly
and instead they played duck, duck, goose, a Muggle game that Jean and Hugo had taught the kids last year. Whilst the adults drank tea and coffee and caught up with the latest goings on in all their lives. James as was his personality, got bored of duck, duck, goose and instead spent the better part of their wait for the others, intently examing the new and very shiny 4 inch scar on his uncle Charlie's arm.
"what did it?" asked James
"A nursing Hungarian Horntail, they get very aggressive when they become mum's"
"I know all about that" added Harry, earning himself a swipe to the side of his head by Ginny.
"I meant I got injured by the mothering one I faced at Hogwarts" said Harry indignantly
"oh sorry" replied Ginny as she gave the side of his head a quick peck and the children all pulled faces.
"talking of Hogwarts, how's Teddy finding it?" inquired Molly,
Harry suddenly had the attention of the adults and all the children. Teddy was the first to begin at Hogwarts and wouldn't be followed by anyone else for another 2 years when Bill's daughter Victorie would be going.
"He was nervous to begin with, so much history behind and ahead of him but between me, Ginny and Andromeda we did what we could to prepare him, he seems OK now, loves his classes and with turquoise hair, he's already making a bit of a name for himself outside of what the other kids might know him for"
Molly nodded in a knowing way, poor Teddy entered Hogwarts with almost the same sort of backstory as Harry had, except that Teddy was so incredibly loved during all of his childhood. He spent half his time with a grandma who adored him and the other half with a godfather who treated him the same as any of his other sons and daughter.
