Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ His Greatest Fear ❯ Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

 

Victoire sat glumly in the back seat of the car her Uncle Ron had managed to get from the ministry. She was sandwiched between Hugo and Rose, and much to her dismay, they were arguing. They were well on their way to King's Cross when Rose realized she didn't have her favorite book. She had read it a million times, but she didn't care. It was a biography written about the newest wizard boy band, Dragon Fire, who had been playing wizard rock music for a little over a year. Victoire herself didn't care for the band, but Rose was crazy over them. The argument started when Rose got hysterical about the book.

“Hugo, have you seen my Dragon Fire book? I want to read it on the train.” Rose asked as nicely as possible through her gritted teeth. She had been searching every bag she could get her hands on since they got in the car, and Victoire could tell she was getting very frustrated.

“I haven't touched your stupid book, Rosie,” Hugo replied, using Rose's much-hated childhood nickname. “Besides, why would you wanna look at that old book anyway? You've read it already.”

“So?” Rose retorted. “Maybe I just like looking at the pictures.”

“Oh yes, you think the guys are so cute, don't you?” Hugo sniggered.

“Where's my book, Hugo?!” Rose screeched at him, trying to get at him across Victoire's lap. “What did you do with it?!” she screamed.

“I told you, I didn't touch your crummy old book!” Hugo yelled back at her, trying his best to fend off her grappling hands. Finally, Victoire had had enough. She pulled out her wand and forced the two apart and off her lap.

“Accio, Dragon Fire book!” she summoned exasperatedly. The book came flying out of Rose's rucksack, turning a few things out on its way from the very bottom.

“See!” Hugo cried triumphantly. “I told you I didn't have it.” He sat back in his seat grinning. Rose was blushing profusely. She hated it when her little brother was right about something, especially when it involved her.

Hermione turned around in the front seat and looked pointedly at Rose. “Don't you have something to say to your brother?” she asked, raising one eyebrow.

“Sorry, Hugo,” Rose mumbled.

“There, now that that's settled,” Hermione continued, “your Uncle Bill has some much unexpected news he would like to tell you.”

“Your Aunt Fleur is pregnant!” Bill announced excitedly, his face lighting up. “She will be having a baby around March or so.” Rose and Hugo grinned excitedly, but quickly lost interest in the adult conversation about the new baby. Rose buried her nose in her book and Hugo stared out the window. Victoire was left to find something to do, so she listened to her father, her Aunt Hermione, and her Uncle Ron discuss the newest addition to their already over-large family.

“…very unexpected,” her father was saying. “We've been trying ever since Victoire went to Hogwarts for her first year, but we've been unable. We had come to the conclusion that we couldn't have any more children. Then about two months ago, Fleur came to me and said she felt ill. Soon, she was sick all the time. I was worried about her but I didn't want to worry anyone else, so Fleur encouraged me not to say anything. Then a couple of weeks ago, she said she was going to St. Mungo's. She's lost loads of weight from throwing up so much. She didn't know what was wrong with her. They told her she was pregnant, and a Healer performed a spell to help with her nausea. They said to come back in another month for a checkup and to see that the baby is growing at a good rate. I can't believe she isn't even showing yet, though.”

“I'm so surprised,” Hermione replied. “I know you're not old, but I just figured you weren't going to have anymore seeing as Victoire's already seventeen. That's a big age difference, although I think it will be good for her to have a younger sibling.”

“I haven't told Mum yet, but I plan to at the station after all the kids are on board the train. I don't want her to make a scene.”

“Well, mate, you'd best wait until she's home safe then, because anywhere you tell her, there's going to be a scene,” Ron replied, chuckling. Bill and Hermione laughed too, because they knew that Molly Weasley would indeed make a scene, considering she thought that her days of having new grandchildren that weren't great-grandchildren were over.

The car pulled up to King's Cross, and Hugo had the door open before the car was even stopped. He had disappeared inside before anyone else had set foot out of the car. “I'll go get him,” Hermione said. “You get the trunks and animals unloaded and onto trolleys.” She set off after Hugo while the girls got to work unloading the animals. Victoire's mother had gotten her a long-haired white Siamese kitten with the prettiest blue eyes. It mewed mournfully from its carrying box. Victoire knew it longed to be released.

“Not until we get on the train, Peppermint,” she said soothingly. She slipped a treat through the little door on the front. The kitten began crunching on it. Rose pulled out a similar box, also containing a new kitten. Hers was black as the darkest night with bright green eyes, and his meow sounded more like a howl. Rose had decided to call him Howler. The girls couldn't wait to see how the kittens would play together on the train.

Finally, the trolleys were loaded and amidst the mews, howls, and other assorted sounds of the stations, the girls pushed their trolleys toward the barrier. Hermione had never showed back up with Hugo, so Ron was pushing his trolley. Fortunately, he didn't have an animal of his own yet. Ron and Hermione had decided that he was not responsible enough to have one. His running off the second they got to the train station was a prime example of that, Ron was saying to Bill as he huffed the trolley toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Suddenly, Ron saw Hermione harshly scolding their son.

“If you ever run away from me like that again, you won't be going back to Hogwarts. Do you understand me?” Hermione asked firmly, a stern look on her face.

Hugo looked up at her with tears in his eyes. “Yes, Mother,” he squeaked.

“What happened?” Ron asked, breathing heavily as he handed the trolley off to Hugo.

“I finally found him, already on the other side of the barrier!” Hermione exclaimed. “Goodness knows how many muggles could have seen him going through. Then once I found him, he took off running in the other direction as soon as he saw me. I don't know what he was doing and he refused to tell me!” She looked at him and noticed he was holding a gift-wrapped box with a bow up towards her.

“It's your birthday present,” he said in a voice that was almost a whisper. “I had one of my friends special order it for me and bring it here so I could give it to you before I left. That's what I was doing.” Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she swept her little boy in an embrace. She opened the present to find a beautiful heart pendant with rubies and topaz stones all the way around it on a very fine gold chain. “They're the Gryffindor colors, Mother,” he said. “Happy birthday!” His chin was still quivering along with his lower lip. Hermione dropped a kiss on his cheek before putting the necklace on.

“I love it, Hugo,” she said simply, a smile on her face. He smiled too, and all was right between mother and son.

“All right, all right,” Ron said, “we'd better get through the barrier or we're all going to be late. Look, there's Harry!” Sure enough, Harry and Ginny were followed by their own three children, James, Albus, and Lily. Everyone began going through the barrier in twos. Victoire was last as she went through with her father. On the other side of the barrier, Bill began to regale Harry with his good news, but no more had he said hello and given him a big hug than Fleur appeared through the barrier.

“I couldn't let my girl go off without her mother's goodbye!” she exclaimed when Bill protested to her presence. He did, however, let her tell Harry and Ginny the good news of their newest expectation. Victoire seized the opportunity to load her things onto the train and come back for the rest of the goodbyes. She had just stepped off the train when a pair of hands covered her eyes.

“Guess who?” an all-too-familiar voice whispered in her ear.

“Teddy!” she squealed, turning to face him. His hair was a lovely turquoise, like it had been the day he was born and also very messy, his eyes a warm brown. She squeaked her pleasure at seeing him again before throwing herself into his arms. He picked her up in his arms, spun her around and set her down on her feet again. “I though you weren't going to be able to be here!” Victoire said, pulling back to look at him.

“Well, Charlie let me come after all. By the way, he and Christiana are expecting again. Christiana swears this is going to be their last.”

“I don't see how you stood staying with them what with all the children afoot.”

“It wasn't too bad. They were gone most of the day, and I was usually working with Charlie. I had my own room and the kids never came all the way to the third floor. Their rooms were all on the second floor.”

“Well, they're not the only ones expecting. Mum and Dad told me this morning that they're having another baby in March. Can you believe it?” Victoire reported.

“Really? That's really great.” Suddenly the whistle on the train blew signaling they only had five more minutes before boarding. “I know you need to go, but I have something for you.” Teddy pulled a small box out of his pocket and pulled Victoire behind one of the barriers. He got down on his knee and opened the box. “Victoire, will you marry me?”

Victoire's eyes filled with tears. “Oh, yes, Teddy! Yes I will!” she cried. He swept her into his arms and began fiercely kissing her.

Suddenly James rushed up yelling for Victoire. “Teddy, WHAT are you doing?” he asked.

“I came to see Victoire off,” Teddy replied between kisses. “Now go away.”

 

Eleven Years Later

 

Molly Weasley was putting up the Christmas decorations as she listened to Celestina Warbeck belt Christmas songs from the radio. Teddy and Victoire sat on the sofa, Victoire's belly swollen with their third child. Her son and daughter, Annie who was seven, and William who was five, were playing outside with Victoire's younger sister and brother, Dominique who was ten, and Louis who was also seven. Dominique was a vixen of a veela already, even at only ten years of age. Her hair was a sheen of red, here eyes a sparkling green. Louis, however, looked nothing like either of his parents and they jokingly said he had been switched at birth. He had dark hair and dark eyes. Annie, Victoire and Teddy's eldest, currently had platinum blond hair with bright pink stripes in it and crystal blue eyes. She had inherited her father's ability to change her appearance. William often complained, because he couldn't do that. Instead, he had messy honey-colored hair and hazel eyes.

“You'd best call all the children, Teddy, dear,” Molly said. “Dinner's almost ready and they'll be wanting to open presents as soon as possible.” Teddy smiled at his wife as he rose from the sofa to go reign them all in from the chilly outdoors. She smiled back as she felt their baby kick inside her belly.

“We're here!” a cry came from the kitchen. Ron and Hermione appeared in the doorway. “Sorry we're late. Harry and Ginny are on their way. Where is everybody else?”

“Rose and Scorpius are upstairs bringing down the rest of the presents. I still can't believe the two of them have been married for five years. Let's see, James was degnoming the garden. That boy needs a girlfriend. Albus and Mary Anne are due here any minute. I'm still planning their wedding. That girl is so picky. Let's see, Lily and Craven are getting the dining room ready. I think that covers it? Oh yes, Charlie and Christiana should be back any minute from Diagon Alley with George and Percy bringing their presents. Apparently George and Percy had something enormous they needed help with. Hugo was helping James, I think.”

“Our family is far too large,” Ron mumbled. “What about Charlie's kids?”

“I don't know if all seven of them are coming.” Suddenly there were a host of voices from the kitchen and the living room began to fill to capacity. George and Percy came in followed by Charlie and Christiana. Following them were their seven children each with a significant other. Teddy came in followed by Bill, Fleur, James, Albus, Dominique, Louis, Annie, and William. Rose and Scorpius came from downstairs just as Albus and Mary Anne entered the front door from Apparating just outside the protective barriers. Lily and Craven came to tell Molly the dining room was ready. Harry and Ginny appeared out of the kitchen as well. The din was more than Arthur Weasley could take when he entered the room.

“QUIET!” he bellowed. The room slowly fell silent. “If everyone will please step into the dining room, it's time for Christmas dinner,” he told them jovially. He couldn't believe how much his family had grown. He had thought he would never quite get over it when he lost Fred, but he knew now that he had more than he could ever ask for.

Teddy sat at the table looking around at the people he now called his family. He realized not for the first time that his greatest fear was and had always been unfounded. He had always thought that if he loved someone he would only lose them. His love for Victoire and his willingness to face his fear to give her his love had helped him to see that love only brings people closer together. He knew that if his parents could be there, they would be so proud of him and his wife and children. He missed them terribly just as the Weasleys missed Fred, but he knew that everything worked itself out in the end. He smiled to himself as the family grabbed hands and Arthur Weasley said grace, and he knew at that moment that his life could not get any better than this.