Harry Potter and the Dynasty of the Wand by Lady Snuffles
Chapter Notes: Happy Christmas everybody! Even though it’s not December.....Christmas Eve at the Burrow! Christmas Day at number twelve and Harry finally gets that conversation with Lupin.
Disclaimer: It’s all her’s so I won’t even go there....
Once at the station, Hermione, Harry, Ron and Ginny left the train and walked through the barrier to the muggle world. “Bye everyone! I’ll see you on Christmas Eve!” Hermione said to them as she crossed the platforms to where her parents were waiting. It was then that Harry realized that he would not see Ginny until Christmas Eve. Of course he knew that went for Ron and Hermione as well, but he wasn’t planning on formally proposing to his best mate or his best mate’s girlfriend. He looked deeply into Ginny’s chocolate brown eyes before she swept him into a loving kiss.
“Really mate! Do you have to do that in front of everyone?” Ron asked, parting the couple with a hand on each of Harry’s shoulders.
Harry just smiled looking at Ron and said, “Absolutely.” He turned back to Ginny and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek along with a whisper in her ear. “I love you, Ginny.”
“I love you too,” she said as he pulled away. “I’ll see you on Christmas Eve Day.” Harry nodded as she walked away from him and towards her family. The family that he wished was his. The large family that one day would be his. Oh Merlin! Harry though to himself. I’m getting married to a girl with six brothers...six older brothers. Six older overprotective brothers. She’ll be a widow before we can say ‘I do.’
And with that last frightening thought Harry walked towards the entrance to Kings Cross Station where he was suppose to meet Lupin. He found Lupin sitting on a bench with a woman Harry did not recognize. She had frizzy purple hair that was about four inches long. She wore an orange sweater, blue jeans, and red tennis shoes. As Harry walked closer the woman caught his eye and said, “Wotcher, Harry.” Harry laughed in spite of himself. He should of known that Tonks would be anywhere Lupin was. At least, according to Lupin’s letters to Harry, ever since they had started dating, Tonks practically hung on Lupin’s arm like a key-chain. Not that he minded much. She stood up and gave Harry a hug.
“Hi, Tonks.”
“Hello, Harry!” Lupin said standing up. “All ready to go?” he asked.
“Never been more ready in my life,” Harry answered honestly. “How are we getting home?” Lupin was surprised at Harry’s quick change of definition in the word “home.” In all honesty, so was Harry.
“Portkey,” Lupin answered. “We’ll need to go somewhere less crowded.” Once they found a private corner, Harry, Lupin and Tonks all touched a finger to the fountain pen-portkey and they were on their way to Number Twelve.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Now Harry...dear boy...what is it with these rings you wanted me to get for you?” Lupin asked suspiciously after dinner that night.
“Well, Lupin...Ginny and I...well...we’re going to...um...I-”
Tonks came to Harry’s rescue, asking, “Are you going to propose to Ginny?”
A smile slowly slid up Harry’s face as he said, “That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“Harry...” Lupin couldn’t seem to bring himself to say the words he wanted to say.
“Yes?” Harry asked smugly.
“Don’t...don’t you think that you and Ginny are a little young to be thinking about marriage?”
“Actually I don’t think that we are. Ginny practically yelled it to my face that she wanted to marry me. Strike that...she did yell it to my face that she wanted to marry me.”
“And you feel the same way?” Tonks asked hesitantly.
If it were possible Harry’s smile grew even more, causing Tonks and Lupin’s faces to do the same. “There is no doubt in my mind,” Harry said taking a deep breath. “that I love Ginny with all of my heart. I want to spend the rest of my life with her by my side.”
“I thought so...well in that case...” Lupin said, reaching for the end table on the side of the sofa. “This is for you.” He handed Harry a box. A single, black velvet box, small enough to fit into the pocket of his robes. “I’m sure that this is not the same coming from me, but...your mum wanted you to have this when you were making this decision.” Harry opened the box and saw the most beautiful ring....a white gold band studded with diamonds all the way around. A large, square cut diamond sat on the very top shining like a candle in the darkness. In the lid of the box there was a note. Harry took it out and read it.
My Dearest Harry,
Since you’re reading this, I guess it means that you are taking that next step in your life. And I guess it means that I’m not there to give this ring to you. If it were either because I was not alive or simply not available, know that I love you with all my heart. I want you to know that this was the ring that your grandmother (Grandma Potter) left to me when she died. Her one true treasure other than your father and grandpa. I’ll never forget how much she cherished it...when you’d ask her it’s price she’d say “Oh my lass, this ring doesn’t have a price anymore. And don’t you forget it!” But enough about grandma. This time is for you. You and that lucky girl. I don’t think that I’ll ever be able to express my happiness for you. I am so glad to know that you have found that one person that you can spend the rest of your life with. If I am alive then I look forward to the wedding, whenever it may be. And if I am dead...then I still look forward to the wedding...only, I’ll be watching it from a different perspective.
Now about this ring...grandpa never told grandma this, but at one point it belonged to the wizard, Merlin. I know that this is hard to believe but your great-great-great-(etc)-grandad, helped in the initial Order of Merlin as a scribe. When Merlin ‘disappeared’ your great-great-great-(etc)-grandad inherited this ring along with a number of other things that your father says can be found in the family vault at Gringotts. Grandpa also said that the ring has an enchantment cast around it, a...connection per say. Before he died, he refused to say whether it worked or not, but he said that it was possible for the wearer and the giver to talk to each other through their thoughts. After death even. I won’t believe it until I see it but you won’t know until you try it out. Grandpa said that you need to say the words inscribed on the inside of the band as you put the ring on the girl’s finger. When translated it means, ‘speak, for love has a voice.’
I wish I could be there when you give the ring (which ever ring it may be) to the woman who stole your heart away. Remember that I am there in spirit...and in your heart. I love you always.
~Mum
Once Harry had read the letter a third time he folded it shut again and took the ring out of the box to examine the band. “Parlare per l'amore ha una voce,” he whispered as he read.
“Gesundheit?” Tonks asked, mistaking Harry’s Italian for a sneeze.
“No, it means “speak, for love has a voice.” It’s an enchantment,” Harry corrected her.
“What is it enchanting?” Lupin asked.
“A mental connection.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Harry....Harry....it’s time to wake up.” Harry opened his eyes to a mass of bright pink hair.
Harry looked up at Tonks and bluntly said, “No,” trying as hard as he could not to smile...failing further, the more effort he put into it. Instead he pulled his covers over his face and grunted an “I really don’t was to get up” grunt.
“Yes,” Tonks said just as bluntly. “And I don’t speak troll so grunting won’t help you. I’ve made breakfast and you need to come and eat it before I give it to Kreacher.”
Harry grunted again...just to see what would happen.
“Well fine then,” was all Tonks said before Harry’s blankets flew off of him and the mattress began to tip sideways. It was almost vertical before Harry finally let go for fear that she would tip the mattress completely over and squish him between it and the box-spring. When Harry hit the wood floor, Tonks did too. Her laughter had taken over her ability to stand so she collapsed to her knees.
“What’s going on in here?” Lupin asked once he saw Harry and Tonks on the floor and Harry’s mattress sideways in the air. “What happened?” Lupin asked giving a slightly less than evil glance at the two of them.
“Harry...fell-out-of-bed!” Tonks gasped between her laughter. This had Harry laughing slightly himself. It was one way of saying it.
Once Lupin had Tonks calmed down the three went to the kitchen for the breakfast Tonks had made. “Eggs and toast. One of the few finer meals I can cook.”
“Is peanut butter and jelly on that list too?” Lupin asked.
“Why of course it is, dear,” Tonks said with mock honesty. “Anything that I can make that you can’t is on that list.”
Harry quickly turned his laugh into a hacking cough and started to drink his orange juice. Lupin decided not to remark because he knew that Tonks would come up with something better. “Why do you always get to win these?” he asked.
“Because you give up,” she answered as she reached for the egg bowl. “Scrambled eggs Harry?” Harry nodded as she scooped them on to his plate. “I’m no Molly Weasley, but I can make scrambled eggs.” She placed two pieces of toast onto his plate next to the eggs.
Harry ate everything on his plate in less than ten bites. He felt as though he hadn’t eaten in weeks and yet he had eaten nearly everything on the table the previous night for dinner. “Harry? Do you always eat that way or are you randomly eating me out of house and home?” Lupin asked thoughtfully.
Harry just shrugged his shoulders muttering something along the lines of “growth spurt.” and swallowed what was left of his orange juice. When Harry went to set down his glass, he accidentally placed it on Tonks’ hand...her left hand. And Harry noticed that for some reason when he did this the glass made a slight ‘tink’ noise. He re-picked up the cup and looked at her hand. Once Tonks realized where Harry was looking she quickly shoved her hand under the table, but not before Harry noticed the glint of a diamond.
“Remus John Lupin!” Harry all but shouted. “You and Tonks are getting married?!” Lupin, who was completely surprised by Harry’s sudden rant stared blankly at him. “And you didn’t tell me?” Still confused Lupin looked to Tonks for help. She merely held up her left hand and looked at her plate as if to say, “He saw it and I didn’t mean for him to find out.”
Lupin, understanding what was going on now, said, “That’s quite alright dear...I was going to tell him soon anyways. It shouldn’t be a secret from Harry after what he told us last night.” Tonks looked up and smiled at her fiancé once he took her hand in his. Lupin turned his attention back to Harry. “Yes Tonks and I are getting married.”
“Well....when did this, happen?” he asked indicating the ring.
“November tenth,” Tonks said quickly as if testing herself to make sure she remembered the date. “It was on my birthday.”
“Well that must have been a good present.”
“It was the best birthday I’ve ever had.”
“Bye everyone! I’ll see you on Christmas Eve!” Hermione said to the three of them once she saw her parents. Ginny then realized that she wouldn’t be able to see Harry until then either. Of course she knew that went for Hermione as well, but Hermione wasn’t Ginny’s fiancé. She looked up at Harry and saw that he was looking deeply into her eyes. Before she put another thought on it she kissed him dead on the lips.
“Really mate! Do you have to do that in front of everyone?” Ron asked, as he tore Harry away from Ginny’s lips. Stupid git of a brother. What a prat. Ginny thought to herself.
Harry smiled and glanced at Ron saying, “Absolutely.” Once Harry had turned back to Ginny he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and whispered “I love you, Ginny.”
“I love you too,” she said as he pulled away. “I’ll see you on Christmas Eve Day.” She saw him nod and she walked towards her family. Her overly large family that would be bigger very...very soon. Oh shit! She though to herself. He’s marrying me...the girl with six brothers...six older brothers. Six older overprotective brothers. I’ll be a widow before we can say ‘I do.’
And with that last thought she and the rest of the Weasley’s found their way to the ministry car that would take them back to the Burrow.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Ginny awoke on Christmas Eve morning to the sun shining through her bedroom window. She rolled over so that she could see her alarm clock. 7:18. Who could possibly imagine that on my favorite holiday...I’d get up at 7:18? With the amount of energy Ginny had, she realized that getting out of bed that early was not an option. Instead she laid there until there was a soft tap at the door. Not wanting to admit to the world that she was up before eight o’clock, Ginny closed her eyes and slid further under the covers to pretend that she was still asleep.
Ginny listened to the door creak open slightly and then shut again. She heard her desk chair being picked up and set back down next to her bed. The intruder then sat in the chair. Knowing that listening would do her no good, Ginny slowly opened her eyes as if to say, ‘I just woke up.’
“Good morning, Sunshine,” Harry said once Ginny’s eyes were fully adjusted.
She smiled and said, “Good morning, yourself.” He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
“I brought you your breakfast,” Harry told her, pointing to a tray floating near the foot of her bed. “Don’t worry, I didn’t cook it, the food actually tastes good. It’s Tonks’ way of saying ‘Merry Christmas Weasley’s!’”
“Tonks cooked for the whole house? Wait. Tonks can cook?” Ginny asked as Harry levitated the tray up to where Ginny was now sitting up.
“Yup. I’ve been eating her food for the past three days and it comes in as a close second to your mum’s. Well, not close but...your mum’s cooking is way past astonishing so....”
Ginny took a fork-full of eggs and shoveled them into her mouth. After she swallowed she said, “Tonks can definitely make eggs though. That’s for sure.”
There was a quiet tap at the door. “Happy Christmas, you two!” Hermione whispered excitedly as she levitated a similar tray of food.
“Is there anyone else at my house who wasn’t supposed to be here for another three hours?” Ginny asked.
“Well, I just flooed and Lupin and Tonks are here, but other than that, no.” She made a quick glance towards the upstairs and back to Ginny and Harry implying that she wanted to go and get Ron but didn’t want to be rude about leaving her two best friends.
“If you must,” Ginny sighed. Hermione’s face, if possible, brightened up with the fact of going to wake up her boyfriend. She turned to leave and Ginny whispered to Harry. “What ever does she see in him?” Harry let out a small laugh. He knew that deep down...very deep down, Ginny saw something in her brother too. It was just the fact of admitting it to herself.
“Bye Mum, bye Dad! I’ll see you in a couple days.”
“Goodbye sweetheart. Now you’re sure that this floo-whatzit stuff is going to get you to the Weasley’s house safely?”
“Yes Dad. It will bring me exactly where I tell it to.”
“Alright then off you go,” Hermione’s mother urged her on. “I love you sweetie.”
“I love you too Mum.” And with a final goodbye to her parents and a kiss on either cheek, Hermione stepped into the fireplace, throwing down a pinch of her floo powder. “The Burrow!” she said clearly, enunciating each syllable just to be sure.
Hermione saw dozens upon dozens of Christmas trees and decorations in nearly every fireplace she passed. By the time she fell out of the Burrow’s fireplace her elbows had been hit thirteen times, she had multi-colored lights in front of her eyes and she was so dizzy that she just sat on the floor where the Floo Network spit her out.
“Hermione are you alright?” came a hoarse voice from the sofa. She looked up to see multiple Lupin’s, sitting on it with a number of copies of the Daily Prophet in his hands.
“Yes I’m fine,” Hermione said shaking her head. This only made it worse. “Just a little lightheaded, is all.”
“Here, eat this,” he said handing her a piece of Honeydukes chocolate. She took it gratefully and found, once she was done, that the room had stopped spinning and there was in fact only one Lupin.
“Thank-you. I feel much better...why is that?”
Lupin laughed slightly. “That is for me to know and you to find out.”
“Remus,” Came the cheery voice of Tonks, from the kitchen. “Everyone’s breakfast has been delivered except for Ron and Herm...is Hermione here yet?”
“As a matter of fact she is. Just arrived.” Tonks walked into the living room to find Hermione getting off of her knees.
“Would you like to go and wake up Ron?” Tonks asked Hermione, already knowing the answer.
“Of course I would.” Tonks loaded twice the amount of food onto a single tray for Hermione to bring up and share with Ron. She levitated it in front of her and began to ascend the stairs to Ron’s room. She stopped only briefly at Ginny’s door to find her and Harry discussing the food.
“...your mum’s cooking is way past astonishing so....”
Hermione watched as Ginny ate a fork-full of eggs. “Tonks can definitely make eggs though. That’s for sure.”
Hermione tapped on the door to announce her presence. “Happy Christmas, you two!” Hermione whispered to them.
“Is there anyone else at my house who wasn’t supposed to be here for another three hours?” Ginny asked implying that she hadn’t been expecting either her or Harry being there yet.
“Well, I just flooed and Lupin and Tonks are here, but other than that, no.” I really should go and wake up Ron before the food cools down. Hermione thought to herself. She glanced up the stairs and back to Ginny and Harry.
Knowing exactly what Hermione’s eyes meant Ginny sighed, “If you must.” As Hermione turned to leave she thought she heard Ginny mumble something along the lines of “what does she see in him?” Hermione just shook her head. In time she knew that Ginny would see the good things in her brother. There were many after all.
Hermione finally came up to Ron’s door. Slowly she cracked it open, just enough for her and the tray to fit through, and closed it behind her. She saw him laying on his bed fast asleep. Hermione could tell he was dreaming because he had that expression on his face. The one that she knew said, ‘I’m going to kiss you whether you like it or not.’ To be honest, when didn’t she like it? She set the food down on the bedside table just before leaning over to kiss Ron awake. It didn’t take him long to respond. The kiss grew slightly stronger before Hermione sat back on the bed. “Good morning,” she told him as he sat up in bed, the blankets falling off of his chest. Her eyes sparkled at his shirtlessness. Where did those come from? She wondered about Ron’s chiseled abs. They were definitely not there last summer. I know that for a fact.
“Christmas Eve morning,” he corrected her. “That was a lovely early Christmas present by the way.”
“Oh, it was nothing,” she said with modesty.
“Well, actually it wasn’t nothing. I’m sure it was something because I rather enjoyed it,” he said hinting slightly. Hermione heard it but decided not to let on quite yet. She levitated the tray so that it was right between the two of them.
“Tonks says, ‘Happy Christmas Eve morning.’ She made breakfast....did you know that she could cook?” Ron shook his head. Grabbing his fork. Food was food to him.
They ate their meal and (after a moment where their mouths were doing something other than chewing) went down to the living room where everyone had gathered. Ron glanced at Harry who was counting the people in the room now that he and Hermione had entered. “That’s thirteen Lupin! We’re all here. It’s now or never!”
Everyone looked over to where Lupin was sitting on the sofa. All but Harry looking incredibly confused. “Well,” Lupin started. “Tonks can you come over here please?” he asked as he stood up, and held Tonks left hand, hiding the ring. Her facial expression telling everyone that she was just as lost as any of them. “As you all know, Tonks and I have been dating for some time now. But what you may not know is that I had come to the end of our relationship as sweethearts some time ago.” Tonks, who had been looking anywhere but Lupin the whole time, whipped her head in his direction not believing her ears. He looked into her eyes as he said the next few words. “I came to this conclusion, so that we can put these last few months behind us and look onto the years that come to us as husband and wife.” Smiles were evident on the engaged couple’s faces as the crowd in the Weasley’s living room applauded. Tonks wrapped her arms around Lupin’s neck. “I love you,” he said.
“I love you too. So much.” She leaned back and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before releasing him and showing off her ring to the rest of the company.
The rest of the day went by with many good laughs credited to Fred and George, lots of good food thanks to Mrs. Weasley, tons of excitement given to everyone in the household, and very little drama taken by the gratitude towards the little things that life was made of. Just before sunset Lupin had to leave on account of his ‘furry little problem.’ He apologized profusely, to Mrs. Weasley about the full moon falling on the twenty fourth of December and about having to leave the party early. She practically chased him out of the house telling him that it wasn’t his fault and if he didn’t leave soon there would be a ‘big furry problem.’
Shortly after Lupin left, Fred and George set up their newest creation of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes Fireworks, specifically labeled, “Weasley’s Do It Yourself Firework Display.” They watched as the many colors, booms, and phrases whizzed through the frigid air. There were a couple conspicuous sentences that had everyone laughing. For example, “I wouldn’t be doing that, Ron!” flashed through the sky when, sure enough, Ron and Hermione were sitting curled up together under a tree kissing.
Wrapped inside the same blanket, Harry kissed Ginny on the back of her neck warming her from head to toe. She turned her face up towards him where he surprised her with a kiss on the lips. Once they parted he said, “I love you Ginny Weasley.”
She looked around to make sure that no one could hear her and whispered, “that’s Ginny Potter to you. I love you too, Harry.” With that said, Ginny laid her head on Harry’s warm chest and watched the rest of the show.
A/N: OK.....when I was half way done writing this chapter, I was at eleven pages. AT HALF WAY! So I decided to put Christmas Break in a nice little trilogy of sorts. I wouldn’t have been able to handle all of the howlers you all would send me saying “This chapter was WAY too long! I just wanted it to be over!” And let me tell you that that is not what I want you to get out of these chapters at all. They are really important and you need to be paying very close attention to what happens. And plus....this way you get updates quicker than what you normally would get from me. Quote from the next chappie: “It’s a stupid reason really. I lost control of my broom when I was flying to my parents house. I don’t remember the falling part too much, but I remember colliding with a large stone wall and then hitting the solid stone concrete of my parents backyard patio.”-Lupin.