Harry Potter and the Dynasty of the Wand by Lady Snuffles
Chapter Notes: Christmas Day at Number Twelve! Will Ginny like her Christmas gift from Harry? And what will the rest of the Weasley’s do once they know about the engagement?
Disclaimer: Just to solve any upcoming court problems with the scary lawyers......“Jo, this all belongs to you.”
“Oh! How cute? The men of the house fell asleep downstairs. Did you boys have a good slumber party?!” Tonks yelled Christmas morning, when she found Harry and Lupin both asleep in the armchairs. She was already wearing her Weasley sweater, orange with a white ‘T’ in the middle. Her hair closely resembled the color surrounding her initial.
“Merry Christmas to you too,” Lupin muttered opening only one eye to the light of day.
“Oh get up,” Tonks said grabbing Lupin’s arm and pulling him off of the chair. “You look like you haven’t showered in days...go take care of that. Harry and I will tidy up before everyone gets here.” She looked at the coffee table which had an assortment of food and drinks. “Oi,” she mumbled under her breath as she took out her wand and began sending dishes to the sink, trash to the bin, and food to the pantry.
Harry started by straightening cushions, and picking up random crumbs that were too large to go unnoticed. He watched as Tonks placed two logs of wood in the fireplace and started a flame. They went about cleaning until Lupin came downstairs. He too was wearing his Weasley sweater but this one white with an orange ‘R.’ Harry turned his laugh into a hacking cough....again....he had found that he was getting very good at doing so with the fact of Lupin and Tonks being a couple was very.....for lack of a better word....sappy.
“Hello sweetheart,” Tonks said as Lupin kissed her on the cheek. “You clean up well,” she said.
“Fresh as a daisy,” Harry teased. Tonks laughed slightly. Lupin just looked annoyed. She went back to the dishes she was washing and Lupin walked over to Harry.
“Harry, you might want to go and check the foot of your bed,” he whispered. “I’ll take over for you.” Harry knew that this actually meant, ‘scram because I have a special present to give to Tonks,’ but he didn’t let on that he did. Instead, Harry just nodded his head with a half smile and obediently went upstairs to open his presents.
He was given purple socks with orange poke-a-dots and green socks with red Santa hats from Dobby. Mrs. Weasley gave him the traditional Weasley sweater along with a mound of chocolate fudge. He was given a book on animagi from Lupin and Tonks, more photo’s to add to his photo album from Hermione along with an assortment of Honeydukes chocolates, and a new pair of quidditch gloves from Ron. Fred and George sent him the “Skiving Snackbox Booster Pack” at a good time too because his Fever Fudge was running very low. His last gift was from Ginny. Strangely enough she had given him a pillow. It was red, smooth as silk and as soft as a cloud. It was embroidered with intricate designs and shapes in thin black thread. The note read:
Harry,
Happy Christmas! This is for the many upcoming nights that we can’t spend together. But soon enough we will be married and can share the same bed. For now use this...hold it tight...I’ll feel your arms around me when you do. Yes that’s right. I can feel what the pillow feels. You’re tempted to do it...go ahead, give the pillow a hug. Check the time and I’ll tell you right when I felt it just to prove to you that it works. If only you could whisper in my ear it’d be as if we were laying next to each other. I suppose that this will have to be my comfort during the long and lonely nights. I love you!
~Ginny (soon to be Potter) Weasley
Harry looked over to the clock. Nine thirty-two. He looked at the pillow and thought, this is so weird, and hugged it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Ohh! That was weird!” Ginny said once she felt an invisible pair of arms wrap around her and release her. “What time is it?” Ginny asked Hermione.
She picked up the watch Harry had given her and said, “about nine thirty.”
“But what time exactly?”
Hermione sighed. “Nine thirty-two. Why?”
“Because Harry hugged the pillow,” she answered nonchalantly.
“Oh yeah...I forgot about that. We did that spell so long ago.” Ginny just shrugged her shoulders and went back to opening her presents. Amongst the remaining boxes there was a note from Harry. It read:
Gin,
You’ll be receiving your present from me later in the day....I promise you’ll love it. I just need to be there in person to give it to you. I love you!
~Harry
She read it a second time before, “Oh my GOD!” Hermione looked from her hands in her lap, to Ginny, to her hands in her lap, and back to Ginny again. “I-I-I....H-he...OH MY GOD!”
“Hermione....take a slow deep breath...speak.”
“I-it’s Ron’s gift...h-he gave...I-I mean....look!” Hermione held up a red velvet box that was holding a pair of beautiful, silver diamond earrings, and a diamond bracelet. “Th-they’re gorgeous and...and...”
“Real?” Ginny asked attentively.
“Ron bought me DIAMOND earrings! Diamonds Ginny!”
“Well it’s a damn good thing that you’ve got your ears pierced then huh?” Hermione reached up and touched her earring holes out of instinct. “Well are you going to put them in or not?”
Hermione smiled at the very thought and took the jewelry out of the box. “Here help me with this,” Hermione said after trying to put the bracelet on herself at least three times.
“They’re beautiful Hermione,” Ginny said once the bracelet was hooked and she had time to admire it outside of the box. Ginny watched in amusement and a slight bit of awe as Hermione admired her new treasures in the mirror above the desk.
Ginny went back to her bed where she opened her next gift. It was from Hermione. A square box wrapped in purple paper; the weight was off kilter so she had to lay it down on it’s side to open it. Once the paper was torn off, Ginny opened the box to find a picture camera along with a years supply of film and a carrying case.
“Hermione! You bought me a camera?”
“Yeah well. I saw how you watched Colin with his camera and you looked very much like you wanted one. So I talked to him about the ‘what’s what’ of cameras and he told me to get this one. A Cannon Wide-shot four-thousand something or other with the professional this and that. I don’t really know, but hey...I bought you a camera. And I did it without looking too much like an idiot in a muggle electronic store.”
“Will it work at Hogwarts?”
“Yup. I placed the battery-magic conversion spell on it so it should work just the same.”
“I can add more pictures to Harry’s book now too.”
“That was part of the idea, yeah.”
Ginny flashed a picture right in Hermione’s face and said, “I’m going to go take a picture of Ron!”
“For what? Why?” she asked as she blinked the purple and green splotches out of her eyes.
“Blackmail of course,” she said walking out the door. She stopped and poked her head back around the doorframe “Oh, and Hermione?
“Mm-hm?”
“Thanks....you have no idea what you’ve just started.”
Hermione watched as Ginny disappeared in full and tip-toed out of sight. She shook her head as her friend went to take incriminating photos of Hermione’s boyfriend. When she shook her head Hermione was amazed at how much her bracelet sparkled when it was only slightly moved from one spot to another in the sunlight. She reached up and felt her earrings and thought, I’m very glad that I didn’t get Ron another book this year. She went over to her bed and just as she sat down she heard Ron’s voice yell, “Ah! Ginevra Molly Weasley! What the hell are you doing with that?”
“Language Ronald!”
“Sorry Mum.”
“Just taking a picture!” Hermione heard Ginny yell back as she thundered down the steps. Suddenly Ginny skidded into the bed room and collapsed onto her furry lime-green rug laughing hysterically. She controlled herself long enough to say, “He was wearin’ nothin’ but his socks and boxers.” Then at the thought of it she burst out laughing again.
“Ginny?” Hermione asked trying not to laugh herself. “Do you think I could have a copy of that?” Ginny stopped laughing to see if Hermione was serious. She looked up at her smiling friend and started laughing again seeing that she was.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Girls! Are you anywhere near ready yet? It’s quarter to eleven! We’ll be late!” Mrs. Weasley shouted up the stairs.
“Oh please mum!” Ginny yelled as she walked up to her bedroom from the bathroom for the fifth time, Hermione trailing behind her with a magical curling-iron. “It’s not like it really matters what time we get there. I’m sure it’s not going to be a big deal if we’re not there directly at eleven o’clock.”
“Ginny you need to hold still,” Hermione hissed quietly.
“Ginevra, can I please not have attitude from you today?” Mrs. Weasley replied pleadingly.
“It’s best you listen to your mum today Ginny,” Mr. Weasley whispered as he stopped at the door to the girls’ room.
“Yeah, Dad. Sure,” Ginny sighed before yelling, “We’ll be down in a minute Mum!” then addressing Hermione she said, “Are you anywhere near finished yet?”
“If you held still I would be.”
“Fine,” Ginny said sitting down on her bed.
“Now was that so hard?” Hermione asked.
“No...it’s just that there is so much that needs to be done still!”
“I’ll give you a hand.”
“I can’t find where I put my sweater-”
“It’s on my bed.”
“I don’t know where my other brown shoe is-”
“Downstairs in the bathroom.”
“I’ve only got one earring-”
“Over there on the desk.”
“And my hair will be in my face all day!”
“I’ll pin it back,” She said setting down the no-heat iron. She pushed two clips up on the sides of her head so that the curls wouldn’t fall into her eyes. “There. Done. Now what did you need help with?”
“Um...sweater, shoes, earrings, hair...I think you’ve covered it all. Thanks Hermione!” Ginny said pulling her sweater over her head carefully so as not to ruin her newly finished hair. “You know what Hermione?” Ginny asked as she stuck the earring through her ear. Hermione just looked up at her from the bed in response. “You are going to make one hell of a mother one day.” Hermione just smiled realizing how very much she was like her own mum.
There was a knock at the door and Ginny and Hermione turned their heads simultaneously to find Ron standing in the frame. “Mum says come in two minutes or we’re leaving without you.”
“Oh geeze!” Ginny said as she swept past her brother and down the stairs to the bathroom again.
“Happy Christmas,” Ron said entering the room.
“Happy Christmas to you too,” Hermione said walking over to him. She kissed him on the lips just after she said, “Thank-you so much for the jewelry.” She kissed him for those last two minutes before, “We’re leaving!” was yelled up the stairs.
Ron smiled more than he already was and grabbed Hermione’s hand before running down the steps just in time to catch the portkey that would take them to Number Twelve. “That’s eight of us. Let’s go Dad,” Charlie said above the noise in the kitchen.
“Ok. Everyone got hold of the plate?” With seven nods in Mr. Weasley’s direction, he activated the portkey and they were on their way to Grimmauld Place. Ginny pleaded with herself to stand up when they landed...a wish that was not granted. She found herself on her hands and knees. Well it’s better than my back. Ginny told herself. She looked up to see Harry standing next to her with his hand out. She took it gratefully and being the wise one she was, pushed Harry over the arm of the sofa with the leverage of his pull on her hand, where she kissed him for everyone to see. She felt him smile against her lips which only made her kiss him stronger.
There was laughter all around before they heard, “Alright, alright. That’s enough from you two,” Lupin said grabbing Ginny around the waist and setting her on the floor next to him. Harry frowned at Lupin but took his hand anyways. Tonks and Lupin carried out the welcoming as Harry looked over to Ginny where she mouthed the words “nine thirty-two.”
It took a few seconds to comprehend what she was saying then he nodded his head slightly in understanding...then whipped his head up in realization of what had happened. Ginny suppressed a giggle and mouthed the words, “We should talk soon,” and nodded her head towards the stairs. This put a smile on Harry’s face. Everyone found a spot in the living room just before three popping noises were made and another pair of red heads appeared along with a black haired Angelina Johnson.
“Hello all,” George said happily.
“Did we miss the party?” Fred asked. George cleared his throat slightly as if reminding Fred of something. “Oh...and I’ve brought the lovely Angelina along with me today.”
Everyone chorused their “hello’s” as Fred and Angelina found themselves a seat along the couch on the floor.
“Oi, midget...move over,” George said to Ginny forcing her onto Harry’s lap to open a spot for himself on the sofa. Not that Ginny or Harry disapproved.
“You know George, everyone in this room except you and Charlie have their “significant other” with them,” Ginny pointed out.
“Or on them,” Ron added.
Charlie cleared his throat. “That would be because my “significant other” is in Romania with her family.” Everyone stared at him as if he were crazy.
“Charlie! Since when? Why haven’t you told us? What’s her name? How old is she?” Mrs. Weasley asked in sequence without taking a breath between each question.
“We’ve been dating since last October, I haven’t told you because there hasn’t been much time to, her name is Sonia Vörös and she is three months younger than myself.”
“Charlie...you’ve met a local,” Bill taunted. Charlie just smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
“Well in that case, George,” Hermione said brightly. “We may just have to set you up with someone.” Hermione looked around at the other girls in the room. “Any free friends, ladies?”
“Oh! I have zee most purfect perzon for you. ‘Er name eez Lacy and she eez only a year or so younger zen yourself,” Fleur said from the arm of Bill’s chair.
“What about Alicia, George? I thought you always had a thing for her,” Angelina asked.
“You know George, after you and Fred left last year, I distinctly remember Lavender Brown saying how very handsome you looked talking back to Umbridge like that,” Ginny supplied.
“Parvati agreed too,” Hermione added.
George laughed slightly as he said, “Thanks anyways girls, but I quite enjoy the easy life of a bachelor.” With that said the couples in the room marked it as a lost cause. The conversation opened up to lighter topics such as food and gifts and how others would be spending the rest of the break.
There was a ‘ding’ noise that came from the kitchen and Tonks jumped up from Lupin’s lap in a flash and rushed into the other room. She came back and said, “Lunch is ready, so come on into the dining room.” Tonks led the way to the formal dinning room saying, “Remus and I found the room after we cleaned what we thought was a closet. But once we got to what we thought was the back there was actually a sheet hanging down covering the doorframe. We took it off and found this.” She gestured to the spacious room they had just walked into. There was a table made of pure oak that was large enough to hold the staff at Hogwarts with room to spare. The thirty-some chairs were all carved elaborately with alternating scarlet and gold cushions and each of the fourteen sets of china were sparkling with that fresh out of the china hutch shine.
“Tonks you have outdone yourself,” Mr. Weasley praised ten minutes through their meal.
“Oh please, Arthur. Give me a break. This isn’t even close to exceeding Molly’s cooking. I didn’t even do all the work myself. Harry helped in the kitchen and Remus.....uh...set the table?”
“Ha ha ha,” Lupin mock laughed as Harry and Tonks shared a joke between themselves.
“Well, he did a fine job in that,” Mrs. Weasley said respectfully patting Lupin’s arm.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Gin? Are you finished yet?” Harry asked just as Ginny set her spoon in the remains of her chocolate pudding bowl. She nodded and turned to her mother.
“Mum, may we be excused?” she asked politely in her, “I’m the most perfect and polite little girl in the world so give me what I want,” voice.
“Of course dear,” Mrs. Weasley said only half turning away from the conversation she was having with Fleur.
Harry grabbed Ginny’s hand as he stood up and saw Lupin wink at him. Lupin knew exactly what Harry was doing just now, and he couldn’t have been happier for him if he had planned it himself. They walked their way to the back door that led to the gardens. It was as predicted with the weather. Mildly windy, not too cold and a small, gentle snowfall was all about them.
“Harry, where are you taking me?” Ginny asked suspiciously.
“To give you your Christmas present,” he answered.
“Oh, Harry. What is it?”
“You’ll see,” was all he’d give. They walked hand in hand until they came to a little courtyard of sorts where a fountain had frozen over. He brought her next to a bench. “Sit here and close your eyes,” Harry requested excitedly. She did as she was told. Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out that same black velvet box Lupin had given to him the first night at Grimmauld Place. He knelt down on one knee and placed the box in Ginny’s hand as he said, “Open your eyes.” After a quick second of comprehension, Ginny’s eyes were brimming with tears threatening to escape.
“Harry, you....you got me a...you didn’t have to...this is way too much! I don’t need this,” Ginny protested.
“Shh. Let me speak,” Harry said gently. “Ginny, I have loved you for ultimately all my life of knowing you. I had just never recognized that feeling as love. I had never truly felt love until I kissed you on your roof those so many months ago. What I wouldn’t give for those moments of bliss we have together no matter how minimal.” Harry looked from her hand with the ring in it to her eyes again. “Those times are the best times I can think of. And Merlin knows that I wouldn’t mind having those times with you until the day that I die. I want to spend the rest of our lives together if only it may be for a short time. I won’t lie Ginny. I may die very, very soon. I won’t be ashamed to admit that I’m scared about that fact. But it is reality and it needs to be taken into perspective. I want the world to know that I am in love. And if I die I want the world to know that the woman I loved stayed by my side until the end.” Ginny’s tears were coming in such strong rushes that Harry had to wipe them away for her to see what he did next. He placed one hand underneath Ginny’s and with the other hand opened the lid of the box as he said, “Ginevra Molly Weasley. Will you marry me and be Mrs. Ginny Potter?”
“Absolutely,” she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Between her sobs of joy Harry made out, “And I can tell everyone?”
“There is no way that any fiancé of mine is going to keep our marriage from her family.”
“Can I put it on?” she asked indicating the ring.
“Only if I can tell you something first.” She nodded her head obediently as he took the ring out of the box. “This ring was given to me by my mother through Lupin. She left me a note saying that this was the ring that my grandmother wore before she died. It belonged to Merlin himself. It’s a long story but it was inherited by one of my ancestors and eventually made it’s way down to my mum. She was told that there was an enchantment placed on this ring. The enchantment made it possible for the wearer and the giver to possess internal communication. Even after death.” Ginny’s eyes darted to Harry’s as he finished that last word. “However, it’s not proven that it will work,” he confessed. Ginny dropped her head back to the ring in Harry’s hand.
“It’s worth a shot,” she said smiling at it. Harry smiled as he started to put the ring on Ginny’s finger.
He said the incantation with unmistakable ease. “Parlare per l'amore ha una voce. Speak for love has a voice.” He looked into Ginny’s eyes as he finished the last words.
I love you Harry. Ginny thought.
I love you too.
“Gin? Are you finished yet?” Hermione heard Harry ask. She saw Ginny nod as she turned to her mother.
“Mum, may we be excused?” she asked.
“Of course dear,” Mrs. Weasley said, barely even turning away from her conversation with Fleur.
Hermione watched as Harry grabbed Ginny’s hand. Then she saw Lupin wink at him. Something is going on and I won’t rest until I know what it is.
“May we be excused too mum?” Ron asked.
“Yes dear.” Ron and Hermione left the room without another word.
Once they were out of earshot of the table Ron whispered. “Did you see it too?”
“Lupin’s wink?” Ron nodded his head. “Yeah. What do you think they’re up to?” Suddenly they heard the door leading to the gardens shut and with one look at each other they raced up the steps to the Drawing Room where the window looked onto the backyard.
“Look, there they are. But where is he taking her?” Hermione asked.
“I don’t know but-” Ron cut off short seeing Harry kneel down on one knee. “Wha!? He’s...I-I-I...HE’S PROPOSING TO MY LITTLE SISTER!” Ron yelled.
“Ron, shh! Do you want the whole house to know what’s going on?”
“Maybe I do!” Ron just stared on until Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry’s neck. He turned from the window and slid down the wall. “I can’t believe....Harry and Ginny...Potter.”
“Oh please Ron. Calm down. It’s not like they are going to get married anytime soon. I’m sure they’ll wait until after the war.”
Ron ignored Hermione’s statement. “My baby sister....is getting married....to my best friend....Ginny Potter. Mrs. Ginny Potter. Ginny and Harry Potter.”
“Please Ron give it a break. It’s not really your business what they do....it isn’t like we’re getting married or anything.”
Ron’s head shot up towards Hermione still looking out the window. “Y-you don’t want to...you know...right?”
“OH! No...no, no, no, no. We’re definitely not ready for....oh no. Not yet,” Hermione muttered nearly incoherently.
Ron gave a sigh of relief before going back to self pity. “I just can’t believe that Ginny is getting married.”
“Well Ron. Like it or not...Harry is getting married to Ginny.”
“But I-”
“It’s better him than Dean Thomas or Michael Corner, isn’t it?”
“Well I suppose.”
“And marriage is better than Ginny getting pregnant isn’t it?”
“Oh most definitely!”
“Are you going to be happy for them then?”
“Well of course I am. It’s just that....I’m shocked.” Ron squeaked. “I knew it was going to happen, I just never thought, so soon.”
“Hey, they’re coming in. Let’s go and pretend we don’t know what’s going on.” She looked at Ron’s pitiful position on the floor and reached down for his hand. He took it and Hermione led him back to the living room where everyone had met again. Once seated together on the armchair the back door opened to let in a cold, yet happy Harry and Ginny.
“Harry Potter. What on earth were you doing cloak-less outside with Ms. Weasley?” Tonks asked skeptically, knowing very well what Harry was doing outside.
“Potter,” Ginny said with a smile.
“Pardon?” Mrs. Weasley asked from her spot on the couch.
“Well, Mum, Tonks said Ms. Weasley and frankly...that’s not the name I’ll be going by anymore.”
Every head in the room turned towards the two people standing in front of the now closed door. “And would you mind explaining what may be going through your head right now?” Mrs. Weasley asked cynically.
“Well, Mum,” Harry said taking everyone in the room, including himself, by surprise. “Ginny and I.....are engaged.” There were mixed feeling throughout the room. Almost all of the reactions Harry had predicted down to a tee. He thought that Fred would hold George back from going after Harry (so that he himself could hit Harry first), Ron would look as if deep in thought while actually he was confused, Bill would smile the way only the oldest brother would do, and Hermione, Fleur, and Angelina would all place their hands over their mouths with a slight gasp. Charlie would clap a few times and let out a whoop, Mr. Weasley would look worried in a happy way and Mrs. Weasley would breakdown into terrible sobs. The only prediction he was incorrect on was Mrs. Weasley’s. She stood up and walked over to them, her expression unreadable.
“You’re so young yet. With so much ahead of you. You’ve seen more hate in this world than anyone I have ever met. I can’t say that you’re too young...because you’ve been through more than half the people that live in this world today....mature beyond the years of your lives,” She put one hand on each of Harry and Ginny’s shoulders and leaned over as she, in turn, looked into each of their eyes. She said, “Nothing I say will change your minds, will it?” she asked. Both Harry and Ginny shook their heads slowly. “Then I suppose all I can do is be happy for you.”
She hugged them both so tight that Ginny had to say, “Mum, if you don’t let go there may never be a wedding...for lack of oxygen.” Mrs. Weasley released them and gave both Harry and Ginny a kiss on the cheek.
“Thanks Mum,” Harry said.
“And you really get to call me “mum” too, don’t you?” she asked
“Heck yes,” Ginny said before Harry could respond.
“There is nothing I would rather call you,” Harry said.
A/N: H/G are getting married, do dah, do dah. H/G are getting married! Do dah, do dah, yea! Exciting huh guys? And so ends my Christmas Break Trilogy. Next chapter is back to Hogwarts! Quote from the next chappie: “I TOLD YOU ALL ALONG THAT SNAPE WAS A GOOD FOR NOTHING, VOLDEMORT SUPPORTER! AND DID YOU BELIEVE ME? NO! ALL YOU WOULD SAY WAS, “I TRUST HIM.” -Tonks