𝙿𝚞𝚖𝚙𝚔𝚒𝚗 𝙿𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 - 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦 | ✔︎

Chapter 55

The next morning, Natasha woke up bright and early, quickly changing to start making breakfast for their guests. She had just finished flipping a pancake when a crack came from the lounge, and her father walked in with a scared face, her mother right beside him.

"Oh, Natasha thank Godric it wasn't you," Sirius breathed, pulling his daughter in tight. She dropped the last pancake onto the plate on the table and wrapped her arms around Sirius, as Aurelia cried a sigh of relief.

"We heard about the fire; did it reach you?" Aurelia asked and Natasha shook her head.

"Fred and I arrived home just as it happened, the family that was affected stayed the night here as George, Angelina and Adrian are at Oliver's," Natasha explained, just as George's door creaked open, revealing a tired looking Nellie.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, am I interrupting something?" Nellie asked, Archie cradled in her arms. Aurelia smiled softly and walked over to her, opening the curtains in the process.

"Goodness no. I'm so sorry about your shop, I'm Aurelia by the way, Natasha's mother," she said, introducing herself. Nellie smiled and Archie woke up, his big brown eyes looking up at the room.

"I'm Nellie, and this here is Archie," Nellie said, just as Archie shrieked quietly. Aurelia put her arms out to take Archie and Nellie hesitantly agreed, still slightly wary of the new lady in front of her.

"Please, don't be frightened. I can tell a fellow muggle born when I see one. I went through the exact same experience 18 years ago just after Natasha was born," Aurelia explained as she smiled down at Archie.

"She's right," Sirius piped up, and Nellie audibly gasped, taking a few steps back. "Trust me girl, if I wanted to kill you, I would have done it a lot earlier. All I'm here to do is make sure my daughter and future son-in-law are safe."

Sirius took a seat on one of the couches as Fred walked out, not surprised to see Sirius or Aurelia. "Hey Nat, are the pancakes for everyone?" he asked, and Natasha nodded, as Eric walked out, stopping in his tracks at the sight of Sirius.

"What's he doing here?" Eric shrieked, alarming Caleb and Harriet who had just come out of Adrian's room. "Children, stay back, he's dangerous!"

"Oh, for Godric's sake," Natasha huffed, grabbing plates from the cupboard. "My mother and father were two of the brightest in their year, both extremely advanced in charms which is a family trait. If they haven't killed you now, you're fine."

She placed the plates down on the kitchen table just as George and Angelina arrived, both not concerned with the additions in the flat. "Ollie and Adrian kissed!" Angelina whooped, and Natasha grinned over to Fred, who swore under his breath.

"Another son-in-law!" Aurelia cheered, and she danced around the room, shooting golden sparks from her wand. Nellie and Eric looked between the group in front of them confused, especially when Caleb and Harriet started to dance around with them.

"I'm sorry, but I thought you only had one child?" Eric questioned and Sirius smiled.

"Adrian has become like a second son to Aurelia and I when Natasha brought him home after their final year at Hogwarts. He's as much our son as Natasha is our daughter, no matter his blood," Sirius explained, just as Adrian apparated into the living room.

"I'm in loooooooove, I'm a believer!" he cried, and instantly music started playing from the record player in the corner. Eric and Nellie were now seated on the cushioned sofa, watching the craziness unfold before them.

"Oh, hello. I'm Adrian Pucey, but honestly, I'd much rather be Adrian Black until I get married. Who are you?"

"I'm Nellie Parson, and this is my husband Eric. This here is Archie, and the two children over there are my other son and daughter, Harriet and Caleb," Nellie said, bringing a grin to Adrian's face.

"Well then, welcome to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and more importantly, welcome to our home. I hope your stay last night was pleasant," he said cheerfully, before summoning a plate of pancakes to his lap.

"Do you need any syrup Adrian?" Fred asked and Adrian shook his head.

"Nope, you know I despise the stuff. I'm not a monster, why would I drown such deliciousness?" he asked with a grin, and Fred sighed like an old man, drowning his own pancakes in syrup.

"They aren't living you imbecile!" he cried, and everyone stifled laughs as Adrian stuck his tongue out.

"As you can see, we're the most harmless folks here. Sure, some of us don't come from the best backgrounds, but we're not our parents, apart from Natasha right here. She's definitely the product of Aurelia and Sirius," Angelina said, bringing steaming mugs of coffee down to Nellie and Eric.

"And because of the fact I'm my mother's daughter, I'd better go open up downstairs before she scolds me for opening late," Natasha said, pecking Fred's cheek quickly before running downstairs.

"She gets that from you, Miss 'I was a Ravenclaw prefect'," Sirius chuckled, and Aurelia thwacked his head with the back of her hand.

"Well, she certainly didn't get any tardiness from you thank Rowena," she retorted. Sirius rolled his eyes, earning another hit from Aurelia.

"By Godric woman, are your hands made from steel?!" he cried, rubbing the back of his head. Adrian laughed and hugged Aurelia, who kissed his head as he bent down slightly, as her short stature meant that she could barely reach him.

"FRED! THE PYGMY PUFFS GOT LOOSE AGAIN!" Natasha yelled out, and Fred groaned, dragging George downstairs.

"Well as lovely as it has been to be with you all this morning, I fear my family must leave soon, if we are to make it to my parents' house before they leave to work," Eric said, and Nellie took out her wand, which was a dusty pink colour.

"It's from the wood of a cherry blossom tree. I have quite a lot of Japanese blood on my mother's side, so when this wand chose me, I knew it was for a purpose," she explained. "Expecto Patronum!"

Blue sparks shot out of her wand, and a butterfly appeared, fluttering around Nellie's head. "Go tell Margaret and Jim of our impeding arrival," she said gently, and the butterfly zoomed away.

"Your patronus is beautiful," Aurelia said, and Nellie smiled.

"Butterflies are astounding creatures, the way they transform from a mere caterpillar to a creature so dainty yet strong. I've always had a fascination with them, and when I managed to conjure my patronus for the first time, I was in the fields surrounding my old home, with butterflies everywhere," Nellie said, taking Archie from Aurelia.

"Well, I hope your journey is safe, especially with these munchkins," Sirius said sincerely, and he shook Eric's hand, before casting his own patronus. "My patronus will watch over you and follow you until you reach your destination. Stay safe."

Eric and Nellie smiled at the group in the room, as Harriet laughed at Sirius' patronus. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We owe you, all of us for your generous hospitality," Eric said.

The group smiled as Eric picked up both Caleb and Harriet in his arms, making sure they were securely seated on his hips. The young family waved to everyone in the room, before heading down the staircase to the shop, and out into the street.

"Well, they seemed lovely," Aurelia mentioned, and Sirius took her hand, pressing a gentle kiss to it.

"And you looked adorable holding their baby," he whispered, earning retches from every person in the room.

"Go make Natasha and I a sibling elsewhere," Adrian groaned, and Aurelia and Sirius grinned, before apparating back home.