A Potter Carol

Prologue

Arthur Weasley's father and mother-in-law, Metis and Laetitia Prewett, approved of his blood status, but not that of his lack of fortune. His own parents, Septimus and Cedrella Weasley, could not have been happier for anyone for a daughter-in-law than Molly Prewett. After Arthur's brothers-in-law, Fabian and Gideon, had perished 1817 – 1819 Wizards' Typhus Pandemic, Laetitia Prewett had been so overcome that she had died of a heart attack, Metis following her in his grief not too long later. Septimus and Cedrella Weasley had lived another decade or so before they, too passed away from old age.

In the meantime, Arthur and Molly had accumulated a sizeable family in the years that followed—William Weasley was born first, in the first two years after their graduation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Following William came Charles, then Percy, then the twins, Fred and George, then their youngest boy, Ronald and, finally, Molly's long-awaited daughter, Ginevra. As time went on and all the children began at Hogwarts, many of the children took on shortened versions of their given names when they became comfortable enough to do so. Eventually, Ron's closest friend, Harry Potter, came to stay with Ron's family, after Harry's parents, James and Lily, had succumbed to the 1847 – 1848 Wizards' Flu Pandemic. It was decided, after a lengthy discussion, that Molly and Arthur would adopt young Harry, and, once the adoption went through, they were, ultimately, the proud parents of eight children, and Harry was never treated any differently.

When all the Weasley children graduated from Hogwarts, it was to enter the workforce as quickly as possible. Bill apprenticed as a Curse Breaker at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, where he would ultimately meet his wife, Fleur Delacour, from France, who had crossed continents in order to better her English. Charlie had gone on to Romania to become an apprentice at their dragon preserve, and was getting along well with everyone there. Percy, meanwhile, was destined for the Ministry of Magic, and became one of the underlings in the secretary department underneath Minister Dugald McPhail. When Fred and George graduated themselves, they managed to pool their money and open a shop in Diagon Alley, which catered to the pranks they so adored. Ron joined the Auror Academy after his own graduation, and his own engagement was announced to fellow student, Hermione Granger, who was a close friend of both Harry and Ginny's. Finally, Ginny apprenticed with Madam Pomfrey, the mediwitch, at Hogwarts, alongside her own fiancé, Draco Malfoy.

For years, everyone in the Weasley family, as well as Headmaster Dumbledore and his Head of House, Professor McGonagall, had asked Harry what it was he wanted to do. Harry carefully considered all the departments at the Ministry of Magic carefully, but ultimately decided that such a thing was not for him. After leaving Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, Fred and George's shop, one day after going over the quarterly review, he stumbled upon a new shop in Diagon Alley, which was positioned between Quality Quidditch Supplies and the apothecary, called Wixen Chocolatiers. Perplexed at the notion that he had never seen it before, Harry cautiously stepped forward, drawing his winter cloak more closely about him as the snow swirled around him and pressed closer, curiosity finally winning out as he took ahold of the handle and opened the door, a bright, tinkly sound of a bell jingling as he entered.

It was considerably warmer inside as the door swung shut behind him, and Harry got a good look at the fare the shop boasted. It seemed to be much finer in quality than that of Honeydukes or Sugarplums, and seemed to specialize in all things chocolate, in all shapes and sizes. Creamy nougats were in one corner, while another one featured salted caramels, and a third location boasted dark chocolate swirled with coffee. Since it was so very close to Christmas, each section was done up in red, green, silver, or gold, with magnificent trappings of boxes, ribbons, and swirls of magic in the air constructed out of glitter.

Harry felt that he was being watched then and slowly turned his head, his eyes widening then as he spotted a man with wavy, dark hair staring back at him, his bluish-silver eyes flashing with a moment of intelligence and recognition. "I'm sorry, sir," he said quickly, forcing his voice not to tremble as his cheeks heated and his groined tightened at the sensation of such a handsome man staring at him. "Your shop was...intriguing, to say the least."