Of Starlight and Shadow//A Harry Potter fanfic

a very peculiar way to get a daughter

"There is no remedy for love but to love more."

It was the first day of the winter solstice, the longest night of the year—December 21st, 1980, at the Burrow. The Weasley household was bustling with its usual chaos. Arthur and Molly were preparing for Christmas, Bill,who was 10—and Charlie, who was 8—were playfully roughhousing and pestering their younger brother, Percy, who was only 4. Meanwhile, the mischievous toddler twins, Fred and George, were climbing over every surface, much to their mother's exasperation, as she tried to tend to baby Ron, barely six months old.

Arthur was attempting to put up Muggle Christmas lights, but his efforts were thwarted by overuse of magic, which had left the lights tangled in a hopeless mess.

"Arthur!" Molly called out, a hint of exasperation in her voice. "Please, for the love of Merlin, stop that before you ruin all the lights!"

Arthur looked sheepishly at his wife. "Right, sorry, love," he said, grinning as he abandoned his tangled project. He knew better than to argue when Molly used that tone—as he'd rather not end up sleeping in the yard for Christmas.

Amidst the laughter and noise, Molly settled into her worn rocking chair, cradling baby Ron in her arms. Arthur, now free of his decorating mishaps, came to sit on the arm of her chair, placing a comforting hand over hers. Despite the chaos of their crowded home, there was love in every corner.

"They'll settle down eventually," Arthur said, though even he didn't sound entirely convinced.

Molly simply raised an eyebrow, watching as the children continued their antics. "If by 'eventually' you mean 'never,' then yes, perhaps."

Suddenly, a sound cut through the cacophony—a faint wailing from outside the door.

Arthur furrowed his brow and stood up, gently handing Ron back to Molly. "Did you hear that?" he asked. Without waiting for an answer, he walked to the door and opened it cautiously.

What greeted him was a sight both unexpected and bewildering: a small basket left on the doorstep. Inside, a tiny infant with a full head of brown curls was crying, her eyes a deep blue. A note was tucked into the folds of the blanket.

"Molly!" Arthur called urgently. "Come here!"

Molly quickly joined him, her eyes widening as she took in the sight. She handed Ron to Arthur before carefully lifting the basket, cradling the wailing baby in her arms. She settled the baby on the table, her hands trembling slightly as she unfolded the note. It was painfully brief:

Estella.
Born on December 21st, 1980.

Her brows knitted together, her lips pressing into a thin line. "What is this?" she muttered, her voice a mix of disbelief and irritation. "Is this some sort of joke?"

Arthur leaned in closer, concern etched on his face. "What does it say?" he asked, trying to peer over her shoulder.

Molly let out a huff, practically thrusting the note towards him. "Nothing! It says absolutely nothing useful! Just her name and birthday—today's date, no less—A newborn left on our doorstep with nothing but a name! No explanation, no last name, no family, nothing! Who would do such a thing?"

Fred and George came scampering into the room, their curiosity piqued by the crying. "Mummy, what that?" Fred asked, peering at the tiny baby in Molly's arms.

"Not now, boys," Molly said firmly, trying to calm the infant. "Go with your brothers."

Reluctantly, Bill guided his younger siblings away, though not without a flurry of questions from Percy and Charlie. The house grew quieter as Molly and Arthur turned their attention back to the tiny girl.

"She's just a day old," Arthur repeated, shaking his head in disbelief. "What kind of person would abandon her like this?"

Molly rocked the baby gently, her heart aching for the little one. "I don't know, Arthur. But we can't just leave her." The baby's cries had softened to whimpers, her eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and wonder.

Her eyes softened as she gazed at the baby. brushing a stray curl from the baby's forehead. As she did, her fingers brushed against something faint on the baby's delicate skin.

"Molly, what is it?" Arthur asked.

"Look," Molly said, tilting the baby's tiny arm toward the light. Intricate, pale swirls marked her skin, almost invisible unless one looked closely. "It's... like a birthmark. Beautiful, isn't it?"

Arthur squinted, leaning closer. "Odd," he muttered. "Looks like some sort of pattern... almost like vines."

Molly shook her head, dismissing the thought as her maternal instincts took over. "I've always wanted a daughter." She whispered.

Arthur chuckled softly. "A rather peculiar way to get one"

Molly let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head. "This is madness... we just had Ron in April. Are we really prepared to take in another baby? We already have six children!"

Arthur looked thoughtfully at the now-quiet infant. He could see the look in Molly's eyes—she was already attached.

"We'll figure it out," he said finally.

Molly nodded, a mix of worry and exhaustion in her eyes. She was well aware that caring for two babies, amidst the chaos of the holidays and six other kids, was going to be a monumental task. But looking down at the baby's eyes wide eyes, No longer crying, her gaze fixed on Arthur and Molly. There was an undeniable innocence in her expression, a vulnerability that melted any reservations she may have had.

Arthur watched the infant, a sense of wonder filling him as he noticed how alert she was. But then, as he continued to watch, he noticed something strange. He blinked, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

"Molly—her eyes were blue, right?!" Arthur exclaimed, leaning forward with a furrowed brow.

Molly looked at him quizzically. "Of course they are—what do you mean—oh!"

Her words trailed off as she looked down at the baby. Sure enough, the infant's eyes, which had been a deep blue just moments ago, were now a bright, vivid green. Molly's eyes widened in shock.

What in Merlin's name—" she started, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Arthur nodded vigorously, his expression one of sheer bewilderment. "I knew I wasn't going mad! Her eyes were blue a minute ago, I swear they were! Now they're bright green—what's going on?!"

Molly stared down at the baby, her confusion growing. "Babies' eyes don't change colour like that," she murmured, bewildered.

Arthur shook his head, cradling Ron closer. "I've never seen anything like it."

The baby cooed softly, her eyes shifting back to blue as she gazed curiously at her new surroundings. Molly and Arthur exchanged a look, one filled with both wonder and uncertainty.

"This should be quite interesting" Molly finally said.

"That's one way to put it," Arthur said, his voice steady but soft, "She'll certainly fit right in with this lot." He said, glancing toward the other room where their children were now causing a ruckus. "So we're keeping her, yeah? It's official?

Molly nodded, a smile spreading across her tired face. "I guess we are, Estella Weasley," she said , her voice filled with warmth. As she held the baby close, she knew that, no matter the mystery surrounding her, this little girl was now one of their own.

"Estella Weasley" Arthur repeated, as if testing the name out loud. "Welcome to the family, little one."