Where we belong | Fred/Hermione/George

P R O L O G U E - III

Setting: Outskirts of Ottery St Catchpole, Devon, England.

Date: The Fourteenth of August, Nineteen Eighty-Two.

☆~~~☆~~~☆

When the lot reached the so-called Dining Room, a raggedy old Dining Table greeted them. The decorations that adorned it were glaringly cheap, and the Matriarch of House Black would surely have kittens if she got to know that her son and granddaughter were about to have their dinner on it.

As it was usual with Magical families when having guests over, the table was magicked to seat the entire horde by employing an extension charm. Simple name cards were place strategically to avoid confusion or chaos. Or, both, Regulus noted.

Leaving the top and bottom seats empty, all other seats were reserved. Lily was to be seated at the first seat in the right side of the table followed by Harry, James, Remus, Sirius, himself, Hermione, Uncle Gideon, Aunt Hermione, Uncle Fabian, Ivo, Otto, Neville and Alice. On the opposite side, he saw Lucius in the first seat, followed by Draco, Narcissa, Severus, Frank, Ted, Andromeda, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George, Ron and Molly.

Only when he saw the seating arrangement he was once again reminded of the number of people who were present in this house. He shuddered at the mere thought once more.

Seating Hermione comfortably on the high chair, he took his seat neat to her. Soon, Arthur himself floated all the dishes in from the Kitchen, and placed them on the table which groaned in return, having to bear such a weight. Regulus had half a mind to cast protegos both on himself and his daughter to protect themselves in case the table were to break down into smithereens.

Remembering the fifties' wine he'd brought along with him, with a flourish, he made the bottle resize to its original size wandlessly and non-verbally. Noticing him, Lucius, James, Frank, Ted and Severus too did the same and the table now positively groaned under the weight of everything that it was piled with.

Arthur chuckled. "Seems that we will never run out of wine for at least a year."

Soon enough they could hear footsteps descending from the staircase.

First came, ten years old¹ William Weasley who was engaged in what seemed to be a Quidditch-related conversation with his nine years old² brother Charles Weasley and eight years old³ Nymphadora Tonks. Then came four years old⁴ Percy Weasley with a book in his hands, followed by eight years old⁵ Ivo and Otto, talking to three years old⁶ Fred and George Weasley in their twin language that no one could ever perceive of, except for the Prewett Triad themselves, of course. Molly entered at last, holding a two years old⁷ Ron Weasley's hand and carrying a one year old⁸ Ginny Weasley.

"Now, off to the table, the lot of you. Take your seats. Don't you dare mess up the cards." Molly instructed, and the young wizards lined up to take their seats.

Molly, at times, reminded him of his own Mother. Though the Black Matriarch was subtle and elegant like Death, unlike the Weasley Matriarch, he decided that both witches were disturbingly similar.

It could also be that they're both Purebloods.

It could also be that all Pureblood lines were entwined.

It could also be that both witches are of the belief that children are physically and mentally inadequate to make the right decisions in their lives and that they will always require motherly guidance offered by them to perform the sacred duty of following their orders at word.

Looking at the horde of children the Weasleys had bred, Regulus felt bad for every single one of them.

His mother was the reason he'd supported the Dark Lord. A honourless and classless man, who maimed and killed defenseless people and children. A Pureblood supremacist, who wasn't even a Pureblood to begin with.