The Halfwolf (Year 1)

The Other Bretrothed

Everyone in the kitchen sat perfectly still, watching for Mrs. Weasley's reaction to this news. After a few long moments of nothing, Bill spoke.

"Well, I guess congratulations are in order, eh? Who wants butterbeer?" Children started scrambling from their places around the room, heading for the table that Bill had conjured roughly 20 bottles of butterbeer onto. Ginny released her knuckle from her mouth and, still grinning, walked over and hugged her elder brother. Ron walked over and set a hand on his mother's shoulder, startling her out of her stunned silence, which was a mistake. As soon as she came around, her heated gaze found Charlie again and she grabbed a dishtowel off the nearest counter and started smacking him over the head with it. He immediately released Anna and covered his head.

"You. Come. Home. After. Four. Years. And. Tell. Me. You. Got. Married. Without. Even. Inviting. Your. Family?!" Every word was punctuated by another swat with the towel. Charlie was only going so far as to protect his head and face, but still allow his mother to get her frustration out of her system. As she swung back to go at him again, a delicate, yet surprisingly strong, hand closed around her wrist. Molly spun around to lunge at whoever it was attached to the hand but stopped when she was face to face with Anna.

"Please," she said in a very quiet voice. "It is not his fault we did not invite you. My family does not know either." Her eyes were very bright. "And they mustn't know. This is why we are here. I am no longer safe in the sanctuary being this far with child, nor will we be safe if the child is born there. Please, ma'am. He brought me here to hide me, to hide us, from my family." Molly dropped her arm to her side, her nurturing instinct taking over immediately.

"Why on Earth would you need to hide from your family, dear?" Charlie but a hand gently on his mother's shoulder, and she looked up into his sad eyes. He stepped in next to Anna, pulling her to him again.

"Because she was Annabelle Shlovich. Her father is Alberto Shlovich, the owner of the sanctuary we work for. He promised her to a Death Eater as a wife for his son in exchange for protection from the Dark Lord before his downfall, and he still is expected to pay that price." Teddy felt a hand quickly grip his shoulder extremely tightly and heard Zach's sharp intake of breath at the same time. He turned his head and saw the ash-face look of shock and terror on Zach's face.

"Wha...what?" Mrs. Weasley asked, still staring at Anna, who had tears rolling down her cheeks now. Ginny stepped swiftly around her mother to Charlie and said so quietly that Teddy almost didn't hear her.

"Harry owled you?" he shook his head.

"I owled him almost a year ago, when I found out about Anna's situation. He flooed me about the other the night he found out.

"Is it the same person?" he nodded.

"He has two sons now, twins. He told me the other's promised bride is being kept here, too." Ginny made a shushing motion with her hands. Charlie's face hardened. "I won't, Ginerva. Anna was blindsided by this already; I won't let another girl go though it too." Ginny stared up at him, shaking her head. Charlie's eyes narrowed. "She doesn't know, does she? None of them do." Ginny shook her head slightly.

"Who?" The two siblings turned to their mother, who was still watching Anna with horrified eyes. She turned to her son and daughter, which an expression that was slowly turning to rage. "I said, who? Who thinks they will ever lay a hand on this girl or my grandchild? WHO?!" The last word had enough power in it to shake the windows. Ginny looked up at her brother again, pleading silently.

"Theodore Nott. He has contracts with two families he supposedly kept protected from the Dark Lord for their daughters to be enslaved to marry his wretched sons. Anna," he nodded towards his wife, "And another, younger girl." Charlie turned his gaze to the knot of older children still huddled near the doorway. Teddy felt Zach start shaking uncontrollably and almost didn't hear his plea from behind his shoulder at the same time that Charlie spoke.

"Please, merlin don't tell her."

"Gretchen."