Marriage Law Madness

Molly was checking the roast turkey in the oven when her family started spilling from the Floo. Fred, George, Angelina and Alicia popped through from the Burrow, then Severus’ sister, Remus, Sophie and Aurora arrived from their cottage in Hogsmeade. Next came Bill and Tonks, followed closely by Charlie and Fleur. Percy elected to Apparate in, as did Lucius and Draco, he having passed his apparition test the week before. Albus and Minerva came through last, Ron and Harry in tow.

The huge sideboard was groaning with food, even with all the leaves in the huge dining table wouldn’t have room for them all with the food dishes on it. There was the turkey; plus a whole ham, potatoes, several vegetables, rolls, cranberry sauce and other goodies. The nineteen of them sat down to dinner, preparing to stuff themselves with food.

“Salad, everyone?” Severus asked solicitously. He went back to the kitchen to bring in the bowl, but instead brought a tray with already portioned salads. Fred and George took a bite and immediately burst into feather. What on everyone else’s salad had been egg, on theirs was chopped Canary Cream transfigured to look like egg.

Everyone was laughing uproariously. “I warned you I’d get you back for that Spellwad when you least expected it!” Severus was laughing so hard tears were running down his face.

“How did you get those?” George demanded.

“I walked into your shop and bought them!” Severus chortled. “I knew you wouldn’t suspect that. However, the payback was your mother’s idea.”

Both twins looked suitably chastised by the fact that their mother had been able to sneak their own products to them under their nose.

“Give me a minute to clear up the wrapping paper, then we can start the gifts.” Severus shot a dark look at Ginny, who had pointedly ignored him when he asked her to do it earlier.

“No. Ginevra, go do as you were told. Draco can help you if you’re still feeling queasy.” Molly ordered.

Ginny stalked off towards the parlor, while Draco looked at Molly with a bewildered expression.

“How did I raise such a thickheaded son?” Lucius moaned. “She’s not mad at you, she’s giving you two a chance to snog in private! Hurry up, you idiot!”

Draco grinned red-faced at the laughs of his brothers and sisters in-law to be as he sped off after his fiancée. Fred went upstairs to retrieve some presents he had hidden in the spare room.

As they gathered around the tree, one large, lumpy package hooted. “Ginny, your present wants out. You open yours first.” Fred was grinning as she tore off the paper, revealing a cage containing a beautiful snowy owl.

“Thank you!” she squealed, launching herself at her brothers.

“Hey, gentle!” Severus protested, realizing that the older kids didn’t know about her pregnancy – or about Molly’s, except for Bill and Tonks. Now seemed to be a good a time as any. He tossed Molly a soft package, and an identical one to both Ginny and Tonks.

They all pulled out large maternity shirts printed with funny sayings. “WHOA!” said Charlie. “Does this mean we’re getting another baby brother or sister?”

“A sister, as yet unnamed, and a niece. I believe the working title of that project is Lucia Molly Malfoy, correct?” He looked at Ginny and Draco for confirmation.

Ginny nodded and asked Tonks, “Have you named yours yet?”

“Andromeda Molly, to be called Andie for short. Mom’s really hitting the jackpot on this round.”

Molly brushed a tear from her eye; neither had told her they planned to include her name. She then reached into the massive pile of presents, reading the tag. “To Harry.”
It was his usual sweater, this year black with the Gryffindor lion in red and gold.

She passed the next one to Fred, and one by one they opened them all until there were only a few left. She passed a large box to the Lupin family, there were four matching sweaters, one for each of them. Severus insisted that Molly find one that was hers, so she opened her package from the twins, which proved to be a camera.

“We knew you’d always wanted one, but I had no idea there were going to be so many important things to photograph this year.” Just then the Floo turned green and Gabrielle came tumbling out.

“Gabrielle! How did you get here?” Fleur shrieked with joy, causing Severus to cover his ears. “And why are you wearing Hogwarts robes?”

Gabrielle simply pulled back her robe, exposing her uniform skirt paired with an emerald sweater – Molly had made matching sweaters for all of the Slytherins for Christmas. It was obvious that she was beginning to show a little; her skirt was fastened with a rubber band. ‘I bet she has one of the sets of twins,’ Severus thought. ‘She’s only two months, she shouldn’t be showing that much yet.” He decided that a trip to Madam Malkin’s for some maternity wear was in order. ‘Better check on the others, too.’

“Long story, but suffice it to say due to a screwed up contraceptive potion you are going to be an aunt. Madam Maxime expelled all of us who were pregnant, but Professor Dumbledore was kind enough to take us in. I’ve been at Hogwarts almost two months, but wasn’t sure if mother and father had told you - I was afraid the reason I hadn’t gotten any letters from you was because you didn’t love me anymore. I was too scared to try and contact you, but Pansy and Florian made me ask Professor DeHarfleur for permission to come and see you.”

Fleur jumped up and hugged her. “No, they haven’t said a thing about you. I’ve been sending letters to Beuxbatons and getting worried because I wasn’t hearing back! It’s no wonder you didn’t answer, as you weren’t there! What did Mother and Father do when you told them?”

“Madam Maxime told them. They refused to see me, simply told her to tell me to consider myself disowned. Then Madame Maxime ripped off our Beuxbatons robes, snapped our wands, and flung us through the Floo system into Dumbledore’s office for him to deal with.” Gabrielle shuddered at the unpleasant memory.

“That miserable woman. I bet she’s just been binning your letters. But that’s all over now. Charlie, may we have her to stay over the next holidays?”

“Better talk to your parents – don’t want them to disown you as well.” Molly cut the conversation short by handing out more presents.

The last present went to Lucius, and he stared as he opened it to reveal a sweater of twisted green and silver threads. He got up and went to Molly, kissing her on the cheek. “This means more to me than you could ever know. Not only am I aware that receiving one of these means I have been accepted into the family, nobody has ever cared enough about me to make me anything before.”

He slipped the sweater over his head. “Sweaters on, everyone!” While everyone yanked their sweaters on, he put film in the new camera, setting it onto its tripod, and all of them smushed in so they would all fit into the frame.

Setting the timer, he ran back to stand beside Severus. They took many more copies, and then took some pictures of each other – everyone wanted to remember today.