Love, Lupin

Part Sixty-Eight

Bobbie sighed tiredly as she arrived at her small home after a shift at St. Mungo's. She appreciated her work more than ever right now. The long, busy shifts were a great distraction from Remus and the state of the wizarding world in general.

A small smile appeared on her lips as she saw the twins running around the living room with Jinx, holding one of the many cat toys that littered the cottage.

"Ah there she is," Fred panted as he fell onto the sofa, Jinx immediately jumping into his lap.

Bobbie moved to pick her cat up from the boy's lap, kissing the top of his furry head. "Stop trying to steal my cat from me Frederick!"

Fred rolled his eyes at the full use of his name, he had told Bobbie since year one only his mother was permitted to call him that. "I can't help it he likes me better," the boy shrugged.

"What's for dinner I'm starved," George sighed as he plucked Jinx from Bobbie's grasp, allowing him to perch on his shoulder like a parrot.

Bobbie couldn't help the bought of laughter that escaped her. The twins had been staying at the cottage for weeks now, clearly making themselves right at home. "I'm not your house-elf, Weasley!"

"Come on, Georgie, you know Bobbie can't cook anything without setting fire to the cauldron," Fred shook his head at his twin. Hurtful as it may be, the boy was spot on. Bobbie was an awful cook, if it weren't for Remus she'd probably starve and wither away to bones.

"Mum's?" George suggested, holding onto his growling stomach. As he said this, Bobbie realized they had been relying on Mrs. Weasley to feed them for weeks now. She knew the mother loved it though, no matter of the state of her home, she always welcomed dinner guests.

"Mum's." Fred and Bobbie nodded at the same time. George rose from the sofa, grabbing onto his friend and brother and Disapparating them to the Burrow. As they entered the living room they were instantly met with the pleasant aroma of some sort of stew.

Jinx leapt out of George's arms to scurry to the kitchen in search of Molly. If there was one person in the entire world that he loved more than Remus, it was Molly Weasley.

At the sight of the small grey cat, Molly ran into the living room to hug Bobbie and her sons. "Oh I've missed you all!" She gasped.

"Mum we were here last night," George laughed as he kissed his mother's cheek.

She waved her dish towel that was draped over her shoulder, smacking the boy in the arm. "And that's nearly a day without you three!"

"Honestly woman, how did you survive here when we were all at Hogwarts?"

"By writing you boys no less than three howlers a week! How could she have time to miss you when she got her weekly owl from Dumbledore informing her of the exploding toilet seats popping up all around the castle," Bobbie laughed as she sat at the long wooden table, gratefully accepting the plate of food Molly set in front of her.

Bill, Charlie, and Fluer appeared in a great flash in the living room moments later, receiving the same greeting from Molly (even though they too, had been to the Burrow only yesterday).

"Miss the dragons yet, Char?" Bobbie asked as she buttered a piece of bread.

Charlie smiled as though he were reminiscing and nodded. "I miss Norberta especially. I went 'round Hagrid's the other day to show him some recent photos."

"Bet he loved that, I miss that little guy....girl," Fred chuckled. They all sat around the table and told Fluer the tale of how Norberta came into their lives. How Hagrid had accepted an egg from a sketchy hooded wizard in a pub (who turned out to be Professor Quirrell). Fred was nearly spewing pumpkin juice from his nose as he recounted how Hagrid hatched the egg himself and tried to raise it in his hut.

Fluer laughed throughout the entire tale, holding her hand over her mouth for most of it so she didn't spit out her stew. "I remember Hagrid fondly! He was quite taken with my Headmaster while we stayed at Hogwarts for the tournament."

Arthur Weasley entered the dining area with the same wide smile he was always sporting, the Daily Prophet tucked under his arm and his wife followed behind him with his dinner.

The ginger father drew his spectacles to the bridge of his nose as he opened up the magical newspaper, smiling to himself as he listened to the excited chatter around him.

"Arthur there's a letter for us," Molly called from the kitchen, the white owl entering the dining room a few moments before she did.

"That's Hedwig, is Harry alright?" Bobbie asked worriedly, pushing her plate of food to the side.

Arthur quickly opened the envelope, his eyes desperately drinking in the ink that filled the parchment. "It's not from Harry, Minerva wrote it. Let's see here."

It felt as though the room were silent for hours, but after just a few moments Arthur spoke. "Death Eaters at Hogwarts."