Cursing (Fred Weasley)

SIX

"Aunt Elle, how did you know that Uncle Fred was the man you were going to marry? How did you know that the way you loved him was more than just young love?" Callie asked her aunt as they sat on the deck attached to the back of George's house.

"I just knew. When he hurt, I hurt. I could really envision a life with him. The good, the bad, everything. It helped that people told me that they seen how I looked at him."

Callie was silent, looking out at the backyard.

"It's the same way you look at Teddy. The same way he looks at you," Elle added, rocking in the swing.

Callie felt color rise to her cheeks. She remained silent as she grabbed her cup of tea. She used her curls to hide her face. She never understood why she had strawberry blonde hair; her mother was dark haired. All she knew was that it was bright red when she was born, but it lightened as she got older.

"Everyone knew you two were going to end up together. From the time you were born, Teddy loved you. He loved to grab onto your hand or pull on your onesie," Elle continued, laughing slightly.

Callie laughed as well, images of Teddy running through her mind.

"We could all see it in your eyes. We could tell when you fell in love with him. When you went back to Hogwarts after break in your fifth year, you looked at him affectionately but not lovingly. When you came home from your fifth year, love was in your eyes. There might as well have been hearts swirling around your head!"

Callie laughed, looking at her aunt. "Are you serious?"

"Yes! Your dad came over for dinner that night and he raided our fridge for firewhiskey, raving about how his daughter was in love!"

Callie laughed so hard that she snorted and nearly dropped her cup.

"I'm sorry that you all can't have normal lives," Elle said softly after a moment of silence.

"You didn't either," Callie reminded her aunt, setting her cup back down.

Elle reached for Callie's hand. "We went through everything we did so our kids could live normal lives. We failed."

Callie squeezed her hand as she scooted forward in her seat. "You didn't fail. You didn't know that Voldemort had a child."

Elle smiled at her sadly. "We should have done more looking. We should have found him and taken him away to a good family."

"No one could have known about Marvello."

Elle looked at the willow tree in the backyard, seemingly lost in memories; it was as if she was somewhere else.

"My uncle Regulus told me what he could about Marvello. He didn't know about him either, but he was able to gather things from what information we did have. He thinks that Voldemort spelled Marvello differently from the way his father's name was spelled because he didn't want his son to have his 'filthy father's' name. Marvello was born like cookie dough and he was cut into what they wanted him to be. Now he's rose to the occasion."

Callie stared at her aunt wide-eyed as she soaked in all of this information.

"They'll probably yell at me for telling you, but I feel like you need to know as much as possible about your opponent. They'll also yell at me for referring to him as your opponent," Elle said, referring to the Order.

Callie put a hand on her aunt's knee. "Thank you for telling me, Aunt Elle."

Elle smiled warmly at her, finally brought back from her memories. "Of course. I am your godmother, and what else are godmothers for?"

Callie grinned. "For transforming me into a beautiful princess and giving me a pumpkin carriage?" She asked. Cinderella was the movie that they always watched together, so they constantly referred to it with one another.

"True, true. Well, next ball, call me up and I'll do just that," Elle laughed.

Callie smiled from ear to ear, glad that her aunt wasn't going to let a Third Wizarding War that was approaching bring her into a depression.

"Callie, Teddy's here!" George called out of the sliding door.

Callie looked at her aunt, who nodded and gestured for her to go with a smile.

Callie bolted up and into the house, jumping into Teddy's arms as soon as she seen him.

Harry and Ginny laughed at the display of affection. "Where's Elle?" Harry asked Fred, who was in the kitchen with George.

"Out on the deck," he responded, gesturing outside.

Ginny went over to her brothers and hugged them before James, Albus, and Lily could come running in and steal her brothers away. "What are you making for supper, Georgie?" She asked, laughing with an arm thrown around her each of her brothers' shoulders.

"Me? You're Mum's daughter! I'll burn the house down if I try to cook for more than two people!" George exclaimed, looking at her with faux horror playing on his features.

Ginny laughed. "I figured you'd say that. Fine, but I'll get Fleur to help me when she gets here!"

"Why not Elle?" Fred asked, already knowing the answer.

"No offense, Fred, but your wife can't cook to save her life. The best she can do is macaroni and cheese or fish," Ginny deadpanned.

Fred guffawed. "Trust me, I know!"

Elle came inside. "Are you all talking about me?"

"Nope, not at all, love," Fred responded, going over to her.

All of the kids were coming over to George's house for a start-of-summer celebration. Molly and Arthur were currently in France, as Arthur insisted they take a trip for their anniversary.

So far, only Fred, George, and Ginny were there with their families. The youngest kids were in the backyard playing, with Callie and Teddy on the deck watching them all.

Dylan, Josie, Albus, and Lily were playing, also trying to drag James into it.

James kept screeching about how he was too old for these games. It was quite funny to see him try to run away, only to be pulled back by a mass of children.

Teddy and Callie were cracking up on the deck, loving the comedy show.

The adults were all standing in the kitchen, that way they too could watch over their children.

Bill and Percy arrived with their families, with the bachelor Charlie coming in last.

The kids went out and joined the others in trying to get James to play with them.

The adults joined the others in the kitchen, not wanting to leave Ginny and Fleur alone to cook by themselves. Everyone helped out, making it quite fun.

This is the epitome of the Weasley family: everyone together and laughing.