eat up, darling

Flo took the older girl’s hand and stood up, dusting her legs off. She smiled sweetly at the boy hiding near his mother’s legs. “Oh,” Flo frowned, her mind coming to a halt. “Are you their mother or sister? The babies, I mean,” She glanced at Molly’s face and let out a small giggle. “There’s no way you could be Fabian and Gideon’s mum – oh, I don’t know them, I just think they’re very interesting, being as they’re twins and all. And gingers!” 

“Oh my!” Molly couldn’t hide the look of shock on her face. She had never been asked if she was her children’s sister, and while she supposed it could be thought of as a compliment, it still felt a bit strange. “Darling, these three,” She made an effort to point them out, “Are my children. Bill, Charlie, and Percy. It’d be quite a tale if I had siblings that young, wouldn’t it?” Her voice was warm, and she perked up a bit when talking about her actual brothers. “No, no. Fabian and Gideon are my brothers. And yes, it seems that the red hair runs in the family. Arthur has it too, though, so I suppose the boys had no hope of anything but.”

the-fabianprewett:

@the-fabianprewett​

Bill and Percy must have felt left out as they reached their arms out to join the hug as well. Fabian unwound one arm from his sister and pulled them into the hug. “These Prewett sandwiches have some extra toppings now.” He laughed, his heart full. His family was his rock, his support and joy through the most difficult moments of his life and he owed them everything. Molly had sacrificed so much of her time to take care of Fabian in his illness and she was the kindest soul he knew. She was a brilliant sister, and a brilliant mother. Fabian didn’t think he could be more proud of, or more happy for her.

At the mention of the semester, Fabian felt a bittersweet pang in his chest. This was supposed to be his best semester yet. He felt better than he ever had, the Quidditch win had been a highlight for sure, but all of it was marred by the horrid events of Halloween, Lorcan’s father, and all of the other attacks. “We have so much to tell you! But how about we get you and the boys settled first, yeah?”

@gidecns​

“I happen to think I’d rock a bald look, but maybe in a few years, when I’m old enough to pull it off,” He playfully nudged Charlie with his head, and the boy switched his hands to hold onto his ears instead. This wasn’t anything new to him ━ the boys were usually rough around Gideon, mostly because he didn’t mind. “Whaddaya say, boys ━ don’t you want your mum to have triplets?” He joked as the other children wrapped around their legs to join in on the hug. For the first time in a long time, Gideon felt whole again. Everything that had happened during the short time they’d been here was floating away, and he could just enjoy the moment.

“Oh yes, I’ve heard they put out some strawberry tarts in the Great Hall.” He nodded along with Fabian’s thought to get the boys settled first. Gideon had been ready to shoot off right away, but as usual, his brother was the one who thought the situation through. A broad smile crossed his lips at the sight of his family together like this again. Maybe they couldn’t go home for the holidays, but this, this was almost just as good.

@motheringmolly​

“Strawberries! Mummy, can we go?” Charlie’s voice was the first to ring out, before being accompanied by both of his brothers. Molly could only shake her head, memories flooding back of their uncles in similar unisons, before she spoke. “Getting settled in would be lovely. Boys, get your things.” She watched as her sons scrambled from various positions of on their uncles, strapping backpacks back on, before she turned back to the twins. “I missed you lot,” She finally breathed, her voice still gentle, but low enough that only they would hear.

Fabian’s general attitude caused her a bit of worry, but she’d get to the bottom of that later, at a point after the boys had gone to sleep, perhaps. Looking between them as her sons came back, she took Percy’s hand, letting Bill and Charlie decide between uncles, before the small flock began moving. “Arthur and I are sorry we couldn’t make it up for the game, he had a work something or other and the little ones decided not to agree with breakfast.” She had already written both of them a letter after the win, but wanted to have it said in person as well.

“I am!” Most certainly a friend, a position she was honored to hold. Gideon was a joy, so charismatic and confident, an enigma of a very certain kind to a person like Vik. “Can I do— Can I do anything for you? You have two full hands and both of mine are empty.” She held up her free hands to better emphasize her point, more than willing to do anything to assist the Prewett’s sister. 

“Oh, dear, no, I don’t want to keep you from anything -” Molly began to protest, she was very capable on her own, even if it was getting increasingly difficult the farther the pregnancy went. Still, any problem could be solved with a creative method, she was sure. Charlie, though, seemed to have other ideas, and came barreling, seemingly out of nowhere, towards the now pair, near running into the younger girl. “Oh! I’m so sorry for that - Charlie, apologize, that was unkind.”

She nodded in response, though she didn’t know who the twins the woman was talking about were. She assumed they were the brothers she’d mentioned. “Yeah, I am. I’m here for my sibling.” Callie wished she could help out the woman, but she didn’t even know much about Bertram’s life here, nevermind other students.

Molly felt a twinge of guilt - it was clear that the girl hadn’t a clue who she was referencing, and she was beginning to see that continuously bringing them up wouldn’t do the situation any good. “Well, love, who is your sibling? Maybe there’s a mutual connection?”

Edgar shook his head at Molly, “No, really, it’s no bother at all! Besides,” He motioned to the silver, gleaming Prefects badge that was displayed proudly against the front of his robes, “I’m a Prefect. It’s my job to help out.” He had already run into his parents, and didn’t mind taking the time to help Molly seek out Gideon and Fabian. “Gid and Fabian are my friends, so it would be rude of me not to help you.” He glanced down to the children around them, “Forgive me for forgetting their names, but it’s… Bill, Charlie, and… Peter?”

Molly smiled warmly as he referenced the badge - she and Arthur had been prefects in their day, and she could see Bill’s attention drawing back in as he observed it. Still, she felt bad, but if he was willing, she supposed the help wouldn’t be unwelcome. “Well you’re very kind. I’m sure it’s very rare for anyone to call you rude.” Almost as if on cue, though, after hearing their names, the attention of the boys was perked, and Percy, peaking out from behind her, gave a sour look. Placing a reassuring hand on her youngest son’s head, and gently rubbing his hair in an attempt to calm him, Molly shook her head in Edgar’s direction. “Close, love. This little one is Percy, aren’t you?”

“Molly!” There was a hint of surprise on his face when he saw the familiar redhead here without her husband, and even more at the fact that she didn’t pull him into a hug. He decided to just go for it himself, and carefully wrapped his arms around her in a quick greeting. Kingsley mostly knew her through Arthur, who, despite the fact that he worked in a very different department, had quickly become a friend to him at the Ministry. 

“Merry Christmas to you as well.” Her words made a smile grow on his face. She was always very kind, likewise to her husband, and despite the fact that it wasn’t exactly hard for him to be away from home, with no one to go home to but a grumpy house elf, he appreciated it very much. “Thank you very much ━ I didn’t think you’d still be here with the boys, I would’ve brought them some presents.” 

Molly wrapped her arms around him in a quick, but warm, embrace, happy to have a familiar face and temperament around. She had met Kingsley through Arthur, and her husband rarely stopped talking about the man. He had made quite an impression, and Arthur seemed sure that he’d go far. For her own part, Molly enjoyed his company, and was grateful for his current presence. 

“Oh no - you didn’t need to bother with that. Santa visited them this morning, and Arthur and I will have a proper Christmas with them when we go back.” She smiled warmly. Waking up on this particular morning without her husband by her side had been a strange feeling, but she was glad to be with her brothers. “The department just had some major case come in - he’s working around the clock for the rest of the year.”

“I’m pretty sure you’re not of age yet, so why don’t you put that champagne glass down.” This was the third case of underage drinking he’d encountered so far, with the worst being an eleven-year-old with a small bottle of firewhiskey. He desperately needed a break from all this. Kingsley had hoped to go home for the holidays, he had no family, but a little vacation would’ve been nice, but instead, he was here, chaperoning a ball. 

Instead of continuing on to the suspicious looking boy behind the Christmas tree, Kingsley decided to take a moment for himself, that was, of course, until someone tapped him on the shoulder. His head turned with a soft, almost inaudible sigh. “Yes?”

Coming to a ball five months pregnant with twins and without her husband had been one of Molly’s more interesting choices. The twins seemed to be enjoying themselves though, and that was enough to make her heart soar. Still, she wished she could have spent Christmas with Arthur, but they had both agreed - between his work schedule and her brothers being stuck here, it was best for her to come.

Seeing a familiar face in the crowd, Molly had seen him at a few of Arthur’s ministry events, she made her way over, before giving Kingsley’s shoulder a small tap. When he turned, she smiled. “Only wishing you a Happy Christmas, love. I know it must be hard for you, being away from home too.”

Vik nodded her head at the chaos that seemed to surround her, she feeling overwhelmed by proximity. Children scared and delighted her. She loved them, loved the idea of how brightly they looked at the world, but was terrified by if she were to misstep, to upset them how her parents tormented her. “I…” Vik swallowed, trying to catch any of the words she knew, smiling to herself over the idea of being thought of as sweet by someone so serene in the company of madness. “I was just with Gid… Gideon— Library. He has been very studious.” There was more to say, but naturally, it was one piece of the puzzle at a time with Vik.

Molly was immediately concerned for the girl in front of her. She couldn’t exactly pin point what, but it seemed like she needed something, some level of care that was missing. She shook it off though, writing off to the pregnancy hormones making her particularly sensitive. “You’re a friend of his, then?” She smiled, trying to reach to pull the boys back in as she continued. “Any friend of my brothers is a welcome friend of mine, dear. I’m Molly.”

“Molly!” Edgar said happily, approaching the redheaded woman. His smile lit up into a grin at the sight of all of the children. “Hello, boys!” He dropped down, his eyes twinkling at the sight of them all. He had only spoken with any of the children – and Molly herself – for a few minutes at a time, typically in the brief moments when students said goodbye to their parents before boarding the Hogwarts Express. It was refreshing to see them in a different environment. “I saw Fabian this morning, but Gideon has been nowhere to be found, I’m afraid.” He ruffled the head of Charlie, before rising back to a standing position, “I can help you find them, though?”

“Edgar, dear!” Molly recognized the boy as being in the same year as Fabian and Gideon, she’d seen him practically every year at the train platform. He had always been friendly, even if their conversations were necessarily brief. The boys, even if they didn’t fully recognize Edgar, seemed excited enough to have someone new to talk to. She grinned as he stood, shaking her head. “That sounds like Gideon.” Reaching out to shush him, though, her head shook once more. “No, no, I wouldn’t want to keep you from any family you may have visiting, dear!”

“You sure? It looks like quite a handful.” Callie had seen the heavily pregnant red-headed woman in the entrance hall, juggling the other children as well, and offered to help her with her luggage. She shook her head at the woman’s question. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who your brothers are.” 

“Oh, Fab and Gid will help me when they get down here - d’you know them? Prewett twins?” It wasn’t until then that Molly finally got a good look at the girl - the lack of robes, and general confusion clued her in that the blonde likely wasn’t actually a student. “Oh, dear, I’m sorry, are you a visitor too?”

“Oh, children!” Flo dropped her knees to the ground, getting on the same level as the boys. “Hello! I’m Flo, what’s your name?” She realized the woman was asking her a question, and she glanced up at her red hair. “Sorry – my gosh, there are babies in your belly, aren’t there?! Oh, sorry again, who are you lookin’ for?

Molly had tried getting the attention of the younger girl, to no avail, it seemed, and watched as she greeted the boys. It seemed that Bill was about to answer Flo’s question before her attention reverted back to Molly, and she grinned shaking her head. “You’re perfectly alright, dear. Yes - twins. Nearly doubling the lot, we are.” She offered the other girl a hand up, Percy had already run back to her, lingering near her legs. “Fabian and Gideon Prewett, if you know them?”

the-fabianprewett:

The little voices of his nephews calling out to him made Fabian’s heart melt and he sank onto his knee to catch Charlie in his arms. Being an uncle was one of Fabian’s greatest joys in life and he relished hugging each of the boys in turn and peppering kisses on their cheeks as they giggled. He tousled their hair and assured them that he had missed them oh so much more than they had missed him before finally standing to greet his sister. 

“Molly look at you!” He said, beaming. She was very, very pregnant and Fabian worried for a moment how she had managed to get herself as well as the three boys to Hogwarts all by herself. He rushed to her side, wrapping his arms around her tightly, but doing his best to avoid crushing the babies. “It’s so good to see you!” 

@gidecns​

He could almost cry tears of joy when he heard the calls of their nephews. Gideon missed his family when he was at Hogwarts, but he mostly missed Molly and the boys. He even missed Arthur, who was stuck at the ministry. Charlie was caught by Fabian, and Bill ran towards him at full speed. He caught the little boy with a grin and whirled him around, and before he knew it, there was little Percy hanging from his leg as well. With a kiss and a promise to play more later, he sent them over to Fabian and grabbed Charlie up from the ground to put him on his shoulders as they walked back over to Molly.

“Merlin’s beard, Molly ━ sure you’re not having triplets?” He joked, placing a quick hand on her belly before settling himself on the other side of his half-sister with a hug while Charlie, still on his shoulders, pulled at his hair. “I’ve really missed these Prewett sandwiches.” 

@motheringmolly​

It was good to see the boys with their uncles again. With Fabian and Gideon still in school, visits were far too spread out, for both her and her children. Biologically, the twins may have only been her half brothers, but she loved them fiercely and wholly, and nothing would change that. She bit her tongue from reminding Charlie to be careful - Fabian was getting better, that’s what they all said, and she didn’t want to take the moment away.

“You lot better hope I’m not having triplets!” She smiled as she joked, even if she was a bit serious. Twins would be a challenge enough. Molly wrapped her arms around both of her brother’s shoulders, giving herself a moment before looking up to Charlie - “Careful, love. Don’t want to make Uncle Gideon go bald, do we?” She grinned, before turning to the pair. “You’ll have to tell me absolutely everything about the term. We have a lot of lost time to make up!”

A grin spread across his face, as Remus nodded. “I’m fine, Molly. I’m great honestly. How are you? The kids?”

Molly gave a warm and genuine smile towards Remus, her free hand giving his arm a small squeeze. “Good. Everyone deserves to be doing well during the holidays, dear. I’m just fine, and the boys - well.” She motioned to where Bill and Charlie had run off to, before shaking her head.

“Oh, my stars what precious little boys!” Ruby clasped her hands together, beaming at the little redheads. “I remember when my Beau was that age - such a sweet boy he was.” He certainly outgrew that though. “Do you need any help lookin’ for your brothers? I wouldn’t know them from Adam, I’m afraid, but I’d be happy to help if I can.”

The accent caught Molly off guard for a moment, but she supposed people could have family from anywhere. She seemed to remember a cousin who might have wound up in America somewhere down the line. She smiled at the woman before responding. “Oh, thank you. They’re usually much better behaved -” (that was a bit of a lie, taming Charlie was a battle) “-but with the new environment, everything’s just a tizzy today. My brothers, I wonder if you’ve seen them already. About yeay heigh -” She motioned over her head, “Red hair, if you’d believe it.”

“Fleur - that isn’t yours, bébé, give it back.” Apolline said, trying not to stare at the gaggle of little red-headed boys. How did the other woman handle all of them at once - and pregnant again? Apolline herself could barely keep up with Fleur most days, it seemed. Another child might be in their future, but not for several more years. “I’m afraid I don’t know who your brothers are, so I’m sure I could have seen them, but I wouldn’t know it.”

Molly saw the other woman staring at the boys, and immediately felt a sense of defensiveness stirring in her. She and Arthur had chosen this, they wanted the big family. With the twins on the way, things would certainly get more complicated, but it was their choice. At the end of the day, the boys were good. Still, she noted the small girl, almost a carbon copy of her mother, and instinctively raised a hand to her stomach. Maybe one of the twins would be a girl? “Well. I’m sure they’re around here somewhere. Finding them is always the challenge isn’t it?” Her eyes fell on the small girl again, now toddling after her own children. “She’s a pretty little thing, isn’t she?”