Rating:
G
House:
Riddikulus
Characters:
Arthur Weasley Bill Weasley Charlie Weasley Fred Weasley George Weasley Percy Weasley Ron Weasley The Weasley Family
Genres:
General
Era:
The First War Against Voldemort (Cir. 1970-1981)
Stats:
Published: 01/13/2007
Updated: 01/13/2007
Words: 1,665
Chapters: 1
Hits: 2,287

A Bedtime Story

emiime

Story Summary:
Arthur Weasley tells his six sons a bedtime story.

Chapter 01

Posted:
01/13/2007
Hits:
2,287


All right, one more story, then it's bed for all of you.

Yes, Bill, even you.

I know you're ten, but there's only going to be one more story tonight. Now, which shall it be?

Oh, Charlie, we had dragons last night. Now, do you want a made-up story or a real-true story?

All right, I've got a good real-true story for you. Since Mummy's upstairs putting Ronnie to sleep, shall I tell you a real-true story about Mummy?

No, Charlie, there aren't any dragons in the story.

It's a very nice story, actually.

Yes, I suppose there might be a bit of kissing in it.

All right, what if I leave those bits out?

All right. Percy, don't let George slip off the chair. There you are. Hold onto him tightly.

Not that tightly.

All right, are we all settled? Ready for a nice story with no kissing, all about Mummy, and a little bit about Daddy?

Yes, Percy, you're in it, too.

Yes, I know you're five.

Do you really? And what is her name?

Penny's a very lovely name. Now how about the story of Molly?

Yes, Molly is Mummy's first name. Bill, don't hit your brother. He is not stupid for not knowing Mummy's name.

Percy, stop sniffling, please. Use your handkerchief.

All right! Are we all ready for a very nice story about Molly who is Mummy and Arthur who is Daddy, with no kissing in it?

Yes, Charlie, you're in it as well.

You're all in it.

Bill, please take that thing out of Fred's mouth. What has he got there?

Oh dear, your mummy won't like that at all, I'm afraid. Give the battery to me, please, Bill. There's a good boy.

Where was I? Ah, yes. The story about Mummy. You see, boys, your mum and I met when we were quite young, at Platform 9 ¾, when we were both on our way to--

No, I was with my mummy, and your mummy was with her mummy.

Yes, I suppose that is an awful lot of mummies.

That's right, Bill, there are mummies in Egypt, but they are a different sort of mummy. They're all wrapped up in bandages.

Yes, George, I see your bandage. That was quite a scrape you got. But I'm afraid you'll need much more than just that one bandage before you'll look like a mummy.

No, you may not use the toilet roll.

An Egyptian mummy, Charlie, not your mummy. Would you like to hear the story now?

All right. Well, your mummy and I met when we were waiting for the train to take us to school.

That's right, to Hogwarts. And we became very good friends while we were there at Hogwarts, and when we left school, we got married.

No, we didn't have cake, because, you see, we eloped.

It means we ran away to get married by ourselves, Charlie.

No, we can't have any cake right now.

Because your mummy made a very nice pudding tonight, Charlie, and you had two helpings.

No, we didn't have ice cream, either, but we did have a very nice dinner after we were married. And then a little while later, your mummy came to me and told me a very special secret. She told me that she was going to have a--

No, not a dragon, Charlie. A baby. A little baby boy. And do you know who that boy was?

Right, Bill, it was you. And you made your mummy and daddy very happy, and we loved you so much, that we decided we might try to have another little baby. And we did! And Charlie, who was that baby?

No, it wasn't Percy. It was you, Charlie.

That's right, Percy, you were the next baby, and we loved all three of you very much.

Bill, don't hit your brother. We love you all the same.

Percy, handkerchief, please.

Right. After we had Percy, we decided that even more little boys would make our lives even more fun. So we had two more, twins! And we called them--

Fred-and-George, right! And do you know who we called them after?

Bill, do you remember your uncles Fabian and Gideon? They were Mummy's brothers.

Yes, they certainly were a lot of fun. And Fred and George are just as much fun as they ever were. Do you boys know what happened to your uncles?

Yes, they died. They were very brave, and they died fighting He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. And your mummy loved them very much, and she was very sad when they died, and so we called our twin babies after her twin brothers.

Yes, George, I know you're two.

Percy, take your thumb out of your mouth, please. Do you want crooked teeth?

I didn't think you did.

Charlie, he isn't a baby.

Yes, Percy, I know you're five.

Me? I'm older than all of you put together.

Yes, really.

I can't tell you how old Mummy is.

Because you should never ask a lady's age.

No, not even Granny Prewett.

I don't know how old Granny Prewett is.

Because I've never asked her.

Yes, she's older than you and me put together, Charlie.

Yes, really.

No, I don't think she's ever met a dragon.

Percy, please take your thumb out of your mouth.

Let's all settle down. Don't you want your real-true story about Mummy and Daddy and Bill and Charlie and Percy and Fred and George and Ronnie and someone else who's very special?

I can't tell you yet. That's the ending of the story, and you don't want to spoil the ending, do you?

I didn't think you did.

Charlie, please take your finger out of your nose. Use your handkerchief.

Why don't you have one?

Where did you lose it?

All right, here, use mine.

Yes, Percy, it is disgusting. But sucking your thumb's not nice, either.

Oops, Bill, what's wrong with Fred? Here, give him to me.

Come on, Freddie, you're all right.

Oh dear, not George, too. Percy, give your brother to me. Bill, will you please take Fred upstairs to Mummy while I sort out George?

Thank you.

No, I'll wait to tell the rest of the story until you get back. Don't worry. You won't miss a thing.

Shh, Georgie, shh...

Charlie, leave Percy alone, please.

No, we can't have the rest of the story yet. Bill's coming back soon.

Soon.

I don't know how soon soon is. Why don't we try counting? One, two, three, shhh, Georgie...

Keep counting. Shh, Georgie...there's my boy.

Ah, Bill. Left Fred with Mummy, then? Shall we finish the story now?

No, I'll keep George for now.

All right, where was I? Do you remember?

Someone very special, that's right. Well, we had one-two-three-four-five boys, Bill-Charlie-Percy-Fred-George, and then we had another baby, and that was Ronnie. So your mummy and daddy had six boys then, and that brings us to now.

Well, no, Percy, we don't count Scabbers as one of our boys. But you can count him as yours, all right?

Because he's a rat.

I know he's a nice rat, Percy, he's a very nice rat. But he's not a little boy.

Yes, I suppose he is a boy rat. But Mummy and Daddy only have boy wizards.

Percy is not a Squib, Charlie. You're all wizards.

Because daddies know these things. I knew from the moment each of you were born that you'd all grown up to be fine wizards. Every single one of you. And there's someone else coming to join our family, boys, another fine wizard, what do you think of that?

No, it's not Uncle Crispin, it's a new--

Not a dragon, Charlie.

Don't say damn, please, Charlie.

Because it's not a nice word.

Yes, Daddy probably said it once, but you must understand, I would have been very upset at the time, and--

Just don't say it around Mummy, all right?

Come on, now, it's getting late, and you want to hear the end of the story, don't you? Don't you want to hear what new wizard is coming to join our family?

That's right, Bill. I suppose you've heard this story a fair few times, haven't you? Ah, my boys. We're going to be nine of us. Nine Weasleys. Your mummy's going to have another baby in a few months' time. Now, what do you think of that?

I don't know what we'll name him. But we've got lots of time to come up with a name, haven't we? And we'll think of something grand, all of us together, all eight of us. And when the ninth Weasley comes, we'll have his name all set, and--

Well, yes, I do think Percy's a very nice name, but we already have one, don't we, Percy?

No, I think the baby will have his own name, just as you each have your own.

I suppose he'll sleep with Mummy and Daddy at first, and then when he gets bigger, we'll find another place to put him. Don't worry. We found places for all of you, and the Burrow's big enough to hold at least one more Weasley.

A hundred's a very high number, Percy. I don't think there will be a hundred Weasleys. Not here in the Burrow.

No, nine.

Oh, including Scabbers. All right. Well, that's ten, then.

Come here, boys, I want to hug you all. Oh, my boys.

Don't crush Georgie, Charlie. There you are. I love you all so much.

Yes, and I love Scabbers, too.

Yes, and Errol.

And Fred.

And Ronnie.

And Mummy. Yes, I love Mummy very much. And I love the new baby, too, and when he arrives, you'll love him, too.

I promise.

Listen, here comes Mummy down the stairs. Run and give her a kiss. There you go, boys. You too, Georgie, run to Mummy.

My god. Nine of us. At least the boys are excited.

I'm scared out of my mind.