Making It Work

~*~

Calla lifted her son a bit and fixed the little outfit he was wearing. Really, the tot looked adorable in this getup.

"Skye, I want you to behave for Mummy, alright? Don't give Aunt Hermione a hard time now."

Of course, it was useless to be talking to a child about to turn a year old about discipline and behavior, but Skye seemed to take it well. In fact, the baby nodded his dark red head at his mother.

"Adorable," said Hermione.

"Thanks. Be careful with him, 'Mione, alright? No letting the boys get a hold of him. They might attempt to make him ride a broomstick or something. He's not even a year old yet."

Hermione only laughed and gave Calla a warm hug.

"And I suppose that maternal protectiveness came along with Skye, eh?"

"It's a package deal. What can I say?"

She watched as Hermione carried Skye and tickled him a little bit.

"I'll go show him off for a while. Go to Ginny's room, Calla. Alex is there. I'm sure she'd love to see you."

Oh, right. In the joy of seeing Hermione again she had forgotten why she was at the Burrow in the middle of winter. The wedding.

Fred and Alex's wedding. Oh, don't be a prat, Marvick. She's still your friend.

She entered the house and started taking the familiar route to Ginny's room.

****

"This is hopeless!"

Alexandra Astorga sat back and stared at her reflection. A woman of 23 looked back at her, attired in her wedding dress, and looking radiantly happy despite the pout that was about to erupt. Even though she told George it was alright, she was searching her guest list for somebody who could fit the role of her Maid of Honor.

"What's hopeless?"

She turned and smiled warmly.

"Hullo, you. How's it going?"

"Well. You?"

Alex motioned towards her dress.

"As good as it ever will be, I suppose. Oh, what the heck. C'mere."

Embracing the newcomer in a sisterly fashion, Alex felt another batch of tears making their way to her eyes. She held them back though, knowing tear trails down her cheeks would not be a pretty sight on her big day.

"I didn't think you'd come, Calla."

"What, and not see you get married? Are you kidding me, Alex?"

The two women laughed as Alex stepped back to get a good look at the changes in her friend. Calla Xandravia Marvick was attired in rich purple robes, which flattered her figure to the fullest extent. She seemed to have grown thinner, if anything, since giving birth to Skye.

She's perfect!

"So, what were you saying was hopeless?"

"Actually, it isn't so hopeless anymore, now that you're here."

Calla's face suddenly twisted into a suspicious look.

"Okay, what, exactly, have I gotten myself into this time?"

Alex merely smiled as a knock came from the door.

****

"Come in!" Alex called.

The door opened, and Fred Weasley entered the room, bearing what seemed to be good tidings.

"Hey, 'Lex, you won't believe who just-"

The newcomer froze as he saw that Alex wasn't alone.

Calla's heart stopped for a few seconds. She and Fred were looking directly at each other, deep into each other's eyes, for what seemed like an eternity. But she deliberately ruined the moment when she regained her composure.

"Get out, Fred! Don't you know that it's bad luck to see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding? Go on, what are you standing there for-"

"Calla," came the Bride's even voice.

"What, Alex?"

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to stop bad luck from befalling your wedding day. What d'you think I'm doing?"

"Bad luck? What bad luck can come from the Best Man coming to give his future sister-in-law a few words of cheer before she ties the knot with my twin brother?" Fred said indignantly.

She dropped her arms to her sides, sure that her mouth was hanging open due to shock. She shut it with a snap.

"Say that again," Calla said rather breathlessly.

"I said, 'Bad luck? What bad-"

"I don't think she meant that, Fred, you dolt. Didn't you receive the second invitation, Calla?" asked Alex.

Calla sat down on the bed, eyes narrowed in confusion at Alex's words.

"Second invitation? I only got one."

She missed the look Alex sent Fred. Calla looked down at her shoes, a myriad of emotions coursing through her.

"Cal, I'm not marrying Fred. You-er-evidently received the first invitation."

"First invitation?"

"It's a long story, but the main point of it is 'Lexy here finally got the guts to tell George that she never stopped loving him, and my idiot brother finally got enough sense to believe her and asked her to marry him and she accepted." Fred said in one breath.

Calla looked from Alex, to Fred, and then back to Alex.

"You're really not-?"

"Nope. I think he's reserved for someone else. Now, shoo, Fred. I'll hear that story about Snape's arrival later. Yes, I know he arrived. And kindly tell Charlie that babies, especially ones with dark red hair and gray eyes, are not to be taught how to ride broomsticks before they even turn a year old."

Dark red hair-gray eyes?!

That snapped Calla out of her spell. She rushed to the window and opened it, not minding the winter air that came blasting into the room.

"What the-CHARLES WEASLEY! Get my son off that broom at once if you don't want your bum hexed into next month!" she yelled, deliberately ignoring the snickers Alex and Fred were making behind her back.

~*~

"You'll ruin your dress if you keep bouncing Skye on your knee like that, you know."

"I've done an Anti-Wrinkling Charm on it, so I'm safe. Actually, I have all sorts of charms on it just to keep it clean. After all, this is George Weasley's wedding. You never know what might happen, right?" Alex said with a mischievous twinkle in her brown eyes.

Skye giggled as he bounced on Alex's knee. The young boy looked a lot like his mother, though his resemblance to Fred was striking.

"Are you sure he isn't Fred's?" asked Alex.

"Yup. He's just mine, really. Mine and-"

"The Elements'. I know. You just look so much like Fred, don't you, Skye?"

And much to Alex's delight, Skye nodded vigorously.

"See, Cal? He agrees with me!"

"You can get anybody to agree with you, Astorga. You got me to be your Maid of Honor, didn't you?"

Alex smiled even wider at this. Calla was now attired in a pale yellow dress that looked like it was made for her. Alex had managed to whip it up from the remaining cloth. It was an easy task, considering Alex had made the bridesmaids' dresses herself, with help from Ginny (who had discovered a knack for designing). Reaching over to the other side of the bed, Alex planted a sisterly kiss on Calla's cheek.

"You were the first choice, you know. Only I didn't reckon you'd be easy to get a hold of, as you travel too much and have Skye to take care of. I'm glad you could be here, Calla. Maybe this is going to turn out to be the wedding I dreamed about years ago."

"You dreamed about this? The while-you-were-asleep type of dream?"

The older woman looked down and focused her attention on Skye, a blush on her cheeks.

"Well--yeah."

"And?"

"And I think the real thing takes a hell of a lot of work, especially when you have Molly Weasley breathing down your neck every five minutes or so."

"Alex, could I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Um, why did you-I mean, why were you-"

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door and Ginny poked her head in.

"C'mon, you two. Time to go."

~*~

Fred glanced at him, trying valiantly to smother a smile.

"Stop fidgeting."

"You try getting married in the middle of winter and not fidget."

"Hey, she chose the date."

George paid Fred no mind as he glanced at the glass-looking dome he and his soon-to-be wife had conjured up. It made the inside feel like it was spring, though the beginnings of a blizzard were blowing about on the outside. Flowers made up the profusion of springtime color in the dome-- Neville Longbottom had taken care of them as a wedding present.

"I always thought Alex would be the type to have a very romantic sort of wedding."

"You don't think all this is romantic?"

"You know what I mean. Sunset, beaches, candlelit, that sort of wedding. But all this-- (and here Fred gestured to the decorations around the dome) this is not exactly how I pictured her marrying you."

"What d'you mean?"

"I mean-oh, hell-this wedding is elegant! There, I said it. You and Alex are just about the most romantic people I know, and there's also the fact that you're both practical jokers. You two having a very elegant, serious, and un-mushy wedding is---unbelievable."

The expression on Fred's face as he said all that was rather funny. So funny, in fact, that George laughed right in his brother's face.

"You sound more nervous than I am!"

"You try having the woman that broke up with you show up with her son after a year or so of pining for her."

"Well, you did send her an invitation, right? Cheer up, she's your partner for tonight! Now Alex won't worry about you not liking her manager anymore."

Alex's former manager, Sheila Jefferson, was supposed to be the Maid of Honor.

"Very funny."

Fred hadn't gotten on at all with Alex's manager, saying that she was too condescending and arrogant, treating him like a teenager, even though he was supposedly the 'groom'.

I don't suppose he found out yet that I purposely didn't send Cal that invitation. Hm...most likely. He'd be tearing me limb from limb now if he did know.

"Forge, do me a favor, will you?"

"What is it, Gred?"

"Pay attention. The march is starting."

"Oh, right. Thanks, Fred."

"Anytime, George. Anytime."

~*~

Calla shot Charlie a suspicious look.

"I promise! No broomstick rides anymore," protested the elder Weasley.

"Don't you dare do that to my son again, Charlie, else I swear you'll be regretting it."

Charlie raised his hands in surrender.

"Alright already! Just let me play around with Skye a bit. Besides, he hasn't been introduced properly to Uncle Bill yet."

Really, these Weasley men. You'd never guess by looking at them that they have a soft spot for babies.

Calla watched as Charlie scooped Skye up and carried him to a nearby table. The reception of Alex and George's wedding was in full swing.

"Dance?"

She looked up to see Ron standing near her, hand extended expectantly. Smiling, Calla took it and stood, allowing Ron to lead her to the dance floor.

"Haven't got a chance to speak with you all day. So, how's my favorite Chaser?"

The reply she was about to make to the inquiry was stopped as Calla heard her new title.

"I'm your favorite Chaser?"

"Of course. Alex is my favorite Keeper-Mind you, Wood's a close second. Harry's sort of the unofficial favorite Seeker."

"Whatever happened to Viktor Krum, Ron?"

"All admiration I had for him was cut short when he toured Hermione around Bulgaria, I'm afraid," said Ron, glowering a bit.

Throwing her head back a bit, Calla laughed. How she had missed this-being among friends, just laughing over some nonsensical thing and having fun. It wasn't as though she didn't have fun with Skye, but a different kind of fun was involved when she was playing with a baby.

"You've changed, Cal."

"Hm?"

"You've changed. A lot."

"How so?"

"Well, aside from the fact that you've been smiling sadly all throughout this wedding, you've been extremely quiet. I'll keep it a secret if you tell me what's going on, you know."

Calla looked up at the man that had replaced her tall, insecure friend. Of course, he still was very tall, but Ron Weasley had also changed. He now had a certain air of dignity and charm he never had at Hogwarts.

"You honestly think I'd tell you?"

"Yup. In fact, I'm not just thinking it. I know it. So, spill the beans, Marvick. Why'd you come if you thought this was Fred and Alex's wedding?"

Calla looked down a bit, pondering on what she was going to say.

"Well, if you really won't tell-I wanted to see if I could...break it up, I guess."

"Break it up?" Ron said, sounding as though he was trying very hard not to laugh in her face.

"Yes, you prat, so shut up. Honestly, I don't know why I told you that..."

Oh, great. He's going to torment me endlessly about that one.

"Now, now. I'm not going to tell anyone, Calla. You know that."

"Yeah, and Alex's first child will fall in love with Draco's son."

Ron looked thunderstruck at this piece of information. Suddenly, he pulled her in the direction of the table where Hermione and Harry were seated.

"Oi, you two, you've got to hear what Calla just told me."

"What is it?" said Hermione.

"Malfoy's got a son." Ron said.

"Somebody actually married that slimy git?" Harry said.

Hermione elbowed him in the ribs, rolling her eyes.

"Honestly, how insensitive can you two get?"

I knew there was a reason why you're my friend, Granger.

"What?" Ron and Harry chorused in innocent tones.

Ms. Granger rolled her eyes and looked pointedly at Calla.

"Oh-er-sorry, Calla."

"Er-yeah. Didn't mean to offend you or anything."

"Nah. It's fine. Jemana Couston married him. Yes, she was in Slytherin, about a year older than us. He has a son-just about as old as Skye, I think."

All three Gryffindors nodded. Harry pulled a chair up and motioned for Calla to sit, which she did.

"So, Marvick, how's life with a baby to take care of?" he asked.

"Well...alright. It's unlike any experience I've had in my life, that's for sure. Raising a child is a bit trying, but Skye can be very well-behaved sometimes."

****

"Fred, will you do me a favor?"

"You know very well that I haven't been able to refuse you before, what more on your wedding day?"

Alex smiled.

"Fetch Skye for me."

"You're a member of the Baby Adoration Society too, eh? Sure. No problem-if I can get him away from Bill, that is. I think he has a notion that the child is his, the way he holds him."

That Skye most certainly cannot be, when he looks like you.

The happy bride watched as the Best Man fetched the latest little newsmaker in the domestic scene. Fred returned minutes later, carrying Skye, who was demurely looking up at him with interest.

"Here he is, my dear sister-in-law."

"Da!" said Skye in that sweet little voice.

"Excuse me?" Fred said, looking down at the baby with surprise.

"Da!" Skye repeated, patting Fred on the cheek, "Dada!"

Alex smiled instantly as Fred's eyes widened.

"He thinks you're his father! How cute! C'mere, you. Let me introduce you to the closest thing you are going to have to a biological father."

"'Lex, I think getting married had an effect on your brains. You're nutters."

"No, I'm not. Look at the child. He. Looks. Like. You."

"Alex, please."

Fred's eyes seemed to be pleading with her, as if begging her to stop torturing him like this.

"Oh, alright. You're no fun. Here, hold him. Let me get a photo of the two of you. That's all! I swear!"

Turning away quickly to hide the other huge smile that was threatening to break out on her face, Alex called Colin Creevey over. He had volunteered to document this event-not to mention put a few of the pictures in the Daily Prophet's Society Pages, where he worked.

"Colin, snap a quick one of those two, will you?"

"Whoa, Fred. I didn't know Skye was yours," said Colin, doing a double take when he recognized the both the baby and the resemblance between Skye and Fred.

"He's not," muttered Fred under his breath, though not loud enough to be heard by anybody but Alex.

"Aren't you going to join them, Mrs. Weasley?" Colin asked, making Alex blush at the name.

"Nope-just Fred and Skye. This one's going to be for the album, if you don't mind."

"Sure. Okay, smile for me---there. Say, Fred, have you seen Calla anywhere? Her son should be a model...perfectly comfortable in front of a camera."

And Colin walked into the crowd again, leaving them to talk freely. Fred sat down, settling Skye on his knee.

"Do I really look like this baby?" he asked after a few minutes of silence.

Alex rolled her eyes. It was really uncanny, this resemblance between Skye and Fred. If Alex hadn't been present at the moment Calla agreed to be Skye's mother, she would have insisted that Fred was the tot's father.

It's just too bad for all parties that he's not.

~*~

George settled himself comfortably beside his wife and kissed her cheek.

"Hello, wife."

"Hello, husband. Where have you been off to?"

"Dad. Been giving me some sort of talk on family life."

"Ah, I see."

He placed an arm around her shoulders and leaned back, smiling contentedly.

"Well, my darling, the wedding of your dreams has been pulled off without a hitch. What is it you intend to focus your unending energy on next?"

"Unending energy, darling? Well, I think a little matchmaking is appropriate just about now. What do you say?"

"You're going to play Matchmaker again. My love, don't you think you're a little too old for that?"

"I'm only twenty-three, you dolt, same age as you. Besides, I think a certain twin of yours is sending longing looks at my Maid of Honor."

George raised a brow at his wife.

"He hasn't gotten over her, has he?"

Alex leaned her head on George's shoulder, not wanting to see the expression on his face just now. The topic they were talking about was a very sensitive one.

"No. He never did, I believe," she replied softly.

"But why? You were engaged to him for four months. I would think an engagement to you would be enough for him-I'm sure it would have been for me."

He knew very well that Alex didn't want to talk about this right now, but he didn't drop the topic. They needed to get it out of their systems.

"I suppose we knew in the backs of our minds that it would never work, but we stuck with it because all we had was each other at that time."

Stroking her cheek, George sighed. He knew why Alex had felt alone- Mrs. Astorga died a year ago, about three months after he had broken up with her. Alex had gone to America in an effort to forget, focusing all her efforts on her Muggle singing career.

"I'm sorry, love. I should have been there for you-"

"I wouldn't have accepted your comfort back then."

"I'm not talking as your boyfriend. I'm speaking as your best friend. I should have been there when you needed me. Well, at least Fred was there," he added sorrowfully.

"Now, now. None of that. George, I think we should forget the past at this moment. After all, we have the rest of our lives to sort it out, right? And besides, I love you."

At this, George grinned.

"I'll never tire of hearing you say that."

"As I'll never tire of telling you."

~*~

"I swear I'll get you back. I really do."

"Swear away, brother of mine. You're just sore that you can't wreak your revenge on me for that invitation because Alex and I are already married, and you are not getting married anytime soon."

"I wouldn't bet on that, George. Calla's here, remember?"

Keep on wishing that, Alex. Just keep on wishing that for me.

"Alex? George? What are you still doing here? You might get snowed in!" said Mrs. Weasley (the original one) who was coming towards the newlyweds.

"Yes, Mum. We'll be going soon. I just need to toss this bouquet. Ladies!", Alex called out, "All single women out there come over and catch this beautiful bouquet!"

The bride turned around and threw her lovely flowers to the throng of single women that had crowded behind her. Fred felt a slight pang of disappointment when he realized that Calla was not among those who had rushed up to Alex.

Ooh, that's interesting.

A blushing Hermione Granger had Alex's bouquet in her hands.

"Mrs. Weasley, if I didn't know better, I'd say you aimed that thing at Hermione," he remarked with a twinkle in his eye.

Alex merely smiled.

"You don't know better, Fred. Being a Keeper has its perks."

He and George laughed. Then, his twin dipped Alex and kissed her with such ferocity, Aunt Lovelia covered her son's eyes, though some of the younger guests whooped and clapped their hands.

"Get along, you two. It's my duty as Best Man to peel you two off each other-oh, don't look at me like that. I know you can't wait to hit a bed. Just go, will you?"

With one last smile, the newly-married couple Disapparated.

~*~

With Alex and George gone, the wedding party slowly left. Calla wanted to go too, but somehow, the Weasleys had managed to keep her son hidden and her preoccupied until nightfall.

"Calla, dear, stay for dinner."

"Mrs. Weasley, I don't want to impose. You've already got a full house here."

"Oh, nonsense. The Burrow is never too full for Ireland's Star Chaser."

"What about Calla Marvick, though? She has a son, Mrs. Weasley."

Molly Weasley smiled at Calla before enveloping her in a motherly hug.

"I always leave a space for you, my dear, and now I'll leave one for Skye too. So, you'll stay to dinner?"

Laughing, Calla nodded, then stood.

"Let me help you with dinner, then. It's the least can do. You've been so kind."

"Oh, no. You run along and find your son, dear. I daresay somebody might have stolen him by now. He's really adorable."

Calla smiled and exited the kitchen, taking the elder Mrs. Weasley's advice. She peeked into the living room, where she found a wilderness of children-virtually all with flaming red hair-and a few very amused adults.

"Hey. Have you seen Skye?"

Harry Potter turned and smiled. He put an arm around Calla's shoulders.

"That son of yours is amazing, Cal. I see he inherited your powers."

She groaned, leaning on Harry.

"He's used his powers again, hasn't he? Oh, that boy-"

Potter laughed.

"I never imagined you becoming the Molly Weasley type, Cal, but now that you are-it's dead hilarious!"

"Oh, go ahead, laugh all you want. Skye can wreak havoc without ever leaving his crib, you know. All he has to do is levitate some stuff and my penthouse becomes a wreck."

"Penthouse? I thought you were off somewhere-er-on sabbatical, so to speak?"

"I have a penthouse in London. After all, I do have Quidditch practice every other day."

"A posh little place in London, eh? Who looks after your little heir while you're at the pitch then?"

"A nanny. Sometimes I drop him off at my Mum's, and she baby sits him. Skye may look like a little angel, but he has his sides, I tell you. Sometimes I think he got something from Fred I'm not aware of."

"You mean aside from the looks?"

Calla turned to face Harry with surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"He looks like Fred. I mean, of course, he looks like George too, but since George isn't here..."

Right. So I wasn't just making it up then. He does look like Fred.

A poking in her ribs made Calla snap to attention and wince.

"Knut for your thoughts, Marvick."

"Easy on the ribs, Potter. I got hit by a Bludger yesterday. Oh, it's fine. Just a little sore."

"You want me to call a certain someone who can kiss it all better?"

Calla summoned a pillow into her hand and started whacking The (furiously laughing) Boy Who Lived with it.

This is going to be a long night, I'm afraid.

~*~