The Eighth Weasley

THE DINNER PARTY

Notes - This is the chapter where we all get to see if I can actually write in pure HP-verse *twitches nervously* First and foremost, I apologise for anything that seems wrong at all, cos there is bound to be something. I'll go and hide in a corner until I find a muse that works, if everyone hates this.

Also, I've put together a Harry potter crossover list, if anyone is interested in joining - its muy quiet at the moment, but it'll be where all future HP crossovers are aired in my case: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hpcrossover

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"They're here!"

"Ginny! Get off Harry!"

"Sod off, you git!"

"Language, little sis!" Ron winked at Willow, who was giggling behind her hand as Molly immediately sprayed soap from her wand into Ginny - and the unfortunate Harry's - mouths.

Spluttering foam and bubbles, Harry raced for the kitchen to the sink. Ginny reached for her own wand and rinsed her mouth out, hiccupping a few more bubbles out as a group of laughing people appeared out of the kitchen and into the garden.

Willow, sitting nervously at the table already, looked at Ron, who gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and stood up, hurrying towards the expanding group. Many hugs were exchanged, a great deal of laughing and back-slapping going on.

None of the group looked especially like wizards or witches, which Willow assumed Dumbledore had something to do with. They were wearing clothes that wouldn't have looked out of place on her friends, which made her feel a little more comfortable.

"Hey! Will, c'mon! Don't be shy!" Beckoning his youngest sister over, Bill smiled as she nervously stood up and approached. Throwing an arm around her shoulder, he gestured around the group. "Will, meet everyone, everyone, this is Willow."

Ducking her head, Willow waggled her fingers timidly. "Uh...hi..."

"Are you sure she's related to you?" a striking black woman asked, nudging Fred in the ribs. "She seems a bit too quiet and...er...normal to be a Weasley."

"Yep! Pure Weasley, this one!" Fred said proudly. "Will, this is Angelina, Angelina, this is my super-powerful little sister," His girlfriend gave him a sceptical look. "Hey, don't blame me if she runs around closing Hellmouths."

The chatter that had been going on around them dried up instantly, all eyes turning to the scarlet Willow, who shuffled her feet awkwardly. "It wasn't that hard," she muttered, embarrassed.

"And she's modest too," George reached over and ruffled Willow's hair.

"Although she's a crap cook, which kind of buggers the fact that she's saved the World a few times," Ron added, immediately ducking a half-hearted slap from his youngest sister.

"Willow!" A voice called from inside the house a moment before a dark-haired witch flew out from the kitchen, stopping short at the sight of the group of witches and wizards. "Uh, I was gonna say that some wizards just...uh...never mind..."

Ron spun around with an enthusiastic whoop. "Amy!"

"Oh God! You're gonna pick me up again!" Amy backed away as Ron stalked towards her, grinning. Since her arrival, Ron had decided it would be fun to pester the freshly deratted witch, and she had barely been left alone for five minutes.

"Well, I wasn't, but good idea!" Hoisting the screaming witch off her feet, Ron ran back into the house, leaving Willow at the mercy of her other brothers and sister, as well as the guests, who she was still waiting to be introduced to.

"Um...Bill? Who is everyone?"

Bill looked around at the group. "Fleur, you know," The semi-Veela smiled. "These two," He motioned to the women who flanked Fred and George. "are Angelina and Alicia. Absolutely killer Quidditch Players. They play in the Witches' League and I wouldn't want to face either of them on a broomstick." Both women grinned broadly at the commendation. "This," He gestured to an older man with greying hair and a tired smile. "Is..."

"Professor Lupin?" Willow hazarded a guess.

He extended a thin hand, which she shook immediately. His skin was warm and dry against hers.

"I'm assuming that you've been reading those Rowling books?" he said, his voice quiet. She met his pale eyes and she found herself mesmerised for a moment.

"I...uh...it isn't just that...uh...Sir," she finally answered. "You...you remind me of my boyfriend," He looked slightly surprised, but - as Oz would - didn't comment. "I mean, he's a werewolf too. I can...see something in your eyes...your face...something like he has in his eyes and face...and you're quiet...like him...which makes me wonder if it's quiet people who turn into werewolves...or maybe just quiet men, cos Verruca was a skanky slut-ho of a werewolf and she..."Willow trailed off at the amused looks on the faces of the group around her. "Uh, I'm babbling, huh?"

Lupin gave her a quiet smile that made her ache for Oz. "I don't mind," he said. "To have someone who recognises what I am and doesn't run screaming..." He shrugged, barely a lift of his shoulders. "It's nice."

"Oh...good," She smiled at him, the nervousness starting to fade as he gently gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't I get introduced?" The man beside Lupin interrupted. Willow turned, initially just staring at the prime example of living, breathing eye-candy: Tall, dark and handsome didn't come close to describing the man!

"Uh...hi..."

"Sirius Black," he smiled - just like the guys in the toothpaste adverts - and she was sure she felt her knees tremble. However, the instant she met his clear pale blue eyes, she recoiled with a gasp at the torment that filled the bright orbs.

"Oh God!" She stared at him pityingly. "I-I knew it was bad, but I didn't realise that it was that bad..." Shaking her head, she reached up to touch his cheek, making him start in surprise. "You can't forget it, can you?"

"Um...pardon?"

"Willow, I don't know how things are done in America," Bill gently lifted her hand from Sirius' bemused face. "But here, you don't pet a strange man's face the first time you meet him."

"But his eyes..." Willow trailed off, blushing furiously, ducking her head again. "It just reminded me of someone..."

"Another werewolf?" Sirius asked. He sounded genuinely curious and slightly confused by what had just happened.

Willow's green eyes rose and stared at him. He looked vaguely as she had imagined him, only his black hair was short and neat, his face young-looking for a man about to reach his forties.

Like everyone in the group - with the exception of her parents and Dumbledore - he was wearing casual muggle-wear, in his case a pair of dark blue jeans and a gold and red Quidditch shirt.

"You reminded me of Angel," she said quietly.

George burst out laughing. "Will, are you hitting on our famous Mr. Black? I mean, calling him an Angel...isn't that a bit much?"

"George, shut it," Bill warned his brother, seeing the embarrassed look on Willow's face. "I don't think she meant an angel." Willow nodded.

"If you don't mind me asking, who is this...angel?"

"He..." She looked to Bill for confirmation. "He's a vampire..." Sirius uttered a word that would have earned him a mouthful of soap from Mrs Weasley had she been his mother. "A vampire with a soul!" Willow hastily added.

Sirius' eyes narrowed. "I remind you of a vampire with a soul?"

"After he came back from Hell," Willow confirmed uncomfortably, Sirius' pale blue eyes staring at her intensely. The man's expression cleared and he lowered his head briefly with a nod.

"Azkaban..." Fred murmured.

Willow uttered a squeak of embarrassment. "And I just reminded you of it! Oh God! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said anything!" Flapping her hands, she tried to think of something to say. "Uh...do you like cookies? I could make cookies if it would make you not think of it..."

Much to her astonishment, Sirius started to laugh. She looked to Lupin, to see if she had done something wrong. His eyes, too, were crinkled with laughter. Bemused she looked at her brothers, who were smiling.

"Uh...what did I say? Did I say something funny?"

Lupin looked at his long-time friend, then at Willow. "You made Sirius laugh," he said. "It hasn't happened for a while."

Still chortling, Sirius wiped his eyes. "I don't know if its a family trait, but your family has to be the nicest family in the world and, judging by what you just said, you fit right in, even though you've managed to stay away from these lunatics for your whole life. Offering me cookies..." Willow squeaked again, in surprise, when Sirius reached over and impulsively gave her a hug that lifted her off her feet against a broad chest, the scent of aftershave and sawdust filling her nostrils. "Thank you."

"But I didn't do anything!"

Blue eyes that seemed slightly less shadowed sparkled with amusement. "You didn't have to."

Looking around, slightly puzzled, Willow made a whimpering sound. "Am I allowed to be confused?"

"In this family, its a standard requirement," Harry replied with a grin, which faded when he received a magical slap around the ear from Molly. "Ow! Um, sorry, mum. I didn't know you were there."

Molly, fighting a smile, folded her arms over her apron-covered chest. "Obviously." Her eyes singled out Willow. "Willow, dear, could you come here for a minute? There's someone who wants to meet you."

Squeezing around various family members and guests, the youngest Weasley hurried into the kitchen, where her mother waited. Dodging out of the way as Amy raced past, trying to escape Ron, she joined her mother and father by the fire.

Dumbledore and a pretty, brown-haired woman were standing there, talking amiably to Molly and Arthur. "Ah," Dumbledore turned his attention to Willow as soon as she approached. "Miss Weasley. I would like you to meet Miss Granger."

"Hermione Granger?" Willow stared at the young woman she had heard so much about. If there was one thing that wasn't mentioned in the books, it was just how pretty Hermione actually was.

Her long, notoriously-unruly hair drawn back in a French braid, Hermione smiled broadly, her brown eyes shining. "Hi, Willow. Professor Dumbledore has been telling me all about you."

"Only good, I hope."

"Would I do anything but, Miss Weasley?" Dumbledore teased gently.

"Of course only good," Hermione flashed a look at Dumbledore, who chuckled amiably, looking between the two women. "I hear you're joining Hogwarts after the summer and that you might want a muggle-born to help you get ready."

A look of appreciation crossed Willow's face. "You'd help me? That would be great! I have no idea what I'm doing and everyone here is great, but I need someone who knows what its like to come from a normal muggle family and...uh...babbling..."

"I heard you do that regularly," Hermione smiled.

"She certainly does," Dumbledore smiled, as Willow went crimson again. "I must admit, though, it does make conversations interesting. One moment you can be discussing dinner and the next, muggle logic. It's very educational."

Willow was scuffing her feet, looking very embarrassed.

"Don't mind the Professor," Hermione stepped over and took Willow by the arm. "I think its part of his job to successfully embarrass every person who passes through the school at some point in their life."

Dumbledore spread his wrinkled hands with an amused laugh, his brilliant blue eyes twinkling. "It appears that our Professor of Muggle Studies has a better measure of me than I assumed. How wise she is!"

"And I love you too, Professor," The brunette woman rolled her eyes. Willow was trying to decide whether to laugh at the display or not. Hermione didn't give her a chance to make up her mind. "Come on! Let's get one of the decent seats at the table, before they start having to conjure new ones."

As the two young women departed, Molly studied their receding backs, Hermione turning to invite Willow into a conversation. "Do you think they'll get on all right, Albus?" She asked.

"Mentally, they're as alike as two peas in a pod," Dumbledore answered. "I think this is going to be very good for them. Neither of them has ever had anyone to match their abilities until now." He smiled at Molly. "But now, shall we join your family for that delicious meal you've spent so long working on?"

***

"And bam! We were up, one hundred to ten!"

"It wasn't exactly fair, though, was it?" Angelina smiled at her younger friend, who was enthralling all of Willow's brothers with tales from the latest match. Evening had fallen and - in the warm twilight - the table was illuminated by candles around the garden. "One of their Beaters was unconscious and their Seeker was being tailed by the bludger."

"That's the point, Angie!" Alicia laughed. "C'mon, admit it! We done good!"

"Um..." Willow waved a hand nervously. "The bludger is the crazy ball, right?"

Charlie grinned broadly. "Looks like little sister is catching on."

Fred and George sniffed in unison, exchanging looks. "We're so proud!" They both wailed, throwing themselves on one another's necks. Their siblings just shook their heads and ignored them.

"You guys are all totally crazy," Amy noted around a slice of Molly's thick, sweet strawberry tart.

Ron leaned to his left, where Willow was sitting between him and Hermione. "Is she always this observant?" He asked in a stage-whisper, that earned him a sharp elbow in the ribs from Amy. "Hey!"

Brown eyes looked around at him innocently. "What?" Amy asked sweetly. "I was just picking up my plate."

"It appears that Miss Madison fits in here rather well, does it not?" Dumbledore remarked with a twinkle in his blue eyes. Amy grinned around her dessert, the grin especially directed at Ron.

Ron wrinkled his nose, turning to Willow. "So, Will, what do you think of the family friends, then?"

"It...uh...its kind of weird to be sitting with everyone at this table," the youngest Weasley admitted. "I mean, only a few weeks ago, I thought I was living as normal a life as a teenage witch could on a Hellmouth and now, I'm having dinner with some of the most famous witches and wizards in the world."

Sirius shook his head, chuckling. "You class this meal as weird when you're dating a werewolf, your best friend is the Slayer and she was dating a vampire and your other best friend is dating a thousand year old ex-vengeance demon?"

"Not to mention that you lived on a Hellmouth for eighteen years," Hermione added, using her fork as a pointer. "No normal witch or wizard would ever do that if they could help it."

"Well, I didn't exactly have a choice..."

"Was it very hard to control your magic?" the brunette witch asked curiously. "I've read that Hellmouth's manipulate the waves of power emitted by wizards or witches and can make it very difficult to do spells."

"I-I don't know. I thought it was all right, but I think that's just because I did live there," Willow shrugged, looking around the packed table for a jug of cream. "I was used to it," Spotting the jug, she held out a hand and the jug rose and floated straight to her. "Its so much easier to do magic here, though."

"Whoa..."

The youngest witch present looked around at her audience in confusion, startled to find every single one of them staring at her. "Um...did I do something wrong?"

"How did you do that wizout a wand?" Fleur asked.

"Do what?" Willow frowned, puzzled, then realised that she was holding the cream jug. "Oh! That was one of the first things I learned how to do," She poured the cream over her tart, the floated the jug back to it's place. "I started with a pencil and it was easy, once you knew what you were doing..."

"But you didn't use a wand, Will!" Ron repeated his sister-in-law's statement a little more emphatically.

"Mmm?" His sister gave him a confused look, her spoon in her mouth.

"I think what they're trying to ask," Hermione interceded quickly, shaking her head at Ron. "Is do you do all your magic sheerly on telepathic ability?"

Swallowing her dessert, Willow put her plate down on the table, looking rather uncomfortable. "I...I sometimes use chants and stuff, if that's what you mean, but I can move stuff...I can make fire..."

"All without a wand?"

"Uh...yeah..."

"You can conjure fire without a wand?" Fred looked impressed. "Bet that's useful."

"First time I did it, I accidentally set my bed on fire." The youngest Weasley grinned sheepishly. "I was stupid enough to do it in my bedroom before I knew how big it would be. My mom...I mean, my adopted mom freaked."

"Do you have to use an incantation?" Angelina inquired.

Curious looks were directed at her from all sides of the table and Willow tried not to blush again. When she had learned her magic, she assumed that everyone learned the same way, but to find out that they had never seen magic like hers...

"Infierno," she said, opening her hand. Immediately a ball of flame erupted to life, hovering several millimetres above her open palm. Several sounds of surprise escaped various guests around the table. "Neat, huh?"

"What can you do with it?"

"Uh...duh!" Amy rolled her eyes at Ron, who had posed the question. "You can set things on fire with it."

"Don't be a smart arse," Ron grouched, then gurgled in protest as his mother shot a spray of bubbles into his mouth.

"Aquatis!" Willow cried immediately and a gush of ice-cold water flooded down on Ron from above. Gasping, bubbles pouring out of his mouth, his eyes went wide as he was drenched to the skin. "Uh..." Shrugging helplessly, Willow gave her brother a weak smile. "Well, I got the water right...I just need to practise my aim."

Ron gurgled a sound at her. Had it been coherent, it probably would have earned him another mouthful of soap.

Unnoticed by any of the family, Dumbledore was surveying the eighth Weasley, as she tried to fend of her dripping brother, the other adults round the table roaring with laughter as she threw spell after spell at him.

His lips rose in a smile.

She was happy and home and for that, he was grateful.