Rose Among the Thorns

Chapter 2- The Good News, and the Bad News

The War had been devastating to the entire British Wizarding Community. Nearly everyone lost a friend or family member. Remus' wife Tonks had been killed by her aunt Bellatrix Lestrange, and Parvatil Patil had been murdered by Macnair. Many were maimed for life. Fred had lost a leg; Padma Patil had been blinded. A few of the Death Eaters had escaped Hogwarts after Voldemort's downfall and fled to various parts of the country. Under the newly appointed Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt's supervision, the surviving members of the Order and Dumbledore's Army teamed with Ministry Aurors to hunt down the remaining Death Eaters. About a month after the Battle for Hogwarts, Ron, Luna Lovegood, Ernie Macmillan, Professor McGonagall, and Angelina Johnson were near Brighton when they stumbled upon one of the small rogue bands of Death Eaters. It was a fierce fight, Ernie had been Stunned but they had two of them subdued when one of the others hit Angelina with the Killing Curse. Outraged that his former Quidditch teammate had been murdered, Ron threw himself into the middle of the fight. Then it happened: all three of the remaining Death Eaters hit him with three unknown spells. In the end, Luna and Professor McGonagall finally managed to subdue them, killing two in the process.

Now, five years later, Ron remained in a catatonic state. Healers had been brought in from all over the world to see the famous war hero and faithful friend to the renowned Harry Potter, but none could determine how to cure him. Even though the Healers believed Ron was oblivious to everything around him, the Weasley family and many of Ron's friends continued to visit him, often on scheduled days. His parents on Sundays, The twins and Luna Lovegood on Mondays, Bill, Fleur, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas on Tuesdays, Charlie himself, Neville Longbottom and Remus Lupin on Wednesdays, Percy, his wife Penelope, and Ernie Macmillan on Thursdays, Harry and Ginny on Fridays, and finally, Hermione on Saturdays. For five years they had unwaveringly held their vigils over Ron's bedside, with no sign of his improvement. Still, even though it looked hopeless, they continued their stanch love and support of their beloved son, brother, and friend.

He spent three hours telling Ron everything that had happened since his last visit, reducing himself to tears again retelling his encounter with George earlier that afternoon. He finally looked at the clock at the end of the ward, which read half past six.

"Well, Ronnie," he told his unconscious brother as he slapped his own thigh and stood, "Mum'll turn me into a newt if I'm late for supper as she's invited half of the Wizarding population. I'll be back on my usual day." He bent down to squeeze Ron's shoulder. "Don't do anything Percy wouldn't do, which pretty much means you'll be her next week." Charlie laughed at his own feeble joke and left the ward.

Back at the Burrow everyone had accepted their invitations to supper, which was being held outside in the garden. Two long tables were laden with ham, pot roast, chicken and dumplings, homegrown peas and corn, mashed potatoes, yams, and stewed apples. George, whose eyebrows had been magically grown back, was helping a heavily pregnant Penny into her seat. Bill, Harry, and his new bride Ginny were discussing the Holyhead Harpies' last match, the Quidditch team for whom Ginny played Chaser. Fred was in deep discussion with Remus, and Fleur and Hermione were cooing over Teddy, Victoire, and Percy and Penelope's two-year-old son Pedran, all playing on a blanket at the two women's feet. Bill and Fleur's infant son Séraphin lay fast asleep in his cot nearby. Only Mr. Weasley and Percy were missing. Mrs. Weasley emerged from the house, carrying a large and magnificent chocolate cake.

"Oooh, mum, what's the occasion?" Ginny asked.

"We'll have to wait for your father and brother," her mother answered. "Fred and George have a very important announcement."

Everyone looked at the twins, who glanced at each other and then the others, smug looks on their identical faces.

"This can't be good," Harry said, to the general amusement and agreement of everyone else.

Finally, Mr. Weasley and Percy arrived. As soon as they sat at the table, Charlie noticed the grim look their faces shared. As he glanced in Bill's direction he knew his older brother had noticed as well. After their father and brother took their seats, Fred and George stood.

Clearing his throat, Fred began to address his family. "As you all know, the newest branch of our stupendously successful business, Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, is due to open next week."

George continued, "As this will bring our total number of branch shops to three, in addition to our flagship store in Diagon Alley, Fred and I..."

"After much deliberation and sleepless nights," Fred cut in.

"Have decided that we need to take on additional managerial assistance. Someone to aid us in the day to day supervision of our shops," George finished.

"And we asked ourselves..." Fred began.

"Selves?" George replied.

"Who better than a fellow prankster to assist us in our quest to reach out to those who desire quality joke products?" Fred continued.

"So, we would like to introduce you to Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes' most recent and, we believe, best hire..." George finished, pausing for effect.

"REMUS LUPIN!!!" they shouted together.

After a moment of stunned silence, the table erupted into applause. They trampled over one another to wring a delighted and pink-faced Remus' hand. Several minutes later, after Mrs. Weasley berated them several times for letting dinner cool, they tucked in to eat.

"Well, I knew that I'd have to find something truly permanent to support Teddy, so when the twins approached me, I said yes," Remus told Ginny and Hermione.

"Honestly, we couldn't let a former Marauder, someone whose talents are near our own to slip through our hands, could we?" Fred said, nodding at Remus.

"Too true, too true," George added. "Besides, who better to trust our branch shops with?"

"And of course I wouldn't mind watching Teddy for you. Merlin knows I need someone to take care of now the children are all gone," Molly told him.

Remus blushed again. "Really, Molly, I wouldn't want to impose..."

"Nonsense, Remus. I'm sure that Victoire would love to have a playmate when Fleur and Bill let her spend the day with me."

"Of course we would not mind! Teddy is a wonderful leetle boy," Fleur said, looking down fondly at the royal blue haired boy near her feet. "He and Victoire are adorable togezzer."

"Well, that's settled," Bill said, ladling a heaping spoonful of apples onto his plate. "There's no arguing with these two when they get their heads together," he added, nodding at his mother and wife.

After several minutes of excited discussion about Remus' new position at WWW, Harry called down the table at his father-in-law.

"How was the Ministry today, Mr. Weasley?" he asked, looking down the table.

Charlie noticed that his father and Percy briefly exchanged worried glances.

Mr. Weasley cleared his throat. "Well, now that you mentioned it, something important did happen today." He stirred uneasily in his chair. "It's probably best that you hear it from me and not some garbled interpretation from the Prophet." He glanced again at Percy, who was rubbing circles on his pregnant wife's back. "The Wizengamot has passed a measure that, unfortunately, Kingsley can't overrule."

Everyone exchanged worried looks. Percy gave Penny a reassuring squeeze.

"They've grown concerned with the lack of children born to pureblood couples; many are conceiving either Squibs or not at all," Mr. Weasley continued. "The Wizengamot is so concerned, in fact, that they've made a ruling to force pureblood wizards and witches to marry muggleborns."

A collective gasp came from the group, everyone, even the twins sat in stunned silence.

It was Remus who spoke first. "But Arthur, surely they can't pass such a controversial ruling."

Percy sighed, "Unfortunately it isn't so controversial. Apparently many of the scions of the pureblood families are concerned as well. Their desire that the family name be preserved has trumped their wish to retain strictly pureblood descendents. Even though most of them ordinarily wouldn't touch muggleborns, they're more concerned with keeping the family name going."

"And there's nothing Kingsley can do about it?" Harry asked.

Mr. Weasley shook his head. "A select few of us who oppose the measure have been up in his office all day trying to find a loophole." He exhaled heavily. "There isn't one." He buried his head in his hands.

"So what happens next?" Ginny asked.

Percy shrugged. "The law says that all pureblood and muggleborn witches and wizards have three months from July 1st to find and marry the opposite. After that..." He stopped and looked at his father.

Mr. Weasley turned grey. "After that each pureblood/muggleborn pairing are required to have a minimum of two offspring, the first is to be conceived within six months of the wedding."

The group fell silent again, each person internally contemplating the effect the Wizengamot's law would have on their future.

"This is bollocks!" Fred shouted.

" 'Ear, 'ear!" George agreed.

Everyone chuckled slightly at George's gag. Even after nearly six years he couldn't resist making ear jokes now and again.

"We all know that, boys, but there's little we can do," Mrs. Weasley told them.

"And what can we do, Mr. Weasley?" Hermione asked. It was the first time she had spoken since the topic had been introduced, and for the first time everyone realized that she, above all of them, had the most to lose. Fred, George, and Charlie could easily find muggleborn witches that were to their liking, but nearly all of the pureblood wizards were highly prejudiced against muggleborns, making Hermione's situation a precarious one.

"Well, the Wizengamot was insightful enough to realize that their law would anger quite a few wizards, so in addition to the marriage they ruled that no British pureblood or muggleborn witches or wizards are permitted to leave the country for any reason."

"So that ends any plans for escape," Bill stated.

Mr. Weasley nodded. "Unfortunately that leaves those affected with little to no choice but to comply to the law. Half-bloods will be considered for purebloods, but only in extreme circumstances. The Wizengamot has stressed that purebloods must, at any cost, marry muggleborns."

"And how am I to choose a prospective h-husband?" Hermione asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Percy shrugged. "Apparently there's a list of 'suitable partners' being sent to all parties concerned."

"So you're basically saying that we," George said, gesturing at himself, Fred, Charlie,

and Hermione, "are screwed."

"To put it simply, yes," his father answered.

"Merlin's saggy left ball," Fred said at random.

"Indeed," replied Hermione.

*******

notes: Seraphin is a French name meaning "fiery one."