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The Brewmaster's Mystery
By Mutt N Feathers

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Category: Post-Hogwarts
Characters:Harry/Ginny
Genres: Drama
Warnings: Sexual Situations
Story is Complete
Rating: R
Reviews: 150
Summary: MMB is growing, Charlie and Seph are about to be parents and Harry and Ginny will be wed in mere months; life appears to be perfect. But when unexplained failures begin occurring around the brewery, Harry can't help but wonder if something is afoot.
Hitcount: Story Total: 88151; Chapter Total: 2626





Author's Notes:
Hi all. To thank all of you for your well wishes, I've written an extra-long chapter. The title song is by Anna Gilbert. I enjoy all your reviews, please keep them coming. Thanks to my beta's, Arnel and Stephanie. They keep my writing in line. MNF




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Chapter 7:
I Don’t Want a Lot


December 24, 1999
Seph POV:


“W-w-what?” I stammered over my one word question of my husband.

“We’re all staying overnight,” he calmly explained.

“I knew we were all having supper tonight, and then going into the village to worship together, but we’re all going to stay overnight too? I thought it was just going to be the three of us and Harry and Ginny. I mean, even George has moved back in over the shop.”

Charlie took the nightgown out of my hands and put it into our overnight case and then pulled me onto the bed with him. I curled up next to him, wondering if I could just lie here with him and forget everything going on in my life. Christmas morning wasn’t that important, was it?

“Sweetheart, Mum really wants everyone around her this year. Last year she tried, but she was missing Fred - as we all were - too much to really enjoy herself. This year, she has two new grandchildren to mollycoddle, one of whom is going to be a bundle of energy tomorrow morning. My brothers and sister can’t wait to spoil Connor as well; so everyone is staying,” he explained.

“Where is she putting us all?”

“Okay, this is the plan, as of yesterday afternoon. Bill, Fleur and Victoire will stay in his room. Since my room is too small for all of us, Connor is going to stay in it, and we’re getting the guest room on the third floor. Percy is bunking in with George so Audrey can have his room. Ron and Harry are up in the attic. Dad and Bill put up a partition so the ghoul has his own space and the boys get to have theirs. Ginny and Hermione are in her room and the Grangers are in the Master bedroom. Mum and Dad are sleeping in Ron’s room.”

“No cohabitation under her roof, hmm? I don’t know how the unmarried couples are going to feel about that,” I joked. I somehow doubted any of them would stand up to Molly questioning their usual sleeping arrangements like I had last spring. With age comes the ability to stand up for oneself.

“Mum will set it up so no one is sleeping with their boyfriend or girlfriend, however I fully expect Percy to slip back into his bedroom to sleep with his fiancée. Ron and Harry, however, are going to have a harder time with that switch, since one guy and one girl will have to go from the attic to the first floor and vice versa. The guys’ beds are right over Mum and she can hear everything which happens on the stairs. They’re going to need to be very creative, or quietly Disapparate,” he joked. “If it were me, I’d pre-arrange a time to meet at the loo and then switch things.”

“Well, I think Harry will find a way to be with Ginny. It’s rather silly, actually, since Harry and Ginny are to be married in February and Percy and Audrey in June. The only ones not planning a wedding are Hermione and Ron.”

“I can’t even imagine Ronnie being able to pop the question,” he said while sniggering. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Hermione proposes to him.” I playfully punched his stomach.

“You know, I don’t think you boys give your little brother enough credit. He isn’t Harry’s best mate for nothing and he wasn’t baggage while on the Horcrux hunt. Ron is not the wanker the rest of you have him pegged to be.” I knew what it felt like to be the youngest. Even though Ginny was younger, she was a girl and adored by her family for being such. Ron was the youngest in a line of very driven and successful boys. It’s a very difficult place to be in. “I know what it feels like for him. You’re constantly competing against people who are older and more established.”

Charlie was quiet for a moment in what I was sure was contemplation. “Have you heard from them all?” he quietly enquired. The ‘them’ were my sisters. Having seen them at my wedding, I decided to offer an olive branch and hope we could repair some of the damage I’d done when I’d hidden rather than marry a Death Eater.

“I have, and they’re all coming; husbands and children included, on Boxing Day. Thank Merlin your Mum and Dad and Harry and Ginny agreed to be here as well. The presence of ‘outsiders’,” I made quotation marks with my one free hand while saying the word, “might make my sisters more congenial.”

Charlie pulled me tighter to him, and I laid my head on his chest. One arm went across his body and was lying above his heart, the other arm was trapped around the back of Charlie’s neck and was stroking the short hairs above his ear. He leaned down and began to kiss me, his tongue sweeping along my lower lip and then tangling with my tongue. He knew exactly how to ease my tension over the impending holiday gathering with my family. I felt his hand slip beneath my blouse and head toward my now ample breast and was more than willing to let him continue. I loved how the hormones were making my libido go crazy. We had plenty of time for an afternoon interlude.

Then the bedroom door opened.

Little footsteps accompanied by a dragging noise made us stop what we were doing. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. Now we’d have to figure out how to either have sex at the Burrow later, or Disapparate out of the guest bedroom to the Welsh house.

Charlie started laughing, so I looked over to see Connor dragging a sack full of stuffed animals. “Connor, honey, what are you planning to do with all of those?”

“Dis is my sack for Grammy and Pop Pop’s,” he explained. “I can’t sleep without dem.”

“I see. Did you put the clothes I set out on your bed in there as well?” My plan wasn’t for him to pack them, I simply wanted them out so he could bring them in for the family case I was packing.

“Yup. Dey under my friends,” he announced and all I could think about was how wrinkled his little robes were getting. The church we were going to was all magical folk, so Connor could wear the small robes which were once Charlie’s. Molly had found them and given them to Connor. Charlie had worn them for a wedding he was part of when he was three.

“I think we need to repack that sack then, okay? Maybe we can cut it down to only two friends?” I asked and Connor’s bottom lip stuck out and started to tremble.

“I can’t take just two,” he explained. “I got my big black Padfoot; and I got de dragon Daddy-Charlie gived me; and I have lion in de sweater Harry gived me. I don’t need the rest but I need dese.”

“Okay, sweetheart, you don’t need to cry,” I told him as I rolled over with great effort and held my arms open to him. He and Charlie had both laughed at my ungraceful movements. Connor crawled onto the bed next to me and I hugged him as best as I could. “How about just those three, okay?” He very reluctantly nodded.

“Remember, I’ve got lots of cool stuff in my old room, and you’re staying there,” Charlie reminded.

“Dat’s true,” Connor said while scrunching his face together in thought. “Can I wear your Qui’tch jersey to sleep in again?”

“Definitely.”

“Okay den, dree it is.” Crisis averted, I pulled the stuffed animal laden sack on the bed and dug for his clothing. I pulled out the dress robes, his pyjamas, dressing coat and slippers and his clothes for Christmas Day. There was something missing.

“Connor, where are your clean pants?”

“I wearing some. Why do I need more?”

“Because we’re staying overnight. You’ll take a bath tomorrow, and you’ll need to put a clean pair on,” I explained. I didn’t do the laundry, Beaghy had been doing it for the last month or so, since my belly got to the point I couldn’t bend.

“I’s supposed to do dat every day?” he innocently asked.

“Yes, Connor, clean pants everyday,” I said firmly, marvelling at some of the odd things you say as a parent. “Got it? I know I’m putting them out for you when Charlie gives you your bath.”

“If de old ones are still good, I put the others back in de drawer.”

“Don’t do that any more, okay?” Charlie asked him, as I was struggling not to laugh at the situation.

“Okay, Daddy-Charlie. When we leave for Grandmummy and Pop Pop’s house?”

“Soon, Connor. Very soon,” I replied as I started folding his clothes correctly. “Go get your clean pants and once they’re in the case, we can leave.”

***

Molly had put out a magnificent feast before we’d all gone to church together. The little chapel was an entire Wizarding congregation, since there were so many magical folk in Ottery St. Catchpole. Muggles could see the church, but the building was charmed so they never felt the urge to investigate further. Connor sat between Charlie and me, and asked quite a few questions about the service, the building, the minister, what other people were wearing, the music and so on. He was exceptionally interested in why I was wearing robes, seeing how I loathed them. The last time I had worn them, when Harry had to deal with the mess at the Ministry, was in the spring. His questions went on for the majority of the service, only stopping when he knew some of the words or the tune to a hymn.

On the way out Charlie and I felt the need to apologise to the minister as our son wasn’t always quiet in his queries. Thankfully the woman was understanding, having had five children of her own in her youth. They were now all grown and celebrating away from home this year. Seeing the extended Weasley clan had lifted her sadness somewhat. When Molly heard her story, she immediately invited the woman to spend Christmas afternoon and dinner with us. It was an interesting move on her part, as we weren’t dining at the Burrow, but at Harry and Ginny’s house.

Couple by couple, we Disapparated back to the Weasleys. While Fleur set about getting Victoire down in private, the rest of the adults and Connor remained in the lounge sharing stories of Christmases past. We allowed Connor to stay up for a while, and then went through the process of leaving a treat for Father Christmas. Connor then wanted to say goodnight to everyone before we could finally get him upstairs and into his daddy’s old bedroom. It took Charlie quite a while to get Connor settled down, he was very anxious for morning to come. I had fallen asleep waiting for my husband to return to our bed. Unfortunately my late evening nap assured that Bumpy and I would awaken in the middle of the night.

Not wanting to awaken my husband, I slipped downstairs, not trusting myself to Disapparate any distance anymore. Harry had brought me home from church as Charlie had taken Connor. I was happy I only had a month remaining, pregnancy was definitely annoying me now. I was surprised to find Fleur sitting in Arthur’s recliner chair, feeding little Victoire.

“I have made some tea, if you would like a cup,” she told me quietly and I nodded and went to the kitchen to get myself a cup as well as the pot. I took mine black, but she liked hers sweet, so I also grabbed the sugar pot. I warmed hers and scooped a small bit of sugar in, and then sat down before filling my own mug.

“This is probably the quietest the Burrow will be all day,” I commented and she delicately laughed.

“Zis is true,” she replied; “alzough, you must be used to it, with all zose sisters.”

“It’s been a very long time since I had a holiday with them,” I replied. I wondered if she could see my concern over their impending visit; now only a day away.

“Why?”

“My eldest sister, Paderau, married into the Lancaster family when I was only five and was required to spend many of her holidays fulfilling her duties as Lady Lancaster. Permelia married when I was ten, and she’s now the Wizarding world’s Princess of Bavaria. Paget died in seventy-nine and Petronella in eighty-seven; although it didn’t matter, I didn’t spend Christmas at home my seventh year, and then I effectively disappeared. The last Christmas I had with my Mum and Dad was my sixth year, and it was only the three of us with Dora and Archie. The families we married into were more important than our birth family it would seem,” I quietly explained. I often missed my sisters, especially since I’d seen how Charlie interacted with his siblings. The fact remained, however, that I never really had what the Weasleys have.

“I find ze holidays here very...loud,” Fleur explained. “But, zere is never a lack of love. I know I am not well liked by everyone, but zey still consider me part of the family. Zey love Bill and my little angel more, zough.” She sounded so sad as she said this.

“Fleur, it’s not that they don’t like you,” I countered. “I think it’s more that they don’t know how to talk to you. The Weasleys are a boisterous family, constantly playing tricks and jokes on one another to show that they care. I don’t think they know how you’ll react. Sometimes, I think it’s harder for them to include you or even know how to approach you.”

“Do you really zink zat?”

“I do. Honestly, if I were you, I’d play a joke on all of them. If you want to be accepted, you’ve got to show them you’re willing to act like they do.”

“I don’t know any jokes or tricks,” she rather wearily stated.

“Well, if you don’t mind a partner in crime, I think I can help you there. Connor’s birth daddy was known as one of the foremost pranksters who ever graced the halls of Hogwarts. I can’t remember, did you ever meet Sirius?” She shook her head no. “He was a force of nature, barrelling through his life, and often taking out unsuspecting bystanders. I have the perfect prank for brunch tomorrow morning. I remember the incantations as well, since I’m the one who helped them the first time.”

“Zis zounds like fun,” she excitedly commented as she shifted Victoire to the other side to continue to nurse. I explained the prank, and before we both went upstairs, she did the charming, as I didn’t trust myself to do magic. As I snuggled back into the warm bed with Charlie, I couldn’t help but think this might turn out to be the best Christmas ever.

***

Connor woke Charlie and me up before five. We coaxed him into bed with us, and we probably would have gotten another hour had Ron and Harry not come running down from the attic, banging on every door save the Granger’s. The minute Connor heard Harry, he was off like a flash. Thankfully the two morning heralds were already in the lounge when Connor burst in. They kept him from opening every present, even if they weren’t his.

Connor was given so many gifts, I wondered where we’d put them. Stuffed animals which had been charmed to tell stories. Puzzles and games enough to stock a classroom. Gear to play Muggle football, Shuntbumps and Quidditch, including his own miniature version of the Firebolt 3; an exact copy of Harry’s new broom. An entire wardrobe of clothes and a small mountain of books. Unfortunately, George took it upon himself to give my son a variety of wares from his shop as well as enough sugary treats to make Connor need to see a dentist. Thankfully, the Grangers gave him a singing toothbrush. It played music to indicate how long he should brush. It was the only practical item in the lot. He opened all of his things first, and then moved to the corner to listen to the self-reading book about Quidditch teams Ron and Hermione had picked out for him, allowing the adults to do some exchanging of gifts before brunch.

I was prepared for my husband’s family to shower gifts on my son, but I was wholly unprepared for their generosity towards me. Bill and Fleur had gotten Charlie and me a lovely Veela-made tapestry of an iris overlaid on a fleur-de-lis. Fleur explained she had donated strands of her hair to be woven into it, giving the banner magical properties. This one was created to promote happiness and harmony in our home.

George had purchased an enchanted pashmina which would keep me dry even in the most torrential of rainstorms. Percy and Audrey gave me a trip to the Wizarding spa in Bath. Charlie had already promised to take me on holiday there after the baby was born. The Grangers brought gifts for everyone too, including a lovely broach of a Christmas angel for me. The four youngest went all out and had procured the pram I’d had my eye on for the new baby.

“You shouldn’t have spent so much,” I chastised. I knew exactly how much it cost, which is why I didn’t buy it myself.

“Seph, that’s my little Bumpy in there,” Harry gently rebuked. “It’s going to be treated like royalty if I have any say.” I wanted to ask them to return it, claiming it was too much, but I could tell they really wanted to do this by the looks in their eyes. I fought back tears and thanked them.

I had been forewarned about the Weasley sweater tradition, and wasn’t surprised when I opened the bag to find a very large jumper with a big S knitted into the front. At least the colours weren’t bad as it was a sort of mossy green background and a yellow letter.

“After you’ve delivered the baby, I’ll resize it for you,” Molly announced and I nodded. Charlie’s colours were the same as mine while Connor’s jumper was reversed. There was even an itsy-bitsy yellow onesie at the bottom of the sack with the last name Weasley crocheted across it. Following my husband’s lead, I put on my jumper, just like everyone else. Personally, I thought we looked like some bizarre version of the Partridge family or the Brady bunch from the Muggle television of my childhood.

Charlie and I weren’t sure what to expect when Molly levitated a large box toward us, a similar one being laid upon Bill’s lap as well. “We think it’s time you each have your own,” she announced. Together Charlie and Bill lifted the lids off their respective boxes and unveiled family clocks, like the one Molly watched so carefully all through the last war.

“Boys, those are your original spoons from on my clock,” she explained. “Your father and I have decided we need something larger since the family is growing so quickly now. I hope these bring as much comfort to all of you as mine does for me.” Tears fell as I looked over Charlie’s spoon, his hair longer and his face much scruffier than it is now. I figured the picture must have been taken a little over a year ago, before we began seeing each other. He’s been much more clean shaven with me around.

My picture was apparently taken at The Stag, Dragon and Flaming Crown as I’m behind the bar, happily laughing at something. Connor’s looked as if it was taken in their garden. There was even a spoon which simply said Bumpy. I assumed the picture would be added after birth. Harry even had a spot on my clock, which made me smile. There was plenty of room to add more as our family grew.

Charlie stood and kissed and hugged his mother and then his father. “This means so much,” he told them. “I can only hope my family is as happy as ours has always been.” Molly dissolved into tears, and she couldn’t even vocalise a response as Bill and Fleur thanked them.

Fleur and I sat down next to each other for brunch, not really looking at one another, but waiting for our prank to being. Fortuitously, George proposed a toast before we began eating, and everyone lifted their glass of pumpkin juice. I was still abstaining from the beverage, as the smell made my stomach roll. Fleur raised her glass to her lips, but glancing sideways, I could see she didn’t drink any.

A moment later the chaos began. Everyone started to belch, some of the guys rather loud about it. When anyone burped, red and green bubbles floated from their mouths. When the bubbles ran into each other or hit any other surface, they broke, spilling enchanted snow from inside. Seeing the results of drinking juice, the young guys and Ginny took to swallowing large gulps to see who could produce the largest belch and in turn, the largest bubble. Everyone was laughing.

“George, why on earth did you enchant the juice?” Molly playfully scolded him.

“I would love to take credit for this, but it’s not mine,” he responded.

“Don’t lie to me, young man,” Molly countered.

“I swear, Mum,” he said holding his hands up. “It wasn’t me.”

“Ron, Harry, did you do this?” Arthur asked, a bubble escaping as he spoke.

“No way,” Ron answered. “Mum got too angry at the last prank I played.”

“Well, yes, you ruined a perfectly good chair with that one,” Molly reminded him and Ron blushed.

“Sorry, Molly, but I didn’t have anything to do with it,” Harry added, his sentence punctuated with a huge burp.

“Me either,” Connor piped up, making everyone laugh harder and producing even more bubbles. Mr and Mrs Granger were even enjoying themselves now, after initially being embarrassed. I was having a hard time not laughing. Fleur was hiding her face behind her tea cup.

“Before you ask, it wasn’t me,” Ginny interjected. “But, I need to know how to do it. It would be great to spike the pitcher of beer at a party for the team.”

“If it wasn’t George, Ron, Harry, Ginny or Connor,” Arthur surmised, “then who was it?”

“I wasn’t ever much of a prankster,” Bill said. “Charlie, here though, was known as quite the hooligan in his day.”

“Hooligan? Really? Been talking with Auntie Muriel too much lately,” Charlie teased back and it was nearly killing me to keep silent. I had the insides of my cheeks wedged between my teeth to keep from smiling too widely and giving myself away.

“Hmm, he’s deflecting my question,” Bill taunted. “It must have been Char--.”

“I swear it wasn’t me,” Charlie jumped on his brother’s playful accusation. Everyone’s eyes began looking around the table, many landing on poor Hermione.

“Really? You think I’d do this?” she asked before discretely burping, the bubble sliding past her raised hand.

“Who was it?” Molly beleagueredly asked. Fleur and I looked at each other and then raised our hands, laughing as we did.

“Gotcha!” I happily announced and everyone was stunned into silence for a moment before they began laughing and clapping.

“How did you?” Charlie asked.

“When did you?” Molly asked.

“You, really?” Bill asked.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” I said with a flourish. “Fleur and I decided, as the newcomers to the family, we needed to thank you all for the warm welcome we’ve received and prove we are truly Weasleys at heart. So, thank you and Happy Christmas.”

“I can’t believe you were part of a prank,” Bill said to his wife before kissing her temple.

“I am not as breakable as everyone zinks,” she answered. “Nor am I as serious.”

“Did you do the charming work?” Charlie asked me. I shook my head.

“Oh Merlin, no. I probably would have blown the entire kitchen up. I knew the spell from when the guys had done it at school. Fleur did the spell work.” A raucous round of applause was bestowed upon us and Fleur and I tipped our heads to accept their praise.

“You have to tell me how to do this,” George pleaded. “It’s bound to be a best seller.”
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