Chapter 556 - Fernburgh

While hurrying through the hall towards the lift, Arthur Weasley becomes lost in thought. Ever since the start of the new year, his entire life had changed. He had been promoted with a large wage increase that had left him and Molly with their mouths wide open.

And no longer worried so much about pinching every single knut, he had been able to treat their sons and his wife to a much better life. Mollywobbles could now afford some nice things for herself within budget and would even have hair styled at the hair salon once per month. It was a luxury that they had been unable to afford before.

But that was only the first of many shocks he had received for early in the summer, Arthur and his two brothers had been formally accepted back into the Black family. His cousin, Walburga had returned their mother's dowry to the three of them to be evenly split between them. It was something that he still could not quite wrap his mind about nor mush less believe that he was now officially considered to a part of the Black Family.

After the initial shock of suddenly finding themselves in possession of a small fortune, Arthur and his Mollywobbles set aside most of the money in a separate vault for the future education of their children, and a dowry for their daughter should they ever have one. And which they would as Molly wanted to keep trying until a daughter was finally born to them. Still, they had decided to sell the rickety house which they had first bought as newlyweds and purchased a much larger home near a small wizarding community on the outskirts of a muggle village called Fernburgh.

A loud voice in the lift startles Arthur out of his recollection by saying, "Why hello there Weasley!"

Arthur blinks and glances around to spot a rather short, excitable wizard wearing a purple hat. "Why hello there, Diggle," Arthur replied with an equally warm expression.

Dedalus Diggle, a wizard, and member of the A.P.D. says, "And how are things on your end of the world, Arthur?"

"Busy as usual," Arthur happily replied. "But nothing to dramatic."

"I see," Diggle cryptically said, before adding an innocent grin.

The elevator door opens and Diggle waves goodbye, before rushing off to another floor. Arthur finishes adjusting his clothing but soon is lost in his thoughts again.

He cannot help but think about how lucky he was to work with such a great team of people. He truly regretted that in the past, he had not thought to consult or ask to hire a squib consultant. But at least now with new ministry laws in place, there would not be any trouble hiring more squibs and muquibs in the future. They truly were an untapped treasure trove.

Why even Molly's second cousin, Geoffrey Prewett was now employed by Gringotts as part of the new Gringotts Incorporated initiative allowing the parents of muggles to safely invest with them and those from the wizarding world interested in investing in the muggle world. Not only was Molly's father rather proud of his nephew but had since then been made the initiative to foster closer family ties with the only son of his dearly departed brother and wife.

With a loud ding, the lift arrives at the main lobby of the Ministry of Magic as Arthur makes his way out of the lift, while other Ministry officials make their way into the elevator. With a practiced maneuver of swimming through the press of witches and wizards, he manages to make his way out to an apparating point, before apparating to the outskirts of Fernburgh.

The sound of the local village in the nearby distance can be heard accompanied by the shouts of children playing on the streets, and small yards. It was a rather peaceful village with perfectly charming neighbors both wizards and muggles. But even more importantly, there was a daily A.P.D. patrol performed by their local A.P.D. assigned officers, a young man by the name of Timothy, and one of the famous four, Smythe.

It was quite the honor, and Arthur happily liked to pick the two wizard's brains until Molly forced him to allow them to leave. Still, he did not get to as often as he would have liked. With work and all he tended to miss them on their weekday patrols, but he always caught them on the weekend.

With a happy hum, Arthur passed their nearest neighbor on the way home that had most lovely rose bushes. He rather friendly greets Mrs. Chittock out in the yard tending to her prized rose bushes. Mrs. Chittock returns the friendly greeting, before carefully returning to pruning her prized rose bushes one by one.

Mr. and Mrs. Chittock had a daughter that had just turned eleven during the summer and would be attending Hogwarts along with another local boy, Lorcan D'Eath, the son of a widow, who lived half a mile away from them. Although the same could not be said about the widow, Juliet D'Eath. Mrs. D'Eath tended to be rather curt and tended to shoo them away. Not that Mollywobbles had yet to give up on charming their brusque neighbor by dropping off pies, and other baked goods.

However, Mrs. D'Eath's son was a completely different story. A rather bright child, despite being rather terribly pale. The boy and Mrs. Chittock's daughter are the best of mates and could easily be seen playing together in the village, and in the fields. Surprisingly, Bill, his very own son had taken quite the liking to the two eleven-year old's. And even more startling fact is that the two old children did not mind the four-year-old tagging along with them. They rather took good care of Bill and were quite patient with him. It could very well be attributed to the fact that the two older children were the only children in their own respective families.

In fact, speaking of the devil, Arthur blinks twice to see Bill running towards him from out of the fields. Following right after him are the figures of Glenda Chittock and Lorcan D'Eath. "Hello, Mr. Weasley," the two children said in chorus.

Arthur is unable to reply right away as he had bent down to pick up his son and had tossed him into the air, before catching.in his arms. His four-year-old son gaily laughed carefully inspected his son. There were not too many grass stains and only one or two leaves caught in his son's hair.

Brushing the leaves out of his son's hair, Arthur turns to the children and says, "Why hello, Glenda and Lorcan. Thank you so much for playing with Bill and keeping him safe."

"It's no problem at all," Glenda proudly said as she puffed out her nonexistent chest.

"Well, I greatly appreciate it," Arthur said again. "Well, I best be going dinner's going to be soon enough. The two of you better run along back to your mother's now, they are no doubt expecting you."

"Yes, Mr. Weasley," both children chimed with reluctant sighs before parting and promising to play again tomorrow.

Arthur Weasley slows down allowing the young boy to catch up to him and walk at his side. From his arms, Bill peeks down at Lorcan and flashes him a great big grin. Lorcan easily smiles back at the much younger boy, and even makes a funny face causing Bill to giggle and bury his face into his father's robes.

Lorcan quickly averts his eyes feeling a trace of envy creep into his gaze. He had never known his father, and his mother did not have many photos of him except for their wedding picture. And he would never know either, because of the vampiric nature within him that allowed him to simply know that his sire was dead. It was a terrible knowledge to be born with and one that he did not understand until he grew much older.

Seeing the rather solemn expression on his face, Arthur says, "Why don't you and your mother join us for dinner, Lorcan? I know that Molly would love to have you both?"

Lorcan firmly shakes his head and says, "Bill said that your family was coming over for dinner, Mr. Weasley. It would be rather rude for us to come, maybe, another time."

"Of course," Arthur said as he came to a halt in front of a small gate connected to the hedge that formed the yard. "Well, until tomorrow, Lorcan."

"Bye Mr. Weasley," Lorcan said, before adding with a grin. "Bye Bill."

Bill waves back and loudly replied, "Bye Lorcan."

With one last wave goodbye, the boy hurries down the road to the farmhouse up ahead in the nearby distance. Even from where he is standing, Arthur can see the dim figure of Mrs. Lorcan standing in her yard for her son. Nodding in the direction of the widow first despite knowing she cannot see his gesture; Arthur opens the gate with one hand.

Setting his son back on the ground yard, Arthur solemnly whispers, "Let's not tell your mother about the grass stains," as his son cleverly nods his head back.

With a wave of his wand, Arthur vanishes the grass stains away as best as he can and casts a cleaning charm on his four-year-old. He could not very well let Mollywobbles catch Bill like this. She would have his head after their guests left for presenting their son in such a terrible manner in front of their guests. And worst of all, then he would be banished to the couch. And even if it was that much more comfortable than the old one, cushioning charms only did so much. It was the most terrible of fates that awaited a married man.