Harry's Birthday Party
Frankie Longbottom loved family events.
Well, when those events involved the Weasley’s that is. Nothing made her happier than being surrounded by twelve “cousins” that weren’t really cousins. She knew she wasn’t blood related to them, but they were a lot better than what she actually had.
On her dad’s side, she had two grandparents who don't know who they are as a result of being crucioed by the infamous Bellatrix Lestrange, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, and Barty Crouch Jr for so long that they lost their minds and have a permanent residence in St. Mungo’s hospital. Then, there was her dad’s grandmother that died two years ago when Frankie was thirteen.
On her mother’s side, the parents of Hannah Abbott are raging homophobes and transphobes and they had to cut contact when the eldest of the Longbottom kids, Jeremy, came out as trans and pansexual. They tried to send him to conversion therapy the Christmas after he transitioned and Neville refused to let his children near them ever again.
And since then, they have spent every holiday, every birthday, every happy moment with the family who welcomed the Longbottoms with open arms.
The Weasley’s.
Since Frankie was born, she's always been around the Weasley’s as the great Harry Potter saw Neville as his brother. You wouldn’t believe it if you saw the two, but Potter hated how the family had no one, and what’s three more kids to twelve little kids.
So here she was, at the Potter’s obnoxiously large home, surrounded by all of her favorite people, celebrating Harry Potter’s birthday and their last day of summer holiday.
“To Uncle Harry!” Fred called out, raising a glass from the kitchen doorway. All the rest of them echoed it in unison, except for his three kids who all said ‘Dad.’
James— Harry’s first born and the same age as Frankie— strutted over to the living area and sat next to Victoire, who was sitting next to Frankie, who was at the end of the couch, laughing at something her little brother was doing. “So,” James started, stretching out the word, “who’s excited to start fifth year tomorrow?” He asked, a classic ‘ Potter grin ’ plastered on his face.
A sarcastic laugh was heard from the staircase. They all look to see Teddy standing up from the steps, secretly putting out a cigarette on an ashtray sitting on a random side table. Only Frankie seemed to notice, though. “Losers. Still in school,” he scoffed quietly to himself, almost as if it’s an inside joke with only himself. Victoire rolled her eyes and grabbed a book off the coffee table in front of them.
Teddy just graduated Hogwarts and is currently interning at the Ministry under the Obliviation Headquarters, something he was always gifted at. His hair was his usual turquoise, even though he had been changing it for work to a more natural look. Victoire and Teddy don’t like each other. When they were kids, he played a prank on her that turned her hair from pure, perfect blonde, to a very dark brunette. He told her eventually, it would wear off.
It’s been seven years. Her hair is very light brown.
“Oh, and I suppose you’re doing something better with your time?” Molly Anne asked, accusingly. In simple words, Molly Anne is a bitch. She specifically goes by Molly Anne, her first and middle name, and believes it’s disrespectful for one to do anything else.
People like Frankie and Teddy make her quite mad. Teddy smirks at her question and leans over to make eye contact with her. “I am, Molly. I’m working a job I’m good at while you lot are still in school. Specifically you, for a significantly longer time than the others.”
“Not Hugo, Matthew, and Louis,” she says, practically spitting in his face. Teddy shoots back from instinct and Victoire laughs.
“Shut up, Vic,” Teddy tells her, wiping his eyes.
“Nah, I’m good.”
Tensions were rising, in what way, Frankie was unsure, but she didn’t want to be around to find out. She stood up quickly, resulting in Victoire falling on her side due to her leaning her whole body weight on Frankie. “Who wants a drink?”
Victoire, Jillian, Louis, James, and Lucy’s hands go up. Frankie makes sure to ask who wants what then makes her way to the kitchen. She grabbed a tray and then six glasses.
“Need some help?” She heard from behind her. She turns to see Jame trying to lean on the fridge but looks like he’s about to fall over.
“No, Jamsie, I’m okay. Go sit back down,” she tells him, shooing him away. He didn’t listen and handed her the fruit punch jug from the fridge. Frankie had no choice but to take it and poured Louis and Lucy’s drinks.
“What’s next? Some soda? Oh or butterbeers? Virgin ones, of course.”
“No butterbeers, your mum would have my head. Just grab the Fanta and Sprite, those are the safest options.”
He set them down in front of her, trying to remember who likes what. James adores Fanta, so she pours one. Victoire hates it, so she pours a sprite. Jillian doesn’t like soda at all, so she fills a glass up with water. Finally, she gives herself a sprite because there’s little Fanta left, and she knows that Lily or James will probably want some later.
Frankie safely delivers everyone’s drinks, not even realizing her father was sitting in the spot that she had been before.
“Dad! What are you doing here?” Jeremy asked from a chair sitting next to the TV. The Potters have television, and working phones, like the rest of them do in today’s world. They hardly ever use their phones and the TV is only ever on Wizarding channels (since those are a thing now).
“Just came back from a visit to dear old Mum and Dad, I got a few gumwrappers for each of you,” he tells his kids. Matthew and Frankie immediately rush to take them, Jeremy says he’ll grab them later. “Where are the parents?”
“Mummy and Daddy are out back with Ron and Hermione,” Lily tells Neville, distracted by a game of wizards chess with Hugo. It truly shocked Frankie how they both could understand that game in second year, when she’s about to start fifth and barely knows which pieces are which.
Neville nods and makes his way to the back porch with the other adults.
“Anyways, what’s been going on with all of you?” Louis asks the rest of us.
Lucy shoots up from laying on a separate couch. “Oh! Yesterday, Mum and Dad were yelling at me because I accidentally threw a book at one of Mum’s vases. Molly Anne decided that she’s gonna be a prick and go read in my bloody room ! So I had to sit in the living room and just sit . Dad also tried to hit our dog because he “got in the way,” which spoiler alert: animal abuse,” she said ‘animal abuse’ in a little sing-song voice, “Oh yeah! And Molly Anne stepped on a toad because it was “gross and ugly.” Anyways, what’s up with you?”
No one spoke. They were all stunned by Lucy’s openness. Percy and his wife were shit to Lucy, but Molly Anne was worse.
“I’m sorry, wait, did you just say Molly stepped on a toad?! They’re living beings with souls!” Neville pleaded with the girl who scowled at him.
“Oh go cry to your mother, Neville. Oh wait, you can’t. Sucks,” Molly Anne said with the most deadpan expression.
“Molly!” Frankie and Victoire scolded at the same time. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”
“Franks, watch your mouth,” Neville told her.
“Dad she just–”
“My name is Molly Anne, you dimwit little fuck. Only disrespectful and reckless cry babies like yourselves go by one name,” Molly shouted at Frankie.
“Get some fucking therapy, Molly Anne,” Victoire told her, laughing with James.
“Yeah, you’re also like, twelve, so stop swearing,” Teddy demanded, leaving to the porch with all the adults. Jeremy scoffed while he watched Teddy walk away.
Victoire gave him a questioning look. “What’s wrong with you, Jeremy?”
He glared at Victoire, then scoffed and went upstairs, which left everyone even more confused.
“What’s stuck up his panties?” Albus asked, walking into the living room, drinking milk from a straw.
“Albus,” James scolded, shaking his head slightly.
“I’m gonna go check on him,” Frankie tells the group, getting up and making her way upstairs.
—
Victoire Weasley hated family events.
They always ended with an argument, and most of the time, an argument between her and Teddy Lupin.
Along with her family just being blatant assholes to her and only her. She was the eldest girl in the family and first technical Weasley grandchild. Because of that, her grandmother, Molly, puts more pressure on her than any other to be perfect and successful.
Due to this, her sister, Dominique, resents her. Dominique is the second born in the family, but all the attention goes to her sister. Victoire didn’t ask for this of course, yet she’s the one paying the price.
Molly has put Victoire to a standard that no one will ever be able to achieve, even her, but everyone seems to think that she revels in it. Well, everyone except Frankie.
When the Longbottoms started showing up around family things, Victoire didn’t like it. She felt like the family was trying to stuff their noses somewhere they didn’t belong, but as they got older, she realized the family truly had no one else to go to. Neville and Hannah had money, a good amount of it, and that was never the problem, nor did Neville ever care about that. They wanted a family to love and take care of them when they needed it. Harry offered them that.
The day Teddy cursed her (and her beautiful hair), it was Christmas 2009, Teddy and Fred had been plotting for hours what their best prank would be that year. The year before, they decided to raid all of Albus’ clothes with Rose’s perfume to freak Ginny out. It worked, she thought he had been kidnapped or something, which wasn’t exactly what the boys were looking for, but it was alright.
That was the night Albus told everyone he was gay.
But that year, oh they wanted something big . So, Fred had asked his sister Jillian what they could do to get everyone freaked out.
Victoire, at the time, was unaware of all of this. She had actually hit it off quite well with the only Longbottom daughter, Frankie. They had talked about books they enjoyed, candle scents, favorite Christmas meals, but most importantly, gossiping. Gossiping was—and still is—their favorite Christmas passtime.
So, as Victoire and Frankie sat on the stairs in The Borrow, going on and on about attractive famous Quidditch players, Teddy and Fred were sat in George’s old room, perfecting a spell to change someone’s hair color.
They hadn’t picked a target yet, but were leaning towards Rose or Dominique. Both because they were always upset during family gatherings, the boys wanted to lighten their moods. Victoire still doesn’t understand how they ever thought that would make their moods better.
When it came time for dinner, everyone was gathered around the long table that went nearly wall to wall and Teddy had his wand ready to go under the table. Thirty minutes into the meal, Frankie and Victoire were still going on about attractive men, but now it had branched into fictional territory, everyone too scared to interrupt their very “important” conversation. Rose was sitting next to Frankie, and was politely talking to Ginny. Teddy gave Fred a look as if deciding through telepathy that Rose was the target.
Teddy muttered the incantation under his breath and waved his wand, but as he and Fred watched Rose intently, they heard a scream from the far end of the table.
Everyone turned to see it was Molly who had screamed. She was staring in horror at Victoire. “Your hair, my beautiful Victoire, your hair!” She cried out. Victoire held a chuck of her hair up to see what the problem was.
Teddy’s spell did, in fact, not hit Rose, but instead hit Victoire. Her beautiful, naturally blonde hair was now as dark as chocolate.
Now, seven years later, Victoire’s hair is a very light brown, and she is still very angry.
She refuses to talk to Teddy at all unless it's a rude comment or sarcastic remark. Most of the time, during family events, she stayed with Frankie, but she was currently upstairs, checking to see if her big brother was okay. And Victoire has been left alone with everyone else.
“I don’t get it, what did I say?” Is the comment that snaps Victoire back into reality.
“It’s just… don’t say that, Albus. At least not to Jere,” James tells his little brother, trying to be as simple about it as he can.
“Does Jeremy know you call him ‘ Jere ’?” Matthew asks James.
“No, and please keep it that way, Little Matty,” James replies, smiling at the boy. James likes giving people nicknames. He has one for every person at this party. Most of them, he only uses to annoy others around him (Victoire’s is ‘Blondie’), but Matthew really likes being called Little Matty, even asked his parents to call him it last time he was over.
It wasn’t long before Frankie returned, looking a little bummed out. “Everything okay, Franks?” Matthew asks her.
“I’m fine, Matty,” she told him, before giving Victoire a knowing look that basically meant “let’s get the fuck out.”
They left to the backyard, where there was a treehouse that Frankie and Victoire practically claimed as their own the moment the Potters moved here. They walked past all the adults (and Teddy), greeting them kindly, but pushed forward to the treehouse.
Victoire’s favorite part is that it had a silencing charm so no one could ever hear them. The two girls settled in their favorite chairs with blankets. “Spill,” Victoire demanded. “Why are we out here?”
“Jeremy’s being a bitch.”
“No surprise there, but what’s going on this time?”
Frankie groaned into the air, then hid her face, sighing. “He just— he’s so annoying. He makes every fun banter into this big deal. Every single time James even looks at me, he throws a fit, and when you and Teddy argue, somehow he finds a way to make it his problem and get upset over it!”
This was a recurring issue with Frankie and her big brother. He seemed to always be angry and upset. No one understood why, except for him. He was even more of a prick to be around lately, especially when James or Teddy were involved. The theory that Victoire has come up with that makes the most logical sense is that he doesn’t like James because James is obsessed with his little sister. But for Teddy, no idea.
“You know, he told me today that Teddy and him used to be best friends. Like, in a time that I can’t remember and for some reason, no one talks about it anymore.”
Victoire blankly stared at Frankie. She didn’t know how to respond. There’s no way that Teddy and Jeremy used to be friends. Not with how much Jeremy despises Teddy. “That—that can’t be true.”
“It is! He even showed me pictures and everything!”
“So, why is Jeremy such a dick to him now?”
Frankie shrugs. “He refused to tell me.”
Victoire was shocked, but didn’t show it. This shouldn’t be a big deal. Friends drift apart, have fights, stuff happens. So, why is she so stuck on this? “That’s interesting, I suppose.”
“Interesting? Try mind blowing.”
“That’s a bit dramatic, Franks.”
“Well, I’m dramatic, so, whatever.”
Victoire huffs a laugh until she hears something coming from the ladder outside. They both look down to see Jamsie Boy on the ladder. When he got to the top, he huffed like a dog.
“Damn am I out of shape.” Frankie laughed a bit and moved over to give him room. He gladly sat next to her. “So, what are we talking about up here?”
“We?” Victoire questioned. She was in here with Frankie. To talk to Frankie. No one wanted James here.
Well, that’s not entirely true. Everyone in the family knows there’s been something going on between Frankie and James since they were kids. There have been bets on when they get together, who proposes first, their first child's name, if it’ll be a girl or boy.
Victoire is sort of disgusted by it all. Why would anyone want to force these two into relationships they may or may not want? Why is that something to be celebrated?
A union of both families , Dominique would tell her every time she asked. Why did they need a union? They were already family. Frankie was more of a sister then Dominique ever was.
“What do you want, James?” Victoire asked, annoyed.
“Oh, right. Franks, your dad is asking for you.”
Frankie nodded and watched as James left, then turned to Vic. “I’m gonna go back in. Will you still be out here?”
She shook her head, “No, I’ll go in with you.”
Frankie smiled and climbed down the ladder, then ran to her father who was waiting for her.
“Victoire! What on earth are you doing up there? That is no place for a lady!” Molly yelled at her from the porch.
Jesus Christ , she thought. Hogwarts could not come sooner.