Hallowe'en at The Bower

[teaandsympathy]

Molly and Charlie had been busy. The cottage had been what Muggles call a fixer-upper to begin with, and it had taken time, work, and more than a little magic to turn it into a place that not only suited them, but felt like home. It was the sort of project that could have - and likely would, if Molly guessed right - continue for months and months. But it was often easier to work with a particular deadline in mind, and a Hallowe'en feast had seemed a good one to work toward.

They'd let everyone they knew know there would be a housewarming on Hallowe'en - some in person, others by the telephone Molly still wasn't all that comfortable using - and that the more, the merrier. Even Draco had been invited, although Molly doubted he would come.

When the holiday arrived, The Bower was ready for their guests. A fire crackled in the fireplace, and Molly had put Charlie in charged of decorations while she bustled about the kitchen where a half dozen things were going on at once: pumpkin stew being ladled into a giant pumpkin, carrot cake in the oven baking, dishes were washing themselves as quickly as Molly used them, and she was busy chopping vegetables to roast.

Various snacks were already set out on one end of the farmhouse table, and there was a bowl of candy by the door, although with the Muggle-repelling charms, they didn't expect trick-or-treaters who wouldn't be coming anyway.

Still, a bit of candy never hurt, did it?

~*~*~

Charlie, with a touch of whimsy, charmed several, small, floating pumpkins to hang about, guiding guests through the living room and into the kitchen. Each pumpkin bears a charming grin and a glimmering candle within; he's also cast a charm so that their home smells like the woods surrounding them, with a pinch of cinnamon and caramel apples tossed in for good measure. He's purchased some Muggle decorations of cut-out cats, skeletons, and, yes, witches, to place upon the walls, charming them to blink and smile as each guest passes through the house. Not an over abundance, but enough to emphasize the cozy nature of the place.

Of course, he jokingly brought up a chair into the air, as a reminder to the duel he'd had with Bill back at the Burrow, but one look from Molly was enough for him to cease those antics with a sheepish grin, even as he eyed the Muggle candy by the door with a look of distaste. What he wouldn't give for Honeydukes to magically appear one day.

Comments

[deluminate]

Ron had thought it was mental that his Mum and brother were living in those weird flats in the city from the beginning, so finally having them nearby was brilliant as far as he was concerned. There was a time when he was glad to be away from home-- after he'd moved out of The Burrow-- but in Darrow, he couldn't help but want to keep his family close. And with the baby on the way, it seemed all the more important.

Halloween was just about the perfect time for there to be a proper housewarming as well, and Ron was glad he'd been able to trade to get the night off work for family, friends, and food.

Mostly for the food. Nearly a year without his Mum's cooking had been way too long.

[teaandsympathy]

Molly had been looking forward to tonight. She and Charlie had been busy enough getting the cottage ready that it hadn't been too noticeable, but a home hardly felt like a home until it had held the warmth and noise of family and friends.

The apron over Molly's robes was smudged with flour, and as she went to open the door, a quick wave of her wand cleaned it so she could give them a warm welcome, her arms spread in the offer of a hug.

"Come in, come in. Oh, I'm so glad you're here."

[dragonsandquidditch]

Charlie's just finishing the last touches on the decorations before the door opens and the first of the guests begin to arrive. With one last, flourishing movement from his wand, he twines a bit of blood-red ribbon around one of the tables his mum had found at some flea market or other.

With a cup of good tea in him, to spur him on in his hosting duties, Charlie takes a moment to straighten out his sweater and the trousers he wears. He never thought he'd actually live to see the day where he willingly acts as a happy homemaker, but well. Stranger things have happened.

He moves towards the front door, smiling as he makes to retrieve the coats of the first arrivals.

[notaretriever]

Luke is surprised to be invited, not because he thinks Ron and Hermione don't like him well enough, but simply because he's spent years in New York with only Jocelyn and Clary for friends. They'd been family, really, more than anything, and he'd had his pack, but he never would have called the pack his friends either. They'd been his army, willing to throw themselves into battle for him, willing to die to protect him if necessary, but they hadn't been friends.

So he arrives, more nervous than he might have thought, a wrapped book in his hands for Ron's mother. He's never met her and he might not be the most socially confident person, but he knows a gift is generally a good idea when invited to someone's home for the first time. He can only hope she appreciates the offering, a book on the history of witchcraft in the southern states, a read he'd found quite fascinating himself many years ago.

[ghost_holder]

"They made us draw witches like this in school last year," Aggie observes tracing a finger along one of the paper decorations. "But they gave me detention when I refused to make them evil and ugly."

It had been stupid then and she thinks it's stupid now. If not for Mrs. Weasley and her family, Aggie wouldn't bother observing it at all. They hardly make it difficult either, not when everything looks warm and comfortable and the sweets smell so nice.

"This is much nicer."