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

[notaretriever]

"Oh," Luke says, considering. "I don't know. If you wait until later, at least I won't be around and you won't have to pretend you like it if it's awful." It's meant as a joke and he smiles a little to show it, though he knows well from Clary's rolled eyes that his jokes often fall flat.

"The cider sounds wonderful," he says, following her deeper into the house. "And your home is lovely. It's enchanted?" It looks much bigger on the inside than he would have thought and although Luke's knowledge of magic in Ron's world is limited, he's learned enough from Hermione that he thinks he's not far off the mark.

[teaandsympathy]

"Charlie and I've done a bit here and there. It was a bit small for our tastes, and needed to feel a touch more like home," Molly admitted as she called a cup to her for cider for Luke. "But there's electricity too." Which would thrill Arthur to no end if he found himself in Darrow.

Once she'd provided a drink for her guest, Molly turned her attentions to the gift. "Oh, how wonderful. There's so much I don't know about magic in other areas... which I suppose means other worlds as well now I'm here. I can't wait to read it."

[notaretriever]

Luke smiles, more pleased than he wants to admit as he nods. "It's the same for me. Hermione has explained a bit about what magic is like in your world, but it's significantly different than in my own." He pauses, considering that, then says, "With the exception of charms and enchantments used to hide locations from the eyes of those who wouldn't understand."

The Institutes had always been enchanted in such a way, runes drawn on their doors and windows to make them look like nothing more than rundown churches or warehouses, things no mundane could possibly want to pay attention to for longer than a moment. It had kept them in the dark, but in this case, Luke believed ignorance was truly beneficial. It kept them from danger.

[teaandsympathy]

"We've a few on the house, you know," Molly said, nodding. It wasn't such a surprise other worlds would hide magic from those who didn't have it. It could be safer for Muggles and wizards alike.

"Nothing that would keep out friends, but it does keep the Muggles from wondering too much about things that seem perfectly normal to us."

[notaretriever]

Luke can't use runes anymore, his stele long since taken from him, his ability to withstand the runes gone for many years, but sometimes he thinks it must be nice to be able to hide certain things. He wonders if Hermione might consider putting some kind of enchantment on his basement door to keep anyone from getting too curious.

"It keeps people from danger," he agrees with a nod.