The house was quiet when Arthur Weasley got out of bed. He stood for a moment and just listened to the lack of sound around him. It amazed him every time, when everyone came home at the same time just how noisy this house could be. And how crowded, he thought.
Right now, there were ten children and thirteen adults sleeping all over the house. Charlie, Bill, Fleur and their three children were all crammed in the sitting room. Percy, Audrey and their two were in Percy’s old room; George, Angelina and their two, in his old room; Harry, Ginny along with their two were in Ginny’s room; and Ron, Hermione and Rose were in Ron’s room.
While Arthur normally loved having everyone home, for some reason this year, he wasn’t finding the enjoyment that he normally did. This year, he just wanted the peace and quiet that he and Molly enjoyed when no one was there.
He walked quietly down the stairs and into the kitchen. It took only moments to make a cup of tea. He sat at the table and wondered why he was feeling this way. It didn’t take long to realise the cause...Fred.
Fred wasn’t part of this holiday. He hadn’t been part of a holiday celebration in over ten years. There were ten children whom he never got to meet; ten children who only knew stories of him; ten Christmases without a golden painted gnome on the top of the tree.
He heard the first stirrings of children waking. He knew he had to stay and watch their wonderment over the gifts Father Christmas left for each of them. Listening closely, Arthur didn’t hear any further stirrings. Knowing he had only a little bit longer before having to pretend to be happy, he thought about all of the Christmases since Fred had died.
The first two were probably the hardest. The only new addition was Teddy and he was only there for a few hours in the afternoon. But then the babies started arriving. This was the first year there wasn’t a new baby to share the joy with.
Perhaps that was the problem. For the first time since Victoire was born, there wasn’t a new grandchild to smile and coo over. Next year there would be a new baby as Ginny had told them just last month she was again expecting. But this year… nobody new.
Arthur thought about Christmases when the twins were small. You never knew what Christmas morning would bring. From the time they could crawl, they were into everything. Once they were older and discovered what their magic could do, there was never a dull moment with them around.
Sadly, he shook his head. George had changed right after Fred died. It was months before he even cracked a joke, and even longer before he pulled a prank. Though in time he became more of the old George, there were still those times when Arthur could still see the sadness in his eyes.
Arthur knew Christmas would never be the same as it was when his children were small, before all the tragedy had befallen them. There would always be someone missing when they gathered together. Even after ten years, it was still hard to accept this.
Arthur was so deep in thought; he didn’t hear the patter of the tiny feet coming down the stairs. He was startled when he felt a small hand touch his arm.
“Grandpa, why are you sad?” asked the little boy.
“Fred, what are you doing out of bed?” Arthur asked the boy. He smiled down at him to soften the gruff question and sliding his chair back, opened his arms for Fred to climb onto his lap.
“Why do you think I am sad?” Arthur asked the small child.
“You have the same look my daddy gets sometimes when he thinks about Uncle Fred. If thinking about him makes everyone so sad, then why did he give me his name?”
Arthur could see the confusion in Fred’s eyes. He hugged the child closer to him. He never realised he would be so affected by the lingering sadness that still held firm throughout the whole family.
“Your father named you after his brother because he loved him so much. Sometimes…” Arthur stopped talking briefly wondering how to explain to a five year old why he had the name he did. “Sometimes, it may seem as if your name makes us sad, but it isn’t you. You only bring happiness to us.” Arthur looked at the boy, who looked more like Angelina than George.
“Okay. But why did you look so sad when I came down?” Fred asked again.
Arthur knew that he could not lie to the child. “I was thinking about your uncle. I was remembering when he was little like you. Your father and your uncle used to get into so much trouble.” Arthur chuckled as the memories flooded through his mind.
“Grandpa, what’s so funny?” Fred asked confused.
“I was thinking about a Christmas several years before you were even thought of. Your uncle, along with your father, cast a spell on a garden gnome, painted him gold and put him on top of our tree.”
Arthur saw the boys eyes widen then a big smile spread over his face. The smile faded as quickly as it came.
“Grandpa, is that why there isn’t anything on the top of your tree now? Because the gnome went away like Uncle Fred?”
Arthur never considered why they no longer put anything on the top of the tree. He was surprised by the boy’s insightfulness. He looked down at Fred. Perhaps it was time to make new memories, memories that honoured and remembered the man this boy was named for.
“Fred, how would you like to help me with something? A surprise for everyone,” he said.
“What surprise, Grandpa? Are we going to catch a gnome and make it gold and put it on the tree?” Fred asked in a rush.
“Yes, we are,” Arthur answered the boy. Standing without putting Fred down, Arthur quietly went out the kitchen door and to the garden. He knew the gnomes would be sleeping and he wondered how he was going to get one to come out.
“Fred, do you think you could go over to that gnome hole and call to the gnomes to come out and play?” Arthur knew the gnomes that inhabited his garden loved to play with the children when given the opportunity. Well, he thought, play wasn’t the right word exactly. Tease and play tricks on them is more accurate.
“I can help, Grandpa,” Fred said squirming to be put down. Arthur used his wand to cast a protective spell on Fred’s feet to keep them warm before setting him on his feet.
Fred ran into the garden and bent down by the first gnome hole he found. He called out to the gnomes to come and play with him. Within moments, a gnome popped out of the hole and cackled at the boy.
Arthur acted quickly and stunned the gnome. Fred laughed with glee, clapping his hands at his grandfather’s quick work.
“Make him gold, Grandpa,” he said. “We have to get him on the tree before everyone gets up.”
Arthur cast the spell to turn the gnome gold. Fred reached down and picked up the now golden gnome, who glared at the child. Fred laughed and told the gnome he was going to be the best surprise for his grandma.
Arthur bent and scooped up the boy and took him back into the house. He went directly to the tree and lifting Fred up onto his shoulders, helped him to attach the gnome to the top of the tree.
Stepping back, he looked at the tree. He felt Fred being lifted off his shoulders and looked quickly behind him even as his hands reached to grab the boy.
“Nice touch, Dad,” George said to him. “But you forgot the tutu and wings.” With a flick of his wand, George added the missing elements. “I didn’t know you knew the angel that year was a gnome,” he said to his father.
“Of course I knew. What I don’t know, is why you two decided to use a gnome,” said Arthur.
George smiled. Fred was looking between the gnome, his grandfather and his father. George turned and started towards the kitchen followed by Arthur. He sat down in the chair next to where his father always sat.
“When Fred, Ron, Harry and I were out pulling up carrots for dinner that year, the gnome in question bit Fred on the ankle. So, he stunned him. We decided it was only fitting to make him into an angel and put him on the tree as punishment.” George began laughing at the memory.
*****
Several hours later all the presents had been opened and dinner finished. The adults were sitting around the table while the children played in the sitting room. As they sat and talked quietly, Arthur noticed Ron nudging Hermione and Hermione shaking her head. He wondered what was going on between them.
“Fine, Ron, go ahead then,” Hermione said resignation in her voice.
Ron looked around the table. Smiling, he said, “We’re pregnant.”
“We?” asked Hermione.
Before anyone could respond, there was a scream and a crash and the sound of laughter from the sitting room. Every adult stood at the same time and rushed into towards the noise.
The scene that greeted them shocked all of them into silence. The tree was on its side, the gnome was jumping up and down in front of the couch on which each and every child was standing on.
“See, Teddy,” said Fred, “I told you it was really a gnome.”
“I maked him come alive,” said Roxanne giggling. “Freddie told me no, but I didded it.”
Arthur smiled at Roxanne’s baby talk. Only three and she was already showing signs of taking after her uncle. He had a feeling George and Angelina were going to have their hands full with those two as they got a bit older.
“Grandpa, Roxie spoiled our surprise,” Fred said looking at Arthur.
“It’s okay, Fred,” Arthur told the boy. He drew his wand and stunned the gnome. He then restored the tree to its proper place. Picking up the gnome, he handed it to Fred. “Would you like to put him back where he belongs?” he asked Fred who nodded his head briskly.
The other children were being coaxed down off the couch by their various parents. George came over and took Fred, still holding the gnome, from his father.
“Let me, Dad,” he told his father.
Arthur looked at his son and grandson. He knew Christmas would never be the same without Fred, but, perhaps, it could still be something special.
The Golden Gnome by mudbloodproud
Chapter Notes: I wish to thank my wonderful beta for this story, Alyssa (Harry4lif). Thank you honey for doing this for me.
I do not own anything you recognize in this story. It all belongs to J. K. Rowlings. I am just thankful to get to play in her world for a bit.