Chapter 559 - Fernburgh Ⅳ (1/2)
However, before the three men can continue their conversation, their wives appear at the door. ”Dinner is ready,” Molly proudly announced as the hostess.
The three men rise to their feet, while the toddlers run towards their mothers. Andromeda and Molly pick up their two-year old's, while Narcissa's slow-growing belly is still hidden by the folds of her gown. Lucius places a gentle kiss on his wife's hand earning a shy smile from Narcissa, and an envious look from Molly, who glared at her husband as if asking, ”Why can't you be more romantic like that?”
Ted hugs his wife and daughter in his arms, while Arthur collects Bill from the table before they all make their way to the dining room. It was a medium-sized room with a good-sized table large enough to easily seat twelve individuals at a time. The dining room is moderately decorated with tasteful decorations thanks to the aid of Narcissa and Dromeda. They had taken Molly shopping one evening for furniture for her new home and had ensured that she purchased tasteful, but useful bits of furniture that would last for many years to come.
Seeing all the delicious food on the table, Ted says, ”Ladies, you have outdone yourselves.”
The three women flash smiles of pride at Ted, especially from his wife. Being the gentlemen that they are, they first pull out the chairs for their wives, before seating the children, and then themselves. With everyone properly seated, Molly glances at Arthur, who blinks foolishly for a second, before recalling he is the host for the evening.
Clearing his throat, Arthur a tad apprehensive, hoarsely says, ”Thank you for joining us this evening in our humble home. We hope that there are many more such occasions to come. And-, and that as a family that we always remain whole. Now let us eat!”
Arthur quickly sits back down with a lobster-red face as Molly pats his hand and leans over to whisper, ”You did good darling.”
”Thank you, Mollywobbles,” Arthur whispered back, before turning back to serve Bill first, before serving himself. He would serve Molly, but she would just snap at him otherwise. As such, he let her serve herself a plate of food and Charlie.
For a time, the only sound in the dining room is the soft chatter of voices and the clinking of silverware. When at last they had eaten all that they could, the men retired to the parlor with Bill, while the toddlers remained with the women. Once the men were gone, Andromeda and Molly gathered the dishes, while Narcissa was tasked to entertain the two toddlers.
Both women laughed at the panicked expression of Narcissa. Wiping the tears of laugher from her eyes, Molly says, ”Narcissa, you have a little one on the way. You must learn how to deal with children or else what will you do?”
Narcissa's face is mutinous for a moment as she mutters rebelliously under her breath, ”That's what nanny house elves are for.”
However, Molly's sharp ears heard Narcisa's words. ”Narcissa Malfoy,” Molly exclaimed as she put her hands on her hip to stare down at the younger woman. ”From what I know your mother took care of you quite often rather than just leaving your education to house elves. Aren't you going to do the same for your children?”
A glint of fear and worry can be seen on the younger woman's face. Molly's face fills with sympathy as she says, ”Narcissa, you won't be alone. You will have your mother, Andromeda, and me to help you. But you still need to practice dear before the baby comes.”
”Yes, Molly,” Narcissa said in a rather resigned tone of voice that caused Andromeda to chuckle loudly at her younger sister earning her a dark glower from Narcissa.
Abandoning Narcissa to the whims of the two children, Molly and Andromeda wash and put away food ensuring that a nice basket of leftovers would be sent back with Andromeda for Ted. Not that they could not have done the same for Narcissa, but Lucius would under no uncertain terms ever accept such a thing unless it was dessert.
Lucius had a notorious sweet tooth that had come as quite a shock to Molly, but she always made sure to pack a small basket of desserts for the cool natured young man. Not that Lucius would ever admit to such a thing, but he always finished every single last dessert crumb on his plate whenever Narcissa returned from visiting Molly Weasley with fresh baked goods in hand. To be honest, it tickled Molly pink to know that the usually so collected young man enjoyed eating her desserts with such relish. As such she always baked an extra basket of desserts and goodies just for him.
After having packed up everything, and pulled out a pie for dessert, and platted the slices, Andromeda and Molly served the men first and leaving the rest of the pie with them, before returning to the dining room with a slice of pie for the children and themselves.
Thankfully, Narcissa seemed to have survived her time with the children intact except for her pride. When the two women returned, they found Narcissa playing with the children on the floor. With a loud snort, Andromeda started to laugh at the usual polished image of her younger sister being so casually destroyed.
Narcissa flashed her older sister a cold sneer, before climbing to her feet as the two children eagerly rushed towards their mothers with their hands outstretched. They knew they would get dessert as they had been good. Mostly.
Full of outraged dignity, Narcissa pointedly ignores her sister's chortles and accepts a slice of pie with cold dignity. Molly hides her own grin and instead carefully seats Charlie on her lap to cut up a slice of pie for him into tiny pieces for him to be able to his fork to eat in order to eat without making too much of a mess.