The Raven and The Snake

Molly Weasley felt a deep guilt toward Ariadne Black. When her youngest son had befriended the Boy That Lived, Molly had easily brought the boy under her wing. With Hermione tagging along, she'd practically adopted two children through her own. Ariadne was different though. She knew for years that Ariadne was close to the twins, but she'd never reached out the same way she had with Harry or Hermione. When the girl was orphaned and alone, Molly hadn't so much as written a card. Even with Ariadne sending regular Christmas and birthday presents, Molly hadn't made a real effort. She'd been unduly rude and suspicious of the Slytherin girl that had befriended the two most troublesome Weasley children even while Ariadne was nothing but kind.

Nothing in life seemed to have been easy for Ariadne. She was a beautiful child, so beautiful that it seemed unfair. It had felt a little vindicating when it had been mentioned in passing that Ariadne was related to Fleur Delacour, a known part- veela. The beauty and allure wasn't entirely human.

But Ariadne was human. A kind, caring human that had done more for Molly than could ever be deserved.

Bill, had said that Ariadne was very cute and cheeky. She was polite to her seniors.

Charlie could only ever say "pretty", as he'd never been properly introduced, but had spotted her from afar.

Percy was the one with the most to say. In his eyes, the girl was a nuisance. She was a sneaky child who though she was often known to run around with his younger brothers, didn't ever get into the same amount of trouble. She was an expert at snaking out of bad situations and allowing the twins to take the fall.

She was flirtatious. Clearly, she'd been brought up to have loose morals. Not only did she fool around with boys, but it was even said that she'd been eyeing teachers. Even when confronted, she was utterly shameless.

The twins, though closest, had very little to say. Molly had often wondered what she could have done to be a better mother to them. The twin boys were nothing like her elder three. Bill and Charlie both close enough in age to be treated as twins and even allowed into the same year as each other, hadn't ever been as close as Fred and George.

Fred and George from infancy had been in synchronization with each other. They almost moved as a single entity, playing pranks, getting in trouble, and relying so entirely on the other that it felt as though they sometimes forgot they had a bigger family.

Molly wasn't surprised that they fancied the same girl. It was only a pity that there weren't two of her. In fact, the boys didn't even argue about things like who might date her in the future. As though it would be natural that they share her like they did everything else.

But as time stretched, Molly saw more to it than that. The boys that had been so close to each other as to ignore even some of their family, had opened up to the girl. She was privy to their inner world. She was made a part of it. Part that no one else was allowed to touch.

When Percy voiced his complaints about the girl, the twins turned on him like feral animals. They elevated her as though she were a goddess and they were her devout worshippers. Even when things went from bad to worse for her, in their eyes, she was faultless.

Perhaps, that was why Molly had been cold to the girl. It didn't seem to matter to the girl. She introduced herself warmly, seeming charmed by Ron and Ginny when she'd first met them. She had a gentle grace that couldn't be taught and a natural warmth that didn't fit what Molly had heard.

After meeting the full family, Ariadne regularly sent presents that were not only sweet, but thoughtful. When she young, it was mostly cards with the odd origami animal or bit of embroidery filled with protective charms. As she got older, she'd send knitted gifts, things that matched Molly's own style. Even with Percy's worsening attitude toward her, she didn't leave him out. When he'd graduated and started working for the ministry, she'd gifted him some lovely stationery with his name neatly embossed.

As Molly had adopted Ron's friends, Ariadne seemed to have adopted the Weasley family. Not just the Weasleys, but she cared deeply for a number of people that were part of the Order of the Phoenix. It was disturbing how easily she managed to slip amongst them despite her age that it became easy to forget that she was girl the same age as Fred and George.

So easy to forget that when Molly asked the girl to look after her children, that the girl was a child. A child that seemed to become more and more lost with time.

Molly knew from Percy that Ariadne had had a crush on Severus Snape. Severus was younger than Molly by several years, she already having graduated before he attended Hogwarts with James and Lily Potter. Still, he was much too old for a girl her age so nothing would come of it. Fred and George were morose whenever Snape was mentioned, but she'd had no doubt that when it came time for the girl to choose, she would naturally turn to the boys she was closest to. When it was revealed to Molly that Ariadne was the niece of Sirius Black and that he was not the murderer she'd thought, Molly had seen Ariadne in a new light. The girl had stuck to Severus so closely. She'd moved as though her fingers were sewn into his cloak. She'd seemed to cling to him like a lifeline, frightened but also very determined.

When she was later seen at the Headquarters, she looked aged. Molly hadn't allowed for the twins to be involved with Order business. They were too young, not having yet graduated. Ariadne was in the same boat, her studies even a year behind, but there had been no one to advocate in Ariadne's defense.

The orphaned girl was living as Severus's ward and by Dumbledore's order was becoming an active member of their resistance. Molly realized she'd made a mistake in not trying to protect the girl then when she'd seen how tired the girl's eyes had become.

Over the Christmas during which Arthur had been attacked by Lord Voldemort's snake Nagini, Molly had seen yet another side to the story. Severus wasn't just treating the girl as his ward. Their relationship had been allowed to grow unchecked. The girl only just barely coming of age had moved to him like a long-time lover.

The twins had been aghast at the realization, but maybe not quite as much as Molly had been. Molly had felt like a failure as a mother at that moment. That girl was only seventeen, an orphan, and in her loneliness she'd thrown herself into a war and a relationship with a man twice her age.

Molly seethed. She had never had strong feelings toward Severus Snape. He'd been the teacher of all of her boys and Ginny. He had a nasty personality, but no one could deny his brilliance as a potions master and teacher. He should have known better. He should have BEEN better. How dare he do such a thing?

But what could Molly do?

The next time she saw Ariadne was when Ron had been poisoned. Ariadne had looked more haggard than ever. She had her own studies to think about, but she was spending one of her precious weekends tending to Ron in the hospital wing. The girl had been skinny as a rail and truthfully, smelled a bit of drink, but she didn't stop for a moment in her care. She moved about the hospital wing as practiced as the matron. She made no complaints about Ron being sick on her, toweling him with a gentleness of a mother, acting as though she had years of experience under her belt.

It was horribly unfair that the girl should have to spend her day in such a fashion. The only thing Molly could do was send her away long enough for a meal.

The night that Albus Dumbledore had died, Molly saw Ariadne again. Death Eaters had gotten into the school. The most grievously injured was Bill. Ariadne herself was ill, but she didn't stop to think about herself, her hands never ceasing in their movements, trying to repair Bill.

Even when Harry came in to tell them what had happened - explaining that Albus had died at Severus Snape's hand. Ariadne hadn't so much as looked up from her work. Whatever emotions she may have been feeling, she held it in as though there was nothing in the world more important to her than healing Bill.

Then Molly understood the truth. Ariadne had held in so many secrets. She had never once turned to an adult for help, but now she asked Molly for something and there was no way Molly could refuse.

Ariadne had fallen pregnant even within the school where there was magic to prevent such things. It was easy enough to tell who the culprit was. Though it was dangerous, even life-threatening, Ariadne had made the decision to go through with rushing her pregnancy using old magic.

The magic wasn't exactly forbidden. It had been used in extreme cases where there were complications with the pregnancy which could be damaging to the health of mother and child alike. It was not something that should be anyone's first choice.

But Ariadne had fears that Lord Voldemort may want her child for something. No one could be sure of what that something was, but it was sure to be horrid. She was willing to go through risks to protect her child. Any mother would feel the

same.

Molly held the girl's hand. She soothed and encouraged. It had been awful for the girl, but she'd made it through.

When the first child was out and cleaned, Molly had taken pause. She'd suspected that Fred and George may have had their share of fun with Ariadne. It wasn't something boys talked about with their mother, particularly not her boys. She'd of course known how they'd felt about Ariadne, knew that they'd have been happy with even just a night with the girl.

Bill was the one that was getting married first. The first of her children to begin a family of his own, but Molly had given birth to seven of her own Weasley children. She knew what it was like to hold one in her arms for the first time. Seeing Ariadne's firstborn child, Molly knew that what she held in her arms now was the first of her grandchildren.

The other child was unmistakably Severus Snape's child though no one said it aloud. Fred and George hadn't seemed the least surprised or bothered by that. They had looked shocked to find that one of them had fathered a child, but they didn't make comment.

Molly had tearfully handed her grandchild over to Ariadne's friend. Charlie would have to care for his niece until the end of the war. This could very well be the last Molly ever saw of the child. It could be her first and last grandchild. She felt a mixture of gratefulness and pity toward the girl that had mothered the child. If only things were different. If only Molly had been able to love Ariadne the way she loved Harry or Hermione. If only she could have made the effort to protect her, she wouldn't be in the middle of this war, afraid for her children the same way Molly had been during the first time Lord Voldemort had been in power.

Molly made up her mind then that should they survive this, she would love Ariadne and her children with everything she could. She would cast aside her doubts and dispersions. Whatever Ariadne's choices, regardless of who she loved, even if it was Snape, she would still care for and love Ariadne as a member of the family.