Weekly Drabble Challenge - Theme: Parenthood - Results Posted

[The REAL Weasley Twins]

Name: The REAL Wealsey Twins
House: Gryffindor
Title: Forgive Me
Warnings: None
Word Count: 408
Authors Note: I did not focus on Xenophilius in the end (contrary to the beginning) mainly because I believe that once a woman has a daughter, that relationship really trumps all other relationships.

I dreamt so long about my daughter. My beautiful, sweet, sure-to-be-golden-haired daughter. A companion in my life. Yes, of course, Xenophilius is my true companion; the ingredients to my caldron. But this new addition to my life was to complete my story. I saw us together, sitting in our cozy home, whipping up some new spell together. I did like to experiment and I was so sure that she, my daughter, would as well.

Xenophilius was so excited to have a child. Each day as my abdomen grew larger, so did his smile. Our anticipation was immense. We had set up her room to perfection; protection spells everywhere, and, for Xenophilius’ sake, all the proper tools she would need to defend against Crumple-Horned Snorkacks or whichever animals he wished to guard her from. He was an eccentric man; a dear, dear man, but eccentric. I loved him so.

And then she entered our lives. Just as blonde and beautiful as ever. I did not know I could love someone so much. I asked Xeno, “What shall we name her?”

He replied immediately, “Luna.” I grinned at the perfection of the name; her eyes did sparkle like the constellations above us.

We had known all along that this child was to be special. From the time she was little she was observant. I had never seen any person in my entire life take to nature as she did. We spent endless hours in the comfort of our loft, reading together. Fantasies were her favorite. Luna took those invented characters and brought them to life. Yes, her tangible friends were few, but she had such an imagination. I always envied that about her: she had such an imagination.

And then Luna grew older and older. Her flaxen hair reached almost to her slim waist when she turned nine.

Nine.

Nine.

I never saw her past that age. I only wished to make her happy. We were merely spending time together when it happened. For the first time in my life, a spell experiment of mine had gone wrong. Before I knew it, I heard Luna scream, and then nothing. Blackness. I was alone and I had left my daughter alone. Alone to fend for herself in the Wizarding World. Alone to attend school. Alone.

Luna, I do hope you will forgive me. I lived only for you and I did not mean to hurt you. Please, forgive me. Forgive me.

[x_GinnyPotter_x]

Name: x_GinnyPotter_x / Kayla
House: Gryffindor!
Title: A Grandmother's Pride
Warnings: none
Word Count: 495
Authors Note: I used Augusta Longbottom.

I always thought the birth of my son was to be the most nerve-wracking day of my life; after all, my child’s entrance into the world at that moment depended almost entirely on me. What else could be so terrifying, yet exhilarating, as becoming a mother? I’ll tell you – watching that same baby boy become a father.

I’ve never seen my son’s face glow with so much pride as when they placed that squalling bundle in his arms. Though outwardly I fussed about the newborn having enough blankets and scolded Frank for not holding his son properly, inside I was beaming. In those moments also I truly felt like Alice was my own daughter, congratulating her while making suggestions for the next time around. I remember how she laughed and said she wasn’t sure she wanted to go through that again any time soon. The pair of them were positively beaming with happiness, while I was privately relishing that new name – grandmother.

Naturally, Alice and Frank still had their lives to maintain, so I insisted I be the one to take care of Neville while they worked. He took his first steps for me, you know – I firmly believed that boy was going to turn out as magnificently as his father. With Frank raising him, how could he not?

I won’t even begin to describe the pain of seeing my son and his wife lying in hospital beds, oblivious to everything, tortured literally out of their minds. There are simply no words. From the moment I realized there was no cure for them, that Neville was as good as an orphan, I knew I had to be the one to care for him. I would raise Neville to be a man who would make his parents proud, since Frank himself could not.

I suppose that was why I was always so harsh with him, so desperate to force some magic out of him when it appeared as though my grandson might be a Squib. That was why I pushed him to do better, scolded him when he did not outshine his classmates as his father had. I looked to him as my second Frank, wanted him to be that same brilliant boy I had raised in my younger days. Neville was my second chance, and I was sorely disappointed in him for many years, I do not deny it.

I see him now; respected Hogwarts professor, head of Gryffindor house and admired war hero, and I will honestly say I never thought any of it possible. Neville is not my son, not the boy I birthed and reared to become an Auror. He is my grandson, one who despite all my misgivings and doubts, has surpassed everything I had thought him capable of. I tell him his parents would be proud, since I can not bring myself to admit that for the first time in many years, I am truly proud to be his grandmother.

[mugglemathdork]

Don't say you guys weren't warned....

1st Place
Rushia

2nd Place
x_GinnyPotter_x

Too many of you focused on the birth, or the time after the birth. The prompt was to examine the gradual feelings these 'parents' eventually developed.

Rushia's Ruined and x_GinnyPotter_x were the only ones I felt met the criteria posted on the prompt.

Points will be posted soon.
Cheers, and go participate in the new challenge.

~Ebil One