Visitors to the Burrow

In mid-July, at the Weasleys' invitation, Canopus arrived at the Burrow in Ottery St Catchpole, Devonshire.

Canopus examined the crooked house before him. It looked like a pile of building blocks casually stacked by a mischievous child, as though it would collapse into pieces at the slightest touch.

Yet magic kept it standing securely. A somewhat gaunt, balding middle-aged man opened the door and came out to greet him.

"Hello, Canopus." Wearing slightly frayed robes, he waved at Canopus.

Dragging his luggage behind him, Canopus stepped forward and shook Arthur Weasley's hand.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley."

Then Canopus saw a whole crowd of red-haired boys and girls swarm out of the house.

They were Percy, the third child; the fourth and fifth-born twins; Canopus's yearmate Ron; and a timid little girl named Ginny.

Other than Ginny, he knew them all well.

"Hello, everyone!" Canopus had barely raised his hand in greeting when the plump Mrs. Weasley emerged from behind the children and gave him a firm hug.

"Good child, you're finally here." Mrs. Weasley took Canopus by the hand and led him indoors, chattering all the while. "Ever since Arthur told me about you, I've wanted to meet you. Have you eaten? I'm making a feast!"

The Burrow was rather cramped inside. There was no living room; the kitchen held a large table that could seat everyone for a meal, while the stove at the other end puffed out waves of heat.

Without giving him any say in the matter, Mrs. Weasley dragged Canopus to sit at a table piled with snacks. The Weasley children gathered around him and asked about his holiday.

"So you went to Cornwall and even got into a fight with the knights there?" Ron asked, stuffing a piece of cake into his mouth as his eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, Sean was certainly an interesting person." Watching Mr. and Mrs. Weasley bustle around the kitchen, Canopus wondered whether he should summon Kreacher to help.

"Your holiday was really eventful, unlike ours. We've been stuck at home the whole time," said either Fred or George, while the other nodded in agreement.

"We could only try to catch a few fleeting sparks of inspiration."

"So we can use them to bring Filch some joy after school starts."

The two spoke in perfect rhythm, and Percy's face turned green.

"I say, the next time you discuss feeding laxatives to Filch's skinny cat, could you perhaps make sure I don't hear it?" Percy covered his forehead, feeling that his hairline was about to follow in Mr. Weasley's footsteps.

"Um... Mr. Canopus..." Ginny spoke softly, and all her brothers fell silent at once.

"Harry... Is Harry Potter doing well lately?"

"Don't worry, Ginny. Though he suffered quite a lot as a child, these past two years have been fairly good for him," Canopus answered seriously.

"Ginny's a Harry fan," Ron whispered to Canopus. "I mean a real fan—the kind who wants Harry's autograph."

"I really can't imagine it. Blimey, she's as obsessed as my mum is with Lockhart."

Canopus chuckled inwardly. Harry and Ginny would end up getting married, after all. This was nothing yet.

Before long, Mrs. Weasley brought out dish after dish of steaming food. They were ordinary British home-cooked dishes, delicious enough, with one defining feature: there was plenty of it.

As the saying went, growing boys could eat their fathers out of house and home. Canopus watched the tableful of red-haired boys pile food onto their plates like they were looting the place, devouring it all with astonishing speed.

Still, they all doted on Ginny. The little girl's plate was piled high with meat and vegetables from her brothers, and her little cheeks were stuffed round.

Once everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, night had fallen. Mrs. Weasley chased the children back to their rooms. Canopus and Mr. Weasley sat by the long table, drinking Butterbeer and talking about the past.

"I'd heard a little about Vivian and Regulus, but I never knew they got back in touch afterward." Mr. Weasley sighed. "Vivian never told me who your father was, either."

"According to my house-elf's account, my father wanted to leave the Death Eaters and live in seclusion with my mother. He never expected death to come so suddenly."

Canopus gave a somewhat reserved account of what had happened back then, and Mr. Weasley could only sigh.

"Canopus, don't be too sad. We're all your family," Mrs. Weasley consoled him, though tears streamed endlessly down her own face.

Canopus had no choice but to comfort Mrs. Weasley in return. It took quite a while before she finally calmed down.

"Canopus, are you having any difficulties in life right now?" Mr. Weasley asked. "I know you aren't short of money. I mean problems aside from that."

In Mr. Weasley's eyes, Canopus was only a child. Even if he had money, there might be all sorts of matters that were inconvenient for him to handle personally.

Canopus really did have such a matter.

He took out the small bundle he carried with him and pulled out two bottles of milky-white potion.

"Mr. Weasley, there really is something I'd like to ask you to help me with."

Mr. Weasley picked up the two potion bottles and looked at Canopus in confusion. "What kind of potion is this? How have I never seen it before?"

Mr. Weasley worked at the Ministry of Magic and was considered quite knowledgeable in the wizarding world, but how could he possibly recognize a Druid potion that had been lost for many years?

This was a fertility potion brewed by Canopus from the mistletoe he had gathered, a secret Druid remedy. If a husband and wife each drank half a bottle, they would definitely conceive within a month.

For wizarding families with dwindling bloodlines, the value of such a potion was beyond measure.

Crabbe and Goyle were practically idiots. Had their parents never considered having another child and trying their luck again?

The Malfoy family had passed down through a single line for generations. One accident could leave them without heirs—had Lucius never considered trying harder to have a few more children?

Not to mention anything else, excluding the disowned Sirius Black, the Black Family now had only Canopus as its sole male member. When Canopus had finished making the fertility potion and said he wanted to sell it, Kreacher had nearly threatened him with death.

After Canopus explained the potion's effects to Mr. Weasley, Mr. Weasley's hands began to tremble, and he hurriedly set the two small bottles down.

"Canopus, this potion is far too valuable," Mr. Weasley said seriously. "I advise you to keep it. Very few families would ever sell a potion this vital."

Canopus smiled and shook his head. "I made this potion myself, and the ingredients aren't particularly precious. Besides, I'm not selling it solely to make money."

"In any case, I've already made up my mind, Uncle, so please don't try to persuade me otherwise."

Since Canopus had put it that way, Mr. Weasley could say no more. But what came next made it impossible for him to remain calm.

"I need you to have this potion appraised, and then... would you be interested in becoming its spokesperson?" Canopus asked.