1A silly little ditty featuring Miss Molly Prewett.
The Fortune Teller
July 1968
"Are you sure this was a good idea, Poppy?" Molly felt uncomfortable wandering among all these muggles.
"Lighten up Mols. It's just a simple village fete. We'll play a few of these games, buy a few of those buns…Oh look! A fortune telling booth! Groovy!" Poppy Pomfrey pulled Molly toward a gaudy looking tent. "They're so funny."
"If I want my future told, I'll find a real seer." Molly tried to hang back, but her friend was insistent.
"No, no. This is a fortune teller. It's all a gas, you know, all made up." Poppy stopped and dug in her bag for a few coins.
"Come on, Pops. We have a lot of studying to do. We have duty in the morning. I still have to get my brother's mending done." She was running out of excuses. Where Poppy was happy amongst the Muggles, she was not.
"Oh, don't be so square." Poppy paused outside the tent flap, which was decorated with beads and paper flowers. "Look, I'll go first. You wait here." She ducked inside.
While waiting, Molly observed the passing people. They seemed so strange. Or maybe she was the strange one. She wasn't used to the muggle world.
She huffed a little under her breath and shifted on her feet. She really did have a lot to do. Weekends this summer were filled with caring for the twins, helping Dad with the chores and studying. Always studying. Weekdays were even more busy. With interning at St. Mungo's for three days and classes for two, there really wasn't time for nonsense. She was actually looking forward to 7th year to start in September. Maybe then she could rest. Of course, she was mostly looking forward to seeing Arthur. Those nights that last week of school was a time to always remember. It was a good thing Poppy had taught her a new charm. She didn't need that kind of permanent reminder.
"Your turn!" Poppy startled her out of her thoughts.
"So, what happened in there?"
"The normal tripe. I'll meet a tall, dark, handsome stranger and have lots of babies. Yeah, that's not going to happen. I want a career and freedom to do what I want." She tugged her short skirt down a little. A mini-skirt was one thing, showing off the knickers was another. "Go on, give it a go." Poppy gently pushed Molly in through the door.
It was dark and quiet. Far more quiet than it should be. "Hello?" She called out, hesitant. "Anyone here?" It was larger that she expected. Darker.
"You will have two sons." Came a deep, scratchy voice from a shadowed corner.
"Excuse me?" Wait, how can there be a corner, the tent was a tiny round thing.
"They will find their strength on distant shores."
"Who…" She stepped a tiny bit more into the room.
"You will have a son. The shadow will pass before his courage shall be made known." A tiny wizened woman stepped into the feeble light of a candle.
"You will welcome two sons, who will bring light to a darkened world."
"Listen, I think I'll just…" Molly motioned to the door.
"You will raise a hero. A lion who must learn how to roar. A king who will hold up a savior."
"Come on, I think there's been a mista…"
"Your daughter will be a flame, a destroyer of darkness."
"Uh, right. Well, this is nice. I'm leaving now." Molly started to turn.
A gnarled hand stopped her, "Generations will rise and call you blessed, a woman of compassion, a woman of power, a defender."
"Well, thank you. It's been interesting. Uh, bye." Molly ducked back out, anxious to escape the creepy woman. As the flap closed behind her, her nervousness slowly melted.
"So, how did it go?" Poppy asked.
"It was…interesting." Was all Molly could think of.
"You and Arthur having lots of babies?"
"Hm, Yeah, according to her. She said I'll have seven kids. Can you believe that? Who has that many these days?" Molly laughed, trying to get the strange thoughts out of her head. "Besides. I've pretty much raised Gid and Fab. That's enough kids for me."
"I told you it was in fun. Come on, I want to introduce you to candy-floss."
Molly looked down at her hands, still grasping the two muggle coins. "Oh, wait! I forgot to pay." She turned and opened the tent again. "Sorry, I forg…" She stopped. Before her was a tiny, round tent, just large enough for a rickety table and an upturned fishbowl. Sitting behind this, was a young girl covered with plastic beads and what looked like a tablecloth as a shawl. "I forgot to pay." Molly whispered then ducked back out.
"Pops? I, um, I'm not feeling very well. You go on and meet up with the others. I'll see you in the morning."