Actions

Work Header

Pride and Prejudice

Summary:

Based upon Pride and prejudice novel, Ginny and Ronald both turn against the manipulations of Dumbledore and their family. This leads to complications later on in their lives

Notes:

Just saying this again I do not own any characters from midsummer murders or harry potter. For once Ginny and Ronald are decent people who have distanced themselves from the British magical community and their money grabbing family so let the fun begin

Chapter 1: Prologue

Chapter Text

John Barnaby 1st year Psychology under graduate student stood up and waved at a young red women, who wanly smiled and made her way across the crowded restaurant towards him “Ginny” he said smiling at the women he loved at this moment in time, she allowed him to kiss her on the cheek and answered “John! I have news to tell you……due to circumstances beyond our control…I am afraid that we can’t marry” she told the news to John, and with tears falling down her face she pulled off the very cheap engagement ring that they had both chosen and brought just days ago.

John looked unbelieving at the women before him and questioned her “But why? I know that you are a witch……it does not change anything! So our children have a chance of being magical…if it’s about your family and money, I won’t be a undergraduate for ever, in fact after graduating I am thinking of seriously thinking of joining the Police” The women put her hand over John, to stop him from rambling on. She looked outside the restaurant and seemed to squared her shoulders, before explaining her reasoning of breaking their engagement off.

“John! I want nothing more than to marry you, its just that I have to marry someone else….when I was a very young child I wanted to be a princess and my family fed me ideas of me becoming Lady Potter, and then me and Ronald found out that the rest of the family with the support and guidance of our very esteemed Chief Warlock and light leader Albus Dumbledore have stolen from the orphan Harry Potter. They wanted no needed me to marry Lord Potter to gain control of his vaults and titles etc, well both me and Ronald have through hard work managed to give back the money transferred to our bank accounts…….but there is a big problem, and it is that I have to marry a Harry Potter due to a marriage contract set up and signed by Lord Potters parents and my parents! We thought that there could be a way around the contract….but even the vampire who took us on as clients cannot find away of voiding the contract without Lord Potter finding out about it” Ginny took John’s hand as with tears flowing down her face she continued “The only way to fulfil the contract and stop Lord Potter finding out how much of an arsehole his esteemed parents were is for me to marry another Harry Potter! And I have find a very nice older rich Indian wizard who needs a wife for and he has agreed to marry me and I will do my best to be the women he needs by his side”

John spluttered “But why not just let this Lord Potter know what his father did to him! Why do you have to sacrifice our future happiness, why Ginny, why?” His angry and hurt face looked at the women he loved more than anything right now, demanding her answer to his question “Because Lord Potter does not need to know what was plotted against him by his family John! And although I will never be as happy or even loved as much in my marriage to my intended, as I would be to you…..I know that you will find an exceptional women who will finally replace me in your heart! A woman who will give you what I can not and that is to give up everything if needed for you!” with this the woman sadly smiled and chastity kissed John Barnaby, before she started to leave the table John stopped her and gave her back their engagement ring “If you ever need me Ginny I will be here! Please keep in touch and I wish you happiness” the woman just soulfully nodded her head as she took the engagement ring and slowly walked out the restaurant into the winter sunshine!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thirty years later

Chief Inspector John Barnaby looked at the letter he had received from his first ever love Ginny Weasley nee Dixit, she wanted to meet him to discuss a hypothetical situation, and he knew from experience that when a person’s says hypothetical they almost always mean an actual situation.

Chapter 2: The Longbottoms

Summary:

The current Lord and Lady Longbottom discuss the arrival of a new residence

Notes:

heavy Hermione bashing, the whole of this chapter is taken from the first chapter of Pride and Prejudice with a additions and changes here and there, for me Jane Austin first chapter and some others in the book can not really be bettered, so I have cheated and just slightly changed a few sentences etc (sorry)

Chapter Text

It is a truth universally acknowledged and known in the British Magical world, that a bonding entered into haste and between two very different people, limited not to just intellect or status will be a bonding of hardship for not only the two people involved but also their children, family and servants.

One such bonding was the Longbottom’s marriage, Muggle born brightest witch of her generation Hermione Granger and Lord Neville Longbottom. They had bonded at the end of the second wizarding civil war. The war had ended when the mundane government had with the assistance of the Goblin nation, dark fraction dispatched the Dark Lord Voldemort. Because of this the light fraction led by the distinguished and wise Lord Albus Dumbledore, had no real power in the British Wizengamot. The leader of the grey fraction Lord Potter with the support of the British Government and tentative support of the dark fraction led by Lord Lucius Malfoy was now the British Chief Warlock.

Of course, the Lord Dumbledore tried to gain his immense power base again by suggesting that the bonding of Heir Draco Malfoy and Lord Harry Potter meant that Lord Malfoy was really the power behind the British Wizengamot. Thankfully, he and the light fractions suggestions were ignored by the rest of the wizarding society. In fact, the light fraction and its leadership was and embarrassing joke by the rest of wizarding society and the British Government.

The failing wizarding school Hogwarts had been closed by the British Government and had been reopened as the first Magical university in Britain and Europe. This had meant that Lord Dumbledore had lost his influence over the magical children that had been allowed to attend the school. Now all children in the British magical community attended free education from nursery school to when they were eighteen years old.

Another truth universally acknowledged that a father with only five daughters and no son to inherit the Lordship, must find suitable husbands for his daughters. This was the position that Lord Longbottom found himself in, his bonded shrew Hermione had only graced him with daughters and with no son to inherit the Longbottom Estate, the estate on his death would be passed to a the nearest male relative a distant cousin a Mr Crabbe.

Neville had holed himself up in his study for three days, trying to avoid his bonded and her insistent screeching about a wealthy Indian Gentleman called Mr Bingale who had taken up residence in one of Lord Potter residences, a manor called Netherfield Park.

Lady Hermione barged into her bonded’s study on the morning of his forth day of isolation from his dear family. She looked at her disappointment of a husband and stated to him “My dear Neville!” this was never a good sign to Lord Longbottom or any body else in the family as it meant that Hermione had a plan that everybody else and especially him had to follow “Have you heard that Netherfield Park has been let by Lord Potter at long last” Neville replied that he had not “ But it is” replied Hermione “Mrs Long visited me three days ago, and she told me all about it” Neville wisely didn’t answer Hermione “Do you not want to know who has taken it?” screeched Hermione impatiently.

Neville longingly put down his morning paper the prophet and looked at his bonded and replied “You want to tell me, and even though I have the least interest in the subject. If you must tell me then I will have no objections in hearing about it”

And this was invitation enough for Hermione to enthusiastically inform her husband about the new resident of Netherfield Park. “Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs Long says that Netherfield Park is taken by a young Indian Gentleman with a very large fortune; that he came to see Netherfield Park last Monday, in his chauffeured Bentley and fell in love with it there and then. He has apparently agreed with that insufferable Lord Potter to take procession of it immediately and that withing the month he and his immediate family and friends will be living there. In fact, some of his servants are already at the manor making it habitable for him”

“What is his name?”
“Bingale.”
“Is his bonded or single”
“Oh! Single my dear, to be sure!” lucky sod thought Neville “A single man of an exceptionally large fortune of at least 34000 galleons a year after tax. What a fine thing for our daughters!”

“How so? How can it possible affect them?”

“My dear Neville!” answered his esperated wife “How can you be so tiresome! You know I will ensure that he marries one of our daughters”

“So that is his sole design in settling here then, to become a target for not only your plans for our daughters, but I would imagine nearly every young female in nearby residence”

“Design!” screeched his bonded “Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is likely that he will FALL in love with one of our girls, after all even though I say it myself, our daughters out class everyone else’s daughter in the local area! So you must therefore visit him as soon as he resides at Netherfield”

Neville looked longingly around his sanctum and continued “I see no occasion for that. You and the girls go, or you can send them by themselves to visit the man in question. Which to be fair may be for the best dear! After all you are the most handsome and intelligent witch of our generation and he may fall for you” and take you off my hands at long last thought Neville to himself

“My dear” Hermione now started to preen at her husband’s words but continued “You flatter me. I certainly am the most the intelligent witch of our generation and I was a great beauty, and had so many offers of bonding as you know dear! But I do not pretend now to be anything extraordinary in the beauty stakes. When a which has almost five grown up daughters, she as your grandmother says ought to give over thinking of her own talents and beauty”

“In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of.”

Ignoring her husbands barbed and sarcastic response continued “But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr Bingale when he firsts come to reside at Netherfield Park.”

“It is more than I want to or engage to do, I assure you DEAR!”

“But consider your daughters, only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. And how it would assist it ensuring our remaining daughters find more than suitable matches. Sir William and Lady Lucas, as well as the Goyle’s and William Weasley and his wife amongst others are determined to go and visit the young gentleman. And the Lucas’s are determined to go just to push forward that hopeless horse looking spinster of a daughter on him. You must go; indeed I insist that you go as it will be impossible for me and daughters to be introduced to him if you have not made his acquaintance first”

“You are over-scrupulous, surely in todays society it is possible for matchmaking wives to visit wealthy single gentleman, and show off the daughters like the wares they are” Neville opened his desk drawer and reach in and pulled out a sheaf of parchment and started to write, while continuing “See I will send a few lines with you to assure him of my hearty consent to pick one of daughters, and I must indeed throw in a good word for my little Lizzy”

“You will do no such thing, Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; in fact it could be said that she is not half as beautiful as Jane or so good humoured as Lydia. In fact Lizzy has no accomplishments to her name, except she has a sarcastic and prejudice nature that will mark my word hamper her in gaining a good husband in the future”

Neville rolled his eyes “They have none of them much to recommend them,” he replied “they all just silly and ignorant like any other girl; but Lizzy has something more of a quickness than her sisters”

“Mr Longbottom, how can you abuse your own children in such a way, Lizzy reminds too much of our old potions professor and Lord Potter adopted father Professor Snape. You take delight in vexing me, you have no compassion for my poor nerves.”

There were many times in the last twenty-five odd years that Neville had taken notice of their old potions professor Severus Snape especially when pointing out how awful Hermione Granger was. In from their sorting her true traits had shown through. Even his best friends Col. Weasley and Lord Harry Potter and his bonded had wondered why on earth anybody especially him had thought it was a good idea to bond to Hermione Granger. “You mistake me my dear. I and the house elves have a high respect for your nerves. They are our old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration regularly during the last twenty-five years at least.”

Mr Longbottom was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour (learnt from Severus he admitted), reserve, and caprice, that the experience of his bonding had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was sorry to say less difficult to understand, her intelligence and learning was limited to books which had through the years meant that she had become a woman of mean understanding and bullying (Col. Weasley still claimed he had the marks from her repeatedly hitting him at school). Her temper had become more uncertain and explosive towards him, their house elves and eldest three daughters. When she was discontented and would not get her own way (not often agreed Neville) She became ill and her nerves played her up. The business of her life now was to ensure that their daughters got married; it had become her only consuming goal in life.

Chapter 3: Hermione disappointment

Summary:

Hermione lists the reasons why she hates her sister in law.

Notes:

This I will admit is a weird chapter, and is mostly about Hermione irrational hatred for her brothers widow. I have introduced Rose early on in this story as I wanted to explain Mary different character from the actual Austin novel. hope you enjoy

Chapter Text

Hermione was in an angry mood which had lasted more than week now, first thing that had affected her mood was her husbands blatant refusal to go and introduce himself to their Rich new neighbour a Mr Bingale, the other reason was that their third daughter Mary was off to visit and be her sisters in law companion on one of the many luxury holidays that she now had since Hermione’s oldest brother had died.

It could never be stated strongly enough how much Lady Longbottom’s deep contempt for her older brother’s widow (Rose) went, she was in her view common and vulgar and had snared her brother away from the woman who he should have married.

Her brother had been fifteen years older than her sister in law, and the woman had managed to worm herself in to her departed parents’ and her other brothers’ heart. To make matters worse for Hermione, Rose had become to her parents the daughter that she had never been. In fact, her mother had gone on silly shopping trips and outings with Rose, one such outing was to visit her mother’s father’s war grave in France.

When Rose had met, she had been nothing more than a check out girl for a well-known store chain for the Christmas season, her family were in trade and own a small chain of Barbers shops. Rose by hooking her claws into her defenceless brother had managed to get a comic degree from the Open University and then trained to become a registered nurse. Her brother had managed to invest the money he had earnt and had become a millionaire when he had retired. Of course, that meant Rose had retired to become a ‘common carer’ for a firm that provided social care for service users that needed assistance in their homes. Both her brother and Rose had many luxury holiday abroad and in this country, her parents on Rose and her husband had willed their merge savings to their other brother as he needed and deserved the money more than anybody else in the family they had stated at the time.

Her brother had no children and when he had untimely died instead of the idiot given control of his money or even sharing the money equally between herself and Rose, he had willed the money alone to her sister in law! Stating in his will that Rose and her family had supported him throughout his ups and downs in his life and career, he even stated that Hermione had become nothing more than a harridan and money grasping shrew.

Well that had meant Hermione nerves had come back to visit the Longbottom family with a vengeance, Hermione had ensured that her daughters knew exactly what Rose was (a money grasping harridan), all her daughters except Mary her third daughter had realised that Rose was self-serving woman who would never do anybody a good turn if it did not benefit her in some way. Rose had ensured that there she had driven a wedge between Mary and her parents, the girl spent as much time with her sister in law as she could, becoming a companion for Rose on the holidays she still went on. Mary was even the God mother to Rose youngest brother’s sister in law daughter Mills (try even thinking that sentence when you are drunk!)

No matter how much of a disappointment that her second eldest daughter Elizabeth or Lizzie as she was known as was, Mary in her view was her child that had betrayed the family by standing by Rose. The child under the guidance of her sister in law did not even try to show off her meagre talents that she had, but now stayed in the shadows in social situations, including the dances that were held in their vicinity. Hermione had tried to make Mary see sense, the child was uglier than that horse faced daughter of the Lucas and so the only way that the child was to ensnare someone at all was to broadcast her achievements.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By contrast Mary Longbottom, was having a difficult time containing her excitement at accompanying her aunt Rose again. Her aunt had through time and patience shown and educated Mary in how to comport herself properly in many different situations and the life skills that she would need in the future for herself and perhaps her family. But she had already been told that she would always be looked after by Rose and her family if anything was to happen to her father or her parents. Mary could now balance account books, and shop according to the means available to her, she enjoyed drawing, writing, and playing the piano. Through she now knew that to boast of such accomplishments abroad to everybody could be seen to be crass, her Aunt had paid for her to take dance and horse-riding lessons. Mary had even found herself arguing her point of view within her adopted family, the holidays that her Aunt took her on were a mixture of educational and fun. Mary had learnt a lot from Rose and sadly now thought of the woman as the mother she never had.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Unbeknown to his family and his wife nerves, Lord Longbottom had already been introduced to their new neighbour Mr Bingale through his wife’s sister in law brother. It was Lord Longbottom that had managed to get Mr Bingale to meet Lord Potter and view his Netherfield park estate, but at the moment Lord Longbottom was content to allow his wife to believe he would not meet Mr Bingale, after all since the last time Hermione had taken him to task for not jumping to her commands, she had mercifully ignored him and he admitted that he selfishly enjoyed the peace and quiet directed his way.

Chapter 4: A persons flaws

Summary:

Lord Longbottom has a bit of fun with his bonded, and two of the Longbottom's daughter go on holiday with their aunt

Notes:

had fun with this chapter! just for information the Longbottom daughters are all above eighteen except for Lydia who is fifteen and soon to be sixteen. pls enjoy the chapter

Chapter Text

It is an incredibly sad fact of life, that for most people their flaws are almost always hidden from them. And sadly, for Lord Longbottom this was very true of not only his wife but his five daughters, although it must be said that Mary the third daughter had improved greatly with the counsel and guidance from their Aunt Rose.

The daughter to be the mostly effected by her flaw was not the youngest daughter Lydia, yes Lydia was a silly young girl who only thought about bonding to a rich and handsome young gentleman wizard. Her actions which were greatly supported by her mother and either ignored or laughed about by her father did affect the family in their small neighbourhood and county. But the second eldest Elizabeth or Lizzie as her family called her, believed that she had no unwanted or harsh flaws that would stop her from making a good marriage in life. She was as she believed a person who considered all facts before making a decision that would affect her or her loved ones, she knew how to keep a good home for the gentleman that she would of course marry in time (the fact that there were no such gentlemen stampeding to the Longbottom’s door to marry either her or any of her other sisters, perhaps should have told her something).

It was unfortunate that she had inherited or learnt from her father his sarcastic wit, that very often was used to barb and hurt others that Lizzie thought deserved her unwanted opinions, and from her mother she had learnt how to form baseless prejudiced opinions. This meant that Lizzie had formed a close circle of friends in their county, who for their own selfish reasons let Lizzie continue onwards in her self-delusion. For once in her relatively short life Lizzie had come up against someone who would not tolerate her comments and behaviour. Her Aunt Rose had to Lizzie great disappointment and anger, not chosen her to go on a full paid holiday away from her parents and their bickering. Rose herself would very often say in private to her friends and family, that she loved Mary as her own daughter and that like Mary, she would ensure that Kitty was given the appropriate guidance in her life. So, the Longbottom daughters picked to accompanied Rose on another holiday were of course Mary and surprisingly Kitty. According to Rose until Lizzie herself realised that her unfounded prejudice thoughts and sarcasm regarding others became tempered with a maturity then LIZZIE would be the last ever niece, she would take on holiday or on outings with her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It had been an early start for Rose and her two nieces that morning, she had picked up Mary and Kitty at 7.30am and after the two young girls had said their goodbyes to the rest of the family the three woman left in a taxi to catch a train to London, to start as Mary told Kitty a holiday and adventure.

It was due to Mary interference and grooming of Kitty, that the girl was being allowed to accompany Mary and their Aunt on this small adventure. The holiday it self would only last for two weeks this time, of course petty people may have whispered that Rose just wanted to ensure that she could in fact stand her niece Kitty company for a prolonged of time!

The first thing that the three women did when they got to London was to start on a shopping spree that Kitty had never been privileged to attend before. Mary and Kitty were kitted out in outfits and accessories that complimented them from very exclusive and small boutique shops, not found normally by regular shoppers. It was late afternoon when the three women found them selves sitting down in China town having a meal from a good restaurant, that Rose dropped her bombshell on the two girls. Their aunt had got them tickets for the Ladies Day at Royal Ascot, it was their Aunt said a bucket list moment for every woman to attend at least once in their life if they could. The next few days until Thursday morning of Ladies day would be spent in the young woman being groomed and enjoying themselves. It was a very happy and ecstatic two young ladies that finally found themselves staying in a exclusive hotel near the Ascot race course and of course having excellent train access into London to continue the shopping etc that were still be completed by the three women.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meanwhile back at Longbourn house, Hermione was still in a mood, with her nerves reappearing as old friends to the household regarding not only that two of her daughters were now being corrupted by her vulgar and harridan sister of law. But more importantly for her, her bonded had still not introduced himself to their new neighbour the extraordinarily rich and desirable gentleman Mr Bingale.

It was an evening that Lord Longbottom decided to have his fun with his wife and her nerves. His favourite daughter Lizzie was with her two other sisters trimming her bonnet with new ribbons that she had brought from the local shop in the small wizarding town. He cleared his throat and stated “Lizzie I hope that Mr Bingale will be taken with the bonnet that you are trimming” Hermione hearing this exchange, bristled and replied “Please tell me! Where will any of our daughters meet our new neighbour to show off their talents? Seeing as their father does not designate to call on the young gentlemen!”

“My dear! I am sure that Mrs Long or even the Lucas will introduce you and our delightful daughters to Mr Bingale…”

“Definitely not before they have ensured their own daughters have been introduced to him and the Longs will not be able to visit Mr Bingale before the eve of the assembly dance being held”

“Why ever not?” asked Lord Longbottom to his harried and angry wife “BECAUSE Mr Long has not introduced himself to our new neighbour, and wont have time to visit him till the 24th of this month, and the assembly is being held on the 26th month! They have had to visit her parents in haste due to a family matter” nobody expressed the uncharitable thought, that the only reason the Longs would hasten to her parents side would be due to the imminent death of her father. His death would mean that the Longs would have the means at long last to live the life they wanted and deserved (the down side was that they had to put up with her mother, but needs must as other people say).

“Well it will be a good thing that YOU WILL BE ABLE to introduce Mr Bingale and retinue to the Longs and Lucas after all” supplied Lord Longbottom

“And how will I be able to do that husband?” questioned Hermione, Lord Longbottom finally put down the book he had been pretending to read and commented “Why my dear, did I forget to inform you that Mr Bingale and his retinue will be visiting us for supper tomorrow evening! So sorry my remiss that I forgot to tell you…but I am sure that..” Hermione sat looking at her husband with an open gaping mouth and then all hell let loose regarding the arrangements she had to quickly make for the next day supper and their esteemed guests.