|
||||||||
|
||||||||
Author: Author by Night Story: Spectators Rating: Teens Setting: Pre-OotP Status: Completed Reviews: 3 Words: 21,201
Percy did have some regrets. He shouldn’t have told his father it was his fault they were poor. That had, perhaps, not been the best course of action. But it was also his last resort, the last thing he could think of that might sway his father in the right direction. In hindsight, it was stupid — cruelty never won anyone over. Many large families ended up having a “black sheep.” Statistics dictated that near inevitability; a large group of people would never agree on everything, after all, and some things were bigger than the typical arguments family members had. This wasn’t his parents rewarding Fred and George for acting like buffoons (however much his mother lectured them, they never faced any real punishment); nor was it Ron spilling tea on a picture of Penelope. There were bigger problems that divided families, and often, someone was kicked out, or walked out despite pleas to stay. Percy wasn’t sure which applied to him. It had all happened so fast. “I have a big family, you know,” Penelope told him when he explained his theory to her over supper. “None of us are the black sheep.” “I didn’t say it always happens, but nine times out of ten…” “You’re also not supposed to want to be the black sheep.” “Sometimes the black sheep is the one in the right.” And Percy knew he was right. His parents were headed in a bad direction, and he couldn’t afford to be dragged down with them. They weren’t even proud of his promotion. How could his father suggest Fudge was using him? Had he really spent most of his youth studying for his father to suspect him of being a mere pawn? If being offended by that alone made him a black sheep, so be it! There was a knock at the door. Penelope looked all too eager to answer it. “Bill!” He heard her say loudly. “How are you?” “Very well. I was hoping to have a word with Percy.” Percy froze. Tell him I’m not here. “Percy!” Penelope called. Percy folded his arms, and after a minute, Penelope returned with a cross look on her face. “Your brother’s here.” “Tell him I’m busy.” “I’ll do no such thing. You are going to talk to him.” “He’s on the dark side, Penny.” “What is this, Star Wars?” “What’s Star Wars?” “Oh, never mind. Look, just hear him out. I think he’s here to apologise.” “What makes you think that?” “I have an older brother. I know the look. If he starts arguing with you about Dumbledore, I promise I’ll find a reason for him to leave.” Percy supposed she would know, so he went into the hall and stood face to face with his brother for the first time in days. “Did you have something you wanted to say to me?” He asked. “First, I hope you know you hurt Mum and Dad a great deal,” Bill said. “I realize my words were harsh, but I hope you understand my urgency.” “Do you really believe Mum and Dad would follow Dumbledore so blindly?” “No. But they have a blind spot where Harry’s involved. We both know that.” “He saved Ginny’s life, Perce.” “And for that I will be grateful until my dying day. But that’s not all, and you know it. Mum’s made it her mission to take care of Harry since he asked her for help getting onto Platform 9 ¾. I used to find it admirable. Now that he’s made a descent into madness, however, I recognize how dangerous their devotion is.” “That doesn’t explain Dumbledore.” “Clearly he has manipulated the boy.” “The… boy. You went to school together, you were the Head Boy of his house, he’s spent three summers with our family, and that’s who he is to you now? ‘The boy’?” “As long as he’s tearing our family apart, I deem it rather fitting.” Bill was clearly at a loss for words. For some reason, seeing Bill so taken aback was even harder than it had been seeing his father so hurt. Maybe it was that he’d lost control of his temper that night. He was in control of his temper at the moment, able to take in the clear feelings of the other person. “Billy,” Percy blurted, “don’t look at me like that.” Now Bill looked sad. “I miss you,” Bill said after a moment. “We all do. So just hear us out again. I know you want to believe Fudge—“ “—I know you want to believe Dumbledore,” Percy said at the same time. The two brothers stared at one another. “Very well, then.” Percy cleared his throat. “I think it’s time for you to leave.” “Percy.” “If nothing else, Fudge shouldn’t know anything about our family’s involvement with Dumbledore’s antics, whatever they may be. He will not be as forgiving as I am. You probably shouldn't be here.” “Right. Well. See you around, then.” “Yes. Most definitely.” That was a lie, of course. They both knew it. When Percy returned to the kitchen, Penelope was putting away the dishes. “He wasn’t here to apologise,” Percy told her. “I know. It was the only way you'd talk to him. I was hoping you'd at least come to an agreement.” This should have angered Percy, but he was tired of quarrels. Instead of arguing over the matter, he put his arms around her waist. “Let’s forget about tonight.” He knew she was unhappy, but she mustn’t be. He didn't want to lose her, too. But something told him that he'd already started to. Damn the inevitable.
“Beel!” Bill had been on his way to lunch when he heard a familiar voice call his name in a French accent. To his surprise, the girl he’d met at Hogwarts — the champion, no? was walking towards him. Fleur Delacour. “I ‘ad ‘oped I might bump into you,” she said. “But I zhought you were in Eegypt.” “You have quite the memory,” Bill laughed. “No, with…” he stopped. “You-know-‘oo being back, you decided to stay?” Fleur guessed in a whisper. Bill looked around cautiously. “Yes. You want to be careful—” “—I know.” “I’m sorry, you know,” Bill said, “about Cedric.” Fleur nodded. “‘e was too good for zat death.” “So what brings you here?” Bill couldn’t imagine why anyone would come at a time like this. “Ze reasons you went to Eegypt. Also, to improve my Eenglish. I didn’t dare let zem stop me. And now zat you air ‘ere, it is clear we were meant to meet again.” Bill was rather taken aback. “Were we?” “Oh, yes, I zink so.” Fleur smiled. “‘ere we are, ze only ones ‘oo know ze truth—” “I wouldn’t say the only ones—” “—and we should not ‘ave met again, but we did. Fate.” Fleur checked her watch. “I only work part-time, and my shift is over. I was zinking of going for lunch. If you would like to join…” Bill felt a tiny spark of hope, so he followed her. Maybe there were some good things ahead.
They were to meet at the Leaky Cauldron again. Just the “core lot” as Charlie thought of them, maybe a few Order members. It was a celebration before he returned to Romania. Charlie had considered staying, but Dumbledore thought he might be of better use abroad. Tonks had all but forced him to go back; she’d tried to get Bill to go back to Egypt, and Hestia to follow either Bill or Charlie. Both of them had refused. Charlie wanted to stay too, but he’d already made a commitment to Dumbledore, and he had to keep it. Charlie secretly wished Tonks would come back with him. But that ship had sailed, particularly taking into account the laughing that was going on at the table. Remus and Tonks had arrived first, and were laughing loudly at some private joke. “Hi, Charlie,” Remus said. “You just missed —” he snorted. “This bloke, he was…” Tonks was wiping tears out of her eyes. “Oh, I think you’d had to have been there.” “You’re having fun without me before I’ve left?” Charlie joked as he sat. He was surprised that it didn't bother him more. Maybe it was too much of a relief to know he was leaving his best friend in such good spirits. Tonks stuck out her tongue. “I have to ask,” Charlie said quietly, “how’s Snuffles?” Remus and Tonks exchanged a dark look. “Don’t ask,” Tonks said. “I really wish they’d let him stay with Mum and Dad.” “You know what Dum—he said,” Remus reminded her. “What did who say?” Hestia asked as she sat next to Charlie. From the opposite direction, Kingsley Shacklebolt walked over to the table and sat to Remus’s right; he also looked curious. “We were talking about Snuffles,” Tonks explained. “I see. Is he okay?” “He’s… Snuffles. How about you?” Hestia sighed. “I don’t know. My parents are still…” she trailed off. “Percy too,” Charlie told her, and cringed inwardly. He still couldn’t believe his own brother was behaving like this, much less the terrible things he’d said to their father. The look on his father’s face when Percy had blamed him for their family being poor… Charlie hadn’t told anyone this, it would humiliate Arthur, but he was fairly certain he heard him cry after that. “Has Scrimgeour said anything either way to you yet?” Tonks asked Kingsley. “Not a word. Either he believes Fudge, or he doesn’t but doesn’t want us all to lose our jobs.” “You mean he doesn’t want to lose his.” Kingsley frowned. “I'm not sure it's so simple--” “Hello.” Bill had finally shown up; with him was a blonde woman Charlie thought he’d seen before. Hadn’t she been the Beauxbatons Champion? She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen… she most definitely had veela blood. “This is Fleur,” Bill explained. “She’s a new friend of mine.” Everyone greeted her politely, if not warmly; instead, they all exchanged pensive looks. Could they speak freely around her? How much, if anything, did she know? “I know ‘oo you air,” Fleur added. “I’m glad.” Charlie stood and extended his hand. “In that case… Charlie Weasley, Bill’s brother.” “Zee one ‘oo works with dragons!” Fleur eyed Tonks’s pink hair. “And you would be zee quirky one.” “That’s not exactly how I put it,” Bill muttered. But Tonks laughed. “No, that’s my evil twin.” Fleur raised her eyebrows, clearly not getting the joke. She’d learn soon enough. It only then occurred to Charlie that no one else was actually in the pub, except for Tom and a hag a few tables away. It was just as well. They didn’t have to whisper. Not that there was much to whisper about; as the night went on, it felt much more like a gathering of friends than anything he was in much too good of a mood to worry about. When it came time to leave, Charlie subtly left a note next to his drink and made a quick exit while pretending to be headed for the men’s room. If anything bad happened, he didn’t want to remember long faces and goodbyes. He wanted to remember his friends laughing like their lives hadn’t changed drastically, new friends a natural blend in their little group. Hopefully his departure was only temporary, and he would be back before that had to be the case. But if not, he couldn’t have had a happier memory.
I will be posting a sequel of sorts soon, but still have to work some things out. As they say, stay tuned!
|