Title: From Reasonably Confident to Pigheadedly Stubborn
Prompt: Written for 'HedwigBlack's Weekly Challenge – Weasley Appreciation'
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is a trademarked brand owned by J.K Rowling and Warner Brothers. Any material used belongs to the aforementioned parties. This material is only used in recreational purposes and I receive no monetary or material rewards from using it. Please don't sue me.
It's with a bittersweet sigh that Charlie Weasley swigs his butterbeer as he sits at a corner table during his brother's wedding reception.
Ginny is closest, dancing joyfully with a girl in bright yellow whom Charlie recognizes as one of her childhood friends and one of his only neighbors growing up. Fred and George linger at the refreshment table, suavely chatting up a pair of Fleur's veela cousins, who probably have no idea what they're saying but giggle anyway. Ron is twirling a bemused Hermione around the dance floor, moving spastically, but taking great care not to tread on the muggleborn's feet. Bill is doing the same not ten feet away, only with Mum and in a much more refined and perfected waltz.
There's only one member of the Weasley family not here, but instead of being angry, Charlie can only muster the effort to be disappointed. Percy isn't here today. And Charlie hadn't really expected him to be, but he couldn't help but scan the wedding guests for horn-rimmed glasses and an extra head of red hair.
You are looking for your brozzer, no?"
Charlie glances up to find Fleur looking down at him with a knowing smile. The blushing bride seats herself carefully in a chair on his right, daintily crossing her legs at the ankle and fixing Charlie with an expectant look. The best man wonders how the veela managed to sneak up on him, seeing as though she's the center of attention today.
And Charlie doesn't deny the blonde's statement... but he isn't immediately forthcoming with information.
"Which one?" He asks.
"Ze one zat is not 'ere: Percy."
Charlie lets out another sigh, setting his bottle down with a loud thunk. "How could you tell?"
Fleur frowns, a small crease forming between her eyes. "Your mozzer was doing ze same. And ze 'wins," she observes quietly.
The second Weasley brother hadn't expected that last part, but he can't say he's all that surprised. Percy and the twins have always had an odd relationship. Before he speaks again, Charlie twists the hem of his dress robes like a dirty dish rag wet with frustration.
"I know he and Dad had a huge row or whatever, but I can't believe he'd be so prideful that he'd just completely ignore a wedding invitation! Bill wasn't even there when it all happened!"
"Maybe… maybe eet is not 'is fault," Fleur offers unexpectedly. "Maybe 'e did not know of ze union."
Charlie shakes his head in disagreement. "Bill sent out the invitations ages ago."
"But eef 'e did not get ze invitation," Fleur insists, "Eef 'e did not 'ave enough zime to send back an answer-" She cuts herself off abruptly, but Charlie's interest has already been roused.
"Fleur," he starts slowly, squinting brown eyes at her curiously. "Do you know something about…?"
Fleur bites her lip in anxiety, squirming in her chair.
"You mus' understand zat I did not mean any 'arm," She starts hurriedly, tone hushed in the air of a person admitting a shameful wrongdoing.
"You do know something!" Charlie exclaims, pointing a finger in the blonde's direction accusingly.
"Shhh!" The half-veela chides, glancing around to see if anyone has noticed Charlie's outburst.
"Sorry!" Charlie holds his hands up in surrender. "But you do know something?" He asks hopefully.
Fleur hesitates, but she doesn't hold back her information. "I do not know what Bill 'as told you about eet, but Percy did not decline 'is invitation,"
Charlie opens his mouth to argue, but Fleur holds up a hand to stop him. " 'E did not decline ze invitation, because 'e never received one in ze first place."
At the red haired man's confused look, Fleur explains further.
"Ze stationary shop charged an extra zree galleons for 'attempting to send a letter to someone with a ward against ze post'. Since we did not expect to 'ave such a trouble, Bill went to check eet out for 'imself... and 'e was not 'appy wiz what 'e deescovered." She leans forward, lowering her voice even further. "Percy's house is warded against any type of mail sent from anyone wizin 'is immeadiate family."
It doesn't take a great leap of logic to connect the dots. "That git! How could he- why on earth would- how could that possibly-" Charlie sputters indignantly, but Fleur hasn't quite finished.
"Eet might not be 'is fault though," Fleur adds hopefully.
Charlie crosses his arms across his chest. Oh, this explaination will be good. "How?"
"Ze ward is very recent. Eet was only put up wizin ze last month." Fleur leaves her statement hanging, eyes open wide as if to say 'don't you understand?', but Charlie's still lost.
"So?"
"So," She continues impatiently, "Do you not theenk eet is odd for 'im to establish such wards so late into a feud where 'e is clearly ze wrong party?"
Realization hits like a lightning strike. "You think someone's trying to keep Percy estranged from the family!"
"Oui." There's silence for a second before Charlie is reminded of another pressing detail.
"Wait a second though," the best man frowns, still not satisfied with this explanation. "I thought you said Percy just got a late invite; that's why he couldn't come."
"He did," Fleur answers uncertainly, not sure where Charlie's going with his arguement.
"How? If no one in the family can send him mail…"
Fleur hangs her head, twisting slim, delicate hands together her lap. "I did not mean any 'arm," She repeats mournfully. "I knew 'ow much eet meant to Bill for Percy to know of 'is wedding, even eef 'e was unable to attend. 'E was so disappointed when 'e found out about ze wards, you see."
She meets Charlie's eyes again, defiance glinting there freely. "Technically, I am not a part of your family, at least not zen. As long as Bill did not know of my eententions, I was perfectly able to bypass such wards. So one morning, when everyone else was busy, I simply sent out anozzer letter."
She shakes her head, tossing her long silver hair over her shoulder. "I do not know eef my attempt was successful, but I at least 'ad to try."
Fleur stares at Charlie stonily, as if daring him to dispute her decision, but Charlie can only nod in agreement as he resists the urge to applaud, respect for his sister-in-law increasing tenfold.
"Good call," he commends her.
"I thought so too." She stands gracefully, scanning the crowd wishfully. "I theenk I should go find my 'usband," She says the last word giddily, despite the seriousness of the conversation. "I 'ave been away from ze party for much too long, don' you agree?"
She doesn't wait for Charlie's answer before disappearing into a throng of people.
For his part, Charlie Weasley is ridiculously impressed with his new family member. He hadn't known Fleur could be so creative.
'Perhaps,' Charlie wonders absentmindedly, peering into his empty bottle, 'I should try to do the same.'
I had originally intended most of this material to be featured in 'Honor Bound Pledges', but with that written from Percy's point of view, it was eventually cut. In my head cannon, I've always thought that Percy and Charlie were closest growing up, but that the twins were the ones most effected by his betrayal. Tell me what you think! - Cadid423