This story was written for the House Competition by Moonlight Forgotten (Year 3)
Round 3
House: Gryffindor
Position: Year 1
Category: Standard (Love Conquers All)
Prompt: Silver
Words: 773
Arthur and Molly Weasley were taking an evening stroll with their infant son, Bill, when they walked past a jewelry store. A beautiful necklace on the shop's display window caught Molly's attention. She moved towards window and looked at the necklace admiringly. It was a white gold necklace with a heart shaped pendant.
"Let's go, Arthur," said Molly, quickly recovering from her trance.
Arthur felt a surge of guilt. He could not afford to buy Molly pretty things. She never complained, but it pained him nevertheless.
The next day, Arthur paid the jewelry store a visit after work. He wanted to find out the price of the necklace and see if there was some hope for him to buy it with installments.
"How much for this necklace," he asked the storekeeper.
"350 galleons sir," said the storekeeper. "But I could let it go for three hundred galleons.
Arthur felt his heart sink. He only earned ten galleons per month. He could never afford the necklace.
"Could this necklace be bought in installments?" asked Arthur.
"Certainly, sir. But we accept no less than fifteen galleons per month, wherein the full payment would be settled in twenty months,"
Arthur felt his heart sink again. That was worth more than his whole month's salary. But just then, he caught sight of a necklace with the same design in another area of the store. The necklace had the same design, but it looked less shinny and less grand, but still beautiful nevertheless.
"That's a silver version of this necklace, sir. We make those for customers who want cheaper versions of our gold jewelry," said the shopkeeper.
"How much for the silver necklace?" asked Arthur.
"Fifteen galleons sir," said the shopkeeper. "But you can't buy it in installments."
Arthur felt a glimmer of hope. Molly's Birthday was in two months. He could not afford to buy Molly gold, but for now, he would at least get her silver as a Birthday gift. The shopkeeper had told him that the necklace would still be in sale in next two months. Arthur had saved up five galleons in the past few years to buy a Chudley Canon's ball. He would give up his Chudley Canon's ball for Molly. He would work extra hours and other odd jobs to earn the extra ten galleons.
And so Arthur did. He stayed back at his office at least an hour each day. On weekends, he worked part time at a restaurant. He told Molly he was doing it temporarily to earn the extra cash for his ball. It was immensely stressful for Arthur, but he bore with it, with his goal of getting his wife her Birthday present. At last, Arthur had managed to earn the extra ten galleons. He proudly went to the jewelry store, laid out his fifteen galleons and asked for the necklace.
"I'm sorry sir, but the necklace now costs seventeen galleons. With the inflation, these are bad times and we had no choice for to increase our prices," said the storekeeper.
Arthur looked at the silver ring on his finger. It was a family ring and had been in his family for years. He was quiet fond of the ring. But his love for Molly prevailed against anything else. Arthur took out his silver ring and handed it to the shopkeeper.
"Will this get me two galleons?" he asked.
The shopkeeper examined the ring and told Arthur that he could get two galleons and seven sickles for the ring. Arthur handed him the ring, bought the silver necklace, and took his change of seven sickles.
Arthur returned home to be greeted by Molly and Bill. After Molly's quite Birthday dinner, Arthur and Molly relaxed in the living room.
"I got you something," said Arthur, sheepishly handing Molly the package.
"Oh, Arthur, you didn't have to," said Molly.
"Open it,"
Molly opened the package and was surprised to find a silver necklace.
"I saw you looking at that necklace," Arthur explained. "I'm sorry that I could only afford the silver version," he said guiltily as Molly looked mortified.
"I'm sorry Molly. I hope you like it,"
"Oh Arthur! You wonderful, wonderful man. Of course I love it," said Molly, throwing her arms around him, happy tears flowing down her cheeks.
Without words, Molly knew that Arthur had given up Chudley Canon ball dream to get her the necklace. She made up her mind to get Arthur his Chudley Canon ball with the money she herself had saved. She hadn't reached five galleons yet, but she would continue saving until she did. Love had always conquered everything in their relationship.