AN: this is my first story so any comments or constructive criticisms welcome! Also I have reposted this with more than one chapter.

DISCLAIMER: I have no claim to anything but the plot.

9:43AM

Friday, October 27, 2007

Ministry of Magic

London, England

Arthur swirled the strong, milky liquid around in his cup, wishing it would cool a bit faster so he could comfortably enjoy it. Impatient, he took a sip anyway, burning his tongue in the process. His eyes watering at the sudden pain, he grabbed a biscuit off the glazed porcelain tray – much too prissy for his tastes, but a pattern he knew his son Percy was quite fond of – and popped it in his mouth in a bid to ease the burn.

"I'm sorry I won't be joining you today, Father, but I'll need to work right through the lunch hour if I want to have that report for the French Minister ready in time for the meeting this afternoon." Percy sat placidly across from him, despite the urgency implied in his statement, sipping his own tea and apparently unaware of his father's discomfort.

"Quite alright, Percy," Arthur responded when he was able to speak again. "We're all a bit behind in our paperwork after the week we've just had. I'm up to my ears in it, myself – it'll be pure luck if I'm out of here for supper."

Arthur gave a grimace, both at the thought of the mountain of paperwork sitting on his desk awaiting his return and the reception he was sure to get from his wife when he arrived home late – again.

"Yes, I hear you've had quite the week yourself, Father! Twelve raids in five days!"

"Thirteen." Arthur corrected peevishly, checking the ornate clock on the wall. A quarter ten! Taking an experimental sip of his tea he found it had finally cooled enough to drink. Tossing the entire cup back in one go, Arthur pushed himself up from the cushioned chair.

"I'd better get going, Percy. If I don't get some work done I'll be skipping lunch myself!"

Percy stood too, and shook his father's hand – Arthur couldn't help chuckle to himself at the formality. "Of course, Father, I understand. The Ministry doesn't just stop running for you or me! Be sure to tell Mother I'll see her at supper tomorrow evening."

Arthur nodded, slightly buoyed to have some good news to tell his wife. "She'll be glad to hear it son; she's missed you the last two weeks."

There had been a time when such a statement would have thrown Percy into a rage at the imagined implication that his job was unimportant in the grand scheme of the Weasley clan. Now, however, Percy smiled congenially and responded, "I missed her too. Once this meeting is over I should have a good, long break coming to me."

Arthur couldn't help but beam with pride at the man before him, so different from the boy he had been back in those dark days. With a final heart-felt farewell, Arthur made his way out into the corridor, pointing himself in the direction of the lifts. He didn't pay attention to the people or scenery he passed, lost in thoughts that, although still of the work that awaited him, were considerably less dark than before.

Preoccupied as he was, Arthur found he was halfway down a hallway before realizing he had passed his office door and quickly backtracked, glancing over his shoulder as he did so to be sure no one had witnessed his mistake.

It's the old age, Arthur chuckled to himself fondly. Men my age should spend their days playing with their grandchildren, not chasing after petty crooks and blinding themselves with miles of parchment. Indeed, there did seem to be miles of the stuff piled on his old, rickety desk – the same one he had had when he first entered the Ministry decades ago. Coming around the side of said desk, Arthur saw there was something else besides parchment weighing the old friend down – a plain red box, wrapped once around with a gold ribbon. Closer examination revealed a card bearing a flowing "I LOVE YOU".

"Molly," Arthur murmured fondly. It had been years since they had fallen out of the practice of sending each other small tokens of their love throughout the work day, but their explosive row that morning must have inspired his dear wife to return to the all but forgotten tradition. Opening the box, Arthur discovered an assortment of chocolates inside, and with delight he helped himself to several of their number.

His bad mood of that morning forgotten, Arthur settled in and set to work, determined to make his way through the workload and make it home for supper that evening. Arthur did in fact make impressive headway, sparing Caudwell – the young lad who had replaced old Perkins upon his retirement – only a sparing nod when he returned to the offices from his own mid-morning break.

It wasn't until a particularly unpleasant rumble came from the direction of his stomach that Arthur glanced at the clock, to discover with some surprise that the morning had passed and it had come round lunch time already. Hurriedly scribbling down the last of his train of thought Arthur stood up – and almost toppled head first onto his desk.

"Mr Weasley! Are you alright, sir?" Caudwell was standing too now, and looked ready to leap across his desk to Arthur's aid.

For his own part, Arthur righted himself with a hand leaning heavily on the arm of his chair. "Yes, yes, I'm fine." The dizzy feeling subsided as quickly as it had come, and with more certainty Arthur continued, "Yes, just a sign that I need to get some lunch in me, I expect! Chocolates may be a fine meal for a younger man than I, but I'll need something a bit heartier to keep me going."

Caudwell still had a glint of concern in his eye, but Arthur simply bid him farewell before heading off to lunch. The sick, dizzy feeling returned when the magical lift started to move, but this time knowing what to expect, Arthur managed to keep control of himself with only a little extra weight put onto the hand leaning against the wall.

The lift doors opened with a soft hiss and Arthur pushed himself off and out, spotting Harry, Ron and Hermione already waiting for him beside the golden fountain in the middle of the massive lobby. He had made it halfway across to them when his vision seemed to grow fuzzy around the edges. A few more steps and everything seemed to be growing dim, as if someone was playing with a giant light switch. Arthur felt his legs give out at the same time everything went completely dark and his stomach gave one final, great heave.

The last thing he heard before he lost his senses all together was the panic-stricken shouts of, "DAD!"