QLFC Round 3

Beater 2: write about a character that breaks a familial or societal tradition.

Optional Prompts: 3. (setting) beach, 11. (emotion) happiness, 12. (object) journal

Word Count: 1,425

life (is good)

Dear Diary,

After many long months of consideration, I have decided I no longer wish to take over the family business. I should like very much instead to become a writer and document the war first-hand. I do not believe that that the civilian population is receiving the information it deserves and I want to -

Alice Fortescue set down her quill and leaned back with a sigh. She sounded so formal, and nothing like herself. (Although, she was writing in her diary for the first time in ages, and that wasn't herself either). She shut her journal and pushed it away with a second sigh.

All her life, she'd thought that'd she'd be taking over her father's ice cream parlour. It had always worked that way. The business was passed down to the eldest child after they graduated Hogwarts. The tradition had never been broken. And Alice thought she had wanted to keep up the custom. But then she had met Frank Longbottom, a student in Gryffindor, and everything had changed.

Frank was charming, sweet, and had placed a ring on her finger six months into their relationship. Her family loved him, and what wasn't there to love?

But he was to be an Auror, and Alice Fortescue was not the type of girl to be a perfect stay-at-home wife while her husband is off fighting in the war.

Alice stared at the ring on her finger, angling her hand so that it sparkled in the rays of sunlight that fell on her desk. A thrill of happiness shot through her as she realized her wedding day was in exactly one week, shortly after they were due to graduate from Hogwarts.

She couldn't wait.

She'd break the news to her family then, that she wasn't taking over the family business. They couldn't be angry at her on the best day of life. Yes, that sounded like a plan. Alice smiled at the ring on her finger before pulling the journal back towards her and scrawling a finish to the entry rapidly:

and I want to be as close to my husband as possible while he fights.

Sincerely,

Alice Fortescue

She signed her name with a flourish and snapped her journal shut again before reaching for a Charms essay that was due tomorrow. Even though the seventh years had already taken their final exams, teachers were still piling homework on them. But somehow, the fact that they would be leaving Hogwarts for the very last time in under a week made that okay.

"Ow!" Alice jerked her head away from her smaller sister. "You're hurting me!"

"Well, if you didn't have so much hair, this wouldn't be a problem!" Abigail snapped.

"It's Mother's stupid genes," Alice complained, rolling her eyes. "Fine, keep going. But be careful."

She settled back in the chair hesitantly, and Abigail returned the brush to her sister's long hair once more. The younger Longbottom brushed silently for a few minutes, before setting the brush aside and speaking as she began to braid Alice's hair.

"You're getting married, isn't this exciting?"

"It'd be a lot more exciting if my hair would cooperate," Alice responded, but a small smile formed on her lips. Yes, she was excited. In fact, excited was an understatement. There was no word that could describe the absolute ecstasy she was feeling.

"You know, I'm thinking of cutting my hair after the wedding."

"Why? It's so pretty."

"It'll get in the way of my job."

"Right, your job of serving ice cream," Abby snorted. Alice turned in her chair to smack her sister, who ducked. "Alright, alright, okay!"

Alice turned again and Abby resumed the braiding.

"I was actually thinking of something else," Alice ventured.

"Oh?"

"Don't tell our parents yet, but I don't want to take over Dad's business," Alice confided. "Frank is going to be an Auror, you know. I want to be by his side. I couldn't possibly stay at home not knowing he's safe."

"You're going to be an Auror?" Abby's question was muffled by the hairpins in her mouth that she began sliding into Alice's hair.

"What? No," Alice answered, although that option had never occurred to her. She stored it in the back of her mind for later and went on. "No, I'm going to document the war. We know almost nothing about what's going on, and I don't think that's fair."

Abby was silent. Alice wasn't sure if she was thinking or just struggling with the hair.

"What do you think?" Alice asked anxiously after at least ten minutes had passed and Abby was finishing coaxing flowers into Alice's elaborate hairdo.

"I think it's your life and you can do whatever you choose to with it, but have fun explaining that one to Mother and Dad. Mother's going to lose it. Your hair looks beautiful. Go get your dress."

Alice did as she was told, picking up her wand and Summoning it with a lazy Accio.

Although the dress was modest, it was beautiful. A classic white ball gown with a matching veil. Abby took the dress while Alice shed her clothes, and then her sister helped her step into the mounds of fabric carefully. Abby began zipping it in the back and Alice twirled her wand between her fingers, like she did when she was nervous. Then Abby spun her and began examining the front critically.

"Is it okay?" Alice asked. She smoothed down the front of it, tangling her fingers in the fabric, letting it slide through them.

Abby stood silently for what seemed like forever. Then she hurled herself at Alice, throwing her arms around her.

"You're getting married!" Abby sobbed. "And leaving! And then you're going to go get some stupid dangerous job and get yourself killed! Why can't you just stay and serve ice-cream?"

Alice squeezed her sister tightly, realizing how she must feel. "I'm not going to get killed," she whispered. "I promise. Let's just concentrate on the wedding today, okay? And telling Mother that I don't want to take over the business. I need your help with that."

Abby pulled away and began wiping at her eyes, nodding as she did so. Alice held out her hand to her sister. "Will you bring me to Dad so I can go get married?"

Alice and Frank were married on the beach. The waves were dark gray, matching the clouds, and the wind whipped her dress everywhere, but the weather only added a sense of exhilaration to the high she was already on. (The sand in her shoes was quite annoying, though).

After the pastor pronounced them man and wife, and they had broken apart from their first kiss as a married couple, Frank picked Alice up and carried her back down the aisle. Alice looped her arms around his neck. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

The reception had originally been planned to be held at the beach, but since the weather wasn't very agreeable, they had put off the reception for another day, and decided to just have a small dinner with the two families as a celebration before Alice and Frank set off on their honeymoon.

That's how Alice found herself sitting on Frank's kitchen floor eating pizza and drinking wine on her wedding day. Her mother had tried to insist they go to a fancy restaurant, but the couple had been just fine having a casual dinner.

Alice finished her pizza and wiped her hands on a napkin, glancing over at Frank nervously. He knew of her plans to announce to her parents that she would be choosing a different career tonight.

He squeezed her hand and nodded reassuringly at her.

"Mother, Dad, there's something I wanted to tell you," Alice said. Both her parents looked at her curiously. "It's about the ice-cream parlour," she continued nervously.

"What about it, dear?" her mother asked, smiling down at her.

"I don't think I'll be taking over," Alice ventured.

Her mother's smile froze on her face.

Alice waited.

"I don't understand," Mrs. Fortescue said slowly. "You have to. It's tradition. A tradition that's never been broken. You can't just choose another career."

Alice exhaled in relief. Her mother wasn't happy, but she wasn't furious. A light smile on her face, she began explaining her plans to become a writer instead of working in the parlour.

She was married to the love of her life and was going to follow her dreams of being a writer, which her family would hopefully accept.

Life was good.