"That's kind of harsh, don't you think?" Al said, turning a page in his book.
"I don't know; you think? I was debating letting loose some dung bombs in their bed."
"Fred's bombs?"
"Yeah."
"They'd just get angrier with you. Besides, it does not befit a Ravenclaw to exact revenge. Leave that to the Slytherins."
"I know. I just wish there was something I could do." Hugo stretched out on the floor. His burn had started to scab and as such began itching.
"Suck it up and work at the ministry. It can't be that bad."
"Says the boy who earns his money writing book reviews for the prophet."
"Hey, I needed to do something while held up with my leg. My brain was the only thing working right, and I haven't fallen back into the practice of letting it rot. Excuse me."
"Whatever."
"It'll stimulate you. You haven't picked up a book all month. We haven't discussed politics or played chess since you got back from Romania. You're in a rut. You need to get back on track."
"I'm not in a rut."
"Whatever, Hugo." Al turned a page.
3
Hugo stared at the robes his mother had given him in compliance with the ministry dress code. As an underling, he got the wonderful impression they were not going to be flattering on him. Not to mention they were Gryffindor red. The thought of wearing them sent shivers down his back. Why did he have to wear the red ones? Biting back his fierce house loyalty, he slipped into them, the fabric coarse against his skin and scab.
"Ronnie, are you ready yet? You're going to be late!" she called up the stairs. Leaving behind the comfort of his room and the bliss associated with summer vacation, he went downstairs to greet his fate.
He ignored Rose smirking at him from the table, his father gazing solemnly over his newspaper, and his mother busily hustling around the kitchen, trying to figure out where she put her quill.
"I'm going on ahead," Hugo said, taking a pinch of floo powder. "Don't want to be late for the first day on the job." He threw it into the fire and stepped inside.
"Ministry of Magic!"
3
"So, Hugo," Al asked, closing his book and looking across the table with a serious expression on his face. "How do you like the ministry?"
Hugo groaned and rubbed his face. He didn't want to talk about the ministry, about work, about what he was going to do when he graduated. His mother had seen his O.W.L.s that had just come in. He qualified to continue in every subject but divination, which was no surprise to anyone. And with this newfound knowledge, she had been urging him incessantly to consider going into the ministry.
"After three weeks working there, you'd think I'd become acclimated to it," Hugo muttered.
"No?"
"I hate it. The only thing I get to do is run around with papers. The people I give them to don't even know what to do with them. It's like I'm delivering letters to dogs."
"Where do you work?"
"Department of Games and Sports."
"Well no wonder, you are delivering them to a bunch of dogs. No one there knows a donkey from a horse."
"Yeah…"
"But you know you love it anyway."
Hugo stared at Al, his jaw clenched. There was no way he enjoyed it. No way. He couldn't like it. He couldn't work there. Sure, he had a bit of freedom there, given assignments and left to do them, but that didn't mean he liked it. And it was true that he hadn't run into his mother or any other member of his family. But he still had to…and he…damn it. He hated when Al was right.
"Oh, come on, don't go and tell me you don't enjoy it. Every time I went by your place, it was 'Hugo's still at the ministry' or 'Hugo went to bed. He's been working an awful lot, lately' or 'I'm sorry, Al, I can't come out to play. I've got to finish these papers for tomorrow'. I thought you were possessed for a while there."
"I'm not possessed. I want a new broom."
"Why? Are you going to play quidditch this year?"
"No."
"Then why do you want a broom?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Because you don't need one. And, unlike some of your cousins, you're a bit more frugal than most Weasleys, and that's saying something."
Hugo crossed his arms and scowled. It wasn't his fault he had the skills of conservation.
"Look, all I'm saying is that you know you like it. You know you do. You know you belong there. There is no point in denying it. And you know you hated the dragons. Sure, it might have been cool, but do you really want that to be your life, like Charlie? Never getting married, never having kids…you're a Weasley, and family's important to you. Hey, don't grimace like that. You should be proud of who you are – a member of one of the oldest wizarding families. Just suck it up, will you? Stop denying who you are."
"Whatever. I need to go."
Hugo stood up and walked over to the chimney.
"Why? Need to do some paper work?"
Sometimes, Al didn't know when to shove it. He took after his brother in that respect. Hugo threw some floo powder on the fire and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
3
"Merlin, Hugo, stop moving!" Rose snapped, almost stabbing the boy with her needle.
"What do you want me to do? Turn to stone?" Hugo said, crossing his arms.
"Put your arms back out. Do you want this done right nor not?"
"I'm going back to Hogwarts regardless. Ow!"
"That's what you get for crossing me, Ronald Hugo." Rose pulled the needle out of Hugo's leg. "Now I need to finish this. So stop squirming. I was supposed to meet up with the guys thirty minutes ago."
"You should send them an owl telling them you'll be late."
Rose stabbed Hugo again.
"Why do you keep doing that?"
"Because you're being an annoying brat. Just because you're taller than me does
not mean you get to be the bully. That's my job, got it?"
Hugo kept quiet and looked around the kitchen. He wished there was some way he could keep himself busy. But, of course, there wasn't.
"Hey Al," Rose said, sewing up a piece of thread with an amount of skill that always impressed Hugo.
"Rose, Hugo," Al greeted. He took a seat at their kitchen table, glancing at the brother and sister prepare for their next adventure into the realm of Hogwarts. Hugo glanced at him, a sense of relief surging through him. Al might be able to keep him occupied.
"So, Al, what courses are you taking next year?" Hugo asked. He already knew the answer, but it got Al riled up when he talked about failing the practical defense against the dark arts exam. Everything else was nearly perfect.
"Evidently not defense against the dark arts," he said bitterly. "Ancient runes, Arithmancy, charms, transfiguration, potions, astronomy, muggle studies, and history of magic."
"Why are you taking history of magic?" Rose asked, disgust giving her voice an edge.
"Because I can't continue with defense against the dark arts!" Al was frustrated, his usually calm demeanor cracking under the anger. "And it was for something stupid, too, like I forgot to do the shield at the right time. I can do bloody magic without spells! But no, that's upper level magic; no damn fifth year could know that."
Al crossed his arms and glared at Hugo standing on the chair. Hugo struggled to hold in his laughter. In a few seconds, Al was back on fire.
"You know what? Right before I left, I was learning about occlumency. Occlumency! Did they ask me about that? No. The imperius curse? No. You know what they wanted to know? How do you kill a bloody werewolf? Do I know how to kill a bloody werewolf, Hugo?"
"Nope."
"No. I don't. That's damned care for magical creatures. Not fucking defense against the dark arts."
"Calm down, Al," Rose said. "You're making me want to stab Hugo again, and he's going to need a few bandages already."
Hugo grimaced as another needle lodged itself in his ankle.
"I'm going to kill you, Rose," Hugo said.
"Whatever, I'm done for now. You can get down now."
Hugo pulled off his robes and left them on the chair for Rose to finish later. .
"Al, is Lily still at the Burrow?" Rose asked, tucking her needles away in her sewing box.
"I think so."
"Ok, thanks." With a crack, she disapparated.
"So, Hugo, when are you going to go to Diagon Ally?" Al asked, putting his hands behind his head in an attempt to calm himself down.
"I'm not sure. My parents haven't given me the list, yet."
"Are you working this weekend?"
"No."
"You want to go then and help me keep an eye on Lily? My parents won't trust her alone after what happened last year with…you know…"
"Bones?"
"Yeah."
"That image always creeps me out."
"Besides, she'll want to show you her new prefect badge."
"She made prefect? Why didn't you tell me sooner! Come on, we need to get Teddy and take her out for some ice cream. No?"
"Yeah….I suppose we do. And Vicky, too, if we can get her."
"We need to get her some silver polish, and a green cloth," Hugo said.
"Let's go get Teddy and Vicky," Al said. "We can work out the kinks after we have them. They might have the polish and handkerchief already."
"Ok."
"I'll meet you at Teddy's."
Al disapparated.
