The house, if it could still be called such, was more than Ivy could stand. The lights in the place were so dark that they hardly made a difference. The smells of mold, must and clear smell of death all assaulted her as she navigated the maze of rooms trying to find where she should start the extensive clean up that needed to be done. According to Remus, the Weasley family would be staying in the home most of the summer, and would be arriving later that afternoon, and Ivy was not looking forward to the meeting. Fred and George, after all, where two of the most annoying people she'd ever met- and there were just so many of them. Ivy shuttered at the thought. It was beyond her why Remus wanted to stay here too- Unless it was for Sirius' sake. Even so- Why was she dragged along?
The answer, she knew, was that he was trying as he promised to be better in their marriage. To put her first and make her happy- but the house here was not a good way to do that. It was huge, spacious and had more bedrooms than any one family really needed, but it seemed that senseless luxury was what the now gone Black family had specialized in. There were molded tapestries lining the halls, and one in all the larger bedrooms- like the one Sirius had assigned to Ivy and Remus, which was just down the hall from his on a floor with only three large bedrooms. The other was for Molly and Arthur Weasley. There were bizarre taxidermies of rare and common magical creatures alike- Mostly elves, but a few other things as well, including a extremely impressive specimen of the now extinct Golden Snidget. Ivy shuttered as she traveled room to room, settling on an old study of some sort to claim for cleaning, and possibly for later purposes as well.
The room was significantly smaller than the library, but still contained many books on the two large shelves on either side of a picture window, over which hung dragon's skin drapes on an iron bar. The Drapes matched two large armchairs and the throw pillows on an equally spacious looking purple velvet fainting couch. Ivy smiled as she moved on into the room and threw the curtains open- giving light to the room for her to better see. The window itself overlooked a back garden so hopelessly overgrown that she doubted anyone would be able to do anything for with the grounds without burning it all and starting over. She sneezed a bit at the dust the drapes released when moved, but turned to look at the room she'd discovered.
This seemed to be Sirius' father's study- and while she knew he was a horrid man, she had to compliment his tastes. It was darker than her liking, but all in all a very handsome room. Immediately, Ivy drew her wand from her back jeans pocket and set to work- first lighting the lamps mounted on the walls for extra help, then opening the window for extra air. Ivy then turned her wand to the couch. She hit the large cushions with an aparecium spell, and several spiders scattered away toward the corners of the room where darkness still gave them a place to hide. Dust flew as well, and Ivy used a simple spell to make a breeze to carry the debris in the air out the window and into the garden below. Satisfied with the couch, which was now at least two shades lighter than before, she turned to the bookshelves, wand aimed and ready, but the sound of several pairs of feet trampling up the hall broke her concentration. A few seconds later two young witches burst through the door.
"Oh." The shorter girl with frizzy brown hair said. Ivy recognized her as Harry Potter's friend, Hermione. She must have come with the Weasley's, judging by the fact that Ginny Weasley was attached to her hip. "Hello!" She greeted. Ivy gave a small, formal smile.
"Er-Hi?" She replied.
"I'm Ginny," The redhead stated, stepping forward, after all- Ivy had kept to herself and her house, and was not well known outside of Hufflepuff, unlike both of these girls. "And this is Hermione. We're here with my parents, my Mum told us to come find a bedroom, claim and clean it. Said they were all on this floor." Ivy nodded.
"Starting door after next. The next one down is a half-bath. After that they're all bedrooms." She explained. "I'm Ivy, by the way. Nice to meet you."
"Are you an Order Member?" Hermione ask, her head tilted to the side.
"Sort of, I suppose." She nodded. Hermione kept looking at her, and Ivy felt a bit uncomfortable- which out of reflex forced her to smile, her teeth showing. Ginny's eyes widened, but Hermione did not seem effected. But then, this was the girl who had found Remus out and kept it a secret so long. And she'd been through much worse than facing a nervous lycan.
"You seem so young!" Ginny piped in. To this, Ivy gave a genuine smile.
"Thank you?" She said unsurely. Ginny tugged at Hermione's arm.
"We should go get a bedroom before all the good ones are taken by the boys." She tugged at Hermione's sleeve again, and both girls exited the room. "Nice to meet you!" Ginny called back. Ivy blinked a few times, then returned her focus to the bookcase, which upon being struck by her hex burst forth with a swarm of doxies. Ivy smiled again, happy to have something worth her time to do rather than magically dust.
Ivy had decided to skip dinner that evening, rather than risk any further interview from the Weasley's- two of whom she knew would try to annoy her, as Fred and George always had while she was Prefect. Instead, Ivy held up in the now spotless study, and was curled into one of the large armchairs, which she had moved over beside the window. The moon was waxing, only about half-full, but with her eyes was plenty of light when added to the lanterns of the walls of the room. She'd found an old book on the magical uses for common muggle herbs and how they could aid many potions, and was reading over the different things that could be done. It was not an extremely exciting read, Ivy had to admit, but it was something to pass the time- Until a knock at the door startled her from the pages. Molly Weasley stood with a tray in hand.
"Remus said your a bit shy around large groups, so I thought if you were hungry I could leave this in here for you." She said kindly, settling the large try on the desk in the corner.
"Thank you." Ivy smiled. Molly looked over the young girl, and though she was smiling, there was something in the way she watched Ivy that made her want to squirm.
"It's no trouble." Molly said, dusting off her hands on the apron around her waist. "I'm Molly, by the way."
"I know." Ivy smiled. "And I assume you know my name, if Remus was who spoke to you. Sirius usually calls me the 'little blonde recluse'. But whatever." She laughed. Molly sat awkwardly down in the other armchair across the room, and waved a hand at the door of the study, where it closed behind her.
"I've known him a long time." Molly said. "He's always been a very sweet young man." Ivy stiffened at Mrs. Weasley's intrusion. She merely nodded in agreement. "I- I know I'm crossing a line, and that you're uncomfortable already- but Remus. He talked to me earlier- about you." Ivy sat up a bit, and Molly straightened herself in return. "Don't be mad- like I said Arthur and I have known Remus for years, and we love him dearly. I just- I want you to know, I think I can help. If, if you want. I know this is personal, and its obvious that you know exactly what I mean." Ivy swallowed, staring unblinking at Mrs. Weasley. She didn't know whether to be more embarrassed that this women, who had so many children of her own knew she could not, or hurt that Remus told someone who was a stranger to her.
"Er- I- Ah-" Ivy sputtered. Molly tried to smile in return.
"Its alright, I didn't mean to cross a line, forget I said anything." Molly started to say, and Ivy felt worthless, both for being barren and for making Mrs. Weasley look so hurt.
"I just-" She tried to think. She did not know Molly, and the woman was truly only trying to help. She claimed to love Remus like family, so she may not see Ivy as a stranger the way Ivy viewed her.
"It's depressing you, isn't it?" Molly ask. Ivy could barely breathe. Molly Weasley seemed to be a very kind, caring women, and Ivy knew she meant well, but this was not only not welcome, it was unnecessary. They'd barely been introduced.
"I- I need to go." Ivy said, raising from her chair and darting to the end of the hall and down the stairs to the drawing room that Remus and Sirius usually passed time in. Sure enough, she found them both on either side of a chess table, each with a whiskey in hand. Ivy completely ignored Sirius' presence. After all- why not let him stay? Sirius knew it all already. Remus looked up as she entered.
"You told her?" She spat, nearly shouting. Remus closed his eyes and sighed. "Should I just wear a bloody sign around my neck, Remus? Would that be easier? Or maybe business cards?" Sirius sat frozen, not knowing how he could escape their fight without his movement making things worse.
"Ivy- I was just talking, I've known Molly and Arthur a long time and-"
"People I don't know, Remus. People I've never met that now know what a fucking failure of a woman I am." She shrieked. Remus stammered a bit, trying to find a thought.
"Baby, it is really not like that. And I didn't think Molly would come to you like that." Remus tried to explain. Ivy shook her head, hot tears running down both cheeks and dripping onto her shirt.
"Oh, so it makes it better because she was supposed to keep it a secret that you discussed my problems?" She demanded. Remus stood up and started to cross the room, but Ivy backed up.
"Ivy, please calm down. I didn't mean-" He tried but she shook her head, and then turned to Sirius.
"Sirius?" She ask, wiping her face. Slowly, the dark haired wizard turned to face his best friend's wife.
"Yes, love?" He ask as innocently as possible.
"Is that couch comfortable?" She ask, pointing across the room to a small loveseat. Sirius shook his head.
"Not really. My mother hosted high tea in here. It was stiff for all the stiff witches she had over." He replied. Ivy nodded.
"Good. Remus?" She ask, turning back to her husband. "You can sleep there tonight, because you better not try talking to me anymore." She said, turning on her heels and storming out. Sirius sat quietly, even as Remus came back over and took his place once more at the table, swigging down his whiskey.
"Temper, that one." Sirius said, trying to get some sort of humored reaction out of the werewolf, but it was useless.
"There are days I'm pretty sure she hates me." Remus said quietly.
"I'm sure, everyday, that she doesn't." Sirius replied, leaning over and refilling Remus's glass. Remus shook his head.
"I promised her I'd be a better husband. Make her happy." Remus shook his head and threw back the entire glass. Sirius winced as he watched Remus drink the whiskey down like water. "It's never going to happen." There was a small knock on the door frame. Molly peaked in meekly.
"Dear, I'm so sorry. I just- I thought maybe if I talked to her, since you were saying she's depressed..." She said, looking down. Remus felt horrible.
"Molly, really. It could have gone either way." Remus assured her. "I do know you meant well." He sighed and stood up from the chess table and moved over to the tiny couch, fluffing a pillow. "Don't suppose either of you know where an extra blanket is?"
Ivy sat in the center of the large bed, the canopy pulled around where she was confined well, and she cried. She cried because she'd overreacted to help being offered her due to her own pride, she cried because she knew this was not her problem- it was their problem. It broke her heart that she was so alone in this, that Elya was no longer around for her to talk to, that she couldn't go to April about it. She felt so alone, and knowing Remus had all these people she didn't know that he could go to- it bothered her. She felt abandoned in this house, abandoned in her life as of late.
She understood that growing up meant people grow apart, but she had no one left to confide in. Remus was just as effected as she was, and really didn't just sit and listen and hear like she needed. Ivy missed having a friend. She fell forward into the warm embrace of the bedding, and sobbed until she fell asleep. The next morning she woke up and groaned, knowing she needed to get ready and go in to the office. There was a new shipment in today that would need inventoried and displayed. She rose and showered quickly, running as she headed down the steps and for the front door. But a giggle from the kitchens made her freeze in her tracks. It wasn't just a giggle, but it was flirtatious. She knew that laugh, and knew it well. Silently, Ivy backed up and peaked into the room.
Elya was at the table with Nymphadora Tonks, both of them talking to Sirius, which happened to be whom Elya's little giggle was directed. Ivy shook her head and scoffed before continuing on her way in disgust- both at Elya for acting in such a manor and herself for being so bitter. She shrugged herself forward and headed on to work.
It was only around four o'clock in the evening when she got out of the office, and she ducked down the alley and apperated to her sister's home, where she knew that April had not worked and was home. She banged loudly on the door until April answered.
"Are you alright?" She said anxiously, ushering her younger sister in. Ivy shook her head.
"I need you to help me." Ivy said quietly. "I- I need help." April looked Ivy over with great concern.
"What? What is it?" she questioned, guiding Ivy to sit next to her on the couch. Ivy broke down and fell into April's open arms, sobbing just as hard as she had the night before.
"I can't have children. I can't make new friends, and Elya has basically abandoned me, and if I keep up acting like this, Remus will probably leave too." She blurted in one breath, as April gently stroked her hair.
"You- You can't have children?" She said, stunned. Ivy shook her head. "At all?"
"No." She replied in a small voice. "My chances are so small that we really don't have much hope at all. And its making me bitter. I don't want to be bitter and hateful April!" She sobbed, flopping into her sister and weeping into her chest. April sat nearly stunned, her arms around the younger witch. "I don't want to be alone!"
"Ivy- You're not going to be alone." She tried to calm her down. But honestly, April didn't have a clue about the situation, or if her borther-in-law was aware of the problem, and if he was she had no idea how he felt about it. Ivy seemed to be ignoring her comforts, so April took her by the shoulders and sat her up. "Go slower- start from the beginning. Let's see if we can't get you sorted out."
April sent Jenna and Kirsten over to their father's parent's house for the evening, and Thomas out with some friends. She made a large pot of jasmine tea and listened for a long time as Ivy told her everything she'd kept from her, not sparing any details this time. She had promised April that if she would go with her, she was willing to go see a healer who may be able to actually get her some proper treatment. It was hours later when Ivy had fallen asleep on the couch and April herself was dozing off that she heard a knock at the door. Carefully, she rose from her position tangled with her younger sibling in an old throw blanket and walked over to the door, peaking through the spyhole before opening it. "Remus?"
"I'm sorry to bother you April." He replied, scratching at the back of his neck nervously. "I just- I can't find Ivy." April unlocked the deadbolt on the door and removed her security charms, opening the door just enough for her to lean out.
"She's here, and she's... Well not fine. Really, really not fine. Honestly it seems like she hit her limit a long time ago. But I'm going to help her now. I just- I'm not sure she wants to see you right now..." April confessed, not meaning to sound as harsh as her voice gave. Ivy was hurt by many things her husband had done, she had told her sister- but nothing had compared to the betrayal she felt in him telling Molly Weasley that they couldn't have children. Remus looked and the ground and nodded, and didn't say another word as he spun around and walked off down the lane, disapperating in the darkness between to streetlamps. April shut the door and turned to come back into the sitting room, but jumped when she saw Ivy awake behind her, the blanket draped around her shoulders.
"I'm not very good at being a wife." She said sadly, sniffing a bit. "Maybe I should go home." April looked her over. She needed to see someone, needed to seek the help that she needed for this. But at the same time, she really needed her mate. April may not be infected herself, but she was no stranger to the inner workings of lycanthropy.
"Why don't you meet me for breakfast, here at about nine?" April suggested, brushing Ivy's short fluffy bangs out of her eyes. "And we'll go see that healer?" Ivy nodded at her request and folded the blanket, handing it over and giving her sister a lingering hug.
"I'm sorry I took over your house and ran your family off." Ivy said as April walked her to the door. April rolled her eyes.
"You are my family." She laughed. "You don't have to go if you're not ready."
"I have to." She said with another hug, before she too disapperated from the front step. There were nearly no lights on when she finally reached Grimmauld Place, only the odd lamp to light the dank halls as Ivy climbed the stairs toward her bedroom. She slowly opened the door, and found that Remus was laying on the bed, a few candles levitated overhead for him to read by. She looked down at the floor as she entered the room, in pain for having caused any hurt to him and shame for her outburst. But she did not apologize. She simply took her pajamas into the ensuite and changed, then crawled under the covers next to her husband, where he silently lifted and arm and allowed her to snuggle in. He did not try to talk to her, and she didn't volunteer conversation of her own, but he laid an arm protectively over her and continued reading- both knowing that something was going to have to change for Ivy.
WOO! I have had soooo many requests for longer chapters, I hope this one fits the bill- its 3x normal! If everyone likes this new, longer type of chapter I will start making them all at least this length. I will also be getting back to the canon plot after this chapter, but we needed Ivy to have a breaking point for her to get real help- and possibly fertility help. We'll see.
Anyways! I will need reviews, it could go either way right now, and it's all up to you, the fans! Be sure to tell me what you like and want! And as always, THANKS FOR READING!
~LOVE and HUGS from DuchessMoonMoon