George's POV:
The rain pelting against the window sounded loud in contrast to the quiet in Shell Cottage. Though it would have been nice to have better weather, I wasn't about to let the rain dampen my spirits. After spending the intervening week making plans on the clean up and restoration of the shop, I was anxious to get started. Though Charlie had headed back to Romania, the rest of my family was planning on meeting me at the shop to help out.
"Are we ready?" Bill asked, standing next to the fireplace with a bowl of floo powder.
We were planning on using the Floo Network to travel from Shell Cottage to the Leaky Cauldron. A conversation with Rob had determined that this method of travel was probably the best choice for Percy who was insisting on coming with us. Though he was doing much better than last week, he still seemed to tire out in the afternoon. I had a feeling most of us would be keeping a close eye on him during our expedition today.
The rest of our family would meet us at the Leaky Cauldron before we headed over to the joke shop together.
There was a small chorus of agreement from the rest of us and then Bill nodded to me. "George, why don't you go first," he said holding out the bowl to me.
"Okay," I said, reaching in for a handful of powder and tossed it into the fireplace before stepping into them. "The Leaky Cauldron," I said clearly and felt myself leaving Shell Cottage and moving along the channel of connected fireplaces.
Reaching the correct grate, I soon found myself standing in the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron. I stepped out, and brushed the soot from my robes. As I did so, I noticed some familiar faces in the modest crowd that had gathered in the pub. At a nearby table were three of my former Quidditch teammates. Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell were walking away leaving Angelina Johnson at the table by herself. A half-finished Butterbeer sat on the table in front of her.
Movement behind me told me that another person had arrived via the Floo Network. Glancing over my shoulder I saw that Fleur had followed me to the Leaky Cauldron, which meant that Percy would be next, as I knew Bill would not let him come last. I also knew that depending on what kind of toll the process took on Percy that he might need an arm to lean on when he arrived. It was why Bill hadn't wanted to send Percy first. The fact that Percy might need a rest after traveling to Diagon Alley was also why we had chosen to meet at the Leaky Cauldron rather than the joke shop.
Refraining from calling out a greeting to Angelina right then, I turned instead back to the fireplace, awaiting Percy's arrival. I didn't have to wait long, as Percy soon appeared, covered in soot and with glasses slightly askew. As he stepped from the fireplace, he seemed a bit off balanced and both Fleur and I took a few quick steps forward so that we were at his side.
"Are you okay, Perce?" I asked as I took a hold of his arm right above the elbow.
"I just feel a little lightheaded," Percy replied quietly. "I'll be fine after I sit down for a bit," he added.
"There's an empty table right over here," Fleur said, having taken a hold of Percy's other arm.
With Percy between us, Fleur led our small group to the nearby empty table. I didn't let go of Percy's arm until my brother was sitting safely down in a chair.
"Why don't you go say hello to your friend," Fleur suggested with a nod toward the table Angelina sat at alone now, finishing her Butterbeer. "Bill will be along shortly and we have some time before the others arrive."
Before answering I looked down at Percy. My brother had his arms crossed on the table, with his head resting upon them. I wasn't sure right then was the best time to leave him, not that I didn't trust Fleur. I knew that she would look out for him. She had proven that on more than one occasion these last few months.
Before I could reply though Percy spoke up.
"Go," my brother said, echoing fleur's suggestion, though he didn't bother raising his head.
"Okay," I replied, not seeing what I could accomplish by hanging around anyway.
I turned away from the table just in time to see Bill's arrival. My eldest brother stepped out of the fireplace and brushed the soot from his robes as he looked around for us. Catching his eye, I nodded my head toward the table Fleur and Percy were at. Changing my direction slightly, I took a few steps toward him.
"Percy felt dizzy after the trip here, but seems to be okay otherwise. I want to go say hello to Angelina while we wait for the others," I told him.
Bill nodded, patting my shoulder quickly as we passed. Continuing on, it wasn't long before I had reached the table where Angelina was sitting. My former teammate and classmate was just finishing her Butter Beer as I approached the table.
"Hi, Angelina," I said, gaining her attention.
Angelina looked up at the sound of my voice. Her face broke into a smile when she saw me.
"George, it's good to see you," Angelina said as she got to her feet and threw her arms around me for a quick hug. "You just met Katie and Alicia."
"Yeah, I saw them leaving when I arrived," I admitted as Angelina took a step back from me.
"Can you sit down for a few minutes?"
I glanced over at where my brothers and sister-in-law were sitting. No one else had arrived yet, and Percy now had his head up again. Apparently he was already starting to feel better, though Bill was sitting next to him with an arm around his shoulders. Fleur was walking away from the table and heading in the direction of the bar.
"Yeah, I can spare a few minutes," I replied, moving to claim the chair across the table from where she had been sitting.
Angelina reclaimed her seat as she asked, "so what brings you here?"
"My family and I are actually going to head over to the joke shop and get it ready to reopen. I'm hoping to actually be open at least half a day next week, seeing as the school kids will be coming into Diagon Alley to get school supplies. Granted, I'm going to have a limited amount of products on hand until I can get my stock built back up but I've got to start somewhere."
"I'm so glad you're reopening the joke shop," Angelina replied, a smile playing across her face. "Everyone can use with some laughs these days."
"This from the girl who use to get so annoyed with Lee, Fred, and me for all the pranks that we used to play. I seem to remember you threatening to go to McGonagall on more than one occasion if, and I quote, 'you lot don't grow up'."
"I never did though, did I?"
"True enough," I conceded.
There was a short silence between the two of us, during which the murmur of the conversations going on around us could be heard. When Angelina spoke again her voice was quieter and more serious.
"I was at Fred's funeral. I wanted to come over and say something to you, but I didn't know what to say. Everyone looked so sad and I knew that nothing I could say or do would change that."
"It's okay," I assured her. "Honestly, for me, that day is still such a blur that I wouldn't have remembered whether you said anything to me or not."
"How's Percy doing? He looked like he was barely standing on his own two feet that day and I saw that he left alone before the rest of you."
I glanced over in my siblings' direction again. Fleur had returned to the table with drinks for all three of them. There was a fourth glass sitting at an empty spot next to her, which I assumed was for me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Angelina turn her head to follow my gaze.
"Bill went to London later that day to check on him and ended up taking him back to Shell Cottage," I told her, looking back across the table at her. Angelina met my gaze steadily. The concerned and caring expression on her face gave me courage to continue. "He wasn't doing well. He wasn't eating and was blaming himself for Fred's death. It didn't help that I had accused him of that very thing the day of the battle at Hogwarts," I told her. "I didn't really mean it. I just needed someone to blame and because Percy was with Fred during the battle, he was the easiest target."
Angelina reached across the table and took my hand. "Sometimes we say and do things in the heat of the moment that we regret later," she said, giving my hand a squeeze.
Despite hearing basically those same words from my family, there was something reassuring about hearing them from Angelina. It wasn't necessarily that I trusted them more, but that coming from someone outside the family circle, it validated what my family was telling me.
"Have you two worked things out?"
"We have," I told her. "I've actually been at Shell Cottage for the last few months myself. I think I've gotten to know Percy better these pas few months better than I knew him all the while we were growing up together."
"Well, from what I remember, you and Fred seemed to take pleasure out of trying to annoy him more than anything else."
"Yeah. I guess that was easier than trying to ever live up to the expectations of being like him. I mean, let's face it, I was never cut out to be a Prefect or Head Boy and academics were never my thing."
"That's for sure," Angelina commented, agreeing with me.
"Way to make a guy feel better," I teased.
"I'm not going to argue with honesty," she countered. "Seriously though, I'm glad the two of you are on better terms now. At least that's something positive that has come out of all this."
I pondered her words silently for a moment. There was a truth in them that I hadn't seen before now. "I never thought of it that way," I finally admitted. "I think Fred would like the fact that something good came out of his death."
"I think he would have too," Angelina said, a sad smile on her face. She had gone with Fred to the Yule Ball our sixth year and though they had never gone out on another date I always had a feeling that Angelina would have, if my brother had only asked her. "So, are you planning on trying to run the shop yourself?" Angelina asked.
"No, actually," I replied, getting the feeling that Angelina wanted to steer the conversation away from Fred and more than willing to go along with it. "Believe it or not, Percy is going to help me out."
Angelina cast another quick glance toward where Percy was siting before looking back across the table at me. Her expression gave me the impression that she was trying to decide whether I was pulling her leg or not. "You're serious, aren't you?" she finally asked, apparently deciding that I wasn't joking around.
"I am," I replied. "I know he doesn't seem like the type of person you'd see in a joke shop, let alone running it, and I don't expect much help in coming up with ideas with the products, but I do think Percy can contribute quite a bit. For starters, he'll help keep things orga-"
"I feel sorry for him already," Angelina said, cutting me off.
"Very funny," I muttered, although there was no real ire in my voice. Angelina had sat next to me during potions and therefore knew my organization skills well - virtually nonexistent. Snape had often commented that if I knew where my ingredients were, that they might actually get in the caldron in not only the correct order but a timely manner. There were quite a few times when the class had ended and I hadn't completed the potion.
"But seriously," I continued as if Angelina hadn't interrupted me, "I think there is a lot Percy could help me with that I wouldn't do to well if left to my own devices. I always did tend to let Fred take care of the more practical matters."
"I hope things work out for you," Angelina said sincerely. "I'd like to see the joke shop continue, and I know how much the two of you always wanted to do just that. Despite all my protests about your pranks when we were at school, I'll be sure to stop in when you reopen the doors."
"That'll mean a lot to me, even if you don't buy anything," I told her.
"I may need to buy some Skiving Snackboxes so I can get out of work when it gets too boring."
"What are you doing theses days?" I asked, feeling bad that I even had to ask that. I knew Angelina had been looking for a job with the Ministry of Magic following her graduation at Hogwarts and had gotten one, but I didn't know what that position turned out being or what had gone on since the end of the war and all of the turmoil at the ministry.
"I'm still working for the ministry. I'm actually the assistant of Addison Savage, whom Kingsley promoted to the Head of the Auror Office. So far, it's been a whole lot of paperwork. I think my fingers are going to permanently be stained, I'm doing so much writing," she replied, holding up her right hand. Sure enough, her thumb and two fingers were stained with ink.
"Better you than me," I commented.
"Thanks a lot," she muttered. "It's not really all that bad though. I enjoy it most days, it's just everything has been chaos since the Ministry fell. First, we didn't know whom we could trust and who we couldn't. For those of us who weren't in league with He Who Must Not Be Named, it wasn't completely safe to be at work but then we had to be careful with not showing up either, for fear of putting family at risk but I'm sure you knew about that with your Dad in the Ministry."
"Yeah, that I do," I replied, remembering all the time my mother spent worrying about my father while he was at work before he finally went into hiding out of fear.
"Well, I somehow made it through that without too many issues. Now, it's a rebuilding process. People are still questioning who they can trust and who they can't. We're trying to weed out who was a part of the conspiracy that allowed He Who Most Not Be Named followers to infiltrate the ministry and who wasn't. Most days I'm perfectly happy to simply be the secretary. Even then, I've been so busy, that I haven't had much time to keep in touch with friends. Today was the first time I was able to get together with Alicia and Katie in weeks and even then the both of them couldn't stay long, as you've seen."
"Well, I'm glad we ran into each other here. It was nice to catch up a bit."
"Yeah, it was, wasn't it," Angelina agreed. "We should try to stay in better contact too. We shouldn't get so wrapped up in work that we forget about friends."
"I couldn't have said it better myself," I replied, knowing that they were words that I should remember and remind myself of in the days that were to come. As important as the shop was, I shouldn't let it get in my way of the people who were important in my life.
Angelina reached out and picked up the glass she had seemed to have forgotten about while we were talking. Lifting it to her mouth, she downed the last of the liquid inside it.
"Did you know Puddlemere United has a scrimmage match coming up soon?" I said, not wanting to let our conversation end with what had been said last.
"Katie mentioned it actually. She's actually gone out with their Captain, Eric Kim a few times. I'm not sure how serious they are, but she's planning on going to support him and wanted Alicia and I to join her. As long as I don't get buried by rolls of parchment at work I plan on being there. You?"
"Yeah, I'm going. Percy promised Oliver he'd be there and I think Bill and Fleur are planning on going too."
"Great! I'll look for you then," Angelina said. "As for right now, I should let you go. I definitely don't want to be the reason that Diagon Alley is deprived of Weasleys Wizard Wheezes any longer than necessary.
The two of us got to our feet. After another good-bye and a hug, Angelina headed for the Diagon Alley exit to the Leaky Cauldron. I watched her for a few moments, and then I turned and headed toward where my family was sitting. It was still only Bill, Fleur and Percy at the table which wasn't a surprise as we had left early enough to allow for Percy time to rest if need be.
Reaching the table, I slipped into the empty chair beside Fleur.
"I got you a drink," Fleur said, motioning to the unattended drink I had noticed earlier.
"Thank-you," I told her, reaching out for the glass. I didn't really take note what was in the glass as I lifted it to my lips.
"How's Angelina doing?" Percy asked.
The fact that he asked the question told me that he had been aware of what was going on around him. That in itself made me feel better.
"She's doing good but she's been busy. She's working in the Auror's department. She said she plans on going to Puddlemere United's Quidditch match with Katie and Alicia."
"Oliver will be happy to hear that some of his old teammates will be in the stands to cheer him on."
"I have a feeling we're going to see a lot of old classmates that night," Bill commented. "People want something to uplift them and cheering on your Quidditch team always seems to have a way to do that."
"The game can be so hard to follow sometimes," Fleur commented. "I don't really get everyone's keen interest in the sport."
"What?" I asked, turning my head and looking askance at my sister-in-law. I couldn't imagine anyone not loving Quidditch. "What planet are you from?"
Both my brothers chuckled at my reaction. Beside me, Fleur's cheeks flushed slightly.
"Sorry. It just seems pointless to. Why bother to try scoring goals when the other team can beat you just by catching another little ball."
I looked across the table at my eldest brother. "Bill, why did you marry her?"
"Because unlike you and Charlie, I don't eat and breathe Quidditch. Fleur has many other fine qualities despite her poor taste in sports."
"Hey!" Fleur exclaimed, crumpling up her napkin and throwing it across the table at Bill.
"It's going to be a long day if you two are already fighting," we heard Ron comment.
Looking in the direction of my younger bother's voice, I saw him leading the crowd from the Burrow. Beside Ron was Hermione, the newly engaged couple holdings hands. Mum, Dad and Ginny were right behind them.
"Fleur hates Quidditch," I informed the newcomers.
"I didn't say that exactly," Fleur commented, defensively. "I said I didn't understand everyone's obsession with the sport."
"Doesn't that mean basically the same thing?" Ron asked.
"Men," Hermione muttered from her spot beside Ron.
"It's okay, dear," Mum said, looking across the table at Fleur as she was now standing behind Percy's chair. "I never much cared for the sport either though I always went to the school matches for the social aspect of them." Having shown her support for her daughter-in-law, Mum then looked down at Percy. "How are you feeling?"
"Okay," Percy replied, looking up at her. "The trip through the Floo Network was a little disorientating," he admitted, "but I felt fine after I sat here for a few minutes."
"Then if everyone's ready, why don't we head on over to the joke shop and get started," my father said. I had a feeling that he was trying to avoid a full-blown argument about the merits of Quidditch.
With a chorus of agreement, nine of us got to our feet, and with me leading the way, headed out of the Leaky Cauldron.