The Bright Afternoon
Penelope was looking out the window of the plane. The clouds were pink with gold edges. She turned and looked in the seat beside her. A little girl with delicate slender arms and bright red curls was drawing a picture of a castle.
"Hello," Penelope said.
"Hello." The little girl smiled up at her. Teeth were missing on the bottom and the top.
"That's a lovely picture," Penelope said.
"Thank you. It's a school. My cousin goes here."
"Really?" Penelope said. "I went to school in a castle."
"I know," the little girl said, carefully drawing a triangle at the top of a tower.
"How did you know?"
"Because my grandmother told me so."
Penelope looked around her. The rest of the plane was empty. "Where is your grandmother? Can I talk to her?"
The little girl smiled her comical smile. "You have to leave the plane now."
"What? I don't want to leave the plane."
The little girl stood and walked down the empty aisle. Penelope followed her. They stood in front of an open door. There was no rush or sucking sound. The clouds floated just outside the door, looking like she could step on them and walk toward the sun. Suddenly, Penelope was filled with fear. The little girl expected her to jump.
"Darling, I can't jump from the plane."
"Can't you fly?"
"Not without a broom, love!"
The little girl laughed. "Oh you don't need to worry. My Daddy will catch you."
The horror eased away and Penelope smiled. Before she could look at the little girl again, she was floating like a feather past the pink clouds.
She opened her eyes to a gray light and a there was a strange soft sound she didn't understand. But the scent she knew. It was Percy and she realized he was holding her cradled in his lap. For a moment she tried to snuggle against his stomach and go back to the little girl, but the gray light and the sounds were becoming stronger. She sat up.
She was on a beach in a small cove. In front of her a warm fire was crackling. Beyond the fire, a sunrise was bursting color over the water as it lapped the sand in gentle waves. Behind her and on either side steep gray cliffs shielded the wind.
"Where are we?" she asked.
Percy broke off a small piece of chocolate and handed it to her. "We are not too far from my grandparents house. You've only been asleep a couple of hours. Why don't you try to rest some more?"
The events of the night started flooding back into her mind. Daniel. Norman. Pettigrew. The Dementor. "Why can't we go home?"
He looked out across the water. "Not yet. Your flat isn't safe anymore, Pen. Hestia Jones is working on protections for Clearwater Manor, but it's so large it's going to take her a while."
She leaned back against his shoulder. "And so you brought me here?"
Percy shrugged and wrapped his arm around her. "I've always liked this place."
"I was having the nicest dream," she said.
"Really?" he looked only mildly surprised.
She nodded but didn't say anything more and he gently rubbed her shoulder. "Go back to sleep, Pen. Everyone's safe. It's all over."
A horrible pang cut through her and she rubbed her eyes to try to escape it. "No, it's not," she said. "He's still out there. He's still trying to hurt children like Daniel. Trying to kill muggle-borns like me, or squibs like Norman, or you and your family, just because you stand up for what is right. It's not over, Percy, it's just starting."
He was quiet for a minute and pulled his long gangly legs up closer to his chest so that he could rest his elbows over his knees. "That's all true," he said calmly. "But you see, he can't win. I know that now. Not as long as we keep fighting and loving each other."
The sun had risen over the cliffs, casting a golden hue against the sand. He sat beside her looking the way she loved him best, confident and firm, but with the gentle ease he had when he relaxed. "Tonight we came so close," she whispered. "I just don't want to lose you."
He looked at her and his eyes were tender. "I'm going to die one day, Pen. Everybody dies."
"Yes, but you shouldn't have to die when you are twenty. You shouldn't have to die before you've lived."
He took her hands in his, then leaned forward and kissed them. He guided her hand across his cheek and closed his eyes to her caress. When he looked at her again his eyes were red but he held his head up proudly and smiled at her. "I hope I have thousands and thousands of days to spend with you. But even if I have only one day, I can't imagine feeling like a luckier man." He reached into his pocket. "Penelope Clearwater, would you honor my days by becoming my wife?"
Tears were running down her cheeks as he slipped a ring onto her finger. Her voice caught in her throat and she let out the strange sound of a sob mixed with a laugh. "Yes," she said. "Yes, I will be your wife." She wiped her eyes then threw her arms around him and knocked him back on the sand. He laughed happily, kissing her and squeezing her waist until she could hardly breathe. They rolled on their backs and lay close together, watching the sky and laughing at nothing.
Suddenly, she stood and pulled out her wand. Running it along the bottom hem of her blouse she cut off a strip of cotton fabric.
"What are you doing?" he asked as he sat up and scratched the sand from the back of his head.
She handed him the strip of fabric. "Bind us."
"Now?"
"Yes," she said, dropping back to her knees. "Oh Percy, let's not waste a second of our lives. No more time apart. Let's start now. Bind us together."
He raised an eyebrow. "But we don't have any witnesses. We can't sign the Ministry approved legal documents…"
"It doesn't matter. One day we'll have a wonderful wedding with all our family present. But until we can do that, I want to be bound." She held out her hands but then pulled them back. "Wait, though. There's a problem. You don't have a ring."
Percy shook his head. "I don't need a ring."
"Yes you do. You should have a ring too." She took out her wand and lit it then used it to sever a very small lock of her hair. She tied a knot and then working quickly, she wove the strands in and out.. "Give me your hand," she said and she tied the tiny braid around his finger. She added a simple unbreakable charm and the braid hardened into a solid black band. "This will do until I get you a proper ring."
"No," he said quietly. "This ring is perfect. I don't want any other one."
"Are you sure? Perhaps you would like it dipped in gold?"
"No. Never. This is more precious to me than any shiny thing. It is exactly right."
They walked to the edge of the water and he stooped down and with the tip of his wand, drew a circle in the sand. They stepped inside the circle and faced each other. He took her hands and let the strip of torn fabric drape across them. "Penelope Clearwater, I wish to be bound to you," he said.
"Percy Weasley, I wish to be bound to you."
The fabric lifted up, infused with light and then began to circle their hands, wrapping them and finally tying in a knot.
"What do we do now?" Penelope asked.
Percy thought for a moment. "Well, I think we say the things people say when they get married and we pledge our love to each other."
Penelope nodded. "I can do that."
And she did. Saying the things she remembered from other weddings. In the past the words had seemed as simple as a nursery rhyme, but now that she was saying them to the man she loved, she realized what beautiful and important words they were and she squeezed his hands and said them from her heart. Percy did the same and she thought how perfect this was and how she didn't want it to stop.
When they finished she looked down at their hands. They were still tied together by the magical strip of fabric.
"We are still bound," she said.
"I know," he smiled.
"What happens next?"
"We just keep living and loving each other as hard as we can." He leaned in to kiss her and as she felt his lips, warm and gentle on hers, the binding fell away.
Percy checked his watch. It was already past noon and Penelope would be waiting. This section of St. Mungo's seemed quiet and peaceful, even if he always felt ill at ease from the smell, a curious scent of sulphur mixed with spices.
The month had gone by in a blur of adrenaline. He still had a hard time comprehending the Ministry break in, and the subsequent tragedy, but he had had no time to worry or grieve. Fudge was operating in crisis mode, his decisions becoming more erratic every day.
Penelope had been just as busy worrying over her own family, she had spent long hours nursing Norman back to health and helping Iris and Phillip set up housekeeping in the Manor.
The one overwhelming happiness had been having Penelope beside him every morning and every night. He was no longer worried about Fudge watching him and so he had quietly moved her into his flat, vowing daily to fight this war for the sake of their future.
Today was Sunday and the day had dawned with such a gentle blue sky that she had pleaded for more time together, and in an incredibly weak moment of wanting her in the cozy morning sunlight, he had agreed.
They both had a few duties to consider. He was working on a speech for Fudge to the Wizengamot and he needed to polish his fourth draft. Penelope wanted to check on Norman. She had finally agreed to his discharge and Phillip and Iris had graciously invited him to stay for a while at the Manor. With the Order's protections around the house Penelope was reasonably satisfied for everyone's safety.
Percy quickened his pace and turned a corner. A hospital elf in a sparkling white tea towel stood down the hall beside the bone overflow closet. The creature eyed him suspiciously and then returned to his job of polishing a small brass plaque. He thought uncomfortably of Nod and wondered about her. Perhaps now that Narcissa Malfoy had the Black's old elf she would find a new home for Nod. It was a hopeful thought, but he knew in his heart that it was unlikely. From all he had heard the Black's old elf was not only dangerous but senile. He was sure Nod could do three times the work.
He turned another corner and saw room 1293. He could hear laughter as he approached and he didn't bother to knock but opened the door and slipped inside. Norman Brown stood at the foot of his hospital bed. He was dressed in summer-weight pants and a green golfing shirt. Percy noticed his trunk was packed and standing beside the door. From behind, he could see the bright blue scarf Penelope had tied around her curls. She sat cross-legged on the bed while Iris and Phillip sat in nearby chairs. Daniel was balanced on Iris's knee, chewing mightily on a plastic toy broom, a long stream of drool hanging down his chin.
For a split second he watched them. They had the easy comfort of a family - a very unusual family to be sure - but still, a family.
"Well, would you look what the cat dragged in." Norman turned and gripped his hand. His usual firmness and warmth now seemed sincere. Iris and Phillip stood to greet him and after a hand shake from Phillip, a kiss from Iris and a pat on the head for Daniel, Percy took his place behind Penelope. She beamed at him and reached up to gently squeeze his hand against her shoulder. The diamond ring sparkled brightly on her finger. "About time you got here. I was almost ready to leave without you."
"You look like you've been well entertained. What have you four been chatting about?"
"The idiosyncrasies of the Muggle world, my friend," Norman chuckled. "Something I'm finally about to return to."
"You didn't think she'd ever let you out of the hospital did you?" Phillip grinned and nodded at Penelope.
Penelope sniffed, "Norman was very ill for a while. And I was glad to have him here where I could keep an eye on him."
Percy knew there was more to it than that. Penelope had wanted to keep Norman protected from any vengeance seeking Death Eaters and she had purposefully allowed several weeks for his recovery.
"Well, I appreciate the fine care, my friends, but I'm afraid I must be out into the big bad world by myself. I've managed it for over forty years. I think I'll do just fine. Besides, we have a great deal of work ahead of us, don't we Penelope? It's time to start the business of rebuilding Clearwater Enterprises."
"Thanks to you, we still have over two-thirds of our assets. If anyone can recover our losses, Norman, you can. I have complete confidence in you."
Norman smiled but wagged his finger at her. "Never have complete confidence in someone in power, my dear. There must always be checks and balances in any system. Correct, Percy?"
Percy nodded. "Yes. Completely correct."
"How are things at the Ministry, Percy?" Norman's lips tightened.
Percy let out a slow breath and shook his head. "Difficult and divided."
Penelope spoke up before he could finish. "But for one afternoon we aren't going to worry about that. We are headed for a picnic in the park."
"A picnic?" The corner of Percy's mouth twitched.
"That's right. A picnic." She leaned down and pulled a basket from the from under the bed. "Surprise!"
"Yum yum," Percy said sarcastically. "What have you got in there? Plastic bags of chips and such?"
Penelope gave him a swat. "Just you wait, Percy Weasley. You are going to like my picnic."
"Courage, mate. I don't think she'll poison you," Phillip grinned. "But as for me, my stomach's growling and I think I need to get my growing family home." He leaned down and picked up Daniel and eyed Iris pointedly.
Percy helped Norman with the trunk and the men started out into the hall. When he turned around he noticed that Penelope and Iris had lingered behind. They were hugging and talking to each other in a tight embrace. When he finally caught Penelope's eyes he could see they were brimming with tears but she smiled, and grabbed the picnic basket. "Follow me, everyone. I'll get you out of this maze."
They got off the lift on the main floor and made their way to the central floo station. Phillip looked at the fireplaces distastefully. "God, I hate doing this," he said.
Norman slapped his back, "And it never gets any easier, my friend."
"Norman, can I ask you something quickly?" Penelope pulled him away from Iris and Phillip.
Penelope glanced over at Percy and then spoke quietly. "Norman, I've decided I want to give the manor house to Phillip and Iris. Could you help me arrange that?"
Norman's jaw dropped and he hesitated. "Penelope, that's a huge decision. Are you sure?"
"I'm positive. Percy and I won't want to live in that house. We'll want to live in the magical world."
"Yes, but that is your family home, Penelope."
Penelope lifted her head. "And Iris and Phillip are my family. I've thought about this Norman. The Clearwater name stops with me. Grandmother knew that. I think it is right to fill that house with a loving family. Percy and I will find the right place to make our own home." She turned to him and offered her hand. He squeezed it tight.
Norman looked at her seriously and then bowed slightly. "Your grandmother would be very proud of you. I'll get to work on the papers."
"Are you coming, Norman?" Iris was holding a handful of the floo powder. "I'd rather not do this thing myself."
They hurried over to the closest empty grate. Norman took the floo powder and threw it into the fire. They all stepped into the green flames. Phillip and Iris clutched Daniel between them and gave a nervous wave. "Clearwater Manor!" Norman called. And in a flash they were all gone.
Percy placed his hand at the back of her neck and ran his fingers over the soft hairs beneath her ponytail. "You don't have to do that for me, you know. That's a big step to give away your family home."
Penelope thumped him on the chest. "You're just worried about what I'm going to do to your flat."
"It's our flat. And as far as I'm concerned, you can do whatever you please," he paused and looked over his glasses, "as long as you stay within our agreed upon budget."
"R-r-right. The budget. Our agreed upon budget," Penelope nodded. "I can do that. I know I can."
She took his arm and gave the picnic basket a little swing. "I'm so excited about today. Do you realize how long it has been since we have been out on a real date?"
"Miss Clearwater, I could have sworn I saw you this morning. That was you wasn't it?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm talking about a proper date, going somewhere outside of the flat. Another week or two and we might get to go to a real restaurant."
"Only if…"
"I know…it's within our family budget."
They stopped quickly at the front desk for Penelope to sign herself out. Percy took the picnic basket and wandered behind the mannequin. He could see the Muggles passing on the street outside when he heard someone call his name.
"Percy?"
He froze and glanced first at Penelope across the room. Her eyes were wide. He turned slowly, knowing who he would see.
"Hello Ginny," he said.
She stood in front of him, her mouth slightly dropped. "Hi…what are you? I mean…I'm surprised to see you."
She had changed. Her face seemed narrower and her hair was no longer in a ponytail but loose and very long. "Oh. I just came to fetch Penelope. We're going to the park. You know lovely day and all that." He awkwardly held up the basket. "What are you doing here? Does Mum know you're out and about all alone?"
Ginny thrust her chin out defiantly. "Yes she does. I just flooed here for a little check up on my ankle. Some things happened a couple of weeks ago, that I'm not sure you are aware of and…well…anyway…the Healers wanted to check my ankle."
Percy's eyes narrowed. "Of course I know what happened, Ginny, and you need to know that you had no business in the Department of Mysteries. None whatsoever. It's illegal trespassing, not to mention you could have been killed."
"Is that all you care about? That we were breaking some rule?"
"I care about you. More than you know," he said softly.
Ginny closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them she looked over at Penelope who had stepped away from the reception desk but lingered at a respectful distance. Ginny smiled at her.
"I'm glad you are still with Penelope," she said.
"Did you doubt that?"
"Well, I wasn't sure. We haven't heard very much from you this year, Percy."
"I know you haven't and I'm sorry about that."
"Are you going to tell Mum and Dad you're sorry?" She bit her lip and looked at him without blinking.
Percy glanced down and then back up at her. "No, Ginny, I'm not."
She nodded silently and her face remained impassive. "I didn't think so. Things must be very busy for you, with all that's going on at the Ministry. Your boss' problems and all. I'm surprised you have time for a picnic in the park."
Percy took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "Well, we can't stop living through all this, can we?"
She shook her head slowly. "No, we have to all go on living." She looked at him for a long moment without saying anything and then cocked her head to the side as if she was trying to see something more clearly. "I've missed you, Percy."
He swallowed. "I've missed you too. You've changed. You're growing up."
She scrunched up her nose and grinned. "Oh, not too much, I hope."
"No,' he smiled. "Not too much."
A nurse with a clipboard appeared at the desk. "Miss Weasley, can you come with me?"
Ginny sighed. "Well, I guess I'll see you sometime."
"Yes. Sometime."
She started to leave but then looked over her shoulder and suddenly turned back. "Percy, do you remember my first year at Hogwarts?" she said urgently. "That night I was so upset after…well…after the Mrs. Norris incident and you came and talked to me? Do you remember that?"
"Of course, I remember that. I'd never seen you so upset."
"Yes. I was crying. I said that I shouldn't be a Gryffindor. That I wasn't brave. That nobody liked me and I didn't have any friends. Do you remember what you told me?"
He shook his head. "Gosh, that was almost five years ago, Ginny."
"Well, I remember. You said - 'I like you. I'm your brother and I'll always be your friend.'"
He held her gaze and nodded. She smiled slightly, then she turned and walked away, her long red hair gleaming behind her.
After a moment felt a hand at the small of his back. "Are you okay?" Penelope asked quietly.
"I'm fine."
"Do you think she's figured it all out?"
"I don't know. Ginny's hard to hide from."
"I'll say," Penelope looked after her. "She does have a way of turning up at the most inopportune moments doesn't she?" She gently took his hand. "Let's go, darling. A beautiful day's wasting."
The mannequin signaled the all clear and they slipped on to the hot sidewalk. They jogged down the stairs to the underground. The train was waiting with doors open and they stepped on just in time, standing close together and grabbing a pole to keep their balance. "What was that with Iris back in the hospital room?" he asked.
"Oh Percy - the best, most wonderful news! Iris is pregnant!"
"Really? Well, that is good news."
"I'm only worried that the Manor will be too much for Phillip to care for without more help and now that it is slowly turning into a magical house, with floos and charms everywhere, I don't know what to do about staff."
"What the Manor needs is some magical help. What if I could find the way to get Iris and Phillip a house elf?"
"You have an elf in mind, don't you?"
"Maybe." He stared out the window at the walls of the tube speeding by.
The train came to a stop and he grabbed her hand as they pushed onto the platform and up the escalator. Their pace slowed the minute they crossed through the gates of the park. The summer sun felt warm on his shoulders and it felt so comfortable to have her hand in his. It would move easily away, brushing a hair back from her face or pulling him out of the way of a skating Muggle, but it always returned. He could feel the ring on her finger and he occasionally ran his thumb against it, just to make sure it was still there. Physical proof, he thought. Like the badge.
They found a grassy knoll with an old oak tree. Penelope dropped to her knees and opened her small basket, pulling out a quilt and some dainty china plates.
"So what's for lunch?" Percy said, sitting with his back against the tree.
"Seeing as how you haven't had a good meal in a week, I whipped up a few things," she said nonchalantly, pulling out a broiled chicken, a smoked salmon, swiss cheese, pastries, a watercress salad, strawberries and crème, chocolates…
"What in the world have you done?" Percy gaped as dish after dish appeared from the basket.
"Here, dearest, try the pigeon pie," Penelope held a spoon toward his mouth.
"My God, that's delicious. Amazing, how did you ever…wait a minute. Penelope Clearwater, you didn't make all of this, did you?"
She grinned mischievously. "You don't think I could?"
"Um…no."
She laughed at his expression. "Okay, I had a lot of help. This morning when you were in the shower I flooed Zelda. She put all this together. It was her way of saying 'thank you.'"
Percy sighed and handed her his plate. "Excellent! I'll be sure to stop by the Owl's Nest and offer my thanks."
"You won't find her there," Penelope said as she passed him a napkin. "Better try looking in your own building. She passed her O.W.L.S and has started as an assistant in the Ludicrous Patents Department."
Percy frowned. "That's tough work, but Zelda is used to dealing with the public. She'll do well."
Percy filled his plate three times on all of the delicious food. At last Penelope firmly packed the picnic remains back into the basket where it simply disappeared.
Percy laid his head across her lap. "I could go to sleep right here under this tree for the whole afternoon," he yawned.
Penelope twirled a finger through his hair. "Have I told you today, how much I love you?"
"Yes, but tell me again."
"I love you, my knight in shining armor."
"Alas, fair lady, I'm afraid you get the most foolish knight of all."
She shook her head. "I don't think so. I don't think so at all."
He pulled her beside him and as her lips opened he was stabbed with the sweet pain that tore his heart. She offered breath, life, warmth and he wanted to give it back to her, to move together the way the world turned or the seasons changed, in such perfect harmony that all that ended began again and again and again.
There was a sharp cry from the branches above them. They looked up to see a several small songbirds leaving the shelter of the oak. Hermes was swerving toward them and he landed on a bottom branch and started screaming.
"Hey mate, calm down!" Percy sat up.
Hermes squawked back.
"Where is she?" Percy stood quickly. Hermes took off flying toward the woods.
"Percy, what's wrong?" Penelope asked. "Is it the Order? Is someone hurt?"
"No…yes…" Percy took her hand and started to run. "Come on, we need to follow him."
They ran away from the bright lawns and into the sun dappled shade of a small glade. Hermes was sitting on the branch of a huge fir tree hooting madly. Percy grabbed Penelope wrist. "Don't move." He carefully inched forward by himself, crouching low and disappearing under the fir tree.
"Percy?" Penelope whispered frantically. "What are you doing?"
There was a moment of silence and then his face appeared beneath the boughs. "Come here," he signaled. "I need your help."
Penelope crawled cautiously beneath the branches. Percy was huddled over something small and fluffy. "Careful," he said.
Penelope looked down to see a baby owl on the ground.
"He fell from the nest. Is he hurt?" Percy asked anxiously. "Do you think you can help him?"
Penelope looked up. Hermes was sitting on a high branch beside a quiet meadow owl. There seemed to be a nest full of baby owls beside them.
Penelope tenderly ran her finger over the fuzzy gray fluff. "Poor little fellow," she said, "did your brothers push you out? Or maybe you just got a bit overconfident and thought you could fly." The little owl moved. Fumbling in the pocket of her skirt, she pulled out a lacy handkerchief and gently picked up the creature. He sat cradled in her palm and stretched his wings then cried out angrily. "He's fine," she smiled. "Embarrassed mostly, I would say. Don't you worry, little friend, what doesn't break you will make you stronger."
Percy took out his wand and levitated the handkerchief all the way up to the nest. The meadow owl grabbed the baby with her beak and pushed him in beside his brothers. Percy and Penelope crawled out of the tree and brushed the fir needles from their clothes.
"Looks like Hermes has been busy," Penelope laughed.
Percy shook his head. "Mysterious old chap, not to let on or anything."
They walked to the edge of the glade and stopped just behind the shadows. From overhead, they heard a happy hoot and as they watched, Hermes soared low across the meadow, did an acrobatic loop then sailed away. Penelope grinned and wrapped her arm around his waist, "Unusual to see Hermes so enthusiastic, isn't it?"
Percy chuckled, "Yes, but love can make someone do surprising things."
She looked up at him and smiled and he took a deep breath of courage. The future held just as much joy as it did fear. He firmly took her hand and walked out of the shadows into the bright afternoon.