Three Edged Sword

"Furious activity is no substitute for understanding."

H. H. Williams

"Your mother's distraught, you know."

It was my day off when she caught me this time and I suppose I should have known better than to nod back to her half-hearted wave. I hadn't realised the faint vestiges of familial relations were still so strong. Granted, she wasn't exactly what could be called family but it was close enough.

"I'd expect so. Oh and hello to you to Hermione, how was your holiday? Mine was fine, thank you for asking."

A bit harsh, granted but it had been her who'd come and sat with me at the cafe table and I wanted to try and stop a lecture before it started. Besides, mother had always been somewhat sensitive and I'm sure it was only out of habit that she'd sent it anyway. Caring would have been an owl or a visit, not a hideous yellow thing made months before I left.

"Sorry. It's been hectic... you do know your father's in the hospital, don't you?"

She'd looked a bit embarrassed but had carried on nonetheless. That was enough; it was ridiculous. Despite what she may think, I was hardly heartless enough to ignore something like that. We may not be even on noticing-each-other-in-the-corridor terms but he was still my father.

"Of course I do. It may even surprise you to know that I've even visited him."

Actually, she did look shocked. Did she really think I was that... I'm lost for words, truly. I know my family had made me out to be an evil-minded boot-licker but I never would have thought she'd believe such a thing. It amazes me how quickly she's been indoctrinated into their way of thinking; but can I blame her? It is the word of eight against one; she never stood a chance.

"Although admittedly he was asleep at the time." I give her that out and she takes it. Her laugh diffuses the situation somewhat but I can still feel her unease. I don't know whether to be annoyed or disappointed – that someone with such intelligence has yet to figure out that there is more than one side to every story.

It was quieter now, lunch hour was over and most people were leaving the Alley. It was nice at this time – peaceful – well, apart from the bit sitting in front of me.

"I thought you promised that this time we'd talk, rather than you do your blood and family speech again."

"I suppose I did, didn't I?" She seems tired now I look at her, more than just not sleeping too. "I'm sorry, it's just that everything's just... I'm exhausted to tell the truth."

"Tell me about it." Work's been so busy since September. I needed these days off in peace and quiet just to rest my wrist after literal yards of paperwork. I'd never realised just how much work Delores had done in the office before she'd gone. Now... truly that woman had been a godsend; I only hoped I could manage half the tasks I'd gained as efficiently and well as she'd done. Hermione seemed to take my empathetic comment as one of real interest though and just burst.

"It's everything! I don't know how you coped with it all. Prefect duties and handling your brothers; Ron as well as Fred and George. Those two, they're just ridiculous – only the threat of your mother seems to keep them half in line and I don't know how long that will last. I've barely time to go to classes, do homework, prefect duties and sleep and the professors seem to think that the last one is optional when up against the others. I'm out there hours in the corridors and Ron doesn't help. There's the DA and all the work I'm doing for that and Harry's still not fully recovered from last year and it just adds up and..." she sighed and paused a moment, "I'm tired. I feel like I could sleep for a week."

I could comment on how she now knew what it was like for me, or if she really thought my family were completely in the right anymore, or asked about that DA thing – probably a new extra-hours class knowing her but I didn't. I knew her situation intimately and wasn't going to take advantage of the fact.

"It will get easier."

Switch from doing prefect duties with Ron to a Ravenclaw or Slytherin, they got things done quickly and well enough that the professors couldn't complain – I didn't suggest it, she'd never do it. Loyalty was a good character trait but not when you had it to the point where it started to affect your mental state and health as it was obviously doing to her. And she would hardly take my advice on how to deal with my family although it had worked wonders with me – I'd not been terrorised for months now, it was lovely.

"Go home and sleep. Let my brothers get on with it for a few days, let someone else keep control of them for once. As for the workload, you'll get used to it, it's amazing what people can adapt to when it's required."

"I suppose. It just seems that nothing ever lets..." Something on her beeped, a curious noise that seemed to originate from near her waist. She quickly grabbed a small rectangular object and looked at it in surprise.

"What is it?" It wasn't just her surprise I was asking after.

"My parents are back from their skiing trip – they said they'd contact me when they got to the train station so I could meet them."

"Oh." Intriguing concept but as to how how it was done I could begin to think about. Obviously it was non-magical, with her parent's being muggles they'd never be able to use the device if it did use spells. I'd have to ask David from the Muggle Liason Office when I got back to work tomorrow. "Don't let me keep you if you have to go meet them." She'd shifted in her seat a couple of times; I could tell she was eager to see them again.

"Do you mind?"

"Not at all, I have a paper to keep me company here." It would give me something to muse over, along with the outburst of information she had given me.

"Thanks." She softened a little, I don't think she had things go so easily very often. "We'll have to do this again, when things are a little less hectic perhaps?"

"Three years after we've both died of exhaustion then? It's a date."

She left laughing and I must admit I had a smile on my face too as I started to read the news...

Minister Maligns Goblin Rights Group? Damn it, so much for a quiet and peaceful day...

So, adore it? Abhor it? Let me know.