August 1998

"Mum is up to something," Audrey said as they arrived at the out of the way ginnel that Percy apparated them to.

"What do you mean?" he asked as he followed her out of the narrow, overgrown path to the main footpath. He offered his arm as they turned up the road that would lead to Audrey's parents' house.

"I mean Mum was insistent that we visit this weekend and that both of us come."

"Well we haven't seen them in a few weeks," Percy offered. "It's probably only been once since we told them we were engaged."

"Yes, that's true, but still, there was something in her tone."

"I imagine we'll find out soon enough," Percy said genially. "It is unlikely it will be anything too terrible."

"Ha! You say that because you didn't have to talk her out of that party she wanted to throw."

"It was kind of her to offer."

"It would have been awful. She would have found every relative and school classmate from her childhood to drag there and parade us round like prize cattle. We've have been stuck in a room with people we didn't know, who would most likely delightedly tell you that they hadn't seen me since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. Oh, and hadn't I turned out well? And weren't we a lovely couple? We could chop children up into small pieces for fun, and they still would say the same things."

"You seem to have thought about this a lot," Percy commented.

"Experience," Audrey said grimly. "My cousin's christenings. God, they were awful. I swear I didn't think I had that many living relatives."

"Your cousins are ten now yes? There's a chance a few of them might have died," Percy offered nonchalantly tilting his head towards her with a smile of conspiracy.

Audrey smothered a laugh, lightly hitting his arm in admonishment. "Percy that's awful!"

He grinned unrepentantly. "I said might."

"Yes, well despite your proposed wish to bump off my elderly relatives, I thought the party might be better missed completely."

"Will they be at the wedding? Assuming they live that long?" Percy asked as they turned on to her parent's street.

"Probably. Mum will invite them."

They arrived at the bottom of the short drive on which Audrey's mother's car was parked. A narrow paved path ran up the side of the car to the front door. Percy gestured her forward. "Shall we learn our fate?"

Lunch was, as ever, tasty and plentiful. Rick Stone took great pride in his ability to lay on Sunday lunch, and it was the one meal he refused to let his wife help with. Once everyone had eaten their fill, the coffee, and tea had been brewed and drunk the small family sat back to take stock.

Percy was adamant that he would help with the dishes and dutifully removed the plates along with Audrey's Mum Lizzy. In the kitchen, Lizzy belted the apron around her waist with quick efficiency. "Wash or dry?" she offered.

"Wash please," Percy said rolling up his own sleeves.

Lizzy acquiesced and returned to the dining room to retrieve the rest of the plates. Percy began to run the warm water into the sink and sort the mound of dishes on the sides into a semblance of order.

"I fetched your wine," Lizzy announced as she came back through. "You might as well have it while you wash up and we can have another cuppa before you go. We'd like to speak to you both anyway."

"Audrey said you were plotting something," Percy admitted accepting the wine and placing it on the window sill in front of the sink.

"Ha! Little Miss Smarty-Pants."

"Something about insisting we came?"

"Well," Lizzy said as she found a clean tea towel in the draw and began to dry the glassware Percy had carefully washed. "I do want to speak to you both and its easier face to face than over the phone."

Percy's head shot up at her words his brow crinkling in concern. "Lizzy, there's nothing wrong is there? With you or Rick?"

"What?" Lizzy asked confused.

"You're both well?"

"Oh, oh no! Silly boy, whatever did you think that for? No, we're both fine. It's not that."

Percy let a breath of relief out. "I'm glad."

"So," Lizzy said after some moments pause. "Audrey tells me she's met some of your family."

Percy assented. "My elder brother and his wife. My younger twin brothers and my sister, who is the youngest of us all."

"How many siblings did you say you have?"

"Six," Percy replied. "Bill the eldest is married, his wife Fleur is French. Then there is Charlie, but he lives and works abroad in Romania in animal conservation. Then me, then the twins Fred and George. Then Ron who Audrey hasn't met then Ginny."

"My, your mother had her hands full with all those boys."

"Yes," Percy agreed. "I suppose she did."

"Audrey also said you'd met up with your father?" Lizzy asked delicately.

Percy nodded fixing his eyes out of the window, on the garden. The grass was a tired winter green surrounded on three sides by borders of plants and shrubs with a small shed tucked in one corner. The fence rose up behind the plants shielding the Stones' garden from the neighbours. The housing estate was only ten years old, and the trees and shrubs that had been planted were only just beginning to fully mature. "We've put a few things behind us. We are going to make a bit more effort to see each other and speak."

"That's good isn't it?" Lizzy asked softly.

"Yes. Yes, I suppose it is."

"Well, I'd like to meet your family. If you think we could?"

Percy shook himself focusing his rambling thoughts, looking over at Lizzy. "I don't know. My mother and I are still not speaking."

"That's a shame, but I'd still like to meet the others." Lizzy laid a hand on his arm. "I know you're only just getting through your estrangement, and it's great that you are, so maybe not straight away, but, we'd like to meet the other half of Audrey's family. So we know who is who and we can build some sort of relationship with them. These are the people we are going to have to compete with to see you at Christmas after all. Not to mention babysitting duties once you start a family. I need time to suss out the competition you know."

Percy smiled at Lizzy's humour. "I will do my best. It's early days yet."

"Well, then that will do nicely. And if it doesn't work out we'll get you both on all the holidays, won't we?"

Percy concurred then asked Lizzy about her work. Lizzy accepted the change in conversation and related an anecdote about her colleague while they finished the dishes.

Once everything was done Percy helped Lizzy fill the tea tray with the various necessary things and carried it through to the lounge for her. Lizzy dished out the tea and coffee to each person then sat on the sofa next to her husband and cleared her throat.

"Audrey, Percy."

"Yes, Mum?" Audrey replied shooting Percy a knowing look.

Lizzy ignored Audrey and continued. "You both are aware we wanted you here, and it's because we wanted to speak to you both about your future. We understand that currently, you aren't looking to get married soon. Instead, you want to save up for a deposit for a house and the costs of the wedding. Well, your Dad and I think that there is merit in your plan. It is no bad thing that you try living together properly. Sleepovers most nights of the week aren't living together Audrey," Lizzy explained cutting across the objection Audrey was about to make. "Living together is about finding out that Percy never replaces the loo roll or that you leave the last half a splash of milk in the fridge because you didn't want to be the one that used the last of it. Or find out which of you cooks the best and which of you is willing to learn because you cannot live on takeaway. Living together is about more than just sharing bills and space. So, since we agree that its sensible of you to want to live together, we've decided that we will gift you a sum of money to help towards your deposit."

"Mum, Dad that's really generous of you, but I've got some savings, Percy has too."

Lizzy shrugged. "Technically its money we saved for you. When you and Rachel were born we put a little money aside for you and Rachel both. We did that every month until you turned eighteen. Originally it was to help you both go to university if you wanted. Rachel had hers when she attended Loughborough, to help with feeding her although I doubt it was spent on actual food."

Audrey grinned. "She assured me it was possible to live on nothing but liquids for a week before you felt it."

"Yes well. Anyway, you haven't chosen to go to university, so we thought that putting it towards a deposit for a house might be the next best thing. Or, if you want, if you've got the savings between you, you can leave it alone and use it for the wedding. Rick, be a dear and get the bank book, will you? I left it in the hall table."

Rick got up and left the room, returning moments later and handed Audrey the book. Audrey looked at her parents waiting for permission before she opened the book looking for the last printed page.

"Mum, Dad, that's six thousand pounds." Audrey gasped her eyes wide in shock.

"Well," Lizzy said looking at her daughter fondly. "We wanted you to have a good start, and with you following in the family business you can't expect to get a very high wage. Your Uncle is already paying you top drawer salary until you finish your training."

"Thank you," Audrey said standing up to hug both her parents the bank book clutched in her hand. Percy also stood to offer his thanks.

Lizzy reclaimed the bank book from Audrey. "You're the named beneficiary, but you'll need one of us to access the money. Once you've settled on what to do with it, your Dad or I can arrange the transfer."

"Do you have any plans for your house?" Rick asked.

Audrey and Percy looked at each other before turning back to Rick. "Not specifically," Percy answered. "I'd like a garden. Audrey would like to remain near to or in Richmond. We'd like something with a bit of space, maybe two or three bedrooms, but we haven't given it an awful lot of thought."

"Well," Lizzy said with a smile clapping her hands together with enthusiasm. "That is where Rick comes in."

Rick sat up facing Percy and Audrey. "I wondered if you would let me help you find somewhere. I can do a bit of the legwork for you. The details you've given me will be enough to start with. We can find out what's available, then if you like, we can sit down and work out a proper budget for you both."

Percy smiled. "I would find that helpful. The few estate agent windows we've looked in have had such a broad range of houses I'm not sure what we should be looking out for."

"We can start with three and two beds with a garden in the Richmond area. Do you not want to stay close to your work? Commuting across town can be hard work some days," Rick asked.

"I don't mind it," Percy said. "Audrey has more ties to the Richmond area than I do to where I live. I quite like the café where we met, but there is nothing to stop us going there even if I no longer live where I do."

"Don't let Audrey bully you into something," Lizzy warned. "You've got to be honest about this. Buying a house is a big step, if one of you does all the compromising, then neither of you will be happy."

"I assure you that my commute is a lesser concern," Percy said. "My parents have a large garden and a small orchard attached to their home. Outdoor space is much more valuable to me."

"Fair enough," Lizzy said. "So, give Rick a week, and he can find you some properties then we can all go and do the viewings. The viewings are my favourite bit."

Percy left work early. No more than half an hour but the frisson of guilt he felt for leaving early annoyed him. He had been in early and worked late all week. Half an hour would matter to no one. He had managed to shower and change and begun to consider what he would cook for dinner when a knock sounded at the door.

He paused, some instinct screaming caution. Very, very few people knew where he lived. Fewer still would arrive unexpectedly.

The knock came again.

Percy's wand was in his hand as he opened the door, a spell on the tip of his tongue.

The person on the other side of the door didn't make him feel any more comfortable.

"Dad."

"Percy."

A pause.

"Might I come in?"

There was the smallest of hesitations before Percy stepped away from the door allowing his father entry.

Arthur closed the door behind him feeling his son's wards sizzle and snap as they went back up. "Thank you."

Percy led him to the living space after claiming his coat and shoes. Arthur settled on the sofa, accepting the offer of a drink. Percy moved to the kitchen briefly returning with two bottles of beer from the fridge. A simple spell had the caps off, and he proffered one to his father.

"Oh, is this the beer that Bill was telling me about? You went to a muggle pub?"

Percy took his seat relaxing back into the sofa cushions. "Similar but not the same. This is one Fred, and George found in a supermarket. I quite like it."

Arthur tried the drink. "It's terrific," he commented with a slight shake of the head in admiration. He bit back on the urge to compliment the clever muggles who had brewed it. Fred had quietly pulled him to one side and explained 'clever muggles' came across as patronising and condescending. Muggles weren't clever because they managed simple things without magic. They were clever because they had discovered X-rays and put a man on the moon and taken pictures of planets. Arthur had been surprised at Fred until Fred had imparted that Hermione had commented on how awkward it had made her feel interacting with him. Fred had assured him that Percy wouldn't stand for such a perceived attitude towards Audrey.

"We don't make a beer like it," Percy said not noticing Arthur's introspection.

"It's good. If you could, perhaps you could get me some? I could keep it in the shed to have while I tinker with the car. A cooling charm won't hurt it will it?"

"No cooling charms are fine, and that's not a car Dad. It's completely behind the times and so full of magic it wouldn't register as a muggle artefact anymore."

"I know," Arthur agreed. "It's officially an experimental wizarding transportation according to the DoM. They ask me about it every now and again, but I doubt it will ever catch on. It's a good excuse, however. I've got a comfy chair in there you know. A nice bit of quiet to catch up on the latest arithmancer journal or the quidditch match analysis. It was hard to get a bit of calm in a house as full as ours, and well I suppose I've just not broken the habit. Not that you need to mention that to your Mum mind. She tolerates my strange hobby, but I feel she might not be as forgiving of the truth."

Arthur looked up from his beer over at his son. Hesitantly he spoke. "If you would permit me, I would very much like to make the acquaintance of Ms Stone. Fred and George speak very highly of her."

Percy put the beer bottle down on the coffee table. "It's up to Audrey. She is aware of the reasons of the split and is not inclined to see it as a simple misunderstanding. She is accepting but wary after the more recent events. If she is at any point uncomfortable..."

"I did not think you thought me an ogre." Arthur protested.

"Perhaps not," Percy acknowledged. "But whatever you might have heard, Audrey is a muggle. She is mine to defend and protect, and I shall do so to the last breath in my body. So, if she feels threatened at any point I will ask you to leave."

Arthur met Percy's stare. "You have my word."

Percy nodded shortly. "She'll be here soon, if she is amenable, then you are welcome to stay."

Arthur professed his thanks, reclining in his chair, Percy picked his beer back up and tried to release the tension he could feel gathering in the back of his neck. "Have you been to any Quidditch matches recently?" he asked Arthur to break the uneasy silence growing between them.

"Not recently, although if Ginny is going to try out for a team once she graduates I should probably make more of an effort to go. I keep up via the Prophet, but it's hardly the same? You?"

"Not since last year a match in February I went with some work colleagues. Puddlemere, Good game though considering how fast they caught the snitch I think they were worried about the Magpies seeker. She has shown promise in games since I believe."

"Yes, the pundits have said she might yet rival Krum."

"That seems unlikely, Krum was already an exceptional seeker at seventeen, Johansson is good, but she's already in her twenties. Krum has three years at least on her, she might be as good, but I doubt that unless she is truly remarkable, she'll eclipse him."

Arthur protested Percy's stance, and their conversation became more comfortable as they discussed the relative merits of the current players flying. A half an hour passed barely noted by either until the sound of a key in the lock brought the conversation to a screeching halt, and the previously forgotten tension between the two returned abruptly. Percy shot his father one more concerned look before getting to his feet followed by Arthur.

"Percy, are you home?" Audrey called from the hall her voice muffled as she removed her coat and shoes.

"In here," Percy answered moving towards the door.

Audrey came into the room a large envelope in her hand, halting at the sight of Percy's guest. She moved over to Percy's side smoothly, unruffled but her wary gaze did not leave Arthur.

Percy took her hand squeezing it. "Audrey, I would like to introduce you to my father."

Audrey glanced up at Percy, he tilted his head in encouragement, she squeezed his hand and stepped forward, away from Percy towards their guest.

"Mr Weasley,"

"Miss Stone," Arthur replied formally holding out his hand.

"Audrey, please," Audrey offered as she accepted the handshake.

"Arthur," Arthur offered with a warm smile.

Audrey nodded and indicated the seat that Arthur had risen from. Audrey sat closest to Arthur's armchair next to Percy on the sofa, tossing the envelope down on the coffee table.

"Is there any wine?" Audrey asked Percy. "Since we're starting early, I'll have a beer if there isn't any. Are you staying for dinner?" Audrey turned to address Arthur.

Percy flicked his wand and noises from the kitchen resulted in a glass of wine floating towards Audrey who plucked it from the air.

Arthur threw a glance at Percy waiting for his cue from his son as to if he would be welcome. Receiving none Arthur turned back to Audrey. "If you would find it no inconvenience, then I would be delighted to stay for dinner."

"Excellent. We'll have Chinese if that's alright?" She looked at Arthur and Percy in turn.

Percy agreed wordlessly, and Arthur did the same. "Thank you, I would be delighted."

"So," Audrey said sipping her wine. "George and Fred have told me that you have a fascination with muggle culture. Your job is something related to what you call muggle artefacts? Is this visit an opportunity to stare at the muggle like an exhibit in a zoo or have you come with the intention of suing for peace?"

Arthur blinked at the bluntness of the statement but acceded that some suspicion might be warranted. "Audrey," Arthur began. "I have already apologised to Percy for my role in the split in our family. I hope that we will be able to move forward and begin again although I by no means expect that to be immediate. Percy is my son, you will become my daughter in law. I wish to get to know you. Yes, I have an interest in your culture. It is different to ours, and I have not been so fortunate to be able to spend time in it. I do not, however, wish to observe you like a monkey in a zoo?"

Audrey glanced once more at Percy. He was watching their interaction, but she could detect no censure or disagreement from him. "Well then, if Percy is amenable, I am sure we could do something towards getting to know one another. Shall we order?" Audrey got to her feet to retrieve the takeaway menu handing it to Arthur. He accepted it opening it up to look at the list of dishes.

"Is there something you recommend," he asked Audrey.

"You've not had Chinese either?"

Arthur shook his head.

"Well then perhaps we could order a banquet. That would allow you to try a little of many dishes. We did the same when George and Fred first tried it."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Arthur replied smiling and handing the menu back.

Percy roused himself fishing his mobile from his pocket. "Which one?" he asked Audrey.

"Oh well I'm quite hungry today was a lot of lifting so number five?"

Percy sent her a quick smile of agreement and dialled the number, he placed the order and hung up. "Half an hour or so," he announced. "Do you want to come with me to pick it up?"

"No," Audrey replied. "You can go, I'll stay here if you don't mind. You won't be long after all will you."

"No," Percy said with a faint smile.

"Is that a telephone," Arthur asked curiosity winning out.

"A mobile telephone," Audrey replied. "One that can be carried anywhere, they are becoming more and more common. Telephones usually must be plugged into the socket to connect to the telephone lines to work, but mobile phones don't. They are a bit like the mirrors that Fred, George, and Hermione made, but you only get sound and no picture."

Arthur nodded in understanding but forbore from asking more questions about the muggle device. "I am not sure I know what it is you do for a living Audrey," Arthur asked a little awkwardly in an attempt to keep the conversation going.

"I work for my family's antique business," Audrey replied. "I assist in the valuations buying and selling. My uncle took over from my grandparents."

"That's based in London?"

"Yes, though we travel quite a lot for auctions and house clearances. We spend a few weeks a year in France collecting things from the markets there."

"Bill, my eldest, his wife is from France," Arthur said. "Which part do you travel to?"

"From Paris to the east then down the border to the south coast then back up the west coast finishing off in Paris again," Audrey answered sipping her wine slowly. It was so very awkward and odd. She wondered if this is what Percy had felt like upon meeting her family.

Silence fell over them again, with no one seemingly able to find something they could say that might make the situation easier.

"So, what is it you do Arthur? Obviously, the twins told me it was to do with muggle things," Audrey asked a little desperately.

"Err, well, my department investigates muggle artefacts that have had magic applied to them. We try to keep them out of muggle hands to preserve the Statute of Secrecy and prevent the muggles getting hurt." Arthur explained. He hesitated, wanting to ask questions about the muggle world and the artefacts he came across, but sure that Percy and possibly Audrey would take offence, he held back, and the conversation lapsed once more.

Audrey glanced around the room searching for something that they could discuss and keep going as a topic. If they couldn't find anything, then the rest of this evening would be acutely painful. Her eyes fell on the envelope on the table. She leapt upon the idea and reached for the envelope.

"Dad came into the shop today. He dropped these off for us to take a look at." Audrey pulled the wad of papers from the envelope, handing them over to Percy. "I've not had a look through yet, but I thought we could go over them. I know we need to sort out the budget, but Mum is chomping at the bit a little and well Dad," she shrugged and turned to Arthur who was looking on in polite curiosity. "We're looking at buying a house," Audrey explained.

Arthur blinked. "I see," he said hesitantly shooting a confused look at his son.

"Is there a problem?" Audrey asked bristling at his reaction.

"Ah, no. I'm sorry. I wasn't aware Percy and yourself were actually married. You are still using the name Stone," Arthur trailed off at Audrey's confused and surprised expression. She turned to Percy.

"Percy?"

He looked at her and shrugged. "It's a cultural thing."

"Percy," Arthur rebuked gently. He leant forward, capturing Audrey's attention. "It is customary in our culture that a couple marries from their home or at least it was. Nowadays children do leave home when they come of age. They move into flats, houses, house shares, that sort of thing, but living together as a couple, without being married is not something that is done."

Percy huffed. "Yes, it is. What my father means to say is that the older generation sees it as 'living in sin'. Not because they are overly religious but because the wizarding culture is somewhat behind the times when it comes to progressive attitudes towards women. For a witch to live with a man she is not related or married to is seen as to be a failing on the witches' part. Her reputation would be ruined, her morals loose, and in short not the type to be associated with. The wizard, of course, will come out of it unharmed possibly with the label of 'cad' should he make a habit of living with several witches. This, of course, is another reason that muggleborns are derided within society by those cleaved to the old ways. They're all loose women you see. They co-habit with their friends be them male or female and don't understand that its frowned upon and can affect their careers because no one thinks to explain it to them. House shares are usually advertised as single sex only. While Hogwarts is a mixed school, the dormitories are all single sex. Not that that actually achieves anything."

"You're kidding? It's not the eighteen hundred's I thought that sort of thing went out with the suffragettes!"

"Wizarding culture missed out on the suffragettes," Percy pointed out. "We don't have a democratic voting system. It's hereditary seats that make up the Wizengamot who cast a vote. While some positions such as the Minister for Magic are an elected role, it's not by public vote directly. The Wizengamot vote them in due to pressures brought to bear by the people that they have politically aligned themselves with."

"No wonder you had a war," Audrey muttered. "I'm amazed you've survived this long. Well anyway, we're not married, and we aren't planning on it yet. We're going to buy a house together first. Muggles, well some muggles, because I'm sure there are some that probably think your way too, but muggles tend to try living together before marriage. After all, you can always sell a house and move on. Divorce is a bit more involved."

Arthur assented, accepting that in this anything he said would be unwelcome. He had no real objection with Percy and Audrey doing as muggles would even though he had to admit to a small twinge of concern at the idea. "Are you looking at mixed residential areas?"

Audrey looked puzzled once more.

Arthur winced hoping he hadn't put his foot in it again. "Where magical and muggles live together there are a handful of such places although I understand that the houses can sell quite quickly."

Audrey turned to Percy raising an eyebrow in question.

"No," Percy answered both Audrey and Arthur. "They are scattered around the country. Your work is in London, and there are no such places in the city. While travel is of no consequence to me, you will not enjoy a three-hour commute to work each end of the day."

"Oh no, you're right," Audrey said. "Is that the nearest place?"

"Yes," Percy said. "I had looked briefly as it is easier with established places such as those to blend the muggle and magical lifestyle, but they are not suited to us."

Audrey shrugged accepting what Percy said.

"You'll be living in a muggle house then?" Arthur commented.

Percy agreed as he handed Audrey the details of two of the houses in the packet, so she could look through them. Audrey handed them straight over to Arthur.

"Muggles advertise their homes with estate agents. My Dad has gone looking for us to find us a starting point to whittle down what we want and what we would compromise on. He likes finding the hidden gems. If my Mum would let him they would probably move to a new house every couple of years."

Arthur looked down at the pages Audrey had given him. He read the description flicking through the details before returning to the front page and the first image of the outside of the house. What held his attention, however, was not the static, unmoving picture but the number underneath it.

Arthur placed the paper carefully back on the coffee table. Percy had handed Audrey another sheaf of paper, she was reading through, and he watched them both absorbed in what they were doing before letting his eyes wander around the room and take in Percy's home. There were few personal items on display as he had expected of his more reserved son, but those that were displayed were obviously significant. Quietly Arthur got to his feet his actions receiving a curious but uninterested glance from Audrey. Arthur felt rather than saw Percy watching him as he stepped over to the bookcase. He resisted the urge to touch anything, but the picture had caught his eye, and he watched as it cycled through. After its third rotation, Arthur returned to his seat. Percy had returned to reading the details of the houses, but Arthur supposed that his son was more than aware of his actions. Clearing his throat brought Percy's head snapping up supporting Arthurs supposition.

"I know practically very little about the process of buying a house in the muggle world. However, I do know a few things about buying houses, and that is you need money to do it. Judging by those numbers quite a lot of it."

"London is expensive," Audrey agreed.

Arthur continued. "It is customary, well I say customary, but perhaps that's an exaggeration. What I mean is that when each of my children was born, I was determined that I would help them establish themselves when they finally left the Burrow. The idea was that by saving each month for each of my children, by the time they were grown and reached their majority, I would be able to hand them each a nest egg to ensure their start in life. The wizarding world has very few professions you understand, and while Ministry work is paid well, it is subject to fluctuating political favour. I had no notion of what my children might wish to pursue when the time came, but I hoped to be able to provide for them the means to achieve it. I admit that at times once I realised how large our family was that this meant that we wouldn't be able to provide the things that others could, but I thought it worth the sacrifice."

Arthur fidgeted slightly in his seat at the confession. "Anyway, for better or worse it is done. To date, Bill has received his, as has Charlie. Bill and Fleur used it towards Shell Cottage. Charlie for relocating and settling in Romania. I wanted you each to have need of it, something meaningful rather than a lump sum handed out on your birthday. For a wedding, or a home, or like Charlie, for a start in a career." Arthur smiled fondly. "I have a notion that despite your mothers wishes Charlie will never leave his dragons. He'll perhaps find someone as devoted to them like him or he'll stay single and married to the beasts. Though don't tell your Mother, she wants him settled quite badly, preferably with someone that might persuade him into a less dangerous career."

Arthur shook off the thoughts of his second eldest and concentrated on his third. "The money is yours to help you buy your home. There are no strings. I'm not trying to buy my way back into your lives. It's yours free and clear. Each of you will receive the same amount when the time comes."

"You didn't give Fred and George theirs to help them with their business?"

"No," Arthur said. "The twins went their own way as they ever do. I had no notion they wouldn't finish Hogwarts. They don't know yet, and I ask you don't tell them as I asked your brothers before you. When they need it, it will be there for them, but their business is stable, and neither of them has plans to settle down yet."

Percy sat for a long moment in silence before looking over at his father and meeting his eyes. "I won't say anything. Thank you for the gift," he said sincerely.

Arthur smiled gratefully. "I'll have Gringotts transfer the money over to your vault. I hope it is of some help."

Percy stirred glancing at the clock. "I will be back in a minute."

"Take my purse," Audrey said. "It's my turn to pay."

Percy shook his head. "It's fine." He went to put his shoes and coat on shooting his father and Audrey one last look before he vanished.