The Consequences of Curiosity

Authors Note: Chapter 2! What? An update? From me!? I know, it's amazing, isn't it? The story will really start picking up here! I hope you enjoy the ride! Just a note, so far this story is taking place around late November and early December in year six!

Reminder: I have decided to switch my Facebook page into a Facebook profile for ease of use so that I will actually be able to use it and interact! Come friend me on Facebook at Ashton Mason (My pseudonym), or at Facebook dot com /Ashton. mason .5686

Disclaimer: You may not present, reproduce, or MARRY the following content without the consent of the owner. That owner is not me. (I also stole the main premise of this disclaimer by the way, there are only so many semi amusing quips I can come up with.)

Warning for this Chapter: Implied noncon, unlawful potion usage, forced love potions.

Chapter 2: Revelations

Bill chewed slowly on his forkful of roast as he watched his mother from the corner of his eye, her behavior seemed to be perfectly normal and Bill could feel his stomach churn with the new knowledge that he possessed. Forcing the mouthful of tar flavored food down he absentmindedly speared a small carrot as he surreptitiously cast his gaze over to his father, taking the time to actually analyze the man.

It was no secret that Arthur Weasley was a man who catered to his wife every whim, be it allowing her the run of the household and finances, or the final say in any argument that they could have. At one point Bill would have said that his father idolized his mother, that he worshipped the very ground she walked on. He had spent many lonely nights praying that he could meet someone that he could love as much. He had been so happy to have found that in Fleur.

...Was it all really a lie?

Thinking back on all of the times that he had seen his parents interact they had always gone the same. His father would follow his mother's lead and, on those rare few times when things were serious enough for him to speak against her, he was always so quick to drop the matter and do as his beloved Molly desired regardless.

Though... Those rare times when it was just them and their father, Arthur Weasley seemed like a completely different man. More sure of himself, happier, and someone who was actually willing to express his own thoughts and opinions. Bill had always cherished those rare times where he and his brothers could spend quality time with their father, however, as their family grew those times became far fewer as the man had taken increasingly more hours of work at the Ministry in order to support his family, coming home late at night utterly exhausted but still taking the time to talk to them all and show them love.

Just... Just how long had this all been going on? How long had his mother been controlling his father and why?

Why hadn't anyone seen it? Surely the Goblins-

Bill felt a hollow jolt go through him as he realized that his father had not set foot in Gringotts in years, if ever. Bill had no memory of his father even mentioning the bank, his mother though...

The only way that they could possibly solve all of this mess would be to somehow get their father to Saint Mungoes where he could be checked over.

"Hey Dad, do you have a minute?" Bill asked as he and Charlie hurried forward to catch their father before he took the floo home.

"Of course I do, what do you boys need? You were awfully quiet at dinner last night, is everything alright?" Their father asked in concern as he moved with them towards an empty corner of the Ministry's atrium.

"Well," Charlie started, looking briefly at Bill as he steeled his resolve before straightening up once more. "Would you mind coming with us to the Leaky Cauldron? We really need to talk to you and we think it best to do so there."

Here Arthur hesitated, eyes narrowing as he looked them over before finally his tense posture eased slightly and he gave one quick nod, waving them towards the nearest floo so that they could go.

In a dizzying swirl of emerald flames, the eldest of the Weasley men were deposited on the hearth of the pubs' small fireplace.

"Hello, boys!" Tom called out jovially from where he stood wiping out glasses. "What can I do you for today?"

"Would we be able to use your private chamber, Tom? And perhaps a pot of tea," Charlie said motioning to the narrow passageway behind the bar.

With a nod Tom deftly plucked a small lantern from below the bar, its flame flickering to life as he lifted it into the air before him and led the way down the passage and into a small parlor. With a quick snap of his fingers, the fireplace crackled to life and a small tray of tea and crumpets appeared on the small table that rested before the fire as the innkeeper bowed himself out of the room, leaving the Weasley men to their discussion.

"Alright boys," Arthur said firmly as he leveled them with a firm gaze as he took a seat before the hearth. "Now, what is this all about?"

Wordlessly Bill passed over a copy of the ledger that had started all of this, watching silently as his father stiffened in surprised anger, his face flushing scarlet as he read further before he stilled completely.

"Dad?" Bill asked quickly, reaching out to touch his father's arm, "Dad I know that this is sho-"

"Everything is fine William," Arthur said simply, his voice void of emotion as his body seemed to go lax. "I understand your concern, but there is nothing to worry about."

"Like hell!" Charlie snarled as he stood and began to pace like a caged animal, his eyes blazing in fury as he stared at their fathers' lax form. "That's why you look like you've been imperiused then is it? I may not know what a few of those potions are but I bloody well know what a compulsion and loyalty potion does!"

"N-no-" Their father stammered, sweat shining across his forehead as gentle tremors began to run through his form, one hand coming up to clutch at the side of his head as his face twisted into agony. "I didn't... I-"

"Dad!" Bill called in terror as he watched his father spasm and convulse, a trickle of blood coming from his nose.

"I am afraid that this will be no slow process," Healer Healer Rutherford Poke told them a few hours later as they waited beside their fathers' hospital bed.

They had gotten the Weasley patriarch to Saint Mungoes quickly, Charlie charging forward to the registration desk with all of the ferocity of the great beasts that he cared for. Their father had quickly been taken to the Poison Ward on the third floor, and with nothing better to do and being unable and unwilling to simply sit around and wait for news on their fathers' health, Bill and Charlie had contacted their other siblings to inform them of what was going on. Well... Most of them.

Ronald, Ginevra, and their Mother would not be informed until they received more information and knew whether or not what Bill and Charlie had found was some sick mistake. Judging by their fathers' reaction, however, they highly doubted it.

"What exactly does that mean sir?" Percy asked as he pushed his horn-rimmed glasses up his nose absentmindedly.

"It means Mister Weasley, that we have found evidence of extensive usage of a multitude of potions. So many and for such a long time that your fathers' body has developed a pseudo dependency upon them. We will have to wean him off of them slowly or we could very well risk his mind entirely," Healer Poke said sadly as he leaned against the wall. "I would suggest that you and yours be tested as well. I also strongly advise that either you yourselves contact the DMLE or allow me to do it for you to press charges against those who have done this."

Several hours of tests and discussions with multiple members of the DMLE later and the eldest Weasley boys were exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally.

The war was over, things should be fine now. But they weren't.

Instead, they were dealing with the fact that their father had been being controlled since before they were born, that they too had long-term potions residue within their systems, and somehow it all tied in with their mother and two youngest siblings!

Not to mention the fact that they were also somehow involved in a plot to take advantage of the boy who they not only loved as family but who their family owed life debts to, and who had saved the entire wizarding world!

"Alright," Percy sighed tiredly as he rubbed at his eyes, "The winter hols are coming up soon, so Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny will be coming back to the Burrow. We can use them being home to test them, subtly. Fred and George, you two should write Harry and see if he would be willing to help you out at your shop, that'll give us the opportunity to get him out of the house and somewhere private without arousing suspicion."

"How did you-" One of the twins began as they sat up in shock.

"Know that he's-" The other spluttered, mopping up his spilled tea.

"Our partner?" They finished together, looking at Percy in shock.

"I saw the paperwork listing him as a silent partner," Percy said with a small smirk, reveling in the feeling of having so many of his family surrounding him once again.

Authors Note: Yay! Chapter 2 is done! Make sure you guys send a thank you to the muses that be for smiling on me lately! It feels so good to be able to actually write again!

So, for the sake of this story and my own twisted thoughts, I have tweaked the elder Weasley ages by 2 years. This is for the sole purpose of making it so that Molly got pregnant with Bill almost immediately after marrying Arthur as opposed to two years after when they were both 19. So, instead of being 46 Arthur is 44, Bill is 24 instead of 26 and Charlie is 22 instead of being 24. Percy, the Twins, Ron, and Ginny are still the same.

Also, for the sake of this story in Chamber of Secrets, Arthur did not go further than the Gringotts main entrance where he remained to talk with the Grangers.

Also, shout out to my muse master Pika!