Drowning
The weekend finally came for Percy and Audrey's wedding. Headmistress McGonagall allowed Hermione and Ginny to use the Floo in her office after class that Friday. While Hermione went to the Burrow, Ginny went to her dad's flat.
It wasn't quite time for Arthur to get off work yet, so Ginny let herself in. Empty bottles and takeaway containers littered every surface. Crumpled, brown paper bags overflowed from the bin. If the flat looked this bad, Ginny couldn't help wondering how her dad was. Getting her to leave for Hogwarts was almost a fight because she was worried what would happen to him.
"Alright, Sis?" George asked, leaning against a shelf Ginny was stocking before the shop opened.
"Alright."
"Dad, give you money for your school stuff?"
"Yep."
"Well, why are you here instead of shopping?" George questioned. "Tomorrow's September 1st."
"Because, I'm not going," she replied nonchalantly. She continued stocking the shelf as if what she had said was nothing major.
George couldn't believe what she said. "I take it you haven't discussed it with Dad, since he gave you money for school supplies," he stressed. "When were you planning on telling him?"
"I'm giving the money back. I figure if I wait until he gets home from work tomorrow, there's nothing he can do. The train will have already arrived at Hogwarts."
George stopped his little sister from stocking. Siblings' brown eyes stared into each other. "I don't blame you if you don't want to go because of last year and the battle, but you need to talk to Dad tonight. Don't spring this on him tomorrow. That will not go over well," he warned.
Ginny rolled her eyes and went back to stocking. "It's not that. I think I could handle that."
George made her look at him again. "Why don't you want to go?"
"Dad needs me," was her simple answer.
George huffed. "There's nothing you can do. Missing your last year of school will only hurt you."
"It didn't hurt you and Fred." Ginny gestured around them.
"That's different. We already had a business going." George scratched his head. "Look, Bill, Percy, and I have discussed it. After you leave, we're not going to Dad's for dinner near as much. Maybe once every other week, but that's a strong maybe. None of us want to be around him right now."
Ginny gaped at her brother. A few weeks ago, they had all assured their dad they would come over often. Now they were going back on their word? How could they do that? "That gives me more reason to stay," Ginny countered.
Blowing out a long breath, George left his sister. The bell tinkled as the door opened and shut behind him. Ten minutes later, he found himself outside of his dad's new office. He knocked.
"Come in!" Arthur was a bit surprised to see his son enter. "Is everything okay?" he asked, concerned.
George hesitated. "Sort of. When are you taking lunch today?"
"I wasn't planning to, but if you need something, I can take a break around noon."
George nodded. "Yeah, that'd be great. You need to come to the shop and talk to Ginny."
"I can come now if she needs me," Arthur quickly responded.
"No, noon is fine," George assured.
Three and a half hours later, Arthur entered the joke shop. The crowd made it difficult to find either his son or his daughter. He fiddled with his necklace as he looked for them. Finally, he spotted George coming out of the back room, hands full. George passed the Puking Pastilles off to Verity. A few minutes later, the Weasley men found Ginny and were in George's office.
"You got Dad?" Ginny asked indignantly.
George shrugged. "I could've gotten Mum." No one wanted to be part of that conversation. "So, do you want me to tell him what you said?"
Ginny crossed her arms. Not making eye contact, she told her dad, "I'm done with school. I'm not going back." She braced for the explosion that was bound to come. It didn't.
Arthur thought for a moment. He had been wondering if Ginny would be able to go back to Hogwarts after everything that had happened last year. It was perfectly reasonable. If she couldn't handle it, he wasn't going to put her through that. He shrugged. "Okay."
"Aren't you going to give him your reason?" George prompted.
"I'm staying here because," she faltered before finishing softly, "you need me."
Arthur immediately responded. "No. No. If that's the reason, then no. You are finishing your last year."
"But –"
"No, buts. You are not throwing away your education because you think I need you. We've been through this before. I've lived by myself without any problems. I actually prefer it," he lied. Having Ginny live with him was the best thing that had happened since the war ended, albeit he was drunk most nights now. He fought so hard to have his little girl with him because she made things the tiniest bit easier. However, he knew she would eventually have to leave. He knew if he let her know how much he did need her, she would never leave. "I'll see you get on that train tomorrow."
While Ginny was at school, they corresponded every other day, just as much as she and Harry wrote each other.
Ginny set her bag down on the couch. She noticed a stack of letters she had sent scattered on the coffee table. Taking in the sight before her one more time, she banished all the garbage. The letters remained, but moved into a neat stack.
Too impatient for her dad to get home, Ginny Flooed to the Ministry. However, she still had to wait because Arthur was in a meeting.
All Heads of Office for the Department of Muggle Relations as well as a senior Auror and a few others were seated around the table in the conference room. Arthur sat at the head of the table, his secretary in the seat nearest him. The department's weekly meeting was beginning to wrap up.
"No," Arthur said. "She charmed half a dozen automobiles to drive themselves with Muggles in them in the center of London. It caused eight wrecks – half of those major. How many Muggles needed Obliviating, Sullivan?" he asked, scanning over the file in front of him.
"One hundred and fifty-eight, sir," Sullivan, the Head of Obliviator Headquarters, answered.
"There are over two dozen witnesses – magical and Muggle – who confirm she was acting suspiciously around those vehicles. She even confessed after she was arrested," Arthur stressed.
"Well, she's recanting now," Perkins, the new Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, informed. He became somber. "Arth-" He cleared his throat, catching his mistake. "Sir…she claims she was Imperiused."
Time seemed to stand still. So many people had used that excuse after both wars. Some were lying, some were telling the truth. With several dark wizards still loose, it was a very real possibility that she had been Imperiused.
Clearing his throat, Arthur glanced down then looked to the Auror heading the case. "Was she showing any signs when you appeared on the scene?"
"Not that I noticed, sir," Johnson replied. "She is part of the Thurkell family, so I wouldn't be surprised if she did this of her own accord."
Arthur scratched his beard. "Thurkell…Why does that sound familiar?"
"The Thurkells are one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. While they did not align directly with Voldemort, they have shown purist sentiments and discrimination against Muggles."
Arthur nodded. "Look into it more. Make sure she knows that if she sticks to the Imperiused story and we find out she's lying, the consequences will be much worse. Do we have anything else to discuss on this matter?"
"No, sir," his secretary answered. "The last order of business for today is the Murtlap in the Muggle village in Cornwall."
Arthur took a deep breath. Whenever a beast was involved with Muggles in some way, the same man always answered to him – The one man Arthur despised more than anyone else, even more than Lucius Malfoy. "McGrath…" he addressed the Irishman, "where is the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures on this?"
"We are still looking for it, sir," Conner McGrath answered.
"Why has it not been caught yet?" Arthur asked sternly, as if it was purely Conner's fault they hadn't captured the creature. "In the past three days, it has bitten five Muggles. Does that not raise some concern for urgency?"
"We are working on it, sir. Murtlaps are not the easiest creatures to find. As for the Muggles, they have been remedied and their memories modified."
Arthur shut the folder in front of him hard. "Catch it by Monday," he ordered, standing with the folder. "Dismissed," he told the group as he exited the conference room.
Kingsley was waiting for him outside, but Arthur didn't slow down. Kingsley followed.
"What is it, Kingsley?" Arthur asked curtly.
"We need to talk, in private…and there's a visitor in your office," Kingsley finished as they approached Arthur's office. The walk from the conference room was extremely short. The conference room was only across a large, open area from Arthur's office.
Sitting behind his desk was his daughter with her feet propped up, linking paperclips together into a six-foot long chain. "What are you doing?" Arthur asked, not amused in the slightest.
"I was bored, but on the bright side, you won't lose your paperclips now!" Ginny answered cheerfully. She jumped up from the brown, leather rolling chair. To her relief, the only noticeable difference in her dad was his beard which tickled when he kissed her on the forehead. However, when she hugged him, he felt noticeably thinner than before she left for school. "So, I was thinking that tonight –"
Arthur cut her off. "Kingsley and I need to talk first. There's a couch outside you can wait on." As soon as the door closed behind Ginny, Arthur crossed his arms and leaned on the ornate, mahogany desk. He frowned at Kingsley. "Something's wrong."
"There are have been whispers," he began slowly, "of an attack at Percy's wedding. Nothing has been confirmed yet, and all the dark wizards have been lying low since Voldemort's defeat, for the most part. However, this is a prime opportunity for them to launch an attack. We would be fools to ignore this risk. I have a team of the top Aurors ready to go. They'll strengthen the wards around the Burrow tonight and will keep guard at the boundaries Sunday. I will personally oversee their work. We can be at the Burrow in thirty minutes if that works for you."
Arthur rubbed his face, remembering Bill and Fleur's wedding. "You think this would be a way of them seeking revenge?"
"Yes."
"How do we know this will work?"
"We don't, but it's better than if we don't take any precautions. Remember, these are merely whispers."
"There have been random attacks for months now –"
"And we've caught some of those dark wizards. There are not many more out there, and they are weak. It will not be like Bill's wedding," Kingsley assured.
"Okay…" Arthur said. "I'll see you in half an hour." With that, Kingsley took his leave. Arthur closed his eyes. He did not want to go to the Burrow, but Kingsley was still unaware of the problems between him and Molly. Thankfully, Muriel's tendency to embellish was well-known, so no one really put much stock into what she said, except Andromeda who knew better. The longer he could keep everything a secret, the better. He rubbed his eyes.
"Alright, here's the plan –" Ginny started as she reentered.
"Merlin, can you not knock!" Arthur burst out, giving Ginny a start.
"Geez, sorry," she sassed. "I saw Kingsley leave. I thought it was okay."
Arthur took a deep breath. "No, it's fine. I'm sorry for snapping at you," he apologized. "Please, continue."
"I was thinking we can go by the grocery store on the way home. We invite the guys over. I can cook, and we'll have a family dinner like we did before I left!" she suggested cheerfully, beaming.
"Did Harry not tell you they're throwing a surprise stag party for Percy tonight?"
"Nooo," she said slowly, head cocked. She laughed at the thought of Percy having a stag party. "I would pay a Galleon to see that!" Laughter subsiding, she continued. "Well, I can cook for the two of us then."
"And you have Audrey's hen party tonight," Arthur reminded.
"Oh, I'm not going." Ginny sat in one of the two plump armchairs in her dad's office.
Arthur crossed his arms and asked. "Why is that?"
"I'd rather spend my time with you. I haven't seen you in weeks."
"No." He shook his head. "You came home for the wedding festivities. Have fun with the girls tonight. I'll see you when you get home. Besides, I still have some work to do on the way home."
"Ooh." She sat forward and rested her chin on her fist. "Where are you going?" she asked, intrigued.
Arthur frowned. "The Burrow."
"Ugh," she groaned and plopped back in the chair. She had yet to reconcile with her mother and other brothers even though she had received letters from Molly and Charlie had tried talking to her at Hogwarts. "Why?"
"Some Aurors are coming to strengthen the wards and put up more protective charms. Wait in the hall a minute and I'll walk out with you," he offered.
Ginny closed the door behind her.
"Expecto Patronum," he muttered as he moved his wand in a circular motion…Nothing happened. He tried again. Once more, nothing happened. He hadn't expected it to. Frustrated, he stowed his wand. The last time he remembered casting his Patronus was during the Final Battle. Since then, he could barely produce a thin, silver wisp. He had no clue why his weasel guardian had suddenly deserted him.
Locking the door behind him, Arthur commanded Ginny, "Send a Patronus to your mother letting her know I'll be there soon."
"Why can't you?" she retorted.
"Because I told you to," he snapped.
A silver horse appeared before them. After Ginny relayed the message, it galloped away. Father and daughter walked out of the Ministry together.
A few minutes later, Arthur apparated just outside of the Burrow. Molly waited for him on the front porch. As he walked toward the house, Arthur drank from his flask. He had waited all day, and seeing Molly was not going to keep him from it any longer. Reluctantly, Molly let him into the house.
In the kitchen, Conner mixed what looked like cake batter. Layers of cake which had already been baked sat on the table. Arthur was appalled. He had given Molly a warning, and she didn't do anything about the Irishman? In fact, he was helping with preparations for his son's wedding! Arthur's blood boiled. "McGrath," he growled.
"Arthur," Conner greeted with a smile.
"Aren't you supposed to be catching a Murtlap? Yet, you're spending the night with my wife, helping with my son's wedding," he seethed.
"Let's leave work at work, Arthur," Conner stated calmly.
"Well, my family is not work. How about we go outside and discuss that!" Arthur challenged, closing the space between them. This did not affect Conner.
Molly stepped between them. She placed a hand on Arthur's bony chest and gently pushed him back. It was then that she realized he'd lost weight. Carefully studying her husband's face revealed slightly sunken cheeks behind his new beard, not to mention the dark circles under his eyes. It had been six weeks since she'd seen him last. Now that she knew how badly it hurt him to see her, she did not want to make that worse. Seeing him like this hurt her, too. She thought keeping her distance would help them both to heal. How wrong she was. It continued proving beneficial for her, but detrimental to her husband.
Molly swallowed. "Arthur, why are you here?" she asked.
He glared at the other man for a few more seconds before looking at Molly. "Kingsley is bringing a team of Aurors over. There's been rumor of an attack Sunday, but it's not been confirmed," he informed. "They'll be here in about fifteen minutes. I'll be in the shed until then." He started for the back door.
"You don't have to," Molly's voice stopped him.
"It's either him or me," he stated.
"Conner's not leaving."
The door shut forcefully behind Arthur. He followed the path to his shed.
Once inside, he looked around his shed. The shards of glass from the bottle he smashed months ago still lay scattered on the floor. The liquid had long evaporated. All the Muggle contraptions – batteries, plugs, rubber ducks, telephones, and more – cluttered the shelves. It was all worthless. This shed was full of meaningless junk. How could he have wasted so many years out here, fiddling with these irrelevant objects?
He sat on a dusty stool and drank from his flask again. Leaning over, he pickd up a shard of glass that had landed nearby. He ran his finger across the jagged edge. As he turned it over in his hand, he remembered the last time he was in there vividly.
Molly only wanted to help, and he terrified her with his explosive outburst. Sometime between then and now, she had abandoned him and run to a stranger. That hot summer day, Arthur was ready to leave his home and his family, and for what reason? His son was dead and his family was still grieving? He was unhappy? He wanted to drown his sorrows in peace? What kind of reasons were those? It seemed his family was no longer grieving, at least not how they were. He was even more miserable now than he was. While he was finally left alone to numb his pain, that's not what he really wanted...And now, he had no one except for a few letters from his daughter each week. His family was moving on while he was drowning.
The piece of glass clattered against the window before falling to the floor. Arthur took a long pull from the silver container.
Pops of apparitions echoed through the cool October air, signaling the arrival of Kingsley and the Aurors. Arthur stowed his flask and went out to meet them.
"One hour, and we should be out of your hair, Arthur," Kingsley said as the redhead approached.
"Take as long as you need," Arthur replied.
Over the next hour, Arthur walked around the boundaries with Kingsley and the Aurors. There was no need for him to be there, but it was better than being in the shed or house. Thankfully, Kingsley was too busy to notice Arthur wasn't one hundred percent there.
"Alright! That should have it," Kingsley said once they reached the spot they had begun at. "I'll be here Sunday afternoon with some Aurors to get them at their post," he told Arthur.
Arthur shook the younger man's hand. "Thank you, Kingsley. We really appreciate this."
"It's no problem, Arthur."
After Kingsley and the Aurors left, Arthur went back to the house. Molly and Conner were still in the kitchen, except now they were washing dishes…by hand…not using any magic…whatsoever. Molly giggled and playfully swatted at Conner when he blew suds toward her. Arthur hadn't seen her smile like that in ages. They both gave a start when Arthur cleared his throat.
"They've finished," Arthur informed.
"I hope you thanked Kingsley," Molly said. She returned to the dishes.
"Of course," Arthur replied. Taking a drink, he sat on the table. "I've sent a few letters."
"Yes, I got them." Molly dried her hands, put them on her hips, and faced her husband.
"Did you read them?"
"No."
"I'll give you a minute," Conner excused himself to the other room.
"If you bothered to read them, you would know I want to help with my son's wedding," Arthur said.
"Everything's taken care of," Molly assured.
"It takes several people to set up that marquee."
"Conner and the boys have it handled," she said confidently.
There he was again…Conner…Conner…Conner…That's all it was these days. At work, Arthur saw Conner at least twice a week. Whenever he saw his sons – rare as it was – Conner was mentioned at least once. Even though he scarcely saw or spoke to his wife, Conner was talked about more and more. It seemed her life revolved around Conner. Conner was quickly replacing him. Arthur's heart rate quickened and he subconsciously ground his teeth together. Various kitchen utensils clattered loudly as they began to tremble.
Conner rushed in. "Everything alright, Molls?" he asked.
Molls? They even had nicknames for each other?
Molly did not have a chance to answer Conner. The chairs shuddered briefly before shooting away from the table. A shriek escaped Molly. The old, wooden chairs slammed into the walls and cabinets. A few of them splintered and cracked. This sudden burst of unstable magic even jarred Arthur. Before he did anything he regretted, he stormed out. The doorframe splintered as he slammed the door behind him. A crack of apparition resounded through the Burrow soon after.
oOoOo
The hen party wrapped up around midnight. Ginny had to admit she had fun. However, she was anxious to get home. After being at school for weeks, her dad was bound to be waiting for her to get home. She was sure he would be on the couch, ready to hear how the party went and how school was going.
After she stepped out of the Floo, she waited for the room to stop spinning. A pile of vomit lay near the fireplace. Panic surged through her when saw her dad unconscious on top of a crushed coffee table. A shard of glass from a nearby broken bottle protruded from his hand.
"Dad? Daddy?!" She exclaimed as she rushed to him. "Daddy?!" She rolled him over. Dried blood ran from his temple, nose, and corner of his mouth. An eye was swollen as well. She shook him, but he did not wake. Tears streamed down Ginny's face. She watched closely to see if he was breathing.
He was – although irregularly.
She covered her mouth with her hands as she sat back on her heels in an attempt to control her shaky breathing. It wasn't getting any better. She pulled out her wand and tried conjuring her Patronus. A silver wisp shot from the tip of her wand, but nothing more. She concentrated harder. The second time, a silver horse appeared before her.
"Help. It's Dad," she choked out. It was all she could manage before sending it off to Bill.
The next three minutes felt like an eternity.
Distantly, she heard pops of apparition quickly followed by voices. Someone pulled her up and dragged her away. She leaned into his embrace as she let uncontrollable sobs overcome her.
He smoothed her hair and murmured reassurances in her ear. "Ginny – Hey – It'll be okay – Take some deep breaths," he whispered. He planted a kiss on top of her head. As he continued his murmurings, she realized it was Harry holding her. She chanced a glance at the sitting room.
George stood up from his kneeling position. "He's not waking up." His voice quavered as he spoke.
"Rennervate!" Red light erupted from Bill's wand.
"Bill! That's not working," George stressed. "He needs Mungo's." He wiped his cheeks on his sleeves.
The twenty-six year old nodded, but didn't move.
God, Bill chose now to freeze up?
Ginny looked around for Percy. Surely, he would take control. She didn't see him anywhere.
"Harry," she whimpered.
Understanding what Ginny was trying to convey with that one word, Harry took control. He let go of her and went to Arthur.
"George," Harry said, motioning to Arthur. George grabbed him, and they disapparated.
Ginny hurried over to Bill who stared at the broken coffee table. She knelt in front of him. "Bill?" She grabbed his hand. "Bill."
He blinked at her.
"We need to get to St. Mungo's. Okay?" she said sternly despite the tears that still ran down her cheeks.
"Yeah," he gulped. They both got to their feet. "I'll apparate us."
"You will splinch us," Ginny said matter-of-factly. "We'll take the Floo."
Healers took Arthur back as soon as Bill and Ginny came up to George and Harry. A Trainee Healer approached the group.
"Hello, I'm Trainee Healer Robertson," she introduced herself. "I need some information on the patient."
All four of them nodded.
"Patient's name?"
"Arthur Weasley."
"Age?"
The Weasley kids had to think about this.
"Forty-seven?" George asked no one in particular.
Bill shook his head. "No. He's forty-eight," he answered confidently.
"Is he taking any potions or Muggle medicine?"
The siblings looked between each other again. They all seemed to be thinking the same thing.
"Hangover Potion, probably," Bill said. "And sometimes, Sober-Up Potion. Other than that, I don't think he's taking anything."
Trainee Healer Robertson glanced up from her clipboard. "Does he have a history of alcohol abuse?"
"Not until a few months ago," George answered this one.
"What happened tonight?"
George and Bill looked to their sister. "I-I-I don't know. H-he was passed out when I-I got home," Ginny stuttered as she clung to Harry.
"Nothing we did would wake him up," George added.
"Has he had any falls?"
"Yeah," Bill nodded. "He fell tonight."
The young witch finished scribbling on the clipboard and looked up. "Is there anything else we might need to know? Even if you think it's irrelevant."
Bill scratched his head. He looked at George.
"Oh!" George exclaimed. "He – uh – He was attacked by a snake a couple years ago. That should be in his record, shouldn't it?"
"Yes, but it is good for us to know from the start. Is that all?"
All three Weasleys nodded.
She put the clipboard to her side. "There is a private waiting room down the hall and to the left. Someone will give you more information as we treat him."
They thanked her, and she bustled off down the hall.
Silence covered the room for a long time while everyone calmed their nerves. Harry held Ginny tightly. They all hated to admit it, but what they had walked into was very jarring. The possibility of losing their father permanently was a thought that none of them had even entertained. At least, there was a chance he could come back from drinking, but if he died, needless to say, they would never be able to get him back.
"Where's Percy?" Ginny finally asked.
George tore his eyes away from the large photograph of a meadow on the far wall. "Oh, he's at home - passed out around eleven-thirty. The party only lasted 'til eleven. He'll have one hell of a hangover, though."
Bill slowly stood and rubbed his forehead.
"What?" Ginny furrowed her eyebrows.
"Somebody's gotta tell them," Bill mumbled.
"Who?"
"Percy – Ron – Charlie – Mum…" Bill pinched his nose. "God, I can't tell Mum."
"You can't tell any of them," Ginny said.
Bill gave her a quizzical look.
"Percy doesn't need to be worrying about this. At least, not until we know what's going on," George stated.
"Yeah, we don't know anything yet. And you look like you don't even know where you are right now," Ginny added.
"Well, Mum needs to know –"
"No," Ginny interrupted Bill. "You cannot tell her."'
"The clock has told her by now," Bill argued.
"She's probably already in bed," George commented.
"I'm sure she's still up, preparing for Sunday," Bill rebutted.
"Or getting cozy with Conner," Ginny grumbled. She crossed her arms and looked Bill straight in the eye. "This is all your fault."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Ron and Charlie disowned him. You, George, and Percy lied to him. And Mum is being an insensitive slut."
"Hold on!" George interjected as he stood. "Back up. What did we do?"
Ginny glared daggers at him. "The three of you promised you'd all visit him a few times a week."
"We go once every week or two for dinner," George retorted.
"Once every other week isn't what you promised."
"We made that promise when he wasn't drinking," Bill asserted. "Every day, he starts drinking as soon as he gets off work. We don't want to be around that, and I'm not going to make Fleur go through that. The same with Percy and Audrey."
"I wonder why? When Harry and lived with him, he would wait a couple hours before he started drinking. If you visited him more, I'm sure he would do the same," Ginny retorted.
"Do you see the factor that changed when his behavior did?" George asked. "The day you left, he started drinking whenever he wasn't at work."
Ginny got to her feet now. "I wanted to stay! Dad made me go after he told me he didn't need me when you told him I wasn't planning on going," she argued, her voice strained. Part of her knew her dad didn't mean it when he said he didn't need her, but that didn't mean it hurt any less.
George gaped at his sister.
"It's not our fault, and it's not your fault," Bill stated.
Ginny crossed her arms. "You're right. It's Mum's fault."
Bill huffed. "You are just as bad as Dad, blaming everyone else," he said, exasperated.
"Every time he sees her, something bad happens," Ginny defended. "Like tonight. He goes to the Burrow and seven hours later he ends up here. Or is that just coincide?"
Bill and George stared at her.
Ginny plopped down on the chair. "If I had been with Dad tonight, we wouldn't be here." Tears slid down her cheeks again. Harry rubbed Ginny's back. Bill sat on her other side and rested a hand on her knee. George knelt in front of her.
"Gin, we don't know what happened. And if you had been with him and he became violent, you could have been the one in here instead," Bill gently told her. "I'll wait until we find out something."
Silence blanketed the room once more. Bill and George soon returned to their seats.
The clock read a quarter-past two when George was jolted awake by a soft knock before the door opened. A gray-haired Healer stepped in. George nudged Bill awake. Ginny and Harry never fell asleep. The four occupants of the room stood and shook the Healer's hand as he introduced himself.
"Good morning. I'm Healer Wilson. You are Arthur Weasley's family?"
"Yes," Bill and George answered simultaneously.
"Is he okay?" Ginny asked eagerly.
Healer Wilson nodded. "Your father will be fine." He gave her a small smile. He addressed the group as a whole again. "Your father's injuries were mostly consistent with an altercation. That explains the cuts and abrasions on his face, along with the black eye. He also had two broken ribs and a moderate concussion which could have been caused by his fall or the altercation. We also removed the glass from his hand and healed it, but it may take a few weeks – or even months – before he can regain full control of it since several muscles were damaged. He was suffering from alcohol poisoning as well. Any vomiting, irregular breathing or heart rate, or unconsciousness would have been caused by that. It will take a couple more hours before all of the alcohol is out of his system. Sober-Up Potion can only do so much. The rest of the alcohol will have to filter out naturally. So, other than his hand, there is no long-term damage. However, he will need to take it easy for a while and strictly, no drinking."
Healer Wilson glanced at his clipboard. "There is something that raises some concern. I just need some clarification in order to rule out any serious issues, if any of you could help. Your father is a little underweight. It's nothing to be concerned about right now, but we can't find a cause for it…How is his diet? Has he been eating regularly or skipping meals? Have you noticed any change in his eating habits?"
"Gee, wouldn't it have been good if you had been having dinner with him like you promised," Ginny mumbled.
"Ginny, now is not the time," Bill hissed.
"None of us live with him, Healer Wilson, so we couldn't tell you. My brother has said our dad usually skips lunch though," George answered.
"He rarely ate breakfast when I lived with him," Ginny added.
The Healer scribbled some notes on his clipboard. "I will be sure to ask him when he wakes up, but it sounds like he just is not eating enough."
"How long does he need to stay here?" George asked.
"He needs to stay for observation, but can leave Sunday morning if no problems arise. Since he suffered from those snake bites in ninety-five, we ran some tests to check for any residual effects from that as well. It is nothing serious and does not need any immediate attention. It seems Healer Smethwyck was unable to remove all of the snake's venom from your father's blood stream. Over time, it has gradually weakened his heart. And like I said, it is nothing to worry about, but he will need to have it checked once a year, and eventually, a Healer will have to go in and put some strengthening charms around it."
"Thank you, Healer Wilson," Bill said.
"Thanks," George said also.
"Can we see him now?" Ginny asked.
"Yes. However, he is sleeping. He has expended a substantial amount of magic recently."
"How?" Bill inquired.
"We're not sure, and he can't remember anything from the past nine hours. It does appear to have been uncontrolled magic though."
The four thanked Healer Wilson again. With a nod, the healer took his leave. Bill ran his hands through his long hair. George blew out a long breath as he sat down. Ginny leaned into Harry, and he rested his chin on her head. Their dad would be fine, but they may never know what took place that night. If they're lucky, this incident might even deter him from drinking.
A few minutes later, they found their dad's room and quietly slipped inside. They took up residence on one of the chairs or couch in the room. Arthur lay motionless, his chest rising and falling steadily. Blood, cuts, or bruises no longer adorned his face. His hand lay bandaged on the bed next to him.
Around three-thirty in the morning, Bill went home with the promise of returning first thing in the morning. He was certain Fluer would be worried that something bad had happened by now. Shortly before that, Ginny and Harry had fallen asleep on the couch. George remained awake in the recliner, staring at his dad without realizing it.
oOoOo
Morning came quickly for all and brought with it some unsettling news.
Bill carried that morning's Daily Prophet and some muffins with him to St. Mungo's. It was just after nine o'clock when he got there. Arthur was still asleep, and George looked like he hadn't slept at all. Ginny and Harry only sat up after Bill came in and gave them some muffins.
"Hey, could you get us some coffee from upstairs?" Bill asked Ginny and Harry softly, in order to not wake their sleeping father. He was surprised when they went with no debate from Ginny. After the couple left the room, Bill handed George the newspaper. "Have you seen this?"
George looked at the headline then pointed to another copy on the table next to him. "Yeah. I – uh - guess we know what happened, huh?" he said.
"This is going to be a nightmare."
"Half of this is complete shite."
"Not everyone knows that,' Bill pointed out, taking a seat in the vacant chair.
"All they have to do is look at who wrote it. Everyone knows whatever Rita Skeeter writes is pure fiction."
Silence fell on the room when Arthur stirred. He groaned and reached up to rub his head. He squinted at his sons.
"Morning, Sunshine," George smirked.
"How do you feel, Dad?" Bill asked.
"Like I went three rounds with the Whomping Willow," he griped. "Is there any Hangover Potion?" he mumbled. George picked up the red vial on the table and handed it to him. He took it gratefully.
"Here's some water, too," George said, handing a cup to Arthur who drank from it greedily. "Healer Wilson said you're dehydrated…and underweight. Have you not been eating?"
"Let's not get into that now," Arthur said sharply.
"No, we need to talk about this," Bill said. "You could have died last night. If Ginny wasn't staying with you, you would be."
"I don't even know what happened last night!" Arthur yelled. "So why don't you drop it?"
George blew out a breath. "I'm glad Ginny wasn't in here just now."
"Sorry," Arthur mumbled. The worst thing he could have done crossed his mind then. "I didn't hurt her, did I?"
"No, you were already passed out when she got home. She thought you were dead," Bill deadpanned.
Arthur's face paled. He couldn't imagine how his daughter must have felt, finding him like that.
"You better pray she somehow doesn't find out about this." Bill dropped the Daily Prophet on his lap.
Arthur tried to pick it up with his left hand, but he couldn't get his fingers to close. He frowned at his bandaged hand. He tried making a fist and grimaced when a sharp pain shot through his hand instead.
"A piece of glass was stuck in your palm," George answered. "They did what they could with magic. Now, you have to wait for it to heal on its own."
Using his good hand, Arthur picked up the paper and dread set in before he even started reading. A picture plastered in the center of the front page played out three men pulling him off of someone else. Then he read the headline:
War Hero or Public Menace?
"What the hell did I do?" Arthur breathed. He forced himself to continue reading:
Friday, October the 16th brought about a disastrous event at the Hog's Head Inn in Hogsmeade. One man left several people injured and the pub in shambles.
Arthur Weasley, 48, is best-known for his role in the Second Wizarding War. As a leader of Albus Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix, Weasley was on the frontlines for the entire war. He, along with his son Percy Weasley, defeated the Imperiused former Minister of Magic Pius Thicknesse during the Battle of Hogwarts. After the war, Weasley was awarded an Order of Merlin (First Class) for his unwavering allegiance to the Order of the Phoenix and contribution to the defeat of Lord Voldemort. Most recently, he has become the Head of the Department of Muggle Relations - the newest addition to the Ministry of Magic.
Since the end of the war, Weasley has been seen in bars, pubs, and liquor stores across Wizarding Britain. There has rarely been a time in which Arthur Weasley has not been seen drinking. Sources have said Weasley is "unpredictable and uncontrollable," "belligerent," and "a pathetic drunk." For generations, the Weasley family has produced countless alcoholics. For these reasons, it is highly likely Arthur Weasley has always had a drinking problem, but it has only just been exposed due to his recent time in the spotlight.
It is reported that his thirty-year marriage with Molly Weasley née Prewett, 47, is on the verge of collapse as well, and for good reason. Much like his father, Septimus, Weasley has been known to beat his wife whether he was in a drunken rage or not. Over the past several months, Molly Weasley has been seen with an Irish wizard, Conner McGrath. Is she merely trying to replace her husband or could she truly be in love with this other redheaded hottie? The fact that she spends much more time with McGrath than anyone else suggests the latter.
Last night, Arthur Weasley entered the Hog's Head already in a rage. It was not even an hour before he was highly intoxicated and insulting anyone who looked at him. One of the patrons finally had enough and confronted Weasley. Without warning, Weasley attacked the other, larger man. It took three surly wizards to pull Weasley off. A bar brawl then ensued between Weasley and several others, resulting in broken tables, a shattered window, and seven wizards non-magically injured. The fight only ended when Weasley was knocked out. When he awoke a few minutes later, he left of his own accord.
This is not the first time Weasley has been aggressive. As previously stated, he is a wife-beater. He has also been physically violent with his sons. There have been numerous other times Weasley has started conflicts with others, including the half-giant Rubeus Hagrid and wife's new beau, Conner McGrath.
Alcoholism, abuse, and infidelity have caused quite the scandal for Harry Potter's adoptive family. Minister Shacklebolt needs to rethink who he wants in leadership for his reformed Ministry of Magic. Arthur Weasley is definitely not the wizard for the job. If you encounter this deranged monster, it would be best to steer clear.
-Rita Skeeter
"Oh my God," Arthur breathed. He stared at the article in disbelief. Surprisingly, Rita Skeeter used several facts, mainly at the beginning of the article. She had apparently done some research on his family as well. What she wrote about Molly and Conner seemed accurate. This made it more difficult to determine if her account of the previous night was true or not. This one article could ruin his reputation and cost him his job all in one day. He blinked. "I don't – I don't know what I should believe," he finally mumbled.
"Believe the picture," George said. "Believe that you're in hospital."
"Are you finally done drinking now, Dad?" Bill asked.
Before Arthur could even think about this question, Ginny came in fuming with a copy of that morning's newspaper. "Can you believe what that bitch wrote? How could they print that, let alone put it on the front page?" she asked indignantly. She calmed down slightly when she saw her dad. "This isn't true, is it?" she questioned, daring him to say "yes."
"I don't know."
"You wouldn't do that," she stated firmly.
"Sweetie..." Arthur shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know."
"Was it because of Mum? Because you had to go to the Burrow? What did she do?"
"Ginny," Bill warned. He took her to a corner of the room. "Whatever Dad did, he has himself to blame. No one has made him do anything, except himself," he told her in a hushed whisper.
Bill glanced at his watch. They were supposed to be at the Burrow to help set up ten minutes ago. "Come on. We gotta go," he told his siblings. George stood up, but Ginny sat on the couch.
"When can I get out of here?" Arthur asked.
"Tomorrow morning," George answered. "Here," he tossed a muffin to his dad, "eat some muffins while you wait."
"Ginny, let's go," Bill repeated.
"I'm staying here."
After the past several hours, neither of her brothers wanted to argue. They didn't have the energy. However, Bill made sure she knew he would be there to pick her and Harry up before the rehearsal dinner.
oOoOo
When Bill and George arrived at the Burrow a few minutes later, the rest of their siblings, significant others, and Conner were already there. They drank tea around the kitchen table. Of course, the topic of conversation was Rita Skeeter's article.
"It can't be true," Percy was saying. "Nothing she writes is."
"I went by this morning to check on the place," Charlie said. "Aberforth said that is exactly what happened."
"We've been telling you all he's dangerous. Ginny doesn't need to be around him by herself for five minutes, let alone a weekend," Ron stated vehemently.
"You two are late," their mum chided over her other sons' arguing. "We have a lot to do and little time to do it."
Bill and George gave mumbled apologies.
"Where are Ginny and Harry?" Molly asked when she realized the boys were by themselves. "Everyone has to help."
"They're at Mungo's," George said absentmindedly as he poured himself a cup of extra-strong coffee.
Over the past few weeks, Molly had gotten out of the habit of compulsively looking at the grandfather clock. Now, she glanced at it for the first time in days. Sure enough, Ginny's hand sat on "Hospital." She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "Merlin, she's in hospital," her voice quavered, fearing her husband had finally harmed their daughter.
"No, Mum, Ginny and Harry are both fine," Bill quickly assured.
"Why is she there then?" Molly questioned in a tone that commanded complete honesty.
"She didn't want to leave Dad," George answered. "Harry is with them, too."
Molly absentmindedly spun her wedding ring around her finger. She was a bit more relieved, but still worried. "Is he okay?" she asked without emotion.
"He'll be fine. Nothing too serious," Bill answered.
Molly sighed and sat back. "Is he angry with me?" she asked after a moment.
"No more than usual," Bill replied, making himself some tea. "Why? Did something happen while he was here last night?" he asked nonchalantly.
Molly quirked an eyebrow. "He didn't tell you?"
"He doesn't remember a thing after he left work." George set his mug on the table, found an empty chair, and plopped down in it. The chair collapsed beneath him with a loud crack. "Oof!"
Conner held out a hand to help him up. "I think we missed one, Molls." He frowned at the chair before repairing it with a wave of his wand.
"Why was it even broken in the first place?" George griped, rubbing his sore bum.
Molly sighed again. "Your dad lost control of his magic last night."
"Is he still going to be able to come to the wedding?" Percy broke in.
"Should be," Bill said.
"Percy, I told you that he shouldn't be there," Charlie said. "Especially, not after last night."
"And I told you, it's my wedding. My dad is going to be there," Percy shot.
Molly interrupted, clearing her throat. "We should start setting up," she said as she stood. That put an end to any possible impending argument.
With so many people helping, it only took a few hours to set up. Conner, Ron, Charlie, Bill, George, and Percy had the marquee up by lunch. Soon after, all the tables and chairs were set up along with the bar on one end of the marquee. Fleur, Hermione, and Molly helped Audrey with decorations. They cast cooling charms over the flower arrangements in order to preserve them for the wedding and reception. While the women were decorating, the men went to the orchard to set up for the ceremony. Everything was finished in time for everyone to shower and change.
The wedding party was rather small. George was the best man. Oliver Wood and Bill were groomsmen. Charlie and Ron attended the rehearsal dinner, but due to their relationship with Percy still being rocky, they were not in the wedding party. Audrey's best friend, Cassie, was the maid of honor. Ginny and Fleur were bridesmaids. Since Audrey's family was so small, the youngest Weasley cousin, six year old Louisa, was the flower girl. With the youngest male Weasley cousin coming in at fifteen, George would be in charge of the rings instead of a ring bearer.
Shortly after he and his family arrived, Arthur's youngest brother Desmond came up to Percy. They shook hands. "You excited or nervous for tomorrow?" Desmond asked with a grin.
"Both," Percy chuckled. "Is Louisa still feeling good about it?"
"Oh, yeah, definitely. She is absolutely ecstatic. And Penelope always loves an opportunity to dress her little sister up," Desmond said, beaming.
"Gosh, how old is she now?"
"Almost ten."
Percy let out a low whistle. "Before you know it, it will be time for Hogwarts."
Desmond shook his head. "Merlin knows I'm not ready for that." He glanced at his wife talking to Molly across the yard. He smirked and continued quietly, "I think I'm a bigger softie than Paulene when it comes to those girls."
"That's how Dad is with Ginny," Percy commented.
"How is your dad?" Desmond asked. Arthur's absence hadn't slipped his notice, nor had the presence of Conner. "I haven't seen him in several months."
"Oh! Yeah – uh – he's…he's not feeling all that well tonight," Percy stammered.
"It's okay, Percy. I saw the article this morning. I just want to know how he's doing."
"It's not been easy," Percy admitted. "Let's just leave it at that."
Desmond put a hand on his nephew's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "Listen, I know how it is growing up with a father like that. That's why I don't touch the stuff. If I'd known Arthur was like that too -"
It took a second before what his uncle was saying clicked. Percy interrupted him, "No, it's not like that. Dad has always been a great father. This has only begun recently," he clarified.
Desmond took a step back. "All I'm saying is that I'm here if you need to talk." He walked away.
The rehearsal went off without a hitch. Little Louisa ran out of flowers halfway down the aisle, though. The best part of the rehearsal was the dinner that followed. Molly had prepared a large dinner earlier that afternoon after they finished decorating, and they ate at tables set up in the garden.
It wasn't too late when everyone headed home. Ron and Hermione even went upstairs early. However, Molly wasn't alone. Conner stayed behind to help her with the dishes.
"We should probably talk about what that article said today," Conner said as he put away the last of the dishes.
"We're good friends. That's all," Molly replied. "That woman always spins things to fit her narrative."
"Not everyone realizes that."
She filled up the kettle and put it on the stove. "I don't care what other people think as long as those closest to me know the truth."
"You're husband doesn't. Those few sentences are bound to reinforce what he has always assumed," Conner pointed out, leaning against the counter.
"I've talked to him. If he is going to be hard-headed, then so be it. He convinced himself from the first time he met you that we're more than friends."
"Well…I don't think I should be here tomorrow."
"Nonsense! Percy said you can come, and his opinion is the only one that counts tomorrow."
"After what happened last night, I really don't think it's a good idea for me to be there," Conner reiterated.
"I'm sure that got everything out of Arthur's system last night. Besides, the kids say he doesn't remember anything." Molly took his hand. "I want you to be there," she stressed.
"Alright. Fine," he conceded. "If that's what you want, I'll be happy to accompany you." He bowed and softly kissed the back of her hand. He stood up straight again. "Will you be alright by yourself tonight? Or I can stay again like I did last night?"
"Thank you. I think I'll be fine tonight."
"Do you need anything else before I go?"
"No. You have been a great help. I'll see you in the morning." She smiled up at him.
He hugged her tightly before putting on his travelling cloak and disapparting.
A/N: Really long chapter. Now the new longest one at 8,636 words. I wasn't even planning on this one. Hope y'all enjoyed it!
Thanks, everyone, for the reviews, favorites, and follows. I always love hearing what y'all thought.
I have big things in store for the day of the wedding and the wedding itself! However, it may be a couple weeks before I can work on it. I've got a couple big assignments due for classes in that time.
If y'all have any suggestions or anything y'all would like to see between the wedding and the first part of December (in the story), let me know and I'll consider it.
