Disclaimer: JKR owns everything. I own nothing.
He had a Wife- Chapter Two
"I'm sorry." Amanda hugged her father. She was almost as tall as he was now. And her Mother remarked on her height whenever she returned home.
"It's al-right." Argus pulled away from his daughter and knelt down next to the little grave. "I'm going to miss her." Tears were pouring down his face.
"Mum gave her to you. Right?" Amanda gently led her father back inside. It was getting late, and dark.
"As a kitten. I've had her for ages." Filch remembered how he'd been given the cat as an anniversary gift.
Father and daughter made their way into the quiet school. It was after curfew and the only students out were prefects making their rounds. Amanda proudly touched her badge when the other fifth year Slytherin prefect passed by.
Argus studied his daughter closely. She seemed quite taken with Anthony Wolf. "What do you think of him?" He asked her with a nod at the prefect who'd just turned a corner.
"Dad!" Amanda blushed. "He's my boyfriend. I already told you." I swear! All fathers of way too overprotective.
"I've got work to do. You should get started on your rounds." Argus tried to shake his daughter off him. The last thing he wanted was her pity.
Amanda frowned. "But I like your office!" She protested. "And Mrs. Norris was my friend too."
Argus considered her arguments before nodding. Amanda wasn't a Slytherin for nothing. The two climbed the staircase and Argus used his key to unlock his office door.
Filch's new office was defiantly an improvement over his old one. It wasn't located in the cold areas of the castle and the view from the inner office was amazing. Not to mention the paint and furniture were newer and complimented each other, all in tones of green and silver. The small corner that had housed Mrs. Norris was empty and almost all the cat hair had already disappeared.
Amanda took her father's hand. I think he needs more physical comfort now. And he hasn't got a cat to get it from any more.
"It's like she was never here." Argus turned to his child. His eyes were glistening with tears. And that almost never happened. Amanda could only remember her father crying once. When his Mother died.
"No it's not!" Amanda told him. "You've got to remember that! Remember all the times she snuggled up to you when the Weasley twins had driven you insane. Remember how good it felt when she was healed after being petrified."
Argus wiped a hand across his face. "You're right." But he led her to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow. I need to be alone right now."
Amanda nodded. She understood. Her owl had died the year before. "See you tomorrow dad." She kissed his cheek and fled back to the safety of Slytherin.
The night passed quickly for Argus Filch. He still missed his cat deeply and the room seemed larger and the world seemed to loom above him without her familiar purr and the feel of her rough fur beneath his finger tips. And it was on nights like these that his need for his wife, Julie was greater than ever.
She understood about his life. He had no friends. Wizards didn't hang around him, it was like they were all part of a secret club that he knew about but was never going to be permitted to join. Muggles always annoyed him. They were so. . . dull. And it made him wish that there was more people like him, friends and family.
In the morning everything looked brighter. It had snowed during the night and the rising sun glittered on the perfection of freshly fallen snow. Argus took a moment to live in the beauty. But soon enough its spell was broken and he began preparing for the day.
Just what I need, snow! Halls to clean, water everywhere! And everyone knows that wizards aren't capable of cleaning up after themselves!
Filch pulled on a scarf and tucked gloves into his pockets before setting off to the Great Hall. Before Amanda arrived he never ate in the hall with everyone else. But now he cherished the opportunity to see her every morning and made a point of taking the seat closest to the Slytherin table. At first Snape had protested, but a few looks from Dumbledore silenced him.
But this morning Amanda wasn't her bright eyed, cheerful self. Argus knew that she hadn't been close to Mrs. Norris. She shouldn't be crying this much over my cat. What's wrong? He watched in confusion as the other fifth year girls tried to comfort her to no avail.
Amanda came running up between the tables. Her hair and clothing wild as she brought a letter to the side of the Head table where her father was sitting.
"Mr. Filch, dad!" Amanda tossed the letter on the table and collapsed into his arms, sobbing.
"What's wrong?" Argus knew he couldn't do much in the way of magic to help her. But he would do everything in his power for his daughter. "Did Wolf do something?"
"What?" Amanda blinked and looked up. "Anthony? He's wonderful."
Argus looked at his daughter in exasperation. "Then what's wrong?"
This was obviously the wrong thing to say because Amanda started crying ever harder than before. Filch rubbed her back soothingly and crooned in her ear. Just like he'd used to do for Mrs. Norris.
"Argus, I think you'd better read this." Snape was holding out the letter, his face as impassive as ever.
Filch glared at him. Who does he think he is? Reading my mail! He snatched the letter out of Snape's hand and pulled it closer to him. He needed glasses, but he'd never admit it. He scanned the letter quickly and all the colour drained from his face.
Dumbledore placed an invisibility charm around the two grieving people. "Severus. If you would." It wasn't a request.
Snape scowled, but he helped them up and led them into the small chamber off the hall. He couldn't have cared less about Filch, but Amanda was one of his better students. He thrust two vials of calming draft into her hand and stomped back to breakfast.
Argus's world had just been shocked again. The other Mrs. Norris was dead. But this time it wasn't just his cat. It was his wife of twenty-five years. He held tightly to his daughter and rocked together as they tried to find comfort in each other.
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There is one part left. It will feature character death of Argus Filch. I hoped everyone enjoyed this chapter.
