Muggle Magic - Chapter 12
A/N – Thanks to all my reviewers. You guys are great! So – you've all been waiting for it. Arthur Weasley!!
Chapter 12 – Fred.
Fred felt his stomach churn nervously as he led Ally back downstairs. He remembered how over excited his father had been when he had met Hermione's parents. He remembered how over excited his father got about anything Muggle related. Of course he wasn't worried about his father disapproving. Of all his family Arthur was the one Fred could rely on to be excited at the prospect of his son dating a Muggle.
He heard the sound of low voices as they approached the kitchen and he wondered if Molly had warned Arthur what to expect.
"Fred," Arthur smiled widely as they stepped into the room. "You finally decided to introduce us to your young lady friend…"
Once again he could feel Ally stood close behind him. He squeezed her hand and then spoke. "Dad, I'd like you to meet Alison Masters. She's…"
Arthur cut him off with a wave of his hand, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yes, Molly told me. She's a Muggle! A real Muggle." He patted the seat next to him. "Come and sit down. Molly – why don't we open those Butterbeers you've been hiding away in the pantry."
Molly laughed and waved her wand even as Fred smiled at Ally reassuringly and pushing her towards the table. He couldn't help but laugh at the apprehensive expression on her face. Perhaps he shouldn't have warned her about Arthur. A couple of bottles of Butterbeer opened themselves in the corner and poured out into glasses. When the glass floated across the table and settled in front of Ally she frowned.
"What…what's Butterbeer?"
Arthur clapped his hands in delight. "Oh, of course, you won't have heard of it. Very tasty. We always have a couple of bottles around for special occasions."
Ally smiled suddenly. "And…this is…"
"Definitely a special occasion!" Fred said with a laugh clinking his glass against hers. He watched her expression as she raised it hesitantly to her lips, taking a sniff before sipping it. He laughed again as her eyes widened and she took a deeper gulp.
"So tell me something," Arthur said leaning forward. "No one else can explain it…perhaps you can. How do aeroplanes stay up?"
*
Two hours later Arthur finally stopped asking questions. Many of them Ally didn't even know the answer to. She tried to explain to Arthur that only AeroNautical Engineers knew exactly how aeroplanes stayed in the air – but then she had to explain the meaning of Engineer…
"Can I ask a question?" She asked quietly when Arthur finally fell silent.
Fred laughed. "Of course you can. Dad tends to go on a bit…but if you just interrupt him…"
Arthur had the grace to look embarrassed. "I am sorry. I have been monopolising the conversation…I didn't think that you must have hundreds of questions…"
"Just a few," Ally agreed. "Fred…before I knew everything…said that you worked for the Government…but that obviously wasn't true…"
Fred noticed her eyebrows contract as Arthur shook his head.
"Oh no. That was true. I do work for the Government. Just not your Muggle Government. I work for the Ministry of Magic."
"There is a Ministry of Magic?" Ally asked in disbelief. "A proper Government? Then…how many are there? Witches and Wizards I mean?"
"More than you could imagine," Arthur said with a laugh. "There are thousands of us up and down the country. Most live completely in isolation, some live quite closely with Muggles."
"I thought…" Ally glanced towards Fred and then back at Molly and Arthur. "I just assumed there weren't that many of you. So…what does the Ministry do exactly?"
"All sorts of things. Regulating and controlling magical creatures is a big job for example."
Fred noticed Ally stop breathing for a second and when she spoke her voice trembled slightly. "Magical creatures?"
"Oh yes. Dragons, pixies, all the ones your Muggle fairytales mention and a lot more besides."
"Dragons are real?"
Fred kept quiet. He watched over the next hour as Ally coped surprisingly well with being told about a world beyond anything she could possibly imagine. He was impressed that she didn't seem to flinch when Arthur described some of the more horrific magical creatures like boggarts. She smiled when he told her about unicorns and merpeople.
"So what else do you do at the Ministry?" She asked when the conversation about Magical creatures drew to an end.
"Well, obviously we are also responsible for enforcing the law…stopping people like…"
"Ally," Fred said suddenly. "Shouldn't you be getting back? Not that I want you to go…but…"
Ally frowned at him, and he knew that she wasn't fooled by the change of subject. His question prompted her to look at her watch though, and she gasped.
"I hadn't realised how long I've been here. I actually should get back to work…" Her gaze flickered to Arthur and Molly and they both smiled.
"Why don't you come back for dinner?" Molly asked. "Then you can meet Fred's older brother Bill."
Ally's expression cleared and she smiled back. "That would be lovely."
"Around seven…"
*
Fred had offered to Apperate Ally back to the village, but she insisted on walking. He offered to walk her back, but she told him she would rather go on her own. When he'd looked worried she had touched his cheek and reassured him that she would be fine, and that she just had a lot to think about. Fred couldn't argue with that, so he walked her as far as the main road and then turned back.
When he got back to the Burrow he found Molly and Arthur deep in conversation at the kitchen table.
"So you haven't told her about You-Know-Who then?" Arthur asked as soon as Fred stepped back through the door.
Fred grimaced. "Do you really think I should?" He sighed. "This must all be confusing and worrying enough for her as it is. Do you really think I should tell her how the most evil wizard who ever lived is back and killing people? Or that our family is involved in fighting against him – and therefore in a hell of a lot of danger?"
"Fred's right, Arthur. The poor girl wouldn't be able to cope with that. She's better off not knowing."
Arthur looked less convinced. "But surely keeping her in the dark about the dangers in our world puts her more at risk. She won't know what to keep her eyes open for."
"But I don't want her looking over her shoulder all the time. I don't want her to find this world any more frightening than she already does."
Arthur's previous enthusiasm seemed to have dimmed slightly and now he was looking at Fred with a very serious expression. "Ally seems like a very sweet girl – and you know that I would be the last person to have any problems with a wizard and a Muggle – but is it wise right now? Perhaps you could…"
"No, Dad, I can't!" Fred shook his head firmly. "I can't walk away from her. I was going to this morning. I planned on ending it. But when I was with her I realised that I simply couldn't do it. I love her, Dad. I really love her."
Arthur smiled a little sadly. "I don't think I've ever felt this torn. Part of me is so happy for you. But I can't help having a bad feeling about this, Fred…"
"Everything will be fine. I'll take care of her. She's the most important thing in my life right now."
A/N – oh boy that was a rubbish chapter! I think all the anticipation put too much pressure on me! I tried to get across Arthur properly and I'm not sure I really captured him quite right. He's so happy for Fred, but he is also very frightened for Ally. They all are. With good reason considering what I have planned for the poor girl.