Audrey closed the book she had just been reading with Molly and sat it down on the floor in front of her. Lucy and Molly both looked up at her with smiles.
"What's this?" Audrey asked.
Lucy sat down next to Audrey on the couch. "What happens next?" She asked.
Audrey looked at her clock, seeing Percy's hand still situated on work. She looked down at the girls and just nodded. "Alright, cozy up." She said with a smile.
The girls quickly grabbed a drink each and the plate of cookies from the kitchen counter and got comfortable on the couch on either side of Audrey.
Audrey looked down at them. "Cozy?" She asked. They both nodded wildly. "Alright, well, by this time in the story things were going very badly. Professor Dumbledore was killed by the death eaters, people were starting to disappear and the world was not a very safe place for muggle-borns." Audrey explained.
Audrey hung her closed sign as she looked out the window at the dark street in front of her shop. The only light in Diagon Alley was the light coming from Fred and George's shop, and it cast an eerie glow onto the empty street. Business hadn't been good lately, everyone was so afraid to go out into public places, and because Audrey's shop very proudly continued to sell muggle candy most people avoided her store more than any other.
She turned around and walked up the stairs into her apartment, knowing Percy would be by as soon as he got off work. When she got into her apartment she put some tea on and sat, waiting for Percy. She pulled out a book and began reading to pass the time.
A pop from the kitchen startled Audrey awake. She looked at the clock on the wall and noticed that hours had passed. She sat up as Percy walked into the room.
"Where have you been?" She asked.
"You need to pack what you can, quickly." Percy said.
"What? Why?"
Audrey asked.
"Just go pack a bag, I'll be right back." Percy said standing up.
Audrey nodded and went off to her room. She grabbed as much as she could and stuffed it into her suitcase. When she walked out into the living room she saw Percy standing there with a bag in one hand and their picture from the shelf in the shop in the other.
"What's that for?" She asked as he handed it to her.
"We can't stay here very long, put it in your suitcase and then we have to go." He said.
Audrey did as he said and looked at him worried. "Percy what's happening?" She asked.
He held his arm out without another word and she grabbed a hold. Quickly they apparated to Percy's house, where he continued to move around collecting things.
"Percy Ignatius Weasley! Stop this instant and tell me what's going on." She said.
He turned to her, and put his arms on her shoulder. "Audrey they will come for you, you're not safe anymore. They've started to infiltrate the ministry." He explained.
Audrey sat on the couch trying to catch her breath. "What are you proposing Percy?" She asked.
"I don't know, but you've got to go somewhere. I've heard rumblings that they're going to start questioning muggle-borns and half-bloods." Percy explained.
Audrey couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What do you suggest we do?" She asked.
"Do you have that money you inherited from your Gran?" He asked.
"The muggle money? Yes." Audrey said, not understanding.
"Audrey, I think the safest place for you is in the muggle world." Percy said.
"You mean us, right?" Audrey asked.
Percy looked down at the floor as he shook his head. "They're watching me if I go we're sure to be found." He said.
Audrey shook her head. "Percy, no, I don't want to go without you." She said.
"It won't be long, we'll win this and I'll come find you the minute we do." He said.
Audrey couldn't hold back her tears as she looked at him. "I can stay here, I'm sure I'll be fine." She pleaded.
"It isn't safe anymore." Percy said. "Audrey I don't want to leave you, but I don't want to lose you either, and I know that if you stay her something horrible will happen." He said.
"What's to say something horrible won't happen if I leave?" Audrey asked.
Percy grabbed her hand. "Please Audrey." He said.
Audrey looked into his eyes and her heart broke. She didn't want to leave him, but she knew he was right, if they were going to start rounding up muggle-borns she would be one of the first to go, simply because her family has always advocated muggle understanding, and muggle-born equality. "Alright." She said.
Percy kissed her quickly. "I grabbed the stash of muggle money you had, you can use it to stay somewhere for the night, until you can find a place to stay long term." Percy said grabbing the bag that sat beside him.
"Alright." Audrey said grabbing the bag and putting it in her suit case. "Where do I go?" She asked.
"London is big enough for you to blend in." He said.
Audrey nodded. "If I go muggle that means no magic, no owls, no way to communicate with you." She said.
He nodded. "I know." He said.
Audrey closed her eyes. "I don't know if I can do this, Percy." She said.
"I promise you, after we get through this I will never let you go again." Percy swore.
"No matter what?" Audrey asked, tears streaming down her face.
"No matter what." Percy said.
"One thing before I go. I need a quill and paper." Audrey said.
Percy quickly rushed off and grabbed the paper and quill. "Here you are." He said.
Audrey grabbed them from him and scribbled a quick note. She closed it up, and held it out to Percy. "You have to promise me this will be delivered." She said.
"What is it?" He asked.
"A letter to Fred." She said.
Percy shook his head. "I have no way to get that to him." He said, looking down at the letter in her hand.
She pushed it at him again. "If I'm doing this, then you are delivering it." She said.
"Alright." He said grabbing it from her, and tucking it away in his pocket. He looked down at his watch. "You've got to get going, it'll be morning soon." He said.
Audrey nodded. "Are you sure of this?" She asked.
"I'm not sure of anything anymore, but this isn't the kind of thing we have a choice on." He said.
"I love you." Audrey said.
Percy grabbed her and pulled her in for a hug. "I love you more then anything." He said.
"Come find me the moment things clear up." She said.
He nodded. "I will." He promised.
With one more deep kiss Audrey let go of Percy and grabbed her suitcase before using her wand for the last time as she apparated into a dark corner in London.
Audrey wiped her eyes as she looked at the floor for a minute, composing herself.
Molly and Lucy both hugged her.
"Mum! You lived as a muggle?" Lucy asked.
Audrey nodded. "For nearly a year." She explained.
"What was it like?" Molly asked.
"Lonely." Audrey explained.
"Tell us about it." Lucy said.
"Alright, alright." Audrey said.
After a month Audrey had settled into her new life. She had managed to get a job working in a book store, and had become roommates with one of her coworkers, and her new friend, Samantha.
"Sometimes I could swear that picture moves." Samantha said, standing at the door of Audrey's room.
Audrey looked up from where she was sitting near the window with a smile. "It's the way it's taken, incredibly life-like." She said.
"Was it taken at a costume party?" Samantha asked, picking it up to look at it as she sat down on Audrey's bed.
Audrey nodded. "Yes, when I was in secondary school." She said.
"Who's the red-head?" She asked.
Audrey looked down at the floor. "His name is Percy." She said.
"Boyfriend?" Samantha asked.
Audrey nodded. "And best friend." She said.
"Where is he?" Samantha asked.
"Working far away." Audrey said.
"I swear you are so mysterious sometimes." Samantha said. "What's on your mind?" she asked.
'Where to start?' Audrey thought 'War, her family, friends, the gaping hole in her heart from missing Percy.' She just shrugged. "Nothing much. It's just been a long day." She said.
Samantha nodded with a yawn. "I can understand that, and it's only going to be longer tomorrow." She said. "So, do you miss him?" She asked.
Audrey turned to her. "Miss who?" She asked.
"Percy." She said pointing at the picture.
"Without sounding overdramatic, I miss him every single second of every single day." Audrey explained.
"So much for not sounding overdramatic." Samantha said with a smile.
Audrey nodded. "We've been best friends for nearly 10 years, and I've loved him for just as long." She said.
"That's sweet. A love like that, I'm sure he can't stay away for too long." She said.
"I can only hope." Audrey said.
"Hello girls." Percy said sitting down on the couch next to Lucy.
"Hi Daddy." Molly said, waving at him.
"What did I miss?" Percy asked.
"A sad story." Lucy said.
"Oh, did Mum have to leave?" Percy asked.
The girls nodded.
"That is a sad story." Percy said. "I have another sad one." He said.
The girls looked at him excitedly.
"What is it?" They asked.
"You two have to go to bed." Percy said.
"That is a sad story." Audrey said with a smile.
"Aww, your no fun dad." Lucy said.
Percy smiled. "I know, isn't it fun?" He said.
Audrey stood up. "Alright girls, you heard the boss, off to bed you go." She said shooing them away.
The girls groaned as they sulked off to bed. Audrey just smiled at Percy as she grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stairs to tuck the girls in for night.
"I missed you." Audrey said turning to Percy at the top of the stairs.
"I missed you too." Percy said giving her a quick kiss.
"Ewe!" The girls said from their room causing Audrey and Percy to laugh.
"Good night girls." Audrey said still laughing as she flicked her wand and turned the lights off in the girl's room.