18. Lunches and Drinks
The Floo Network was Audrey's most convenient way of getting in touch with her Aunt Camille.
She noted this with a little distaste. It certainly wasn't her favourite form of communication, and Floo powder didn't come cheap, but an owl would take ages to get all the way to Rügen Island. As for apparition, not only was Audrey in no shape to remember her "Three D's" with all of the drowsiness that she was getting from her Healer-prescribed potions since the incident, but cross-border apparition was a no-go. And then the last option, a portkey, would be just as bad for her drowsiness.
So, Floo call it was. Unfortunately, that meant going to the Ministry to set up a connection.
However, Audrey wasn't going to turn down the opportunity to stretch her legs. She hated being cooped up at home, and while she was only forty-eight hours into her house arrest, she didn't think she could last another minute. As short as her walk to the Ministry and back may have been, at least it was a walk. Not a sit-on-the-couch-and-do-nothing.
"What were you doing out?"
Audrey groaned as she shut the door behind her and met Erin's threatening gaze. Erin had taken it upon herself to oversee Audrey's house arrest since the incident, and as irritating as it was, Audrey wasn't really upset by it. She was a little touched, actually, that Erin cared so deeply for her safety. They had both lost their families and they only had each other, after all. Audrey couldn't even imagine how scared Erin must have been when she received the owl about the attack at the Ministry.
"Stretching my legs," Audrey replied as she shrugged off her coat and unravelled her scarf. "You don't want my muscles to atrophy, do you?"
Maybe it wasn't her smartest decision in the world, but Audrey had resolved to not tell Erin about her hunt for Brady. Erin might as well have been Brady's second sister, and Audrey didn't want to build up some false hope that he was still alive, only to have it crushed. As much as Audrey hoped her younger brother was alive, she was also a pessimist, and she preferred to keep her very expressive friend out of the ordeal for as long as possible.
"Don't be so overdramatic," Erin scolded, her anger reducing to irritation. "So long as you're not out trying to get work done somehow."
"And how would I do that?" Audrey asked as she let herself fall onto the couch in their living room.
"No feat is too mighty for my dear cunning friend," Erin said as she sat down next to Audrey. And finally, the irritation dissipated into a mild exasperation.
"Well, if you're so keen on knowing my whereabouts at all times, I do have to go out again later," Audrey reminded. "I have that lunch with Daphne and Gemma."
"Somehow, I have a feeling that Gemma is a lot worse than me."
Gemma was a lot worse than Erin. This was something that Audrey bitterly remembered when she arrived at the tea shop in Diagon Alley to see only Daphne waiting inside.
Audrey looked at her watch. One in the afternoon. That was when Gemma had said to meet, and she was a stickler for punctuality.
What a sneaky Slytherin, Audrey thought to herself, half in annoyance and half in admiration, as she strode into the tea shop and sat across from Daphne. The younger witch looked up with a slightly startled expression, but her features calmed when she realized that Audrey wasn't going to jump at her again.
Probably.
"Gemma did say one, and she's never late," Daphne offered meekly. "Maybe she's being held up."
"Or maybe she did it on purpose," Audrey countered in a dismissive tone. "Well, I suppose we can't waste away her efforts. I want you to know that I am sorry for overreacting. It was, in equal parts, due to my grief and the many potions I had in my system."
Daphne nodded lightly before saying, "I'm sorry for what I said in the summer. You had every reason to sell the estate, and I shouldn't have judged you for it. It's just... so hard to turn over a new leaf. To start a different life. We're Slytherins, and we're all about that self-preservation, right?"
Audrey nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I get that. Just thinking about all of my shenanigans at school... they were all for some selfish reason."
"But you've changed so much!" Daphne suddenly exclaimed. "You're nothing like that anymore! You're brave and fearless. I mean, that's not to say you weren't before, but now it's such a big part of who you are. Honestly, part of the reason I said that was... well, I was jealous. You weren't afraid to dive head-first into the new world. You left behind that self-preservation attitude like nobody's business."
Audrey was shocked. She never thought that she was brave. She certainly didn't do anything with that intention, but what was she supposed to do when the war ended? Sit around and hope that things went her way?
Audrey briefly remembered a conversation she had with her father the summer that the Ministry fell to Voldemort. She had asked him to promise that the traditions - from the courting parties to the networking dinners - would end with her and Brady once the war was over. He had agreed, so as far as Audrey was concerned, she was just holding true to the promise she made with her father.
"I haven't entirely given up on self-preservation," Audrey added in a quiet attempt at modesty. "I still like to pretend I'm the best at everything."
"Well, you know, everything in moderation," Daphne said with a small laugh.
"Now, was that so hard?"
Audrey and Daphne looked up at the person that had stopped in front of their table. It was, of course, Gemma. She took her seat with the proudest and most patronizing smirk Audrey had ever seen.
The two younger witches seemed to roll their eyes at the same time at Gemma's boasting, which only made Gemma erupt into bouts of laughter.
"Yeah, yeah, keep it together, would you?" Audrey said dismissively. "Didn't your mother ever teach you proper table manners?"
"Cute. Very cute," Gemma praised sarcastically. "Now, who wants to split a club sandwich with me while we listen to Audrey tell us how exactly she came to be so close with Percy Weasley?"
Audrey groaned and let her forehead rest on the table as Daphne stared at her with wide, startled eyes and Gemma continued to laugh at her expense. It would be a long lunch.
"Morning, Perce!" George greeted as he let Percy into his flat. "Fancy a cup of coffee?"
"No, thank you," Percy replied. "Can I just…" He trailed off as he grabbed George's coffee mug out of his hands.
George fixed him with an amused stare as Percy inspected the liquid in the mug. Black. Smelled like coffee - not firewhiskey, or any other kind of alcohol. Impressive.
"Are you quite done inspecting my coffee like it's on bloody trial?" George asked impatiently.
Percy looked up at his brother with a raised eyebrow and handed the mug back. "You can't really blame me, can you?"
"No, you always were an annoying git."
"Yes, of course. I'm glad you remember," Percy agreed sarcastically. "Let's just get downstairs so I can help you with the shop."
George nodded, a pleased smirk on his face, and led the way into the shop. Percy was glad that George had accepted his offer of help. He tried extending a helping hand to Molly, of course, but she had just kept demanding that he sit down and have a cup of tea, and Percy simply could not do that. He had to keep himself busy somehow.
And that somehow came in the form of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
The shop was, for the most part, fully repaired at that point. Everything had been rebuilt, fresh paint and wallpaper had been put up, new carpeting had been installed, and there were even a few hidden hallways added between sections of the store, just for the sake of adding some fun to the place. All that was left was setting up a few metal stands and putting out the products.
"So, acquaintances, huh?" George started as he tore open boxes holding new products. "That's quite the acquaintance you've got there, Percy."
"You're a wizard, you know?" Percy commented as George started to pull out products and place them on shelves. Despite this, he started tearing open a box as well. "You have a wand and everything."
"I pieced this shop back together without magic," George started with a proud tone. "I'm not about to sit back and swish my wand about now."
Percy couldn't help the proud smile that stretched across his face. Ever since George had started getting the shop up and running again - with the help of Lee and Angelina - he seemed to gain a piece of his old self back by the day.
"Very well, then," Percy said, pulling out some Skiving Snackboxes. "Show me the way."
"Over there," George replied as he pointed to a set of shelves. "And stop avoiding the Audrey conversation."
Percy let out an irritated groan. He was so sure he had escaped that. "I really mucked that up," he muttered in reply.
"Oh yes, Audrey was looking quite murderous," George agreed. "I don't know what in Merlin's name happened on your little date, but I think acquaintances may have been an understatement."
"I know, all right? I would take back that damned word if I could," Percy said. "And it's just - well - right after all of that? My head was a mess. I couldn't even see straight. Besides, you know how Mum gets."
"Fair enough. I think you spared Audrey a horrible fate," George said jokingly.
The room filled with silence for a moment as the brothers continued to move products to shelves. It was a comfortable silence, and Percy was filled with that happy feeling he started to get every time he stopped by the Burrow for a family dinner, or received a letter from Ginny. It was a feeling he would only get when he was around family - that is, until he got to know Audrey.
"Did you do it because she was a Slytherin?"
George's question broke the silence and caused Percy to turn towards his brother with a sharp look. George didn't seem amused or accusing - the question was honest, and Percy could hear the curiosity in his tone.
"What? Of course not!" Percy replied. Then, his eyes widened and he asked, "Do you think she thinks that?"
George shrugged and answered, "Probably. I wouldn't blame you. Slytherins aren't necessarily my favourite company, and the only reason Fred and I talked to Audrey was because we had a deal. She got spared from our pranks if we were given access to their common room. Although, she was pretty good at coming up with pranks when it came to exacting revenge."
"She's not - no - that's - " Percy cut himself off and let out a frustrated groan. "That's definitely not the problem. I mean... you know how the Slytherins were, right?"
"Yeah. Pretty horrible, and kind of selfish," George said.
"Well, do you think one of them would waste their energy protecting you during a duel when they have an injury and their own opponent to worry about?" Percy questioned. "She's - she's - "
"Changed."
Percy frowned in confusion. That was certainly not the word he was looking for. Brave came to mind, along with daring, and observant, but not changed. There was something about Audrey's attitude that seemed so... set in stone.
"Trust me. The Audrey I knew at Hogwarts would have only done that for one person," George continued, a faint smile on his face. "Her younger brother. It's nice to know she's changed for the better, though."
Her younger brother.
"What happened to him?" Percy asked as the words of the Death Eater Audrey duelled came to the forefront of his memories. "Her brother, I mean."
George shrugged and answered, "I don't know. He was in the same year as Ron, but kind of an outcast in Slytherin. More temperamental and civil than the rest of them. Pucey nearly beat him up on the Quidditch pitch once because he refused to do a dirty play."
Percy grew silent after that, his mind noisy with the memories of the attack and the information he got from George. Probably dead. That's what the Death Eater had said to Audrey about her brother.
He suddenly felt a lot worse about the word 'acquainted,' and the worst part was that he couldn't go looking for her at work the next day.
One day to go. One day to go. One day to - oh sod it.
Audrey could not have lasted one more minute in that apartment even if her life depended on it, so she had snuck out for a walk through Diagon Alley and a drink at the Leaky Cauldron the moment Erin had left for her practice.
Thankfully, she had finished all of her prescriptions from St. Mungo's, therefore green-lighting her to down an entire bottle of elderflower wine if she really wanted to.
That probably wouldn't have been wise, though.
Audrey sighed and swirled the lilac-coloured drink in her glass. The woman at the Floo Network Authority had told her that the approval for the connection would take some time because the other fireplace was in Germany, but she was tired of just sitting around and waiting for an answer to fall into her lap. There had to be something more that she could do.
"Audrey."
The witch in question looked up and her expression darkened considerably when she noticed Percy standing next to her. He looked just as surprised to see her as she felt to see him, but this wasn't what she wanted to deal with. She wanted to deal with wine and thinking, not wine and Percy.
Audrey waved her hand towards the bartender and called, "My tab, Tom."
"No, don't leave," Percy said quickly as he slid onto the stool next to her, a hand automatically moving to rest on her shoulder. Audrey didn't even notice it until he said, "I need to talk to you. I'll get your next drink."
He had not expected to run into Audrey, and wasn't entirely sure where all of those words were coming from. Percy had decided to go to the Leaky for a drink as a way to settle his restlessness. It seemed that Fate had other plans, though.
"Well, we're just acquaintances, right?" she challenged. "Should you be casually buying drinks for acquaintances?"
"Audrey, please hear me out on this," Percy pleaded. "I had a logical reason for saying that."
"Oh no, I get it," Audrey said with a nod. "I'm a Slytherin. Trust me, I'm used to it by now."
"That wasn't the reason," Percy replied. He had a serious expression on his face as he added, "I know you think that, but it honestly wasn't."
"Not even a little bit?"
Percy scoffed. "So, you wanted me to tell my family immediately after we went through a life-threatening accident that I now have a girlfriend? Is that what you're saying?" he asked challengingly. "I'm sorry if I thought you didn't want to touch on the topic for a little while. Here I thought that what we went through was a traumatic event. Not to mention the fact that I never even got a proper answer out of you before the damn hallway exploded."
He sounded frustrated, frenzied, and it was making Audrey feel guilty. That wasn't right at all, as far as she was concerned. She wasn't used to being so openly wrong, but Percy made a good point. She did have other things on her mind at the time - a lot of other things - and she never got the chance to give him a proper answer.
"It's just – I mean, acquaintance? I think we are far past that," Audrey argued. "Couldn't you have said friend, or something a little more befitting?"
"I'm sorry that acquaintance was the first word that came to my head, all right? Trust me, I regret it. I just thought that you had more important matters on your mind than to worry about..." he trailed off and gestured between the two of them. "This."
"I was more offended because I thought you did it because I was a Slytherin," Audrey said quietly, looking down at the bar to avoid his gaze.
"That's not the case, trust me," Percy said calmly. "Like you said, we're far past acquaintances. You really thought I would still have a problem with you being a Slytherin at this point?"
"I guess not," she replied, a small smile fighting to the surface. "Sorry for acting out."
"Sorry for being a prat and thinking of a stupid word like 'acquainted,'" he said, causing Audrey's smile to spread into a grin.
"From acquaintance to girlfriend in less than five minutes," Audrey mused. "Who knew I could be so alluring?"
"Well, you know - I mean - girlfriend is very - it's really up - "
"I think I get it," Audrey laughed. "I had a lot on my mind then, if I'm to be perfectly honest, and so I guess I should be thankful."
"Yeah, I, uh, heard what that Death Eater told you," Percy said quietly. "Last week. During the duel. That's a lot to pile onto one person."
Audrey sighed and returned her gaze to her wine glass. Maybe talking to Percy was exactly what she needed. It always seemed to make her feel a little better, and maybe he had some idea on how she could get some solid answers.
"Right. My brother," Audrey started. "As far as I know, he's missing, so it's more of a waiting game right now. I'm waiting for a Floo connection to be set up between my flat and my aunt's place in Germany. Maybe she knows something, but that'll take time to set up."
"Why don't you just retrieve his Ministry Identification File?" Percy asked as he waved to the bartender for a glass of firewhiskey.
"Excuse me?" Audrey looked up at him with a confused look on her face.
"Yeah - every witch and wizard has one," Percy explained. "It gets magically updated with your O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, along with any treatment you get at St. Mungo's, enrolment in any training programme, any criminal charges, and so on. It can only be viewed for professional purposes, but family can access it at any time."
It would also get updated when the witch or wizard died, but Percy didn't think he should mention that specific fact. Judging by the stressed look on Audrey's face, death was the last thing she needed to have on her mind.
"He always wanted to be a Curse Breaker," Audrey said quietly.
"It would be in there if he enrolled in training at Gringotts," Percy replied.
Audrey couldn't believe that she didn't think of that earlier. She moved to stand up from her stool. "I need to go!"
Percy placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her from getting up and said, "Whoa, slow down. It's nine in the evening - no one's even in the Registration Department anymore. Just go on your first day back at training. That's tomorrow, right?"
Audrey bit her lip nervously as she nodded slowly, the stress of the entire week still bubbling inside her. Finally, she had something that would give her a straight answer, but it would eat away at her if she couldn't go after that file right then and there. She had to forget. Let go of the reins.
"Can you distract me for a while?" she asked Percy. "Just... keep me company."
"I had to write a report on the standardization of cauldron bottom thickness for my first job."
"That's silly."
"It's very important!"
"I know - I am quite the Potions extraordinaire. It's the Belgians that slack on thickness."
"Are you kidding?"
Audrey looked up at Percy with a look of indignation. "I really am a Potions extraordinaire!" she exclaimed.
Percy laughed as he realized that Audrey was genuinely praising him. It caused a warm, proud feeling in his chest. It was that happy feeling again.
This was different than the last time they went out. They had moved into a booth, where they sat together, Audrey terribly close to him, her leg brushing against his. Instead of just grasping her hand in some friendly and comforting manner, Percy would brush his fingers along her forearm before his fingers entwined with hers.
They were far more comfortable with each other in that moment than they had ever been before.
"Okay, I'm going to tell you a big secret, Percy," Audrey declared as she set down her glass of elderflower wine.
"I don't think you should say anything when you've had this much alcohol," Percy noted.
"Excuse me, I am an Irishwoman. I can handle my liquor perfectly fine, thank you," she argued. "Besides, I trust you, remember?"
Percy smiled faintly, his mind going back to the words she had said to him during the duelling just last week. "Yeah, I remember."
"Anyways, big secret time. Only Erin knows this. And, well, a few people found out under... special circumstances." Audrey paused, her eyes narrowing slightly, as if part of her mind was telling her this was a bad idea. Clearly ignoring that part of her mind, she finally said, "I have a tattoo. It's a bear dressed as a leprechaun."
Percy couldn't stifle his laughter. Or maybe he didn't really want to stifle it. Audrey made him laugh, and there was no reason for him to hide that. "What in Merlin's name compelled you to get that sort of tattoo?" he asked between laughs.
"I was stupid and sixteen," Audrey started with a sigh, "and I lost a bet with my brother on the outcome of the Quidditch World Cup. Leprechaun for Ireland, a bear because it was on our family crest."
"So, where is it? The tattoo, I mean," Percy asked as he brought his glass of firewhiskey to his lips.
"On my arse."
Percy choked on his drink and his face started to burn up, but he was quite sure it had nothing to do with the alcohol. It wasn't so much the thought that Audrey had a tattoo on her arse, more than the thought of...
You are in a bleeding pub, Percy scolded himself.
However, as his mind started to make sense of the words "special circumstances," his face felt hot enough to boil water.
"Stop thinking about my arse," Audrey suddenly said. He turned to look at her and noticed she had an amused grin on her face.
"Who says I am?" Percy challenged, but his tone was not quite as assertive as Audrey's.
"You have that stupid look on your face that all guys get when they think about a girl naked," she explained.
"Right," Percy said with a nod. His thoughts drifted away from Audrey's arse and to another mystery. "What do you think would've happened if we met then? At the World Cup."
Audrey let out an unflattering snort before saying, "We would've wrung each other's necks."
Percy frowned in confusion, but Audrey only raised an eyebrow in return, the same look of amusement on her face. She had thought of Percy's question earlier, and the answer had been pretty obvious to her.
"Don't give me that look," Audrey ordered. "I don't know about you, but I was a different person back then. Even if I didn't have a problem with blood status, nearly everyone in Slytherin did. Spending so much time around them meant that I had formed a habit of saying some nasty things without thinking. And, like many Slytherins, I may have taken the meaning of 'self-preservation' a little too far."
Percy remembered what George had said about Audrey changing for the better, and he realized that that had happened to him too. "I was really proud back then, and it was all about my work," Percy said. "Looking back on it, I can't believe I let myself get so carried away because of a job."
There was a pause as both of them took another sip of their drinks. Audrey's fingers fidgeted with the base of her wine glass once she set it down. "People change, you know," she started, her tone a lot quieter and softer, "and then you find you have less in common with old friends and more in common with the strangest people. Explains us pretty well."
"So I guess we're lucky that we met now and not then," Percy commented.
Audrey looked up at him, a curious smile on her face as she said, "Yeah, I guess we are."
Thank you for reading! Just a quick note: the next update won't be until the next weekend, not in four days like usual, since I'm going on vacation :P Anyways, reviews are lovely heartwarming things sooooo ;)