Chapter 7: Additions to the Family

AN: Finally the much awaited chapter 7! Woot woot! Sorry it took so long, I'll try to NEVER take this long again :D

We pretty much don't know a single thing about Percy's wife, Audrey. So for my other story, Until We Meet Again, I sort of invented her looks and characteristics. I decided to make her the same, and have the same back story with Percy for this story as well. So if you've read my other story, this chapter will have a lot of similarities to UWMA chapter 11. Is it illegal to plagiarize yourself? ;)

I scrapped the hundredth failed letter with a huff. I'd wasted all evening with this miserable business. Sending your mother an owl was completely out, but that didn't stop me from writing letters I didn't plan to send.

It was the end of January, and I couldn't believe I had to wait another five dreadful months.

There was a single bang on the door, and then your uncle, Ron's voice. "Harry! I'm coming in."

"Help yourself," I grumbled, getting up from my desk. I went out to find Ron taking off his coat in my sitting room. He'd set a folder over flowing with parchment on the coffee table.

"Harry," He greeted, taking off his gloves. "I brought you more info on the-"

Kids, even though it's been twenty years, I still can't tell you what we were working on then. No more than I can tell you what I work on now. The point is, Ron came over to discuss the case with me. Then I changed the subject.

"So, how is the flat search going?"

"I actually just found a place," Ron answered as he set the folder straight again. "It'll be so nice to be on my own. Mum keeps pressuring me about my future. Like being an auror isn't enough!"

"What are mums for?"

"And things are getting sort of awkward with Percy," Ron continued shaking his head.

"How so?" I wondered.

"Well, he's got a girlfriend now..."

"Percy does?" I couldn't believe it. "How does he find time while being a workaholic?"

"No clue." Ron shrugged. "But he's been acting all... Weird about it."

"Have you met her yet?"

"Just once," Ron answered. "She's nice, a bit funny too. But it's just weird to have Percy acting like this."

"What's her name?"

"Audrey something-I-can't-remember."

She was your aunt Audrey.

"If you come over for dinner Sunday, you can meet her," Ron offered.

"Oh," I looked away. "I don't know..."

I still hadn't gotten over how weird it was to see your mother's family. It made me nervous, like any second they'd find out what I'd done, and blast me out the door.

Your Grandmother had been trying to get me to visit more and more, but I always came up with excuses. That was hard to do, because I still wanted to see them any ways.

"Oh come on!" Ron insisted. "Mum is always bothering me about getting you to visit more. She worries about you."

"I know." I shifted uncomfortably. "I miss her meals any ways."

Ron grinned. "Who wouldn't! That's one of the main reasons I put off getting my own place."

I beamed back. "Alright, I'll come over."

"Good, otherwise mum would-"

Beat him. Kids, Ron said, "beat me".

...

That Sunday, everyone was there as usual, but the Weasleys were much smaller back then. There were your grandparents of course, Uncle Bill and Aunt Fluer didn't have any children yet, Uncle George wasn't even dating Aunt Angelina, Uncle Percy brought Aunt Audrey, and of course Ron and I were there. Uncle Charlie was in Hungary caring for dragons.

As usual, when I arrived, Grandma smothered me with hugs, complained that I didn't visit enough, and pointed out that I was far too skinny. She has always been that way.

Audrey was sitting by Percy on one of the sofas. She looked up at me with large animated blue eyes and smiled sweetly. Back then all of your aunt's hair was honey colored, and she was quite pretty.

"You must be Harry," She greeted coming over to shake my hand. "I'm Audrey Toulson."

"Nice to meet you," I said back, shaking her hand.

"Well, let's eat," Grandma spoke up. "I trust you've set everything up?" She looked to Grandpa and Uncle Bill.

"Of course," Grandpa replied leading the way outside.

"Do you work at the Ministry?" I asked as we went out to the dinner table.

"Oh no," Audrey giggled lightly. "It's too stuffy there, fine for Percy." She shot him an adoring look. "But never for me. I work at a fashion workshop, where I design clothes. Mostly dresses, but I make bags too."

We all sat down and began to eat, the whole table buzzing with conversations.

"You should tell him how you two met," Ron suggested to Audrey as he snarfed down the steak. "It's a great story."

I don't know if you kids have ever heard this story, I only heard it this one time, and this is how they told it.

Audrey batted her eyelashes at Percy, leaning closer. "He almost arrested me."

I nearly spit out the rice I was just swallowing in surprise.

Audrey laughed. "It really was funny! Percy, you tell."

Percy was stiff as ever, but his lips curved ever so slightly into a smile. "Well I was visiting Diagon Alley a couple months ago." He explained. "And I saw this gathering in a dark alley, which always means trouble. I went to go investigate and found Audrey trying to sell enchanted jewelry. Without a permit, I found out."

"I didn't know it was illegal!" She threw her head back in laughter. "I'm muggle-born!"

"Any ways," Percy continued, shaking his head. "I got rid of the crowd and asked her what she was doing."

"I explained that I had no idea that what I was doing was wrong," Audrey cut in, "But he still tried to take me in. Luckily, I had some instant darkness powder. Thanks mate!" She held out a hand to George, which he enthusiastically smacked. "Anyways, I was out of there in a second."

"Well I would've tracked you down," Percy spoke up, "But the ministry had more important matters to take care of."

"Right." Audrey rolled her eyes.

"Anyways." Percy continued. "Then I run into her five day latter-"

"It was six," Audrey interrupted.

Percy sighed. "We've been here before, it was five."

"Definitely six," Audrey disagreed firmly.

"Forget it." Percy huffed. "Some days latter, I see her again, this time not doing anything illegal. She was in the Leaky Caldron, just sitting down to dinner. I wasn't sure what to do. I couldn't just bring her in if she wasn't doing anything, so I decided to just talk and explain that she couldn't sell without a certified permit, or next time I'd arrest her."

"But the thing is," Audrey spoke up, "I didn't recognize him at all. I'm just trying to enjoy my soup when some red head comes up and starts telling me I need a selling permit. I thought it was some sort of bizarre pick-up line."

Everyone laughed except Percy. His cheeks were turning pink.

"So I was trying to figure out what he wanted, and then I finally recognized him, and asked if he was going to arrest me. He was so nice and agreed not to," Audrey said ending on a sweet note and giving Percy another adoring expression. "I offered to buy him dinner as a thank you, and the rest is history!"

…

"No way!" James said. "Did that really happen?"

"That's the story they tell," I answered shrugging.

"I had no idea!" Lilly giggled.

"They probably have the best Weasley love story," Ginny said with a chuckle.

…

"Have you decided what you'll name the baby?" Grandma asked Bill and Fleur. The table got quiet except for the scratching from Ron scraping the gravy off his plate.

"Mum," Bill protested. "We really wanted to announce that!"

"You waited too long!" Grandma said. "Fleur is already four months along! Everyone has already noticed her bump."

I hadn't, and from everyone's expressions I guessed that Audrey was the only one that had.

"Well, it's out now any ways," Bill sighed.

"Oh, is it a boy or girl?" Audrey asked enthusiastically.

"A girl," Fleur answered proudly placing a hand on a small bump I'd just noticed at her stomach. "She will be joining us in May."

"Well that's wonderful!" Grandpa raised his glass joyfully. "To the first of the next generation!" We all drank to that.

I hadn't realized how much I'd really missed the Weasleys until I was there that night. But when I was with them, eating, joking, laughing; I felt more at home than any where else I'd ever been. It made me regret not coming over any more.

And I knew, I just felt it all over, that I belonged with that family. I could never be as happy with another.

So that very simple night invigorated me to not give up on Ginny. Yes it was hard. Excruciatingly painful. However, the reward would be worth it.

And kids, I was right. More than I could've imagined then.

…

"And now," Ginny interrupted, "We need to put this on hold. Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione are coming over for dinner, and we've got to get ready."

"Aw." Lilly sighed while her brothers groaned.

"Come on, hurry along," Ginny ordered, as she got up. She began assigning the kids chores.

"The rest will have to wait."

AN: Thanks so much for reading! And for my loyal fans: Thanks so much for your patience!
I'll try to get the next chapter up soon, but finals start next week, so you'll probably have to wait until they're over.

As always, I promise to reply to all reviews, nice or not :)