CHAPTER TWO:
THE NIGHT THAT IT ALL CHANGED:
(The same day as chapter one; now it's 7:00pm)
-HARRY
"GODDAMMIT GINNY! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"
"I'M YOUR WIFE, HARRY JAMES POTTER!"
"EXACTLY I'M YOUR HUSBAND, NOT YOUR CHILD!"
"I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, HARRY!"
"OH MERLIN GINNY, JUST SHUT UP!"
Will this bullshit ever end? I'm tired of her. Who does she think she is?
"You know what, Ginny? Fuck you. I'm going out. Don't wait up for me." Ginny gave me her patented bitch face.
"Don't you dare walk out that door, Harry Potter."
"Or what, Ginny? You don't own me!"
"WHY CAN'T YOU TELL ME WHAT'S BOTHERING YOU?!"
As my wife yelled, I pinched the bridge of my nose. As calmly as I could, I said, "Ginny, this is what's bothering me. You are so suffocating. This what's wrong! I can't even go to work anymore. I say I'm leaving and you pout until I have no choice but to stay in! I have no control over my own Goddamn life! I'm leaving now. Get over yourself."
Without another word, I rushed out the door and apparated away. I saw the familiar and comforting door of the Leaky Cauldron. In the past three years of my so-called marriage, this place has become my safe haven. Anytime Ginny gives me a hard time about not worshipping her hand and foot, all I have to do is send Ron or Hermione a patronus and apparate here. It's glorious; I forget that my wife is a conniving, controlling bitch for a few hours. Of course, it's usually worse when I get home but those few hours of freedom are so worth it. I rushed in the door and heard the comforting din of witches and wizards eating and drinking themselves silly.
"Harry, mate, what's wrong? My sister at it again?" My best friend's voice was like music to my ears. I smiled at him, despite everything.
"Ron, you know how it is. I say I'm going to work, she pouts until I do exactly what she wants, and nothing I ever do is right, but enough about me. Where's Hermione?"
"She's on her way. We were all ready to go but then she suddenly had this great idea for a new way to argue her policy or something like that. I don't know. You know how Hermione is with her policies and her elf rights and-"
"Excuse me, Ronald Weasley, for caring about my job and the rights of innocent magical creatures!" Ron had been rambling for so long that he didn't hear the familiar pop that meant his wife had apparated right behind him. I stifled a laugh at my best friend's now red face. Hermione just shook her head and planted a kiss on his cheek before hugging me.
"I have so much to tell you, I need your help," I whispered for only Hermione to hear. She looked up at me and nodded.
"Right then boys, let's not just stand here. Let's go get some food! I'm famished, fighting for the equal rights of magical creatures really takes it out of you!" Hermione smiled and Ron and I followed her into the Leaky Cauldron. We quickly made our way to a table and waited to be served.
"So, Harry, what has my beast of a sister done this time?"
I sighed, "Ron, you know that I hate to put you in the middle of this. But I need someone to talk to her. She won't listen to me. Ron, she throws a fit when I say that I'm going to work! I can't deal with that, I can't be trapped. I've been fighting my whole life to be free of expectations and obligations. I just want to be normal for once. And I do love her, I married her for a reason but she really is suffocating me."
The three of us just looked at each other after I finished my spiel, all with a grim look of understanding. Both Ron and Hermione knew what I wanted to do, or rather needed to do. Hermione quickly changed the subject, knowing that this conversation wouldn't end well.
"Harry, how has business been recently? I saw Oliver Wood at Gringotts the other day. He looks very happy. I didn't think he'd take well to being off of the Quidditch pitch."
"Yeah, it's great. He definitely loves it. I'm glad that I asked him to come on board. It makes my life easier. I run the numbers and all of the business aspects of this and I get to be in the background. Oliver is a natural too. I mean he's still on the Quidditch pitch for the most part. It's not like how it used to be but he's great with the kids."
I smiled as I spoke; I loved talking about work. It was the highlight of my life. About a year ago, I started a business selling Quidditch supplies and giving basic lessons on broom maintenance and care for adults. I soon grew tired of that though because I was handling the business aspects and the front man aspects. One day, I ran into Oliver Wood and we talked for a long time. Almost instantly, we became business partners. He had just retired from Puddlemere United and was missing the Pitch. Thus, the Silver Snitch Lessons for Children was created. Oliver takes care of the shop and all the lessons and I handle the business aspects.
"Actually, Hermione, we just hired Katie Bell and I've been talking to Angelina to come help too. I miss working with them. We were such a great team. I'd love to have the whole team back together. George won't come play though."
"George hasn't touched his broom since Fred died, mate. We're lucky he even went back to the joke shop." Ron choked out the words. I saw the pain on his face when he said Fred's name. It's been 6 years and none of us can get past Fred's death. We pulled together as much as possible for George's sake but it was almost impossible.
"Anyway, mate, Hermione's got some great news. Go on, 'Mione, tell him." Ron was beaming from ear to ear and Hermione was blushing.
"Well, don't keep me in suspense! Tell me!"
"Kingsley is retiring as Minister… He announced it last week and there's been a lot of talk about who will be the next Minister… And he has nominated me to be his successor!
It goes to a vote sometime in the next two weeks."
"Merlin, Hermione! That's amazing! I can't believe you didn't tell me right off! Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!" I got up and hugged my best friend. Hermione looked unbelievably happy and Ron looked incredibly proud of his wife. This was amazing. No one deserved this more than Hermione did. No matter how much shit I was going through with Ginny, this made me so happy. At least things were going well for my best friends.
~The same day, the afternoon~
-ANDROMEDA TONKS
He came stumbling into my house reeking of firewhiskey. It's only noon. He's muttering incoherently and alternating between calling out for his father and sobbing uncontrollably. He won't tell me what was wrong and he won't let me help him. Something is very, very wrong. I'm trying desperately to figure out what was wrong with him; I haven't had to deal with this since Dora was a teenager. No, Andromeda, don't think about her right now. I need to be strong for Draco right now.
"Why Aunt 'Meda, why?!" Draco was on his knees, wringing his hands like a mad man and screaming. I was momentarily worried that he'd scare little Teddy, who was currently up in his room pretending to be a dragon wrangler like Charlie. Without wasting another minute, I sat him on the couch and wrapped him up in a blanket.
"Now, Draco, you sit there and you don't move. Understood?" He nodded at me and rocked back and forth from his perch on the couch. I quickly floo called his mother.
"Narcissa! Narcissa, come here quickly!" I shouted as loud as I could, praying she was home. Sometimes I wish wizards weren't so stubborn and would use at least some muggle technology, cell phones would come in quite handy in situations like these. Narcissa came rushing into the room and dropped to her knees in front of the fire.
"What's wrong, 'Meda? Is it Teddy?"
"No, Cissa, it's Draco. I don't know what's wrong with him. He came stumbling in here fifteen minutes ago, crying and mumbling. He reeks of firewhisky and I don't know what to do. I finally got him to sit down. Every now and again he calls out for Lucius. I don't know what to do!" Narcissa's face fell.
"No… 'Meda, he went to go see Lucius today. He was going to tell Lucius that he's gay. They've been getting along so well recently… Oh no, my Draco. He must be absolutely heartbroken! I'll be right over there."
I pulled my head out of the fire and looked over at Draco. He was curled up in the fetal position on my couch. His eyes were bloodshot and his face was as white as a ghost. I kneeled in front of him, attempting to make eye contact. He just stared right through me.
"Draco, honey, what happened?"
"Aunt 'Meda… Father… No… He… Why… Why, aunt 'Meda… Why?"
"I don't know, love. I don't know. Can you tell me what happened?"
Draco just shook his head and starting sobbing again. I grabbed him quickly and hugged him as tightly as I could, rubbing his hair and trying to soothe him as best I could.
"No, no, no Draco. It's okay, just tell Aunt 'Meda what happened."
At my words, Draco just shook harder. Just then, Narcissa stepped out of the floo and dusted herself off. Seeing me holding Draco, she rushed over and dropped to the floor next to me.
"Draco, baby, Mummy's here. What happened, baby?"
Draco's eyes went as wide as saucers and he began shaking even harder.
"Mummy… Mummy… Father is… Oh God… Why, Mummy, why?"
"Baby, you need to tell mummy what happened with father. Did you tell him, baby?"
"No, Mummy, no… Mummy, father is… Oh mummy, father's dead!"
As he said the word dead, Draco completely broke down. His entire body was shaking uncontrollably and he was absolutely bawling. In between sobs, he yelled words incoherently. I looked over at my sister. She was deathly pale and tears were streaming down her cheeks. She never did stop loving Lucius; it was the hardest choice of her life to leave him. Of course, just at this moment Teddy decided it was a good idea to come downstairs.
"Grandma! I'm hungry! Can Harry come over and take me to lunch to-"
When Teddy saw Draco and Narcisa, he bounded down the steps.
"AUNTIE 'CISSA, AUNTIE 'CISSA! DRACO, DRACO!"
Narcissa composed herself quickly and scooped little Teddy into her arms. Teddy's face lit up and his hair went from the flaming Weasley red to the pale Malfoy blonde. He was getting better at that everyday.
"Hi Teddy Bear, what are you doing?"
"I was playing dragon wrangler, Auntie 'Cissa! I was pretending to be Charlie."
As my grandson spoke, his hair went back to the Weasley red and grew out a few inches. He made himself look like a mini Charlie. It was adorable. As he changed, he pretended to roar and he tossed his head back and forth. When he stopped, his eyes landed on Draco. He wriggled out of my sister's arms and ran towards Draco, morphing into a little Malfoy as he went.
"DRACO! Draco… What's wrong, Draco?"
Hearing Teddy say his name seemed to break Draco out of his reverie. He lifted himself up and attempted to smile at Teddy.
"Hey little bear…" Draco barely managed to say those three words. His voice was shaking and I could see him start to break down again.
"Teddy, how about grandma takes you over to Auntie Molly's house? Maybe Fleur and Victoire and baby Dominique will be there."
Teddy jumped up and down at the suggestion. I grabbed his hand and took him into the Floo. Narcissa nodded gratefully at me and went over to her son. I threw one last glance at my sister and her son, knowing the pain my sister was experiencing. I'll never forget the way it felt when I found out Ted died… And then my Dora and Remus right after… I shook my head and focused.
"THE BURROW!"
Teddy and I shouted together and we arrived in the Weasley kitchen.
"Oh Andromeda, Teddy Bear! What a lovely surprise!"
"Molly, I really hate to drop him on you like this… but Narcissa and Draco are at my house. Lucius passed away. Draco has absolutely broken down and I didn't want Teddy to get in the way…"
"Auntie Molly, are Fleur and Victoire here?"
"Yes, Teddy Bear. They're in the yard. Go run along."
Teddy wasted no time in running out into the yard. I watched him go to Fleur; I waved at her and sat at the kitchen table. In usual Molly fashion, a pot of tea was already on the flame and a tray of biscuits was placed in front of me. We sat in silence for a few moments. I looked up at Molly. Her face was full of love and understanding. I didn't have to say anything. I knew we were both thinking the same thing. Too soon, the shrill whistle of the boiling teapot broke our silence…