I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Extended Family
Chapter 110 – Bridges Burned
Takes place shortly after the last chapter, 109.
"Mummy, can we go to the Wheezes?"
Alicia made a face. "You live next to a Wheeze. Why would you want to go to the store?"
Hadley gave her mother a look. "Because it's fun and funny!"
"And do you wish to go too?" she asked Melanie, smiling at her emphatic nodding. "I suppose we can say hi then."
"Aren't you going to ask if I want to go?" Oliver asked.
"I already know your answer," Alicia said, making him laugh. "Are you and Sam still in a middle of a prank war?"
"Yep and I'm winning but need to keep the edge," Oliver said comfortably.
Alicia mock sighed. "Surrounded by children, always. Isn't that right, Melanie?"
Melanie nodded solemnly. "Daddy said you're a big children too."
"Did he now," Alicia said, narrowing her eyes at Oliver.
"He also said don't grass him up to Mummy," Oliver laughed, laughing harder when Alicia poked him in the side.
"And what prompted that comment?" Alicia asked as the Wood family walked down Diagon, towards Weasley Wizarding Wheezes.
"Hmm, let me think. Oh right! When I heard you and Daphne talking about that colleague of yours, your former fellow apprentice and how they messed up that potion and it blew up in their face."
"Oh that, there's nothing wrong enjoying the failures of others."
"And that's what kept you giggling for weeks?"
"That and the fact that the explosion turned their hair bright purple," Alicia giggled.
"Oh say that's a great idea! I need to ask Fred if they ever got the hair changing tonic ready."
"I am surprised that Coach hasn't put a stop to it between you two," Alicia sighed.
"She runs the weekly betting pool," Oliver smiled, "seeing who gets the prank right and who's winning."
"A profitable business, I'm sure."
"I think so. She says her cut from running the pool paid for her new set of travel robes and dress robes."
The family were spending the day together. Alicia's work schedule and Oliver's aligned nicely and they decided to go out and enjoy the spring day with one another. After a nice lie-in, they decided to shop for this and that in Diagon and then potentially go to Hogsmeade for a late afternoon trip before heading home.
They found Fred and George working hard, as per usual, but the twins spared moments to greet the family and hug the children. Oliver left to be shown new product with Hadley trailing after and after a bit of walking around, Alicia went outside to wait with Melanie. Across from the Wheezes, a small child park had been built and Melanie asked to run around in it.
Alicia stood to the side and smiled as she watched Melanie bounce up and down on large balls embedded into the ground. They changed colors when touched and played musical notes.
"Alicia?"
She turned before she fully recognized the voice that called to her. Her smile froze and shattered on the alley floor as she saw who stood there. "Tyler," she said stiffly.
Tyler stared at her. It had been years since they last saw each other after all and he looked decidedly uncomfortable. A woman stood beside him, her arm through his. She looked between the two, starting to notice how similar they looked. "Hello," she said at last when the awkwardness threatened to drown them. "I'm Christina. And you are Alicia?"
"Yes, hello." Alicia offered a hand and gave a very brief handshake.
Christina smiled awkwardly. "May I ask how you know Tyler?" She looked at him when he groaned, concerned.
Alicia snorted without mirth. "Tyler is my brother, my older brother."
"You never told me you had a little sister," Christina said, eyes wide.
"It…never came up," Tyler muttered.
"Never came up?!" Christina repeated, voice rising.
"Unless he has changed, Tyler never speaks of anything that does not interest him," Alicia said, her own voice rising slightly. "Or if our mother told him not to speak of it. Clearly I am intruding on something so I will be on my way. If you will excuse me." She turned to leave but something caught her eye and she froze.
"Alicia?" An older man and woman approached. They were walking up to Tyler and Christina, but when they saw her, they paused. It was the man who spoke. He shared Alicia's eyes, and their facial features were quite similar. Peter Spinnet gasped softly. "Alicia, it is you."
Alicia's smile was a rictus smile, one frozen and etched from pain. "Father." She barely looked at the woman beside him. "Mother."
Melissa Spinnet frowned. "Alicia," she said frostily. "And what are you doing here?"
"Leaving," Alicia said shortly. She turned to go but a tiny form had come running to her and collided with her legs, wrapping her arms around them tightly. "What's wrong, Melanie?" Alicia asked hurriedly, her own pain temporarily forgotten.
"Are you okay?" Melanie asked, eyes wide and threatening to fill with tears.
"Sorry Mummy!" Hadley came running up. "I came out and saw Melanie but then we saw you and you didn't look good and she came running." Hadley stopped and looked at the frozen Spinnets and Christina. They stared at the two girls and their mother. "What's wrong? Who are they?"
"Who are we?" Melissa sputtered, face turning red. "You don't know who we are?"
"How could she? She has never met any of you," Alicia spat. She tried to compose herself, picking up Melanie and hugging her close with one arm while resting the other around Hadley protectively. "Hadley, Melanie, these are the Spinnets: Melissa, Peter, and Tyler. That is Christina. Melissa and Peter are your grandparents." Her voice faltered for a moment. "My parents. Tyler is your uncle."
"And…I guess I'm your aunt by marriage," Christina said weakly.
"And I suppose Christina is your aunt by marriage," Alicia said, voice shaking slightly.
Peter took a step forward but froze when Hadley flinched back, at Melanie burying her face into Alicia's neck. "Oh, they look like you when you were that age," he said, his voice soft and lost.
"Well? Aren't you going to greet us properly?" Melissa asked, a riot of emotions on her face.
Hadley blinked. "Are they like Nana Andi and Grandpa Ted?" Hadley asked uncertainly.
"No, they aren't like them at all," Alicia said vehemently and the Spinnets gaped at her tone. "They are, however, related to us by blood."
"Nana Andi? Surely not Andromeda Tonks," Melissa sneered.
"That is precisely who she is speaking of," Alicia said firmly. "And I will thank you for not speaking of them that way. She and Ted are very fine people, thank you. Girls, let's go." She turned to leave, keeping herself between her children and her parents.
"Do not turn your back on me!" Melissa's voice was a whipcrack. "Haven't you done that enough to your family?!"
"My family? MY. FAMILY?!" Alicia turned and her fiery gaze drove the others back a step. "My family disowned me for following my heart. They turned their back on me!"
Peter winced as if physically wounded while Tyler shifted uncomfortably. Melissa was unperturbed while Christina looked at them all in horror. "What did you expect when you went against our wishes?" she asked scathingly. "And now you keep our grandchildren away?"
Alicia trembled and she could feel Melanie and Hadley shaking against her. She hated that they were doing that. Hated that she was feeling that way. She opened her mouth but no sound came forth. Years of cold words and colder actions washed over her, a tidal wave of memory. She felt herself drowning beneath them, wanting nothing more than to flee with her children.
Right when she felt the wave go over her head, a hand touched her shoulder and she jumped ever so slightly.
"Papa Harry!" Hadley and Melanie squealed with relief and delight.
"Hi girls," Harry said warmly, smiling at them. His eyes sought out Alicia's and his concern helped Alicia breathe. His eyes asked a question.
"Help me," Alicia whispered.
He nodded and stood in front of her. "Come on, let's get out of here."
"And who are you?!" Melissa cried.
"Harry. I'd say it was nice to meet you, but I sincerely doubt that it is," Harry said calmly. "Now if you will excuse us, please."
"I will not! How dare you insert yourself into family business!"
"Alicia is my family," he said quietly but with deep conviction and strength. "Therefore, it is my business too."
"You…you gave her that potions set," Tyler blurted out. "Forever ago. I had to write that letter to you."
"I remember," Harry said, giving Tyler a calculating look. "It was well written, literally that is. Not really worth reading but I didn't know it at the time."
"You will remove yourself from this situation," Melissa growled.
"Or else what?" Harry asked mildly. He sighed when he saw her inflate, ready to shout. "Never mind." He took out his wand and the Spinnets quailed. Without saying a word, he made a very distinct wand movement. Silver light poured from the wand tip and an argent lioness came into being. Hadley and Melanie exclaimed with delight, having seen it before and even though Alicia has seen it before as well, it still filled her with awe and peace.
The Spinnets took a step back and others in the alley watched on with surprise, seeing the corporeal Patronus pace the grounds. She growled, making the others step back even more. Then she curled around the Wood girls and Harry protectively, tail whipping back and forth with ill-temper.
"Oliver," Harry said and the lioness' head came up. "We're outside. We need you, please."
The lioness nodded and she licked Hadley and Melanie once before pressing her body against Alicia's for a moment and she roared out loud. The roar bounced along the streets and the walls, making the watchers shout in alarm and surprise. Then she ran, like liquid silver and disappeared from sight.
"You know what's interesting about Patronus'?" Harry asked in a conversational tone, remarkably calm but his eyes betrayed his inner feelings. He stared at the Spinnets, his eyes boring into them. "You need to have a very positive and happy memory to manifest a corporeal one. It has to be a very strong memory.
"Now I don't know if it's just mine, but mine can have a bit of a change in temperament based on my feelings when I cast the charm and on the memories I use. For example, when I was getting married, I thought of all the love and hope my fiancée had given me, and the Patronus radiated that love."
He smiled wryly. "A few years later when I had to stop an issue with my godfather's stag do, I thought of all the love I had for him and his family. I might've been a touch irritated however and the Patronus definitely conveyed that as well."
His smile faded. "I thought of every time Alicia comforted me, cared for me. The first time I told her that I loved her and that she told me that she loved me. She's an older sister that I desperately craved all my life." His words made the Spinnets shrink.
"But first and foremost on my mind was seeing her cry because her own blood family would not support her love," he whispered coldly. "Seeing her sob, hearing her cry, because she was abandoned by them, I will never forget that." He stood at his full height and glared. "Small wonder my Patronus was extra protective of her, was it?"
Alicia wept silently, resting her head against Harry's back. Melanie and Hadley hugged her desperately and she cocooned herself in that warmth and care, unwilling to look at the people that stood on the other side of Harry, past the barrier he provided.
Past her shield.
"I…oh Merlin…please-" Peter began, his face anguished. He took a step forward but then backed hastily when the lioness returned, growling and bent low, ready to pounce.
"Hey, I'm here," Oliver said, dashing up. He looked at the Spinnets and his mouth thinned before he looked back at his daughters and his wife. "How fast can your Patronus run, Sir Harry? We should test that at the pitch one day, race to see."
Harry smiled slightly. "Might be fun to find out."
"Yeah. Come on, let's go, shall we?" Oliver began to lead them away.
"Wh-where are you going?" Melissa stammered.
"None of your business," Oliver said, his geniality falling away. He inserted himself between them and Alicia and Hadley and Melanie, standing shoulder to shoulder with Harry. "Like I told you the last time I spoke with you, I'm going to take care of Alicia. She's my best friend, my wife, the mother of my children. I'll love her like you never did and make sure she never feels the way she did with you, ever again."
He continued to speak, voice rising. "You know, I used to ask my Mum why you were like that to her. I noticed it, even then. My Mum told me to try and keep an open mind, that not all families are the same, but she still made sure that Alicia was happy with us. That she was cared for."
"This is all your fault," Melissa hissed angrily. "If you had only listened-"
"Then things would be hell for Alicia and me," Oliver interrupted coldly. "When I came to tell you I was going to ask Alicia to marry me, I wasn't asking for your blessing. I didn't care that you told me no." Alicia gasped and Harry stared in blank astonishment. "I came to tell you as a courtesy, a plea to for once, accept Alicia and be happy for her. Your own damn daughter."
Oliver's smile was the coldest Harry had ever seen, even when they went against his former team, Puddlemere United. "I rest easy knowing that my family," he rested an arm around Harry, "will always watch out for us, protect us, love us. And you're not a part of that definition. You lost that right and you have no rights with us when you choose to be abso-fucking-lutely wrong."
He scooped up Hadley, holding her securely with one arm and taking Alicia's in his other. "Let's go. No need to waste the day here." They left together and Harry's Patronus remained for a few moments more, glaring at the shaken Spinnets and slowly fading from view, leaving behind a growl that lingered.
-0-
Angelina sighed. "I really hate them some times."
The Woods and Harry had returned to the Village and the ones who were there came out to comfort and support them after hearing what happened. Melanie and Hadley had clung to their mother for a while before she convinced them to play in the Triangle. They did, after ensuring that Alicia and Oliver would be nearby.
"Seriously, like I get bad blood and all that between family members," Angelina continued. "My mum and my uncle don't get along for reasons but they can be civil at least. Nothing like this."
"My mother always did take things to the extreme," Alicia said tonelessly.
"Mum is going to tear her a new one," Oliver growled. "She's been wanting to but she's respected your wishes. But this is too far. She won't hold back."
Alicia's lips quirked. "Maybe she'll listen to her. It'll depend on how public it'll be and how much damage to her appearance would suffer."
"How were they even friends in the first place?" Katie asked. "No offense to either of you."
"None taken," Oliver sighed. "I asked her that before. She said Alicia's mother was better when they were younger."
"What happened to her then?" Angelina asked.
"Getting married into Society," Alicia said coolly. "As far as I know anyways." Oliver nodded reluctantly.
They looked up when they heard flapping wings. A barn owl came soaring in and landed in front of Alicia. It hooted benignly, holding a leg out and after Alicia took the envelope from the ties, it flew away. Alicia looked at the letter and held it away from her. "It's from my mother," she said, voice shaking. "I don't know if I can read it."
Oliver hugged her. "Go on Sir Harry, go ahead."
"You sure?" Harry asked, taking it carefully.
Alicia nodded, melting back into Oliver.
Harry opened the envelope. "'To my wayward daughter'," he read. He frowned a little at that, as did everyone. "'After today's unfortunate incident it has come to my attention that…'"
Alicia looked up. She saw Harry was still reading and his eyes were widening as he read. "What?"
"I, uh, oh boy," Harry hedged, "I don't…oh what the absolute fu-"
"Let me see." Katie leaned over his shoulder. "What?! She did not write that-oh my sweet ever-loving rear she did write that! Where does she get off?!"
"What does it say?" Alicia asked, pushing herself up and out of Oliver's arms.
"Tell me I misread that," Katie said, pointing at a line.
Angelina growled, having stood up to look over Harry's head. "Oh no you didn't. What the fu-uh fracking heck. Uh, why are you folding the bottom, Rabbit?"
"Trust me, you don't want to finish it," Harry said and started tucking the letter away. He flinched when Alicia lurched forward, snatching the letter from him and tackling him, lying over him. "Alicia, you really don't want to-" he stopped talking when Alicia pushed a finger into his lips.
She read and started shaking. She sat up and held the letter with both hands, the letter shaking in fury alongside her whole body. When she got to the end, she tore the letter in half cleanly, her eyes burning and her hair on end. "Oh, no. Too far." She scrambled to her feet. "No one enter the house for a few moments." She walked off in what seemed like a sedate pace but the ground seemed to shudder under her steps.
"What, what did it say?" Oliver asked, staring after Alicia.
"Uh, basically, her mum blamed her for humiliating them today, that she is denying grandparents rights, that Christina and Tyler are fighting now and it's all her fault." Harry rubbed his neck. "And that if Alicia doesn't come home and beg for forgiveness then she is going to have legal action."
Alicia could be seen through the sitting room windows, screaming and howling at a piece of parchment. Words appeared on it and the parchment was slowly turning from pale cream to deep scarlet.
"Yeah, you tell her!" Angelina praised.
"Is it just me, or are the windows flexing?" Harry asked.
"It's not just you," Katie said, awed. "She must have cast a Silencing Charm because otherwise we'd hear her clearly, but I can still hear her shouting from here."
"I love her so much," Oliver smiled.
Finally the door flew open with an audible crack and Alicia came walking back to them. She was massaging her throat with one hand and held a shivering and shaking deep red envelope with the other. She coughed, pointing at her throat. After Harry cast a throat healing charm, she sighed with relief.
"Thank you, baby bird," she said huskily, voice slightly raspy. "May I borrow Hedwig?"
"Of course, don't want to use Archimedes?" Harry asked as he whistled loudly.
"Not for this," Alicia said. She smiled when Hedwig came flying over and landed on her arm. "Hello Hedwig. Please deliver this in the most dramatic way that you know. I want this to never be forgotten." Hedwig's eyes opened wide, as did the others. "And I will go and buy you an entire pork bellies worth of your favorite bacon."
Hedwig licked her beak and nodded happily. She nuzzled Alicia's cheek and waited for Alicia to tuck the envelope in her special harness. After a comforting hoot, she flew off.
"If they didn't deserve it, I'd feel bad for them," Angelina remarked.
"Can we eat together tonight?" Alicia asked.
"Of course, family dinner," Harry smiled.
"Let's go to Skye market," Katie smiled. "You, me, and Angelina. We'll get loaded up on groceries and some alcohol, come home, and have a proper family meal."
"Sounds wonderful," Alicia smiled.
-0-
"Gramma!"
Danielle scooped up Melanie and kissed her on the cheeks. "Hi baby! Oh you're so cute and huggable and kissable!"
"What about me?" Hadley asked.
Danielle hugged and kissed her too. "Just as much, just a little harder to pick you up without my wand. You're getting so big!" She shifted the soot from the Floo trip off. "Is your mother home?"
Alicia appeared, walking up from the potions lair. "Hello Danielle," she smiled.
Danielle gently put Melanie down and wrapped Alicia in her arms and hugged her tight. "You are a beautiful wonderful woman and I absolutely adore you."
Alicia blushed and hugged her back hard. "Thank you," she laughed, a little confused.
"If I ever upset you, please tell me," Danielle said with a twinkle in her eyes.
"I don't think you ever truly would," Alicia said honestly. "What brought this about?"
Danielle started to chuckle, deeply amused. "So last night, I went to see my former best friend Melissa because I heard how she treated my wonderful daughter-in-law. Well, I got there right on time and I'm happy that I apparated onto the grounds to walk in because I got to see the show and not be a part of it."
"The show?" Alicia repeated, confused.
"Oh yes! You see, as I was walking up the path, all the windows of the main viewing room into the garden exploded! Then there was a sound that was louder than thunder! I got to hear my lovely daughter-in-law screaming such a lovely letter!"
Alicia gasped. "When was this?!"
"About nine at night."
"I sent the letter in the early afternoon!"
"It must not have been opened until then! Howlers get stronger while they remain unopened, but how? They get even more unstable while they wait."
"Come on," Alicia said. She took Danielle and her daughters to the Potters where Danielle repeated the story, sending everyone listening into fits.
"Hedwig, what did you do?" Alicia asked with great interest.
Hedwig picked up a piece of parchment and flew out the window. They waited for a moment before they gasped seeing Hedwig come shimmying down the chimney. She snuck about the room and deftly raised a plate on a side table and slid the parchment beneath it. Then she mooned it condescendingly and crawled back up the chimney and flew back into the home.
"You snuck in and made sure the howler would remain closed until disturbed?" Alicia asked, astounded.
Hedwig nodded, looking smugly pleased with herself.
"Hedwig, you're the best," Harry praised and kissed her.
"You did ask for the most dramatic way," Katie laughed.
"What happened after the howler finished?" Angelina asked eagerly.
"Well the viewing room was a mess as you might imagine," Danielle laughed. "Melissa looked a state and rather shell-shocked. She was also slightly deafened and I had to write out all the things I was going to yell at her over, but it was worth the effort. She looked very upset. Same as Peter."
Her merriment mellowed slightly. "He was none too happy either with her." She patted Alicia's arm. "This was none of your doing, love. It's about time he got his head out of a cauldron and into real life. He has to reap what he has sown."
"I hope this will be the end of it," Angelina sighed.
"Even if it doesn't, it won't be easy for them," Harry said grimly. He flushed when everyone turned to look at him. "I mentioned to Uncle Ted yesterday that you were being threatened with legal action. After him laughing for a solid five minutes at how absurd their case would be and how no one would take them seriously, he decided to 'entertain their nonsense' and he'll be sending them an official notice that any kind of legal buffoonery aimed at you would be returned a thousand times and he'll bring the wand down on them."
"Really?" Alicia gasped.
Harry nodded. "Uncle Ted likes you and Captain and he loves the girls."
"Legal buffoonery, love it," Katie smiled. "MumAndi's influence."
Later that night at another Village dinner, Alicia hugged Harry tightly. "Thank you, baby bird," she whispered. "Thank you for everything."
"Of course, no need to even mention it," he said back warmly. "I love you."
"I love you," she said and kissed his cheek.
"By the way," he said and winked at her. "Remember what I said that time in my third year? I've met the other Spinnets now and you're still my favorite one. No question."
Alicia's laugh was long and loud and full of love.
-0-0-0-
Ghostwriter - Thank you, glad you do.
odonnellzoo99 - I think he's the unofficial godfather to all the village children no matter if he's primus or not. I think that's great for him though, to be surrounded by family and love when he never had it for so long.
poka - I don't have an editor or a beta reader so I do miss things here and there unfortunately. I've gotten better at it, believe it or not. Daphne and Tracy getting back at each other constantly will never get old.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - It's nice sometimes writing the same character in different ways and see how they are and develop, though he in Curse didn't have any screentime really.
