They had drawn stares when they had walked through the door of the hotel ballroom and been announced. Percy was slender, with the wiry build of a runner. His suit was made for him at an exclusive London tailor, and Audrey had admittedly winced at the cost. Though she did not doubt for a moment it wasn't worth every single penny. Also, Percy was a wizard, so it was never going to wear out or not fit him. In those terms, the suit was a bargain.
In the room full of men in wizarding robes and a mixture of muggle suits, Percy was far and away the best dressed of them all. Audrey caught the looks he was getting from the women in the room and shifted a little closer, leaning on his arm to whisper in his ear. "You are the best-looking man in the room, and I am the luckiest woman alive."
Percy turned his face to her, dropping a small kiss on her lips. "I was thinking the same thing about you."
Audrey grinned, running a hand down the sparkly floor-length gown of wizarding origins she was wearing. "Well, it's my first gala, I wanted to make a good impression."
They made their way over to Kingsley, who was standing with a blonde in a revealing dress on his arm, and two other couples.
Audrey narrowed her eyes at the woman. Kingsley and Tonks were keeping their relationship secret, but she'd not thought Kingsley would be the type to bring someone else, rather than attend alone. She smiled tightly at Kingsley and the woman as introductions were made. The Spanish Ambassador and his wife made up one of the couples, the other being a guest of the ambassadors who were there to discuss some Ministry business.
Audrey accepted the embrace of the blonde who was introduced as Marlene with a polite if not warm smile on her face.
As Marlene drew closer to plant air kisses on each cheek, she whispered. "It's alright Audrey, you don't have to geld Kings with the soup spoon."
Audrey started at the familiar voice, drawing back, trying to keep her confusion from being visible. Marlene winked her eye, flashing it to a more familiar colour to go along with the voice, and Audrey remembered Tonks could shift her appearance at will. "Oh," she said in realisation. "I'm sorry, it's good to see you too." she squeezed Tonks' hands, slightly embarrassed.
Tonks smiled. "We're still keeping things quiet, with Kings heading back to the Aurory once his stint at Minister is up, we didn't want to become office gossip."
"Don't they already know?" Audrey asked. "It's been years after all."
"We're not seen together in public much," she shrugged. "Things like this, I come but, well, I can be someone different each time."
Audrey nodded musing on the situation. Percy drew her attention however introducing her to the Spanish Ambassador and his wife. Audrey exchanged polite hellos and then waited to see if they were expected to mingle further.
They were, so she took a glass of champagne from a passing tray and linked her arm through Percy's as he began the slow circuit around the room. Audrey discovered that on Percy's arm, she only had to give brief details of her employment. A family antiques business was perfectly respectable and for those that queried further, the explanation of her partnership with a certified ex-Gringotts curse breaker was enough to satisfy even the most curious. It was never questioned that she didn't belong. It was surprising that even with the hotel crossing the divide between Muggle and Magical that it simply didn't occur to these people that she might not be one of them.
The ballroom was not quite a crush. There were a significant number of attendees present that Percy knew would normally have refused the invitation. The venue change seemed to have brought the curious out in force. He was waylaid in his slow trip around the room by two familiar wizards.
"I didn't know you had been invited," Percy commented as he and Audrey stopped in front of them.
Fred shrugged. "We do own a chunk of the place. Seems that we might have made the guestlist based on that. They sent an invite to Harry and Hermione too, though if that was based around ownership or celebrity, who can tell."
"Are they here?" Audrey asked craning to look around the room.
"No," Fred replied. "Harry is still hiding from the press and it's a bit like shooting fish in a barrel in here. They're everywhere."
"Shame," Audrey said. "So, what have you two miscreants been up to? Spiked the punch? Put something in the soup course?"
Fred and George affected unconvincing innocence. "Why Audrey, we would never!"
"You might need to keep an eye on this one," George mock whispered to Percy. "Seems like she's got plans."
Percy shook his head. "Your influence no doubt."
"No, we're here as respectable businessmen. Hoping to make a few contacts, and maybe do a couple of deals over the cheese course. Nothing like Percy here, but we've got a couple of things in the pipeline," Fred responded with a sharp grin.
"Then I wish you luck, and if you come round for lunch on Sunday, you can tell us both all about it," Audrey offered.
"Wouldn't miss it," Fred said. "But I think our allotted time with the future Minister for Magic has run out." He indicated over Percy's shoulder at the approaching figure of Edward.
"Back to it then Perce. Don't conquer the world before the brandy gets laid out, will you," George said with a cheeky grin.
"I shall endeavour to consider your desires," Percy replied drily turning to Edward as he joined the group.
"The Ambassador's party is looking for you," Edward said quietly.
Percy glanced around the room. "We're about half done. I'll speak to him now, but if you can make sure that I get some time with Bragge, Warbeck and Jiggers afterwards. They have the biggest stake in the trade deal."
"Of course," Edward said glancing about and making a note of where the people Percy mentioned were. "Warbeck might hold a conversation with the Ambassador without embarrassment," he offered.
Percy nodded his agreement. "Keep Bragge away at all costs. The man is a closet bigot and he's got at least one door cracked open."
Edward nodded then moved to return the way he came. Percy exchanged quick farewells with his brothers before leading Audrey after Edward.
The Ambassador greeted them formally, his wife was standing at his side. Understanding her role in this conversation, Audrey smiled over at her. "Have you been to England much?"
"No, this will be my third visit. We came on holiday once," she replied with a polite smile.
"Oh, was it a city break or?"
"A city break, I enjoyed the museums."
Audrey smiled warmly. "They are good. I took Percy and his twin brothers to the Natural History Museum when we were first introduced."
"You visit the muggle world a lot, Mrs Weasley?"
"I am a muggle," Audrey said plainly.
The Ambassador's wife blinked. "Truly? I had not heard."
"Oh yes. Percy and I don't spend too much time in the magical world and as such the media has made assumptions that have never been corrected." She looked over at Percy who was speaking to the Ambassador, another gentleman had joined the group, who she presumed to be Mr Warbeck. "It will come out, of course, at some point, and cause untold amounts of drama, I am sure. Percy has concerns, our home is in a muggle neighbourhood and our children are both very young."
"How old?"
"Margaret is three, she's at nursery now. Lucy is two. I suppose its something that they are both witches."
"They are? You know this?"
"Yes, Maggie had a couple of episodes of accidental magic and well, Lucy has a magic familiar. Do you have any children?"
"No, we don't. Through choice you understand. But that is astonishing, a magical familiar, she's so young. You seem very calm, to say you have magical children."
"Well, I met Percy over ten years ago, we were together when Riddle tried to rise to power again. I found out then, so I've had quite a long time to get used to it. I'm glad the girls have magic; their worlds are so much bigger with it."
"Don't you worry?"
"Of course, but who wouldn't want to give magic to their children if they could?" Audrey said with a small shrug.
"I don't have magic and I see the difference it has made."
Audrey paused. "I am sorry, I meant no offence. I can understand that it would be difficult in that situation especially if you don't have any muggle family."
"Your family are involved?"
"Yes, the girls are with my parents tonight, they will take them if I need to be away for work. The balance will be more difficult once they are older, I think. For now, magic is an accident or something that their dad and uncles, aunt and grandfather can do."
"What is it you do? And please you should call me Elena."
"Then you must call me Audrey," Audrey responded, before answering the question asked. "I work for my family's antique firm, and I have a small subsidiary of it set up with my sister-in-law, where we deal with jewellery and trinkets. She is a curse breaker. She removes the harmful spells and jinxes on the pieces then I find buyers for them."
"She is a witch," Elena confirmed.
"Yes. Fleur Weasley nee Delacour."
"Do you not worry about your safety? It is not easy, and I do not think the English are more understanding of those without magic."
Audrey paused to take a sip of her champagne. There must be a cooling charm on the glass, as she had been nursing this one glass for over an hour and the champagne had neither grown warm nor flat. "Yes," she said quietly. "I do. I am wearing a full set of protective enchantments tonight. I know Percy has concerns over what will happen when the news comes out or if he is elected. We are both concerned for the girls, but they too will have a full set of protective enchantments. We can't live in fear. Things are changing. This hotel is proof of that."
"Yes, do you know about this hotel? I am very curious."
"It was Percy's brainchild. When the educational reforms were proposed at Hogwarts to include muggle examinations, he came up with the idea of something to offer jobs and apprenticeships. There are several partners involved in the hotel, but I understand that it has been very successful and there are more applicants than places currently. There is some talk of expansion, but I do not know if that is here at the hotel or another venture."
"I do not think that many would do something like this. It skirts the line of the statute of secrecy does it not?"
"Possibly," Audrey conceded. "There are muggles who are employed here, there were not enough witches and wizards or squibs with the knowledge and experience required to get the project off the ground from the off. I believe that there has been a shift over time and the muggles employed here all know of magic from either relatives or other situations where our two worlds meet. That enables the statue to be upheld."
"I confess, that I am curious if this could be replicated."
Audrey tilted her head. "I admit to knowing nothing about the political situation you face and can only comment on what I know and what Percy tells me. But I believe that with the support of Hogwarts and giving the students something to aim for, as well as opening it to those the magical society does not quite know what to do with, there was little the opposition could do. Hogwarts does not answer to the Ministry, and a hotel owned by a private group of individuals can, within the bounds of the law, employ who they wish."
Elena considered that for a moment. "I see, it would take someone with the position and power to enact both things simultaneously."
"Yes," Audrey agreed.
"It was for your children's benefit?" Elena asked.
"No," Audrey denied. "I don't deny that they will benefit, but the reforms were put into place the year before Maggie was born."
Elena looked startled before covering it. "I had not realised; philanthropy so rarely lasts in politics."
Audrey smiled, looking over at Percy fondly. He must have sensed it as he glanced over, sending her a small smile and raising an eyebrow to enquire about her comfort. She nodded slightly in acknowledgement then turned back to Elena.
The Ambassador's wife was watching the exchange. "I do believe I shall like your husband's politics," she said. "The Ambassador and I were unsure about how long we would wish to stay in England, but I can see that we shall remain at least a week if not more, while this trade deal is resolved. While we are here, I should be glad if we could meet less formally. I may perhaps be able to offer some advice as to what you might expect in the future."
"I should like that," Audrey responded gratefully. "If you can let me know when you are free, I can arrange childcare."
"There is no need," Elena replied. "I would be delighted to meet your children. Staying on the non-magical side would make it simpler, we would not need either of our husbands."