Post by Alex Weasley on Jan 29, 2009 0:02:45 GMT -5
((i had intended for this to be a very short oneshot, but...lmao. the alex in me demanded more.))
He stared down at her light, bright grey eyes, and despite the gloomy color, he couldn't be happier. Penelope slept in their bed...she'd had enough of the crying, so Percy took over tonight. He sat in the moonlight, gazing down at his daughter. She wriggled and protested in his arms, but stared back up at him. After a moment, a toothless smile graced her plump little lips. He smiled back, but he couldn't help but think in the back of his mind how much nicer it would've been if she looked like her mother more. He hoped that looks were the only thing she got from him. He wanted her to have his mother's adventure, her mother's spirit, and most importantly, her mother's care-free attitude.
She snuggled into his arms and he leaned back. "I always thought I would be a little emasculated in this rocking chair, you know," he said to his daughter, softly. He firmly believed that to raise an intelligent child, you must never speak baby to them. "I mean, it's frilly and pink. This entire room is frilly and pink, but I find myself at ease here. Isn't that funny, Alexandria? How someone as insecure as me could feel perfectly at ease? In a nursery...holding my daughter..."
Alex reached up and tugged his robe, and he liked to think she was engaging him in conversation. "You were definitely a surprise. I mean, we weren't even married...I intended to ask Penny--your mum--for her hand soon, but you arrived about a couple weeks before that time came. Which was fine...I mean, I would've kept putting it off out of fear, of course." He smiled, watching her close her eyes. "Funny...you won't get sleepy to lullabies, to going about town, yet...you get sleepy at every day conversation. Am I boring you, Peanut?" he asked and chuckled, running a hand through her curly, thin red hair.
"Anyway. So we got married. Mum was worried about her new daughter-in-law...your mum used to be wild in school, just wild. Her grades were never above average, she valued friendship more, she...played Quidditch, for goodness' sake. I hope you grow up to be just like her. Will you do me that favor, Peanut? Will you grow up to be nothing like me? And it's not a self-loathing thing, no, certainly not, more of a...hindsight is 20/20 sort of thing. It was great to be so successful. I mean, look at me, head of my own department! I'm nothing to scoff at. But I lacked so many experiences...when I heard of all your mum did, I was jealous, not aghast, you see. I want you to experience things. I want you to fail a test and realize it won't be the end of the world. I want you to cause mischief with your friends. And dear, I want you to be broken up with and feel that heartbreak. Not because I'm being mean, but because I want you to be stronger than me. I..."
Percy looked down and saw her sleeping soundly. He chuckled. "A father can only hope. I guess we'll just see how you turn out, won't we? Yeah...I can only hope."
Percy rose up and set her gently in her beautifully ornate crib--her mother's idea--covered her up, and grinned down at her. "Only time will tell."
----
"Alex, love, guess who'll be home soon?" Asked a very tall, curvy woman as she smiled down at her five-year-old. She had grown into a chubby little girl with red ringlet curls, just like her father. Penny grinned and picked her up, placing her in a chair and chuckled.
"Dad?"
"That's right, Daddy'll be home soon," she said, and she smirked, taking Alex's glasses and cleaning them on her shirt before putting them back on. "There we go. So what did you learn at preschool today? And would you like a snack?"
"That's what I learned at preschool today," Alex said as she looked up to her mother, looking quite serious. "I learned too much snacking can make you oblique, and being oblique is unhealthy. And anyway, I'm not really all that hungry...I'd rather save room for dinner, mummy," she said, looking directly at her mother and grinning widely.
Her mother blinked. "Merlin's trousers, what was your father thinking..." Penny was proud her daughter was so smart, of course, but...she would rather her girl go out and play. All she wanted to do was stay at home and read whatever book she could get her paws on. "Hermione said she was the same way, but...that's sort of what I'm worried about...ooh, and Alex, dear? The word is obese. Oblique means something else."
"What does it mean, mummy?"
Penny blinked. Ooh, bollucks, what did that word mean...at just the right moment Percy strode in, with a bottle of wine. She blinked. "Percy!" she exclaimed, and she hugged her husband tight, grinning to herself as she did. After a moment she let go so Alex could have her go.
He picked her up and flicked her nose, chuckling. "Father?"
"Yeah, Peanut?
"What does oblique mean?"
"Ahhh..." Percy mumbled. "Just a sec. Penny. I have the greatest surprise for you." He grinned widely. "I just put in my bid to run for Minister of Magic, and it was accepted! With flying colors!"
At once Penny's smile faltered. "I...Minister? With flying colors?"
"Flying colors, Penny!" he exclaimed, and he set the Italian wine down on the counter. "I'm a shoe-in. Everyone knows my name, everyone knows my face, everyone knows my work...I have a serious shot at Minister of Magic!"
Penny blinked. "I...wow," she said, looking less than thrilled. "I don't remember this conversation coming up...it is indeed a surprise, of sorts...I mean, wow. Are you sure our family is ready? I mean, Alex is so young, she'll be in the spotlight, and...are you sure you want our family to make this radical of a change?" she asked, looking down at Alex's curious face when she heard her name.
Percy's smile finally faltered. "Well..." he began, and he sighed. "This is my dream, Penny. I helped you make your dream come true. You're the captain of the Montrose Magpies, the most successful Quidditch team in Britain's history. I mean...and you worked so hard, didn't you?"
"Well of course I did, Quidditch is a difficult sport..."
"And so is politics. This is my Montrose Magpies. It's finally happening. Please come on this journey with me," he said with a small smile, and he wrapped his arms around her in a way he hadn't done in too long. Penny smiled and nodded, pecking him.
Alex blinked. "Father? Can we finish Tom Sawyer tonight?"
"I'm sorry, Peanut, I'll be a bit busy with work. You can skip ahead, though, I'll catch up," Percy said, and he ruffled her hair. Alex's life had changed forever, and Penny was just unfortunate enough to see it.
----
"I just...can't believe it, Penny," Ron Weasley said as he looked at the Daily Prophet headline. "My nerdy older brother presides over the second largest wizarding nation," he said, and he looked over to Penny, who grinned across from her. On the front page there was a smiling and waving Percy Weasley, while behind him stood six-year-old Alex and a hesitant Penny. The headline changed from "Wizarding Britain Ushers in New Age" to "Percy Weasley Elected".
Near them in the yard sat Alex, Rose, and Lily, who also came to the celebration which, ironically, Percy himself could not make. But it was understandable. Alex watched as Rose and Lily threw a beetle at each other, and she sighed. "My dad's the boss now," she said out loud, as if only just now coming to this conclusion.
"Well duh, stupid," Rose said with a frown. "But my dad's a Auror. He fights the bad guys. And so does Uncle Harry."
"That's right," Lily said, dumping sand in Rose's lap with a giggle. "Our dads are superheroes. Your dad just sits at a desk. At least, that's what Uncle George said."
Alex's cheeks became red. "My dad is the boss of the country, he can make...he can make you eat dirt, and bugs, and...arachnids!"
The other two giggled. "What's an arachynid?" Lily asked, swiping the dirt off of her skirt. "Whatever it is, it sounds tasty, doesn't it?"
"I'll...I'll have you know that arachnids are not tasty! They're spiders and scorpions! And they could kill you if you eat them, so you better be nice, or I may make my dad make you eat them--"
"Doesn't matter, stupid head, our dads would save us cause they're superheroes and that's what superheroes do," Rose said, and she stuck out her tongue. "So your dad could make us do whatever and it wouldn't matter."
"Don't call me stupid, that's a bad name to call someone," Alex said, looking as if she just might explode out of anger.
"Stupid, stupid!" Lily yelled, giggled with her other cousin.
"I said stop it, stop it or else!"
"Or else what, stupid?!" Rose continued.
It was then that Alex showed them 'or what'. She pounded the ground with her fists and the sandbox shook. Before she knew it, Lily and Rose were trapped under the sand with only a hand reaching out. Alex's eyes went wide and even though she didn't cry, she did scream for her mother. Penelope, Ron, and a few more Weasleys came to rescue the two girls. "It was an accident, mummy, they kept calling me stupid..." she maintained.
Penny looked...oddly proud. That took some power. The two girls were yanked from the sand, gasping for breath and crying their eyes out. "I'm sorry," Alex said, softly, to her cousins.
"You should be, stupid!" Lily screamed, bawling. Alex got up and left, hiding in the broom closet until her mother pried her out hours later.
----
Naturally they ended up being alright. I learned a few months later I had performed a Sandstorm Charm, common with enemy nomadic tribes in the deserts of Asia. They forgave me once we all understood that every child has a first accidental experiment with magic. My first experience was obviously one to be reckoned with, and I only hope to continue my strength in magic, molded by the brilliant minds of my Professors.
Essay done. She grinned to herself as she read and re-read the three-foot essay for her charms class. The subject was her first experience with magic, and thankfully that was a vivid if not traumatizing memory. After all, she'd nearly killed her cousins by burying them alive. Who knew?
But this wasn't enough for eleven-year-old Alex. She folded her essay and wanted to take it to another Professor, to see if they couldn't lend their time to her essay. She smiled to herself as she walked down the thinning corridors of Hogwarts, and turned onto an empty one. Having stole James' map (but with full intent of returning it, which she did), she studied Hogwarts obsessively so she would not get lost.
She turned the corner and walked by, but stopped when she heard a voice. "I'd recognize that curly red hair any day," said the voice, but when she turned around, there was no one. "Look to your left, and then up." She did so, and saw a portrait of a younger-looking Uncle George. He grinned wildly. "You must be Percy Weasley's daughter. The glasses, the curls, the confident stride..."
"Yes," Alex said stiffly, holding her essay close and walking closer. "My cousin told me you got a portrait in Hogwarts. Didn't know where, you weren't on the map--"
"You have the Marauder's Map?"
"N-no, James had it for a while, but he gave it to Teddy when he started Hogwarts," Alex responded, looking down and frowning. "How do you know about that map?"
"It used to be ours. George and I's, that is. We gave it to Harry, who passed it on accordingly," Fred explained. "And where are you going off in such a hurry, young lady? Not up to trouble, now, are you?"
"Well, no."
"Damn. I always hoped he would have a kid who would do what we did to him," Fred mumbled. "Well what are you doing out, anyway? You're a first year, technically you have about...ooh, I'd say, fifteen minutes before you're supposed to be in your dorm," he lightly chided.
"Ooh, I know. I was on my way to Professor Longbottom, to see if he wouldn't give my essay a look. It's nice, but it could use a second eye..."
Fred sighed, looking oddly strained. "Go back to your dorm," he said, and he shook his head. "Neville isn't going to look at your essay. And your A won't go any higher even if he did. I...look, kid..."
"My name's Alexandria. Most people call me Alex."
"Alex, right, look. The way you're behaving...you're heading down a slippery slope. Believe me," Fred said, and his bright blue eyes shown down at her through the oils. "You'll want to watch yourself, because I've seen this before. We all have." He leaned back against his chair in the portrait, eyeing her. She looked a combination of vague understanding and moral outrage as she glared back up at the portrait.
"Well..." she began, and she looked down. "I know what I'm doing. I know what my life is supposed to be, now. But I appreciate your advice." Every word she said was dripping with disgust.
Fred watched her walk off as best as he could before shaking his head, wondering if he shouldn't bring this up to anyone else in the family, but he had an odd feeling that based on her behavior just then, no one really cared. Did no one else see the signs that he did? That eventually led to Percy's separation from the family? He looked down and closed his eyes, deciding to try and sleep this off.
----
James watched Alex make her way over to him. He wasn't sure why she came to these celebration parties for her father anymore...this was his third time being elected into the Minister's office. He would probably end up dying with the position. Still, the Weasleys found every excuse to party, and despite his raven hair, he was a Weasley.
He looked around to check no one but family was around before he acknowledged Alex. Alex had an odd relationship with the family. They all made fun of her, they all alienated her, but Merlin help you if you were not part of the family and you did all of those things. He'd beaten up plenty a Slytherin for talking awful things when she was in her first year, and he knew the girls squashed a lot of gossip. She was annoying, but...she was family.
"Hi, James," she said with a small, nervous smile. He nodded back. "How have you been lately? Our different houses and years really do prevent us from us from catching up, y'know, and I was just curious...how you were."
James chuckled. "You know I'm doing well, Al. Busy with Quidditch and school mostly...it's my O.W.L. year," he said, looking down at her eager face when he mentioned the O.W.L.s. "I could actually use some help studying. I mean, I don't really know where to start, to be honest..."
"Ooh, I could help. I have so many books that would help out exponentially with the test, and the material, and...I've heard it's a piece of cake after being put through this one set. I don't have mine till next year, course, but...I've read through them."
"Already?" he asked, and she nodded. He sighed and smiled down at her. "D'you ever think you...you work too hard, hm?" he asked, and he set his drink down. She blinked up at him. He knew she saw him as kind of an older brother figure, and to hear this from him was a bit saddening. "I mean, I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's just...well, take your father for example. He worked to hard, and he hit the ceiling. He can't go up any higher."
"But that's the goal of life. To meet your goal. Isn't it?"
James sighed. "Not for most people. Well, it is, but...it ends up being the journey they most like, I guess, and what I mean is..." he frowned, looking around and blinking. "I have an idea. We were all going to play Quidditch around this time, and you should come. I'm sure the others would love to have you come."
Alex frowned, looking uncomfortable in her own skin. James sighed. "I promise they won't make fun. And if they do, I'll kick them off their broomsticks. Kay? Besides, your mum's the coach of the greatest team in England's history! You need to at least get through one game."
He wrapped an arm around her and gathered up the cousins for a nice game. "You can be the Seeker, Alex. Usually I am, but...the other positions require a lot of...well. All you have to do--"
"I know how to Seek."
"Alright, alright," James said with a laugh, and he handed her the broom.
The others rose in the air, and Alex...did not. She kicked off the ground but she did nothing but hover, which was making her nervous as it was. She frowned and concentrated, rising a little higher and doing a nosedive into the cold, unforgiving ground.
James flew down, but as he did, Alex heard Rose giggled to her younger brother. "She can't even fly. Are we sure she's a real witch and not just faking it?" she asked, and Alex threw the broom down, marching off into the burrow. Her eyes stung with tears.
James sighed, but let her go. He tried...which was more than most people could say.
----
"Alexandria, come on, open up!"
"No. Come on, just go away..."
"No one's in here but me. You know I wouldn't do this in front of anyone else," the blonde pleaded, and she heard rustling, and then the bathroom door being unlocked. She sighed and walked in, looking down and seeing her cousin. It'd been a difficult day for every Weasley...they woke up to a giant headline about why Alex had to go off, and all about the trial ahead. Immediately after her father did a press conference over the radio about it, and he was so seething he actually made quite a few political mistakes. He accused the paper of defaming the name, he had a go at the editor's mother...needless to say, it was nearly impossible for Penny to stand by him with a stoic face.
Alex looked up at Victorie. "I don't believe I can continue to be here anymore," she said blankly, and she felt her cousin's skinny arms around her body. Alex closed her eyes. "It's...y'know, it's a bit like going through it again, to have the details published. I just don't think I can continue on. This is...not what I expected..."
"I know," Victorie mumbled. She looked down at her cousin, oddly unsurprised at seeing no tears. She smiled a little and tucked back some of her curly red hair. "But you, and your dad, and your mum...you're stronger than all of us combined, really you are. Now look at me..." she looked at her cousin's dead eyes. And her breath hitched at how dead they were. "You'll make it through this, you have to, y'know? You have no choice."
Alex chuckled, sadly. "I have more than one choice. I just haven't made that choice yet, is all. Hey...Victorie, thanks." She wriggled out of the girl's grip, and she walked out of the bathroom, looking a bit pained as she did. She ran a hand through her hair and walked forward, out of the dorm. All eyes were on her. Guild and pity just followed her across the room curiously.
About an hour later, a distant relative of Alex's smirked as she walked through the corridors, as if she owned the place. Kallie's eyes wandered about the hallway, taking it all in after an afternoon of some guiltless pleasure...before she saw a little figure named Alex Weasley. She pursed her lips and vaguely recalled their stay in the hospital.
She sighed and walked forward, looking down at her brooding figure. "For the record, it wasn't me..."
"No, it wasn't you who told the press. They found out on their own accord because records like this are public. However..." she cut her eyes up to Kallie. "Because you told my father who it was, there was a case. So I suppose indirectly, yes, this was your fault."
"Going back that far, it was his fault for raping you," Kallie said in defense, and she frowned, sighing. She got too defensive too quick. She recognized the look in Alex's eyes...and she didn't like it. "I'm..." she began. She wasn't sorry; this wasn't her fault. "I wouldn't have wished this on anyone. Not even you."
"Not even me?" Alex asked with a small laugh, and she looked down, biting her lip and nodded. "Well...thanks for your consideration, I suppose." She shifted a little bit.
"Don't do something stupid," Kallie continued, and this seemed to catch her attention. "I know what it's like to be left behind, and it's not pretty. I know you wouldn't put your family in that kind of position. You're smarter than that...I guess," she grumbled, putting her hands on her hips.
Alex sighed. "You might be right," she said blankly, looking forward and gulping. "You don't have to be here. You should go back in...goodness knows your record can't handle another black mark."
She wrinkled her nose. "You're probably right." Not that she cared.
Alex watched her go and she sighed, shaking her head a little to herself. Nope. She wasn't right. She took the wand that didn't even belong to her and put it on her arms, cocking her head to the side and gulping a little bit. She wondered if she could possibly do this to herself...and in so dramatic of a way. No, honestly, no, it had to happen. The world had to know that they had pushed her a little too far this time. Vicky had to know that Alex was not always as strong as she thought. And Kallie needed to know that she was wrong.
Far too long later, a young man rounded the corner. His eyes wandered the corridor much like his sister before him, and he couldn't help but smile at the time spent alone. It was rare...too rare.
Deucalion's eyes looked over to the young female laying on the ground like a rag doll, and he tensed before walking over to her. He recognized her, of course...he was quite aware of what was going on in her world, thanks to this new organization he was involved in. He paused and scooped her up without another word.
----
Alex closed her eyes when yet another cousin left. It was so pathetic...she was so pathetic. Every one of her uncles and aunts wrote to them, demanding they visit Alex. Only some of them would have of their own accord. Even less would have enjoyed it. James brought Honeyduke's chocolate, Rose offered her an issue of Witch Weekly, but Victorie was the only one smart enough to bring in school work.
She instantly got busy, hearing someone walk in. She looked up and saw Calhoun. She closed her eyes and sighed a little bit, glancing down at her school work and feeling his eyes on her. She looked to the side, chewing on her bottom lip for a moment. She finally spoke. "I know what you're thinking."
Calhoun looked over to her, narrowing his eyes. "D'you? What am I thinking, then? Go on, dazzle me."
"You're thinking I'm weak. And so awful for doing this. I know, trust me." She looked over to him. "And I know, even with what happened to you--"
"No," he said, and he shook his head. "I just can't believe you're so stupid is all. I have a grand idea. Why don't you write me when you grow a brain stem worthy of at least your family?" he asked, but he didn't leave. He just sort of stayed at glared at her.
"I deserved that," Alex said flatly, and she looked down. "I'm sorry, Cal."
"Don't be sorry," he snapped, and he sighed, looking over to the door and heading away now. "Just stop being stupid." And with that, he left.
Alex watched him go with a tiny nod, not sure they would be the same anymore after this.
----
"They're almost gone," Alex mumbled, looking at her forearms.
"What is, babe?"
"Ooh, nothing..." she mumbled. It was her last year in Hogwarts, thank Merlin. She sat in The Three Broomsticks with a Mr. Calhoun Selwynn. She only got to see him when she managed to sneak off (perish the thought!) to Hogsmeade, or on specialized weekends like this. She sipped some butterbeer gingerly, pulling her coat close to her.
"So...wow. I graduate in a month," she said with a small chuckle, and she wet her lips, staring down at her lap. "There's jobs at the Ministry waiting for me. And my father didn't even have to prompt them. It's odd...cause of my mum I get so many offers in sports stuff, but cause of my dad, I get pulled into really intense political positions."
"That's not surprising. I mean...look at you. Your O.W.L.s were perfect, and I'm sure your N.E.W.T.s will be the same." He smiled gently at her, and he looked down for a moment. "Think your dad will make graduation?" he asked, not wanting to hurt her, of course. He knew the answer.
"Well...I doubt it. I mean, could you imagine the Guard coming to Hogwarts? Extra protections would have to be put up, not to mention the safety of the graduation, and..." she sighed. "It's too much hassle, and besides, he's probably busy with the war. He's been busy with the war for a long time, now."
"Since it started?" he asked, and smirked, grabbing his hand. "It's okay. I mean, think about it...the rest of your family will be there. All one hundred and seventy-three of them." He laughed when she smacked his hand playfully. "And you'll have me."
"I honestly don't think I would want much more than my family and you," she said, rather seriously. She always looked so intense when she was emotional, ever since she was young. She looked back down to her lap, smiling to herself. "I honestly didn't think we would take it so...far. Yeah? I never thought I would go this far with everyone. I was under the impression everyone hated me for a very long time."
Cal listened curiously, though if you didn't know him, you wouldn't think it. He concentrated on his cigarette, blowing away from her, but he kept his eyes on her. "Well believe it, doll. And...look, don't go into your...don't think you're not good enough. You are," he said, as if reading her thoughts already.
She smiled and nodded, sipping on her butterbeer again.
----
Graduation was a blur. Life was a blur. And when Alex was twenty-five, Calhoun's engagement was a blur. She didn't even hear herself say yes. When she came out of her catatonic state on her father's porch she looked down at the ring, and smiled. It was the best he could get...she eyed it curiously, and blinked, gulping to herself.
Her mother answered, of course. "Ooh, hello, dear," she said, and then she spotted the ring. She went from zero to sixty; Penelope embraced her daughter tightly, yelling and crying and celebrating. "He...proposed?" Alex finally got out, and she snickered, hugging her mom back.
"Where's father? He'll be happy to--" she started, but when she saw the look on her mother's face, she paused. "What's wrong?"
"Your father's been sleeping at the office, I think. He hasn't been home...not for a few days. Maybe a week."
"Maybe a week? Are you guys...?"
"We're in a rough patch, Alex, but it's nothing to be concerned about. Not for you, anyway. I wouldn't tell him today, he's a bit..."
"Busy," Alex finished, and she sighed a bit. "I'm starting to plan next week. I'll owl you, mummy," she said, and she hugged her mother before leaving, tears welling up in her eyes as she Apparated to the Ministry. No, this was ridiculous. He would not be too busy for this. He'd missed everything else...no. He wouldn't.
She marched through security, angrily putting up with her badge, and her fingerprint scanning, and then the magical scanning, before finally getting through only to be stopped by her secretary. As she walked by the woman's desk, she rose. "Hey, Alexandria, you can't go in there, he's in a meeting--!" But it was too late.
Alex walked into his office, only to see about eight other world leaders discussing the war. And in an instant, the color and the courage drained out of her. Percy looked over at her curiously. "Um...Alex, dear, is there...is there something the matter?" he asked, trying to make it seem like maybe this was a legitimate emergency in front of the other balding men.
"Yes," she said, and her lower lip started to shake. She watched him walk over and wet his lips. "There is something wrong," she continued, lowering her voice to a shaky whisper.
"Well...is there an emergency? Because I'm very tied up at the moment..."
"I got engaged," she said to him, loudly. "I got engaged. And you weren't there first thing." She looked very nervous, now. She'd never said this to him...ever. Not like this.
"Engaged? Peanut, that's hardly something wrong...I'm very, very proud of you, but couldn't this have waited?"
"You mean...like everything else in my life? I always came second to your career, father." The men began to awkwardly file out. "Me and mum always did. And now you can't even bare to face all the...all those times you ignored us throughout the years." He tried to speak. "I know your job is difficult, I know it's demanding, but it doesn't mean you have to leave your daughter at her graduation. It doesn't mean that you have to abandon mum at home and just...ignore her heartache."
"When I was raped, you never said anything to me about it. The only thing I heard you do was yell at a Healer to give me a better room. I know that you love me. You never showed it, though, ever. And I'm not gonna leave mum to deal with that anymore without saying something. So there. I've...said it."
Percy stared at his daughter, and he let out a small sigh, nodding. "I'm sorry, Alexandria. Really I am. I deserved that and more...you deserve more from me, though, and so does your mum. I'm sorry I was so absent. I guess I thought the more I disappeared, the more you would become your mother...I didn't want you to end up like me." He put his hand on her shoulder.
"Things are going to change, do you understand me? Things are going to change with us, and our family...it may be too little too late, but I'm still going to change. I was always proud of you, though..." he saw her started to well up, and something in him told him she did not want to be held. A fatherly instinct, perhaps? He smiled, squeezed her shoulder.
"I suppose I should meet this Selwynn boy if he's to be my son-in-law, shouldn't I? Ooh, Merlin's pants, I'm going to have a son-in-law..." Percy said, and the two laughed while Alex wiped away her tears. "Why don't I have Gaspard cook us all up a nice dinner tonight, to celebrate?" he asked.
"That sounds great, father. And...I'm, um, sorry about ruining your war meeting..."
"Don't be. The media will be awful about me anyway. I'm a lame duck," he said with a small laugh, and he kissed her forehead. "Now then. I have to get ready to be an absolute snot to your fiancee. You go back to your mum and tell her how sorry I am," he said, pushing back one of her curls and she nodded, leaving him there in his office.
For once in her life Alex felt truly right. Everything she'd done to be so successful was so wrong...but going against the rules, bursting in and interrupting a war meeting...it felt so right. She took that feeling and ran with it.
He stared down at her light, bright grey eyes, and despite the gloomy color, he couldn't be happier. Penelope slept in their bed...she'd had enough of the crying, so Percy took over tonight. He sat in the moonlight, gazing down at his daughter. She wriggled and protested in his arms, but stared back up at him. After a moment, a toothless smile graced her plump little lips. He smiled back, but he couldn't help but think in the back of his mind how much nicer it would've been if she looked like her mother more. He hoped that looks were the only thing she got from him. He wanted her to have his mother's adventure, her mother's spirit, and most importantly, her mother's care-free attitude.
She snuggled into his arms and he leaned back. "I always thought I would be a little emasculated in this rocking chair, you know," he said to his daughter, softly. He firmly believed that to raise an intelligent child, you must never speak baby to them. "I mean, it's frilly and pink. This entire room is frilly and pink, but I find myself at ease here. Isn't that funny, Alexandria? How someone as insecure as me could feel perfectly at ease? In a nursery...holding my daughter..."
Alex reached up and tugged his robe, and he liked to think she was engaging him in conversation. "You were definitely a surprise. I mean, we weren't even married...I intended to ask Penny--your mum--for her hand soon, but you arrived about a couple weeks before that time came. Which was fine...I mean, I would've kept putting it off out of fear, of course." He smiled, watching her close her eyes. "Funny...you won't get sleepy to lullabies, to going about town, yet...you get sleepy at every day conversation. Am I boring you, Peanut?" he asked and chuckled, running a hand through her curly, thin red hair.
"Anyway. So we got married. Mum was worried about her new daughter-in-law...your mum used to be wild in school, just wild. Her grades were never above average, she valued friendship more, she...played Quidditch, for goodness' sake. I hope you grow up to be just like her. Will you do me that favor, Peanut? Will you grow up to be nothing like me? And it's not a self-loathing thing, no, certainly not, more of a...hindsight is 20/20 sort of thing. It was great to be so successful. I mean, look at me, head of my own department! I'm nothing to scoff at. But I lacked so many experiences...when I heard of all your mum did, I was jealous, not aghast, you see. I want you to experience things. I want you to fail a test and realize it won't be the end of the world. I want you to cause mischief with your friends. And dear, I want you to be broken up with and feel that heartbreak. Not because I'm being mean, but because I want you to be stronger than me. I..."
Percy looked down and saw her sleeping soundly. He chuckled. "A father can only hope. I guess we'll just see how you turn out, won't we? Yeah...I can only hope."
Percy rose up and set her gently in her beautifully ornate crib--her mother's idea--covered her up, and grinned down at her. "Only time will tell."
----
"Alex, love, guess who'll be home soon?" Asked a very tall, curvy woman as she smiled down at her five-year-old. She had grown into a chubby little girl with red ringlet curls, just like her father. Penny grinned and picked her up, placing her in a chair and chuckled.
"Dad?"
"That's right, Daddy'll be home soon," she said, and she smirked, taking Alex's glasses and cleaning them on her shirt before putting them back on. "There we go. So what did you learn at preschool today? And would you like a snack?"
"That's what I learned at preschool today," Alex said as she looked up to her mother, looking quite serious. "I learned too much snacking can make you oblique, and being oblique is unhealthy. And anyway, I'm not really all that hungry...I'd rather save room for dinner, mummy," she said, looking directly at her mother and grinning widely.
Her mother blinked. "Merlin's trousers, what was your father thinking..." Penny was proud her daughter was so smart, of course, but...she would rather her girl go out and play. All she wanted to do was stay at home and read whatever book she could get her paws on. "Hermione said she was the same way, but...that's sort of what I'm worried about...ooh, and Alex, dear? The word is obese. Oblique means something else."
"What does it mean, mummy?"
Penny blinked. Ooh, bollucks, what did that word mean...at just the right moment Percy strode in, with a bottle of wine. She blinked. "Percy!" she exclaimed, and she hugged her husband tight, grinning to herself as she did. After a moment she let go so Alex could have her go.
He picked her up and flicked her nose, chuckling. "Father?"
"Yeah, Peanut?
"What does oblique mean?"
"Ahhh..." Percy mumbled. "Just a sec. Penny. I have the greatest surprise for you." He grinned widely. "I just put in my bid to run for Minister of Magic, and it was accepted! With flying colors!"
At once Penny's smile faltered. "I...Minister? With flying colors?"
"Flying colors, Penny!" he exclaimed, and he set the Italian wine down on the counter. "I'm a shoe-in. Everyone knows my name, everyone knows my face, everyone knows my work...I have a serious shot at Minister of Magic!"
Penny blinked. "I...wow," she said, looking less than thrilled. "I don't remember this conversation coming up...it is indeed a surprise, of sorts...I mean, wow. Are you sure our family is ready? I mean, Alex is so young, she'll be in the spotlight, and...are you sure you want our family to make this radical of a change?" she asked, looking down at Alex's curious face when she heard her name.
Percy's smile finally faltered. "Well..." he began, and he sighed. "This is my dream, Penny. I helped you make your dream come true. You're the captain of the Montrose Magpies, the most successful Quidditch team in Britain's history. I mean...and you worked so hard, didn't you?"
"Well of course I did, Quidditch is a difficult sport..."
"And so is politics. This is my Montrose Magpies. It's finally happening. Please come on this journey with me," he said with a small smile, and he wrapped his arms around her in a way he hadn't done in too long. Penny smiled and nodded, pecking him.
Alex blinked. "Father? Can we finish Tom Sawyer tonight?"
"I'm sorry, Peanut, I'll be a bit busy with work. You can skip ahead, though, I'll catch up," Percy said, and he ruffled her hair. Alex's life had changed forever, and Penny was just unfortunate enough to see it.
----
"I just...can't believe it, Penny," Ron Weasley said as he looked at the Daily Prophet headline. "My nerdy older brother presides over the second largest wizarding nation," he said, and he looked over to Penny, who grinned across from her. On the front page there was a smiling and waving Percy Weasley, while behind him stood six-year-old Alex and a hesitant Penny. The headline changed from "Wizarding Britain Ushers in New Age" to "Percy Weasley Elected".
Near them in the yard sat Alex, Rose, and Lily, who also came to the celebration which, ironically, Percy himself could not make. But it was understandable. Alex watched as Rose and Lily threw a beetle at each other, and she sighed. "My dad's the boss now," she said out loud, as if only just now coming to this conclusion.
"Well duh, stupid," Rose said with a frown. "But my dad's a Auror. He fights the bad guys. And so does Uncle Harry."
"That's right," Lily said, dumping sand in Rose's lap with a giggle. "Our dads are superheroes. Your dad just sits at a desk. At least, that's what Uncle George said."
Alex's cheeks became red. "My dad is the boss of the country, he can make...he can make you eat dirt, and bugs, and...arachnids!"
The other two giggled. "What's an arachynid?" Lily asked, swiping the dirt off of her skirt. "Whatever it is, it sounds tasty, doesn't it?"
"I'll...I'll have you know that arachnids are not tasty! They're spiders and scorpions! And they could kill you if you eat them, so you better be nice, or I may make my dad make you eat them--"
"Doesn't matter, stupid head, our dads would save us cause they're superheroes and that's what superheroes do," Rose said, and she stuck out her tongue. "So your dad could make us do whatever and it wouldn't matter."
"Don't call me stupid, that's a bad name to call someone," Alex said, looking as if she just might explode out of anger.
"Stupid, stupid!" Lily yelled, giggled with her other cousin.
"I said stop it, stop it or else!"
"Or else what, stupid?!" Rose continued.
It was then that Alex showed them 'or what'. She pounded the ground with her fists and the sandbox shook. Before she knew it, Lily and Rose were trapped under the sand with only a hand reaching out. Alex's eyes went wide and even though she didn't cry, she did scream for her mother. Penelope, Ron, and a few more Weasleys came to rescue the two girls. "It was an accident, mummy, they kept calling me stupid..." she maintained.
Penny looked...oddly proud. That took some power. The two girls were yanked from the sand, gasping for breath and crying their eyes out. "I'm sorry," Alex said, softly, to her cousins.
"You should be, stupid!" Lily screamed, bawling. Alex got up and left, hiding in the broom closet until her mother pried her out hours later.
----
Naturally they ended up being alright. I learned a few months later I had performed a Sandstorm Charm, common with enemy nomadic tribes in the deserts of Asia. They forgave me once we all understood that every child has a first accidental experiment with magic. My first experience was obviously one to be reckoned with, and I only hope to continue my strength in magic, molded by the brilliant minds of my Professors.
Essay done. She grinned to herself as she read and re-read the three-foot essay for her charms class. The subject was her first experience with magic, and thankfully that was a vivid if not traumatizing memory. After all, she'd nearly killed her cousins by burying them alive. Who knew?
But this wasn't enough for eleven-year-old Alex. She folded her essay and wanted to take it to another Professor, to see if they couldn't lend their time to her essay. She smiled to herself as she walked down the thinning corridors of Hogwarts, and turned onto an empty one. Having stole James' map (but with full intent of returning it, which she did), she studied Hogwarts obsessively so she would not get lost.
She turned the corner and walked by, but stopped when she heard a voice. "I'd recognize that curly red hair any day," said the voice, but when she turned around, there was no one. "Look to your left, and then up." She did so, and saw a portrait of a younger-looking Uncle George. He grinned wildly. "You must be Percy Weasley's daughter. The glasses, the curls, the confident stride..."
"Yes," Alex said stiffly, holding her essay close and walking closer. "My cousin told me you got a portrait in Hogwarts. Didn't know where, you weren't on the map--"
"You have the Marauder's Map?"
"N-no, James had it for a while, but he gave it to Teddy when he started Hogwarts," Alex responded, looking down and frowning. "How do you know about that map?"
"It used to be ours. George and I's, that is. We gave it to Harry, who passed it on accordingly," Fred explained. "And where are you going off in such a hurry, young lady? Not up to trouble, now, are you?"
"Well, no."
"Damn. I always hoped he would have a kid who would do what we did to him," Fred mumbled. "Well what are you doing out, anyway? You're a first year, technically you have about...ooh, I'd say, fifteen minutes before you're supposed to be in your dorm," he lightly chided.
"Ooh, I know. I was on my way to Professor Longbottom, to see if he wouldn't give my essay a look. It's nice, but it could use a second eye..."
Fred sighed, looking oddly strained. "Go back to your dorm," he said, and he shook his head. "Neville isn't going to look at your essay. And your A won't go any higher even if he did. I...look, kid..."
"My name's Alexandria. Most people call me Alex."
"Alex, right, look. The way you're behaving...you're heading down a slippery slope. Believe me," Fred said, and his bright blue eyes shown down at her through the oils. "You'll want to watch yourself, because I've seen this before. We all have." He leaned back against his chair in the portrait, eyeing her. She looked a combination of vague understanding and moral outrage as she glared back up at the portrait.
"Well..." she began, and she looked down. "I know what I'm doing. I know what my life is supposed to be, now. But I appreciate your advice." Every word she said was dripping with disgust.
Fred watched her walk off as best as he could before shaking his head, wondering if he shouldn't bring this up to anyone else in the family, but he had an odd feeling that based on her behavior just then, no one really cared. Did no one else see the signs that he did? That eventually led to Percy's separation from the family? He looked down and closed his eyes, deciding to try and sleep this off.
----
James watched Alex make her way over to him. He wasn't sure why she came to these celebration parties for her father anymore...this was his third time being elected into the Minister's office. He would probably end up dying with the position. Still, the Weasleys found every excuse to party, and despite his raven hair, he was a Weasley.
He looked around to check no one but family was around before he acknowledged Alex. Alex had an odd relationship with the family. They all made fun of her, they all alienated her, but Merlin help you if you were not part of the family and you did all of those things. He'd beaten up plenty a Slytherin for talking awful things when she was in her first year, and he knew the girls squashed a lot of gossip. She was annoying, but...she was family.
"Hi, James," she said with a small, nervous smile. He nodded back. "How have you been lately? Our different houses and years really do prevent us from us from catching up, y'know, and I was just curious...how you were."
James chuckled. "You know I'm doing well, Al. Busy with Quidditch and school mostly...it's my O.W.L. year," he said, looking down at her eager face when he mentioned the O.W.L.s. "I could actually use some help studying. I mean, I don't really know where to start, to be honest..."
"Ooh, I could help. I have so many books that would help out exponentially with the test, and the material, and...I've heard it's a piece of cake after being put through this one set. I don't have mine till next year, course, but...I've read through them."
"Already?" he asked, and she nodded. He sighed and smiled down at her. "D'you ever think you...you work too hard, hm?" he asked, and he set his drink down. She blinked up at him. He knew she saw him as kind of an older brother figure, and to hear this from him was a bit saddening. "I mean, I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's just...well, take your father for example. He worked to hard, and he hit the ceiling. He can't go up any higher."
"But that's the goal of life. To meet your goal. Isn't it?"
James sighed. "Not for most people. Well, it is, but...it ends up being the journey they most like, I guess, and what I mean is..." he frowned, looking around and blinking. "I have an idea. We were all going to play Quidditch around this time, and you should come. I'm sure the others would love to have you come."
Alex frowned, looking uncomfortable in her own skin. James sighed. "I promise they won't make fun. And if they do, I'll kick them off their broomsticks. Kay? Besides, your mum's the coach of the greatest team in England's history! You need to at least get through one game."
He wrapped an arm around her and gathered up the cousins for a nice game. "You can be the Seeker, Alex. Usually I am, but...the other positions require a lot of...well. All you have to do--"
"I know how to Seek."
"Alright, alright," James said with a laugh, and he handed her the broom.
The others rose in the air, and Alex...did not. She kicked off the ground but she did nothing but hover, which was making her nervous as it was. She frowned and concentrated, rising a little higher and doing a nosedive into the cold, unforgiving ground.
James flew down, but as he did, Alex heard Rose giggled to her younger brother. "She can't even fly. Are we sure she's a real witch and not just faking it?" she asked, and Alex threw the broom down, marching off into the burrow. Her eyes stung with tears.
James sighed, but let her go. He tried...which was more than most people could say.
----
"Alexandria, come on, open up!"
"No. Come on, just go away..."
"No one's in here but me. You know I wouldn't do this in front of anyone else," the blonde pleaded, and she heard rustling, and then the bathroom door being unlocked. She sighed and walked in, looking down and seeing her cousin. It'd been a difficult day for every Weasley...they woke up to a giant headline about why Alex had to go off, and all about the trial ahead. Immediately after her father did a press conference over the radio about it, and he was so seething he actually made quite a few political mistakes. He accused the paper of defaming the name, he had a go at the editor's mother...needless to say, it was nearly impossible for Penny to stand by him with a stoic face.
Alex looked up at Victorie. "I don't believe I can continue to be here anymore," she said blankly, and she felt her cousin's skinny arms around her body. Alex closed her eyes. "It's...y'know, it's a bit like going through it again, to have the details published. I just don't think I can continue on. This is...not what I expected..."
"I know," Victorie mumbled. She looked down at her cousin, oddly unsurprised at seeing no tears. She smiled a little and tucked back some of her curly red hair. "But you, and your dad, and your mum...you're stronger than all of us combined, really you are. Now look at me..." she looked at her cousin's dead eyes. And her breath hitched at how dead they were. "You'll make it through this, you have to, y'know? You have no choice."
Alex chuckled, sadly. "I have more than one choice. I just haven't made that choice yet, is all. Hey...Victorie, thanks." She wriggled out of the girl's grip, and she walked out of the bathroom, looking a bit pained as she did. She ran a hand through her hair and walked forward, out of the dorm. All eyes were on her. Guild and pity just followed her across the room curiously.
About an hour later, a distant relative of Alex's smirked as she walked through the corridors, as if she owned the place. Kallie's eyes wandered about the hallway, taking it all in after an afternoon of some guiltless pleasure...before she saw a little figure named Alex Weasley. She pursed her lips and vaguely recalled their stay in the hospital.
She sighed and walked forward, looking down at her brooding figure. "For the record, it wasn't me..."
"No, it wasn't you who told the press. They found out on their own accord because records like this are public. However..." she cut her eyes up to Kallie. "Because you told my father who it was, there was a case. So I suppose indirectly, yes, this was your fault."
"Going back that far, it was his fault for raping you," Kallie said in defense, and she frowned, sighing. She got too defensive too quick. She recognized the look in Alex's eyes...and she didn't like it. "I'm..." she began. She wasn't sorry; this wasn't her fault. "I wouldn't have wished this on anyone. Not even you."
"Not even me?" Alex asked with a small laugh, and she looked down, biting her lip and nodded. "Well...thanks for your consideration, I suppose." She shifted a little bit.
"Don't do something stupid," Kallie continued, and this seemed to catch her attention. "I know what it's like to be left behind, and it's not pretty. I know you wouldn't put your family in that kind of position. You're smarter than that...I guess," she grumbled, putting her hands on her hips.
Alex sighed. "You might be right," she said blankly, looking forward and gulping. "You don't have to be here. You should go back in...goodness knows your record can't handle another black mark."
She wrinkled her nose. "You're probably right." Not that she cared.
Alex watched her go and she sighed, shaking her head a little to herself. Nope. She wasn't right. She took the wand that didn't even belong to her and put it on her arms, cocking her head to the side and gulping a little bit. She wondered if she could possibly do this to herself...and in so dramatic of a way. No, honestly, no, it had to happen. The world had to know that they had pushed her a little too far this time. Vicky had to know that Alex was not always as strong as she thought. And Kallie needed to know that she was wrong.
Far too long later, a young man rounded the corner. His eyes wandered the corridor much like his sister before him, and he couldn't help but smile at the time spent alone. It was rare...too rare.
Deucalion's eyes looked over to the young female laying on the ground like a rag doll, and he tensed before walking over to her. He recognized her, of course...he was quite aware of what was going on in her world, thanks to this new organization he was involved in. He paused and scooped her up without another word.
----
Alex closed her eyes when yet another cousin left. It was so pathetic...she was so pathetic. Every one of her uncles and aunts wrote to them, demanding they visit Alex. Only some of them would have of their own accord. Even less would have enjoyed it. James brought Honeyduke's chocolate, Rose offered her an issue of Witch Weekly, but Victorie was the only one smart enough to bring in school work.
She instantly got busy, hearing someone walk in. She looked up and saw Calhoun. She closed her eyes and sighed a little bit, glancing down at her school work and feeling his eyes on her. She looked to the side, chewing on her bottom lip for a moment. She finally spoke. "I know what you're thinking."
Calhoun looked over to her, narrowing his eyes. "D'you? What am I thinking, then? Go on, dazzle me."
"You're thinking I'm weak. And so awful for doing this. I know, trust me." She looked over to him. "And I know, even with what happened to you--"
"No," he said, and he shook his head. "I just can't believe you're so stupid is all. I have a grand idea. Why don't you write me when you grow a brain stem worthy of at least your family?" he asked, but he didn't leave. He just sort of stayed at glared at her.
"I deserved that," Alex said flatly, and she looked down. "I'm sorry, Cal."
"Don't be sorry," he snapped, and he sighed, looking over to the door and heading away now. "Just stop being stupid." And with that, he left.
Alex watched him go with a tiny nod, not sure they would be the same anymore after this.
----
"They're almost gone," Alex mumbled, looking at her forearms.
"What is, babe?"
"Ooh, nothing..." she mumbled. It was her last year in Hogwarts, thank Merlin. She sat in The Three Broomsticks with a Mr. Calhoun Selwynn. She only got to see him when she managed to sneak off (perish the thought!) to Hogsmeade, or on specialized weekends like this. She sipped some butterbeer gingerly, pulling her coat close to her.
"So...wow. I graduate in a month," she said with a small chuckle, and she wet her lips, staring down at her lap. "There's jobs at the Ministry waiting for me. And my father didn't even have to prompt them. It's odd...cause of my mum I get so many offers in sports stuff, but cause of my dad, I get pulled into really intense political positions."
"That's not surprising. I mean...look at you. Your O.W.L.s were perfect, and I'm sure your N.E.W.T.s will be the same." He smiled gently at her, and he looked down for a moment. "Think your dad will make graduation?" he asked, not wanting to hurt her, of course. He knew the answer.
"Well...I doubt it. I mean, could you imagine the Guard coming to Hogwarts? Extra protections would have to be put up, not to mention the safety of the graduation, and..." she sighed. "It's too much hassle, and besides, he's probably busy with the war. He's been busy with the war for a long time, now."
"Since it started?" he asked, and smirked, grabbing his hand. "It's okay. I mean, think about it...the rest of your family will be there. All one hundred and seventy-three of them." He laughed when she smacked his hand playfully. "And you'll have me."
"I honestly don't think I would want much more than my family and you," she said, rather seriously. She always looked so intense when she was emotional, ever since she was young. She looked back down to her lap, smiling to herself. "I honestly didn't think we would take it so...far. Yeah? I never thought I would go this far with everyone. I was under the impression everyone hated me for a very long time."
Cal listened curiously, though if you didn't know him, you wouldn't think it. He concentrated on his cigarette, blowing away from her, but he kept his eyes on her. "Well believe it, doll. And...look, don't go into your...don't think you're not good enough. You are," he said, as if reading her thoughts already.
She smiled and nodded, sipping on her butterbeer again.
----
Graduation was a blur. Life was a blur. And when Alex was twenty-five, Calhoun's engagement was a blur. She didn't even hear herself say yes. When she came out of her catatonic state on her father's porch she looked down at the ring, and smiled. It was the best he could get...she eyed it curiously, and blinked, gulping to herself.
Her mother answered, of course. "Ooh, hello, dear," she said, and then she spotted the ring. She went from zero to sixty; Penelope embraced her daughter tightly, yelling and crying and celebrating. "He...proposed?" Alex finally got out, and she snickered, hugging her mom back.
"Where's father? He'll be happy to--" she started, but when she saw the look on her mother's face, she paused. "What's wrong?"
"Your father's been sleeping at the office, I think. He hasn't been home...not for a few days. Maybe a week."
"Maybe a week? Are you guys...?"
"We're in a rough patch, Alex, but it's nothing to be concerned about. Not for you, anyway. I wouldn't tell him today, he's a bit..."
"Busy," Alex finished, and she sighed a bit. "I'm starting to plan next week. I'll owl you, mummy," she said, and she hugged her mother before leaving, tears welling up in her eyes as she Apparated to the Ministry. No, this was ridiculous. He would not be too busy for this. He'd missed everything else...no. He wouldn't.
She marched through security, angrily putting up with her badge, and her fingerprint scanning, and then the magical scanning, before finally getting through only to be stopped by her secretary. As she walked by the woman's desk, she rose. "Hey, Alexandria, you can't go in there, he's in a meeting--!" But it was too late.
Alex walked into his office, only to see about eight other world leaders discussing the war. And in an instant, the color and the courage drained out of her. Percy looked over at her curiously. "Um...Alex, dear, is there...is there something the matter?" he asked, trying to make it seem like maybe this was a legitimate emergency in front of the other balding men.
"Yes," she said, and her lower lip started to shake. She watched him walk over and wet his lips. "There is something wrong," she continued, lowering her voice to a shaky whisper.
"Well...is there an emergency? Because I'm very tied up at the moment..."
"I got engaged," she said to him, loudly. "I got engaged. And you weren't there first thing." She looked very nervous, now. She'd never said this to him...ever. Not like this.
"Engaged? Peanut, that's hardly something wrong...I'm very, very proud of you, but couldn't this have waited?"
"You mean...like everything else in my life? I always came second to your career, father." The men began to awkwardly file out. "Me and mum always did. And now you can't even bare to face all the...all those times you ignored us throughout the years." He tried to speak. "I know your job is difficult, I know it's demanding, but it doesn't mean you have to leave your daughter at her graduation. It doesn't mean that you have to abandon mum at home and just...ignore her heartache."
"When I was raped, you never said anything to me about it. The only thing I heard you do was yell at a Healer to give me a better room. I know that you love me. You never showed it, though, ever. And I'm not gonna leave mum to deal with that anymore without saying something. So there. I've...said it."
Percy stared at his daughter, and he let out a small sigh, nodding. "I'm sorry, Alexandria. Really I am. I deserved that and more...you deserve more from me, though, and so does your mum. I'm sorry I was so absent. I guess I thought the more I disappeared, the more you would become your mother...I didn't want you to end up like me." He put his hand on her shoulder.
"Things are going to change, do you understand me? Things are going to change with us, and our family...it may be too little too late, but I'm still going to change. I was always proud of you, though..." he saw her started to well up, and something in him told him she did not want to be held. A fatherly instinct, perhaps? He smiled, squeezed her shoulder.
"I suppose I should meet this Selwynn boy if he's to be my son-in-law, shouldn't I? Ooh, Merlin's pants, I'm going to have a son-in-law..." Percy said, and the two laughed while Alex wiped away her tears. "Why don't I have Gaspard cook us all up a nice dinner tonight, to celebrate?" he asked.
"That sounds great, father. And...I'm, um, sorry about ruining your war meeting..."
"Don't be. The media will be awful about me anyway. I'm a lame duck," he said with a small laugh, and he kissed her forehead. "Now then. I have to get ready to be an absolute snot to your fiancee. You go back to your mum and tell her how sorry I am," he said, pushing back one of her curls and she nodded, leaving him there in his office.
For once in her life Alex felt truly right. Everything she'd done to be so successful was so wrong...but going against the rules, bursting in and interrupting a war meeting...it felt so right. She took that feeling and ran with it.
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