My Nine Brothers~ One Direction & 5sos & Harry Potter

106. The Golden Rule

"What is troubling you today?" I was sat on the windowsill as I heard my dad's voice behind me. I looked over my shoulder as he sat down in the chair next to me. "You know, you used to have this great big smile when you were younger."

"Yes, well I find less to smile about when you learn more about how the world is on fire," I told him.

"Ah, but thats where you find the good in people," Dad smiled at me as he folded his hands over his chest. "Every tragedy brings out the best and worst in people."

"What has it brought out in me?" I dared to ask him.

"I can not answer that honestly as you are my daughter, and I will only see the best in you," Dad told me. "But always remember, through every ups and downs, the golden rule we taught you."

"When going for food, grab your seconds because there won't be leftovers after your brothers get to it," I smiled.

"No," Dad let out a laugh. "No, the universal golden rule. Treat people the way you want to be treated. You can only do so much, but if you treat everyone with respect and kindness, then you are apart of the good."

"But what about killing Voldemort?" I asked him.

"Well you can kill that fucker," Dad told me. "But you don't get caught in the middle of that killing. When this is all over, my cancer is gone and your life isn't being threatened, we will all go on a nice family vacation."

"Can we go to the beach?" I asked. "We haven't gone in years."

"We can go where ever we please," Dad reached over as he took my hand in his. "As much as I love your brothers, they don't get to choose. Me and you, thats who get to choose. The ones that are being looked at like we might die tomorrow."

"They do stare at us like that," I noted. "Like I might run off and do something stupid."

"Oh, we all know you will run off and do something stupid one of these days," Dad smirked at me. "It's the level of the stupid thing you will do we are all worried about."

"I guess I'm the child you have to worry about the most," I said. 

"You?" Dad let out a puffing noise. "No. You're at the bottom of the list. Most one I got to look out now and days is Louis and Liam, you know got to pass on my wise dad knowledge and all," we both let out a small laugh. "Each one of you has been at the center of your mum's and my worry once or twice. But if I'm being honest, you were the one we had to worry about the most, you never want your children to suffer in the ways you have. But through the years, your struggles have only made you stronger. I don't have to worry about you Hope because you have proven time and time again that you can hold you own through anything. And I would never tell a strong woman such as yourself what to do."

"Thanks, Dad," I smiled at him as I stood up. I leaned over as I gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you as well," Dad squeezed my hand with a bright smile on his face. "Now, don't you have to be at the Weasleys house for their Christmas gathering?"

"I do," I looked over at the clock on the wall. "Have you called Louis yet?"

"Yes, your mum and I called him right as the clock struck midnight in LA," Dad told me. "You know, I find myself treasuring holidays and birthdays more these days."

"I do too," I told him before I walked away. 

I went into the kitchen as I pulled out my phone, dialing Louis's number as I put it to my ear. It rang for a while before I heard his sleepy voice come through the other end.