The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part Two

244. Family Affairs

"What?" several voices exclaimed.

There was a general clattering of chairs as nearly everyone rose to look out the window. Sure enough, there was Percy Weasley, his horn-rimmed glasses blazing in the sunlight.

"Arthur, he's with the Minister!" she exclaimed.

No one knew what to say. There was only enough time for them all to exchange shocked, confused expressions before the back door opened and Percy stood there, staring at them all with an odd look.

There was a very tense, stiff silence before Percy said stiffly, "Merry Christmas, Mother."

Molly jumped to her feet, exclaiming, "Oh, Percy!"

She flew into his arms as Rufus Scrimgeour stopped at the door, observing the affectionate scene with a faint smile as he leaned on his walking stick. Sadie was the only one pretending nothing was happening, but something about the force with which she was eating her mashed potatoes revealed greater aggression than necessary. She didn't even look up when they began to speak.

"You must forgive this intrusion," Scrimgeour said, taking a step inside as he leaned heavily against his cane. "Percy and I were in the vicinity, working, you know, and he couldn't resist dropping in and seeing you all."

Despite these words, the reality couldn't be further from the truth. Percy showed no sign he wanted to greet the rest of his family at all. Arthur, Fred, and George were observing him with stony, emotionless faces.

There was a tense silence before Molly said, "Please, come in, sit down, Minister! Have a little purkey, or some toodling, I mean-"

"No, no, my dear Molly," Scrimgeour said. Althea and Harry glanced at each other, resisting the urge to roll their eyes with difficulty. Both were positive he had asked Percy what his mother's name was before entering the house. "I don't want to intrude, wouldn't be here at all if Percy hadn't wanted to see you all so badly..."

"Oh, Perce!" Molly cried emotionally.

"We've only looked in for five minutes," Scrimgeour was saying. "So I'll have a stroll around the yard while you catch up with Percy. No, no, I assure you I don't want to butt in! Well, if anybody cared to show me your charming garden...Ah, that you man's finished. Why doesn't he take a stroll with me?"

There was a sudden, tense silence as everyone looked from Scrimgeour to Harry. The Minister's pretense that he did not know Harry's name, or that he should be the one to ask while Fleur, George, Ginny, and Sadie all also had clean plates.

"Yeah, all right," Harry said finally. When both Remus and Sadie began to rise, he said, "It's fine."

"Wonderful!" Scrimgeour said enthusiastically. "We'll just take a turn around the garden, and Percy and I'll be off. Carry on, everyone!"

.

The soft trickle of Christmas music playing from the enchanted piano served as an odd base for the Malfoy-Lestrange Christmas. Draco was sitting in front of the fire, an untouched glass of eggnog sitting on the little table at his side. Narcissa was standing listening to her sister, who constantly drowned out the music with her manic laugh as she retold story after story of varying nauseatingly disturbing ability. Ellis was leaning against the back of a chair, staring into nothing as his brother blabbered on and on with various advice for rising in Voldemort's ranks, killing people, torturing people, and other equally disgusting topics.

Lyra was standing by herself in a corner. Ellis could not bring himself to look at her. She had chosen black robes, but the bottom was red, patterned in such a way it looked like blood had seeped along it. Ellis had never been part of a more miserable gathering in his life.

.

When Percy left, furiously cleaning mashed parsnips from his glasses with a sobbing Mrs Weasley behind him, Althea quickly got to her feet, making a dash for her room before she perceived Remus following her.

When they got to the room, he said, "Althea, we need to talk."

Sitting down, she braced herself, waiting to hear what tragedy had happened this time.

"It's about your mum," he said finally. "I spoke to her this morning, but she's not doing well."

"I gathered," Althea said quietly.

"I'm sure she's going to-" but before Remus could finish, the door to the room opened, revealing a very wind-swept and bright-eyed Eliana.

She instantly went to Althea, wrapping her arms around her as she said, "Althea, I'm so so sorry about what you heard last night. I was angry and tired. I love you, Althea, you know that."

Althea nodded, returning her mother's embrace without a word.

"I have to leave again tomorrow morning," Remus said quietly when the two finally separated. "But there's something we need to tell you."

Eliana said nothing, not looking at him as she off-handedly brushed a strand of Althea's hair out of her face.

Glancing between them, Althea stood up, gently brushing off her mother's touch before approaching her father.

"What is it?" she asked.

"With Sadie off work at the moment, she's been taking care of Minnie for Remus and I. I'll be returning to Hogwarts this semester," Eliana explained.

Althea felt an instant sense of relief wash over her like a huge weight had lifted from her shoulders as she quickly embraced her mother.

"That's great!" she cried.

"Remus worked it all out for me," Eliana said with a warm smile.

"Thank you," Althea whispered, embracing her father tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too," he replied, smiling as he returned the embrace.

"Where are you spending the rest of Christmas, Althea?" Eliana asked gently. "Since I'm going back to Hogwarts, there's no need to spend time with me in that empty house if you'd rather be here."

"All right," Althea replied with a smile.