The Extraordinary Lessons Life Taught George and Felicity

Lesson 15: Not being Bad doesn't make You Good

"Nothing worth doing is easy."
                         -Sam Axe

Alabaster was given a fair trial, Percy promised Felicity two weeks after he had taken Alabaster before the ministry.

The man had come to visit Felicity as soon as the sentencing had been carried out. They were currently seated in the flat Felicity shared with Jan, Percy looking very out of place in the muggle apartment, however, not as out of place  as George usually did in his magenta robes or dragon skin jackets.

"They took his entire story into account, and he was treated fairly. However, he did commit several aggressions against muggles and-" Percy started to explain.

"I know Perce. No one in my family is wholly good. Thank you, though. For making sure it was fair. That's all I asked of you."  Felicity interrupted.

"You're good." Percy said, with so much conviction that Felicity almost believed him.

"No I'm not Perce." She gripped the teacup tighter, and averted her gaze.

"Well you're not bad, Fel." Percy said smoothly, and Felicity laughed without humor.

"That's not how it works, Perce. Just because I'm not wearing a dark mark doesn't mean I'm good. I'm...I'm a grey area."

Percy had left shortly afterwards, his final words of departure coupled with a fierce hug and a promise that if she ever needed him, he'd be there.

George had good days and bad days, like everyone else on planet Earth, he supposed. His bad days, however, had gotten much worse since Fred's death, which, he knew, was absolutely to be expected when one looses their best friend and brother. He sent an owl to Felicity, letting her know that he wasn't feeling up to their dinner tonight, and sat staring into space for a long time, before the tears began to trace paths down his cheeks.

Felicity hurriedly shooed George's owl out of the kitchen window before Jan saw the creature, then sat down to read the letter. George almost never sent letters via owl, and Felicity assumed that for him to have done so must mean something urgent. It wasn't until she read the brief letter that she felt a new sense of powerlessness.

She wasn't an idiot. She knew that George would never cancel something because he was "feeling under the weather" as he'd put it. Hell, just last month the man had showed up on her doorstep with a wracking cough just to insist that they go ice skating somewhere, even though it was the middle of July.

"George Weasley, what are you doing?" Felicity murmured. It wasn't until then that she realized just how much she had come to rely on Magic. She didn't actually know how to get to George's place without the use of aparation, and she wanted to kick herself.

Technically, yeah, she knew his flat was above his shop in Diagon Ally, but that was halfway across town from her own flat, and she hadn't actually attempted to travel there since her outing with George in May.

Something was very wrong, though. That much her gut instincts told her. Felicity chewed her lip, debating on whether or not to follow George's wishes or check up on him.

"Jan!" She finally called. "Jan could you call a taxi for me?" When no reply came, Felicity called again, "Jan?"

Searching the flat, she found Jan fast asleep at her desk, her hair sprawled across her textbooks and messy handwritten notes.