Thanks for the story title ideas, think I've gotten one chosen, pretty excited about it xD Not sure when I'll start uploading, but maybe on the first of January... Thoughts?
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**Maddie’s POV**
I wake up early to find Alithea curled up next to Fred. He’s got one arm around her to make sure she doesn’t fall off the bed. Being ask quiet as I can, I reach across and pick up his camera and snap a picture. The flash makes them both wake up. Alithea rubs her eyes and clutches at his shirt. I press my finger to my lips and point at George who is lying starfish style with his mouth hanging open. I stand up and put one foot on each of the beds so I’m directly above him and take the shot.
“What?” he cries, sitting up in shock. I laugh and jump down onto his bed.
“Merry Christmas,” I say, kissing him gently. Fred makes a retching sound.
“And happy birthday!” I say, scooping Alithea up and kissing her on the cheek. She giggles and hugs me back.
“A whole year old,” George says, taking her and covering her cheek with kisses. Alithea squeals and claps her hands.
“Let’s go down,” I suggest, holding my hand out. Alithea takes it and walks out with me. I carry her down the stairs and into the kitchen.
“Morning Mrs Weasley.”
“Morning Mum,” Fred and George chorus.
“Good morning, dears,” Mrs Weasley says, “Merry Christmas! And Happy Birthday!”
She gives Alithea a big kiss.
“Isn’t it a nice day?” she asks happily, “I do wish Percy…”
I exchange a glance with George.
“Isn’t it weird to think,” I say quickly, “a year ago we didn’t have Alithea? I mean, she was here, but not here here.”
“That is weird,” Fred agrees loudly.
“Fred, hush, you’ll wake the whole house,” Mrs Weasley says. Fred rolls his eyes at us from behind her back.
Within an hour everyone is up, tearing into their presents.
“Aw, Charlie, this is adorable!” I giggle, looking at the present he gave Alithea. It’s a plush Chinese fireball. Alithea grabs it and presses it to her face.
“So she’ll never be afraid of dragons,” Charlie says ruffling her hair.
“I think that’s a healthy fear to have,” Fred laughs. He passes me a present wrapped in pale pink.
“So she’ll never forget her family,” he says, imitating Charlie. I shift Alithea around on my lap so the present is on her lap before carefully taking the paper off. She grabs the paper and begins demolishing it.
Inside is a blue jewellery box. I lift the lid and see a silver locket with Alithea ~ 1 engraved on the front. I open it up carefully. Inside there’re two pictures. One of George and I with Alithea and one of Fred.
“Thanks,” I laugh, hugging him, “Lith, look at what uncle Freddie gave you!”
She looks up at me looking guilty.
“What did you do?” I ask. She opens her mouth and I see a wad of wrapping paper sitting on her tongue.
“Ew,” I cringe, scraping it out with my finger and flicking it at George.
“Oh, yuck! Thanks,” he says, wiping the drool off his face.
“Madz, catch!” Bill calls, lobbing a parcel over to me, “that one’s for you!”
“Thanks Bill!” I call back. He’s given me an Egyptian bracelet which is a snake that coils around your wrist.
“Good haul, huh?” Fred asks later as we’re laying around in front of the fire. Bill, Fleur and Charlie are off setting something up, Harry, Ron and Ginny are playing exploding snap in the kitchen and Alithea is curled up on an armchair, sleeping.
“Mm,” I agree sleepily. Other than the bracelet from Bill, I also got a dress from Fleur, a collection of dragon statues from Charlie, a red sweater from Mrs Weasley with a black rose on the front, some cute soaps from George, a goldfish from Fred, a book called “Metamorphism and Me” from Tonks, a painting of a butterfly from Dad and some sweets from Harry, Ron and Ginny.
“Maddie?”
I open my eyes and blink up at George.
“Lunch is ready,” he says softly. I feel something hit me hard on the face and wince.
“Alithea!” George says sharply.
“Sorry Mama!”
I sit up, rubbing my eyes. I feel gross. I hate sleeping during the day.
“Have a good nap?” Dad teases as I sit down at the table with everyone else.
“Yep,” I mumble, stretching.
Close to the end of the meal I’m feeding Alithea bits of turkey off my fork when Mrs Weasley gasps.
“It’s Percy!”
Everyone spins to look out the window. Sure enough, Percy is walking across the yard with the minister for magic. I feel Fred and George tense up on either side of me. Mr Weasley’s face is still and furious.
“Hello Mother.”
Mrs Weasley throws her arms around Percy and bursts into tears.
“Git,” Fred mutters.
“He’s your brother,” I say, trying to sound stern while silently agreeing.
“That young man’s finished,” the minister says, motioning to Harry.
“Crazy coincidence,” George mutters to me.
“Harry,” I breathe, “you don’t have to-”
“It’s fine,” he says, “fine.”
Remus is frowning and Mr Weasley looks unsure, but they let Harry go.
“Oh, Percy, it’s so good to see you!” Mrs Weasley gushes, hugging him again, “have you heard? Maddison and George are married now! And they have a daughter.”
“How nice,” Percy says stiffly. Alithea is observing him carefully.
“Alithea, this is Percy,” I say, leaving off the ‘uncle’. She looks up at me and over at him again.
“Perce,” she says, “whassat?”
“He’s daddy’s brother,” I explain.
“Uckle Perce?” Alithea asks.
Damn her being so smart.
“Yes, uncle Percy,” I say resentfully.
“How old is she?” Percy asks.
“One,” George says, his voice full of hostility. Percy doesn’t acknowledge him. In fact, other than Mrs Weasley and I, he ignores everyone.
“Had a good Christmas, Perce?” Charlie asks loudly. Percy inclines his head slightly.
“Very good, thank you,” he replies.
“Gosh, Percy!” I cry, “you belong here with us! Can’t you see that?”
As soon as the words leave my mouth I want to throw myself off a cliff. Everyone stares at me in shock, Percy included.
“I…” he shakes his head, his composure only slipping for a moment, “I belong on the side of the ministry!”
“And you can’t see that we’re fighting for the same things?” I ask, standing up, “we’re all fighting against Voldemort. We should be fighting together!”
“Well, perhaps you should align yourselves with us!” Percy counters. I laugh softly.
“Why? So we can help arrest innocent people and get nothing done?” I shake my head, “no, Percy, I think the ministry should pull its head out of its arse and start listening to Dumbledore.”
“Dumbledore’s lost it!”
“He might have lost ‘it’, but he had more of ‘it’ too loose than anyone else, so I think he’s still got more ‘it’ than any of us,” I reply calmly, “we’re your family, Percy.”
“We’d best be off, Percy,” the minister says, returning with Harry, both looking livid. Percy holds my gaze for a moment longer before nodding to his mother and stalking out. I let out a long breath and fall into my seat.
“What did he want?” I ask Harry.
“Wants me to be the ministries poster boy,” Harry replies. I make a noise of disgust and shake my head.
“Damn ministry…”
“Well, should we have desert?” Mrs Weasley suggests, wiping her eyes, “I made a cake for Alithea.”
“You shouldn’t have,” I say, trying to rid my voice of my irritation at the ministry. Mrs Weasley produces a beautiful, pink cake with a single candle in it. We sing happy birthday and I blow out the candle.
“One year,” George says softly as everyone eats their cake and talks.
“A whole year,” I sigh, leaning back against him, drawing comfort from the strength in him.
My husband is a babe.
Just saying.
***
“What is this crap?” Fred mutters. Mrs Weasley has music blaring.
“All I’ve gotten from it is something about a cauldron full of hot love,” I tell him quietly as I move past him to sit near Remus. He’s stroking Alithea’s hair as she lies in front of the fire, sleeping.
“Mr Weasley,” Harry says behind us, “you remember what I told you last Summer?”
“I do, Harry,” Mr Weasley replies, “and I’ve checked it out-”
“I know, I saw it in the paper,” Harry interrupts, “but there’s more. I overheard Malfoy and Snape talking and he’s definitely up to something.”
“Go on,” Mr Weasley says carefully. As Harry talks, Remus and I turn slightly to listen.
“Has it occurred to you,” Remus asks, “that Snape was-”
“Pretending to find out what Draco’s up to? Yeah,” Harry says, “but it means I was right, doesn’t it?”
“It comes down to whether you trust Dumbledore,” Remus says.
“But he could be wrong! He said it himself!” Harry protests.
“But Harry,” Mr Weasley begins.
“What do you think, Maddison?” Harry asks loudly. I watch him carefully for a moment.
“I think Harry’s right,” I say finally, “but I also agree with Remus. Dumbledore must have a reason for trusting him or he wouldn’t.”
“But I am right?”
“Yes,” I sigh, “about Draco being up to something, nothing else.”
Harry looks slightly put out.
“But maybe-”
“Drop it,” I tell him. He gets up and walks over to Ron and Ginny.
“Do you think he could be right about Severus?” Mr Weasley asks. I exchange a long look with Remus.
“I hope not.”