fics_by_maple | (no subject) (Reply)

Title; When They Met
Pairing; gen with H/G, A/M, J/L in sub-plot
Rating; PG
Warning; Fluff, Tribute to the good dads and husbands in the Potterverse.
Beta: gingergurl , abigail89 , and Alter Ego

It was late. Arthur was sitting at his kitchen table, drinking a cup of tea when his son-in-law came down the stairs, looking tired. He smiled at the young man who looked more untidy than usual.

“Ah, Harry, join me for a spot of tea?” Arthur asked as Harry took a seat and rubbed his tired eyes.

“That’d be fantastic, Dad, thanks.” Calling his father-in-law “Dad” had ceased to be awkward for Harry some time ago.

“I saved some dessert for you too,” Arthur said as he pushed a baking tin in front of Harry. Harry smiled down at the tin that still contained a full third of a pie.

“Tuck in,” Arthur told him as he handed him a fork. Harry shrugged with a smile and took a bite.

“Is Ginny feeling better now?” he asked Harry, pouring him a cup of tea.

“Well, she’s asleep anyway,” he said through a mouthful of pie.

“Poor dear seems to have it about as bad as her mother ever did.”

“Yeah? I don’t know why it’s called ‘morning sickness.’ Gin is actually quite lovely in the mornings, but come suppertime she’s wretched half the night. This also means not much sleep, of course.”

“It is an unfair lot women have, I’m afraid.”

“I’ll say. I never thought a person could be sick so much. It’s inhuman, like some kind of Dark Magic. If I could have used a ‘morning sickness curse’ on Death Eaters, defeating them would have been a lot easier.”

They chuckled quietly together.

“It reminds me of Fred and George’s Puking Pastilles, actually,” added Arthur.

“You aren’t wrong about that. But at least they have a cure – what I wouldn’t give to have a purple canceling side to give to Gin to make it stop. Even if just long enough for her to have a break for one night, to eat a decent meal and sleep through, you know?”

“I do know. It is hard to see your girl suffer. Oh, that reminds me, Molly made this potion for her,” he indicated a small bottle at the center of the table, and continued more quietly, “although, she always took some of this herself and I’m not convinced it ever made a bit of difference, but she swears by it, so…”

“Right, thanks.” Harry took the bottle of bright pink liquid and then looked up the stairs.

“No, no Harry, let her sleep for now. Ginny might not be able to enjoy dessert, but there’s no reason you can’t. Stay and finish now.”

Harry smiled gratefully and took another bite.

“It’s good to have you two visiting this weekend.”

“Thanks, it is nice being here again. Hermione came to visit the other day and said that pregnant women need to be with their mums. I learnt my lesson not to doubt Hermione’s wisdom, especially when it comes to women, so I brought Gin straight away.”

“She is a bright witch, that one. It’s very reassuring to see how you dote after Ginny the way you do.” Harry smiled, looking slightly embarrassed. “Watching you, you remind me, quite a lot… of your father.”

Arthur took a sip of tea and watched comprehension dawn on Harry’s face from over the rim of his teacup.

Harry looked up slowly with wide eyes.

“What did -did you just say?” Harry wiped his mouth on his shirtsleeve and looked at this father-in-law with astonishment. Arthur took another sip and set his cup down.

“Yes, I said it.”

“You knew my dad? But, you’ve never said anything.”

“Well, actually, I just met him once. A very long time ago, and it was brief.”

“I dunno know what to say. All this time and you never said.” Harry looked at him in surprise and anger and excitement all at once.

“Oh dear. Please don’t be angry with me, Harry. I’ve wanted to mention it a million times over the years, really, I have. At first you were so young and young boys hardly want to hear about their parents as adults, you know, being in love and having babies and all. Then you got older and the truth about Pettigrew came out and everything with Sirius, you see, they were there then, too. The war. The Order. Dumbledore. It hardly seemed appropriate to bother you with a trifling sentimental memory when you had so much going on. After it was all over, well, you were trying so hard to put the past behind you and start a new life of your own. I didn’t want to drudge up your old wounds, but blimey I never wanted to keep it from you either, not for so long.”

Harry nodded in understanding, but still looked anxious. “Please tell me, I need to hear about it.”

~^~^~^~^~

Arthur clenched his hands when he realized they were trembling and blew out a slow deep breath. He glanced at the door in front of him again, as though merely looking at it would make the wait shorter.

This was his first meeting, and he hoped he wouldn’t disappoint anyone. In spite of the crisp January air, he felt red hair sticking to his forehead; he mopped the perspiration from his brow with the sleeve of his robe. He suddenly wondered if his attire was appropriate. Should he have worn his other robes? Well, it was only a choice between blue and brown, not too many to choose from. His wife had told him to wear his new shirt, newest shirt anyway, even it was nearly two years old by now. However, just as he had been about to Floo out of the house, his best shirt got splattered with mashed potatoes. Such an occurrence was typical at his house, something he didn’t mind, really, but it had flustered him terribly on this night.

After having had to use the Floo and Apparate into and out of seven different locations, he had finally arrived at his destination: the secret location of the headquarters of the Order of Phoenix.

He caught sight of his reflection in a gilded portrait frame in the foyer he was waiting in, and felt silly. He was a grown man, he hadn’t fretted about his appearance since he was teen. His wife made sure he was bathed and mended, and the rest really didn’t matter. He was here to do something important.

Arthur looked at the imposing door again and actually startled when it opened this time. From inside, the jarring figure of Alastor Moody, an Auror he knew from the Ministry, came round the door and limped over to him.

“Just about ready for you, lad.”

Arthur summoned the ability to smile weakly and nodded.

Through the now open door, he could hear the subtle hushed sound of a large gathering of people. Only the wizened dulcet voice of his old school Headmaster could be heard.

“…and I need not remind any of you the importance of this information. And now, I believe we are ready for our next report. Since the loss of two of our number, our dear friends and colleagues--”

“Time to get a move on,” Moody said as he pushed Arthur into the meeting room.

“--the Order has enlisted the services of the boys’ brother-in-law. Many of you may know him already, a most trusted friend, Mr. Arthur Weasley.”

Arthur stood at the back of the room. He held his head high even as his stomach did a somersault when all heads in the room turned their attention onto him.

Remember I’m a Gryffindor, remember I’m a Gryffindor he reminded himself over and over as he walked to the where Dumbledore stood waiting. Arthur recognized most of the faces in the room, and all, even those he did not know, looked at him with sympathy. The expression reminded him of why he was doing this. The loss of his brothers – brothers-in-law, strictly speaking – was still raw for him. The pangs of their brutal deaths quickly swirled with the bit of guilt that he carried.

The shock upon receiving the terrible news had been a very rude awakening for Arthur. He would always feel ashamed for not taking a more active role in the war.

Arthur found his way to the front of the meeting room. He wiped his brow again and cleared his throat.

“Good evening.” He clenched at his jaw, wishing his voice sounded deeper, more confident. “I’m here to relate what I’ve observed of the Ministry employees.” He continued his delivery. He had been asked to note in detail the comings and goings, and any detail of character, of three workers on his floor. He knew nothing of what they were suspect of, only that the Order of the Phoenix asked him to monitor them. He had done exactly that for six months. Now, he was reporting his finding of his three subjects, right down to the color of the buttons on their robes and their preferred pudding.

As he went through his memorized lists, ‘Never write anything down’ he had been told, he was still thinking of them. He always thought of them.

It was a holiday several years back, when he sat with Fabian and Gideon in a quiet corner, teaching tiny Charlie to fly on the new toy broomstick they had given him, when they first told him about The Order. Arthur could hardly believe that a secret society had formed to take up against You Know Who. He thought surely the Ministry had the ability to defeat him, and he couldn’t imagine at the time trying to take up such a fight.

Molly had gone into a rage when she found out what they were up to. Arthur understood it was only out of concern for their safety, but when she wasn’t around, he had actually offered to join. He had a lot of respect for the two and trusted their judgment. He had secretly hoped that they would refuse him, and of course they did, but Arthur was a man of honor and wanted to help. He remembered their response.

“Not a chance – we wouldn’t let you be a part of it.”

“You just look after our sister and these babies.”

“We know she requires a lot of attention from you.”

“Besides, you’d be too tired to come to meetings, wouldn’t you?”

“What with all that attention you do pay to our sister, eh?”

Arthur had flushed as usual, they never passed a chance to take the mickey out of him for all the times they had caught him and Molly in compromising positions. Now that they had children and she was expecting for the third time, the proof that Arthur shagged their sister was too much fodder for them to resist.

Arthur finished up his final notes to the assembly, and found himself bidding ‘Thank you,’ and stepping away. I must have talked really fast, he thought to himself, for six months of notes to be done already. He wondered if what he had to say would be of any use at all. He felt he had failed his much-loved Prewett boys, but he would not fail his own boys. He hoped that he was still being true to his promise to them and Molly and that by simply aiding the Order with his information, he could help the cause without officially joining. He would do his part not to let anything happen to his own sons.

He nodded to Dumbledore, who smiled and thanked him. Arthur made to exit the room but Moody remained in front of the door and motioned for him to stay. Arthur took up a spot along the back wall and listened to Dumbledore issue his final thoughts.

Arthur scanned the room for faces he knew. There were several, friends, neighbors, old school chums, co-workers.

Then he spotted two who caught his eye, a young man and woman that he didn’t know. The young man who wore glasses seemed to be the only one not giving Dumbledore his full attention. The way he was focusing on the lady next to him is what really caught Arthur’s notice. They must be married, he thought, maybe newlyweds? She appeared to be paying full notice to the Headmaster, but suddenly she closed her eyes and her head dropped forward. Arthur might have thought she had fallen asleep if she hadn’t also turned quite pale, almost green even. Could she be? The young man brushed her long hair off her neck and took something from his pocket and held it out to her. With her eyes still closed she took the item and put it in her mouth. After a moment she opened her eyes and smiled weakly at him. He squeezed her shoulder, kissed her cheek and very subtly patted her on the stomach.

Oh yes, that clinches it, she’s definitely pregnant. Arthur smiled at them. He felt for her predicament, but he also felt a deep affection for the young husband already. A husband who was in love like Arthur can always spot another man who really, truly loves his wife. There’s something in the way they look at each, anticipate each other’s movements and even hold each other’s gaze a moment longer than anyone else’s. Some men are too proud or paltry to openly show affection for their wives. He even thought some men might not love their wives at all, but he couldn’t imagine it.

Arthur’s eyes wandered down the table a bit further. There was a nervous looking, portly, chap. Something in his mousy appearance was off putting to Arthur, but he felt bad for making such an assumption and moved on. Next to him was another young man who really didn’t look well at all. He had light brown hair and looked as though he would be strapping enough if it weren’t for a bout of illness, Owl Flu by the looks of it. He stretched and rolled his shoulders uncomfortably, then looked at his watch.

Then from out of the shadows behind him emerged the figure of another man, one Arthur hadn’t even realized was there. He had a striking look and black hair. Arthur realized he knew him. This was Sirius Black, who was a distant cousin, or was he a nephew? Molly had explained at the time, about how young Sirius Black had left his family home and denounced the Black family ways, pureblood fanaticism and all that. It was quite a scandal for some, a celebration for others.

Arthur remembered meeting Black a couple of years ago. There had been a family gathering of some kind and Arthur was actually introduced to him by Fabian and Gideon. It seemed the two had taken it upon themselves to make young Sirius feel comfortable among his new relatives. It wasn’t long before the brothers took to ribbing Arthur in their favorite way. At this time, all the more for getting their sister pregnant with twins no less. Arthur could take it with pride though. He knew he wasn’t the most masculine or intimidating of men, not rich or trendy, never had high marks or particular talent, no special athletic ability, but as it happened, putting up with jokes about virility wasn’t the worst thing a bloke could endure. Quiet, unassuming Arthur Weasley would tolerate a reputation for sexual prowess with humble pride.

Sirius had appeared embarrassed at first for Arthur’s sake at the Prewetts’ scandalous jokes, but once he realized that Arthur took it well, and it was all in brotherly fun, he too soon joined in the banter. Arthur’s hazing on the subject concluded with a particularly filthy joke about rutting season for weasels.

Now tonight, he watched a more mature looking Sirius come forward from the shadows and nudge the ailing looking man. Sirius appeared to question after his well-being, and he got a feeble smile and a wave off from his friend.

Arthur, after looking at this misfit group of witches and wizards, got a renewed sense of the magnitude of the work the Order was doing here. There were members here who were clearly not feeling well, and all were under a fair amount of danger, but here they were all the same. He was proud to do his small part to help.

As people were now moving about the room, Arthur realized the meeting was over. Most came to him to shake his hand and offer renewed condolences on the deaths of his brothers or to make some mention on their good memory. Each comment tore at his heart and filled him with pride at the same time. He very much hoped he could honor them with helping the cause.

Dumbledore and Moody joined him and thanked him for his work, assuring him that his report was most helpful. They engaged in a discussion, something about signs of the Imperius Curse at use. Arthur knew he ought to pay closer attention to what was being said, but instead his eyes fell again on the handsome couple across the room. The young woman appeared to have come over feeling nauseous again. The poor husband, whose hair seemed to stand up more and more every second, was madly searching his pockets for something but apparently not finding what he was after. He glanced around the room looking mildly frantic, though no one else seemed to notice but Arthur. Suddenly he left his wife’s side and came quickly to the spot where Arthur stood with Moody and Dumbledore.

“Excuse me,” he interrupted abruptly, “Professor, do you by chance have any sweets on you?”

Arthur was empathetically amused. Moody gaped and nearly growled at the interruption. Dumbledore looked thoughtfully at the man for only moment before responding.

“I believe I do, James,” he said, producing a variety of sweets from his robe pocket. Embarrassed, James looked at Arthur in apology. “Here you are: licorice snap, mint humbug, lemon drop?”

“Yes, thank you, sir. The mint will do.” He snatched the candy from Dumbledore and returned to his wife.

Arthur imagined that Dumbledore must have an understanding of the young man’s urgent need for a mint, but if he didn’t, Arthur wasn’t going to let on.

The conversation about Imperius victims now interrupted, seemed over, and Dumbledore and Moody departed with their thanks and a good night to Arthur.

Next he saw Sirius Black approaching, and they shook hands.

“Hello again, Arthur. It is good to see you. How long has it been?”

“Hello, Sirius, it has been a while.”

“Too long. How is the family? Molly?”

“All are well. Thank you for asking. Bit of a rough go after, you know, but all in all, the children are well, so we are counting our blessings.”

“Good! Good.”

“And you? You’ve been well?”

“Ah, dark times these, of course, but here, let me introduce you to my best mate.” The young husband, James, was approaching them. Sirius took him heartily around the shoulder and mussed his already untidy hair, knocking his glasses askew. “This scrappy, lovelorn sod is James Potter. Pro – erm, Potter, this is Arthur Weasley.”

James shoved free of Sirius’s embrace and shook hands with Arthur while straightening his glasses. “Good to meet you, Mr. Weasley, I thank you for coming tonight. I didn’t know the Prewetts real well, but we all liked them immensely. I really admired their work.”

“Yes, they were dear and loyal friends, it’s true.”

“Arthur here is a cousin of mine – it is cousin, right, Arthur?” Sirius asked. Arthur chuckled; he was glad that he wasn’t the only one who couldn’t make sense of the Weasley-Prewett-Black family spider web.

James’s eyes seemed to darken for a moment at the mention of Sirius’s family and Sirius seemed to understand his expression.

“Through Andromeda’s side, of course.” James’s smile returned, and he turned his attention back to Arthur.

“I, erm,” James seemed to flush a bit, “I’m sorry for my interruption a few minutes ago. I, my wife-”

“Ah yes,” said Arthur, sensing his discomfort, “I completely understand. When is your wife expecting?”

James blanched and he eyes widened. “How did you know?”

Sirius laughed, one of those laughs that was perhaps a little too loud.

“I believe Arthur here has found you out, James. He is an expert in the field, of course.”

Arthur chuckled at Sirius’s joke.

“Well, I do recognize the early symptoms. My wife is expecting as well.” Arthur said proudly. Spying and secret societies may be foreign territory, but women and babies he was able to speak of with confidence.

“Oh, I see. Congratulations then!” said James.

“Thank you. So this will be your first then?” asked Arthur, pleased to have the conversation move to new life and not the deaths of his loved ones.

“Yes, our first,” James said proudly, trying to flatten his hair. “We’ve only just told a few friends.” James nodded towards Sirius. “Lily is determined to continue her work for the Order as long as possible. Wants to make the world a safer place for the little one and all that. How about you, Mr. Weasley? Your first?”

Sirius laughed loudly again.

“Oh no, this will be our sixth,” Arthur said humbly. He was waiting for the flinch and astonishment that usually followed the statement. It didn’t come though. James’s eyebrows arched and he broke into a wide grin.

“Well, Cheers! Mr. Weasley!”

“Please call me Arthur.”

“Cheers! Arthur, that’s brilliant!” Arthur was grateful for James’s enthusiasm. Molly and he were just as excited about their new baby, albeit their sixth child, as they had been when expecting their first. However, most people seemed to think there was something odd about having so many children, least wise about being happy about it. It was refreshing to have their news received so positively for a change.

“Thank you! Yes, we are very pleased. Should arrive sometime late February, I expect.”

“Yeah? Soon then, eh? Lily says July, maybe August, for us. Wow! Six. I think that’s fantastic.” He appeared to be imagining a future full of holidays and summers with many little Potters underfoot. “You know, I don’t think I would mind that at all, but I wouldn’t dare say so to my wife, though. Poor thing has been ill for weeks already. Positively wretched.”

“Yeah, it is pretty disgusting, really,” added Sirius.

“Yes, thankfully that does pass in due time. The mints are good for it.”

“Yes, as I heard it,” Sirius said, “Arthur here is on a one man crusade to populate England with ginger-headed children.” Arthur felt his ears heat up, but sniggered.

“Let me see if I remember how it goes,” said Sirius, eyes closed searching his memory, “James, have you heard the one about Weasel Rutting Season?”

“Sirius!” James rebuked, embarrassed at so familiar joking of such a new acquaintance.

“Not to worry, James. Arthur is family, after all.” And he proceeded to tell several off- colour jokes about the mating habits of weasels and a few about powerfully fertile men. The time and location were perhaps completely inappropriate, but Arthur was grateful for it. It had been a long time since he had had a good laugh and received a decent ribbing among men. And, hearing Fabian and Gideon’s jokes being re-told by Sirius was a joy he had not expected on this night.

The nervous looking fellow interrupted their laughing.

“Sirius, I think you need to come look after Remus, he’s not, uhm, feeling well, you know.” Arthur thought Sirius and James both looked annoyed, but they kept a pleasing countenance.

“Yes, I’m aware, Peter.” Sirius said. “I’m sorry, Arthur, this is Peter Pettigrew.” Pettigrew shook hands with Arthur, but kept his attention on Sirius.

“Have you got him tonight then, Sirius?” James asked him.

“Yes, I’ll take him home.” Arthur felt like he might be missing something, but since this Remus fellow obviously looked sick, he didn’t think much on it.

“Well Arthur, it has been good to see you again. Best of luck to your brood, and keep your nose clean!” Sirius shook hands with him and bid them all goodnight.

James’s wife arrived next to his side, and took his arm.

“Lily dear, this is Mr. Arthur Weasley.”

“Hello, Mr. Weasley.” Her voice was soft, but self-assured. “Thank you for coming with your report tonight. You provided some very insightful information.”

“Thank you, I’m eager to help the Order in any way I can.” They smiled at each other.

“James, I’m so tired, please let’s go home.”

“Of course, darling. It’s been a real pleasure meeting you, Arthur. I hope we meet again. Take care.” James and Arthur shook hands, both thinking that perhaps they had just made a new friend.

~^~^~^~^~^~

Harry held his face in his hands. Arthur heard him snuffle.

“Oh heavens, Harry, was I right to tell you? Should I have told you long ago? Or not at all?”

Harry wiped his eyes but was smiling.

“No, no it’s fine. I’m glad you told me.”

“I’ve dropped that memory into a Pensive many times over the years, you know. The first time was on that fateful night when the whole Wizarding world celebrated, and you became The Boy Who Lived. I mourned for them then, and for you. It made me hold my young son, Ron of course, a little tighter. I felt so guilty for the joy we all felt, knowing what it had cost them, and you. Then years later, Molly came home to tell me that the children had met you at King’s Cross. I had completely forgotten that Ron was the same year as the famous Harry Potter. I revisited the memory then too. Then again when I met you a year later, and at the end of that year when you saved my daughter’s life. Then we lost Sirius. I never wanted to burden you with more grief about his death, but I did mourn him deeply as well. The last time I looked at that memory was a month ago, when you and Ginny told us you were expecting.”

Harry sighed. So did Arthur.

“My dad wanted lots of kids. He took care of my mum when she was sick. -Argh!” Harry silently pounded his fists on the table. “You know, I thought getting revenge would make everything better, get even somehow. But it’s not even and it still hurts. It’s not fair – all the ‘what ifs’.

“Do you know what a married couple who really love and care about each other look like, Harry? You’ve seen them, haven’t you? Like they are more than just partners, as though they couldn’t breathe without the other, or be outside of an arm’s reach of one another for a single moment”

Harry smiled. He immediately thought of Ron. His big friend was as tough as a bloke comes, but when it came to loving Hermione he was all heart.

“Yeah, I think I know what you mean,” Harry said.

Arthur laughed. “Ron, right?” They both chuckled then. “Yeah, that son of mine fell hard, it’s true. All of my children married well I’m pleased to say, but that boy would lose his head without her. Well, your Mum and Dad were one of those couples, too. That’s what first caught my attention to them. From across a room full of people, it was obvious that they were in deep. So?”

“It’s okay,” said Harry, “I think you were probably right, I might not have appreciated hearing that when I was younger. It sure means a lot now. Thanks for telling me.”

Arthur was relieved.

“Well, I think I ought to take this potion up to Ginny, I’m sure she’ll be needing it soon.”

“You’re a good man, Harry, I know he would have been proud of you.”

“Thanks. I’m sorry my child won’t know him, but I’m glad the baby will have you for a grandfather.”

“Goodnight, Harry.”

“ ‘Night, Dad.”

The End.

~^~^~^~^~^~^