the gentle moon / george weasley

your expensive lifestyle

"So you need money?" Ethel said without looking up form her Better Homes magazine

"Just some, I own our house, but I rent the land from the neighboring farm. So I think he'd be a little taken back if I gave him Galleons. I have some wizarding money, so I can still buy August's school supplies and clothing."

"How much do you need?" Ethel asked, "What is August's allowance anyways? Is she allowed to leave the castle? There must be a town nearby."

"There is, but I think she knows I've been struggling recently because her Headmaster has informed me she stopped going to Hogsmeade on the weekends. She doesn't like asking for money or new clothes."

"I can tell." Ethel finally looked up from her magazine, "I would have thrown those muddy shoes of hers away, but that dog of yours growled at me when I went to pick them up."

"They're August's favorite shoes. She wears them everyday." Jade sighed, "I told her not to wear them in the house. That's why I bought her new ones."

"Can you afford them? How much were they, I can write you a check."

"They were second hand, they were not expensive." Jade admitted, "I promise you, I will pay you back."

"I don't need you to pay me back, Jadine. I want to be in your daughter's life."

"That's not that easy, Mother. August is away at school most of the year and it's hard to travel with her Lycanthropy."

"I'm not saying that we are expecting you here every weekend. I want photos, letters and phone calls from you. I want to know what's going on in her life and yours."

"Fine."

"And I want you to move back to London." Ethel said sternly

"That's not possible. It's too difficult to live in the city."

"Live here." Ethel offered, "Or at least, nearby. There are plenty of small cottages around here."

"Why not sell the cottage," Eugene said as he entered the dining room with two newspapers under his arm, "and live at the summer house. Just for the time being, until you figure stuff out. We haven't been there in years, I was thinking of selling it anyway."

"Really?" Jade asked, "August actually has a really good friend, George, who lives in Ottery St. Catchpole. That's nearby."

"She must be lonely." Ethel said, "I understand why you hide her away, but you said that no one at her school even knows of her illness, so what's the difference with a few neighbors? You'll still have plenty of land."

"How much would it cost?" Jade asked her father

"How much do you think you can sell that cottage for?" He asked, sitting down at the end of the table as a maid poured him his tea.

"I just had the roof fixed last summer, and I could fix a few things in the kitchen. Maybe 30,000. I can try and sell the car too, we only really use it to get into town."

"Right," Eugene said, "I'll write up some paperwork this afternoon and put the summer house under your name."

"What if I can't get the 30,000 at full?" Jade asked

"Then I'm guessing your mother will want to buy August new shoes." He looked over the edge of his glasses at his daughter, "I will not be taking the money from you Jadine, whatever you get for the cottage, you will put that in your bank account and focus on finding a new job."

"You're giving me the house?"

"I'm giving you a home that doesn't fall apart when you walk in the front door." Eugene sighed, "You've worked hard enough on your own, and you're going to need to start accepting help. At least for the sake of your child."