Weasley Family Fallout

Chapter 5: Punches Are Thrown

Dinner was not as boisterous an affair as usual. Everyone had to watch what they said to avoid setting off tempers or upsetting Molly. They attempted light conversation in order to have a somewhat normal dinner.

Everyone was finishing desert when a pop of apparition filled the quiet house. As one they all looked out the window to see Arthur pulling the garden gate together behind him.

Charlie was the first outside. The sight of his father brought his temper back in full force. Bill, Ron, and Ginny were close behind him; Bill out of concern that Charlie would do something rash, and Ron, like Charlie, out of anger towards his father. Ginny had taken into account what Bill and Ron had said earlier and was now leaning more toward their point of view on the situation.

Charlie pulled out his wand as he approached his father. "How dare you? I swear if you don't leave right now..." Charlie snarled.

Ron and Ginny outran Bill and reached their father seconds after Charlie had. Ron had his wand aimed at his father, also. Even though she was only sixteen, Ginny drew her wand but didn't aim it; she would use magic if she felt it necessary - It's not like she would be expelled for underage magic after fighting in a major battle against Voldemort, right?

Bill thought it best to hang back a few feet to see what would pan out. He was half hoping one of his siblings would hit their dad with a hex, but he promised himself he would step in before things got too heated. Molly and George were the last out of the house. They both decided to hang back with Bill. Harry, Hermione, and Fleur stayed in the house.

With three wands pointing at him Arthur backed up against the gate, dropping his bag and holding his hands up in surrender.

"Kids, please just put your wands away."

"Why don't you make us?" Ron threatened.

"I'm not going to raise my wand against my own children," Arthur said indignantly.

"So you'll raise your hand against your wife but won't' raise your wand against your kids?" Charlie said.

"Well, actually, I don't think he meant to," George chimed in.

"Just tell us why you're here," Bill said. "None of us want to see you,"

"I'm just here to talk to your mother," Arthur said calmly, lowering his hands and relaxing a little.

"I don't believe this! You think you can do what you did, go out to a pub for a few hours, and expect us to let you talk to her? You're even more drunk now than you were!" Charlie accused.

"Okay. I'm not going to deny that, but I'm not drunk right now," Arthur defended himself.

""Don't lie! I saw you! You were drinking firewhiskey like it was water."

"Hagrid talked some sense into me and I took a Sober Up potion before coming here. I'm thinking clearly now –"

"- But you didn't even care that you hurt Mum -" Arthur's face paled at the sound of these words; sure everything was a bit fuzzy, but he didn't think he had actually hurt her. "- All you could think about was getting hammered."

"No, I – what," Arthur's voice was faint. He looked over Ginny's head at Molly. "M-Molly, I - I – but – I actually hurt you?"

Molly nodded slightly, tears glistening in her eyes. This was all very upsetting, hearing what Charlie had just said, remembering what happened earlier that day, seeing how distressed Arthur was.

"If you can't even remember what you did then you really better leave," Ginny said.

Arthur didn't take his eyes off Molly. "No, I remember what I did. I just didn't think I actually hurt you. I didn't mean to, honestly. Molly, I'm sorry. I know I've been saying that a lot lately, but you have to believe me, I really am sorry." His voice grew thicker the more he spoke.