Chapter 2
Molly had expected her father to be angry about the news, but she figured he would calm down after a while and support her decision. He had always been more lenient with her than some of her friend’s fathers were with them.
”Now, tell me again what exactly you were thinking when you turned down young Mr. Weasley’s proposal?”
Julias’ voice had a low and dangerous quality that Molly had never heard before and it made her hands shake and she tried to stammer out a reasonable excuse. “It’s not the right time father. You know as well as I that war is just around the corner-“
Julias’ face went red and Molly immediately knew she had said the wrong thing. “Now listen here and listen well Margret.”
Molly cringed at the use of her full name.
We let you go to Hogwarts because you made a very good case about how no one would want an uneducated wife, but that Dumbledore has gone and filled your head with all sorts of political ideas instead. There is no war. There will be no war. It’s not our business if some extremists are out killing muggles. You should be focused on your prospects! The Weasleys are good blood and their son would have treated you well.”
Molly was shaking. “Maybe I want more from my life than marrying into good blood and popping out some littleuns before I’ve had the chance to do something with my life!”
Silence permeated the room. Molly had never spoken back to her parents before. It was one of the reasons why she was allowed so much leeway in her personal life.
Finally, her mother spoke up. “What do you want to be doing Molly? Do you want to be in a war? Out on the front lines killing people? What’s wrong with having children and caring for a family?”
Molly’s lip quivered. “I don’t know. I just… I just can’t.”
Julias’ lip curled in disgust. “If you cannot even justify your decision to yourself, then I don’t want to hear another word. I will go and contact the boy’s father to smooth over the situation. Go to bed Margret.”
Molly made her way up the stairs in a numb fashion. Her thoughts were swirling around in her head faster than she could keep reach of them and so it settled as a sort of constant buzz in the back of her mind. She couldn’t let her dad go through with arranging this marriage. She didn’t want it and it wouldn’t be fair to Arthur. He deserved a bride who could devote her whole being to him.
An idea popped into her head unbidden as her fathers voice rang through her head. She was sure that if she could contact Dumbledore then all of this would work out. She didn’t quite know how, but she was sure this would work out.
Invigorated with this new idea, she hurried to her room and softly shut the door so as not to draw attention to herself. She threw up a quick muffling charm and double checked it by screaming obscenities at her father. When no angry footfalls ascended the stairs, she turned to her fireplace and grabbed a pinch of floo powder.
She steadied herself and took a deep breath. “Albus Dumbledore’s office.” As she walked through the green flames, she felt a weight settle on her shoulders. She was commuting to defying her father and throwing the life she once dreamed about away.
After a dizzying moment she popped out of the floo and into Dumbledore’s office. She had been banking on the fact that the castle would still recognize her as a student and let her in.
Dumbledore looked up in mild surprise. “Ah, Ms. Prewett. How lovely of you to drop in. Lemon drop?”
”No thank you headmaster.”
”No need for the formalities young Margret. You may simply call me Albus now.”
”Then you must call me Molly,” She responded automatically, “I’ve come because, well, my father is attempting to arrange my marriage to Arthur Weasley.”
Dumbledore’s eye twinkled. “I was under the impression that you two had been courting quite a while. Were you unhappy?”
Molly shook her head. “No, I love Arthur very much, but we both know there’s a war on the way. Now isn’t the right time to settle down. I know that you’ve recruited Fabian and Gideon to your efforts. I want to be a part of it too.”
Dumbledore peered over his half-moon spectacles at her. “It’s very dangerous work young lady. Perhaps your energies would be better focused elsewhere.”
Molly felt like screaming. “I am more than qualified and I am the best duelist Hogwarts had produced in over a century. I assure you that I can hold my own.”
Dumbledore didn’t contradict her, but he looked pensively onward. “How exactly does your involvement with the order prevent your impending marriage?”
Molly’s lip wobbled. “Please sir. I can be useful, I promise.”
Dumbledore looked at her. “Very well Molly. I’m sure we can work something out.”