Chapter 11
“Harry, you need to tell us what you did to get this kind of length to your tether!” Remus said, tone determined, after staring at the kitchen door for several minutes. Looking around, seeing the stunned faces, all of whom were also staring at the door as well, he shook his head. “How long is it now?”
“Sirius is up in our room and Bill is outside at the far end of the yard,” Harry said quietly, looking around. As of now, there was dead silence in the room as everyone waited to see what was going on.
“Is there any kind of pull that seems like it's drawing you together?” Severus asked, decidedly curious as to how the three managed this and wondering if he and the twins could apply it to their situation, then make it work.
“Nothing,” Harry told him with a shake of his head. “It's just like normal. I'm feeling nothing uncomfortable.”
Scrubbing a hand over his face, Lucius groaned, “Which means we need to sit down and figure out how in Merlin's name you three are managing this kind of length when the rest of us can't! Soonest!”
Reaching over and putting a hand on Harry's arm, giving it a soft pat, Narcissa told him, “I'll get with the three of you later today to see if we can work out just what you did last night. We know this length isn't what you had.”
“It isn't,” Harry told her with a shake of his head after taking a sip of his juice. “We keep trying to see how far we have each day. Today—it was just—wow! And we kept going to see what we could manage.”
“It has to be the mental part,” she said with a sigh, pulling her hand off Harry's arm, drumming her fingers on the table as she thought over the situation.
“It does,” Lucius sighed, shaking his head. “Get what you can then we'll pass what we're able to see if the rest of us can apply it to our situations in some way. I do know it's not as easy as that, but we can attempt it with some modifications.”
Looking up as the door opened then Sirius and Bill came in, Remus waited for them to take a seat on either side of Harry before asking, “Was there any kind of pull towards each other? Either because you reached the end of the tether or the length of time apart?”
“Nothing I felt,” Sirius told him, taking his tea from an elf then starting to eat.
“My end either,” Bill imparted, doing the same as Sirius. “I came back in more to check out what was going on and get something to eat than because I was forced here.”
“Which means you have something, even if it's just clues, we all need to help,” Lucius said, looking between the three and Remus.
“I think, when we get time, we're going to see how long we can manage to stay apart before it starts pulling us back together,” Sirius told everyone in between bites of his food. “That'll give us some information we need.”
“Do that,” Severus said, determined bent to his voice, pointing at Black. “We don't have nearly the tether you do, but anything you can give us in the way of information we can all use as ours lengthen.”
“When you do, we'll sit with you to see what we can judge as time goes on,” Remus said, looking between the three. “That and keep track of how much time you manage. Once we have something in the way of facts, we can then use it for the rest of us. At the very least, it may give us a foreshadowing of what's coming and what to look for. That we desperately need.”
Nodding at that, Lucius said, “You do need to work on that area so it can help all of us.” Looking around, he changed topics then said, “This morning we're going to have that meeting we discussed. Everyone has the spell on and functional, so we can press on with it so everyone is on equal footing with the knowledge. I do believe that Sirius applied it to Narcissa yesterday as well. Though we all know she won't impart anything, it keeps all of us on level ground when it comes to the spell.”
“He did,” Narcissa confirmed with a nod.
“Alastor is coming over this morning to deliver some more information Albus has gathered on several areas and so we can send off what we need tended to, such as the part with the schooling,” Remus picked up. “Once he leaves, we're going to set an elf to the task of watching for anyone coming. I do know this hasn't been a problem as most are aware of the issues we're having, thus staying away. We just want to ensure that we aren't bothered while we tend to this. I do want to caution here to please keep your tempers in check. As stressful as the situation is, they are bound to be high. The spell won't allow us to poke, but keeping your head about what is said is something we need. Especially since one of the matters we need to attend to is to prepare for what's coming. We can't do that if you're irate and not thinking.”
“We do want to ask if everyone is caught up about what is really going on so we don't have to cover that end and can press on,” Lucius inquired, looking between Severus and Draco.
“I've been filled in,” Severus confirmed, folding his hands on the table, elbows resting against the edge of it, dour look on his face.
“Draco was told yesterday after we got the spell working,” Charlie said with a nod.
“Good,” Lucius said, looking pleased. “That means we can just press on and delve into the troublesome areas. I do realize that Narcissa isn't directly involved, but Remus and I thought it best she attend as well so we all can prepare the best we can for what's coming. As she's living here, she's affected as well. I assume that no one has any objections?” Stopping, he looked around and waited. Seeing shakes of heads from everyone, he was happy with that. “We'll see what we can manage when we hear the totality of what's going on from everyone. At the very least, have some kind of plan in place to deal with the nightmare from it.”
Happy that they were ready to go with that area, Severus began to question Black, Potter and Bill about the tether, hoping to get some information he could use to figure out what in Merlin's name they did to manage the length. He wasn't hopeful that there was much, but any tiny bit gave clues they could only use.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Dad's going to do nothing to stop this,” Charlie snarled as he paced behind where Draco was seated. “And I mean nothing. Like always, he's going to let it keep going.” Bill had just filled them all in about what he knew and Charlie was not happy. From plenty of experience, he knew just what this meant and it wasn't going to help.
Groaning, head going back, eyes sliding shut, Fred sighed, “He's not. That would take work on his part and standing up to mum.”
Head going forward, chin touching his chest, George clenched his fists, “All he's going to do is wring his hands, try talking to all of them and let it go.”
“I agree,” Bill shrugged, looking at his brothers.
Standing behind the twins, arms folded over his chest, Severus glanced at Lucius and Remus, then his eyes slid to the others in the room. “This is a nightmare. A huge one.”
“We know,” Remus sighed, shaking his head. “It's our hope that Arthur will do what is best and stop the shenanigans before they start.”
“He won't,” Charlie snapped, as he stopped pacing. Looking at the ground, he snarled, “That would involve doing something about mum and the others! Nothing Sirius said to him will have sunk in. None of it. He'll just do what he always has and convince himself it's enough. Whatever plays out he'll shrug over and say he did his best.”
“And since Sirius made him mad, he's going to focus there and play the wounded father routine,” George sighed.
“Which means he won't try very hard. Someone said something to him about it being wrong, so he's going to try to get us to see that he's doing his best.” Fred added, shaking his head.
“Bullshit,” Sirius snarled, temper starting to spike. “It's his problem. If he wants to act like someone being picked on, that’s his issue.”
“You should have left it, Sirius,” Charlie told him, stopping to look at him. Shaking his head, he added, “You don't know what dad's like when someone says something to him about this mess. It just makes it worse.”
“I don't give a damn,” Sirius shot back, clenching his fists. “He's a grown man. It's time he acts like one. If he didn't like what was said, it's because it hit too close to home. People that do this shit just don't like being told it's not enough to pretend you're doing your best while you're actually doing nothing. He's gotten away with it for so long and everyone expects it from him, though it isn't right, that someone saying it wasn't good enough hurts and he can't handle it. That means he knows it's wrong and he now has to deal with it. Also, possibly do something about it. It's time he does. He's your father. Just as much as he is the father of the two in that house and the other one your mum wants there. It's time he acted like it and stands up. This is all easily dealt with on his end. He just won't. All he wants is the easy way out. This time that 'easy' way is going to lead to a nightmare. For many. Because I damned well guarantee you that any of them take after Harry, hell is coming. I won't stand for it. It's very doubtful Bill will either. And if your mum goes after any of you, everyone else gets pulled in as well. As we have no idea, other than what happened with Fleur, what might come, he needs to do something.”
“Black is right,” Severus tossed in. “About all of it. Arthur can stand up to people when he wants to. This time it's imperative that he does.” He didn't like admitting that, but it was the truth. He knew it well himself.
Looking at Harry, Fred asked, “And he made it clear he knew what was going on with you two?”
“He did,” Harry told him with a nod.
“And that's going to make the explosion all the worse,” George groused, slouching in his chair.
“How?” Narcissa asked quietly, brow drawn down. She had kept out of this and just listened, but was curious about that. The more information they all had, the better they were likely to handle what was coming. As she was fairly neutral and not directly involved, she might be able to help and see things the rest couldn't.
“Because it's going to make it all the worse when mum finds out and cause a bigger explosion,” Charlie told her, flopping down in the chair by Draco and folding his arms over his chest.
“She doesn't have to find out,” Lucius said, confused by that. “If he knows that it's apt to cause more issues, he won't tell her.”
“Right, Lucius,” Fred said sarcastically with a humorless chuckle, shaking his head.
“She'll find out,” George added, looking sour.
“How? If he's kept it a secret this long, he's not likely to say anything,” Severus said, completely confused.
“Mum always finds out,” Charlie mumbled. “Always. Dad—he can't keep anything from her. One of 'those' looks from her then the questions starting is enough for him to cave and spill whatever. Once she finds out how long this relationship has gone on, she's going to end up all the worse to deal with.”
“He's right,” Bill admitted, looking around.
“Bloody hell,” Sirius breathed, shaking his head. “We don't need that added in here.”
Scrubbing a hand over his face, Lucius looked around, not sure what to say. All he knew was he had a deep sense of foreboding about what was coming. “Are you sure he won't step up and do what's needed?”
“Of course we are,” Charlie snorted through gritted teeth. “That would mean dad has to stand up to mum. He'd rather let it go than do that.”
“And the fury coming from this will be unlike anything we've seen before,” Bill added quietly, shaking his head.
“What do you mean by that?” Severus asked, warily.
“Because there is nothing mum can do to change it for once. She's used to getting her way in everything by what she does. It makes people back down,” Fred told him, shaking his head.
“And because she'll know that, for once, the family secret is out,” George added, not looking up from the floor. “That's going to make it worse. She's going to figure out, fast, that so much of what's gone on she didn't know about, and that plenty was said to those she was trying to put on the act for.”
Looking over at the pale Harry, Charlie added with a sigh, “And those she was trying to fool most and pretend with knew for a long time it wasn't true. That's going to send her off into a fit the likes of which none of you've seen before.”
“Fuck,” Sirius muttered, scrubbing a hand over his face.
“The act we all put on for so long for everyone--,” Bill started then trailed off.
Charlie picked up for his brother, “Went in the bin long ago. She's going to figure that out, quickly, and that Harry, the one she tried to convince most with it, has known for a long time just what it was. She'll try to play it out like she's doing the best for him and only wants to help, but it's not going to work. That's something she'll pick up on, fast.”
“Mum didn't count on any of us getting with someone for a while when it came to a relationship,” Fred started.
“She had time to work with what was there because of that or figure since we were out of the house, we were happy and would let it go,” George continued.
“Fleur was different in that. That had more to do with the way she was,” Fred pressed on.
“We all knew that was because she was trying to land Bill and it wasn't working,” George continued.
“We're sure that she thinks that we won't talk. As Bill and Charlie were out of the house, Harry wasn't likely to see so much of what went on with them.” Fred kept going.
“He saw with us, but she could make that look like something else,” George added.
“Because Harry was close to Ron, that prat would back up mum,” Fred told them.
“The same with Ginny,” George continued.
“Then Hermione came along. She was treated like one of the kids, too, so it looked better,” Fred sighed.
“Neither of those two got to see how bad it was,” George finished, shaking his head.
“Part of this mess, I'm sure, is that mum didn't think Harry was around me or Bill enough to know what it was really like in that house. All she thought he was exposed to, other than the World Cup, were the ones she wanted him to see. Once she hears this has gone on for years, she's going to figure out that he knows what's really going on, why we left, what it was like with her, what she's like, what she's trying to pull, all of it. And that's going to send her further off the deep end,” Charlie groaned, mind all over the place trying to figure out a way to put a stop to what he was sure was coming. He didn't have any idea what he could do, though.
Looking at the equally stunned Remus, Sirius wasn't sure what to say. He had heard from Bill what it was like growing up with her, how he and Charlie were shunted aside when Percy was born then all but ignored when Ron and Ginny came along, only used to do chores or whatever while trying to look good for those outside the family. This, though—he wasn't sure what to do.
After a glance around, seeing stunned faces, other than from Harry, whose eyes were locked on the floor, Lucius then looked at Remus, who was doing the same with him. Shaking his head, he said, “This won't be popular, but I say let it happen. Not only is it going to drive the point home that people shouldn't pull these stunts because of the bonds, but it'll give all of us an idea of what can happen so we can keep watch in the future.”
“Though I don't like the idea of the drama that's bound to come with this nightmare, or what it could set off, I agree with Lucius,” Severus added, glancing around. Looking at Potter, who had lifted his head and was gazing in his direction, he asked, “When you were dealing with what came just before Fleur met the wall, was there any reason for it at all? Like an anger that had been there beforehand which might have started to play out?”
“No,” Harry told him honestly. “I don't like Fleur, that I've made clear, but nothing was there like I felt before she was blown into the wall. I let Bill handle dealing with her. She just got on my last nerve, nothing more than that.”
“We can all back that up, too, Severus,” Charlie chimed in, looking at the man in black. “Harry would walk off. You knew he didn't like it, but there was no anger. He let Bill handle the situation and didn't do anything other than roll his eyes.”
“Never was,” Bill said. Snorting, he grinned, “There was no reason for him to get mad. He knew just what I felt when it came to Fleur and that nothing she tried was going to work, I don't care what it was. Even that Allure of hers.”
“Which means that this will end up far worse,” Severus groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to think what to do.
“Let it,” Sirius said. Shaking his head, he added, “I'm leaning towards Lucius' way of thinking with this. We need to know what could come. It won't be nice, we all get that, but they were warned six ways from Sunday what could come if they start. If they don't listen or thought it was a joke, that's not our problem. I know we laid it out for Arthur, plainly. I was standing right there when Bill talked to him, obviously.”
“Mum won't listen to anything like that,” Charlie told him. “Ask Bill and the twins. She won't, Sirius. She thinks because she's our mother, we'll always back down and kowtow to what she wants. That's part of the reason we left. She's going to have that mindset with this as well.”
“Then the issue is hers, not ours,” Remus said, looking around. “We were all there when even Albus tried to drive that point home to your father. The best any of us can do is ride out whatever comes our way. I don't like the idea as the issues coming will end up nightmarish, but we can't stop her if she takes it in her head to try.”
“She already has, I can guarantee that,” Charlie snorted, shaking his head. “Nothing or no one, I don't care who they are, will deter mum from going mental over this. When she does, she's going to toss blame in all kinds of directions and we'll be some of those 'directions'.”
Sitting there, Draco had stayed quiet through the whole conversation, taking in what was said and putting it together with what Charlie filled him in on before the meeting. Shaking his head, he said, “She has to know that it's going to end up involving more than just her sons.”
“She doesn't care,” Bill sighed, looking at Draco.
“Her line of thinking is that everyone will back down from her,” Fred said.
“As they usually do when she's mad, she thinks it'll work this time,” George added.
Groaning, Severus shook his head. “We need to prepare for whatever she might unleash.”
“How? We don't have any idea what it could set off, Severus,” Narcissa told him, looking his way. “All we have is what came with Fleur. I'm sure that's something that will end up mild compared to what this could bring.”
“Isn't there any way to make her see sense?” Draco asked, looking around, not wanting to end up pulled into what they were talking about.
“No chance,” Charlie snorted. “She's probably already built up a good head of steam and is fueling it with what she sees as righteous anger. Unless dad actually stepped in then stops it in its tracks, something we are all sure is doubtful, she's already well on her way to igniting this. It's only a matter of time before she shows up and starts. And if she does, Ron, Ginny and Hermione will as well.”
“Albus needs to get involved,” Severus said, tone stiff, looking around.
“He's been filled in, Severus,” Lucius reminded him. “The parts we left out mean nothing. He was told what happened with Fleur, in detail, and what else is going on. It was also made clear what could come if someone sets this off. Albus himself made it clear that Molly needs to stay away. Anything that wasn't revealed to him won't help the situation or change it. How much more do you want him to do? It's doubtful she's going to listen to even him on the topic.”
Thinking that over, remember the conversation after what happened with Fleur, Severus groaned, shaking his head.
“Albus can't help any more than he already has, Severus,” Remus added. “Lucius and I, when it became clear just what could come, sent him something with the strongest wording we could manage to give fair warning to keep troublesome factions away. With the way we wrote that letter, he knows we meant her and the younger set. It's all we can do.”
“True,” Severus groused, remembering that being mentioned as well.
“This isn't getting any of us anywhere,” Charlie said, leaning forward, elbows braced on his knees, head hanging down.
“Yes, it is,” Bill told his brother. “You know what's coming and to prepare. We're also passing on the information everyone has to have so they know just what we're facing. We can't stop it, I think that's clear, but we're all on equal footing now.” Glancing around at those not in his family, he added, “Which means everyone has an idea of why Harry, Sirius and I are probably having an easier time than the rest of you. With that, you can try to help yourself work with what's there.”
“Something we all desperately needed,” Severus admitted, crossing his arms over his chest again starting to pace once more.
“Just—I say we get Bill, Sirius and Harry out of this house, fast. Send them somewhere else. That way when mum does show up, she won't have the main targets to blow over. Neither will Ron, Ginny and Hermione,” Charlie suggested, looking up then glancing around.
“No,” Sirius said firmly. “This is my house. I may not like it, or the history here, but it's mine. I'm not being driven out of the one safe place for all of us because your mum can't keep herself under control. With what's going on, there's nowhere else safer for us to stay. If there was, Albus would have moved Lucius and Cissy there. As this is now Harry's home, it comes down to she's not forcing us away.”
“It won't work, Charlie. You know that,” Bill told his brother softly with a shake of his head. “It would just hold off the inevitable, making the coming explosion bigger. All she would do was keep stewing. Unless we want to leave the country and never come back, something that's not a viable option, nothing's going to hold this off.”
“We aren't leaving,” Sirius said, tone a low snarl. “I get we're all trying to come up with something to hold off the worst, but forcing us to leave the safest place we can be from the other side of this nightmare because your mum can't control herself is not happening! Even if we uprooted and left the country, that evil arse would try to find us. That would leave all three of us on the run for who knows how long.”
“I didn't think about that,” Charlie admitted in a quiet voice, eyes locked on the floor. “Dammit! We shouldn't have to worry about this kind of crap!”
“We do and there is nothing we can do to change it,” Remus told him as gently as he could. “To even suggest that Sirius, Bill and Harry have to leave the house to hold off the problem tells all of us how massive and ingrained this issue is. Sirius is right, Charlie; this is his home. If your mother can't respect that, it's her issue. And your father's. I doubt either of them would allow someone to go into the Burrow and disrespect those that are staying there. If she thinks she can come in here and do the same, it shows a complete lack of respect for others, something that will only carry on, no matter what we do to stop it.”
Glancing at his twin, Fred then looked at Remus and said, “I don't think any of us thought about it that way.”
“This is just normal, for all of us, so we go with it,” George added.
“Which also should tell all of us that no matter what comes, we're probably better off,” Bill sighed, planning to think long and hard over what Remus just said.
Sighing himself, needing time to think, Severus said, “I say we take a break and relax. We all need time to ponder what was said. I think, as high as emotions are, we need to back away then see what we can come up with. Give it until tomorrow then we'll revisit if it's needed.”
“That's sound advice,” Narcissa added softly, looking around. “Let me see if I can arrange something this afternoon to take our minds off the situation. Just something small, but pleasurable.”
“Yeah, we'll go with that,” Sirius said, thinking it was best as they didn't need to start arguing among themselves when there were so many other problem areas.
Standing, Remus stretched then sighed. He wanted time alone with Lucius anyway to dissect what was said. Then they might, between the two of them, come up with some kind of aid for the situation. At least he hoped. Waiting until everyone started to clear out, he put a hand on Lucius' shoulder and gave it a squeeze. With all the two of them had managed thus far, they might be able to tackle this as well then come up with a way to deal. Maybe.