Hogwarts
Once Percy gets himself together, he and Oliver eat breakfast together. It’s brilliant. Percy makes a mental note to see about finding a recipe. He’s sure the girls would like it as well.
Oliver needs to leave for practice, and as he does so he plants a gentle kiss on Percy’s forehead as he walks out the door.
It’s nice. Domestic, even.
Percy tales a shower to try and feel better, and it sort of work. His face still looks raw and red like he’d been crying, because of course he had been crying. He changes into new clothes and heads to the Burrow.
When gets there, his parents and the girls are having breakfast at the table. Mum looks up from her toast.
“Percy! Are you alright?”
Percy schools his face into a small smile. “Fine, Mum. I just needed some time to decompress.”
“Grandpa said you were sad.” Molly says. Percy winces and look at his father, betrayed. His dad smiles sheepishly.
“I was a little. Your Mum and I had many happy years together and I’m sad we won’t have that anymore.” He thinks about Oliver. “We’ll be okay.”
There’s a pecking sound on the door. There’s a grey owl pecking on the kitchen window that Percy doesn’t recognize. It’s carrying two envelopes in each claw. Percy’s heart skips a beat.
“It is from Hogwarts?” Mum asks excitedly. Percy walks over to the window and opens it. The owl hoots as Percy takes the letters from it. There’s two, each addressed to Lucy and Molly.
Lucy and Molly jump out of their chairs.
“Dad! Well?”
“They’re for you two.” He holds out the envelopes to each of them. The quickly snatch them up.
He gets behind both girls and they start to tear into them. He thinks Molly is trembling but he’s not sure if it’s from fear or excitement. It’s probably both. They girls open their letters at nearly the same time. Percy adjusts his glasses and leans over Molly’s shoulder to read.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmistress Minerva McGonagall
(Order of Merlin, Second Class, Grand Sorc.)
Dear Ms. Molly Weasley,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Filius Flitwick
Deputy Headmaster
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
- Three sets of plain work robes (black or navy)
- One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear.
- One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
- One winter cloak (black, with silver or gold fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
House Elf History and Rights by Hermione Granger- Weasley
OTHER EQUIPMENT
- 1 wand
- 1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
- 1 set glass or crystal phials
- 1 telescope
- 1 set brass scales
Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK
Yours sincerely,
Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions
“Yes!” Molly exclaims, her arms wide in pure excitement. “We got in!” She turns to Lucy, who’s standing there, staring at the letter as if she can’t quite believe it.
“Lucy?” Dad’s voice cracks, his eyes darting between Molly and Lucy. “Did you get in, love? It’s okay if not.”
She looks back down. “I got it!”
Lucy slowly lifts her gaze from the letter, her voice soft and almost disbelieving. “I got in,” she whispers, as if the words themselves might be too incredible to fully grasp. She looks back down at the paper, almost to make sure it’s real. “I got it.”
And then, Mum lets out a joyous scream, rushing forward to pull them both into her arms. Dad’s whoop of excitement rings through the room.
Percy’s heart catches in his throat as he watches his parents shower his girls with hugs and congratulations. For a moment, everything around him seems to blur. They’re not kids anymore, he realizes suddenly. They’re adults now, with their own futures unfolding. The weight of time presses down on him, and he sees his parents—older now, their hair greyer—and his own daughters, blooming into who they are meant to be.
Percy swallows hard, a lump forming in his throat, and then he steps forward, wrapping both girls in a tight, emotional hug. Holding them, he feels the years stretch behind him, and for just a moment, he’s reminded that they were once his little ones.
How did we get here so fast?
“I’m so proud of you two.” He chokes out, wiping a few stray tears from his face. Merlin, he’d been crying a lot, hadn’t he?
“We haven’t done anything yet.” Lucy points out. Percy’s feeling a little emotional. He can’t believe it- it feels like just a week ago they were born. And now they were going to Hogwarts. He can’t comprehend how different things will be from now on.
He kisses Lucy’s head. She squirms away.
“Dad!” she whines in protest. “I’m a witch! I need to look cool!”
Percy fake gasps and pouts dramatically, but his tears dry. “Oh, so you’re a witch you’re too cool for your dad.”
Dad laughs joyously. “To be fair, Percy, I think you were the same way at that age.”
Well, that was true. Actually, Percy had been way more uptight at that age.
“Can we go shopping, Dad? Can we?”
Percy takes the letter from Molly and studies the list of supplies. It looks to be the same as when Percy was growing up. He still had his own supplies, but only one set. And the girls would probably need new supplies. He’s not sure he can afford it.
“Let’s have your dad work out a good day to go.” Mum says brightly. The girls get distracted again in the excitement of the letter.
Percy’s realizing that he doesn’t have a choice in this matter. He needs to contact Audrey.
Later, when the girls are outside racing around on Charlie and Bill’s old toy brooms, his father in his shed and his Mum in the living room, Percy drags himself up the stairs to his room. He sits down at his desk. The curtains are drawn.
The dim light from the lamp casts long shadows over the worn surface of the wood of his old desk. The silence in his room is heavy, almost suffocating, but it wasn’t the kind of silence he could escape from—not this time. The girls needed their Hogwarts supplies.
He picks up a quill, his fingers gripping it tighter than he intended.
He didn’t want to do this.
In truth, he’d rather do anything else than write a letter to Audrey. The thought of it makes his stomach twist. But now, for the sake of their daughters, there was no other choice.
He takes a deep breath, trying to steady his shaking hands. This wasn’t for him. This was for Molly and Lucy, and they deserved the supplies they needed for their next year at Hogwarts—nothing less.
He begins to write, his words slow and deliberate:
Audrey,
I hope this letter finds you well.
I’m reaching out because we need your help. The girls have received their Hogwarts letters and need their supplies for Hogwarts. You know how expensive it can get, and I’m sure you’d agree that they should have everything they need to start the year off right.
I’ am prepared to cover a significant portion of their supplies, but there’s still a gap. The books, the robes, the other necessities—it all adds up. I’m requesting that you contribute your share. I trust that you’ll take care of this.
You know how important it is for them to have the right tools to succeed in their studies. I know we may not be together, but I’m sure we can agree on giving them the best opportunities.
Please send your contribution as soon as possible. It would be greatly appreciated.
Best,
Percy
He stares at the letter, his eyes burning. He can feel the weight of the past creeping back into his mind—the arguments, the cold, the constant feeling that nothing he did was ever good enough. Audrey had always found a way to make him feel small.
He hated the way she could still control him with a single sentence, a single look.
But this wasn’t about them.
This was about their daughters.
He folds the letter carefully and stuffs it into an envelope. He opens the curtains and opens the window. He whistles, and Hermes flies up to the window. Percy gives the bird a few well-deserved head scratches before handing Hermes the letter. He’s not sure where Audrey is staying, but he’s sure Hermes can figure it out.
Percy gives Hermes an owl tree, and then the bird is off, soaring through the blue sky. Percy watches him go until he collapses, feeling boneless in his chair. a deep sigh escapes his lips. Whatever issues they had, they were independent of the girls.
He hopes she’ll be reasonable.
Percy gets a letter from Audrey the next day, along with one from Mara at the Burrow. He’s been avoiding his flat since the whole rage-room moment. He wants to be with his kids and his parents. He opens the letter from Audrey first.
Percy,
I hope this letter finds you well.
I’ve received your request regarding the girls’ supplies for Hogwarts. I’m glad to hear that you’re taking responsibility for covering a large portion of their needs. Of course, I want them to have everything they need to thrive at Hogwarts, and I agree that it’s important for them to start the year off right.
Despite the circumstances between us, I’ll gladly contribute my share toward their school supplies. They deserve the best, and I want to ensure they have all the right tools for their education.
Please let me know the exact amount I should send, and I’ll take care of it promptly.
-
Audrey
Percy leans back in his chair and sighs. Audrey was being surprisingly cordial about all of this. He quickly drafts a letter asking for the remaining amount. He’s paying for about 75% of their costs. He sends it off with the owl that Audrey had sent with her reply.
The one he’s most worried about is the letter from Mara. She could have called him, she knows this. Whatever she’s about to tell him must be bad if she wants him to sit down and read it.
His parents have the girls helping in the garden with the summer harvest- tomatoes, mostly. He can see them gleeful and playing through his window.
“Okay.” He says out loud to himself. “Okay.”
He knows what he’s expecting- he’s felt it in his heart since that day during mediation. He hopes he’s not right. But he thinks he is.
With shaking fingers, he opens the letter.
Percy,
I hope you’re doing well. I have the result from the paternity test. The magical one; it won’t hold up in muggle court, but I’ve processed the muggle one and it should be here soon. I must inform you that the test confirms that you are not the biological father of Audrey’s child. Magical results state the biological father is someone by the name of Melvin Ambrose.
I understand this may bring up a lot of emotions, and I want you to know I’m here to support you in any way I can as we continue to move forward with your case. This new information will certainly affect the divorce proceedings, and we’ll need to discuss the next steps when you're ready.
If you have any questions or need a bit of time to process this, don’t hesitate to give me a call or stop by the office. We’ll take things one step at a time, and I’ll make sure everything is handled.
I’m sorry you’re going through this.
Mara
Percy feels numb. He sets the letter down on his desk, staring at the ink. For a long, long moment he goes completely and utterly blank.
This is what he has been expecting, wasn’t it?
The biological father’s name…why did it sound so familiar?
It hits him.
“Look,” she says, and Percy turns around. He sees she’s holding something out to him, a small card. He frowns and takes it. A business card.
Melvin Ambrose
Anger Counselor
555-XXX-XX
Floo Call Number 381
“Therapy?” he asks, a bit surprised. She nods, her smiling growing a little brighter.
“I meant it when I said I’d never want to hurt you. I have my first appointment next week.”
It’s like someone has pulled the rug beneath him. Audrey had been cheating on him. For months, probably years.
With her therapist.