Reinventing Family

"Week's over." Peter reminded her as they stood with their mugs of hot chocolate. "You talk to aunt May in the morning."

"She's got an early morning shift." Amelia countered. "I'll tell her in the evening."

"Fine, but you're telling her. You can't spend another night like this, and you're not talking to me about it."

"I'm fine." She snapped. "It's none of your business."

"Like my going out as Spider-Man was none of yours? Please. We look out for each other." He said before perking up. "Fleur's up." 

Fleur did indeed walk into the kitchen a few seconds later. "It's so early. You two are awake?"

"Couldn't sleep." Peter says easily. "You?"

"Bathroom." She responded. "Are either of you free today? I wish to look at houses and I have a meeting with an agent. I don't want to say anything wrong to muggles."

"I'm free!" Amelia offered, quickly. Peter looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"As long as you're back before it gets too late." He said.

"We'll be back when we're back, Peter."

"But in time for dinner together." He insisted.

"What, are you gonna police what I do in my own time now?"

"Only when you're breaking your promise."

"I said I would, and I will. Get off my back." She said harshly.

"Make sure you do, or I will. If you're not back by tonight." He responded and she glared.

"Um... are you two alright?" Fleur asked.

"Peachy." Amelia snapped and walked out of the kitchen.

Amelia's temper had tapered down a bit as the day went on. By the time she and Fleur left for the house-hunt, she seemed to be a little happier.

"If you're getting a place this big, the kitchen needs to be big too." Amelia said. "Also, can you guys afford this?"

"Yes, we can. And you are right. We need someplace with a bigger kitchen for you." Amelia began to smile but quashed it.

"Not for me. Out of principle." Fleur shrugged. 

"For you." She said, before turning to the real estate agent. "Is there someplace with a bigger kitchen?"

"Is the number of bedrooms negotiable?" The agent asked and Fleur shook her head.

"No less than five."

"It's you and Bill. Why do you need five bedrooms?" Amelia frowned.

"Buying a house. Planning for future. One, Bill and me. Two, three and four, guest for when you, Peter and May visit. Five, future child. Maybe six rooms, in case we have more than one. I think two or three might be nice. And when Gabrielle visits as well."

"You're being ridiculous. That is too many."

"Six." She decided. The real estate agent nodded. 

"We have a few homes within those parameters."

It took them two more houses before Fleur sounded pleased. It had more bedrooms than they needed, but it wasn't more than twenty minutes away from the Parkers, it had a big kitchen, seven bedrooms and a study. The backyard wasn't as big, but there was a wizard's park not too far away, where they could fly on brooms and use magic concealed from no-majes, so it wasn't too big of a deal. Fleur smiled at the agent and said she was prepared to make an offer. This did mean that Bill would be flying back so that they could do it together, but it was a nice place. Plus buying a muggle home was significantly cheaper than a magic one, so by converting their galleons into dollars beforehand, they had more to spend.

Amelia tried dawdling, and keeping them out late, but came to the realisation that Peter would actually talk to May and make a bigger deal. Fleur must have noticed there was something on her mind because she inquired.

"I don't want to overstep, but you and I are sisters soon, and I don't like seeing you sad. If something is bothering you, you can tell me. I can listen, or I can try to help." Amelia hesitated. 

"It's nothing, really. Just Peter overreacting." Fleur nodded but didn't respond. "I just... I'm having nightmares, and it's stupid, but Peter keeps making a big deal and won't leave it alone."

"I took part in the triwizard tournament." Fleur said. "And there was a boy, Cedric. He was funny and smart and kind. He was a Hufflepuff and he became my friend. And in the last tournament, he died. I didn't see it, Harry was there. But I saw him after. I had nightmares about that night for a long time. Sometimes I still do."

"How do you deal with it?" Amelia asked.

"At first, I didn't. Anytime I couldn't sleep, I took dreamless sleep. Eventually the effects weren't as strong and it wasn't working as well. I didn't want to tell anyone, because it didn't happen to me. I didn't think I had a right to have these nightmares. I dreamed that when Viktor stunned me, I didn't get help. And I would wake from the spell and see Cedric and he would reach to me to help me up, but get hit by the killing curse from behind him, and he'd fall in front of me. Then the green light hits me, and I'd wake up." Fleur's eyes glazed over as Amelia listened. "My mama found out once I couldn't hide it anymore, and she let me talk to her. For a while, she would stay in my room with me, and comfort me in the night. I then started to see a mind healer, and it helped."

"When I was... taken, there was a tank. They were using it to try induce magic in me. It was made to stress my body. It was bad, and it was small. Really small. And I didn't come out totally unscathed, I know that. Sometimes I freak out when things feel too tight, if a room feels too crowded. I didn't really like being in my car at first, but then my car became more of a way to escape than get trapped. So I know that messed me up, but it's nothing I can't handle. Couldn't handle. But when Peter..." Amelia paused and took in a deep breath, gripping her hands together. "When I saw Peter, trapped. He was stuck and it was heavy and nothing could lift it. It was a whole building on top of him. And there was nothing I could do." She sighed. "I dream about it, except instead of Peter, I'm there. I'm trapped and I can't breathe and if Peter can't lift it, no one can. No one can save me. So it's stupid, because it was Peter, so why am I replacing him with me? It was him, and he's fine, and he was hurt and I- it makes no sense. And I can't go to a mind healer, muggle or magical because both world have crazy people I can't trust and it'll get better. It'll go away. I still sleep, so it's not like I'm not getting rest, and I'm okay when I wake up so I can deal with it."

"You don't have to deal with it. We can find someone you can trust."

"MACUSA let Dumbledore put a trace on our apartment when I moved here and never saw fit to tell any of us, including uncle Ben. I do not trust them. And telling anyone in the muggle world about magic is too big of a no-no. And definitely not telling them about Peter. So there's no one to trust."

"Well, we're not professionals, but you can always talk to us. Me, May, Peter even. Bill as well."

"I know."

"But if you're not okay with that, that is fine as well." Fleur said. "Maybe I can share some ideas that helped me."

"Peter's making me tell aunt May." She said. "I don't know what to say. Talking about what happened before makes her feel guilty and worried and stresses her out, and she's already stressed out enough. I don't want to pile it on."

"It's a good idea for her to know." Fleur said. "She's your guardian, and she loves you and she would want to help. Even if it's in a small way. It's a good idea for her to know, but I won't force you to tell her."

"No, I should. You're right. I just, I don't know how to tell her without making her feel bad."

"She's going to feel bad." Fleur said. "But that's okay. That's her right. She is allowed to have feelings that her niece is hurt and in pain, and those feelings may not be nice, but those are her feelings. It's not on you to make her feel better about that. You have been through a lot, and seeing Peter hurt couldn't have been easy, especially not after what you've both been through the last year. You are allowed to be scared and upset and angry and frustrated and any and all emotions you feel. It's okay, and we will be here to help you in any way we can."

"You talk nicely." Amelia responded and Fleur laughed. "I don't know, I can tell aunt May, and I think it would be nice if you could tell me about what works for you. Maybe I could try that."

"That's a good place to start. And if it doesn't work, we can research other ways that might help."