Chapter 15
Percy helped Ginny book her first therapy session, helped her find the perfect day and the perfect person before attempting to pay for her, only to receive a scolding in return. It relieved Percy's mind to know that she was being taken care of by a professional, someone who could help unpack the details Percy would've missed. The next problem to solve was their mother.
Ginny hadn't responded to a single thing she had been sent since the incident, for good reason. But their issue was that they didn't know how she'd react or what the best response to her reaction could be.
The next family dinner was next week and both Percy and Ginny had expressed their anxiety about it, they also needed to discuss whether this was going to be a wider issue or a more personal one. Meaning they squabbled for an hour over whether they should talk to her together or individually.
"Listen I know you want to tackle this as a team or whatever but seriously Percy, you've managed to stay under the radar for so long. And what? You're just going to give it up because you need to defend little old me? I'm a grown woman Perce."
"I know that Ginny, it's not about that. It's about making it clear that you aren't the only one with a problem, telling them that treating a grown woman like yourself like a kid whilst also condemning you for doing something morally wrong is a level of mental gymnastics that they cannot possibly achieve."
"I guess you're right... but if you're involved and I'm involved that means the others are definitely going to want to know what's going down. You told anyone?"
"Of course not Ginny, you know I wouldn't tell people without you."
"I know. Do you think," She took a breathe, "Do you think that I should tell the others?"
"Mh, well ultimately it's up to you. Personally, when I told people about myself it felt better. Like I had someone on my side confirming that I wasn't crazy. That being said, I still haven't told everyone. I mean I wrote a letter to Charlie who hasn't responded yet and I haven't even thought about how I'm going to tell Ron. This decision is yours to make but I don't think going up against Mum alone will help, you know she's just going to wind you up further then just play the victim. It's how she works Ginny, if you and mum fight no one is going to blink an eye. But if two of us and Mum fight they might see it as a bigger deal, as something to worry about. Which it is! I mean look at this situation."
Ginny turned away, knowing she needed to calm down a little and deescalate. Do the square breathing techniques she'd been giving or something, anything to stop herself from crying.
"Percy... I think you're right. This shits only gonna get worse if we divide ourselves. Which is why you should talk to Ron, if you do that then I'll talk to Bill and George."
"Sounds like a plan then"
"I hope its a good one."
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Ron Weasley was at a good place in his life.
A stressful one, but a good one.
He has an obviously amazing wife, and two honestly amazing kids. When he looked at them all he could see was their pure unadulterated love, it made them want to wrap them up and not let go. Which, to be fair, was a pretty valid statement when they were young enough for him to do that on a regular basis. Rose was currently four and Hugo was three, a nice age really, still very cute and no where near rebellion. Ron was a stay at home dad and god did he love it. It was a lot of cleaning and dropping off and cooking but he preferred that to working. Hermione loved her job in a way that Ron never could, told him that she made enough money for both of them and that he was saving money by taking over childcare. The arrangement suited them perfectly.
But of course, that sort of arrangement could not stand in the Weasley household. Of course, if you asked, Molly would tell you she's all for feminism, that she'd never put down another woman. That being said, she seemed to crack slightly when anything broke the traditional household, always a snide comment here and a small sigh there. Ron believed he has relatively a good insight towards her motivations, that she expected all her boys would go into a reasonably successful profession and marry modest women and live averagely happy lives. The problem came when this expectation was disregarded. It had happened when Bill married Fleur, she'd been the most passive aggressive he's ever seen her. For what? Fleur was beautiful of course, but polite and calm, leaving what should've been a good impression on all of them. Although, this theory was greatly limited by their mother's treatment of Ginny. Ron didn't even know how their dynamic worked really, all shouting and hugging and shouting again. Ah, the mysteries of a mother daughter relationship.
Coming back to his own life, Ron was still on thin ice in the eyes of his mother for looking after the kids and not attempting to be reemployed. So if he just laid back and did what his family said, then it should all be fine. Right?
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When a pretty grey owl flew into his room, Charlie knew who it was from. It had been a while since he got a letter from Percy but would recognise the owl from when he was picking it out a year before for Percy's thirty first birthday. (the tawny bird reminded him of Percy's confused face if he was honest).
Personally, Charlie was living a rather charmed life. After receiving a degree apprenticeship with a small company working with dragons in Egypt, he was employed full time as a researcher and reservationist, the perfect job for him. But besides that he had a life, a quiet, nerdy one, but still a life. He had a small group of close friends with similar interests who met on a regular basis. Although, he decided never to inform his family that he didn't have anything more than a friend and he never would. Charlie's life was exactly to his liking.
The bird released the letter tied to its leg and he broke open the wax seal Percy no doubt meticulously placed on the meeting of the two pages. Consisting of two pages, the letter told Percy's secrets, the things he had kept a secret from the past decade. He read of Oliver and their children, of Percy struggling with his mental health, of his doubts towards even sending the letter. Charlie read and read and read until the pages were sat neatly on his coffee table.
All Charlie could think was... thank god.
Thank God Percy found someone who loved him so, people who cared so deeply for him. Thank god he was satisfied and comfortable enough to tell him. And thank god he married Oliver Woods.
Charlie had known Oliver many years, after he had left Hogwarts and his role as Quidditch Captain, Oliver sent him letters asking for game advice as well as chatting in general, but the thing Charlie remembers the most is the way he looked at Percy. Even in Oliver's first year, Charlie has recognised the small crush from the way Oliver looked at Percy with an odd sort of reverence. And by the time he was leaving it seemed to become something more, something downright lovesick.
So Charlie thanked god because he know that Oliver would have taken care of him, would have been the perfect fit.
(And definitely not because he'd be related to a Quidditch pro)