#*keegan shacklebolt

[smellofparchment-blog]

The Pariahs: Chapter 2 - The Ghosts of Greengrass Manor

Story Title - The Pariahs (ffn link)

Story Description - "You always hated your parents' purist crap." "Not for the right reasons." - At the end of the war, they are the only ones left to blame; unfortunately, this is not their cross to bear. The Malfoys and Greengrasses are not used to being the outcasts of a society, but in this new Wizarding World, the law concerning former Death Eaters and their families is clear: eat or be eaten.

Story Rating - teen (T)

Story Characters - Draco Malfoy, Astoria Greengrass, Daphne Greengrass, Keegan Shacklebolt (OMC), Fiona Greengrass (OFC), Archibald Greengrass (OMC), Narcissa Black, Lucius Malfoy, Kristopher Shacklebolt I (OMC), Zhara Shacklebolt (OFC), Audrey Weasley, Percy Weasley

Story Pairings - Draco/Astoria, Keegan/Daphne

Chapter - 2) The Ghosts of Greengrass Manor

If there was one thing that Daphne still liked about Greengrass Manor, it was the silence. Some would find it eerie, unsettling, creepy, the list goes on. For the eldest Greengrass girl, though, it was peaceful and productive. She was not a chaotic person - the best working environment for Daphne Greengrass was minimalistic and deathly silent.

On that particular day, Daphne was examining a supposedly magical geode rock that was given to her as a training assignment. When Daphne had first chosen a career as a Curse-Breaker, Draco had looked at her as if she had just grown a third eye. However, it truly was the perfect job for her. While her love for jewels and gems often got dismissed as girly and pretentious, the truth was far more complex. It wasn't just the beauty that Daphne admired - it was the history. Every artefact, no matter how ruined or beautiful, had a story to tell. The magic that concealed that story was even more interesting. Being a Curse-Breaker meant that unravelling that story and that magic was her job.

Daphne gently rotated the rock that she was holding with her tweezers as she ever so slightly adjusted the magnification and focus on her magnifying spectacles. If she could get the perfect focus, perhaps she could see -

"Ah, there you are, Daphne!"

Daphne jumped in her seat, startled at the shrill voice and let out an exasperated sigh as she glanced through her spectacles and noticed they were once again out of focus. Bloody brilliant, Daphne thought to herself as she gently set down the geode and removed her spectacles.

Turning her head to glance up at her mother, she said with a bored tone, "What is it now?"

Fiona Greengrass was a beautiful woman, but her beauty had been worn down by the war. Her honey blonde hair that once shone in the sunlight now seemed dull and graying, and while her skin may have once been described as porcelain, it was no more pallid. The wrinkles of worry on her forehead and around her eyes were more prominent now, especially as she confusedly moved her gaze between the geode and her daughter.

"What on earth is that, Daphne?" Fiona asked, her tone clearly expressing her bewilderment.

"An assignment for training," Daphne replied with a shrug.

"Ah, right, you're still in that silly Curse-Breaker phase," Fiona said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

You cannot hex your mother, a voice in Daphne's head reminded. You can move out, though. Taking a deep breath, she instead asked, "Is that why you came over here?"

"No, no, of course not," Fiona replied in a cheery tone. She sat down across from her daughter as she continued, "I need your help with a little project."

"Project?"

"Er, dinner party."

Daphne rolled her eyes and shook her head at her mother. Of course, the woman wanted to host a dinner party, of all things. "I hate to remind you of this," Daphne started, "but with what money? You don't work, Astoria's in school, and if you think I'm contributing to this nonsense from my meagre trainee salary then you are in for the shock of your life."

Once upon a time, Daphne would have been utterly terrified to speak to either of her parents like that. Now, though, things were different. There was no longer any fear hanging over her head. Her parents had been on the losing side of a war, her father's trial was finally coming to a conclusion, she had done her part and given her names, and now she was steadily on the path to her own career. All Daphne wanted now was as much distance as possible from the traditions that her name stood for.

"Oh, honestly Daphne, you can be so full of yourself," Fiona bit back with a roll of her eyes. "I only want your help in the planning process. You know, a little mother-daughter project."

The skepticism was evident on Daphne's face. "All right, what kind of dinner party is this?" she asked.

"It's to... make amends, of sorts - you know?"

Ah, there it is. Daphne let out a bitter laugh and shook her head. "You're really something, you know that?" she muttered.

"Daphne, listen to me: we have nothing," Fiona said sternly. "The Ministry looks at us like scum - us! And because of how close we were with the Malfoys and you and Astoria fighting against the Dark Lord, even our peers hate us. We need to do damage control, love."

This was the sort of thing that Fiona Greengrass considered a national crisis. Everyone hates us - even the mudbloods! It drove Daphne mad. She would be the first to admit that, at first, she had done anything and everything to defy her parents' pureblood ideals simply because of her father's abusive nature. As she got older, though, Daphne truly started to understand how tiring it all was. And for what? A few fake friends that would all rather save their own arses anyways? It was honestly pitiful.

Still, she lived in the Greengrass Manor - for now - and the least she could do for her distraught mother was humour her in some way.

"What did you have in mind?" Daphne asked tiredly.

"Well, I've been thinking that it really would be useful to have a nice mix of families," Fiona started with an innocent shrug. The skeptical look reappeared on Daphne's face, "you know - old friends and new friends. And it just came to me - you have quite a good relationship with a certain well-liked pureblood family."

"Oh, so you just want me to get the Shacklebolts here - not to actually spend time with you," Daphne stated, the bitterness very evident in her tone.

"Oh, come off it, love," Fiona said dismissively, "it would be a huge favour to me."

Just like everything else I do, Daphne thought to herself. Still, if there was one useful thing she learned growing up in a pureblood family, it was to keep your thoughts to yourself.

"Fine - it'll be easier than dealing with your cold shoulder, anyways."

Daphne fidgeted with her hands as she suppressed a shiver - a response to the cold winter wind blowing in her face as she waited just outside the doors of Greengrass Manor. Her mother had put her on door duty for her long-awaited dinner party. Who better than the Greengrass daughter that was both famous and infamous for defying her parents' ways? Truly, let's parade her on the street while shouting 'shame!' at the top of our lungs.

Daphne was, possibly, a tad bitter about the whole arrangement.

Her demeanour softened just slightly as she spotted three very familiar faces approaching the steps of Greengrass Manor: Draco, Lucius, and Narcissa. Lucius and Narcissa weakly returned her smile, while Draco stepped forward and hugged Daphne.

"Fiona's got you playing hostess for this charade, has she?" he asked with a laugh.

"Draco, be polite," Narcissa chided mildly.

"It's quite all right - he's not far off," Daphne said to Narcissa. "I've still gotta wait out here so I'll see you lot inside."

"Don't cause too much trouble," Draco joked as he gave her a nudge and walked past her.

"No promises!" Daphne replied cheekily.

It took a few more minutes of waiting in the cold for the last of the party guests to make their way to the manor. Daphne's features spread into an unbreakable grin as soon as she recognized Keegan, his parents - Kristopher and Zhara - closely following behind him.

The Shacklebolts and Greengrasses had always gotten along decently well - until Voldemort came back, of course. After that, her father had gone and ruined practically every relationship their family had had with anyone remotely normal. Still, when Zhara had planned Keegan a surprise party to celebrate the end of his Obliviator training a couple of years back, the Greengrasses had been added to the guest list. That had been the day that their flirtatious adventure had started.

Unfortunately, a month after that, the Minsitry had fallen to Voldemort. Keegan and his younger sister, Audrey, had joined the Order and Daphne... well, she did what every other Slytherin did: returned to Hogwarts and tried to act like everything was fine. Except for Daphne, it really hadn't been fine.

In any case, at the end of it all, Daphne had been surprised to find Keegan right where she had left him - figuratively speaking, of course. They had tried their best to pick up where they had left off, but still kept things under wraps. With her father still on trial and his Death Eater aunt, Kelsey Rowle, at large, it was best to keep their relationship hidden. Then, one day, Kelsey had been captured and next thing Daphne knew, Keegan was standing on the steps of Greengrass Manor saying she deserved more.

Well, who was she to argue with that logic?

Once they had told their families about their relationship, the reactions were more or less as expected. Fiona had been shocked that her daughter was dating a pureblood, even if he was from a blood traitor family. Kristopher and Zhara had easily taken a liking to her on account of actually being able to hold an intelligent conversation about something other than floral arrangements - which was apparently the most they expected from traditional pureblood women. Regardless of everyone else's reactions, Daphne was certain of one thing: her life was finally looking up.

"You're looking quite lovely," Keegan remarked as he approached Daphne with a smile.

He bent his neck to give her a short kiss just as his parents approached. "Kristopher, Zhara - I'm so glad you could make it," Daphne greeted politely. "Mum will really be delighted to see you."

"Oh, I'm sure she will be," Zhara replied, her smile somewhat contrived. She clearly wasn't a fan of the whole arrangement and, frankly, Daphne agreed.

"We'll see you two inside," Kristopher suggested as he gently ushered his wife inside.

"So, no Audrey?" Daphne asked curiously. She wasn't all too surprised. Audrey Shacklebolt was often regarded as peculiarly headstrong and proud for a Slytherin - until she would dupe you in some clever way and shamelessly remind you why she was sorted into the house of the snakes in the first place. Like their mother, Keegan's younger sister was amazingly talented at exuding authority.

"No, she made it pretty clear that she wasn't coming if Percy wasn't invited," Keegan replied. "In fact, her exact words were 'I don't want any of her shitty discriminatory wine if she can't even stand the thought of a Weasley in her own home.'"

"Well, I tried my best, but you know how Mum is," Daphne said with a shrug. Her mother had been adamant that the purpose of this dinner party was to make amends with old friends, not befriend 'pacifist blood traitors.' Sometimes, Daphne wondered if the whole war had somehow been erased from her mother's memory.

Keegan nodded knowingly, laughing a bit. His eyes suddenly shifted to the side of her neck and he raised his hand to gently touch the scar that stood out on Daphne's pale skin with a light frown on his face. "No Glamour Charms today?" he asked as he met her eyes.

He knew all too well how horrible her father was. Bruises on her arms, scars on her back, face reddened in the shape of a hand... the list of ways that Archibald Greengrass' anger could manifest was endless. The scars Daphne had received from her father over the years were always her biggest insecurity and she hid them as much as she could, but Keegan had always been comforting about them. He would say they were the scars of a survivor, not a victim.

"Mum wants to make amends," Daphne started, "what better way to do that than with honesty. Took a bit of convincing, but Astoria isn't using any either."

"Good," Keegan said with a nod and a reassuring smile on his face, "you have nothing worth hiding, Daphne."

Daphne smiled back at him. "All right, let's head inside before Mum starts sputtering some nonsense about my innocence," she joked as she linked her arm with his.

Keegan laughed and muttered, "A little late for that, isn't it?"

Daphne lightly smacked his arm but couldn't stop the laughter from escaping her or the red creeping up her neck as the made their way through Greengrass Manor. The sound of classical music only got louder, until they finally reached the spacious sitting area where their house elf, Silas, was eagerly scurrying around and serving drinks. Fiona was laughing about something trivial with Wilma Crabbe, while Xavier Nott silently sat in an armchair as he sipped at his wine. Everyone else was dispersed throughout the room making small talk, and as for Draco...

Daphne sighed as she set her eyes on her friend. He was practically frozen his place, unmoving. At first, she thought he was having yet another one of his ridiculous, fatalistic episodes - and of all bloody times to do so - until she realized how steadily fixated his gaze was.

"Do you see what I see?" Daphne quietly asked Keegan.

Keegan shifted his gaze to Draco, watching the younger man carefully, until realization clouded his face. "Oh, that's interesting," he whispered.

"I think I'll go talk to him," Daphne decided.

"Daph, don't meddle," Keegan warned, giving her a knowing look.

"Me, meddle? Never."

Alas, she was quite the meddler.

At first, it had almost irritated Draco how right Daphne had been. He was being fatalistic, and truly a horrible friend. More than that, though, he was being a self-centred prick. It never really mattered to him if other people thought that of him, but Daphne... well, she was supposed to be his one true confidant. If she couldn't trust him, then he must have truly fucked up.

After Daphne's warning to get his life together and stop moping around, Draco had done just that. He had cleaned up and started helping out with the Malfoy Manor's financials - meagre as they were - as well as taking a job at a shop in Knockturn Alley. It was all for the time being, anyways. At the end of the day, Draco was hoping for something a bit more professional.

The major upside, though to getting his life together had been winning back Daphne's friendship. They were finally back to their light joking and good-natured gossip. When Daphne had told him about her mother's ridiculous dinner party idea, they had taken turns imitating her reaction to different party guests. Draco had figured that, once the dinner party actually came around, they would be doing something very similar in a corner with the added bonus of some elderflower wine.

Unfortunately, Draco's vision had dissipated as soon as he had laid eyes on her.

He had been in the poshly decorated sitting area for scarcely a minute when his eyes saw a flash of nearly pitch black hair and his ears perked at the sound of an elegant laugh. Turning his head, mostly out of curiosity, Draco found himself freezing in place as his eyes landed on Astoria Greengrass.

Astoria had always been a bit aggravating to Draco. He vaguely recalled her trying to force herself into the games and secrets that him and Daphne would have when they were kids. Her trademark while at Hogwarts had been frizzy hair pulled back into pigtails with green ribbon and a childlike, wide-eyed stare. She had been two years his junior and a hardly noticeable thorn on his side.

But then, in that very moment, he hardly recognized her.

Her dark hair was sleek and smooth, hanging loose in waves down her back. Her warm brown eyes drew him in as she laughed. Astoria Greengrass was no longer the annoying, childish, little sister of his best friend. No, as far as he could tell, she may as well have been a woman that ruled her own empire.

Draco could fill the inner turmoil of being attracted to his best friend's sister already begin.

A hand clasping onto his shoulder brusquely snapped Draco out of his dreamy staring at Astoria. He turned to see who had startled him and felt himself tense up as his eyes met Daphne's.

"Daydreaming?" she asked. Her tone sounded innocent but he could see the knowing glint in her eyes.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Draco replied cooly.

"Oh, so you won't mind if I just call Astoria over and - "

"Daphne, for the love of Merlin, this stays between us."

A victorious smile on her face, Daphne let out a sigh and removed her hand from Draco's shoulder. "Don't get your hopes up, Draco," she warned.

"Why's that?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Because she's here with her new boyfriend."

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Draco turned his gaze to Astoria once more and this time found that someone else had joined her. He recognized the boy - Sebastian Daley, a Slytherin in Astoria's year. Draco felt a mix of disappointment and hatred surge in him as he watched Astoria's supposed boyfriend snake an arm around her waist and kiss her cheek.

"Look - I'd be surprised if he's 'the one' or anything like that," Daphne started, "but please promise me you won't push him out of a window or something. This is my sister we're talking about."

Draco turned his head to look at Daphne once again and forced a soft chuckle. "I promise, don't worry," he said. "Guess I should take care of myself first, anyways."

Daphne gently patted him on the pack, a kind smile on her face. If she was being perfectly honest, the Draco she had known before the war would have been absolutely perfect for Astoria. Pureblood idealism aside, he had always been a perfect gentleman and had had quite the knack for the kind of sweet romantic gestures that Astoria lived for. Now, though, things were different, and Daphne had thought Draco had put it quite well - better to take care of himself before involving anyone else.

Their brief moment of comfort was, unfortunately, rudely interrupted in that moment by the sound of a disgusting splat. With frowns on their faces, everyone looked around the room, searching for the source of the sound. Again, splat. This time, everyone saw the gooey substance dripping down one of the windows.

"What in Merlin's name is that?" Draco asked as he nodded toward the window.

Daphne felt a displeased glare forming on her face. "Eggs," she muttered darkly. "Someone's egging my fucking house."

Turning her head, Daphne found her mother's eyes and curtly said, "I'll handle this," before turning on her heel and briskly walking out of the room.

She faintly heard Keegan's voice say, "I'll go after her," before hearing the sound of his footsteps running to catch up with her.

As soon as he had fallen into step with her, Daphne coldly said, "I can take care of this, I don't need a supervisor."

"I know, but if you need me, I'm here," Keegan replied as Daphne pushed open the front doors to the manor.

Daphne came to a stop once they reached the gates and turned to look at Keegan. She could see the worry very clear on his face and smiled at him. "Look, I know what I'm doing - trust me," she said quietly.

Keegan simply nodded, and that was all Daphne needed.

Turning to face the gates, Daphne took out her wand and cast a Disillusionment Charm on herself. Then, she stepped forward and every so slowly pushed open the front gates of the manor. As the gate opened wider, she could see the perpetrators - three young-looking boys - freeze as their wide eyes fixated on the gate. There was newfound fear in their gazes, because from where they were standing, the gate was opening all on its own. They looked to be about second or third years, so it didn't take long for Daphne to formulate the perfect plan.

Daphne walked towards them quietly and went behind them. She leaned forward, her mouth close to one of the boys' ear, as she hoarsely whispered, "You've upset the ghosts of the manor, boy."

All three boys yelped, jumping forward at her voice. "Where are you? Who are you?" he shouted, panic etched on his face.

Daphne mustered a rather comical cackle. "I am the oldest Greengrass ghost, and now that you've defiled my home, I will haunt you for the rest of your days!"

With that, the three boys shrieked loudly and ran off. Daphne watched them round the corner before taking her wand out and removing the Disillusionment Charm. She crossed her arms, a proud smirk on her face as Keegan stepped through the gates and walked towards her. He looked down at her with an amused grin.

"You really are quite crazy, you know that?" he asked jokingly.

"Oh, you know you like it," Daphne replied with a sly smile.

"Well, I guess I can't deny that," Keegan admitted with a shrug, his hands moving to Daphne's waist. "This place is wearing you out, isn't it?" he asked quietly as he met her eyes.

Daphne slowly nodded, the smile on her face transforming into a look of worry. "I'm the only one that works - and I'd hardly call Curse-Breaker training a steady income," she said quietly, "and Mum just drives me mad, but I guess... family legacy is family legacy, even for me."

"What if..." Keegan started slowly as he pulled Daphne closer to him, "I happened to have a spare key to my place with your name on it."

"You want me to move in with you?" Daphne asked, a surprised look dawning on her face.

"Sure - but on the condition that the ghosts stay here," he replied cheekily.

"I... I have to think on it, if that's all right," Daphne replied slowly. Her gaze shifted to the manor as she quietly added, "It may seem silly but the idea of leaving this place for good... it kind of scares me."

"Of course that's all right," Keegan replied softly. He gently grabbed hold of her hand. "Shall we head back inside then, ghost of Greengrass Manor?"

"Her full name is Lucretia Octavia Greengrass, mind you, and she says yes."

[sybilmarlow]

( @keegvns )

“ That? It’s just a scratch. ” The Slytherin said with a shrug, impatient for her questioning to end so she could go back to her dorm. In her head the relatively small wound on her leg really was like a scratch considering the amount of injuries she had the past years. It did sting a little, but definitely not enough to make her go to mrs. Pomfrey who would yet again regard her as if she had just been on some suicidal mission. “ My wellbeing is none of your business. ”

[keegvns-blog]

"you gotta make an intro post"

OKaY so!!!! 'ello my name's clarita, i answer to she/her pronouns and i live in the gmt-3 timezone.

keegan's my first baby here, he's a shacklebolt so his family is all pro-muggle and sh*t but he really likes being a pureblood, he'd never date a halfblood so yeah he's rlly strict on the whole purity thing. that's why he was disowned by the shacklebolts, bc they're all chill and keegan's like ummmm no

he's loosely based on jess mariano from gilmore girls ( holla @ me if u're team jess ). so like he's super smart, reads lots of books but he's kind of an asshole. unlike jess, keegan actually cares abt schoolwork and gets straight A's. the sorting hat thought abt sorting him to ravenclaw but nah fam he's a straight up snake. he HATES quidditch, thinks it's the most useless thing ever.

he's super into greek mythology, his hobby is reading abt it and he is actually trying to argue that the greek gods and goddesses were actually early wizards and witches idolized by the greek. he works w binns and some other professors on that.

he's a total jerk and really picky abt his friends, he hangs out w zeke and monty but i'd love some more friends and eNeMiEs.

some wanted plots:

partners in crime!!

tHiS

friends with benefits bc y not ( could be male or female! )

F R E N E M I E S

just straight up enemies tbh

GiRL bEst FRienD

HIS FIRST BOY CRUSH

[wizardhq]

& power-hungry slytherin, loved those of great ambition– the SORTING HAT has spoken ! join your house in twelve hours, KEEGAN SHACKLEBOLT, or one of those pesky first years will snatch your spot at the table. don’t forget to make sure you packed all of your SUPPLIESafter arriving at your dorms, & if necessary, a time-turner may be used if you require an extension !

ooc: welcome to the rp, CLARITA ! please make sure you read the entirety of the  linked checklist above, and follow its instructions before sending your account !

MERLIN’S BEARD! Did you see KEEGAN, also known as KEE rocking the SLYTHERIN house colors in class today? How they manage to look so fit, while studying their arse off during their SEVENTH YEAR of schooling, is beyond me. The SEVENTEEN year old student is certainly making the SHACKLEBOLT family proud, aren’t they? One time, I heard someone say they look a lot like some muggle, REECE KING– whoever that is. (clarita, she/her, 21, GMT-3.)

[smellofparchment-blog]

Keegan Shacklebolt + Daphne Greengrass

“I never planned on this. It just... happened.”

Began dating 4 July 1997. Married 17 August 2002.

[smellofparchment-blog]

The Pariahs

drama, hurt/comfort, romance | rated T | Draco/Astoria, Keegan/Daphne

"You always hated your parents' purist crap." "Not for the right reasons." - At the end of the war, they are the only ones left to blame; unfortunately, this is not their cross to bear. The Malfoys and Greengrasses are not used to being the outcasts of a society, but in this new Wizarding World, the law concerning former Death Eaters and their families is clear: eat or be eaten.

[smellofparchment-blog]

Keegan Idris Shacklebolt

Blood Status - pureblood

School (House) - Hogwarts (Slytherin)

Birth Date - 27 April 1975

Occupation - Obliviator (1997), Head of the Obliviator Headquarters (2005)

Parents - Kristopher Shacklebolt, Zhara Shacklebolt (née Shafiq)

Siblings - Audrey Weasley

Partner - Daphne Shacklebolt (m. 2002)

Children - Kristopher Shacklebolt II, Amanita Shacklebolt

Other Family - Percy Weasley (brother-in-law), Molly Weasley II (niece), Lucy Weasley (niece), Draco Malfoy (brother-in-law), Scorpius Malfoy (nephew)

Loves to milk that “stud” reputation he grew for himself back in his Hogwarts days, but he can tone things down and care for others as well. Former prefect, Head Boy, Beater, and Quidditch captain, the Hogwarts-golden-boy-turned-Obliviator has a smile that could melt ice - and he saves it all for the one and only Daphne Greengrass.

[smellofparchment-blog]

Percy Ignatius Weasley

Blood Status - pureblood

School (House) - Hogwarts (Gryffindor)

Birth Date - 22 August 1976

Occupation - Head of the Floo Network Authority (1999), Head of the Department of Magical Transportation (2003)

Parents - Arthur Weasley, Molly Weasley (née Prewett)

Siblings - Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley, George Weasley, Fred Weasley (deceased), Ron Weasley, Ginny Potter

Partner - Audrey Weasley (m. 2000)

Children - Molly Weasley II, Lucy Weasley

Other Family - Keegan Shacklebolt (brother-in-law), Fleur Weasley (sister-in-law), Raluca Popescu (sister-in-law), Angelina Weasley (sister-in-law), Hermione Granger-Weasley (sister-in-law), Harry Potter (brother-in-law)

Muggle poetry enthusiast, hopeless romantic, and former Order of the Phoenix spy. Sometimes takes things more seriously than he needs to, but Audrey will always be there to put a smile on his face.

[smellofparchment-blog]

Zhara Yasmine Shacklebolt (née Shafiq)

Blood Status - pureblood

School (House) - Hogwarts (Slytherin)

Birth Date - 2 August 1952

Occupation - Unspeakable (1974), Lead Researcher of the Time Room (1988), Head of the Department of Mysteries (1998)

Parents - Akram Shafiq, Yasmine Shafiq (née Rosier)

Siblings - Basir Shafiq, Fouad Shafiq, Aaliyah Lestrange (née Shafiq)

Partner - Kristopher Shacklebolt (m. 1972)

Children - Keegan Shacklebolt, Audrey Weasley

Other Family - Percy Weasley (son-in-law), Daphne Shacklebolt (daughter-in-law), Molly Weasley II (granddaughter), Lucy Weasley (granddaughter), Kristopher Shacklebolt II (grandson), Amanita Shacklebolt (granddaughter), Eleanor Shafiq (sister-in-law), Rabastan Lestrange (brother-in-law), Dana MacDougal-Shafiq (sister-in-law), Aisha Shafiq (niece), Haider MacDougal-Shafiq (nephew)

Zhara has always been a mystery, so it only seemed fitting to make that her strength and profession. Even with all of her secrets, though, Kris is the one person she trusts with all of her life.

[smellofparchment-blog]

By Moonlight and Sunrises: Chapter 9 - Grudges

Story Title - By Moonlight and Sunrises (ffn link)

Story Description - There was no awkwardness. No need to fill the empty space with words because the space wasn’t empty. There was something - inaudible, invisible, of course, but there was something there anyways. “How can I possibly want to kiss a woman whose name I don’t even know?” Percy finally asked, breaking the silence.

Story Rating - teen (T)

Story Characters - Percy Weasley, Audrey Shacklebolt, George Weasley, Keegan Shacklebolt (OMC), Sabina Kopitar (OFC), Oliver Wood, Kingsely Shacklebolt, Zhara Shacklebolt (OFC), Kristopher Shacklebolt (OMC), Kelsey Rowle (OFC), Thorfinn Rowle, Molly Weasley I, Arthur Weasley

Story Pairings - Percy/Audrey

Chapter - 9) Grudges

5 September 1999

Audrey could feel her lip shaking as she tightened her jaw and tried to keep herself together. She felt Percy reach behind her and grab her hand, which she immediately squeezed tightly. Her heart was beating wildly. She had always thought about what she would do the next time she came face to face with Kelsey, but now that she was in that very scenario, Audrey felt powerless and... scared. She wasn't ready. She didn't want to see that horrible woman. The woman that had tried to kill her twice now. The woman that had killed Grandpa Dion - Kelsey's own father. Audrey felt a mixture of fear and anger course through her body.

"Sorry I missed the big meal, but you know I'm one for making an entrance," Kelsey said with a shrug. Her piercing hazel eyes shifted to Percy. "Wasn't planning on the collateral damage, but there's no such thing as a perfect mission. Audrey, Keegan, I'm sure you two know all about that."

"What do you want, Kelsey?" Kristopher bellowed as he took a step forward to face his younger sister. The other three Death Eaters quickly turned their wands on him, but the Shacklebolt patriarch didn't even flinch. "Get to the point and get out."

"Oh, my dear brother - you could have brought a lot of respect to the Shacklebolt name, once upon a time," Kelsey taunted. "Look at this place now - full of blood traitors - Shacklebolt, Weasley, what a sad variety of people."

"I said get to the point," Kristopher repeated threateningly.

Kelsey laughed darkly as she took a few slow strides to stand just a foot away from her older brother. "You don't scare me, Kris," she said in a low voice. "You never have. You walk around, thinking you are just so strong and intimidating. But let's not forget - your two, just graduated children did more in the war than you ever did. Because you were too scared of me."

Audrey could see the pure rage boiling behind her father's eyes. Kristopher Shacklebolt was a generally calm person. Although intimidating, he always held a perfectly composed and stoic demeanour and never bared his emotions quite like Audrey and Keegan would from time to time. However, Audrey knew he was very capable of raining hell on anyone that crossed him if it was his only move, and she was very scared that this would be the moment they would all see the result of decades of pent-up anger.

"But I suppose I'll do you this one favour and get to the point, as you so put it," Kelsey continued. "I want two things: the deed to the estate, and dear Audrey."

"You can have my middle finger, you twat!"

Audrey's fear had melted almost instantaneously as soon as Kelsey had made her demand, and the words had poured out of Audrey's mouth before she had even had a chance to think about them. Kelsey's head snapped towards her with a shocked and angered look on her face, but Audrey only challenged her gaze and lifted her chin.

"What did you just say?" Kelsey demanded.

"You heard me," Audrey said. "The only thing you're getting from us is a firm fuck you, so you can be on your way."

Kelsey stared her down for a long moment of silence. Then, the woman burst into laughter and turned around to look at one of the other Death Eaters. "Darling, did you hear that? She's gotten a bit of an attitude since last time," Kelsey said between laughs.

The other Death Eater pulled back his hood and Audrey quickly recognized him as Kelsey's husband, Thorfinn. He had an amused smile on his face as he shook his head. "I don't think you understand - we're getting what we want, one way or another," Thorfinn said. "We'll be nice and let you choose how."

"You can have the deed," Kristopher said, the room suddenly growing quiet, "but if you think you'll lay another finger on Audrey, I can tell you now it'll be over my dead body."

"That can be arranged, dear brother," Kelsey replied bitingly. Her gaze unfaltering, she added, "Ariane, Antonin, go sack his study for the deed."

"I can show you - "

"You're not leaving my sight, Kris," Kelsey interrupted sharply. "No, I know you are all far too smart and cunning for me to let you out of my sights," she continued as she paced around them. Thorfinn kept his wand pointed their way the entire time, daring one of them to step even a toe out of line.

Kelsey stopped pacing when she reached Percy and shook her head lightly. "You, especially, you little rat," she said bitterly. "You are very sneaky for a lion."

Percy stared back at the older woman, his face blank, and stayed completely silent. He recalled from their narrow escape during the war that Kelsey loved to taunt her prey, so Percy felt no need to humour her. As much as her overconfidence irritated him, he knew the smartest move was to stay quiet. He suddenly felt Audrey squeeze his hand again and looked over at her. Her eyes were wide and her jaw tightly clenched. She looked furious and, in a way, sad. As if she could no longer take surviving these encounters by the skin of her teeth. Percy could tell Kelsey's wrath was starting to take a toll on her.

"Aw, how sweet," Kelsey mocked. "You know, you have quite the habit of getting between me and my niece. For your sake, I'd recommend sticking to your blood traitor ways and finding a sweet little mudblood instead."

Percy scoffed. "And make it easy for you? I don't think so," he bit back.

"Ah, he talks!" Kelsey exclaimed sarcastically. "What a perfect man!"

Listen carefully.

Audrey and Percy fought the initial urge to look around as the familiar echo of Legilimency filled their minds. They quickly recognized Zhara's voice, though, and Audrey felt a little betrayed that she didn't even know her own mother was a Legilimens; although she supposed that this was hardly Zhara's biggest secret, considering the confidential nature of an Unspeakable's job.

Kris, use wandless magic to bring down the Apparition Wards without getting caught, Zhara commanded. Keegan, on my signal, use your wandless magic to make the room completely dark. Percy, Audrey, you apparate next to Thorfinn at the same time to get our wands - they're in his left pocket - then apparate back to us so we can have our wands. As soon as the lights are back on, we take them down.

Audrey felt a small surge of confidence run through her - if there was one thing her mother was good at, it was strategizing. Her father had started learning wandless magic at just sixteen years old and was definitely strong enough to handle the task. Keegan was good enough to clear the path for Audrey and Percy, who were both skilled enough as duellists to take care of Kelsey and Thorfinn on their own if need be.

"You know, I really should stop wasting my time on Audrey," Kelsey continued as Zhara finished running through her plan. Audrey could see her father's hands just slightly moving behind his back as her aunt moved past her and stopped in front of Zhara. Kelsey slowly drew her wand and pressed it to Zhara's throat. "You're his real weakness," she said in a low voice.

Kristopher's hand movements suddenly stopped as he looked over at Zhara, but they all instantly heard her commanding voice: do your job.

"I genuinely think our parents loved you more than they loved me," Kelsey continued bitterly. "Beautiful, prim, and proper Zhara. But I bet you have your fair share of secrets. That's how it goes when you're an Unspeakable. I bet I could break this family with a bit of digging."

Now.

With a quick wave of his hands, Keegan filled the room with darkness just as Percy and Audrey disappeared with a pop and reappeared right next to a confused Thorfinn. Audrey quickly grabbed their wands as Percy sent a forceful punch towards his jaw that produced a loud crack. They heard his body thud to the floor just as they apparated to where the rest of Audrey's family was. As soon as Zhara had a wand in her hand, the room was illuminated once again and she didn't hesitate to send a strong stupefy right at Kelsey's chest before the Death Eater could even think to draw her wand again.

Just then, the other two Death Eaters stormed into the room and Audrey and Percy quickly turned around to stun them as well. Keegan waved his own wand to produce a large cage, then procured a spell that dragged the four Death Eaters into the magical cage. The cage lock clicked shut just as Kelsey slowly started to sit up. Percy, Audrey, and the rest of the Shacklebolt family walked towards the trapped Death Eaters.

"I'll kill you!" Kelsey shrieked. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

"You keep saying that and yet you keep failing," Zhara taunted. "You always did talk too much, Kelsey."

Kelsey scoffed. Suddenly, with a smirk, she turned her sights to Percy. "Guess what, Weasley - I'm the one that killed your brother."

In an instant, everything grew silent around Percy and he felt his heart stop as he met Kelsey's wild gaze. Her words echoed in his mind and every time they repeated, he felt his shock slowly turning into anger. Seemingly beyond his own control, Percy felt his grip tighten on his wand until his knuckles grew white. As Kelsey bent her head back and let out a manic laugh Percy rushed forward with his wand raised and aimed right at her.

"No!"

Percy suddenly stopped in his tracks as Audrey jumped in front of him. He was frozen in place, his wand still raised even as Audrey held up her empty hands. Her eyes quickly flitted to behind Percy as she slowly said, "Wand down, Keegan."

"Audrey - "

"I said wand down!"

"No, I'm - "

With a wave of her hands, Keegan's wand jumped out of his hands. He looked back at his little sister in shock.

"You think you're the only genius that can learn how to do wandless magic?" Audrey demanded. She turned back to Percy as Keegan and her parents watched warily. "Percy, put your wand down," Audrey ordered calmly.

"Did you - did you hear her?" Percy asked shakily. "I can't, Audrey. I can't - "

"Percy," Audrey started, "she's lying. She's a manipulator. Look at her - she's desperate. She's only trying to get a rise out of you."

"I killed him in cold blood!" Kelsey shrieked. "I killed the brat!"

Percy's grip tightened on his wand as tears pooled in his eyes. "Percy, please," Audrey whispered. "You're better than this. She was fighting Kingsley for almost the whole battle - it wasn't her."

"What if - "

"Fred died a hero," Audrey continued. "He died fighting for what was right and for what he believed in. Don't let her ruin his memory."

Percy's gaze finally shifted away from Kelsey and to Audrey. She was standing completely still before him, her arms up and her hands spread open, with a pleading look on her face. Her eyes didn't ever move away from his own. Slowly, Audrey took a step towards Percy, and when she noticed him relax slightly, she quickly moved to embrace him. He didn't hesitate to tightly hug her back, his wand falling out of his hands. Audrey felt his body shake as he took a deep breath and she hugged him tightly.

"You're not a bad person, Percy," Audrey whispered.

"Thank you," he whispered back.

Audrey stood by Percy, her hand tightly holding his, as Aurors filed into the Shacklebolt dining room and started inspecting the damage. A couple Aurors took on the task of handling the trapped Death Eaters, while Head Auror Robards headed straight for Kristopher and Zhara. They seemed to be deep in conversation, Robards nodding along seriously to everything Kristopher was saying. A few minutes later, Robards shook hands with Kristopher and headed towards Audrey and Percy.

"Shacklebolt, I'm disappointed to see you're not getting any rest during your medical leave," Robards said sternly, although Audrey knew that sternness stemmed from genuine concern.

"No rest for the wicked," Audrey joked with a shrug.

Robards laughed lightly as he turned to Percy. "Ah, Percy. You have..." he started, "a very worked-up family waiting for you at home."

Percy let out a heavy sigh and nodded. "Right, I should get to them," he said. Turning to Audrey with an apologetic look, he added, "I'll come by as soon as I can."

"Go, go - don't worry about me," Audrey replied with a wave of her hand and a small smile. "I'm a big girl."

With a smile spreading on his face, Percy quickly leaned in and kissed Audrey's cheek before running off for the Floo. Audrey looked after him with a small smile on her face, but she was quickly snapped out of her dreamy state when Robards cleared his throat. As she looked back at her boss, Audrey found the older man with a smirk on his face.

"You are undeniably smitten, Shacklebolt," he said slowly.

Audrey laughed lightly. "What can I say - I have a soft spot for the spectacles," she joked.

Robards let out a small chuckle. "You deserve this, Audrey," he said, his tone much more sincere. "Things are hopefully going to get more peaceful now for your family. You have the whole Auror Office on the side of the Shacklebolts."

Audrey gave her mentor a sincere smile. "I hope you're right, Robards. I could really use some good news."

"Ah, well, I am fresh out of that," Robards said a little dryly.

With a frown, Audrey slowly asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, well... I went personally to the Weasleys' to inform them of the situation," Robards started, "and, uh, they had some emotionally charged opinions on certain... aspects."

"Robards," Audrey started in a low voice, "what happened?"

"They may have voiced their concern, uh, that these situations have only started being a problem for Percy very recently," Robards explained nervously, "namely, in your presence."

"What?" Audrey seethed.

"Audrey, listen, you are by far one of my favourite people," Robards started, "but you need to realize that they are worried for their son. The things they say now are just... a byproduct of their worry."

"They think I'm trying to kill him!" Audrey exclaimed.

"Now, that's hardly what they said," Robards reasoned. "Their worry is not entirely misplaced, all right? Percy... he didn't fight the same war you did."

As Robards' words sunk in, Audrey finally realized why the Weasleys would be so worried for Percy. And, in that moment, she had a pretty strong gut feeling of what Percy might do.

"That's where you're wrong, Robards."

As soon as Percy stumbled out of the Floo, his eyes found almost his whole family huddled at their old dining table. Their heads immediately snapped up upon his entrance, and he quickly felt the sting of the worry and sadness in their eyes. Molly's face was spotty and her eyes red, while Arthur sat next to her with his hand gently rubbing her back. George sat next to them with his arms crossed and a stony look on his face. At the far end of the table, Percy could practically feel the ice in Ron's glare as Hermione sat next to him and held his hand. Finally, Percy noticed Bill and Fleur leaning against the kitchen sink just behind Arthur and Molly.

"Wow, so... you're all here," Percy started slowly.

"Oh, Percy," Molly said with a sob, "thank Merlin you're alive."

"Mum, please don't cry, look - I'm fine," Percy pleaded. "Alive and well."

"Perce, come on," Bill said in a tired voice, "this is getting ridiculous."

"Ridiculous?" Percy repeated with an incredulous tone in his voice. "You think I'm going out there looking to get killed by Death Eaters?"

"Well, you're certainly not trying to avoid them," George commented icily.

"This rubbish again?" Percy bit back, turning his sights to George. "What is your problem with her? So she was a Slytherin - get over it."

"Percy, no one thinks you're trying to get yourself killed," Arthur intervened, giving George a pointed look. As he turned his gaze back to his older son, he continued, "I know that Audrey and her family are very honourable people. I remember how they fought in the Order - we all do."

Percy stayed silent as his father paused, never once looking away from his father's eyes. Although those were the words Percy had thought he wanted to hear, he had a horrible feeling that things were about to take a turn for the worse.

"But that wasn't your world," Arthur continued. "You were never in that crossfire, and it worries us that you're getting caught up in it now."

"Yeah, way to be late to the party, mate," Ron grumbled.

At his father's words, Percy felt the world around him fade away much like it had done when he had been face to face with Kelsey. He couldn't believe his ears. His family thought he was just too simple and weak to handle something that was the status quo for so many other people in the wizarding world. Facing old enemies, getting attacked by fugitive Death Eaters, getting harassed for your blood status... this was all much too normal for survivors of the war. However, apparently for Percy - inexperienced and bookish Percy - it was all simply too much.

In that moment, Percy felt his anger get the best of him.

"You must be joking right now," Percy seethed.

"Mate, you have a sick sense - "

"Not my world?" Percy repeated, his voice rising to a shout. "Never in the crossfire? Is that what you think?"

"You were a bloody paper-pusher making galleons for kissing arse!" George shouted back as he shot up from his seat and slammed his hands on the table. "You left us, Percy, when it mattered most!"

"Oh yeah?" Percy challenged. "Well how's this for kissing arse: number five, Teardrop Crescent."

Silence followed as George looked back at him in confusion, so Percy continued, "Number eleven, Grindy Lane. Number fifty-two, Hillside Avenue. Number - "

"Percy, what is this?" Molly interrupted tiredly.

Percy didn't answer, but after a long pause, Bill spoke up, "They're... they're safehouses." His jaw was dropped slightly as he stared back at Percy, finally connecting the dots.

"Exactly," Percy confirmed, "and I can tell you the names of every single person that stayed in every single one of them."

"What are you goin' on about, Perce?" Ron asked with a hint of annoyance in his tone. Hermione was quick to elbow him and reply, "Really? Are you that stubborn?"

"I never left my family," Percy continued in a low voice. He could feel the back of his eyes burning with tears but he held them back. "I only made a choice to do the good thing."

Silence filled the room for a long, tense moment after Percy finished talking. Then, breaking the stillness, George scoffed, "You really expect me to believe this rubbish? Learn how to apologize, mate."

"Apologize?" Percy shouted. "I've been bloody apologizing for things I haven't done for years! Don't fucking tell me to learn how to apologize!"

"Percy, please!" Molly exclaimed. "I - wh - where is this coming from?" she asked shakily. "How... how did any of this happen?"

Percy felt guilt surge through him as he met his mother's pleading eyes. He hated upsetting her, but in that moment it was as if George's only goal was to simply rile him up. With a heavy sigh, he began to explain, "After I graduated, Dumbledore wanted someone to be his eyes and ears in the Ministry. Someone that would fit in well - I was a pretty obvious choice at the time. It was fine at first. I was just doing what I had always wanted to do, with the added task of keeping Dumbledore in the loop. You'd be surprised how easy it is to keep a secret if you're just a bit creative.

"But then... Voldemort came back," Percy trailed off. When he noticed how still everyone was, their gazes fixed on him, he continued, "Dumbledore wanted to reinstate the Order and he wanted me to continue what I was doing, but for the Order... and with a catch. I couldn't risk anyone targeting any of you if I ever got caught, either to get to me or because they thought you would know something - so I had to push you away as much as possible. Make it seem as if the Ministry was the only family I cared for."

"Pretty bloody convenient," George seethed, "guess you should start an acting career then, huh?"

"What do you want from me, George?" Percy exclaimed. "After all these years, I'm finally being honest with all of you - this was my burden alone. I sacrificed my family and my life for people I didn't even know because I wanted to make the good choice, not the easy one! I thought of all of you every single day that passed, and you have no idea how much it hurt me to push you away!"

"Could've fooled me, you prat!" George shouted back.

Just as Percy was about to continue his shouting match with George, the room was once again silenced by the sound of the Floo roaring to life. The tension in the room was palpable as everyone fixed their sights on Audrey stumbling out of the fireplace with soot covering her dress. Without a moment's hesitation, Audrey turned to Percy. "I told you I'd back you up," she said with a shaky smile.

"How - I - wh - " Percy stumbled, clearly in a mild state of shock at Audrey's surprise entrance. However, a few moments later, it all melted away and he smiled back. For the second time that day, Audrey had somehow melted away his anger. Turning to his family again, Percy said, "If you really find it that difficult to believe me, then Audrey can tell you where it all fell apart."

Intrigue etched on everyone's face, their sights once again focused on Audrey. She could feel the tension, anger, and sadness in the room as she looked around at the small part of the Weasley family that was before her. It had been somewhat of a gamble, assuming that Percy would end up telling his family about his involvement in the war. However, the combination of Percy Weasley's textbook Gryffindor pride, a very emotional few hours, and a family that was under the impression their son knew nothing of war and sacrifice... Audrey had a pretty good feeling that it would be Percy's tipping point.

It seemed her gut instinct had been right, though, and that she had arrived just in the nick of time. "Everyone that worked high-risk and secret missions for the Order had codenames. George, you so graciously nicknamed me Viper," Audrey started, briefly pausing to give her old classmate a pointed look, "My brother was Ace. And the Order's oldest Ministry spy was... Knight," she trailed off as she glanced at Percy. "One day, we received an encrypted letter signed off by Knight using a common Muggle coding strategy - really clever way to get around purebloods, actually.

"The note was a warning that Dion Shacklebolt, my grandfather, was going to be targeted, but the end of the note was the hardest to decode," Audrey continued. "When we finally got it, it was simply the word 'compromised.' Kingsley knew exactly what it meant - Percy was at risk of getting discovered should we pull out Dion. As per Dumbledore's orders, if Percy was to ever get discovered, there was only one way out: a vial of deadly nightshade."

Molly gasped lightly before Audrey continued, "Evidently, Kingsley wasn't a fan of the plan, so my brother and I were given a revised extraction protocol which included Percy. What we didn't know was that Kelsey Rowle was the one that ordered the execution of my grandfather," Audrey paused for a moment, her heart racing as she recounted the events of that day. "Unfortunately, none of the disguises in the world could have stopped her from recognizing me and Keegan. She's smarter than she looks. We were stopped just short of the portkey. If it hadn't been for Percy, we would have all lost our lives that day."

The room filled with tense silence as Audrey finished talking. Everyone's eyes were still intensely fixed on her, which certainly didn't help calm her racing heart. Then, all of a sudden, Molly and Arthur shot up from their seats and raced over to Percy, tightly embracing him. Percy stumbled back a bit but quickly hugged them back, a smile spreading on his face and tears welling up in his eyes. Bill was next to join in, then Ron. When George finally approached the rest of his family, they all dispersed slightly and a path cleared between Percy and George. The air between them was still with the newfound silence in the room.

Then, in one abrupt movement, George took one long stride toward his brother and tightly wrapped his arms around him. Percy didn't hesitate to hug his younger brother back, squeezing tighter as George let out a sob.

"I love you, Perce. I'm - I'm sorry," George said into his older brother's shoulder.

"I love you too, George," Percy replied. Audrey could see the tears of joy start to run down his face and she smiled back at him as his eyes met hers.

"And, um, nice to officially meet you, Audrey," Arthur spoke up as he stepped forward and extended his hand for a handshake.

Audrey chucked as she shook Arthur's hand, "Nice to meet you all, too."

Almost instantaneously, the Burrow was once again filled with conversation and the noise of a boisterous family. As Molly made her way to the stove - simply insisting on serving some tea and biscuits - and everyone busied themselves in the dining area, Percy made his way towards Audrey.

"How did you know?" he asked curiously.

"Just seemed like the most logical outcome," Audrey answered with a shrug, "and if I happened to be wrong, well, let's be honest - it was about damn time."

"Slytherins and their cleverness," Percy chided with a shake of his head and a smirk on his face.

"Gryffindors and their impulsivity," Audrey shot back jokingly.

Percy's smirk turned into a grin as he stepped towards Audrey and placed his hands on her hips to pull her closer. He leaned in close as he quietly said, "We are quite the pair."

[smellofparchment-blog]

Daphne Odelia Shacklebolt (née Greengrass)

Blood Status - pureblood

School (House) - Hogwarts (Slytherin)

Birth Date - 23 December 1979

Occupation - Curse-Breaker (2000)

Parents - Archibald Greengrass, Fiona Greengrass (née Travers)

Siblings - Astoria Malfoy

Partner - Keegan Shacklebolt (m. 2002)

Children - Kristopher Shacklebolt II, Amanita Shacklebolt

Other Family - Audrey Weasley (sister-in-law), Molly Weasley II (niece), Lucy Weasley (niece), Draco Malfoy (brother-in-law), Scorpius Malfoy (nephew)

Daphne is a firm believer in fake it ‘til you make it. Want to be treated like royalty? Well, act like it. She deals with no one’s nonsense and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself - even when she denied her parents’ pureblood supremacy. Perhaps that was what made her so alluring to Keegan Shacklebolt...

[smellofparchment-blog]

By Moonlight and Sunrises: Chapter 4 - Nostalgia

Story Title - By Moonlight and Sunrises (ffn link)

Story Description - There was no awkwardness. No need to fill the empty space with words because the space wasn’t empty. There was something - inaudible, invisible, of course, but there was something there anyways. “How can I possibly want to kiss a woman whose name I don’t even know?” Percy finally asked, breaking the silence.

Story Rating - teen (T)

Story Characters - Percy Weasley, Audrey Shacklebolt, George Weasley, Keegan Shacklebolt (OMC), Sabina Kopitar (OFC), Oliver Wood, Kingsely Shacklebolt, Zhara Shacklebolt (OFC), Kristopher Shacklebolt (OMC), Kelsey Rowle (OFC), Thorfinn Rowle, Molly Weasley I, Arthur Weasley

Story Pairings - Percy/Audrey

Chapter - 4) Nostalgia

24 August 1999

Seeing Percy again had left Audrey in a distracted trance. The events of that night had been nothing but a hazy memory, but as soon as she recognized those bright blue eyes, she could see it clearer than what she ate for breakfast.

At Hogwarts, and even shortly after graduating, Audrey had not given Percy Weasley much thought. He was the Head Boy, in charge of delegating her shifts and running those tedious weekly meetings. He was Fred and George's older brother, who they incessantly made fun of. He was the "young man" Kingsley always spoke of with a concerned tone. All of that stood in the way of Audrey recognizing his sheer ambition and loyalty... and she remembered the day it was so conveniently pushed out of her view so she could see Percy Weasley for who he truly was.

"Here's some files you should read up on," Kingsley started as he set down a very heavy box filled with muggle notebooks on the rickety table, "secret operatives of the Order, their missions, and their code names, should you two ever need to go undercover to provide back-up."

Keegan nodded thoughtfully and grabbed a handful of the notebooks. Audrey paused for a moment and glanced worryingly at her uncle before doing the same. This was it. As soon as she grabbed one of those notebooks, there was no backing out. She delicately turned the pages of the notebooks, taking in the information within the pages... wincing every time she got to one with a searing red stamp that read "DECEASED" boldly dominating the top of the page. For the most part, all of these were the people she had expected to be in the Order. It took a couple hours for Audrey to finally get caught off guard and do a double-take.

Audrey paused as her eyes took in the new page before her, a mix of surprise and sudden revelation dawning on her.

Code Name: Knight

Real Name: Percival Ignatius Weasley

Blood Status: Pureblood

Mission: Ministry intel, muggle-born protection, double agent

Notes: maximum clearance, mission and post must be maintained at all costs

Almost half the notebook was filled with details and information related to Percy and his mission just in the last month. In a typical Percy Weasley fashion, he left no stone unturned and no details omitted.

"Kingsley..." Audrey called, trailing off. "Is this right?" she asked as her uncle entered the tent.

He sighed heavily before slowly nodding. "Yes, I was just as shocked when Dumbledore had told me. I don't think anyone's given up more than he has for the Order..."

After the war, Audrey had expected Percy to be revered as one of the Order's heroes. She had been as behind-the-scenes as it got, and there was no doubt in her mind that if people had found out about everything he did for the Order, it would be front page news. However, months went by and there was nothing. Not a squeak. Logically, it made sense to Audrey. He kept it hidden and focused on what really mattered: his family. Still, he lingered in her thoughts. The file, the encrypted contact she had with him during the war, and that one time she had had to go undercover for him... it was all too much to forget.

It was pure chance that he had been on that balcony that night, and Audrey had most certainly not planned to kiss him... but everything had been perfect. He was captivated, Audrey was intrigued, and they were all alone under a moonlit sky. Perhaps part of it was the "hero goggles," the popularized Witch Weekly term for finding someone more attractive because of their role in the war, but in that moment, Percy was simply a poetic man that couldn't walk away from her. It was truly - as much as Audrey hated to say it - perfect.

Too perfect.

"Good day to my favourite ladies!"

Audrey was snapped out of her deep thoughts by the familiar sound of Keegan's voice as he dropped into the empty seat at the table that Audrey and Oralee had chosen. It was a small French-style patio table, bright turquoise in colour and situated right under the midday sun. Keegan still managed to look completely relaxed in the tiny chair, and he ruffled his little cousin's hair with a joking smile on his face. Turning to Audrey, the older Shacklebolt added, "How'd your day together go?"

"Audrey's going to eat Moroccan food."

The young woman snapped her head towards her little cousin with a glare. Bloody snitch, can't trust little kids with anything, she thought to herself bitterly.

"Moroccan food? That's... oddly specific," Keegan commented.

"A man asked her."

"Ah, there it is."

"Stay out of it, Keegan," Audrey warned as she set her glare onto her older brother.

"Oh yeah, or what?" he challenged.

"Or I tell Mum who you're dating."

Keegan paused and narrowed his eyes at his younger sister for a moment of silence before finally replying, "Go ahead, we both know Gran Lucinda will love her and that's the only opinion that matters. Now, who's Mystery Man?"

Audrey rolled her eyes at Keegan's smugness and simply crossed her arms as she looked away in defiant silence.

"It was Percy Weasley!"

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Kingsley needs to get this one a sibling," Audrey grumbled.

"Oh, such ruthlessness!" Keegan exclaimed as he high-fived Ora. "You'll make a magnificent Slytherin, love."

Audrey fought back a smile at Ora's beaming face. She could never stay too mad at her adorable little cousin. Her brief moment of happiness, however, was quickly interrupted by Keegan's inquiries.

"So, how'd that happen?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk on his face. He was enjoying this far too much.

"Nothing happened, it's just a bloody dinner," Audrey replied with a roll of her eyes. She knew she was trying too hard to down-play this, but her frustration was getting the better of her. Surprisingly, however, Keegan did not push back.

"Fine, don't tell me," he concluded with a shrug, "but be careful, all right? Remember what Dad said: lay low. A Weasley and a Shacklebolt is not exactly laying low."

Audrey slowly nodded but didn't reply. She had to admit that Keegan made a good point - this was definitely something that would catch a lot of attention, both good and bad. Admitting that out loud, however, was a whole other thing. And in any case, she could handle herself.

"What did you do?" George asked slowly as Percy entered the joke shop.

After a brief pause, Percy hastily answered, "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"Noth - ah forget it, I can't do this," George started. "We both know what you did, in any case."

Percy scoffed. "Sure you do," he replied disbelievingly. He was absolutely certain that George had figured it out, but over the years Percy had learned that the best way to deal with the twins was to mess with their heads just as much as they did with his. Besides, the last thing he needed was George to go blabbing to Mum about Percy's love life.

However, the next thing to come out of George's mouth surprised Percy.

"Just be careful, all right?" his younger brother warned. "She may be Kingsley's niece but... she's also a Slytherin and part of a big pureblood family with lots of ties to Death Eaters. Don't be stupid."

Percy narrowed his eyes at George, a sudden wave of defensiveness coming over him. Where did he get off on making those kinds of assumptions about Audrey? Perhaps while they were at Hogwarts, Percy would have thought the same of her, but he knew that was far from the truth. He remembered seeing her name alongside those of other Order members after the war, and he remembered how serene and thoughtful she had seemed that night at the gala. Perhaps George had some more experience with Audrey and had a good reason to say that, but Percy was simply unable to accept that logic in that particular moment.

"Noted. I'll see ya later," Percy replied somewhat bitterly, before bidding goodbye to his brother and making his way back to the Ministry.

George may have just been trying to look out for him, but Percy was capable of making his own decisions. It seemed as if ever since the war had ended and Percy had started to reconcile with his family they were all walking on eggshells around him, like they expected him to just leave again. It was those moments he wished more than ever that he hadn't kept so much from them.

26 August 1999

"So, what's new?" Sabina asked as she heavily dropped herself on Audrey's coach.

"Where do I even start..." Audrey muttered tiredly.

Sabina Kopitar was Audrey's closest friend. They had been in the same year at Hogwarts, and a perfect example of how a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw could be completely unstoppable together. The two had been inseparable since their first year. After graduating, they took different paths in the professional world, Sabina choosing to train as a Healer, but their friendship had still remained strong. Then, when the war truly reached its peak, Sabina was right alongside Audrey in the Order, putting her skills as a Healer to use whenever she was needed. The two of them truly had been through thick and thin together.

"Beer?" Audrey offered, raising her own bottle.

Sabina shook her head, her blonde ponytail swinging around. "No thanks, took up a medi-witch shift tonight," she answered. "Dad begged me. New Keeper is a little reckless apparently." She sat up straight and fixed a frown on her face, before adding in a near perfect imitation of her father's Slovenian accent, "'This one is more square than the rest of them, I tell you!'"

"Reckless quidditch player? Why I would have never guessed," Audrey said sarcastically as she sat down next to Sabina.

Sabina laughed and added, "All right, you can only avoid talking about yourself for so long."

"Damn you Ravenclaws," Audrey grumbled, following with a sip of her beer. "So I have a date," she started as she set down her drink.

"Nice, nice, what's he do?" Sabina inquired.

"He, uh, he works for the Ministry," Audrey answered.

"Doing what exactly?" Sabina coaxed, evidently starting to get impatient.

"He's uh... he's the Head of the Floo Network Authority."

Sabina's grey eyes stayed fixed on Audrey and almost pierced through her very soul for a pause, before the blonde woman blinked a few times and slowly stated, "You're going on a date with Percy Weasley."

"Yes, that would be correct."

"Does he know your name this time?"

Audrey rolled her eyes as Sabina cracked up laughing. Audrey had always known telling Sabina about the what had happened at the gala would come back to bite her in the arse somehow, but one could never quite predict anything accurately when it concerned the former Ravenclaw.

"It honestly isn't that shocking that he didn't remember me, all right?" Audrey reasoned. "I mean, Merlin knows Penny was a bit too possessive back in the day."

"Oh hell, don't even remind me. I had to share a house with the girl," Sabina agreed, her laughter dying down just slightly. "Still, you saved the man's life once."

"Well, he doesn't know that. Code names and disguises, remember?" Audrey justified. "Besides, as much as I hate to admit it, Keegan had to save my arse that day, and you did too."

Sabina sighed and nodded, a grim look appearing on her face as she recalled the mission. She quickly forced a smile on her pale face before changing the subject. "Anyways, as much as I like to tease, I am happy for you. Getting out there and having an actual date instead of a regretful one-night stand."

"Bloody hell, it happened once," Audrey grumbled as she rolled her eyes, then grimacing slightly as she recalled her brief, drunken reunion with her ex all those months back.

"Okay, seriously now, he seems like a nice bloke," Sabina admitted. "A little full of himself, but hey - birds of a feather."

"You just can't stop, can you?"

"Nope!" Sabina agreed cheerily as she jumped up from the coach. "Anyways, I gotta get going now. Thanks for the update, love."

Audrey waved goodbye to her friend with a small smile on her face and a shake of her head. Hearing some positivity from Sabina did lighten her mood a bit and take her mind off of Keegan's warning, but it brought other troubling thoughts to her mind. Audrey hadn't thought about one of her missions in ages, but that mission in particular always sent shivers up her spine and triggered a sharp pain throughout the scar that ran along the length of her left leg. Some parts of the war were truly inescapable.

Percy always enjoyed family dinners now. There was nothing he had missed more after he had left home, and now he tried to attend as many as possible and truly make the best of them. He knew, deep down, that he could never actually make up for that lost time - but at least he could try. Weasley family dinners after the war were always a chance to leave your worries at the door for a few hours. Despite his small spat with George the other day, they still hugged and smiled and chatted throughout the dinner like it hadn't happened. Family dinners were now a sacred event for the Weasleys.

One of the clocks in the living room chimed one o'clock and Percy lifted his head to look out the window at the night sky. The tea in front of him had gone cold yet again, so Percy swished his wand to warm it up... again. Even though the family dinner had been a nice distraction, afterwards his head was still plagued by George's words the other day. With his mind racing, he could barely stand staying in his childhood bedroom, so he headed downstairs to the kitchen to brew himself a cup of tea and try to calm his nerves.

So far, no luck.

"Ah, can't sleep?"

Percy's head snapped towards the direction of the voice but visibly relaxed when he realized it was Arthur. He shrugged lightly and replied, "Just a lot on my mind."

"Anything you want to talk about?" Arthur offered as he walked over to the kitchen table and sat across from Percy.

Percy stayed silent for a long moment, considering how he could talk about what was on his mind without giving his father too much information. He didn't want anyone else knowing about him and Audrey - especially not when there was so many questions racing through his head. He felt inexplicably attracted to her, but there was so much he really didn't know about her. Everything he was feeling defied logic.

"Do you think your Hogwarts house matters as much as people say it does?" Percy finally asked.

A slight look of confusion dawned on his father's face. "What do you mean?" he asked in reply.

"Just, you know... all Gryffindors are brave, all Ravenclaws are smart..." Percy added in explanation, "all Slytherins are cruel."

"Ah, I see," Arthur voiced with a knowing look on his face. "No, I really don't think that. Pride is one thing, but it would be pretty insane to think that every witch and wizard truly and wholly belonged in one of four categories."

"That's not the popular belief though," Percy countered. "Especially not nowadays."

"No, it's not, and it is very easy to get caught up in that," Arthur admitted. "Happens to me sometimes, but then I remember one simple fact."

"Yeah, and what's that?" Percy asked, partly out of curiously, partly because he hoped it was something that would help his case a little.

Arthur's smile widened. "Your Nana was a Slytherin, and I know she was only alive for a few years after you were born but she was damn near the kindest woman you'd ever meet," he said with a longing tone to his voice.

How could Percy forget about Nana? Cedrella Weasley had been a household name among both blood purists and so-called "blood traitors" for quite some time after she had been disowned by the Black family. She had just fit in so well with the Weasleys, though, that no one ever questioned her ties to the Black family, let alone the fact that she had been a Slytherin some decades ago. He supposed it made sense from the vague memories Percy did have of her. She was always carefully watching and analyzing, and he had a very distinct memory of somehow convincing Bill to clear the garden gnomes completely on his own one day.

"What's got you thinking about this?" Arthur asked curiously.

"Just um, a lot happening at the Ministry," Percy replied vaguely. "There's lots of innocent people with ties to Death Eaters and it's a recipe for cruel gossip."

"Like Kingsley," Arthur said with a sigh.

A bit of panic filled Percy as Arthur got dangerously close to his real concern, but he decided it would be safer to just play along with it. "Right, it truly can't be easy for him, especially as Minister," Percy contributed.

"It's not... and on top of what they did to his father and parents-in-law during the war, it's a shock anyone questions his loyalty," Arthur continued, "but unhappy people always need to find someone to blame. All you can do is try to show some empathy."

Percy nodded, deep in thought. He remembered the day that Arthur was talking about all too clearly, but it was his father's advice that Percy focused on in that moment. He had been so busy being offended by George's forwardness that he hadn't considered the storm of emotions George hid from all of them on a daily basis. He should have been more understanding of his little brother's concern.

"Thanks, Dad," Percy replied quietly with a small smile.

[smellofparchment-blog]

The Pariahs: Chapter 1 - Outcasts

Story Title - The Pariahs (ffn link)

Story Description - "You always hated your parents' purist crap." "Not for the right reasons." - At the end of the war, they are the only ones left to blame; unfortunately, this is not their cross to bear. The Malfoys and Greengrasses are not used to being the outcasts of a society, but in this new Wizarding World, the law concerning former Death Eaters and their families is clear: eat or be eaten.

Story Rating - teen (T)

Story Characters - Draco Malfoy, Astoria Greengrass, Daphne Greengrass, Keegan Shacklebolt (OMC), Fiona Greengrass (OFC), Archibald Greengrass (OMC), Narcissa Black, Lucius Malfoy, Kristopher Shacklebolt I (OMC), Zhara Shacklebolt (OFC), Audrey Weasley, Percy Weasley

Story Pairings - Draco/Astoria, Keegan/Daphne

Chapter - 1) Outcasts

Daphne let out a small sigh as she peered through the crack of the slightly opened door. She could just barely make out a form sitting in the armchair by the fireplace - a mess of light blonde hair sticking up, a bony hand gripping a glass filled with clear liquid (that she knew very well was not water). As Daphne stood still for a moment, watching him, all that could be heard was the cracking of wood as a fire burned in the fireplace and the anxious tapping of a foot.

Deciding she had bided her time for long enough, Daphne gently pushed the door to the library open and winced as it let out a horrible creak. Draco's head snapped towards the sound and a scowl set on his face when he saw who had just entered the library. He turned away in silence, setting his gaze on the roaring fire once again.

Discouraged but not surprised, Daphne approached him and sat on the ottoman across from him. She watched him carefully, taking in the dark circles under his eyes, which were a touch bloodshot, his wrinkled shirt, and his unkempt hair. Slowly, he raised the glass to his lips and took a sip, still refusing to look at her.

This was not the Draco Malfoy she knew.

"I miss you, you know," she finally said, once it had become obvious that he would much rather pretend she wasn't there.

Surprisingly, he responded. "I'm right here," he snapped.

"No, you're not."

Again, he turned to her with a scowl. Daphne steeled herself and remained unfazed.

"Seriously, Draco - I don't recognize you," she continued, her tone a bit softer now.

Her nose is buried in a book. Not just any book - a torrid romance novel she stole from Mother's library before leaving for Hogwarts. Not at all befitting for a twelve year-old, surely, but in that case her mother really ought to hide these things better. Ideally, the woman would never notice it was gone or forget all about it come December. Of course, Daphne did consider the possibility that her mother would both notice and remember to scold her daughter by the holidays, but she will deal with that if it comes down to it. For now, Daphne is enjoying the silence and solitude that comes along so rarely in the Slytherin Common Room.

Of course, all good things must come to an end. Daphne is reminded of this as a Quaffle crashes into her book and falls into her lap. She looks up with a murderous glare to meet the proud eyes of Gregory Goyle. Vincent Crabbe stands right next to him, a similarly proud look on his face. Bloody gits.

"Pass it back, Greengrass," he orders, "if you can even throw a Quaffle, that is. Daddy might get mad if you get your hands dirty."

She is seething with anger. Not so much because she was disturbed, but more so at the mention of her father. Hogwarts is supposed to be her chance to get away from that devil of a man, and yet it seems that she still can't escape his presence.

Before she knows what's happening, her small hands are gripping the Quaffle with all of their strength and she violently throws it back to Goyle. He doesn't expect this and it hits his abdomen with a satisfying thud, causing him to double over. As she smirks, she notices Crabbe draw his wand and step towards her with a menacing glare.

"You think that was funny?" he demands.

"Yes, quite," Daphne replies smartly.

He looks just about ready to shoot a spell at her - what, exactly, she hardly knows. Crabbe is not exactly the epitome of intelligent. However, before he gets to unleash any of his magic unto the young girl, Daphne hears a quick, "Expelliarmus!" and the wand flies out of his hand. He now fixes his glare on his assailant, but it quickly disappears as he recognizes the student.

Draco is by Daphne's side in a matter of seconds. "I highly doubt your father would be happy with you if you hurt a Greengrass," he comments. "I've told you before to leave her alone - it seems you might be going deaf, Crabbe."

Crabbe simply mutters something about loyalties under his breath and turns to leave the common room, Goyle following behind him. As soon as they leave, Draco drops himself onto the couch, taking a seat next to Daphne as he turns to look at her with a smirk.

"Pretty impressive, huh?" he boasts.

"That was the first thing we learned in Charms this year, Draco," she deadpans.

"Saved your life, though," he continues, his boastful tone only slightly diminished.

"I would hardly consider Vincent Crabbe a deadly opponent," she replies.

Draco laughs. "That is a fair point," he admits.

"Still, I suppose I should be grateful that the one and only Draco Malfoy is watching out for me," Daphne continues with a joking tone. Then, leaning toward him slightly, she adds in a whisper, "All the other girls are positively green with envy."

He stared back at her with a blank look for a moment, silence filling the space between them. "Get your eyes checked, then," he finally muttered as he turned his gaze back to the fire.

"Prat," Daphne muttered with a shake of her head. He didn't react.

Draco had been in this half-drunk, unkempt state for a long time. After the war, he had completely shut everyone else out, finished his real seventh year, then simply returned to Malfoy Manor with the sole purpose of maintaining the shut-in personality he had constructed for himself. His parents may have evaded Azkaban by providing names, but that simply meant they were hated by both purebloods and blood traitors. At the end of it all, even over a year later, he felt like he didn't deserve to be alive.

Daphne, however, knew very well that this state had been inevitable even before the Battle of Hogwarts. They had been close friends for their whole lives. They both had their social cliques - Draco with the pureblood sons of his parents' friends and Daphne with their daughters - but at the end of the day those friendships were nothing compared to theirs. They had trust, and that was rare to come by in Slytherin. That was why it had become so painfully obvious to Daphne when things had started to head south in their sixth year.

She had been stupidly hopeful that, someday, the old Draco would return. That hope was getting smaller every day, though. She understood where he was coming from. How do you go from being at the peak of society to jaded outcasts?

"First year, you were annoying and full of yourself," Daphne started, deciding that if he was refusing to open up, then maybe he could at least listen. "Truly, I often fought the urge to smack you - but you were there for me when that Ravenclaw ruined my braids."

"It was Roger Davies and he was a prat," Draco muttered quietly.

Progress, Daphne thought to herself proudly. "Second year, getting that Nimbus 2001 really rushed to your head - but you were still humble enough to open up to me and tell me you were scared of the creature in the Chamber of Secrets."

"I wasn't scared - "

"Your words, not mine," Daphne interrupted with a smirk. "Third year, I got on your case about teasing Potter with that Dementor crap and you actually admitted you felt bad for it. Fourth year, you went with me to the Yule Ball after you'd heard that Montague cheated on me with Tracy Davis."

"I also gave him a bloody good Bat-Bogey Hex," Draco pointed out quietly.

"That you did," Daphne admitted with a small smile. "Fifth year, your ridiculousness peaked with that Inquisitorial Squad shite, but you weren't afraid to come to me in tears when your father got thrown in Azkaban."

This time, Draco stayed silent and kept his eyes focused on his lap.

Daphne took a deep breath. "Sixth year... I lost you, Draco," she said quietly. "You kept secret after secret, you shunned me... but still, when you saw that new welt on my arm from my father, you were there for me. Even then."

Cautiously, Draco looked up and met Daphne's eyes. He could see there was pain and empathy in her gaze, and he instantly felt bad for shutting her out so much. He couldn't help it, though. After the war, he had been at a loss for what to do. For who he was. His whole life and system of being had been stomped on and thrown out the window, and now that he had graduated he was simply expected to fit in. How could he if he couldn't even tell right from wrong?

"Why can't I just be like everyone else?" he finally asked quietly. "Why am I so fucked up."

"Draco, you are not fucked up," Daphne said with a confident tone. "All of us went through the same war."

"You didn't," Draco said quietly. "You always hated your parents' purist crap."

"Not for the right reasons," Daphne pointed out, "I just had an abusive father I wanted to spite."

Draco looked down and shook his head. "You were right, though. And I was wrong. The things I did - "

Daphne stood up from the ottoman in that moment and forcefully grabbed the glass from Draco's hands. He stared up at her with a look of disbelief and annoyance, but she simply stared back with a raised eyebrow.

"You've got to stop feeling sorry for yourself," Daphne started. "It's not all about you."

Draco scoffed and looked away from her, crossing his arms as he looked out the window. It was snowing, he realized. Once upon a time, that would have brought a smile to his face. Now, he felt nothing.

Smack.

"Ow - what the hell is wrong with you?" Draco exclaimed as his hand went up to his head, where Daphne had just given him a slightly jarring smack. He frowned at her and she glared back.

"This is what you missed while you were too busy being fatalistic to be my friend," she said angrily as she tugged on the collar of her jumper to reveal the scar on the left side of her neck.

Draco's eyes widened as he took in the scar, spanning from just above her collarbone to the back of her neck. It looked like the job of a knife or a dagger and as he met Daphne's eyes he knew exactly who had done that to her. His grip tightened on the armrest of the armchair as he felt anger overcome him. For the first time in a while, he could feel himself swelling with resentment - an actual strong emotion compared to his usual bleak demeanour.

"Why?" was all that Draco managed to get out.

Daphne sighed and let go of her jumper. "After Uncle Axel had been kidnapped, Father noticed I hadn't been around and suspected I knew something," she explained. "Unfortunately, he was right."

Draco remembered that night. It had been around Christmas time and the younger Greengrass brother had decided to throw a masquerade party. It was very typical of Axel - kick back and have fun, purebloods are entitled to that much. He also very vividly remembered the room suddenly going black and everyone somehow being disarmed all at once. Next thing they knew, Axel was gone.

"It was Keegan," Daphne finally said quietly. "The Order sent him and he told me to get out. When Father found out I was 'sleeping with the enemy' as he put it, he had been furious but... I saw that glint in his eyes. He knew it was useful information."

And then there was Daphne's boyfriend: Keegan Shacklebolt. He was older than them, but most Slytherins remember him on account of being an enigma - otherwise known as a well-liked Slytherin. Daphne's relationship with Keegan had been yet another thing he had missed when he had been too busy doing Voldemort's bidding. Her timing could not have been worse, unfortunately - a month later, the Ministry had fallen to Voldemort and Keegan and his sister had joined the Order with their Uncle Kingsley.

And Draco hadn't been around for her.

Daphne sat back down with a sigh and reached forward, her hand covering his. He met her eyes again and found kindness in them now. "We all have our demons. No one expects you to get over everything in an instant," she said softly, "but you have to at least try, Draco."

"I suppose it doesn't look too good that you knew exactly where to find me in the middle of the day," he admitted with a wry laugh, attempting a small smile.

Daphne smiled back. "Definitely not your proudest moment," she agreed.

Standing up, Daphne reached her hand out to him. He looked up at her, pausing for a moment, before taking her hand and standing up. She didn't hesitate to pull him towards her and tightly embrace him, and Draco found himself quickly hugging her back. He had forgotten how comforting Daphne could be. As far as Slytherins and purebloods went, she had a warmth about her that was unique.

After a moment, Daphne let go of him and took a step back, her expression serious once again. "All right, now there's only one thing left to do," she declared.

"And what would that be, Daph?"

"Get you into some cleaner clothes, you filthy animal."

[smellofparchment-blog]

Keegan Idris Shacklebolt

pureblood, Slytherin, Obliviator, Head of the Obliviator Headquarters, practitioner of wandless magic

[smellofparchment-blog]

By Moonlight and Sunrises: Chapter 10 - Sunrises

Story Title - By Moonlight and Sunrises (ffn link)

Story Description - There was no awkwardness. No need to fill the empty space with words because the space wasn’t empty. There was something - inaudible, invisible, of course, but there was something there anyways. “How can I possibly want to kiss a woman whose name I don’t even know?” Percy finally asked, breaking the silence.

Story Rating - teen (T)

Story Characters - Percy Weasley, Audrey Shacklebolt, George Weasley, Keegan Shacklebolt (OMC), Sabina Kopitar (OFC), Oliver Wood, Kingsely Shacklebolt, Zhara Shacklebolt (OFC), Kristopher Shacklebolt (OMC), Kelsey Rowle (OFC), Thorfinn Rowle, Molly Weasley I, Arthur Weasley

Story Pairings - Percy/Audrey

Chapter - 10) Sunrises

12 September 1999

"Hey - Prophet owl's here!"

As George opened the window, a small tawny owl swooped into the kitchen and dropped the rolled up newspaper in the middle of the dining table, which was covered in dishes and cutlery leftover from the large breakfast. The week following the attack at the Shacklebolt Estate had been a hectic one. Percy, Audrey, and the whole Shacklebolt family had constantly been in and out of the Wizengamot giving testimonies and journalists were all over the place. However, Kingsley was doing everything in his power to get the trial expedited and over with as soon as possible.

In the midst of testimonies, however, many Order secrets had begun to come out to the public - namely, Percy's involvement. It was unavoidable once Percy was sitting in the Wizengamot and being asked whether he had had any previous encounters with the accused, and the onslaught of questions that had followed had been a nightmare. Fortunately, though, Audrey had been by his side the whole time, just like when he had told his family.

Still, when Percy had received the letter from Rita Skeeter requesting an interview, he had been reluctant. That is, until Audrey made a good point: he could control his story, or he could let the old bag gab away however she wanted. Now, as the Burrow was filled with silence, the headline ominously stared back at him.

FORMER ORDER SPY SPILLS ALL: DRAMA, INTRIGUE, AND HEARTACHE

"Well, she certainly embellished," Percy declared, breaking the silence.

"Could be worse," Audrey said optimistically. She nodded towards the newspaper and added, "Do the honours, Perce."

Everyone in the small kitchen - Molly, Arthur, George, Ron, and Hermione - intently stared at Percy, then back at the newspaper in anticipation. With a deep breath, Percy reached forward and unrolled the paper.

"'Once upon a time, the name Percy Weasley would have meant less than nothing to all households of the wizarding world - ' wow, really, that's how she's going to start?" Percy began to read.

"Keep goin', you need to be brought down a couple pegs," George urged jokingly.

With a sigh, Percy continued, "' - but today I have the honour of introducing you to the Order of the Phoenix's bravest hero. Here follow the tales of a man that has given up more than most for the sake of doing the good thing for all magical kind.' And then it just goes on about some missions I did."

"Perce," Ron started with a serious tone, "for twenty-three years, you have been nothing but a pompous prat, but now - now - you act modest. What bloody missions?"

"Well the first one she talks about is the one where I stopped that last decree Umbridge wanted to get passed, back when she was Headmistress," Percy explained. "It was the one allowing physical punishment of students but Fudge never got it because, uh, I may have replaced it with a rather embarrassing letter bearing Umbridge's forged signature."

"Perfect, prudish Percival Weasley, did you just confess to damaging Ministry property and forging an official's signature?" George exclaimed sarcastically.

"Settle down, would you?" Percy grumbled. "Then it goes on about how I smuggled a muggle-born and his family out of the Ministry."

"The McConnells," Audrey intervened. "Keegan and I received them on the other end of the portkey."

"Wait - really?" Percy asked as he turned to look at Audrey in shock. "Blimey, we had a lot of close calls," he added observantly.

"You mean Gregor McConnell?" Arthur asked. "He... he pushed me out of the way of a blast when we were at Hogwarts."

Audrey glanced at Percy and smiled when she saw the look on his face. She could tell he was trying to down-play the article, but he seemed proud. He had a glint in his eye that she hadn't seen before. When he glanced her way, he didn't hesitate to return her smile.

"The, uh, last part actually talks about the mission that Audrey and her brother did, and how she saved my bloody neck," Percy continued, looking back down at the newspaper in his hands, a wide grin still on his face. "And then it ends with, 'While the war may be over, the list of heroes we must thank for their sacrifices continues to grow. Today, you can add Percy Weasley to that list: a perfect example of selflessness and bravery. Tune in - ' Oh, bloody hell."

"What's wrong?" Audrey asked curiously. She leaned in to get a better look at the article and rolled her eyes as she got a glimpse of the words.

Percy rolled his eyes and continued, "'Tune in next week for the hot gossip on his hero belle, Audrey Shacklebolt. There is more to this pureblood princess and her hero spy than meets the eye.'"

"Ugh, she even bloody rhymed it," Ron said with disgust, "Classic Rita Skeeter, ladies and gentlemen."

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Audrey declared tiredly. "For now, enjoy being a hero, Percy. You earned it."

"Skeeter or not," Molly started, leaning across the table to grab the newspaper from Percy, "this is getting framed and put in the living room."

"Nestled right alongside all of Percy's other awards," George teased as Molly promptly left the kitchen with Arthur following closely behind. "I call it 'The Shrine of Humongous Bighead.'"

As everyone else began to disperse and leave the kitchen, Percy leaned in towards Audrey, a mild look of annoyance on his face, and explained, "He means Head Boy."

"Oh, I know," Audrey replied with a smirk, "Him and Fred pretended like they didn't know who I was talking about if I didn't use that nickname for all of our fifth year. So - "

"So you're familiar," Percy interrupted with a sigh. Although he sounded annoyed, Audrey could see a small smile cracking his glare.

Leaning in closer, Audrey whispered, "You know, if you still have that badge, I think it would still look rather good on you."

"You want to me to wear my Hogwarts uniform?" Percy asked in confusion.

"I meant just the badge."

"I like where your head's at."

31 December 1999

Percy cleaned his glasses for possibly the tenth time in the last half hour, then gently perched them on his face again as he looked in the mirror in his old childhood bedroom. He had managed to tame his curly red hair for the night, and had put on his best set of dress robes. Deciding that this would be his final inspection, Percy gave himself a satisfied nod before opening the door to enter the chaos that was filling the rest of the Burrow.

Almost instantly, Percy was surrounded by the shouting and noise of his family attempting to get ready for the big New Year's Eve party that the Shacklebolts were hosting. He was nervous for the event, although not because it meant he would be facing Audrey's whole family. After Kelsey had been taken care of and things had settled down, Percy had actually regularly kept in touch with Audrey's parents. By all accounts, it seemed that he had made a good impression on them, and he couldn't be any happier.

When Percy's eyes found Ginny and George in the living room playing Exploding Snap, however, his happiness did fall a few steps.

"Hey! You two!" he exclaimed, storming towards his siblings. "You're not even dressed!"

"Ah yes, thank you, Captain Obvious," George bit back with a smirk. "Don't get your knickers in a twist - we'll go change now."

"This was a task for an hour ago!" Percy shouted as George and Ginny rolled their eyes at him and trudged their way upstairs.

Looking around rather frantically, Percy called out, "Ron! Harry!"

"I've got them!" Hermione shouted back. Deciding that she was probably the only other responsible person in the whole house, Percy considered that handled and went into the kitchen to join his older brothers.

Bill and Fleur stood by the window, seemingly calm in the midst of the loud house. Fleur was now sporting a visible baby bump, which had resulted in Molly being even more overbearing than usual; however, for the first time ever, Fleur seemed to be enjoying the attention her mother-in-law was giving her. Sitting at the dining table, Charlie was deep in conversation with his new girlfriend, a witch that he worked with in Romania by the name of Raluca. Admittedly, Charlie not showing up alone for the first Christmas ever had been the highlight of everyone's holidays.

For now, anyways.

Feeling a strong hand on his shoulder, Percy turned his head to see Arthur standing beside him. "How're you feeling, Perce?" his father asked with a grin.

"Nervous - definitely nervous," Percy replied, "but excited."

"That's a good sign," Arthur said reassuringly.

Percy nodded as his father left to extract Molly from Fleur's side. Looking down at his watch, the panic set in again. "People! We're already running late!" Percy shouted.

"Oi, relax," George grumbled as he entered the kitchen, fully dressed, "Haven't seen you this worked up since you graduated."

Percy only rolled his eyes at George, but he felt the smile spreading across his face as the rest of his family filled the small kitchen of the Burrow. The last time he remembered his whole family, Harry and Hermione included, crowded together in the Burrow like this had been Fred's funeral. Now, for the first time in a while, it was for a happy reason.

"All right, be clear when you're in the Floo: Shacklebolt Estate, Hornsea."

Audrey instinctively turned her head as she heard the roar of the Floo, considerably softer when covered up by the loud music playing in the main hall. She excused herself from her father's side as she made her way out of the hall and started to head towards the study.

She quickly stopped by her old bedroom, giving herself one final look-over in the mirror. She had left her hair down, wavy and swaying with every movement. Her gown was a deep burgundy colour and form-fitting. The sleeves were simple lace of the same colour and the dress left her back entirely bare all the way down to her waist. Except for the healed scar running diagonally across her back, she looked exactly how she had looked that night seven months ago.

The night her and Percy had first kissed.

With a satisfied nod, Audrey made her way to the study once more. As soon as she entered, she found the room full with the whole Weasley family. Audrey met Percy's eyes and he started heading towards her, the room growing quiet. She could see the surprise on his face as he recognized the dress. The grin he was sporting was contagious.

"This is... you look beautiful," Percy finally said.

"Thank you," Audrey replied with a proud smile, "you're looking rather dapper yourself."

"People are in the room!" George piped in as he popped up behind Percy and gave his older brother a much too strong pat on the back.

Percy rolled his eyes at George's outburst but Audrey only laughed and took hold of Percy's hand. "Well in that case, follow me," she declared.

With Percy by her side, Audrey led everyone back to the main hall, the sounds of music and conversation getting louder with each step. Everyone was visibly filled with awe as they entered the hall. The ceiling was covered in garlands of silver flowers. Large wreaths hung on the wall and beautiful glass vases of poinsettias were at the centre of each table. A Charmed mistletoe was zooming around the room, coming to an abrupt stop over its next pair of victims: Keegan and Daphne. Dramatic as always, Keegan dipped her down as if dancing before kissing her, earning a loud chorus of 'whoop's from his co-workers.

"Welcome to the Shacklebolts' New Year's Eve party!" Audrey introduced as she turned to face the rest of the Weasley family. "Make yourself at home."

One by one, everyone began to disperse as they recognized old friends or simply felt like joining in on the dancing. Soon enough, only Percy and Audrey were left standing together.

"This is amazing," Percy said as he looked around the room.

"You don't want to know how stressful it was to be around my mum this last month," Audrey replied, "but it looks like it paid off."

"Ah, just who I was looking for!"

Audrey and Percy turned around at the sound of Lucinda's voice. Of course, Audrey should have known that her grandmother wouldn't be one to wait around for Audrey to come to her - rather, Lucinda was a fan of taking matters into her own hands.

"Well, Audrey, please introduce us," the older woman said pointedly.

"Percy, meet my grandmother, Lucinda. Gran, this is Percy, my boyfriend," Audrey introduced with a smile.

"Pleased to finally meet you dear," Lucinda said as she shook Percy's hand. "Kris speaks of you very highly."

"I am truly happy to hear that," Percy replied politely.

"So polite," Lucinda noted as she looked Audrey's way, as if that would mean Percy was out of earshot. Taking a step back and looking at the couple with a proud smile, she added, "Now go enjoy yourselves!"

Hooking her arm with Percy's, Audrey chuckled at her grandmother and led him into the party. With a wave of her wand, two glasses of champagne floated towards her and Percy and they each took a glass as they continued walking. "Gran can be a lot, but she means well," Audrey said with a shrug.

"If you think that's a lot, wait 'til you meet Muriel," Percy replied with a shake of his head. "Besides, I kind of like that my biggest worry is being bombarded by your grandmother."

"Well, when you put it that way, we've definitely fried bigger fish," Audrey admitted. It really was nice, for the first time ever, to not feel like she had to watch her back at every turn.

As the couple made their way around the large room, they stopped a few times to talk to several people they both recognized from work. It felt so natural to be by Percy's side even for the simplest conversations, and Audrey found herself enjoying introducing him to the rest of her family. Soon enough, Audrey spotted Sabina and made her way over to her best friend with Percy in tow.

"Sab! I'm so glad you're here," Audrey said as she went to hug her friend.

"Aye, glad to be here. Nice to see you again, too, Percy," she greeted, looking around rather frantically.

"Likewise," Percy replied slowly. "You all right?"

Sabina sighed heavily and met Audrey's eyes. "I've got a situation," she declared. "Your dad told my dad to feel free to bring the team."

Audrey frowned in confusion at her friend. Every year her parents had held this party, her father had always extended an invitation to the Quidditch team that Sab's father coached, Puddlemere United. "Like he always does," Audrey said slowly.

"Merlin's crotchless thong, I need to be more hammered," Sabina muttered, quickly downing her champagne right after and summoning another glass.

"Oh, look - I didn't know Oliver would be here," Percy said as he spotted his friend just entering the hall. He moved to wave him over but Sabina quickly smacked his arm down.

"Are you mad?" she hissed. Shaking her head, she added, "Jebemti, I need to get out of here."

Without another word, Sabina disappeared into the crowd of the party. "Well, it's never good when she starts swearing in Slovenian," Audrey declared as she looked up at Percy.

"What was that all about?" he asked curiously.

"I have a feeling we'll find out eventually," Audrey replied as she watched Sabina disappear into the crowd. "Still wanna go say hi to Oliver?" she asked.

"Actually... I was thinking we could get some fresh air," Percy said, feeling a surge of courage run through him.

"I'd like that," Audrey replied with a smile.

The couple made their way towards the double doors leading out onto a large balcony that overlooked the sea. The area was sealed with Heating Charms to keep out the cold winter breeze, but the view was still breathtaking. A starry sky hung over the strong sea waves rolling onto the beach. Audrey set her champagne glass down on the stone ledge of the balcony as she looked out at the seaside, a small smile of contentment on her face. She felt calm and happy. These were the moments she wished would never end.

"Remember the last time we were alone on a balcony together?" Audrey asked, the smile on her face widening as she continued looking out at the view.

"That's actually exactly what I was thinking about."

Turning to look at Percy, Audrey frowned in confusion when she didn't immediately see him next to her. When she turned around and her eyes finally landed on him, her jaw dropped slightly and her eyes widened in surprise. She felt her breath hitch as she looked down at Percy, down on one knee in front of her with an open ring box in his hand and an incredibly wide grin on his face.

"Audrey Shacklebolt, I want to stargaze with you for the rest of my life, wherever we are," Percy started. "Will you marry me?"

"Will I - ? Yes! Yes!" Audrey replied excitedly, smiling uncontrollably.

Percy quickly got up and put the engagement ring on Audrey's finger then, without a moment's hesitation, wrapped his arm around her waist to bring her close and kiss her. Audrey quickly kissed him back, hands grabbing at his dress robes to pull him even closer. This was a moment that would last forever.

1 January 2000

"Look at that - made it to sunrise."

Audrey blinked rapidly in the hopes that it would make her feel more awake as she took in the first sign of light between the clouds. After the excitement of their engagement and the thrill of the countdown, Audrey and Percy had decided to stay up to see the first sunrise of the year. They had situated themselves on a bench in the gardens, with plenty of blankets, coffee, hot chocolate, and some strong Heating Charms. Overall, Percy was much better at dealing with sleep deprivation than she was.

"First sunrise of the year," Audrey said with a smile. "First sunrise as your fiancée."

With his arm around her waist, Percy gave her a light squeeze and a kiss on the cheek. "I like the sound of that," he said.

"You know what else sounds nice?" Audrey started as she looked over at Percy. "Audrey Weasley sounds pretty nice."

Percy returned Audrey's wide smile. "It sounds perfect," he said quietly.

[smellofparchment-blog]

By Moonlight and Sunrises: Chapter 8 - Vengeful

Story Title - By Moonlight and Sunrises (ffn link)

Story Description - There was no awkwardness. No need to fill the empty space with words because the space wasn’t empty. There was something - inaudible, invisible, of course, but there was something there anyways. “How can I possibly want to kiss a woman whose name I don’t even know?” Percy finally asked, breaking the silence.

Story Rating - teen (T)

Story Characters - Percy Weasley, Audrey Shacklebolt, George Weasley, Keegan Shacklebolt (OMC), Sabina Kopitar (OFC), Oliver Wood, Kingsely Shacklebolt, Zhara Shacklebolt (OFC), Kristopher Shacklebolt (OMC), Kelsey Rowle (OFC), Thorfinn Rowle, Molly Weasley I, Arthur Weasley

Story Pairings - Percy/Audrey

Chapter - 8) Vengeful

5 September 1999

Audrey carefully walked on the grassy grounds of the cemetery, the heel of her shoe just slightly sinking into the damp ground. Her grandmother gripped her arm a little tighter as the two women made their way together along the uneven soil. The older woman was much shorter than Audrey, just a mere half inch above the younger woman's shoulders in height, but she walked with a perfectly straight back and her chin held high - just as she walked on any other occasion. Still, even with her perfect posture and stoic demeanour, Audrey could see the tears running down Lucinda Shacklebolt's face.

This had been their Sunday morning tradition ever since the war had ended: wake up early, go to the cemetery to visit Grandpa Dion, have breakfast together in Hogsmeade. Audrey had always been incredibly close with her grandmother, who she greatly admired. A strong woman and a skilled wandmaker, Lucinda Shacklebolt, born Fawley, was the youngest of five children, the other four of which were all boys. While the Fawley name was widely recognized in England, Audrey's grandmother had been raised in a wizarding town in South Africa. There, the only reason anyone respected her grandmother's family had been because of their wandmaking skills. The pureblood hierarchy there had been a whole different playing field.

Audrey slowly came to a stop once they reached her grandfather's grave and, like every single Sunday, Lucinda's head immediately dropped and she let out a sob. Audrey sighed heavily and tightly embraced her grandmother. It was one thing for your husband to die in a war - but a whole other thing when he was killed by his only daughter. Just thinking about Kelsey's betrayal made Audrey angry.

Lucinda pulled away and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, then swished her wand to create a bouquet of flowers for her husband's grave. She took a step back and smiled sadly. "'Do not go gentle into that good night,'" Lucinda read off of the gravestone. Looking up at her granddaughter, she added, "He would've liked that. Where is that from again, dear?"

Lucinda always asked that question, not because she truly forgot, but because it gave her something nice to think about. "A muggle poet," Audrey replied with a small smile, her eyes fixed on the gravestone. "I picked it out."

"You always were the poetic one," Lucinda admitted. She looped her arm with her granddaughter's once more and turned away from the gravestone, "let's leave him with his poetry, then."

"And his very beautiful flowers," Audrey added as she turned away as well.

"Ah yes, the most useful spell for any pureblood housewife," her grandmother said sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.

Audrey laughed. For her time, Lucinda had always been considered an anomaly. An unnaturally ambitious, untameable woman. People had called Dion Shacklebolt mad for marrying her, but as he had always told Audrey and Keegan: "the heart wants what it wants."

"Now, Kris tells me you have quite the special dinner guest tonight," Lucinda started, giving Audrey a knowing glance.

"Did he really use the word 'special?'" Audrey questioned with some disbelief in her tone.

Lucinda shrugged, a sly smile on her face. "Well, I consider him special," she admitted. "Both Kingsley and Dion always spoke highly of him - and Merlin knows he's a proper man, unlike that silly boy you dated when you were at Hogwarts."

"I'm never living that down, am I?" Audrey muttered.

"A Pucey, you really should've known better, dear," Lucinda chided. "Nonetheless, we can't be held responsible for adolescent mistakes, I suppose."

"Ah, well Keegan will be glad to hear that," Audrey joked.

Lucinda laughed at her granddaughter's comment. "I sure hope that Greengrass girl is making him a proper man now," she replied, "Merlin knows he was stuck at the maturity of a fifteen year-old for a worryingly long time."

"Hush, Gran, you're not supposed to know that information," Audrey scolded. "You would've made a terrible Slytherin, you know?"

"So your grandfather would always tell me," Lucinda replied with a shrug. After a pause, she added, "You know, no matter what mistakes the two of you have made or will make, I am proud to call you my grandchildren."

"Thank you, Gran," Audrey replied, smiling at her grandmother.

"Although, Merlin's beard, was I thrilled to hear you're seeing a Weasley!"

"All right, moment's over," Audrey muttered to herself as she shook her head at her grandmother in amusement.

Percy had spent yet another night at the Burrow. This was starting to turn into a repetitive pattern that Molly had most certainly taken note of, although Percy only realized it when his mother 'jokingly' (read: almost completely seriously) asked if he was moving back home. As much as Percy loved his family, he also loved his independence and his own personal space... and not waking up to a wet finger stuck in his ear, courtesy of George. Over the last few days, however, he would be the first to admit that he had missed being so physically close with his family, which was why he was probably sleeping over so much. There was a certain coziness to the messy atmosphere of the Burrow. It was a comfort that helped him cope with the craziness of the last couple weeks.

Now, however, as Percy furiously searched for his one good pair of cufflinks, he was not at all appreciating that coziness.

"Where the bloody hell are they..." he muttered to himself as he searched through the living room.

"Looking for these?"

Percy turned at the sound of George's voice to see his younger brother standing in the living room with the cufflinks in his palm. Percy rolled his eyes and strode over to George, "Oy, come on, mate, these don't come cheap," he scolded as he grabbed the cufflinks from George's hand.

"Lookin' mighty fancy, Perce," George stated with a raised eyebrow.

"Got an important dinner," Percy replied with a shrug as he put on his cufflinks. He avoided George's piercing gaze.

"Yeah, I heard - with the Shacklebolts," George said, "the pureblood side."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Percy demanded, frowning at his brother.

"Just that her aunt is one of the most wanted Death Eaters - "

"Her aunt who has literally tried to kill her on several ocassions?" Percy interrupted. He could feel his temper slowly getting the better of him. "Just get to the point, George."

His younger brother scoffed. "Ya know, you were a prat before, but now you're in a whole other realm," George bit back. "Just like you to not give a shit about what the Death Eaters are doing."

"Do you bloody hear yourself right now?" Percy exclaimed. He scoffed and threw his hands up. "You know what - fuck it. I don't have to defend myself to you." How could George be so blinded? Everyone had ties they regretted, but Audrey had been in the Order, right alongside Fred and George.

"Oh, is that right? Are you forgetting the last five years - "

"No, I'm not!" Percy shouted. "I never forget the last five years, so shut your damn mouth because you have no idea what you're talking about!"

"I have no idea what I'm talking about?"

"If you even knew half the shit I - "

"Boys!"

Percy and George suddenly stopped their shouting match, their gazes turning to their father and mother, who had just entered the living room. Arthur, the source of the voice, appeared to be a mix of angry and sad, while Molly almost looked terrified. Percy sighed and rubbed his temple as George looked away from him with his arms crossed. It had been a while since there had been so much shouting in the living room of the Burrow.

"What in Merlin's name is going on down here?" Arthur asked.

"Nothing," Percy replied, before George could open his mouth. "I'm late for a dinner," he added, before quickly making his way out of the living room and heading for their Floo.

Audrey quickly stood up from her armchair as the Floo in her father's study lit up and Percy stumbled out. She strode over to him with a smile, the sound of her heels echoing throughout the large room, as she swept the soot off of his shoulders with a wave of her wand.

"Thanks," Percy replied with a small, forced smile.

"Of course, but it will cost you," Audrey said. "You can pay now, or with interest later."

"With interest sounds promising," Percy decided.

Audrey paused for a moment as she looked him over. He seemed tense - or at least more so than usual. "Are you all right?" she asked slowly.

"Yeah, I'm..." Percy trailed off and sighed. He really didn't have the heart to lie when Audrey's gaze literally bore through his soul. She was a living, breathing lie detector. He gently placed his hands on her arms and smiled. She was beautiful, and even with that concerned frown on her face, Percy felt himself relaxing around her. "No, but it can wait - I need the distraction," he answered

Audrey's smile widened. "All right, then buckle up - you're in for the distraction of your life."

Audrey took hold of his hand and started to lead Percy out of the grand study. The place was filled with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lining the walls and a large, mahogany desk directly by the massive bay windows that faced the garden outside. Percy almost felt like staying in the majestic room, but he followed along with Audrey's tug at his arm as they made their way to the dining room. With Audrey right in front of him, leading the way, Percy noted how her forest green dress left her back entirely bare, leaving her new scar completely visible. It was healing well, but seeing it still made Percy feel a little sick to his stomach just thinking about that horrible day.

With a sharp turn around a corner, Percy suddenly found himself face-to-face with the rest of the Shacklebolt family waiting patiently by the long dining table. He cleared his throat and, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious, nervously fiddled with his cufflinks.

"Mr. Weasley, just in the nick of time," Kristopher stated plainly, his gaze fixed on Percy.

Audrey shook her head lightly. Leave it to her father to actually time him.

"Well, the food's ready when we are," Zhara said breezily. "Drinks, anyone?" With the swish of her hand, some bourbon appeared in two of the glasses - one at the head of the table and one just another seat over.

"Pour another for Mr. Weasley," Kristopher said, "I'm sure he'll be a bourbon man for the night."

"Dad, don't - "

"No, that's perfect," Percy intervened with a small smile, "and please, call me Percy."

With a shrug, Zhara filled another glass with bourbon, and conjured another two glasses of wine, one for her and one for Keegan. As everyone moved to take their seats, Audrey leaned in closer to Percy for a bit and quietly said, "Don't feel like you have to do everything he says - I never do."

"I have a feeling we're not held to the same standard," Percy whispered back with a small laugh.

Unsurprisingly, Kristopher sat at the end of the table. Zhara and Keegan took the seats right next to him, while Audrey sat down next to her mother and Percy right across from Audrey, next to Keegan. As soon as they had all taken their seats, Zhara waved her wand again and several dishes filled with steaming food came floating into the dining room and gently landed on the table. Percy took in all of the food before him pot roast, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, Yorkshire pudding, and fresh dinner rolls. It was practically a feast.

"I hope you like a good Sunday roast," Kristopher said. "Welcome to our home, Percy."

"Oh here's one of Audrey learning to swim."

"Mum - no!" Audrey quickly reached towards Zhara, her hand grasping for the photo, but her mother held the photo just out of her daughter's reach and quickly passed it to Percy.

Percy laughed at the photo - a young Audrey, clearly frustrated, kicking water toys into the pool with her arms crossed - but he quickly let out a groan of pain as Audrey reached across the table and smacked his hand to get the photo back.

"Bloody hell, didn't know I'd be so targeted tonight," Audrey grumbled.

"Well we certainly can't do this to Keegan, he was far too photogenic as a child," Zhara reasoned.

"Perfect, thank you, that really makes me feel better," Audrey said sarcastically. She met Percy's gaze, and he gave her a wide smile and a wink. It melted Audrey's annoyance away instantly.

"Ah, here's a good one to make up for it," Kristopher declared, pulling a photo out of an album. "First day of Auror training."

Kirstopher slid the photo over to Percy. Audrey stood proudly by the main gates of the Shacklebolt Estate, dressed in perfectly pristine Auror robes and a wide smile on her face. She looked younger in that photo and her hair was pulled back in a perfect ponytail, a sight which vaguely reminded Percy of Audrey as a prefect.

"Those Auror robes look like they were made for you," Percy remarked as he handed the photo back to Kristopher.

"Interesting," Kristopher voiced, a small smile finally breaking through his stoic expression, "that's exactly what I had said that day."

"You know how the saying goes - great minds think alike," Audrey commented with a grin.

"Let's not push it, Audrey," Kristopher replied, but the smile stayed on his face as his gaze turned back to Percy. Audrey's grin didn't even falter.

She couldn't have imagined any way this dinner could have gone better. Her mum and dad liked Percy. They had a tough way of showing it, but that was how they were raised - keep your emotions to yourself. Still, Audrey knew them well enough to know that the main reason they kept pulling out embarrassing photos of her was because they didn't want him to leave. They liked his company, and just thinking about that made Audrey happy.

I'm glad this is going so well, Percy's voice echoed in Audrey's mind and she had to stop herself from jumping up in her seat. She would never get used to him being a Legilimens, although it was bloody convenient. She looked over at him with a smile. Frankly, she shouldn't have been surprised this was going so well.

As the laughter died down, Audrey glanced over at her mother to see the older woman frowning as she looked toward the entrance of the dining room. Audrey gently touched Zhara's arm. "Mum, you all right?" she asked

"Something's off," Zhara muttered in reply. "I thought... I thought I heard the Floo."

Audrey stood up slowly, her grip tightening on her wand. Keegan followed her lead and asked, "Are you sure, Mum?"

Zhara shook her head lightly, "Well, no, but I swear - "

Suddenly, Audrey's and Keegan's wands jumped out of their hand as the familiar scarlet Charm zoomed into the room. Without hesitation, Percy, Kristopher, and Zhara were on their feet and drawing their wands, but they were disarmed just as quickly. A tense silence filled the room as they all looked around helplessly, trying to find the source of the Disarming Charm.

Suddenly, the bay windows in the dining room shattered and Audrey's vision was obstructed by pure darkness. She frantically looked around, trying to get a glimpse of what was happening, as she heard wood and glass cracking and breaking and the loud whistle of wind. With a loud swoosh, Audrey suddenly regained her vision and found herself standing back-to-back with Percy and the rest of her family. The dining table had been pushed towards the windows of the dining room and blown to smithereens, leaving the dining area completely open. It took her only another second to realize that they were surrounded. Audrey felt sick as her eyes took in the ominous Death Eater masks before her.

One of the Death Eaters reached up and pushed back the hood of the outfit, revealing her smirking face. Audrey felt her heart stop as she recognized the woman before her.

"Now, is that any way to greet your dear auntie?"