Order Only: Private message to Charlie Weasley

[alt_bill]

Tell me again why I don't want to pull out Percy's rib cage and use it for wind chimes.

He's being such a stuck up arse about Mum.

Comments

[alt_charlie]

Ugh.

I saw his comment to Mum. I take it his message to you was more of the same?

Makes me want to hold him down and rub his face in the goat shite, and that was just from what he said publicly. Afraid I'm not going to be much use as the voice of reason, there.

I wonder if it would be easier if he'd just give up and disown us, already. It'd let us stop hoping, at least.

[alt_bill]

He harangued me for failing to talk her into ditching the Burrow for 'vastly better quarters.' And speaking of goat shite, he made a crack about it, telling me that surely I'd prefer to go back to New London, unless I liked pitching it out every night?

Mum seemed down tonight. She went out with him to lunch this week, and from something he said about being ashamed of her appearance, when Lucius Malfoy stepped out his office and saw her, I suspect he had the gall to harrass her about her wardrobe.

He apparently wants her to dress more like Narcissa Malfoy.

[alt_charlie]

Oh, Merlin.

I just ... I don't even know how to deal with that. With him. I mean --

Yeah. I don't even know what I mean. And I don't know why I keep hoping every damn time that he'll do or say something different when he's made it damn clear where his sympathies lie.

[alt_bill]

I don't, either. I made an excuse and skipped our usual lunch today. I didn't think I could smile at him over a plate of fish and chips at the Leaky Cauldron. I can pretend more easily when it's only my feelings involved. When he starts holding up his nose at Mum, though, it just makes me want to start hexing.

He's getting worse. Isn't he? Maybe there would be hope that Percy would start to come to his senses in about five years if Lucius sodding Malfoy sacked him tomorrow for failing to kiss his arse with sufficient feeling. But I don't think that's too likely. Percy apparently consider the arse kissing one of the perks of the job.

I know Dad wouldn't want us to give up on him. I know that.

Maybe he was just more of an optimist than I am.

[alt_charlie]

I know. I know. But I don't know what else we could possibly do, not when he gets all that poison poured straight in his ears by Lucius sodding Malfoy every day. And I don't think there's any way we can pry Percy's lips from Malfoy's arse long enough to remind Perce of what it means to be a Weasley.

Problem is, he knows what it means to be a Weasley, and it's not good enough for him. Never has been, really.

And I can't think of any way to change his mind, there. I just can't.

And I think Dad would rather we not risk

And Dad couldn't think of anything to do either

I wonder if we're only making it worse by pretending

I don't have anything. I really don't.

I'd go tell him what I really think of his pretentious sucking up, except I don't think it would help. At all.

[alt_bill]

You're right about what he thinks of being a Weasley, as much as it pains me to say it. And no, it probably wouldn't help a bit if you tell him what you think of his sucking up.

I'll keep pretending, even if I don't have much hope left. I owe Dad that. I'm probably the best of all of us at hiding my disdain from him; Fred and George and Ron don't bother much anymore.

I'm not going to put up with it, though, if he dares to start getting stroppy with Mum. I won't have her upset. Maybe I can argue that purebloods, proper purebloods, can always be distinguished by the fact that they treat their parents with respect. That might get through to him if nothing else will.

[alt_charlie]

Yeah. Maybe that has a chance of getting through to him. Of course, he'd probably respond with some shite about respect being earned, or being forfeited if you don't conform to some ridiculous notion of behaviour, or some utter bollocks like that. Or maybe he's convinced himself this is the way to show respect, to try to make us over into the model of all the things he cares about.

I'm so angry with him. ...I think I have been for a while, underneath all the sadness.

And I don't know what to do. For him, or for Ginny and Ron at Hogwarts, which is sounding more and more miserable every day, or for Mum being so alone or for you trying to fix everything even though

Yeah. Sorry. Kind of not doing so well at the supportive brother thing right now.

I saw a few tulips starting to struggle their way up, today. Maybe this winter will actually be over soon. Can't come too quickly for me.

[alt_bill]

You're listening, which is the supportive brother thing I need the most.

Yeah, I'm ready for spring, too. Saw a couple crocuses poking up myself when I was out doing the chores this morning.

(Right behind the pile of goat shite, as a matter of fact.)