[on hold] 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐓&𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍 → 𝑓. 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

v . father of the year

chapter five
FATHER OF THE YEAR

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   "OH MY, what are you doing here?"

   Entering the kitchen of Grimmauld Place the day before their return to Hogwarts, Ruby immediately felt her mood claiming long missed heights, as she found her father standing in the middle of the room, caught in a chat with Arthur.

   The stern expression on both the men's faces might should have bothered her, but after exactly one year of not having seen her dad, Ruby chose to ignore the tension hanging in the air and rushed over to throw herself into his arms.

   "Couldn't let you leave for school without telling you goodbye, could I?", he chuckled in response, engulfing his daughter into a tight embrace.

   Mr. Weasley winked at Ruby, before he sat down at the table next to his wife and Remus. Sirius was nowhere around, but that seemed to be well planned; it's not like Benjamin Perks couldn't be trusted, but knowing that his daughter was living in the same house as a mass murderer for sure would give the poor man heart attack.

   "I thought you're recently in Iceland for business."

   "I was, but gladly Amber volunteered to finish the job alone, so I could take the earlier flight last night and here I am!" At least this woman was finally useful for something, as Ruby bitterly thought. "I would come with you to the station tomorrow, but Mr. Lupin here told me it would be too dangerous. Oh Ruby!" He held his daughter by the shoulders an arm length away from him. "What have you gotten yourself into?"

   "I?", Ruby echoed, chuckling. "I wasn't the one to think it would be a good idea having a baby with a mad evil woman, am I, Dad?"

   With his eyebrows furrowed, Benjamin glared down at his daughter. "That's not funny, Ruby", he then said. "They told me you're in big trouble. And even greater is my sorrow."

   "Don't worry about her, Ben", Mr Weasley said with an encouraging smile on his lips. "She's completely safe at Hogwarts, Dumbledore's protection on this school is the best possible. There's no need for sorrow."

   Benjamin Perks clicked his tongue, but said nothing. His hands left Ruby's shoulders, and she exermined his face; the wrinkles on his forehead, the worry lines above his nose. Her father didn't fully trust Mr. Wealsey's words. And how could he? Ruby herself wasn't fully sure if Hogwarts still was a safe place after all that had happened last school year.

   "He's right, Dad", she nevertheless said. "And as a little bit of an extra shelter, I'm unhexable."

   "Excuse me?", Benjamin replied, blinking.

   Ruby was about to reply, but Remus cleared his throat, saying, "Be sure that were doing all that's in our might to keep Ruby safe, Mr. Perks."

   No, Benjamin wasn't satisfied, but he did his best to not show it and ruin the little time they could spend together. Because only few hours later, Benjamin rose from his chair.

   "Well ...", he said, but Ruby cut him off.

   "You wanna go?", she blurted. "But Mrs. Weasley ist about to prepare dinner, you could stay and eat with us before you have to leave."

   "I would love to, hun, but Amber's arriving in less than an hour, and —"

   "Really, Dad?", Ruby groaned, and her bright blue eyes narrowed to small slits. "You won't see me for ten full months, but all you care about is Amber?"

   "See, Ruby ... Things are getting serious between Amber and I", Benjamin said, cheeks flushing pink, as he ran his fingers through his short blonde hair. "There were things I wanted to tell you long ago, but I didn't want to bother you with more than you were already carrying after what happened to your friend."

   Ruby swallowed thickly, quickly looking down at her feet, as she listened to her father.

   "I wish you could finally meet Amber and see what an amazing woman she is", he continued. "Kind and generous ... And she's like you! She's a witch! You'll finally have someone to talk to about everything going on in your school. Someone who does understand!"

   "In case you didn't notice, I already had this all those years", Ruby muttered, looking up at her father. "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley —"

   "I know, Ruby, I know, but I mean like someone in the family."

   "Amber isn't family."

   Now it was Benjamin's moment to look away, searching for help in Mr. Weasley's concerned face.

   "See —"

   The door bursted open behind Ruby's back, and though she didn't see who was entering, his voice immediately filled the dead silence hanging in the kitchen.

   "Hey love, have been looking for you, wh— oh." Fred's voice died, as his eyes landed on Benjamin. "Hey Ben, what are you doing here? Ruby said you are in Iceland."

   "Ruby said?", Benjamin repeated, cocking an eyebrow. "Since when do you two even talk to one another?" Benjamin's arms crossed in front of his chest. "And did you just call my daughter love? What on earth is going on here?"

   "Irrelevant", Ruby quickly snapped, as Fred had already opened his mouth, her arms crossing as well, as she watched her father with a growling anger boiling under her skin. "You were about to tell me something."

   "Ruby —"

   "No, Dad, it's your turn, and maybe after that I'm still in the mood to tell you whatever is going on here."

   "Young lady —"

   "Benjamin", the calm voice of Arthur Weasley interrupted Ruby's father once more. "It's time. Tell her."

   Ruby's father seemed to struggle for words — or was still fighting down the urge to figure out what was going on between Frederick Weasley and his daughter. His eyes traveled from Mr. Wealsey back to his daughter, and he sighed.

   "See, you know Amber and I know each other for a while now", he said, and Ruby's heart was sinking faster than the bloody Titanic. "I wish you'd have had used the chance to met her last Christmas. She's really an amazing woman, and — and we both —" His arms untangled, he put his hands in his pockets, looking like a little schoolboy who had to confess that he didn't make his homework. And at some point he seemed to contemplate telling that the dog ate it ...

   "And?", Ruby asked, her patience on a very low level. She pursed her lips, her right foot impatiently tipping on the ground.

   "I love her", Benjamin said. "And she loves me as well. We get along perfect, and so ..." His eyes snapped to Mr Weasley, who gave a nod. "We married in July. I married Amber. And she's awaiting a baby."

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