Leave Out All The Rest

Brunch with the Deceivers

Leave Out All the Rest

Chapter 32: Brunch with the Deceivers

POV: Albus

It seemed almost ridiculous to be celebrating Easter with everything that was going on. 

The murder of Alec Greengrass was still fresh, alike the grief Liam and the Malfoys were feeling. That pain was then introduced to imprisonment (even if everyone kept saying to stop calling it that). The Malfoys (and Liam now, too, as their ward) were forced to hide from the prying eyes of the Wizardying World until these murderers were caught (the same murderers I was sure the Auror Department was connecting the attack in Muggle London with). Then there was Emily—poor, sweet, broken Emily.

"Yeah, all of it sounds completely wretched," said Evanna from the Floo in Mum's home office, "but maybe a bit of normalcy is needed. Maybe that's why your family still wants to celebrate Easter, because of everything that is going on. Easter is about family, after all." 

"This family is broken," I mumbled. "I usually looked forward to Gran's endless feast and the traditional family game of quidditch, but it feels forced now. I don't want to sit there and pretend to be happy when I actually feel helpless—when I feel angry."

Evanna was quiet for a minute before she said, "Watch the temper, Potter. You know the Ministry is monitoring your magic after the Killing Curse incident."

I scoffed. "I didn't actually kill anyone—"

"That's not the point. Anyway, what if I came to your Easter brunch?"

I stopped tossing the old snitch I'd knicked from on top of Mum's desk. I turned over to the Floo, trying to hide my incredulous gaze like Evanna was actually standing there. I knew if I was looking into the flames she would be able to see my face, but I wasn't. I had to, though. I tried to school the growing fear I felt to look in. In the emerald flames, there she was, looking in now, too.

"You want to meet my family?" There was no way to mask that horrible question with any form of cool. 

"You met Father," she said nonchalantly, like that wasn't just a quick handshake and an inspecting scowl that then turned to a terrifying smirk when Mum had called me over to our huddle because we were about to depart (Dad had been there to pick us up, but he had not been in a role of parent but rather as Head Auror escorting people out). "If you don't want me to go, I completely understand. These are difficult times and I don't want to impose."

I wanted to say that, yeah, maybe it was best if she didn't come join the chaos that I was caught in, but I could hear Teddy and Dad down the hall. One would say Evanna should not come while the other would disagree. It was because Dad was not known to be an expert in matters of the heart (because even we as his children were skeptical how he landed Mum) that I said, "No, you should come. I want you to come."

"Really?"

No. 

Maybe.

I really hadn't the foggiest.  

Turns out I was rubbish at this, too. 

"I didn't think to ask because of everything that happened the past few weeks, but, yeah, it's a great idea. I'll let Mum know."

I didn't miss the little sigh of relief she gave. It made me feel all that more horrible.

Still, when the next morning came, and the flames of Mum's Floo turned green, bringing out Evanna looking absolutely beautiful, I felt panic in the pit of my stomach.