Empty Alleyway (an HP fanfic)

V

"I'm sorry of how I reacted."

It had been the end of August, which means it's been six months since Ruby's birth and though Oliver and Percy don't live together, Oliver still visits practically every day. Oliver was feeding Ruby with baby food before he and Percy will have to go back to Hogwarts tomorrow- it's also the start of Ron's school year.

"It's not me you should apologise to, it's Percy." Oliver brushed it off as he continued to feed his daughter.

"I will, but I also need to apologise to you," Arthur continued, linking his fingers together. "I nearly punched you and yelled at you."

"You were just angry for your son, I understand." Oliver smiled as he turned his head towards his ex-boyfriend's father. "I really do."

"Good. Well, I think I need to find Percy."

"Good luck, Percy isn't as forgiving as I am," Oliver said as he spooned more of the mashed banana to his daughter's mouth. Arthur left Oliver to Percy's room, where he had heard sobs. He knocked the door gently before opening, seeing Percy hugging Bill, both too occupied to notice him.

"You'll still come and visit her every weekend, Percy," He heard Bill said as he pats his brother's back whilst hugging him. "Ruby is still yours."

"But I'll see her once a week only, I want to see her every day." Percy sobbed. Arthur's heart melts when he sees his third-born son sounding so distraught. "Ruby is mine."

"And she will always still be yours, come on." Bill kissed his brother's forehead.

"What if she forgets me-"

"She won't, Uncle Bill will never let her forget her papa." Bill bops Percy's nose, making him laugh. Arthur smiled looking at the sight of his sons playing with each other.

"Is there a way for me to take Ruby with me? Like an empty room or something?"

"Well, there is Room of Requirements where it will provide whatever you need," Bill notes. "But you still need someone to care for her when you can't, and Dumbledore didn't say you can opt for that."

"Shit."

"Shit indeed." Bill smiled sadly. "I'm gonna grab some tea, you want some?"

At this moment, Arthur immediately leaves the room just when Bill left, closing the door behind him. Bill greeted his father before continuing on his walk. Arthur knocked on his son's door before entering.

"Hey, Percy." Arthur folded his arms together.

"Hey, Dad."

"Tomorrow's your first day of school again, how's that?" Arthur asked again. Percy stopped and looked down.

"Yeah, Professor McGonagall appointed me as Gryffindor prefect." Percy nods, smirking. "Guess my hopes aren't so far gone, now."

"What about Ruby?"

"There's a reason why there's more than one prefect, Dad." Percy linked his fingers together. "Every weekend the other prefects will take over."

"What will you do next?"

"I'm not going to give Ruby a sibling anytime soon if that's what you're concerned about."

"I'm not, really." Arthur shrugged. "I know I can trust you."

"Did you?" Percy turned his face to face his father. "You didn't seem like you did."

"Did, that was past tense," Arthur elaborated. "I do now."

Percy sighed as he lets himself lean to the wall, sitting on his bed.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Arthur asked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I knew you'd overreact, and you did." Percy nods.

"If you had told us from the beginning, I would've let you know the options you may go through." Arthur shook his head. "If I knew you were sleeping around, I'd-"

"Are you accusing me of being a whore, Dad?" Percy cuts. "That's what you're doing, is it?"

"No!" Arthur shook his head vigorously. "I'm not."

"What are you doing?"

"This whole situation could've been prevented if you had let me know about this." Arthur sighed. "But you didn't."

"And?"

"I'm serious when I say parenthood is no walk in the park." Arthur rubbed his temples. "You have so many hopes for them, then they start hiding things from you, and the next thing you know they can turn against you."

"And?"

"I'm very proud that you stood behind your mistakes." Arthur faced his third-born son. "You could've run away from this."

"Abortion isn't murder-"

"I'm not talking about that, if I had known, I would've offered that to you," Arthur continued. "I'm talking about you not killing Ruby after birth or abandoning her to die alone, that takes guts. I'm happy that my son wouldn't do that. I'm happy that my son chose to be responsible."

"Thanks, Dad." Percy nods, looking down. Arthur pats his son's shoulder.

"You've got some really good qualities most people don't have." Arthur squeezed his shoulder. "I'm really sorry for how I treated you in the past."

"I know, Dad." Percy nods. "You were worried about me, I understand."

"Why didn't you opt for abortion or adoption? Why this?"

Percy closed his eyes and shook his head. "I didn't want to believe that I was pregnant at all until when it's too late. I have thought about giving her up to someone else but I can't do it, somehow I still imagine her and I being the greatest family ever."

"And Oliver?"

"We're kinda off now," Percy answered. "We had a break to give Ruby our best focus and to really move on from the shock and I'm thinking that we shouldn't go to school dating to gain the school's trust over me again, I'm kinda on thin ice here."

"And once the school trusts you?"

"That's the unknown variable," Percy closed his eyes. "Will it rekindle, will it not-" Percy sighed. "At least he's not leaving Ruby, that's for certain."

"How?"

"Because he gave her his name," Percy answered.

"How do you feel about him?" Arthur asked. "Let's get Ruby out of this mix: what do you feel with him?"

"I don't know-" Percy shook his head. "A part of me still likes him, but I don't know. It's complicated."

"Very well." Arthur came closer and gave his boy a kiss on the forehead. "I love you, Son."

"Love you too, Dad."