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Post by Ted Tonks on Sept 18, 2008 23:35:00 GMT -5
"Because I love 'er," He said, his eyes narrowing on Arthur a little bit just to keep him in focus. "And she needs to be safe."
He was having a hard time focusing on his thoughts now, and it was nearly impossible to keep it all together. "Arthur," he said. "I am... a kid from the wrong side of the tracks. She is... perfect and 'as everything, and I can't give 'er anything," the words were slow and slurred, but he was trying very hard.
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Sept 18, 2008 23:44:26 GMT -5
At last, everything clicked into place for Arthur. He knew of the confrontation between Andi and her sisters at the restaurant, and how she'd chosen Ted over her family. Knowing what he knew of the Blacks, he was full aware that this decision would not be popular with the clan. But, despite the risks, Ted was secretly proud of her for the decision. It had to be hard to leave one's family behind, even if that family was cruel and hard and uncaring. That Andi had the guts to stand up to them for the person she loved was admirable.
And Ted was throwing that away... to keep her safe. It was a noble gesture, to be sure. But Arthur thought it misguided. Maybe there was more to the story--and Arthur rather doubted he'd get much more out of Ted at this point--but he didn't quite agree with the logic.
"So you love her... so you broke her heart to keep her safe?" Arthur said. "Because she's a blood traitor? Were there threats against her?"
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Post by Ted Tonks on Sept 18, 2008 23:49:06 GMT -5
Ted nodded. "Yes. I think? There were threats of threats. That's a lot of th's in one sentence."
He rubbed at his eyes. His tongue was starting to refuse to work, and his eyes were moving so slowly.
"One more drink, okay?" He wasn't sure who he was saying this to, but he hoped at least the bartender heard and was working on it.
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Sept 18, 2008 23:56:01 GMT -5
Arthur frowned. "Couldn't you report the threats to you boss? It should be handled by the Auror office, I'd think. Andi's in danger no matter what, as long as she's still working as an auror. So are you. That's a risk she accepted when she took the job. I saw how happy the two of you were together, you shouldn't throw that away just because of a few threats. Hardly anyone's safe these days. My family is a long line of blood traitors, we're just as much at risk as she is, but I'm not going to change how I live my life because of a few threats. Then they win."
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Post by Ted Tonks on Sept 19, 2008 0:00:10 GMT -5
Ted stared blankly at Arthur. Most of that went over his head. He rubbed at his eyes again. "What?"
The 'one more drink' he was talking about appeared before him, and he just looked at it for a long time. If he stared hard enough, he could almost see Andi smiling in front of him. He took a deep, shakey breath.
"I'll be fine. She'll be better without me."
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Sept 19, 2008 9:15:01 GMT -5
Arthur could see that trying to reason with Ted was out of the question. Ted had already gone past reason, probably about two or three drinks ago.
But Arthur was a sensitive soul, a romantic at heart. The fact that he was awkward and shy and not the least bit suave or sophisticated when it came to women was actually proof of this. Because he was looking for what Ted already had with Andi; that one person who would make him feel complete. The woman he would willingly sacrifice his own happiness or even his life to protect.
So he admired Ted for actually making that decision. What troubled him, however, was the method. If Ted was any indication of how ugly the scene was, he couldn't imagine the kind of state Andromeda must have been in. It didn't make sense to him to hurt her just to keep her safe. There had to be another way.
One thing he sincerely doubted was that Andromeda would really be better off without Ted. He knew without a doubt that Ted would not be better off without her. It seemed incredibly wrong to him that two people who loved each other that much should be forced to be apart, for any reason.
"Ted," he said, speaking in a slow and deliberate tone that he hoped Ted would understand. "Call me a romantic fool, but I can't believe that she'd be better off with a broken heart than happy with the man she loves."
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Post by Ted Tonks on Sept 19, 2008 12:44:00 GMT -5
Ted could hold on to the slower words. They processed better in his mind, even though he still paused for a minute to gather his answer to Arthur.
"She won' be 'urt forever," he said, knowing this to be true. Andromeda was tough as nails, and she would pull through. "An' I don' even know that she does love me. Or that she will in a year. What then?"
He hoped this was making sense to Arthur. He was trying to keep a straight train of thought, and he suddenly wished he hadn't drank so much.
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Sept 19, 2008 13:02:33 GMT -5
Arthur frowned. "Well, now you're just being stupid," he said. "No offense, Ted, but she split with her family for you. I think it's pretty clear that she did love you. I'm sure she wouldn't have done that if she wasn't sure it was forever. Do you really think Andromeda is so flighty that her feelings would change in a year or two? Or ever? She's young, but she's always struck me as a girl with a good head on her shoulders. Once she makes her mind up about something, there's no changing it."
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Post by Ted Tonks on Sept 19, 2008 13:08:26 GMT -5
Ted almost scowled at Arthur. Fine, he thought. He didn't see this going very well, or his point getting across at all, so he would force his friend to see him as the asshat everyone else did.
"An' what about me? I don' want to be stuck with 'er forever."
It had not occured to him that Arthur knew him well enough to know that he would have proposed to Andi already if he thought it was what she wanted.
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Sept 19, 2008 13:17:37 GMT -5
Arthur knew this to be a lie. Of course he did. He assumed the alcohol was talking. Or the guilt. Still, he felt a strong reaction at the ridiculousness of Ted's words, and he reacted by doing something Arthur never did.
He punched Ted, square in the jaw.
"Snap out of it!" he shouted. "You can rationalize this all you want, but don't you sit there and lie to me, of all people! You love her... you probably always will Why are you so determined to make yourself out to be the bad guy? Why can't you accept the fact that maybe all she really needs is you?"
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Post by Ted Tonks on Sept 19, 2008 13:43:00 GMT -5
Ted nearly fell off the barstool. Not only had Arthur caught him completely off guard, but he actually had a hell of a swing. If it had been anyone but Arthur, Ted would have launched himself at the person.
He didn't know how to explain all of the reasons he had done what he had done, and Arthur wasn't allowing himself to wallow, so he threw some money on the counter, and got up, without a word.
He stumbled for a second when he stood, but was steady enough on his feet to continue towards the door.
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Sept 19, 2008 13:52:39 GMT -5
Arthur was furious with him. He knew Ted was in pain, but he simply couldn't understand why he was acting the way he was. Pushing him away... and the lie about not wanting to be "stuck" with Andromeda... He'd hoped the punch would serve as a wakeup call to Ted, to get him to realize what a prat he was being. Instead Ted just walked out.
He wanted to go after him, to shake some sense into his friend. But there was no point. His sense had been lost before he even arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. He'd lost it the minute he'd lied to Andromeda.
Arthur tossed a few coins on the bar to pay for his untouched glass of butterbeer, then walked out as well. Suddenly, the idea of drinking anything made him feel sick.
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