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Post by Arthur Weasley on Nov 12, 2008 15:36:44 GMT -5
Yep, Arthur was officially regretting this idea. Ted was not in a better mood, even with Veronica there. How much longer was he going to continue to make himself--and anyone around him--miserable by avoiding Andi?
He glanced over at Ted. "You know why you can't be stationed near the school, right? I heard Andromeda actually missed a week at work after what happened."
It was probably cruel to mention her name just then. But Arthur was still a little angry with Ted about what happened with Molly.
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Post by Ted Tonks on Nov 12, 2008 15:49:03 GMT -5
Ted was quiet for a moment, and then looked a Veronica. "Love, just put your next drink on my tab, all right? I'll be sure and leave enough for it."
He gave her a look, begging her to let him go. He just couldn't do this right now. Hadn't she told him that tonight was to forget about Andi and all of that? And here Arthur was just rubbing his nose in it like a misbehaved dog. Well, enough.
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Post by Veronica Massey on Nov 12, 2008 15:55:37 GMT -5
Veronica shot Arthur a dirty look, then put her hand on Ted's arm. "Don't go yet," she pleaded. "Let's change the subject, OK? I can tell you about my trip, if you want." She didn't want Ted to keep hiding from the world, and feeling sorry for himself. It wasn't healthy, and she was worried for her friend.
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Nov 12, 2008 16:13:35 GMT -5
Arthur sighed and held up his hands. "I'm sorry. That subject is off limits... Veronica laid down the law to me. I won't mention her again, I promise. Don't leave, OK? You need to get back into the world."
He didn't mention that he'd heard Andromeda had already stopped hiding from the world, and was now back at work, doing her job. He was pretty sure that the mere mention of her name would be enough to send Ted running again.
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Nov 12, 2008 16:21:32 GMT -5
But it seemed someone out there was trying to tell Ted something, because at that moment, Andi was on her way to the Three Broomsticks. She had finally agreed to meet with her friend Amelia, who had been writing to her ever since the breakup with offers of consolation and a shoulder to lean on. After her drunken talk with Nathalia the night before, only half of which she actually remembered, she needed to talk about her theories with someone who knew both of them. Amelia seemed like a good choice. Besides, she was also eager to hear how things were going with Kyle.
Andi walked slowly next to Amelia while they made small talk about things around the office. Since Andi’s current assignment mercifully took her away from the ministry, she wasn’t up on all the office gossip.
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Post by Amelia Bones on Nov 12, 2008 23:38:58 GMT -5
"...And you know I would never say this to her, but I just cannot understand Felicia at the moment. I think she really doesn't take these Death Eater threats seriously. I mean, she's the Head of the Department. It's her job to take all threats seriously." Amelia had been wanting to discuss how Andi was doing, but Andi beat her to the punch and started the conversation on goings-on at the Ministry. Amelia had plenty to say about Felicia Campbell, her boss. She really did like the woman, she just felt that her heart was not fully committed to the job, that she perhaps liked the title better than the position.
So now they had talked about Amelia's department, the newest Death Eater attack at Hogwarts, and the rising Voldemort scare. Amelia loved talking about her work but she really didn't know what more she could tell Andi about. Was she missing anything?
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Nov 13, 2008 0:16:15 GMT -5
"That's the kind of thing that the Prophet has been putting out there," Andi said, relieved to be discussing something completely impersonal. "I can't believe intelligent people like Felicia are buying into their story. Don't they see they're just making things worse? I wonder if they're working for him, you know? Like, they're allowing his power to spread by creating doubts and making the Ministry look like the fools." She sighed and shook her head. "I just have this terrible feeling that things are going to get worse before they get better. If they get better."
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Post by Amelia Bones on Nov 13, 2008 0:48:45 GMT -5
"Don't get me wrong, Felicia is great. I love working with her. But right now, I'm not sure I can say she is one of those intelligent people. Honestly, Andi! This whole thing is just made everyone into idiots." Andromeda was right. It had all started with the articles from the Daily Prophet. She hadn't heard any conspiracy theories before the first article, and now they were springing up all over the place. And reporters at the Daily Prophet seemed to be getting lazy about it too. That last article she had read from that horrid Bambi Ackart didn't even give any new information. There was barely a reasoning to it.
"I know what you mean. I was talking to Kyle the other day, and it seems its even spreading to the muggles. Can you believe that? They're harassing muggles now! And the poor dears don't even know what's going on."
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Nov 13, 2008 13:50:27 GMT -5
Andi shook her head. "I have to tell you, Amelia, I do not envy you having to be in the office right now. It's got to be a mess. All these people, even within the ministry, who ought to know better... falling for that stupid story. At least at the school, most of the kids and professors seem to understand a little more about what's going on. Of course, having one of their classmates die has hit them all pretty hard." She sighed heavily. "The girl was in my class, Amelia... and I don't even remember her. She didn't stand out. I just feel horrible, like I should have noticed her, I should have been there... it was my job to protect them and I failed."
Now, of course, there were more aurors stationed all around the school. She'd seen most of them... but so far, she hadn't seen Ted. She couldn't decide whether she was happy about that or not.
They were almost at the Three Broomsticks when Andi took a breath and looked up at her friend. "You haven't... seen... him... have you?" she asked, wishing she could have stopped herself from asking the question.
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Post by Ted Tonks on Nov 13, 2008 14:51:14 GMT -5
Ted frowned at Veronica stopped him, and he was quiet for a moment. Arthur had that look that said he was only behaving because Veronica had threatened his life if he didn't. The look in his eyes promised one more word about Andi, and he would be out the door. No one would be able to stop him.
He settled back in his seat. "Tell me about your trip," he conceded.
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Post by joseph on Nov 13, 2008 16:36:33 GMT -5
Joseph sat on his bed staring at the wall for what must have been hours. He was supposed to go meet Arthur Weasley at the Three Broomsticks but he wasn't very eager to jump up and go party anytime soon. There were some underhanded things going on in the Ministry and Joseph was more eager to begin digging through dirty pasts of certain Department Heads, yet he had promised one of his best friends, well pretty much his only friend. That he would come out and have some fun tonight.
Standing up he casually took one last look at himself in the mirror, and with his next step he disappeared from sight and stood staring at the front entrance of the famous Three Broomsticks. Casually stepping inside, he noticed Arthur standing with a couple others. One a certain Ted Tonks was more than easily recognizable from his debut in the Prophet. The other a beautiful female who had the air of an Auror, perhaps he could overlook it for her good looks. Approaching the trio, Joseph wrapped his arm around Arthur's neck, "Arthur! How ya doing my friend, any toilets blow up today?"
With a wink he pretended to sniff the air as if catching the scent of something interesting. "I smell Auror's......Keeping odd company this evening Arthur?"
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Nov 13, 2008 16:51:42 GMT -5
Arthur couldn't have been more relieved when Joseph showed up. He'd invited his friend along, so he'd have another buffer between him and Ted, since he was still irked at his friend. He had hoped he could get over what had happened and just be Ted's friend, but his stubborn refusal to deal with the Andi situation, along with his self-pity over work, were still grating on Arthur's nerves. He still thought Ted was being a complete git and he was a bit tired of trying to cut him some slack.
So Joseph's arrival gave Arthur a much-needed distraction. Now, Veronica and Ted could catch up, and Arthur wouldn't even have to talk to Ted if he didn't want to.
And right now, he didn't want to.
"Joseph!" he greeted his friend. "Glad you could make it. Joseph, this is Ted, and that's Veronica. Guys, I want you to meet my friend Joseph Christianson."
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Post by Amelia Bones on Nov 14, 2008 12:38:23 GMT -5
Amelia was upset by the Hogwarts attack too, but she hadn't realized how affected Andi would be by it. "It's not your fault, Andi. You can't be everywhere at once. And believe me, you have the harder job, of the two of us. I only have to worry about my post at the Ministry. But you have to do that as well as act like a professor. And really, if Dumbledore didn't see this coming, I don't know how you expect yourself to."
Amelia was thankful for her job. In comparison to Andi's she had it easy. But even as busy as the two of them were, Amelia knew personal relationships were always lurking in the shadows. And Andi wasn't doing so hot in that area either. "I've seen him around the office, yes. But I've not said so much as a 'hello' to him. He doesn't deserve it."
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Nov 14, 2008 14:35:08 GMT -5
Andi sniffled. Thinking about him still hurt. Just remembering the blank look on his face when he told her they shouldn't see each other anymore... it felt like a punch in the gut all over again.
"I still love him," she whispered. "I keep thinking it doesn't make sense... what happened. You talked to him that day at your brunch... would you have guessed he'd do something like this? I can't help but wonder if maybe he did it, because he thought he was doing it to protect me or something. Am I just grasping at straws?"
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Post by Ted Tonks on Nov 14, 2008 14:39:07 GMT -5
Ted eyed the new addition warily, but who was he to say anything? He knew exactly where Arthur had invited the man... to give him a distraction from Ted. That seemed pretty obvious, an it kind of ticked him off.
He held out his hand, mumblng something about it being a pleasure to meet the guy, and buried himself in his drink.
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Post by Veronica Massey on Nov 14, 2008 23:25:24 GMT -5
Veronica smiled at Joseph. But, like Ted, she was not fooled by his presence. Despite her earlier talk with Arthur, he was still angry at Ted. She thought his anger was misplaced. If he was angry that this Molly girl had broken up with him, he should be mad at Molly, not Ted. She was beginning to think everyone around her had completely let go of all sanity. They were all acting like children.
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Christianson. I don't believe we've met before. Do you work at the Ministry?"
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Post by Amelia Bones on Nov 15, 2008 1:41:32 GMT -5
Amelia hadn't wanted to think much about it, because it had been so horrible what Ted did to her friend. But now that Andi was asking her to think about it, it didn't make sense. Ted seemed utterly head over heels for Andi at Amelia's brunch, and that wasn't long before this whole ordeal went down. "Well..." She really didn't know what to say. Andi did have a point about it not adding up, and maybe he was trying to protect her. But if that was true, he went about it completely wrong. Going at it with that Skeeter girl...that was the worst decision in the history of the wizarding world. How could that have been protecting her? "I guess it could make sense. But...well, actually men can be quite daft. Oh I don't know Andi. I really don't know what could have been going through that man's head."
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Nov 15, 2008 1:52:11 GMT -5
Andi sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Men are daft," she agreed tiredly. "And they make us daft in return. I just wish..." Sighing again, she looked at her friend sadly. "I wish I could just... get mad. You know? Just work up a good anger at him... curse his name... hate him. I don't know why I can't. I suppose I should be glad I was finally able to stop crying."
They were at the door to the Three Broomsticks, but Andi didn't make a move to go in just yet. "I still don't know what to think about him kissing that Rita woman. But doesn't it seem odd that the woman he just happened to be kissing also happened to be a junior reporter for the Prophet with her own, wildly popular column? It seems so convenient. It reeks of a set up, doesn't it?"
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Post by Amelia Bones on Nov 15, 2008 22:58:49 GMT -5
Amelia pulled the door open and stepped inside the Three Broomsticks, still thinking on Andi's situation. "Yes, I was just arguing that point to myself..." When Amelia had stepped inside she had looked toward the bar, as that was to be her destination. But she found something more than drinks there. It was Ted, and he was with another woman! Amelia couldn't tell from this angle who the woman was, but it didn't matter. Andi had only just stopped crying over him, she didn't need to see that he was already moving on.
Amelia turned back around before Andromeda could step inside behind her. "Do you really want to go here tonight? I mean, we could go anywhere really. We don't have to stay in Hogsmeade. Let's go to London. They've some nice pubs there." She tried to usher her friend out before she could get a look inside. She didn't know what would happen if Andi saw Ted tonight.
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Post by Andromeda Tonks on Nov 16, 2008 2:48:10 GMT -5
Andi was confused by Amelia's abrupt change of plans. "No... I'm fine here. I'm a little tired from the walk. I haven't been getting much sleep lately. Let's just sit down and get a drink... then if you still want to, I guess we can go to London."
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