If George hadn’t had his arm around her still, Venice would have collapsed when they landed on the Weasley’s front lawn. Her eyes still blurry with tears, she couldn’t see the grass beneath her feet. George hauled her toward the kitchen door, her toes dragging on the lawn.
She didn’t see exactly when they stepped into the kitchen, but suddenly Molly had her arms wrapped around Venice in a motherly hug. As Molly’s perfume surrounded her, Venice burst into tears once more, sobbing into Molly’s shirt, clinging to the older woman for dear life. The dam had broken and there was no holding back the flood of tears that seemed to flow from her very soul. She cried until she couldn’t breathe, and then she cried some more, until finally, throat sore and eyes swollen, there were no more tears.
Molly held Venice while she cried, patting her shoulder, rubbing her back soothingly. When Venice calmed, Molly steered Venice toward the table, where she slumped into a chair, wiping the dampness from her cheeks. Molly bustled about, fussing with the teapot. Venice closed her eyes, letting the homey sounds wash over her. After a few moments Molly set a cup of tea on the table beside Venice and took a seat opposite her, nursing her own cup of tea. Venice sipped at hers slowly, trying to ignore the way that Molly was staring at her.
When her cup was nearly empty, Venice finally met Molly’s gaze. Molly’s face gave away none of what she was thinking, so Venice waited. Molly wasn’t known for keeping her silence, so it was only a matter of minutes. Venice toyed idly with the handle of her cup.
–You look like death warmed over, Venice.â€
Molly’s voice was gentle, but completely serious; she sounded both concerned and a little frightened.
–Have you been eating?†Molly continued. Venice shrugged a shoulder. Truth be told, she didn’t even remember the last time she’d eaten.
–Are you sleeping?â€
Venice shrugged again.
–Venice,†Molly prodded sternly. Venice swallowed hard, searching for the right words.
–I’m not…sleeping,†she finally offered. She stared intently at the table, her cheeks flushing. –I try, but I have…nightmares…and when they wake me up, I can’t get back to sleep.â€
Venice chanced a quick glance at Molly; the older woman was watching her quietly, her eyes serious.
–And I guess I’m not, well…eating much. I’m just not hungry at all.â€
She cleared her throat, fighting down a rush of tears.
–I just…I…I feel like I’m falling apart, Molly.†Her voice broke and she coughed. –I can’t hold on much longer.â€
–Oh, Venice…â€
Molly came around the table before Venice even realized she’d moved, wrapping the younger girl in a tight hug.
–I could swear I saw Charlie today,†Venice mumbled the words into Molly’s shoulder. –In Diagon Alley. I would swear on my life it was him, but when I called his name he didn’t answer, and then he just…disappeared. George thinks I’m crazy, but I know what I saw.â€
Venice pulled away from Molly, wiping at her face with her sleeve.
–I felt him, Molly. I know it was Charlie.â€
Molly patted her shoulder.
–Venice, dear, you’ve been through quite a lot. You should rest.â€
Molly didn’t believe her either. Numbly, Venice let Molly pull her to her feet and guide her out of the kitchen and toward the den, steering her toward the sofa.
–Why don’t you try lying down? You’ll feel better.â€
Venice obeyed, at a loss for the words she needed to argue. She curled into a ball, resting her head on the arm of the sofa, and allowed Molly to tuck her in. Venice was exhausted; within minutes her eyelids were drooping. She was aware of Molly talking, her voice low and soothing, and then she drifted into slumber.
~~~
Molly spent most of the next few days following Venice through the house, taking every opportunity she could to try and force Venice into eating something. She tutted loudly over how loosely Venice’s robes hung on her too-slender frame. Venice felt like she couldn’t breathe under Molly’s constant watch, and when the opportunity presented itself she escaped outside, taking refuge in the garden.
She hadn’t been in the garden in a long time. It was almost sad, being surrounded by so many flowers. It reminded her of Charlie’s flowers, and the thought nearly made her cry. As it was she had to fight down the lump in her throat.
She sank onto the garden bench, curling her legs beneath her. She’d dreamed of Charlie again last night, and the dream still hung fresh in her memory. It was unsettling dreaming about him when he was so far out of her reach. It was as if her mind was taunting her, reminding her of just how much she missed this particular Weasley…
Ginny found her there in the garden some time later. Venice was lying on her back in the grass, staring up at the clouds. Ginny quietly stretched out on the ground beside her.
–I’m sorry, Ginny,†Venice whispered after a while.
–For what?â€
Venice sighed.
–For everything. For getting involved with your family. I messed everything up.â€
Ginny rolled over; Venice could feel Ginny staring daggers at her but she kept her eyes on the clouds. Ginny sighed, exasperated, and rose up onto an elbow.
–Venice, you have got to stop thinking like that!â€
Venice opened her mouth to argue but Ginny shushed her.
–I mean it. Nobody in this family is mad at you, and I mean it when I say that. It’s not your fault. If you don’t stop saying it is I’m going to…I’m going to hex you!â€
Venice started to cry. She sat up, turning quickly so Ginny wouldn’t see her tears.
–I’m sorry! I just feel like this never would have happened if I’d never fallen for Charlie…â€
Ginny wrapped her arms around Venice, squeezing tightly, sniffling in Venice’s ear as she fought back her own tears.
–We’re going to get through this, Venice, I promise. We’re all here for you, and we all love you. And despite what your brain tries to tell you, we’ll all do whatever we can to help you. I mean it. Whatever you need, ok?â€
Venice nodded, scrubbing at her cheeks with her palms, and returned Ginny’s hug. They sat like that, arms around each other, until Venice’s leg fell asleep and Ginny complained, rather loudly, that she couldn’t feel her rear. Venice let out a watery giggle and pulled away, rubbing the feeling back into her leg as Ginny stood up and stretched.
–Come on; Mum’s probably got dinner ready, and I’m hungry.â€
Venice let Ginny pull her up from the grass and then followed the shorter girl back into the kitchen.
If Molly saw any trace of tears on their faces, she didn’t say a word. She silently pointed them toward the table with the wooden spoon she held in one hand while she stirred a pot with the other.
Arthur and Ron were already squabbling over who was hogging all the butter. Venice sat down, watching them silently. Ginny’s words had helped to lift a little of the weight from Venice’s shoulders. She picked up the biscuit Ginny shoved across the table at her and took a large bite, feeling better than she had in weeks.
~~~
Despite Molly’s arguments to the contrary, Venice went back to work with the twins a few days later. Venice loved being at the Burrow, but the walls were starting to close in and she needed some fresh air. She’d already missed more work in the past few weeks than she should have, and she was feeling horribly guilty for leaving the twins shorthanded for so long.
Fred put her to work setting up a new floor display, and Venice threw herself into the job. The morning passed by quickly; before she knew it George was all but throwing her out of the shop, insisting quite vehemently that she get some lunch before snapping the door shut firmly in her face. Venice made a rude gesture at George through the window before descending the few steps to the street. She wasn’t particularly hungry, but there was a nagging ache growing at the base of her skull…maybe a few minutes away from the shop wouldn’t hurt.
Venice wound up in the Leaky Cauldron without really knowing why. She took a seat at the bar, intending to order a sandwich, but instead she heard herself asking Tom for a double shot of Firewhiskey. He raised an eyebrow at her but did as she requested, setting the glass down on the bar before her. She downed it without a second thought, sputtering as it burned its way down her throat, and signaled for Tom to pour her another.
Again she downed it and signaled for another. She was feeling deliciously lightheaded now, and the whiskey no longer burned when she swallowed the next one in one gulp. Venice giggled, swaying giddily on her stool.
–Tom! Pour me another!â€
–Miss Venice, are you sure?â€
She stared silently at Tom until he poured her another. Venice savored this one, sipping it slowly, humming loudly. Her glass finally empty, she set a couple Galleons on the counter and got to her feet. Her legs nearly gave out beneath her; she clutched at the counter, laughing, until the room stopped swaying around her. She stumbled out the door, smiling at everyone, and tripped drunkenly up the stairs to the shop. She burst through the door, caught her shoe on the entry rug, and crashed to the ground. Venice lay there, snorting with laughter, until a pair of shoes appeared in front of her nose.
–What in the name of Merlin…â€
–’Ello, Fred!†Venice twisted her neck at an awkward angle, trying to see his face from her spot on the floor. –I’m back from my lunch!â€
Fred bent down and helped her off the floor, his nose wrinkled.
–Are you drunk?†he asked, eyes narrowed as Venice wobbled.
–No!†she scoffed loudly, pulling her arm out of his grasp. –I just had a bit of drink with lunch, that’s all.â€
Fred watched her sway unevenly down the aisle toward the counter, her arms held out to keep her balance.
–What did you eat for lunch, Venice?†Fred asked as he followed her. Venice shot him a rather cheeky grin over her shoulder.
–Firewhiskey,†she smirked, trying her best not to laugh again. –Firewhiskey, and more Firewhiskey! It was lovely! You should have joined me, Fred-we would have made a day of it!â€
Fred pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers, sighing loudly. Venice rounded the counter and leaned forward on her elbows, staring at him.
–You know,†she stated boldly, –your eyebrows are awful bushy.â€
–What’s going on?â€
George came out of the office, ledger in one hand, quill in the other. He set the ledger down on the counter beside Venice, pausing for just a second before he leaned in closer to Venice and sniffed.
–Have you been drinking?†he blurted out, incredulous. Venice smiled broadly.
–Yes I have!†she announced proudly, twirling around in a circle, giggling like mad. She didn’t see the look that passed between them as she clutched at the counter. Her head was spinning horridly but she just felt so happy.
–I love you guys,†she blurted suddenly, turning to face the twins again. She patted George heartily on the shoulder and grinned broadly at Fred.
–Venice,†Fred began slowly, –I think maybe you should go in the back and sit down for a while.â€
She stared at him blankly.
–Do you need me to check the ledger?†she asked, frowning. The twins normally had her balance the books at the end of the day, but it was barely past noon now. Fred cleared his throat.
–Venice, I want you to go into the office and put your head down for a few minutes.†His voice was stern and Venice nodded meekly. Hanging her head like a small child in trouble, she stepped around Fred and plodded slowly down the short hall to the office. She sank into the creaky leather office chair and obediently put her head down on the desk.
The throbbing at the back of her skull was growing steadily worse, and the joy she had found in the way the room was spinning was quickly leaving.
Venice closed her eyes, telling herself it was just for a moment…a moment later she was sound asleep, snoring softly with her head pillowed rather awkwardly on a stack of inventory slips.
~~~
Venice woke later that evening with a terribly dry mouth and a horrible, pounding headache directly behind her eyes. She was still in the office, her neck stiff and sore from its position atop the desk. Someone had turned the light on, the brightness only serving to make her headache worse. Groaning, Venice sat up, shaded her half-open eyes with her hand, and lurched to her feet. Her intent was to flip off the light, but as soon as she was on her feet the door swung open and Fred bounced in.
–Have a good nap, Venice?†he shouted, slamming a stack of files onto the desk. The noise radiated through her pounding skull, making her wince.
–Fred,†Venice groaned, –please don’t do that.â€
–Do what?†he questioned, perfectly innocent even as she scowled at him.
–Please don’t be so loud…my head is going to explode…â€
–Oh…Oh I’m terribly sorry, Venice. What was I thinking?â€
Venice didn’t quite catch the load of sarcasm dripping from Fred’s words.
Fred turned and for half a second Venice thought he was going to leave the office and leave her in peace. Instead he kicked the door shut, the glass panel trembling in its frame.
–Are you happy with yourself right now, Moon?†Fred asked. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking as threatening as a man dressed in neon pink robes can look.
Venice shook her head. She felt absolutely terrible, and on top of the vicious hangover was a thick layer of guilt. She’d mucked up, and she knew it.
–I’m sorry, Fred. I feel like a total idiot.â€
–You should,†Fred stated blatantly. He pushed Venice back down into the chair, sighing heavily. –I’ll be right back—don’t you move.â€
Venice watched him go, her spirits sinking even further. The twins were going to fire her, she just knew it, and she wouldn’t be able to blame them for a second if they did, because she absolutely deserved it. She dropped her head in her heads and silently prayed that the twins would make it fast and as painless as possible.
After a moment she heard Fred come back, this time with George close behind him. She glanced up just as George set a slightly-smoking goblet on the desk in front of her.
–Drink that, Venice—it’ll help the headache,†he explained. Venice snatched it up and took a large gulp, feeling the relief even as the thick potion slid down her throat.
–Bless you, George,†Venice mumbled around another large mouthful of potion. The potion did nothing to lessen her feelings of guilt, but her head was no longer pounding with every beat of her heart and the light no longer burned straight through her eyeballs. The goblet empty, she set it back on the desk and, cringing inwardly, turned to face the twins.
They both looked quite stern, and Venice’s heart skipped several beats.
–Venice, we’ve been thinking,†George began, –and we think that maybe it might do you some good if you took some time off work.â€
–We’ll still pay you, of course,†finished Fred, –and we don’t want you to think that we’re asking you to take a leave of absence, we just…we feel that you need some time to, how shall I say, regroup. Get yourself back together.â€
–You…don’t want me to work?â€
Somehow this felt even worse than being fired.
–We just think you need some time, Venice. We know this has been hard for you, for all of us, but the fact remains that you haven’t been, well, handling it all that well.â€
–I’m not HANDLING it? What the hell does that even mean, George?â€
–Don’t get upset! You just haven’t been yourself lately, Venice—we all see it except for you. We worry about you, a lot. Do you think it doesn’t hurt us to see you like this?â€
–Like what?†Venice hissed through clenched teeth.
–Living in the past, refusing to let go, or to move on.â€
–My boyfriend disappears without a trace and you want me to MOVE ON?†Venice heard herself shouting but she didn’t stop. –Did you forget he’s your BROTHER? Why am I the only one that acts like they even still care??â€
–It’s not healthy, Venice!†Fred shouted back. –If you keep clinging to this false hope you have that Charlie’s coming back you’re just going to end up hurt and disappointed!â€
Hearing Charlie’s name flung at her like that was a rude slap in the face. Venice stared at the twins, mouth agape.
–Excuse me?†she stammered. –False hope?â€
Venice got to her feet, feeling waves of anger coursing through her entire body.
–I’m sorry, but just because you’ve all given up on Charlie doesn’t mean I have!â€
She didn’t stay to hear the rebuttal. Instead Venice ran, and she didn’t stop until she’d reached the door to her flat. She slammed the door shut, darted down the hallway in bounding leaps, and buried herself deep under the blankets on her bed.
She wanted to cry, but she was still too upset to feel anything beyond anger, and underneath the anger, betrayal. She’d suspected for a while that most of the Weasley clan had given up hope, but it didn’t make having her suspicions confirmed any less painful.
Venice rolled over, sighing with disgust… Even after Charlie had disappeared she’d never felt this alone. Knowing that she was the only one that believed he was still alive merely served to widen the gap between the Weasleys and herself.
Well, fine. If the twins wanted her to take time off work, maybe she’d just quit…
And if she quit, maybe she’d use her free time to do what nobody else cared enough to do—look for Charlie.
Venice nodded once, decision made. In the morning, as soon as the joke shop opened, she was going to quit.
A Story for Charlie by Darkness Enshrouds
Chapter Notes: OHMYGOSH I am so sorry for the pathetic lack of updates! Life and writers block keep getting in the way! I promise I haven't forgotten--I've just been lazy. It's ok--go ahead and throw things--I won't blame you one bit!
Chapter Endnotes: This chapter isn't quite as long as I'd planned, but as always, I changed plot ideas halfway through and had to change some things around. Next chapter is coming along nicely---hopefully I might have it up sometime in the next few months! :P