Watching

Watching

Chapter 22

The Burrow. What a house. It was crooked. You could definitely see where the original house had been, they've probably added on a bit for each child.

"What are you waiting for?" Harry asked as he and Hermione made their way across the front lawn. "Let's go!"

Probably drawn outside by Harry's voice, Molly Weasley stood at the front door wearing an apron with her flaming red hair pulled hastily out of her face by her wand.

"Harry, dear," she cried before running out to meet him and Hermione. She pulled them both into a hug and didn't let them go. "Oh, Hermione, I heard what happened. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley," she replied as the three of us joined them. "I think Harry suffered more than I did."

"Oh, poor thing," she said trying to straiten my brother's unmanageable hair.

"Have you met my sister?" Harry asked, diverting her attention to me. "Athena, this is Molly Weasley. Mrs. Weasley, this is my sister, Athena Malfoy."

"Married I presume?" she asked.

"Yes," I answered holding out my hand for her to shake. She, however, dismissed my hand and pulled me into a motherly hug.

"You're the only family he has now," she said in my ear. "Take care of him."

"Are you telling me something has happened to my father?" I asked pulling away from her.

"What do you mean?" the Weasley matriarch asked.

"We know Professor Snape is Harry's father," Hermione answered.

"So you know then?" she asked somberly. "How do you know?"

"My mother told me. That's why we're here. Apparently, you had something to do with Harry's appearance."

"Perhaps we best go inside," she said, still ignoring my husband and father-in-law. "If you're coming in," she said turning to them, "please, do not show your pureblood beliefs in this house. Remember, we are all pureblood as well."

"We only care on a public face, Mrs. Weasley," Lucius replied following her as she entered the house.

"You only care on a public face?" Harry asked Draco.

"See how little you know us?" Draco asked in reply. "Harry, I'm surprised at you. One would think you would learn everything you could about your so-called enemies."

"One would also think their heritage would not be hidden from them," he added, glaring at the Weasley house before we all entered.

The house was a mess. There was clutter everywhere! Not one spot on the wall didn't have a portrait of someone on it (most of whom were glaring at Lucius, Draco, and I). There was a blanket knitting itself on a chair, books everywhere, and a whole bunch of other needless items just lying about. Draco and I exchanged glances. If the manor ever looked like this, there would be hell to pay.

We followed Harry and Hermione into the kitchen where Lucius and Molly had already sat down at the table, and joined them.

"So, you have questions, Harry?" she asked.

"What did you think when my parents came to you?" he asked. "You knew my mum and James were married, so when they told you the truth, what did you do?"

"By telling us the truth, do you mean everything, or just that they were married and you were Snape's son?"

"Either one."

"Everything came out at once, Harry. Their marriage, their old hidden loyalties, they even brought you, Athena. Arthur and I were so shocked to learn of this, and touched that they had come to us for help. I would never have expected it of them. Lillian, maybe, but not Snape."

"Would you please not use my father's surname in that manor?" I asked. Every time she has said that name thus far, it has been full of hatred. "My father and mother came to you for help. They respected you, now would you please do the same for him?"