A Virtue of Necessity

Author's Note: So, so sorry for the long delay in updating. I've moved twice and been very sick since I posted the last chapter, not to mention the semester started with all its time-consuming demands. Enjoy!

A Virtue of Necessity

Chapter Three - Disclosure

I arrived at the Burrow promptly at seven, and knocked on the wooden door with a horrid sick feeling in my stomach. Molly opened it right away, a painful-looking smile on her worn face. My heart clenched a bit as I recalled my hand in her grief. I swallowed and greeted her with my best effort at a smile, following her into the delicious-smelling house.

It seemed that the whole family had gathered, even adopted Weasleys Harry and Hermione. I saw a tall redhead whom I assumed to be Bill, whom Percy had gone to visit in Egypt that one summer. I couldn't meet their eyes, and followed Molly into the kitchen with a murmured greeting. I felt the fire of Ron's accusing gaze heat my face as I passed him.

I set the table and watched pots for Molly, all the while telling myself I'd wait - I didn't want to ruin their dinner. I ignored the small voice at the back of my head telling me I had already done that, yesterday. Had it really been less than two days since I'd found out? It seemed as if time had stretched out and the world around me turned grey, all in that short space of time.

Supper was another silent, awkward meal. I was keenly aware of how much I didn't belong at the table with them - for all my carrying Baby Weasley, I was far less a part of the family than Harry and Hermione were. Afterwards, we all cleared the table together, and Molly sent two kids into the kitchen to wash up. She beckoned to me silently, and I followed her into the back garden. The sun was setting, throwing the summer leaves into a blazing glory, a preview of autumn.

We sat down on a wooden bench, and I waited for her to speak.

"The funeral will be next Wednesday," she said abruptly. I drew in a startled breath and turned to her, gripping her hand tightly. She squeezed back. "I know you will want to come, of course. What I wanted to ask you, however..." he voice quivered and she trailed off. "I wanted to ask you," she said more strongly, "if you would say a few words. You're the only one of us who really knew him in the last few years. Even when he was with us, he was always so - closed."

Her words hung in the air like shards of glass, almost close enough to cut. I replied quickly, "Of course, Mrs. Weasley. I'll do my best." I shut my eyes and cursed myself. When would I learn not to say yes to everything? I was terrified of public speaking and crowds. I'd surely embarrass myself and the Weasleys!

But then the guilt rose again and I told myself, It's the least you can do. And what's more, I couldn't let any more time pass before telling her the truth. So I took a deep breath, and spoke before I could lose my nerve.

"Mrs. Weasley -"

"Molly, dear."

I gritted my teeth. "Molly, then. I haven't been completely honest with you." Oh God, that made it sound like I had lied. I couldn't look at her. "What I mean is, I never told you why Percy and I broke up in the first place."

A pause. "And why did you, Penelope?"

Oh God. I scrunched my skirt between white fingers. "Because I - I'm pregnant. And Percy... didn't want it." I whispered the last, tensely awaiting the explosion.

None came.

A hand touched my chin, turned my face to hers. She was crying.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," I wept as she took me in her arms, rocking me back and forth as though I was her own child. I burrowed into her warmth and remembered my mother.

+

When we went back inside, joining the rest of the family in the drawing room, I asked them for their attention. Molly had offered to tell them for me, but I had already taken advantage of her that way once. Now I would speak for myself.

I stood before them, and they looked at me from their various positions, piled on the couches or on the floor. There was a steady sort of dread in their eyes, and I didn't blame them for expecting bad news. I had already brought the worst sort of horror into their house. And what about this? I asked myself. Is this bad news too?

I couldn't wait any longer or I'd lose my nerve, with nine expectant faces waiting for me to speak. I dropped down on the arm of Molly's chair. She squeezed my upper arm, giving me courage. "Percy and I - the reason we broke up, or rather, the reason he left - well." I looked at my hands, feeling myself turn a brilliant red. "I'm expecting a child," I whispered to my lap.

Several gasps sounded in the room. I raised my head to see Ron looking at me. He nodded, once, in approval. I let out a little sigh.

The fireplace erupted in green flame, and a soot-covered redhead tumbled onto the rug.

+

"Oh, my boy!" Molly crossed the room in two strides, engulfing her son in her ample embrace, as he clung to her unashamedly, much as I had done less than ten minutes before. He was more freckled than I'd remembered, and his face held no trace of the grinning mischief which had seemed to follow him around at Hogwarts. Instead it was a frozen mask of horror and grief. What really struck me were his arms, covered in scars fresh and faded, strong arms which were now embracing his mother as she sobbed. I retrieved a long-forgotten fact: this was Molly's dragon breaker. Her able-bodied knight on a broomstick. It seemed fitting that he was the one who'd finally set off her meltdown.

The rest of the Weasleys came together as well, forming a protective circle around their mother and brother - like a ribcage around a heart.

I turned away from the poignant scene, feeling more alone than ever. It was time for me to go.

"But what will Penny do?" came a shrill voice from behind me. I stopped and turned to see Hermione's anxious face. The girl had always been uncannily adept at making people face unpleasant truths. Beyond her, the Weasleys were breaking out of their tearful huddle to look at me in confusion. I wanted to throttle her. They looked askance at each other, until Molly spoke.

"Why, she'll stay here, of course," she said decisively. Everyone nodded in relief - except Charlie, who looked rather bewildered. I opened my mouth, but found myself incapable of forming speech. Seeing this, Molly hastily amended, "That is, if you'd like to?"

Well. What was I to say to that? A refusal would make me look churlish and ungrateful, but I could think of nothing more lovely at the moment to be gone from all this, to go back to my little flat and cry myself to sleep. But I remembered Healer Stanwick's advice, and for the sake of the baby, smiled. "All right then," I sighed, and saw Molly's face firm with purpose.

The next few minutes were a whirlwind of activity. Before I knew it I was ensconced in Charlie's bedroom; he'd been shunted into Bill's. As she put fresh sheets on the bed, I stammered that I felt awful about kicking Charlie out of his own room, on his first night back.

"Nonsense, dear. They're quite used to sharing, my boys. And we Weasleys never mind being a little closer to each other." Except Percy, I thought. It had been stifling for him. Molly pressed my shoulder and turned down the bed. Bathroom's across the landing dear. Let me know if you need anything."

I was quite overwhelmed by such efficient handling; even my own mother had never managed me so well. When I'd agreed to stay, I hadn't meant or expected immediately - I didn't even have a toothbrush. But the earnest look on Molly's face, barely hiding the aching grief below it, stayed my protests, and I thanked her instead.

Once the door had closed behind her, I sank down on the bed, drained. The baby had been sucking all the energy lately, and the stress of the last few days had taken its own toll. I knew it wasn't helping, but I couldn't hep worrying for the baby - how he or she was taking all this. The healer's words echoed in my mind and I took a deep breath, in and out, trying to consciously release the tension that had knotted my muscles.

No use. Thoughts circled relentlessly in my head. What was I going to do? Ron had been right; once my pregnancy became obvious there was every chance I'd be terminated from my position at the Ministry, and then how would I support my child? And, even if prejudice didn't cause me to lose my job, I would have to quit at some point anyway, when magical travel became to dangerous and work too difficult. I had no idea when that might be. I grimaced at the situation I was in with the Weasleys; true, they hadn't shunned me at learning my secret; I hadn't really expected them to. Still, I couldn't impose on their generosity indefinitely. And I didn't know if I wanted the suffocating expectation that came with being part of such a large family. Hadn't Percy run from just that?

It all came back to Percy. I couldn't escape his memory, or the shadow his death had cast over every aspect of my life. I hadn't even had a chance to grieve properly for him. I was stuck with a sudden foreboding as I remembered the man who had approached me at the office; the memory of his cold black eyes sent a chill down my spine. What did he want? More importantly, what was he hiding? I had sensed something behind that disdainful bearing, something sinister. It was possible he was just an unpleasant man whom I'd seen the last of, but something told me that was wishful thinking. I had learnt to trust my intuition since I'd come to the Wizarding world, and it had flared sharply in warning during my unpleasant encounter with him.

Thinking of the dreadful tangle my life had become, I sighed and wondered if I'd be any happier knowing what lay ahead. The future was far from Unfogged. I could see nothing, and even what clues I had were murky and discouraging, making me hunch my shoulders in dread of the coming day. The only hope I held to was that of the tiny life blooming within me; a life I had pinned all my tired dreams on.

+

Breakfast the next morning was chaotic and strange, at least to an only child like me. I nibbled at some dry toast and watched in queasy amazement as the Weasley sons inhaled mountains of food.

Fred and George had to leave soon after I came downstairs, kissing their mother on opposite cheeks and promising with unusual gravity to be home early. The shop, like any fledgling business, still needed them for long hours, though they were taking off more time than they could probably afford.

Once the breakfast dishes had been cleared in a communal effort, Ron, Harry and Hermione retreated to the living room, talking in low murmurs. Ginny slipped her arm into Bill's as he got up from the table. She dropped her head, he dazzling hair falling into her face, and her tall brother put his arm around her. "Come on, love," he said quietly, leading her out the screen door into the sunny garden. I looked down at the scrubbed floor.

Unfortunately Wednesday was my day off, and I had nowhere to go and no excuse to leave. I lingered at Molly's elbow, not wanting to sit down and seem lazy, but unable to insinuate myself into her whirlwind of activity. I wandered to the table and closed my hands around the back of a wooden chair, watching as Charlie paid and petted the Daily Prophet owl. He grimaced at the front page - giant attacks. I shuddered at the wanton destruction I glimpsed briefly as he flipped to page two. His eyes slid down the newsprint until he froze, his face turning the color of dishwater. I felt a clutch of fear in my throat, that same one we all had these days at the hint of trouble. Who knew what horror lurked around the next corner.

I stepped forward and breathed, "What is it?"

He looked up at me, startled, as if he didn't recognize me for a second. Wordlessly, he pointed at a small black rectangle at the bottom of the page, cutting his eyes at his mother to make sure I didn't catch her attention. I nodded, and read:

Newly appointed Personal Assistant to the Minister for Magic, Percy Weasley, was killed Monday afternoon in the line of duty. His father, Arthur, works in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Percy leaves behind his parents, six brothers and a sister. Our thoughts are with them during this trying time.

There was that barren phrase again - in the line of duty. What the hell was that supposed to mean? I hissed out an angry breath, and turned away, crossing my arms and gripping my shoulders tightly.

"What the hell -" I turned back to him, but he made a quelling motion with his hand. Later, he mouthed. I closed my mouth and nodded again.

But Molly had noticed the disturbance. "What is it?" she asked, wiping her hands on a dishtowel and walking to the table. Charlie glared at me.

I looked down at the table and saw he had flipped the newspaper closed again. "Giant attacks. You-Know-Who's subverted them, and they're wreaking such havoc." I shivered at the sight of such wholesale, careless destruction. It reminded me of a town made of Lego, stomped to bits by an angry child. Except there were bodies.

Molly followed my gaze, then gave a stiff nod. "Yes, we knew about that right after it happened. It was terrible... all those children -"

I looked at her in surprise. "You knew? But how..."

She exchanged a grim glance with her son. "Arthur works at the Ministry," she said to me.

So do I, I almost said, but it was abundantly clear that she didn't want to tell me whatever secret they were hiding.

Arthur walked in then, catching his wife's last statement. "I certainly do. And what's that got to do with anything?"

Molly smiled at him with sad eyes. "Nothing, dear." He walked to her and took her work-roughened hand in his, pressed it. She leaned into him. I looked away, meeting Charlie's gaze for an awkward moment, then dropped my eyes to the floor.

I was going to make a quiet exit when his voice brought me up short. "Mum tells me you're pregnant." I jerked in surprise and met his gaze. What was this, revenge?

"And what business is it of yours?" I snapped, my temper flaring. Molly stirred in my peripheral vision, but I kept my attention on Charlie.

"I'm going to be an uncle, aren't I?" he asked mildly.

I flushed. He had made me seem unreasonable and rude. "I - yes. Sorry, my nerves are shredded."

A pause. "What are you going to do?"

I sighed, pushing back the curly black hair that had fallen into my eyes. "I don't know."

Molly's hand came down on my shoulder, squeezing gently. "You're welcome to stay here. Forever, if you like." I opened my mouth, then closed it, unable to respond.

Charlie looked at me with some understanding. "Mum, that's no solution to her problems. The Ministry doesn't look kindly on unwed mothers, even I know that." He looked across the table at Arthur, who agreed.

Molly huffed and came around to stand next to me. "Well, then, Penelope doesn't need to stay there to be harassed by those idiots."

"I suppose I'll have to find another job. But no one hires during wartime. I doubt there are any non-government openings available."

"There aren't," put in Arthur. "I have reliable sources on that."

I bit my lip, dismayed. I hadn't had a strong hope of finding another job, but it had been something. Now I was facing a dead end. I lifted a shaking hand to my forehead. How would I pay my rent? And with the baby coming - the hospital bills - "What am I going to do?" I murmured almost to myself. "I can't afford to be out of work, now more than ever..."

"Oh, Penny, you don't have to worry about that," said Molly. "We'll take care of everything. You're a part of the family now. Leave everything to us."

I gaped at her, and so did Charlie. For one thing, I knew the Weasleys couldn't afford it. For another - well, I was just stunned. Touched, but stunned.

"Mum," said Charlie incredulously, "You can't be serious!"

But she was. I could see it in her face.

"Why ever not?" Molly asked her son.

He let out a frustrated breath. "Mum, she's a grown woman, not a lost child. You can't ask her to give up her whole life and come live here with you."

Molly blinked, then looked at me with chagrin. "Oh, dear. Is that what I was doing?"

I turned red. Charlie was right, but I couldn't bear to hurt her feelings.

She smiled brokenly and sank into a chair. "I'm sorry dear. It seems all my instincts are off these days." She looked exhausted, and near tears.

I exchanged a stricken look with Charlie. He sprang up and put his arm around her, looking miserable and guilty. "No. Mum, that's not what I meant." He ran a hand over his short red hair. "We just - Penelope needs to make her own decisions."

I dropped to my knees in front of Molly's chair. "You're treating me like one of your own children." I swallowed a sudden lump in my throat. "I can't tell you how much that means to me." I squeezed her hand. "But I can't ask you to shoulder my responsibilities. It wouldn't be right of me to let you. But I'm just - so humbled by the fact that you offered."

Molly raised her hand then and touched my cheek. Her fingers were rough and warm. She smiled slowly. "All right, then."