Snow Globes and Broken Promises

Snow Globes and Broken Promises

a remus/penelope adoration

< ~ >

..;; Everybody wants . . .

When Penelope Iphthime Clearwater was only four years old, her father presented her with an antique snow globe on Yuletide. Each night for the following weeks, he told her a tale about how the globe used to belong to a princess, a daughter of King Louis VIII, and that the snow would never stop falling and dancing for as long as she was loved. Tucking his only daughter into her four-poster bed, he brushed aside a black curl and kissed her on the forehead. His last words that night were telling her not to be late at the breakfast table.

When the Silver Maiden of the Moon and the Golden Master of the Sun passed each other the next day, kissing in their greetings, Icarus Clearwater joined the ranks of the Death Eaters, meeting death for their cause several days later at Godric's Hollow.

As Penelope was gathering her vivacious mother a daisy from the neighbour's garden the days following her father's funeral, the snow globe fell out of the top pocket of her white robes. Setting her eyes upon the globe, she noticed that the snow wept to a steady stream, eventually slowing to a halt. And no matter how hard she shook it, the snow stayed glued to the ground.

Ten years passed, many suitors for her Muggle mother waltzed across their red-carpeted hall, all with charming, perfect smiles and riches in stature. Her mother became a cold-hearted noblewoman, profiting from the death of her husband.

Penelope promised herself that she'd never assume her parents' role.

She met Percival Pellimore Weasley, an awkward boy with ambition for blood, after he became a prefect in their fifth year. When Penelope set her crystal eyes upon him, she couldn't see the Gryffindor traits of bravery or brawn. She noticed a Slytherin behaviour, something that Salazar himself possessed and prized in his students. She noticed the belief that emotions were a weakness, and those who become great wizards know no feelings.

..;; charm and a smile . . .

Nonetheless, they began dating. And as time passed, Penelope broke her promise as Percy slipped, becoming more and more like her late father.

They still made love, if that was what you could call it. Penelope could never bring herself to refer to it as "making love." There was nothing magical or romantic about it. It had become tedious and rhythmic, as was everything Percy touched.

And who'd have ever thought that Percy shagged Penelope like he did his homework?

Everyone knew this as well. Everyone could see as they grew and fell apart. Nevertheless, no one said anything. No one in their right mind would ever want to become involved in matters beyond their manicured fingertips.

But there was one who touched everything around him with long, slender fingers and a warm heart. Maybe it was because he wanted to change his past, release himself from the remorse planted on his shoulders and the horrors tattooed in his mind. But no matter the reasons, there was one wizard who Penelope could talk to with an open heart and mind.

Penelope may very well have been a witch, but she only discovered what magic truly was in her seventh year. It was those moments where they'd just look at each other and nothing else mattered. Those times where they never had to worry about the future. It was a freedom and a high that Penelope never knew existed. It was what she always wanted from life; it was what she wanted Percy to be like. But Percy could never, would never replace Remus Lupin.

How could he when it wasn't Percy she loved?

..;; and a promise . . .

The night before Penelope left Hogwarts forever, Remus announced to the school that he would be resigning as professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Penelope paled, shell-shocked, and Remus left without kissing her a final goodbye.

Penelope couldn't breathe. She refused to sleep, and she didn't speak for days. She floated around her manor, her large blue eyes bloodshot. She wept flowing tears into her pillows, mumbling incoherent words to no one in particular.

Five days later, as Penelope was unpacking her Hogwarts trunk of books and chattels, the broken snow globe rolled out of a baby blue dress robe that she never wore. Smashing the globe against the wall, she let her screams fill the manor as the plastic stars of snow ran down her hand in water rivulets.

Percy stopped, his hand frozen on Penelope's doorknob. Glancing around the corridor, he left quickly, forgetting Penelope to her own tears and problems. But the next day, Percy presented Penelope with a diamond ring.

All voices inside Penelope's mind screamed, "No!"

Her heart cried when she said, "Yes."

Many owls were sent to Remus Lupin, begging him to save her from her new life. It pained her to see her owls return with broken seals to letters yet no replies. So, Penelope came to understand that this would be her life. She would be the beautiful trophy wife to the loyal Ministry official.

The Ministry official who stopped touching Penelope long before he asked her to marry him. The Ministry official who spent his wedding night slouched over useless parchments in his office. Penelope didn't know what to think when she received an owl from Head Girl Cho Chang.

Remus was looking for her, wanting to see her.

Penelope's response was a swift and simple one. She sent Remus her childhood journal and the shards of the broken globe.

Two hours passed, and Remus appeared at her door. She saw a tear roll down his cheek as he handed her the snow globe; fixed with dancing, never-ending blankets of snow. Penelope Weasley spent her wedding night making love to Remus Lupin. It was the last time she ever saw him.

Years elapsed with broken promises and sophisticated Ministry balls. Voldemort rose and was finally vanquished a decade later, but not before the wizarding world suffered tragic losses at the hands of him and his Death Eaters.

Penelope was sitting with her sister-in-law, Ginny, when Hermes delivered the morning paper, the Daily Prophet. The top headline read:

Voldemort Conquered! Remus John Lupin and Harry James Potter Heroes in Death!

Memorial Services to be Held . . .

As she sat reading the profoundly detailed article of heroism, a smile played at her painted lips. That night, when she took the globe from atop her maple armoire, she noticed that the snow fell in heavy rivulets, never threatening to stop.

As such, Penelope never stopped loving Remus. And though she wished with all her heart, she couldn't ever hope of ever feeling that love for Percy.

And deep down, Penelope knew that Percy did not really love her.