CHAPTER SEVEN: Battles of Life

The newlyweds had an amazing two weeks in Greenland, but all too soon they had to go home. Emily still hadn’t decided if she wanted to go back to school yet and George had to get back to the joke shop. Emily and George went to the Burrow, hand in hand, to find everyone in the kitchen.

“Good morning,” Emily and George said as they walked through the door.

“I didn’t know you were coming over today!” Mrs. Weasley gasped as she went over to hug her son and daughter-in-law.

“We wanted to surprise you,” Emily said cheerfully.

“Surprise,” George chuckled as he hugged Ginny.

“Come in, come in, and sit down,” Mrs. Weasley gushed.

“How was it?” Fred asked with a grin.

Emily slapped his arm. “Amazing,” she finally said.

“Mmmhmm,” George agreed as he kissed her forehead.

“That’s all you’re going to tell us?” Ron asked.

“Yep,” they answered together.

Fleur came in from the living room and grabbed a glass of water. “Oh, Eemelee, Jorge, eet is so good tu ave you back,” she said in her heavy French accent.

“It’s good to be back...I guess,” Emily sighed.

“Don’t worry, love, we can go back any time we want. We do own the place,” he chuckled, tucking a curl behind her ear. Emily nodded with a smile upon her face.

“So, what’s new around here?” Emily asked the room at large.

“Harry’s the Quidditch captain,” Hermione said proudly.

“That’s awesome, Harry!” Emily said.

“Thanks, Ems,” he said shyly. “So, now that we’re on the subject of school—are you going back this year?” he asked her.

“I haven’t made up my mind,” Emily said quietly. She glanced at her mother-in-law, who clicked her tongue. Emily blushed and George rubbed soothing circles into her back.

“Oh,” Harry said shortly, looking down from the awkwardness that unfolded.

“I’m going to see if I can work something out with Dumbledore,” she said quietly. Mrs. Weasley fidgeted with her apron and then started bustling around the kitchen.

“I’m, er, going to call Remus. I’ll be back,” Emily said quietly as she left the kitchen and stepped into the backyard. Emily walked to the far end of the yard and rested her hands on the fence. She heard footsteps behind her.

“She blames me, doesn’t she?” Emily asked.

“Blames you for what?” Fred asked as he leaned against the gate to look at her.

“For you two leaving school, for starting the joke shop, she blames me—I know it. I mean I was the one who kept encouraging you guys to start it and everything. I’m the one that followed her son and married her son, tearing him away from the family.” Emily stared off in the distance, refusing to meet her new brother’s eyes.

“It isn’t your fault. And she knows it isn’t your fault,” Fred said.

“But it is. I said yes,” Emily whispered.

“To—?”

“To marrying him. I’m the reason why she has an eighteen year old married man.”

“Yes, but he’s the one that asked. Besides, I think she’s coming around to the joke shop since it’s become a huge hit. And she adores you, Emily. She’s glad he’s with you and not some bimbo.”

“I dropped out of school and have no job. Why exactly would she adore me?”

“Because you’re smart and an amazing person inside and out,” Fred said.

“I agree,” George chuckled as he came over to them. Emily turned around, her back against the fence and arms crossed against her abdomen. George wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. “Don’t get upset, she meant nothing by it,” George whispered.

“Nothing by it? She obviously doesn’t approve of my choices, George. She doesn’t like that I didn’t finish school. She doesn’t like that I encouraged you to do the shop. She doesn’t like that we got married so young,” Emily said, breathing heavily.

“It’s not like that at all, Ems,” George whispered.

“Isn’t it?” she asked quietly.

“She knows that we’re happy together, and that’s all that matters to her. She wants all of her children to be happy. And I am! I’m absolutely, one hundred percent, positively in love with you. I’m perfect, Ems. And that’s because of you. So we didn’t finish school—so what? We’re both well off, and even without finishing your education, you’d make an amazing Healer and an incredible Auror. Don’t let her fidgeting get to you. It’s her problem, not ours.” George tried prying Emily’s arms away from her stomach, and after a while he succeeded. He lifted her arms up and started kissing them.

Emily giggled and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his middle. “Fine, okay,” she sighed into his chest.

“So, what did Remus have to say?” George asked.

“I never got around to calling him,” Emily admitted.

“I don’t think she ever planned on calling him,” Fred chuckled.

“Well, you might want to. Mum wants to invite him to dinner. So, call away, my love,” he whispered. “I’ll be waiting for you in the living room.”


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