Dandelions

Chapter 16: Wizengamot

Bill wasn't sure what he expected from his family. Sure his mum was upset when the daily profit published stories about his titles. However, the six howlers were a bit of an overkill. His father was a different story. Arthur Weasley did not do conflict. He just shut down. Arthur never wanted to accept the title of Lord Weasley. The last to hold the title was Septimus Weasley, who had passed when Bill was a mere babe. His father didn't like to talk about Granddad. As a child, he would ask questions about his grandparents, but it always made dad shut down and stay in his office for hours. Bill and Charlie soon learned not to ask if they wanted to keep their dad home.

Bill walked quickly down the cobbled walk towards the ministry. He had his first Wizengamot meeting, but he also hoped to speak to his dad. Arthur Weasley was a long-time Ministry employee but was still in a demoting position. Bill had begged his father once when he began working for the goblins to try to apply for an oversight position when it opened. However, that got him nothing but a lecture on how Bill worked and did what he loved, and working with muggle artifacts was doing what Arthur loved. Obsession was more like it.

"Dad," Bill called out as he knocked on the outside wall. Arthur Weasley looked like a mess. His dad was going bald on top but what hair he did have was unkempt. The red of his hair dulled, standing on ends like he had been running his hands through it.

"Bill! My boy!" Arthur gasped as he quickly stood up from his stool and rushed to hug his oldest.

To see his father this way pained Bill. While Bill had made yearly plans to see his family, it never always happened. He was in Egypt while his family was in the UK and needed more time. However, now it seemed like there was nothing but time. The guilt of seeing his father like this gnawed on him.

"What are you doing back? I thought you'd be in Egypt?"

"I have to go to the Wizengamot for my meeting."

That was the wrong thing to say as Bill watched the smile fall from his father's face. "So your mum could not talk you out of this nonsense?" Arthur asked as he stepped away. "Between you and Percilla, I don't know which is causing your mum more pain. She's been worrying herself sick. This Bill is not something you need to do. Politics is evil. It's just a bunch of purebloods wanting to control everyone. Your mother, Bill, think of your mother."

Bill wanted to roll his eyes and shout at his father to wake up. Biting his cheek, he tried to hold in his comments as he listened to his father spew the same message of Dumbledore's views and leadership.

"I'm thinking of more people than just mum. I'm thinking about the family; we have a voice and can help. Mum doesn't want us to have the seats because she's obsessed with Dumbledore."

"Don't talk about your mother like that," Arthur snapped. Everything seemed to be getting heated as they spoke.

"Why do you not see what she is doing? How her views have been pushing everyone away. Her love for the old coot of a Headmaster is why Charlie and I don't come around, or Ron has so many anger problems. She's sent Perci at least three howlers a week since she accepted her courting offer?" Bill wanted to show his father the pain that was going on within the Weasley family. The way the children were loved as a baby was pushed aside when a new child was born. Bill wanted to shout about how he became a parent to his younger siblings when things around the burrow became too much, and Molly needed help cause Arthur was in the shed. Bill knew his father was repeating statements he had heard from home. How their mum just worried for them worried for Percilla.

"Dad," Bill sighed, "I don't want to fight. We are your children. Maybe when the kids get back, we can sit down and talk about everything. I intend to stay as Lord for the Weasley seat. The Weasley family matters too, not just Dumbledore."