Don't Fear the Reaper // Saturday, 28th of August 1976

[Amelia Bones]

A fading sunset draped the Bones house in a cover of deep blues and purples, with just the first hint of stars becoming visible in the clear evening sky. It was peaceful here in the back garden, so long as Amelia didn’t look through the windows into the lounge where Ed and Rod were trying to calm their parents down. She could simply turn her back to the house where she grew up, the home where her parents still had not yet turned her bedroom into an exercise room or a study for dad or an extra playroom for when Grayson comes to play – and little Elloise now too, she supposed – and pretend the evening had gone a very different way.

It wasn’t that her parents weren’t supportive of her, or didn’t trust in her the same way they did her brothers. She knew it was different for them, for all of them Edgar and Roderick and Pheobe included, because she was the baby. And perhaps for her mum it was also because she was the only daughter. Amelia had hardly been the ribbon and bows sort of little girl growing up, but their mum sometimes still liked to think of Amelia as gentler than she really was. Softer. Weaker? No. Amy knew her parents didn’t think of her like that, and she was confident enough in her own abilities to project that confidence onto her parents most days. But seeing her mum cry…

Highlights of the evening’s event ran through her head as she nursed a beer and stared up into the darkening sky. Mum had made a lasagna at Amy’s request and because she’d teased them that she had big news to tell, of course her mum obliged. She hadn't even made it through the front door before it all started going sideways.

                     “Where’s the handsome fella?”

         “What fella?”

                    “Aren’t you introducing us to a new beau?”

          “Why would me shagging some bloke be news? Are you wanting to know about all of them, or just the ones that stay over afterwards?”

                    “Oh Amelia! Don’t talk like that!”

The evening had not started well from the jump, but she thought they recovered well enough once Ed started showing new pictures of Gray holding baby Elle. 'Holding' was a loose term, as Gray was sitting on Pheebs’ lap and the new baby was simply lying across Gray’s legs as Phoebe supported her head, but the kid looked damned proud of himself.

They managed to make it halfway through the meal before dad prodded again, and Amelia announced that she had been accepted into the auror program. If ever there had been a mixed bag of emotions, it was then, but it all generally seemed to be going well until her mum asked when she’d be starting and Amelia announced that she was already three weeks in. If there had been a fan in the dining room, sh*t would have hit it.

          “Oh, so Ed gets to run around taking out dark wizards and it’s fine, but if I want to do it then I’m making rash decisions?”

                    “What else would you call signing up for such an intensive program spur of the moment? I’d call that rash. Wouldn’t you call that rash, Greg?”

          “It wasn’t spur of the moment! Ed will tell you. Ask him. I told him at Christmas last year.”

                   “Christmas!”

That had not been the right thing to say. Amelia recognized that instantly and luckily her brothers had been there to help field questions and soothe nerves. Letting on that Rod knew from the day she'd been accepted a full month ago hadn't helped matters.

                  “We just wish you would have planned things out, sweetheart. Given us a heads up.”

Dads were always so levelheaded when mums were upset. At least theirs had been. Mum would ramble out a string of uncohesive thoughts and dad would just put it all together like a puzzle in an instant. If only Amy could have been more like her dad in that moment instead of blurting out whatever thoughts came to her. Ultimately it had been going better than any of them had expected and for the most part her parents, even mum, were accepting of her decision regardless of the lack of notice they’d been afforded. If Amy could have just stuffed her mouth with one more of those fresh baked biscuits mum had made for pudding, then she might not have found herself sitting out in the garden as the Bones men comforted their crying matriarch.

          “Besides, Rod’s here to patch me up if anything happens on the job. He could bring me back from the dead, this one.”

A warm summer wind blew her hair into her face, obscuring her view of the twinkling stars that were making their first appearance of the evening. Amy set her beer bottle on the step beside her and gathered her hair into her fist and twisted it until she could tie it around itself in a makeshift bun. She sighed and kicked off her shoes, stretching her legs and feeling the grass between her toes. The sound of the patio door opening interrupted her replay of the evening’s greatest hits. “She still crying?” Amelia asked without looking back, assuming that the only reason any of the men would be joining her outside was because they’d managed to assure their mum that Amy would not be dying anytime soon. She felt embarrassed for how poorly she had reacted to everything; from her defensiveness at having been assumed she hadn't thought this through, to her uncouth joke that fell so far off the mark it made her poor mum cry. Cry. Real, actual tears. Not even grandbaby snuggles could right this sinking ship.

[Edgar Bones]

"It just slipped out when we were at the pub over Christmas. She'd been thinking on it for more than a year, back then. Asked me to keep it between us, and I did. She needed to decide, for herself, if this was what she really wanted."

"You should have helped us out here, Ed, said something."

"She's her own person. I respect her decision and understand it, even if it's not what I did. We remember how well that went, don't we?"

"They were kids, Edgar. You scared them, and now - "

"And now she's trying to make sure that other kids don't have to grow up with those same fears. And that's never going to happen if we don't make it. I'm terrified, don't get me wrong - and at the same time, I'm in awe of her, just like I am of Rod. She's chosen this, she's earned this, she's proud of herself, and she bloody well should be. She's told you now because she loves you. She wants you to know her and be part of her life, not diminish her accomplishments and judge her. Are you even going to ask her why she's called to this?...You should hear her out, both of you. She still needs you - we all do."

Mum had stopped crying some time ago, but the air inside was still too thick, sludgy with summer heat and hurt feelings and harsh words and harsher truths still left to be swallowed. Edgar hadn't expected much different out of tonight, not really. Things were bound to blow up, and it hadn't been all that much of a surprise to find himself under the bus more than once. Thanks for that, Milly. Secrets among them were finally out, though. Well - in fairness, he couldn't know. All secrets that he knew of were out, save his involvement with the Order. That was between Roderick and him, had been since the first time he'd shown up a mess on his brother's door...

He didn't envy his parents. He didn't envy any of them. Their lives could be simpler, their hearts lighter, if they disengaged, left, turned a blind eye.

But wasn't it a testament to the people who'd raised them, that all three of their children were dedicating themselves to the work of helping others? To righting the world before it was too late? To changing things for the better for their mother, for Phoebe, for Gray and Elle and all the others at risk?

He caught his brother's eye and raised his brows, nodding to the door to the porch. Amelia needed a minute. Understandably. No one enjoyed seeing their mum cry, especially if your words had done it. But knowing her, she'd be trapped in the loop of this night if they didn't give her a hand out of it. On his way out, he bent to kiss his mother's cheek, and spread his arms gratefully to catch the wind once outside. Amelia didn't move, but she spoke, and he sighed. "She'll be alright. Shaken up, but she'll be alright." Ed sat next to her on the steps, helping himself to a swig from the bottle at her side, and joined her in looking out, up. Dusk, the stars just peering out. He wanted to get home soon, relieve Phoebe and Kyra - thankfully, she'd been available to come and help tonight so he could be here - but hoped they'd understand he was needed here too, a little longer.

"I don't know if you remember, you were at school for most of it, thankfully," Ed started quietly, elbows to his knees, slowly spinning the gold ring on his finger, "but when I told her about magic, Phoebe left for a week. I don't blame her - she had every reason to leave, and not come back." He didn't like revisiting that time, thinking of how he'd kept such a foundational part of who he was from her, and what was going on in the world hidden from her. He hadn't meant to, at first. They'd been kids themselves when they got together, and even then he'd understood that some rules couldn't be broken. Life and love had happened, snowballed, and all of a sudden, or so it'd seemed - the way was blocked, for both of their lives, if he continued to keep quiet. "Knowing, going into that conversation, that I'd be hurting her was the hardest thing I've ever done. But sometimes, there's no way out but through." He swayed and looked her way, nudging her with his shoulder. "You did the hard thing and invited them to go through with you tonight, Amelia. They'll be with you, trust me. But you have to give them time."

[Roderick Bones]

Being silent in all of this was hard, but between the banter of Amelia and their parents followed by Edgar’s incredibly valid points, Roderick didn’t want to butt in. Melia was following her dream, and he was so damn proud of her for that. And yes, he’d be there to patch her up every single time. But he’d learned a long time ago to let Edgar and Amelia have their go at their parents, the two of them generally more persuasive. Edgar, because he was the oldest and the one they all looked up to. They were listening to what he had to say, yes, but they weren’t comprehending the words. Amelia was the baby, the one that he and Edgar were tasked with protecting. But their parents should know by now that Amelia never needed them to protect her. She was a spitfire, and she deserved her spot in the Auror program. He caught Ed’s look and nodded, waiting until he’d left to go to Amelia before he spoke.

“Mum, she has a point you know. You didn’t like it when Edgar joined the Auror program either but you accepted it. Can’t you see she just wants to make you proud?” he asked in frustration, leaning back against the wall in the lounge. Ever since Amelia had told him of her acceptance to the Auror program, he had been so happy and proud of her. Yes, she would always be his baby sister, but she was grown now. She had her own place with Annette, she was working towards her dreams. In all honesty, what had they expected Amelia to do? She had always been adventurous and determined. He’d talked about becoming a healer for years before it happened, so he understood in a way why his parents were upset at the secret. But what would they have done if she’d told them before today? Judging by their reaction they would have tried to talk her out of it.

        “We are proud of her, she doesn’t need to do this.”

“She deserves a chance to follow her dreams. You let me follow my dreams, and look at me now, full fledged Healer.”

        “Your job isn’t dangerous Roderick.”

“What if I’d wanted to be a mediwizard? Would you have reacted the same?”

        “It’s not the same and you know that.”

Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. His job, in theory, was safe. But his extracurriculars involved the Order, and their parents did not know about Edgar’s role or his in that. In all honesty, he was just waiting to see if Amelia would be recruited as well because she’d be damn good at it. “You can’t always be there to catch her if she falls Mum, she’s got to spread her wings and fly like Edgar and I did.” There was no use arguing more now, not when Mum was still upset and Dad looked so stern. He kissed his mother on the forehead before he followed Edgar’s cue and went out the back door. The breeze was a welcome addition to the August heat, and he sank down into the chair on the other side of Amelia.

“Ed is right, they just need time. And hey, you’ve got both of us on your side to back you up. And not just us, but Phoebe will too if you tell her. She did leave, but she came around. Mum will come around,” Roderick said, giving a glance to Edgar. Phoebe might just be the person to talk some sense into their parents, given her place as a muggle. Mum had grown up in the muggle world, but she didn’t see the danger the muggles were in. Edgar joined to protect Phoebe and their kids. Rod healed for the Order because he was good at it and they needed someone safe they could go to. Amelia was going to graduate at the top of her training, that he knew. “You’ve got us ‘Melia. And Annette, and Phoebe, and Fabian and Gideon too I’m sure. You have people who have your back.”

[Amelia Bones]

It was Edgar’s voice that answered. While she’d not been privy to his poetic musings inside as he defended her choices to their parents, Amelia could basically assume she would be getting a similar sort of lecture for herself as he sat on the brick steps beside her and stole her beer. What she hadn’t expected was a story about Phoebe leaving him years ago. A whole marriage, a dog, and two kids ago. Why was Ed bringing this up now? Was she supposed to feel better about making mum cry because he’d also done the same thing to Pheebs? Amy hadn’t thought about that event in years. She could hardly recall the details now, having been so wrapped up in her own life back then and not being present at home for the majority of the fallout and resolution. The drama had wrapped itself up in a matter of weeks, at least in Amy’s eyes, and no one ever spoke about it as far as she knew. It was ancient history. Water under the bridge. A little white lie to protect her and the other muggles they’d grown up with. Amelia couldn’t see how her situation was anything like Ed’s until he finally came around to the point, circled it, and underlined it for good measure.

Her brothers were so predictably supportive in an annoying manner that made her feel proud of herself when she had come out here intending on feeling like shite instead. Rod chimed in, letting her know that they were all standing behind her decision and honestly, that knowledge did help. She had made it through the hard part of beginning this journey. Making mum cry and coming out the other side with anyone’s support was an impossible fete and yet she’d managed it – and hopefully her brothers had done their jobs well enough after her departure to the back garden that there’d be no more tears in Amy’s future.

Flanked by her brothers, the men she frequently worked to lovingly aggravate and annoy for her own entertainment time and time again, Amelia let out a heavy sigh. “I blame you lot, you know,” she said, her eyes still staring out into the growing darkness instead of at either of them. “If you’d have just taken a desk job at the Ministry like dad wanted,” she nudged Edgar’s shoulder, “or if you had become a librarian or something dull like that instead of saving people’s lives,” she said, leaning into Roderick and resting her head on him, “then they would have been so excited about this for me. ‘Finally, someone in the family has a pair on them.’ Instead, I’m just the next in a line of Bones kids that wants to help people and they’re not in awe of me because you both have already done it.” She wasn’t really upset with her brothers about how the night turned out, and she was so certain that they knew she was only teasing them that she didn’t even smile or laugh to make it obvious. It was clear this whole fiasco was her own doing, but she hoped her brothers' advice was solid. “I just want to be done with this part. The patience bit. It’s not my forte.”

Amelia turned her sad eyes up to Roderick, the one who had rambled off a whole list of people who supported her in the meantime while their parents came to their senses about what a brilliant plan for her life she had created, and smiled. She just couldn’t leave well enough alone. “You know Gid wants to shag me, right?”

[Edgar Bones]

While he had no doubt that Rod would join them on the porch, Ed was glad that their brother was taking some time with their parents on his own first. On the surface, Rod's path was less dangerous than his and Amelia's. But just as the Ministry was failing, there was talk about infiltration of the other key institutions in their society - the Wizengamot, Mungo's, even Gringotts and Hogwarts. What happened when the unconscious patient on Rod's table had a Dark Mark? Visible, or concealed? And what happened when they woke? Were Death Eaters taking the identities of the staff or pretending to be visitors, staging injuries to gain admission? The force of Healers at the hospital was incomparable in what they did, and without them...

Don't go there, not tonight.

As a man of healing, putting himself between a patient and their peril, Rod had a unique grip on the situation they were facing as a whole. He saw what they were up against as intimately, if in different ways, as Ed did himself. And the middle Bones was persuasive in his own right, his words carrying a weight of their own with their parents. With the three of them on board and aligned with Amelia's decision...It's only a matter of time, Milly.

He knew the situations were of apples and oranges, but hoped his sister understood where he was coming from as he spoke of Phoebe. His wife had an uncommon capacity for love and forgiveness, thank Merlin, and had decided that their future was still the one she wanted. Wizards, war, children's accidental magic and all. But that night? He'd braced for impact, but not nearly enough - even if he'd seriously considered the worst case scenario, Edgar never could have prepared himself enough. She'd been confused, struggling, curious, furious, terrified, betrayed - and then, completely closed. She'd taken time, spoke to his family, their friends. Him again, when she could. Getting through that dark period and coming out the other side made him believe that they could do anything, and they never could have gotten there if he hadn't opened up. He didn't expect a full resolution here tonight, or that they'd be laughing about this any time soon - but he trusted that Amelia would feel invincible again too before long, with all of their love buoying her.

He was grateful for Rod joining when he did, and gave a nod of understanding at his look. With big sister Pheebs on the case, things might hasten - or at least, Amelia would have even more hope, knowing that Phoebe had her back too. The impressive list of supporters teased a smile out of Ed, and he hoped it'd lighten the load on Amelia's shoulders. Seeing the girl down like this was twisting his gut, and he hated knowing there wasn't much more to do now than wait for emotions to settle and words to sink in. A sigh was dragged from her and blame laid on their laps, and he chuckled into the darkness of the familiar old backyard as he looked at the pair of them, glad that they could still convene on these steps together when difficult times struck. Despite the sticky heat, Ed stretched his arm across their shoulders as far as it could reach. "Sorry, kid, I would've just embarrassed Dad in an office. Never could sit still for long, can you imagine?" He gave them all a little shake. "Oy, there are worse family legacies to have. Our name's getting remembered for lifetimes, I bet, and it's because of all three of us. There'll be so much to write that this waiting bit won't even make it into the history books, unless you write them."

There was finally a smile in the witch's voice again, and he was ready to call the evening a success - until she said that. "Amelia, can you not - can you just - he's been like a brother to you," Ed sat up straight to assert in his best mate's defense, caught between laughter and exasperation as a mix of both fell out of him in shock. She was joking. He hoped. If either of the twins was eyeing his sister, he'd know. Wouldn't he? They'd been brothers to him, and had always treated Rod and Amelia like family...she was joking.