Mornings After
Title: Mornings After
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Emmeline Vance, specific mentions of Alice and Frank Longbottom.
Word Count: 513
Summary: Things look better in the daylight.
It’s early in the morning and the sun has only just begun to peak out over the hills that surround the Weasley home. Emm has already been awake for half an hour, a habit only worsened by the war, and helping Molly begin breakfast. She’s no master chef but she can help the process along; it’s difficult to cook for the small army that is the Order.
They like to pretend they’re stronger than they are and that the horrors they witness every day aren’t slowly killing them. But, some days, they collectively agree that home alone is their worst option; even the Potter’s and Longbottom’s, who weren’t really alone. Whomever’s home they declared their base of operations for the night is then filled with exhausted and wounded witches and wizards sleeping in guest bedrooms and couches and makeshift mattresses on the floor.
When the rest of the Order finally files in Emm abandons her post and the counter and sits in the little nook by the window that has somehow become hers. Lily and James are both still rubbing the sleep from their eyes (like many of them), but they seem more alive than they had last night. Sirius looks the mess he usually is in the morning and even Remus appears to have had a little trouble getting out of bed (if it could be called that). It makes her smile a little. Dorcas doesn’t stick around for breakfast. Marli is somehow brighter and more awake in the morning that usual. Peter is still sleeping on a chair.
It’s the Longbottom’s that catch her eye. The early sun’s rays fall right over their faces and Emm can’t help but admire them. They look a mess- they all do- but somehow they seem alright. Frank can’t seem to keep his eyes open for long, but every now and then he’ll peek out at Alice and give her this smile. It’s a smile she recognizes. Alice seems to be inspecting the toast, looking for the perfect piece, and gives a satisfied grin when she finds it. Frank has already slathered an obscene amount of jelly onto his and is chewing slowly. Alice watches him with amusement the whole time.
The corner of her lip twitches and Emm has to look out the window for a moment. She knows Sirius caught her watching and she can’t stand to hear him try and convince her, for the millionth time, to just let things happen. It’s not quite so easy as he always makes it sound. Besides, it’s better this way.
Except, she knows he’s right. He’s the only one who very plainly tells her she’s wrong. She envies Alice and Frank even more than she does Lily and James. She’d secretly cheered for James for years before Lily finally gave in, but it had been so easy for Frank and Alice. They’d been together since third year and married after completing their Auror training. They were adorable and wonderful together with their snacking and their mastiff and their cute little country home. They were effortless.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Emmeline Vance, specific mentions of Alice and Frank Longbottom.
Word Count: 513
Summary: Things look better in the daylight.
It’s early in the morning and the sun has only just begun to peak out over the hills that surround the Weasley home. Emm has already been awake for half an hour, a habit only worsened by the war, and helping Molly begin breakfast. She’s no master chef but she can help the process along; it’s difficult to cook for the small army that is the Order.
They like to pretend they’re stronger than they are and that the horrors they witness every day aren’t slowly killing them. But, some days, they collectively agree that home alone is their worst option; even the Potter’s and Longbottom’s, who weren’t really alone. Whomever’s home they declared their base of operations for the night is then filled with exhausted and wounded witches and wizards sleeping in guest bedrooms and couches and makeshift mattresses on the floor.
When the rest of the Order finally files in Emm abandons her post and the counter and sits in the little nook by the window that has somehow become hers. Lily and James are both still rubbing the sleep from their eyes (like many of them), but they seem more alive than they had last night. Sirius looks the mess he usually is in the morning and even Remus appears to have had a little trouble getting out of bed (if it could be called that). It makes her smile a little. Dorcas doesn’t stick around for breakfast. Marli is somehow brighter and more awake in the morning that usual. Peter is still sleeping on a chair.
It’s the Longbottom’s that catch her eye. The early sun’s rays fall right over their faces and Emm can’t help but admire them. They look a mess- they all do- but somehow they seem alright. Frank can’t seem to keep his eyes open for long, but every now and then he’ll peek out at Alice and give her this smile. It’s a smile she recognizes. Alice seems to be inspecting the toast, looking for the perfect piece, and gives a satisfied grin when she finds it. Frank has already slathered an obscene amount of jelly onto his and is chewing slowly. Alice watches him with amusement the whole time.
The corner of her lip twitches and Emm has to look out the window for a moment. She knows Sirius caught her watching and she can’t stand to hear him try and convince her, for the millionth time, to just let things happen. It’s not quite so easy as he always makes it sound. Besides, it’s better this way.
Except, she knows he’s right. He’s the only one who very plainly tells her she’s wrong. She envies Alice and Frank even more than she does Lily and James. She’d secretly cheered for James for years before Lily finally gave in, but it had been so easy for Frank and Alice. They’d been together since third year and married after completing their Auror training. They were adorable and wonderful together with their snacking and their mastiff and their cute little country home. They were effortless.