"Did they really break up in the end?"
As Albert told the story of what had happened between Penelope and Percy, Isabelle could not help sighing over how fragile love was and how easily hearts changed.
"That's perfectly normal. I knew it would turn out this way from the start."
Albert shoved the tub of popcorn into Isabelle's hands, took a huge gulp of his iced cola, and smiled when he met her gaze. "Percy Weasley is a man who craves power. If he wanted to climb any higher, he was bound to part ways with Penelope sooner or later."
"Why?"
Katrina, whose eyes had been fixed on the movie screen ahead, turned her head to ask.
"Because Penelope couldn't help Percy rise any further in the Ministry of Magic." Albert began recounting some rather private dirty business as though telling a story. "Pure-blood wizards hold considerable influence in the Ministry's upper power circles, especially the wealthy ones. However, although the Weasleys are pure-blood wizards too, they aren't well regarded among pure-blood circles. Not only could they offer Percy no help, they might even hold him back..."
"So Percy Weasley cut ties with his family?" Katrina had heard Albert mention it before.
"More or less."
Albert picked up a piece of popcorn and tossed it into his mouth.
"Percy was smart, so he readily accepted my proposal and got his wish of becoming the Minister for Magic's assistant. Look, even when he could no longer stay at the Ministry, he could easily clear his name, get away clean, and earn the respect of most Order of the Phoenix members."
"Weasley dumped Penelope so he could marry a pure-blood witch and use that to rise through the ranks more easily in the future?"
It was not hard for Isabelle to guess