A/N Written for The House Competition Round 2
Category: Theme
Team: Hufflepuff
Prompt: A huge disappointment
Word Count: 1,108
Thank you Magi Silverwolf for beta work
"I am a huge disappointment," Percy told Bill as they work together in the Astronomy Tower to help in the re-establishment of Hogwarts.
"That is not true. You lost the path but came back in the end and you know that too," Bill replied back.
"It is true, Bill, I have been disappointing to Dad, Mum and you lot since my time in Hogwarts." He denied the comfort that his elder brother tried to provide him.
Bill glanced at his younger brother for a long moment before perching himself at one of the window sill that they had just repaired and swing his legs around to sit facing the Forbidden Forest. He then turn back to face Percy and patted on the space next to him indicating his brother to sit next to him. Percy settled down beside him facing in the opposite direction than him.
After a long silence between them with just the chirping of the birds in the background, Bill decided to break the tension in the air between them.
"What makes you think that we were disappointed with you during your Hogwarts tenure?" he quietly asked. "Start from the very beginning," he added.
Percy considers how well he can put his feelings regarding it into words for a while. He then answered "After the ministry collapsed I had to re-evaluate everything I once believed in and came to realize how much I had hurt and disappointed my own family. I have been failing as a brother and as a son since the twins started Hogwarts. I should have been able to stop them prank others and getting into trouble for it. I should have keep Ron in check and not let him sneak out looking for trouble with Harry and Hermione. It was the worst with Ginny. Ii shouldn't have ignored during her first year. She could have died in the Chamber only because Ii had interrupted before she could tell Harry about the Diary. I had thought if I would be the Head Boy or get high scores in OWLS and NEWTS, I would make them proud. It turns out I had let them down."
"Perce, Mom and Dad were very proud of you. Didn't you ever notice how Mum kept giving the twins and Ron your example?" Bill inquired. Percy shook his head in a no. "Twins and Ron used to hate being compared to you. They thought you since you were a prefect and then Head Boy who could do no wrong in Mum's eye. I know for a fact Mum and, Dad had the same feelings. They were proud when you became a prefect. They were pleased when you had scored 12 OWLs. They were full of pride when you had joined the Department of International Cooperation with high NEWTS. You were hardly a huge disappointment in your school days," Bill explained.
"Fine, I agree with what you said they were proud of me but even you can't disagree I failed them after that,." Percy countered.
"That is true; you did cause disappointment and it made the whole family very upset with you when you sided with the ministry rather than with your own family,." Bill agreed.
"Why did you do it, Perce?" they heard a new voice asking the question. Both of them took a peek towards the entrance where they found Charlie leaning against the door.
"Charlie, When did you arrive?" Percy asked warily.
"When you were going on about how you should have kept the younger lot out of trouble," Charlie replied as he made his way towards them.
Charlie join them at the window sill on Percy's other side and put his hand around his little brother. "Do you really think you could have kept them out of trouble?" he asked him. Percy just shrugged in response. "Perce, no matter what you would have done, you couldn't have kept them out of trouble. The twins love to prank, it's in their blood. They won't have been Gred and Forge if they didn't do pranks and cause trouble. Ron, well, he is loyal-, he would have followed Harry and Hermione in their adventure even if you would have tried to stop him. As far as Ginny's first year at Hogwarts is considered, yes, it could have been avoided if we as her brothers would have paid more attention to her. You were not the only one who failed her. All of us are equally responsible. Percy, you need to understand what happened with Ginny wasn't you but, You-Know-Who who was at fault." Charlie reasoned with Percy. He could see Bill nodding his head in agreement to his statements.
"I guess you are right. I couldn't have stopped everything in order to protect them," Percy admitted.
"Good." Charlie affectionately rubbed his hairs. "Now, tell us why you left us? Why did you side with the ministry? Have you got any idea how hurt and disappointed we were?" he asked seriously.
Percy slumped at that he had no excuse for his actions. "I had gone blind with my hunger to gain power. Fudge had played my desires well enough. That day when I had left home, I knew Dad was hugely disappointed with me. I had seen it on his face. I had made him unsuccessful in passing on the family values in me. It took me a whole year after You-Know-Who was out in the open to gain courage to admit I was wrong. It was too late by then the damaged was done and I was suffering because of it. I couldn't even approach Dad to let him know how sorry I felt." Percy was glad both his brothers were listening patiently without interrupting him. He was in tears by the time he finished.
Immediately he was taken in a three-3 way hug by his brothers. "Percy, what is important is that you realized you were wrong and came back to us. It doesn't matter now that you took so long. You realized you are Weasley first, then a ministry worker. I wouldn't say we aren't angry with you and that everything is alright because it isn't like that. We have been disappointed and angry with you so long that it would take time to go back to have smooth relationships. You would need to make efforts to earn our forgiveness. You understand that?" Bill comforted his brother. Percy nodded in a yes. "See? You understood at once, Guess you are not a huge disappointment, after all," he joked. Percy gave a glare to his elder brother but soon he his laughter joined his brother's laugh.