A/N - This was written for codenamelily in honor of her birthday. The elements that are mentioned are from ancient Greece and China.
Elements of Family or Five Times Percy Weasley Didn't Love his Family (And One Time he Did)
Earth
Percy Weasley felt Scabbers squirm in his pocket and immediately felt guilty. Across the room in a used metal cage was his new owl, Hermes, pruning its feathers.
In a family that didn't have much, Percy now had what seemed to be riches. Two animals that belonged to him and him alone. While the twins, Ron and Ginny didn't have a pet. He certainly didn't deserve two when they had none.
Scooping Scabbers gently out of his pocket, Percy held him eye level. "How would you feel about belonging to someone else in the family?" he asked.
Scabbers tilted his head and once again Percy swore the old garden rat could actually comprehend what he was saying. It wouldn't surprise him one bit if Scabbers just started speaking one day, he seemed that human sometimes.
"I mean, I really like having you around," Percy said, realising that he was getting a bit choked up. Scabbers had been his best friend for close to ten years now, ever since he had found him being hassled by a garden gnome.
"I hope you don't think this means that you're second best, because you're not, I promise," Percy continued, stroking Scabbers' fur. "It's just, I've wanted an owl for such a long time, and I don't want to seem greedy, keeping two animals…"
Scabbers nudged Percy's thumb with his nose, a move that Percy almost interpreted as understanding. "I think I'll give you to the twins," Percy said thoughtfully. "They can share and maybe they won't hate me as much."
Percy flopped back on his bed and sighed. Nothing he ever did was good enough for the twins. All he ever wanted was to be included a bit. They were, after all, the siblings closest to him in age. But all they ever did was pick on him. No matter how hard he tried to be their friend, it never worked.
Maybe this would do the trick. Maybe if he gave Scabbers to them, they might actually like him. It was worth a shot.
He jumped up and walked calmly down the stairs. He wanted to run, but really, it wasn't dignified. Fred, George, Ron and Ginny were playing Exploding Snaps at the kitchen table. Mum was sitting in her rocker, knitting.
Trying not to feel hurt that no one bothered to ask if he wanted to be included, Percy walked to the table and sat in an empty chair next to Fred. He put Scabbers on the table, who immediately curled up into a ball and fell asleep.
"Does he do anything other than sleep or eat?" snickered Fred.
"He does," Percy said. "But that's besides the point. I was wondering-"
"You do that entirely too much, you know," George said with an air of superiority. "Perhaps it's time to give your mind a rest."
Percy rolled his eyes and petted Scabbers. He started again. "Since I was given Hermes for becoming a Prefect-"
"A Fectpre? Really?" Fred said sarcastically as he placed down a playing card. "Do tell, Percy."
"Do you two want Scabbers or not?" Percy asked frustratedly.
"Why would we want that stupid rat?" George said with a shrug. "All he does is sleep."
Ron started to open his mouth but Fred said, "We don't want your cast-offs."
"Scabbers isn't a cast-off!" Percy retorted, stung at the remark.
"You found him in the garden," George laughed. "He's a second hand rat and if we took him, he'd be a third hand rat."
"Fine," Percy said, lifting his chin slightly in the air. "I don't believe Scabbers would enjoy being your pet, anyway."
"Fine," Fred and George sniggered at the same time.
"Ron, would you like Scabbers as a pet?" asked Percy, looking at his youngest brother.
"Me?" Ron said, raising his eyebrows. "He'd be mine?"
"Here." Percy picked up the sleeping Scabbers and placed him in Ron's already outstretched hand. "Be good to him."
Not wanting to be near the twins anymore, Percy stood up and marched away from the table, painfully aware that Ron didn't even say thank you.
As he started to climb the stairs, he heard Fred say, "Ron, let us teach you a couple of spells that you can cast on Ratty here."
It took all of Percy's effort not to run downstairs again and reclaim Scabbers as his own. Who knows what kind of fake spells the twins would give Ron? But that would make him look even worse to the twins. And that was just the type of thing that would disappoint his mum, which he certainly didn't want to do. Not when she was so proud of him for being a Prefect.
Percy flopped on his bed and sighed. He missed Scabbers already.
Air
"Percy, stop it," Ginny said shrilly.
He backed off immediately. Ginny already looked in such bad shape that he certainly didn't want to add to her troubles. And perhaps he was acting a bit like a mother hen. A different tactic was what was needed.
Quietly, he slid the smoking goblet of Pepper-up Potion across the table so that it rested right in front of her. She crinkled her nose at the smell at once.
"I'm not sick," she said softly.
"What else can it be?" Percy said softly. "You're not sleeping-"
"Yes, I am," Ginny said in such a way that Percy knew she was lying.
Percy tapped his foot and mulled over the best course of action. It was certainly embarrassing to be sitting across from Ginny at the moment, considering she walked in on him and Penelope when they were in, one could say, a delicate situation.
But Ginny hadn't been herself since term started. It was truly beginning to worry him. None of his brothers seemed to notice or even care that Ginny wasn't her talkative, bubbly self. So, as embarrassed as he might be, Percy was going to talk to his sister and get to the bottom of this.
"Are you worried about the smoking ears?" Percy asked. "They only last for a few hours."
Ginny didn't look at him, but instead glanced down at the small, tattered book in her hands. "No," she said practically in a whisper.
"Then why won't you take the Pepper-Up?" asked Percy, trying not to let his frustration show. He was the oldest at Hogwarts. Mum expected him to take care of the family. And if he let Ginny get sick, what kind of big brother was he?
"Look," Percy said, leaning forward. "Why don't we both take some Pepper-up? I'm feeling a bit under the weather myself. I'll take some after you, and then we'll both have smoke coming from our ears." It was a lie, of course. Percy felt fine. But if it would help Ginny, he would do anything.
A small smile spread on Ginny's face, making Percy grin himself. "Okay," she said, picking up the goblet. "But you have to drink some to."
Percy nodded eagerly. Penelope would certainly laugh at him later, but that didn't matter. "Deal."
Ginny pinched her nose with one hand and drank from the goblet with the other. The effects were immediate. Her face turned bright red and smoke came pouring out of her ears.
Grimacing, Ginny pushed the goblet across the table towards him. Percy was just about to pick it up himself when he heard, "What have you done to Ginny?"
Percy sighed. It was the twins. "It's just Pepper-up," Percy said defensively. "Ginny's sick."
"Ginny's fine," George said, sitting down next to her and putting his arm around her.
"Or will be fine once we get her away from you," Fred said, rolling his eyes. "Come on, Ginny, let's go play a game of Exploding Snaps."
"Alright," Ginny said slowly, standing up. "Percy, do you want-"
"Of course he doesn't," George said as they walked away from the table. "When have you ever seen him play?"
It took all of Percy's effort not to yell out, "That's because you never invite me!" But he held his tongue. The last thing he needed was to be seen yelling at his family in the Great Hall.
The twins always knew exactly what to say to get him riled up. Would it kill them to be nice for once? Probably, Percy though vindictively to himself.
Taking his wand, Percy vanished the remaining Pepper-up Potion from the goblet. At least he wouldn't have smoking ears when he saw Penelope later today.
Water
For what seemed like the hundredth time, Percy checked his pocket watch. The hour time limit had passed quite some time ago and Harry still hadn't come back up from the lake with Ron. What if something happened to Harry? Would someone else be able to find Ron and bring him out of the water?
He had been so pleased when Mister Crouch asked him to be a Tri-Wizard Tournament judge for the second task. Even once he discovered that Ron would be used as part of the task, Percy was convinced he would be able to make a fair and objective decision.
Now, he wasn't quite so sure, because right now, he wanted to strangle Harry Potter for making him wait like this. If something happened to Ron, especially when Percy was here, helping to oversee the event, he would never forgive himself. Mum would go absolutely bonkers on him. And he would deserve all of it.
Percy thought back, trying to remember what the last conversation he had with his brother was. Christmas, at the Yule Ball. Percy hadn't even asked how Ron was, all he had done was talk about his promotion.
Glancing up into the stands, he could see the worried faces of the twins and Ginny. He debated if he should go to them, stand together as a family, but he decided to stay where he was. It was far more professional that way. And as much as he hated to admit it, appearances were very important to the Ministry.
There was a shout in the crowd and Percy immediately looked into the lake. Harry! But did he have Ron? Percy stood up worriedly to get a better look. Harry was definitely holding onto two different people. It took all of Percy's effort not to jump up and down when he saw the red hair. It was Ron. And he was talking!
Percy had thought to simply sit behind the judges table and let everything be sorted out. But as Harry, Ron and what seemed to be the Delacour girl swam closer to the shore, Percy couldn't help himself.
Jumping out of his seat, Percy ran to the shore, appearances be damned. This was his i brother /i . He was sure tales would get back to the Ministry and he would probably be laughed at for his lack of decorum, but right now, Percy simply didn't care. He just had to know that his brother was going to be alright.
"Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive? Is she 'hurt?"
Fleur was running into the water just like Percy. But she was dressed for the water, while Percy was beginning to shiver in the new dress robe he had bought specifically for today's event.
Convinced Harry was going to take a lifetime to get out of the water, Percy grabbed Ron by the arm and started to drag him towards the medical tent set up.
"Are you alright?" Percy asked in a low voice.
""Geroff, Percy! I'm all right!! Let me go!" Ron was struggling to get away, so Percy dropped his brother's arm.
Ron looked at him angrily. "I'm not a baby, you know. Just leave me alone."
"I was worried about you, Ron," Percy said in a small voice. "Mum would have killed me-"
"You weren't worried about me," Ron spat. "You were just worried about your status as Mum's favorite. Just go away."
"That's not true," Percy started, but was then interrupted by Madame Pomfrey, who wanted to look at Ron.
Percy stood next to Ron as she started the exam, but decided to leave once the annoyed glare on Ron's face didn't leave. "I'm glad you're okay," Percy said softly, patting Ron awkwardly on the shoulder.
Ron said nothing, and looked the other way. Percy walked towards the judge's table, wondering why he bothered sometime. His family obviously didn't care or want his worry.
What would have happened if Ron and Percy's places had been reversed? The twins would have been overjoyed. They made that perfectly clear when they pushed him into the pyramid last year. Bill and Charlie probably wouldn't even miss a beat. It always took them so long to respond to any of his letters. And Ron and Ginny probably wouldn't care either.
After the scores had been announced, Percy watched while the twins and Ginny ran down and surrounded Ron. He could see Ron gesturing wildly, probably telling them all about what happened. Percy supposed he could join them, but he knew he wouldn't be welcome. It would best if he just went back to the Ministry to make his report.
Wood
"Bloody hell!"
Percy had opened this ancient wooden trunk so forcefully that the lid slammed back down again, right on his hand. He pulled out his hand immediately. There was a red welt that already beginning to form.
He sighed. If he was back at the Burrow, Mum would have fixed him up in an instant. Instead, he would have to rely on what little Healing knowledge he possessed, which wasn't much.
Carefully taking off the suit jacket he had been wearing, Percy lay back on the large bed in what was his room for the night. Tomorrow he would have to start the tiring task for finding a flat for himself.
Living at the Burrow simply wasn't an option anymore.
How could Dad possibly suggest that the only reason Fudge wanted him as an assistant was because he could spy on the family? Didn't Dad see what everyone else at the Ministry saw? That Percy was a hard worker, ambitious, organized and loyal?
Letting out a sigh, Percy realised that it was the loyalty factor that upset him the most. So what if the Ministry only did give him the position because they wanted him to be a spy? Didn't the family realise that even if that was the case, he would never play along? He would never sell out his family. Even for the Ministry.
Percy sat up and looked at the large wooden desk in the corner. It didn't feel right to end things like this. It wasn't a break-up, like the one that was looming with Penelope. This was his family.
He had said some horrible things to his father. Things that were said in the heat of the moment and that he didn't truly believe.
Yes, the family was poor. Yes, his father could have easily worked his way up to a higher, well paying position. But would that have made his father happy? Probably not. But wasn't it the man's responsibility to take care of his family even if he had to sacrifice personal happiness?
It would have been nice not to always have hand-me-downs. Or having to make sure that he was careful with everything because he knew Ron would use it next.
Percy sat down at the desk and felt the cool wood underneath his palms. There was parchment with the address of the Leaky Cauldron and a quill sitting on the desk. Picking up the quill, Percy leaned back and wondered what exactly he could write to his family to make them understand. Was there anything he could say?
He would start with Dad. Perhaps apologise for what he said. Explain exactly why he thought that joining an underground movement when there was no proof of a threat – except for Harry Potter's word - was wrong.
Dear Dad
That didn't look right. Percy tapped his wand on the words, causing them to vanish.
Dear Father
Percy nodded. This was an important letter. A sense of formality was perhaps what was needed.
Placing the tip of the quill next to the parchment, Percy struggled with exactly what he should write. Should he start with an apology or with an explanation?
There was a knock on the window, causing Percy to look up in alarm. But then a smile spread across his face. It was Errol. Percy jumped up and ran to the window, letting the old owl in.
His hand shaking slightly, he untied the rolled up parchment. He had to admit, he was a bit nervous. Who would the parchment be from? Mum? Dad? One of his brothers?
The parchment was empty. Confused, Percy turned it over and saw that there was nothing there as well. Perhaps invisible ink?
Taking his wand, Percy tapped the parchment. Immediately, a single formed and he recognized Fred's handwriting.
Traitor
Percy slumped back down in the desk chair. Whatever gesture he was expecting from his family, it certainly wasn't this. Maybe the gulf was already too wide to bridge.
With a sigh, Percy picked up the letter he had started to his father, crumpled it up, and threw it in the nearby rubbish bin. Then he picked up a day old copy of the Daily Prophet. He had to find some place to live.
Metal
Percy sat awkwardly on the sofa, ignoring the hateful glares of his brothers and Ginny. Even his father didn't have a welcoming look on his face. Only Mum, who was clutching his hand and jabbering about jumpers, seemed to be happy to see him.
He had told the Minister, Rufus Scrimgeour, that his plan wouldn't work. Harry Potter would see through it in an instant. He wondered if Harry would treat the Minister the respect the office deserved, or if he'd act like he was above it all. Percy assumed it would be the latter.
"So how is everything?" his mum asked, all smiles. "How's Penelope?"
Percy shifted uncomfortably in his seat. That one question revealed how much was not right with his relationship with his family. "We ended things more than a year ago," Percy admitted.
"Oh," his mum said, looking down at her feet. "Is there anyone new?"
Again, Percy shifted. There had been someone he had been very interested in at work, a Nymphadora Tonks, someone only a few years older than himself. But she didn't seem to realise that he was alive. She seemed like a young woman who was serious about her career, yet all of his invitations to join him for a working lunch went unnoticed.
"No," Percy said finally. "No one at all."
"So do you go out a lot at night?" his mum asked innocently. "You could always come over for dinner some night…" She stopped speaking when an angry hiss came from the kitchen table. Glaring at her other children, she continued, "It's so wonderful to see you, Percy."
"No, it's not," said one of the twins.
"Stop that!" Mrs. Weasley cried. "It's grand that he came over."
Fred stood up at the table. "He's only here so that the Minister can try to use Harry-"
Percy stood up instantly. "That's not true," he said weakly, even though he knew that was exactly the reason why he was here.
Mrs. Weasley started arguing with the twins and Ginny. Percy wanted no part of the argument, so he looked around the small living room. At the coffee table, there was an abandoned game of Exploding Snaps. Percy shrugged. It was just as well that he never spoke to anyone in the family anymore. It's not like he could be magically included into the family. His father didn't think he was worth anything. His brothers and Ginny hated him. Only his mum cared, and she was too busy trying to defend him than to actually talk to him.
Percy was adjusting his tie when the first bit of parsnip hit him in the face. He glared at the twins angrily and could tell by the smirk on their faces that it was one of them. Ginny and Ron were laughing, while Bill simply sat there and stared at him.
Trying to keep as much dignity as he could, Percy wiped the parsnip off of his face. "Mother, my presence is not wanted here. Happy Christmas."
Without turning back, Percy marched straight out of the house, ignoring his mother's pleas. Once outside, he could hear Mum shouting at the twins in the background, but what did it matter? Nothing was ever going to change them.
He walked briskly down the path, towards a small patch of trees where he could wait for the Minister without being seen.
Once settled, before he could stop himself, Percy took out his pocket watch. He had had it custom made after the Ministry admitted that You-Know-Who was back and before he had gotten into the argument with his family over his promotion.
The watch was a duplicate of the family clock in the kitchen. Though Percy prided himself that his was slightly better quality. His clock didn't say that the entire family was in mortal danger, unlike the clock at the Burrow. There were seven hands pointing towards 'home.' Charlie's hand pointed at 'work' and his own hand pointed to 'traveling.'
But according to the watch, he hadn't been 'home' for quite some time. No matter how many times he tried to change the charm, his hand would not point at 'home' when he was in his own flat. It always pointed at 'traveling.'
Perhaps the watch thought it was a temporary situation. But he had been living there for a year and a half, and he sincerely doubted that it would change anytime soon.
The Minister was walking down the path towards him now. Percy looked back towards the Burrow, wondering if there was anything to be done. If only his family was willing to listen to him. They didn't even have to agree with his point of view, but respect the fact that he might not agree with the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Because he didn't. He didn't think that it was the Headmaster's right to hijack the war, to keep crucial information away from the Ministry, away from trained professionals and instead place the entire burden on the shoulders of a sixteen year old boy.
Just because it was Professor Dumbledore's way, didn't make it right. And just because Percy's entire family agreed with the old man, didn't mean Percy had to as well.
Perhaps someday they would understand that.
Fire
Percy held out his wand, trying to keep his hand from shaking. So this is what real fighting was like. Not fighting with words or politics, but with wands. There was something so much more important than bruised egos or ended alliances. This was his life that he was trying to protect, not just his career.
He was standing in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. Somewhere in the building, Harry Potter and You-Know-Who were locked in a battle that would determine the future of the Wizarding World. Everywhere else, Ministry employees, Order Members and Aurors were fighting Death Eaters to determine their own fates.
In the corner of his eye, down a corridor, he could see the twins fighting. The rest of his family were somewhere as well, though it had been a while since he had seen any of them.
Dodging a blast of red light, Percy scurried towards his brothers. George saw him first and yelled, "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I'm fighting!" Percy yelled back, non-verbally casting a Stunning Spell at the Death Eater George was dueling.
"You're not wanted here," Fred said loudly. "We can do this without you. Go run away again."
Percy threw a Shield Charm in front of Fred. "I never ran away. You threw me out!"
It was then Percy realised he wasn't just fighting for his life. He was fighting for his family. He was fighting for his place in his family. He had given up far too easily before. Simply ran when Fred and George pushed him away instead of standing up for himself.
No longer. He wanted to be a Weasley again. He wanted Christmas sweaters in horrible colours and loud family dinners. He wanted to be able to walk into the Burrow and not have marched parsnip thrown at him. Now it was simply a matter of figuring out how to belong again.
"Stupefy!" George screamed at a Death Eater behind Percy. "Threw you out? Is that what you tell yourself at night?"
"You tried to lock me in a bloody pyramid!" Percy snapped as he tripped on someone's broken wand. It took a moment to steady himself and to keep from tumbling onto the floor.
"It was a joke," Fred yelled. "You needed to lighten up then and you really need to lighten up now!"
"You always hated me." Percy cast an Anti-Disapparation Jinx on a Death Eater that George had just stunned. "You never included me in anything."
"That's because you never asked to be included!" George said, casting a Stunning Spell and missing. Percy cast the same spell immediately afterwards and hit the intended target, causing the Death Eater to fall. Fred then cast the Jinx to keep him at the Ministry.
"You always thought you were better than us!" Fred screamed. He stopped and stared hard at Percy. "All that nonsense about being a Prefect and then going on and on about being Head Boy when you knew what sort of grades we got."
Percy stared right back. "I was trying to encourage you," he said in a hard voice. "Show you what can happen when you put in the hard work needed to suceed."
George stopped fighting as well. The three brothers were standing together. Two against one. Around them were the sounds of battle. Cries and screams were ringing in Percy's ears while the stench of death was all around him. Even though the fighting still loomed, it was as if time stood still between them.
"You were always just a show-off." Fred looked at Percy accusingly.
"So were you two," Percy shot back. "With your jokes and all the trouble making. You both annoyed the hell out of me but it didn't mean I didn't love you both. You're my brothers, for Merlin's sake."
To say Fred and George looked shocked at Percy's words was an understatement. Percy was rather amazed himself that he said them. He hadn't put the words 'love' and 'brother' together in years.
A piercing scream to his left caused Percy to break eye contact. There was hardly time to react. A large pillar was falling; it was about to fall right on top of all of them.
Without thinking, Percy pushed Fred and George as hard as he could, to make sure they weren't underneath the pillar once it fell. They grabbed his hands, but couldn't quite get him out in time.
Percy felt the weight of the pillar on his legs, feeling like the bones had been crushed to ash. The pain shot through his body. Percy wasn't quite sure how he would be able to handle it all, but he didn't have to worry.
Because then everything went black…
Percy sat up in his hospital bed, wincing yet again as the Skele-gro did its work, which was to re-grow all of the delicate bones in both of his feet and his ankles.
He desperately wanted something to distract him from the pain, but he had already read the i Daily Prophet /i that his parents brought him this morning. Dad even brought him some Ministry reports and memos that Percy read as well.
Dad coming to visit was a nice surprise. He had expected Mum, but certainly not his father. The visit was terse, as could be expected, but it was a start. Now that You-Know-Who was defeated, maybe Percy and his father could start to see through their differences.
Other than that, Percy had had no visitors. He was now painfully aware just how much he had alienated himself from his family and friends all for the sake of his career. That would have to change. The ambition would never change, but perhaps it was time his priorities did.
A knock on the door interrupted Percy's train of thought. Grimacing from a sudden surge of pain in his right ankle, Percy waved whoever was at the door in.
"Is that anyway to start a family reconciliation?"
Percy looked to the door in surprise. The twins were standing casually in the doorway, wearing those ugly dragonhide jackets that they always seemed to don.
"What are you doing here?" Percy brought up the blanket to cover him more, a bit ashamed by his hospital gown.
The twins looked at each other, both seemed embarrassed to be there. "Well, after that stirring lecture you gave us at the Ministry, it seemed the least we could do was visit you," George.
Fred walked into the room and pulled up a chair at the end of the bed. Sitting down, he raised his legs onto the bed and leaned back. "So what exactly is wrong with you?"
Percy nodded towards the bottle of Skele-gro and the twins shuddered. "How many bones?" asked George.
"Too many," Percy said, pushing his glassed up onto the bridge of his nose. "The Healers said I'll have a limp a bit for a few months, but then I'll be fine."
"Are you bored out of your mind yet?" Fred asked
"A bit," Percy admitted.
An awkward silence fell over the hospital room. Percy wondered exactly what should be done now. He certainly wasn't going to apologise for his opinions just like he was sure that the twins wouldn't apologise for theirs. The question would become if they could still be a family, even with that gulf between them.
Fred reached into his pocket and brought out a deck of Exploding Snap cards. "George and I have the rest of the afternoon off," he began. "I don't know if you even like the game, but it's a good way to waste the time."
"I do like it," Percy said quickly, his breath hitching. They were actually including him in something. A bitter thought crossed his mind, the thought that they had never asked before, only when he risked his life for theirs, but Percy brushed it aside. If there was to be any good from his hospital stay, this might be it. Bringing up past hurts and slights would ruin any feeling of good will, even if Percy felt them justified.
"Cool," George said as Fred started shuffling the cards. A few moments later, he dealt the cards to outstretched hands.
As the game started, Percy had to struggle to keep the smile off of his face, even when the cards exploded in his direction. Fred and George were smiling as well and Percy knew that they were taking that first step towards a reconciliation.
Funny how a simple game of Exploding Snaps could feel like a step towards home.