I do not own Harry Potter!
This is completely AU and takes place during the time just before the Half-Blood Prince.
It was a large cell, but he very rarely moved out of the corner. It was safer in the corner, and sitting in the corner, it made the place feel smaller, and smaller was what he was used to. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine his bedroom, his small but clean bedroom that his siblings always teased him about. He could also hear the ghoul clanking about in the attic, and he could even see the small living room that ran into the kitchen/dining room. He could see the spiraling rickety stairs that creaked and always bent under someone's weight.
He could even, sometimes, smell his mother's cooking.
That just made the ache in his heart hurt worse, and at times he wished to stop thinking about his home, but at the same time he didn't want to stop thinking about home because he knew if he did, he'd give up his will to live, the reason why he fought to stay alive in this dark and dingy cell. He knew that if he stopped thinking, stopped remembering, the darkness, the evilness of his surroundings would take over and then all would be lost.
Percy Weasley shifted slightly, wincing at the sound of chains dragging against the cold stone floor, slightly wet from Merlin knows what. The shackles around his ankles rubbed painfully against his chafed skin, having rubbed through his pants legs long ago. He couldn't even remember what it felt like not to have the burden of shackles on his wrists and ankles, to have the freedom to move.
A sound outside the cell, caused the prisoner to look up towards the door. The sound was still far away, but things echoed in the lonely dungeons. Surely it wasn't time for them to come back for more of his hair? Percy wasn't stupid, the only potion that required fresh human hair was Polyjuice Potion. Any other potion and he would have been dead by now. Every time someone came to collect a little bit of his hair—it was different every time—they would take the time to send some nasty hexes Percy's way, and once or twice the Cruciatus had been used, amongst other things.
Percy hated those times.
The sounds grew louder, but this time, Percy could tell that they weren't coming for his hair.
"I AM ASHAMED! I RAISED YOU BETTER!"
The voice belonged to Lucius Malfoy. Percy would recognize it anywhere. It was his dungeons that he sat in currently, and it was Lucius Malfoy who had put him under the Cruciatus several times before. Percy pulled his knees up to his chest and pushed himself further into the corner. He wasn't even sure Lucius was coming towards his cell, but it was better to try and hide and be safe, then be sorry later.
"No, Father! Please!" the voice was filled with terror and horrified emotions that Percy only knew too well. What was going on that Lucius Malfoy would be dragging his only son and heir down into the depths of the dungeons?
"Alohamora!" the lock to the cell door clicked open and the door swung open with a fierce BANG!, causing Percy to jump and flinch against the wall in fear. His body trembled as he peaked through the blinding torchlight from the corridor as Lucius dragged a sixteen-year-old Draco Malfoy (he was only slightly younger than Ron wasn't he?) into the cell by his hair, throwing him into the wall. Draco crumpled to the ground, curling into a defensive ball.
"Do you want to know how this affects how the Dark Lord looks upon me?" Lucius hissed, his voice like stone. The cold temperature in the cell dropped several more degrees and Percy shivered. "He'll question my loyalty! And believe me, my loyalty to the Dark Lord has not wavered. Ever."
He drew his wand and pointed it to his cowering son. "Crucio!"
Percy couldn't help but cry out in terror and cover his ears and slam his eyes shut as the spell hit Draco, causing the younger boy to scream and writhe in agony. Percy knew what the boy was feeling. He was feeling like his body was going to explode, like his nerves were going backwards and like hundreds of thousands of knives were stabbing him repeatedly.
Finally Lucius removed the spell and Draco slumped on the ground, trembling and whimpering. Lucius stared at his son, his eyes cold and unfeeling. Percy chanced a glimpse at the man, and trembled at the look of pure and utter loathing that was lodged in that man's eyes. Percy hadn't thought it was possible for a father to look upon a son in such a manner.
"Crucio."
Draco began to scream again and Percy covered his ears once more, unable to stand watching someone be tortured by their own parent.
Eventually the curse ended and Lucius kicked Draco viciously in the stomach before walking calmly towards Percy, gripping a small bit of his hair and yanking. Percy yelped as he felt the small clump come loose, and then Lucius stalked out of the cell, slamming the door shut and locking it.
For a few moments, the only sounds in the cell were Draco's soft whimpers. Percy sat frozen. What should he do? The chains did reach a little ways, and he could crawl over to the fallen boy, but what could he say? All he ever knew about the Malfoy boy was that he was as arrogant as his father and made his little brother's life a living hell at school.
Slowly, Percy uncurled from his corner and crawled towards the fallen boy, trying not to wince at the sound his chains made on the floor. Draco's eyes darted towards him and he drew in on himself, cringing back slightly.
"Coming to taunt, Weasley?" he questioned, trying to sneer as best as possible, though it looked like it was hard. There were tears streaming down his cheeks, Percy noticed, and when he reached the boy, he did the first thing that came to mind. The first thing he had done when he was younger, and one of his younger siblings had been scared or lonely, or just sad. In the days before he became a prefect and became too busy with school duties to pay that much attention to his siblings except to rat on them to his mother and get them in trouble.
Oh how he wished he could take those days back.
Slowly, he pulled Draco up off the floor and helped him into a sitting position against the wall, and wrapped his chained arms around him as best as he could without getting Draco tangled in the chains, pulling him close. At first, Draco struggled weakly ("I don't need to be coddled!") but Percy held fast and soon Draco slumped into the older male's arms, leaning heavily against his chest and shoulder. The two sat in silence for a very long while.
Percy thought the blonde had gone to sleep.
"I said no," Draco whispered. Not asleep then.
"To what?" Percy asked.
"The Dark Lord. He . . . he wanted me to get Marked and then to kill Dumbledore this school year. I said no."
"What year are you going into?"
"Sixth."
Percy leaned his head back. So his estimation of the boy's age had been correct, as had his estimation of how long he had been in this Merlin forsaken cell. A little over a year. He had been grabbed several weeks into the summer after the TriWizard Tournament.
"That took a lot of guts," Percy said. "Should have been sorted into Gryffindor." Draco snorted at Percy's attempt at humor. It wasn't much, Percy was never good with jokes. That was the way of the twins.
"I have my reasons," Draco said. "I just . . . I never thought . . . I thought Father at least liked me."
Percy felt a stab of sadness that Draco had been searching for his father to like him, without even the possibly hope of love. Percy knew his father loved him unconditionally, he had told every single one of his children that time and time again, particularly after the tournament. He wondered what was going on, how his siblings and parents were doing. He felt a twinge of longing and he tightened his hold on Draco.
U U U U
He wasn't sure how long it had been, but he was awoken by the cell door swinging open. Percy's eyes opened immediately and he tensed, his hold tightening on a restlessly sleeping Draco. A figure slipped into the cell and Percy's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Professor Snape?"
The dark haired professor looked just as surprised to see Percy there as Percy was to see the older man. The man, though, got over his surprise first and moved quickly to Percy's side, waving his wand over the shackles and freeing Percy. Then he gently pulled Draco from Percy's grasp and Draco moaned, opening his eyes.
"Uncle Sev?" the blonde's half-opened eyes lit up with joy. "Is that really you?"
"Yes, Draco. Now be a good boy and drink this. It'll help with your trembling." Snape held a vial of potion to Draco's lips and the boy obediently drank. Immediately the trembling of his body ceased slightly and Snape drew him closer to his chest. He pulled out a small object from his pocket, another potions vial, but empty. He motioned for Percy to come closer to him and he did.
"Put your hand on the portkey," Snape ordered.
"Portkey?" Percy whispered. Was it really this simple? Was this really going to get him out of here? It seemed so . . . anti-climatic.
"Yes! Now do it!" The sharp tone made Percy obey instantly and he touched the vial. The professor muttered something under his breath and seconds later, the familiar hook around the navel happened, and Percy felt himself being whisked off through space.
He landed on the ground and began to immediately dry-heave. The weakness of his body had not been able to handle the portkey.
"Perf'ssor? Is that ya?"
Hagrid.
Hogwarts.
Percy almost wept.
"Yes, Hagrid. It's me. Open the gate quickly. I've got Draco, you need to get Mr. Weasley."
The looming figure of the half-giant appeared above Percy and he looked up as the larger man bent down and lifted him up bridal style as if he wore nothing. There was moving, then the clanking of the gates shutting behind them.
"'ow did Percy git into that hole?" Hagrid asked as he walked.
"I don't know," Snape answered from beside the man, carrying Draco. "I'm sure we'll find out after Madam Pomfrey looks them over."
Percy leaned his head against the groundskeeper's chest and listened to the steady heartbeat. The feeling of the man's arms around him was warm—something he hadn't felt for a year. It was comforting, lulling, and before Percy knew it, he was drifting off into oblivion.
U U U U
Percy woke to the small of sterile and feeling warm with something soft under him. At first, it was rather disorientating, but then he remembered everything. Snape coming into the cell, the portkey, Hagrid . . .
Opening his eyes, Percy found himself staring up at the high ceiling of the Hogwarts infirmary. Surprisingly, he had never been on his back in a bed in the infirmary before. He was probably the only Weasley in the history of the family to never go to the Hospital wing because he was hurt.
"Percy?"
His breath hitched as he continued to stare up at the ceiling. He knew that voice. Loved that voice. Slowly moving his head, his eyes feasted upon the sight of his mother, sitting next to the bed, her eyes red rimmed from crying. Even now, a tear was dripping down her cheek as she leaned closer. Weakly, Percy lifted his hand and wiped the tear away with a knuckle. He hated it when his mother cried.
"I'm so glad you're awake," she whispered. "Madam Pomfrey put you in a healing sleep and you've been out for three days."
Percy just stared at his mother, drinking in every inch of her from her frizzy red hair to the lines and wrinkles just appearing on her face from age. He took in a deep breath. He just wanted one thing.
"Mama, hold me." His voice was pleading. He needed to feel his mother's embrace. He felt like he would die if he didn't. Molly gasped slightly and helped Percy sit up before sliding onto the bed and holding the broken young man against her, rocking him slightly back and forth as Percy allowed the tears to flow, weeping for the lost year that he would never be able to get back. He breathed in her scent, that of spices and lavender. The lavender came from a bottle of expensive perfume that she was fond of and every year the siblings pulled their money together to get her it for Christmas.
They sat this way for a long while. Percy wasn't sure how long, but the sun's rays had moved slightly by the time Madam Pomfrey bustled in for her normal routine check of her patients. When she saw that Percy was awake, she came over and Percy reluctantly pulled away from his mother to let the mediwitch do some diagnostic tests on him.
"You'll make a full recovery," Madam Pomfrey said, pleased. "All my patients do. I thought I would never see you here in my infirmary injured, Mr. Weasley."
"I never thought I would be in here injured either, ma'am," Percy murmured.
"Tut! It's Poppy, dear. You've graduated and are a man." Poppy smiled and handed Percy several potions. "Drink. You'll be able to go home in tomorrow if I like how much you eat and if your nutrition improves by then. One of those potions is the nutritional potion so we'll see how it works for you. You might need a stronger one, but this is the strongest that is standard made. Any stronger and Professor Snape will have to customize the potion to you."
Professor Snape? Draco!
"How's Draco, Ma—erm—Poppy?" Percy asked. Poppy nodded towards a bed several beds down and Percy looked over his mother's shoulder at the bed where the blonde was sleeping.
"He'll be here for a few days," Poppy said.
"What's going to happen to him?" Percy asked.
"We don't know," Molly answered, stroking Percy's hair. "Severus is his godfather, but is a spy and therefore can't take him. Something will be figured out. Are you able to tell me what happened?"
Percy nodded. Then he frowned. "Where's dad?"
"At the ministry. The moment we heard about you being here, he became suspicious and it was found that a man by Josten, a low level Death Eater, was impersonating you and trying to split up the family to create division in the Light and break into the ministry. He's helping clear up the mess it's created. But he'll be back soon."
"I want to tell you and Dad together."
Molly nodded. "All right. Why don't you go back to sleep. I'll wake you for dinner." She reached out and gently placed a hand on Percy's forehead, a gesture that had soothed him as a youngster. He briefly flinched, out of habit (hands coming for the head meant pain), before mumbling an apology to her and closing his eyes, drifting off into sleep.
He awoke to someone gently shaking his shoulder. Ripping his shoulder out of the grip, Percy attempted to sit up, only to have pain flash through his body and he hissed.
"Percy! Percy, it's mum. It's okay, darling. You're safe."
Percy blinked as his mind began to clear and he leaned back onto the mattress. His mother leaned over him, a worried expression on her face.
"Percy?"
"Mum." Percy closed his eyes in an attempt to keep the tears from falling, but they came anyway. Molly quickly pulled her son into another embrace, and this time, someone else joined on the other side. A strong someone. Percy sniffed and leaned into his father's embrace.
"It's okay, Percy," Arthur Weasley murmured. "It'll be all right. Sh . . . we've got you."
For a few moments Percy soaked up their affection, having not felt a kind human touch in a year. He clung to either parents and very slowly, his trembling began to lessen and he began to sink practically boneless like into his parents' arms.
"Do you think you can eat something?" Molly finally asked, her voice quiet and soothing, a strange contrast to her normally loud and shrill voice that she used in order to keep up with her children.
Percy nodded and she pulled away, flicking her wand towards a tray, floating it over to Percy's lap. There was a hot bowl of soup and bread with a glass of milk. Percy's mouth began to water at the smell of the food and he grabbed the bread and dunked it into the soup before stuffing it into his mouth, wolfing it down with only a few chews.
"Slow down son," Arthur murmured, gently running his hands through what was left of Percy's hair. "It's not going to go anywhere. We don't want you to toss up all that you've eaten."
Percy nodded and slowed down only a little, but didn't stop to even talk. Very soon the bread and soup were finished and he downed the glass of milk before using the back of his hand to wipe away the milk mustache. Molly removed the tray and both of his parents settled on either side of him as Percy leaned against the head board, like they had done when he was little and needed comforting from a nightmare.
"Talk to us, Percy," Arthur said quietly, taking hold of Percy's hand. "Talk to us."
Percy took in a deep breath and began to talk. He found himself detaching himself slightly, speaking with a monotone. It seemed easier to speak when he was slightly detached. He told them about how frightened he was at first about hearing about the return of Voldemort, and how at first he didn't want to believe Harry, but after going for a drink with Oliver Wood, he had seen no reason to disbelieve Harry. He had started to go home, but was caught off guard by several masked men, disarmed, and taken to Malfoy Manor where he was instantly thrown into a cell where some of his hair was taken and he was left alone. He talked about how on occasion he was forgotten about and given no food, or how sometimes Lucius Malfoy would come down to torture him, either before he took his hair, or just for fun.
He spoke about how he wished he could die, how he wanted his family, no matter how loud or obnoxious or annoying some of them were. He told them about having dreams about them, how he would envision the Burrow and every single person of the family just to keep himself sane.
Then he told them about what had occurred when Lucius had dragged Draco into the cell and left him there. At the end, Molly and Arthur had tightened their grip around Percy and were whispering words of endearment and love to him.
"Your siblings feel so horrible," Arthur told Percy, after explaining everything that had occurred in the last year between the Weasleys and the fake Percy. "They want to come and see you. And to apologize."
"Apologize for what?" Percy asked. "They didn't do anything to me."
"But they feel bad for believing that you would really turn your back on us," Molly replied. "We all feel upset and sorry. Several times the twins threw food at your impersonator and he even sent your Weasley jumper back that I make every Christmas. Ron was livid at that!"
"Why? He isn't fond of your jumpers."
Molly kissed Percy on the head. "It's the principle of the thing I suppose. Shall I go fetch them?"
Percy looked around, knowing that none of his siblings would get along well with the other occupant of the Hospital Wing. He saw several curtains drawn around the bed occupying Draco.
"Madam Pomfrey thought it better that if the children were to come it would be easier to break to them the news of young Malfoy's betrayal to the Dark Lord if he was hidden at first," Arthur explained. "She . . . knows how explosive some of their tempers can get. Plus . . . Harry is currently staying with us."
"Will he be coming too?" Percy questioned. "I feel I should make right what my impersonator did to Harry."
"If that is what you want," Molly said.
With a nod from him, Molly hurried off to the fireplace to fetch the other children. Percy leaned against his father, his heart beginning to race. What if his siblings continued to stay mad at him? What if they didn't accept his apology for allowing someone to come into their family and tear them apart? Would Harry forgive him?
"There is nothing to fear, Percy," Arthur murmured, wrapping his arms around Percy. "There is nothing that you need to be sorry about."
Oops. Percy blushed slightly. He hadn't meant to voice his thoughts aloud. Arthur tightened his grip.
"You'll see, Percy. You'll see."
Several moments later the Floo flared and the Weasley family plus a dark haired boy all tumbled out. Upon seeing Percy there was a loud commotion of noise as everyone attempted to speak at once and rushed forward. Percy's eyes widened and he leaned farther into his dad's embrace. Arthur gave his children a stern look and they all instantly came to a halt and stopped talking, looking down at their shoes sheepishly, even Harry.
Percy felt foolish, even as he turned his face into his father's shoulder, but he couldn't help it. Before being taken, he hadn't been a large fan of loud noise, but after sitting in a cell for a little over a year with little to no sound besides his own breathing and clanking of chains, the noise his siblings made frightened him terribly.
Ginny was the first one to step forward. She came to the other side of the bed and sat down, taking Percy's hands in hers. She gently kissed them.
"I'm so sorry, Percy," she whispered. "I'm sorry for doubting you." Tears were leaking out her eyes. "I . . . we should have know you wouldn't have turned your back on us." She began to cry in earnest and Percy turned to her, pulling out of Arthur's embrace. He pulled Ginny towards him and kissed her on the cheek. Instantly the other siblings were gathering around, patting Percy on the back and quietly murmuring their own apologies. Percy reached out with his hands and touched each of his siblings. Bill and Charlie were even there. He then reached out towards Harry and Harry took hold of his hands.
"Glad you're back, Percy," Harry murmured.
Percy nodded.
"How did you get found?" George asked as the siblings and Harry settled on the bed. It creaked with their weight but no one moved to get off.
"Professor Snape found me," Percy replied.
"Professor Snape?" Ron cried.
"Professor Snape is a spy, if you remember," Arthur told the children. "And Dumbledore trusts him explicitly. And after this, so does this family. Understand?" The children looked a little uneasy, mainly because all they had to go on was the cranky potions master, but they nodded their heads anyway. After all, he did save their brother and that gave him a little respect.
"But he found me on accident," Percy continued. "In fact, he was surprised to find me. He was coming for the other person that was in my cell."
"Who was it?" Charlie asked.
"Draco Malfoy." Percy leaned back into his father's embrace, waiting for the explosion.
"Draco Malfoy?" Ginny cried, a bit loud. A look from Arthur and she lowered her voice. "What on earth was Draco Malfoy doing in a cell with you?"
"His father put him there," Percy said. "It was a cell down in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor that I was kept in. Draco, he . . . he refused to take the Dark Mark. His father wasn't happy. He even used the Cruciatus on him twice!"
The siblings all looked shocked at this. Harry's lips became a thin line.
"Bloody heck!" Ron breathed. "I always thought the git wanted to be a Death Eater."
"I suppose people can always surprise us," Bill murmured. "This is a shock. I thought the entire Malfoy family would be loyal to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." He shook his head.
"Is that who's behind the curtains?" Fred asked, gesturing to the white curtains.
"Madam Pomfrey thought it best if you didn't see him until it was explained that he had refused the Mark," Molly told them. "She knows how legendary your rivalry with him goes."
"Does she think we're dishonorable to attack someone in a hospital wing?" Harry questioned.
"With Ron," George said, "I suppose it's better to be safe than sorry." Ron gave George a withering look.
"What's going to happen to him now?" Charlie asked. "I mean . . . Draco doesn't have any other family does he?"
"Well . . ." Arthur looked thoughtful. "Normally he would go with his godfather but that's Severus and since he's a spy that wouldn't work. I know that Tonk's mother, Andromeda, was the oldest of the Black sister, the other two being Bellatrix and Narcissa (Draco's mother), and then we Weasleys are related to the Malfoys by several fourth cousins twice or thrice removed . . . something like that."
The group was silent for a moment.
"He could live with us," Ron finally muttered. All heads looked at him.
"Did you just say what I thought you just said?" Ginny asked. Ron nodded and Percy couldn't help but laugh at how red his brother's face got.
"That's very thoughtful and grown-up of you, Ron," Molly said. She looked at Arthur. "I suppose . . . what's one more child to call our own? We've already got eight. What's nine?"
"Eight?" Harry questioned. He counted the Weasleys, confused. The twins reached over and hit him across the back of the head.
"You're the eighth one, dumbie!" they said together. Percy laughed harder at the perfect imitations of a goldfish Harry was creating.
"We'll have to speak with the Tonks and Severus," Arthur replied. "As well as Draco. Severus has a lot of say in what happens, plus the Tonks are closest of kin. We'll see."
U U U U
Late that night, Percy was awoken but someone sitting on his bed. Opening his eyes, he was startled to find Draco sitting on the edge of the bed, looking out the window.
"Uncle Severus told me that your family is willing to take me in," Draco said, not even looking at Percy. "How . . . why?"
"Ron actually suggested it."
"Why?" Draco repeated. "Do they want to make my life miserable? Get back at me somehow for being horrible to Ron and Harry and Ginny?" Percy noticed the blonde's hands clenching tightly in his lap, thought the younger boy didn't seem to notice it at all. "Why? Why would anyone want me? I'm just a cast off! Unwanted, unloved—"
"Draco!" Percy sat up and grabbed the blonde by the shoulders, turning the boy so that they were looking at each other. "Don't say those things!"
"But it's true!" Draco cried, rather sadly, his eyes slightly glazed over in emotion. "The Tonks . . . they're too frightened to take me in! They live mainly in the Muggle world! No matter what . . . no one in my family wants me! Why don't they want me? Why won't they take me? I thought family was supposed to take care of each other, no matter the danger!"
"Then the Tonks are stupid for allowing fear to override their responsibility," Percy said. "And their duty to family and to a child."
"Responsibility," Draco sneered, pulling his shoulders away from Percy's grip. "Duty. They all mean the same thing. Burden. Unwanted. And that's what I am."
Percy grabbed the boy again and pulled him close. "That's not true, Draco! My family wants you."
"Your family hates me."
"Dislike, Draco. Weasleys never hate."
Draco sobbed and snaked his arms around Percy.
"I don't understand," he cried. "I don't! How can your family want me after everything my family and me personally have done to you?"
"It's hard to explain," Percy answered. Indeed it was. "But I'll try. Yes, your family and mine have never gotten along, and yes you have been horrible to me and my siblings numerous times. However, when my parents see a hurting child they cannot help but reach out, no matter what horrible thing that child has done in the past. And that caring attitude has come to all of us kids . . . and yes it will be hard, and yes we aren't perfect, and yes we will get into fights with you and feelings will be hurt again and again, but that won't keep us from helping a hurting soul. Not when it's in our power to help."
Draco sniffed and Percy pulled him down onto the bed, wrapping him in the sheets and pulling him close to his chest, like he use to do with his sibling when they were younger.
"My father will come after me," Draco murmured sleepily.
"Bill is a curse-breaker for Gringotts," Percy said. "He can put up wards to rival Hogwarts'."
"I won't have to share a room with Ron will I?"
"Of course not. You'll share with the twins." Draco gave Percy a look and Percy chuckled. "I'll ask if you can share my room. You won't get Ginny either."
Draco chuckled before yawning. Percy tightened his hold and closed his eyes, breathing slowly and deeply, listening as Draco's breathing became longer, deeper, and eventually those of sleep breathing.
Percy stared at the blonde for a moment and began to think of all the ways his parents were probably preparing for his arrival. Tomorrow . . . or perhaps in two days . . . they would be able to leave and go home.
Home.
Percy smiled at Draco. The boy would eventually learn, just like his brother Harry was learning, that Home wasn't always where those of blood dwelt.
Sometimes, Home was where you were wanted.