AN: I have not read the 6th book. This story stays with the events up through the fifth book though I have added things to the events of Order of The Phoenix while staying with the story.

The grove of trees was completely dark. The pale light that should've come from the full moon was blocked out by the heavy tree cover above. Hidden in the darkness, his back to the trunk of a large tree, stood a lone figure in robes. The hoods to the robes were up, even though it was unnecessary in the darkness surrounding him.

He heard the soft footsteps of someone approaching. His grip tightened on the wand held in his right hand as his heart started to beat faster. Was this the person he was expecting or had someone else found him?

"Terrier," he called out into the darkness.

The approaching figure halted. He lowered the hood to his own robes, and the first person could make out the familiar white hair of his contact.

"Yorkshire," Dumbledore responded softly to the voiced challenge.

The first figure lowered his wand. Relieved that once again it seemed he had made his meeting undetected.

"Do you have news?" Dumbledore asked, not at all surprised that the other wizard didn't lower his hood.

"Yes. Despite their insistence publicly that they don't believe you and that He-who-must-not -be-named is backed, they are worried. They've sent two envoys to the Giants, though after the fate of the first group I don't know why they ever sent the second," the wizard replied, shuddering at the thought of the severed heads of the four wizards that had made up the first group, which had been all the Giants had sent back.

"The ministry is also not getting anywhere with the Goblins. Seems Bagman's antics haven't been forgotten. And though Fudge seems to be unaware of it, I'm sure several of the higher ministry officials are loyal to He-who-must-not-be-named. They're keeping a low profile but I've seen them talking very frequently with Lucious Malfoy. If he gets control of the ministry . . ."

"We have our own people within the ministry. This is far from over. We have a jump on Voldemort this time. With any luck we can put an end to this before too many people are killed."

"There's something else going on within the ministry though. Voldemort's supporters are planning something."

"Do you have any idea what?"

"No. I haven't heard anything except for whisperings here and there."

"Keep your ears and eyes open," Dumbledore warned.

"Of course."

"Watch out for yourself also," Dumbledore said softly. "If ever you want out . . ."

"I intend to see this through to the end," the wizard replied, conviction in his voice. "There's something else. Fudge is feeling threatened by you. He's taking steps to gain control of Hogwarts."

"Yes I figured that much. His appointment of Professor Umbridge to Hogwarts tipped me off."

"She has orders to get rid of you no matter what the cost."

"I will be on the lookout. Is there anything else?"

"Not at this time."

"Till next time then," Dumbledore replied and with a crack was gone.

Left alone, the wizard waited a few minutes, and then walked out of the grove of trees. Keeping his ears open for any suspicious sounds around him, he started his trek over the countryside and back to the city.

Percy's POV:

I looked down at the letter I had just written to Ron. It had taken me two hours to write but I thought I had finally accomplished my goal. That I had managed to hide my warnings well, that should the letter be intercepted would not be interpreted by outsiders. My only question was though, would Ron understand it? Would he find the hidden warnings in it?

I sighed. I couldn't be sure. I had never been too popular with Ron, who tended to side more with the twins. Still, I cared about him. I wanted to make sure he was ready if anything should happen at Hogwart's which was looking more and more inevitable. However, given my current outcast status with my family, Ron's opinion of me was probably very low. So low in fact that it could very well keep him from even reading the letter.

Picking the parchment up, I looked over at Hermes in her cage. She sat on her perch looking at me expectantly, waiting for the letter.

Given the circumstances it was the best I could do. There was nothing to make people doubt my loyalty to Fudge and the ministry in it should it be intercepted. If anything, they would think I was trying to sway Ron to my side. Surely they couldn't fault me for that. Wouldn't I want my own brother on the "right" side?

I walked over to the cage and opened the door. Hermes eagerly put out his foot, waiting for the letter. I tied it quickly, before I could change my mind. Opening the apartment window, Hermes flew out into the London sky. I watched him until he disappeared among the buildings.

Shutting the window, I turned around. Without Hermes there, the apartment was empty. I truly was on my own, but this was the path I had chosen. The path that I thought was the best, not for me but for those that I cared about.

Walking back to my desk, I sat back down in the chair. Clearing away failed letters, I opened the reports that Cornelius Fudge had given me to write. Junior Assistant to the Minister. Ha! All that title was, was a fancy way of saying secretary. Still, it put me in a good position. Would allow me to know what was going on.

Dipping the quill into the ink, I started writing the report that Fudge wanted on his desk first thing tomorrow morning. I still had a lot of work to do on it. Probably shouldn't have spent so much time on the letter, but in some ways that letter was more important. I wanted to let Ron know that Dolores Umbridge was not a person that he wanted to cross. That her placement at Hogwarts was more than just providing a Defense of the Dark Arts teacher. It was a direct attempt by the ministry to gain control of Hogwarts. Anyone who crossed her could find themselves in serious trouble.

Putting all other thoughts out of my mind, I concentrated on the information in front of me. I worked hard, but as dusk started to fall, still had a lot of work to do on it. Lighting a lamp I continued working, knowing sleep would have to wait until the report was done. Besides, at least by concentrating on work, I wasn't dwelling on how alone I felt. Wasn't dwelling on the guilt I felt.

Walking into my small apartment, I flopped down on the couch exhausted, dropping parchments and books on the cushion beside me. The long walk from the ministry of magic had done nothing to help clear my mind as I had hoped it would. Everything was still just as jumbled as it had been when I had left work. The only thing it had managed to do was chill me to the bone. Not to mention the melting snow was making the robes I was wearing damp. Despite this fact though I had no intentions of getting off the couch to change just now.

The Ministry had been a buzz with stories about what had happened to my father the night before. Some stories were more fanciful than others. I wasn't sure which ones were accurate and which ones weren't. Or maybe nobody had the story right. Even Mom had been vague on those details. Some were even saying Dad had died. At least I knew for sure that wasn't the case.

Mom had sent me a letter by owl this morning. She said that Dad had been attacked and was in serious condition at St. Mungo's. She had begged me to come. I had tossed the letter into the fire, staring at the flames. Willing the tears away.

It wasn't that I didn't want to go and see him. I truly did but I couldn't risk it. My position was more important now than ever. Things were moving faster than even I had expected. Umbridge's appointment to the so call position of High Inquisitor at Hogwarts had only given the Ministry more of a foothold. She was grasping at anything that might lead to getting rid of certain staff members. That could let her seize the position of headmistress which would give the Ministry ultimate control of the school and what was taught and allowed to happen there.

I had overheard Fudge's last conversation with her. She told him that she was sure a secret society had been formed in the school. One that was practicing the Defense of the Dark Arts skills that the Ministry had suddenly felt was not appropriate for school kids. Somehow I knew my siblings would be involved in it. Hell, Harry, Ron and Hermione were probably the masterminds behind the society. She had informed Fudge that she was just waiting for the right time to pounce. That if she played it right she could use the society to get Dumbledore out of the school.

No, I couldn't jeopardize my position at this point. I couldn't go see my father. See with my own eyes that he was alive. Tell him just how much I loved him. That I hadn't meant the words I had said last summer when I had left. If something should happen, if I never saw my father again, those words would be my last words to him.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts and kept me from shedding the tears that were threatening to fall. Getting to my feet, I walked to the door wondering who it could be. I very rarely had any visitors. Oliver had stopped by a month ago for a short visit. We had chatted for awhile, both carefully avoiding the subject of my family. Since then, no one had come to my apartment.

Leaving the chain in the door, I opened the door a crack to see who was there. Seeing my older brother Bill standing there, I quickly undid the chain and opened the door all the way. What was he doing here? I hadn't spoken to Bill since right after I moved to London. Since his last failed attempt at making me see "reason". Bill had left my apartment mad. Other than a short, polite note here and there, I hadn't heard from him since.

"Bill, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"I shouldn't have to be here," Bill said coming through the open door. I took a few steps backward, scared of the look I saw there on his face. I could see anger there. Genuine anger that scared me. "You should be at the hospital or don't you even care that Dad was seriously injured last night."

"Dad and I aren't exactly seeing eye to eye right now."

"He almost died last night Percy," Bill said advancing on me. I took a few more steps backward. "They still aren't sure how to heal his wounds. Doesn't that mean anything to you."

"Its not that simple . . ."

"Dammit Percy it is that simple," Bill said grabbing a hold of my robes and shaking me. I instinctively grabbed a hold of his arms, trying to break his grip. I knew it was pointless, even as I tried it simply because Bill was so much stronger than me. My wand was in my pocket, but I didn't bother even try to reach for it. I knew I would never be able to use it against him. "I don't know exactly what happened between the two of you as neither of you will talk about it, but can't you swallow your pride long enough to go see him even for a few minutes."

"I-I-I c-c-can't," I managed to get out. If only I could tell him what was going on. The real reason that I had to keep my distance from Dad.

I could see the fury in Bill's eyes. I had seen him this angry before but never had his anger been directed at me.

Bill let go of me with a shove. I stumbled backwards, tripping over a chair in the process. As I landed on my left wrist I felt a pain go through it. I bit my lip to keep from crying out. I looked up to see Bill advancing on me.

"You've changed, Percy," Bill told me, his voice as cold as ice. "You use to care about people. Put others before yourself, now though you just seem to care about you."

'That's not true,' I wanted to yell at him but I knew he wouldn't believe me without an explanation. An explanation that I could not give him.

A few moments later, the breath was knocked out of me, as Bill's boot made contact with my ribs. Instinctively, I grabbed my side, curling up in a ball.

"That's nothing to the pain Dad is in right now. The pain all of us have been in since he was attacked or the pain you've caused Mom and Dad and the rest of us through your actions," Bill told me, his voice still cold and icy.

I gasped for breath, the action causing a sharp pain to course through my side. I had a feeling Bill had cracked a couple of my ribs. I tried to scoot backwards, away from him, knowing I wouldn't be able to move fast enough if he chose to strike again.

"Bill, stop!" came Ginny's tear filled voice. I looked in the direction of her voice to see her standing in the doorway of the apartment, horror on her face.

"Ginny, what are you doing here?" Bill asked her, even as she ran into the apartment and knelt down beside me.

"I followed you. I wanted to know where you were going," Ginny told him. I could see concern on her face as she looked at me. "Percy, are you okay?" she asked.

"Go away," I told her looking away. I couldn't stand to see the hurt in her eyes and know I was the cause of them

"Percy . . ."

"You heard him, Ginny. Let's go," I heard Bill say. "He clearly doesn't want anything to do with this family anymore. If he did, he would have at least showed his face at the hospital at some point today.

"That doesn't give you the right to beat him up," I heard Ginny say.

I closed my eyes. I couldn't stand to see the emotions that were so clearly on my siblings faces anymore. I wasn't sure which hurt more, Bill's anger or Ginny's mixture of hurt and concern.

"Ginny let's go. Percy clearly doesn't want anything to do with us anymore. All he cares about anymore is his work and his title which suddenly puts him above us."

"I don't . . ."

"Get out of my place," I told her as harshly as I could manage. I opened my eyes and slowly got to my feet. "I don't want either of you here anymore."

Ginny had tears in her eyes as she stood up. I knew my words had hurt her as much as if I had hit her. I watched as she turned and headed toward Bill, who put his arm around her shoulders.

"Percy you're no longer my brother. As far as I'm concerned, you don't exist," Bill told me. With those words he turned and led Ginny out of my apartment. I cringed as the door slammed behind him.

Still holding my side, I walked slowly over to the couch. I sat gingerly down on the couch, not even bothering to stop the tears this time. I let them flow freely down my face.

How far would have Bill gone if Ginny hadn't showed up? How long would I have to keep this charade up? Would my family ever know the truth? Would they ever be able to forgive me even if they did?

I had no answers. Bill's last words echoed in my mind.

As far as I'm concerned, you don't exist.

I had felt lonely before but not I felt alone. Isolated in a world of people.

Bill's POV:

Reaching the street Ginny shrugged off my arm. I knew Percy's words had hurt her but I could also tell she wasn't too happy with me right at that moment.

"How could you?" she asked in a small voice. She was looking straight ahead.

"Ginny?"

"How could you go over to his place and go after him like that. He didn't even raise a hand to you and you just kept going. How far would you have gone if I hadn't shown up?"

I remained silent. I couldn't answer her question because I didn't know the answer myself. When I had gone over there, it hadn't been with the intent of laying a hand on Percy. I had wanted to reason with him but my anger had taken over. I couldn't deny that I had been ready to kick him again before Ginny had spoke up.

"What you just did, its no better than what he's been doing lately."

"Ginny, I'm sorry."

"I'm not the one you need to be apologizing too. If you're really sorry, then go back and tell Percy that."

"I can't," I told her. I may have felt bad about shoving him and kicking him but I had meant those last words. I was through with him. I had no idea what had happened to him. He wasn't the same person I remembered. Yeah, Percy had always been a little distance but never would I have thought he would turn his back on all of us.

"Then don't talk to me," she said haughtily and speed up a little bit.

I let Ginny walk a few steps ahead of me. I knew she angry and a little hurt not only by the fact that Percy word's had hurt her but also by my actions. Deep down I knew she had the right to be angry. Ginny always had been close to Percy. Had always turned to him with her problems. His leaving for London last summer had hurt her more than any of us.

I sighed. Things just seemed to get grimmer and grimmer. We were fighting a battle that our government wouldn't acknowledge. My family wasn't whole. Dad was seriously injured and Ginny was angry with me. I could only imagine how upset Mom would be if she knew what had just transpired. Like Ginny, she wasn't ready to give up on Percy yet.