He awoke suddenly, sitting bolt upright. Reaching for his glasses, he blinked in an attempt to clear his misty vision. Another nightmare. They were coming thick and fast these days.

Finally able to see properly, he looked around the tiny room. Pathetic he whispered to himself. He had never felt more alone, and he knew he had brought it all upon himself. He had put his career, his desire to make his parents proud, before his family themselves, and it had cost him dearly. He d lost everything, and all for a pathetic job in the Ministry, working for a man who couldn t even remember his name.

All he wanted was for his parents to see him as a strong, capable young man. His elder brothers were both successful, and he was constantly reminded of it at home. He had sought work for the same company as his father, hoping that it would bring them closer. He wanted to be seen as a hard worker, someone they could rely on to continue the good name of his brothers. All he had done was drag their family name in the dirt, and lose the only people who really mattered in the process.

He was sick of pretending. Sick of sticking up for his boss and his department. What his brothers said was right. He was working for a complete idiot, and he was never going to get anywhere.

But it was too late, now. He had worked hard to get this job, and he couldn t back out now. Oh no, if nothing else, he still had his pride. The atmosphere at the Ministry was worsening every day, and he felt it was his duty to at least try to keep things above water.

But he missed them. Oh, so much. He missed family dinners around the beaten up old table. He missed the smell of the Burrow when his mother was washing the mountain of dirty clothes they produced. He missed the noise, the clattering of so many bodies in one home. He even missed the constant teasing from the twins.

He longed for the day he would be able to go back. He prayed that his mother would forgive him, and welcome him home with open arms. For now, there was nothing to do but ride it out, and hope that it wasn t too late already.