A/N: Around one year ago I wrote a Naruto story called Not Everything Needs a Reason, which mostly combated fanon clichés about Uzumaki Naruto. After posting it over at TFF, I commented that I was considering doing one for the HP fandom, to which someone suggested I do one for a more minor character, like Percy, instead of a main character like Harry or Ron. And after a year of soul crushing college courses, writers block, and unemployment, I finally got around to actually writing it. This one doesn't combat any clichés, but it does offer a unique insight into Percy's mind.

A/N 2: Regarding my other stories, Gossip is still being worked on as my palate cleanser (although I only wrote the bare bones of the next chapter). Grim Decision is pretty dead, though. I might do a rewrite or something. I haven't decided what to do with it yet.

A Different Kind of Weasley
By: Nanio-713 a.k.a. Mev852

1) Percy took solace in higher education and politics for one simple reason: someone in the Weasley family had to. While one older brother took to magizoology and the other gave up a promising future of academic research of Runes to go treasure hunting for goblins, and his younger brothers took up pranking and adventure, he would present the public with the "proper image" every pureblood family was expected to have. Even if Percy himself didn't believe it.

2) Percy does, indeed, have a wild side. Hell, he introduced the twins to the fine art of pranks when they were five! But while the twins would embrace their id with abandon, Percy would only let it out when he thought it was most appropriate: parties with close friends, Quidditch, learning and inventing new spells, dates with Penelope, in bed with Penelope…

3)Percy didn't have any ill feelings towards Harry. In fact, he found the youth's company most enjoyable whenever they had a chance to converse. Unfortunately, he knew the political wind was moving far from the Boy-who-Lived. So when he wrote a letter to his fourth-year brother to warn him to stay away from Harry Potter, it was for two reasons. First was to ensure Ron understood the political climate surrounding his best friend, and the second was to be seen sending such a letter by his superiors at work. After all, if Ministry spies were going to check his mail, it may as well bring him some benefit.

4) Percy knew Ron didn't take his Head Boy badge, and that he didn't pour anything on his picture of Penelope. For as slick as Fred and George were, Percy was smart enough to notice the subtle signs marking the twins being in his room. Still, he accused Ron in order to see what the youngest Weasley boy would do. He hoped Ron would find ways to logically prove he was innocent, but some things just never pan out like one hopes.

5) For as much as his parents understood the need for secrecy and subterfuge, Percy marveled at how they could never grasp the concept of insider knowledge. So when Percy decided to go deep into the higher ranks of the ministry to find out what was really occurring in the wizard world's underbelly, it caused a row so loud the Burrow literally shook to its foundation. Luckily, Severus Snape did understand and was gladly willing to relay Percy's information to the order.

Of course, the fact that Snape never gave Percy credit might've contributed to his willingness.

6) Working under the Minister of Magic was not Percy's idea. For as deep as the man was in corruption and power plays, it was obvious the man was nothing but a marionette being pulled along by various parties. He would've rather been on the Ministry's educational board, or their public relations department where the devious plans were being made, instead of the office where Lucius Malfoy or some other Death Eater would simply walk in and tell Fudge what was what. But when you're offered a high paying position that comes with plenty of prestige you can't exactly refuse without looking suspicious. So while Percy would put up with being sidelined with asinine research into cauldron depth regulation for the minister with a smile, it didn't stop him from discreetly searching for ways to transfer into another department.

7) Penelope always thought of Percy as rather devious. While he always presented himself to others as straight-laced and a brown-noser, she immediately picked up on the sneer he gave his "superiors" when they turned around and the slightly condescending tone he used while complimenting an older student or his bosses at work. The young man's mind worked in such delicate ways that only those attuned to long-term planning could even glimpse even a small bit of the plans Percy was laying the groundwork for the upcoming war since his early Hogwarts years. It was this darker side of him that made Penelope fall madly in love.

8) Looking back after the war, when Percy confessed the motivations of his actions to his family, the twins were surprised that they didn't realize what their older brother was doing sooner. What Percy did showed so many signs of a successful prank that they constantly berated themselves for not connecting the dots without help. This inspired them to create an entire line of products, including a series of books, focused on turning anyone into a successful spy/double agent. These products were immediately banned from Hogwarts, and marked as illegal by both the British Ministry of Magic and the Wizengamot.

9) While the whole family eventually forgave and accepted Percy back into the family, Ron was the last to do so. It wasn't because he resented Percy's past actions, or that he didn't believe Percy was telling the truth. It was because he finally realized that this aspect of his older brother was the reason why Percy was the one to ever consistently beat Ron at chess.

10) Voldemort had never spoken directly with Percy until after he had firm control over the ministry. And when he did, he was pleasantly surprised at what a steel trap the young man's mind was and how cleverly Percy could manipulate the system. It's too bad he found this bright child only after his regime became totalitarian, where such skills were a one-way ticket to an execution if improperly managed. He could've used a man like that during the formative years of his uprising.