Percy had just done a pointless job for the ministry he was walking back to his apartment when something caught his attention he hid behind a building and poked his head around the corner to see what was going on. He saw Fred and George! They were running they were a mess; it was 11:30pm they were in the streets running away from something or someone. They had marks on their faces a few drops of blood dripped off of their cheeks. Their clothes were scruffy and their hair was a mess, they were sweating and breathing really heavily, they threw some spells behind them and also dodged some spells that were thrown towards them. They looked scared; the worst Percy had ever seen them.
Suddenly a dark red spell hit into George and fully knocked him off his feet and locked him in unconsciousness. Fred fell down as a lightning blue spell was thrown towards him, he did not lose consciousness at all, he held his twins form close to his own and continued to breathe heavily and wince at the pain that caused when he did so. Approximately 10 death eaters surrounded them with their wands at the ready. Fred snapped his eyes shut in fear when suddenly Bellatrix came forward.
"No!" She snapped "Leave them; they're just pathetic Weasley boys they are not Worth killing!" The death eaters lowered their wands and Fred stared up at her in fear of what she might do instead. The Weasley family had always been looked down on by Bellatrix and Voldemort, it was because of the relation Arthur had with quite a few muggles that they were looked down upon and also because they were the biggest blood traitors in the entire wizarding world. She smiled wickedly down at the boys and pulled out her wand. "Crucio!" She called out, once the spell hit the boys George did nothing, already being deep into unconsciousness meant he could hardly feel a thing, Fred however got the full impact as he cried out in agony and placed his head on his brothers chest. Bellatrix and the death eaters laughed and disappeared into the night. Percy had to think twice about helping his brothers, on one hand he announced that he was no longer part of their family but on the other hand he had grown up with them and the brotherly love had never faded, he decided to help.
He ran over and Fred saw him, his eyes locked his older brother in a deathly glare. "What do you want?" He barked angrily at him,
"Fred let me help you" Percy said trying to help his younger brother stand. Fred shrugged Percy off.
"Leave us alone!" He cried out.
"Fred, I'm your brother!"
"How do you know I'm Fred?" He asked
"Well are you?"
"Well, yes but-"
"Well there you go now that's sorted let me help you!" Fred shrugged him off again and Percy tried to help George up instead but Fred did not trust Percy anymore.
"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" He barked angrily. Percy frowned at his brother and knelt down beside George. Percy was about to argue back when George started to shift slightly while violently coughing and grasping for breath. "George? GEORGE!" Fred who was scared for his brother grabbed his hand and tried to sit him up.
"I—can't- Fred—I can't—I can't!" He was finding it hard to speak.
"What? What's wrong?" Fred asked him worriedly. Seeing the fear and hopelessness flash in the twins eyes was quite rare. The last time Percy had seen them like this was when the twins were five and they had gotten lost in the woods beside his house, it took Percy a few hours before he saw them cowering under a haunting tree. This look broke his heart, he just wanted to put his arms around them and drag them home, but he couldn't not now that he had already abandoned his family.
"Breathe—I can't—breathe!" He gasped. Fred fell silent for a moment that's when George's eyes slid shut and his head dropped backwards.
"GEORGE! GEORGE!" Cried Fred, fearing the worst. Percy grabbed George's wrist and searched for a pulse.
"He's still alive... He has a pulse" He added when Fred looked up. All traces of anger were gone now and all that remained was fear.
"Please" He breathed in a small, broken and terrified voice. "Please help us" Percy tried but he could not smile. He simply nodded and swept George into his arms Fred, who was limping slightly, followed behind.
George was laid down on Percy's bed. Without a word he returned to the doorway where Fred was clutching the frame for support.
"Come on" He said throwing Fred's arm over his own shoulders. He walked him to the couch and sat him down. "Tea or coffee?"
"I'm fine thanks"
"Fred? Tea or coffee?"
Fred sighed and eventually said. "Tea" Percy smiled a little and nodded, from the kitchen he asked.
"So what were you and George doing out so late anyway?"
"..."
"Ok" He walked back to the sitting room where Fred watched George sleep through an open doorway. He handed Fred the tea. "How did George lose his ear?" Fred looked up sharply.
"I can't tell you" He whispered and took a sip of his tea.
"Fred, I am sure you telling me what happened to George won't make anything bad happen." Fred hesitated.
"I- It was cursed off"
"By who?"
"Never you mind!" He barked angrily. Percy frowned and took a sip of his own tea. Suddenly Fred looked like he had remembered something and shot out of his seat but before he could go either to George or the door Percy stopped him.
"Where're you going?" He snapped, what reason did Fred have to just get up and start rushing around so suddenly it was almost unreal? Fred pulled his arm forcefully out of Percy's grasp.
"I have to find Lee... I have to help him before he gets hurt!" He rushed on. He, Lee, George and some other people had a radio show called "Potterwatch" but they got separated while running away from a gang of snatchers, that's when he and George ran into a gang of death eaters and they called Bellatrix.
"Lee?" Echoed Percy.
"If they find him they'll hurt him! I've seen it done to people like him and it's not nice!" He blurted out. Percy frowned and dragged his little brother back to the couch.
"What do you mean people like him?" He asked raising an eye brow. Instantly Fred looked panicked and shook his head.
"Will you go and see if George is alright?" Asked Fred, his voice fragile, soft and weak. Percy was about to argue until he saw genuine fear in his brothers eyes.
"Ok" He walked into his bedroom and checked George's temperature and pulse and returned moments later and smiled subtly at Fred. "He'll be fine... Now tell me what you meant about people like Lee" He ordered, Fred sighed.
"Nothing" He brushed some of his hair away from his eyes, that's when Percy's eyes widened in shock. "What?"
"What's that on your hand?" He asked. Fred looked to his hand and frowned, he looked away as though he was ashamed. Percy grabbed his brother's left hand and stared at the scar. There deep in his flesh was the carving.
I must always obey the rules.
"Who did this to you?" He asked stunned, he gripped his hand a little tighter until Fred pulled away with a gasp.
"Ow! Easy eh?" He said rubbing his hand. Percy leaned forward.
"Fred who did that to you?" Fred frowned and stared Percy Square in the face with a serious expression plastered on his face.
"You!" He said clearly. Percy was taken aback by this, what had he done that would result in this!
"Me?" Fred nodded.
"Remember that day you dragged me and George from the room of requirement after you found out about Dumbledore's army?" Percy nodded. "Well when you took us to the great hall and left us and the others alone with Umbridge she did; this to us"
Percy frowned and found himself at a loss for words. There was a long, awkward silence as Fred took another sip of his tea.
"I... I had no idea, this was happening... If I'd have known I'd-" He was cut off by Fred snapping a sharp gaze at him.
"What Perce? What would you have done?" He snapped. Percy hung his head. "Because I know for a fact that you wouldn't argue against it!"
"Hey! I'm helping you now I very well could lose my job just by helping you!" Percy snapped. No sooner had the words left his mouth that he regretted it. He did not mean for that to spill out of his mouth. Fred's mouth hung wide open.
"Well if you're so worried about your precious job then why did you help us!" He snapped.
"Fred... Please... I didn't mean!" He stuttered.
"Look, I know you don't want to be a part of our family any more but we're in danger and I have nowhere else to take him and don't have the heart to test out any spells in case I make things worse! Which is the only reason I brought him here!" Percy felt a pang of guilt form in his chest then he realised just what his little brother had said.
"Wait... Danger? Why were the death eaters after you anyway?" Fred looked like he had been caught out. Percy leaned forward. "Fred, what have you done?"
"Nothing just leave it Perce"
"No, Fred what's happened?"
"Could you check on George again?" Fred said gesturing to the door where he saw his twin lying on the bed.
"Stop making excuses and tell me what happened?" Percy shot back.
"It's nothing that concerns you" Fred replied looking anywhere but his brother. Percy leaned forward and put a hand on Fred's arm.
"Please tell me what was happening!" Percy pleaded. Fred looked up and again an inch of fear flashed in his eyes.
"You don't need to know! Please just leave it at that!" He said- practically begged- him. Percy was hurt that Fred didn't trust him, but then again he didn't expect anything different. He sighed and leaned back, watching Fred closely. Fred's head hung slightly lopsided facing the floor.
"Ok... At least tell me where you're hurt?" Fred closed his eyes but he did not look up.
"There's nothing wrong with me, I'm fine you should be worrying about George" His voice was breaking a little. Percy felt a wave of quilt wash over him at the sight of his little brother, so broken, so scared but refusing to admit it.
"Do you know what spell hit him before Bellatrix showed up?" He asked looking at George for a minute and then back to Fred, who was looking at George through the open door.
"I don't know" He shook his head and repeated himself, only slightly quieter. "I don't know" Percy nodded. For what felt like forever they sat in silence, suddenly a faint groan grabbed their attention and they saw George on the bed move a little from side to side. "George!" Fred gasped and sprung to his feet after Percy.
George was shaking violently; he scrunched up his face in what could only be described as agony. Fred was all over the place he was so confused. Percy ran away from George's bedside for a moment and started rummaging around the room and dug into a potion's closet trying desperately to find something.
"What's happening?" Fred asked worriedly. George let out another scream but he still hadn't woken up. Fred looked back to see that Percy was still looking through certain potions. He looked back to his twin and for a split second he feared that he might lose his brother for good.
"Aha!" Exclaimed Percy who rushed to George's side holding a vile of turquoise coloured liquid. He lifted George's head up with one hand and tried to feed him the potion. But George was un-calm, his body was a mess and he must feel reassured, but that reassurance could not come from Percy, but another. "Fred!" Fred looked shocked and confused. "You have you calm him down!" Screams were torn from Georges lips "TALK TO HIM!" Fred didn't know what to do. What to say. So he just tried.
"George?" The screams had died down a little but the violent shakes still hadn't ceased. "George it's me Fred" The screams were now choked- quiet- sobs and the shaking continued. "Please, t- try to calm down. W- We can help you but only if you don't struggle, please George... try"
George whimpered a little, the whole time this had happened George's eyes never opened. Percy got a firm hold on his head and poured the potion down George's throat gently. George became completely silent now and Percy laid him back on the bed. Silence flooded the room. Fred took a huge breathe.
"George?" George did not answer, he was asleep. "Is he ok?"
"He's going to be fine" Fred's eyes moved to Percy.
"What happened just now?" Percy sighed, he knew what was wrong.
"He's having a late reaction to the crusiatus curse from earlier, you know, when you were with Bellatrix" Fred remembered what had happened when they were both hit with the curse.
"Crucio!" She called out, once the spell hit the boys George did nothing, already being deep into unconsciousness meant he could hardly feel a thing,
"- when he was unconscious he could not feel a thing, however, once he had regained consciousness he suffered."
"Why didn't he open his eyes?" Asked Fred.
"Because... He had only just woken from unconsciousness but he didn't have the chance to open his eyes before the curse took effect." Silence.
"The potion" He gestured to the potion that now was empty.
"Helps get through the pain. It put him back to sleep but only for at least a few minutes. When he wakes up, I cannot promise he will be as good as new but he will be a lot better" Fred almost smiled but any traces of it was gone in an instant.
"I really care about him Perce... I don't know what I'd do if I lost him" He frowned at George "Because family is the most important thing ever" He looked up at Percy.
"I know" He whispered.
"You know we never told you this but err... We miss you Perce" Percy smiled only an inch then said.
"Thank you... And honestly I miss you too" Fred looked a little hopeful.
"Then come home!" Percy sighed and frowned at the ground.
"I can't it's too late now, they won't take me back" Fred was going to argue but suddenly George woke up. "How are you feeling George?" George backed away on the bed in an attempt to get away from Percy, but a hand on his shoulder calmed him.
George turned and spotted Fred, his dear twin, smiling warmly "Hey there Forge" George smiled a little and shot a questioning look at Percy. "He helped us. He brought us back here and he helped you"
"H- How long was I out?" George asked, his voice sounded hoarse. Fred laughed a little.
"Long enough."
"Are you alright?" He asked. Fred smiled even more and gave a short nod. Percy smiled.
"Would you like to stay for the night?" Percy asked. Fred and George shot him a weary look and George said.
"Thanks Percy but we should go... We need to find Lee" George looked up at Fred who nodded his agreement. Percy nodded.
"One moment" He left the room and Fred and George looked at each other confused. Approximately ten minutes later Percy returned with two small brown bags, he handed them to Fred and George who took them and confusedly looked inside. Inside were a LOT of equipment they could use in their journey: A list of advance spells, quills and a stack of parchment, food (mainly fruit), Spare change of clothes in their sizes and some extra blankets.
Fred and George looked up at Percy who smiled awkwardly at them. "Gee... Thanks Perce" Said George, smiling only slightly. "Well we better go" Before they left Percy said.
"Hey guys if you see Bill, tell him I said congratulations" Fred and George were surprised that he knew, he could tell this and answered. "I overheard dad taking about it at the ministry" The twins nodded.
"Thank you for helping us Perce" Said Fred smiling.
"Ditto... Maybe you're not such a prat after all" George replied smiling. Percy chuckled only a little.
"I guess its best we don't tell anyone about this though" Said Fred sadly. Percy remembered that even though he had helped his brothers now he had already announced that he was no longer part of the family. And Arthur made it quite plain that he wanted no-one in his family to communicate with Percy. Anyway Percy nodded and the twins sighed sadly.
"See you 'round Perce" Said the twins together, they didn't look back. Percy closed the door and realised that the twins had given him a lot to think about, quite a lot indeed. When they needed him the most whether it was, Ron or Bill or Hogwarts that needed him! He'd be there, he promised himself.
A/N: I needed to do this I couldn't stop thinking about this idea hope you enjoyed.