House: Gryffindor

Position: Prefect 2 stand-in

Category: Themed

Prompt: [First line] Of all the people I could have seen against me in this fight… My child was the one I wanted least.

Word Count: 3226 words, excluding header, author notes, and title.

Beta:Tigger and CK

A/N: A/U! Dark Percy. This was written for The Houses Competition, Y2R6.

Fatal Flaws

Of all the people I could have seen against me in this fight… My child was the one I wanted least. Yet, there he was. His ginger hair looking like flames against all the black. His wand clutched tightly in his hand and his eyes narrowed and staring straight at me. Those eyes that adorned the face of one of my beloved sons. Those eyes that used to hold adoration for me as a child, that held nothing but hate now.

I knew he was going to come straight for me.

Two years ago…

"Dad! I've gotten promoted at the ministry! I am to be Mr. Cornelius Fudge's assistant!" Percy exclaimed excitedly. His eyes were shining and trained on me. "Despite the issues I have had previously, they still saw how dedicated I was to my work. They want me to join his team immediately. Isn't this great? Everyone is going to know who I am! Everyone is going to respect me!"

I took a deep breath, not wanting to squash his excitement, but I knew the truth. I knew why he was being promoted and it had nothing to do with his skills or his devotion to the job. "Don't you think it is odd after everything that has happened that you are getting promoted?"

Percy stopped his excited pacing and stiffened. "You don't think I deserve this position?"

I could hear the hurt in his voice but I needed to protect him and the rest of the family.

"Percy," I stated calmly, "you have done nothing but make me proud. You are such a hard worker… but you did just have an inquiry on your work ethic a few months back… seems a little odd that you would be promoted to such a prestigious position after that and so quickly, don't you think?"

"What are you suggesting?" Percy ground out.

"I think… well you know how Fudge has it out for Dumbledore. He knows we are close to him. He wants you to spy on us, son. He is using you."

Percy's face turned bright red. He clenched his fists and his whole body shook with rage. I could see the moment he turned, the moment he decided to turn his back on us, even if he hadn't realized it yet.

"Do you think Fudge gives a bloody hell about our family? We are nothing but a joke to them, to everyone at the ministry. Your lack of drive and your bloody obsession with Muggles has ruined this family. Do you know how hard I had to work to make a name for myself? I will not let you ruin this. I am going to rise to the top and you are just jealous that you are getting left far behind me. It's sad how pathetic you are."

He stomped up to his room and slammed the door. I pulled Molly towards me as she tried to run after him.

"He just needs to calm down; give him space."

She nodded before returning to the kitchen and began to noisily wash dishes. The clanging of the pots covered up the noise of Percy's bedroom door reopening and I didn't notice him until he walked right past me. The trunk in his hands hit me slightly as he rushed past me.

"Where are you going?"

Percy straightened and sighed heavily before turning to look down at me.

"I refuse to stay here another minute. I will not let your shortcomings prevent me from rising to a position of power."

He turned away from me and began to stride towards the door.

I called after him, "If you leave this house tonight, you will no longer be welcomed back."

He scoffed at my statement but didn't slow down or turn to look at me again. He continued walking out of the door and out of our lives. I could hear Molly wailing from the kitchen but I didn't know how to fix it. I didn't know how to make our family whole again.

I should have seen this coming. Percy had always been interested in becoming powerful. He wanted to be the best at everything. He saw positions of power as a way to rise above the family name that he considered sullied. Percy was ambitious and that had always been one of his best attributes, but it seemed it might be one of his biggest faults too.

Percy Weasley

I rushed through the halls to the Minister's office and let myself in, one of the many privileges of being the Minister's assistant. I had access to every area of the ministry and I was always privy to classified information. That was one of the reasons I was rushing to Fudge's office. They were having a secret meeting pertaining to He-who-must-not-be-named and I was going to it. I bet my father never got to go to secret meetings.

I straightened my shoulders as the Minister glanced at me and quickly found my seat next to him. I laid my parchment out on the table and readied my quill so I could take notes when the meeting began.

I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder and looked up to see the Minister staring down at me and shaking his head. "No, no notes today, Percy."

I placed all of my papers back into my bag and eagerly folded my hands in front of me, smiling from ear to ear. This really would be a very confidential meeting.

I stared down at the parchment in my hands and began to shake in rage. Of course he would reach out to me, now that word had gotten out that I was Fudge's right hand man. I could feel the heat rising to my face and had to take deep calming breaths before I could even convince myself to look at the letter again.

I thudded into my seat and examined the short letter my father had sent me.

Percy,

I hear you are doing a wonderful job in your new position. I congratulate you on your newly found prestige and I apologize for ever doubting the Minister's intentions.

Just remember that your mother and I love you. We miss you. Please come home.

Your father,

Arthur Weasley

I crumpled the paper in rage. He didn't love me; he just wanted to make sure I wouldn't tell Fudge about their involvement with Dumbledore. I knew Mom did though, she sent me letters daily to come home, but I never would- I didn't belong there anymore. I was rising above my pitiful little family and I had no intention of being dragged back down. I threw the ball of paper into the fire and watched as it turned to ash.

Another letter was clenched in my hands, this one very different from the last I read. Letters and correspondence were a big part of my job but this letter was addressed to me. Not to the Minister, not to a certain department, to me.

I quickly tore open the letter, my heart pumping in my ears, and unfolded the parchment. A beautiful scrolling script greeted my eyes.

Percy Weasley,

Your presence is requested at a formal meeting on the Twentieth of May, at two o'clock in the evening.

We look forward to seeing you there.

There was no signature. I flipped open the letter and examined the envelope but there no clues who could have sent it.

I sat back in my chair. The meeting was three days from now, but I didn't remember any meetings scheduled on Fudge's calendar for the twentieth at that time. Maybe it was just so secretive that it couldn't be marked on a calendar? I quickly decided that I should put the letter away and hide it out of sight, if that was the case. I folded the letter and placed it in the inner pocket of my robes. I looked around but no one took any notice of me.

It was depressing really. I was Fudge's assistant, everyone in the office knew who I was, but no one took notice of me. I would have to do something to change that soon. There were rumors that Fudge's time in the ministry was running out and I had to make sure that I wasn't forced out with him.

I was cleaning off my desk, preparing to leave for the meeting, when I felt something hit my forehead. I looked down and saw an office memo littering the ground by my feet. I quickly bent down to grab it, looking around as I stood up for the culprit that had sent a memo straight at my forehead. I didn't see anyone in the doorway of my office and decided to ignore it for now. I unfolded the memo and was greeted with four words: house on the hill.

I looked around again wondering if I was missing part of the memo, but my search only revealed a spotless desk. I looked at the clock again, the hand slowly ticking toward the hour mark. I scrambled to collect my bags and jogged towards the conference room.

I threw open the doors, an apology on the tip of my tongue, but the room was empty. I quickly backtracked to my office and threw open my drawers, where I kept my memos organized. Did I mix up the days? I have never done that in the past.

A frown adorned my face as I shuffled through my stack of memos. I finally found the one I was looking for and held it in front of me like a prize, the rest of the stack forgotten on my desk. It clearly said today at two. I looked at the clock again; it was already five past two. I flipped the memo over looking for anything I missed but the only other thing that was scribbled on the piece of paper was my name. I was holding the parchment up to the light when I felt another memo collide with my chest and fall into my lap.

I unfolded it only to read those same four words: house on the hill. Black dust covered the letter and I bent over to blow it away. The moment the soot was airborne, I realized what it was: Floo Powder. I had to Floo to this location. I was such an idiot. I quickly ran out of my office and to the elevators, trying to get to the Floo as quickly as possible.

"House on the hill!" I quickly shouted into the flames and stepped in, the green flames engulfing me and carrying me to my destination.

My stomach jolted when my feet finally touched the ground. I wearily stepped out of the fireplace and scrunched up my eyes; nothing but darkness surrounded me. I felt a chill climb up my spine and hesitated before stepping further into the room.

"Percy," a voice croaked.

I spun around; my ears couldn't pinpoint where the voice came from and my eyes couldn't penetrate the darkness. I felt helpless.

"Percy, I know what you want! I know what you crave! Power! Respect! I can give those to you."

My stomach lurched but my mind reeled. Who could give me these things that I have always longed for?

"Percy, your family are nothing but blood traitors, but you, you could be so much more than them."

I could feel the push against my mind and I was powerless to stop it. I saw images of my memories play across my mind and then a new image began to form, one I hadn't seen before.

I saw myself in crisp, black robes sitting in a large mahogany desk. I saw my name plate sitting on the desk: Minister for Magic: Percy Weasley. I saw myself signing official documents and decrees. I saw a young man eagerly addressing my every need. I saw my name in the Daily Prophet and my smiling face decorating all the purple banners lining the ministry halls.

I felt the wizard harshly exit my mind, a dull headache beginning to form, but the images he created stayed.

"That could be you, Percy," the voice lulled, whispering in my ear and clouding my senses.

"How?" I asked in awe.

"Percy, do you think you stand a chance at being Minister if Hermione Granger, the most brilliant witch your age, sets her sights on that position?"

I clenched my jaw. Hermione was a friend of the family, but what he said was true; Hermione was brilliant. I would always come up second if that was something she wanted. I could see the banners disappearing, the desk turning to dust, my dreams slipping through my fingers.

"Percy, your youngest brother will be more well-known then you ever will be. His friendship with the chosen one, will cause his popularity to soar. His name will be written in the history books, whereas you will be forgotten, forever remembered for only being his brother."

I had always been jealous of Ron's relationship with Harry. I constantly strived to be the best. I stayed up late studying, killing myself to get perfect grades, striving for perfection, and it had paid off. I had gotten Head Boy while at Hogwarts and swiftly got a job at the Ministry. Mom and Dad had been proud at the time, but the moment Ron had befriended Harry, I had been pushed to the side. Ron hadn't even done anything! He barely passed his classes, constantly got into trouble, but because he was 'the chosen one's friend,' he had all of their attention and so did Harry. Harry wasn't even a part of their family but he was constantly showered with attention whenever he was around, pushing me further into the background, into obscurity.

"Percy, we can get rid of them; these blood traitors don't deserve to be remembered. They don't deserve to be respected. Filthy Mudbloods don't deserve anyone's respect; they deserve to be slaughtered like the waste of space they are. They steal power from the worthy, and you, Percy, are worthy."

"Yes," I heard myself agree.

I was worthy. I worked hard every day to make a name for myself. I was the best at what I did, outshining others because of my hard work. What did Harry have? A scar. He wasn't worthy of his fame. He didn't deserve it! He didn't do anything for it!

"Percy, I can make your dreams come true, but I need you to help me make them happen. I need you to keep me informed about what is going on in the ministry. I need you to tell me the movements of your family."

I felt a lump form in my throat. Spying on my family? I wasn't sure if I could give that to him.

He sensed my hesitation. "Percy, your family is dragging you down, a weight in the water of this great big world and you are barely staying afloat. I want to help you, Percy, but I need you to help me first."

He reincarnated the images in my mind. I was addressing a crowd and they were all clapping and smiling up at me. My mind was focused on this future he presented to me. This is what I wanted. I compared my future to what would happen if I didn't do this. I would be stuck behind a desk, a nameless worker at the ministry for the rest of my days.

I swallowed the lump and nodded my head in agreement. I know what future I wanted: one filled with success and power. I wanted to be remembered.

"Good."

The voice faded and the room shifted. It disappeared before me like mist in the wind. I was left standing on top of a hill, trees surrounding me, and the moonlight lighting a path to the village down below. I was no longer scared though; in fact, I felt lighter than I ever had, the weight lifted off of my shoulders. I had power on my side and a guaranteed future, everything I needed for success.

I spied on my family and former friends, earning the respect of the Death Eaters that the Dark Lord surrounded himself with. Every time I arrived at his secret hide out, I would be rushed to his side. My information was crucial to the Dark Lord's success and everyone was aware of the key role I played. My information constantly elevated me in the Dark Lord's rank.

I was not surprised when my family stared at me with wide eyes across the battlefield. I knew that the rumors would have reached their ears about my alliances, but I knew they wouldn't have believed it.

I squared my shoulders and looked straight at my father. I would not go easy on them. They were the ones that had always stood in my way. Stopped me from becoming all that I could, from gaining all of the power that I had now achieved on my own.

Arthur Weasley

I felt Percy's hate directed at me across the courtyard and I knew he would be coming for me.

The battle began and raged around me as I made my way through the clashing bodies towards my son.

"Percy!" I pleaded with him but he blocked me out.

He was looking straight at me but his mind wasn't registering what I was saying. I could see the bloodlust lacing his eyes. He raised his wand at my approach and I held my hands out in surrender, dropping my wand to the ground. I would not raise my wand against my own blood, against my own child.

I held my hands in the air and dropped to my knees. I would have gladly given my life for the cause, over and over again, but I never suspected that it would have been my own child taking it.

I saw uncertainty cross his face and he lowered his wand.

"Avada Kedavra!"

I saw a flash of green light and a body begin to fall in front of me. I grasped at the falling body and cradled my son's limp body against my chest, tears forming in my eyes. The sound of the battle faded away as I stared into my son's blank face. What I would have given for those eyes to be sprouting hate at me, for his lips to be turned down into a frown—but he would forever be expressionless.

I was looking around helplessly but the battle surrounded me. No one had noticed my fallen son, no one had cared about his death. I suddenly heard a voice call out to me.

"He had outlived his usefulness. Hesitation is weakness and I can't have weakness—only power."

I grappled for my wand on the ground and began to raise it towards my son's murderer before I heard a shrill call behind me.

"Voldemort!"

Harry ran out to meet Voldemort and they sparred away from the battle. The battle raged on around me, but I clutched my son closer, bile rising in my throat. I stared at his blank face, my tears streaming down my cheeks. My son's greatest attribute, his biggest flaw, had killed him. It had cost him everything.