Non-Prattish Authority Figures.
Fred and George Weasley sat in their flat above their business premises above 93 Diagon Alley. Normally they would be loud and raucous, but for some reason, they were quite subdued.
"Fred." George said seriously. "We need to talk."
Fred turned to George. Now was the time to discuss the matters that they had tried to pretend they'd forgotten.
"It's really here now, isn't it?"
"We've known for the past year." George said.
"It wasn't as personal. We were watching from a distance. Maybe we didn't think of how close it could get to us."
"It came closer to Ron and Ginny."
Fred pursued his lips. He came so close to losing his youngest siblings in one blow, his friend and sparring partner Hermione and to top it all off, Harry had faced Voldemort again. Miraculously, they all survived.
Sometime though, someone's luck will run out.
"I wish we could've been there to help. I have nightmares about watch them get slaughtered by the Death Eaters, George, I – I watch, and I can't do anything about it."
George laid a comforting arm on his brother's shoulder.
"I know Harry didn't drag them along with him. They would have forced him to take, because they were doing what they believed was right. And I'm proud of them, Fred, even if Harry was mistaken, that they all risked their lives to do something good. And we can't change that in them, and to be honest, I wouldn't want to."
"Were getting too old for this worrying, old bean. I don't think our hearts can cope."
"We have a very important job to do." George said seriously.
Fred frowned.
"You see, even though this war is getting us down, we cannot show it. We have to smile and laugh, and make others smile in this time of growing darkness. Its our calling, Fred."
"We are blessed with such a noble cause." Fred quipped, smiling slightly.
George grinned in response.
"Lets go and see Percy." Fred proposed, quite out the blue. George's grin slid off his face.
"What, are you trying to depress me?" George questioned.
Fred never spoke it aloud, not even to George, but deep down, he really missed Percy, and Percy's betrayal of the family cut him deeper than he cared to admit.
"Now everyone knows You-Know-Who is back…maybe…maybe Percy wants to come home, but he's too nervous to face us. I want to see him George."
"I'm coming with you." George decided.
Leaving the store, the twins turned many female heads as they winked and sauntered their way down the far less crowded than usual Diagon Alley.
"Were not pranking Perce, are we Fred?"
Fred shook his head. "Not until he accepts his family. Until then, he is unworthy of our pranks."
George nodded as they stepped into the telephone booth that would take them to the ministry.
Making their way through the ministry, they came to Percy's office.
Percival Ignatius Weasley.
Junior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic.
Fred tapped lightly on the door.
"Come in." Percy's voice came from behind the door.
Fred pushed the door open, and followed George into the room.
Comically, Percy had frozen with a handful of parchment, gazing with his mouth open at his twin brothers. Fred's expression was one of seriousness, but George couldn't resist frightening his brother, so he smiled widely at Percy.
"Fred, George, what can I do for you?" Percy asked nervously.
"Nothing Perce." George grinned widely.
"We just wanted to talk." Fred added.
"Do sit down." George finished.
It did not register with Percy that he was being told to sit down in his own chair in his own office, so he sat down, appraising his brothers.
"What is it your working on, Percy?" Fred asked, by way of starting a conversation.
Percy relaxed – he enjoyed speaking of his work.
"If its confidential, we'll understand." George smirked.
"I can tell you. I'm sure you are aware of the events of the break in to the ministry."
George leaned forward and glared at Percy. "We're aware. Do you care?"
Percy flushed slightly. "Of course I care."
George seemed satisfied, and sat back again. Percy spoke again.
"Most of the ministry is working on the fallout from that – incident."
George scoffed. In his opinion, 'incident' did not cover the magnitude of the event.
"However, there was another worrying event on the same day, and I have strong reason to believe that Harry Potter was behind it."
"On about Harry again, Percy." Fred asked without any humour. "Hasn't the past year taught you anything. He was telling the truth and being tortured for it the whole time. And do you know why, Percy? To try to make the world safe for prats like you."
Percy's cheeks reddened. "He didn't use the proper channels – he should have…"
"Should have what, Percy?" Fred asked.
"Filed a formal complaint to the ministry, not tricked Madame Umbridge into meeting with the half breeds. That's what I am working on, legislation to restrict dangerous cross-species."
George stood up to stand next to his twin, and furiously wrenched some of Percy's work off the desk.
"You still work with that monster?" George growled. Percy's mouth opened and closed like a fish.
"Ginny told us she tried to Cruciate Harry." Fred said.
Percy glanced around. "Well, she was around Harry Potter so much, maybe he has influenced her and Ronald. Madame Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad denied those claims."
"Who do you believe, Percy?" Fred asked, his voice low and dangerous. "Power hungry ministry approved thugs that you know have been proven to be wrong, or your own family, who have been speaking the truth all this time."
Percy didn't respond.
George gestured to the paper. "Contrary to popular belief, Percy, we aren't opposed to all authority figures. Just stuck up, pompous, self-righteous idiots such as yourself."
"You know, Remus Lupin is a half-breed according to your legislation. You knew him for a year. Is he a monster?" Fred asked.
Percy looked down abashed. Truthfully, he knew full well Lupin's condition was no fault of his own.
"Remus was an authority figure we could respect, and we did." George stated.
"It's not my legislation." Percy protested feebly.
"It's as good as." Fred and George said in unison.
Fred saw that the visit had been a waste of time, and had only served to depress him more.
"Come on George, I can't stand to be alongside this thing any longer."
Percy was deeply hurt that Fred could refer to him like that. Couldn't they see that he was only trying to help the ministry and the magical people which they served?
Fred got up to stride out the door, but George stayed behind for a second.
"Percy, if this war ever ends, you've done well. You'll probably survive." George turned his back on his brother, and made to follow Fred out the door. "But." He asked, looking over his shoulder. "Could you live with it?"