Chapter One

Percy's failure to show up at work bothered Arthur for the rest of the day. It didn't seem right that Percy should simpley just vanish. Arthur didn't have any evidence that Percy was missing or was otherwise unable to reply due to unsavoury reasons. It was quite possible that any of the excuses Fudge had made were true. He could have just moved flat and failed to inform the ministry of his new address, another possibility was that Percy was abroad and not receiving his mail. The third - and most likely - was Percy was ignoring the minister. It was possible that he had received all the mail and was refusing to reply.

Each reason just didn't stand up to scrutiny by anyone who would know Percy though. The thought of him not following procedure in updating his address was ludicrous; a six month holiday without forwarding address was out of the question. As for ignoring the mail? While Percy did have a history of not replying to letters, he had hardly parted from Fudge on bad terms. His final words to the minister had not been "I never want to speak to you again."

Arthur was aware that Percy was an adult, capable of looking after himself. He had been doing just that for almost five years now. He also knew the boy was quite capable of keeping secrets and keeping the fact he knew any secrets to himself. If Percy didn't want anyone to find him then he would make quite sure that he was never found.

The more Arthur thought about it the more it didn't seem right though. If Percy didn't want to be found he would have made sure that no one would come looking for him. When he had moved out of the Burrow during the war he had left his new address. Molly had worried about Percy's safety but never about where he was. Percy wouldn't have gotten sloppy.

He didn't know Percy any more. He wondered if he ever had.

Arthur would have packed up and gone round to Percy's apartment as soon as he heard that the boy was missing but he was trapped at work with three separate training meetings, an interdepartmental presentation and a report that could not be delayed any more.

It was not until half past four that Arthur summarised it was safe enough to sneak out the door early.

Arthur caught the tube to Percy's flat. Arthur liked taking the tube. The underground corridors and never ending, twisting, overlapping staircases reminded him of Hogwarts a little. All be it a Hogwarts that was tiled in dirty white porcelain and plastered in theatre posters for West End shows. The tube was busy at this time and Arthur tired not to stare at the Muggles that pushed up against him in the crowded carriages. Instead he thought back to the last time he had spoken to his middle son.

It had not ended well.

"Is this true?" Arthur threw the morning's paper down on Percy's desk.

Percy didn't even look up. "Probably not but I wouldn't try suing for liable. The Daily Prophet hasn't got any money. I could have them run an apology or retraction; I'd rather not have to shut them down. That however is not my department; you'd need to speak to Angela down on the fourth floor."

"It's an article about you, Percy. I'd say that was your department." Percy finally looked over at the paper on the desk at his father's angry words.

"Oh, the 'Study in Scarlet' article. Hmm, perhaps I shall have them shut down for such an awful headline and for miss appropriation of Conan Doyle."

"This is serious, Percy. Is it true?"

"I wouldn't imagine so. Was there something specific you were concerned about?" Percy didn't seem at all concerned about what the article said.

"That you believe Fudge will be the best person for the Ministry position? How can you say that? I knew you were behind Fudge but you can't honestly believe that he is a better man than Kinsley for the job?"

"He is the best man. Kingsley isn't a politician, he's a fighter, a warrior. We are not at war any more Dad. There's an article for him on the following page if you're worried about Daily Prophet favouritism."

Arthur threw up his hands. "Fudge is nothing but a spineless 'Yes Man'. You know what happened last time he was in power, you were there."

"Mr. Fudge has experience in the position. He also has experience getting his fingers burnt. He was only ousted last time because you-know," Percy coughed, "Lord Voldemort threatened him. Fudge knows how to pick his battles now and how to win them."

"Kingsley won't back down when he's threatened."

"Well it's a shame he wasn't leading the troops during the war but he wasn't. We're not at war any more. I've worked under Kinsley, believe me, we will be better with Mr. Fudge. He's going to win."

"You sound like a Slytherin."

Percy's eyes widened, through clenched teeth he said, "If there's nothing else, I'll have to ask you to leave. I'm busy."

And that had been the last of it. The election was held the following week. The Daily Prophet had published an article entitled The Fall and Rise of Cornelius Fudge. Arthur couldn't believe it. During the war the man had been less than useless. Just because he had found a few people who had gone missing during the war and become a local hero people were falling over themselves again.

After the election was over Arthur hadn't seen Percy about in the corridors any more. It must have been when Percy had applied for his sabbatical.

The tube shuddered slightly as it came to a stand still at his stop and the announcer advised him to "mind the gap". Arthur resisted the urge to say thank you. No one else ever did and Arthur felt sorry for the woman who travelled around on the tube warning people of the gap at every stop.

When Arthur finally reached the exit on to the street he smiled. Emerging out of the warm dark underground into the clear sunshine of late afternoon was always something that Arthur enjoyed. No one else seemed to notice but then again they were Muggles. It took Arthur a moment to orientate himself before heading north towards Percy's block of flats.

He tried to think of how to explain his presence at the flat if Percy answered. How he would justify his worry only surfacing now after Percy had been gone from the ministry offices for at least 6 months.

If only Percy had been there though at the end. When the final battle had raged at Hogwarts and the course of their world had been changed. Percy hadn't seen the destruction. He had sat in his office and worked and filed and documented.

Arthur eventurally reached the door of the apartment block and pressed the buzzer for flat number seven.