(Disclaimer: see first chapter.)

A/N: Thank you to Gwen Polk and AchillesTheGeek for the lovely reviews! :D
A/N2: Um. Super short chapter. Sorry. Will post another one soon.


Chapter 2: The Burrow, the previous day

If I go crazy then will you still call me superman?
If I'm alive and well,
will you be there a-holding my hand?

- 3 Doors Down, 'Kryptonite'


"Oh, what has become of the boy! And all because of Severus!" Molly Weasley sighed. Her husband remained silent.

"I remember vividly how I saw him the first time at the station. How can he be so spiteful, so insolent and bitter now? Back then, he seemed so polite, quiet and amiable..."

"- not to mention intimidated, dressed in rags, thoroughly uninformed and naïve," Percy interrupted her, coming through the door.

"But, Percy!" Molly exclaimed appalled.

"It's the truth, isn't it?" Percy had reconciled with his parents last year after finally admitting that he had done Harry a terrible injustice. He had apologized to Harry and been astounded when Harry not only accepted the apology but also whispered, as though to himself: "Maybe not all Weasleys are lying enviers or brainless groupies, after all."

That had opened his eyes for the first time, for he had seen behind Harry's façade for a brief moment. The bitter loneliness he saw there came as a great shock for Percy.

His parents obviously had never had such an insight. Six days ago, a plenary meeting of the Order of the Phoenix had been called due to Harry's escape from the hospital, where Dumbledore had once again shown Harry's graduation speech to everyone by way of his Pensieve.

Ever since, there had been no other topic of conversation for Molly. Percy was quite honestly a bit disgusted with his mother's hypocrisy. Maybe the fact that while he had reconciled with Harry, he still had a number of issues with his family, played into it. But then again he'd always had those. When had they ever accepted his ambition and his tidiness, maybe even praised him for it? - He could not come up with a single instance, not by any stretch of the imagination.

"Harry had a truly horrid childhood with his relatives. At school, he finally finds friends, and they have nothing better to do than to first make him hope for acceptance and friendship, then drop him like a hot potato. I've watched it all! Hermione and Ron might not have let the Daily Prophet influence them, but even they eventually pushed him away him due to jealousy, envy or plain mistrust. Honestly, I don't think he went mad; he had every reason to be angry!"

"Every reason? But Percy, what has gotten into you! No-one has 'every reason' to talk like that about his teachers and classmates in front of the whole school! Poor Professor Dumbledore -"

"- repeatedly cursed Harry with the Cruciatus over the last couple of years in order to 'toughen him', if Harry is to be believed. Do you call that normal?"

"And Minerva -"

"- never even noticed! She was his head of house, bloody hell, she should have looked after him! But Harry has always been betrayed and disappointed by those who should have helped him."

"Trelawney was not responsible for him, though. Why should he -"

"That old witch does enjoys predicting various people's death, but as far as I'm aware, it's always different people, so students can usually calm themselves with the thought that it's hardly likely their entire class will die all at once. It's only once Harry entered her classroom that she began always unsettling the same person with her gloom-mongering. Seriously, Mum, what else would you consider a cause for righteous anger? At least he only used words to curse her!"

Molly gaped at her son. "Percy... you've gone mad."

"EXCUSE ME?! Just because I empathize with the wizarding world's hero no longer wanting to be pushed around and abused, now I am crazy, too? Are you going to send me to St. Mungo's, as well? When it was you who have been badgering me for two years that I should try to understand Harry...! Oh, I am so sick of you ridiculous, sanctimonious toadies! I have left this family once, and I am quite capable of doing it again! Mum, Da, I'm leaving. Possibly for good, who knows."

Before his parents could say a single word in reply, he had apparated. For a moment, they heard him rummaging in his room, packing up his belongings. Then another 'crack', followed by silence.

The two Weasley parents looked at each other. "Mad..." Molly whispered. "Everyone's gone mad..."

Arthur wordlessly hugged his wife. Though in the privacy of his mind, he rather thought that Percy wasn't entirely wrong. He would have liked to talk to Harry, to find out more. Unfortunately, he had escaped from the hospital and no-one knew his current whereabouts. Also, Arthur could not be entirely certain that Harry wouldn't attack him were he to approach him now. Arthur sighed. What had their world become?

"Where do you think Percy will go now?" Molly sniffled.

Arthur's brows creased in thought. His eyes wandered over to the old kitchen clock with its hands for each family member. While the metal of the other eight hands gleamed, Percy's hand had turned red with rust. Even as Arthur was looking at it, little flakes of rust crumbled from it and dropped to the floor. This time, the separation was final, he noticed, stricken. Percy no longer considered himself a member of the family.

Arthur was just about to avert his gaze when Ron's hand started moving. "Molly, Ron's on his way home."

But the hand that had been moving towards "home" suddenly turned back around and pointed straight to "mortal danger".

"Oh Merlin, Ron!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed and jumped to his feet. Molly startled and in turn saw the clock's menacing setting.

"Where could he be at? And who would want to attack him, I thought You-Know-Who was dead?" Arthur just looked at her. Finally the sickle dropped. "Harry?!"

Arthur was pale, but his voice barely trembled as he said: "The more salient question is, where..."

A rumbling sound came from above their heads, followed by raised voices.

"Thank Merlin, he made it home!" Molly cried and flew up the stairs towards Ron's room. Arthur, however, looked at the clock once more. The hand hadn't moved. "Molly, wait!"

Arthur ran after his wife and found her kneeling with tears running down her face in front of the locked door to Ron's room just seconds later. "Alohomora," he yelled, but the door refused to open.

"...and that, my esteemed friend, is the reason I came here today," just now a muffled, cold voice could be heard from beyond the door. Then: "Avada Kedavra!" A green light flashed beyond the opening underneath the door. Several 'cracks' sounded, then nothing.

Arthur once again tried the door handle and found the door could be opened. Very much afraid of what he would see, he stepped inside.

The room was empty.