Family

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by JK. I am merely borrowing for a creative outlet.

4 – Percy

My first night back in my childhood home was rather surreal. First of all, we had a few more people staying than usual which caused our home to be rather cramped. The second was that there was no Fred to help George cause mischief. It was that factor that caused my childhood home to feel rather empty, despite the number of extra inhabitants following the days after the defeat of You-Know-Who.

As I lay in my bed that first night, I felt guilty for the grief I caused mum and dad. I got the feeling that my younger siblings would always think of me as a prat. Then there was a feeling of emptiness knowing that Fred would no longer be helping George instigate pranks against mum, Ron, and me.

The next day, everyone was left to their own devices, mum not her usual self. I sat in my room, watching as George, and Ron and his friends sat around in the yard talking about who-knows-what. It was only when Ginny knocked on my door that I realised that it was almost dinner time. Normally mum would've force-fed lunch and afternoon tea down our throats on the dot.

"Ginny?" I asked, "Do you think I'm a prat?"

She laughed in the way that only younger sisters could. I realised that she was almost of age, and how much scarier she was than mum.

"'Course I do Perce," Ginny replied, "What kind of sibling would I be if I didn't think my brothers were prats at some time in their lives… mind you I currently think that Ron's more of a prat than you are."

I smiled as she laughed more, ruffling my hair. "Anyways," she said, "I've made dinner tonight seeing as mum still isn't herself…"

"I kind of feel guilty," I admitted after a short period of silence.

"About Fred?" Ginny asked. I nodded solemnly, not meeting her eye. She sat down next to me and sighed.

"Everyone feels guilty about Fred, but what most people fail to see is that he was an adult and it was his choice to be involved just as it was yours," Ginny said, "We can't go about our lives feeling guilty that Fred is no longer with us."

I nodded and watched as Ginny – my baby sister – stood up, reminded me to wash up for dinner, and left the room. I placed my head in my hands only to be startled at the sound of someone clearing their throat.

George stood at my door, his missing ear replaced by one that looked like a green goblin ear. He had taken to conjuring replacement ears to make himself appear 'less holey', and if the mood took him, he'd conjure some of the weirdest and oddest replacements. Today, it seemed, was one of those days.

"Hiya Perce," George said, grinning from ear to ear. I looked up at him.

"What?" George asked, indignantly, "Aren't I allowed to talk casually with my exulted older brother?"

"Shouldn't you be more upset?" I asked. George shrugged and entered my room. He looked around and sighed.

"You should've let me and Fred redecorate…" he said simply, tutting as he went. "Oh and as for me being more upset? I am; it's just that I choose to keep on. Fred's still with me, mate."

When I saw the grin he had on his face, I couldn't help but crack up laughing. Shocked, George joined in. When our laughter died, George extended a hand.

"Come on," he said, "Ginny will hex us into last century if we don't get down to dinner soon."

As I sat at the table with my family and Ron's friends Hermione and Harry Potter, I felt the happiest I had been for a long time. I was home, and this time I wasn't going to compromise my family for anything!

Author's Note: That was hard to write, but it's finally done! Please review!