Sorry for the delay, but I had real writer's block for this one. I'm still not entirely happy with it, but I like the end...

22nd August 1998 Percy Weasley is 22

Dear Bill, George and I are taking Percy out for a drink for his birthday. Mum says it's okay if I ask you too as long as I tell you that you don't have to play the older brother and look after us! Strictly boys only, so you have to leave Fleur at home. Let me know if you're coming. Ron.

Percy still wasn't sure if this was a good idea, though it was better than the alternative, which was a family dinner at The Burrow. He didn't think any of them were ready for that after Ginny's coming of age meal less than a fortnight ago.

He knew that his family were making every effort to make him feel included again, and that they had forgiven him unconditionally for his stupidity over the last few years. It was a shame that it wasn't so easy for him to forgive himself. And he couldn't help feeling that George – and maybe the others too for all he knew – wished it had been him who had died, not Fred. And there were days – a lot of them, actually – when he thought how much easier it would have been if it had been him. How unfair was it that he had lived and Fred hadn't? And how unfair was it that he had lost Fred just when he got his family back? He relived the moment of Fred's death over and over again in his dreams. And every time he woke feeling that there must have been something – something – that he could have done to prevent it…

Seeing George was the hardest bit. Percy was glad that George was spending so much of his time at the flat over the shop rather than at The Burrow, so he didn't have to see him every day. It wasn't just being confronted with the reality of George's grief for his twin, seeing the hurt lost look in his eyes, though that was bad enough. It was literally seeing him. Seeing one face where there should have been an identical one beside it or behind it; seeing George and looking round for Fred and realising why he wasn't there; seeing one twin and just one which seemed like a contradiction in terms. Percy had noticed how George avoided looking in mirrors these days, and he couldn't blame him. The mere fact of George's face hurt.

Still, here Percy was in Viggo's Bar in Diagon Alley with Ron and George. Bill was supposed to be coming too, but hadn't arrived yet. Percy wished he would hurry up. There was still a definite awkwardness between him and the other two that Bill's presence might ease a bit.

"So, how's the Ministry, Perce?" asked Ron. Percy wondered if he was really interested, or if he was just making conversation, but he went along with it.

"Busy. Chaotic actually. You wouldn't believe how many laws have to be undone and new ones made. Or maybe you would since you and Harry and Hermione were in there last year and saw some of what was going on."

"I can imagine," said Ron. "Thank God for Kingsley, but I wouldn't want to be in his shoes."

"Nor me," agreed Percy. "How's the joke shop? Is Ron behaving himself, George?"

George smiled: "Most of the time, but he's a lazy git. Keeps playing with the merchandise when he should be packaging orders." Ron tried – and failed – to look innocent.

"Look, here's Bill," exclaimed George, waving to their brother , who was near the bar and looking around for them.

"Hi," he said as he joined them. "Sorry I'm late, but work was frantic. If certain people hadn't managed to break into Gringott's last year, they might give us a break now and again…" Ron again failed in his attempt to look innocent. "Happy birthday, Percy," continued Bill. "Are you all ready for another drink?"

"Yeah, but it's my round," replied Ron. "You can pay for the next one."

Bill's presence definitely eased the atmosphere between Percy and the other two. As the evening wore on, Percy began to feel more a real part of the family again than he had at any time since the battle and Fred's death. He had wondered sometimes whether the others almost resented him mourning for Fred; whether they felt that he had given up that right by disowning the rest of them for so long. But the attitude of his brothers as they dived into a series of "Do you remembers?" from their childhoods, made it clear that they did not think that way about him at all. Percy recalled his last three birthdays, spent by himself in his lonely bed-sit, and realised anew just how much he had missed them all, even if they drove him crazy at times.

He had never really realised before the rift with his family just how much they mattered to him. He had always been a loner within the family, coming as he did between Bill and Charlie, who were very close, and the twins who were inseparable. He had always been one on his own, and although he knew it worried his mother, he himself had never really minded. He had not felt that he didn't belong, but he had had the subconscious feeling that he could get along without the rest of the family if he had to. It had taken the years of separation for him to learn that he couldn't. And just when he found that out, Fred was gone …

"Hey, Percy, are you still with us?" Ron's voice roused him from his thoughts.

"Oh, yeah, sorry, I was miles away," he replied, blinking round at his brothers.

"We're going back to the shop for a coffee," continued Ron. "Are you coming?"

The four of them walked back along Diagon Alley to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Percy looked around with interest as he followed George through the door. He had never been in here before. George saw him looking and lit the lamps with his wand. "D'you want the guided tour, Perce?" he asked, with a grin.

Bill and Ron left them to it and went upstairs to the flat to make coffee. When they came back down to the shop, each carrying two steaming mugs, they found Percy and George sitting on the floor earnestly discussing how to create an antidote for Choking Chocolate, a new line for the Skiving Snackboxes range, which Fred had invented before his death, but failed to perfect. The sight of Percy – Percy of all people! – discussing such a thing instead of reacting with total disapproval was so unlikely that Bill nearly dropped the cups he was carrying, and Ron muttered to him: "Pinch me, I think I'm dreaming."

Percy turned, and saw them both standing there with their mouths open, staring at him and George. "What?" he demanded. "What are you two gaping at?"

"You!" said Ron, laughing. "Good little Prefect Percy talking about Skiving Snackboxes. Whatever would Mum say?"

Percy laughed too. "Don't tell her," he implored. "I don't want to ruin her image of me. At least Fred would approve."

For once, George did not object to someone saying what Fred would think. On this occasion, he knew that Percy was right.