A/N- So sorry about the delay. My grandmother has been sick since the beginning of March, and passed beyond the veil this last week, so I haven't had much time to write.

Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the Potterverse.

Chapter 10

Eventually the trio apparated to Grimmauld Place, after promising to come back in the morning to see Percy and hopefully bring him home. Hermione ran straight to the kitchen, trying to quench an aggressive craving for something covered in cheese. Harry went to bed, and Ron followed his wife into the kitchen.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

"Do you want the truth?" Hermione asked, pausing in her search for some gouda.

"Yes."

"I'm afraid this might mean another war is beginning, and I'm scared shitless," she whispered. Hermione didn't often curse, but today had certainly been curse-worthy. It seemed that something was brewing, and she couldn't figure out what it was.

Ron walked closer and wrapped his arms around her. Something about how he held her caused the floodgates to open, and she sobbed and sobbed until she thought all the water must be gone from her body. She cried for Lee. She cried about the fate that had almost been Percy's. Most of all though, she cried at that her child might be forced to live in a world run by fear.

&

Exactly fifteen hours later, Ron, Hermione, and Harry returned to Saint Mungo's to see Percy. Upon entering his room they were surprised to see that Audrey and Percy were the only people present. Percy still seemed to be sleeping, and Audrey was watching him with a thousand different emotions dancing across her face. She looked up, gave them a weak smile, and informed everyone that Percy would be well enough to leave within an hour. That for right now he just needed to rest, and then took her leave.

"What was wrong with her?" Ron asked, looking to Hermione.

Before she could respond Percy began to speak. He wasn't quite conscious, but seemed to be mumbling something. Responding to what looked sounded like a very bad dream. He seemed lost somehow, frightened of something none of them could see.

"Don't let them have it…Leatumas Riviortan…" He mumbled, sounding urgent.

"Leatumas Riviortan? What does that mean?" Ron inquired, turning once again to Hermione.

"I- I don't know. Maybe we should we wake him up?" Hermione responded, becoming nervous for no apparent reason. Something about what Percy was mumbling made her uneasy. The words seemed powerful somehow, like they weren't meant to be said aloud. They seemed sacred in a strange, primitive way.

"Yeah. Maybe we should wake him," Ron said, making his way towards the bed.

"Penny… PENNY NO!" Percy exclaimed before Ron could reach him.

Ron moved faster, grabbed hold of his brother's shoulder, forcing him to wake up. Percy jerked up, looking frantically about the room. Once he seemed to realize he was awake, he slumped back down on his bed. Looking much older than his twenty odd years. Hermione moved quickly to his side.

"Are you ok?"

"Fine. Just.. It was just an- uh- unpleasant dream. No need to worry. I should have asked for a dreamless sleep potion. I-I always have had issues with night terrors."

"Don't remind me!" Ron interrupted, "Merlin and Morgana only know how much sleep I've lost, 'cuz dear old Percy has woken with a night-terror, screaming down the hall."

"You've woken up plenty of times yourself. I happen to remember losing a lot of sleep way back when, because you had me 'inspecting your room for spiders.' I never could understand why they scared you so much…" Percy retorted, with a little more mirth in his voice than there had been a minute ago.

"Wow. The Weasley's are a masculine clan, aren't they?" Hermione remarked, turning to Harry.

"Downright intimidating," he replied.

Even though the atmosphere of the room had become a bit more cheerful, Hermione couldn't help noticing that it all seemed a bit strained, by the questions left hanging over head. What was Leatumas Riviortan? And what did that have to do with Penny?

After a few more minutes, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley bustled into the room. Mrs. Weasley (after hugging everyone in the room at least twice, patting Hermione's (ever so slightly) protruding stomach, and mentioning how peaky Harry looked), settled into a chair by Percy's bed, content to point out all of his current caretakers' flaws.

"Your sheets are wrinkled," she sniffed.

"Well I have been laying on them."

"Your stitches need cleaning," his mother continued.

"They did that an hour ago," Percy calmly replied.

"I bet they won't even be organized enough to let you out today!"

"Actually they have the papers ready, I'm leaving as soon as I have my last potion."

"Well I think it's ridiculous! The only one taking care of you is that Audrey. Such a sweet girl Percy. We really should invite her to dinner some time. I could make some lamb st-"

Mrs. Weasley was then interrupted by the very subject of their discourse, who'd appeared in the door with a small vial. She certainly looked cheerier but upon closer inspection, Hermione noticed the reddish pink hue her face and eyes had taken, like she had recently been crying.

"Time for your anti-infective mixture, Mr. Weasley. It's mainly just a precaution, we managed to fix up all of your serious cuts, but it's always important to be prepared. Infections are a nasty business… Anyway, here you are!" Audrey said with a smile. Percy smiled back, downed the potion, and thanked her for all of her help.

"It's been wonderful seeing you again," he said, sounding sincere.

"Again?" Hermione couldn't help interjecting.

"We knew each other in school," said Audrey, "We took advanced potions together. Guess it came in handy, didn't it?"

"I guess it did," he replied, "Hopefully next time we meet, there will be considerably less blood."

"Sounds great to me," she said, her grin becoming more genuine. Hermione suddenly felt as though she were intruding on something very private. She looked at Ron to see if he noticed, but her husband seemed oblivious, as did Harry. Apparently Mrs. Weasley hadn't noticed either, because she went right back to talking.

"Audrey dear, you must come over for dinner some night. I know Percy, and all the rest of us of course, would love to have you."

"We would," Percy added a little too loudly.

"Well sure then," Audrey smiled again, "Just send me an owl, let me know the day and time, and I'll be right over. Thanks Mrs. Weasley! Anywho-"

"Anywho?" Harry mouthed to Hermione, who quickly shushed him.

"-I have to go now. So many patients, so little time!" Audrey concluded, walking out of the room much cheerier than she had entered it.

Once Percy's things were gathered together, the Weasleys and Harry left for The Burrow.

A/N- As you can see, this is a very short chapter (almost 400 less than my last one) Sorry about that! I'm not terribly happy with this update, but I guess it will have to do. The purpose of this chapter is mainly to let you know that I am, in fact, alive and writing.

It's also to pave the way for some Audrey/Percy stuff. Come on, you knew it was coming!

So yes, I am still writing, with no intention of quitting any time soon. I needed a little time off, but now I'm back on track, and another update should be posted soon!

Oh! And one last note. Hermione is around 10-12 weeks pregnant at the moment, as is my sister, who is already obviously "expanding." I felt it would be safe to give 'Mione a small belly, now that I have proof that you can get them at 10 weeks! Hehehehe… Doubters beware!