Percy recognized the parchment, but the writing surprised him. When he and Hermione had broken it off she had decided she was rather fonder of the color blue than the dusky pink she had used before, and a sky-blue envelope was sitting before him. When he opened the letter he was surprised to see his mother's writing.

Percy,

Ron and Hermione have decided to take a quick holiday. They'll just have to dream of them once the baby is born. He'll need Wednesday through next Thursday off. You'll be looking after Crookshanks. I'll bring him around Wednesday morning. Make it happen.

Your Loving Mother

Percy had to laugh. His mother had never pulled any of the weight she might have at the Ministry, having been related to a decent percentage of it's employees. Apparently she had been waiting for a moment like this.

Percy agreed, and began writing a reply to his mother. Normally he would have grumbled about it, but he wanted to encourage Ron and Hermione to deepen their relationship. The better their relationship got, the less nervous Percy could feel about the whole thing. As long as he knew she was happy.

He folded up his parchment and slipped it into the blue envelope (no need to waste it) and crossed out his address, replacing it with Hermione's home.

He looked up at the blue owl standing before him. "I don't know why you put up with it."

The owl seemed to shrug as he hooted a reply. Percy chuckled as he gave the letter to it.

It took flight, mussing up all the paperwork on Percy's desk as it made it's way to a small decorative flap-door high up on the ceiling and disappeared up it.

He waved his wand and set his desk right. He was lucky the owl had arrived when he had, Percy was about to leave the Ministry to deliver some documents.

He got to his feet and transfigured his robes to a suit and trench coat. He grabbed the hat that was hanging on the hook near the door and made his way through the Ministry, a leather satchel slung over his shoulder.

He rode the red phone box to street level and got out. He looked at the overcast sky and sighed. It smelled like rain. He needed to make his walk a quick one.

He practically ran towards the bustling street and tried to zip along the sidewalks to his destination, occasionally knocking into people as he went.

"Sorry!" Percy apologized as he bumped into a young Muggle in jeans and a hoodie. The boy swore at him and Percy clenched his teeth as he hurried away.

Soon enough, he was bustling down the lonely alley he had walked down so many times. He straightened himself, taking a moment to run his hand through his unruly curls. At least the dampness had weighed them down a bit instead of going frizzy.

He did the spell to enter the Archives and was surprised when Perkins jumped at his presence.

"Good lord, where is everyone?" Percy asked.

"Sent them home." Perkins shrugged. "Potter thinks he's on to something and until he proves he isn't the others get to go back to their regular Ministry projects."

Percy saw a hand pop up at him from behind a stack of large books. It didn't wave, but at least he hadn't gotten the two-finger salute.

"Oh. Well then. Hello, Harry!" Percy felt flustered. He had worked himself up to doing this in front of people and he found it made him more nervous to be doing it in front of just a few.

"Can we help you with anything?" Perkins asked inquisitively.

Percy reached into the satchel and brought out a small bunch of daisies wrapped in ivy. "I think this time I've got it."

Perkins stared open-mouthed and Harry stood to watch Percy climb the stairs. To his relief, Harry had cocked the corner of his mouth at him.

Percy gently knocked at Audrey's door.

When she opened it, her eyes were angry but they quickly turned to a look of surprise. "Oh!"

"Miss," Percy started, horribly embarrassed that he didn't know her last name, "I would like permission to court you. I can find a neutral party to chaperon us, as is properly done. If you accept my offer, I would like to take you to out for a meal and promenade around the park at Hogsmede."

Her eyes welled up with tears and Percy reached a hand out to wipe them away. She blinked when she looked at his hands. "It's not ink."

"Is it usually?" Percy asked? "Perkins!"

The old wizard was wheezing as he got to the top of the stairs, Potter not far behind him. "What's going on? What is this?"

"I don't know,"Percy said, peering into her face. Her cheeks were growing pinker and her eyes were changing.

"I think I do," Harry admitted, grinning from ear to ear. Percy didn't know if he were more relieved that Harry didn't want to kill him anymore or Audrey's condition not being dangerous. "That wizard that took you, he loved you, right?"

"I- I suppose he did." Her eyes were human now and her cheeks were blushing furiously.

"The curse is broken when the victim is bonded with the person that possesses the object they turn into."

No wonder Harry looked so happy. There was no threat to his brother anymore.

"But I don't possess you!" Percy pointed out.

"If you think about it hard enough, I think you'll figure out you did. Come on, Potter. We have a mess to clean up." Perkins took Harry's arm and steered him towards the staircase.

Percy looked into Audrey's face and smiled. It was turning more life-like by the moment.

"I suppose this makes going out all the easier." She grinned at him.

"I wouldn't have cared either way," Percy admitted, pink flushing his own cheeks.

"I see," she said taking his arm. "And who is this chaperon?"

"My father," Percy admitted as they began to descend the stairs.

"He's an impartial party?" She asked him, an eyebrow cocked.

"More like a hostile party. He'd kill me if I acted anything but polite in front of a lady." Percy chuckled.

"Even if I am a squib?" Audrey asked.

Percy froze in his tracks. "No one is going to think less of you for being a squib. My brother's fiancée is Muggle-born and her parents come to visit quite frequently." He began leading her down the stairs again.

"I will be spending the rest of my life looking at her across your mother's table," Audrey pointed out. "You should get used to saying her name again."

"Hermione's parents come to visit a lot and no one bothers them about it," Percy said in a rush of breath.

Audrey laughed. "I will fit in, then?"

"You will! And my mother's going to love you!"

Audrey snorted. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"She already wanted to meet you. I think it's a good start."

"I'm not sure I remember how to be a person," Audrey admitted.

"You'll get the hang of it," Percy grinned. "But first, the most important thing!"

"What's that?" Audrey asked as they reached the ground level of the archives and headed towards the door.

"We have to take you shopping! Wizard and Muggle-wear! You have a century of fashion to catch up to!" Percy exclaimed in mock horror.

Audrey punched him on the shoulder. "You think I'm the type of girl to use all your money?"

"No," Percy said as he opened the door to the alley. "But I have physical proof we're bonded and I should get used to you spending my money."

Audrey threw her head back and laughed as Percy waved his wand at her, turning her usual draping fabric into a red dress.

She buried her nose in the flowers he had given her and her blue eyes twinkled at him. Her arms and shoulders looked normal, now and her hair was a lustrous blond. Her wooden legs could be explained away as tights, but they were fading quickly.

"Come on," he said as he stepped out, holding a hand out to her. "I want to show you everything."