Note to Anne: Lots of Percy-torture in this chapter. I hope it's not to OOC; after the way he acted, he shouldn't just be welcomed back with open arms. If anyone deserves a good sporking more than Umbridge or Sirius's killers, it's him. Heh, Heh, Heh… no one will be spared from my wrath in this fic! If the reactions are too harsh, by any chance, please let me know and I'll tone it down a bit.
By the way, this chapter is in Ginny's POV, since I thought Percy's return would sound interesting from her eyes. This fic will alternate between her POV and Harry's… I hope that isn't too confusing, because I've read a lot of fics with that kind of style. I hope I do it right.
Chapter Two: A Weasley Returns
Ginny stared at Ron, unable to believe it. Percy was back? What did he want?
Percy had always been pompous; he prided himself on following the rules, getting top marks, and basically being the "good son." But Ginny had always believed that --- although he was the least fun to be around --- Percy had a good side. Even though he was bossy, he'd tried to look out for her back in her first year of Hogwarts. When Gryffindor finally won the Quidditch Cup, he'd been cheering like a maniac. And he'd been worried sick when he found out Ron was going to be one of the hostages for the second task of the Triwizard Tournament…
The idea that her brother would shun his own family in favor of the Ministry was unthinkable. She never thought that he would think that Harry --- a friend of their family for nearly five years --- was a crazy. He, of all people, would respect Dumbledore enough to believe…
And yet he had done all of those things. It just went to show how people could surprise you.
She glanced at Harry. He looked nothing short of shocked. "He's here?" he asked Ron in astonishment. Then his eyes suddenly narrowed. "Why?"
Ron shrugged. "I dunno, but he's got a lot of nerve, after the way he's treated us --- especially Mum," he said bitterly. "I'd better get Fred and George, they'll want to know." He looked at Harry. "It's okay if you don't want to see him. I'm sure you still remember that letter…"
"I do," Harry replied lightly, "but I want to talk to him anyway."
"Fine," Ron said flatly. "I don't."
"Ron, maybe you ought to at least see him," Ginny said slowly. "He's our brother."
Ron stared at her. "After all the things he said?" he asked incredulously. "Ginny, I thought you were mad at him like the rest of us!"
"Of course I am!" she said vehemently. "But he's our still brother, even if he is a stupid git."
Ron snorted. "That's what Hermione told me. But being related us to us didn't stop him from leaving." He turned on his heel and walked out.
Ginny and Harry went down to the kitchen, where they found Hermione, standing off to the side. Her face bore a very somber look.
Percy stood in the center of the kitchen, next to Bill and a grim-looking Mr. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley was sitting at the table, looking as though she had been crying. Ginny quickly glanced back at Harry, wondering what his reaction to Percy would be. He seemed calm, yet there was a cold, hostile look in his green eyes.
A moment later, Fred and George appeared in the kitchen. They took one look at Percy, and their facial expressions went from shocked to angry quicker than lighting.
"I thought I smelled dung from upstairs," Fred said, not bothering to keep his voice down.
"What are you doing here?" George asked, throwing Percy a dirty look. "Don't you have work to do at the Ministry?"
"Fred, George, that's enough!" Mr. Weasley said sharply. He looked more tired and old than Ginny had ever seen him before. "Percy came back to talk to us, and I think we ought to hear him out."
Percy cleared his throat and said, in a very formal voice, "I came to apologize. The Ministry knows about --- You-Know-Who returning, and that Dumbledore had been right all along. I was wrong to say… all the things I said to you." He paused. "I hope that you can all forgive me."
There was silence. Ginny didn't know what to say to Percy. On one hand, it was a rare occasion that Percy actually would admit he was wrong, a big step for him. And he sounded so sincere. Besides, he was her brother, and their family needed to be together, especially now that You-Know-Who was back…
Yet she couldn't simply forget that he hadn't been there when their family needed his support.
Finally, Ginny's mother stood up. "Of course you can move back in, dear," she said softly, moving close to him. "But…"
"But it's not going to be as simple as that," Mr. Weasley continued wearily. He looked hard at his son. "We have never given you any reason not to trust us, Percy. The Ministry, on the other hand, hasn't always been the most reliable source. Why would you believe them over us?"
Percy bowed his head. "I don't know why," he said weakly. "I wasn't thinking…"
"I know why," Fred said in a harsh voice. "You were so excited that you were promoted to Junior Assistant to the Minister that you didn't want to listen to the truth!"
"Fred…" Mr. Weasley warned.
"Well, it's true!" Fred burst out angrily. "You were willing to sell all of us out so that you could have your own authority at the Ministry! Did you honestly think we were going to welcome you back with open arms after that?"
"And how will we know something like this won't happen again?" George asked. "How can we can be sure that next time, you'll give us the benefit of the doubt instead of automatically thinking we're mad?"
"They have a point," Bill said, frowning. "You're going to have to earn our trust back before we can forgive you."
"I know," Percy said weakly. "And I want to help the Order. If there's anything I can do to help --- anything at all --- I'll do it."
Harry stepped forward. "I know how you can help," he said quietly.
Ginny exchanged a confused glance with Hermione. What is he talking about? She wondered. How can Percy help?
"You're still Junior Assistant to the Minister, aren't you?" Harry asked Percy.
Looking slightly apprehensive, Percy nodded.
"Good," he said. "Then maybe you can help clear Sirius's name."
Everyone stared at him, stunned. "Oh Harry," Hermione sighed, shaking her head sadly.
"Sirius?" Percy said in bewilderment. "You mean Sirius Black? The convict?"
As quickly as she could, Hermione explained how Wormtail had framed Sirius. She was about to tell him how he had been killed when Percy cut her off.
"Wait a minute," he said, looking shocked. "You --- You mean you all actually believe that cock-and-bull story?"
Harry glared at him. "It's not a story," he said through gritted teeth. "It's the truth!"
"Dumbledore and Ron told us last summer, after you left," Ginny said, backing him up.
"Maybe if you had actually been with us, you would have known," Fred said coldly.
Ginny gave Fred a quelling look. "He's an innocent man," she went on. "I mean… he was an innocent man."
"The Death Eaters killed him the night Voldemort broke into the Ministry," Harry said in a hollow voice. Percy flinched at the sound of his name. "I want to clear his name. You can convince Fudge he was innocent… if he believes that Voldemort is back, then maybe he'll believe that Wormtail is still alive."
"I'm not sure if that will work, Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley said gently. "We'll need evidence…"
"Ask Dumbledore, then!" Harry yelled. "Ask the Death Eaters who were taken! Put them under Veritaserum, they'll tell Fudge that Wormtail was one of them!"
Percy shook his head in disbelief. "You cannot be serious! Peter Pettigrew is dead! Sirius Black killed him!"
"It's all true, Percy," Hermione said. "We were all with Harry that night three years ago. Professor Lupin was with us too. You can ask him…"
"You'd trust a werewolf?" Percy gasped.
"Percy, listen to me!" Harry exploded. "If I wasn't lying about Voldemort coming back, why would I be lying about this?"
Percy didn't say anything; he stared hard at the ground.
"Oh, I get it," Harry said, shaking with rage. "You still think I'm insane, don't you?"
"Harry, calm down!" Ginny said firmly. "That isn't true," she added, turning to Percy. "Is it, Percy?" she asked quietly, her heart sinking.
Percy didn't respond. He didn't need to; the way his eyes didn't meet Harry's eyes said everything.
"Percy!" Hermione exclaimed, shocked and angry. "After everything that happened last year, after finding out that every word he said was true, you still think he's lying?"
"I knew it!" Fred said furiously. "You haven't changed at all! The only reason you believe that Voldemort's back is because the Ministry believes it! You don't care about making up with us at all! The only thing you care about is your precious rules!"
"Well, at least I follow the rules, Fred!" Percy shot back, his face reddening. "I've heard all about your little escapades --- not only did you cause complete chaos at Hogwarts, but you ran off without even finishing your last year!"
"Damn straight!" Fred replied with fierce pride.
"Get off your high horse, Percy, you aren't Mum!" George snapped. "At least we can stand up for what's right, unlike certain people who hide behind protocol like ruddy cowards!"
"Boys, stop it!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, moving between the twins and Percy. "Can't we just start over and be a family again?"
"Not until he starts deflating that fat, stupid head of his!" Fred snarled.
"I'm not going to take this!" Percy said angrily. "I'm going back to London! It was a mistake to come back here!"
"Fine!" Fred bellowed. "Good riddance!" He and George stormed away.
"Percy, wait!" Mrs. Weasley cried, but before she could do anything to stop him, Percy Disapparated.
With a soft moan, Mrs. Weasley sank into her chair, tears pouring out of her eyes. "There, now, Molly," Mr. Weasley said softly, patting her arm. "It's all right --- he'll come round…"
Bill kept glaring at the spot where Percy Disapparated. Ginny distinctively heard him mutter, "Stupid git," before he going over to comfort his mother.
Ginny and the others watched on sadly. I almost thought things were going to get better, she thought miserably. But now things can't possibly get any worse…
Needless to say, she was wrong. After all, her family wasn't the only ones who were going through a rough time at the moment….
To be continued…