"Pathetically enough, I'm kind of sad to see it go." Percy frowned thoughtfully at the tent bundle in his arms, already greasy from the smoke drifting from the fire. The blaze had been set in the tent's former clearing, making for a too-perfect sacrificial alter. Not with that in mind, of course, but he did appreciate the results of logic.
Penelope laughed and shook her head. "For heaven's sake, it's a tent. And an ugly one at that."
"It wasn't ugly; it just had a weird bathroom."
She absently pulled at the grass and tossed the green blades into the flame, where they quickly smoked and shriveled into strings of black ash. "They're frogs. You won't miss the frogs, I can tell you that."
The frogs had been pretty bad. Ruined the whole thing, especially since he had never really liked frogs. And he did want out of the damn tent. "Just don't ask me to paint my face and dance around the fire chanting." The look on her face was too much, and he laughed.
"I won't ask that of you, Percy," she replied with a grin. "Can I give you a drum roll?"
Nothing wrong with a drum roll. He waited for Penelope to make the overly dramatic stomps before tossing the tent bundle into the fire. "Ugh. Burning canvas."
Penelope nodded, covering her face with a hand. "You'd think that would have made some charm to prevent that smell."
"I don't think many people attempt to burn tents."
"That might explain it."
"It's fun, though," he admitted. He had never imagined he'd find such satisfaction in burning an old tent.
Hermes hooted his approval from an overhanging branch.
Penelope sighed and plopped down on the grass at Percy's feet, far under the wavering smoke. "You do realize this means you'll have to move somewhere else." The concept that had been silently bantered back and forth for some time.
"I know." He spent another moment watching the ball of fire that had once been a tent before sitting down next to Penelope. "I don't know if I really want to stay here, though."
"I don't blame you." She picked at another bit of grass and chucked it into the fire. "And to think my parents had always wondered how exciting the life of a witch could be. Even out here. You could always go back to London."
London. The last place he wanted to be. "I don't particularly care for London." There were other places to go, of course, other options. "What about you?"
Her gaze froze to the fire for a long time until he almost thought she hadn't heard him. "It sounds ridiculous, I know, but. . . but I saw their faces. Remus'. Tonks'. I know it can all be explained in time, but the way they looked at me. . .they. . ."
"They think you're a traitor," Percy finished, nodding. "Good way to feel, isn't it."
She sighed and turned from the fire, a small, sad smile at her lips. "I'm sorry."
"I didn't mean it that way."
Her smile deepened. "I didn't take it that way. I know I've apologized a million times already.
Well, I can certainly straighten all this out. Eventually. Maybe. Remus knows. He trusts us. I hope."
A large section of melted tent broke from the rest, sending a volcano of sparks into the air. "You wouldn't be in this mess if I hadn't made Remus make that promise."
"And that's assuming he kept it." She took his hand and squeezed it. "Don't worry. I know he trusts us." Her voice wavered with uncertainty. "I wish I knew what he thinks."
Percy hadn't seen much, not through the flames and the trees and the Dementors, but he hadn't seen his family. As far as that was worth, as far as he knew, Remus had kept his promise.
"Penny, I wouldn't worry. Hey, they fought off the Dementors well, didn't they?"
"I was impressed." She leaned against
his shoulder, a good feeling. "But, oh,
I'd just like to be sure."
"And I'd like to be sure of what they two of you were thinking." Remus appeared from the trees, brushing leaves from his graying hair.
"Lupin!" Percy instinctively scrambled to his feet, blushing. "How long have you been there?"
"Don't worry, about ten seconds." He took in the fire with mild interest. "Pyros, are you?"
"Remus!" Penelope shrieked happily, throwing her arms around him. "I'm sorry!"
Remus removed himself with some embarrassment and a smirk from Percy. "Sorry for what?" he asked dryly. The humor in his voice was a bare concealer to what he wished to discuss.
"You're lucky I assumed you weren't attacking us."
"It was Brogan," she said quietly. "Brogan Marchent. He released the Dementors and led them out that way."
"Marchent?"
"He's dead," Percy interjected. "Killed himself." The story of the suicide spilled out.
A strange look passed over Remus' face, but he otherwise visibly pushed off the news. "What were you doing down there, anyway?"
"We had to warn you about the fire," Penelope explained.
Remus wasn't looking at her. "Percy, I kept my promise to you. Your family, save Ginny, doesn't know you're here."
They still didn't know. He half-wondered when Ginny would let it slip. She could be awfully good with secrets when she wanted to be. "Thanks. I did trust you." How truthful did that sound?
"None of them came."
Relief. It almost forced him back to the ground. Yet with it came something else.
Disappointment? Had he worried so much over them that he had needed that to happen? He forced himself to nod. "I'm glad of that."
Remus bit his lip and turned to Penelope. "So. All the excitement has passed. I made up some explanation for the others; hopefully that will appease them until I can replay yours. What happened?"
"Asa Cortez," Penelope said. "She was in charge here the entire time. It was she controlling Crouch."
Remus nodded. "Good job. I surmised that much myself. She's dead, you know? Murdered. I'm thinking it's that Jason Gunnion fellow."
"So he wasn't available to be controlled."
"I don't think you can ever be really sure of that," Percy said.
"That's the truth," Remus agreed. "Watch out for him, and hopefully this war will be over soon. As for the Dementors. . . I'm not sure where they went."
"There's something in the gully that attracts them," Penelope said. "Winston explained it to me. The patronuses moved them back there. We're just not strong enough to really do anything else with them."
"There are people in the Order able to take care of that. They'll come soon. Just hold out till then."
"The Order. . ." She stared at Remus fearfully. "They don't…?"
"I'll them something. You'll tell them something." He nodded at Percy. "We'll leave you out of it, if you wish."
Percy didn't know how to respond.
Remus sighed deeply and turned his attention to the fire. "I'm embarrassed to say how nervous I was about coming here to find you two. When I was down there and saw you making the fire. . . I didn't know what to think. Especially of you, Miss Clearwater. Don't worry; I don't think you're a traitor."
She managed a nervous laugh. "I'm glad you came."
He turned back to her, baring the beginnings of a smile. "I hope you'll return to the Order soon. I can't imagine why Dumbledore would want you out here any longer. And with Asa… I don't know how that will affect your Healer training. Well, I best be off."
Percy was silent until a long moment after Remus had left. The tent was nearly gone. "Lupin is almost too trusting, isn't he?"
Penelope nodded her agreement. "Yes. It's scary. I really could have been attacking him."
"You will be returning to the Order, won't you?"'
"I had better, before they think any worse of me. Valentine and Winston. . . they can handle it out here."
"They can." Percy took a deep breath, almost gagging on the smoke.
She made a face. "Forgot about the burning tent, didn't you?"
That he had. This was messing up what he had in mind.
"The fire is romantic, though."
"I guess so," he said grumpily. He wasn't stooping to a bonfire smelling of burnt canvas. "It'll still be here in a few minutes." He grabbed her hand and led her farther into the trees. Night was falling, and the faint glow of the fire still found a respectable path through the dusty light. The spot he found, a tiny path nestled between the trees, was romantic enough. Minus the odor. He had to have that proper. Everything else could go wrong, but this had to be perfect. Penelope gave a sudden giggle as he knelt on the ground before her. Like she wasn't worried about anything else.
Percy felt slightly dizzy as he sat down at a table in the tavern. Penelope had fallen asleep hours ago, having barely managed to make it to her room before exhaustion overtook her. She was so pretty when she was sleepy. Well, hopefully it had been an exciting evening for her. She had given him a final command: Ginny would love to hear about the engagement. Hopefully. He owed his sister that much.
Shaking his head, he pulled out a sheet of parchment and started. "Dear Ginny. . ." The greeting died away after itself. How meaningless would such a letter sound? She'd hear about the Dementor attack sooner or later. And yet she was still a teenage girl. Of course he could write her a letter. Just not at that moment. He moved it to the side and took out another sheet, which he stared at for a long time, thinking. Even after the talk with Remus. . . there was still too much to be explained.
Finally, he dipped his quill into the ink, swirling the black liquid before pulling out the quill. Then he began. "Dear Father. . ."
The End!
Sigh. After over six months, it's finished. The longest fic I've ever written. Thanks so much to everyone who's read and reviewed and given help and comments and all that fun stuff. I may even rewrite this in the future. But as of the moment… I give lots of love to everyone who has read. And candy. * tosses candy*
