Veritas
Part One: Dawning on the Horizon
Chapter Six - Gizmo's Lab
On Tuesday morning, Percy got dressed early and made his way to one of the most exclusive gyms in London. He had a membership, even though he rarely set foot there. Percy had no idea that the gym's membership was extremely expensive; he was not the one paying for it. It came with his Muggle identification cards. Percy never had enough time to go to the gym.
He was dressed in workout clothes right down to his shoes, which were sneakers. He had a gym bag with him. The concept of a gym was not really prevalent in Britain's wizarding world. In fact, most of the wizards would think that the Muggles were nutters for going to places just to sweat unnecessarily. Percy did find out that working out allowed the Muggles to live longer; they did not have the advantage of wizarding healing techniques to keep long lives.
"Membership card, please," said the man at the front desk in an extremely bored tone. Percy presented his card. The man handed him a towel and pressed the button to let him through. Percy took the unnecessary towel; he already had one of his own. He walked through the part of the gym that had many workout machines that the Muggles were using. To Percy, they resembled torture devices.
Percy kept going until he got to a portion of the gym where there were more mats and punching bags than torture devices. There was a boxing ring in the middle. The gym had classes for martial arts. Percy had taken special training courses elsewhere. They were very intense lessons.
Percy built was lean. He was long and lanky like his father, Bill, and Ron. With his glasses, Percy resembled his father even more so. Lately, Percy had developed his muscles more by jogging in a nearby park and lifting weights in his flat. It was a good thing that wizarding robes were good at concealing any major changes in his body. However, in Muggle clothes, it was fairly obvious that Percy was not the same skinny kid he had been over a year ago.
"There you are," said Dennis, surprising the wits out of Percy. He started to laugh when he saw the way Percy seized up. Percy turned and glared at Dennis. "You're very high strung," he chuckled.
Percy whirled at him, but Dennis blocked his punch very easily. They pulled apart for a moment before Dennis' leg came flying towards Percy's torso. Percy blocked it and crouched down to swipe at the other leg, but Dennis was too quick. He managed to pull back his leg and jump back for a moment. Percy took another swipe at him, but Dennis blocked it as well before finishing him off with a roundhouse kick. Percy nearly fell backward, but Dennis caught him before he could hit the mat.
"You've gotten a little better, but you still leave yourself open on the left side," remarked Dennis as he released Percy's arm, when he knew for sure that he wouldn't fall.
"I should have known you were going to do that," muttered Percy. "So, how was Egypt?"
Dennis gave him a slight grin. "You know I can't tell you what happened. You don't have the clearance for that kind of information. You are already on two cases at the same time."
Percy snorted, "The first one is hardly worth mentioning. Nothing's happening there. As for the other job, I wouldn't have taken it, if I thought that there was anyway out of it."
"That's the way it works. I'm afraid," agreed Dennis. "However, this new case is very important. You must be careful."
"I am being careful, Dennis. I'm not letting down my guard, but I'm afraid it will result in me getting nowhere. They won't trust me so readily. I know them better than they know me," said Percy with a hollow laugh because it was so true. They did not know what he was really up to. They would not be able to guess. His siblings would have thought that he'd joined the Death Eaters.
"Remember all the things I told you when we first met, Percy?" asked Dennis. "I told you that you would have to make a sacrifice to gain membership. Your choices are what you make of them. Do not allow your fears to get the better of you. They will consume and destroy you otherwise."
"Things have been too quiet in the Ministry," said Percy, changing topics. "The Aurors are moving quietly. The ones who were recruited by Dumbledore are easy enough to track and keep tabs on. It's like an eye of a storm."
Dennis went up to a punching bag. He said, "Hold on for me." Percy held the punching bag in place, so that Dennis could effectively use it. "Don't let the calmness fool you. You always have to be suspicious if things are too quiet," he said.
"I know that. That's what's concerning me. The bigger the eye, the bigger the storm," said Percy in a quiet voice. "It's the waiting that's worse. The anticipation."
Dennis continued to hit the punching bag without responding. He listened carefully. He was the one who was sent to recruit Percy Weasley when his name appeared on the list in the fire. It was an extremely short list. Percy's name was the only one listed along with his codename.
Percy's name did not come as a surprise to any member of the Veritas. The recruitment process was highly selective. It was a matter of timing and the person. Percy was the latest recruit in two years. Dennis was the one who had initially approached him. At first, Percy had been very reluctant to join up. He thought that Dennis was a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and he had seriously thought of reporting him to the Ministry. However, for whatever the reason, Percy did not report him. Eventually, something happened that caused Percy to join up with the Veritas
Dennis was the first person to recognize Percy's abilities that made him an excellent agent. He was an expert at reading people. As a high self-monitor, Percy had the ability to adapt almost any situation. He also had the ability to live a dual life quite effectively. His high intelligence also helped. He had the analytical ability to find his way out of most situations. It made him the ideal Veritas member.
"Let's switch. We can work on your problem," ordered Dennis.
Percy and Dennis switch places. Percy was the one punching now. He controlled his breathing as he listened to Dennis' advice. "Keep your left side up. You're leaving yourself open," he said. "That's good. Keep it up, but don't forget your right side. You've got to pay attention to everything."
For the rest of the day, they went back and forth, sparring. Dennis was better than Percy because he had much more experience. Percy did surprise him from time to time. He had a good sense of timing and he was getting better at predicting his movements. In the end, they were pretty worn out.
"So, you're not going to tell me anything about Egypt, are you?" asked Percy when they were at the smoothie bar.
"Why don't you just wait until you find out from the Order?" asked Dennis with a grin. "Let's see if you can find out on your own."
Percy smiled. He wished he had as much confidence in his abilities as Dennis had. He was really nervous. "What about Sidney Nelsen? What do you think of her?" he asked.
Dennis took a deep breath. "You and her have a lot in common. She was also Head Girl in Hogwarts. You both are overachievers. She was the youngest agent ever recruited. She was only seventeen years old at the time."
Percy looked at him with slight surprise. "I didn't know that," he muttered.
"Sidney's not the type to mention it. She doesn't talk about the past that often. She tends to think in terms of the future. I think you should stop asking questions about her from me. You will learn more about her as you go on."
"I did know her before, but not that well. She was Head Girl when I first started school," said Percy. "I was much shorter than her back then. I guess I didn't remember her that well until I saw her again."
"You did? Sidney's a pretty unforgettable woman. Then again, you were a child at the time," said Dennis thoughtfully. "Sometimes, I forget how young you are."
Percy laughed. He had a smile on his face, which some would have wondered what had gotten into him. Normally, he did not like being reminded of how young he was. "Younger isn't always better, Dennis. I'm not as good as you are."
"There's still loads of time for you to improve," said Dennis.
Percy took a sip of his smoothie. He never thought that he would be so comfortably in the Muggle world. He knew his father would be very impressed with him, but it was a shame that he could not tell his father anything. There were a lot of things he could not tell to his family. He found that the Muggle world serve as an escape for him.
In the Muggle world, Percy could easily forget what he was really doing. He did not have to worry about keeping up appearances. He did not have to pretend that the things his siblings said about him did not hurt his feelings. To them, he was too stuck up to care. Percy did not have to worry about pretending to care about things he did not. He did not have to lie so much. Of course, he kept his guard on, but in the Muggle world, Percy felt as if he was more himself.
In the wizarding world, Percy felt like he was acting in a play. If he did not take a break every once in a while, he would have surely gone mad. He was playing a caricature of himself. True, he was the type of person who wanted things to be in order and everything had a set of rules, but he was not that strict. At least, he did not think he was.
"Look, I have to go. I think I'll drop by Diagon Alley," said Percy in a low voice.
"Working on the new case," stated Dennis with a firm understanding. "Good luck."
Percy nodded as he picked up his bag. "I'll see you when I see you." Dennis nodded and he was gone.
Percy returned to his flat to find a message waiting for him when he went on the network. Sidney had sent him a message saying that the Aurors in the Ministry of Magic who were member of the Order showed recent activity. There was something about to happen in the Order of Phoenix. Percy read the note. He would have to move quickly.
He changed his clothes and slipped on his glasses. He was going to drop by Diagon Alley as planned because that was where Fred and George's store was. Percy decided he would have to find a way in the hard way. To most people in his position, it did not look like a good idea. Talking to the twins would not get Percy any closer. He knew how hard it would be, but he also knew them better than they knew him.
Percy had profiles on most of the people he was dealing with. He had practiced by building profiles on his own family members. Percy's profile on Fred and George was pretty basic. He knew that they were extremely stubborn and knew how to hold a grudge. He also knew them to be self-centered and selfish at times, but that was based on their birth order and place in the family. Percy knew what it would take to get into their good graces. And if he could do that, then he could get into the Order. Either way, he would have to work quickly.
Percy Apparated to the Leaky Cauldron. He walked along to the entrance and tapped the bricks with his wand. Percy adjusted his glasses as he went through. He kept walking until he was at the front of Fred and George's shop. It was the first time he had ever taken a good long look at the place. Percy looked up at the gleaming sign above him. Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. He took a deep breath before entering the shop. He found a young witch at the counter helping some customers. She looked at him when he had entered. "How may I help you?" she asked.
"I'm looking for either Fred or George," replied Percy. "I'll wait." He looked at what they were selling. He sort of smirked when he looked at the Skiving Snackboxes and the rubber wands.
"See anything you like?" asked George. Percy turned around. "Well, what are you doing here?"
Percy studied him for a moment. George was always the more thoughtful Weasley twin. He could be reasoned with, while Fred was more talkative and ready for a fight. "I have a lot of time on my hands, being on vacation and all. And I've never been here before," said Percy quietly.
George's mouth was in a thin line, but he looked like he was deciding something. "We're doing good business," he said.
"You're probably making more money than me. The money isn't in government work," said Percy calmly.
"Yeah, well, we don't really have aspirations like you do," retorted George. There was an obnoxious edge to his voice.
Percy was trying to keep himself calm. He had to remind himself not to get angry with George for all the little implications he was making. Percy fixed his eyes on George's brown eyes. The stare proved to be a battle of wills that George lost very quickly. He broke the stare in a matter of seconds. "I don't think I'll come here again," whispered Percy.
"Why not?" asked George with some surprise. Percy was never so blunt before. He leaned in close.
"It's obvious that I'm not welcomed here. We're all supposed to on the same side, but we're not. I know a lot of things that not everyone knows about. You'd be surprised at what I know," whispered Percy. "Damn surprised." He turned on his heel to go.
George's eyes had widened when Percy pulled back from him. He was frozen for a moment. Percy knew what must have been going to George's head. "Wait. Don't go," shouted George suddenly. His employee and the customers turned their attention to them. Percy did not stop. He kept going until he was through the door, causing George to go after him.
"PERCY!" he shouted. "WAIT!"
Percy stopped for a moment, but started to walk again. "PLEASE! PERCY!" shouted George. Percy stopped all together, waiting for George to catch up with him. "We have to talk somewhere else," said George in a low voice.
"I thought that I wasn't wanted," said Percy coldly.
"You're right. We're all on the same side now," said George. "It's just that you're still working for—"
"I know who I work for," snapped Percy. "Do you really believe that I would continue following that fool after all that stuff that happened last year? He's going to get us killed." His voice was soft, but his anger was genuine. "I keep my eyes open and I do my job."
"What's going on, George? Mary just said that you stepped outside with one of our brothers, but since Ron is at home and Bill and Charlie were at work—" Fred stopped when he saw who George was talking to. "What are you wasting your time for?" he growled when he set his eyes on Percy.
"He's had reports come in. Confidential ones that predicted the death toll before the incident at the Ministry," whispered Percy to George. "I'm going," he said in a louder voice.
Fred had marched up to the pair by that time. "What did you say to him?" he demanded.
"You can ask him yourself after I've left," responded Percy coolly. "I'm out of here."
"No. Don't go," said George quickly. "Fred, shut up." He said before his twin could say anything. "Is it true? Are you telling the truth?"
Percy locked gazes with him again. "What do you think?" he asked, letting George decide for himself.
"Would you be willing to tell the others?" asked George. Percy knew he was testing him to see if he was telling the truth.
"Yes," replied Percy.
"That's good enough for me," said George with some relief. "It's too much work staying angry at you." Fred was now glaring at both of them. "Come on, let's go back to the shop."
"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" asked Fred exasperatedly.
"Inside," said George firmly. "We'll talk inside."
The guilt that Percy was feeling was sitting in the form of a lump in his stomach. However, he had made a lot of progress. George explained to Fred what had happened. Fred wore a skeptical look, but said that it was not for them to decide whether or not the information was valuable enough to allow Percy access.
Percy had his foot in the door and that was all he needed to do. Fred and George told him that there would be a meeting coming up later that week, confirming what Sidney had told him. It seemed that the Veritas was able to get someone to cover for Percy's absence.
The Weasley twins had reported to their parents what Percy said. Molly became anxious at the thought of another member of her family becoming a member of the Order. Arthur took it with a grain of salt, but said it was up to Dumbledore.
Percy did not stay long at his brothers' shop. The twins asked if he would visit the Burrow, but he said later that week. He did not really want to face his parents.
As for the information that Percy had, he was going to give them a little bit of the information that he had passed to the Veritas. He was going to decide what to give and what to leave out. He would have to report to Sidney before he could do anything.
Sidney sent him a message, telling him what had to be done. It was Percy's choice to decide how much information he was willing to give. Sidney also ordered him to come to one of the Veritas depots. Percy had a vague idea that he would be outfitted with equipment.
The Veritas had an excellent and well-funded research and development lab. They had technology the likes of which the Muggles hadn't seen before. They also researched ways to make Muggle and wizarding components compatible. The R&D lab was something that would have impressed Arthur Weasley.
The lab was located in what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. Percy had the address sent to his palm organizer. He took the Underground that stopped near the lab. He followed the instructions to the entrance of the lab. At that moment, he received further instructions in the form of a call on his cell phone.
Percy did not answer. It was a text message, telling him how to get through the entrance. All the field agents were wizards and witches, none of the Muggles were placed on the front line. So, he drew out his wand and recited the spell that was on his cell phone's screen. The doors opened, allowing him to walk inside. As soon as he set foot inside, the doors shut. There was only one way to go. There was a hall that led to a single doorway. Percy walked quietly towards it. The next thing he saw was a lens. It was at his eye level. Percy knew what it was. He had read it in the handbook that was given to all the agents.
Retinal scanners, finger prints, and voice recognition devices were used by the Muggles to verify people's identity without being overly intrusive. Percy also knew about blood readers, and most recently DNA fingerprinting. He had gone back and read more on the subject after his appointment with Dr. Kunishima. However, the Veritas has taken it a bit further by finding a way to identify individual wizards. It turned out that each wizard or witch had a distinct magical signature, even when the person used things like the Polyjuice Potion. The magical signature could not be changed. It was unique to each and every wizard and witch.
The Veritas kept their technological findings to themselves. Their technology would have benefited both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and it did. No one outside the Veritas knew about the work they had done.
Percy aligned his eyes with the retinal scanner. The door sprung open immediately. He stepped inside, but he had to stop again because there was a panel of glass in front of him. Percy knew better than to use his wand. A blue beam swept through him, starting at his feet all the way up his head.
"Identity confirmed. Weasley, Percy. Middle name Ignatius. Blood type O Negative. Codename: Omega," said a computerized voice. The glass panel slid open. It was an illusion. Percy was now in the lab.
"Welcome Omega," said Sidney as she walked up to greet him. "Did you find your way all right?"
"Yes," answered Percy as he looked around. The outside of the warehouse did not do the interior justice. Everything was so clean and bright. Percy's eyes spotted a lot of computer equipment along with several inventors working on it. Percy could not tell the difference between the Muggle and wizard inventors.
"This is Gizmo," said Sidney as she introduced Percy to a short woman. She looked rather elfin. Her hair was a mess of black curls with blue highlights. A person who knew more about popular culture would know that she resembled a Gothic Lolita from Japan. "She's our technical expert."
"Hello, you must be Omega," greeted the young woman as she did an odd curtsey. She had an American accent, but appeared to be of Asian descent.
"Yes," said Percy.
"Are you sure? You look a little stiff to be a field agent. And young, too. I bet I'm older than you. But, you're a real cutie," said Gizmo. She laughed at the look on Percy's face. "You've got a live one here, Aura."
Sidney smiled slightly. "Yes, I do."
"Is your hair naturally that color?" asked Gizmo as she walked around Percy.
"Yes."
"Really? I think it's gorgeous. You've got stunning blue eyes. Do you have any older brothers?" asked Gizmo with her eyebrow slightly raised. Percy gaped at her, but didn't have time to respond.
"As a matter of fact, he does," answered Sidney. "Two of them."
Gizmo laughed again. "Ooh la la. If they're as cute as he is, I'm sold!" Percy gave Sidney a pained look. "I'm just joking around, honey. You don't have to look like that. I'll have you know that most men find me attractive. You need to loosen up," said Gizmo.
"You've had your fun, Gizmo. Now give him what he needs," said Sidney with a grin.
"Aw…you're no fun at all, Aura. You have the same problem that he does," said Gizmo, nodding at Percy. Her eyes glimmered for a moment. "An itch that needs scratching. Maybe, you guys can help each other." Neither Percy nor Sidney liked the sexual innuendo that Gizmo was implying. They gave her identical glares. "Let's see. You'll be infiltrating the Order of the Phoenix. That's never been done before."
Gizmo looked at the list of standard issue equipment. "I have an incomplete listing of the members. There are quite a few people to look out for, Omega. The worst will probably be Alastor Moody. So, I don't think standard issue portable sneakoscopes should be used," she said thoughtfully.
"He is fully trained in the art of Occlumency and Legilimency. On top of that, he's studied a good amount of psychology, so he's prepared for that," said Sidney.
"Okay, you won't be able to bring any electronic equipment the concentration of magic won't be controlled in that setting," said Gizmo. "You'll have to be outfitted with equipment that doesn't require electricity. Do you wear contact lenses?"
Percy shook his head. "Your vision was corrected. You still wear your old frames, don't you? Let me see them." asked Gizmo. He nodded. He always had them with him, just in case he would run into someone from the wizarding world that knew him. The Muggle clothes could be easily explained, but the lack of glasses would not.
She went to a cabinet and came back with an eyeglass case. She opened the glass and took out a pair of glasses. She looked carefully at Percy's original frames and cast a spell. The lenses had changed place.
"What are they for?" asked Percy.
"They're standard issue. It will allow you to see magical energies. All you have to do is concentrate, and they should work automatically. If they don't, just tap them in either corner," said Gizmo. "You can carry weapons though."
"Don't give him any Muggle firearms. It would look suspicious," warned Sidney as she picked up a pistol from one of the cabinets. She aimed it at a target and fired a few rounds. She had hit vital points in the head and torso. "Very smooth. This is a .35 caliber, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is," said Gizmo as she looked around for the right weapons. "Let me see your wand for a moment, Omega. I need to test it to see if it's okay."
Percy handed Gizmo his wand. She ran it through a test. "Everything's in working order," she said as she handed it back to him. "You'll have to keep it with you during the meeting."
"I have no intention of letting it go," said Percy. "What are the other things I need?"
"These glasses are a combination of Muggle and wizarding technology," said Gizmo.
"I understand," agreed Percy. He was going to have to keep his wand with him at all times. "I suppose I shouldn't use any of the techniques from my training."
"That's true," said Sidney. "Don't do anything to make it appear like you learned anything beyond the magic you learned at Hogwarts. Keep your eyes and ears open. Any information could be worth something to us. We also need a recording of their magical energies for our database. Record all the members you can."
"I'll try my best," said Percy solemnly. "I'll report everything I see and hear, even the things I don't. Sometimes, the information that's not there is worth reporting."
"Well, good luck. You're going to need it," said Gizmo. "You come back in one piece, and I'll have a treat waiting for you." She said with a smile and wink. Percy threw an uncomfortable look at Sidney, who was laughing.
Percy had no idea where the meeting was taking place, so he had to stop at the Burrow and go with his family to the meeting. He stopped at the front door again. He was going to knock before he realized that he could just open it.
"Hello?" he called in a soft voice. He heard the sound of yelling coming from the upstairs.
"What do you mean we can't attend the meeting?!" shouted Ron.
"You, your sister, Hermione, and Harry aren't of age! I've already told you!" fired back Molly Weasley.
"That's not fair! Harry should know what's going on! If anyone else deserves to be in the meeting, it's him!"
Percy heard a muffled voice. He figured it was Harry, but most likely Hermione, trying to calm down everyone else.
"You are only sixteen years old! You're not old enough to attend the meetings and that's final!" roared Molly, causing Percy to wince. The next sound he heard was his mother making her way downstairs.
Her face was contorted in anger, but quickly changed to sheer happiness. "Percy! When did you get here?" she asked. "Are you all right?"
"Didn't you get my note after my Healer's appointment, Mother?" he asked her with a smile.
"Yes, I did, but I would rather hear from you directly if you were all right or not," said Molly as she surveyed him. He was dressed in his wizards' robes, so there was not much for her to notice.
"Hey, what's he doing here?" demanded Ron. Harry, Hermione, and Ginny followed him. "Don't tell me he's coming to the meeting."
Molly obviously had not been informed about Percy attending the meeting. "Percy, that's not what you're here for, are you?" she asked. She looked a bit paler. Percy had noticed earlier that his mother had lost weight and looked paler than normal. He felt his stomach unsettle. He did not want to give her an answer at that moment, and he did not have to. "No. Please say you're not going to join."
"Mother—" Percy started.
She shook her head. "You can't do that, Percy. This family has already given enough. Your father and your brothers. You don't have to do it just because you want to make up for what happened last year. You're safer where you are." Her voice sounded shrill. Percy could hear the fear. Her blue eyes were focused on him. He could almost swear that she could see straight through him.
"Safer? I don't think I was safer last year, Mother. I don't think I could be safe in a place where Lucius Malfoy could just walk in wherever he wanted to. The Ministry is where the attack happened. It's where the world finally found out that Voldemort was back. We were like sitting ducks. Do you know where I was? I was in my office. That's not far from the Department of Mysteries. Not far at all. We only learned that weeks ago. Do you realize what could have happened last year?" said Percy in a resolute tone.
He had made a mistake. His mother had flinched along with almost everyone in the room, except for Harry. His green eyes were ablaze. It took Percy a moment after he was done talking to realize what he had done. He had said Voldemort's name out loud. "It's only a name, Mother," he added in a whisper. "A name can't hurt you. Only the person behind it."
"Voldemort's not even his real name," said Harry.
Molly did not know what shook her more. Percy saying You-Know-Who's name out loud or the fact that he was in the Ministry at the time of the attack. Ron, Ginny, and Hermione looked a little frightened, but not overly so. They were there with Harry. "It's your choice. I can't stop you," whispered Molly, conceding defeat.
"What do you know?" asked Harry. "What do you know, Percy?"
"Voldemort wants to commit genocide. Everyone should know that," replied Percy. Genocide was a strong word, but it was the correct one. "Fudge is helping him by being grossly incompetent. There were reports brought in. As many as one million wizards can be killed in the next few years, if he isn't stopped."
A collective gasp was breathed. Their eyes were wide open. Percy did not say anything about the Muggles. That was the Veritas' problem, while the wizards were the Order's problem. Percy decided to keep himself as humble as possible. "I was invited, Mother," he said.
"Who would invite you?" demanded Molly.
"We did," answered Fred and George as they Apparated into the living room. Molly rounded on them with a furious look on her face. Percy decided to intervene. "Mother, please don't get angry with them. I was the one who went to them. Me."
Fred and George looked a mildly surprised. Their mother's anger did not dissipate. "More than half this family is in the order, Percy. I was hoping to keep a few of you out of it," she said.
"I think it is a little too late for that, Mother. I am in it whether or not I want to be," said Percy. "You can't stop me. You couldn't before." He really did not want to remind her, but he had to convince her. He could not stop when he was so close.
Luckily, before his mother could respond, his father and two elder brothers Apparated in. "What's going on?" asked Arthur Weasley. He stopped when he saw Percy.
"Why don't you ask Fred and George?" asked Molly as she threw them a glare.
Percy decided to let Fred and George explain the situation. They did so very quickly, finishing off each other's sentences. Bill and Charlie locked their eyes on Percy, who appeared rather calm. By the time they were finished, their father's eyes were also on him. "I am not that surprised you know things that we don't, but are you sure you want to do this? After all the things you have done last year," said Arthur suspiciously.
"I didn't say I would join the Order officially," said Percy. "I never said that."
"Then what are you saying?" asked Arthur. He really did want to trust his own son. He couldn't see anything, but Percy standing in front of him. Arthur wondered what was going on inside his mind.
Percy shrugged. "I have no idea," he replied. "Yes, I know that I was a stupid prat. Although, some of you would have more to say about that." The twins and Ron glanced at each other. "If the Order isn't interested, then I can just go back to work. I can just sit there and keep my mouth shut. Now, I can either go with you or I can go back on vacation."
"You're giving Mum and Dad an ultimatum?" said Fred. None of the children had ever done that before.
"Well, I wish I could say that it's been nice knowing you, Percy…" trailed off George.
Arthur's lips were in a thin line. He did not want to have another row with Percy. On top of that, Percy was being very reasonable and calm. He did not so much as flinch when his father stared at him. Percy could sense his parents weakening. "Look, I will always be around. I won't say anything to anyone. You can have the information at anytime you want," said Percy sincerely. "I'm going home and getting some sleep. I'm not going to wait around here all day with you all just staring at me. I'll be on my way."
He looked around the room. He concentrated. At first the lens did not work, but suddenly he could see all the distinct energies in the room. The only people who had nearly identical ones were Fred and George. That was no surprise to Percy. There was a high reading from Harry Potter. He was concentrating so hard that he did not hear what his father had said.
"Percy, are you listening to me?" asked Arthur. Percy looked at him. The magical energy signals were gone. Fully recorded and ready for use. "I was just saying that you are free to join us."
Percy was actually surprised by that. It had been too easy for him. He nodded. "Very well, Father."
Written by kirikarin
Beta Read by IvyDragon
AN: I like Gizmo. This chapter took a little bit longer to write than the others. I'm not running out of steam. I just had things to do. I wrote part of this story on a train, which meant that I had to take breaks from time to time because I would get dizzy. Anyway, Gizmo is so cool. Things will heat up a bit more. I will also be introducing more characters as the story goes on.
For more information go to kirikarin.livejournal.com
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. This story belongs to me and cannot be posted anywhere else without my permission.