Disclaimer: I just own the plot.
Review Responses:
lilyqueen777 – I'm glad you enjoyed Arthur's POV. In case it wasn't clear, what's missing in the kitchen, in Arthur's opinion, is Percy. Thanks for reviewing!
Emmies – I'm not JK, if I were the fifth book would have been very, very different! And certain things it still pains me to think of would not have happened! Thanks for the complement though! I am attempting to answer some questions about Percy as I just adore him and think the fifth book didn't view him in the right way. Thanks for the review!
cooldot – I can definitely see poor Percy suffering from being the middle child, and I am hoping so much that Percy and Arthur will reconcile but I don't trust JK after the fifth book! I also do see Arthur and Percy as not being as close as Arthur is with his other kids, Percy's not someone I'd see as being an easy person to get close to and Arthur's had six other children to worry about. I'm so pleased you too think that both sides were at fault in OoTP! That's an issue I'm going to address soon! Hope you enjoy the interaction with his family here! Thanks for reviewing!
ElavielBlack – I am trying to understand the characters but some are harder than others, I'm juggling a lot more of them in this chapter so I hope you still think I've got a grasp on them after you've read it! :o) Thanks for the review!
What You Left BehindChapter 3: Coming Home
"I'm coming home to you, I'm alive, I'm a mess."
"Where's Perce," Charlie asked, "Working as usual?" That had been the first question out of his mouth when he'd returned to the Burrow at the start of the summer. He had returned from his work in Romania to see his family and had wondered at the conspicuous absence of his little brother; however busy Percy was it was unusual for him not to be there to greet his brother, however briefly, when he returned home.
"No, he's not." Bill had answered him shortly.
"Where is he then?" Charlie asked, curious but pleased at the idea that his brother seemed to have found something else to do in life than work.
"Er, Percy doesn't live here any more." Ginny said quietly.
A hundred and one questions instantly flooded Charlie's head and he began to voice some of them. "What, you mean he moved out? When did that happen? And why? I can't see him wanting to bother with a roommate, or for that matter on his salary any sort of rent."
"He didn't move out, he walked out. He's living in a flat somewhere in London, on his own as I doubt anyone would want to share with him!" Fred said angrily, "Didn't mum and dad write to you?"
"Well Bill mentioned there'd been a bit of a fight over something or other but that was over a year ago! You're not seriously trying to tell me that you still aren't speaking to each other?!" Charlie asked, incredulous.
"What did Bill tell you?" George asked.
"Not a lot," Charlie shrugged, "Just said you wanted me to work on finding members and contacts for the order because Percy wanted nothing to do with it and would rather stick with the ministry."
"Yeah on that issue and every other one!" Bill snorted angrily.
"What do you mean?" Charlie's confusion was growing into concern, "Would someone mind calmly explaining what this fight is about and why my brother's living alone in the middle of London when you lot don't even feel safe living all together out here?"
"That's why we're going to the Order Headquarters in a few weeks," their mother cut through the conversation upon entering the room with a pile of clean washing, clearly having heard the question but not wishing to think about it. "Dumbledore thought though that poor Remus needed some time alone after losing Sirius."
"I'm less concerned about why we're here and more concerned about why Percy's not!" Charlie shocked himself by raising his voice at his mother for the first time in years.
Molly sniffed, "Charlie I don't want to talk about it dear, the things he said to your father..." she trailed off and brought a handkerchief to her eyes before saying, "I'll go and make your bed up," and disappearing upstairs.
"Well done Charlie!" one of the twins rolled his eyes.
"Best not to mention the git formerly known as our brother in mum's presence, it only upsets her," the other twin chipped in.
"What on earth did he do?!" Charlie threw his hands up in bewilderment, "Set fire to Errol? You make it sound like he's public enemy number one around here. Surely things aren't that bad!"
"You should have heard what he said!" Ron, speaking for the first time, almost whispered in a tone that conveyed as much hurt as anger.
"What did he say about what?" Charlie asked more calmly.
"Sit down, you'll probably need to!" Bill said.
Charlie sat down on the sofa, frowning in bewilderment.
"Percy came home at the start of last summer to tell us he'd got a promotion to Junior Assistant to the Minister," Bill continued.
Charlie's eyebrows shot up, "Wow! Good for him! He could have written and told me!"
"Yeah well none of us were impressed!" Fred put in.
Charlie frowned, "Why not?"
Bill sighed, "Because the only reason Fudge gave him that promotion was so he could spy on dad for him!"
"That's a bit of an assumption!" Charlie declared.
"Not really," Bill disagreed. "Fudge was going crazy at the time and trying to dig out everyone loyal to Dumbledore. And after Percy's somewhat incompetent performance in the Crouch issue why else would Fudge want him?"
"That's a bit harsh! He's hardly the only person who should have been asking questions about where Crouch really was!" Charlie countered, "He was inexperienced, it wasn't his fault that he got it a bit wrong!"
"Yeah well Fudge certainly didn't see it that way! Anyway Percy didn't like hearing the truth and decided to have a go at Dad," Bill finished.
"Define 'have a go'," Charlie said, grasping at straws that there might be some saving grace to the situation.
"Told him what he really thought of him and this family, I can tell you it wasn't very flattering."
"Stop beating about the bush and tell me what was said!" Charlie snapped exasperatedly, beginning to lose patience with the story.
"Percy told Dad the ministry were right, he called Harry a crackpot attention seeker and then proceeded to tell Dad that he'd been struggling against his bad reputation at the ministry ever since he got there," Bill explained, an unpleasant looked settled on his face.
"Well I can believe the last part," Charlie sighed.
"What?!" Fred exploded.
"Well come on, Dad's never been that well thought of at the ministry and it sure as hell wasn't his influence that got Percy a job there!"
"He said Dad had no ambition and that was why we'd always been poor!" Bill's voice was raised in anger at Charlie's words.
Charlie winced; things had clearly got ugly. "Oh dear, I'm guessing Dad didn't like that."
"He didn't get much say in the matter Percy just said his piece and left, he hardly stopped to listen to anything anyone else had to say. So basically he acted in his typical 'I'm Perfect Percy, therefore I'm right' fashion."
"Fred!" Charlie said reproachfully, "He doesn't act like that."
"Yes he bloody well does, you should have seen him Charlie! He totally lost it with Dad!" Fred insisted.
"Then when Mum went to see him he slammed the door in her face and then she sent him a jumper at Christmas and he sent it back unopened," George said.
Charlie fell quiet at this information and before he could gather his thoughts on the matter Molly came back downstairs. "Your bed's made Charlie. Bill help your brother carry his stuff upstairs for goodness sake, I will not have people falling over his suitcases in the hallway! No need to unpack much dear we'll go to the Order headquarters in a couple of weeks, so just take your clothes out so they don't get creased."
XXXXXXX
Dinner that evening had been a strained affair. Charlie had remained deathly quiet, despite Molly's desperate attempts at conversation, and at one point he found himself starting to ask a question of Percy before remembering that he wasn't there. He had played with the delicious home cooked meal on his plate and found it hard to remember how just the previous day he had been longing for his mother's cooking and to sit down and eat with his family, of course not all of his family were there. Eventually he gave in and pushed his plate away from him.
"Mum that was great but I'm really tired, I just want to go to bed."
Molly looked up concern, "Are you alright dear, you hardly touched your food."
"I'm fine," Charlie forced a smile onto his face so as not to upset either of his parents who had both seemed out of sorts since he had arrived home.
Arthur looked up and spoke for the first time during the meal, "Are you feeling well Charlie?"
"I feel..." fine? Not really. "I feel tired." Well that much was true but he knew his head was spinning far too much to allow him to sleep any time soon. Still, he couldn't take watching the rest of the family sitting around and pretending that nothing had happened any longer.
Without another word Charlie left the kitchen where they were eating and walked slowly upstairs to his and Bill's old room.
He collapsed backwards onto his bed and felt like a child again, one who'd involved himself in the problems of the adults and was now feeling way out of his depth. He glanced around the room, seeing a jumper of Bill's lying on his bed, his suitcases where he had left them by the door and some parchment and quills on the small desk that he assumed belonged to Bill. He couldn't help but think that the one person he would have normally asked for advice when the family seemed to be going crazy over one thing or another, the one person who could always clearly and precisely relate events in a sensible manner, was the one person who was no longer there to ask.
XXXXXXX
When Bill came up to bed that night he found Charlie sitting on the window seat in his pyjamas. He stood up as his brother came in and nodded in greeting.
"I thought you'd be asleep," Bill said.
"I tried, but I just can't sleep."
Bill smiled sympathetically, "It's good to have you back, the family should be together in times like these."
"Yeah, well it's not is it?"
Bill sighed, "You mean Percy."
"No I mean Harry and Hermione!" Charlie snapped sarcastically, "Who on earth else could I mean?"
"Well Harry and Hermione have certainly acted more like family and treated mum and dad with a lot more respect than Percy did."
"Don't you dare say that! That is so out of line Bill! Harry and Hermione are not family, they're great kids I'm sure but Percy is our brother!"
"Yeah, pity he can't be bothered to act like it."
"Well it doesn't sound like any of you have been acting like much of a family to him either. He's out there somewhere on his own and he's probably scared as hell. Bill, there is a war on, people are going to die. One of us could, he could, are you willing to leave things like this?"
"Perfectly." Bill replied coldly.
Charlie stood stock still in shock as his brother sat down and picked up a book. Wordlessly he grabbed the quilt and pillow from his bed and flung the door open to leave.
"Where are you going with those?" Bill asked curiously.
"The sofa, I won't can't stay in this room with you for another minute because if I do I guarantee I'll end up hurting you." Charlie stalked out swinging the door closed behind him and this time it was Bill who found himself to be in shock.
XXXXXXX
Arthur Weasley had been very surprised when he went downstairs to lock up to find his second son curled up on the sofa looking deep in thought.
"I thought you were sharing with Bill, he hasn't got Fleur up there has he?" Arthur chuckled.
"No," Charlie said coldly without looking up, "The problem is Bill's up there and that makes me not want to be, ever since I got home to realise that he seemed to have taken leave of his senses, just like the rest of you have."
To Arthur's credit he didn't ask for Charlie to explain what he was talking about or pretend he didn't understand, instead he sank down into an armchair and looked at his son with tired eyes. "He walked out Charlie."
"Yeah but the question is why?"
"Why don't you ask him?" Arthur said, anger crossing his face, "Because I really don't think I know anymore."
"Maybe you would if you just thought about things from his point of view," Charlie suggested quietly as his father climbed wearily to his feet and left the room.
XXXXXXX
After that things had simply gone down hill. Charlie had found himself fighting with Bill, the older brother he'd always respected and got along with so well, more and more frequently. They were driving Molly and Arthur out of their minds. Ginny and in particular Ron had clearly opted to stay out of the arguments as much as possible, whereas the twins were vociferously taking Bill's side. It finally culminated one evening with Arthur taking Charlie, Bill and the twins aside into the study to try to talk them into stopping fighting. Charlie had no idea why his father would pick that particular night to speak with them but he had noticed that his father had returned from work looking more haggard than usual and he had been late. Ever since his father had returned home there had been a change in his demeanour and he was clearly thinking about something that he was unwilling to talk to them about. Arthur's quiet reprimands though had soon degenerated with Charlie and the twins breaking out into fierce bickering over their brother.
"He's a git Charlie just face it. He doesn't give a damn about any of us," Fred stated as though there could be no disagreeing with him.
"He's a stuck up, pompous, self-involved idiot!" George put in.
"He's also our brother," Charlie attempted to reason, "I'm not condoning his behaviour but you can't simply call him a git and leave it at that!"
"Why not?" George asked.
"Look Charlie," Fred stepped towards his brother in what Charlie was surprised to note was a somewhat threatening manner, "You weren't here so you don't understand but you really should listen to us about this. We were here, we know, so let me spell it out for you one last time, Perfect Percy is a bloody git who's never thought of anyone but himself!" Fred snarled viciously and Charlie just saw red. Fred's entire body language screamed superiority, he was practically stood on Charlie's toes he was so close and Charlie wanted nothing more than to get him away from him.
Without even stopping to consider, Charlie swung for his brother, knocking him to the floor in a heap. "You left school ten minutes ago! You know nothing about life! I've lived in the real world, and I don't mean the strange fantasyland you seem to manage to exist in, so don't talk to me like I don't understand things. I understand and have seen a lot more than you might expect and certainly a lot more than you!"
Fred looked up at him in shock, the whole room had fallen silent as though no one could find anything to say or quite believe what had happened. Seeing he had made his brother's nose begin to bleed, Charlie felt instantly guilt-ridden, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you like that," he said quietly, "But I meant what I said."
Arthur rested his head on his hand wearily. Bill caught his eye and lifted his eyebrows, silently asking if his father was alright. Arthur Weasley gestured to his fighting sons and frowned. Bill nodded.
"Stop it, all of you. For God's sake Charlie you can't go around hitting people because you don't agree with them, particularly not your own brother!"
"Yeah Bill because it's very important how we treat our siblings isn't it?" Charlie said pointedly.
Fred, George and Bill all opened their mouths to argue but were interrupted by a knock at the front door.
"You want me to go dad?" Bill asked, revelling in his role as the first-born and looking at the others as though their childish arguing had nothing to do with him.
"No. I'll go." Arthur didn't know why but he just knew he wanted to open the door and he had an odd feeling he knew who would be behind it.
XXXXXXX
Arthur Weasley pulled open the front door to the Burrow to reveal a tall, slender figure in dark robes, with a shock of curly red hair falling into tired blue eyes. The two men stood for a moment in silence, looking at each other, each repressing the urge to hug the other for fear of being rejected.
Finally Arthur found his voice. "Percy." He smiled a little, "So I take it you dealt with Lucius Malfoy?"
Percy's mouth fell open in surprise, "What? How did you know...?"
"I walked past your office tonight."
Percy coloured, "I...I know it must have looked bad and, well it was really, but dad I would never have...!"
"Shut up Percy."
"I'm sorry. I was wrong, horribly wrong..."
"Percy..."
"No, please let me finish, if I leave it I'll never say it. I said some horrible, unforgivable things and I treated you and mum terribly and I'm so sorry. I don't even have a reason to offer you other than that I'm a complete idiot who thinks he's always got the answers when actually I don't know any more than anyone else and sometimes a lot less than most..."
"Percy...!"
"I'm sorry dad...!"
"Son!"
At hearing his father call him son Percy finally quietened down and looked him directly in the eyes.
"You never know when to stop talking Percy, that's your main problem!"
They both fell silent for a moment and exchanged a small smile.
"I hoped you'd come home."
At these words Arthur watched his son's face light up in hope. "Really?"
"Of course I did! You're my son you fool and I don't care how stupidly you act you'll always be my son!" Arthur moved forwards and pulled Percy into his arms, feeling tears pricking at the back of his eyes.
At the feel of his father's embrace Percy broke down and buried his head in his shoulder, "I'm sorry."
"I know. It's alright."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is Percy. I just wanted you to come home."
Percy gave a small sob and stepped back, "Dad, I have to tell you something."
"What is it now?"
"I love you, all of you. I know I don't act like it but I do!"
"Oh Percy, I know that. We love you too, though I must say your brothers aren't all in the best of moods with you right now."
Percy snorted, "I know." He brushed his hair back from his forehead to reveal GIT in large red letters, he grinned wryly, "Courtesy of Fred and George."
Arthur couldn't help laughing. "Oh dear, I hope that isn't permanent."
"They claimed it wasn't in their letter."
Arthur gestured Percy inside, "I think you'd better come in. You are staying here aren't you?"
Percy opened his mouth to say no when he saw the tired look on his father's face and the clear hope that he would stay. He smiled with difficulty and nodded, he'd have to face the music either way, it would make no difference whether he stayed the night or not.
"This might not be easy you know," Arthur warned.
"I didn't come back because I thought it would be easy."
"I know you didn't."
Percy stepped inside and hung his cloak by the door.
"Percy, just one thing."
He turned to his father a little fearfully.
"I was proud of you tonight when I saw you tackle that boggart, not many people are so willing to look fear in the face and attempt to understand it. I knew you'd never join them, even if you didn't know it."
Percy smiled and Arthur noticed it was the least self-satisfied smile he'd seen out of his son in a long time. "Well everyone's here, Charlie's back from Romania and Bill's staying as well."
Percy nodded resolutely.
"Come on," Arthur placed a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder.
As they walked towards the family room where Molly was sat with Ginny and Ron the door to the study opened to reveal Bill, "So who was it at this hour...?" The tall man trailed off as he saw Percy before glaring, "Right. The prodigal son deigns to return, excuse me if I don't stick around for the frivolities." He swept past them and up the stairs.
Percy looked after his eldest brother and bit his lip before turning back to find Charlie and the twins looking at him.
"If you're here to find out how to remove it there isn't a way, it'll wear off soon enough."
Charlie looked confused as Percy turned to Fred, "That's not why I'm here."
"I don't care why you're here," Charlie shook his head and gave his bother a quick hug, "I'm just glad you are."
Percy gave his brother a smile.
The door to the family room opened to reveal Molly Weasley with knitting in her hands, obviously curious about the sounds of a visitor. She took one look at Percy before bursting into tears and dropping her knitting to pull him into a hug. "You stupid boy! How could you say those things to your father?!"
"Molly," Arthur interjected quietly, "Percy and I have dealt with that and I don't want to hear a word more on that subject from any of you. That's between Percy and myself and the matter is closed."
Molly finally released her third son, who had to swallow back regretful tears before he could speak. "I'm sorry mum."
"Oh!" Molly hugged him again. "It doesn't matter, just as long as you're home!"
"It should matter..."
"Too bloody right it should!" Ron interrupted angrily.
"I was an idiot, I should have listened to you but I was too stuck up to notice I was being used. But regardless of whether I was right or wrong there could never have been an excuse for treating you all the way I did."
"Oh there's an excuse. You're a brainless git with no common sense! Suppose you can't help being stupid!" Ron frowned thoughtfully at his returning brother, "Did you mean what you said in your letter?"
"Pathetically enough, yes I meant it."
"Why did you write to me?"
"I was genuinely proud that you'd been made prefect, I'm sure you'll make a much better one than I ever did."
Ron shrugged, "I doubt it, who could follow in Perfect Percy's footsteps?"
Percy winced at the nickname he'd detested for years. "Then again, it's been a bit too weird without you, the twins have taken to experimenting on me instead of you so maybe it won't be so bad to have you back after all. You are staying aren't you?"
Percy hesitated, glancing at his mother.
"You better be staying, Percy!" Ron growled, "If you're just going to turn round and walk out again then I don't see why you came back. It's not your pitiful apologies we want," his voice softened, "It's you. We want our family idiot back."
Percy couldn't help but smile. "I'm staying."
"Of course you are!" Molly said. "I doubt very much you've been looking after yourself!"
The twins exchanged a look as Ginny smiled and said quietly, "Welcome home."
Percy smiled and hugged his little sister, "I think you've grown Gin."
"Yeah well I'd guess she had to. After all she and her friends nearly died. Someone did die. And what were you doing?" One of the twins, Percy realised he couldn't even tell which, sneered, "Sitting behind your cosy little desk and kissing up to Fudge?!"
"Well what were you doing?" Percy asked coldly, "Setting up a joke shop? Walking out on your education? What was I supposed to be doing?!" His voice raised, "Why don't you tell me, because I haven't got a clue! Do you really think that if I'd known she and Ron were in danger that I wouldn't have done something?!"
"Well you knew dad was in danger and I can't say I exactly noticed you jumping into action!"
Percy's anger left as quickly as it had come and his eyes closed in despair, tears making their way out. He crumpled into a chair and Molly went to go to him but Arthur held her back.
"Well? Where the hell were you?!" Whichever twin had spoken previously continued.
"I...I...I'm sorry!"
"So you keep saying but I'm afraid 'sorry' just isn't good enough! One little word does not make it all alright!"
"Do you really think I don't know that?!"
"Look he's sorry, leave him alone!" Ginny leapt to her brother's defence, unable to watch him cry any longer. Molly had taken refuge in her husband's arms.
"Don't." Percy said quietly.
"What?" Ginny asked in confusion.
"Don't defend me, I don't want you to. I didn't come back to start a fight and they're right."
The twins frowned in confusion and gave Percy an appraising look. He looked rather pathetic at first, crying tears he was desperately trying to stop. But his eyes were determined and his words genuine, and both Fred and George were capable of understanding how difficult it had to have been for Perfect Percy to admit that he was so wildly wrong.
Percy closed his eyes and attempted to stem the flow of tears which were embarrassing him no small amount but his eyes flew open again as he felt a rough hand on his shoulder.
"I still think you're an idiot, but you do at least see that." George squeezed his shoulder, "Besides it's no where near as much fun trying out products on Ron as it is on you."
"Yeah," Fred agreed with a wicked grin, "He doesn't squeal like a girl anywhere near as well as you do!"
"There's hope for you yet Perce," George said seriously, "Just don't screw up again."
"Of course he will," Arthur said, drawing pained look from his son, "We all will and we'll all end up apologising and hurting the people we care for. No one's perfect. But I don't want anymore dwelling on this. Percy's home and that's what matters, he did a courageous thing in coming back here, it's never easy to admit that you're wrong."
Percy smiled at his father and the two exchanged a look which seemed to go a long way towards healing any remaining rift between father and son.
XXXXXXX
Right hope everyone enjoyed that (having re-read this chapter I'm not as pleased with it as I might be), things are looking up as little for Percy, or are they? Well he's not going to have that easy a time of things because I seem to always torture the characters I love! Next chapter he's definitely having come trouble with being home!
The quote the chapter title comes from is from a song by Heather Nova called 'London Rain'.
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