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Review Responses:

kateydidnt – Snape is capable of being a little childish in his behaviour to Harry but the thing is he doesn't really wish Harry well whereas Arthur obviously does wish his children well. Besides Harry's not my favourite person! Snape wasn't implying he thought Ron would be a Death Eater, personally I think that the idea of Ron doing that is utterly ludicrous, Snape was worried that his relationship with his family might suffer because they don't give him enough positive attention. I couldn't help in book five feeling like the twins were being pretty unpleasant to Ron and they're not exactly the best of big brothers to him in my opinion anyway. You're right also about Ron having the support of his friends which I don't believe Percy has ever had because he doesn't tend to let people get close to him. Don't worry, I'm a staunch Ron supporter too, I adore him and this was written not because I think badly of him but because I despise the way Molly Weasley fusses over Harry and yet can't remember her son hates corned beef sandwiches and maroon! They're just little examples but I really think he's overlooked by his family! Snape does have difficulty letting go of his prejudices towards Harry and Ron and a lot of the other Gryffindors too but then they seem to have great difficultly letting go of their prejudices towards him. Snape's not perfect but then none of them are, I was using him as a more impartial outside judge of the situation. Sorry if you thought it came across badly about Ron but you're right in that I think he's one of those people who'd die before joining the Death Eaters. Thanks for the review, it's actually good to get criticism so that I can work on these things in the future!

Emmies – I'm glad you like my stories, thanks for reviewing!

ElavielBlack – I may have lost part of your review as it ended with an 'I' that had nothing after it so I'm sorry if I didn't get all of it! I'm glad you liked the chapter though! Thanks for the review!

lilyqueen777 – Ginny's quite right, they should be locked up for their own protection, boys are a danger to themselves! I always thought Percy was a good big brother, I mean look at the fourth book after Ron gets out of the lake, Percy runs across to him and seems so worried! The twins did deserve Snape's punishment, sorry I made you cry so much though! There's a lot of angst going on in that chapter! As for not making Percy suffer, well I'm a bit of a sadist when it comes to these characters and I'm afraid Percy's not in the clear yet, but trust me I have reasons for the things I do! Thanks for the review!

db – Yeah, Slytherins rule!! Percy would have made a good one in my opinion but his brothers don't always see that as a good thing! Silly Gryffindors! Thanks for the review!

Silver Mirror – Glad you liked Sev's role, he'll be back! Thanks for reviewing!

Cooldot – Snape's my favourite character! I think Snape knows all! Certainly more than he's letting on most of the time! Charlie and McGonagall are very cool, I love them in the books! I figured if I stuck to Percy's perspective all the time it could get a bit repetitive (I've written a whole trilogy that came almost entirely from one characters point of view and although it made sense to do it that way I don't think I'd do it again as it really limits what you can do with the other characters' interpretations!) They'll be more Snape/Percy interaction. Snape understands him very well and certain things will happen that will involve Snape more! Glad you liked the mice thing, I had to do something unpleasant to the twins and I figured waking Severus up when he's as stressed out as he is currently is something that could seriously shorten your life expectancy! There will definitely be more Percy angst; things are going to get worse before they get any better, if they get better at all! Thanks for the review!

Sara – I'm pleased I've managed to be the first to grab your attention, here's the update! Thanks for reviewing!

ecot123 – I think Charlie is laid back to an extent but I imagine he's very protective of his family and all Weasleys seem to be intense really. His relationship with Percy isn't necessarily that close, it's more that Charlie's very forgiving and concerned about Percy. They are becoming close but they haven't been particularly close in the past. I just think that he's a more likely candidate for Percy to be close to out of his brothers because with Bill there's too much of an element of competition, that and Bill's rather offhand with him in book four and because I imagine Charlie would be very difficult not to get along with. Still you're probably right that JK wouldn't portray their relationship this way, creative license is a fun thing though! I'm glad you like that line about Charlie thinking Percy's too thin, Charlie's definitely going to be protective of Perce! Thanks for the review!

What You Left Behind

Chapter 6: Self-Belief

"And if self-belief is something you study, it's probably in a book I once had. Self-belief, the first target of thief, the last thing on the mind of the mad."

A few days after Percy's first Order meeting the Weasley's moved back into Grimmauld Place for the remainder of the summer. Percy had returned to the ministry to find the work had piled up in his absence. As a result he found he was working similar hours to those he had been working before he had returned to his family. He had also succeeded in making himself somewhat less than popular with the minister by defending his father over an issue of having werewolves magically tagged so that they could be traced easily if they decided to join You-Know-Who, as Fudge was certain they all would and thought he was being very generous by not simply having them all lined up and Avada Kedavraed.

Arthur Weasley had responded strongly of course and Fudge had not liked it one little bit. Telling Arthur:

"Weasley, keep your nose out of affairs that don't concern you. You should stick to what you're good at, that is messing about with those muggle protection acts you like so much. Don't you agree Percy?" Fudge chuckled in a patronising manner and looked to Percy for support. Support that was not forthcoming.

"No I can't say I do agree minister, I happen to agree with my father on this issue. Also muggle protection acts are vitally important, they have the same rights that we do and it needs to be ensured that these rights are in no way contravened, I feel it is my duty as your assistant to point out that your tone when speaking of them in future might do well to be less dismissive as it wouldn't do to appear to the public as though you didn't take the issue seriously enough."

Fudge had looked at Percy in absolute shock while Arthur beamed at his son. Percy had simply shrugged and continued, "That's just my opinion minister, now if you'll excuse me I have a meeting to prepare for." Percy had walked away without looking back and soon found himself joined by his father.

"You didn't need to do that Percy."

"I'm sick of not saying what I think. I defended you because I agreed with you but also because he shouldn't think he can get away with addressing people in that manner! Especially not you, you take too much crap from him and he shouldn't be able to treat you like that!"

Arthur was deeply touched at his son's outrage on his behalf. "Thank you Percy. You do realise though that it's put you on very thin ice as far as Fudge is concerned, he doesn't like his subordinates answering him back, you might want to be a bit more careful in future."

"I know, I'm committing career suicide. Still it felt good to shock him like that."

Arthur had been unable to help laughing, "Come on Percy, I'll buy you lunch. Your meeting preparation can wait."

"What meeting?"

"The one you mentioned to Fudge."

"Oh, I did that days ago. I just figured I'd quit while I was ahead and get out of there."

Relations with his father seemed better than they'd ever been and the two were beginning to genuinely enjoy working together.

Charlie had opted to stay on for the summer, at least until Ron and Ginny returned to school and possibly beyond. Arthur and Bill had had a huge fight about Percy and Percy hated it. He knew very well that Bill had spread the story of his boggart around the Order of the Phoenix and that his father was very angry about it, personally though he couldn't find it in him to care. Bill had said and done worse things. Bill had eventually apologised but had made it extremely clear that he was only doing it because he had been told to. It was for this reason that family meals were becoming strained and awkward affairs, a fact Percy felt entirely responsible for.

They were all sat down to dinner with no additions, as Remus Lupin was feeling ill from his change the previous night, for the first time since moving into the Order headquarters and things were more tense than ever.

Charlie tried to lighten the mood with amusing stories about things he and Bill had got up to at Hogwarts, hoping to draw Bill out of his foul mood. Bill however simply used the occasion to dig at Percy about what he had been like at school.

"Bill, be quiet!" Molly snapped suddenly, "Leave your brother alone! He hasn't done anything wrong and if you can't sit here and be civil you can go and eat in your room!"

Everyone looked at Molly in shock at her sudden reprimanding of her eldest son. Bill shut up though, glaring at the table and looking like he was tempted to go and eat in his room but didn't want to hurt his mother's feelings.

"Well," Molly continued, trying to resurrect conversation. "Anything interesting happening at the ministry Percy?"

She had asked about his work at the ministry only once since he had returned so it took Percy a moment to realise he was being spoken to despite the use of his name. "Er, some new auror recruits are going on a training weekend. They're going up to some uninhabited place in the Yorkshire moors; I've spent the day preparing the area, setting up wards to keep muggles away."

"Sounds fascinating!" Bill drawled.

"Well someone's got to do it," Molly said cheerfully, "You should know how important it is, now more than ever, that we escape detection from muggles." She gave Percy a warm, motherly smile and added, "I hope you wrapped up warmly though, dear!"

Percy grinned, "Mum, it's summer."

"Still Percy, you never know what the weather's going to do. You did take a waterproof?"

"No mum, but it didn't rain."

"Hmm," Molly sounded disapproving, "You still might have needed it, dear."

Arthur suddenly began to chuckle, "Leave the boy alone Molly, there hasn't been any rain for almost a month."

"Precisely! We're long overdue and don't you get me started on how often you go out without so much as a cloak or umbrella!"

Her husband quieted down and exchanged an amused glance with Ron who was sat opposite him.

"Ron, dear," Molly continued, "When are Harry and Hermione coming?"

"I told Hermione we'd pick her up this weekend and I think the Order's going for Harry on the same evening."

"Well tomorrow you and Ginny can help me make up some beds for them."

After that, conversation flowed comfortably in the manner it used to and Percy enjoyed simply sitting there and listening to the happy chattering around him.

XXXXXXX

Fred and George were quickly finding that Grimmauld Place, despite having a large selection of people to play jokes on, was not proving the best of testing grounds for their pranks. Molly was still very angry with their behaviour at the previous meeting and their father had it seemed found out about Montague and the vanishing cabinet incident and was livid. He had eventually let it go but the two were feeling as though one toe out of line might end up with both of them living in the gutter.

"This feels like living with the secret police or something, we have to watch everything we say and do!" Fred moaned to his brother.

"I know, this is just so bloody boring!" George agreed.

Fred grinned, "Hey, maybe this is what it's like to be Percy!"

George snorted, "Nah, I think he actually enjoys boredom."

They both shuddered, then Fred grinned again evilly, "You know he has had his uses though, for instance providing us with a good way to alleviate the boredom!"

"Mum and Dad'll kill us if we do anything to him, they're already on the warpath as far as our treatment of him is concerned!"

"Oh I wasn't thinking of him, I was thinking we could go and have a little fun with the ministry idiots he mentioned!"

George caught on immediately, "Well Percy was kind enough to tell us all about their training weekend, be a shame to let information like that go to waste!"

"Certainly would. They want a training weekend; I say we give them a memorable one! Brighten up their grey little lives!"

"We could look in his briefcase there's bound to be something to tell us exactly where they'll be," George suggested.

Fred nodded, "We could have some fun with them."

"Have some fun with who?" Ron had wandered into the room without either of them noticing, he was getting too good at creeping up on people.

"Never you mind Prefect!" Fred sneered.

"Yeah, keep your nose out Ronniekins!" George agreed.

"Why? What are you planning?" he pressed.

"We're just going to have some fun with Percy's little ministry friends, keep your hair on." George said.

"No you're not!" Percy strode into the room with uncanny timing, "This weekend is important, don't you dare interrupt it!"

"Or you'll what?" George asked.

"Tell mum and dad on us?" Fred suggested.

Percy was not put off, "Yes, I damn well will!"

"Why did you bother coming back?" Geroge asked, exasperated.

"Yeah, it's not like anyone wanted you to!" Fred put in.

"All we were going to do was liven things up a little bit!" George protested. "Why are you so stuck up?"

Percy was quiet for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "Are you going to go and interrupt the ministry training?"

"No," one of the twins said sulkily.

Percy nodded and left the room before they could see how much their words had hurt him. Ron followed him and began to speak. "You know they didn't really mean that about not being pleased you're back, they just want to have a little fun..."

"Without me getting in the way?!" Percy snapped, "Personally, I don't care whether they're pleased I'm back or not. You'd have to be seriously deluded to think their opinions, or yours, mattered to me!" Eyes bright with unshed tears he turned and stormed up the stairs to his room.

"Not deluded," Ron whispered, "Just a bit more perceptive than you'd like any of us to be when it comes to you."

XXXXXXX

Once up in the safety of his room, the door firmly locked behind him, Percy collapsed onto his bed. Tears fell unbidden from his eyes and he threw his glasses onto a nearby chair and buried his face in the slightly musty smelling pillow.

The last thing he'd wanted to do was snap at Ron like that, it wasn't as though he had done anything wrong. Still Percy felt hurt and had been unable to stop himself from lashing out at the nearest person at hand, which had unfortunately been his little brother with whom he had been hoping to rebuild some kind of brotherly relationship. "Looks like I blew that!" he muttered, sitting up and wiping his eyes roughly with the back of his hand.

He wasn't at all sure about whether he should be believing Fred and George, but the way they had looked at him was more than enough to put him off the idea of asking his father to speak to them. It was clear that they blamed him for their parents' sudden, more critical attitude towards their behaviour.

He decided he'd simply have to trust them for the moment and hope that they weren't really stupid enough to do what they'd been planning.

XXXXXXX

OK, short chapter, next one's a bit longer.

The quote that this chapter title comes from is from a song by 'The Beautiful South' called 'Spit it all out'.

Next chapter's a bit more action packed and will be up next week.

Reviews are always appreciated!