By Moony
This idea popped out of nowhere, when I was thinking about Percy – one of my favorite characters. –Moony
Chapter 1
Percy sat in the chair, staring at his office. The dull, white walls with a few portraits and certificates hung up. It was a small office with green carpet, and half of the room occupied with a large wooden desk. Well, what had he expected? He sighed and looked without enthusiasm at the notes he had taken at some interview that Fudge had had with some wizard from Belgium. Just a stupid task assigned to keep stupid Percy busy.
Percy hated it. He hated it all. His life was screwed. And it was all his damn fault. Why had he been so ambitious?
He had no one for support now. He couldn't go back to his family. He couldn't face them. It was a year after that row. But Percy remembered it so clearly. The day his life was screwed up totally. Of course, he was the old Percy then. Junior Assistant to the Minister. Percy had been excited. He couldn't wait to tell his parents. He could already imagine the looks, and the hugs and kisses from Mum. His father would be beaming. It was a really good thing. To work alongside the Minister – why now he could have a chance at being the Minister, his big dream.
But they had not been proud. In fact, there was a heavy silence in the air, as he saw Mum and Father exchange glances. Then Father had said slowly that he couldn't accept the job. Percy already had, he thought they would've been glad that he could take the job. He was upset. It was a glorious opportunity! How could they want him to push it away?
They had left the kitchen, where they had a shouting match. Percy was so angry. His parents – they should've been proud! The two people in his life he had aimed to please, they should've been proud!
And so Percy had left the house. He didn't talk to them. He turned away their gifts. It was the worst mistake he had ever made.
Even worse, what Father had said was right. A few weeks into the job, Fudge asked Percy about Dumbledore. And Father. When Percy replied he had no clue, because he had left, Fudge seemed very flustered and disappointed. All of a sudden, it seemed he wasn't treated like well – an assistant. He was treated as some burden to try and get rid of. He had had stupid tasks. Of course, Fudge couldn't fire Percy. It would look stupid. Everyone could see through the firing, everyone was already suspicious as to why he was hired in the first place, this was jus the last puzzle piece. It would ruin Fudge's 'reputation'. If he even had one.
Percy stared at the framed certificate.
"This is to certify that Percy Weasley has been appointed Junior Assistant to the Minister."
He gave a rueful laugh. Like it mattered anymore.
Percy could leave, he knew. He wanted to leave, but he couldn't. This was the only thing that supported him, so that he could live in a nice house with good food and electricity. Percy had never been trained for anything besides government. It was his only choice. He couldn't be a businessman. He couldn't be an Auror. He couldn't play Quidditch. He couldn't do anything besides government work. Reinforcing laws. It was his job, ever since he was little. He had always been the one to make sure Fred and George weren't doing anything mischievous, he was the one watching Ginny and protecting Ron. He was the Prefect and Head Boy. He had always reinforced rules.
No one could support him besides this job. Penelope had gone off with some other man many many years ago, and Percy had never seen her again. The Ministry wouldn't care, all they wanted was to spy on Dumbledore. His family – what did they think of him? They probably hated him. How Percy had loved to please them as a young boy. He glowed when Mum talked about his O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. He loved it when she showered him with love for becoming Head Boy and Prefect. He loved it when she told his siblings they should be like him. He wanted to impress his father. Percy looked up to his father. Father worked in the Ministry. Percy wanted to work in the Ministry – back then.
He couldn't bring himself to face them. It was way too embarrassing. What would they say? They would slam the door in his face. Percy knew he was being ridiculous, they were family – but he knew he hadn't acted like family, they had a right not to act so to him. He didn't blame them. Percy had caused much hurt, but he wanted so badly to apologize. To mend things. He couldn't. The damage was done, and Percy knew that.
He saw Father at work, but they only glanced at each other, both with sad, wistful eyes.
I've changed, I really have. Percy thought. He only wished he could show that to his family. But would they believe him? He had shunned them off…
He wasn't the only one who had changed. The world had changed. The Ministry finally admitted that Voldemort was back. Percy had never believed it. It was not a matter of him believing in the Ministry. But Percy felt that, it was impossible… Voldemort could not come back. That was what he had always believed.
But the Potter boy had seen him… the nutter. That old Dumbldore had believed Harry Potter, and so his parents and family had too. His whole family believed in Dumbledore – except for him. Bill, Charlie, Mum, Father… all of them – they all believed in Dumbledore.
It wasn't that Percy hated Dumbledore. But he thought it was outrageous. But he knew now, all they had believed in was true. The Dementors had left Azkaban. The Giants had joined forces with You-Know-Who. Fudge was going crazy. He knew soon, there would be a new Minister. But who? And then would he be fired? If he was fired, where would he go? He knew he couldn't survive long without this job. There was no family to support him. There was no friends. Percy had never made much friends. His attitude kept people away. He didn't have any experience. It was his greatest fear. Having to be out there, alone.
Of course, he was already alone. But here, here he had money.
"Weasley!" a voice called.
Percy's head snapped up.
"Yes?" he said.
"An assistant from the Order of the Phoenix has arrived. I trust you are ready to take notes?" Fudge asked, irritably in a way.
Yes, yes. All stupid Weasley can do is take notes. We must keep stupid Percy busy so he cannot bother us.
"Yes Minister," Percy said dully.
"Good, good," Fudge said, though not really seeming to mean it, "You must understand, these notes are very important to help me understand and remember what happens."
As if. Percy knew Fudge recorded every meeting. He never asked for the notes. It was just something for Percy to do to make him feel 'important'.
"I understand."
"Very well."
And the assistant came in. It was Remus Lupin. Percy did not know him very well, but Dolores Umbridge, had often talked about him as being a 'dangerous half-breed'. Whatever that meant. Ron had seemed to be very fond of the man when he had taught a year at Hogwarts, and so did most of the Gryffindors in his year.
He looked very tired and shabby.
Cornelius stared at the man, almost with a fiery, contemptuous glare. It seemed he would've liked any assistant but this man. He saw Lupin give him a look. A piercing look or wistfulness, sadness, and a trifle of anger. Did this man know of the row he had had with Father? Did all of the Order of the Phoenix know?
Percy swallowed and pointed his quill.
It seemed every thing reminded him of that row.
It was a boring talk about the assistant telling about how the Giants would soon join Voldemort and all that stuff.
At 6:00 pm sharp, Percy quickly apparated away from the horrible place, back to his comfortable apartment.
As he sat down on the couch, and turned on the television, he tried to think when he had last been simply happy. The flashing pictures on the screen did not intrigue him, as he tried to remember. And then he remembered. The time he was made Junior Assistant to the Minister. Percy realized, he had never been truly happy, except when he was with Penelope.
Where was she? What was she doing? Was she having a happy life with that man? Penelope had married him, Percy knew. He had been invited to her wedding. But he couldn't go at that time, it had hurt too much. He was over Penelope now anyway. He would find someone. He would. Maybe it wouldn't be his first choice, but god, it would still be happiness!
Percy stared at the flashing screen, thinking about his miserable life.