I've Changed, I Really Have

Moony

Only 1 reviewer? At least I love this story enough to go on. –Moony

Chapter 2

Percy woke up from the couch to the sound of his alarm clock. He must've fallen asleep. Sighing, he headed for the bathroom.

At least it's Friday.

He stared at himself in the mirror. Everything about him was like his father. His bright red hair and freckles. His glasses. His almond eyes. His tall and lanky figure. The pointy nose. He felt he was staring at Arthur Weasley.

A mixed feeling of emotions rose up in him, and he quickly left the bathroom to the kitchen. He put some pancake patter in a pan. Living alone for a year had taught him home economics. He found he was pretty good cook. Pancakes always felt good, though he usually was too busy to make them. But this morning, he was even more unhappy. This day was the day he and Penelope had gone on their first date. He deserved some pancakes.

Stop feeling so miserable. You're over Penelope. You don't need her.

The batter fizzed and turned golden brown, and Percy quickly turned them over so the other side could get just as brown. At last, the aroma of pancakes filled the room. He took a stack and put butter and syrup on it; just the way he liked pancakes. He had never quite liked chocolate chips in it, as Ginny, Ron, Fred, and George had. He hadn't liked blueberries either, like Bill and Charlie did. Strawberry pancakes had been the worst, which was his Mum's favorite. And dad's?

He tried to drive his thoughts away. Was everything a reminder of his big blunder? Pancakes? His apartment? His job? Himself?

He stared at the small bit he had on his fork, just about to put it in his mouth. He put the fork down. And he apparated to work.

There were the same whitewashed walls again. The certificates. The desk. The note he had taken from the meeting yesterday. Percy ripped them up and dropped them in the wastebasket. Fudge wouldn't know, he never asked for them. He never came in Percy's office either.

Somehow, Fudge didn't come to check. He always came in to check, when Percy apparated in. Instead, Drake came in. Drake was a man who worked in an office next to him. Percy didn't really like him, and was going to tell him to get out, but Drake said.

"Weasley, Fudge has been ousted!" he said.

Percy's mouth dropped in shock.

"Ousted!"

"You better believe it Weasley. The new guy is like Etra Eveal! And he's sending owls to fire anyone he doesn't need, so he can replace them."

Percy couldn't believe it was happening this fast. He was sure to get replaced. He hardly did anything! He wasn't needed! His mind reeled fast. Where could he get a job? Where would he go?

His palms became sweaty as an owl floated in. He knew what it was. With shaky hands, he took it off the owl's leg. In curly letters, the letter read:

Dear Mr. Weasley,

It is with great regret that we must inform you that you cannot stay at the Minister of Magic any longer. The new Minister of Magic, Etra Eveal, feels no need for an Junior Assistant. Therefore, your office will be needed to make accommodations for another staff member who will soon be coming to the Minister of Magic. We are very sorry for this, and hope that this does not cause any inconvenience . Please move your belongings out by 10:00 pm, February 12th, and please notify us with a letter when you have done so and left. We are very sorry for the short notice, but changes must be made immediately.

With all due respect,

Thomas Crawford

Inconvenience? Inconvenience all right! More like, ruining his life! And by 10:00 tonight! He wasn't even ready! Why couldn't they wait until he had it all planned out? Stupid Ministry! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Well, he had nothing to move except for his certificates. The desk had already been there, so he needn't worry about that.

He took the certificates off the wall and put them in his bag. Then, he took out a piece of parchment and scrawled on it,

Dear Ministry,

I have received your letter and have removed all belongings. I have left the Ministry and will seek work elsewhere.

Sincerely,

Percy Weasley

With that, he apparated, for the last time from the building. He did not apparate to his home though. He headed straight for Diagon Alley. He needed to just, drink something, to relax.

He turned to Flourish and Botts – the place he belonged. The place with information about law. He would read up. He would go back to the Ministry. He would get a better job. But it was so long away from now!

As he walked past shelves, and shelves, the name Weasley caught his eye. He reached the book from its shelf and looked at the title.

"The Most Effective Ways in Using Your Joke-Shop Items, written by storeowners, Fred and George Weasley!"

The sinking feeling in Percy's heart came back again, and he put the book away. The book store held no more comfort. He would've stopped at the Leaky Cauldron, but he was afraid someone would recognize him and say, "Look! There's Percy Weasley! Betrayed his family I heard!" And the sinking feeling would come back.

As he hurried along, thinking of these things, he hardly realized where he was going, until he ran into a woman in purple robes. They both fell over. The woman's shopping bags scattered everywhere.

"Oh dear! I'm so sorry ma'am!" he said, his face turning red. He hastily tried to help the woman pick the products up.

"It's ok. I should have watched where I was going anyway."

There was something in the voice that was dreadfully, yet wonderfully familiar. Both stopped what they were doing and stared at each other at the same time.

"Penelope!"

"Percy!"

For a long time, they sat there at a loss for words.

"What are you doing here?" Percy at last managed to say.

"I…" she looked away and began to clean her things again.

"Penny, you have to tell me…"

"Let's talk… let's talk somewhere else. Where's your home? Can I see it? Can I go?" she asked.

"What about your… your husband?"

Her eyes stared up with a horrible, fiery glare.

"Don't talk to me about that bastard!"

Percy was quite taken aback. Penelope had never cursed so before.

"Ok, ok. Let's just… go to my apartment…"

They both headed out of Diagon Alley. Both had forgotten about Apparation. As Percy walked down the streets next to his long-lost girlfriend, he felt a most peculiar feeling. Penelope was in London!

They walked into the apartment in silence, until they reached Percy's room. Percy took his key and unlocked the door. Penelope stepped in, and kicked off her shoes. Percy did the same.

"I'll go get some tea. You can just sit down for a moment," Percy said awkwardly.

As he strode into the kitchen, he thought how long it had been since a girl had been in his apartment. Never in fact. He hadn't dated any girls since Penelope had broken up with him. So this was the first girl in his apartment.

He poured some steaming tea into two cups and walked out into the living room, where Penelope was sitting.

They sat together, in silence for another long minutes, sipping their tea without a word.

Penelope broke the ice.

"Have you been dating?" she asked sharply.

Percy looked up.

"No… I haven't as a matter of fact…"

"You haven't got over…?" Penelope's voice trailed off.

"I have…"

Yet it was not true. Percy realized he could never quite get over it.

"Then how come you haven't been dating?"

"I can't. I just can't. I can't talk to girls like I used to. Besides, no one would want to associate with me."

"Why not? Percy, you're a wonderful guy! And I know, I know some people think you're boring, but you know, they don't really know you! You have to find someone who will care!"

Percy looked away. She didn't know the horrible crime he had committed.

"Percy, you're hiding something. I know it. You tell me."

"Penelope… I, I turned on my family," he said slowly, his eyes on his feet the entire time.

"What do you mean? You wouldn't…"

"I did."

This time he looked up.

"I told them they were a bunch of fools for believing Dumbledore. I chose to follow the Ministry. I chose to leave and never contact them again. Look at all the mistakes I've made! How can anyone want to care about me? I have no family, no friends, no girlfriend… I'm a nothing! I'm a nobody! I just go fired from my job! I'll be dirt poor. You see how screwed my life is Penelope? You see that?"

Penelope stared at him.

"I don't know why, I don't know why I was so stupid! I was just… just arrogant. I thought they'd be proud! But they told me I couldn't… and I got really mad. And I'm in this big mess that I can't get myself out."

Penelope rose. Percy's heart sank. She was going to walk out, he knew it.

"I'm going to help you. I'm going to help you out," she said.

"You can't Penny. Nothing can help me. I'm done. My life isn't worth anything. I might as well… just… I might as well just go and die."

"Don't think that Percy! Don't you ever think your life is not worth anything! Believe me, I've been through it! You can't let yourself ever think that. Everyone's life is important! Everyone's life has meaning, and yours has meaning and I know it! I can see it! I knew it from when I was dating you, and I'm going to help you realize just how important your life is. You don't try and suicidal things! You push that thought OUT of your head! I don't want you ever EVER saying things like that again! Life has meaning!"

Percy stared, listening to all this, soaking it in. What had gone on with her and her husband? Penelope had changed. She was different. It must have been something to do with her husband.

"I need to go Percy, but you swear to me you won't ever think that your life is worthless, go on, swear it!"

"I swear it…" Percy said meekly.

"Good."

With that, she walked out, her shopping bags swinging beside her.

Percy looked at the door for a long time after Penelope left. He hadn't even got to find out what her phone number was, or where she lived, or what the heck she was doing in London. He sighed, and turned on the TV again. The pictures flashed at him once more, but he was not soaking it in.

He was thinking about what Penelope said, about how his life was not worthless. That it meant something. Did it? What did it mean? What was the purpose when everything was going so horribly wrong?

My life is worthless… Penelope can't change that.

He shook the thought away. Penelope had made him swear. He wouldn't break a swear. Especially a swear Penelope had made him agree to.