The wrong impression
Summary – The tale of what happened to Percy between the events of the 4th and 5th Harry Potter books. Spoilers. Short and to the point.
Inside summary – Okay, so everyone I know that has read the 5th Harry Potter book are all like 'How could JK. Rowling kill ------!" And, "Red and George were the coolest!" And, "So THAT'S why Harry had to return to his Aunt and Uncle's every year!" Or various versions of what I said above. But the one comment that striked me most was this one:
"Percy is such a bastard for doing that to his family, isn't he?"
Or various versions of that above.
Now, at first after I finished reading the 5th book, I couldn't help but agree. But then I began to think differently about Percy. I began to think way back into the previous four books to get some answers, and eventually, an idea came to mind about 6 or so months ago. Over those 6 months until now I've been pondering it in my spare time, and I think I've come up with an answer as to just why Percy did what he did. I hope you enjoy reading this, and maybe make you think twice about Percy as well.
Summer was always a wonderful month for outdoor people, but cursed by indoor people as being far too hot. Percy was not one of the curses, that's for sure. He enjoyed the outdoors as much as he enjoyed the indoors, but it really all depended on the situation. Right now, however, as he walked out of the Minister of Magic him self's office and walked past one of the enchanted windows, Percy was going to enjoy the last rays of the sun when he got outside.
But as he looked around, he found no sight of his father in his office on the next floor. A little confused, Percy stood there for a moment, pondering. Usually his father would always wait for him so they could return home together, but then he saw a note on the desk. Moving forward, Percy reached out and picked it up, and he read it:
Urgent memo Perce,
Head home without me.
Will be back soon,
Dad
Percy shrugged, crumpled the note and then headed out to the Apparition points in the first floor. He was feeling just a touch hurt that his father would not hear his news early, but squashed the foolish emotion with reasoning. His father had urgent work; that was fair enough.
It was extremely lucky, however, that Arthur Weasley was not at his desk that evening.
After Percy arrived home, he breathed in the familiar smell of his mother's excellent cooking. He stripped off his cloak and hung it on the rack next to the door, grinning to himself. How proud would his mother be, when he told her the news? He wondered if his brothers would be pleased too, or if they would be indifferent. But it didn't matter. He felt so good at the moment, and he took in another deep breath, puffed out his chest and headed into the lounge room.
"Hello, Percy!" His mother called from the stove. She was cooking a pasta dish this evening, and the only others in the room were Ron and Fred. George, it transpired, was in his room getting something, and Ginny was outside feeding the chickens. Mrs Weasley smiled and said, "Welcome home! But where's your father, dear?"
"He had an urgent Memo, so he is tending to it." Percy replied, and then continued, "And I have news!"
"Oh, really?" Molly looked curious. "You look much happier than you have been these past few weeks."
"Did you get a new law passed on Cauldron Bottoms?" Fred asked while Ron snickered.
Percy scowled at them for a moment, before his smile returned. "No, but I've been promoted!"
"What's this?"
At that moment, Mr Weasley walked into the room. He looked more tired than usual, but he glanced at Percy and said, "You've been promoted? Where to?"
"I've been promoted," Percy said smugly, looking around at the family members (George coming down the stairs and Ginny coming back in from outside) "to Junior Assistant of the Minister of Magic!"
The reaction to most of the family was surprise. While Percy had been extremely loyal to his superior in his first job, he had not made a brilliant impression on the Ministry of Magic. He had over-looked the fact that Mr. Crouch was not himself (many believed him to be mad) and that he should have informed a superior about his condition. To get a job like this was a big position for someone only a year out of Hogwarts. But his father's face fell, and he surveyed Percy with a frown.
"Junior Assistant?" Mr. Weasley repeated.
Percy nodded proudly, but then he faltered slightly in the wake of his father's serious look.
"Father?"
Arthur surveyed his third son, and wondered why he was starting to feel angry. Of course, the fact that Percy got such a big job after the incident with Crouch, he should have congratulated him. But then another thought hit; why did Fudge promote Percy in the first place? There was only one logical answer: it was to use Percy as a spy.
He cleared his throat and looked at Percy, "I don't think it's a good idea to accept that job, Percy."
Percy was a little shocked. He had expected his father to be pleased with him for getting such a good job!
But of course, hadn't he always been the one who was left out? Wasn't he the one who never fit in?
Darkness …Light …
Ever since I had been small, I was always an outcast from the family. Bill and Charlie were the first to go to Hogwarts before me, and they set the example we were all supposed to follow. Charlie got Quiddich captain and Bill became a Prefect, then head Boy. But then, they were as different from me as a different family. Yes, Bill was always so cool and fun. And Charlie was so great with animals.
Where did that leave me?
Uptight, fussy-about-rule-breaking Percy I was, and still am. Never as cool as Bill, never as approachable as Charlie, never as funny as Fred and George, never as … whatever Ron is. Awesome, I guess … never as beautiful as Ginny.
I tried to make myself an individual among individuals, but I never fit in even so.
Where does that leave me?
He turned to face his father.
"Why not?"
"Oh Percy, isn't it obvious?" Arthur snapped suddenly, anger coming into play. The rest of the family stared at him in shock; it was normally only their mother than shouted. "He's trying to use you!"
"U-use me?" It was much unlike Percy to stutter when speaking, but that was when his emotions were well controlled. And right now, he felt an overwhelming anger start to bubble as his pride was hurt at his father's rejection. "Fudge wouldn't use me!"
"He's trying to use you to get information about us," His father said angrily, pacing, "and Dumbledore! And the Order!"
Everyone in the room knew how it was at the Ministry at the moment. It seemed that Fudge could not come to accept that Lord Voldemort was alive and kicking, and everyone who was in league with Dumbledore was going to get kicked out. Fudge suspected the Weasley's, and although they had not had any threats handed down, it looked like Fudge had found another way to use them in Arthur Weasley's eyes.
Percy looked like he had been punched in the face. And then the dam of anger in his chest exploded.
"I don't care about the stupid Order!" He shouted. "I come home with a great job, and this is what you tell me! I can't believe this! You know what?" He glared at his father. "I've had to struggle against your lousy, muggle obsessed reputation ever since I arrived at the Ministry, and when I finally get a good job, you scowl at me?" He breathed heavily. "I know, you're jealous aren't you, dad!"
Does my family not want me? Fred and George seem to enjoy making the mickery out of me, and Bill ALWAYS tells me to shut up! I thought he at least would understand me … but no, I guess not.
I never really saw myself as a victim of abuse. Am I? Or am I just overdoing this a bit? I was treated right, right!
"I am NOT jealous!" His father replied, flaring up. His family members backed away, looking scared. They had never seen him angry before; not like this.
"You have no ambition, that's your problem!" Percy jabbed his finger in his father's direction. "None at all, and because of that is the reason we have no money in this house!"
The sheer hurt of this accusation swept over them all. Mrs. Weasley gasped in shock, not even noticing that the fire on the stove had gone out from cooking the pasta and sauce. The boys all glared at Percy, and Ginny had her hands over her mouth.
Arthur Weasley's anger seemed beyond words. His fists were shaking, and he looked like a man who wanted to brawl with the other in front of him.
"How dare you." He growled lowly.
But Percy was totally unphazed by his father's anger. He continued to shout. "You're an idiot to hang around with Dumbledore! He's just leading you all on this lie that You-Know-Who is back, just because the famous Harry Potter said so!"
"Harry SAW him return, Percy!" Arthur roared back. "He saw You-Know-Who with his own eyes! And Dumbledore believes him! That should be good enough for you too!"
"He's just an attention seeker! And at least I know where my loyalty lies, and that's with the Ministry!" Percy ground out in return. He puffed his chest out and declared, "And if you're going to run around with Dumbledore and become traitors to the Ministry, then I'm not related to you anymore!"
That night was one of the worst in the Weasley household. Percy ran upstairs and started packing his things with one well placed charm, and headed out the door within five minutes of his shouting match with his father. Mrs. Weasley started crying in her husbands arms, and the rest of the family sat in a state of shock. While they had not practically liked Percy as much as they liked each other, he was still their brother. It was appalling to think that Percy would say such things to his own father.
The sun fell that day on a broken heart.
Lies. None of you loved me. You all hate me..
Percy was in such a fury that he didn't stop to really think until he had moved into his apartment in London. It was then the anger of his torn pride faded and he really thought about what he had done.
He hadn't meant it. Really, he hadn't. But he couldn't help but think of anger when he looked at his father's reaction. If his father had of been proud of him instead of angry, he could have said that he would not spy on his family for Fudge. Even though he was highly ambitious, he would not sink to the likes of the Malfoy's and put his family on the back burner. They were as important to him as his job was, making money was, and they were his true home. He didn't really realise just how much it hurt that his family acted like they did until a while later at this point. And it was even now he could not face his father without feeling angry.
It's MORE than that, isn't it Percy? More than that indeed. You're running away from the truth and nothing more.
During that year, his mother had tried to talk to him several times. And although he kept a stern face as he slammed the door, his insides squirmed with guilt. His mother had done nothing wrong, but then she hadn't told his father to back off either. In Percy's opinion, she was just as bad for doing nothing as Arthur was for yelling at him.
He had heard that his father had almost died in an attack by something. A snake, he heard. But Percy, although the part of his mind that was not clouded by pride screamed at him to visit, the most part of Percy thought his father deserved what he had got. Even so, he didn't really believe this … not fully. No one deserved to die, and if his father died without him every apologising, then that would be a sorry occasion indeed.
Christmas arrived, and when Percy woke up he found the usual package from his mother not unlike the ones he was sent when he was at Hogwarts, barely a year and a half ago. But he could not bare to open it, so he sent the owl that had brung it back without a note or explanation.
I promise, he vowed, as he watched the owl disappear in the sky, that when father apologises, I will return. I am sorry, mother.
He put his head in his hands with a sigh. If someone had of been watching the fight between him and his family, they would have remarked that it was frustrating to deal with male pride.
You hate me.
Afterword: I'm going to leave this here, as I want to know if there will be any word from Percy in the 6th book due out this year in June. If not, I'll continue from where I left off. Now, I hope that sheds some light on the complexity of the issue, and that it wasn't just Percy's fault that he left home. Yes, I pity the uptight pole-in-the-bum :P
Enjoy! Any questions, just post them in a review with your e-mail and I'll get back to you:D
Second afterword: Thankyou to the reviews I received on this. I have added and edited some parts to add more depth to the story and polish it up a bit. Hopefully I can keep editing this so I can really perfect it as much as possible Thanks for the support:D