June 1996
Audrey had a sale in Scotland. Later when the dust had settled figuratively and literally, Percy would remember thinking it was possibly the best thing that had happened to him that week.
Audrey was in Scotland, and Percy was alone in his flat fast asleep when he was abruptly and rudely woken by a loud noise. He reached for his glasses and his wand. His wand instantly stopped wailing. The wards on his office desk that he set every night when he left had been breached. The wailing of his wand was caused by the ward failing. Someone was in the Minister's office. Percy scrambled out of bed, hastily exchanging his pyjamas for casual trousers and a shirt, before throwing on a robe and some shoes and apparating away. He had no notion of what he was going to do when he got there, but he'd think of something.
To his surprise, he found the entrance to the Ministry bustling with Aurors. The Minister himself was stood with a robe thrown over his pyjamas demanding to be let through the crowd to enter the Ministry. Percy immediately joined the Minister.
"Minister Fudge, how can I help?" Percy asked.
"Ah, Weasley. About time, come with me. The Ministry is under attack!"
"Under attack Minister?" Percy said visibly paling.
"Yes!" Fudge declared. "The Aurory came to collect me, Lucius flooed me as well asking if he could assist. I suppose he heard it from someone. I told him no, of course, now is the time for decisive action. I suspect that we'll find that Dumbledore's vigilante group is behind this. That man!"
Percy said nothing but dutifully followed the Minister into the Ministry. They got no further than exiting the lift. Minister Fudge was correct Albus Dumbledore was present, and a quick glance around the edges of the room showed Percy that it was likely that the rest of the Order of Phoenix would also be there. Harry Potter could be seen crouched to one side as Dumbledore duelled a figure clothed in black robes. Percy's eyes swept the room again. There were black-robed, silver-masked figures duelling the Aurors while avoiding being dragged into the main duel between Dumbledore and his opponent. Words were exchanged between the pair, and a blast of magic sent them flying apart before the dark robed figure along with a wild-haired witch disapparated away.
Percy observed the wreckage of the atrium. Slowly the shock wore off allowing him to hear the conversation between Dumbledore and Fudge. Fudge blustered as Dumbledore coolly regarded him. Then with Harry Potter in tow Dumbledore left.
"Minister." A cool, smooth voice came from behind Percy. Fudge turned. "Might I offer my assistance in any way Minister?" Lucius Malfoy stood there not a hair out of place his robes immaculate, but Percy noted his feet were shod in mismatched slippers.
"Lucius, thank you. I think however we have everything under control. I shall owl you if I require anything." Fudge blustered.
"Indeed, Minister. My door is always open to your owl." With a bow, Malfoy smoothly moved towards the lift.
"Oi, is that Malfoy?" A voice called out.
"Yes," Fudge snapped at the Auror who was hurrying over.
"Stop him!" the Auror called out.
"What? Why are you detaining Mr Malfoy?" Fudge demanded.
"We've had reports he was involved in what happened tonight, Minister," the Auror replied glancing between the Minister and the departing lift.
"Nonsense," Fudge snapped. "Mr Malfoy flooed me from his home not fifteen minutes ago, how could he be involved? He was merely offering his help."
The Auror looked unconvinced. "Still we'll have to question him."
Fudge stared at the man in outrage. The Auror stood firm. "He's been involved with the likes of He Who Shall Not Be Named before. A floo call is hardly a solid alibi."
"I think you'll find Mr Malfoy was exonerated of those charges, and if you are casting aspersions tell me why the Ministry of Magic was broken into by Albus Dumbledore and his group of vigilantes, including school children. Is the Aurory unable to defend against children now, Auror Wigglesworth?" Fudge replied scathingly.
"No sir," Auror Wigglesworth replied before moving away sending resentful glances back over his shoulder.
"Weasley," the Minister snapped. "I have to make a statement to the press. Get the department heads here and get a report from the DMLE. I want the full tally of the damage and the names of those responsible."
Percy nodded and moved away as Fudge marched over to where reporters were trickling into the Ministry, alerted that something was going on. They fillled the destroyed atrium with the excited chatter and shouted questions.
Percy continued robotically in his assigned task, his mind reeling with what he had witnessed. You Know Who was back and had been duelling Dumbledore in the atrium of the Ministry.
It was starting again.
The clean-up in the atrium didn't begin until the Minister had made a statement and it was a damning one. Having no choice, Fudge admitted that You know Who had returned and had been responsible for the events in the Ministry that night.
Percy's report detailed the damage to the atrium and the Department of Mysteries. The Hall of Prophecy was recoverable but the Hall of Time had suffered a catastrophic loss. The Death Eaters that had been apprehended by the members of the Order of the Phoenix and the Aurory were named and shipped back to Azkaban that night.
Percy made his way to his office finally remembering the ward he set on his desk had been breached causing him to come to the Ministry in the first place. Nothing in his office looked amiss, but the door to the Minister's office was unlocked. Concerned, Percy entered the room. Nothing seemed out of place. The portraits were all empty as the former Ministers spread out watching the ongoing events. Puzzled but too tired to think on it further Percy absently swept his wand at the fireplace where a small trail of floo powder lay on the hearth. The spell gathered up the floo powder and returned it to the pot.
The Minister's floo was the only floo in the Ministry that was not monitored and able to connect to floos outside the Ministry network. It made little sense however that anyone would bother breaking into the Minister for Magic's office to simply use the floo.
Percy returned to his desk and dropped into his chair with a tired sigh. He'd heard enough of the gossip along with the reports he'd gathered. He'd write up the official report and leave it on the Minister's desk. He didn't know when Fudge would return to his office. If he would. The Ministry had spent the year discrediting Dumbledore and Potter only for the Minister to be proven wrong in a manner utterly irrefutable. It would take some slick manoeuvring on Minister Fudge's part to survive the storm. That meant that Percy would have to keep abreast of all the gossip and news going in and out of the Ministry as best he could to advise the Minister. Not that Fudge had ever appreciated the work Percy did.
A Ministry memo sailed through the door landing on Percy's desk. The bright green of St Mungo's. Percy picked it up, and the magic folded the aeroplane flat. A glance down and Percy groaned in disbelief. Madam Umbridge was in St Mungo's. Percy got to his feet. He would have to go to the hospital and find out what happened. Percy crossed to his floo straightening his robe as he did so. A pinch of floo powder and he was whirling away in the green flames.
Madam Umbridge was not well. She would be resigning her post as High Inquisitor of Hogwarts and Dumbledore would be reinstated effective immediately. The memo was sent out to the press to ensure it was included in the next edition that was going to print. Percy arranged for the Undersecretary's work to continue to funnel through to his desk, and Fudge distractedly authorised his plans. When Percy made it home after a full day's work he immediately fell into bed to sleep off the worst day he had had in his albeit short career.
The fall out of the Department of Mysteries resulted in Fudge losing his job to Rufus Scrimgeour. Lucius Malfoy was arrested and released due to the alibi Minister Fudge provided and the investigation proved that Lucius had flooed the Minister from Malfoy Manor. Percy didn't quite believe that Harry Potter who declared loudly and to anyone who would listen, that Mr Malfoy was present at the Department of Mysteries, was lying this time. But saw nothing would come of him throwing his voice behind Potter's.
Scrimgeour, on the recommendation from Fudge, chose to keep Percy in his role. A decision Percy was grateful for, but understood was as likely motivated by Scrimgeour not being able to replace him that quickly. Percy didn't care, he still had a job and the small hope that Scrimgeour would be able to put in motion the actions needed to squash You Know Who and the Death Eater movement before war descended upon them once more.
September 1996
Hope that Scringemour would have more pull than Fudge when it came to policy died shortly after the events of June.
Percy had read the proposed Marriage law and scoffed at the logic behind it. He held fast to the belief that this monstrous bill that he heard debated in the Wizengamot would be quashed when it came to the vote. He was mildly horrified that it was discussed at all, but had found detailed in the records that every ten years or so someone promoted the idea. Percy cleaved firmly to the thought that this was yet another one of those times. That it would be shot down and that the society he lived in would not do something as insane as force witches to marry against their wills.
Percy went home to Audrey and in the act of self-flagellation brought up the topic of arranged marriages with her. Her resulting scathing opinion was a comfort and a real concern. The Muggle-born did often leave their families behind and fully immerse themselves in the wizarding world, but they did not forget the principles that they were raised with. In a society that did not make it easy for them, assimilation was rarely without its challenges. It seemed to Percy that pushing this law onto the Muggle-born would cause a riot.
Percy was set to be disappointed. The bill passed and was brought into law on the first of September, and a riot was not forthcoming. Percy scanned the reports that crossed his desk looking for details of arrests of Muggle-born witches not adhering to the law, but found none. It occurred to him that Hermione Granger would be caught up in this law and he was curious as to who exactly she would choose from the raft of suitors she would likely receive. Percy remembered she had looked quite pretty at the Yule Ball and in the photographs the Daily prophet had printed of the event.
Curiosity drove Percy into the Department of Records after work, when the rest of the Ministry staff had left for the night. He told himself it was plain curiosity and it was likely there was a betting pool already set up. He wouldn't be doing anything that the overseeing department wasn't already doing.
There was an advantage to reading all the reports that crossed his desk. He knew where the files were being kept and the Ministry worker who oversaw them. He let himself into the office and approached the desk of Mr Thomas. Percy sifted through the files on the desk until he found the right one. Flipping through the list, he found Hermione's name. Surprise and concern filled him. Draco Malfoy was listed next to her as the only applicant.
Percy hadn't been in Hogwarts for a few years, but even he remembered the animosity between the younger Malfoy and Hermione Granger. He couldn't believe that Draco Malfoy had overcome his prejudice and somehow come to love or esteem the Muggle-born witch. Percy flipped the file closed and asked himself why he was here. Why was he looking into the records of a witch he neither knew well or had any real connection to? She had been present at family gatherings and had visited over summer. They had shared a handful of conversations about the wizarding world. He had answered her questions and offered his guidance where he could when they were at Hogwarts, but that was it. Why did this bother him so much?
Percy put the folder back, making sure everything was as it should be and left the office. He was the Minister's aide. He could do nothing in this situation. He did not believe for one instant that his family were going to allow her to marry the Malfoy scion. If he interfered then he might spoil whatever plan they had, they certainly wouldn't tell him of any. Percy nodded to himself once as he made his way out of the department and to the exit. He would wait, watch, and the Order would resolve this so Miss Granger would be kept from the likes of the Malfoys.
January 1997
Percy was under massive pressure. Despite the very public split from his family, it seemed that when Harry Potter and Hermione Granger disappeared it was conveniently forgotten. He was grilled for any knowledge he might have about the pair over and over.
He had hoped that the Order had a plan to save Hermione from marriage to Draco Malfoy. He had expected to see the announcement of her marriage to Ron, or another of the potential candidates the Order would have drummed up to save one of the best friends of the Boy Who Lived. He had not expected them to disappear. He had certainly not expected it to be reported that they had done so seemingly without anyone knowing about it. How exactly did two underaged teenagers disappear from the wizarding world?
The Minister fielded as many enquiries as he wanted to then pushed the task of repeating the same trite lines onto Percy. In light of the total lack of information coming out of the Ministry, the press decided to make up outlandish tales of a soul bond between the pair. Percy read the news concerned that there might be a grain of truth in the articles. If the Ministry were accused of trying to separate a soul bonded pair, the fallout would be disastrous.
The news, however, seemed to be aiming for a peak of ridiculousness with no consideration of the likely truth. It wasn't until the orders crossed Percy's desk for the Minister to sign that Percy realised that Hermione Granger had become a fugitive from the British Ministry of Magic.
At a loss of what to think he spent the evening on the sofa with Audrey, his book laying unattended in his hand.
Sensing his disquiet, Audrey turned the television off. Percy lost in thought didn't notice her observing him. Audrey let ten minutes pass then nudged him none too gently.
"Are you going to tell me?"
"Uh? Pardon?" Percy said coming out of his revery.
"Are. You. Going. To. Tell. Me?" Audrey said patiently.
"Tell you what?"
"Whatever it is that has you off in your own little world. You've been stressed and off for months now Percy. What is the matter?"
Percy pushed his glasses up to his hair and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his free hand. Pushing his glasses back into place he smiled sadly at Audrey. "It's work, and you're right I've been distracted by it for a while now. I'm sorry if I spoiled Christmas I know I wasn't at my best at your parents."
"It's alright," Audrey replied. "I told Mum and Dad you had trouble at work. But will you tell me about it? Or as much as you can?"
Percy looked away wondering if there was any way he could explain anything that he was dealing with without sounding insane or breaking the law. A gusty sigh escaped him, and he shook his head. "Sorry, I can't tell you details. My department is under a lot of scrutiny, and it's been going on since last September if not June."
"You're not in danger of losing your job, are you?" Audrey asked carefully.
"No, I don't think so. My boss resigned last June, and his replacement seems disinterested in replacing me as long as I do my job."
"Oh, Percy, you didn't say."
Percy shrugged. "It was rather sudden and my new boss, well I thought perhaps he might be better, but I'm not sure he really is and its just more work for me. I've been working late a lot recently, and I'm just tired."
"Oh, well, perhaps if you want, we could do something? Maybe take a weekend break? Just a Saturday and Sunday with one overnight somewhere?"
Percy tugged her a little closer and rested his cheek on her hair. "That sounds great. Where are you thinking?"
Audrey hummed. "Well how about somewhere like Prague? We could get a flight out there I believe that it's under two hours."
Percy considered the idea. Just up and leave for the weekend. Be in another country in two hours time and leave the mess that was the British Wizarding World behind.
"The flights won't be expensive," Audrey offered as a further enticement.
Percy considered a little longer. "Do you have a brochure with the hotels listed or something?"
"No, but I can get one tomorrow. So you fancy it then?"
"Yes," Percy said decisively. "Yes, let's do it."
As he sat on the taxiing aeroplane, he felt the jolt of realisation run through him. Hermione Granger was Muggleborn. She would be familiar with Muggle travel. She would know about flying on aeroplanes. Percy mentally marvelled that it hadn't occurred to him before now that Hermione might have made her escape by Muggle means. It was all but certain that she was no longer in Magical Britain. She might still be in Muggle Britain, but Percy considered that she would have weighed that risk against the consequences of being found in violation of the law. He wondered as the plane engines became louder and the plane began its ascent into the sky, if anyone else in the Ministry had put the pieces together. If they had found proof that she had left the country.
Percy glanced out of the window, and further thoughts of Hermione Granger fled from the forefront of his mind. He watched the ground fall away at a rapid pace and roll past beneath them. Percy was flying. He was flying on a muggle aeroplane. He let a small smile of delight slip across his face. Aeroplanes, who would have thought that Percy Weasley, pureblood, sacred twenty-eight blood traitor, aide to the Minister for Magic himself would be the first of his family to get on an aeroplane.
Percy felt strangely at home in Prague. The architecture was a mix of styles which he found familiar and comfortable. Parts resembled that of Hogwarts with it's gothic turreted and spired castles and buildings. The Baroque, Renaissance and Rococo styles of the Manors of the upper echelons of Wizarding society bragged about were present in the buildings. Cobbled streets wound between the buildings. Percy wandered down the streets arm in arm with Audrey, looking at the offerings of the tourist shops and ducking into alleyways to find the less travelled paths. Percy stared in fascination at the Astronomical clock until Audrey dragged him away complaining of the cold. Percy allowed himself to be led away but kept an eye out for a place where he could cast a discrete warming charm on them both. The warming charms proved pointless as they climbed the hill to Petrin Tower then up the stairs to the observation deck. They agreed that it was worth it but would take the cable car back down the hill.
By the time they were flying home, Percy was feeling much better. He could do no more than he was doing and when it got to be too much, he had found someone who was happy to drag him out of his own head and enjoy his company. Percy took Audrey's hand and squeezed it. "Thank you," he said. "For this weekend. I really enjoyed it and I'm also very thankful you've put up with me for as long as you have."
Audrey returned the smile. "You've not been that bad, just distracted and a little unhappy. I'm glad this has helped. I've always wanted to go on a mini break. And Prague was beautiful in the snow. But I'm pleased that we'll be back home before the Valentine hordes descend."
"Speaking of Valentine," Percy replied thoughtfully. "To allow me to make up for my inattention. Would you consent to spend the evening with me?"
"Of course," Audrey replied instantly. "I'd like nothing better. Will we go out or stay in?"
"I'd like to cook for you, but afterwards we could take a trip to the cinema?"
"That sounds perfect."
"Then that's settled," Percy said satisfied settling back in his seat to stare out of the window at the sky they flew through as they returned home.