Mr and Mrs Percy Weasley

by SingularOddities

Percy met Audrey during a trying summer for Percy. Their relationship developed and eventually, they married and had children. This is a look at their story set over the course of events of the war and afterwards.

21. Confessions

21st February 1998

Kingsley arrived at McGonagall Lodge late that night. An elf had been dispatched to see if Minerva would allow him entry and had returned with one of Minerva's elves in tow.

It was late, he should be going home, but there were questions that he wanted answers to. Answers that wouldn't wait in until morning. Not if he planned to get any sleep which he would need, if he were going to navigate the next few weeks.

The elf deposited him in the hallway and indicated the library. The warm glow from under the door assured Kingsley someone was waiting on him. Minerva and Severus were both in the room, John Granger with them.

"Good evening," Kingsley greeted them and settled in a chair regarding the three people. "I am sorry to interrupt, I would like to ask your opinions and I hope that you will indulge me."

Kingsley waited for the collective response of acceptance and curiosity before asking. What do you think of Percy Weasley?"

"Percy?" Minerva asked puzzled. "Haven't you been working with him?"

"Yes," Kingsley allowed. "But not intimately. That will obviously change now I've taken up the Minister's role, but I wondered what your opinions of him were."

They exchanged puzzled glances between themselves before John quirked an eyebrow at Kingsley.

"Ambitious, idealistic, but not naive. He's helped Fred and George extensively with keeping their business open in the face of the pressures brought to bear on them by the Ministry. Percy is exceptionally well informed on how the Ministry operates. Organised and a bit of a perfectionist according to Audrey. He's also honest to a fault, depending on your point of view," John said. "He's hardly a coward considering what he's done and risked. It's not run head first into danger courage though, it's the courage of standing up for your principles and accepting what may come because of it."

Kingsley looked at John in surprise. "I hadn't thought you had spent so much time with him."

"I haven't, but I've spoken to Audrey quite a bit and Fred and George, Harry and Hermione. They've all spent time with him, I was just summing up their words."

"Percy is intelligent," Minerva offered. "His grades were excellent at Hogwarts. His NEWTs while not record-setting were certainly high enough to be proud of. He held the position of Prefect and Head Boy and was commended by other members of staff on his diligence. Perhaps seeing as by the time he attained Head Boy his elder brothers had left home he didn't get the recognition he deserved from his family for achieving the positions, but he never seemed to hold it against them. He was able to ferret out what the twins were up to better than most. In fact, once Percy left the staff noticed a marked increase in the trouble the twins were causing. I understand that the issues with Percy's career only drove a wedge between him and his family once the dust settled from the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Although I confess to not following his career at the Ministry at all."

Kingsley nodded to Minerva acknowledging her words then turned to the dark wizard who had remained silent.

"He's got a cool head on his shoulders," Severus said. "He'll think a problem through. He extracted himself from a meeting where Riddle was present without causing offence or causing a scene."

"What?" Minerva demanded. "What was he doing at a Death Eater meeting with Riddle?"

"Thickenesse was evidently annoyed by him and thought to demonstrate his power and standing."

"Oh, Merlin."

Severs shrugged. "He made his apologies to the hostess, flattered her and made his excuses and left unscathed. It could have been worse. The event ensured that Riddle was aware of who he was. If we hadn't won the day, it is likely that he would have been approached by those with more clout than Thickenesse. The Dark Lord valued competence. Especially capability that came from a line of pureblooded wizarding family, he would have been offered power, authority, money."

"When was this?"

"New Year."

"Then yes it could have been significantly worse," Kingsley said.

"Percy is hardly Death Eater material," John objected. "Despite what his mother seems to think Percy doesn't subscribe to the dogma of the Death Eaters."

"No," Kingsley said shaking his head. "I didn't mean that. Perhaps Percy can explain better, but as far as I understand it, he is the only wizard in Britain up until my swearing in as Minister that could wield the authority of the Ministry of Magic. And has been so since Scrimgeour left office. You see my concern wasn't him joining up, it was that Percy was and still is a valuable asset to whichever side he throws in with. I don't know if he has any Occlumency, but being in the presence of Riddle while being the only wizard to be able to control the Ministry of Magic is perhaps not a situation that was best for the health of either Percy, or the wizarding public."

"What do you mean?"

"As I said, perhaps Percy can explain it better. I can safely say I barely understand it. If we can ask him to join us?"

"Yes of course," Minerva replied calling for Stitches and sending the elf off with the message. It did not take long for the younger man to appear at the door.

"Minister? You requested my presence."

"Sit down Percy, get yourself a drink. And drop the title, it's been barely an hour."

Percy nodded and moved to comply. Once he was seated, Kingsley addressed him. "I have a few things I want to speak to you about in regards to recent events, and the situation moving forward. I was nominated to take over as Minister for Magic by the Wizengamot as you know. Upon my appointment, I was asked if I would take an oath of office. Prior to recent events, I had no knowledge of what oaths of office truly meant until you, Percy, chose to enlighten me. By doing so, you allowed me to take control of the Aurory unchallenged. The oaths bound everyone to the common cause and to my orders when issued as such. You did this I assume as a show of good faith when we first met."

Percy nodded."The oaths would resolve several issues you were facing. The loyalty of your department was no longer in question. The leaks would be stopped as they swore to confidentiality as pertains to Auror business. It would allow you the latitude to act on behalf of what Fred and George called the Secret Order."

"Percy, I took the oaths. I'm a sworn in Minister for Magic."

Percy's shoulders slumped in relief.

"Thickenesse didn't take them, did he?" Kingsley enquired.

Percy shook his head. "Scrimgeour, they had him on something, though I don't know what. He resigned his post before Christmas. He was a sworn Minister. He didn't tell them about the oaths. He speculated that Thickenesse wouldn't be taking them because it's easier to get rid of a Minister not sworn in, or they weren't aware of what the oaths involved. As you are aware, they have fallen out of favour with most departments other than the Department of Mysteries which still operates at the highest levels of secrecy. Either way, Scrimgeour chose not to inform them. He granted me permission to act in his stead before he resigned and gave up his oath."

"When do you think you were going to mention you were the only wizard in Britain with access to the wards that control the Ministry of Magic itself? When, Percy, did you think you would have mentioned that you locked every single person in wizarding Britain out of the Ministry of Magic itself yesterday while we took to the field against Riddle. If you had died on that field Percy, we would not have been able to access the Ministry whether we had won the day or not." Kingsley levelled an inscrutable look at Percy.

Percy shook his head. "If it had gone badly, we would have needed somewhere to pull back to. The Burrow would be of no use, the Orders headquarters was secret kept by Dumbledore, and he wouldn't have allowed it even if it was able to hold everyone. The Ministry has room to spare. We could have pulled everyone in, we could have sheltered everyone. The Order, volunteers, innocent bystanders, the lot. The Ministry canteen is supplied by contractors, staffed by elves. We could secure a floo for supplies to be delivered indefinitely. It has an army of house elves bound to it. Riddle would have been forced to lay siege to the Ministry of Magic itself, and he would not have succeeded. It was our last option and one I am glad we did not have to use. If it had gone the other way, if we hadn't won, he wouldn't have been able to take control. Not without the oaths. If I had died, then control of the Ministry would have passed when the next aide or Minister was sworn in. If that didn't happen, then either they would have had to find a curse breaker team good enough to break them or would have had to act around them."

"But if Riddle had forced the Wizengamot to swear in a Minister."

"Then yes, he could have wrested control from me. But the Wizengamot has to be in accord and has to be inside the Wizengamot chamber to swear in a Minister. Not all of them are in his back pocket, and he still would have had to get inside the Ministry."

"When did you think you were going to mention all this?"

"Never," Percy replied. "My oaths on taking my position are to the Ministry, not the Minister. I serve it first, the Minister second. Ministers do come and go," Percy said whimsically.

"The Ministry of Magic has wards?" Minerva interrupted the conversation between the two wizards.

"Yes, much like Hogwarts. From the Minister's office, you can control everything, and I do mean everything. Entry points, access to levels within the Ministry, you can remove the locks on the holding cell doors if you so wish. The Ministry accounts at Gringotts, the staff of house elves that work inside the Ministry, power over legislation, everything. And until about lunch time today, Percy was the only wizard who could," Kingsley replied.

There was a general air of shock as all eyes fell on Percy.

"I believe Minister that that information considered as confidential." Percy said fidgeting slightly in his seat.

"I'll take their vows of secrecy in a moment then," Kingsley said.

"Merlin," Minerva murmured. "The wards at Hogwarts are complex. I cannot imagine holding the Ministry wards."

"It's tiring," Percy replied dryly. "I would ask Minister that you revoke permission."

"That I would, but I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know what I'm doing and for the next few weeks you are going to be teaching me everything. Having access means you can catch what I miss before it becomes apparent. We must look strong, or this won't take."

Percy frowned but considered the idea. "Very well."

"Thank you by the way," Kingsley said. "I am not sure that what Scrimgeour did was the right thing, but I am glad he did it."

"How much is needed to be undone?"

Percy shrugged. "Everything that was sent through official channels and approved was signed off. Everything that didn't wasn't. I put up as many roadblocks as I could, but it wasn't as much as I would have liked, however, there are some legislative proposals currently mired in a bureaucratic swamp from which extraction is difficult."

"Wait," Minerva said. "Let me get this straight, Thickenesse was put in as a puppet Minister, but since he never took the oaths of office he could never fully control the Ministry?"

Percy and Kingsley nodded.

"Because Scrimgeour gave Percy permission before he left Percy could control the Ministry?"

More nods.

"So Thickenesse wasn't just a puppet for the Dark Lord but you, Percy, could undermine him as well?" Minerva asked eying her former student.

"Yes. Much of the legislation that was introduced by Thickenesse, tried to use the emergency power of the Minister for Magic in time of war to circumnavigate the Wizengamot. To put the Ministry into a state of war, the Minister himself must intervene. You can't just declare it, and it is so. You must alter the setting to 'war' as it were. Obviously, that wasn't done, so the legislation was buried in the pile of 'to do'. Thickenesse didn't know, he assumed it was done. Malfoy's knowledge of the Ministry isn't as detailed as he'd like due to the nature of the oaths taken." Percy explained letting a small smug smile grace his lips at Malfoys lack of knowledge.

"So, it's not as bad as we imagined?" Minerva asked looking slightly relieved.

"No," Percy answered. "The worst never happened. The registration of muggle-born is illegal. The Ministry might be sued by a few, but the records can just be destroyed."

"You've been acting as the Minister for Magic." John clarified quietly.

"No," Percy shook his head. "I have never stepped beyond the bounds of my role of Minister's aide. I am quite sure of that."

"Wouldn't Umbridge as undersecretary know this?" Kingsley asked.

"Possibly, but Madame Umbridge was retired due to medical unfitness. Any access she had was revoked and her vows, like mine, call for confidentiality regarding her role. I can speak because I have permission." Percy indicated Kingsley. "I have not divulged more than what the Minister has asked of me."

"There's more?" Minerva asked with concern.

"Of course. I imagine that there is more to Hogwarts wards than easily anticipated."

Minerva nodded.

"Bill's ward, you applied it directly to the Ministry ward matrix?" Kingsley asked. "And the holding cells? They aren't temporary?"

"No. You may, of course, if you have control of the wards, alter things. But what I have done so far is permanent. The wards will need to be changed to open the doors again before the first shifts start on Monday. I have a report of who has tried to access the Ministry since the point where I locked the doors as it were on Friday."

"That is why you returned to the Ministry?" Severus asked.

"Yes," Percy agreed. "A risk I thought worthwhile. I was able to apparate into my office no one saw me."

"Then if you would, I will need to spend some time with you tomorrow, or considering the current hour later today, going through what you can tell me about the Ministry. What departments we will have to restructure etc," Kingsley requested.

"I am at your disposal Minister."

Kingsley sent a ruefully humorous look at Percy. "I suppose I will have to get used to that. But enough of that, what can you tell me about the Order meeting?"

The mood instantly shifted.

"Oh," Kingsley said perceptively. "I see, it went that well did it."

"Albus Dumbledore is certifiable," Minerva growled.

"We recorded the meeting Kingsley," John said. "Percy has a copy of the transcript. To summarise Mr Dumbledore has decided that the Horcrux within Harry has been able to take possession of his body. The horcrux was previously contained by the blood wards surrounding Harry's relatives home and the inherent magic of Hogwarts. Mr Dumbledore believes that Harry's relocation with our family has caused the circumstances to come about."

"Alright, and this is tosh, and we can prove it, can't we?"

"Yes and no," Minerva snarled. "As Albus well knows. The Order is divided there are those who have been kept slightly better informed and are aware its rubbish. Tonks, Ted, Andromeda perhaps Bill and his wife, but Molly is vocally in support of Albus as she always is, and they call me his lieutenant."

"And the plan going forward?"

"What makes you think we have one?" Minerva asked.

Kingsley laughed. "Minerva really. John, Helen, Hermione and Harry were here listening in. You, Severus, and I assume you Percy, and Fred, and George, all returned here after the meeting. That by my estimation left you with four hours to come up with something. Even if I were a betting man, I wouldn't touch those odds."

"Helen has fielded the idea that we speak to the press and set the story right," John said. "We'll get our version of events out before the more ludicrous stories can see the light of day."

"Do we have a contact in the press with a readership large enough?" Kingsley asked. "I know a few reporters but not with a readership broad enough for a venture like this."

"Yes," John replied. "Hermione has had dealings with Rita Skeeter and has been able to agree on terms with her before."

"Skeeter?" Kingsley repeated with surprise, he caught the expression on Minerva's face and held up a hand. "On second thoughts don't tell me how, that way I can deny everything should I be asked. As long as Percy is kept abreast of developments I can claim that the Ministry office is aware of what is going on without having to lie. If that is alright with you Percy?"

"Yes, Minister."

"Will the interviews do enough though?"

"They will build interest in the public domain which we are going to use to launch an investigation into Mr Dumbledore," John replied.

Kingsley choked on the sip of whiskey he had taken. "You're sending Skeeter after Dumbledore?"

"Yes," John replied sanguinely. "It's Helen's idea, Rita is rather good at what she does, and Mr Dumbledore has had a very long life."

Kingsley sent a worried glance at John. "Remind me not to cross Helen Granger."

John smirked. "That would be wise."

Sunday was given over to planning. Percy sat with Kingsley, and they went over all the information that Percy had been collecting since the events at the Burrow, the information that Severus had handed over and the progress of the Auror department. Along with what information Percy had collected himself he was willing to share with the Minister.

There would be a limited number of entrances made available come Monday morning. The entire Auror department would be split between them. Any that the ward rejected would be taken into custody.

"If we can present a front of business as usual, there will be less backlash from the public in general. While the Ministry cannot expect to have its praises sung in the newspapers will at least be shown to be headed up by those that took action," Percy said scribbling himself more notes and reminders. "You'll need to have a meeting with the department heads as soon as possible. Not only to assure them that the Ministry of Magic is operating business as usual, but also to let them know you are stepping up. The current Wizengamot schedule is light at best. While it is a travesty that the council is being so little used for the next month, you might wish to keep it that way. You are, as Minister, expected to be fully conversant on each and every issue going before the council, and it is my job to ensure that you are. I attend the weekly meetings that are held for those due in the Wizengamot the following week, and I have a report issued by the council on the issues raised etc. The minutes are also available although I usually provide a summary of those. They tend to be long, and if the council gets bogged down, they can be deathly dull."

"That's fine," Kingsley agreed. "We'll keep it as is for now then. Do I set the Wizengamot schedule?"

"Yes," Percy answered. "The Minister sets the schedule and the frequency which the council meets, although I can tell you that you will fail miserably if you expect them to achieve more than three times a week."

"Right, you can walk me through that when it comes to it I think. Set up the meeting with the department heads we'll get that done first thing as well, give them time to spread the word."

Percy snorted. "It's the Ministry, Minister, gossip travels as fast there as it did at Hogwarts."

---

6th March 1998

Percy and Kingsley sat in Kingsley's office at the end of an eventful week. Using the cover of Rita's interviews the week before, they had quietly rounded up all the remaining Death Eaters they could, along with those supporters of Riddle that were unmarked and buried within the Ministry that they had dirt on. The week of Rita's investigations into Albus kept the public riveted enough that most of the trials had been done and dusted before the public had thought to think of them. The remaining were scheduled for the next week but were few enough not to cause too many ripples.

"I've got the notes of the meetings scheduled Monday morning before the trials in the afternoon," Percy said reaching for the satchel at his feet. He'd given up trying to carry all the folders and files he needed in his arms after the first day and resorted to a satchel which had some useful charms cast on it.

"Enough Percy," Kingsley protested. "It's Friday night, shouldn't you be going home to Audrey?"

Percy shook his head. "She's away with work this week. There's a fair in Wales somewhere."

Kingsley frowned slightly. "What does she do again?"

"Antiquities," Percy said. "She works for a company that do valuations and restoration work and have a small auction house on the side. She's training to become an auctioneer."

"I knew it was something to do with furniture," Kingsley said.

Percy nodded leaning back in his chair to relieve the ache in his back from being on his feet all day, closing his eyes briefly.

"So," Kingsley said the clink of glasses bringing Percy's eyes open to look at his boss.

"So?"

Kingsley poured the drinks and pushed a glass over to Percy and raised it. "Here's to the second most powerful man in the Ministry of Magic. Without you, this last two weeks would have been impossible. We got the bastards, well most of them, and have pulled the teeth of the rest so they shouldn't be a problem."

Percy demurred. "Hardly powerful."

Kingsley sipped his drink observing Percy. "I don't know how to do this. You've been telling me what to do since I took office. Oh certainly, I've had ideas, and I've not been blindly following, but I was the head of the DMLE after being an Auror. I've no pretensions to knowing how the office of Minister runs."

Percy tasted his drink before answering. "You're the Minister. It is my job as your Undersecretary and Advisor to guide you. Until you can do it without me and then by gathering and disseminating all the information you need to run the office. I've done nothing more than I'm supposed to."

"I don't want it you know, the office as Minister," Kingsley confessed.

"Then why accept it?" Percy asked.

"Because I was the best one for the job," Kingsley replied. "Because the measures that were already in place, measures we had put in place, meant that the Ministry wouldn't crumble, and we could clean house. The tide of legislation that the Ministry has been approving that is doing nothing but discriminating against sections of our society can be turned, and we can achieve a brighter future. We're failing our future generations clinging to trivialities such as blood purity. No bloodline can stay 'pure' without risking dying out there's enough proof of inbreeding being hushed up along with the increased risk of the birth rates. The Ministry needs to be leading the charge on inclusion and acceptance, I can do that, and I already know it's something you support."

"My relationship with Audrey isn't about inclusion," Percy said sharply. "I love her. It's no more or less than that."

"You love her, and you're making a life with her despite the views of the magical society," Kingsley said.

"We're not going to be a rallying point," Percy said firmly placing his glass down. "My relationship is exactly that, mine. It's nothing to do with my work."

Kingsley held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Do you want it?"

"Want what?" Percy asked suspiciously.

"The job, as Minister."

Percy gaped at him.

"Come on Percy, don't tell me you haven't thought about it," Kingsley grinned.

"I, that is, I suppose yes, I have," Percy admitted. "But never seriously."

"Why not? You could do it. Your credentials check out, you know the way the office works, and you got here on your own merits."

Percy snorted at that.

Kingsley gave him a sympathetic look. "I know what your family said, and they were perhaps not so much misguided in their concerns as the way they expressed them. You might have moved up to the Minister's office as a way to keep track of Harry, but you stayed on the back of your hard work. Once you broke with your family, they could have buried you again. The fact you managed to keep the job and your principles, well it says a lot about you."

"I've never seriously considered it," Percy said. "Not as any real possibility and considering my choices I doubt it's something I could achieve."

"You could do it," Kingsley said confidently. "No one can doubt your bloodline or your family's allegiance."

"Audrey, she's a Muggle. They'll never elect a Minister married to a Muggle."

"Not today," Kingsley agreed. "Not even next year, but they will. We'll continue to clean house. We've got the chance to do it properly this time. Those marked can't hold Ministry jobs and everyone else we'll bind to an oath of loyalty like they used to do in the old days. We're on the cusp of a new dawn when we can push for change this time. Malfoy's gone, his blackmail network exposed." Kingsley thumped his glass down on the desk decidedly. "We're going to drag this place kicking and screaming out of the Dark Ages."

"My family," Percy shook his head.

"What about them?"

"They… well,"

"Percy, your family are loyal and have shown that blood doesn't matter. You've got connections through Minerva, Severus, your brothers, your contacts here at the Ministry. Even Harry and Hermione would support you if you asked. Your sister helped lead the contingent of Hogwarts students which had led to a political change already. Don't think for a minute these things won't matter."

"My parents are hoping I'll change my mind about Audrey, they worry about the grandchildren being squibs," Percy admitted his anger and shame at is confession colouring his voice and face.

Kingsley winced. "All your family? I thought the twins?"

"Mum and Dad, possibly mostly Mum. She asked me to lunch last Sunday. Wanted to talk to me about what the Prophet was printing and possibly get the Minister's office to come out against it."

"But we didn't," Kingsley said sending him a regretful look.

"No," Percy agreed. "We didn't, but she also didn't extend the invitation to Audrey, so I didn't go."

"Are you, ahem, planning on a family?"

Percy shrugged his face closed. "At some point but if they are magical or not, I don't care. Healthy, happy, that's important. If they aren't magical, then they'll grow up as Muggles. I wouldn't turn a child away for the lack of magic."

"We've got four years until the next election," Kingsley said. "If you don't want it or aren't ready for it I won't push, I'll take another term."

"I don't think you get to decide, do you? Since the Minister is an elected office," Percy commented wryly.

"It is," Kingsley agreed. "But we're going to use the time we have to get you ready so that I can return to the DMLE, and wizarding Britain can hold its head up again."

Percy looked at Kingsley before sighing. "I see you leave me with little choice." He raised his glass to Kingsley in salute.

Kingsley grinned. "You're welcome."