School: Mahoutokoro

Year: 7

Theme: Heritage [Write about a character's origins and how they became the person we know from canon.]

Main prompt: [Event] Elevator ride

Additional prompt: [Quote] "The version of me you created in your mind is not my responsibility."

Word count: 3096


A/N: A huge shoutout to Lun, Sophie and Liz for helping me with this story! It would be nowhere close to this without their input.


Ron let out a yawn. It was way later than he had planned to leave. He needed to break the pattern of leaving his paperwork till the last minute.

He closed his eyes and tried to relax his shoulders till the lift arrived. He wondered if the stretching classes Harry had enrolled in upon Hermione's insistence were any good.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by the ding of the lift. Ron was surprised that he wasn't the last person left at the Ministry. Even Hermione had her limits on Friday nights.

"Percy," he said with a small smile as he entered the lift.

"Ron." His brother nodded back in acknowledgment.

The empty lift looked far bigger without any other occupants in it. The doors closed and they stood in silence for a few seconds. Ron grapled for a topic to talk about.

"So... late night in Transportation?" Ron asked.

He checked the buttons to make sure his brother was heading towards the Atrium as well.

Percy looked over at him, as if surprised Ron wanted to converse. "The Floo networks to Belgium have been glitching for the last two days. Some Ministry officials have landed in the wrong city entirely."

Ron held on to the overhead handle while leaning against the far left corner of the lift. "I wouldn't be surprised if you were enjoying every second of it, though"

He saw a brief flutter of surprise on Percy's face before he shuttered down his expression. He wondered if his brother had taken up Occlumency at some point. Percy had never been very expressive, but it also hadn't been difficult to read his emotions when they were younger.

"The complexity of the issue is challenging. It's not dull, I won't lie." Percy remarked.

The Weasleys had breathed a sigh of relief when Percy had left his last post to take up a position more academic in nature. Percy's position in the Department was to work with anomalies and the skill based job suited him better. Politics weren't for the Weasleys, as their father had remarked frequently.

"And you? Paperwork keeping you back this late?" Percy asked.

Ron nodded.

He was a sharp contradiction to Ron, with his back straight, hands in pockets despite the fact that they were alone in the lift.

A sudden jerk had his shoulder colliding against the wall behind him. The lift stilled and the overhead lights flickered momentarily.

Rubbing his left shoulder, Ron cursed, "Bloody hell!"

Percy, who stood closer to the button panel, pushed the Emergency button a couple of times. "It's quarter past nine. I don't think anyone from the maintenance department would be here at this hour."

"Wouldn't be surprised," Ron muttered. He checked his robe pockets to make sure he was carrying his emergency kit with him. The paranoia from the war had never left, and neither he, Harry or Hermione went anywhere without a stock of supplies on their person.

"Anyone waiting for you?" Ron asked Percy.

"No, not tonight," he said with a frown.

Ron sighed. "Harry is away at Wiltshire investigating a robbery and Hermione is out with Ginny for a girl's night. I doubt anyone will be reporting our absence tonight."

He plopped down onto the floor, noting how Percy kept frowning at it. There were a few scuff marks on the floor that would be cleaned first thing in the morning and the steel was not very comfortable to sit on but he didn't see any other option.

"You're gonna stand there all night?" Ron asked him. Percy sniffed and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, and placed it on the floor.

"Wha—oh!"

With a deep focus that Ron himself would never achieve Percy transfigured his handkerchief into a small armchair.

"Well that looks comfortable." Ron scratched the back of his head. He was good at the regular, small transfigurations but he knew he'd never have the skill to turn a handkerchief into an armchair. At least not a comfortable one. Even if he managed to transfigure it into resembling one, he was sure the springs would poke him in the bottom or the foam wouldn't be firm.

"Give me yours." Percy held out his arm.

"Huh?"

"Your handkerchief. Or anything you feel you wouldn't need now."

"Oh, ya..."

The next minute had Ron sitting on a plush, comfortable armchair.

"Thanks mate," he said, grateful for the thoughtfulness.

He started tapping his fingers against his thigh. He wished he had Harry's old Nintendo Game Boy. He wondered how the device had survived all the years of abuse from Dudley and was still functional.

Percy settled down opposite to him and Ron felt uncomfortable with the awkward silence.

Great, how were they supposed to pass the entire night?

Surprisingly, it was Percy who broke the silence first. "George tells me that you've been helping him."

Ron knew George and Percy discussed business sometimes. After Fred left, grief had brought the two brothers closer.

Ron shrugged. "Can't call it 'help'. I just give him ideas for the business."

"You seem to be good at marketing strategies. When George was experimenting with the Golden Brollies, he himself wasn't very sure if they would sell well."

Ron felt his ears turn red.

"I think George just needed to understand his prospective clients. Once you figure that out, half of the sales are sorted," Ron explained. He was pleased he could help out in some way.

Percy nodded. "From what I have read, Muggles focus a lot on this part of the business."

"Really? George wasn't very sure, but I felt confident it would work."

Percy hummed. They both lapsed into a brief comfortable silence, Ron ruminating over his other ideas for the shop and Percy—well, Ron had never been able to figure out what was on his brother's mind.

"What are you doing here, Ron?"

Ron blinked at him. "You've got to be more specific."

"What are you doing at the Ministry? As an auror?"

Despite Percy's earnest tone, Ron felt his hackles rise. "For your kind information, I'm a pretty decent auror and Robards says—"

"I never said that you weren't decent."

"No, but—"

"On an average day, an Auror employee is tasked with forty precent paperwork filing, twenty percent fieldwork, thirty percent report framing and debriefing and approximately ten percent strategy planning. At least these are the statistics observed postwar. During the 80s and 90s being an Auror was a top-tier job…it was in demand. Now that all Death Eaters have been captured and the war has ended, the significance and need has dropped. For someone like you who excels in planning and strategy, I feel your potential is wasted here."

"Your first year as an Auror was demanding from what I remember. There were a few Death Eaters to capture and many loose ends to tie. You enjoyed your first year. What about now?"

Percy didn't wait for his answer.

"Are you still invested in this? From what I have observed, you are always thinking about increasing the sales of the shop. And you seem to be good at it too. Better than George definitely."

Ron sat in silence and tried to digest Percy's observations. Percy was sitting against the armchair, his posture as relaxed as it could be without slouching. Despite his relaxed posture and calm words, Ron felt that his brother had been waiting for an opportunity to enlighten Ron with his observations. There had been a slight hint of urgency in the words that Ron could notice.

"So, you think I should leave the Ministry?"

"I'm not telling you to leave the Ministry. I'm reminding you of the options you have. You don't need to decide now, but you may want to consider it."

"You always were good at giving advice, weren't you?" Ron huffed.

"Hmm, I guess?" Percy shrugged.

"Stop being humble. I can remember the number of times I couldn't get through the day without taking your opinion," Ron said, thinking back to their childhood.

Percy was silent for a moment. "I don't know…All that seems awfully long ago."

Ron immediately wished he hadn't said anything. He cursed himself for making the situation awkward.

"Well yeah…It was a long time ago. Back when you weren't prissy and judgemental, and deemed me smart enough to talk to you." He fumbled for the right words.

Even though Percy had neither attacked nor blamed him in any actual way, he felt the need to defend himself. But as soon as the words were out, he regretted them.

He saw a flicker of irritation across Percy's face. Percy opened his mouth to say something but then snapped it shut. Ron waited with bated breath for Percy to reply to him.

"I never judged you for anything. Don't put false blames on me," he said quietly.

"Didn't you?" Ron asked with a scowl. The haze of anger had taken over and his loose tongue had started making decisions instead of his brain.

"If you're so insistent, please remind me when this happened?"

"You just… you just left for Hogwarts only to return and think yourself to be on a high pedestal and ignore me."

"That's not true and you know it."

"It is!" he exclaimed, while a small voice in the back of his heads asked, 'Is it, though? The argument felt immature on his end but he couldn't get himself to stop now. All the years of doubt and betrayal had flared up to the surface. "I know."

He remembered that period when the two had started withdrawing from each other. Ron knew his insecurities were to blame in some ways, but Percy too never put in any effort to mend things.

"The version of me you created in your mind is not my responsibility. Besides if anyone was judgemental here, I think it was you." Percy sniffed.

This time Ron controlled his tongue. He didn't want their already fragile relationship to be damaged beyond repair. He needed to think before speaking. Merlin knew he was grateful that his friends had accepted this flaw of him—loose tongue and all—and still loved him. He cringed thinking back to his Hogwarts days. He had yet to forgive himself for treating his friends the way he did, especially Hermione.

In some ways, he knew Percy was right. They had had something beautiful that got fractured along the way. Part of the cause was perhaps miscommunication, their insecurities and maybe Ron's fragile ego.

That day when he had abandoned his friends during the Horcrux hunt, he had Apparated to Percy's. Ron had been surprised at the unconscious Apparition. Percy had been shocked to see him.

Ron had stood there at his doorstep, struggling to find words before muttering a nevermind and Apparating to Bill's. They had never talked about it.

"You're right," Ron whispered hoarsely, "I think I am to blame in some way."

Ron wondered if Percy could hear how rapidly his heart was thudding. He hadn't prepared himself for a confrontation tonight.

Apparently Percy hadn't expected that answer. He stared at Ron with a dumbfounded expression that he hardly ever wore.

"That's it?" Percy asked when he had regained control of his emotions.

Ron stared at him dumbly.

"That's all you have to say?" Percy asked with a frown. "After years of..." Percy cut himself off. "Forget it."

"No, say it. Say what you were going to say." Ron demanded with clenched fists.

It seemed like Percy had been waiting for years.

"You are so insensitive, Ron! After everything, everything, you said words that you knew would hurt me. It was as if one day, you decided you didn't like me anymore, so you cut me out from your life. Tell me what the fuck happened because I can't figure it out."

If Ron would later think back to the most difficult moments of his life then this would have been one of the toughest. He could hear the hurt in Percy's voice. Ron's jaw ached with how hard he had clenched it.

Both of them had had a difficult childhood. With a mother who was kept on her toes by her two ambitious elder children, a pair of very mischievous twins and a beloved daughter, she hardly had any time for Percy and Ron.

Percy because he was so quiet and diligent since childhood. Always heeding the rules and doing his best to be perfect. Ron because… well there always were more important matters on Molly's hands.

Their father had been much too busy toiling at his job, making sure his family had food on the table.

And so with just a few years between Percy and Ron, the two had formed a bond.

Until it had broken.

And now Ron didn't want to make the same mistake.

"I'm sorry. I… after your first year at Hogwarts I thought you did not much—prefer my company. I didn't want you to feel like I was a chore."

"You never asked if I felt that way." Percy had his arms crossed tightly. "You just made a unilateral decision."

"You didn't put in any effort either," Ron countered weakly.

Percy remained silent, staring at a spot above Ron's head.

If he thought back to his younger years, Molly always tasked Percy with Ron's care. And Percy happily complied, partly to feel he had a purpose in the family and partly because Ron actually liked his company.

Ron was attached to Percy as he was the only person who actually gave attention to Ron. Unlike Fred or George, who always wanted to prank him. Or his baby sister, who wanted to pull his hair. Charlie and Bill, at one point became too old to be patient with the smaller kids or were away at Hogwarts.

Both brothers found a sense of belonging in each other. Ron had come to rely on Percy's advice as a child. Given the lack of attention from his parents, he was always a little lost, which made him a perfect target in the twin's eyes. Their pranks and taunts would have been harmless if not for the deep fear and insecurity that Ron harboured as a child.

Some days when he had sleepless nights, Ron wondered how their unbreakable bond ever became so cold. So distant.

On days when their brothers were boisterous or pranking each other, the two would lock themselves in a room and play chess. Ron recalled when for weeks and months Percy had tried to make him improve his writing. Pages after pages of forced practice and still his writing had been nowhere close to Percy's elegant style, until one day both gave up and laughed about it.

And then when Percy had been back from his first year at Hogwarts with perfect grades and praise from his teachers, Ron had felt a deep sense of fear that he would never live up to his family's expectations.

So, he closed up little by little. He started to join in on teasing Percy, the way Fred and George used to. He was aware that it was wrong, but it was easier.

Once Harry and Hermione had come along, their relationship came to resemble that of friendly strangers.

"That day when I had Apparated to yours during the war—I wanted your guidance. There were many moments when I wished I could come to you," Ron said with a quiet voice..

"Good that you didn't." Ron looked up at his brother. "We both had lost our head back then, hadn't we?"

Ron wanted to crack a smile but his muscles felt like they were stuck. "Yeah," he rasped instead.

They lapsed into silence, looking anywhere but at each other.

"Do you think we could go back to how we were?" Ron asked after some time.

Percy shrugged. They didn't exchange any more words, both too strung out with emotions.

Eventually Ron fell asleep, only to be woken up by the lift moving again.

The lift halted at the Atrium where a pair of Maintenance workers greeted them. It was five in the morning.

"Sorry for the inconvenience. Ya'll okay?" one of them asked.

The two of them nodded and made their way towards the Floo as quickly as they could. They baid each other a hasty goodbye and departed for their homes to analyse the night before.

Ron knew that the damage wouldn't mend overnight, but he couldn't help but be glad that the matter had been addressed.


Ron headed over to the Burrow at around noon.

"Ron? Oh that's a lovely surprise. You lot hardly drop by to visit your mother. I have made some grilled fish and veggies. Tell me how it is." Molly said as she ushered him inside.

"I'll not deny food," Ron said with a grin as he entered the kitchen behind his mother.

"You should have brought Harry along as well. Merlin knows he needs to eat more. Always working, that poor child."

"He's on field work now, but why don't you pack some for him?" Ron asked as he leaned against the kitchen counter while Molly began to reheat the lunch. "Seems like there is more than enough."

Having to cook for a family of nine, Molly Weasley had forgotten all about portion control. Even when all the kids had moved out, there was much more food than she and his father could eat.

"Can you do me a favour, mum?" He asked her.

Molly narrowed her eyes at him. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Can you bake me some apple pie?"

Her face brightened instantly. "Why, of course!" She beamed at him. "But since when did you start liking apple pie?"

This was the question he had planned to deflect but the truth tumbled out of his mouth.

"Not for me. I'm going over to Percy's later today. Thought I'd bring some of yours, given how much he loves it."

"Oh?" Ron avoided her gaze as she paused her stirring to look at him. "That's a lovely idea, Ron. You hardly ever visit him. The two of you were inseparable when you were younger. I'm sure he'll love it." Molly remarked fondly.

Ron nodded lost in thought. He didn't want to keep his hopes high. He hadn't even asked Percy if he was free. He was afraid that last night was a one time thing and Percy wouldn't want to do anything with him, but he could no longer let the matter rest.

He had hope that he could get his brother back.


A/N: I wish it were longer and I could add more, but I had to stick to the word limit. Thanks for reading!