An Unexpected Meeting

Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize

Warnings: None

Decided to post this today, because I just finished my final exams today!

Percy combed his fingers through his fingers again. It was risky, meeting the gang in the open (even though it wasn't a public place), but also there was less chance that people would pay attention to them. He cast a Tempus for the fifth time in as many minutes.

Just then, Pansy plopped down in front of the tree opposite him.

"Hey Perce. You look impatient," she said, a smile tugging at her lips.

He felt a responding smile spread across his face. "Just thought you might have forgotten," he replied, letting a smidgen of his insecurities to shine through in his words, even as his tone was playful. One of his biggest fears was being forgotten by people he loved. He felt his heart squeeze as he thought about how much he trusted and loved his adoptive family. They were a bizarre family, sure, but they were close, and they trusted each other with everything.

Pansy picked up on his insecurities (as always), and reached over to hold his hand. "We'd never forget you. Even if our memories of you were Obliviated, we would still remember the feelings we associated with you."

Percy smiled. "Thanks."

Pansy nodded. Their 'family' was close enough that they didn't need to keep secrets, no one would judge each other, and they didn't need words to talk to each other.

Some twigs snapped, and Draco and Blaise came into the clearing together. Blaise had been staying with Draco for a week. It was part of an exchange program going on between the pureblood families who abused their children. One parent would send their child to another parent for a week, then both the children would go to the first parent. When a child had a friend to worry about, they were less likely to act out.

The four exchanged greetings, then Draco said, "Theo won't be able to come today. He's staying with us this week, and Father was quite rough with him last night. Daphne's with him now."

Percy looked worried. "Is he going to be alright?"

Draco nodded. "It's not fatal, he'll just be incapacitated for a few days."

Percy inclined his head. "That's quite a lot of children at your place. Are you all going to three more different Manors after this?"

Blaise shook his head. "My father, and Theo's father, both owed Lucius a favour. He requested that we go to his house for a week. After this, Draco will go to the Greengrass Manor, but not to ours."

Pansy looked troubled. Ever since Parkinson Snr. had been sent to Azkaban, she had felt guilty that she had not had to suffer with the rest. She hadn't wanted to get out of the system if no one else came out. After a few hours of talk, the 'family' had managed to convince her that it was for the best, and she could actually help them from outside.

Percy broke the silence. "So, how was your week? Compared to your average week, of course."

Pansy nodded slightly. "It was good, although Oliver is a bit too enthusiastic and touchy. It sparked a few flashbacks, but I managed to get through them relatively quickly. He's very… animated." This prompted a laugh from the others.

"Yeah, it wasn't too bad. Things are always better when you have other people your own age with you, you know? I mean, I love Elodie, but I can't talk to her about some things. And she's so young, you want to preserve her innocence, even though you know she doesn't have much innocence left," Draco admitted.

Blaise cracked a smile. "What Draco said, except for the part about Elodie, of course, since I don't have any younger siblings. How was yours?"

Percy pursed his lips. "It was pretty good. Some nightmares, some conflicts, but not too bad."

A mischievous spark came to Blaise's eyes. "Any bone aches? Heart pain? Are you hard of hearing? You're getting old, you know."

Percy rolled his eyes in mock frustration. "I'm only 5 years older than you. And I'm about a decade younger than my parents."

Draco shrugged. "You know the average age of death for Slytherins is 19 years old, right? You are 20. You're a grandpa, since the Sorting Hat wanted to put you into Slytherin, the only reason it didn't was because you begged it not to. You do remember why the Sorting Hat sorts people into Slytherin now-a-days, right? You haven't forgotten? They do say memory's the first to go."

Percy shook his head, smiling. "I'm not that old, you know. And yes, I do remember the Sorting Hat's criteria for sorting students into Slytherin. They're children whose parents use magic to abuse them. I'm not that old, and you know I have a photographic memory. Its probably better than yours."

Draco grinned. "Just making sure. How's your family? Still just as disorganized and chaotic?"

A shadow fell across the center of the clearing. "We're only disorganized and chaotic when Percy here does something to make us disorganized and chaotic. Percy, what are you doing talking to these Slytherins?"

Percy's head whipped around, shocked. "Bill, what are you doing here?"

"Our whole family is here, apparently. Just with different people."

"Bill! Where are you?" they heard Molly shout.

"I'm here, Mum! In the clearing with Percy and a bunch of Slytherins."

"What?" Molly and the rest of the Weasley family arrived at their clearing (and secret meeting place). "Percy? What are you doing with them?"

Percy opened his mouth to speak, but Ron beat him to it. "You traitor! What are you doing taking to them? They're a bunch of filthy Death Eaters! Does that mean you're one of them? Huh?"

Percy's eyes flashed. No one messed with or insulted his 'family' without severe consequences – if not immediately, in time. "Yes, Ronald. I am one of them, but no, I am not a Death Eater, and neither are any of them."

Molly's eyes filled with tears. "How could you say that, Percy? How could you side with them? Will you leave us?"

Percy closed his eyes in pain. "I can say that because it's true. And yes, if it comes down to you or them, I will choose them."

Molly gasped, and the tears spilled over.

"Percy!" Pansy gasped. She knew how much Percy loved his biological family. He had, after all, condemned himself to a lifetime of torture to protect them.

"It's true, and you know it. I will always choose you over them, if I have to."

Arthur stepped up, his voice steely. "Percy, you need to come with us. We need to discuss this as a family."

Percy looked furious. "If you're just going to tell me that I need to choose between you and them, then I'm not going. They're my family."

Arthur's brows drew together in fury. "How dare you talk to me like that! I am your father, and you will treat me with respect."

Draco chose this moment to cut in. "Maybe he would if you showed that you deserved the respect."

Arthur frowned. "And who do you think you are to tell me that I do not deserve my son's respect, when your father is one of the most dishonourable men I know?"

"I don't deny that my father is dishonourable. However, you are not the best person I have ever met either. You discriminate against me and all other Slytherins, and you teach your children to do the same thing. You try to control your son's friends, even though he is an adult with an extremely important job. Do you know how much he contributes to the Ministry? Do you know how much work he puts into making sure that this world does not fall apart at the seams? Do you…"

"Draco," Percy interrupted quietly. "That's enough."

For a moment, it looked like Draco would continue talking. However, with a look from Percy, the blond stepped down.

"Dad, I know you're upset about me hanging out with Slytherins and choosing them above you, but the truth is, they're my family too. They may not be yours, but they're mine, and nothing is going to change that. If you want to kick me out of the Burrow now, feel free to."

Arthur opened his mouth to speak angrily, but Molly put her hand on his arm. "Arthur, please."

Arthur pursed his lips, then nodded. "You may stay at our house, but if you disrespect me or anyone in our family again, I will not hesitate to throw you out."

Molly's eyes looked tortured, but she stayed silent.

Percy hesitated, then nodded in acceptance. "Very well."

"Now that that drama is over, Percy, we need to go. Father is expecting us back in about 5 minutes," Draco broke in.

Percy nodded, then pulled the two boys into a hug. "Stay safe. Look after each other, and tell Theo and Daph that I said hello."

Blaise grinned mischievously at Percy. "Don't worry, Perce. I can look after both of us just fine, seeing as Draco seems to have lost his sense of self-preservation."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Is this something I should know about?"

"No," Draco said quickly. "It's not important anymore. Good luck with your family situation! Let me know how it goes. See you next time!" The blond dragged Blaise out of the clearing. Blaise turned around to wink at Percy. "Don't listen to him. Remember to drag it out of him next time!"

Percy shook his head, a fond smile present on his lips. This was what family was like. Pansy laughed out loud at the antics of her childhood friends. She turned to Percy, her eyes alight with joy and happiness. Percy's heart jumped as he saw the expression on the girl who was like his daughter and his sister at the same time. It had been so long since he had seen that expression on her face. "Well, Perce, I should probably go back soon. Oliver has a hard time realizing that I can take care of myself. Last time, he nearly called the Aurors. You might want to talk to him about it. Anyway, let me know when you want to get together again. I can get in touch with the others easily enough."

Percy grinned at her, then pulled the girl into his arms. "Will do. Stay safe."

"You too." With those closing words, she apparated out of the clearing.

Percy turned to face his family with no small amount of trepidation. "Well, what are you doing in a forest in the middle of such a sunny day? You should be having a picnic at the Burrow or something."

Bill's expression was tight. "We were going to have a picnic in the forest, see if we could find certain types of butterflies. Turns out that we found you instead. Do you want to explain how you know these people?"

"It's a long story, and I can't betray their trust like that."

"Funny, I thought that betraying our trust was what you were just doing. Are they more important to you than we are?"

Percy hesitated for a minute. "I don't know," he finally admitted.

Bill's face contorted in anger. "Get out of here."

Percy didn't try to argue. He walked out of the clearing, his head held high even though he just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. He didn't stop, even when he heard Molly's stifled sob.

Whew! This chapter took a really long time to write. I just couldn't get the reactions of the Weasley's down correctly.

On different note, I'm currently working on a full, novel-length novel. Now, I have a newfound appreciation for people who manage to write stories that are 100+K words! I'm hoping to put it up sometime in the next year or two, but I want to finish and perfect it before I post anything. Or maybe I should put up the first or second draft, then edit the story and repost it? What do you think?

Please let me know what you think of this and if you find anything that can be improved.