Mandy - thanks for the review. Glad your still enjoying the story.
Annibal - the "mission" is explained in this chapter. Let me know what you think about how I handled it as I'm curious what you think after your last review. Gave me something to think about. Thnaks for the feedback.
Zoran - thanks for the enthusiastic review. It really helps me keep going and your right, this does take place in the second book although I'm not going to bring in too much of what goes on in that book. And just so you know - Bill gets mentioned!
ChandlerLover - glad you found and are enjoying the story.
"Who's stupid idea was it to keep people from Apparating onto the Hogwart's ground anyway," Molly fumed as she and Arthur rode in a horseless carriage from Hogsmeade. They had Apparated to the wizarding town just as soon as the problem Arthur had been handling had been resolved.
"You know its for the protection of the children Molly. It always has been," Arthur said softly putting an arm around her shoulders.
"I just want to already be there," Molly said resting her head on her husband's shoulder. "What if its worse than the last time Arthur?"
Percy had been sick twice over the summer. The second time had been touch and go for awhile. Molly had hardly slept, she had been so worried about her third born. After a week of little naps here and there, she had finally crashed for twenty-four hours straight when she knew her son was going to be okay.
"Charlie's there with him already," Arthur told her. "And Percy's a fighter. He'll get through this. You'll see."
He was trying to put on a strong front for his wife, when really he was feeling exactly the same as she was.
"We'd be there already if it wasn't for your brother William," Molly said bitterly pulling away from her husband. "When are you going to stop bailing him out every time his irresponsible nature lands him in hot water. There's no doubt in my mind where Fred and George get it from and I'll be damned if they're going to turn out like your no good brother."
Arthur bit his tongue to keep from replying. This wasn't the first time they had argued on the subject and he didn't want to get into one on the subject right now. They had enough to worry about without arguing. Molly wasn't about to let the subject go though. Harping on her brother-in-law gave her something else to worry about other than her son.
Their father, William Sr., had been a part of the Order of the Phoenix, who had fought against Lord Voldemort. He had been one of the earlier victims of the Dark Lord and the first of the Order to be killed. Their mother, Anne, had taken his death hard. It wasn't long before she got ill, and still grieving the loss of her husband, hadn't had the will to even try fighting it. Arthur and William watched as their mother got weaker and weaker.
Arthur had already been out on his own, five kids of his own, the twins being only a few months old, when she had passed away. William was only fifteen and the loss of both parents had hit him harder. Arthur had never forgotten the last thing his mother had asked him to do for her. Right before she had passed away, she had asked Arthur to look out for William. It hadn't been something she had to asked of him, but Arthur had promised her he would. Arthur had taken that promise seriously even though it had ended up causing major complications in his life and his marriage.
"And that lame excuse you had me use," Molly said. "Secret task for the ministry. Really Arthur. Everyone knows your in the Misuse of Muggle Artifact department. How top-secret can you really get. You might as well have told them you were once again bailing your no good brother out of trouble that he got himself into. They should throw him into Azkaban, might do him some good."
Arthur sighed.
"Molly I think this family has had enough publicity recently what with the Daily Prophet going on about the enchanted car bit. If they got a hold of this, if they found out that my own brother was caught in the crime of Muggle-baiting, they'd have a field day with it. Do you really want to put the kids through more ridicule like that."
Arthur had finally thought his little brother had straightened out his act. He had received a letter from William at the end of August telling him that he had started a business with a couple of friends. They had started a hardware shop in London. It had seemed like a respectable, responsible venture. William however, had gotten bored. One of the services the store had provided was making keys. Always up for a good joke, William had decided to bewitch some of the keys he made. The keys would seem normal enough when the Muggles had picked them up but after they had gotten them home, the keys would periodically sprout legs and walk off, maybe coming back later, or in other cases just staying "lost".
It hadn't taken long for the Improper Use of Magic Office to catch wind of what was going on. It wouldn't have been to much of a problem if this had been Williams first offense, but it hadn't been. William had been caught several times. Like the times before, Arthur of course had went to bat for his brother. He had gone to Malfalda Hopkirk herself. He had known Malfalda for years and she had quickly hushed everything up and had decided to handle William's inquiry herself.
Only thirty minutes ago, earlier than had been expected, had Malfalda finally told them her verdict. She had decided not to press formal charges, however she had made it very clear that continue violations of magic law would result in more serious punishments. In addition, she had sentenced William to a year of community service which she would personally pick. Arthur had the feeling it wasn't going to be anything pleasant but anything was better than prison time.
Telling William to stay out of trouble, Arthur and Molly had quickly left the Ministry of Magic for Hogwarts. Arthur just hoped that the whole incident could continue to be kept quiet.
"He's twenty six years old. You would think William could take care of himself. Bill does, and he's two years younger than William. Its like we have another child only this one won't grow up."
"Molly, I promised our mother . . ."
"I know," Molly said with a sigh. She slid closer to her husband again and put her head on her husband's shoulder. "I'm just worried about Percy."
"We'll be there soon honey," Arthur told her slipping an arm around her shoulders as he watched the passing countryside.
"Ron where are you going?" Hermione asked as she and Harry and Harry followed Ron out of the their classroom.
"The hospital wing."
"What if Madame Pomfrey still won't let you see him?" Hermione asked trying to be the voice of reason.
"I'll make her let me see him," Ron said determinedly not breaking his stride. "Fred and George saw him. Charlie's with him. Even Ginny got to see him. I'm not going to be the only one not allowed to see him," he told her. "Especially not after I heard George and Fred talking this morning. They said they haven't ever seen Percy this sick and it got pretty bad this past summer."
Ron stopped talking. He couldn't voice his next thoughts. Couldn't voice the guilt he'd feel if the last time he had spoke to Percy. He had been angry and he regretted saying what he had said when Percy had found them outside of Myrtle's bathroom.
"Listen, we never laid a finger on that cat."
"That's what I told Ginny, but she still seems to think your going to be expelled, I've never seen her so upset, crying her eyes out, you might think of her, all the first years are thoroughly overexcited about this business –"
"You don't care about Ginny. You're just worried I'm going to mess up your chances of being Head Boy –"
Ron regretted those words now. He knew Percy did care about Ginny. Cared about all of them, even if he did have a strange way of showing it at times. Yes, Percy cared about being Head Boy but deep down Ron didn't believe that goal was more important than his family. It couldn't have been. If it was, Percy never would have gone out to find George and Fred before Snape and McGonagall could find them.
"Stop right there," came Madame Pomfrey's voice as the three of them came into the hospital wing.
"I want to see my brother," Ron told her, even though he had come to such an abrupt stop at the sound of her voice that Hermione had almost run into him.
"Fine, but you other two need to wait here," Madame Pomfrey told Harry and Hermione. "Your brother Charlie is with him," she told Ron nodding toward the curtains.
Ron nodded, a little stun. He had expected more resistance from Madame Pomfrey after yesterday. With a last look over his shoulder at Harry and Hermione, Ron walked in the direction Pomfrey had indicated.
Reaching the curtains, Ron pulled them back and walked into the area it had blocked off. Right away Ron could hear his older brother's labored breathing. Charlie was sitting in a chair by the bed. He looked up when Ron came in.
"I was wondering when you would stop by," Charlie said softly as he reached out and took the cloth off of Percy's forehead. He dipped it in the basin of ice water, wrung it out and replaced it.
"How's he doing?"
"Not good," Charlie replied looking up at Ron seriously. "He hasn't really woken up since I got here. Mom and Dad should be here by tonight."
"I'm surprised Mom isn't already here."
"Yeah, well there was a situation with Uncle Will," Charlie told him.
Ron nodded. He knew that was a subject that he didn't want to bring up around his parents as their mother tended to fly off the handle at the mere mention of Uncle Will.
"What about Bill?"
"The goblins are giving him a hard time about getting time off. He's asked that we send him regular updates, speaking of which, I should probably send him one again. Can you sit with him for a few minutes while I go up to the owlery?"
Ron nodded. Charlie got up and left leaving Ron alone with Percy. Ron didn't know why he was so nervous but he was. Timidly he walked over to the chair Charlie had vacated, and sat down. He wanted to apologize, but wasn't sure Percy would even hear his apology even if he could find the words to do so.
Instead, Ron just reached out and took one of Percy's hand in his own. He sat there until Charlie came back and then he went and rejoined Harry and Hermione, who were still waiting for him. Together the three of them headed for the Great Hall.