Chapter 8

Percy flinched as the camera went off, flashing in his eyes suddenly, startling him. He hadn't even been inside, hadn't even seen Fudge yet. He inched closer to Bill, keeping his gaze fixed on the ground as he walked, relying on his brother to lead him away from the crowd.

Dread welled up inside him; he didn't want to be here, no matter what Bill said about not everybody being like Fudge. He really didn't want to be here anymore. At least Oliver and his family weren't here-when Bill had brought it up, the possibility that they might be there Percy had begged him to get them to stay away. So Charlie had explained it and they had promised not to come into the trial.

But Bill had seen a few red heads and he knew who they were, they may not go into the trial room, but they would be waiting outside. Charlie had told them, very basically, that Percy was gay, Fudge had abused his position on the subject and they were suing, nothing beyond that, but his family weren't stupid, they knew it was bad, they just didn't know how bad. They were going to wait until the trial was over, and then they would probably try and convince Percy to go home with them.

That was what Bill was most afraid of, after this Percy would be… for lack of a better word, shattered, he wouldn't be able to cope with the entire Weasely clan descending in force.

Bill pulled Percy away from the waves of reporters-he could easily feel his brothers fear. Ignoring the press, all of whom were asking the most outrageous questions about what the case was about, the details had been kept under a tight lid. But as with any legal case against an 'upstanding' citizen, and none other than the minister of magic the press was going to be sitting in on the trial. So the whole story would be in every paper by late afternoon.

And while he was greedily hoping Fudge would be very embarrassed by the press coverage he could foresee Percy being hurt a lot more. And that was something he didn't want. He half-wished Oliver was here with them, but he was waiting, very nervously in Bill's house, honouring his promise that he wouldn't come. Nothing had happened so far between them, but it was obviously on the cards, and pending the outcome of the trial held a lot of stock in when it was going to happen. Bill was impressed by his self-restraint really; it had been obvious he wanted to come along, if it had been him, or any of the other Weasely's they would have been there, regardless. Maybe it was good Percy had someone who honoured his wishes like that.

Bill steered Percy into the court, closely followed by Charlie and they took their seats at the front, watching the reporters taking notes.

-After the trial- (I am in way good enough to write a trial scene)

Bill shot a fiery glare at Fudge, his eyes narrowing to slits when the former minister of magic looked Percy up and down in disgust. With a hand on Percy's back he propelled him gently forwards and out of the court chamber, then Percy froze. Bill followed his gaze.

"Oh damn!" he snapped softly.

The whole family; their mother and father, Ron and Ginny were standing there, watching them, their expressions set in varying degrees of anger, shock, distress and in his mothers case, face hidden in hands, crying. Percy, of course, took it to mean the opposite of what it did and he started to shake worse than he had when he had been on the witness stand.

He looked so torn, like he didn't know whether to run or stand and take what he assumed was coming to him.

"Charlie, take him back to Oliver." Bill said quickly. "I'll be straight there after I sort things here."

Percy looked up at him, that childlike fear in his eyes made Bill want to march right up to Fudge and rip his head off. How dare that bastard get off so lightly--after everything he'd done how dare he!

Charlie gently tugged Percy's arm, pulling him away from the crowd--the reporters ignored them just them because Fudge had walked out and they were clamouring to get a statement, and over to a guarded fireplace designated for the use of those participating in the trial.

When they disappeared, Bill turned to his family. "Could you have looked anymore unwelcoming?" he spat.

"What?" his father asked after a few tries.

"He thinks you're disgusted with him-would it have killed you to have smiled and hugged him maybe?" Bill took a deep breath to calm his rising temper. He was angry at how light Fudge had gotten off, not really his family. "Why did you have to look at him like that?" he asked finally after a few moments of awkward silence.

"The twins-we didn't realise they'd gone in until it was too late, they came out before you did, they told us some of the things Fudge did--we didn't have time to think…" his father trailed off.

"I should never have listened to you! Where is he Bill? Where is my poor baby?" his mother said, the stubborn Weasley look in her eyes.

"Mum, if you went to him now it wouldn't help. He wouldn't listen, in the space of three seconds he managed to convince himself very firmly that you hate him, I'm sorry mum, but if any of you went to him now, it would make him worse. Please, just give him space, and give me time to talk to him." Bill looked at her pleadingly.

With a defeated sob, she nodded.

"Thanks mum." He said, drawing her into a hug, he kissed the top of her head. "I'd better get going, stop the withdrawal before it starts."

He was walking away when he heard his mother said quietly. "Tell him to come home Bill, tell him I want to see him."

Bill smiled. "I will mum."

When he had disappeared, Ron finally found his voice enough to ask. "Where are Fred'n'Goerge?"

The Weasely twins had vanished after telling them what had happened to Percy, and no one knew to where.

Bill was practically accosted by Charlie as soon as he landed in his fireplace. "Bill, come on, talk to him! He's barricaded himself in his room and he won't listen to us. Oliver's trying to talk to him now, but… Bill come on, fix this!"

Bill was at the door to Percy's room before he had time to blink, Oliver levelled him with a pleading stare. Bill knocked the door, turning the doorknob. Locked. "Percy, let me in."

Nothing.

"Perce, come on, open the door and let me in. just me, we need to talk." He said, with just a hint of older brother authority. He tried the door handle again after a few seconds. It opened. He stepped in, blocking the view of the room from the other two and closed the door behind him. "Perce?" he asked softly.

Percy didn't look up from where he was curled up on the bed, arms wrapped securely round his knees; his wand was lying beside him. Bill sat beside him, moving the wand to the side and pulled Percy into a half hug.

"Ok, so how about you tell me what's wrong?" Bill said quietly.

"You know what's wrong." Percy said, his voice surprisingly bitter.

"No, I don't, so tell me."

Percy pulled away, his eyes shining with tears. "I am what's wrong Bill! Me! What I am!"

Bill studied him and had to smiled, so very sadly. "Oliver's the same Percy; he's gay, just like you."

There was no flicker of surprise, so Oliver had told him about that.

"It's not the same." Percy said, deflating, letting himself slide to the floor. "It's just not the same."

"And why not?"

"Just because." Percy whispered, he rubbed at his eyes in an attempt to make his tears go away. "He's Oliver… nothing can ever be wrong with Oliver."

Bill tried, rather vainly, to follow his brother's very warped logic. "Percy, there is nothing wrong with you. Fudge was a bastard; it's him that's wrong, not you."

"And mum? And dad? And Ron, Ginny? Are they all wrong too Bill. I don't think so. If they hate me then there has to be something wrong. I should have never done that. I just should have…" he trailed off, his voice cracking with the strain of his emotion. "And the court… they're not wrong Bill… so that has to mean I am… what I am… who I am… I just don't know…" he choked out finally.

Bill slid down beside him and pulled him close, ignoring the way he stiffened at the contact. "Mum and dad don't hate you Percy… they were angry and disgusted at what happened to you, not at you, they love you Perce, and they want you to come home."

"I… I can't… Bill, I can't." he mumbled.

"You don't have to go now Perce, not until you're ready." Bill soothed, stroking Percy's hair.

They sat in silence for a long time. Finally, Bill pulled away enough to turn and look Percy straight in the eye.

"You are not wrong Percy. Different, but not wrong, and there is nothing wrong with being different. I love the fact that you're different. You've just got to accept it about yourself. Now come on, before Charlie and Oliver come bursting in." Bill said softly, a small smile playing on his lips.

Percy returned a rather weak one, but it was a start.

Fudge had been brought to justice-not nearly enough. A slap on the wrist, being demoted and having to pay compensation to Percy was nowhere near enough. But it was a start.

Now the healing process could truly begin.