Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter.

Thanks so much for the reviews! I am still so tuched by all your wonderful comments. Reading them makes my day! Receiving reviews is truly one of the best things about being a writer! And especially if I feel down, they always help. I used to believe that no words could do that when I was in a bad mood, but I was proved wrong. I appreciate all of you so much!

Here's the next chapter. Just to warn you, Percy comes off badly in it, especially to a lot of our beloved characters, but I don't plan to leave it here. Later on in the story, I will be exploring his character much more deeply.

Chapter 59: A Difficult Day

Luckily, Harry did get out of St. Mungo's in time for Arthur's funeral. On December 27, the Healers pronounced him healthy enough to leave. His temperature was now completely normal, and all the dizziness and nausea had gone away. So Harry went back to 804 Lawdershod Avenue with Sirius and Remus.

He was extremely happy to be home. Everything looked just as it had the day he'd left, and it was wonderful to see his own bedroom again. He was nervous, though, for the funeral tomorrow, but he knew that at least his friends and guardians would be there for him.

The next day, December 28, Harry woke up bright and early. The funeral was going to be at ten o'clock, with the burial taking place afterwards. It would be in Ottery St. Catchpole, right in the church where Cedric's funeral had taken place. As Harry and his guardians joined the somber line that walked into the church, memories came back to Harry of the time six months ago when Cedric had been laid to rest. The pain and guilt came back to him, but he had to remember that Cedric didn't blame him. The recollections of the time Harry had spent with him, Arthur Weasley, and his parents were fading more and more as the days passed, but he knew he'd always remember the fact that he'd seen them at all.

Harry looked around at all the people who were attending Arthur's funeral. He saw the Weasleys along with Hermione, and he also spotted many Ministry workers. Mr. and Mrs. Diggory were there, along with Cornelius Fudge who was standing in the very front of the line.

When Harry, Sirius and Remus reached the site where Arthur's body lay, Harry felt agony tear through his heart. The vibrant and lovable Arthur Weasley was simply lying there, his hands resting peacefully at his sides. There was no pain visible on his face, and that, at least, was a comfort to Harry; the snakebite hadn't caused him to die hurting.

As with Cedric, when people passed Arthur's body, they'd throw a little trinket into the casket. When it was Harry's turn, he dropped one of the Muggle tapes he had lent him into the coffin. He put it in Arthur's limp hand, hoping that somewhere in that warm, peaceful place Harry had visited, he would never forget that Harry had cared deeply for him. He had welcomed him into his home with open arms, and Harry had appreciated every kind word he'd ever said.

As Harry looked around at the heartbroken Weasleys, he noticed that one of them was standing a long way away from the others. Standing right near Cornelius Fudge was none other than Percy. Harry could see in Mrs. Weasley's eyes the urge to rush to him and embrace him, to welcome him back into the fold, but the stony expressions on the rest of her family's faces told a different story. Bill and Charlie, who were standing closest to their mother, whispered something to her, and Harry wondered if the words they'd said had been something like "wait till later," because Mrs. Weasley just kept staring at Percy, looking so formal and regal standing alongside the Minister.

Harry felt anger twist his insides just looking at Fudge. How could he still not believe that Voldemort was back after a tragedy like this? One of the workers in his very own beloved Ministry had been killed, and he still wasn't acknowledging the fact that something was amiss. Luckily, Harry didn't see Umbridge, though; he knew he'd probably explode if she was here flanking Fudge as well.

The organ began to play, so Harry, Sirius, and Remus, along with all the others, went to sit down. Out of all the Weasleys, Harry could most visibly see Molly and Ginny's pain, and he wanted to do all he could to comfort them. So when they took seats, he slid in between them and offered every bit of sympathy he could give.

After the organ had finished playing, the reverend got up to speak. "We are here today to celebrate the life of Arthur Weasley," he said. "He was a loving, strong, and vibrant family man, who offered his support and kindness to his wife and many children. Today we will hear accounts of how he changed their lives for the better."

First, a man named Perkins, who had been Arthur's partner in the Ministry spoke. He talked of the work the two of them had done to help Muggles, and he expressed the sentiment that he had never seen someone so dedicated to his work. "Arthur Weasley held Muggles in high regard," Perkins explained. "He was willing to do numerous things to help them, and his services have helped many Muggles all over the country. He has worked tirelessly to stop any Muggle-baiting from occurring. Let us learn from his example."

Harry could see Percy sitting rigidly in a pew a little ways away from him. He could see the hard lines etched into his face as Perkins spoke of Arthur's work. It was plain to see that Percy hadn't agreed with what Arthur had chosen for his job. Harry could see the anger on Ron and the twins' faces as they glowered at Percy every now and then.

After Perkins had sat down, a hymn was sung, and then Bill got up to speak. "My dad was the best man in the world," he proclaimed, "and he was the most loving and giving. He taught us to choose right from wrong, and he made growing up in the Weasley household a pleasure." Harry put an arm around Molly and Ginny; both were crying freely.

"one thing you have heard already," continued Bill, "is that our dad loved Muggles. You should have seen how fascinated he was with them. Some may scorn him for this," he gave Percy a meaningful look, "but improving Muggle-wizard relations was very high on our father's list of priorities, and we must continue his legacy. I, being the oldest Weasley, feel it is my duty to tell you all what a special man he was.

"I'll never forget some of the things our dad did with us. There were snowball fights in the garden at the Burrow, pick-up Quidditch matches (although he was abysmal on a broomstick.") This caused some tearful laughter from the crowd. "He even took us to a Muggle football match once. He hardly ever yelled at us, but I do remember a time he screamed himself hoarse at Fred and George because they turned my younger brother's teddy bear into a spider." There were some more guffaws from the crowd. "But all in all, he was a very mild-mannered man.

"I have always, and will always, love my dad. Know that wherever you are now, we, being the famed Weasleys, will do all we can to make you proud. We'll always miss you, but we hope to see you on the other side.

"In the end, our dad died in a fight for what he believed in. He was strong and brave, and he will always be my hero. Unfortunately, many more of us will probably perish before the evil in today's wizarding society is defeated. But please, do not let his death be in vain." After these last words, Bill sat down in his seat.

Another hymn was sung, and then some more Ministry people got up to speak. Cornelius Fudge spoke of the contributions Arthur had made to society, and Harry could sense the anger radiating off the Weasleys as he rambled on and on. Fudge hadn't known Arthur at all, he was just pretending to offer his condolences when he didn't care in the slightest.

Harry shed some of his own tears as Charlie also gave a tribute to his father. He spoke of how he'd always been supportive in his quest to work with dragons, and he shared some of the jokes Arthur had told him during their youth. The Weasley women's pain was really getting to Harry and making him even more sad and guilty, but his resolve remained firm that he wouldn't run away from this. After all, they needed him, and he needed them.

After the service was over, everyone went outside for the burial. Harry could remember very clearly how moving and sad Cedric's had been, and Arthur's was just the same. Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, and Perkins helped to carry the now closed casket to the spot where he would be buried. The reverend quietly said the words, "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. may Merlin bless you, Arthur Weasley, and may you rest in peace."

As the casket was lowered into the ground, Ginny let out a heartwrenching sob and clung to Harry. Molly was being embraced by Remus; she had broken down also. Fred and George looked the most upset that Harry had ever seen them, and Ron...oh, poor Ron looked so shattered and confused. What was he supposed to do now, without his father? He had always been a beacon of strength, and now that he was gone, it left him floundering.

After the burial, Mrs. Weasley blew her nose on a handkerchief and said, "You are now all invited back to the Burrow." Harry, Sirius, and Remus agreed that indeed, they'd definitely come.

Molly looked around the graveyard, trying to search out Percy. But he was nowhere to be seen. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't remember seeing him at the burial. Anger and sadness burned within her as she realized he'd made his exit, all without saying goodbye. When she said this much to her family, Bill put a comforting hand on her shoulder and said in the strongest voice he could muster, "He'll come around, Mum. I think he's just very upset right now."

Fred glowered at Bill angrily. "Don't make excuses for him!" he snarled.

"Yeah, screw him anyway," sneered George.

"Who needs him?" growled Ron, his face as red as his hair. Harry couldn't help but sympathize with all three of them. He felt that the only reason Percy had shown up at all was to broadcast that he was in good standing with the Minister of Magic; he hadn't been there to support his grieving family at all.

Molly burst into another bout of fresh tears, and Bill silently apparated her back to the Burrow. Harry, Sirius, Remus, the Diggorys, Perkins, and the rest of the Weasleys followed.

The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent sharing stories of Arthur. Bill had finally gotten Mrs. Weasley into a semblance of calm, and was urging her to eat something. Harry and Hermione tried to talk with the two youngest Weasleys, but Ron hardly said anything at all, and Ginny barely registered her surroundings.

Staring at the Weasley clock also caused pain to surge through Harry. That clock had always been something Arthur had loved, and now his hand was lying on a spot that simply said, "In our hearts forever." Harry had to restrain Ron when he saw it; the redhead almost tore it off the wall, so deep was his fury. Harry had never seen Ron react so strongly to anything before, but he figured that this, to Ron, signaled the finality of the fact that his father was never coming back. He gently guided Ron to the couch and tried to distract him by giving him some food. He felt like an awful person, but was so confused about how to comfort him. Luckily, Ron sat and ate the food, but the whole time, he was staring into space.

As the guests started to leave, Harry glanced at Sirius and Remus, his own exhaustion showing. His guardians got the hint, and Harry said quiet goodbyes to all the grieving Weasleys. He hugged Molly and Ginny especially fervently, and told them gently that he'd always be there for them.

xxx

Once the Burrow was empty save for the depressed Weasley family and Hermione, who was staying with them until tomorrow when she'd be going back to her parents for the rest of the holiday, they all sat in the living room as the ticking of the clock resounded throughout the house.

"I can't believe this," Ron muttered, his head hanging down. "When it first happened, I didn't want to believe it, you know? Even that day we went to visit Harry in the hospital, it hadn't quite sunk in yet. But now I know ... he's really not coming back."

"It's awful," agreed Hermione, resting a hand tentatively on Ron's shoulder. "It's really terrible."

"I'm going to miss Daddy so much," said Ginny quietly, who was curled in her mother's arms. "It's going to be so tough without him."

"I know it is, Gin," Bill said gently. "But we're Weasleys, and he'd want us to be strong for him. The next little while's going to be hard, but we'll pull through this."

At that moment, there was a POP! Ginny scrambled out of her mother's arms, and Mrs. Weasley rushed to look out the window. "Oh my-Merlin!" she exclaimed as she stared, her mouth agape. "It's Percy!"

"What does he bloody want? He's not welcome here!" spat Ron.

"Ron ..." Hermione tried to placate him.

Mrs. Weasley ran to the door, waiting for Percy to knock. When he did, she flung the door open and threw her arms around him, sobbing unashamedly. "Oh, Percy!" she wept. "Oh, darling, thank God you've come home! I knew you would."

"Mother," Percy said stiffly, walking into the house. "Listen, this is not a social call. I came to talk to you all about something very important."

"Get on with it then, you traitor," Ron snarled. "What the hell's your problem, anyway?"

"Yeah," said George angrily. "Why did you bother to show up now, when you didn't earlier?"

"Watch that we don't hex you until you're unrecognizable!" Fred roared.

"Boys, please!" shrieked Mrs. Weasley through her tears. "Please don't antagonize him! He's come home, maybe he's here to apologize!"

Percy sat stiffly in an armchair, looking at his family with no expression on his face at all. "Look at you all," he said softly. "Look at how much your associations have cost you."

"Our what?" squeaked Ginny. "Our ... what?"

"Just spit it out, Percy," Ron sneered. "And don't try to impress us with your big words. Just spit it out!"

Percy stared at his brother, a hard look on his face. "I know why our father died," he said quietly. "The Minister told me. He lost his life because he associated himself with Albus Dumbledore."

"Yeah, and Dumbledore's a great man," said Bill, his own hard look coming upon his visage. "What's your point?"

"I am shocked and baffled that you do not see it," said Percy, gazing at his family with pity in his eyes. "If our father hadn't allied himself with Dumbledore, he wouldn't be dead right now. I don't exactly know what it was that he died protecting, but I know it has something to do with Harry Potter."

"If you're going to say one bad thing about Harry ..." Ginny whispered furiously.

"Look," said Percy pleadingly, "how can you not see that having ties to Harry Potter has cost our family a great price? I knew the boy was dangerous from the moment you went along with him, Ron, on your harebrained scheme to save the Philosopher's Stone. I knew that a member of this family would end up dead before long because of him. And Dumbledore, I'll never forgive him. He put our father in danger to protect a boy who makes false statements about You-Know-Who's return. I am only saying this for your own good, but I wish for you to sever ties with Harry Potter. Hopefully, our father's death has taught you that associating with him has cost too much. If you do, then, and only then, will I return home."

Everyone stared at Percy, looking at him in profound shock and disbelief. Then, pandemonium erupted.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Ron roared viciously, jumping out of his seat. "HOW FUCKING DARE YOU! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'D SAY SUCH BULLSHIT!" He started towards Percy, but a strong hand landed on his shoulder and held him back. It was Bill, and Ron struggled in vain to get out of his grip. "LET ME GO!" he was almost sobbing. "LET ME GO AND TEACH HIM A LESSON!"

"Percy, how could ... how could ..." Mrs. Weasley choked out, tears streaming down her face. "Percy, how could you say such awful things?"

"I hate you!" shouted Fred. "Harry's our brother in all that matters! Don't you know how much that kid has taken on? Don't you know how much he blames himself?"

"You bastard," yelled George. "Go to hell, Perce!"

"Percy, you're so obsessed with the Ministry, God, you're so blind," said Charlie sadly, putting his head down.

"I never want to see you again!" Ginny shrieked, giving what she considered the fiercest look she could possibly give him. "How dare you be so horrible about Harry! Dad's death wasn't his fault!"

But through all the cacophony, it was Bill's voice which resonated through the room, and it was the authoritativeness in it which struck everyone.

"Go, Percy," he said fiercely. "Go back to your ruddy Ministry, and think long and hard about what you're saying. I hope you realize that you've just insulted and degraded Dad in the worst way possible."

"Very well," said Percy, walking out of the room. Mrs. Weasley let out a wail of grief as the front door slammed.

Bill finally let Ron go, and the youngest Weasley boy let out a roar of pure rage. "THAT ... THAT ... THAT TOTAL ..." he bellowed. "I CAN'T BELIEVE HIM!"

All in all, it took many minutes for the Weasley family to calm down. When they finally went to bed that night, the only thought in their minds was: please, please make this all go away. I'll do anything to make this all stop.