I shall not lie...this is a favorite chapter of mine. I'm twisted.

3 July 1995 – Rain

"Where can Percy have gotten to?" Molly asked, looking out the window as she ladled stew onto seven plates. It was pouring rain.

"He said something about being called into the Minister's office," Arthur told her, coming into the kitchen and rolling up his shirtsleeves. "So he couldn't come home with me."

"I hope it's not more about that inquiry," Molly said, shaking her head. "I know he ought to have behaved differently, but—he's young, it was just a mistake. And how was he to guess what had really happened to Barty Crouch, when the whole Ministry couldn't see it? He shouldn't have to pay for it for the rest of his career."

Arthur took two dishes to the table. "I'm sure that whatever comes of the inquiry, he won't be paying for it much longer. He was just an assistant."

Molly sighed and shook her head again, wiping her hands on her apron. She magicked the cauldron to fly up and settle itself on one end of the table, beside the rolls and sausage. "Will you call the kids and tell them to wash up?"

"Already done," Arthur grinned. He came close and kissed her. She smiled against his lips and embraced him, her arms coiling around his waist.

"Have you got all your laundry packed up for London?" she asked, pulling back and looking at him shrewdly.

"Of course," he replied.

"Aha." She narrowed her eyes, smirking. "You're worse than Ron."

Arthur bit his lip, looking thoughtful for a moment. "I've been busy at work?"

Molly smiled, blushing. He held her a bit closer. "Well, maybe just this once, I'll help you pack." She kissed him again, feeling herself relax for the first time in days. Between the end of the Triwizard Tournament, the rapidity with which things with the Order were progressing and the subsequent move to London, all in addition to the usual mayhem of transitioning from having only Percy at home to having five children in the house at once, Molly felt as though she hadn't had a moment's peace in ages. And tonight would be their last night in the Burrow for almost three months…

"Eurgh, in the kitchen?" Fred asked, as he and George Apparated with a great crack in the doorway. "Honestly. Parents," he muttered, sitting down at the table and grinning at Molly. She reached out and swatted his head.

"I'll go and get your licenses revoked if you don't stop doing that," she told him. He just grinned cheekily, and she shook her head, returning to the counter for the bowl of jacket potatoes.

"Where's Percy?" asked Ginny as she trotted into the kitchen and sat down opposite the twins, putting her napkin in her lap.

"Late," Molly replied.

"Is he still at the inquiry?" she asked. "I thought they got that over with."

"How many times can they ask the same questions?" asked Fred.

George snorted. "Yes, but why didn't you notice that your boss was being controlled by You-Know-Who? Oh, sorry, he just went mad for no reason whatsoever."

"George," Molly said sharply, sitting down at the table as well.

"Oh, come on, Mum," said Fred. "You know that's exactly what it sounds like."

"Fred," said Arthur. "Listen to your mother."

"Where is Ron?" Molly asked Ginny.

She was toying with her stew. "He's burning a copy of the Daily Prophet. He'll be down in a minute."

"He's burning—in the house?" Molly demanded, standing up, just as Ron came in the room. He took one look at Molly's face and glared at Ginny.

"Why'd you tell her?" he demanded, sitting down next to Fred.

"Because I thought it was a brilliant idea," Ginny replied matter-of-factly. She looked at Molly. "You didn't see what they wrote about Harry today. Looks like there are a whole bunch of people vying for Rita Skeeter's place."

Molly was still halfway out of her seat, but sank down again, disgruntled. "Well, I don't know where she's gone, and I don't care, but I certainly don't miss her." She looked up at Ron. "Don't you dare burn anything else in your bedroom again, you understand me?"

He nodded, clearly trying not to roll his eyes, and applied himself to his stew. At that moment, the door swung open, bringing in a light mist of rain and—

"Percy, darling! Oh, dear—you're soaked, are you all right?" Molly asked. "We didn't know how long you were going to be. I'm afraid we didn't wait—"

"No, no, that's all right, Mother," he said, beaming as he pulled off his cloak. He kissed her cheek. Molly was surprised. This was happiest she had seen Percy in days. He sat down at the table and pulled the basket of rolls towards himself.

Molly looked at Arthur, bemused; Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny all seemed quite surprised as well.

"Good day at work, son?" Arthur asked.

Percy puffed himself up in a prideful sort of way. "You could say that, yes."

Molly beamed; this was a wonderful change. "Well…are you going to tell us about it?"

He swallowed and looked around the table, ensuring that he had everyone's attention. "You are all looking at the newest Junior Assistant to the Minister of Magic."

Ginny dropped her spoon and Fred choked. Ron pounded his back until he finally coughed and could breathe again. Molly felt her smile disappear. She looked across the table at Arthur, who seemed to have turned to stone. He was frozen, staring at Percy, who was still looking around impressively, clearly expecting praise.

Molly broke the silence. "They've offered you a—a promotion, Percy…really? Well—that's—that's nice, isn't it?"

"What?"

"George," she hissed. She turned back to Percy, who was looking a little more wary now. "Who—who offered it to you, darling?"

Percy smiled again, rather smugly. "The Minister himself. I've just left his office."

"The four of you go upstairs, right now. Fred—George—Ron—Ginny. Now." Arthur's tone was shockingly sharp, and he still had not removed his eyes from Percy's face. Molly was rather taken aback. She looked at the others.

"Take your plates and eat in your rooms, please," she said quietly. "Go on."

One by one, the other four took their dinner and left the room, each eyeing the table warily as they went. Finally, it was just Molly, Arthur, and Percy alone. Percy's pleased demeanor had vanished.

"What's going on?" he asked stiffly.

Arthur was quiet for a moment, removing his glasses and fixing Percy with a serious look. "I…want to ask something of you, Percy."

Percy blinked. "What's that?"

Arthur and Molly shared a glance. "I want to ask you to turn down the promotion."

"What?" Percy scoffed. "What? Turn down—turn down a promotion from the Minister of Magic? Are you mad? This is—this is amazing! This is the best thing that could've happened to me! I'm barely a year out of Hogwarts, and—and even after all this trouble with Mr. Crouch, they're offering me a job in the top office!"

Molly touched his arm. "And sweetheart, we couldn't be prouder of that," she said. "You're a hard worker, you always have been—but perhaps this job, at this time—"

"This is about Dumbledore, isn't it?" Percy demanded, and the dislike in his voice shocked Molly. He glared at Arthur. "Isn't it?"

Arthur let out a slow breath. "Partly," he said. "But mostly, it's because of the stance the Ministry has taken on—on the news about You-Know-Who, and all that Harry witnessed last week. I'm sure you haven't missed the anti-Dumbledore sentiments in the Ministry lately—and the Daily Prophet isn't making it easier."

"I think the Prophet's got it better than you have," Percy muttered, and Molly slapped the tabletop, startling him.

"What did you just say?" she demanded.

"I said I think the Prophet's right," he retorted.

"And Dumbledore's got it wrong?" Arthur asked loudly. "Dumbledore's a mad old codger, he's off his rocker?"

"Maybe so!" Percy snapped. "Maybe he is!"

"Well, then, let me tell you something," Arthur barked, and Molly was stunned, but that was nothing to the look of shock on Percy's face. Arthur almost never shouted, least of all at Percy. "Albus Dumbledore is one of the main reasons that our family, and a lot more like us, have been safe for the last fourteen years! So if he's ready to come out and tell us that danger's come back, I'm ready to believe him, and that goes double for Harry Potter!"

Percy gave a nasty laugh, quite unlike himself. "Do you know what Dumbledore said? Do you know what he told the Minister? He said that the reason Potter's acting like a raving lunatic half the time is because his mind is connected to You-Know-Who's! That's completely mental! Who would believe that?"

"That boy is your brother's best friend, and he's been a friend to this family," Arthur told him. "He's never been anything but good to us—"

"Oh, right, Potter. Harry Potter, the precious one," Percy sneered; he seemed recovered from his initial terror at Arthur's fury. "I forgot how much we all worship him."

"Percy, how dare you!" Molly shouted.

"Do you have any idea what it's been like for me?" Percy yelled. "I come out of school, hoping to get a decent job, and all I can find is some low-level assistant work under a boss who went totally insane! No one even gave me a second glance for a promotion—and it's all down to Dad's reputation in the Ministry! He's close to Dumbledore, he's got the weirdest bloody job in the entire government—"

"Percy!" Molly gasped, horrified.

"—Why do you think we've never had money? Why do you think Dad's never had a promotion? It's not because the department's too small, it's because he's got no drive to move up and stop being a Muggle-loving lunatic!"

Shocked silence met these words. Molly felt nauseous, and Arthur had become a statue once again. Percy was absolutely red and panting from the exertion of his anger.

"I'm done struggling against Dad!" he shouted. "I'm done with it! I'm taking the job, and that's it!"

Once again, Molly broke the silence. Her voice shook. "I will not let you pass on information about our family or Dumbledore to people who want to work against us or put us in danger."

"Oh, please," Percy scoffed. "Who'd want to spy on us? We're practically nothing."

Arthur rose and slammed his fist down on the table. "This family supports Albus Dumbledore, and we support Harry Potter as well. But if you're going to deny the truth until you're facing You-Know-Who wand to wand, on your own, then so be it! I hope you do have to learn it that way!" he shouted.

"Arthur," said Molly weakly. "You don't—"

Percy stood as well, fixing him with a hard glare. "See you at work."

Without another word, Arthur turned and stormed from the room, and Percy headed for the kitchen door. Molly jumped up and seized his arms, feeling tears rise. "Percy, darling—you didn't mean that—you didn't—Arthur, come back here!" she shouted. "Come—"

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU ALL DOING IN HERE?" roared Arthur's voice in the sitting room, and Molly's stomach clenched; Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George had obviously been caught eavesdropping. She could hear the sounds of a plate breaking, followed by four pairs of feet running up the stairs.

It seemed that this was too much for Percy, who also had tears in his eyes, but wrenched himself out of Molly's grasp and yanked up his cloak. He pulled the door open. "I'll come back for my things after you've gone to London," he spat. "Goodbye, Mother." And he stepped out into the pouring rain, slamming the door so hard behind him that one of the square glass panes fell out and shattered on the floor.

Molly felt as though she was going to vomit. Her knees gave out and she dropped into a chair; her hand was shaking as she pointed her wand at the broken glass.

"Reparo."