GINNY'S P.O.V
I could already tell this wasn't going to end well. We hadn't heard from Percy since last year and that was when he was about to arrest Harry so it didn't exactly count as a visit. The last proper time we had saw Percy was two years ago when we went to the Quidditch World Cup. After that, we went to school and he went to his dream job in the Ministry. Now he's walking up our path like it's the most natural thing in the world, for him to be here when he hasn't when we needed him most!
"What are we going to do?" said Mum, turning to look at us all with a panicked expression.
"Let's hear what he has to say," my Dad said, standing up. George's face suddenly turned wary and he slowly got up from the table and left. I still don't know what's wrong with him but it's definitely hurting him. The whole summer he's been getting paler and thinner than ever, with dark circles under his eyes and he constantly looks as if he's been crying. I thought Bill being here would've made him come out of his shell a bit more and make him want to spend more time with us. Boy was I wrong. Snapping back from my thoughts, I looked over to see that Percy had finally approached the door. A moment later, we heard the snappy knock on the back door. Mum looked at us, terrified.
"Answer it, Molly," Dad advised her. She took a deep breath and opened the door to face Percy. They stood there for what felt like a millenium but what could only have been about thirty seconds.
"Hello, Mother, Father," said Percy stiffly.
"Percy," Mum said weakly and throwing her arms around him. Percy stood there with round eyes for a second before giving in and wrapping his arms around Mum and giving a heartfelt sob. They hugged and hugged, with barely audible sobs from both of them, telling each other how much they loved each other and how sorry they both were. After a few moments, they resurfaced and Percy turned to face Dad.
"Dad," He said, taking us all by surprise. He usually would've addressing Dad as 'Father' "Dad, I'm so sorry," he said, his eyes brimming with tears. Dad got up from his chair and embraced him warmly, in a man-hug. I looked around the table at my siblings and Harry and Hermione and took in their expressions. Harry looked slightly jealous, Hermione looked tearful, Bill looked apprehensive, and Fred had a huge grin over his mischievous face.
"Son, I'm just glad you're back," said Dad, tearfully. Suddenly, I felt my own eyes brim with tears. Determined not to cry, I looked down at my lap and started thinking about going back to school and playing Quidditch. I thought of the feeling when I got on a broom. My stomach feels like a herd of butterflies have pitched up there, but heart is beating in my chest, pumping adrenalin all over, keeping me going while I fly round the pitch, trying to get the Quaffle in the opposing hoop. Looking up, I saw that Percy had moved on and was now hugging Bill -who had lost his apprehensive expression and was now smiling like a mad man- and sobbing on his shoulder.
"Perce, calm down," Bill said, trying to keep him calm.
"I...I shouldn't...Shouldn't have...treated my...my family that...way," Percy choked out. Bill patted his back and let go, steering Percy towards Fred who was waiting with open arms. Although a prankster, Fred was always accepting and forgave people that meant a lot to him easily.
"You really are a prat, Perce," he laughed, hugging Percy close.
"I know, I know, and I'm sorry."
"Forgive and forget, mate."
Suddenly, Percy turned to me. I wasn't usually the cuddly type but I could tell I didn't exactly have an option here. I stood up awkwardly and put my arms around his neck.
"Oh Ginny, I missed you," he breathed into my hair. I gave Mum a please-help-me look but she was too blinded by tears to notice.
"Missed you too, Percy," I said, stiffly.
"Sorry," He said, suddenly letting go of me. "I forgot you get awkward in these kind of situations."
"Yeah," I said, hugging myself. Percy suddenly turned to Hermione.
"Hello Hermione, nice to see you again," he said, suddenly formal again.
"Nice to see you too, Percy," she said, politely.
"How are your studies going? I seem to remember you being quite the bookworm," he said happily. Percy and Hermione had similar views about studies and that was one of the reasons they got on so well before he left.
"They're doing quite well, I've already started my N.E.W.T revision," She said proudly.
"Ah, very well done, Hermione. You're going to be a success in life," He practically beamed. I wish he was that nice to me. Percy turned to Harry.
"Harry, I'm very sorry about our last encounter. I was very wrapped up in Ministry business and it was most unpleasant of me. I assure you my opinions have changed about you," He said nervously.
"Forget about it. Everyone makes mistakes," Harry said nicely as he shook his hand.
"Thank you." Percy looked around at his family who was so much more accepting than he'd ever imagined.
"Where's George?" He asked, curiously.
"Upstairs, dear, he rarely comes out nowadays," Mum said sadly.
"Is it okay if I go and see him?"
"Of course it is Percy! See if you can get him to come out," Mum instructed. Percy headed upstairs, smiling as he walked through The Burrow. I suddenly had a vision of us in a few years time. We would be sitting around the fire, Mum and Dad, elderly and knitting, Bill and Fleur with Victoire who had grown a great deal and was definitely part Veela, Charlie and a pretty girl with dark brown hair, big brown eyes and a warm smile, and their daughter, who looked just like her mother. I expect she was called Alice. Then there was Percy with Penelope Clearwater and two little boys, one four and one six, called John and William, and a little newborn baby girl called Poppy. Fred was there too, will Alicia Spinnett and a boy who looked about nine, called Thomas and a girl of about five called Georgina, probably in honour of George, who was also there with Katie Bell and their newborn son, Fred. Ron was with a little boy called Hugo and a little girl called Rose. The best part was, he was married to Hermione. Then there came the very best part. There was a little girl called Lily Luna, who was playing with her brothers, James Sirius and Albus Severus. And I was their mother. And Harry was their father.
I looked towards my mum and dad. They were smiling at each other, happier than I'd saw them together in months. I couldn't stop myself smiling too.
"What are we going to tell him about Ron and Charlie?" Bill suddenly interrupted. Mum and Dad suddenly froze. I guess nobody had thought about that yet.
"I...I don't know," Mum admitted.
"The truth, I expect," Dad said simply. I could see my vision slipping further and further away by the second.
PERCY'S P.O.V
I couldn't believe I was back in The Burrow. Mum and Dad were so much more supportive than I could have ever dared to hope. Bill, Fred and Ginny were really good too, and Harry forgave me instantly. I carried on up the stairs to see George, who was in his room. I got to the landing where his room is and knocked quietly.
"George, can I come in?" I paused, nervously. What if he isn't as accepting as everyone else? What if he still hates me?
"Sure, come on in." I was thoroughly shocked by the answer. I opened the door and slowly walked in, sitting on the bottom of his bed.
"Hey George," I said softly.
"You come to apologise for being a huge git?" He said bluntly. I smiled, although I would've expected it from Fred rather than George.
"You know it."
"Then you're forgiven," He said wrapping his arms around me. My heart swelled with pride at how grown up he was. I really did love my family.
"Thanks mate. You coming down stairs?" George paused and then shook his head.
"Nah, I think I'll stay here," He said, curling up in a little ball. This struck me as somewhat odd. George was sensitive but he wasn't this bad.
"George, is there something wrong?" I looked him dead in the eye. He averted his eyes as if it was physically hurting him to make eye contact with me.
"What? No, I just don't feel like coming down," he said, uncomfortably. Lies.
"George, I may not have been around for a while but I know when you're lying. You're my little brother." Suddenly, tears welled up in George's eyes and he began to sob uncontrollably. I was shocked. George never broke down in front of anyone except Fred. I'm not Fred!
"George, George, George, calm down, come on now," I comforted, patting his back. "What's wrong with you?" George took a deep breath before sobbing harder. I sat for a while just whispering comforting words in his ear while he cried and let his emotions out for what must have been the first time since he was in first year.
"Please talk to me George," I pleaded.
"Percy, I can't."
"Why not?"
"If anyone knows...They'll hate me and disown me and I'll repulse everyone," He said, trying not to cry again.
"George, no matter what you've done, we'll always love you," I told him truthfully. "Please George," George took a deep breath and leaned forward, whispering his big secret into my ear. I got a shock. There was one I didn't see coming.
GINNY'S P.O.V
After a while, Percy came down stairs with, as a surprise, George behind him...and he looked considerably happier! I wonder what as up with him?
"George, sweetheart, are you joining us?" Mum asked, happily. George nodded in reply and took a seat in between me and Fred.
"Good, we need to have a family discussion," Dad said, sadly. I could see Harry and Hermione from the corner of my eye trying to shuffle out without disturbing anyone.
"Harry, Hermione, I'm really sorry, but perhaps it would be better if you went upstairs for a bit?" Mum said tentatively.
"Of course, Mrs Weasley," Hermione said, getting up and dragging Harry out behind her to the room that Harry was staying in. Once Mum and Dad were sure that Harry and Hermione were out of earshot, Dad began to talk, while Mum took Percy's hand.
"Percy, we have some bad news about your brothers," He said, sorrowfully.
"If this is about Ron's disappearance, then I already know," Percy said, "I heard people from the Ministry talk about it."
"Well yes, it was about Ron, but also about Charlie," Mum cut in.
"What about Charlie?"
"Well, Percy, you know how dangerous Charlie's job is, and you know that an injury is highly likely," She said gently, "Well, around six weeks ago, we got an owl telling us that Charlie had been badly injured whilst battling a Norwegian Ridgeback. He's in St. Mungo's at the moment. We were talking with a Healer a couple of days ago and he told us that Charlie didn't appear to have much time left," She said, two tears rolling down her cheeks.
Percy was stunned. I looked at us all in turn, taking in our mournful expressions and trying to digest the piece of news Mum had just given to him.
"So...Charlie's nearly...dead?" He choked out. Mum started crying and hugging him close.
"Percy, I'm so sorry," She said over and over again. Percy didn't shed a tear the entire time.
"Have you been visiting him?" He asked calmly.
"Yes, of course. We didn't visit yesterday and we haven't been today, but if you wanted to visit him then we could take you," She said, cautiously.
"And there isn't anything you can do?" Percy questioned
"No, if there was we would've done it."
"Then why aren't you looking for Ron?" He asked, edgily. We were all slightly taken aback by the statement. Nobody was expecting that. Although, now I came to think of it properly, why wasn't anyone looking for Ron?
"Darling, we've been so busy..." Mum tailed off, guiltily.
"Too busy to look for your own missing son?" Percy said angrily.
"Percy, it's not like that," Mum tried to assure him, frowning slightly.
"No Mum, it's exactly like that. You've all been so wrapped up in your own problems that nobody's been worrying about a missing family member."
We all eyed each other guiltily because there was a lot of truth behind those harsh words.
"So why aren't we out looking right now? We should be searching the country because he is our brother," he said, indicating to me, Fred, George and Bill, "and your son," He looked at mum and dad accusingly.
"Percy, he'll come back, you know he will," Mum pleaded. I looked at Dad. He was staring shame-faced down at his lap, his face an odd shade of red, with tears in his large eyes.
"No, I don't know that. And nor do you. You just want to believe it so you don't feel guilty," Percy said bluntly. This wasn't good. Mum was going to end up killing him.
"He left us a note," She choked out.
"Yes and do you know how many other people 'left their family a note' while they were being tortured by Death Eaters?"
"Well then what do you want me to do!" Mum screamed.
"I want you to look for him. Care. Stop sitting here feeling sorry for yourself and start looking for your youngest son!" Percy yelled back. That was the last straw. Mum lost her temper and slapped Percy hard across the face before storming to her room where we could hear the heartfelt sobs. I sat frozen to my seat, not daring to look at anyone.
"Apologise to Mum," Bill said, emotionless.
"No."
"Do it, Percy," Bill warned, a dangerous glint in his eye.
"I'm not sorry, Bill. I don't understand why nobody is worried about Ron."
"Because Ron is a big boy. He's sixteen. He knows how to take care of himself."
"Not well enough. You don't see what comes in and out of the Ministry. The stories we hear about people being tortured. Ron hangs about with Harry. That's enough to get You Know Who to kill him personally."
HARRY'S P.O.V
"Not well enough. You don't see what comes in and out of the Ministry. The stories we hear about people being tortured. Ron hangs about with Harry. That's enough to get You Know Who to kill him personally."
The words rang out in my ears. It's my fault that Ron's missing. It's my fault if he's being tortured by Death Eaters. It's all my fault. I was standing on the stairs, listening to Percy and Bill arguing, Hermione right beside me, gripping my hand so tight that it was a miracle it didn't fall off. I ran my hand through my hair and sat down with a bump.
"Oh Harry, he doesn't mean it's your fault," Hermione said, sitting on the step above me and wrapping her arms around my neck.
"That doesn't stop it being true," I said tonelessly.
"Please don't get upset."
"I don't know what to do, Hermione. Every adult I trust is dead. My mum, my dad, Sirius. I can't drag Hagrid or Dumbledore into this. Sirius was the only one I had left and...and he's gone."
Hermione hugged me tighter. I'm pretty damn sure she's trying to kill me. "Harry, Sirius will always be with you. In your heart. Just like your parents," She said softly.
"I want them here," I mumbled, not looking at her.
"I know you do, but moping isn't going to help you here. Do you really think that the two pranksters James Potter and Sirius Black would want you to be walking around glumly like some sort of girl? Do you really think a strong, smart woman like Lily Evans-Potter would want you to show weakness? No, they wouldn't. Harry, I didn't know your mum or dad, but I knew Sirius. He was a strong man who cared about you so much. He wouldn't like to see you like this," She said, tilting my head up so I was forced to look her dead in the eye.
"Sirius wouldn't want me to mope. I don't even know about my parents. I never flipping met them."
"Of course they wouldn't want you to mope Harry. They gave up their life so you could live yours. And I have every bit of faith in you."
"Thank you Hermione," I said with a genuine smile.
"My dad used to say that before I done an exam or performance or something important to me," She said, smiling at the memory. "He'd look me in the eye and hold onto my shoulders and say "Hermione I want you to do your best. And if you do, you'll succeed. I have every bit of faith in you." And it would help me so much. I just wanted to do him proud."
"I know you did. And by the sounds of things, he was very proud of you," I said, turning round and wrapping my arms around her tiny frame.
We stayed like that for a while, just holding each other and feeling safe. Until yet another unwanted owl came.
GINNY'S P.O.V
"That's not fair, Percy, and you know it. It has nothing to do with Harry," Bill said, angrily.
"I'm not saying it's his fault but He Who Must Not Be Named will want to get to Harry any way he can. If he gets Ron..."
"He won't get Ron. Ron will be absolutely fine," Fred interjected.
"How can you be so sure?" It was George! George and Fred always agreed on everything. Why was it changing now?
"Because, George, Ron is a big boy. He's not daft."
"He's two years younger than us. And we're just about to turn eighteen."
"Yes, which makes him sixteen. Legal adult, George."
"I don't care if he's a legal adult or not. Ron isn't going to be okay out there on his own."
"For the love of Merlin can you all just shut up!" I yelled. I'd had enough.
"Okay, so Bill and Fred, you guys think that it's okay for Ron to wander the world alone at the age of sixteen without any help whatsoever and nobody knowing where he is now or where he's going next? No! That's not okay! But George, Percy, Ron can take good care of himself, and you know it. So can you guys please just try to come to an agreement about this?"
They all glared at me and started yelling at me, making it impossible for me to hear them. Dad sat and looked on at us from the head of the table, taking in our points and watching us all argue before a tap at the window signaled the arrival of Errol and another owl that nobody recognised. Bill got up and made his way over to the window, letting the two birds in. He firstly turned to Errol and untied the letter from his foot. Ripping open the letter, he saw that it was from Victoire.
Dear Daddy, Mummy said I am allowed to come tomorrow. I can't wait to see you again, I miss you so much.
Lots and lots of love, from Victoire. xxx
"Is Victoire coming tomorrow?" I asked.
"Yes. Don't worry, we'll be out all day tomorrow so you won't have to put up with her," Bill grinned at me and ruffled my hair affectionately.
"I don't mind her."
"Well what does the other letter say?" Fred said, impatiently. Bill put his letter down before going over to the other owl and taking the letter, reading it aloud for us all to hear.
"Dear Mr and Mrs Weasley, I am writing to you regarding one of your sons who is in our care here at St. Mungos. Charlie Weasley, who has suffered from a severe accident involving a dragon at his workplace has now reached a point that is beyond our help. We would advise you to come down to St Mungos and see your son before making any important decisions.
Kind regards, Monique Fletcher."
My heart plummeted. This couldn't be real. No way. We all stared at each other with horrified expressions.
"Ginny, get your mother," Dad ordered. I got up, my legs moving at their own accord and saw that Harry and Hermione had been in the doorway when Bill was reading out the bad news, but I didn't stop to say anything to them. I pushed my way passed them and up to my mum's room, where she sat in the corner on her armchair, knitting a new jumper.
"Mum," I croaked, "It's Charlie."