THE WAIT IS OVER! I know it was a long time, and I apologize, but I'm back now.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Cause he's stronger than you know

A heart of steel starts to grow

When you've been fighting for it all your life

You've been struggling to make things right

That's how a superhero learns to fly

(Every day, every hour, turn that pain into power)

-"Superheroes" by The Script

Percy hadn't felt so nervous in a long time. He'd always been a spazz at school, and he'd had quite a lot of panic attacks since he started Hogwarts, but nothing compared to the here and now. He was glad he'd taken a calming draught this morning, or he would've passed out from oxygen deprivation long ago.

The plan was fairly simple. Percy had given the Freedom Fighters port keys that would take them straight to the Ministry, and he had one of his own that would transport them to the Atrium. At six past eight, everyone would pop in using the port keys and wearing cloaks; they were sky blue and the color had been used to symbolize the Freedom Fighters.

Speaking of that, Percy had discovered that the Freedom Fighters had been doing other things, but this attack would put them in the Prophet. It would take the focus off of the Muggleborns for the most part, but it would also put the spotlight on the Freedom Fighters, so it was a win lose situation. If any of them were caught, they'd be tortured, interrogated, and eventually killed.

Back to the plan, while a battle started, Audrey would lead the Muggleborns to the Floo network, taking them first to an abandoned warehouse before giving them their wands and having them apparate to Safe House 2. The other Freedom Fighters would distract others with the battle, and Oliver and Percy would cover Audrey.

In theory, easy. In practice, not so much.

Percy pulled his collar up to hide the beads of sweat trickling down his neck. He walked past several people on the way to the designated meeting spot, and no one looked his way once, but Percy felt like everyone was staring at him.

Percy clicked his tongue, pressing it against the roof of his mouth; it was a nervous habit he'd had since... well, since he could remember. His hand fiddled with the scarlet amulet around his neck; his father had given an amulet to each of his three eldest children during the first war. He said it would always protect them, but whether that was true or not, Percy never found out. Still, it offered him a sense of comfort.

The night he walked out on the family, he'd thrown it down on the floor of his new flat and was about to smash it underfoot when he changed his mind.

That was when he realized how badly he'd overreacted, but he was too prideful to apologize.

If only he could go back in time, grab his past self by the shoulders, and shake him while yelling for him to get his head out of his pants and see that there are more important things in life than pride and dignity. And if he didn't, well, he'd end up spending Christmas alone in a cold flat; he wouldn't hear a happy birthday from anyone. He'd be friendless, family-less, and over all, alone.

That's one of the reasons he was doing all of this. He needed to make things right, and he wasn't sure how. Maybe if he showed his family that he wasn't a complete prat, maybe- just maybe- they'd take him back after this whole war was over. Maybe if he showed everyone who always thought that he was a stuck up git who cared more about rules than other people, including his family and friends, that he wasn't all bad… maybe he could make things right. Be a better person. Have a more open heart.

He just wanted to make everything right, and helping the innocent Muggleborns was as good a place as any to start.

Percy shook himself out of his thoughts and continued walking.

He stood beside a supply closet and looked back and forth to ensure no one was nearby before ducking inside, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket.

Be ready, he texted to Audrey. Any minute now.

He ducked back outside and strolled down the hall, his footsteps moving a bit faster and with more purpose (like how he usually walked); as soon as he reached the designated meeting spot (an abandoned office that people forgot existed, due to it having not been used since... well, since before Percy's dad joined the Ministry), he locked the door and pulled out his phone.

Now, Percy texted to all the Freedom Fighters.

A few seconds passed, and then, a bright light flashed (well, multiple lights, but there were so many, it just looked like one blinding light that left Percy seeing spots); all of the Freedom Fights tumbled to the floor and scrambled to their feet.

Percy turned to Adam, waiting for orders.

Adam smiled. "Don't look at me. You and Audrey are in charge of this operation."

"We are?" Audrey squeaked, having not expected that.

"It was your plan," Hazel pointed. "It only makes sense that you take the lead."

Percy turned to Audrey, and she nodded in his direction, motioning for him to speak first.

"All right," he announced. "I have a Port Key that will take us all straight to the Atrium."

"I thought you couldn't use Port Keys in the Atrium?" Jake said, tilting his head in confusion.

Percy rolled his eyes. "Their 'security' spells and wards were so juvenile, my younger brothers could've broken them. When they were seven," he added. "Anyway, once we're there, all of you will distract the guards and everyone else, for that matter, with battle."

Audrey stepped up. "You will know when to Port Key out with these," she said, holding up a collection of...

"Necklaces?" Nicole questioned. "How are those going to help?"

"They heat up when it's time to come back to a meeting spot, and they become unbearably hot when a member is in extreme danger. Such as being captured or tortured." Audrey swallowed. "I will lead the Muggleborns to a safe spot and Port Key them to the abandoned warehouse."

"Oliver and I will cover her," Percy continued. "After she has given the Muggleborns their wands and they have safely Apparated to Safe House 2, she'll call us back. Everyone understand the plan?"

The Freedom Fighters nodded.

"Good," Percy said as Audrey began handing out the necklaces. He cradled the one she'd given him; it was a small owl, and he smiled when he noticed she'd designed it with designs around the eyes that looked like his glasses. He placed it around his neck and looked at his comrades, placing the book in his hands on the table and opening it (to have more room for all of their hands to be on the book).

He looked from Audrey to Oliver and then back at the rest of the Freedom Fighters. Audrey handed him his cloak (she'd kept it until she arrived at the Ministry since Percy couldn't be seen with the cloak of a Freedom Fighter, especially after the battle), and Percy pulled it on, shielding his clothes with the fabric. He pulled his hood up, his face hidden by the hood, and watched as his allies did the same with their own cloaks.

"Let's do this," he said, placing his fingertips on the page. Several other hands joined his, and they were lifted off the floor.

Percy took one last glance at Oliver and Audrey, his two friends, and then, in a flash of light, they fell. Their feet hit the floor of the Atrium, surprising those inside it, and spells immediately began to fly.

Percy was afraid he'd lose Audrey and Oliver in the commotion, but he didn't have to worry. Audrey grabbed his hand, and Percy placed his own hand on Oliver's shoulder. Like a chain of people, they wove through the crowds. Percy was glad that he didn't have to use his hologram in this fight; more people rushed into the Atrium, adding to the chaos. No one would notice his absence admist this absolute mayhem.

That was good. If Percy had learned one thing from Fred and George, it was that chaos was the best distraction.

Audrey knelt beside the Muggleborns, who had been abandoned on the bench, chained up like animals and left in the dark about what was going on. They flinched when Audrey came near them, but grins stretched across their grimy, worn faces as she cast a spell, and their chains clattered to the ground.

"Everyone, follow her," Percy instructed, lowering his voice to disguise it. "Try not to get separated."

The Muggleborns clustered together, sticking as close to Audrey as possible. Percy stood on the left side, Oliver on the right, deflecting any curses or spells that came their way. If anyone noticed the Muggleborns escaping, they didn't say anything. Percy's pretty sure at least a few people noticed, but they either wanted the Muggleborns to escape or were distracted by dueling someone before they could report it or stop it.

The Muggleborns, Audrey, Oliver, and Percy slipped out of the Atrium and raced through the mostly empty halls to the abandoned office. Percy and Oliver watched from the doorway as she placed a notebook on the table and everyone touched it. Once the group disappeared, Percy and Oliver turned around and dashed back towards the battle.

If it were mayhem before... well, Percy didn't think there was a word to describe what it was now. People had resorted to abandoning magic all together and were going after people with their fists. Oliver and Percy spread out, grabbing as many Freedom Fighters as they could and informing them to start heading for the middle of the room. After telling every Freedom Fighter, Percy and Oliver rushed towards the center of the Atrium, seeing their comrades do the same.

"GRAB THEM!" Umbridge roared from somewhere in the crowded room, but it was too late. The fourteen of them had reached the center of the room, and after Oliver did a speedy head count, they placed their hands on the book Percy held out. They started to rise just as the Minister reached them; his hand grabbed the back of Lillian's cloak, and she yelped while Simon kicked the Minister away. Even with the cloak shielding his face, Percy could imagine the smirk Simon wore as the Minister toppled to the floor, muttering in a bewildered daze.

Their feet hit the floor of the Freedom Fighters headquarters, and Percy glanced around to see Audrey already there, having arrived a few moments before them.

"We did it," Ethan gaped. He obviously hadn't expected their mission to get so well. Honestly, Percy hadn't either.

But they weren't out of the woods yet.

"Help!" Hazel cried, and Percy turned to see her struggling to hold up Adam, who was clutching his hand over his heavily bleeding side.

Marie, Audrey, and Percy bolted forward, and the three of them examined the wound.

It was deep but short, more like a stab wound than a cut, and a lot of blood had poured out of it, staining Adam's shirt and entire side red.

"Oliver," Percy barked. "Get me bandages, towels, and disinfectant. Nicole, run into the closet where we keep any potions ingredients. Get me Dry Root and Carsten Leaves. Lucas, I need a bowl of water. Go."

Everyone moved out.

Oliver returned first, and Percy pressed one of the towels against the wound, flinching when Adam cried out in pain and nearly crushed Hazel's fingers as he clenched her hand. Hazel didn't complain, though; seeing her boyfriend in such a state was probably more painful than the crushing grip on her hand.

Percy dipped a towel in the water and cleaned the blood from Adam's side. Without the excessive amount of crimson, the wound didn't look nearly as horrifying, but it was still frightening to see.

Nicole returned last, handing him the ingredients, and Percy handed them to Audrey.

"Audrey, smash these up as much as you can. Maria, hand me that pencil," Percy said, pointing to a nearby table, and she did so, puzzled, but she didn't ask.

Percy transfigured the pencil into a syringe; Audrey handed him a small bowl, which she summoned from a nearby room, that was filled with the ground up potions ingredients. Percy poured disinfectant into the pale green dust, mixing them together, before filling the syringe with the mixture.

"This is going to hurt, okay?" Percy told Adam. "But it will prevent infection and numb the pain after a few minutes."

Adam nodded, and Percy pushed the syringe into the skin as close to the wound as he dared. Adam cried out before the expression of agony on his face began to gradually fade as the numbing set in.

"How did you know how to do that?" Audrey demanded, quietly, gesturing to the wound as Percy wrapped Adam's torso in bandages.

"Penny used to be a Healer; she taught me some things," Percy said. "I'm the reason she knows how to do paperwork, and she's the reason I know how to do first aid..." Percy trailed off as he remembered the funeral.

"Percy, I'm sorry about Penny," Audrey whispered.

Percy nodded. "Everyone's always sorry. It's not their fault Penny died; it's not their fault that..." Percy stopped speaking. He'd never told anyone about the babies, except for those at the funeral. Even Oliver hadn't known until Percy gave his speech at the funeral.

Percy nodded and walked away, leaving Audrey to wonder what he had been about to say.

"He was going to mention his kids."

Audrey turned to see Oliver standing beside her.

"What?" Audrey asked.

"Don't tell Percy I told you, but you need to know," Oliver informed her. "Penny was pregnant a few years ago. They were having twins." Oliver swallowed. "She miscarried. Percy never told anyone about the kids. I didn't even know until Penny's funeral."

Audrey blinked. "Wow."

Oliver nodded. "Yeah."

Audrey stared at Percy as he washed the blood off of his hands.

She didn't know how, but she promised herself that she would find a way to help Percy. After all, it isn't healthy to bottle everything up, like Percy was doing.

Audrey wasn't sure when Percy would be ready, but she promised herself that when Percy was ready to talk, she would be there.

That was chapter 5. I really hope there is not another wait as long as that one. I'm pretty sure there won't be because this is where the story starts to kick off, and I have a lot of ideas for the story (I just need to organize them).

Also, Dry Root and Carsten Leaves were just potions ingredients I invented that have properties that prevent infection and numb the pain and are usually used in Wizarding hospitals.

Thanks for reading!