Day by day, week by week, Percy would plan.

He did research in different deadly spells and curses. Percy even took a page out of his father's book and began looking into muggle methods. Guns, explosives, stabbing weapons. Making a death look like an accident, making a death look like a suicide. These were certainly morbid thoughts, but Percy had to work out each and every little detail. Everything had to perfect. This would all be for nothing if Percy got caught and had to spend the rest of his life in a jail cell, and his mother and father would know the truth about what he had done. The only thing that was keeping Percy grounded in reality and not descending into madness was his relationship with Penelope. He always made sure to spend the weekends with her.

On this particular Friday night, Percy was going on three straight days with no sleep as he was taking a dangerous amount of stimulates to keep himself awake when suddenly the door of his office was flung open and Arthur Weasley stepped inside, immediately closing the door behind him. He was heading home but upon seeing the office of his son for some reason Arthur just couldn't take it anymore.

He stared at his son, looking almost broken-hearted.

"Merlin, Percy what has happened to you?" He asked. What had happened to his little boy who use to sit out in the shed with him and play with muggle toy cars?. How could he turn into someone who disowned his own family for a job? In a lot of ways, Arthur felt closer to Percy than the rest of his boys. Now, Percy had become a stranger. Arthur didn't know his own son anymore and he hated it.

Raising one eyebrow, Percy didn't even look up from the paper he was writing and ignored the question completely.

"I didn't know we had a meeting scheduled."

"I don't need to schedule a meeting to see my own son."

"I happen to be extremely busy." Percy responded.

Arthur walked closer to his son's desk.

"Every year for Christmas, your mother makes new sweaters for all her children. This year she didn't even bother to send you one because she was afraid you'd send it back again. Did you even notice? It hurt her, Percy. Very much. It hurt the both of us. I think she feels like she failed you as a parent. I'm starting to feel the exact same way." He admitted.

"So why are you here now?" Percy asked.

"I would like you to come home with me for dinner tonight."

"I'm afraid I can't."

Arthur exhaled heavily as he looked down.

"I thought that when Charlie..." He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. "That it would bring you back to us. It seemed like it drove you even further away."

Percy didn't answer him, he just kept writing.

"Percy, I'm sorry about our fight. I handled it wrong." Arthur finally had to be the one to apologize. Even though he still felt he was right to have his suspicions about Percy's promotion, he should have handled it another way. He should have waited a little while to tell Percy his concerns, not right after his son had just told him the news. Even though deep down, Arthur felt Percy would have reacted the same way no matter when it was he told him, none of that mattered anymore.

He just wanted his son back, he wanted his family together, especially now. The war was starting to get worse.

"It's not that." Percy finally spoke. "I'm well over it."

"Then what is it?" Arthur practically begged Percy to tell him as he sat down in the chair in front of Percy's desk. He couldn't lose another son. "Your mother and I are very worried about you. Ginny and your brothers-"

"That's what the problem is." Percy interrupted. He said it quietly, his voice just above a whisper.

Now looking confused, Arthur responded with;

"I don't understand."

"I know you don't."

"Just explain what you meant."

Percy took a deep breath. He needed to be very careful with what he said next. Percy knew that he shouldn't say anything at all, but he needed to get some of this off his chest. "I don't want them in my life anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked, almost incredulous. "They aren't in your life, Percy. You never see them. You don't talk to them, you don't write to them."

Finally looking up, Percy glared at his father.

"That isn't good enough!" He snapped causing his father to slightly jump in surprise. "As long as I have the same mother and father as they do, they'll always be in my life! Even in the smallest possible way!"

Arthur stared at Percy in shock. "Percy...they love you."

"I don't love them."

"I don't believe that." Arthur slowly shook his head as he spoke. "I don't believe that. I can't."

"Did I ever give you and mother anything to worry about as I grew up? Didn't I do everything right?" Percy demanded. "I succeeded at every goal I ever set for myself. I worked hard each and every day to make something of myself! I tried to be everything you wanted me to be. So you and mum should...you should..."

"Love you more." Arthur finished.

Percy didn't answer, he didn't have to. Arthur swallowed the knot that had formed in his throat before speaking straight from the heart.

"Percy, if it were possible to go to a store and buy a son, you would you be the one I would want. You're smart, strong, responsible. Whenever your mother or I made a rule you never disobeyed, never. You never gave us anything to worry about. I've never been disappointed in you." Arthur couldn't help but smile as his eyes got watery. "You were the model kid."

Percy was staring at his desk. He had become teary-eyed as well listening to his father. After a few moments he got up from his chair and walked over to his father. Arthur stood up and Percy hugged him tightly. Arthur smiled and returned it.

"Now...tell me," Percy began, "Tell me I'm your favorite son."

Arthur could feel his face drop. He had hoped that all he had just told Percy would be enough, because he meant what he had just said. But Arthur couldn't say that to Percy. Even if that was what he needed to hear. Arthur couldn't choose between his children. He just couldn't.

"Percy, I can't pick a favorite. When you become a father someday, you'll understand."

Percy's face hardened as he glared at the wall in front of him. Forcing himself to relax, he let go of his father and looked him in the eyes.

"You don't need them." Percy desperately tried to convince his father. "Why can't you see that? You and mum don't need them when you have me. The five of them put together couldn't equal one of me. Each one of them on their best day couldn't be better than me on my worst day."

Arthur could only stare at his third born in disbelief. He had no idea where this was coming from. He knew that sibling rivalry existed within any family, even to a small extent, but this was something else entirely. Percy sounded like he absolutely hated his siblings.

"I can't imagine how hurt they all would be if they could hear what you're saying about them right now." Arthur finally said.

"I don't care! I don't want them in my life! Not today, not tomorrow, not next year! Not ever!"

"I don't know what to say." Arthur began. "I don't know how to fix this. Tell me how to fix this."

"What if you and mum disowned them?"

"I would never do such a thing!" Arthur snapped, now angry at what Percy had just suggested. "And it's insane for you to even ask!"

Percy titled his head back and closed his eyes. Two tears ran down his face. But the tears weren't for himself. The alternative was going to be so much hurtful for his parents. Even if the pain would only be temporary, he didn't want them to have to go through it at all. Percy wished he could just obliviate his father right now, but he couldn't.

"Then I'll do...what I have to do."

Arthur brows furrowed, not understand at all what Percy meant. He looked down and took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Percy, all I can tell you is that I'll always love you. I love you no matter what."

Percy's eyes suddenly snapped open and looked in outrage at his father. On the inside, Arthur groaned because he knew that once again, he had said something wrong.

"What does that mean?" Percy demanded. "No matter what?"

Arthur was confused. "It...it just means that I love you-"

"No, "no matter what" means you love me despite the fact that I have some sort of problem!"

Arthur's shoulders sagged, almost like in defeat as he rubbed his chin. Percy then stomped his way back over to his desk and forcefully sat back down at his desk, indicating that this conversation was now over. Arthur decided not to push any further, but he would say one last thing.

"Percy, I don't know what's going on with you, but you need help. You're going to get it whether you want it or not, because that's what a family does. They still love you. Even if you don't."

Arthur finally left the office. He now had a sharp pain in his stomach because he began to think of Molly, knowing that he needed to tell her about this conversation. He couldn't begin to think how she would react when she heard what Percy had said about his siblings. Once his father was gone, Percy looked up and glared at the closed door, saying out loud;

"It's your other children that are going to need help."