After shoving his feet into a pair of slippers and throwing his bath robe on, Arthur headed down the stairs to go to the kitchen. Molly was awake too and told her husband she would be down in a minute to make breakfast. As soon as he reached the downstairs, Arthur froze when he saw a young man in the living room, sleeping in his recliner. It was his estranged son, Percy. He hadn't been home in a little over two years, ever since their argument.

The only times he saw Percy were the brief glimpses he would get of him when he arrived for work in the morning at the Ministry. Other than that, Arthur had no contact at all with his son. Percy's leaving was unexpected, and it really did hurt him and his wife very badly. Carefully, Arthur walked over and looked down at his son. Percy looked so worn out, Arthur hated to wake him, but he gently put a hand on his shoulder and lightly shook it.

"Percy?" The younger man stirred and opened his eyes to see his father standing over. "This is a pleasant surprise." Arthur stated.

"Hey, D-Dad." Percy slightly stammered. Percy didn't erase the memory of their fight. He felt like it was something that needed to be resolved between them.

Arthur raised his eyebrows, taken aback as a small smile came to his face. "You…you called me Dad." Percy hadn't called him that since he was in his second year at Hogwarts. After that, it had always been 'Father'. Arthur didn't know why, but he hated it that Percy called him Father.

Percy slowly got to his feet. "Is it too late?"

The older man blinked, slightly confused. "Is what too late?"

"To come back."

Arthur shook his head.

"Of course not. It would never be too late. You should have known that."

Finally, a smile came over Percy's face. The last time he had smiled like this was when his parents bought him his owl. He pulled his Dad into a tight embrace and tears began to flow from both of their eyes. They held each other for about several minutes before finally letting go. The two of them wiped their faces.

"Percy, I know we both said things we shouldn't have, but you have to understand why I had my suspicions." Arthur said, referring to Percy's promotion,

Percy raised his chin. "It hurt that you didn't think that I earned it." His father had always supported him. Percy truly believed that he deserved the job of Junior Assistant to the Minister but his father hadn't thought so.

Arthur's face fell. He placed his hands on Percy's shoulders. This is where Arthur had failed his son. "I think you have earned your place and more," Arthur stated, shocking him. Percy did not know how to react to that statement. "I just didn't think that Fudge would give such a job to a Weasley no matter how suited you'd be. No matter how hard you worked that you would get promoted to a position like that in such a short amount of time. You have to understand my suspicions."

This caused Percy to hesitate. He couldn't deny that. "Dad I..."

"But your my only son." Arthur continued which caused Percy to smile again. Merlin, it had worked. "I never wanted to lose you over this."

"I'm sorry." Percy stated. "I didn't mean for my job to come between us."

Arthur smiled back and hugged Percy tightly again. Tears refilled the older man's eyes. "I'm sorry too. Does this mean you're done being mad at me?"

Percy let out a small laugh. "Yes."

By this time, Molly had finally made her way down the stairs only to freeze in place when she saw the scene before her. "PERCY!" She quickly ran down the rest of the stairs and to her son, grabbing him in a bone-crushing hug. After a minute, she let go and placed a hand on the side of Percy's face. "Dear, you look terrible."

"Thanks Mum," Percy grinned.

"It's true." Arthur agreed with his wife as he looked Percy over more closely. He was pale and he had bags under his eyes. He also looked like he had lost weight. "You look sick."

"I've just been so busy lately."

What he had been doing had taken a lot out of Percy. He also had a long night. Percy had turned the room that Bill and Charlie use to share into a guest room. Ron's room had become a library. Fred and George's room became a storage room, Ginny's was now a sewing room he had made for his mother.

"There is no way you're going to work today." Arthur stated. "When's the last time you took a day off?"

Percy blinked. "I don't think I ever have."

"You're probably being serious. Well, no work for you today, young man." Molly stated. "Get into bed, I'll bring you some soup."

He smiled and looked to his Dad.

"Will you stay with me?"

Arthur smiled back.

"Of course. I'll stay home for as long as it takes for you to get better."

A few minutes after he entered his bedroom, his mother brought him some chicken noodle soup. Percy hadn't eaten his mother's food for so long, he forgotten just how great of a cook she was. Rain was lightly now starting to come down. He pushed the curtains together to darken the room, and got into bed. After about fifteen minutes, Percy's eyelids grew heavy and he drifted off to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Unfortunately, the war was getting much worse. Not only had Albus Dumbledore been killed by Severus Snape when Hogwarts was invaded by Death Eaters, but the Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour had been murdered with Pius Thicknesse being put in his place. He declared a state of martial law and was having muggle-born wizards and witches arrested for the crime of 'stealing magic.' The Dark Lord was slowly taking over. Percy began attending meetings with his father with members of the Order of the Phoenix headed by Kingsley Shacklebolt. When the members saw Arthur and Percy they couldn't believe how well together they seemed for a family that had suffered the losses they had. Of course, no one dared bring it up. The worst part for Percy was that Ron, the only sibling he had left was out there running around with Harry Potter doing who knows what. Ron was the only thing that stood in-between Percy finally getting what he wanted more than anything.

Although chaos was going on in the outside world, Percy was having the time of his life. It was because he gave up his apartment and moved back home. He got to spend day after day with his mother and father. They all went about their days the best they could, as normal as they could until finally it happened. They received a message from Minerva McGonagall that The Dark Lord and his army were getting ready to attack Hogwarts.

Arthur and Molly were preparing themselves but Percy wasn't about to let them go. He knew Ron would be there, he couldn't risk one of them running into him.

"I'm going by myself." Percy stated. "I'll help get the students to safety."

"You can't just expect us to sit here while you go out and risk your life." Arthur told him. "You're my only son. I don't want to lose you."

"That's not going to happen." Percy promised. "I don't want to lose either of you. Please, I just need you to listen to me on this. Just trust me."

"You know I trust you."

"Then please stay here. Look after mother."

Frowning, Arthur reluctantly agreed. He and Molly hugged Percy tightly.

"Please be careful." Molly said, tears lightly falling down her cheeks.

"I will, I promise. I'm coming back home."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Smoke spiraled into the sky steaming from multiple fires that had had scorched the earth. Stone had crumbled off the castle. Hogwarts was getting torn apart as pieces of rock and other debris were falling towards the ground. Large parts of castle were missing as duels were taking places both in and out of the school. Several trolls nearly twenty feet tall began charging towards the school with large battle axes in hand. As they got closer, thick veins ripped out from under the ground and tied themselves around one of the troll's legs making it fall were more veins appeared and wrapped around the rest of its body, but the other two made it past. They began swinging widely, taking out many of the statues McGonagall had made come to life. They marched forward and stabbed at the trolls with their swords. One troll took out at least half a dozen of them as the Death Eaters began apparating, hitting parts of the school as they forced their way inside.

Everywhere curses flew, the deadly green of the Killing Curse being used rapidly from both sides as one fought for survival and the other fought for supremacy. The staff of Hogwarts and the students who were old enough to fight had been joined the Order of the Phoenix as they defended Hogwarts from Voldemort and his Death Eaters. The younger students had long been cleared away, hurried to safety through a secret passage before the battle had begun.

Ron had gotten separated from Hermione as he dove behind a large heap of rubble when a curse was sent his way. More curses were being fired at him when he finally took his chance and leaped up from his cover, sending a stunner at the Death Eater that had targeted him.

Striking him in squarely in the chest and throwing the large man backward, his wand flying out of his hand and clattering, harmless, to the cobblestone of the courtyard. The fall had knocked the mask from the Death Eater's face, and Ron recognized the man as Antonin Dolohov, a higher-ranked Death Eater that they had fought in the Department of Mysteries during their fifth year.

In a surge of anger, Ron ran over to the fallen Death Eater and kicked Dolohov's right in the face. He grinned when he heard a satisfying crunch as the man's nose broke under his foot. Ron kicked Dolohov again, right in the forehead with all his might, knocking him out when suddenly a curse nailed him in the back, causing him to fly forward and land painfully a few feet away.

Groaning, Ron pulled himself back up, wand in hand ready to duel whoever it was that had targeted him. Nothing could prepare him for what he saw once his vision cleared.

"Percy?" Ron stated in shock. Percy fired another spell at him that Ron just barely was able to dodge. "Percy what the hell are you doing!? It's me!"

Percy wasn't going to waste time explaining his actions to his youngest brother. Ron was the only thing that stood in his way of finally getting what he wanted. He wouldn't be denied. He had to have this. There was no one else was around. It was just the two of them.

This ends, now.

"You're the last, Ron." Percy stated as he came forward. "I've killed all the others."

"What others? What are you talking about?"

"Bill, Charlie." Percy spat their names like they were poison. "It was me, Ron. I was the one who killed them. I killed Fred and George."

Ron stared at him in disbelief. "Fred and George aren't dead." He listed to that radio all night, every night when he hunted the horcruxes with Harry and Hermione to make sure that he never heard their names which he never did. But a sick feeling overcame him when he realized he hadn't run into them at all during this entire battle.

"Yes, they are." Percy then took their wands out from his robe and threw them at Ron's feet. "And I killed Ginny."

Ron couldn't speak. A cold pain hit his stomach. His family couldn't be dead.

"Mum..." He finally managed to say. "Dad?"

"My mother and father are alive and they're at home waiting for me. I'm here for you." Percy had thought about this time after time. "When this is over, I will be the only child they ever had."

Ron could only continue to stare at this thing that was before him. He looked like Percy, but it wasn't him. A Death Eater had used Polyjuice potion to assume his identity. That had to be it. And Fred, George, and Ginny weren't dead. He refused to believe it.

"You're not really Percy." Ron stated as he shook his head. "I don't believe you. What have you done with him?" He demanded while raising his wand to him.

"It is me, Ron."

Ron blinked as he began thinking of a question only Percy would know the answer to. He then asked;

"What did you give me in my third year at Hogwarts?"

Percy smirked. With no hesitation he answered;

"My pet rat, Scabbers."

Ron's jaw dropped and his eyes quickly watered.

"I killed the others, Ron." Percy stated again. "You're the last."

"YOU GODDAMN BASTARD!" Ron screamed while coming forward, blinding firing spell after spell as he was consumed with rage. "WHY?!" He demanded. "WHY!? WE WERE YOUR FAMILY!"

"BECAUSE I"M DONE SHARING MY PARENTS WITH ANYBODY ELSE!" Percy screamed back while firing back curses of his own. "THEY'RE MY PARENTS! MINE! I'M THEIR SON!"

"I'M THEIR SON TOO!" Ron bellowed back.

"NOT FOR MUCH LONGER YOU WON'T BE!"

Then, wands forgotten, the two brothers began fighting with their fists. Percy let Ron come at him then grabbed his wrist and ducked down, using Ron's momentum to throw him over his back. Percy kept a firm grip on Ron's arm after his fall, then when he was down, he twisted Ron's arm back and applied pressure to his elbow and wrist while pressing his knee into Ron's shoulder. Ron struggled against him for a moment, trying to break free while biting down on his teeth through the pain. Getting nowhere in a hurry, he finally relaxed and thought for a second...then reached up with his free hand and raked Percy across his eyes.

Percy yelled out in pain and staggered backward, holding his eyes and releasing his hold. Ron rolled out from under him and got back to his feet, ready to throw anything he had at his older brother but found himself begin charged by him again. Percy rushed at Ron blindly, however, since his eyes still ached from the rake, but Ron got an idea.

Ron ducked low under Percy's arms, then rammed his shoulder into Percy's gut, grabbing him around his waist, lifting him into the air and running forward a few steps before slamming Percy back down into the ground again with all his might, knocking the air clean out of him. Percy coughed and felt blood in his mouth as he laid under Ron, momentarily stunned. He was so out of it that Ron was able to get on top of him and start pummeling away at his face and chest for a good few seconds before Percy finally managed to recover and reversed their positions so that he was on top and began punching Ron in the face, blooding his nose and upper lip.

After striking Ron hard in the chest, Percy pulled away from his younger brother and scooted backwards. Ron also had a bad cut over his left eyebrow and a bad bruise was beginning to form on his right cheek. The two of them just stared at each other with unblinking eyes.

Percy then started to laugh as he remembered something. Ron couldn't even remember the last time he had heard Percy laugh. It caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up. He still couldn't believe that this person he had been fighting was his older brother. The brother had had loved despite everything that had happened between him and his parents. Percy continued to laugh as he remembered the reason why he had given Scabbers to Ron in the first place.

"Mum and Dad couldn't even be bothered to buy you a wand, because they wanted to buy me an owl." Percy stated to Ron. "You want to know why they always did so much for me, and so little for you? It's because...THEY. LOVE. ME. MORE! AND YOU KNOW IT!"

Ron raised his chin. He had heard things similar things said to him from that horcrux he destroyed. But this was different. This was his own brother saying this to him, not some evil, possessed artifact. Ron pushed back his insecurities, his jealousy. The two of them just continued to stare at each other as if waiting for one another to make the first move.

"Well, you know what?" Ron finally spoke. "They can love you all they want. Because I love them, more than you do."

Percy cocked his head.

"What?"

"You heard me." Ron managed a smirk. "I love Mom and Dad more."

"Are you saying I don't love them?"

Ron shook his head.

"Not as much as me."

It was because Percy took them for granted. He didn't even have to try to get their affection. But in Ron's case, he valued every ounce for affection their parents gave him because he had to fight for it.

Raising an eyebrow, Percy responded;

"Well little Ronniekins, I want you to answer this one question honestly. If Ginny had been born before you, do you really think you'd even be here right now?"

Ron's eyes shifted away, taking his attention off of his brother and in that moment, that was all the distraction Percy needed. He dove for his wand. Ron's eyes widened as he quickly did the same, but Percy had been a split second quicker. Percy rolled and jumped back to his feet, pointing his wand at Ron.

"Avada Kedevra!"

The spell hit Ron and he crumbled, lifeless to the ground. Percy fell to his knees before falling forwards, resting his forehead against the dirt. Percy felt like the weight of the world had just been taken off his shoulders.

It was over. It was finally all over.

He had done it.

He won.