Hog's Head Pub currently had a new regular as Percy had been in there every night this week. After the bartender sat his third drink down, Percy continued to think about Penelope and even though it was pointless, went over the idea of getting her back somehow. However, mostly what Percy was thinking about this Friday night was what life was going to be like from now on. Percy had just been promoted again, this time to work directly on the Minister's staff. He would no longer be a secretary, Percy would have his own secretary from now on. He hadn't met her yet, he had only been told that her first name was Audrey, and she was a very nice young woman.
Of course, that wasn't the biggest change in Percy's life. He had no idea why, but for some reason Percy couldn't stop thinking about...them.
Opening up his pocket watch, Percy saw that he was going to be late for dinner. Quickly getting to his feet, Percy made his way to the door when he bumped into someone who was just coming in. "Oh, excuse me." Percy apologized before he saw who it was. He was staring at the face of his old friend and roommate, Oliver Wood.
"Percy?" Oliver smiled once he recognized him.
Percy smiled.
"Hey, Ollie. It's been a little while."
The two of them had only seen each other only once since their graduation from Hogwarts.
"Yeah, it has. It's nice to see you."
Percy nodded. "Nice to see you too."
"You look good." Oliver said as he shifted nervously on his feet as he tried to think of more to say. He didn't know whether or not to bring up the deaths of Percy's brothers and sister. How could a simple 'I'm sorry' suffice? Oliver felt horrible that such a good family had to endure so much tragedy. Fortunately for him, it was Percy who continued the conversation.
"Are you still training to be a Quidditch player?" Percy then asked.
"You better believe it. You're still at the Ministry, right?"
"I just got promoted."
"Really? That's great." Oliver then cleared his throat. "Listen, I can see that you're on your way out, but I'd love to get together with you some time."
That caused a smile to come over Percy's face. Being able to talk to someone, someone who didn't know anything about what he had done was something Percy really needed. "Yeah, I'd like that."
After the two of them settled on a time and a date, Percy headed home to the Burrow. His mother had made fish and chips, one of Percy's favorites for dinner. He told his parents about his promotion, and they reacted with joy. It was the reaction Percy was looking for back when he told them about becoming the Minister's Junior Secretary.
Boy, that seemed like ages ago.
Once they had all finished, Molly cleared the table and headed to the kitchen to get dessert while Arthur started talking to Percy about his breakup with Penelope.
"Where did you see things going?" He asked his son.
"I saw things going to where I could hopefully one day let her sleep in the guestroom. I was shooting for that." Percy joked which caused his father to chuckle. Arthur then asked;
"Did she say anything about commitment?"
"Yeah. I told her that I can give you nine months." Percy shrugged. "I can give you nine happy months, and then years upon years of misery. But we'll be together."
Molly walked back into the room with an apple pie in her hands. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of Arthur and Percy both laughing together. It was nice to see Percy laugh and joke around like this, something he seemed to do more of nowadays, opposed to of when he was in his earlier years. Molly took a seat at the dining table. The once long dinner table that Percy had transfigured into a round circular table with only three chairs. Percy had literally made the image he had seen in the mirror a reality.
Molly cut the pie and handed a plate to her husband and her son.
"I think it's unfortunate that you and Penelope broke up," Molly sighed as she sat back down. "I really liked her."
"I did too." Percy confessed.
Arthur lightly slapped Percy on the back.
"Don't worry, there's plenty of fish in the sea."
"Just don't take too much longer. You want to start a family before you get too old." Molly scolded as Arthur gave her a look. "What? Don't you want a grandchild?"
Percy smiled.
"I'll work on it when I get the chance."
"Molly, I think Percy has a lot of time before he needs to worry about that." Arthur responded.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
That night, Percy tossed and turned but couldn't fall asleep.
That morning he had read in the Daily Prophet that the family of Fleur Delacour had hired a private investigator to reexamine the case of her and Bill's murder-suicide. If that investigator started sticking his nose around here, Percy would have to deal with him accordingly. Percy then began to think about Oliver. What if when they got together he started asking too many questions?
At that moment, Percy began to wonder if he would ever truly be away from all of this.
When he looked at his mother and father, Percy envied the fact that they couldn't remember. Percy wished he could erase his own memories of them, but he just couldn't. Percy would always have to remember what he had done, just in case.
Exhaling heavily, Percy sat up and swung his legs over the bed, resting his feet on the floor. He had one last thing he needed to get rid of. Percy had continued to put it off but tonight he was finally going to get it over with. Pulling it out from underneath his bed, Percy unwrapped from a blanket his mother's prized possession.
The Weasley family clock.
Taking it down to the living room, Percy started a fire at the fireplace. Once the flames got good and going, he began looking it over. Percy didn't want to see their faces, but he couldn't help it. One by one he looked at the face of each sibling he had killed, each spoon pointed towards 'Mortal Peril'.
Reaching his hand out, Percy pulled off Bill's spoon from the clock. He continued to look it over for a few moments before tossing it into the fireplace.
Thought I was rid of you. Thought it was over with. Thought I was over it. Thought I evicted you from my heart, kicked you out of my mind, so nothing left of you wouldn't be left behind. But you still take up all the space, you just won't go away.
Pulling off Charlie's spoon, Percy fought back any feelings of remorse he had over the death of his favorite brother as he tossed it into the fireplace next.
You stay in my head, like an uninvited guest, uninvited guest. You still haunt my heart. Guess you haven't left it yet, haven't left it yet. Like an uninvited guest.
After that, Percy quickly yanked off both Fred and George's spoons and didn't even hesitate for a second throwing them into the fireplace.
Still see you everywhere. You're still in every room, feel you with every move. I can't go on without erasing you from my heart. Tired of feeling this pain. Seems you're the only ghost, I just can't chase away.
Ron's spoon was then the next one and finally, Ginny's spoon was the last. For some reason, Percy started to think what they would say to him if they could talk to Percy one last time. He was sure that they hated him.
'Let them hate me.' Percy thought. It would be nothing new. Percy had grown to ignore it.
You still inhabit every thought, I prayed that you'd be gone. You stay in my head, like an uninvited guest, uninvited guest. You still haunt my heart. Seems you haven't left it yet, haven't left it yet.
Percy then tossed the entire clock into the fireplace and watched it burn as he rested himself on the floor in front of it. After a few minutes, Percy suddenly heard a light thunder before raindrops began rapidly hitting the roof of the Burrow. He got up and began heading for the door.
I don't want to feel you around! I just want you, want you out! So please, go, please!
Percy walked out into the rain. He titled his head back and closed his eyes, letting the rain pour onto him as if cleansing himself from all the wickedness he had committed. After about several minutes, soak and wet, Percy slowly headed back inside as he then realized something.
He may not be able to sleep so well, but Percy could watch his parents sleep peacefully.
Any night he wanted.
You stay in my head, like an uninvited guest, uninvited guest.
You still haunt my heart; guess you haven't left it yet...
Haven't left me yet.
You still haunt my heart.
Like an uninvited guest.
The End.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Lyrics are from 'Uninvited Guest' by Disturbed.
