Work. It was something Percy Weasley knew well, something he'd once prioritized above all else. When his personal life was falling apart and the wizarding world was coming apart at the seams, he could count on work to distract him and add meaning to his days. He knew that work could not save him now, but he was going to let it try anyway.

"Morning, Minister Shacklebolt." Percy strode into Kingsley's office, clutching his cup of coffee. His hands were starting to shake and he couldn't tell whether it was from caffeine jitters or simple nervousness.

"I've told you, Percy, you can just call me Kingsley."

"Of course, Minister Shacklebolt."

Kingsley shook his head. "All right. Whatever you say, Percy. Let's get down to business, then. I'm glad to have you back after your bereavement leave. We could use an organizational mind like yours to help set things right."

"I'm glad to be back. It helps take my mind off of . . ." Percy shuddered. The two weeks he'd had for bereavement leave since Fred's funeral had been marked by a cold, silent house, usually populated with his sobbing mother, vaguely moody brothers, a sister who refused to look him in the eye, and a father who had seemingly ceased to function like a proper human being. "Well. Anyway. Did you want me to continue in my previous role as junior assistant to the minister, or would you have me in some new department?"

"Well, let's see. The minister usually has the senior undersecretary and the junior assistant. The former senior undersecretary is currently awaiting trial for her crimes against muggleborns. I'm just going to refer to you as my secretary for now, since you're kind of stepping into both jobs." Kingsley rubbed his eyes. "I know it must be hard for you come back so soon after your brother's death, but I'm so grateful you did. I've been flying solo for two weeks trying to sort out everything. We can go over the specifics of your job later. For now, we're just so short on competent adults who aren't death eaters that I'm really not picky about what you do so long as it's helpful."

"Of course, Minister." Percy's eyes fell on a stack of unopened letters. "Would you like me to sort through your mail to start?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful."

Percy took a seat at his old desk and began reading the mail. He sorted as he'd done for the previous three ministers he'd served, by topic and cross-referenced by urgency. There was a pile of communication from Minerva McGonagall, who could be quite wordy when there was a crisis. There was a stack of letters submitted by citizens who were convinced they had information on former death eaters' whereabouts, several requests for comment from reporters, and a very large stack of questions from employees in other departments.

"Your brothers are back to work, then?" Kingsley asked presently.

"Only Bill and I." Percy said as he chucked a Flourish and Blotts coupon book into the rubbish bin. "He begged and begged Gringotts for more time off, but they refused. They needed people back or something. Me, I couldn't stand being in that house all day. I had to go back, for my own sanity. Charlie would have gone back, but getting over the border into Romania is a nightmare right now. They're very tightly screening everyone who enters so as to keep former death eaters out. Once he goes back he doesn't want to leave the country for a while, and he says he won't do that until Mum's more stable."

Kingsley nodded. "I told Harry and Ron they're both welcome to join the auror department, no questions asked, whenever they're ready. They're both taking an extended time off, though."

"As they should, given what they've being through." Percy said. "And you know my dad's taking more time off?"

"No, I didn't." Kingsley said. "I had too many people trying to contact me directly about bereavement leave, so I told them all communication had to be through magical HR. I expect he's told them about it."

Percy nodded. "He wants another month. Says he's not ready to come back."

"I'll make sure his request is approved. I'd hoped to have him back on board, but I can't imagine what he's going through right now. It's not my place to judge how another man grieves the loss of his child."

Percy nodded uncomfortably. Privately he thought that it would do his father a world of good to go into work for at least some of the day rather than remain locked in the house in a catatonic state. Something about seeing his father slumped in a chair gazing at nothing, a glass of fire whiskey trailing aimlessly in his hand, made Percy deeply uncomfortable. Arthur Weasley may have lacked the ambition that landed Percy his big promotion, but he had never been lazy. Until now.

"I'm almost afraid to ask," Kingsley said, "but how is George?"

"He's, uh . . . he's not coping well." That was the understatement of the year. George had gone into a nearly catatonic state, hardly leaving his room. Percy had no idea what George did all day, and he was too scared to find out. "The joke shop is closed for the foreseeable future, I'm afraid."

Kingsley nodded. "A shame. I spent a lot of time with your family while we were brining back the order of the phoenix. The twins were a pair of bright, innovative thinkers, and their shield hats and gloves were such a help for the ministry support staff during the war." He sighed. "Someday I'd like have a memorial for all the order members who died during the war, but I'm afraid it's quite low priority on my to-do list. First we've got to prosecute all former death eaters, rebuild the government, and get Hogwarts functional as a school again."

"Speaking of." Percy passed a letter to Kingsley. "Report on the clean-up efforts at Hogwarts. Sounds like Hermione Granger's helping organize it."

"Oh good. I was worried about Minerva managing all of it on her own, at her age. Hermione's help will speed up the entire process. You know, if Hermione Granger was working for Voldemort, we'd all be dead by now."

Percy nodded, sorting mail even faster. He'd long been a little intimidated by Minister Shacklebolt, even more so now that he was working with the man. Minister Shacklebolt knew so much about his family and had worked with them all during the war. He seemed to know Harry and Hermione better than Percy did, and both of those individuals had lived in Percy's home. And what had he been doing that whole time? Eating frozen meals in his bachelor apartment and scheming how to become the youngest minister of magic in history. Look where that had gotten him!

Percy spent the rest of the morning sorting through mail, trying to ignore how big the stack of important letters was. After lunch he and Kingsley met with the department of magical law enforcement to compile a list of former death eaters who were wanted for questioning. The war was over, but there was still so much work to be done.

"It occurs to me," Kingsley said as they walked out of the meeting, "that you were working on Thicknesse's support staff up until the battle of Hogwarts. You know who was in the minister's inner circle."

"Yes." Percy said.

"I think we need you to compile as much information as you can about the former minister's activities. Percy, your role may be crucial to helping us find the last remaining dark wizards in Britain."

"Of course, Minister Shacklebolt." Percy said. "I'll get started on that right away." He tried to hide how much he was beaming with pride. He'd felt embarrassed over scheming while his family tried to help the war, but this was how he could make up for it. If he could be instrumental in catching dark wizards, then he would contribute just as much to the common good as his family did.

Once back at his desk, he took out a quill and began writing down everything he could remember: where the minister went, who he associated with, who he got information. Some of the information was redundant; some of the death eater contacts were dead and some, like Dolores Umbridge, were already in custody. Still, he put it all down in case it would be helpful. This was familiar territory—if there was one thing he could do, it was recall vast amounts of information and then spit it back out onto the page. Professor Flitwick had once told him that never in all his years of teaching had he seen someone write such a long essay about uses for the engorgio charm. Looking back on it, Percy cringed. He knew that half the stuff he'd written was repetitive nonsense to make him sound smart.

By five in the evening Percy had a good start on his report. He would go home and get the journal he'd kept during the war—written in an arcane code only he could decipher—and see if it held anything else useful. But first, he would go home and see the family.

As he left work, Percy realized that this was the first time he'd actually left the office at five. In the early days of work, his father would always stop by at the end of the day and drag him out before six, though Percy got around that by bringing work home. Once he was on his own there was nothing stopping him from routinely staying past nine, and he'd even slept in his office on occasion. But the new and improved Percy Weasley would give a damn about his family, so he left and apparated home.

Percy reappeared at the apparition point, a few yards outside the Burrow's protective wards. His parents were still too cautious to let people apparate directly into the home, so he picked his way over the unkept yard towards the door. He knocked on the door, then stood back as his mother's terrified eyes looked through the peephole.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Percy."

"And how do I know it's you?"

Percy sighed and revealed one fact about himself that no one outside the family knew: "I'm the only one of your children who actually likes Celestina Warbeck."

"Oh, thank goodness, it's you." She pulled open the door and let him in. "H-how was your first day back, dear?" Molly's voice trembled as she spoke and her eyes were bloodshot and puffy again.

"Busy." he replied. "Kingsley put me to work right away. Said he had a shortage of competent adults who weren't in league with you-know-who."

"I couldn't imagine going back to work at a time like this." Arthur said dully. He was back in that saggy chair by the fireplace, staring blankly ahead.

"I find the routine helps me through my grief." Percy said coolly. "Mum, is dinner soon?"

"Yes, dear."

"Right then." Percy headed upstairs to his bedroom and set down his work bag, then changed out of his crisp work attire into a more comfortable T-shirt and jeans. By the time he came back down Bill and Fleur had arrived. Molly was fussing over the both of them while Arthur remained in his chair, like he hadn't even seen them arrive. Which was nonsense, because they'd come through the floo network and must have gotten some ash on him when they arrived, given how close he was sitting to the fireplace.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to go back." Bill was saying. "I can't get over the guilt of leaving you lot at home all day while I'm out making more money than I really need."

"Which is why you need to drink this cup of tea, dear." Molly grabbed him by the shoulders and attempted to force him into a chair. "Tea—solves—everything!" She grunted in frustration and pushed him down. "Drink up, dear. I'll have dinner ready soon."

"What is dinner?"

"Beef stew. Nothing like a good beef stew to warm the bones!"

Bill caught Fleur's eye and mouthed, "again?" Molly Weasley made an excellent beef stew, but she considered it her favorite comfort food, which meant they'd had it at least five times in the two weeks since Fred's funeral. It was delicious, but it sat heavy in the stomach and most of the family didn't feel like eating heavy meals right now.

"How was work, Bill?" Percy asked.

"Terrible." Bill didn't elaborate.

"I was quite busy today." Percy muttered. "Kingsley has been rather short-staffed with so many people on bereavement leave." He realized no one was listening to him and stopped talking. He caught Fleur's eye awkwardly and then looked away. He still didn't know her too well and their current circumstances were not conducive to chit-chat or small talk.

"Dinner's ready!" Molly called from the dining room. The family came scrambling out of whatever nooks and crannies they'd been sitting in and found seats around the dining room table. Percy found himself squeezed between Fleur, who sat next to Bill on her other side, and Hermione, who had turned her body so that she could talk to Ron and Harry. The only family member missing was George.

"Hermione and I have planned it out." Ron said in between mouthfuls of stew. Percy looked up in surprise. Surely the time for Ron, Harry, and Hermione's crazy antics was over now. "We're leaving for Australia in two weeks." Percy had no idea why Ron and Hermione needed to go to Australia and at this point he was too afraid to ask.

"Oh, wonderful, dears." Molly said, starting to tear up again. "Let me make you both a cup of tea before you go off to the ends of the earth. Tea solves everything!"

"No, Mrs. Weasley, that's all right, we don't need any more tea!" Hermione said, but Molly was already up and in the kitchen grabbing for more tea cups.

"Tea solves everything." She squeezed around the side of the table where Ron and Hermione and made to pour some. "Tea—oh!" She'd tripped over the leg of Ron's chair and fallen to the ground, tea splattering everywhere.

"Goodness, Mrs. Weasley, are you all right?" Hermione asked.

"I'm fine." Molly was beginning to cry. "Please, dear, don't worry about me."

"Mum!" Percy jumped out of his chair and grabbed her hand.

"I'm fine, Percy, give me some space!" she snapped. "I don't need any help."

"Would you lay off her for like five seconds?" Ron bellowed. "She said she doesn't need any help."

"I'm not going to stand idly by and make Mum clean this mess herself!" Percy said. "I'm trying to be helpful, Ron, you could try it too instead of churlishly skulking in your room all day." He probably shouldn't have snapped at Ron, but he'd had a long day and Ron seemed determined to snap Percy's last nerve.

"Stop it!" Molly shouted. "Don't either of you speak to each other that way! That's now how we raised you!"

"He deserves it!" Ron snapped. "He was getting in your face when you told him you could clean it up yourself!"

"Ron, don't talk to Mum like that!" Bill yelled.

"Shut it!" Ron snapped. "Stop acting like you're my third parent. I'm a grown adult, for Merlin's sake."

"Boys, all three of you, quiet down!" Arthur shouted. "I am trying to eat my dinner in peace!"

They sheepishly settled back into their seats, Percy vanishing the spilled tea as he did so.

"Mum told you not to." Ron muttered.

"I told you, I am not letting Mum clean all that up by herself."

"I said I wanted it quiet!" Molly shouted.

"Mum, he was trying to help." Bill got up from his seat. "Perhaps you need some tea yourself? Like you said, tea solves everything." He led her into the kitchen and grabbed another teacup, leaving the rest of the table in a very awkward silence.

"Don't look at me like that." Ron snarled.

"Look at you like what?" Percy retorted.

"Like I'm scum on the bottom of your shoe."

"Look, you start a big family spat and I'll look at you like that!"

"Oh you'd know all about starting big family spats, wouldn't you?" Ron sneered. "Look at you, cutting off your entire family and then Mum and Dad just let you waltz back in like nothing ever happened!"

"Mum and Dad welcomed me back because they love me and I'm pleasant to be around!" Percy shouted. Charlie snorted loudly. "You got something to say, Charlie?" Percy whirled to face him.

"No." Charlie muttered. "Except, when have you ever been pleasant to be around?"

"Just now, when I helped Mum clean up the tea!"

"You started a huge argument because you wouldn't listen to Mum and give her space!" Bill said, coming back in from the kitchen. "And now you've got Mum crying again."

"Yeah, Percy." Ron sneered.

"You're not off the hook either!" Bill snapped. "Percy at least had good intentions, all you did was shout at people and escalate!"

"Percy deserved it!" Ron roared.

"Enough!" Molly shouted, flinging her teacup to the ground in a hail of droplets of china shards. "Ron, go to your room!"

"Go to my room? I'm eighteen years old!"

"Exactly! Practically a baby! Go! You too, Percy!"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me! I want to enjoy my dinner in peace, not deal with a three-way adult temper tantrum! Bill, you too, stop trying to parent your brothers!"

"What?"

"You heard me!" Molly shrieked. "Go to your room!"

"You know what? I don't know why I'm here." Bill said. Turning to Fleur, he added, "Get your purse, dear, we're leaving. I don't know why I'm here with everyone shouting at each other when I have a wife and my own home and a comfy bed." He moved toward the door and Fleur followed him. "I'll return when we can get through dinner without screaming at each other." With that, he flung a handful of floo powder into the fireplace and vanished.

The family sat for a few minutes in shocked silence. Percy could sense that they might all start shouting at each other again, so he quickly stood up and exited the room. His mother had told him to go to his room and for once she was right about that. As he went upstairs he saw George's door open a crack. Of course. George must have heard all the shouting. He was pressed against the door frame, just a sliver of his face visible with an expression that read, "what the hell was that all about?" Percy just shook his head at George and hurried past. He was in no mood to talk to anyone, least of all George.