"I never gave up on my morals!" Percy shot back, angrily. He was feeling horribly guilty already and needed to defend himself, forgetting that he Oliver was one of his longest and best friends. "I stayed because I thought it would help protect my family. Later, Aberforth Dumbledore encouraged me to stay, to be a spy in the Ministry. Not all battles were fought on the outside."
Bitter and upset, Percy sank back down into misery. "I'm already trapped," he muttered, then drained what was left inside his glass in one gulp. He became silent, considering Oliver's offer. Finally, he said, "The Ministry's always represented to me something more than just a bureaucracy. It's the governmental structure of Britain's Wizarding World, the heart that keeps it organized and structured. Seeing it corrupted is like a child finding out their hero is terribly flawed. I've stayed in the Ministry for this long, hoping that I could make a difference, and that's what I still want." He pursed his lips together. "I'm a bloody fool."
He picked up his glass to take another drink, forgetting it was already empty, and was disappointed to find it so. He set the glass down again, and looked away, unable to meet Oliver in the eye. "I'll think about it."