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WEASLEY, ron b. ([info]pigwidgeoned) wrote in [info]pandorarpg,
@ 2012-01-03 21:14:00

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Entry tags:!status: complete, ^date: november 10 2003, character: percy weasley, character: ron weasley

Characters: Percy Weasley & Ron Weasley
Setting: Percy's flat, Kinnerton Court, 10 November 2003, 5:03pm
Rating: PG for language and freakouts
Summary: Ron comes to tell Percy about Penelope's death.

Ron felt completely drained and overly exhausted already. His day had been too bloody eventful for his liking. It started out with the prank of embarrassing proportions that he knew he'd be hearing about around the office for too many sodding weeks to come that George claimed he had nothing to do with. Even on a normal day this would have been enough to send Ron home. But he still had his planned meeting with Penelope that he couldn't bunk off, especially if it was true that her brother had been killed by a witch and it fit into the patterns of the murders. But when Penelope did not show up for their meeting and the lady at Obscurus Books told him that was not a normal occurrence he began to get worried and asked for the address to her flat so he could check for her there. Ron did find Penelope at Dittany Heights, but he was already too late to save her. She was drawing her last breaths by the time he arrived and he was busy trying not to be killed by her attacker as well. She let him live and he was able to see a lot of helpful information, but he did not capture Penelope's killer and worst of all, Penelope did not live through the ordeal.

Ron then had to report all of this to Gaskin which took at least an hour, after which he was released for the rest of the day once he went by St. Mungo's to have his leg properly healed. This was his next stop and while it did not take that long, it was all the hustle and bustle that tired him out and the dread that he was getting closer to the errand he didn't want to make but knew that he had to. It was only one day ago that his brother had asked him to speak to Penelope and now she was dead and Ron had to let him know about it. It seemed to Ron like yesterday was the first time he had heard Percy mention his ex-girlfriend since the time they had still been dating. He didn't know what that meant exactly, but if he had only recently begun speaking to her again only to lose her now - well Ron hated to think of it.

He apparated to Kinnerton Court, Devon outside of his brother's flat. Ron had not come here very often and his appearance was certainly not going to forebode anything good to Percy. He saw the pieces on his mental chessboard moving - his brother jumping to the conclusion that someone in the family had been harmed. He shook his head, trying to get that off his board because that wasn't true and he didn't need it cluttering his checkered spaces or making him worry too much. Everyone in the family was fine. But what if Percy wasn't because of his nightmare connection to Penelope?

Ron hurriedly moved up the landing and knocked heavily on Percy's door. "Perce? Open up already, it's Ron!" He fidgeted and pulled out his wand, worry creasing his brow. He banged on the door again. "Percy, are you alright?" Ron was two seconds away from trying to break through Percy's wards now.


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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-04 04:10 am UTC (link)
Percy had been in the kitchen, pouring water from kettle to teapot to make himself a nice cup of earl grey. He had felt drowsy on and off all day, as he'd been afraid of sleeping for fear of dreaming again. His nerves were getting shot and he had yet to find a way to cope with everything, as it had all been fine until the realization that this wasn't anything he could control, and that it affected people other than himself.

He was startled by the banging on his door and nearly spilled the water all over himself. He rolled his eyes, thinking that Ron must have seen his journal entry (as it had been readable by all ministry employees) and overreacted. After all, Percy never took time off work.

He felt now was as good a time as ever.

"The door is open!" he shouted back, reaching out to take a second set of cup and saucer, as it appeared there would be two for tea. "Will you please stop banging like a goblin before my door breaks down? It would be rather bothersome to replace."

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-04 04:55 am UTC (link)
Ron flung the door open and slammed it shut behind him when he heard Percy's voice. He cast a locking charm on it just in case and then cast a few extra wards of his own. He was growing panicked now. He didn't know why Penelope and Percy's nightmares were connected but it might mean that they would be killed as a pair which meant that Percy might only have two more days to live if the other murders were anything to go by. Why hadn't he thought about this earlier when he was reporting to Gaskin?

He still needed visual conformation for some reason, even though he had heard Percy speak. He walked until he found him in the kitchen and almost doubled over in relief, grabbing the door frame for support. He didn't know why seeing him rather than just hearing him made the difference, but it did. He also felt a sudden urge to walk over and try to carve the spot from the back of his brother's neck, but he refrained from doing so. "Percy," Ron breathed, almost adding 'you're alright' but he stopped himself. He did not need to get him on the defensive before he told him about this day. "I've er - can we sit down? I've had a long day." He only then realised that he was still half bent over against the door frame and felt like he just ran a marathon thanks to his quickly beating heart.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-04 05:06 am UTC (link)
Even with his distraction, Percy not only felt the familiar buzz of wards being erected, but he noticed how strange Ron was behaving. But then, Ron explained it himself, stating he'd had a long day. Percy could sympathize, as most of his workdays tended to be long days - even the ones that ended with a glass of firewhiskey in the Minister's office.

He finished pouring the second cup of tea and handed it to Ron, then led his brother into the living room, sitting down in his favourite chair and motioning his brother to the sofa.

"Well, I imagine something must have happened to have you raving at my door like a lunatic. Sit, catch your breath, and then we can talk it out." It hadn't even occurred to him that it would have anything to do with his request to speak with Penelope, which wile still in his mind, he didn't know if Ron would have addressed it promptly.

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-04 05:48 am UTC (link)
Ron took the cup of from Percy though he wasn't even worried about drinking it. His hands were a bit shaky and he spilled some of it on the way to the sofa so he just set it on the table and let it be. He did as Percy bid him, breathing in and out slowly until he had calmed down. Percy was here now and he was fine and Ron needed to focus on the task at hand, however unfortunate it may be.

"Right, thanks." He didn't know what he was thanking him for, but it didn't really matter at that point. "So er, Percy. I-I have-" Ron didn't know what he was supposed to say. He didn't know how he was supposed to say it. He'd never really said something like this to his family. He told Hermione about Harry but it wasn't quite the same situation; he had still been in shock and Harry was a different animal altogether as he had been rather close to him whereas he did not really know Penelope that well. "I have bad news. I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to tell you it." He was now fairly certain that that probably wasn't the right way to start out though. He was such an idiot.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-04 05:58 am UTC (link)
Percy froze, his cup mid-way between saucer and chin, at the mention of bad news. Something was wrong, but he didn't know what. It couldn't be a death in the family, else Ron would have been a nutter from the very beginning. But it could still be family, just something not quite as bad. Had Ginny gotten herself in trouble again? He'd already gotten her out of jail once, it was far too soon to go back, but when that girl had something in her head.

Yes, that was most likely it. Or perhaps George had pulled something. Or maybe it had something to do with these miserable nightmares and spot that were of such conern. Yes, that must be it. Bloody hell, isn't it bad enough he saw me break down yesterday?

He cleared his throat, resting his cup in his saucer and holding them between his hands.

"The best way is often to do so simply and quickly, like pulling off a bandage. Come, it can't be that bad."

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-04 06:23 am UTC (link)
Ron didn't think that was the right of it at all, but he needed to get this out eventually and if he didn't say it now, he probably never would and Percy would end up shaking it out of him from frustration. Why had he volunteered himself to do this again? This was a sodding nightmare!

"Percy," Ron began once again, but still he paused. How was he supposed to start? With the worst bit of it? Was he supposed to say that he was there too? This was so complicated! "Percy," he repeated again for good measure because it seemed to make him feel like he was getting somewhere, even though he obviously wasn't, "Penelope was murdered today. I-I was meant to meet with her about her brother like you told me but she-she never showed and I got worried. I went to her flat - fuck - Percy, I-I saw her die. I saw the witch who killed her." Yeah, he didn't feel like this was going well at all. He looked at Percy, waiting for a reaction, feeling like he was walking on broken glass.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-04 06:50 am UTC (link)
As the words were spoken, Percy's features shifted into a stillness that some would mistakenly believe to be relaxation. Some of his Muggleborn friends had commented that it appeared 'robotic' at times, whatever the word meant. Something about automatons.

It was as if his brain shut down completely, forcing his body to rely on automatic actions that had never failed him. He stood up slowly, maintaining balance of his cup and saucer as he reached down to pick up the set that Ron had placed on the table. Rising back up, he began walking equally slowly toward the kitchen.

...murdered...saw her die...witch who killed her...

Slowly, tendrils of memory seeped back into his consciousness. A pretty girl in Ravenclaw colours asking to study together. A stolen kiss in an abandoned classroom interrupted by a nosy little sister. Heartfelt letters written with enthusiastic flair. A smile shared across the platform at 9 3/4. A dance amid the flurry of the Yule Ball. A supportive hand on his shoulder when he was terrified he would lose his job after Mr. Crouch had died. A loving hug when he had nowhere else to go after leaving the Burrow. A ring in a window that he imagined he would buy some day.

The sight of dark, curly hair on an Infirmary bed, awaiting the cure for her Basilisk paralysis. Tears of pain after an argument. Eyes filled with despair and betrayal. A name on a list of witches to be 'questioned'. An owl with only a single word - Run.

He had only just reached the doorway to the kitchen when his hands began to tremble and emotions began to take over. The cups of tea were thrown with great ferocity at the wall, and his rage unquenched, he swept off everything on the kitchen counter - from teapot to kettle to sugar caniser - watching and hearing it all shatter upon the ground in a satisfying roar.

His legs buckled beneath him, landing him on the floor, his hands scrabbling the surface for something - something to throw, something to hold on to. Something that could stop the pain.

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-04 06:52 pm UTC (link)
Ron watched Percy carefully, waiting for that shoe to drop. But it didn't seem to. Strangely, Percy was getting up, putting the tea cups away like any normal, sane person would. Ron began to wonder if Percy had even heard him. Maybe he just hadn't listened because the news was too heavy for him.

But no, Ron knew he had now. Percy was reacting now. Really reacting - like Ron had never seen him do before. Throwing things and destroying them. Breaking things - Merlin's beard, Ron had never seen him like this! He was a little unsure as to what he should do. He stood up automatically when Percy started scooping things off his counters, but he didn't move toward him yet, afraid that maybe Percy needed to have the space, but at the same time - what if he hurt himself? Ron was an Auror and while he was used to dealing with dark wizards, he was also used to dealing with dangerous situations and he was afraid that Percy might be a danger to himself.

Ron started walking toward Percy when the older man dropped to the floor, seemingly losing the footing beneath him. This really wasn't good. He really was not taking this well and Ron wasn't sure what he was going to be able to do for him. Percy and he had never been that close and as they found out yesterday, comforting one another was not their most comfortable of situations. But Ron wasn't going to leave him wanting for it either; he just couldn't do that to him, regardless of how uncomfortable it might seem. He dropped to the floor in front of his brother and said, "Perce, mate-" and that was all he really had because what else was there to say? Ron reached out and grabbed him by the arms, pulling Percy toward him for a hug.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-04 07:54 pm UTC (link)
Unlike the day before, when his faculties had been mostly intact and his self-consciousness made even a familial hug an awkward ordeal, now he was utterly and completely broken. In a way, it was like Fred all over again - he had only just reunited with the woman who had been his first love, had been given the first few signs of forgiveness for his past sins, only to lose her. This time, however, there was no Rookwood to chase after, no Battle to continue fighting to exhaust himself of this terrible rage at the unfairness of it all.

This time, the only person he could hate was himself.

When Ron reached for him, he went willingly, clinging to the only solid thing nearby - his brother. His grief, regret and guilt poured out of him in uncontrollable tears as his body shook.

He didn't ask why, or how. He didn't need to know the latter, and the former, he could guess. Either it was related to the nightmares and the others that had been killed, or Penelope had made one too many inquiries into her brother's death. And even that didn't matter, in the end. It had happened, plain and simple, and he didn't know how he could live with himself.

Because it was his fault.

"She doesn't deserve to die," he finally said, his voice rough and raw. "She was beautiful, and bright... and I killed her."

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-04 11:22 pm UTC (link)
Ron held onto Percy, trying his best to be some sort of comfort though he had no idea if he would be any at all. He held Percy firmly in his grasp as the older man shook, wishing that he needn't go through this, knowing how it felt himself. It had barely been a week.

"Of course she didn't deserve it, Perce. Why would she?" Ron rubbed his hand on Percy's back, though it stopped dead when he heard Percy speak again. "Perce-" Ron pushed his brother away from him and tried to look him in the face. "This is not your fault. You did not kill her. It was Pandora. It was these memories that you've got of hers. I saw her, Perce, I saw what she did, okay? You had nothing to do with it. If anything you can blame me for not getting there soon enough to save her, for being such a shite Auror that I was no match to stop the witch who did it, but you aren't blaming yourself for this."

Ron had no idea why Percy would think that he had anything to do with this, but he would be willing to shoulder the blame if need be, considering what he'd heard from his brother the previous day concerning Fred. Percy didn't need to be carrying more guilt for something that was not his fault.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-05 12:43 am UTC (link)
When Ron pushed him back, he could just imagine the look of disgust on his brother's face. In fact, he rather felt the same way, utterly disgusted with himself. How dare he even mourn her, mourn anyone, when he had been the cause of so many deaths. Just because it had been years since the last one did not mean he was now immune from whatever it was that made him responsible. He was cursed.

He shook his head when his brother tried to take the blame, for he was perfectly capable of doing it himself. "We had the same dream, and I was hurting her, well not her, but it was still her. And I'm the one who said her brother's death sounded like an airless charm. She wouldn't have gone searching if it hadn't been for me. It is my fault. All of them."

He tried to throw off Ron's hands where they still held him, not wanting to curse him too. So many, dead, because of him. Mr. Crouch, Minister Scrimgeour, Fred, Penny, even two Death Eaters unfortunate enough to cross his path as he sought his revenge on Rookwood...

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-05 01:04 am UTC (link)
Ron was shaking his head too. He knew that arguing with Percy right now was stupid, but he was going to do it anyway because he couldn't believe that his brother was talking like this. "The dream doesn't matter, Percy! That wasn't you! It's Pandora's memory, it's not even your own! The only reason it happened to be Penelope in the same memory was because the two of you were connected in some way, but those people in that dream weren't actually either of you!"

Ron clenched Percy's upper arms tightly, not willing to let his brother go. He wasn't going to let him get this sort of crazy thought into his head. "The searching doesn't matter, Perce! We don't know if that's why she was killed or not, alright? And it doesn't matter what you said or didn't say, she would have kept digging on her own; he was her brother for Merlin's sake, what else would you expect her to do? We would do the same for our brothers! We have! And we're going to do the same for Harry - but blaming ourselves doesn't find the murderer, Perce! Blaming yourself just lets Pandora go kill more people!"

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-05 01:16 am UTC (link)
Ron's words flew over Percy's head as he focused on the idea of being cursed. People seemed to die around him, and those that didn't suffered terrible fates, like Minister Fudge. But Penny, she had left him, she should have been able to get away from it, away from him. Except she came back, as if to give him one last chance to say goodbye. Something had told him he would never see her again, but he'd believed it to be voluntary on her part.

"I never told her I was sorry." His head finally lifted, eyes staring into his brother's as if trying to make him understand. "I had the chance, and I didn't tell her. She died not knowing how much I hated myself for hurting her."

And this time he'd hurt her one last time - for the last time.

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-05 01:41 am UTC (link)
Ron's eyes went soft at that. What could he say to this? He did not know what had transpired between his brother and Penelope Clearwater; he never knew why they had finished with one another, all he knew was that when it was over, Percy never mentioned her again. It might not have been good, considering, but Ron couldn't tell him that. So what did he say?

"Percy, I'm so sorry." Ron searched his face, wondering if what he said would even matter. He knew it wouldn't, but he'd try anyway. "But you were helping her, yeah? You were talking to her again these past few days, so that had to mean something. She probably already knew, even if you didn't get the chance to say it. Just because you don't say something out loud doesn't mean that people don't quite understand the meaning from the way you act."

Ron didn't know if that was the truth. He didn't know how Percy acted with Penelope, but he did know how he acted with his family, which was difficult if he were to be quite honest. And there were times like at Sunday brunch that if it weren't for Hermione seeing Percy's spot, Ron wouldn't know what was going on in Percy's head half the time, but maybe he was different with Penelope. Just maybe.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-05 01:53 am UTC (link)
He nodded as if in understanding of whatever Ron had said, but it only barely registered in his mind. He felt so hollow inside, as if he had vented out all of his humanity, and there was next to none left. His eyes stared past his brother at the wreck that was his kitchen.

"I need to clean up this mess," he muttered emotionlessly. "I need it to be tidy, just in case..."

In case what, one of Penny's friends or relatives came demanding answers?

He looked back at Ron, his eyes colder than they'd been moments ago, as if he had finally built back up his inner walls. Yet they were still crumbled around his heart, he simply needed to remind his brother, to feel useful. "Penny's family is Muggle. Her things, some of them might be magical, and she might have a familiar. They can't go to her family..." He felt like such a fool, thinking of those laws at a time like this - but it was his job, wasn't it?

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-05 02:30 am UTC (link)
Ron's eyebrow shot up when Percy mentioned the mess in the kitchen. He couldn't believe that he was even thinking about it just then, but maybe he really wasn't. Maybe he was just trying for a distraction from thinking about anything else. "Leave it, mate, I'll clean it up in a minute, okay?"

But then he wondered if that was the wrong thing for him to say because Percy looked at him, his eyes hard. Ron was a bit taken aback, thinking that maybe he was being asked to leave, but no, now Percy was talking about Penelope's things. For Merlin's sake, did the man ever just stop and just be for a minute? "Percy, stop!" Ron snapped at him, shaking him a little by the shoulders. "The Aurors aren't even done in her flat yet, you don't need to worry about her things, okay? It will be taken care of. Just - just stop it, alright? Stop thinking about the Ministry and your stupid laws for bloody sake!"

Ron's face twisted a bit in sadness because he shouldn't have said that. He shouldn't be mean to him about that right now, but it was rather infuriating, to be quite honest and when did Ron ever have the ability to say the right thing at the right time? That was a definite never.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-05 03:06 am UTC (link)
Percy felt a wave of vertigo as he was shaken by the shoulders. He nodded, agreeing with Ron, though for completely different reasons. "Yes, there would be evidence there. Something to go on. Can't disturb the crime scene..."

He leaned back, his shoulder resting against a kitchen cupboard door as he breathed in and out slowly. What was he supposed to do with himself now? What could be done?

"I-" His voice broke as he tried to put words to the nothingness he felt inside, but found none. Finally, there was only the truth. "I don't know what to do," he admitted. It wasn't something he admitted lightly.

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-05 03:41 am UTC (link)
Ron sighed and released his hold on Percy. He shouldn't be man-handling him anyway, but it was pretty much all he could bring himself to do then to try to get the man to see sense. But really, would Ron be seeing sense at a time like this? Well, Ron wouldn't react like this though, so it was hard for him to really say one way or the other.

"Percy, you don't have to do anything. It's just-" Ron didn't really know how to describe it. It was so soon for him to be on the other side of this, trying to help someone through when he wasn't through it himself yet. He wasn't even nearly through. Maybe he could get up and go to work in the morning, but look how his first real day back had gone. If this was any indication as to how life without his best mate was going to be, he wondered if he shouldn't just consider bunking on it altogether. But no, this was not the advice you were supposed to give someone else. So how was he, Ron Weasley, who just lost his best friend Harry, supposed to help in this situation when he couldn't keep it together really?

"It's just hard. And I don't know when it stops being hard." Yeah, not the right advice at all. "But you lot help me get my arse out of bed in the morning, at the very least." And now he was just talking about himself, which wasn't even how it was supposed to work. At least he knew that his calling was not to comfort people.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-05 03:49 am UTC (link)
Something in what Ron said finally broke through the spell that had separated Percy from reality. He looked at his brother as if only then truly realizing he was still there.

"I'm sorry, about Harry," he said softly, soberly. He couldn't remember if he'd said the words before, rather than just showing how he felt through awkward actions, but he was saying them now.

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-05 04:00 am UTC (link)
"What?" Ron asked, a bit confused. He had derailed the whole point of this damn afternoon. He was supposed to be supporting Percy because he'd lost his ex-girlfriend, not making him worry about how Ron had lost Harry. He was a prat. "No, it's okay. I didn't mean - I was just trying - I'm sorry, Perce. I was just trying to help. I don't know how to help is the problem. But I want to. I just don't think there really is any way that I can."

Ron moved so that he was sitting next to Percy, leaning against the cupboard too. He didn't say anything else because he'd pretty much said it already—there really wasn't a whole lot he could do to help.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-05 04:54 am UTC (link)
"You are helping, I'm just not help-able," he said, not even sure if the last was a word. "But you didn't have to come. I could have just read about it in the Prophet, but you came, and... thank you."

His eyes unfocused, staring at the icebox. "I tried to help, at the Burrow, but there was nothing I could do. I wasn't close to Harry like the rest of you, and..." He made a sad not-laugh at his bloody predicament. "...and now the tables are turned."

He tucked his legs up against his chest and rested his hands on his knees, then spent several moments staring at them. "You can go, if you want. I won't do anything stupid."

Yet.

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-05 05:18 am UTC (link)
Ron wrinkled his nose in distaste at that last statement. "No. I would never have just let you read it in the Prophet, Percy. Especially not when I was-" He didn't really need to finish the sentence. "That's not how it works, remember? Family tells each other shite and helps each other? Or however it went." He shrugged, not really remember what it was exactly he had said yesterday at the Burrow but it didn't rightly matter. "Don't-don't thank me. It's not like I really looked forward to telling you this but I wasn't going to let you be alone when you found out, yeah?"

If Ron were to consider his entire family and their closeness to Harry, Percy might actually be the only one who didn't seem to ever really bond with him. Charlie had met Harry earlier on in their first year and then once the Order was reassembled and Bill met Harry with the Order as well and both of them seemed to get on with him rather well. Obviously they weren't exactly the best of friends, but they still liked him well enough. But that was all a time in which Percy was stuck in the Ministry and before that, Percy was always busy being a Prefect and studying so truly, he sort of was the only one in the family that didn't know Harry much at all. It was odd for Ron to think about it that way because Harry had just sort of always been a part of the family and he never considered that anyone didn't quite know him that well. "You did help, just by being there. By offering support even if you didn't know him well. That's all we really can do, I guess."

Ron looked over at Percy and gave him a cynical look. He was rather a master at being stupid at a time like this so he knew better than to believe him or to leave him alone either. He did need to go see Hermione and discuss all the new information he had uncovered but that could wait until he knew Percy was not in danger. Which might not be for a while considering his connection to Penelope's dream. Ron was going to have to ask Gaskin for a protection detail for Percy - it only made sense considering. "No mate, it's fine. I think I'll stay with you for a while if you don't mind." He'd also ask George if he'd stay with Percy once he left as well.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-05 05:36 am UTC (link)
Percy was going to argue, but he realized that not only was it an argument he would lose, but he no longer had the energy to argue. What was the point of it?

"Well if you're going to stay, then you can help me clean up," he said, which would have sounded like a joke had it not been said so humourlessly. "Because I need to move, or else I'll tink, and I can't. Not yet."

Matching actions to words, he tried lifting himself up with a grip on the counter, nearly slipping on a puddle of spilled tea, but finally managing to get himself upright. "Or I can clean, and you start the kettle. We need tea."

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-05 06:43 pm UTC (link)
Ron shrugged at Percy's demand, not really minding all that much. He understand how the man felt and really, he could do with moving about a bit himself. "I'll clean, you start the tea."

Ron stood up and pulled out his wand and began sorting through the mess on the kitchen floor, repairing the broken bits that Percy had flung off the counter not that long before and replacing them back neatly where they used to belong. He siphoned the spilled tea from the floor into the sink, all the while working quietly and leaving Percy to his work. There was plenty that Ron could be telling him - about the murder, about the murderer - but he knew better than to delve into that topic. If Percy were to come to him one day and ask, then he wouldn't mind saying but right now he knew better than to just give that information unbidden.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-06 12:20 am UTC (link)
Percy had managed to salvage the kettle and put it on, then took out another pair of cups and saucers, and some more tea leaves. The orderly actions helped to calm him, and the focus kept his mind from darker subjects.

He did wonder, however, if he was indeed keeping Ron from anything. He was certain that the last thing his brother wanted to do was stay around here, in Percy's flat, avoiding talking about the elephant in the room until Percy could once again be in peace to grieve. In fact, there was only one person he could really imagine being with who would help. Perhaps that was the answer.

"After tea, I think I'll go see Mum. Spend the night, maybe."

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-06 01:13 am UTC (link)
Ron moved the last few objects from the floor to the counter with his wand as Percy spoke up. He looked over at him, a bit surprised. "Oh yeah?" That usually wasn't the first thing that Ron thought of doing when he was upset, but then again, he always felt forgotten by his mother in the sea of his siblings. Plus he'd always had Hermione and Harry around so he didn't really need her all that much since he had left for Hogwarts. Except now, he only had Hermione.

"That's not a bad idea, Perce. I'm sure Mum would like the company." He knew that's not what he meant, but Ron didn't want to make it seem like Percy was seeking out their mother's company for his own comfort. "I s'pose I'll go see 'Mione for a bit then. If the Prophet mentions I was there and I don't tell her about it first-"

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-06 03:29 am UTC (link)
Percy nodded, thankful Ron accepted it for what it was. His brother didn't need to know that, after spending some time with Molly, Percy planned on coming back home to be alone again. That is, if she let him - though worse come worse, he could sneak out come nightfall. He was likely the only one of his siblings to never do that while living at home, so she might not suspect him of it.

"She'll worry," he finished Ron's sentence for him. "When you love someone, you worry about them. And you may think you're doing the best thing for them, protecting them, and they may not understand why you're doing what you do, but you do it because you think it will change things. But then they may not understand it, may even hate you for it, when all along you were trying to help."

The whistle blew, and he poured out the cups, seemingly ignorant of his own rambling. Once the cups were steaming the tea leaves, he looked up at Ron again.

"Don't repeat your brother's mistakes. When she argues, listen to her. Tell her you love her every day, as often as you can. And never let her go."

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-06 04:03 am UTC (link)
Ron nodded when Percy finished his sentence for him. She would do more than worry, she would show up at his flat and terrorize him for not coming to her the moment it was over. But, 'worry' was an acceptable enough word for the time being.

But then Percy kept talking and he kept talking and suddenly Ron realised that he wasn't talking about Ron at all, but himself and his relationship with Penny. Ron was about to ask Percy if he was alright but then his brother addressed him more directly. He felt his throat tighten up and he didn't really know what to say to him. It was a terrible thing to think of, losing Hermione, and if Percy still loved Penelope like Ron loved Hermione he couldn't even begin to think of how his brother was feeling right now. He had thought it was an ex-girlfriend, not a current love.

"Perce-" Ron croaked, his throat hoarse, "I'm so sorry. I-I didn't know. You never - I thought it was finished with the two of you."

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-06 04:28 am UTC (link)
"It was," he admitted it aloud for the first time, as there had been nobody to talk to when it had happened. "Years ago. But... we'd been together over four years, and I loved her more than-" More than his job? More than his family? He honestly didn't know anymore, but he'd loved her more than anyone else before or since.

"But she left me. Something similar to what happened with the family. Just before Christmas, too." Which in retrospect had been one of the reasons he'd been so enraged by the arrival of his mother's jumper, and had sent it back unopened. He gave a sad, pathetic excuse for a laugh. "It's funny how clueless I was then. I'd even been looking at rings..."

He gasped as the pain started returning anew, and he fought to push it back down where he could barely feel it, or anything else. "I'm just saying not to be the fool I was, and let slip away the most wonderful thing you have in your life."

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-06 05:22 am UTC (link)
Ron felt terrible for bringing it up now. He shouldn't have mentioned it at all. He was so shite at this comfort thing. And it was awful that Percy had gone through all this on his own, but then again it wasn't like they could do much since he had basically chosen to ostracize himself from the rest of them.

When Percy mentioned that he'd been looking at rings, Ron's eyebrows shot up his forehead. He'd never once suspected that his brother would have been close to considering marriage to someone. It was so odd how much he didn't know bout his brother and also made him feel quite sad when he thought about it now. He really needed to get to know Percy better. And learn how to talk to him, because he was so lost as to what to say.

"Percy, you're not a fool. Everybody makes mistakes... you couldn't have known..."

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-07 01:07 am UTC (link)
"But I was a fool, and everyone knows it," he corrected, shaking his head.

He picked up his cup of tea and lifted it to his nose, inhaling deeply. The aroma steadied him, as it often had. Sense was beginning to seep back into his conscious mind, but with it came thoughts of what had happened, and how he had reacted. Merlin, in the time since Ron's arrival, his emotions had gone up and down so often that it was beginning to make him queasy. He was torn between shutting away his memories to better deal with the situation, and actually talking about them.

Penelope deserved to be remembered, though. She was so beautiful, and full of life, and promise, and her mind had challenged him ever so often. She had deserved so much better than him, than what he had put her through.

She deserved so much better than to die such a needless death.

He took a long drink of his too hot tea, the burning distracting him from the ache inside.

"Did I ever tell you what the best part of being a prefect was?" he asked, seemingly out of the blue.

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-07 10:59 pm UTC (link)
Percy may have made some mistakes, but it wasn't like they were all innocent of such a thing. They'd all made them in the past, including Ron. He had been quite furious with his brother when he'd left his family for the Ministry and he'd said a lot of stupid things about him, but in the end he loved him and Percy had chose to come back and that was all that mattered.

Ron looked over at Percy, finding the question a bit odd and unsure how to place it. "Er, I guess not? I always assumed you liked bossing us about to be honest." Ron picked up his tea cup, not really because he wanted to drink it but to have something to hold.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-08 02:03 am UTC (link)
He nodded, the first traces of the merest of smiles coming upon his face. "That was certainly a bonus. But when you're a prefect, you know the rounds, know the rules, and know how to get around them when you need to. And if the person you wish to spend time with is a fellow Prefect, then... it can be quite enjoyable to do rounds at night together. Or to not do rounds when doing rounds together."

He took another drink, this one less scorching but still nice and hot. "She'd tease me about being a 'typical Gryffindor' by breaking the rules. Would say if I didn't behave myself, she'd tell you lot all about it, and ruin my 'stick-up-my-arse' reputation forever. We, however, couldn't have that."

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-08 02:28 am UTC (link)
Ron hadn't ever really thought about it that way. He'd always felt like his Prefect duties were a chore and never once thought of them as an opportunity to spend time with Hermione. Not to mention Hermione never would have bunked off rounds just to spend time with him, but he didn't mind that so much. And if he hadn't spent so much of sixth year with Lavender he supposed it may have gone a bit differently with Hermione, but all that didn't really matter now.

What did matter was that Percy Weasley was telling him that he had shirked his own duties to spend time with a girl. Of all the things in the world, this was the most shocking thing Ron had ever heard about his brother. It had been hard enough to believe that Percy had had a girlfriend to begin with, but to hear that he would really neglect his Prefect duties to spend time with her was nigh on unbelievable. "You didn't. You wouldn't. I don't think I can believe that of you, mate. You're - well... you."

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-08 02:39 am UTC (link)
"I am me," he replied with a shrug. "But then, she knew me better than most, save Mum of course. With you lot, I had to be your older brother. With her, I was just Percy."

With a sigh, he nudged the other cup toward Ron. "Come, drink up. The fast we're done, the faster I can go to the Burrow and relieve you of your babysitting duty."

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-08 03:08 am UTC (link)
Ron took a long drink of his tea, considering what Percy said. It seemed like it had always been Percy's choice to keep up this image of a man who did no wrong and didn't ever not walk the straight line. It didn't seem to make a lot of sense to Ron that if Percy was a different person he didn't feel comfortable showing that to any of his siblings. "We never asked you to be anyone other than yourself, Perce. Being our older brother didn't mean being a prat, y'know."

Ron sighed. "It's not babysitting, mate. I came to make sure you'd be alright and I don't mind it either. Look Percy, I'm going to ask Gaskin to have a couple of hit wizards on you for the next few days just in case." He knew that it wasn't a favourable thing, but he wasn't going to take no for an answer. If their nightmares were connected, there could be a chance that Percy was next and Ron wasn't taking that chance. He'd have Percy watched 24/7 for the next few days until he knew that he was safe for the time being.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-08 03:23 am UTC (link)
Percy sighed, not wanting to get into a discussion over his choices in life, if there had really been any. Molly had imparted on Percy from a very young age how important it had been to watch out for his younger siblings, from the first war to Bill and Charlie's departures for Hogwarts, to Ron and Ginny going themselves as Percy was left the eldest sibling left home after the eldest two had escaped for Romania and Egypt. There had been times he'd been tempted to escape as well, but he hadn't, feeling stronger than ever that he was needed at home. It was a lot of pressure to put upon someone, especially when his siblings didn't care at all for it. But then, that had been a long time ago, and Percy had no wish to talk about it now, not yet anyhow.

He looked up in shock and confusion when Ron started talking about hit wizards. "What do you mean, just in case?" He narrowed his eyes, the Senior Undersecretary again coming out to make a point. "There is no reason to think whoever did this is coming after me next. That would simply be a waste of resources, keeping them from being available to save whoever is the next target. And besides, I spend most of my time at the Ministry. Security has improved since the other week. I'll be fine there."

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-08 03:47 am UTC (link)
Ron shifted his weight back and forth, wondering how he was supposed to approach this. Percy may have been used to Hermione, Ron and Harry sticking their noses into things that didn't necessarily concern them, but he didn't know about the entirety of the DA or the fact that Lavender had shared Penelope's dream connection with the lot of them. How was he supposed to convey his concern without giving that information away? Especially when Lavender had not even given out Percy's name to the DA, only said that it had been a previous boyfriend of hers. It was Ron who had finally made the connection at the Burrow when they were informed that Percy was having the nightmares too.

Maybe Ron should have thought this through better. He should have just had the hit wizards set on Percy in secret and not told him at all. But Percy wasn't stupid, he'd have noticed them and he'd be asking questions. Ron decided to play a card he normally didn't play that often with his family just to get around telling the truth because he didn't want to divulge any information about the DA. It wasn't that he didn't trust Percy, but they had made no agreements about letting any new people know about them so he couldn't betray their trust.

"I can't really comment to you about the investigation, Perce, seeing as how it's newly open and the official investigators haven't even been chosen yet, but I can promise you that I wouldn't be requesting this if I didn't think it was warranted. I just wanted you to know beforehand." Ron took a sip of his tea then to hide the fact that he really hated saying that sort of thing. It sounded so ridiculous to him, but it was the only way he could get himself out of this hole.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-08 04:11 am UTC (link)
Percy took umbrage at the mere idea of his younger brother using his job against him. Not that Percy wouldn't have done the same had their positions been reversed, but that was besides the point.

"Is that so?" he huffed. "Well, I'll have a talk with Gaskin tomorrow and explain to him how it is absolutely unnecessary. Protective escort, I think not! Even if I were in danger, I fought in the Battle myself, you know, and I handled myself rather well, for your information."

So well that he'd killed two Death Eaters who'd gotten in his way on his chase after Rookwood, something he'd tried to forget over the years, as it simply added two more to the death toll he'd been responsible for over the years.

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-08 04:36 am UTC (link)
"Percy, please don't put me in this position. No one is questioning your abilities and I'm not looking for a CV here, alright? Harry fought in the Battle too if you don't remember and look how well that did him? This is not a person that can be taken on alone."

Ron sighed, but his eyes were hard as he looked at his brother. "And to be frank, this isn't up for debate so you can go talk with Gaskin until you are blue in the face but it won't do you any bit of good. I've already given him my evidence and he's not going to side with you just because you're cross over the idea. You're Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, your protection is paramount, not to mention you are my brother and I'm not going to let anything happen to you. So just - just let it be, will you?" Ron didn't want to have to go to Kingsley, but he would if Percy was going to be stubborn about this. He wasn't going to let his brother wander around in danger.

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-09 12:56 am UTC (link)
Percy knew Ron had a point about whoever it was who was killing people, but he refused to say so out loud and admit that he may not be capable of defending himself. He had spent so much of his life relying upon himself more than anyone else that to do otherwise was alien to him.

He chafed even further at Ron's points about Percy's position, though in all honesty he had never thought he would hear any of his siblings admit that Percy may have an important job. He couldn't deny a touch of validation at the words, but he quickly pushed them aside, as with so much else.

"Well then, I can see speaking with Gaskin will do me no good." Which is why he decided he would speak with Kingsley himself - without mentioning Ron, as he didn't want to get his brother into trouble. He only wanted to get rid of any idea that he might be in any trouble and needed to be protected. Until then, he could only hope it would take too much time to get the security detail organized, at least long enough for Percy to make his escape from The Burrow. Thus far, he hadn't told his parents anything of what was happening, and he didn't want to start now.

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-09 01:06 am UTC (link)
Ron eyed him warily. There was something that told him he should probably owl Kingsley anyway, even if Percy wasn't arguing about it still. It wouldn't hurt to be extra cautious and letting Kingsley know of the situation was probably the best idea anyway.

Ron nodded and finished off his tea. "Right. Well that's that then," Ron said and took his tea cup to the sink. "Thank you for the tea, Perce. I guess I should go see 'Mione and let you get to the Burrow. Are you - will you be alright for now?"

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[info]youngestmformev
2012-01-09 03:33 am UTC (link)
"I-" Percy stopped himself, knowing he was about to sound terribly defensive and prideful, and not wanting to sound that way considering what Ron had done for him today. After a moment, he started again.

"I will be fine. I'll go spend some time with Mum, then go to work tomorrow."

He put his own dishes in the sink and left them there. Unwashed. "Please, give Hermione my best."

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[info]pigwidgeoned
2012-01-09 03:57 am UTC (link)
Ron didn't expect that Percy would go to work in the morning; or maybe he did but he just wished that Percy would try and take some time for himself for once.

He sighed and gripped Percy's upper arm. "I will, mate, thanks." Normally Ron wouldn't do this but seeing the night they'd had and considering the danger he now worried Percy was is, he leaned in and gave his brother a hug. When he pulled back he said, "I'll see you soon, yeah? Stay safe, Perce."

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