Disclaimer: I don’t own Harry Potter and the Harry Potter doesn’t own me. I’m not making any money with this. It’s only a hobby. I do not own Green Day - lyrics either.
Summary: Sometimes help comes from unexpected sources.
Author's Notes: This is based on a fanfic of mine (which is in different language). It’s not an exact translation of it. This has changes (in characters and in plot). This is inspired by the fic and two songs: ”Wake me up when September ends” by Green Day and “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. Green day – lyrics can be seen in the fic.
No spoilers for Deathly Hallows. I hope you enjoy this little fic, settiai.
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Here comes the rain again
Percy Weasley was walking in the pouring rain. He couldn’t quite see through his glasses and his hands were cold, but he couldn’t care less. His mind was full of far more important things. The death of Albus Dumbledore had made him realize so much and discover that the end could be near for everyone. With the greatest wizard of his time gone, who was there to fight You-Know-Who? Everyone was saying that Harry Potter would save them all. Percy couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t place his faith in a boy who was barely an adult. Of course Harry had saved Ginny, fought the Dark Lord, and survived a killing curse when he was a baby, but You-Know-Who was a powerful wizard. And Dumbledore wasn’t there to guide him anymore.
Percy shivered. He had no faith in winning the war and he didn’t want to think about the wizard world after the Death Eaters had won. He didn’t even know what to do. He sighed and felt the rain for the first time. He walked faster, desperate to get home. Percy had a feeling that he would get sick if he didn’t go home and change clothes. He immediately thought of apparating to the Burrow, but ignored it. It wasn’t his home anymore. The single, lonely flat in London was, or was supposed to be. The only warm thing there was Hermes: the owl his parents had given to him when he became prefect. He couldn’t go to the Burrow and pretend nothing had happened.
The rain poured harder as he was walking across the street. Percy didn’t notice the car coming straight at him. When he noticed the lights he froze on the spot, thinking he had to get away, but his legs wouldn’t move. He thought about Molly and the pain he’d made her go through. He thought about his family, who would never hear the words ‘I love you’ from his mouth. He closed his eyes and waited for an impact.
Falling from the stars
Percy felt someone grasp him and pull him to safety. He felt warm and comfortable. He didn’t want to let go, but he forced himself to open his eyes and pull away to see who had saved him. Percy’s eyes widened in shock.
“Are you all right, Percy?” Remus Lupin asked in a worried tone.
“I… Yes. Yes, I am. Thank you,” Percy replied and lowered his gaze.
He felt embarrassed. How could he have been so trapped in his thoughts that he had almost killed himself? Percy shivered and looked at Remus again. He looked the same as he did when he had been teaching at Hogwarts, even if years had passed since.
“You ought to be more careful,” Remus said.
“It was just… I was only thinking about… it was a simple mistake that won’t happen again. Thank you again, Mr. Lupin,” Percy said and offered his hand.
“No need to thank me, Percy. Just promise you'll be careful.”
Percy withdrew his hand and nodded. He turned around and stopped when a car drove past him. He was afraid of going on. Remus, who wanted to make sure he would be all right, took his hand carefully and helped him across the street like an old lady with shopping bags. Percy felt embarrassed, but grateful. They walked with each other further since they were going in the same direction. Percy hesitated after they got to the apartment building he lived in.
“Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?” he asked. “I mean, it’s not much, but I’d just feel a little better if I could repay you somehow.”
“Tea sounds great,” Remus answered.
They walked into the building and Percy showed the way into his apartment. He quickly took some letters from the kitchen table and put them away. Remus looked around and saw it was as clean as he had thought it to be. Percy had always been meticulous with everything in school and that habit seemed to have followed him around. Remus smiled a little. He heard a sound that clearly came from a teacup falling to the floor.
Drenched in my pain again
Percy was kneeling on the kitchen floor. He looked like he was collecting the pieces of the teacup, but he was not. He was shaking and crying. Remus walked to Percy and put a hand on his shoulder. Percy looked up and just stared for a while. Then he got up and tried to explain how the cup was slippery and Remus pulled him into a hug.
“It’s okay. Just let it out. You were almost killed in an accident, it’s okay to let your feelings out,” Remus told him.
Percy stayed quiet for a while before he started crying again. He grabbed Remus’s shirt and let his heart out. Remus just stood there comforting him. He couldn’t just leave him there in that state. Remus guided Percy to the sofa and asked him to sit down while he would make the tea. Percy nodded and looked grateful. Realization of the almost-accident had struck him and now he felt like he couldn’t do a thing. He took a cup of tea from Remus and felt a little better when he drank it.
“Thank you,” Percy said quietly. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
“It’s a normal reaction. It was bound to happen sooner or later,” Remus said.
“I know… but I hoped it would have happened when I had been alone.”
“I didn’t. It was better that you had someone here to help you through it. If you want to talk, I can stay as long as you like.”
Percy hesitated and drank his tea. He didn’t want to burden the man with his worries, but then again, he wanted to get them out of his mind. So he talked. He let Remus hear everything he had in mind. Remus listened and stayed quiet. He listened how Percy had been shocked by Dumbledore’s death and how he felt that the Death Eaters would win in the end.
“I think that it’s a fool’s game to even try fighting back. I know it’s a bit early to say that… but I know most of the Ministry employees feel the same,” Percy said and sighed.
“It’s never foolish to fight back, Percy. We always have a chance if we believe in ourselves,” Remus said. “Your parents… they think the same way as well.”
“My parents, they… I know. And they were right all along. I was too scared to even think of the option ‘He’s back’. And now I’m too scared to even go back home...”
“They miss you.”
“They don’t.”
Percy stood up and walked to Hermes who greeted him with a gentle peck. Remus looked after him and sighed.
“They do. Arthur talks about you a lot, even if he tries to pretend and be strong in front of Molly. Bill wants you at the wedding… and even twins miss having you around…”
“Only because they don’t have anyone else to bully,” Percy said with an annoyed tone.
Remus took a letter from his pocket, stood up and walked to Percy. He gave the letter to him and then walked away.
“Thank you for the tea, Percy. I hope to see you again soon,” Remus said and disapparated with a loud pop.
Percy stood there, watching the spot where Remus had been. He opened the letter carefully and read it. He closed his eyes and threw the letter away and went to the bedroom. Hermes picked up the parchment and put it to the table. He then went to sleep.
Becoming who we are
The ceremony for Bill’s and Fleur’s wedding was about to start. Bill was standing near the altar and looked for someone who wasn’t there. Remus sat near the end of the rows and sighed. Tonks took his hand and gave him a small comforting smile. Remus smiled back and looked as Fleur walked with his father. The ceremony was going smoothly and then Remus heard a familiar voice.
“Is it all right if I sit here?” Percy asked.
“Of course,” Remus answered and made room.
Percy silently greeted Tonks and then sat down next to Remus. When the wedding couple walked past them, Percy took the time to whisper ‘Thank you’ to Remus, who replied with a smile. They then joined the rest of the guests at the party and Percy was welcomed by his family members. They would have a lot of awkward conversations ahead of them, but the most important thing was that Percy Weasley was finally at home where he belonged.