Ownficfest Giftbag for lady_green_bat

[ownficfestmod]

Prompts:

Tom/Minerva: teaching at Hogwarts
Percy/Penelope: fugitive
Harry/Luna: caring
Neville/Luna: tropical island

(Ratings up to and including NC-17)

Please leave your gifts (drabbles, sketches...) in the comments! Detailed explanation here.

Comments

Fugitive, part 2 (Percy/Penelope, PG)

[kennahijja]

One deep breath, and he pulled it open with a rude, "What?"

And stared into the toothy grin of the head of the band of Snatchers - pardon, the Homestead Security Unit that patrolled Percy's block of Ministry flats in Magic Alley.

"I didn't request any assistance," Percy stated with a frown, and made to shut the door.

As expected, the creature stopped it with his foot. "Mr Weasley, voices have been reported coming from your flat, and as you were seen coming home alone..."

Percy deepened his frown. "Well, of course there were voices. I brought my Quick Quotes Quill and work home." He gestured at his desk, cluttered with paperwork, the only part of his flat that wasn't pristine. "Now, would you mind? I have 300 more files on Muggle-Repelling Spellwork to get through before morning."

When the Snatcher lingered, rat-like eyes flicking through the living room, Percy fixed him with a steely look. "Or would you like to have a look around, to make sure there's no threat to me anywhere?" he asked in a voice dripping with sarcasm.

The Snatcher shot him a venomous look, but waved inside two of the cronies lurking behind him. They quickly went through Percy's tiny flat, amazingly without breaking anything. One even lifted the blanket and peered underneath.

Percy drummed his fingers until they returned, shaking their heads, and were pointed outside by their boss.

"You won't always be that high and mighty," the Head Snatcher hissed. "One day those blood traitors you call family will drag you down with them."

"But unlike others," Percy shot back coldly, "I won't have to worry about the outcome of my next Blood Status Revision." It was an open secret that the Snatchers recruited from the dregs of wizarding society, among those who'd be willing to serve under a werewolf.

With a parting glare that told Percy he'd made an implacable enemy, the Snatcher followed his cronies out.

Percy shut the door and locked it behind them, then collapsed into his armchair. His fingers shook when he aimed his wand and returned Penny to her natural shape.

She shuddered and rubbed her arms for a moment, then looked at him with a slightly cocked head. "You were very convincing."

Somehow, Percy didn't feel as if it was an unmitigated compliment. "They're like a pack of wild dogs - show weakness, and they'll chomp down on you."

She looked away and nodded. "You really did McGonagall proud there."

Percy let out a shaky laugh. "Thank god they had no Probity Probe." At times, Ministry snobbery about giving out expensive equipment could be a blessing. "I was worried I wouldn't have the energy to turn you back," he admitted.

"Well, that would've solved the escape problem."

For a moment, they giggled like children with heady relief. Then Percy said, "I can get in touch with the twins, I think - they won't trust you right away on my say-so, but they'll help you get away."

They didn't speak when Percy's swan Patronus rose into the air from the balcony window, disappearing into the rainy night in a rush of silvery feathers, nor when, before dawnbreak, a wet hawk owl dropped a palm-sized pouch filled with multicoloured Floo Powder on the balcony tiles before taking off again.

They embraced, then shared a quick, almost embarrassed kiss before Penny cast the handful of powder into the flames of Percy's fireplace, and disappeared to wherever the twins would be waiting, leaving Percy with his files, his deserted flat and a discarded bathrobe still smelling faintly of Penny's hair and skin.

And a few short weeks later, when instead of the copies of Minister Thicknesse's memos Percy had taken to send to Aberforth Dumbledore he received Aberforth's gruff note that the fight was on, Percy grabbed his cloak and his wand with a smile. His heart lighter than had been since the doors of Hogwarts had closed behind him, he went to join his family, and Penelope, in the final battle.

Re: Fugitive, part 2 (Percy/Penelope, PG)

[fpb]

What the -!!????? A Hijja fic with a redemption theme and a comparatively happy ending? No, don't tell me. If the world is going to end tomorrow, I'd rather not know.

PS: Damn good job. But that goes without saying.

Re: Fugitive, part 2 (Percy/Penelope, PG)

[lady_green_bat]

How the hell did I not see this?!!!

Thank you so much dollo much in such a small package but it was appreciated all the same...even though that appreciation is four months late in coming >.