RP: Finding Each Other

[rar_molly]

Date: 19 May 1998
Characters: Molly Weasley, Arthur Weasley, other Weasleys and people at the Battle
Location: Hogwarts
Status: Public
Summary: Voldemort is dead, but Molly is panicked - She wants to find her family.
Completion: Incomplete

Comments

[rar_percy]

Percy heard his mother calling his father's name, and for one horrible moment thought -

But no, there he was. Dad stood in the midst of the chaos, hanging on to Mum. They both looked shattered but they were together. Molly and Arthur, that inseparable unit. That brought back thoughts of Fred, thoughts that Percy was definitely not ready to deal with.

Now his parents were looking around, and he knew exactly what they were doing - scanning the crowds and the mess for heads of bright red Weasley hair. Percy had a sudden impulse to back away, to run straight back down that tunnel to the Hog's Head and hide from them all as he had been doing for the last three years. He couldn't bear it if he looked into his father's face and saw (even for a second) the thought, it should have been you.

But he couldn't hurt them like that, not again. Not now, with Fred gone, and - he didn't even know if the others had made it through okay.

For once in his life, Percy was going to be brave.

He pushed through the crowd towards Molly and Arthur. "Mum - I'm here."

[rar_molly]

She followed his voice. Percy. The one she thought she'd lost forever, her son that was always so proper and good and stubborn.

She let go of Arthur's hand and moved towards him, smothering him with kisses when she reached him. "Oh Percy! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Are you bleeding anywhere? Never leave us again, promise me you'll never leave me, Percy!"

She knew she sounded hysterical but she didn't care as she wrapped her arms around him. "Promise me," she said into his chest. "promise me, Percy."

[rar_percy]

Percy let his Mum grab him and kiss him. He buried his face in her comforting shoulder. What could he say to that? She needed the reassurance, but everything in him rebelled about making that kind of promise. Nothing was safe, nothing was guaranteed.

Fred was evidence of that.

"I -" Percy's voice broke a little, and he tried again. "I want to come home, Mum. To the Burrow. If that's okay. I want to make things right."

[rar_molly]

"Oh Percy!" Molly sobbed. He wanted to come home. Thank Merlin.

"Of course you can come home. Of course."

[rar_percy]

Percy hugged Molly tighter. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry for everything."

[rar_molly]

"It's okay Percy. It doesn't matter now. You're here. That's what matters." Molly held her son. She was so grateful that he had apologized, but that could be dealt with later. Everything could wait.

[rar_ron]

"Dad!" Ron shouted loudly, eyes level with his father's as he made his way through the crowd of people mingling in the halls. He'd lost track of them all in the chaos, he hadn't seen any of his family since they had huddled around the bodies, seeing only one.

"Where is everyone? Mum, I'm starving," he continued as his mother pulled him into one of her bone crushing hugs. For once he hugged back, as tight as he was able, because if he wanted to tell the truth it had been too long since his mother crushed his ribs.

Percy was there, and Ron avoided his eyes. The sight of him made Ron mad, and he knew the anger was not something properly justified, but he had been there with them, with he and Hermione and Harry when it happened. He had grunted when Percy had pulled him close, arm around his shoulders, and held stock still as they stood over their brother. It wasn't fair for him to push Percy away, he knew it wasn't, but he wasn't ready to have the conversation they needed to have. "Hullo Perce."

[rar_arthur]

Arthur stood frozen watching as Molly went to Percy. Percy his lost son now found again, while Fred in turn became the...

Arthur was jerked out of his train of thought by the sound of Ron's voice. Releasing a breath of relief he grabbed his youngest boy in a crushing hug.

"My boy, I'm so glad that your...it's just that.. I'm so proud of you." Arthur took a quick step back, checking for any damage he might have missed, just in case.

[rar_ron]

Ron hugged his father too, something slightly less notorious than his mother's hugs, but his father had a stronger grip. "Dad," he gasped, grateful for two parents who were live and whole and eager to give him hugs and kind words.

"Thanks Dad," he mumbled, jamming his fists into the pockets of his over-abused denims. "I missed you guys, I... We didn't mean for it to take so long."

He kept his eyes open, searching the hall for a sign of his sister, of Hermione or Harry or anyone else whom he needed to see to make sure everything was still alright.

[rar_arthur]

Arthur watched as his son scanned the crowd with understanding.

"Go find them son, it's ok. We'll be here when you get back. Just stay within sight alright, for an old man's sake."

[rar_fleur]

Fleur cautiously levitated one of the more seriously injured students over to Madam Pomfrey and the healer. Seeing a shock of red hair, Fleur adjusted her course slightly to pass by her father-in-law.

She laid a delicate hand on his arm, and kissed his cheek. Knowing he would be worried, she quickly told him what she knew. "Bill is all right. He is outside with Hagrid, Professor McGonagall asked for his 'elp. I must go," she looked down at the unconscious student, "but I will return when I can."

[rar_arthur]

Arthur gave he arm a thankful squeeze. He wouldn't feel alright until he saw his son for himself but to see Fleur and hear that he was from her, well it helped.

[rar_percy]

Percy pushed his hair back out of his eyes. He felt unbelievably tired. And when had his baby brother got taller than him? "Hello, Ron."

He didn't know whether to be hurt at the wariness he heard in Ron's voice, or relieved that Ron was not shouting and throwing punches. There would be time enough for all that, when the dust had settled.

"We'll talk later, shall we?" he said, hoping to preserve this strange truce for as long as possible. "Um - maybe much later."

[rar_ron]

Ron nodded, unendingly grateful for Percy's choice not to be his usual verbose, boasting self. "We should, talk, but yeah, later."

Awkwardly, he held out his hand. He and Percy may not have ever gotten on well, not after Ron invaded his room at the age of four and made messy, noisy, smelly camp, but they were always going to be brothers.

[rar_percy]

Percy shook Ron's hand, and couldn't help smiling at the earnest look on his brother's face.

It had always been hard, between the two of them - even the twins had never made Percy as crazy as Ron was capable of without even trying - but right now it felt like it was going to be okay.

[rar_molly]

"Oh my boys" Molly shrieked and pulled them both tightly to her bosom.