Fic Snip: Percy Weasley, Rogue Demon Hunter
For alice_and_lain: A teaser for upcoming episodes of Percy Weasley: Rogue Demon Hunter, featuring Weasleys, fathers and sons, and explosions. ^_^
Celia looked up at Percy, expecting him to be smiling or, at the very least, looking relieved. He’d come home safely. Surely his family would be glad.
Percy was scowling.
He looked down at her, though, and the crease in the center of his forehead smoothed. "Are you quite sure you're all right?" he said, helping her to a chair at the kitchen table. He reached down and touched her earlobe, gently, and she realized that one of her earrings was gone.
"I told you. I'm fine." She reached up and rested her hand on his wrist.
The kitchen door swung open and Percy pulled slightly away, just out of Celia's reach.
*
"Nothing is ever so broken that it can't be fixed, Arthur," Kingsley said. "Not with families. Not if even one of you is still willing to try."
Arthur shook his head. "It won't be the same."
"No." Kingsley sighed. "That you're probably right about."
*
"We should go." He took her hand. "I don't want to wear out our welcome, after all."
"Percy, this is ridiculous. They're your family!"
"Not anymore,” he said evenly, “and there isn't much to be done about that."
"But your sister said…"
"Celia, you just don't understand."
"Then make me," she said, very aware that Percy's mother was probably listening at the door. "Make me understand just what's happened that's so terrible it can't ever be mended."
He sighed. She'd never seen him look so tired, or so young. "I made a choice. It’s always about choices, you know. And when you make the wrong one, you just have to live with it."
"That is completely absurd. I've never heard anything so stupid! Parents don't just abandon their children when they make mistakes. All children make mistakes. That's what they do!"
Unexpectedly, Percy began to laugh. "You looked like Ginny just then. I thought you might end by stamping your little feet or throwing a lamp across the room."
"Stop it," Celia said, grabbing hold of his shirtfront. "Don't change the subject."
*
“Do you know them?”
Percy stopped and turned to look.
“Well,” Celia said, “do you? They certainly seem rather interested in you.”
“Yes. Well. Those are my brothers.”
Celia raised an eyebrow.
“Two of them at least. Though I suppose the others might be around here somewhere.”
“Rather conspicuous, aren’t they?”
“It’s their forte,” Percy said dryly, trying to keep from looking in their direction.
*
“Where to, Weasley?” Celia asked.
Percy took her hand and began walking briskly away from the building. “Somewhere else.”
“Hey! Percy!” someone called from the steps. Percy looked back. It was one of the twins, closely followed by the other.
They sped up, swaying slightly down the steps, trying to catch up.
“Yeah,” said the second twin. “We’ve got a thing or two to say to you.” He pointed an accusatory finger at Percy, and then the building exploded behind them.
Celia looked up at Percy, expecting him to be smiling or, at the very least, looking relieved. He’d come home safely. Surely his family would be glad.
Percy was scowling.
He looked down at her, though, and the crease in the center of his forehead smoothed. "Are you quite sure you're all right?" he said, helping her to a chair at the kitchen table. He reached down and touched her earlobe, gently, and she realized that one of her earrings was gone.
"I told you. I'm fine." She reached up and rested her hand on his wrist.
The kitchen door swung open and Percy pulled slightly away, just out of Celia's reach.
*
"Nothing is ever so broken that it can't be fixed, Arthur," Kingsley said. "Not with families. Not if even one of you is still willing to try."
Arthur shook his head. "It won't be the same."
"No." Kingsley sighed. "That you're probably right about."
*
"We should go." He took her hand. "I don't want to wear out our welcome, after all."
"Percy, this is ridiculous. They're your family!"
"Not anymore,” he said evenly, “and there isn't much to be done about that."
"But your sister said…"
"Celia, you just don't understand."
"Then make me," she said, very aware that Percy's mother was probably listening at the door. "Make me understand just what's happened that's so terrible it can't ever be mended."
He sighed. She'd never seen him look so tired, or so young. "I made a choice. It’s always about choices, you know. And when you make the wrong one, you just have to live with it."
"That is completely absurd. I've never heard anything so stupid! Parents don't just abandon their children when they make mistakes. All children make mistakes. That's what they do!"
Unexpectedly, Percy began to laugh. "You looked like Ginny just then. I thought you might end by stamping your little feet or throwing a lamp across the room."
"Stop it," Celia said, grabbing hold of his shirtfront. "Don't change the subject."
*
“Do you know them?”
Percy stopped and turned to look.
“Well,” Celia said, “do you? They certainly seem rather interested in you.”
“Yes. Well. Those are my brothers.”
Celia raised an eyebrow.
“Two of them at least. Though I suppose the others might be around here somewhere.”
“Rather conspicuous, aren’t they?”
“It’s their forte,” Percy said dryly, trying to keep from looking in their direction.
*
“Where to, Weasley?” Celia asked.
Percy took her hand and began walking briskly away from the building. “Somewhere else.”
“Hey! Percy!” someone called from the steps. Percy looked back. It was one of the twins, closely followed by the other.
They sped up, swaying slightly down the steps, trying to catch up.
“Yeah,” said the second twin. “We’ve got a thing or two to say to you.” He pointed an accusatory finger at Percy, and then the building exploded behind them.