Semper Fidelis

Lavender and Ron are kidnapped along with several other students when they are out scouting for areas of supposed Death Eater activity. They are taken by surprise; each week, the Death Eaters seem to be taking more and more risks, becoming more and more confident. They are trying to send a message, and when the two Aurors that were with them are found almost dead from the Cruciatus Curse with a scar carved into each of their foreheads, the message is pretty clear.

The rest of their group is out at another location when it happens. They gather afterwards in Dumbledore's office and there is an awkward tension in the air because it is Percy's brother that is missing and by now it is pretty obvious that Percy and Lavender are together.

The meeting, however, is cut short because Fudge interrupts them, his big head appearing suddenly in Dumbledore's fireplace. He has never liked that people think to go to Dumbledore first about Voldemort instead of him and wants to weigh in with his opinion. Fudge doesn't like that Dumbledore got two of his best Aurors injured. He doesn't want Dumbledore risking the lives of any more students. His argument is valid, however, and Dumbledore thanks him for his concern. He then dismisses the rest of the group but keeps Percy back so they can talk.

When they are alone, he gives Percy a look to which Percy quickly responds with, "I am ready to do this, Professor. Everything is in place and I can proceed with the plan."

Dumbledore sighs. "I must press upon you the dangerousness of this situation."

Percy nods. "Several of the men have given obvious hints that I would be a good addition to their team. It should not be too difficult to change their minds."

"I must ask you again to think about your course of action. As I once told a former pupil of mine, it is difficult to get in whether you willingly choose or not, but even more so to get out." He looks down at Percy through his half-moon spectacles, the light in his eyes long since gone.

Percy stands upright with his hands behind his back, trying to exude the confidence required of this job, but at the same time wonders if Dumbledore can hear his heart, it is beating so fast. "I beg your pardon, Professor, but it's not a matter of whether I want to; I can and I have to. For everybody."

Dumbledore nods gravely. "Such a difficult thing," he mutters to himself, "to do what is right."

*****

Ron and Lavender are bound and gagged in the corner of the room along with the three other students. The two Hufflepuff girls are silently crying while the Ravenclaw boy just stares blankly at the floor. Voldemort is talking to one of his men when two more enter the room. At the sight of the second man, whose eyes widen when he sees the prisoners, Ron stares and then suddenly goes wild. He twists and turns, trying to get out of the rope they have magically tied around him, and tries to yell through the gag around his mouth. The first man moves his wand to silence him, but Voldemort holds up his hand.

"Wait," he says. "Remove the mouth piece."

The Death Eater does so and Ron explodes into a fury. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU I ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE IN FOR THE POWER YOU TRAITOR TURNING AGAINST YOUR OWN FAMILY HOW DARE YOU I HOPE DIE WITH THE REST OF THEM HARRY WON'T SAVE Y--"

Voldemort nods his head and the Death Eater Stupefies Ron.

Voldemort then turns back to the second man who had entered the room. "Mr. Weasley, is it?" he asks Percy. "That is your brother, correct?"

Percy's nod is barely noticeable.

"Interesting," Voldemort's mouth curls into a Cheshire-like grin. "You seem to have made a difficult choice here. So tell me. Do you still want it?" His eyes, those red pits which know nothing but hatred and death, are sparkling with twisted amusement.

Percy looks over to where Ron is laying on the floor. A trickle of blood flows slowly down his forehead from where he hit his head on the wall. Lavender is next to him and although she hasn't made a single sound, Percy can see, in the glow of the candlelight, the tears sliding down her face.

After twenty-one years of being Percy Weasley, he has learned to keep a straight face, but that doesn't stop the taste of blood from filling his mouth where he has bitten his cheek to keep from crying out.

He turns back to Voldemort and pulls up his sleeve.

*****

Lavender has forgiven him, and Ron isn't mad at Percy anymore either but he still isn't speaking to him. Percy suspects Ron doesn't know how to talk to him which is probably true since the rest of their family treats him differently as well. His parents, Molly mostly, fuss over him even more, and the twins no longer play jokes on him. Bill and Charlie even come to him with questions from their jobs just to get his opinion, and Ginny has once again started owling him for help with her schoolwork. It's as if they have really begun to respect him now, but Percy's not sure he likes this kind of respect. Hasn't he always been the same person that they are just now discovering? Did it really take risking his life to get the attention of his family?

Percy sets a cooling charm on his office as the sun shines full force through his window, and tries to concentrate on his work. He doesn't want to think about that last question because deep down he wonders if that was his main reason for doing so. But then he sees something out of the corner of his eye and as he tugs at his sleeve, he knows that if he had the chance he would do it again. Because even if his family treated him now as they did before, he still saved their lives. By working from the inside, he knows he helped stop one of the most dangerous wizards of all time.

Even so, he tugs at his sleeve once more and thanks Merlin for the Ministry's "Robes Only" dress policy because he never wants to wear short sleeves again.