In A Time Of Uncertainty

Part Two, Chapter Six

Percy woke up the next morning confused as to why he was in his old room at home. A second later he remembered and moaned.

The Burrow was completely silent, which was what finally got him out of bed. His explanation was posted on the kitchen door.

Percy dear,

Your father and Bill have gone to work; Charlie is at Order Headquarters. Ron came home very late last night. He's quite angry with you - if he's home when you read this, try to make some sort of peace with him. Ginny has gone to see Hermione Granger. I'll be back for lunch, try to get some rest.

Mum

Percy glanced at the clock. The hand labeled "Ron" pointed at "Traveling". He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding and started to rummage in the cupboards for breakfast.

As he fried some bacon with flames from the tip of his wand, the reality of being in the house alone with nothing to do sunk in. It had been months since he'd had any leisure time, yet he felt terrified at the prospect. Stalling, he poured an extra glass of pumpkin juice.

His dream during the night had been about lots of different buildings, ones he had been to in real life. In the dream he was weightless, floating above each place and able to see through the walls and to the inside. First had been Hogwarts; he'd seen his old dormitory, now filled with the belongings of other boys. In the Gryffindor common room two girls were throwing a Fanged Frisbee and he'd wanted to reprimand them but couldn't because he was floating away towards the Ministry.

Alexandra Whitmoth was sitting at his desk, which she had moved from the east wall to the west. She was writing hastily with a bright-orange quill, absentmindedly flicking back a few strands of blonde hair. As Percy watched the door to the office opened and Cornelius Fudge entered, a stack of parchment in his arms and a frustrated look on his face. Percy tried to call out to him but then he began to spin backward, the Ministry becoming a whirl of color.

Oliver and Ian were on the black leather couch, Ian's head resting on Oliver's lap as the two of them read the newspaper. Percy gazed down, fascinated and transfixed. Oliver suddenly looked up at him and smiled, a sad, serene look. As Ian read on unaware Oliver beckoned Percy downward, and Percy found himself able to follow, but then Oliver's flat turned into the staircase of the Burrow.

He was standing on the landing, with his mother holding one hand and Ginny the other. His father came up the stairs, clapped Percy on the shoulder, and kept walking. Percy couldn't see the rest of the family; then suddenly he knew they were in the walls, alive. He ran at the wall and tried to rip it down, but his mother grabbed him and pulled him back, saying he needed to rest. He shook her off and clawed into the wall, chunks of plaster crashing to the floor.

But Percy's brothers weren't in the wall; through the gaping hole was a small sitting room, decorated in a faded red color. Percy woke up immediately.

The bacon was finished; he at it slowly and then looked up at the kitchen's other clock, the one that told the time. It was almost eleven o'clock.

Percy returned to the cupboards and took out the bag of flour. Lunch would be soon; perhaps he'd make some biscuits.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"And who is supposed to eat five trays of biscuits?" said Molly two hours later.

Percy shrugged.

"Mum, this is Percy we're talking about," said Ginny, picking up one of the chocolate biscuits and taking a bite. "You didn't honestly expect him to sit around the house all morning, did you?" She swallowed. "At least they're good biscuits."

Percy's mother gave him a look that was somewhere between frustrated and worried. "Five trays, Percy."

"He can count, Mum."

"Ginny, that's enough from you." Molly said sharply. She sighed and sat down at the table. "I spend an entire hour convincing Mundungus to take his smuggled jars of broomstick polish out of the third-floor bathtub. I then spend half an hour making soup for Remus, who needs all the nourishment he can get before he transforms tonight. I sit through an extremely long meeting. Now this." She glared and then suddenly, to Percy's great shock and surprise, she began to laugh. Percy and Ginny exchanged frightened looks.

"What are you two looking at me like that for?" asked their mother when she was able to speak. "I suppose you think I've gone mad."

"Mum..." Ginny began.

"They're only biscuits, I don't know what I'm upset about," Molly said. "I think I'll apparate back to headquarters and see if anyone wants to come over and have some." And she was gone with one loud pop.

Percy stared, amazed. Ginny shrugged and took a second biscuit. The clock ticked.

"I worry about Mum sometimes," said Ginny. "She - "

The fire flashed a bright green and a man tumbled out. At least Percy thought it was a man; he was very short and wore an enormous purple top hat. The man stood up and glanced around the kitchen, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. His dark, shiny, deepset eyes landed upon Percy and Ginny. "Hello!" he exclaimed, looking very excited. "Your mother said there were biscuits?"

"Honestly, Dedalus, introduce yourself before you ask about the food," said a cheerful, light voice. A young woman with spiky pink hair was dusting the ashes off of her aqua t-shirt. "Wotcher, Ginny. And you're Percy?"

Percy nodded curtly.

"I'm Tonks. That's my last name, not my first, the first is atrocious." She sprang over to the table and peered down at the trays. "Ooh, they're chocolate biscuits!"

"Dedalus Diggle," said the very short wizard to Percy, sticking up his hand. Percy shook it gently; he felt enormous next to such a small person.

"You look like a really young Arthur," said Tonks, her mouth full of crumbs. "Got Molly's curls, though."

Percy put one hand up to his head, realizing that he'd never combed his hair. The soft spirals felt unfamiliar.

Two loud cracks emitted from behind him, and when he turned his head he saw that his father was standing next to the stove, beside a tall wizard with a smooth bald head and a gold hoop in his ear. "This is Percy," said Arthur.

"Hello," said the man Percy knew was called Kingsley Shacklebolt. "I've seen you several times, but I don't think we've ever been formally introduced. Kingsley Shacklebolt."

"Hello."

Dedalus Diggle helped himself to a third biscuit.

The fire blazed green again and Charlie came out, along with Oliver. Not noticing anyone else in the room, they launched into a conversation that they seemed to have started earlier.

"But you haven't got the build for a Seeker at all," said Oliver, shaking the soot from his hair. It landed on his gray robes and disappeared.

"Light bones," said Charlie, shrugging. "And good reflexes."

"Was it difficult to - "

Tonks cleared her throat.

"Sorry," said Oliver, grinning sheepishly. "Hello, everyone." He faced Percy's father. "Bill won't be coming, Mad-Eye's come home early and they're getting rid of the portrait."

"At last," breathed Diggle.

"A victory for all blood traitors, Mudbloods, half-breeds, and other children of filth," said Kingsley with an ironic not to his voice. There was a general murmur of agreement; confused, Percy bit into the edge of his biscuit.

"So, you cracked and had to work," said Charlie genially to Percy as he took the seat next to Diggle. "No surprises there." He looked over at Oliver, who had sat next to Ginny. "I bet he was a maddening roommate during school."

"Never," said Oliver with such finality that Tonks dropped her biscuit and Charlie started, looking incredulous. Percy blushed.

His mother appeared across the room with a pop. "Well, it looks like this is all of us," she said briskly. "I'm going to get some milk and butterbeer."

"I'll help!" said Tonks immediately, springing from her seat and bumping her thigh on the edge of the table.

Molly bit her lip. "Really, it's fine, I - "

"I won't drop anything, I promise!"

"She's gotten loads better, Mum," said Ginny earnestly. "Yesterday she passed Lupin the bowl of porridge and none slopped over the side."

"Professor Lupin?" said Percy blankly.

"Yes dear, that's Remus," said his mother. "He's part of the Order." She set down four bottles of butterbeer on the table and sighed. "I suppose there's lot to fill you in on, isn't there. I'm not quite sure where to begin."

Charlie took a deep breath. "Perce," he said slowly, "remember Scabbers?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was an hour and a half before Charlie finished, aided by interruptions from Kingsley, Arthur, and Tonks along the way.

"So Sirius Black...?"

"Innocent. And dead. Killed by his own cousin."

"Tonks and I found her the day after the Ministry's announcement," said Kingsley in his deep, solemn voice. "She was lying in a London alley, barely conscious. Voldemort had left her for dead."

"But she was his follower," Percy said.

"And she'd failed him. After over a decade unable to help she'd let the prophecy be destroyed. She's in Azkaban now."

"And the dementors are gone."

"Yes. Tonks and I just got off of guard duty this morning."

Percy's breath was coming unsteadily; he could tell that everyone was looking at him. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice cracking. "I should have listened. I'm sorry."

"Older and wiser wizards made your same mistake," said Kingsley firmly. He looked at his watch. "Now we need to get back to work. I'll see you soon, Percy." He squeezed Percy's shoulder and disapparated.

"He's right," said Diggle, putting his eleventh biscuit into the pocket of his robe. "Thank you for the snack." And he too was gone.

"Try not to be too hard on yourself, Perce," said Tonks, looking anxious. "You're no worse than anyone else." Crack. Percy stared down miserably at the floor.

"I'm meeting Dean in Diagon Alley," said Ginny hesitantly. "I'll be home for dinner, all right, Percy?"

"Fine." He heard her throw floo powder into the fire and say her destination.

"Mum and Dad and I have work," said Charlie softly. "We'll be home soon."

"All right," Percy muttered. He wouldn't look up. There was silence, and then the rest of his family disapparated.

He folded his hands and sighed. "So. Alone again."

"Not quite," said a familiar deep voice.