The Price of a Soul

The Price of a Soul

One thousand galleons, the price of a soul.

Lucius Malfoy's face spread with a sinister smile as the coin bag changed hands.

A sick feeling spread in Percy's stomach as his conscience again whispered that he'd just delivered another living soul into the hands of death. He swallowed hard and clenched his fist around the moneybag. It wasn't about the money, but the price of the information would help him in ensuring what remained of his family's safety.

***

Later, he slipped quietly into the loud kitchen and found himself a seat at the table. The rest of the family went about talking loudly over each other as multiple conversations occurred. Nobody paused to acknowledge the disfavored son's entrance - except Harry.

Harry's piercing green eyes turned to him and Percy felt his stomach lurch. With the information he'd just given in exchange for the Death Eater's promise that his family would be spared any further losses, Harry's life was no longer numbered in ifs, but in whens. The countdown of days, hours, minutes left of Harry's life began the instant Percy relinquished the details of the Order's next mission.

Harry's eyes almost bored into him, as if he could sense Percy's treachery. Percy looked away, and his eyes swept to the end of the table, where his father briefly touched his wife's hand and looked on, concerned, as Hermione and Ginny bickered over who would be with Harry during the next mission.

Percy shot a sideways glance to the other end of the table, where George and Fred held a loud conversation with Charlie and Remus Lupin, who sat in the chair that used to belong to Bill.

At last, he unwillingly spared a brief glance at the chair that had been pulled away from the table and sat, empty, next to the door to the back garden. Ron's chair. The chair that until two months ago had been occupied by a man so vibrant and loud that the kitchen seemed huge and echoing without his presence.

Ron, who threw himself in front of a curse meant for Harry. Ron, who died violently when the curse smashed into his body and ripped him open from his right hip to his left shoulder. Percy had overheard his Mum tell his Dad that Harry blamed himself for Ron's death, and whenever Percy saw the younger boy staring into space with an anguished look on his face, Percy was secretly satisfied.

Percy never was fond of the ratty little boy who attached himself to his family, even after the initial revelation that the scrawny runt in baggy clothes turned out to be The Boy Who Lived. At first, he found himself unbearably jealous. Ron's new friendship with the would-be celebrity stole Percy's spotlight. It was his year; he finally wore a shiny silver prefect badge. But it seemed to Percy that his worthy accomplishment got lost in the shuffle, and so soon. He never quite forgot the look in his mother's eyes after Ron and Harry tangled with a troll on Halloween. At first, Percy almost itched with anticipation: at last, his family would realize that Harry Potter was nothing but a troublemaker. Meanwhile Percy exemplified a model student. Then it became obvious to him that under his mother's angry concern, she shone with pride for her youngest son, who managed to knock out the troll with an elementary spell.

His family, if they noticed, didn't seem to care that he barely ventured from his room the following summer when Harry came to stay at the Burrow. Percy was disinclined to believe that Harry's relatives were as bad as Ron and the twins made them out to be. Nobody in their right mind would lock a child in his room and not feed him. Harry pretended to be uncomfortable with all the attention the Weasley clan devoted to him, but Percy saw the way his eyes lit up when Mum fussed over him, the little berk. So Percy stayed in his room, wrote to Penelope, and silently fumed that his family would replace him so easily.

Through the years, the animosity grew until at last, he could no longer maintain his silence. His family's association with Harry Potter was disturbing, but the connection his youngest brother shared with Harry was downright dangerous, especially given the political climate. He wrote a letter to Ron, warning him off his friendship with Harry, and for his troubles, he received not one, but four howlers, as each of his siblings still at Hogwarts wrote him to tell him off.

And at last, Harry's close relationship with the family started to cost the clan members.

Bill was a changed man after the werewolf bites infected him. Gone was the rugged but intellectual brother that Percy always admired. Instead, a blood-thirsty, vengeful man gradually filled his oldest brother's shoes. One fated full moon, Bill sought out the creature that had so destroyed his life and never came back. The Weasley children numbered six then, instead of seven.

The family nearly lost Fred and George after Death Eaters discovered Harry hiding in the attic of the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and leveled the joke shop, and half a dozen other nearby buildings. Fred and George only escaped after Ginny grabbed them from behind and Apparated them out of harm's reach.

Ginny was another near miss. She also jumped in front of a curse meant for Harry, but Ron dove on them and all three tumbled out of the way as the Reductor Curse slammed into the woods behind them and turned the ancient trees to splinters.

At last, Ron's sacrifice for Harry reduced the number of Weasley children to five, instead of six.

As Harry planned the next mission, he'd expressed a certainty that the mission would inevitably lead to the final confrontation. Percy knew final battle or not, the fight would be bloody. He also knew his family would do everything they could to ensure that Harry survived, even if it meant their own deaths. And Percy could not sit for another memorial service and listen to his mother sob into his father's shoulder.

Which was the reason that Percy Weasley found himself in contact with Lucius Malfoy, a man with more power and authority than Percy could comprehend.

Percy looked up and found Harry's eyes still trained on him, a frown forming on his face.

In two days, three hours and a handful of minutes, Harry Potter would find himself stepping into a trap. Shortly after, Percy knew, Death Eaters would deliver The Chosen One to Lord Voldemort. And Percy hoped that shortly after that, Harry would be dead.

Lucius promised a quick death for Harry. As much as Percy disliked Harry, he didn't want his death to be drawn out and painful. A quick death: he'd demanded it, if only for his family's sake.

The sick feeling spread from Percy's stomach to his chest, which grew tight as his only sister buried her face in Harry's shoulder, and then looked up at her boyfriend with a look so clearly full of love that Percy felt his face flush. Ginny would take it harder than the rest.

Percy held Harry's gaze. He shoved his hands, which had begun to shake, under the table. It was moments like this, when Harry stared so deeply into his eyes, that Percy wondered if the younger boy somehow possessed the knowledge to read minds. Percy tried to think on anything but his betrayal, but could not help but relive his conversation with Lord Voldemort's most trusted follower.

***

"One last thing, Weasley," Lucius silkily stated. "Should this information you've sold turn out to be a trap, I will make certain that your family pays the price, starting with that pretty little sister of yours."

Percy stared at him, feeling bile rising in his throat as he found himself with the unwelcome vision of Ginny, prostrate before the man in front of him, being forced through Imperius to do unspeakable things.

"Keep that in mind, should you find yourself doubting your actions here," Lucius whispered fluidly.

Percy nodded weakly, his brain burning with the image of Ginny surrounded by a ring of hungry men, and stepped out of the room. Lucius smirked and slowly closed the door in Percy's face.

***

Percy felt the weight of the gold coins in his pocket, under his cloak. One thousand Galleons. The price of his soul.

Harry's frown deepened and his eyes flared. Quietly, he wrapped his arm around Ginny and grimaced at Percy.

Then, so quietly that it seemed nobody else at the table heard, Harry leaned forward, glared at Percy, and said in a voice so determined that Percy felt the blood rush from his face, "Just let him try."

~fin~