The Error of My Ways

 "Why don't you sit down, Percy? Would you like a cup of cocoa?"

 "I would prefer a cup of tea, Headmaster."

 "Of course."

 Dumbledore waved his wand and a tray appeared on his desk. On the tray were two steaming mugs, napkins and a plate of assorted biscuits. Dumbledore picked up both mugs and handed one to Percy.

 "Cream and sugar if I'm not mistaken," he smiled at the younger man as he sat down in his accustomed chair behind the desk.

 "Your memory is a good as ever, Headmaster."

 Percy inhaled the fragrant vapours wafting up from the pleasantly hot mug. He took a sip. The sweet, milky taste made him think back to when he was younger, before he ever started at Hogwarts. Bill and Charlie were already studying at Hogwarts and, truth be told, Percy did not miss them that much. Fred and George were usually in the basement causing mischief while Ron and Ginny were napping in their rooms. Late afternoons were a quiet time, so to speak, when Percy and his mother could sit outside in the shade of the huge oak trees and have a cup of tea together. This was his favourite time of the day. He almost felt as if he could relax and just watch the wind blowing the clouds by. Once he started going to Hogwarts, he thought such things were childish and immediately gave up the little ritual. He had told himself that he didn't miss it but now, sitting in Dumbledore's office and sipping the tea, he wished he hadn't been so stubborn about that.

 "I suppose," Dumbledore interrupted Percy's train of thought, "you are wondering why I brought you down here at this hour?" He picked up the plate of biscuits, "Care for a biscuit, Percy?"

 Feeling it would be rude to refuse, Percy took one, thanking him. He wasn't hungry. In fact, he was feeling somewhat nauseous. His thoughts returned to Hermione. Was she still crying? Why had he just left her like that? Why did he always shut his feelings away?

 "I should just tell her how I really feel. But I can't believe she loves me. She is grateful because I managed to save her and she is guilty because of what happened shortly thereafter. If I tell her I love her...would that only scare her away? Would she be another Penny? Should I take the chance or should I play it safe? My head is saying one thing but my heart is saying something diametrically different. And yet, when she kissed me in the infirmary, I thought I felt...something in her. Something that I feel in myself." he thought to himself.

 Then he looked up and realized that Dumbledore was waiting for an answer to his question. Percy coloured slightly.

 "I assume it has to do with my real purpose in coming to Hogwarts. I apologize, Headmaster, for not paying closer attention."

 Dumbledore took a biscuit as well and set the plate down.

 "You seem preoccupied, Percy. Is anything wrong?"

 Percy thought to himself, "Other than the fact that I have fallen in love with the person I am supposed to be protecting and treating her terribly and acting like a complete imbecile...oh no, everything is fine."

 "No, Headmaster. I am just a little tired, that is all."

 Dumbledore gazed at him for a few moments. Percy felt that the older man did not really believe him but was too polite to pursue it further.

 "How is Hermione?" he asked suddenly.

 That question caught Percy completely off guard and he almost choked as he had been in the process of taking a half-hearted bite out of the biscuit.

 "She...she seems to be recovering well."

 "This has been a terrible experience for her. I have gone to see her myself several times and I am heartened by her tenacity and her stubborn determination to get through this. There are many who would have been seriously and permanently affected by a traumatic even such as this."

 "I agree. She is a stronger person than I think even she gives herself credit for."

 "This is part of the reason, perhaps, that Voldemort has targeted her this time."

 "I don't think I understand, Headmaster."

 Dumbledore put down his cup and stood up, walking over to a row of books and glancing at the dusty titles casually. Percy observed that he looked...well, older suddenly. All these years of trying to prevent an entity such as Voldemort from wreaking chaos on both the wizarding and muggle worlds had to have taken a toll on his strength. And now, with this happening to Hermione, a student who Percy knew to be well liked by all the professors...it had to be very difficult to accept.

 "I have seen the other professors' reactions. Minerva is practically beside herself with worry and Hagrid is either bleary eyed with tears or he is muttering angrily about how he just wants to pound the daylights out of that...well, Hagrid has always used very colourful language, not that I blame him. Phyllida is looking mouldier than ever which is not a good sign. Sybil is being her usual annoying self although I have noticed that she smiles when she sees Hermione...as if she knows something the rest of us don't...that old bat! Even Severus seems to be taking this hard. The spying must be making him more vulnerable. I wish I knew what he had been talking about...are my feelings that noticeable? I hope that none of the others suspect anything. I think Dumbledore knows something but he won't ask. He is far too diplomatic to pry into another professor's personal affairs."

 Dumbledore turned around and faced the younger man.

 "There is much about this whole matter which baffles me, Percy, " he sighed, "Up until now, Voldemort has always gone after Harry in some form or another. Every year it is the same thing. This year, without warning, we hear word that Hermione is the intended target. Why this is so is unclear. You are brought on the assignment, under the guise of teaching at Hogwarts, and are on the Hogwarts Express at the last minute thanks to some information that Severus was able to provide. There is an attack, which you are able to stop. The attackers are shape-shifters who are sent to Azkaban where they commit suicide rather than talk. What puzzles me is that I see no reason, as yet, why Hermione is their intended target and, if the shape-shifters wanted to get close to her, why they would choose the forms of students she does not associate with?"

 "Perhaps they were not expecting to get caught?"

 "I thought of that but then that would leave the real Draco appearing guilty of a heinous crime. We would have no way of proving that he was innocent. Even the muggle scientific methods wouldn't work in a case like this, which is why shape-shifters are so potentially dangerous. Thankfully they are extremely rare...I can only think of two or three others in the world...and they must register with the High Council of any city they live or work in."

 "Lucius is very capable of sacrificing his son in order to win favour with the Dark Lord."

 "Agreed. Lucius is capable of anything. Nothing means more to him than power and control over others, not even his own son. Such a pity...such a promising young student."

 Dumbledore paused and Percy glanced around the room. There were so many things to look at, even for someone who was quite accustomed to being here. There was the Pensieve, giving off its ethereal silvery glow. There was the Sword of Godric Gryffindor that Harry had recovered during his second (Percy's sixth) year. And there was the Sorting Hat. Percy frowned slightly in spite of himself. A conversation came to mind...a conversation from about a decade prior...

 ***FLASHBACK***

 Percy was painfully aware of Bill and Charlie watching him as he walked up to the stool. They had told him this would be painful and that he would probably end up in Slytherin anyway. He was almost in a panic. He had to get into Gryffindor...there was no alternative...he just had to be sorted into Gryffindor.

 Walking stiffly and with a stern look to cover his growing sense of fear and nausea, he climbed the steps and approached Professor McGonagall who smiled at him kindly.

 "Another Weasley," she had whispered as she put the Sorting Hat on him, "This shouldn't take long."

 Percy had closed his eyes shut and concentrated on the only thing that mattered...getting into Gryffindor. He would fight a...a Hippogriff if necessary...

 "That won't be necessary, young Percy Weasley," a voice chuckled softly, "They eliminated feats of strength as a pre-requisite centuries ago."

 Percy was astounded. The Sorting Hat could read his mind.

 "Can you hear everything I think?"

 "Of course I can."

 "Then you know where I have to go?"

 "Patience, young Weasley, patience. You have great intelligence, a superior talent...I see leadership potential as well. You are determined, loyal and unafraid of hard work. The only house I cannot sort you into is Slytherin because of your unshakable sense of fair play. Salazar would never have approved of you."

 "I only want to get into Gryffindor."

 "Why? Because your brothers are there? Because your mother and your father were there? No, these are not the reasons why you want Gryffindor so badly. It is your pride that will be hit the hardest should you go somewhere else because of your perception that the other houses are not as good. It is a flawed perception, young Weasley."

 "But..."

 "I am not here to lecture you. I am here to sort you. But remember, there may come a time in your life when you will have to decide what is more important, your pride for your reputation or..."

 "Or what?"

 "That you will have to discover for yourself. If you really want to know, I suppose you could always take Divination. For the time being, enjoy life at Hogwarts in the house of GRYFFINDOR!"

 The last word had been shouted so loudly that Percy nearly fell off the stool. He quickly took the hat off, thanked Professor McGonagall and practically ran to the Gryffindor table where he was immediately flanked by his two older brothers.

 "Knew you'd get in, Percy," Bill had said.

 "Have to maintain the family tradition," Charlie smiled.

 Percy hid his confused thoughts and turned to his brothers with a serious look.

 "Was there ever any doubt??"

 ***END OF FLASHBACK***

 Percy wondered if the Sorting Hat was aware that he was there now. For a moment, he wished he could put it on again just to hear what it would have to say.

 "Tell me, Percy, has Hermione talked to you about her experience?" Dumbledore suddenly asked.

 Percy blushed, "Yes, she has."

 "Is there anything in what she says that could provide some clue as to why she is suddenly so important?"

 "She has been having nightmares."

 Dumbledore nodded slightly, "Which could simply be the result of her experience or something more. Has she described these nightmares?"

 "Yes, she has. It is always the same and the potion Madame Pomfrey gives her doesn't seem to be able to prevent them.'

"Now that is interesting. Either her emotions are very strong or the dream is no ordinary dream. Please continue."

 "She has told me that the dream involves her walking with someone, a male, down the corridors of Hogwarts. She is not exactly sure where she is because it is rather blurry. She also does not know the identity of the male. All she remembers is a blue robe and a muffled voice and some music...a melody she cannot place. Then she feels approaching evil and someone or something grabs her. There is a struggle and her unknown companion tries to rescue her but is captured. She is faced with two choices...allowing herself to be captured or being forced to witness the death of her companion. She feels herself being taken somewhere and the shouts of her companion grow fainter. That is when she wakes up...screaming."

 Dumbledore pondered this new information. Percy could see that this troubled him not a little.

 "What should I do?" Percy asked.

 The Headmaster of Hogwarts took his time answering the question. It appeared that he was weighing several options. Finally, he looked at Percy.

 "You must continue to watch over her."

 Percy nodded. Then, a question that he had been anxious to ask...

 "Severus said I should tell her the nature of the danger she is facing."

 Dumbledore smiled.

 "Yes, I would imagine that he did," he said somewhat enigmatically.

 "What do you mean?" Percy asked in a rather puzzled tone.

 Dumbledore sighed, "Percy, Severus has been through more than you can possibly imagine and his perspective on life and on this situation are, as a consequence, vastly different from your own. You feel that Hermione should deal with one thing at a time, that she should have a chance to recover from past events before dealing with this new threat. Severus believes that forewarned is forearmed. Both of your viewpoints are valid and I agree that Hermione must be apprized of what is happening...but not yet. She requires time to heal and we can afford that. Voldemort will not try to reach her here within Hogwarts. She is safe here."

 "I will do everything I can to protect her."

 The older man smiled.

 "I know that, Percy. For the time being, we will continue as we have in the past. I will be meeting with Severus in the morning and I will wish to speak to you afterwards."

 "I have a spare period just before lunch."

 "That will be fine."

 Percy finished his tea and got up to leave. Somehow, he felt he had to say something to Dumbledore...

 "She is my brother's best friend...and she is my friend as well. I will not let anyone harm her."

 Dumbledore nodded and Percy left the room.

 "Alas, Percy, your love for her and her love for you will be critical factors in your success, if only you realize it in time," he sighed as he charmed away the dirty cups and sat down by his Pensieve.

 "Love is not the liability you seem to think it is...even Severus has come to realize that."