In Nomine Amoris

Chapter Nine: The Prodigal Son

Abruptly, a loud knock sounded on the front door of the Burrow. "Who could that be?" Ginny said incredulously. "We aren't expecting any of the Order tonight."

Harry put a hand into his right pocket, pulling out his wand. "Let's check it out."

Harry and Ginny began creeping down to the living room. They paused on the second floor landing, hearing voices speaking in hushed tones. Harry remembered one voice from earlier that day. "Gin, whose voice is that?"

She strained her ears. "Definitely Percy-pompous and precise. I'd know it anywhere."

They went the rest of the way down to find Percy, Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley, Ron, and Hermione sitting on the comfy sofas. As soon as Harry saw the extra head of fiery red hair, he pocketed his wand once more.

"Harry, Ginny, come and join us," Mr. Weasley said, preoccupied, motioning over to the sofa on which Ron and Hermione were sitting.

Ginny, however, stood her ground, eyeing Percy warily. "You did the security check on him, then?" she asked her father without shifting her gaze.

"Yes, of course. Sit down, why don't you?" Mr. Weasley suggested again.

"What are you doing here?" she inquired of her brother.

"Ginevra, is that how you treat your brother?" Mrs. Weasley reprimanded.

"Me, treat him poorly? Mum, he's the one who's ignored the family for the past two years!" Ginny retaliated, glaring at her mother.

"Maybe it would be best to remain calm and hear Percy out," said Mr. Weasley, and Ginny reluctantly took a seat next to Harry. "Percy?" He turned to the distressed young wizard.

Percy let out a deep breath. "I've come to...ask your forgiveness."

A collective gasp resounded throughout the room, taken aback by this completely unexpected turn of events.

"But son," Mr. Weasley started, "why the sudden change of heart?"

"Oh, I've been considering this a long while," said Percy, sounding almost relieved.

"Then why didn't you come-?"

"Something was holding me back-something stronger than you or I."

"What, Percy?" Mrs. Weasley asked, frightened.

He sighed. "You know I don't like being wrong, Mother. I can't stand it at all. It got the better of me. My ambition of perfection took over my life. I swear, if I could go back in time and change one mistake I've made in life, that would be the one."

"And you realize this now?" Mr. Weasley pressed.

Percy nodded slowly, eyes closed.

"But what made you-?"

"Minister Scrimgeour's disappearance. Damn it all! I was such an arrogant fool. I should have known something like this would happen."

"Don't be silly," Mrs. Weasley said witheringly. "You can't have."

"No, Mum," Percy insisted, "if I hadn't pushed away from you and Dad-the whole family-and thrown myself into the heart of the Ministry's affairs..." He trailed off, shaking his head in disgust.

"Please," he begged, "I've learned my lesson-let me come home. I'm sorry," he added in a whisper.

Mrs. Weasley opened her arms and engulfed Percy in a warm embrace, tears shining on her face. "It's okay now," she said comfortingly. "You've chosen the right place to come."

An accusatory voice broke the silence of the touching reunion. "Just like that?" All turned to see Ron on his feet, eyes blazing with anger. "You're taking him back just like that?"

"I agree with Ron," Ginny said, also rising. "You act as if nothing ever happened!"

"Erm..." said Hermione quietly. "Maybe Harry and I should leave-"

"Stay!" the Weasleys commanded. Both Harry and Hermione did as ordered, against their better judgment; the Weasleys were all red-haired, but tonight they were red-faced as well.

"He's sorry," Mrs. Weasley stated sharply. "For that reason, we forgive him."

"But he was awful to us," Ginny huffed stubbornly.

"I believe you're old enough now," said Mr. Weasley, "to discern your brother's genuineness from any fallacies. You can decide for yourself whether you accept his apology, but we choose to welcome him back."

"Who knows how long he'll stay this way?" Ginny argued. "What if he's spying on us for his dear Ministry? He was so deeply rooted there, it seems impossible he would change his mind."

"Changing one's mind is a fact of life," Mr. Weasley said thoughtfully. "We find that our decision-making abilities were poor in the first place-that's how we mature, in a way."

Percy had been darting his eyes from his father to his sister during this conversation. "Ginny, I am sorry, especially for not being there for you and Ron when you could have used me. You don't have to forgive me."

"I..." Ginny muttered, looking torn between her obstinacy and the thought of having six brothers at her side once again. Her expression eventually turned to one of resolution. "All right," she agreed, embracing Percy as her mother had.

Ron, who had ceased his arguments in settlement with his parents' reckoning, joined them. "But Percy," he said curiously, "you said you've been thinking of coming home for awhile: what made you feel that way?"

"A number of things," Percy answered, sitting back down. "The first was the disappearance of Dolores Umbridge-"

"She's gone?" Harry asked disbelievingly.

"Yes. We had to pay a Prophet correspondent a hefty price to not let it leak out. If the press got wind of her loss, they'd have a field day. I shudder to think what the night edition might say about Scrimgeour."

"That'll be torture," Mr. Weasley concurred, "not only for you, but for the whole Ministry."

"Exactly," said Percy. "And I had had quite enough of Dolores' attempts at outlawing half-breed rights. Once Scrimgeour had taken over his position, and the wizarding world started believing you"-he looked pointedly at Harry-"and Dumbledore, things got a bit better at the Ministry. When I say 'a bit,' though, I mean 'a bit.' All those pamphlets were a waste of tree, if you ask me. And then the news of dementors breeding all over the country...it was becoming too much.

"But there was no way in hell I could ever let out how I felt about the goings-on there. I'd be fired faster than you can say 'desk job.' They don't trust anyone anymore, even the top-most officials.

"So naturally, I kept my place there. I still work there now, but Merlin knows how much longer that will be. It's not that the Prophet will attack me (though they will)-it's that I'm getting so sick of the hypocrisy of it all. And that is why I am here, Ginny," he added, replying to her question from many moments before.

"The Ministry has screwed up so much of my life," he continued, "but even they don't deserve a chaotic episode like this."

"By 'so much,' what do you mean?" Mrs. Weasley asked, disheartened. "Not just our relationship with you?"

"Oh yes, more than that," Percy said assuredly. "It's taken its toll on my love life as well."

"Penelope?"

He nodded regretfully in response.

"I'm so sorry, Percy," his mother consoled him.

"Not your fault," he shrugged. "Mine and mine alone."

"Well," said Mr. Weasley, "what's it going to be? Will you quit your job?"

"No, I figured...maybe...I could keep it, to monitor whatever is happening at the Ministry-possibly to help find a suitable replacement for Minister in Scrimgeour's absence. One that would take better action, and not one who's looking to find the Ministry's new poster boy," Percy chuckled. Everyone recalled Scrimgeour's endeavor of making Harry into the Ministry's "Chosen One."

"I think that's a great idea," Mr. Weasley smiled.

Satisfied at the matter having been settled, Mrs. Weasley bustled into the kitchen, calling out, "Come, eat while it's hot!"

The Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione finally sat down to dinner, exhausted from the eventful day, and knowing that the morning would bring only more mayhem into their lives.