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Percy stared at his reflection in the mirror. The dark bags under his eyes showed how little he had slept since the war. He was growing weary and thin. He gritted his teeth as he clutched the ends of the sink, tears threatening to spill out of the corners of his eyes.
This wasn’t like anything he had ever dreamed of. How could I have let this happen? He couldn’t resist the tears anymore, as they began spilling into the sink. I thought I was doing the right thing! How could I have been such a fool? He had put too much trust in the Ministry of Magic. Believing himself to be oh-so-important, he had lost track of what was truly important. His family.
Sure, they weren’t perfect – they teased and made fun of him for being the odd-one-out – but deep down, he knew he still loved them.
While he had been with the Ministry during the war, Percy had tried convincing himself that he didn’t care about his family – that all he needed was himself. Too late – it seemed – had he realized that this wasn’t the case. He needed his family. And they needed him. He realized how much they truly did love him when they embraced him with open arms toward the climax of the war.
In the midst of the war, it had seemed like such a perfect, wholesome moment. He had finally gathered the courage to apologize, and they didn’t even hesitate to forgive him for all he had done. He could almost taste the sweetness their love and forgiveness had filled him with in that moment.
But then – everything had shattered before him. He was suddenly transported back to that horrible moment. There was a blast, and a wall came crashing down.
Fred’s laughing face – the last moment of his life – was ingrained so deeply in his mind. It was something he would never forget.
Percy found himself crumbling on the bathroom floor, shaking and weeping with such severity his glasses slid off his face.
He didn’t know how long it was before the door creaked open.
“Perce?” Ginny’s voice called out. “What’s going on?”
“Can you please just… go?” Percy choked out through sobs.
“Why would I do that?”
“I don’t want you here right now.”
“Well, that’s too bad, because you’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
Percy heard the sound of her sitting down beside him. He couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze.
For a while, they just sat in silence, before Percy broke out with the words, “It was my fault, you know.”
“What was?” Ginny asked in shock.
“Fred…” was all Percy could bring himself to say.
“That was not your fault, Percy, and you know that!”
“I should have… been there… for you….”
“You were , Percy. You were there for me during my first year at Hogwarts, remember?”
Shocked, Percy turned and looked at her, though he could only just make out her blurry figure.
“I was scared and alone that year, but you were there. You looked out for me when no one else was paying any attention.”
“It was nothing.” Percy shrugged. “An older brother is supposed to care about his sister. He’s certainly not supposed to leave his family behind.”
“The important thing is you came back. That’s what matters.”
He sighed. “I’m going to need some time….”
“We all are,” Ginny said. “We’re all in this together, though, alright?” Percy nodded, and she suddenly – unexpectedly – pulled him into a hug. For the first time since the war, he felt a bit lighter.
He felt her pulling away, then, with a swift movement, she put his glasses back over his eyes. He could see her clearly now – her fiery hair, and her brown eyes gazing steadily into his blue ones.
“Let’s go down for some breakfast,” Ginny said. “You really do need to eat something."
The sunlight filtered in through the windows of the kitchen in the Burrow. Various other redheads could be seen meandering around, eating and chattering.
“Percy!” Molly exclaimed, embracing him in a tight hug that felt like it could almost suffocate him. “Now, you better be eating something, dear.” It was a clear demand.
“I’ll make some toast,” Ginny said gleefully.
Percy saw that Arthur was reading the paper, while Bill was telling Ron about an experience he had had at Gringotts. Percy knew that, while things seemed to be normal right now, nothing was ever truly going to be the same after the war. But he wanted to live as if he could earn his life – after he had fallen down.
Ginny handed Percy a piece of toast, and he took it, spreading jam on it before biting into it. The sweetness filled his mouth and felt warm in his body. He couldn’t believe how hungry he had been. He took a few more bites, relishing every bit of it.
“Take it easy, Perce, don’t overdo it,” Ginny said.
Percy looked at her, and, pausing mid-bite, glanced behind her at a book that was lying on a desk across the room. Fantastic Beasts and where to Find Them. He swallowed what was in his mouth and got up to go look at the book.
“Perce?”
Percy blew the dust off of the cover – clearly, it hadn’t been touched in years. Flipping through the pages, his eyes landed on one creature in particular.
The phoenix.
The phoenix is a very special creature, with its tears being known for their healing properties. It sings a song known as “The Phoenix Lament” during times of great distress, such as the death of a master. This song has been known to touch the hearts of its listeners.
Percy felt a tear trickle down his face. He quickly wiped it away and looked around the room. His family surrounded him. Fred may not have been physically present, but something in Percy’s heart was telling him that he was still there.
We have each other. Love filled the Burrow more than anything else, and that was something death could never erase.