Ron ran down the stairs, followed by Ginny. “Is Dad home yet?” he called into the kitchen.

“No dear, I’ll tell you when he’s home,” his mother replied, a slight smile on her face.

“Of course he should be home any minute now.”

Ron went inside the kitchen and took a seat at the table. Ginny took the seat across from him, just as two loud cracks came on either side of her, causing her to fall off her chair. Fred and George took seats on either sides of Ginny and sat down. Minutes passed until they heard the back door opening and spun around. A tall, slightly balding red-haired man stepped inside and said, “Sorry I’m late. How was your day?” and sat down next to Ron.

“When are we leaving Dad?” Ron said excitedly.

“Probably some time tonight, but I think we should wait until Percy comes to-”

At that moment, Percy came bursting through the front door and into the kitchen. Looking extremely pleased with himself, he said to the room at large, “I’ve got great news!”

Ron rolled his eyes, expecting it to be something such as cauldron bottoms or imported quill quality. Mrs. Weasley made her way to the table, “What is it dear?”

Percy sat down on the other side of Ron and said, “I’ve just been promoted! To a new position right in the Minister’s own office! I’m the new Junior Assistant to the Minister of Magic!” He looked around excitedly, with a smug expression on his face. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley exchanged worried looks.

“Percy you didn’t by any chance accept this offer did you?” Mr. Weasley asked tentatively. Percy looked at his father as though he were mad. “Well of course I did! This could make my whole career! Cornelius Fudge himself told me it’s the first step to anyone wanting to become a future minister!”

“Percy…did it occur to you that…he might have given you this job not because he thinks you…able to do the job…but because…err…he might want to use you…or your…resources?” Mr. Weasley replied slowly, choosing his words carefully.

Percy’s expression changed immediately. His hands balled into fists as he replied in a voice of forced calm, “Use me? What do mean use me?”

“Well Percy you do know that Fudge has been taking everyone out of office that has close ties with Dumbledore. He might think he can use you as spy on me or what he thinks Dumbledore is planning. He knows he can’t kick me out of office because Perkins can’t handle the job and no one would probably-”

Percy stood up and cut in, “No Father, he’s kept you because he knows you love it there! I'm not surprised that no one understands why!You’re making Fudge into something he isn’t. I’ve worked for this job. Something you wouldn’t understand as you’ve spent your whole life in that broom cupboard playing around with Muggle inventions!”

Everyone in the kitchen stared at Percy, disbelieving their ears as Mr. Weasley stood up, his ears bypassing red and turning a deep maroon.

“You’re so concerned with your career that you’re blinded to things that actually happening! You don’t understand the real meaning of anything that happens as long as it would help you?” he bellowed at Percy, causing Ron to cringe.

“I should be concerned with my career! It’s not as though your reputation helped me any!” Percy bellowed back.

“My reputation? What do you mean my reputation?”

“Your lousy reputation! How you’ve stayed in the same office for years, with no sign of promotion or change of office! That might just be why we never had enough money to buy anything that’s not been used father! And just because everyone knows that you have no ambition doesn’t mean that they can think the same thing about me!”

Everyone at the table cringed as Mr. Weasley yelled, “Well I’m sorry that I’ve messed up any reputation you might have had, but I still don’t think you should take that job! Don’t you understand?”

“Understand what, exactly? I don’t see one good reason to stop me from taking that job!”

“You-know-who is back! Dumbledore knows this and he can’t do anything about it if Fudge keeps butting in with spies and such!”

“The only evidence of that is that Harry Potter’s word!”

“Since when have you called him ‘that Harry Potter'?"

“Since I realized what an idiot I would have been had I believed any of the things he said! You and Mother of course may go ahead and believe him and Dumbledore, but Dumbledore is heading for trouble! If you stay with him, you’re going to go down just like him! And if you aren’t going to be supportive of my decision to take this job, well I know my loyalty lies with the ministry. If you and Mother are going to become traitors to the Ministry then I want everyone to know that I’m not associated with this family anymore!” Percy said with somewhat of finality in his voice.

“Percy what do you mean?” Mrs. Weasley asked through teary eyes.

Percy didn’t answer immediately. He went upstairs and came back, a few suitcases levitating behind him. “I mean, Mother, that I am no longer staying with you or Father, no matter what you can say to the contrary.” Mrs. Weasley burst into tears and attempted to run to Percy, but was blocked by her husband. Without a second look at his brothers, sister, or parents, Percy swept from the room, grabbed his luggage and Disapparated.