Nexus

The Argument

"Percy, my boy!" Molly exclaimed, wiping her hands on her old burgundy apron as she rushed out of the door to greet him.

He was reminded painfully of this same scene just two years ago, when he'd come to the Burrow the summer after the Giant War. He had been gone for all of his sixth year at Hogwarts. Fred and George had come running out, whooping loudly upon seeing their best friend return. Now, Molly was the one greeting him, the twins nowhere to be seen.

The Weasley mother enveloped him in her arms and Percy melted into the hug. It had been a long time since he'd had a mother's embrace. Sally was living in New York, and he hadn't seen her since August. He'd written letters to her and sent some IM's, but it wasn't the same. Percy also knew his mother could tell he was keeping something from her. He just...couldn't bring himself to tell her about his illness. Maybe it was selfish of him, but he couldn't bear to cause her that pain.

"Oh, you've grown!" She smiled, eyes tearing up as she looked over him. "You look like a man now."

She started crying as Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione apparated after him, holding their trunks. The winter break was sixteen days but they had brought most of their things anyway. Percy stepped back as Molly hugged the other four, crying freely. She had always been a frequent crier, but Percy knew that everything was much more sensitive than normal after the war. He knew that feeling very well.

They went inside the Burrow and greeted everyone there. Bill and Charlie were at the house, but the other Weasleys were still at work. Their numbers had dwindled since the war, and now it was just the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, Percy, and Hagrid, who wouldn't be staying at the Burrow but was going to come for Christmas. There was a beautiful French girl with Bill, although Percy had no idea who she was or if he was supposed to know her, so he just pretended he did.

Molly had insisted on having a full family dinner to celebrate everyone being back, so they spent the afternoon helping out in the kitchen. Ron was helping Bill and Fleur set up the tables outside while Hermione, Percy, and Charlie aided Mrs. Weasley in her cooking. Harry and Ron had offered to help, too, but both wizards were particularly bad cooks. Ginny was working on cleaning up the rooms so everyone had beds to sleep in, and Harry was helping her. Percy was not sure if they were actually just doing that or something else.

"Can you add in some of these onions?" Molly gestured to Hermione's chopped vegetables as she hustled passed them to the pantry.

Percy nodded, spinning around his girlfriend so he didn't bonk into her, picking up the tray, and brushing the diced onions into the big soup pot he had going. He wasn't a superbly fantastic cook, but after being raised by a single mom, was pretty good. Charlie was pouring a layer of sauce on a casserole that Molly had just finished prepping.

"You want this cooked?" Percy gestured at a platter of greens before wiping his hands dry on a towel.

"Yes, dear!" Molly called back.

Percy pulled out his wand and summoned fire, broiling the edges of the greens in a perfect roast. He loved cooking this way, it was so fun to blast flames from his wand. 

Hermione reached around him to grab some seasoning off the counter. She grabbed his waist to shift him aside gently, sending tingles racing up his spine. Percy sent her a grin and she rolled her eyes, going back to her cooking.

An hour later, everything was almost ready. Percy and Hermione carried the dishes outside and placed them on the long table that had been set up. Ron and Harry were de-gnoming the garden which was easily Percy's favorite chore. 

As he was setting down the casserole, he saw movement at the edge of the Burrow and felt the familiar sense of foreboding. The boundary was at the fence, although they didn't have many protective enchantments up now that the war had ended.