Percy entered the Institute unsure of his welcome; Pomona and Harry were waiting to greet him.
"Welcome to the Potter Institute professor Weasley."
"Thank you headmistress but I feel I haven't earned that title yet, especially from you. Lord Potter I can't thank you enough for this opportunity which my previous behaviour doesn't warrant, Penelope is trying to knock some sense into me though she fears she may need a beaters bat."
"It's Harry Percy, just Harry."
"Could we keep it formal for just a moment? I would like to ask what happened with my parents? Bill and Charlie were so incensed about Ginny we never got around to discussing anything else and all other sources just keep coming back as classified."
Harry didn't detect any malice in the question, he just saw someone trying desperately to find their place in life, "Percy Molly drew her wand on Hermione's mother in a muggle area and got her arse kicked by mum, she then tried to invoke pureblood law and gave Hermione the choice of either breaking up with me or watching her mother kissed by a dementor."
Percy visibly struggled to retain his breakfast, how could anyone do that to someone they claimed was like a son to them?
"I'm an easy going guy Percy until somebody threatens my family, then I will use everything that I have to neutralise that threat. I am positive you were unaware of her plot to use illegal potions against my wife and I, had that taken place I would have declared a blood feud against the Weasley family and been in no mood to be merciful."
The image of Harry dealing with Dumbledore in the great hall was enough for Percy to need the bucket that the strange house elf had just appeared with, his mind was in as much turmoil as his stomach as he tried to comprehend what his family had done. It was even harder considering that Harry had swung into action to rescue Ginny from what a seriously angry Penelope described as a 'fate worse than death' and then put his families lives on the line by facing Voldemort to rescue Ron and Millicent.
Pomona led the shocked wizard for a seat as a tea service appeared in front of them, Percy had trouble getting the cup to his mouth as his hand was shaking so much from the effects of information he'd just heard. There was not one shred of doubt in Percy's mind that Harry was deadly serious or that he was more than capable of carrying out his threat and ending the life of each and every Weasley.
"Harry I thought they were in jail because of complications or irregularities with Ginny's adoption, I would never participate in anything illegal like trying to break a betrothal. It has also been rather forcibly brought to my attention that while Ginny's situation may have been within the current laws that didn't make it acceptable, this is a view I now share with my fiancée and can only hope Ginny will let me try and apologise."
Harry could see that Percy was sincere but warned him anyway, "Ginny is only now starting to recover from basically being sold to the highest bidder by the man she trusted above all others but her brothers casual acceptance of the situation has given her scars that may never heal. Bill was here for a while trying to help her come to terms with it but she wouldn't even look in Ron's direction last week, I'll tell her you would like to talk to her but the final decision is hers and hers alone. Ginny is our friend and we're very protective of our friends here, you'll find the atmosphere a lot different than the antagonistic attitudes encouraged at Hogwarts."
Percy was about to defend Hogwarts when Pomona cut him off, "I would suggest the best way to treat this trip is to keep your eyes, ears and mind wide open while the mouth stays firmly shut, you're here to learn a different way of doing things but it will take an open mind. If people like Minerva and Filius think this is a better system of learning then it would be prudent to give it a try, when you have make your own mind up then adjust your teaching style accordingly."
Percy nodded in agreement before being led away by Brutus to his room.
"Do you think Percy will ever loose the brush pole that's stuck up his arse?"
Harry couldn't help but laugh at his favourite headmistresses comments, "I think Remus is corrupting you but to answer the question I suspect we need to make sure he sits down to dinner tonight with Joanne and Kathleen. Penelope appears to be a good influence on him and those two managed to get Ron's head out of his selfish arse. If Percy upset's Ginny though he's out of here!"
....
Ginny had more on her mind than easing Percy the prat's conscience, she was in the same class with him as McGonagall demonstrated how transfiguration should be taught. Her best friends were in this bloody tournament where Riddle might make an appearance and before that the trial that was going to rake up a lot of mud that could end up heading in her direction.
Hermione had recommended she go with them and then everyone would see she was Ginny Pomfrey and sitting beside the Potters, that should hopefully silence a lot of the criticism that could come her way. She was dreading seeing Molly as Amelia had informed them she would be a witness against Dumbledore but Bill told her that it was Arthur's idea to sell her, apparently Molly had went ballistic when she found out what he'd done.
This fact brought the young witch no comfort as she was sure the woman would have had some other diabolical plan that involved using her body to bring gold to the Weasleys, quite hard to reconcile that your former parents were going to use you for a legalised form of prostitution. She had till Thursday to make her mind up but since it was now Wednesday and she still wasn't sure then Ginny was going to have a long chat with mum tonight.
....
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