Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable Characters They and the world of Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling. Any Original characters were created by me and anyone who wants them can use them. Not making any money off of this please don't sue.

Note: This another fic in my Disillusionment verse. This fic is set very early in Deathly Hallows just after the Ministry has fallen. Percy Weasley reflects on the ministry members who were killed in the take over and how he and the other ministry workers have to mourn in silence since any sympathy could expose them to danger. This fic in it's own way also acts as a prequal to Breaking the rules another Disillusionment verse story.

Warning this fic includes Slash in the variety of Percy/OMC as well as mentions of Percy/OFC as in this fic universe at least Percy Weasley swings both ways if any of that offends you don't read the fic.

Silent Mourning

Percy Weasley hated working for the ministry. He thought that bitterly as he passed by some of his new colloquies who just a week ago were wanted fugitives. He briefly reflected on the irony of him hating the ministry the organization he'd betrayed his family for and had wanted to join since he was old enough to understand this is where the rules got made. 'Not any more' He thought bitterly. 'Now it's just a mouthpiece for the death eaters.'

He paused as Dolores Umbridge walked by him snapping orders at one of her new lackeys. He kept his face carefully neutral feeling sick at the thought that he'd ever described her as a delightful woman to his brother. She had quickly embraced the ministry's new position on blood purity with an enthusiasm that was frightening to behold. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Malinda Donaldson sporting new bruises barely covered by her make up. "Would you hurry it up Weasley some of us are anxious to get to work." He quickly apologized and allowing her to go past him before resuming his own walk toward his desk.

As he began his work he couldn't help but think how pity had replaced the irritation he used to feel for her. He'd always hated that she got to carry on however she liked because she was well connected through her mother but in the new Death Eater regime a half blood who liked sex was an amusing toy to them and they played rough. However he knew she wouldn't say no she liked her position too much and was too worried about her own survival. It had been obvious from the very beginning when she didn't just heal the bruises and rumors spread the death eater she was sleeping with told her he liked seeing his marks on her.

He regretted more and more choosing the Ministry's side especially with the deaths of friends and acquaintances during the take over. No one with any sense was blind to the take over though some seemed to have embraced a willful blindness just like he had just two years ago. "It's amazing the Power of Denial." He turned at the sound of the voice to see Battina Blaggersmith. "I'm here to request a meeting with Minister Thicknesse about my new assistant I have so much paperwork to do."

Percy immediately began filling out the necessary forms for her to have a meeting. He knew truthfully the Minister would never see her and she was only asking for a meeting to annoy the upper reaches of the ministry. She seemed to have made it her life's mission to annoy the folks in power anyway she could. He knew it was in retaliation for the deaths of her friends and coworkers. "It may be some time before the Minister is willing to see you." Percy stated blandly. "However I believe he has authorised Runcorn to make staff appointments why don't you request a meeting with him aswell?" He saw her flash him a brief smile and she assured him she would also be seeing Runcorn about things as soon as possible. He knew it was her way of mourning and trying to make a stand for the dead. You saw it in the faces of those who lost someone if you looked closely an almost totally silent mourning.

As she walked away Percy immediately threw himself back into his paperwork, it was easier than dwelling on thoughts of folks who had died. He often found himself dwelling on the past while doing the pointless forms that used to be his delight and tried to resist doing it whenever possible. He especially tried to avoid thinking about Elliot, Battina's deceased assistant and his own former lover. He'd never expected to have a male lover despite realizing at an early age that he fancied both men and women. In the wizarding world one simply didn't talk about such things. There had never been laws against it but it was quietly understood that wizards and witches like that didn't get very far in certain professions anything connected to the ministry for example.

They'd been careful and never come close to getting caught except that one time Bill showed up trying to talk him into reconciling with his family. He felt a bitter pang he'd give anything to go back to that moment and actually listen to Bill but now attempting to contact his family would be far too dangerous for him and them. The Ministry didn't fully trust him anymore and yet he'd seen far too much sensitive information to ever let him go back to his family with it. After all they were known members of the Order of the Phoenix. He wondered if his family thought he was staying away willingly joining the new regime, it was a terrible thought but he'd certainly given them reason to believe it.

As he finished that rather depressing thought, he noticed that it was nearly lunch time. He forced himself to wait until his usual time even though he'd like nothing better than to just leave and never return. He had an image to maintain he had to keep to his regular schedule. On his way out he stopped by the Ministry library to choose a book to read. It had been a habit he'd picked up early on in the ministry which he had continued threw all the ups and downs. He knew any deviation from the routines everyone knew would be a sure fire way to bring down Ministry scrutiny in the new regime.

As he was leaving the library, he saw Malinda being dragged into an unused office by her throat. He recognized the man doing it as her current lover. The Death eater Adam Burke and Percy's former dorm mate at Hogwarts. It was an unpleasant fact many in the wizarding world didn't like to accept that it wasn't only slytherin that produced death eaters gryffondore had unfortunately supplied its share too. Hurrying along because he knew that whatever was going on in that office he couldn't do anything to help her was a depressing thought.

All threw lunch he ignored the book he'd picked up having lost his taste for reading. He had to find a way to get in touch with his family so together they could get away from the ministry and do something. He knew he had to be careful and it'd take a while but he couldn't take it any more silently mourning the dead while waiting for the axe to fall on him or someone else.

The End.