AN: Words in Italics came from the Deathly Hallows novel. I claim no credit for it.

It was very late, and a very young Molly Weasley was climbing into her father's lap for her bedtime story. Percy was aging, that was for sure, and no matter how busy the man got, he always saved some time at the end of the day to tell his daughter about whatever story came to mind. Many of them were asking about his life when he was younger, but every so often, her little voice would ask about her Uncle Fred, and what happened to him. She, of course, was too young to ever meet him. Tonight was one such night. "Can you tell me about Uncle Fred again, please?" the girl begged. A dark shadow covered his face, as it did each time that anyone asked him about it. For years, ever since that day, Percy blamed himself. It was his fault. If only….

*~*~*~*~*Flashback*~*~*~*~*

Percy had heard that there was something going on at Hogwarts only seconds before it seemed like the whole of the Ministry emptied. Every able-bodied person was disappearing. Most of them sensed the downfall of the Dark Lord and were rushing to clear out anything that might incriminate them. Others were fleeing for their lives. Percy was rushing into the fray. His family was bound to be at Hogwarts, fighting for the light. Fighting for good. Fighting to save the world. Percy had been a fool with his blind ambition, and he knew it. However, he had been in a tight spot before. Gotten himself too deep into the current administration. He wasn't sure if his family could ever forgive him, but that wasn't on his mind, because he knew that he could not forgive himself if they were killed and he just stood by and watched it.

Correct to the information he was given, Hogwarts was under attack when he got there. Only moments within the castle, he was already seeing the damage and the noises of attack. He was relieved that he wasn't late. His siblings were in the Room of Requirement when he came through; it seemed that Ginny was trying her hardest to get into the battle. There was a feeling of a heavy stone in his stomach at the sight; his little sister, his only sister, so determined to fight alongside their family and friends. The same Battle that he had been so dumb about. Percy apologized his heart out to his siblings, but now was not the time for that. Almost immediately after leaving the mysterious room (unknown to him until that moment), he and Fred were blindsided by a group of Death Eaters. He and Fred worked together to trail them away from the entrance to the Room, so that none of those leaving would be ambushed. They were two on two at that point. He and Fred were fighting back their hardest against the Death Eaters. There was a flash of Harry, Ron and Hermione, but Percy wasn't able to stop and chat, as it were. In the split second from when he looked away, he looked back to see the familiar head of his boss.

'Hello, Minister!' bellowed Percy, sending a neat jinx straight at Thicknesse, who dropped his wand and clawed at the front of his robes, apparently in awful discomfort. 'Did I mention I'm resigning?' 'You're joking, Perce!' shouted Fred, as the Death Eater he was battling collapsed under the weight of three separate Stunning Spells. Thicknesse had falled to the ground with tiny spikes erupting all over him; he seemed to be turning into some form of sea urchin. Fred looked at Percy with glee. 'You actually are joking, Perce … I don't think I've heard you joke since you were –'

Percy loved the sound of his brother's laughter, and awarded himself the brief moment to chuckle as well. Unfortunately, it was cut short as another Death Eater rounded up the stairs and the next thing Percy knew, there was an explosion, and he was propelled backward. A loud crunch, and a wall fell. Percy coughed through the debris, hoping that it was the Death Eater that was hit by the large chunk of wall that just fell. The horror filled Percy's eyes as he realized that it was not the Death Eater….

*~*~*~*~*End Flashback*~*~*~*~*~*

Percy had never been the same. His family forgave him, and they were all very close again, but Percy still believes that if he hadn't been in the corridor, hadn't distracted his brother, that the twin would still be alive. His daughter was waiting expectantly, though, and he couldn't disappoint her. The man sighed, snuggled his little redhaired girl to him, and began to tell her all about the comical antics of her late Uncle.