Harry Potter and the Heir of Pendragon
A.Z.
Not mine (is it ever?).
Prologue
The shouting was still going on when he stormed out of the house. He kept his fists clenched as he knew when he let them go they would shake with emotion and reaction. His face, normally pale with too little sun was a ruddy colour that matched his equally red hair, and his long wizarding robes swirled around his legs, nearly tripping him up as he half-stumbled out of the gate. He knew he couldn't Apparate until he'd calmed down, not if he didn't want to leave a body part -or several!- behind, so he strode quickly down the narrow country laneway until he was absolutely certain he was out of sight of his house. He paused for a second, glanced around and ducked off the path and into the field beyond. A huge oak dwarfed the surrounding hedges and the young man patted the trunk with a slightly trembling hand. It had always been a favourite thinking spot.
He sank down, leaning against the trunk for support and stared off into the darkness. Well, that was that. He'd done it. He'd broken all ties with his family, made them think he hated them. He knew for sure they must hate him. How could they not? Ron and Fred in particular had thrown both spiteful words and a hex or two his way before dropping the act to favour sending him to Coventry.
He entered the kitchen. Fred, George and Ron were sitting there, Ron playing chess with George, both laughing at something Fred had said. He paused a millisecond to watch them and the temperature dropped by about fourteen degrees as they noticed him. Ron scowled at him before pointedly ignoring him. Fred wrinkled his nose like he smelled something nasty in the air.
"C'mon…" Fred muttered as Percy entered the kitchen, determined not to be driven out. He kept his face turned slightly away from the hurtful actions of his younger sibs. Ron and Fred walked deliberately out in silence, only pausing to throw an even more vitriolic look his way in the case of the youngest brother. George hesitated at the table for a second, not meeting Percy's eyes before sighing and going after the other two.
That had been this morning. Unable to bear the charade any longer, he had provoked the final row and walked out. Hell with their damned plan. This was hard enough. If it wasn't for the fact that he had to do this, he would never have been strong enough for it. He winced as he replayed some of the harsher words flung about in the little kitchen that evening. He had unerringly picked his parents weakest spots- how to hurt them all them most in that horrible fight. Although his mother in particular had thrown some fairly hurtful remarks back at him in her fury.
"Until you learn how to see past yourself and your own ambition, don't come back!" she hurled after him as he stormed out of the door.
His own ambition? Well, yes, he had to admit, a few months ago, that would have been a perfectly fair way of putting it. But the worst, the absolute worst remark had been one he hadn't been supposed to hear. Halfway down the path, his steps had faltered as his mother's sobs floated through the thin night-time air. He had a sudden urge to rush back, break down himself and beg her forgiveness. But through her crying he heard her say something.
"Arthur, sometimes I wonder…how could even be our son? He can't be!"
Even the memory of those words hit him again with the same punch. He'd half fallen out of the gate as the kitchen door swung shut behind him, that final slam! sounding all too definite. His eyes pricked again as he drew some deep calming breaths and he unclenched his hands again, bring himself back under control. Suddenly, a rather unexpected sound filled the air- the annoying tune of a mobile phone ringing. He cursed the inane jingle and grimaced at the name that came up on the screen.
"Did you succeed?" asked a voice at the other end. Percy glared hatefully into the black but kept his voice under control.
"Yes. They're safe. They no longer regard me as…family." He was proud of how he kept his voice fairly neutral.
"Ok. Find us in London." The speaker paused before adding in a rather gentler voice. "It's the best way, Sam, the only way. They'd be targets otherwise and this way…"
"I know!" 'Sam' snapped back "I know…"
"Good then. Good work." The speaker returned back to the previous impersonal style and then hung up, leaving the red-haired young man almost spitting with anger again.
"Good work? Good work!" he hissed at it in almost incoherent fury. "When they…when I…You..you…gaah!" With this last intelligent comment he flung the piece of machinery into the field in front of him and scowled at the flash of light as it described a lazy arc in the air, winking out halfway.
"Bugger…" he sighed when he'd managed to calm himself down again and realised it could have landed anywhere. He pulled out his wand and muttered a charm. The mobile lit up again about twenty feet away. Oops. He'd be lucky if he hadn't broken the blasted object. He bent over to retrieve it and paused when it was stowed away again. He stood for a second, breathing in the night air and glancing around at the once-familiar surroundings. They didn't seem as friendly anymore. He Apparated away, leaving no trace of his presence behind.
Preview of Chapter One- The Vision
He shook the painful thoughts out of his mind and tried to remember the vision as he had seen it…RON! He had to warn him…or at least find out if it was true. He scrambled out of bed, skipping over the plank in the floor that squeaked automatically. He took up some parchment and hunted about for a quill. In the absence of one, he used a biro. He chewed the end of it in thought and the images flashed through his mind once more.
Well, this is the beginning of a long fic, set just after OOtP. So yes, there will be Harry-angst etc over the events in the Ministry, although not too much. Poor kid's not gonna get much of a break…
Also centering on Percy, because I think he'd make an interesting character to base a fic on. That does not …necessarily make him the Heir of the title. Percy will get a lot to do in this one, focussing on his withdrawal from the Weasley clan and why.
Following chapters will be longer, I promise.
RELOADED TO SORT OUT SOME BUGS.
PLEASE please please give me some feedback, just so I can feel at least someone out there wants to see more of it!
Thankee in advance!
AZ