✔️ 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄 → 𝑠. 𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘

01 | E S C A L A T I O N

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   Percy had never been easy to be with. His job was his love. And way down blow there were his loved ones. His family. And Margo.

   Margo always saw Percy Weasley's ambition with fascination. She herself wasn't that aspiring, and maybe that was the reason why her father seemed to love Percy even more than his own daughter. He was the son Cornelius Fudge had ever wished for, starting a career in the ministry, rushing from leaky cauldron bottoms to the junior minister of magic in less than a year, while Margo Fudge, the Minister's daughter herself, was nothing more than a secretary for the Chief Auror.

   Margo never wanted to work for the Ministry. But it was what her father had planned for her since the day she was born. What Margo really wanted, was to work with dragons, since the infamous Charlie Weasley, one of Percy's older brothers, had told her about his job in her sixth years Christmas break she had spent at the Burrow. Of course her father thought this was a ridiculous idea. He called it a whacky idea, and they never discussed it ever again. So when Margo graduated, she quickly found herself in the Chief Auror's anteroom, her desk covered in piles of parchment. Oh, how she hated it.

   But everything indeed changed the day Percy got promoted. He and Margo were heading to his family, Percy was dying to tell them about these breathtaking news. However, the reaction was far from the one he'd painted for himself. His family were all sat around the dining table, staring at Percy in utter shock. After seconds of uncomfortable silence, Mr Wealsey cleared his throat.

   "Did Cornelius mention, why he promoted you?", he asked, and Margo did not understand what was happening; neither did Percy. He blinked at his father, slightly tilting his head.

   "Well, he said I was a hard worker, he sees great ambition and a bright future coming along with it", Percy replied with one breath.

   "That for sure is a point", Mr Wealsey nodded, "but Perce, haven't you noticed that the minister is currently sniffling around anyone who's close to Dumbledore?"

   "That's because Dumbledore's gone senile and he wants to have an eye on him", Percy sharply retorted, and Margo threw him a side glare. What he said was not true, and Percy knew it. At least he should know it.

   Her father was scared that Dumbledore was keen on his job, what in Margo's opinion was greater nonsense than the Quibbler could ever write about.

   Mr Weasley's voice snapped her mind back to the ongoing conversation. "Don't you think it's an odd time to promote you? Right after all that happened just days ago?"

   Percy's face was flushing red, his eyebrows furrowed to a thin line. "Oh, I see", he spat. "You think he's just giving me that job to get to you! Let me tell you, father, that I'm more than capable to succeed for what I'm doing. I worked really hard for this! Do you really think I don't deserve this promotion for what I did?"

   "He for sure does", Margo chimed in in a small voice, utterly getting Mr Weasley's point, "but that's not my father's intention. He sees your ambition. He admires that you spend all your life in your office. But I think your father's right, Perce. That's not the reason you got promoted. There didn't even exist anything as junior minister before you got the job. I — I think my father might wants to use you."

   "See, it's just too easy for Cornelius to have someone who would might slip information about Dumbledore working right in his office", Mr Weasley added. He tried to be comforting, but Percy's face took an even darker shade of red.

   "Dumbledore's old, and he doesn't know what he's talking about!", he yelled into the small kitchen. "All this ridiculous stories about You-Know-Who being back — there's no proof! No signs! Just Potter's word, and haven't you read the Daily Prophet? He's hallucinating! He's probably dangerous! And he's manipulating you! You really think I'd spy on my own family? Is that what Dumbledore told you? Do you really prefer thinking I'd sell you all, instead of having this job for my skills? Or is it jealousy, father?"

   "Don't you talk to your father like that", Mrs Weasley snapped, using a voice she actually only used on Fred and George.

   "But I'm right, am I?", Percy hissed. "Dad with his muggle obsession! You should hear what they say about him the second he turns his back. They ask questions. Good questions! As why a man with such a big family would never aim for a better paid job. You know, Dad, it's your fault were that poor! If you'd only show ambition once —"

   Percy stopped as the twins jumped to their feet, wands outstretched. "You take that back!", they shouted unison.

   "Perce, you don't know what you're saying, calm down", Margo whispered at him, touching his shoulder, but he shrugged her off.

   "I know exactly what I'm saying! They're believing an old fart of a headmaster, a lying boy with hallucinations, instead of trusting their own son!"

   "Why should Harry lie?", Ron asked in an angry growl. "Why should anyone lie about this? It's not like it's to anyone's advantage having You-Know-Who back to full powers."

   "You're putting us all at risk for not accepting the truth", Mr Weasley started another try, but the calmness of his voice was gone. "Dumbledore doesn't want to be Minister. He could on an instant, people often begged him to, but he declined!"

   "Maybe he changed his mind", Percy suggested, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

   "You're stubborn, Percy Ignatius Weasley!", Mr Weasley now barked, and Margo had never thought this calm man could scream like that. "You're stubborn and selfish, and we for sure didn't raise you to become that!"

   "I might be stubborn, but at least I am not you!", Percy yelled back, turning around to Margo. He took her hand harshly. "We'll leave."

   But Margo wriggled her wrist out of his grip, firmly taking a step back. "No", she said quiet, but firm.

   "W—what?"

   "I'm not returning to my father", Margo told Percy. She made a move towards him, taking his hand in hers. "Perce, your father is right. My dad has — he's afraid. He's out of his mind. We have to face the truth, and the truth are Dumbledore's words. He has no use in lying."

   "You can't be serious!", Percy hissed, jerking his hand back. Now it was him widening the gap between them with a big step backwards. "You're choosing to believe them instead of me?"

   "I know my father, Percy", she whispered, tears stinging in her eyes as she realised that there was nothing she could say or do to hold Percy back. "He'll do anything to not have to face the truth. He won't accept the safe world he built over those last thirteen years is crumbling." She took a deep breath. "You can tell my father I'm resigning. I've listen to him too long. He made too many decisions for me about my life. But this time it's not about a job or a dress or grades. It's about our world being endangered, Percy. And if you can't for once decide to do the right thing instead of aiming for success and power, I can no longer be with you as well."

   Percy was panting, his chest raising up and down rapidly, and there was a dangerous glimming in his eyes, having Margo for a second feared he'd hit her.

   "Fine", he instead said. "Fine. Shall it be." And just like that, he stormed through the backdoor into the night, a loud cracking noise announcing his disappearance.

   That night Margo for the first time for a year took the old diary out of her bag and started scribbling, tears mixing with tint, until she finally fell asleep while waiting desperately for an answer.

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