Pansy was standing at the bar when Percy walked in the next evening. She was talking to a man, and seemed to be doing everything in her power to seduce him. Percy frowned. Should he really accept her offer?

He turned to leave, but it was too late. �Percy!� she called suddenly. Percy turned begrudgingly, and saw her give the man some money. She walked up to him. She was wearing the same heels as the night before, with a short black skirt, and white blouse under her robes. �How are you?� she asked.

�Fine,� he replied. He could see the man glaring at him over Pansy�s shoulder.

�Good. Let�s go and find somewhere to eat and we can discuss what we are going to do with you.� What she was going to do with him? He had heard things from Ron before he had left home, and they didn�t exactly give Pansy much of an innocence... but how much could he actually believe his brother and what he had said?

Pansy led him down a dark cobbled street and down two alleyways until they found a small restaurant named the �Bloody Toad�. �Charming name,� Percy muttered.

�The food isn�t as bad as it sounds. It�s cheap. Not that it makes much difference to me...� She laughed a laugh, which soon turned into a cough. �I�m sorry. A mild cold,� she explained, taking his hand and leading him into the restaurant.

He followed her to a small booth as far away from the door as she could manage. �It should be easy to talk here,� she told him. �So, our plan of action.� He frowned at her.

�Plan of...action?� he questioned.

�Percy, I told you to meet you so that I could help you. You don�t want to turn into one of us do you?�

�Who is this �us� that you keep referring to?� he asked.

�Those who joined The Dark Lord. Those who escaped, leaving those they loved for dead. Those who turned their backs on Harry Potter. Us.�

�And me,� Percy mumbled with shame. He was surprised to see her shaking her head.

�Everyone gets a second chance. Don�t you want yours? Don�t you want to be welcomed home by the family you love so much? Don�t you want to be able to look at your father and for him to say, �sure. I�m proud of my Percy,�?�

�He�s not though...� Percy said honestly.

�How do you know that? Have you ever asked him? Have you ever given him the slightest hint that you know of his presence?�

�I-I�m ashamed.� She placed her hand over his reassuringly.

�Why?�

�Because... because I abandoned him. My whole family.� He pulled his hand away. �You don�t understand what it�s like. I wanted to make something of myself. Be better than them.�

�Better than your brothers?� He nodded. �I was at constant competition with my older sister Pricilla. She was tortured by the Dark Lord himself. I watched. And I laughed. It was fun to see her defeated, fun to be better than her... but leaving her like that made me a weak person. I ran away... and look at me now.�

�You seem to have done alright for yourself though,� Percy put in.

�Percy, you haven�t heard what they call me behind my back. So hurtful... and yet, so true. But, enough of me. I had my choice to turn my back on this life, and I chose to stay like this. Percy, you have work tomorrow I assume?� He nodded. �I�ve had enough of your moping, it�s almost pathetic. You Percy Weasley, are going to talk to your father.�

He stared at her as though she�d gone mad. �Why are you helping me?� he questioned suddenly. She gave him a half smile and looked at him from under her eyelashes.

�Let�s just say... I need to prove something. Believe me, this is not entirely selfless. Remember what you have to do.� She smiled at him and slipped some coins into his chest pocket as she stood up. �Night.�

Percy glared after her. A waitress came to collect the plates and Percy threw the money Pansy had left him on the table, and he ran after her. �Pansy!� he called.

�Can I help you sir?� A woman asked, playing with the buttons on his shirt.

�No. No, I don�t think you can.� Percy sighed and walked off towards the inn where he had slept the night before leaving the woman standing on the path.

�Miss Parkinson left you a message sir,� the inn keeper told him just before Percy began walking up the stairs.

�And what was that?� asked Percy angrily.

�Good luck.� Percy couldn�t help but smile as he sat down on his bed. Good luck... the words echoed through his mind. Good luck indeed... he was going to need it.