3: Family Secret

Buffy knocked on Giles' apartment door and made her way in when it turned under her hand. She heard voices in the kitchen so she clutched the book she'd found on her living room coffee table and waked towards them. She peeked around the door and just stared. Giles and Ethan. Hugging tightly as they seemed to be reconnecting.

"Can I help you with something, Buffy?" Giles asked. And she winced but turned to face him.

"Uh…I found this on the coffee table at home," she told him showing him the book. "Xander and I found most of these at the Magic Shop but I couldn't find these four."

"You wont," Ethan said. "I'll get those, Ripper. I have them."

"You do?" Giles asked. Ethan nodded.

"This boy is headed for a Mastership of potions. I have the set o ingredients hell need. I was wondering why that turned up in my trunk again."

"What turned up in your trunk?" Buffy asked.

"My Apprentice Box," Ethan told him. "If the boy is set to be a Master and by that box I can see he is, then I need to give him the box and work with him."

"You think it's him?" Giles asked.

"I'm almost sure of it if he needs those ingredients for a potion. Hang on a mo and I'll call it. It's in my trunk in your room but I can summon it from here."

And Ethan made a gesture with his hand and a large wooden box appeared on the counter in front of them. It would fit in a trunk but it was a set and when Buffy opened it, she saw all the ingredients on the list that she and Xander couldn't find, everything they had and then some.

"A Potions Master's Apprentice has an instinctual grasp of all these ingredients. I see he's marked all those potions before the one requiring these ingredients as done so I will now give him the rest of the things he needs to succeed in this field. Now, is there anything else?"

"Well, mom wanted to know if we could come Broom Shopping with you all. Giles, mom needs your help. She wants custody of Percy. Cordy called from the mall. She said Percy said something about being hurt by his mother if he played or wasn't in the background. She thinks we can get and to be honest, I like him. He's Willow without that evil?"

"Evil fits," Giles, said. "Yes, he is. I'll help."

"Cool! So, what kind of broom is Ethan thinking for Percy? I'm guessing he's here for that s well a being your, how does Spike say…Shag buddy?"

"My beloved and yes, he is here to help us find Percy a broom. Ethan at one time was the best Broom Chooser Hogwarts had ever seen. I'm banking he still is. The only actually as no one had ever had his success at choosing brooms for people. I think if anyone can find Percy a broom it's Ethan."

"Cool!" Buffy exclaimed. "So, can we make this a family outing type thing?"

"Yes, I suppose you can. Dawn will want to go anyhow. She's quite attached to him."

"Dawn can find people who need to be loved. It's a Dawn thing." Giles nodded and watched as Ethan sorted out the ingredients, marking the ones more would be needed of for advanced potions. "Give this to him," Ethan said. "I'm not sure if he'll take it from me. Molly hated my guts."

Giles sighed.

"He'll like you, Eth. Just because his mother didn't I'd wager. Now, we need to work on the kind of broom. You say it's Definitely an Ace?"

"Yes," Ethan said. "Either the Flying Tiger or the newest on the market, the Top Gun. I know it's in that range."

"Well, when he gets here, we'll be off. Buffy, if you'd like the others to come, call them."

Buffy grinned and nodded. She wanted to share her new hopefully soon to be brother's world and she knew from the way he left his books out he wasn't afraid. Or maybe it was tenetive to see what would happen but whichever, they were going to show him it wasn't going to upset them. Not at all.

When Percy and Cordy arrived with Angelus coming up from the basement, he sat down while Giles got ready to go. When Ethan gave him the box of ingredients his jaw dropped

"It's time for the next Master to be trained," Ethan said. "I should have realized it sooner but I've been busy. It's you by the way. Now, Rupert is ready to get your broom so lets be off."

Percy was stunned but again followed the others. He was just letting it come as it would because he knew he couldn't fight a force of nature and Cordelia, Aunt Joyce, Angelus and Uncle Rupert were such that they felt like one.

He followed them, feeling Dawn holding his arm just bursting with excited energy. Dawn was so like Ginny it wasn't funny and he found her a comfort because she was something he could hold onto.

Arriving at a shop on the outskirts of Sunnydale, Giles and Ethan led their group in. All over the place there were brooms. Brooms of every kind were lined up on the walls and ceiling and Percy juts kind of stared. Ethan watched with a smile as Percy wandered through the shop. Giles knew he was looking with his mage sight and then suddenly stopped.

'Percy, that one," he said. Percy looked at Ethan and then at a broom he'd been thinking was impossible to have but it felt right.

"That one, Ripper," Ethan said. "That's His Broom."

"That one then," Giles said.

"Hey, Giles!" Dawn called. And everyone turned and stared at Dawn sitting on a broom that was flying.

"Can I have it? It likes me."

"Oh, dear Lord," Giles gasped.

4: Professor McGonnogall

When she apparated in, Joyce had been shocked. But then mused she really oughn't've been. Who else would come but her old transfigurations teacher to the owl Rupert had sent.

"Hello, Joyce," Professor McGonnogall said. "I got your owl about your younger daughter. Is there anything else?"

"Well," Joyce began when the door banged open and Percy and Dawn came running in.

"I'm gonna get you for that Percy!" Dawn yelled.

"It's a water fight Dawn," he called back. "You don't…"

And he froze seeing the deputy headmistress in the living room. He stopped so short he almost overbalanced and Dawn plowed into him from behind and he staggered forward. McGonnogall caught him and her hands tensed when she felt the scars n his arms.

"Percy," she said as he stepped back and looked down. "Who did this to you?"

"I…" he began.

"Molly," Joyce said softly. "Rupert and I have been working on him getting him clothes that fit and glasses that are the right prescription. We also got him a new broom and Ethan says he is the next Potion master."

"Ethan is here too?" McGonnogall asked.

"Yes," Joyce said. "He picked Percy's broom. Dawn's came to her."

"I see. I don't know how we missed Dawn but if Percy is willing to teach her all her first year lessons than I see no reason she can't come to Hogwarts in the fall."

"I'll need help," Percy said softly. His voice wasn't cold though and it hit McGonnogall he'd lost that emotionless tone he always spoke with in school.

"I'll see about Miss Granger. Perhaps your brother Charlie can bring her over. Maybe what's been done to you has something to do with what Bill wrote me about."

"I'd like to fight for custody of Percy," Joyce said. "But I need an advocate."

"Y-you w-want me?" he asked as he slowly turned to look at his aunt. He saw her smile and it was genuine.

"Of course I do sweetie. Why do you think we've been trying to get you to tell us?"

"B-but no one w-wants me," he stammered. Joyce read the desolation in his face and moved, pulling him into a hug.

"That's not true," she whispered. "We want you. Buffy and Dawn and I, your Uncle Rupert, Ethan, Angel and Spike and all the others. We want you. You are wanted, Percy. And you're smart"

"But mum said…" Percy began. Joyce shook her head.

"Forget what she said. You are not bad or wrong or anything for wanting to play. Dawn loves you, you know. She adores you. You're teaching her how to actually fly her broom."

"She has talent," Percy said. "It can help with patrols if there are two of us up there."

"Patrols?" McGonnogall asked.

"My older daughter Buffy is the Slayer," Joyce told her. "Percy has been doing aerial patrols of Sunnydale at night for us. It makes it easier to find the baddies as Buffy calls them."

"I see. And it helps?"

"Yes, it does. He can also warn about ambushes and such. Angel bought headset walkie-talkies that they wear on patrol so Percy can tell them what he sees. And he's also gotten good at staking vampires on the fly."

"I thought you were a terrible flier," McGonnogall asked the now blushing young man.

"It's easier when my broom isn't being hexed," he told her. "Uncle Rupert put wards on it so it can't me tampered with by anyone. Not even Fred and George."

"I see," she said. "Would you like to show me?"

"You really want to see?" he asked. And the Deputy Headmistress nodded and so Percy and Dawn went and got their brooms and took her to the park with Joyce following. Giles was there and he pulled a concealment charm up so Dawn and Percy could fly.

McGonnogall was staring in awe as she watched the two children fly. She'd never seen Percy Weasley fly like this and she sadly realized he wasn't kidding about his broom being hexed.

"It wont happen on that broom," Giles said. "Eth and me have warded it. They are good, both of them."

"And we'll need new chasers this year. Two of ours are leaving. Perhaps we need to hold tryouts for the entire team again? I think, perhaps, if the brooms aren't being manipulated we might get a better skilled team."

"I think so too. Thank you for saying you'll help. I think perhaps he needs a new family."

"Yes, he does," she told Giles and Joyce. I'll get right on it and have Charlie bring Miss Granger over soon. Perhaps we'll see in a few weeks."

Giles nodded and they went back to the house on Revello Drive.

Dawn was squealing and laughing as she ran around and Percy chuckled and went back to playing tag with her with water guns.

"He's a perfectly normal by here," Joyce said. "He likes music and art and reading and he pays with Dawn and Buffy. Dawn mostly but he also made a potion to help Buffy heal faster after a fight."

"I'll tell Severus Ethan has chosen his protégé. I'll see you in a few weeks anyway, Joyce. Goodbye for now."

And she apparated out and all Joyce could do then was wait.

*********************************

A week later, during patrol, Percy was skimming low and looking for something he knew was needed. He heard the dragon snort but waved back telling his older brother Charlie to wait a minute while he finished what he was doing. He dove suddenly and Charlie gaped, watching him grab a glowing rock away from a demon and then taking it somewhere. He would get directions from someone else he decided. Ah, there were two boys. He lowered the dragon in front of them and asked in a loud voice:

'Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to 1630 Revello Drive?"

and they gaped at him and he sighed until one boy wrote down directions for him in a slow, shaky way.

"Thank you!" He called as the dragon took to the air again.

"Jonothan?" one of the bys asked.

"I saw it too. That was…was…"

"So Cool!" his shorter companion said.

"Oh, yeah," he said as they scrambled down from the hill they'd been casting on. They chalked it up to Sunnydale weirdness and watched as the dragon, it's rider and two passengers flew away. It was a cool thing. A Way Cool thing.

"That was interesting Charlie," a bushy blond on the back of the dragon said to it's rider.

'Tell me about it," he replied. Ah, there we are. Gin, you okay?"

"Yes, Charlie," she said. "Are you sure I'm supposed to come here?"

"If mom wants to stay out of Azkaban you are. Here we go."

And he landed the dragon in a vacant lot near the house and then gathered all the things they'd brought with them and headed into the house where their Aunt Joyce was waiting. He handed Joyce papers and Joyce smiled reading them.

"Good, thank you, Charlie," she said. He nodded and allowed her to bring him in for tea. She told him to lave the dragon. This was Sunnydale after all and no one was going to notice it. Hermione just stared at the mix of wizard and muggle around the house and stared at the box of potions ingredients.

'That's a…" she began.

'It belongs to Percy now," Joyce said. 'Ethan chose him. Now, lets see here. Percy and the others should be back soon. They had to debrief with Giles, your Uncle Rupert, Charlie, and then they will be back."

And so they all sat to wait.

5: Charlie, Ginny and Hermione

When the group had arrived at the house, Charlie and Ginny had watched as Percy carefully set the broom he'd been flying against the wall, the same as the girl with long brown hair had, and then the large group made their way into the living room where the three visitors were sitting.

"PERCY!" Charlie heard Ginny shriek. And he watched her run over and hug him like there was no tomorrow. He hugged her back just as fiercely before Charlie himself wrapped his brother in an enormous hug.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, Perce," he said. "And you don't ever have to come back to the Burrow. Mom was put on trial for several things. To keep herself out of Azkaban, she was told she had to do some things. One was signing permanent custody of you and Ginny over to Aunt Joyce. Also, she had to open the account she's hidden from everyone for years for the rest of us. Bill found out about it. And hey, I love the new style, Perce. It suits you. Hermione and Ginny are here. Ginny to live, Hermione to help teach Dawn all the first year stuff. I'll hang around a bit if you don't mind?"

"No, I'd like that," Percy said. "Could Bill come visit too?"

"Yeah, we'll call him over I'm sure he'd love to come. Besides, there have to be some curses in this town for him to break."

"He could try to break the happiness clause in my curse," Angelus said. "Idiot gypsies and screwing with me. Why do they want me a raving loony? I get happy, I lose my soul, and I go insane."

"Bill can help I'm sure," Charlie said. "We'll give him a call. So, what are you two doing tonight?"

"Playing till the adrenaline wears off. Patrol is always an adrenaline rush."

"I got the water guns!" Dawn cried running to get them.

"And so it begins," Spike muttered as he followed the two outside. Everyone grabbed a gun eventually, even Charlie and Ginny. Hermione was just staring.

"That's not the Percy I know," she said.

"It's amazing what a little love will do for someone isn't it?" Giles asked as he watched the children play. "Why don't you go and join them? Dawn has already begun doing her first year work. She and Percy patrol the air at night on their brooms and he teaches her during the morning. Then in the afternoons they play."

"Oh," Hermione said. "I suppose I'll either have to change the schedule or learn it."

"I'd suggest learning it," Ethan said. "Pushing Dawn too hard will result in her blowing at you and refusing to learn anything."

"Okay," Hermione said. "What time do they start?"

"8," Giles said. "After breakfast so maybe closer to 8:30. They work on school things until about lunch. Maybe at Noon or 1:00. Four or Five hours for four or five classes. That's how they do it. And then sometimes they fly a bit as this is Sunnydale and no one is going to notice it anyhow. So, we have you rooming with Buffy. Dawn is going to let Ginny stay with her until they get the new room finished. You could join them as they play if you like."

"No," she said. "I'm fine. It's going to take me time to get used to seeing Percy playing. He seems so…"

'Normal," Ethan finished. "He's acting like a normal boy and that is how we knew something was wrong before. Just watch him for awhile if you like."

So, Hermione Granger sat down to do just that. She had a feeling this new Percy was going to be loads different from the old one. Loads Different.

6: Diagon Alley

It was right after patrol on August 30th that they apparated to The Leaky Cauldron. Angelus did not bother with time to change clothes. He rather liked the clothes Percy and Dawn were wearing. Besides, he'd packed Percy's trunk that afternoon with everything. The broom, the potions box, only his new clothes went in for out of uniform time. He was not sending Percy to school with those rags he'd been wearing when he arrived. He also made sure his tennis shoes were packed along with his boots, both sets of black boots. One set Combat Style, the other set dress. He'd packed the cds Percy loved, some rock, some Celtic, some country and three classical. He knew Percy had learned a charm to make those play without a stereo. And he'd also added the stuffed wolf and jaguar that Percy had fallen in love with it at the mall that Cordelia had bought for him with her own money. He also added a few other odds and ends he thought Percy might like to have. He included slaying weapons, water guns, the assorted silver and gold accessories he and Cordelia had picked for the boy, and he made sure all of the robes and cloaks were marked with the Clan Aurelius symbol.

Ginny, Hermione and Dawn had the same markings on their robes. He'd packed Ginny jeans and sneakers as well as a few skirts. He also included her t-shirts and such. She wasn't of age for the clothes Percy now wore. Another year or two and he'd get her those clothes. Dawn had them because Dawn was one of His. He'd adopted her into Clan the moment he'd met her. So, Dawn was ready for Clan Aurelius. Percy had grabbed it with both hands when it was offered and Ginny was just working her way into it.

Hermione had a few new articles of clothing as Angelus had said since she was there when they went shopping she got something. It wasn't as if he didn’t have the money.

Once he had them all packed up and their trunks were in the living room waiting, he pulled his own hooded cloak on, as did Spike, and they waited.

Once the kids had gotten home, he had gotten out the Floo powder they had and used it to send them all to Diagon Alley. It was just after sunrise on the 31st there so they got rooms. They would all need to sleep for a bit before they did anything and Angelus was amenable to that. He and Spike had cloaks that would keep them safe from the sun thanks to Charlie Weasley so they would shop when the kids were ready.

Angelus chuckled as a few hours, closer to six, later when he checked on the kids to find Dawn and Ginny curled up around Percy. He smiled thinking that boy made an excellent big brother. He was protective and caring and he made sure his kids were safe. And Ginny and Dawn loved him for it.

"Time for shopping my children," he said when they were all awake. He took them downstairs first though, for lunch before they hit the stores. Tom, the owner and proprietor of The Leaky Cauldron, served them with great courtesy and he watched how Angelus made sure everyone ate enough. He smiled as he saw Percy and Ginny eating healthy for a change and then he watched them gather all the things they would need. Angelus, he knew, had gone to Gringotts while everyone slept and they were now heading out to get school supplies.

He'd warned the Dark Vampire that Harry Potter was in the Leaky Cauldron as well and he knew the vampire was intending to ignore him. Angelus did not like the boy for some reason and Tom knew to stay out of it. Angelus the Butcher, souled or not, was not someone he wanted to cross in anything.

“Where to first?” Spike asked.

“Uniforms,” Angelus said. “Percy, I want to get you some new ones. We’ll get wands shortly.”

“Wands?” Percy questioned the pluralizing.

“Wands,” Angelus affirmed. “You need a new one. Now, lets get your clothes and then we’ll get your wands. And I think maybe a second familiar. I have a feeling there is something else you are supposed to have.”

He nodded and let Angelus lead him and Dawn around the Alley. It occurred to Percy that both Angelus and Spike knew this place extremely well but he did not ask.

He found himself stunned by the new robes and uniforms that Angelus insisted on. The new street clothes were a lot but this was beyond anything he’d ever had. He heard a gasp as he was getting back into his own clothes and he turned to find Draco Malfoy staring at his clothes in shock and was that envy?

“Where’d you get those clothes, Weasley?” the Slytherin Prince asked snidely. “Rob a store?”

“No,” Angelus said coldly. “I bought them for the adopted of my Clan. Is that a problem?”

And Draco paled as the dark vampire stalked around him to place his hand on Percy’s shoulder as Dawn and Ginny were fitted for robes. He shook his head mutely as Angelus ushered his charges out to where the rest of their group, now added to by Bill were waiting. Bill grinned seeing the new clothes and smiled at his brother’s happy, smiling face.

“I like the new style,” bill said. ‘Where to now, oh King of the Clan?”

Angelus chuckled at Bill and shook his head. He turned and led them to the wand store. He had timed this right and he smirked as Percy entered with Ginny and Dawn and Percy’s old family stared at him in shock as he and the two girls made their way up to where Ollivander was standing waiting.

“I want the other wands,” Angelus said to the wand maker. Ollivander nodded and went to the back of his shop. He recognized Lee Roark and he remembered the boy who had been able to choose wands, or know what wand would choose what person. If he said Percy, Virginia and the unknown girl were for some of his other wands then they were. Ollivander brought out the boxes he had and watched as the wands began to glow before flying to the hands of their intended users.

“Hey!” Ron exclaimed. “What are those?”

“Powerfully special wands not meant for the likes of you,” the dark vampire said to the boy and his brothers and mother. Arthur Weasley who was just entering the store simply stared as Percy hefted his wand and looked at Ollivander for an explanation of the core.

“That one is White Ash,” he said. “24 inches, cored by the bloods of the four members of The Scourge of Europe. Miss Dawn’s has Angelus’ Blood, Werewolf’s Hair, Unicorn Horn and Dragon Fire. It is a 16 inches Black Oak. Miss Virginia’s wand is 14 inches, Thistle, Angelus’ Blood, Chaos Stone, Apollo’s Hair and Dragon Heart String. All three wands are very powerful. I was considering adding a fifth to each but I could not find the element I wanted.”

“And that was?” Angelus asked.

“The mixed blood of a Watcher and Slayer,” the wand maker said.

“How long would it take to add?” he asked.

“An hour if I had the blood.”

“Done,” Angelus said. He walked out and came back a moment later with Giles and Buffy. “One Slayer and her Watcher. And they’re willing to give blood to make the Familial connection here. We’ll be back for them in an hour. See you then.

“Hey, Percy,” Ron yelled as they were walking away. Percy sighed and turned to face his younger brother…brothers as he saw Fred and George there.

“Yes, Ron?” he asked tiredly.

“Too good for mum’s sweaters now?” Ron asked snidely. “Too good for second hand?”

“Too good for you all,” Angelus snarled. “What he has he knows how to value. All of it was gifts from his new family. You all don’t know how to appreciate that. Or how to see abuse when it’s right in front of you.”

“Mum never abused him,” Ron snarled. “He lied.”

“No, he didn’t,” Giles, said. “He didn’t tell us. We figured it out. We had to pry it out of him. Your brother…Well, your former brother…he no longer belongs to you, anyway, he didn’t say a word about what went on at home.”

“He got mom in trouble,” Freed snapped.

“Actually,” Bill said. “That was me. I am the one who came after mom about that secret account she used to spoil you three. I am the one who brought the formal charges. And I am the one who testified about what she did to Percy. If you want to blame someone for you three having to realize the world isn’t your oyster and that it does not owe you anything? Well, you can blame me for it. It was not Percy. None of this was except telling how you two hexed his broom. I wouldn’t try it on the new one. Uncle Rupert’s counter spells and wards are liable to cause you some nasty things.”

“What new broom?” Fred asked. He was mad because he and George had gotten owls from Oliver telling them they were off the team and tryouts would be held for new players the first week of classes.

“The Top Gun Broom Uncle Ripper got him,” Ginny said icily. “I have a flying Tiger.”

“Top Gun?” George asked. Fred snorted derisively. “Him? You have got to be kidding. He can’t fly for anything.”

“He can when you two aren’t hexing his broom,” Dawn said. “He did great staking vampires this summer on it. He was also great at night patrols. I really wouldn’t try hexing the broom or stealing it. The chars and protections on it wont allow it.”

“And neither will his adopted sister the Slayer,” Buffy said. “You so much s think about taking his broom and I’ll hurt you. He and Ginny and Dawn all have top of the line brooms and you can’t touch them thanks to Giles and Ethan. Chaos won't like you if you try to screw with it. Come on, guys, we have to get your books yet. And your potions ingredients. Although, Perce, you’ve already got the Master’s Starter kit as Ethan calls it but you need regular stuff too, huh? Okay. Lets got get it.”

Buffy took them around with Angelus, acting as their bodyguard and they walked into the Owl Emporium last where there was a growling noise heard. Percy moved in slowly and froze when he came across a panther cub staring up at him with jewel bright eyes. He knelt and picked it up and it purred and butted his chin.

“Guess he’s mine, huh?” Percy asked as the panther batted at his somewhat longer, shaggier, but still stylishly cut hair playfully.

"Guess he is," Spike said. "Dawn? What'd you find?"

"Found a hawk,' Dawn said. Ginny found a wolf cub and so Angelus paid for them.

"Blood of clan Aurelius," Angelus said a he paid for the familiars and they went back to get the wands. The potions ingredients were easy enough to get and then the books. Afterwards, the6y headed back to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. Dessert would be ice cream from Florean Fortiscue's and then, bed.

However, dinner became a trial halfway through. The comments from Ron and the others of his old family, bar his father, were hurting Percy. Spike could see the fear that the words were true and he watched as his Sire wrapped the boy in a hug.

"You are my clan, Percy," Angelus said loud enough to be heard. 'To hurt you is to anger all of us. Right Spike?"

And Spike nodded a he hurled a railroad spike across the room. Angelus turned to look at the family stunned into immobility by the javelin thrown spike in the table in front of them.

"Mine!" Angelus growled. "Mine!"

7: Hogwarts Express

Percy, Dawn and Ginny boarded the train to Hogwarts quickly after hugging their family goodbye. They wanted a compartment to themselves or at least one without the Golden Trio as Ginny called them, or Fred and George. He and Ginny found one and Dawn ran in and hopped onto the bench and bounced. Percy found himself laughing at her antics. Only Dawn would be so excited that she'd do that but then, she grabbed him and Ginny.

"The seats have give like my bed!" she cried. "Come on, Perce, if we can't have a water fight on the train, please let me bounce."

He laughed and nodded, watching her bounce for a few minutes before he leaned out the window and waved to Angelus and the others standing on the platform watching them. Buffy tossed him a stake and he grinned but blew her a kiss, which had Angelus laughing, as the train started moving. Behind him, Ginny and Dawn were laughing too. Only Percy had the balls to do that to Buffy. Of course, it was like their private Joke. She tossed him a stake and asked if he was as big as that and he blew her a kiss and winked. She'd been…hell, they'd all been shocked the first time he did it but Ginny had soon realized it was part of how they bonded. Buffy was the only one he let pin him.

If anyone else stronger than he was did he panicked but not Buffy. Buffy he knew wouldn't hurt him.

Buffy's comment after the first time he did it was "no more Tombstone for you." Especially after when they were facing a vamp and it threatened them he had replied "You're a daisy if you do" it had been so hard not to laugh. But they'd managed it.

Dawn knew Angelus planned to get Percy a hat like Doc Holiday's for Christmas as well as a double holster for his water guns and an arm holster for his wand. Percy was just that good and that fast on the draw. If it ever came down to him and Ron or him and Harry Potter, he'd win. Everyone knew he'd win hands down. Dawn was gleefully waiting for a draw down because she knew it was going to happen. She just knew it.

They were talking when there was a knock on the compartment door and Goyle stuck his head in.

"Hi Percy," the large Slytherin 3rd year said. "Could me and Vince and Draco join you here? No place else has any room."

"Sure," Percy said.

"Like…Totally," Dawn said in a truly horrendous Sou-Cal accent.

Percy started laughing and waved the three Slytherins in. Draco Malfoy came in and sat down and watched.

"I wanted to apologize for what I said in the robe store yesterday Percy," He said. "My father informed me that I was out of line. If I'd known what your life was like before I never would have said it so I hope you will accept my apologies."

"It's fine," Percy said. "I was…I should say I was used to it long before I met you. You see, my clothes were always worse than Ron's because mother was determined my intelligence not give me an ego."

"What is wrong with being smart?" Dawn demanded. "Jeez, Ethan's one of the smartest people I know and so is Giles and so is Wesley. And hell, Angelus is so smart it's scary if he ever goes all Dark and Evil again. Jeez, what is it with your family and wanting to make you feel bad for having a brain?!"

"I've never known, Dawnie," he said. "And anyway, they aren't my family anymore. You, Aunt Joyce, Buffy and the others are. I don't need them or their ideals about who I should be anymore."

"Damn right!" Ginny said. "You are smart Percy and I think this year you should show it. I mean, you already have the highest grades imaginable."

"He taught me something," Goyle said. "I mean; if he could teach a moron like me, he has to be smart."

"You are not a moron, Greg," Percy said slowly. "You learn differently, that's all."

"You heard what everyone said," Gregory Goyle began.

"And if I believed everything everyone said I'd shoot myself and save the world the trouble. Who you are is mostly how you perceive yourself. If you think you are going to do something, then you will do it. And if you like, I'll help you this year, just as I did last year, okay?"

"You mean it?" Goyle asked.

"I never say thing I do not mean, Greg," Percy said. "That's not my way. If I could be resorted I'd tell the hat to put me where it wanted to in the first place. Likely a shock to you, Draco but that as Slytherin."

"Really?" Ginny said. "Hey, me too. If it hadn't been for mom…"

"Yes, Percy said softly. "If it hadn't been for mom we'd both have likely been a lot happier."

"And safer," Draco said. "Maybe you can be resorted. I mean, if you were placed where you were out of fear of what your mother would do to you it’s an invalid sorting and you shouldn't be there. Lets see what we can do once we get to school."

Percy nodded and bought them food off the cart when it came.

Angelus had given the three of them money to burn while they were here. Hermione had declined and Angelus said it was her choice but he wanted his to have money for things. Draco whistled then.

"Whoever took care of you, Percy," he said. "I'm glad I never made them mad."

"He snapped at you in the robe store," Percy said. "But he did worse to the old family at dinner. He and Spike. So, what classes will you need help with this year, Greg?"

"All of them," the boy said.

"Well, once I see your schedule, I'll find time. I promise."

And Goyle nodded and they all sat and waited for the arrival at Hogwarts. This was looking to be a pretty good year. And for the first time in his life, Percy could not wait for it to start.

8 Welcome Feast

They made their way in, Ginny, Percy, Dawn, Draco, Vince and Greg, to find the deputy headmistress waiting.

"Mr. Weasley, Miss Weasley, Miss Summer," she said. "Miss Summers needs to be sorted and you, Mr. Weasley, and you, Miss Weasley, need to be resorted."

"Summers or Aurelius," Percy told her.

"I beg your pardon?" she asked.

"My last name," he said. "I was adopted by Angelus of Aureli as well as my Aunt Joyce. Summers or Aurelius. I don't answer to Weasley anymore. Not intentionally and not with any sense of respect or belonging."

"And you?" the headmistress asked Ginny.

Ginny shrugged. "I'm still either or. Percy was the one who needed a new family most. So, I'll stay a Weasley for now but if the don't stop, I'll disown them like Percy did when Aunt Joyce asked if he wanted to be adopted. Or, at least, he disowned mum, dad, Fred, George and Ron. He seems okay with the rest of us."

"Very well then," She said. "Please, come this way. We will sort you all now. What is that Mr. Aurelius?"

"A sword, what's it look like?" he asked. "Sorry, My Sword didn't have time to be out in my trunk before we left for the station this morning. Morning workout so I kept it with me."

"And that? It doesn't look like the one you had last year."

"New one," he said. "Angelus, I guess he's known as Lee Rourke? He said me, Ginny and Dawn were meant for these wands so we got them. All of them have his blood in them. This is how we go, mine has the bloods of all four members of the Scourge of Europe. So, when do we do this resorting thing?"

"Well," she began. 'The headmaster wants it done in front of the school. He's angry about your mother getting in trouble so he thinks whatever house you go in will be worse than his old one."

"Sorry to disappoint," Percy said. "But for me, any house not Gryffindor would be an improvement." McGonnogall nodded and led them in for the special resorting after all the first years were done. He saw the sneering looks from the Gryffindor table and shrugged. It was of no importance to him. He did not need that bunch of backstabbing cowards to make him feel wanted. He had that in his two sisters and his friends.

"Aurelius, Percival," she called. And he made his way up to the hat with a smile of pride on his face. He was not afraid. He looked at the new DADA teacher and shook his head. So Oz was that one. Must be a werewolf.

"Ah," the hat said when he slipped it on. "You gain. Lets see here…Oh, I see you no longer fear the place you truly belong in. Is it your wish to go there?"

"Yes," he said confidently.

'Very well," the hat said. "SLYTHERIN!" He grinned as he took the hat off and waved cheerfully to the headmaster before trotting down to where Draco and Greg and Vince were sitting. They made room for him. Next to be resorted was Ginny. She too was placed in Slytherin. So was Dawn much to the disgruntlement of most of the Gryffindor house. Everyone knew she was the sister of a Vampire Slayer. She dropped into a seat by Percy and grinned at her housemates.

"Hi," she said. 'I'm Dawn, Adopted Childe of Angelus the butcher and William the Bloody. Same as Percy here. Ginny has another year yet before she's adopted but we're all beloved of clan Aureli."

"Welcome to Slytherin House," Marcus Flint said. He looked at Percy and Ginny and he realized Percy had not been resorted under Weasley.

"Aurelius?" he asked. Percy shrugged.

"Seemed like the ideal name for me. I'm not a Weasley, not really. Never was I don't think. I'm not totally comfortable using Summers or Giles so I used the name of head of Clan because we're all in his family. So, Percy Aurelius."

"Oh, excellent," Marcus said. "Listen, we’re holding tryouts for a new Quidditch team on Tuesday. McGonnogall said she suspected you'd be sorted here and she thinks you and the girl Dawn are fair shakes on a broom. Want to try out?"

"Yes, I think we'd like that. Dawn?"

"I'm in," she said. "We can show them those maneuvers you and I used to get things away from the demons and vamps this summer. Including the babies they were going to eat.

"Why didn't the dementors on the train bother you, Percy?" Draco asked. Percy sighed. He looked at his old family at Gryffindor table and shook his head.

"Because I no longer fear what I used to. And after this summer? Nothing is as scary as all that. Oh, the new DADA teacher is a werewolf. Don't freak, I've met good ones. Books are damn well wrong. Oz was a great guy."

"Says the boy whose best friends are vampires," Greg chuckled.

Percy shook his head.

"Actually, among the Slayers, the vampires, the Werewolves, the Chaos Wizards who taught me wandless magic and the odds and ends of the Hellmouth, I can safely tell you half the things we're taught are evil really aren't'. It's propaganda the idiot in charge of the ministry has set up. He wouldn't know real Evil if it tapped him on the shoulder and said "Boo.""

Draco snorted his pumpkin juice then and they all laughed. Then, they headed off to bed. Percy followed his new housemates, keeping Ginny and Dawn near him and away from Ron and Fred, George and Harry, whom he could see glowering at them. He had grown a bit this summer. He was no longer a stick either. Time to show them that. Starting tomorrow.