FicWad

The Burrow was its usual warm, bustling self as the Weasleys went about their day, the comforting hum of family life filling the air. Molly was in the kitchen, preparing dinner with a practiced hand, while Arthur read the Daily Prophet at the table. The younger Weasleys were scattered about, each engaged in their own activities, the comforting familiarity of home wrapping around them like a warm blanket.

But that calm was shattered when Lupin arrived, his expression uncharacteristically serious as he stepped into the kitchen. The Weasleys greeted him with smiles, but those smiles quickly faded when Lupin spoke.

"Percy’s wrestling again?" Lupin asked, a note of concern in his voice.

Molly paused, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"What do you mean, Remus? Percy’s still in the hospital, recovering."

Lupin shook his head, looking even more troubled. "Nymphadora told me this morning that FMW is promoting a massive event—a ten-title match between two undefeated fighters. Vader against Ryker Black."

The Weasleys exchanged shocked glances, the name hitting them like a hammer blow. Ryker Black—the name Percy had taken in the wrestling world, the persona he had adopted to pursue his career in the ring. It had been a well-kept secret, one that Percy had managed to maintain even from most of his family. But now, it seemed, that secret was on the brink of being exposed.

"Tickets are selling like crazy," Lupin continued, unaware of the growing alarm in the room. "It’s being billed as the biggest match in wrestling history."

Molly’s hands trembled as she clutched the edge of the counter. "But how...how could he? He’s not well enough, he can’t possibly be wrestling!"

Arthur’s face had gone pale, the newspaper slipping from his hands as he processed what he was hearing.

"He wouldn’t do this."

But the unease in the room was palpable, and in the pit of their stomachs, the Weasleys knew that this was exactly the sort of thing Percy would do. He was always so driven, so determined to prove himself, to push beyond his limits. And if this was his way of reclaiming control, of taking one last stand...

Without another word, the Weasleys bolted from the Burrow, their hearts pounding as they raced to Percy’s hospital room. When they arrived, the sight that greeted them confirmed their worst fears.

The room was empty.

Molly gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes. "No...no, he can’t have left. He’s not ready!"

Arthur put a comforting arm around his wife, though he looked just as stricken.

"We’ll find him, Molly. We’ll bring him back."

But deep down, they all knew that there was only one place Percy could be headed.

At the same time, Percy was arriving at his mansion, his thoughts heavy as he pulled up to the grand entrance. He had been grappling with his decision for days now, torn between his sense of duty to his family and the burning desire to prove something to himself. But in the end, the need to face this challenge head-on had won out.

He stepped inside, his heart pounding in his chest as he made his way through the quiet halls. Penelope, his fiancée, was waiting for him in the living room, a look of concern on her face. She had been by his side through everything, his strongest supporter, but she could tell from the look in his eyes that something was different today.

"Percy, what’s going on?" Penelope asked, her voice tinged with worry.

Percy took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he had to say. "I’m going to fight one last match," he said, his voice firm despite the weight of his words. "Against Vader."

Penelope’s eyes widened in shock. "Percy, no! You’re not well enough to fight, you’re still recovering—"

"I know," Percy interrupted gently, taking her hands in his. "But if I don’t do this... if I don’t try...I’m going to wonder for the rest of my life if I could have done it. This is my last chance, Penelope. My last chance to prove to myself that I can do it."

Penelope shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "But Percy, what if you lose? What if something happens to you?"

Percy smiled sadly, brushing a tear from her cheek.

"I’ve weighed the risks, and I know what I’m up against. But this is something I have to do, for me. This is my last stand, and I need to know...I need to know if I can do it."

Penelope looked at him, her heart aching at the resolve in his eyes. She had always admired Percy’s determination, his drive to be the best he could be. But this...this was different. This was more than just ambition; this was something deeply personal, something that went to the core of who Percy was.

After a moment, she nodded, though the fear in her heart remained. "Promise me this will be your last match," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Percy leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I promise," he said softly. "After this, I’m done. I’ll come home to you and Ember, and we’ll leave all of this behind."

Penelope searched his eyes, looking for any sign of doubt, but all she saw was determination. She knew that nothing she said would change his mind, so she simply nodded, trying to be strong for him.

"Then go, Percy. Do what you need to do. But come back to us."

Percy kissed her deeply, savoring the moment, and then bent down to kiss their daughter, Ember, who was playing quietly in the corner. "I’ll be back soon," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

With one last look at his family, Percy turned and left the mansion, his heart heavy but his resolve unshaken. This was it, the culmination of everything he had worked for, everything he had sacrificed. It was a gamble, a risk that could cost him everything, but it was a risk he was willing to take.

As he drove towards his destiny, Percy couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of calm. He knew the odds were against him, knew that this could very well be the end of his journey. But for the first time in a long time, he felt at peace with his decision. He was going to fight, and no matter what happened, he would face it with the same determination that had brought him this far.

This was his last stand, and he was ready to give it everything he had.

The Weasleys arrived at Percy's mansion in a whirlwind of panic and desperation. The drive had been tense, filled with a suffocating mix of fear and anger, and as they burst through the front doors, they were united by one shared thought: they had to stop Percy before it was too late.

But as they entered the grand foyer, the sight that greeted them was like a punch to the gut. The mansion was eerily quiet, the only sound the distant ticking of a grandfather clock. Penelope stood in the center of the room, her face pale and her eyes red from crying.

"Where is he?" Arthur demanded, his voice shaking with barely controlled emotion. He already knew the answer, but he needed to hear it.

Penelope looked at them, her heart heavy with guilt and sorrow. "He’s gone," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Molly gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as tears filled her eyes.

"No...no, he can’t have," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Penelope, how could you let him go? He’s not strong enough for this!"

Penelope’s eyes filled with tears as she struggled to find the right words. "I... I didn’t want to," she said, her voice trembling. "But he was determined. He told me this was his last chance. He needed to do this, for himself."

Ron, who had been standing silently by, his fists clenched in frustration, suddenly exploded with anger.

"He’s gonna die!" he shouted, his voice harsh and accusing as he glared at Penelope. "You just let him walk out of here! Do you have any idea what’s going to happen to him?"

Penelope flinched at Ron’s words, her heart breaking under the weight of the truth. She had feared this moment, had dreaded facing the Weasleys after letting Percy go. But she had made her choice, and now she had to stand by it, no matter how much it hurt.

"It’s who he is," Penelope said quietly, her voice filled with a deep sadness. She met Ron’s furious gaze, tears streaming down her face. "I couldn’t take that from him, Ron. I couldn’t take away his chance to prove himself, to finish what he started. Percy’s always been like this. Driven, determined. I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t listen. He needed to do this, even if it meant risking everything."

The room fell silent, the weight of her words hanging in the air. The Weasleys looked at Penelope, their anger slowly giving way to a deeper, more painful understanding. They knew Percy, knew how stubborn and determined he could be when he set his mind to something. They had seen it in him for years, that fierce desire to prove himself, to stand out and make a name for himself.

But this...this was different. This was beyond anything they had ever imagined. And now, knowing that he was out there, heading into a fight that could cost him his life, they felt a crushing sense of helplessness.

Arthur took a step forward, his voice soft but firm. "Penelope, you should have told us. We could have stopped him."

Penelope shook her head, her voice breaking as she replied, "You couldn’t have stopped him. No one could. Percy was always going to do this, with or without our approval. He’s been fighting for so long—fighting to prove himself, to make his own way. I couldn’t stand in the way of that, even if it meant letting him go."

Molly’s tears flowed freely as she stepped closer to Penelope, her voice trembling. "But what if he doesn’t come back? What if... what if this is the last time we see him?"

Penelope’s face crumpled as she reached out to take Molly’s hands, holding them tightly. "I know," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I know it’s a risk, and I hate it. But I had to let him go. If I hadn’t, he would have spent the rest of his life wondering what might have been, and that would have killed him just as surely."

Ron turned away, his hands shaking with a mix of anger and despair. "So, what do we do now?" he muttered, his voice low and raw. "Just wait around and hope he survives?"

Arthur put a hand on Ron’s shoulder, his voice heavy with resignation. "There’s nothing we can do now, Ron," he said softly. "Percy’s made his choice. All we can do is hope that he comes back to us."

Penelope wiped her tears, trying to steady herself. "I’m so sorry," she said, her voice trembling. "I wish I could have done more, but Percy... he needed this."

The Weasleys exchanged sorrowful glances, the reality of the situation sinking in. They had lost the chance to stop Percy, and now all they could do was wait and pray that he would survive this final battle.

Molly embraced Penelope, the two women holding each other tightly as they shared in their grief and fear. "We’ll get through this," Molly whispered, though her voice wavered with uncertainty. "We have to believe that Percy will come back to us."

Penelope nodded, though the fear in her heart remained. As the Weasleys gathered around her, their collective worry and love for Percy uniting them, she prayed that somehow, against all odds, Percy would find the strength to survive this last, desperate fight.

As the days passed, Percy continued his relentless preparation for the match, oblivious to the turmoil his words had caused among his family. The physical toll was immense, but the Fentanyl dulled the pain, allowing him to focus on the fight ahead.

He was consumed by the thought of victory, of holding that final championship belt high above his head, proving to everyone, especially to himself. That he was more than just a Weasley, more than just a name.

But beneath the surface, a part of him still yearned for something more, something deeper that he couldn’t quite name. Perhaps it was the memory of a simpler time, a time before the fame, the pain, and the endless drive for more. But those thoughts were fleeting, drowned out by the roar of the crowd and the relentless pursuit of his goal.

As Percy boarded the plane to Rome, flanked by Lucius and Audrey, he had no idea that his family was already on their way, determined to find him, to save him. Before it was too late.