FicWad

As the hospital room grew quiet, Percy was left alone with Penelope and Ember. The soft hum of the machines around them seemed to fade into the background as Penelope gently laid Ember in Percy's arms, then snuggled up next to him on the bed. The warmth of their closeness was a balm to Percy's aching body and soul.

He gazed down at his daughter, her tiny fingers curling around his thumb. The reality of everything that had happened began to weigh on him, and the magnitude of what he had almost lost started to sink in. Penelope looked up at him, her eyes filled with love and concern, and Percy forced a small, crooked smile.

"Look at it this way," Percy tried to joke, his voice soft and slightly shaky. "Now I have to stay in bed." He chuckled weakly, but the humor fell flat. The attempt at levity did little to ease the tension, and Penelope could see the pain and regret lurking behind his eyes.

Penelope returned the smile, but it was tinged with sadness. She reached up to gently stroke his hair, her touch comforting and familiar. Percy’s mind drifted back to Ron’s words, the anger and hurt in his brother’s eyes, and the unspoken disappointment in the rest of his family. The weight of it all pressed down on him, and he found it hard to breathe.

"I'm sorry," Percy whispered, his voice breaking slightly. His eyes met Penelope’s, and she saw the depth of his remorse, the realization of what he had done to himself, and how he had pushed away the people who mattered most. "I lost myself," he continued, his voice filled with regret. "It wasn’t ambition… it was obsession. I didn’t see it until it was too late."

Penelope’s eyes softened, and she cupped his cheek with her hand. "What’s done is done, Percy," she said gently, her voice steady. "The most important thing is that you’re still here with us. We didn’t lose you. That’s all that matters now."

Percy’s eyes welled up with tears as he leaned into her touch, feeling the warmth of her love and forgiveness. "I promise, Penelope," he vowed, his voice trembling with emotion, "I’ll walk again. I’ll do whatever it takes to be the husband and father you both deserve. I’ll make it right."

Penelope smiled, her eyes glistening with tears. "Take it slow, Percy," she advised, her tone tender but firm. "One step at a time. Don’t try to push yourself too hard and end up worse off. We’ve got all the time in the world now. Just focus on getting better, for us and for yourself."

Percy nodded, the resolve in his heart solidifying. He would rebuild, not just his body, but his life, with the people he loved by his side. He would find a way to walk again, to heal, and to make amends for the choices he had made. As they lay there together, the weight of the past began to lift, replaced by the warmth of hope and the strength of their love.

Percy knew the road ahead would be long and difficult, but with Penelope and Ember by his side, he felt ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

A few days later, Percy, now confined to a wheelchair, slowly made his way to the sitting room of the hospital. The wheels of his chair squeaked softly against the sterile floor as he approached Ron, who was sitting alone by the window, staring out at the hospital courtyard. The sunlight filtered through the glass, casting a warm glow over Ron, but his expression was distant, lost in thought.

"Ron," Percy called out softly, his voice a mix of hesitance and hope.

Ron turned slightly but didn’t immediately look at Percy. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on a spot outside, as if gathering the strength to face his brother. When he finally did look at Percy, the sight of him in the wheelchair struck him like a punch to the gut. The anger that had fueled their earlier confrontation was gone, replaced by a deep sadness and guilt. Seeing Percy like this was a painful reminder of the toll his brother's choices had taken on him—physically and emotionally.

"Can I talk to you?" Percy asked, his voice trembling slightly, but steady enough to convey his sincerity.

Ron nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat as he turned his chair to face Percy. But even as he agreed, he found it hard to meet Percy’s gaze. The memory of watching those brutal matches, seeing his brother endure unimaginable pain, was still fresh in his mind.

"I'm sorry, Ron," Percy began, his eyes filled with remorse. "I just wanted to apologize to you."

Ron let out a bitter laugh, finally turning to face Percy. The pain in his eyes was unmistakable, raw and unfiltered. "You want to apologize?" he echoed. "For what, Percy? For nearly killing yourself? For putting us through hell watching you destroy yourself in those matches?"

Percy’s heart sank as he saw the tears glistening in Ron’s eyes. "Ron, I—"

"Do you have any idea what it was like watching those matches?" Ron interrupted, his voice shaking with emotion. "Seeing you get bashed over the head with a steel chair, watching you bleed all over the place, hearing those crowds cheer like it was all just a game? It was like a nightmare, Percy. And the worst part is, you chose that. You put yourself through that, and for what?"

Percy’s throat tightened as guilt washed over him. He had known that his choices had hurt his family, but hearing Ron’s words, seeing the pain etched on his brother’s face, made it all the more real.

"I know," Percy said quietly, lowering his head. "I know I hurt you, all of you. I got so caught up in proving myself, in trying to be the best, that I lost sight of everything else. I lost myself, Ron."

Ron stared at Percy, his anger and pain clashing with the deep love he had for his brother. "Why, Percy?" he demanded, his voice breaking. "Why did you do this to yourself? To us?"

Percy struggled to find the right words, to explain the spiral he had fallen into.

"I know you saw some of my matches… saw what I went through. I can’t even imagine what that must have been like for you, for all of you. I never meant for any of this to happen. I was so consumed by my obsession that I lost sight of everything that really mattered."

Ron finally looked up, his eyes misting over as he shook his head. "I’m sorry too, Percy," he admitted, his voice thick with emotion. "For not appreciating you enough when we were younger. I know I’ve said some harsh things over the years… called you a prat more times than I can count. But the truth is… you were a well-meaning prat. You were always looking out for us, even when we didn’t see it."

Percy managed a small, sad smile at Ron’s words. "I just wanted to be someone you could all be proud of," he said softly. "But I went about it the wrong way. I thought I needed to prove myself, to show that I could be strong, that I could achieve something great. I didn’t realize that I already had something great—my family."

Ron stood up from his chair and walked over to Percy, his emotions finally breaking through. "You’ve always been someone we were proud of, Percy," he said, his voice trembling. "You didn’t need to prove anything to us. We just wanted you to be happy, to be a part of the family. And we didn’t always show it, but you were important to us. You still are."

Percy’s eyes filled with tears as he looked up at Ron. "I’m going to do everything I can to get out of this chair, to get back to who I was," Percy vowed. "It won’t be easy, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes."

Ron leaned down and pulled Percy into a tight hug, his voice filled with determination as he whispered, "You don’t have to do it alone. I’ll help you, Percy. We’ll all help you get out of that thing. We’re going to get through this together."

The two brothers held onto each other for a moment, the bond between them stronger than it had ever been before. The road to recovery would be long and difficult, but in that moment, they knew they had each other, and that made all the difference.

As Percy and Ron shared their emotional moment in the hospital room, Fred, George, and Ginny quietly observed from the doorway. Ginny’s eyes were already brimming with tears, and as she watched her two brothers reconnect, the tears began to flow freely. Even Fred and George, who usually hid their emotions behind humor and mischief, found themselves misty-eyed. The sight of Percy, who had been so strong and determined, now vulnerable in his wheelchair, touched them deeply.

After Ron and Percy’s hug ended, Fred cleared his throat, drawing the attention of both brothers. "Hey, Percy," Fred started, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "We’ve got something for you. Something we’ve been working on, night and day, ever since we found out… well, since we found out about everything."

George nodded, stepping forward with a small, proud smile. "We call it Rewalk," he said, gesturing to the device they had brought with them. "It’s a walking assistance system we’ve been developing. It uses powered leg attachments to help you stand, walk, and even climb stairs."

Fred pointed to the backpack attached to the system. "It’s powered by a battery that you wear in this backpack. It’s not magic, it’s Muggle tech with a little bit of Weasley innovation thrown in."

Ginny stepped closer, her eyes still wet with tears. "We wanted to do something to help with your recovery, Percy. You don’t have to go through this alone."

Fred and George carefully attached the Rewalk device to Percy’s legs, securing the powered leg attachments and adjusting the crutches that would support his upper body. Percy looked at his siblings, his heart swelling with a mixture of gratitude and love that he could barely express. "I… I don’t know what to say," Percy stammered, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you. This really means a lot."

Fred grinned, clapping Percy on the shoulder. "Just think of it as us paying you back for all the times you looked out for us, even when we didn’t deserve it."

George nodded in agreement, his usual cheeky smile making a brief appearance. "And besides, we couldn’t let you stay stuck in that wheelchair when we knew there was something we could do about it."

With Ron’s help, Percy slowly began to stand up, feeling the powered leg attachments supporting his weight. It wasn’t easy, and every movement required effort, but for the first time since his paralysis, Percy felt a surge of hope. He was standing, even if only with assistance, and that was a huge step forward.

Ginny wiped her tears away, smiling through them as she watched Percy take his first, tentative steps. "You’re going to get through this, Percy. We all believe in you."

Percy nodded, his eyes filled with determination. "I’m going to make it, one step at a time. And I’m going to do it with all of you by my side. Thank you, for not giving up on me."

Fred, George, Ginny, and Ron all gathered around Percy, their hands on his shoulders, supporting him both physically and emotionally. This moment marked the beginning of a new chapter in Percy’s life, one where he was no longer driven by obsession, but by the love and support of his family.