"And that's Potter's fault," sneered Ron. "He's the one who had everyone arrested and taken away."
"Ronald!" snapped Arthur. "Stop speaking like a... daft moron! It's thinking like that is why Lord Potter is of the opinion the rest of the wizarding world are such!"
"He explained what happened in the letter in extensive detail," said George. "You were obviously not paying attention or refusing to listen."
"Do we need to read the relevant parts back to you? Slowly?" asked Fred.
"Pausing after each sentence to see if you understood?" asked George.
"Boys; that's enough!" snapped Molly.
"Is it?" asked Percy.
The fact he'd just 'back-chatted' his mother had immediately shut everyone up. Percy never did that.
"Whether he likes it or not, whether he understands it or not, Ron must accept the fact the boy he knew as Harry Potter had everyone fooled as to who he really was - including the man who used to be Headmaster of his school, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump of the ICW," quietly said the boy. "And he managed to do it before he even started at Hogwarts. Which means he did it starting back to when he was ten years old or earlier.
"Do any of you have any idea just how incredibly smart you would have to be to pull something like that off? He was in close contact with Dumbledore, more than any other student I've known including the Head Boys and Girls, for over three years. And the man never once had any clue.
"It's no wonder he thinks the rest of us 'daft morons' because, compared to him, we probably are!
"To top that off, the boy is the Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House and Heir Tertiary of another. He is 'One of the Seven', so is his godfather and he's friends with the Heir Apparent of a third, Heir Apparent Neville Longbottom, that we know of at least!
"It is also well-known that almost immediately after the First Task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Lord Harrison James Potter - at fourteen - swooped in and wrenched control of the Potter-Longbottom Alliance right out of the hands of Dowager Lady and Regent Augusta Longbottom of Longbottom, a powerful political heavyweight that the Dark Houses fear for good reason.
"With that control he then dragged the Heirs of the allianced Houses who attend Hogwarts into a private meeting and effectively laid down the law with them. When Heir Secondary Ernest MacMillan apparently got upset about it and verbally abused Lord Potter in that meeting, Lord Potter did not hesitate one moment in kicking the entire House of MacMillan out of the alliance due to the insult - made in private. And then proceeded to make sure that news was very publicly known.
"And Ron, here, wants to insult him? He wants to verbally abuse him? Publicly?"
Percy gave his mother and father a moment to absorb all that before he quietly asked, "Knowing, as you now do, the following facts: One, the Harry Potter you thought you knew was a lie; two, he is now a full adult, with all the responsibilities and rights of such; three, he clearly knows and understands the law and he apparently demonstrated that knowledge during the First Task; four, he is now the Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House, one that makes him 'One of the Seven', and the Heir Tertiary of a second of the same rank; five, he has already shown he knows how to wield that power by wrenching back control of the Potter-Longbottom Alliance right out of the hands of Augusta Longbottom, with no effort at all; six, he knows Charlie told Ron to tell him the First Task involved getting past a dragon and Ron didn't tell him, putting his life at risk; and seven, he knows that whole thing on the First of September in 1991 at Kings Cross Station was a set-up and, apparently, has known that all along - do you really not think he knows that, if Ronnie-boy here continues to insult and or verbally abuse him, he has the right by our laws to kill him? Seriously?
"If you want Ron to live past the first twenty four hours he's back in Hogwarts castle when classes restart, if Lord Potter is also there, then you'd better do something about his behaviour and attitude - fast!
"If you don't believe me..." He then indicated the family clock, where Ron's clock hand was pointing to 'In Danger'. "Look there!"
Molly's eyes snapped to the clock where her eyes verified for her that Percy spoke true. She blanched.
"Awww... That'd be right!" Ron loudly complained, not even looking at the Clock and leaning forward a little. "Harry-Bloody-Potter writes a letter and everyone jumps to do his bidding! Can't you see―"
That was as far as he got before his mother's open right hand connected with the left side of his face so hard it knocked him completely out of his seat and onto the floor. She'd had to lean all the way across the table from where she was standing to reach him; but the table wasn't that wide, just long.
Into the deafening silence following the loud 'crack' of palm meeting cheek flesh, followed by the sound of Ron crashing to the floor, Molly quietly said, "Arthur; take Ron out to the shed. Keep him there until you are informed his clock hand no longer points to 'In Danger'. If that means you have to decide that Ron will be taken to Muriel's, where he will remain until she manages to get it into his head why it's a bad idea to upset the Nobles, then so be it. At that time you can also inform her, in Ron's case, corporal punishment is a valid teaching tool."
"That... is a damned fine idea, Molly," Arthur just as quietly said.
He then turned to look down on the floor where Ron lay, rubbing his cheek with unshed tears filling his eyes. The hand-print from his mother's hand was already blooming red on the skin of his face, in detail.
"Ron," he said. "Go out to the shed and stay there... Right now... I will be out to join you and start to deal with you, in a few minutes."
"B-but―" started Ron, before his father rode right over him.
"NOW!" bellowed Arthur.
Ron scrambled up off the floor and, nearly tripping over his own robes in the process, bolted out the back door; flinging it open, causing it to bounce off its stop and swinging back nearly shut as he ran.
A few seconds later, Molly quietly - almost plaintively - asked her husband, "You don't really think Harry would―"
As he looked back at his wife with a worried expression, Arthur merely pointed to the clock.
None of their other four children present said a word, except Percy. As quietly as he spoke before, he said, "Your five youngest children were all sitting at this table. Of that five, only Ron's was pointing at 'In Danger'. Of that five, only Ron seems intent on upsetting Lord Potter.
"It could be for another reason, of course - one we are all unaware of. However, if after Dad has spent time with him in the shed his clock hand suddenly moves back to 'At Home' with the rest of our hands, you will know.
"If after that his hand again moves to 'In Danger', then it is likely he is again thinking of upsetting Lord Potter."
Arthur looked to his eldest still living at home and pridefully said, "I can see why you've been moved from International Magical Cooperation to the Minister's Office."
"Actually, I'm currently on loan to the Wizengamot Administration Services, at the moment. They needed more wands to take care of the massive amount of work brought on by the dozen trials that've just happened," replied Percy. "But, thank you." He was pleased to receive the recognition.
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