Homecoming from Hogwarts

The rising sun shone on Penelope's profile, and the girl's fair skin radiated an alluring glow.

Percy, who had been staring at her all night, felt his heart beating again. However, Penelope was tired from last night's ridiculous impulse, and Percy smiled foolishly. He finally controlled his impulse, and just leaned forward and gently kissed Penelope's cheek.

But this slight movement still woke Penelope up. She frowned slightly, and after her long, black eyelashes trembled, she opened her eyes.

The face that came into view made Penelope dazed for a moment, but she soon regained consciousness and uttered a shy cry. She pulled the quilt to cover herself, curled up her body, and turned her face to the other side in angrily.

After waiting for a while, Penelope didn't hear any words of comfort. Feeling a little confused, she turned her head carefully again, and saw a face with a silly smile on it.

The love and happiness in her heart suddenly blossomed. Penelope bit her rosy lips, supported herself with her arms and threw herself into Percy's arms, their lips and ears pressed against each other, and there was a roar.

Holding the girl in his arms, Percy looked at this small room of less than 30 or 40 square meters, which became more and more charming as the morning light gradually brightened. He suddenly understood why his parents could live happily with so many of his brothers and sisters in such a cramped environment as the Burrow.

"Would you like anything to eat, Percy?"

Hearing the change in Percy's heartbeat, Penelope stood up and looked at Percy with a somewhat innocent expression. The blanket slipped off her body, and the whiteness that came into view made Percy dizzy.
"I just want to hold you for a little while longer."

Percy pulled Penelope into his arms again and covered her with the blanket.

A huge sense of happiness filled her heart, and a smile bloomed on Penelope's lips.

"But you are going to work at the Ministry of Magic, right? If you don't eat something, you won't have the energy to cope with the heavy workload."

When Percy mentioned the Ministry of Magic, bitterness flashed in his eyes. However, he did not complain about anything. He just said in a calmness that he himself could not understand,
"Oh, I'm not going."

"What's going on, Percy?"

Penelope was startled. She completely left Percy's arms and looked at the face that was absolutely unmistakable in surprise. They had been in love for a long time before graduating from Hogwarts. She knew Percy, and this was definitely not something he would say.

"Nothing, Penelope—"

Percy sniffed, and the remaining immaturity on his face seemed to have disappeared overnight, replaced by a calm heart and a maturity that could not be faked.
"Hey, Penelope—"

Percy continued to look around the room.

The house Penelope rented was really small. It had no living room, only a bedroom, a bathroom that couldn't fit two people, and a simple kitchen. But fortunately, everything was very tidy, and the room was filled with an atmosphere that fascinated him.

"Can I live with you, Penelope?"

The reconciled couple looked into each other's eyes without saying anything.

Penelope pursed her lips. This cottage was only a short-term rental. If she didn't get the job in the workshop, then she would have to return to the farm in the countryside as agreed with her parents. But at this moment, Penelope completely forgot about this agreement and was determined.

Penelope nodded slightly, and after giving Percy a gentle smile, she leaned on his shoulder again.

"If you want, Percy, that's fine, but you'll have to share the rent with me. I don't have that much money."

The two of them chuckled at the same time. Percy hugged Penelope's delicate waist tightly. He took a deep breath and then exhaled heavily, his tone firm.

"I've figured out some things, Penelope. I'm going to move out of my house. Well, I'm also going to resign from the Ministry of Magic."

Penelope's eyelashes trembled slightly. She neither expressed shock again nor immediately expressed support. She just asked softly,
"You still haven't told me, Percy, how you found me?"

"Oh, actually it's like this—"

Percy stroked the chestnut curly hair with a somewhat sentimental smile.
"I was ordered by the Minister of Magic to go to Hogwarts to find Professor Braine. Before I left, Professor Braine asked me to bring a file bag to Remus. You may not know, Penelope, that the wizard behind the learning machine workshop is actually Professor Braine. He asked me to pass it to Remus. Inside is your resume. Oh, I have good news to tell you. You have been accepted by the learning machine workshop." Professor Braine. Percy's eyes appeared with the handsome and majestic face and the pair of eyes as deep as the deep space. Although there was no evidence, he was extremely sure that the resume of Penelope that inexplicably hit him in the face was definitely not a coincidence.

The man saw through his inner fear and confusion, saw through the huge void in his heart, and found something to fill the void for himself.

If it was last night, Penelope would have jumped for joy because of this news, but now, she has found a greater joy. She can look at this matter calmly. She raised her face and looked at the vicissitudes of life that appeared between her young lover's eyebrows, and said softly,
"You must have been through a lot this year, right, Percy?"

Suffered a lot of grievances
Percy's body shuddered slightly and it took all his strength to stop the urge to cry.

Ever since he graduated from Hogwarts and entered the Ministry of Magic, no one had ever cared whether he had been wronged, except the girl in his arms.

"Yes, I did suffer a lot--"

Percy said in a hoarse voice. Facing Penelope's clear eyes, Percy no longer suppressed the urge to talk. He told her everything he had experienced since he entered the Ministry of Magic, including the reason why he went to Hogwarts to visit Professor Blaine and the cold reception he received at Hogwarts. He told her everything without reservation.

"So, you understand why the Minister of Magic wanted to allow Ms. Umbridge to teach at Hogwarts, and why Professor Braine resolutely resisted this?"

Penelope asked softly.

"Oh, this is actually quite obvious, isn't it?"

Percy smiled complicatedly.
"I always knew that the Minister couldn't stand the pressure brought to him by Professor Dumbledore and Professor Braine, so he wanted to send Umbridge to Hogwarts to cause trouble. Oh, it's so stupid. I was just pretending not to see it."

"But you don't have to leave the Ministry, do you, Percy?"

Penelope raised her slender hands and stroked Percy's chest.

"Remember, it has always been your dream to join the Ministry of Magic."

"Until now, it is still my dream—"

Percy said softly.

Percy finally dared to face his own heart after breaking through some fog. He stretched out one hand and held it in the air, watching the sunlight slipping through his fingers.
"But I must admit that the Ministry of Magic today is not something I like nor something I can handle.

One day, I will return to the Ministry of Magic, but before that, I have to learn. I think this is what Professor Blaine wants to tell me. I must enrich myself first before I can deal with complex situations. I plan to go to the learning machine workshop where you will be working. It is very special and I believe it will help me grow. "

You've grown a lot, Percy--
This thought flashed through Penelope's mind, but she said nothing, just nodded softly.

"Oh, I'm sure I can convince Dad, and he'll support me, but Mom--"

Percy sat up straight and held Penelope's shoulders, looking at the misty eyes on the girl's blushing cheeks, and asked expectantly:

"Will you come home with me, Penelope? When I tell my mother I'm leaving the Ministry and she's about to tear me apart, you can at least help me stop her. My father is completely useless when she's angry--"

(End of this chapter)