For Disney Character Competition - Archimedes: Merlin's owl, who is very wise and helps Arthur with his training. Write about a person who teaches someone something.
For Book Quotes Boot Camp - #18 You don't forget the face of the person who was your last hope. – The Hunger Games.
For Fanfiction Scavenger Hunt – #25 Write a fic over 3,000
For A Variety of Prompts Challenge – #15 Head Boy
For Harry Potter Chapter Competition – The Boy Who Lived – Write about the start of something.
A/N: This is the longest fic I have written in a very long time coming in at 3,206. I hope it is good and not too long and boring
…..
"Percy, how many times do you get to celebrate your brother getting married?" Bill whined while perched at my kitchen counter. You would think at the age of Twenty eight my dear brother would be more mature, but he was literally whining at me across the bench.
"Based on the fact that I have four brothers and have successfully gotten drunk twice in celebration," I roll my eyes at the word. "Of their marriage, the probability of me having the chance again after this time is still 25%," I said placing a bowl on the bench.
"So why not go tonight as well and take out the full 100%?" Bill asked trying, and miserably failing, to remind me of my work ethic.
"George would have more fun without me ruining his night," I added pouring half a cup of milk into my bowl of cornflakes.
"George would love his brother there to celebrate with him." Bill was getting desperate, and I was having trouble understanding why. Sure I was their brother, but realistically, they mostly kept me out of these big celebrations.
"If it was any night but Thursday," I added to help make Bill feel better. It was the truth after all. "But I have a presentation tomorrow," I added before he finished processing the thought that made his eyes light up.
"So do it hung over, all the best presentations are done that way," Bill barked out a laugh clearly reminiscing a familiar experience.
"Why does it have to be tonight?" I asked a little stubbornly.
"Because his wedding is next weekend, and Angelina is having her night tomorrow night because it is the only night her Maid of Honour can come. Then Saturday is the rehearsal," Bill said impatiently. "Besides what would be so bad about missing one day of work?" he added impatiently. I could feel my stomach twisting at the very idea of such a notion.
"So many things," I confirmed finishing my bowl and turning on the tap to wash it out.
"Please just think about making an appearance, it would mean the world to George," Bill added standing up and leaving my place before I could protest again. It always annoys me how easily Bill can make me feel guilty, it is probably why they send him in to do the convincing. It seems to work every time.
Tonight I would go to George's Bachelor party, but only for an hour maybe two, okay probably two, because Bill will talk me into it, but no more than two. I would just have to work extra hard today to finish my presentation.
…
"Percy," Bill shouted as I entered what I can only assume to be a dungeon, but I think it is considered a bar. It was not nearly as nice as where we went for Bill's night or Ron's for that matter. I smiled half-heartedly, deciding that I would only stay an hour.
"I really thought you weren't coming," George slurred wrapping his arm around my shoulder. This was going to be the longest hour of my life.
"Why would I ever miss my younger brother spending a night getting drunk before he gets married?" I said sarcastically, but I think only Bill noticed, he shot me a warning glance while George laughed loudly in my ear.
"Well I think you know what it is time for," George exclaimed.
"Shots," Ron yelled from behind me making me jump slightly. How long had he been there? Better question how was I going to avoid shots?
"This one is on me," I said detangling myself from both Ron and George who had their arms locked around me. I walked to the bar while my brothers displayed a kind of primal display. I wandered over to the bar; thankfully it was a quiet night so it took only moment for me to get a drink order in.
"What will it be?" a short black hair girl asked from behind the counter. She wasn't looking at me but instead wiping down the bench. I liked multi-tasking, and she seemed pretty damn good at it.
"Could I please have eight shots of fire whiskey? But I also need a favour," I added a twisting feeling in my stomach. The black hair girl looked up at me and he eyes widened in what I originally gathered was fear. I guess I will have to take some shots.
"You can ask anything, Percy," she smiled. How did this girl know my name?
"Um," I stuttered. Maybe it was not fear I saw, maybe it was surprise. Did I know this girl? "My brothers want me to drink, but I have a big presentation tomorrow, do you think you could make one of those shots not alcoholic?" I asked hopeful.
"No worries," she said with a smile so sweet I thought I felt my teeth ache. I went to walk away but the wonder was driving me crazy. I stopped and turned back to her; she was still looking at me and made an attempted to distract herself when I walked back.
"Sorry to ask this question, but you seem to know my name and yet I have no idea who you are," I said lamely staring blankly at her. Even though it was subtle I saw the corners of her mouth drop at my words. I had hurt her and I had no idea how.
"I met you a long time ago, you wouldn't remember me, but I can't forget you," she smiled; this was starting to feel creepy.
"Why is that?" I asked confusion obviously lining my face. Her smile returned but her eyes were sad as if the memory of knowing me brought pain.
"You don't forget the face of the person who was your last hope," she said. I wanted to ask more questions but then someone else came to the bar and she immediately turned to help them.
I returned to my brothers who were enjoying a game of darts, now perplexed and dazed. I needed this hour to end.
"You were talking to that bartender for a good five minutes brother," Bill said taking a seat next to me.
"Yea, apparently she knows me," I shrugged as if it was no big deal. As if the girl at the bar did not just call me her last hope.
"Oh? Where from?" Bill asked turning around to get a better look at the girl.
"I have no idea," I confirmed. When she delivered the drinks she handed me a shot glass with a wink and I could feel fire light my cheeks. Who was this girl?
"Thanks Katie," George smiled happily before she walked away.
"Do you know her?" I asked quickly making George smile over at me with a big toothy grin.
"Yea she is the Maid of Honour," George slurred. "We also went to school with her." I looked over at Katie, but I could not place her, she was clearly a few years younger than I was; maybe a fourth year when I was a seventh.
"Shots," Ron yelled loudly and everyone drank their amber liquid. I smiled at the thought of maybe coke or coloured water in a tiny shot glass. But when I let the liquid fall down my throat I nearly gagged at the burning sensation that followed. I thought we had a deal. Maybe I really did upset her.
"You remember Katie right?" George said swaying on his seat.
"No," I confirmed.
"Don't you remember that third year?" George asked.
"No," I said quickly scoring a quizzical glance from Bill.
"Yea the one you saved when you were a prefect, that was Katie," George laughed.
"No," I said again this time it was sharp. I knew what George was talking about. But that memory had been buried away long ago. It was something I couldn't bring myself to remember and it was definitely something I could not connect to the sweet girl that stood behind the counter. How could the confident smiling girl behind the bar be the same one I found curled up in the prefect's bathroom covered in blood?
"I will get another round," I said before George could continue. Back when I was a prefect my worst nightmare was failing my OWLs, a fear that soon became juvenile and inadequate. There was no stopping the sickening feeling as the memory flooded my mind.
…
My routine as Head Boy had been the same for the past year and a half. Lights out at nine o'clock, patrol until nine thirty, shower, an additional patrol until ten thirty, giving me plenty of time to study in the common room before my lights out at midnight. It was an effective routine, one in which I was extremely neurotic about. Which is what really makes that day all the more bizarre.
I had had a long day, one in which involved many pranks against me and many comments towards my behaviour. I am ashamed to admit that every now and then these comments brought me down, as much as I would remind myself that I will be somebody and go somewhere further than those commenters would, it still hurt. So that day, for reasons that I cannot explain I decided to have a shower instead of having dinner.
Nothing was out of the ordinary as I wandered the abandoned hallways, I liked it this way. I enjoyed being secluded. Nothing was out of the ordinary when I entered the hallway down to the Prefects Bathroom. But there was something wrong once I entered the bathroom. For starters, it did not smell of soap and fresh water, but of metal and dirt. The torches lining the walls were lit in a dull haze, which was a sign someone was here. I can't explain why the hair on the back of my head stood up, or why my arms erupted in a field of Goosebumps, but I somehow knew that I had to proceed with caution. I gripped my wand which was tucked away in my jacket and walked carefully around the corner.
Nothing in life could have prepared me for what I saw when I turned the corner to the showers. I had seen tragedy, in books, in film, in photos, and I had read of it in literature, but I had never physically seen torture before. I have never beared witness to a human being hurting another for pleasure. I remember hoping, in my juvenile state, that I never would again.
On the floor lay a girl, a third year by the looks, she had black hair in a ponytail. What was really distinctive about her though was she was covered in blood of varying degrees of drying. I don't know how long she had been here, but the man who stood above her, a Sixth year Hufflepuff Prefect did.
"What are you doing?" I yelled, it was not my smartest move, but it diverted the attention of the boy to me. He turned to me, for a moment his face was angry, maybe at me? Maybe at the girl, either way he was not innocent. But the moment faded and his face softens.
"I found her like this," the Prefect said. I will never be able to explain why, for the first time in my life, I trusted my gut. I remove my wand and directed it at the boy.
"Imobilus," I said quickly before he could react. The rumor was, for at least that year, I saved that girl. She was getting abused by the Prefect because he enjoyed it. Since that day I witness many more forms of torture, became vigilant to the subtle hints that tried to hide it. But I have never in my life seen anything as horrible as that day.
I did not save anybody.
…
When I approached the bar I felt sick, hopefully just from drinking the Fire Whisky.
"I thought we had a deal," I said as energetically as I could. How could this girl, who is now smiling a devious smile, be the same one who cowered when I tried to touch her?
"Bill told me you would do that. He tipped me 8 galleons to not listen to you," she said a look of genuine concern on her face. "Sorry."
"Well I have to do another round so at least this time I will know what I am drinking," I said softly putting some money on the bench.
"You remember me don't you?" she said getting out shot glasses. I could feel a breath catch against my lungs, my throat went dry and the memories of her flooded my head. I could not bear that type of confrontation.
"No," I lied before walking away.
…
It was close to midnight. It was a work night. I had an unfinished presentation sitting on my desk at home. I was also very intoxicated. But I had to see Katie. She left via the back door at exactly 12.05, and like a stalker I approached her.
"Don't scream," I said quickly holding my hands up in surrender. Katie jumped in the air and turned to me her body shaking.
"Percy?" she asked her breath catching.
"I remember you," I said unable to hold it in anymore.
"Then why did you lie?" she asked curiously. It was a valid question? Why did I lie? Truthfully, I could not bear the idea of this New Katie meshing with the Old one.
"I am nobody's savior," I said softly backing up to the wall. I was a lot drunker than originally thought.
"You saved me," she said softly looking down at the ground.
"I spent the rest of that year trying to forget that night Katie," I confessed. Why was I telling her this? "I did not save you. I was running from my own turmoil and happened to find you locked in yours. This twisted idea that I saved you has to stop. I was saving myself, you just happened to need the attention more," I said my vision blurring at the sides. I could barely see anything but Katie now.
Katie stepped closer to me, I could faintly feel her hand run down my arm and then her fingers tingle against my hand.
"I do not care how it ended up happening, the point is that it did," she said softly. I looked up at her, my head swirling. "You walking in on the worst day of my life, turned it into the best day of my life. Everything changed for the better that day, you made that happen. I will forever be grateful that you walked in the Prefect's bathroom at the precise moment that you did," she said.
"You were so young," I said my eyes forcing themselves to blink longer than necessary.
"I think I need to get you to bed," Katie laughed, but her voice was becoming distant and faint. Then the world went black.
…
The light from the sun burnt against my eyes and when I woke my head pounded with a force I can only match to soldiers breaking in a stubborn door. What time was it? Why was the sun out? Slowly and with as much grace as a heard of shocked elephants I stood up out of bed and found my way to the kitchen.
There sitting at my counter was Katie looking just a normal as she did last night.
"Katie?" I asked, confused as to why she was in my kitchen.
"Good morning," she screamed at me.
"Shhh," I begged holding my head.
"Sorry," Katie whispered. I moved forward and leant across the counter at Katie.
"I don't remember much from last night," I confessed. "Can I ask, as nicely as possible, why you are still here?" Katie smiled over at me pushing her coffee to the side and leaning across the counter.
"I brought you home, and when I was about to leave you begged me to stay," Katie whispered.
"Did I do anything else completely embarrassing?" I asked my face turning scarlet.
"You apologized for not being there soon enough," she said softly. I could feel the urge, someone in the back of my dry scratchy throat, to lean closer and kiss her. I stood up quickly dancing on the spot as my head spun.
"I think I need a shower," I said making my way down the hall. A sudden thought rose from the back of my mind just as I turned down the hallway. "What time is it?" I coughed out using the wall to hold myself up.
"Nine Thirty," Katie basically yelled at me. I could barely keep my head from splitting in two, but the pressing matter at hand was being late for work. I turned on my heal quickly and with enough grace to embarrass even my clumsiest brother, I lost my footing a fell face first onto the uncarpeted floor of my hallway.
I could faintly hear the soft rush of Katie making her way to me over my head splitting in two. She sat down in front of me helping to turn my body over ad look up at the ceiling.
"Are you okay?" she asked quickly.
"I am late for work," I choked out my eyes blinking at the harsh florescent lights.
"I owl'd your work, you were in no state to go," Katei confessed. I felt anger bubble in me, how dare she make that call for me.
"I know it was not my place, but you spent half the night throwing up an when I came in to ask what time you started you threw a pillow at me," she said softly.
I stared up at Katie, her big green eyes filled with worry over a man she barely knew. So what if the presentation was late by one day? It was only to some people within the ministry. So what if my prefect record was broken by one sick day? Would it really affect the way I worked every other day?
"Could you please help me get rid of this horrible headache?" I asked making Katie genuinely smile.
"I would suggest water and bed rest for a while, and I think you can do that on your own," she said making a move to stand me up. It took a lot of effort but I eventually stood up with the room only mildly spinning.
"So your going?" I asked.
"I have a lot to do today, but if you like, I can save a seat for you at the Rehersal dinner," she said, although it was not in the usual tone I was use to. Was Katie flirting with me?
"I would like that," I said softly, trying to imitate the flirty tone she used. I think I failed.
"I will see you tomorrow night Percy. I hope your headache goes away." And just like that she left my house. I was left behind on a work day, my head splitting, my first absence since I started working, and the biggest smile on my face.
I am glad I went out last night.