Title: Lineage
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Percy Weasley
Prompt: #11 – Red
Word Count: 2,680
Rating: T (Some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes.)
Summary: Percy had always been a little different, but no one found it strange. No one noticed his plum-red instead of flame-red hair and his bright blue instead of brown eyes. And until a certain potions lesson, he didn't either.
Author's Notes: 1st in the Lineage Universe.
Disclaimer: I own nothing …

"What's happening? What's wrong?"

"I'm sure everything is going to be fine."

"Where did they take him?"

"I don't know, Love."

"Oh, Arthur, what if something's wrong with him?"

"I'm sure everything is going to be fine," Arthur Weasley tried to keep his voice even so as not to upset his wife further. Their third child had been born this evening, much to everyone's surprise. Between the stress from the war that had begun to wage on the wizarding world and worrying about the safety of a five- and six-year-old Molly hadn't even realized she was pregnant. They had been trying after Bill and Charlie were born to have more children but so much time had passed that they'd given up hope of having the large family they'd both wanted.

When the pains had started to become unbearable Arthur had arranged for Molly's brother, Gideon, and his wife to baby-sit the two boys while he rushed Molly to St. Mungo's Hospital. Within half an hour of arriving the Weasley parents found themselves in the maternity wing awaiting the news of their third child. Once born the child hadn't cried. The Weasleys could tell by the tone of the healer's voice that something was wrong. The child, a boy, had been rushed from the delivery room and Molly had been cleaned up and transferred to a more private room.

Molly was beside herself, worrying that because of her negligence their baby was going to die. Arthur tried to console her by reminding her that there was no way she could have known. She hadn't had any of the symptoms usually attributed to pregnancy – aside from fatigue, but that was easily explained away by everything else that was going on in her life.

Finally Arthur stood and said "I'm going to see what's taking them so long." He walked as calmly as he could in search of the healer.

-o0o-

A young red-haired woman rose from her hospital bed and stood in her doorway to watch the commotion a door down on the opposite side of the hall. From what she could gather a baby had just been born and was so sickly that it was not expected to survive much longer. She crept closer to the doorway of the room where healers were working to save the poor little thing. She watched the head healer perform a few spells before shaking his head sadly.

"It's no use," he admitted reluctantly. "The child is too weak. There is nothing more we can do." The young woman looked carefully at the child and took note of its' almost fiery red hair. "It's a shame, really," the healer continued. "Despite him being such a surprise the parents so desperately wanted him." The young woman stared at the baby a bit longer before she came to a decision.

"Ex- Excuse me, Healer Faust?"

The head healer turned, surprised by her presence. "Miss, I didn't see you there," he said as he approached her. "Please, Miss. You don't want to be here at this time."

She glanced back to the baby boy. "May I discuss something with you, Healer? In private if you will?" She turned and walked back to her hospital room with Healer Faust in tow.

"What would you like to discuss Miss-?"

"Switch that baby with mine," she stated abruptly, as though if she didn't say it fast she may never get it out.

"Er… What?" Faust blinked.

"The baby boy you were just checking over. I want you to switch him with mine," she gestured to the portable cot near her bed. Inside was a small infant with bright red hair, tinted slightly with a deep blonde.

"I beg your pardon, ma'am, but-"

"Please," she held his gaze, pleading with her eyes as well as her words. "I already have a small child at home, and it's hard enough for me to provide for the two of us. Under the current circumstance there is no way that I can possibly care for this baby as well." She glanced at her child as she spoke. "From what you said earlier I gather that the parents of that baby in the other room are prepared enough to care for a new baby. The two are similar enough to make the switch." She walked over to the portable cot and wheeled it into the hall.

Faust took hold of the cot and stopped her progress. "But Miss-"

"Ah, Healer Faust, I was just looking for you." The healer turned and saw Mr Weasley coming towards them from the other end of the hall. He discreetly removed his wand from his robes and muttered an incantation so that the identification card read 'Baby Boy Weasley'.

The young woman gazed at her baby for the last time, sadness shone in her eyes. "You have a beautiful son, sir," she said to Mr Weasley as he drew nearer. "I was just asking Healer Faust a question and I couldn't help but noticing."

Mr Weasley stopped by the cot and smiled as he gazed down at the tiny boy. "Thank you," he replied. "He was quite a surprise, this one, but he is none the less a welcome addition to our little family." Seeing his fond look she knew she was doing the right thing. There was nothing she could offer her child.

"Please excuse me," she said her voice suddenly heavy with emotion. She turned away and returned to her room.

"Healer Faust?" another healer from the dying infant's room came out.

"Ah, Healer McLaglen, I'm glad you're here," Faust said with a smile and beckoned the younger healer to him. "Would you be so kind as to escort Mr Weasley and his newborn son back to Mrs Weasley's room? I am sure the new mother is anxious to meet her son." If McLaglen was surprised or confused by the turn of events he did not show it.

"Of course," he smiled warmly and took control of the cot and followed Mr Weasley from the hall. Healer Faust sighed and re-entered the other baby's room. Inside his ethics warred with each other. He just hoped the young woman knew what she was doing.

-o0o-

Seventeen-year-old Head Boy Percy Weasley stood beside his cauldron in Professor Snape's seventh year potions class. He was stirring the copper rod in an intricate five star pattern as his partner for the project – his fellow Gryffindor, Quidditch Captain Oliver Wood – ground black beetle eyes into a fine powder. They were the only Gryffindors who made it into the seventh year class. One more star pattern and three controlled stirs counter-clockwise and he stepped back to allow Oliver to sprinkle the black dust into the bright blue potion. The liquid bubbled slightly as it soaked up the powder. Percy gave it five and a half stirs clockwise and the potion turned a moss green. He sighed happily. It was perfect.

They'd just brewed the Direct Lineage Potion. When a drop of blood was added to this potion it would reveal on a specially prepared parchment a person's direct ancestors – in other words, their parents. The parchment was soaked in water that had been boiled with the petals of a blood-red rose and then dried overnight. The rose had to be picked at midnight on the new moon. Luckily the pre-prepared parchment was going to be provided for them.

Percy poured some of the potion into three small vials and put stoppers in all of them. A few minutes later, after Professor Snape had inspected all the cauldrons, he called attention to the class.

"One person from each pair will be required to test the potion. Before you do, set aside a vial to turn in for grading." He flicked his wand and a stack of parchments on his desk was distributed to each student. "These parchments have been pre-soaked in the Blood-Rose extract. As I go around the class the individual I choose will test out their potion. If brewed properly, which I highly doubt will be the case with most of you, the parchment shall reveal, in bold and cursive writing, your name in black, your biological mother's name in scarlet, and your biological father's name in emerald."

One-by-one each pair's potion was tested under Snape's watchful – and often scornful – eye. Every potion worked, to some degree.

"Clearly Mr Collins and Miss Harbockle, you stirred your potion too quickly before adding the powdered beetle eyes," Snape said condescendingly to a pair of Ravenclaws. "Judging by the bright pink, lime and grey of your ink. While no doubt you think it… lovely" he sneered. "It will not give you much needed extra points. Apparently book-smarts are indeed limited to the page." A number of students snickered.

Snape continued to a pair of Hufflepuffs. "Given the deep forest green colour of your potion I have to admit you've out done yourselves." More snickering came from the students. "It is a vast improvement to the nearly glowing orange that you normally produce. However it is not surprising that the lettering you've managed is so blotted and scratchy it looks as though a six-year-old penned it since it directly reflects your usual brewing abilities." Snape studied the parchment a bit more. "Though judging by who you parents are, Mr DuBois, I can hardly say it is in any way unexpected of you." More snickering followed as Marco DuBois' cheeks tinged pink.

Three pairs later brought Snape to a pair of Slytherins: Quidditch Captain Marcus Flint and Chaser Adrian Pucey (1).

"Mr Flint, would you be so kind as to give a demonstration of the concoction in your cauldron," Snape said in a way that conveyed he was bored of the whole deal. Marcus picked up a small vial which held some of their jade green potion. He pressed his thumb to the top of the potion, pointed his wand at it and muttered something in a low grumbling voice. A few drops of blood appeared at the top of the potion and Marcus removed his thumb before replacing the stopper and shaking the vial to mix in the blood. The potion turned blood-red (a shade darker than it should have been) and he poured it onto the awaiting parchment. In moments the result was displayed:

Vivien Ambrosia Flint – Angus Charlton Wilkins
Marcus Ashton Flint

"Figures you'd actually be a bastard," one of the Ravenclaw boys, a Quidditch player, who was sitting behind Marcus said as he was able to read over the Slytherin's shoulder. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students laughed along with a few Slytherins. Before Marcus could react Snape snapped at the offending boy and deducted fifty points from Ravenclaw for dishonouring a fellow student's family. He also deducted twenty points from everyone who had decided it was funny, resulting in the loss of forty points from his own house – and none from Gryffindor.

Snape grouchily continued with the testing, being even harsher with the next few tables that he was before. One pair's results had been spelled wrong while another's resulted in the mother's name being lime green and the father's being pink.

The last pair to have their potion tested was Percy and Oliver.

"Mr Wood, test your potion," Snape practically barked. Percy noticed that the only indication that Snape had startled the older boy was a blink of his eyes as he picked up a filled vial and used the same blood-extraction method Marcus had. Oliver re-stoppered the vial and shook it, the potion turning the expected bright blood-red. He poured the potion on the parchment and waited. Percy let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and felt a swell of pride and accomplishment when the names that were scrawled on the sheet appeared exactly as they should be:

Madeline Aubrey Wood – Cameron Grayson Wood
Oliver Carson Wood

Unable to find fault with their potion, Snape nodded and returned to the head of the classroom. He took out a box with little compartment slots in it. "Everyone clearly label your names on your vials and place them into this box for grading on your way out. For those of you who produced a less than perfect potion you will write three feet of parchment describing, in detail, how you messed up the potion, what you should have done to prevent the screw up, and what should have happened instead. Class Dismissed."

The class exited and headed to the Great Hall for supper.

-o0o-

Percy put his quill down after finishing off his Transfiguration homework. Oliver was at quidditch practice while Grover Paul and Leith Goddard – their other two dorm mates – were at a meeting for the school paper. He'd taken advantage of the quiet room over the library to study in peace. He raised arms up and stretched his back before putting his homework away. Placing his parchment in his book bag he spied the parchment sheet from potions class and took it out. After everything else was away and the parchment was sitting in the centre of the desk he picked up the vial that was sitting on his desk next to his inkpot. He added his blood using the blood-extraction charm he'd actually taught Oliver and shook the vial before pouring it on the parchment sheet. While he waited for the results he scorgified the vial and stopper clean. He placed the now clean vial next to his inkpot again and glanced at the parchment. He did a double take before snatching the parchment up off the desk.

"Hey Percy," the Scottish accented voice of Oliver Wood reached his ears as the Keeper strode into the room, dumping his gear bag next to his dresser before rummaging for a set of pyjamas. "What's up?" he asks, seeing the wide-eyed shock written across his normally composed roommate.

Percy jumped and quickly crumpled the parchment into a ball. "N-nothing." Percy stood quickly and tossed the parchment at the only trash bin in the room. He practically ran from the room. Meanwhile Oliver picked up the parchment ball from where it landed next to the trash bin with a frown. He was about to toss it into the bin when he catches sight of the name 'Wood' penned in cursive green ink on a spot on the ball. His curiosity peaked and he un-crumpled the ball. Reading the words on the parchment his eyes widened and he took a sharp intake of breath. His jaw dropped and he stared at the door where Percy disappeared through. He stared between it and the parchment for a long moment before he clenched it in his fist and took off in search of his obviously confused roommate. Obviously, he thinks. If I'm confused then he sure as bloody hell is.

He glanced around the common room. Not finding the red-head he exited the tower. He figured the library would be the best place to start. Lost in thought, he didn't notice where he was going. Suddenly he found himself stumbling back and looked up to find his arch-nemesis: Marcus Flint.

"Watch it Wood," Marcus snarled menacingly and shoved Oliver to emphasise.

"You watch it, Flint," Oliver snapped back and shoved Marcus' shoulder before passing. He didn't take more than a step and a half before a hand grasped onto his arm and yanked him back.

"Where the hell do you think you're going," Marcus growled as he shoved Oliver into the wall of the corridor.

"Piss off, Flint," Oliver rammed his shoulder into Marcus' chest. The two started wrestling when a professor from a class Oliver had never taken happened upon them. The two lost ten points each for fighting. When the professor left Oliver didn't even spare a glance back as he rushed off to find Percy.

If he had, he'd have seen Marcus pick up a crumpled up sheet of parchment. Marcus uncurled the wrinkled sheet. As he read the three names on it his chest tightened and he leaned against the wall:

Vivien Ambrosia Flint – Cameron Grayson Wood
Percival Ignatius Weasley

- 30 -

THE END

Footnotes:

(1) My Adrian Pucey is older than canon Adrian Pucey (by about 4 to 6 years – I can't remember which). I just like the idea of him and Marcus being the same age, which is heavily influenced by the fact that the actors in the second movie Scott Fern (Adrian Pucey) and Jamie Lee Yeates (Marcus Flint) are the same age in real life – but I can't remember at the moment if it's the exact same age or if their birthdays are on different days…

released: December 09, 2009
updated: July 27, 2010