First Impressions

Jedi Goat

Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter.

Author's Note - written for Fanfic100's prompt 079 - When. Check out the others so far on my livejournal - the link is on my profile page. ^^

"Oh, are you a Prefect, Percy? You should have said something, we had no idea," Fred said with an air of great astonishment.

"Hang on," George put in with mock thought, "I think I remember him saying something about it once –"

"Or twice –"

"A minute –"

"All summer."

Percy's face reddened. "Oh, shut it," he muttered. His younger brothers burst out laughing.

"That's enough, you two," Mrs Weasley chastised as she descended on them now with last-minute hugs, ignoring their muffled grimaces and complaints. "We're all very proud to have another Prefect in the family. You should try following his example sometime."

"What? And ruin all the fun in life?" Fred said, aghast. "Mum!" For she had just swatted him about the head.

"You two had better behave yourselves this year," she warned, "your brother is quite capable of taking away your house points now!"

Percy reddened further. He really wished she hadn't incited that challenge, as the twins were now looking coolly at him over her shoulder with looks that clearly read, We'd like to see you try.

Percy accepted her hug and a packed lunch before he forced himself to disengage from Mrs Weasley's embrace. "I'd best get to the Prefects' carriage," he said, adjusting the front of his robes and feeling a small glimmer of pride as the silvery badge flashed against his chest. In the background the twins sniggered.

""I'll see you over the break," he said loudly, before turning and marching off for the front of the train. Though he tried to keep his stride even, inwardly he was simmering with anger. Those two... He should have known better than to expect respect of his new authority; the others might have found their antics charming, but he saw the truth. The twins were nothing but downright cruel when it came to him. One of these days, he promised himself, he would find a way to show them up. Maybe they cared nothing for success in school, but he'd shove it in their faces when he had a high-paying job at the Ministry, and they were struggling to survive...

Astray in his thoughts, Percy lost track of his steps, and only resurfaced when he entered the head carriage and collided with a figure headed to the exit. He staggered back, eyes widening, and lurched forward to help the sprawled student to her feet.

"I'm so sorry –" he babbled, face red again. He was never this clumsy! What an impression to make on the other Prefects...

"Oh," she groaned faintly, rubbing her head. "No, I'm sorry, I was daydreaming while walking again." She laughed softly, and Percy noticed she had a very pretty laugh.

"No, really, it was my fault," he protested, even as he was mentally telling himself to stop talking already. "I wasn't looking where I was going, sorry –"

She took his proffered hand and got to her feet, brushing her short brown hair from her face. She had the same silver Prefect badge as him, but below that, the blue-and-gold emblem of Ravenclaw. His memory raced; surely he'd seen her before...

She giggled. "And I thought chivalry was dead. Penelope Clearwater."

"Wha – huh?"

"It's my name," she said, still smiling, holding out her hand.

He cleared his throat. "Right. Percy Weasley." He shook her hand, and it suddenly came to him. "You're the one who had the highest marks on last year's exams, weren't you?"

"Yeah..." She blushed slightly.

"Congratulations." Percy remembered the first time he saw the marks posted, his incredulousness at someone usurping the position he'd held for three years straight. But now that he'd met her... He found he didn't mind so much.

"Oh, thanks," Penelope said, now looking at her feet in sudden fascination. "I suppose it doesn't matter much though. The OWLs this year are the important thing, right?"

"Right," said Percy in a daze. "Er –" he cleared his throat, "I suppose we should sit down...things they have to tell us..."

"Yeah," Penelope nodded, finally looking up with a shy smile. "I suppose we should."

Percy was very glad she turned away just then, as he was sure his face was as red as his hair by now.

-/-

"Did I just see what I thought I saw, Fred?" George said, staring out of the compartment window in a sort of morbid fascination.

"We did, George," answered Fred. For once, even he looked completely flabbergasted. But slowly, the well-know and feared Weasley twin smirk crossed his face.

"I do think our Perce has finally become a man," he grinned, looking to George, who mirrored his smile.

"Think he needs a bit of our savvy advice, brother of mine?"

"I think he is in grave need of our professional attention," Fred concurred, rubbing his hands together. "I daresay he's lucky to have such caring brothers as us!"

"I kind of pity the girl, though," sighed George. "She is quite pretty."

Fred stared at his twin, utterly horrified.

The End

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