Chapter One
Percy watched as Oliver Wood pushed around the mashed potatoes on his plate. Of course, he watched out of the corner of his eye so that no one would notice him staring. He was used to watching this ritual. Oliver would draw lazy circles on his plate, scattering the food but not eating any of it. This had been going on for months now - at least - but Percy had only realized that it was a problem recently. At first he had just thought that Oliver was too worried about the next Quidditch match to eat, or too busy. But it had turned into something more. Percy was good at watching quietly and making observations - studying. He studied Oliver as much as any of his subjects. They were, after all, roommates. However, his classes were something he understood ; this wasn't.
He didn't understand why Oliver wasn't eating. Sometimes he would- he'd take a small bite of fruit - watermellon, his favourite, or drink water, but nothing more. He even turned his nose down at the Canary Cremes that Fred and George offered him. He used to take them eagerly - the ones that the spell hadn't been placed on- they were his favourite treat . He said that he only had to turn into a Canary once to learn that taking anything from the twins was a bad idea, and this satisfied everyone. Everyone except Percy. He worried. Sometimes he'd lay awake late at night, listening to Oliver's even breathing as he slept, and watching his chest heave up and down. Sometimes he'd whisper to Oliver, hoping that he was awake, but Oliver would just stir without acknowledging him.
He wanted to help, and Percy Weasley only knew two ways to help with anything. One, tell someone who is a higher authority than you are, and two, head for the library. Percy decided on the latter. On his first free Saturday, when he wasn't needed for his Prefect duties, Percy travelled from the Gryffindor dormitories to the library. Luckily, the library was almost empty because of a weekend Quidditch match. Percy had had to sacrifice watching Oliver play against the Slytherins for this, but it would be worth it if he could get any insight at all. He took the first book that he found on magical maladies to a table in the back and opened it. He scanned for any information on not eating. He repeatedly found 'loss of appetite" , but he didn't think that was what Oliver had. Oliver had stopped eating on his own will, Percy was sure of it. Percy searched for the greater part of the afternoon, to no avail. Before dinner, Percy returned to the Gryffindor common room. He was surprised to see that it was still full, hardly anyone had gone to the Great Hall yet. His younger brother, Ron, approached him.
"Where've you been, you git?" he asked, being bothersome as usual.
" Studying. Which is something that you should've been doing. If you spent less time watching Quidditch and more time studying, you-" Percy stopped in midsentence, just having noticed that Ron was without his two best friends, Harry and Hermione, which was an extremely rare occurence. " Where's Harry?" he asked, careful not to mention Hermione. Ron got easily angry when Hermione was brought up- Fred and George teased him mercilessly about her.
"He's with Oliver...in the hospital wing." Ron said, nonchalantly.
"What? Why?" Percy asked.
"Oliver took a nasty fall." Ron shrugged and continued, but Percy didn't hear anything more that he said. He had already turned and started out for Madame Pomfrey's office.
Percy watched as Oliver Wood pushed around the mashed potatoes on his plate. Of course, he watched out of the corner of his eye so that no one would notice him staring. He was used to watching this ritual. Oliver would draw lazy circles on his plate, scattering the food but not eating any of it. This had been going on for months now - at least - but Percy had only realized that it was a problem recently. At first he had just thought that Oliver was too worried about the next Quidditch match to eat, or too busy. But it had turned into something more. Percy was good at watching quietly and making observations - studying. He studied Oliver as much as any of his subjects. They were, after all, roommates. However, his classes were something he understood ; this wasn't.
He didn't understand why Oliver wasn't eating. Sometimes he would- he'd take a small bite of fruit - watermellon, his favourite, or drink water, but nothing more. He even turned his nose down at the Canary Cremes that Fred and George offered him. He used to take them eagerly - the ones that the spell hadn't been placed on- they were his favourite treat . He said that he only had to turn into a Canary once to learn that taking anything from the twins was a bad idea, and this satisfied everyone. Everyone except Percy. He worried. Sometimes he'd lay awake late at night, listening to Oliver's even breathing as he slept, and watching his chest heave up and down. Sometimes he'd whisper to Oliver, hoping that he was awake, but Oliver would just stir without acknowledging him.
He wanted to help, and Percy Weasley only knew two ways to help with anything. One, tell someone who is a higher authority than you are, and two, head for the library. Percy decided on the latter. On his first free Saturday, when he wasn't needed for his Prefect duties, Percy travelled from the Gryffindor dormitories to the library. Luckily, the library was almost empty because of a weekend Quidditch match. Percy had had to sacrifice watching Oliver play against the Slytherins for this, but it would be worth it if he could get any insight at all. He took the first book that he found on magical maladies to a table in the back and opened it. He scanned for any information on not eating. He repeatedly found 'loss of appetite" , but he didn't think that was what Oliver had. Oliver had stopped eating on his own will, Percy was sure of it. Percy searched for the greater part of the afternoon, to no avail. Before dinner, Percy returned to the Gryffindor common room. He was surprised to see that it was still full, hardly anyone had gone to the Great Hall yet. His younger brother, Ron, approached him.
"Where've you been, you git?" he asked, being bothersome as usual.
" Studying. Which is something that you should've been doing. If you spent less time watching Quidditch and more time studying, you-" Percy stopped in midsentence, just having noticed that Ron was without his two best friends, Harry and Hermione, which was an extremely rare occurence. " Where's Harry?" he asked, careful not to mention Hermione. Ron got easily angry when Hermione was brought up- Fred and George teased him mercilessly about her.
"He's with Oliver...in the hospital wing." Ron said, nonchalantly.
"What? Why?" Percy asked.
"Oliver took a nasty fall." Ron shrugged and continued, but Percy didn't hear anything more that he said. He had already turned and started out for Madame Pomfrey's office.
