To the well and back

Percy and his two younger brothers were outside, near the old well that their mum tells them to stay away from. The twins, age five, were playing with their toy broom stick as Percy leaned against the well and read his newest book, his rat Scabbers on his knee. He had only agreed to come outside with the twins if they promised no more pranks for the day. He didn't trust them to keep to that promise even for an hour but he could at least try to give their mum peace from the little devils for a while.

"It's not that deep." He heard on of the twins say, his voice sounding like an echo since he was leaning over the lip of the well.

"I bet a fall down there will break your leg." The other twin said.

"Could you two be quiet, please? I'm trying to read." Percy asked, as politely as he could.

"Hey Perce, how far down do you think the well goes?" One of the twins sat next to him. Percy could see now that it was George, a large G was etched on his jumper.

"I don't know, deep enough for there to be water at the bottom." He didn't look away from his book.

"Yeah, and that has to be really deep, right?" Fred asked.

"I suppose," He shrugged.

"I bet it's so deep none of us would be able to climb down into it."

"Don't be stupid Fred, it's not that deep." Percy said, though to be honest he didn't know much about wells, but for that matter what seven year old did?

"Then proof it, climb down there." Fred challenged him.

"Fine," He closed his book and laid it on the grown next to him, Scabbers jumping off his leg before he stood up. He peaked over the lip of the well. "Are you guys sure this is a good idea?" He asked, now wondering if he should have agreed to this.

"Yeah, just climb down, if something happens, we'll help you up." George reassured him.

Percy nodded and climbed onto the edge of it, letting his feet dangle down. "W-well, here goes." He muttered and tried to lower himself. Suddenly he was falling, he felt Fred and George try to grab him but that only slowed his fall. The wet ground met him and a white hot pain shot from his leg.

"Perce!" One of the twins called down, a touch of panic in their voice. "Are you ok?"

"I-I think my leg is broken." He whimpered, he couldn't move it and every time he tried it hurt more. "Go get help!"

"We'll be right back!"

"No! Don't leave me here! Only one of you go!" He cried.

The twins turned to each other. "I'll go," Fred told his brother before running off back home. He didn't remember the Burrow being this far away from the well but by the time he got there his legs and chest were burning. He stopped to catch his breath outside the door and wondered what he would tell his parents. Mum would kill them for sure if she figured out they were by the well. He opened the door as quietly as possible, hoping to find Dad first. Instead in the living room he found Bill and Charlie talking.

"Bill!" Fred rushed to him. "Percy fell down the old well!" He cried. "You have to help him!"

Bill and Charlie both shot from their seats and rushed out the Burrow and to the well, little Fred trying to keep up with his older brothers.

"Percy!" Bill called down the well when they got there. "Are you ok?"

"No," He whimpered, already crying because of the pain. "Please, just get me out of here, I-I think my leg is broken."

"Alright, hang on!" He pulled his wand out of his jacket. "I'm not supposed to use magic outside of school." He told them, like they didn't already know. "But, I honestly don't think Mum will mind." He held his wand into the well. "Wingardium leviosa." He muttered and Percy started floating up out of the well. Bill landed him on the edge of the well, careful not to let him fall in again. "How bad is it?" He asked.

"It hurts," He wiped his tears. "Really bad."

Bill sighed and picked his brother up and turned to Fred and George. "You two, grab his book and Scabbers." The two obeyed without protest, realizing that they were in enough trouble without arguing.

"Fred, George you two are in so much trouble!" Their mom shouted at them, after dealing with Percy's leg. It was in fact broken and he'd have to wear a cast until it heals.

"We know, Mum." Fred said, looking at his shoes. He didn't quite like the feeling in his stomach, it was like his organs were all tightening in one spot. It took him a few years after this to realize that the feeling was called guilt.

"We didn't mean for Percy to get hurt, honest." George said, also not liking the feeling of guilt.

"We're alright with any punishment you give us." Fred pouted, not really happy with agreeing with punishment.

Molly gaped at her two boys, they had never acted this sorry about anything, let alone anything they had done to Percy. She sighed and bent down to hug the two five year olds who hugged her back immediately.

"We promise, Mum," Fred started.

"No more playing around the well." George finished the sentence for his brother as they hugged their mother