Author's Note: Many thanks to all of my reviewers! I didn't want to leave you hanging for too long, so here is the next chapter. It's my favorite, I hope you all enjoy.

Chapter Ten

July 28, 1991

Percy wasn't quite awake yet. He was dreaming of a happier time when all of his family was together. He didn't hear his bedroom door open. He didn't realize that two figures had tiptoed into his room. He only took notice of their presence when –

WHAM!

"Come on, Perce! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" someone was yelling at him while simultaneously bombarding him with pillows.

"Get off," he mumbled back, before he realized who was initiating the pillow fight, "Fred? George?"

It was true. Both of his twin brothers stood there, each with a pillow in his hand and neither a day over thirteen years old.

"No duh, Perce," Fred said, looking annoyed, "Did you forget what we look like? How hard did we hit you with those pillows?"

"Um, no . . . it's just . . ." he lost his self-restraint and pulled both of his brothers into a hug, "I'm just so glad to see you!"

"Yeah, we did hit him too hard," George said as both squirmed out of Percy's grip, "I think he might have brain damage. Hey! Maybe we can send him to St. Mungo's instead of Hogwarts this year." He seemed pleased at the prospect.

"Nah," Fred said, looking at Percy suspiciously, "I think that you and I, dear brother, have just been the victims of Perfect Percy's first, and hopefully last, joke. Funny Perce," he addressed his elder brother, "but even faking brain damage isn't on par with us. Anyway, you should know that breakfast is ready."

"And the Hogwarts letters are supposed to come today," said George, "We knew you wouldn't want to miss it, since very soon you'll be able to show off your prefect badge that we all know you got."

The twins picked up their pillows and left the room. Percy walked to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. When he had fallen asleep, he'd been nearly twenty- seven years old. Now, he wasn't quite fifteen. This was going to get some getting used to.

Not wanting to delay seeing the other members of his family, he walked downstairs to the kitchen. Fred, George and Ginny were all tucking into their breakfast. Ron wasn't eating. Instead, he was looking out the window every five seconds.

"Good morning, Percy dear," his mother set out a plate for him.

"Good morning, Mother." She raised her eyebrow at him, and it took a moment for Percy to realize his mistake. As a kid and teenager, he had called her 'Mum.' He hadn't starting calling her 'Mother' until he was in his twenties. She let it slide, though.

"He's here! He's here!" Ron was looking out the window again. Errol, the Weasleys' owl who was old even then, soared through the window and promptly crash-landed on the table. Fred took the letters from the owl.

"Let's see, one for me, one for George, one for Percy," he handed each to its recipient, "and one for . . . oh! Wouldn't you know it! Ickle Ronnikins is a wizard after all!" He threw the letter to Ron, who caught it, looking thrilled.

Percy opened his own letter, knowing what he would find. Sure enough, the gold and red prefect badge fell out of the letter and gleamed up at him.

George groaned, "I knew it."

"Great," Fred grumbled, "Now you've gone from being Perfect Percy to being Perfect Prefect Percy."

His mother gushed and praised him, and promised him a reward, just like Percy remembered she had. His thoughts, however, were on Fred's words. 'Perfect Percy' they called him. He hoped that he was perfect enough, that he was able to do everything it took to save their lives.

The family clock had nine hands on it.

And that's the way it was going to stay.