Bill's POV:

"So what's going on between you and Percy?" I asked Charlie as I grabbed one side of the chest with the Quidditch balls in it. Charlie had the other side and with it between us and our brooms in our other hands we headed back up to the castle.

Charlie sighed beside me. I was half expecting him to put it off again but he finally started talking. "I was watching the flying class again this morning. He isn't getting any better and his classmates aren't getting any nicer. He ran off from class."

"I hope you went after him," I said. I was still a little miffed a Charlie for not keeping an eye on him at dinner yesterday though not as angry as I had been last night. Still, I wasn't going to rely on Charlie for anything when it came to Percy. As far as I was concerned I was on my own.

"Of course I did, Bill. He was so determined about not going back though that I didn't force the issue then. I figured doing that would have only made a scene and made a bad situation worse."

I nodded. Not that I liked the idea of Charlie letting Percy skip class but he did have a point. Dragging him to class would only give his classmates more fuel. That was the last thing we needed to do right now.

"Madam Hooch, and apparently Professor McGonagall too, are willing to over look this morning but not further missed classes. Percy said that Professor McGonagall told him that another missed class will result in a detention. He told me that he didn't care and wasn't going back and I'm at a loss of how to make him go. I think he might actually see this as his way out of Hogwart's. Got any ideas?"

"Not right off hand," I told him, wondering how we could possibly get our little brother to go to flying class without embarrassing him further. I knew Mom would kill me, if Percy got expelled from Hogwarts for missing classes. "I'll think of something though," I assured him, bound and determined that Percy would be in Madam Hooch's class come Monday morning. "Just let me handle it," I told him.

"I'm willing to help, Bill."

"No. I can handle it myself," I told him.

"Come on! I made one mistake. I said I was sorry."

"This is Percy we're talking abut. After what happened, how can you expect me to trust you? For all I know something with the Quidditch team will come up and you'll forget all about him."

"That's not fair, Bill!" Charlie told me, his anger clearly written on his face.

"If the shoe fits," I told him as we reached Madam Hooch's office.

We deposited the chest in her office and then Charlie stormed off in the direction of Gryffindor Tower. I started feeling a little guilty. Maybe I was being too hard on him. Still, this was important. This was Percy we were talking about. He had already landed in the hospital wing once because Charlie hadn't done as I asked. I'd handle this myself.

I walked to Gryffindor Tower at a normal pace. After a brief delay at the entrance - the Fat Lady had been chatting with one of her friends in another portrait and wasn't happy about having to come back to her own - I walked into the common room. It being Friday night, very few people were even trying to study.

Charlie had joined his friends, who were playing exploding snaps at one of the tables. Wanting to get some work done on my Ancient Runes homework, I headed upstairs to the dormitory. It was much quieter up there, and I noticed I wasn't the only one who had retreated upstairs. Carl Sherman and Bart Gentry were in the dormitory. They were sitting on Bart's bed, one of their school books opened up in between them. As neither of them looked up as I entered the room, I didn't disturb them.

I walked to my bed, and took off both my robes and shoes. Sitting indian style on the bed, I got out my Ancient Runes homework, and got started. My mind wasn't really on ancient runes though. Instead, my thoughts kept drifting to my younger brother.

I could understand Percy not wanting to go to class. Who wants to go do something that they're no good at? I had made the mistake of trying Divinations in my third year. What a mistake! That class had been a waste of my time. I hadn't even gotten through a week before I was in Professor McGonagall's office begging her to let me drop it. The thing was though, Percy didn't have that option. The classes the first year's were taking were all required courses. It wasn't until third year that we got some choice over what courses we took.

So that left me with the problem of convincing Percy that he had to go back to the class. Maybe if he was a little better at it, then he would feel more comfortable going to class? I had a lot of homework this weekend but Percy was more important. Maybe if I spent some time with him, trying to teach him to fly then he might start getting the hang of it? He sure couldn't get any worse from the sounds of it.

With that decided, I went back to my homework. I was actually able to get through most of it, before my other classmates started filing upstairs to get ready for bed. Not wanting to disturb anyone, I put away my work so I could get ready for bed myself. First though, I decided to check and make sure everything was in order throughout the tower.

The next morning:

After spending a few hours with Arnold finishing up our presentation for Monday's class, I went in search of Percy. I checked up in Gryffindor Tower first. He wasn't there, so I grabbed my broom, and started looking elsewhere for him. I looked in every spot I could think he might be. He was nowhere to be found. Finally, I came across Oliver, Sheldon, Shelly, and Kathy sitting together in the courtyard. The two guys were clearly going over the basics of Quidditch with the two girls again.

"Hey, Oliver, do you know where Percy got to?"

Oliver looked up at me. "Hi, Bill. He said something about heading down to Hagrid's hut last time I saw him. I don't know if he's still down there or not though."

"Okay, thanks. I'll try there," I replied, turning from them as they resumed their conversation.

I left the courtyard and made my way in the direction of Hagrid's Hut. Though I had seen it from a distance, I had to admit I had never been near the place. Just never had a reason to. Since meeting him my first year at Hogsmeade Station, I never had any other reason to interact with Hogwart's gamekeeper. I knew Charlie had though. Charlie and Hagrid shared the same fascination with magical creatures. Somehow, I figured that Charlie was somehow involved in Percy being with Hagrid.

I reached the hut, without any sign of my little brother. There was smoke coming out of the chimney, so I knocked on the door. I heard a chair scrapping across the floor and then Hagrid's booming voice. "Coming."

Moments later, the door was opened and Hagrid stood there, filling the whole doorway. I looked up at the gamekeeper.

"Hey," Hagrid said cheerfully. "Bill, right?"

"Yes," I said, wondering how he knew my name. Though I knew he wouldn't hurt me, Hagrid's size was still intimidating. I felt my heart skip a beat, even as I forced out the next words. "I- I was looking for my brother, Percy. Is he here?"

"Yeah, he's here," Hagrid answered, either not noticing or choosing to ignore my nervousness. "Come on in," he said stepping aside. Taking a deep breath, I entered Hagrid's hut. "Percy's been keeping me company this morning."

Stepping inside, I saw Percy sitting at Hagrid's oversize table. A griffin, with a wrapped wing, sat perched on Percy's shoulder.

"Hi, Bill," Percy said quietly and uncertainly. Almost as if he thought I was going to be mad at him for being with Hagrid.

"Percy might not have your brother's Charlie's love of magical creatures, but Hope sure seems to like him," Hagrid said, as he closed the door behind me.

Hope? It took me a minute to realize that he must've been referring to the griffin. I had to admit that the creature did seem quite content sitting upon my brother's shoulder.

"Why do you have your broom with you?" Percy asked suspiciously. I could tell he knew that something was up.

"Because you and I are going to go practice," I told him. Percy immediately started shaking his head. "I know you ran out on class yesterday," I continued, using a stern voice but not raising it. "I also know that McGonagall has told you that further missed classes will result in detentions."

"I don't care. She can give me as many detentions as she wants. I'm not going back to that class."

"You're going back, even if I have to put you over my shoulder and take you there myself," I told him, knowing deep down that I wouldn't actually carry out that threat. I could never put him through that humiliation. I was hoping he would take me seriously though. "I'm not about to listen to Mom and Dad lecture me about how I should have made sure had you gone to class and it's my fault that you got expelled. It's not going to happen, Percy."

"I can't go back," he said looking down at the table. The griffin leaned over and rubbed the top of its head against his cheek, as if trying to comfort him. "They'll all laugh at me."

"Not if you learn how to stay on the broomstick this weekend."

"Like that's going to happen," he muttered. I just barely heard the words.

"Now, Percy, your brother has a point. You can't just choose not to go to class," Hagrid said softly. My brother looked over at him. "If nothing else, think of Hope. He's going to miss you if you get expelled."

Percy looked from Hagrid to the griffin perched on his shoulder. I saw a slight smile come to Percy's face as Hope let out a funny cackling sound.

"Okay, I'll do it for Hope," he said. He gently took the griffin in his hands and placed her in a large wooden crate on the floor next to the table. "Let's get it over with," he said standing up.

"If you practice behind my hut, no one should see you. Very few students come wondering down here," Hagrid told us, as I put my arm around Percy's shoulder and started leading him to the door.

"Thanks Hagrid," I replied, hoping he knew that I meant that for more than just the suggestion about where to practice. If it hadn't been for Hagrid, I had a feeling I would still be trying to convince him.

"No problem," Hagrid said as he stood in the door way, looking out at us. "Good luck, Percy."

"I need more than good luck," Percy said quietly.

A half hour later, I was starting to agree with that assessment. The only thing he had managed to do successfully, was to get the broom to come up off the ground and into his hand. Even that had taken quite a few tries to accomplish, not to mention he was getting a black eye from being hit with the broom again.

I held my breath as Percy tried once again to kick up off the ground. The broom rose off the ground a few feet. I thought he might have it, but no sooner had I opened my mouth to give him further instructions then the broom shot forward, sending Percy tumbling to the ground.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, starting toward him.

Percy didn't answer as he got to his feet. He simply started walking toward the castle.

"Percy, where are you going? We're not done here yet."

"I am!"

I rushed after him, grabbing hold of the sleeve of his robe. "Come, on! You're making progress," I said, trying to sound encouraging which was a challenge because I was starting to get discouraged myself.

"Forget it, Bill," Percy said, pulling his sleeve from my grass. "I'll attempt to fly a broomstick again, when you get your ear pierced," he told me, and then started walking back toward the castle.

I didn't follow him. Instead, I headed back to where my broom laid abandoned on the ground. Picking it up, I thought of Percy's last words.

"I'll attempt to fly a broomstick again, when you get your ear pierced."

I wasn't about to give up yet, and his words had just given me an idea. Broomstick in hand, I head back toward the castle. It was getting close to lunch time anyway. Hopefully, I'd be able to find Jolyn in the Great Hall.

"Are you sure about this Bill?" Jolyn asked me for about the umpteenth time, as she held the ice pack to my right ear lobe.

"Positive," I answered her, purposely not looking at the table where she had put her supplies. I wasn't about to admit to her that the only thing that had me remotely afraid of what she was about to do was the needle. I hated needles. Any kind of needle.

"Okay," she said. I could tell by her voice that she still couldn't believe I had asked her to do this. "That should be numb enough, now," she said, taking away the ice pack. "Last chance, to back out," she told me a little bit later. Though I didn't look, I knew she now had the needle in her hand.

"Just get it over with," I told her. "I told Charlie that I'd help him out with the practice this evening and I don't want to be late." Given how things were between us right now, I knew he wouldn't let me slide with even a minute late.

Even with the numb ear lobe, it still hurt as she pushed the needle through my ear lobe. I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes, determine not to cry out. It being Saturday afternoon, at least the Gryffindor Tower was empty except for the two of us.

"All done," Jolyn said a few minutes later. "Here, take a look."

I opened my eyes, and looked in the hand-held mirror she had in her hand. In my right ear was now a little gold ball. It doesn't actually look that bad, I thought to myself.

"Not bad," I told her. "Thanks."

"Now don't forget those instructions I gave you, or we may both be in trouble when you're in the hospital wing trying to explain an infected ear," Jolyn told me, as she started gathering up her things on the table.

"I won't," I assured her, not wanting to have to deal with an infected ear to begin with. I glanced at my watch. Ten minutes of three. "I better get moving," I said, standing up. I grabbed my broom which was leaning up against another chair. "Thanks again, Jolyn."

"You're welcome, though I'd still like to know whatever possessed you to actually go through with it. You're the last guy who I would have figured on having a pierced ear."

"Maybe I just like to keep people guessing," I called to her, as I walked out of the tower.

I ran most of the way down to the Quidditch pitch. Everyone else was already there, including a very impatient Charlie.

"I thought you weren't going to show," he commented as I joined them, slightly out of breath.

"Nah, I was just trying to finish something up," I told him, casually.

"Are you sick or something?" Rob asked me, staring at me.

"No, why?" I asked. I could see Charlie now looking at me curiously too.

"Let's just say you're the last person I would have expected to see with an earring," Rob said, echoing Jolyn's sentiments.

I shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal about it. I had just done what I thought was necessary.

"Mom's going to kill you," Charlie commented.

"Yeah, well I'll live until Christmas as long as someone keeps his mouth shut," I told him. "Don't you have a practice to start?"