Percy was bound and determined to be the best dad he could possibly be for Molly and Lucy. That included making sure he knew all of the necessary information about what they would be going through when they hit their teenage years. He couldn't remember much from Ginny going through the same thing herself other than during the summer before her first year, she'd locked herself in her room for the majority of the day. His mum tried to sit them down to explain that she was going through certain changes and they all needed to be sensitive about it. It hadn't gone well like she hoped; Fred and George cracked a few jokes and Ron was squeamish about it.
Percy gravitated toward Bill first when Molly was close to reaching her adolescence. As the oldest brother and father to two girls himself, he seemed to have a handle on things. He was grateful for all the advice. He diligently took notes as Bill told him the best places in Diagon Alley for menstruating necessities, how to properly give them the talk (not that the information was going to be useful for a very long time. Preferably not until he was dead), and the best shop in Diagon Alley for a bra.
Unlike her other older female cousin and sister, much to her dismay, Lucy was seemingly a late bloomer. She did not develop as fast as them or at all, really. She remained flat chested with no indication that it was going to be changing anytime soon. It bothered her immensely, much to Percy's surprise. He couldn't have imagined either of his girls would have given much thought to their development like that.
Than again, they were teenagers, after all. It likely wasn't that big of a shock. He remembered being around Lucy's age when he began to fancy Penelope Clearwater. He didn't care one bit about girls before that and used to mutter derisively whenever Bill or Charlie would make those dreamy eyes at a girl they fancied. He thought it was silly. That is, until he started doing it.
Then he had to endure teasing from his brothers and Oliver.
But he digressed.
Lucy didn't verbalize how she was feeling so majority of the family didn't know. But Percy did. He noticed it especially when Vic and eventually Dom excitedly chatted about being able to go shopping with Fleur and get a real bra of their own. Percy knew she was jealous, having seen her glance down at her own chest with a scrunched up face. She wanted to be like them and the other girls at Hogwarts.
Unfortunately, that was not yet to happen for now.
She had to go through two years of Hogwarts like that and was not assured when Percy tried to comfort her by saying that no one was really going to notice anything from how baggy her robes were. She uncharacteristically begged and pleaded with him to allow her to stay home, adamant that if he wouldn't, it was going to heavily impact her.
It didn't.
Percy was sympathetic. Really he was. He understood that this was a crucial part of her life; puberty was difficult enough, let alone when one wasn't going through it fast as everyone else. He felt even worse when he knew there was no fixing it for her. It was impossible to do. He just didn't know what to do at this point. Getting her a bra when she didn't need it would make her look silly, but at the same time, he didn't like seeing his little girl hurting. And he didn't want her feeling left out, even if it wasn't as much of a bigger deal as she was making it out to be. But, in the end, she was just going to have to deal with it until she blossomed like the other girls.
He just had no idea just how fast she would.
Percy sneezed for the umpteenth time that morning, groaning at the end of it. He was over by the counter and even with the distance between them, Molly pulled her plate of pancakes closer to her. He gave a look, to which she simply smiled innocently back.
He reached into the nearest box of tissues, frowning when he realized there were none in the box. He'd used the last one just now. That was strange. He frowned, feeling slightly puzzled. He just went to the Alley the other day to pick up some things and he most certainly picked up some tissues. Now where could they have gotten to?
"Molly?"
"Hmm?" She said, muffled by her food she was chewing on.
He leaned against the counter, looking at her. "Have you seen any of the tissues I bought the other day?"
Before Molly could respond, Lucy came downstairs and into the kitchen. She beamed at the two of them and Percy's eyes immediately darted to her, erm, latest change.
He wished he hadn't.
"Found them," Molly said rather unhelpfully.
He shot her a warning look, to which she held up her hands in surrender with a faint grin on her face. Percy turned back to his youngest daughter, unsure of how to proceed. He needed to be delicate right now. Lucy's chest was certainly...puffed out, perhaps a little distorted, too. He covered his mouth with his hands, lips thinning.
Oh, Merlin.
Of all the things...
He'd been prepared for periods. He'd been prepared to hold them as they sobbed over some boy that rejected them. He even prepared a little speech he would give at their respective weddings.
But not bra stuffing.
Why did there have to be bra stuffing?
She must have borrowed the aforementioned bra from one of her cousins and then accordingly made adjustments.
Molly bowed her head. Percy noticed her shoulders were shaking. He bit back a sigh. The last thing he needed was for Lucy's temper to get ignited from her sister's amusement and the two of them to get entangled in a fight. It wouldn't end well for any of them, least of all for Percy, who hadn't had his morning tea yet.
"Morning!" Lucy said cheerfully.
"Morning honey," he said, carefully. He feigned a critical look in
her direction, hoping she would say something about...that and he didn't have to. "You, you look different today. Did you do something with your hair?"
"No," Lucy said slowly.
"I guess something you did do," Molly snickered into her cup.
I swear to Merlin, this child, Percy thought, exasperated.
They were going to have a talk once he was finished with Lucy.
"I see," he sighed a little, looking up at the ceiling and closing his eyes. Merlin help him. "Lucy, a word please."
"About what?" she feigned ignorance.
"You know what."
The smile fell from Lucy's face and she slumped. With her head bowed, she went out of the kitchen and he started to follow her. But so did Molly. He turned back to her with raised eyebrows.
"I believe I said Lucy. Sit back down and eat your breakfast."
"Dad, come on. When will ever I get this opportunity again?" She grinned.
"Sit down, Molly."
She grumbled but otherwise complied.
/
Lucy was laying down on her side on her bed, trying to curl herself up as small as her body would allow her to. The tissues she'd used were in a small pile next to her. She was huffing more than the dragons that Charlie cared for. Percy wished he knew how to approach this. But he didn't. He pushed away the pile and sat down next to her, rubbing her back comfortingly.
"Go on," Lucy sniffled, her face now pressed into her sheets. ""I know you want to laugh at me."
"I'm not going to laugh at you," he said, gently.
"Molly did," Lucy pointed out, miserably.
"And it was wrong and I'll be having a talk with her later but right now I want to focus on you," Percy did the only thing he knew and he laid down beside her. "Oh, honey. Why did you do that? You know every girl develops differently."
She whirled around to look at him. It was a good thing he hadn't been too close or he would have been elbowed in the face. "You don't get it! Cara Delphina called me a boy in Herbology last year. She said I might as well go sleep in the boys dorm since I look like one."
"If it's any consolation, you're a very pretty boy," Percy tried to joke. Lucy was not amused. She flopped back on her stomach, burying her face in the pillow. He sighed at his failure. "Alright, no, I never had to experience that but if it helps, I had my own problems."
"Like what?" She didn't look up at him.
"My voice," He winced just remembering it. "It positively refused to change. Unlike your uncles, mine didn't deepen until I was fifteen. Just during that summer before Hogwarts."
She did look up now, sniffling. "Were you embarrassed?"
He smiled tenderly. "Absolutely. I was taller than Uncle Charlie at thirteen and I still sounded like a little kid. It was the worst. And some of the other kids knew that. They picked on me horrendously for it."
"So what did you do?" She slowly sat up again, snuggling in his side.
"Well," Percy said, recalling those memories. "There wasn't much I could do. I tried to sound like it deepend at first but that just left me with a sore throat. Eventually, I just had to accept it would come and there was nothing I could do to make it come faster."
She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling slightly. "Is this your way of trying to tell me to be patient?"
"It's a possibility," he agreed.
She looked down. "I get it, Dad. It's just...look at me. How come I can't look like some of my friends or Molly? She got to wear a bra when she was a first year!"
"You're not Molly," Percy said seriously and added a thank merlin for that inwardly. "You're not your 'll develop when the time comes. Don't be in such a hurry to grow up. You have plenty of time for it."
"I guess," she grumbled.
"Is it just because the others are teasing you?" Percy clarified. "Is that why you want it so badly?"
Lucy shrugged, ducking her head. "She won't leave me alone."
Percy frowned. "Have you told a professor?"
"No..."
"Why not?" Percy asked her. "What's stopping you?"
She gave him a look that suggested he was stupid for even asking that. "Dad. Everyone hates tattletails."
"You're not tattling," Percy said firmly.
"That's how everyone will look at it," Lucy muttered.
Percy thought about it for a minute. "Do you want me to handle it?" He said softly. "I can talk to Headmistress McGonagall, if you want?"
She looked at him in horror. "Dad, no. That's worse. Everyone will make fun of me for sure!"
"We have to do something about it, honey. It's not okay," Percy was firm.
"Do we have to?" Lucy slumped down.
"Yes," Percy said pointedly. He softened. "I know this is hard for you; the teasing and not being like your family and friends but it will get better. I know it doesn't seem like it will but you'll have problems later in life that will be much worse than this."
She stared at him flatly. "Thanks Dad."
Alright, he inwardly conceded, that didn't come out right.
"You know what I mean," He nudged her. It got her to smile. "These years are difficult. Trust me, I had my own to deal with. But these problems won't last forever. Someday you won't even care what Cara Delphina says. It won't even matter."
Lucy's smile was genuine now. "Thanks Dad. I guess you're right."
"Dads are always right," Percy winked.
She laughed. "Whatever." When she sobered up, she said, "I'll talk to Professor Longbottom after the Welcoming Feast."
"That's my girl," Percy gave her a hug and a squeeze.