Chapter 9
"Hey Ol!" Fred turned as he heard Fred and George call his name.
"We heard Flint was in the infirmary."
"He was released this morning."
"He's gunning for you, Ol."
"He's out for blood."
"What did you do?" The last sentence was said in unison, their eager faces close for a good story.
"I didn't do anything. I have no idea why he's after me.oh wait.yes I do. We've fought over everything from Quidditch games to your brother since first year." The twins looked confused.
"Ron?"
"But he doesn't talk to Ron." Oliver rolled his eyes.
"No. You're other brother."
"Ol.Bill and Charlie graduated before you came here." They looked at him like he had grown another head.
"It's no wonder." Oliver murmered, to low for them to hear. "You skipped one."
"You mean Percy?"
"What does Percy have to do with Flint?"
"Nothing.unless you count the fact that Flint's been using Percy as a punching bad since first year as well. Percy can hold his own indefinitely and comfortably in any battle of wits or wills, but Flint has hin in pure strength and size. Flint doesn't beat him up that much any more, though. It's too dangerous to be seen beating up the Head Boy." The twins looked at each other, shocked. They would never have assumed that Percy would allow himself to be beaten like that. It was just one more reason to hate Marcus Flint.
Quidditch team rooms.
Wood stood outside the door to the Slytherin Locker room, waiting for Flint. He was rewarded fifteen minutes later when Flint emerged, last of the team to leave. Oliver called to him.
"Flint!" Marcus stopped and turned, looking strait at Oliver.
"Wood," he replied. Oliver gestured for him to come closer. He hesitated, then advanced, Slytherin sneer firmly in place. "What do you want?" The scorn in his voice was clearly audible.
"I know what you've done to Percy in the past. I know what you did to him yesterday. I know what you tried to do yesterday." Marcus' face drew tight and he tensed; fight or flight. Oliver went on. "I also know what he did to you. And because of that, I'm not going to beat the living shite out of you. I am warnig you, however, Stay Away From Percy Weasley. You will not like the consequences."
With that he turned and walked away. He didn't even pause when Flint called his name.
*** that night.Prefect bathroom
Percy Weasley relaxed in the warm water. It had been a tough day and he needed this downtime. Strong arms wrapped around him and he leaned back into Oliver's embrace. Penny smiled at them from across the pool/bathtub, where she was wrapped in Betty's arms. Percy noticed.
"What're you grinning at?" Percy asked with a grin and a barely contained giggle.
"I'm grinning at you two. You're such a cute couple." Oliver grinned at her while the tips of Percy's ears turned red. Betty chuckled at them. Betty was a quiet girl around most people, but when you got to know her you quickly knew she was blunt, opinionated, sarcastic and very witty. She was also loyal and didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings, which is why she normally didn't say anything. She wasn't a small girl, a little taller than the average Penny. Her hair was golden-brown and kept short. Her eyes were a warm chocolate brown with flecks of mahogany. She had no freckles, but a few dark beauty-marks. She wasn't a beauty. She wasn't ugly, either. She just was. It suited her.
The two couples relaxed in silence for a while longer before Oliver brought up the subject.
"So what're you going to do after school, Penny?"
"I'm not really sure," She replied, "First things first is moving away from home. I can't hide who I am for the rest of my life. Then I was going to look for a job with the daily prophet. Hopefully I'll take over Rita Seeker's job, make the column more respectable."
"If anybody can do it, it will be you, Penny." She smiled.
"Thanks Percy. What are you going to do Oliver?"
"Professional Quidditch. I mean, really.what else can I do? I'd die behind a desk and nothing else really interests me. There's a scout coming to the next game, the Quidditch Cup game. I just know I'll be drafted!" Percy smiled. He knew it too. "What about you Betty? What are you going to do?"
"Open an Apothecary in Hogsmead, probably. Maybe Diagon Alley. I already have employed the help of Neville Longbottom. He's a wonder with plants. He'll grow them and I'll prepare them. We'll be a team. I have my eye on a store in Hogsmead already. It has a wonderful little apartment over it as well, so Penny and I have a place to stay.
"What about you Percy? Going into the Ministry?"
"I hope not. I don't like being stuck behind a desk either." That surprised his friends. They all thought Percy really wanted to be in the ministry. "I have more education to go through first; some specialized training from a friend of Dumbledore's. Then I think I'm going to work with him, what with the war and all. I'll have to see what he says when Mikhail arrives." There was silence for a moment and Penny shifted, adjusting her ponytail.
"Is it just me, or is it hotter in here than normal?" From the wall there was a giggle.
"If you think this is hot honey, you should have been here last night."
"Hey!" Percy exclaimed, sitting up strait. "What did I say?!"
"You said 'Hey!' today, and a lot of murmered, gasped, and shouted things yesterday." Percy turned red and sunk down into the water so that only his hair was showing. After a beat, an equally red Oliver reached down and pulled him up.
"Don't forget to breathe." Percy simply spit water at him. Oliver let him go and Percy fell back into the water laughing. Oliver smirked and jumped in after him, wrestleing him and eventually pinning his arms to his sides. He kissed him, then again, then again, and every time a sound escaped from Percy's mouth Oliver kissed him quiet.
"Well," Better murmured to Penny, "That's one way to keep him quiet. I don't think it'll go over that well in transfiguration, though." Penny laughed.
The next day - Dumbledore's office
Thank you for coming on such short notice Percy, but I have gotten in touch with Mikhail and he will be arriving within a month of your graduation." Percy nodded and Dumbledore went on. "What I have to say next is a very personal question, but it is something Mikhail needs to know before he begins training. There is a tendency among mages, espically the more powerful ones, like Weather and Animal Mages, to have a history of depression and self-mutilation, especially in only or middle children. Do you."
"Do I cut?" Percy asked, his voice calm, "not anymore. I started back in my 5th year, and stopped in my 6th. You have Penny Clearwater to thank for that. Am I depressed? Not really. Not anymore. I have Oliver, and I know what's wrong with me, is not something wrong, only different. That and I can now defend myself against."he shook himself, "It's not important." Percy was being very straightforward and Dumbledore commented on that. Percy shrugged. "Why not. You need the information, and it's I the past. Nothing can change the past and if the past isn't known, it will repeat itself. I'm not depressed. I don't cut anymore." Percy shrugged. Dumbledore's brows were knitted together.
"Percy.do you have any scars?" Percy nodded and undid the top of his shirt and pulled it back to show his shoulder.
"They're very faint, and they are only really visible when I'm very upset, but you can still see them. They will have faded completely by the time I graduate." Like a pale spider web across his shoulders was a network of thread fine scars. Dumbledore's bushy eyebrows almost disappeared under his hat.
"Percy.I had no idea."
"That was the point. Nobody knew except for me. When Penny found out, I stopped.with a lot of help from Penny.and a lot of tears. Olly knows about that." Percy pulled his shirt back on and buttoned it. Dumbledore drained his teacup, obviously a little shaken.
"Thank you for telling me, Percy." Percy nodded. "I'll get in touch with you again when I hear more from Mik. Go back to your friends, Percy. Enjoy the rest of your school year."
"Thank you headmaster." Percy stood and left. Once he was gone Dumbledore refilled his teacup and pulled a small silver flask out of the bottom drawer. He unscrewed the cap and poured some of the amber liquid into the cap, then into his teacup. He paused, looking at the flask, then poured a healthy amount strait into the teacup. He drained the tea and brandy in one gulp and paused, feeling it slide down his throat. He opened his eyes. It was time to contact Mikhail.
TBC
"Hey Ol!" Fred turned as he heard Fred and George call his name.
"We heard Flint was in the infirmary."
"He was released this morning."
"He's gunning for you, Ol."
"He's out for blood."
"What did you do?" The last sentence was said in unison, their eager faces close for a good story.
"I didn't do anything. I have no idea why he's after me.oh wait.yes I do. We've fought over everything from Quidditch games to your brother since first year." The twins looked confused.
"Ron?"
"But he doesn't talk to Ron." Oliver rolled his eyes.
"No. You're other brother."
"Ol.Bill and Charlie graduated before you came here." They looked at him like he had grown another head.
"It's no wonder." Oliver murmered, to low for them to hear. "You skipped one."
"You mean Percy?"
"What does Percy have to do with Flint?"
"Nothing.unless you count the fact that Flint's been using Percy as a punching bad since first year as well. Percy can hold his own indefinitely and comfortably in any battle of wits or wills, but Flint has hin in pure strength and size. Flint doesn't beat him up that much any more, though. It's too dangerous to be seen beating up the Head Boy." The twins looked at each other, shocked. They would never have assumed that Percy would allow himself to be beaten like that. It was just one more reason to hate Marcus Flint.
Quidditch team rooms.
Wood stood outside the door to the Slytherin Locker room, waiting for Flint. He was rewarded fifteen minutes later when Flint emerged, last of the team to leave. Oliver called to him.
"Flint!" Marcus stopped and turned, looking strait at Oliver.
"Wood," he replied. Oliver gestured for him to come closer. He hesitated, then advanced, Slytherin sneer firmly in place. "What do you want?" The scorn in his voice was clearly audible.
"I know what you've done to Percy in the past. I know what you did to him yesterday. I know what you tried to do yesterday." Marcus' face drew tight and he tensed; fight or flight. Oliver went on. "I also know what he did to you. And because of that, I'm not going to beat the living shite out of you. I am warnig you, however, Stay Away From Percy Weasley. You will not like the consequences."
With that he turned and walked away. He didn't even pause when Flint called his name.
*** that night.Prefect bathroom
Percy Weasley relaxed in the warm water. It had been a tough day and he needed this downtime. Strong arms wrapped around him and he leaned back into Oliver's embrace. Penny smiled at them from across the pool/bathtub, where she was wrapped in Betty's arms. Percy noticed.
"What're you grinning at?" Percy asked with a grin and a barely contained giggle.
"I'm grinning at you two. You're such a cute couple." Oliver grinned at her while the tips of Percy's ears turned red. Betty chuckled at them. Betty was a quiet girl around most people, but when you got to know her you quickly knew she was blunt, opinionated, sarcastic and very witty. She was also loyal and didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings, which is why she normally didn't say anything. She wasn't a small girl, a little taller than the average Penny. Her hair was golden-brown and kept short. Her eyes were a warm chocolate brown with flecks of mahogany. She had no freckles, but a few dark beauty-marks. She wasn't a beauty. She wasn't ugly, either. She just was. It suited her.
The two couples relaxed in silence for a while longer before Oliver brought up the subject.
"So what're you going to do after school, Penny?"
"I'm not really sure," She replied, "First things first is moving away from home. I can't hide who I am for the rest of my life. Then I was going to look for a job with the daily prophet. Hopefully I'll take over Rita Seeker's job, make the column more respectable."
"If anybody can do it, it will be you, Penny." She smiled.
"Thanks Percy. What are you going to do Oliver?"
"Professional Quidditch. I mean, really.what else can I do? I'd die behind a desk and nothing else really interests me. There's a scout coming to the next game, the Quidditch Cup game. I just know I'll be drafted!" Percy smiled. He knew it too. "What about you Betty? What are you going to do?"
"Open an Apothecary in Hogsmead, probably. Maybe Diagon Alley. I already have employed the help of Neville Longbottom. He's a wonder with plants. He'll grow them and I'll prepare them. We'll be a team. I have my eye on a store in Hogsmead already. It has a wonderful little apartment over it as well, so Penny and I have a place to stay.
"What about you Percy? Going into the Ministry?"
"I hope not. I don't like being stuck behind a desk either." That surprised his friends. They all thought Percy really wanted to be in the ministry. "I have more education to go through first; some specialized training from a friend of Dumbledore's. Then I think I'm going to work with him, what with the war and all. I'll have to see what he says when Mikhail arrives." There was silence for a moment and Penny shifted, adjusting her ponytail.
"Is it just me, or is it hotter in here than normal?" From the wall there was a giggle.
"If you think this is hot honey, you should have been here last night."
"Hey!" Percy exclaimed, sitting up strait. "What did I say?!"
"You said 'Hey!' today, and a lot of murmered, gasped, and shouted things yesterday." Percy turned red and sunk down into the water so that only his hair was showing. After a beat, an equally red Oliver reached down and pulled him up.
"Don't forget to breathe." Percy simply spit water at him. Oliver let him go and Percy fell back into the water laughing. Oliver smirked and jumped in after him, wrestleing him and eventually pinning his arms to his sides. He kissed him, then again, then again, and every time a sound escaped from Percy's mouth Oliver kissed him quiet.
"Well," Better murmured to Penny, "That's one way to keep him quiet. I don't think it'll go over that well in transfiguration, though." Penny laughed.
The next day - Dumbledore's office
Thank you for coming on such short notice Percy, but I have gotten in touch with Mikhail and he will be arriving within a month of your graduation." Percy nodded and Dumbledore went on. "What I have to say next is a very personal question, but it is something Mikhail needs to know before he begins training. There is a tendency among mages, espically the more powerful ones, like Weather and Animal Mages, to have a history of depression and self-mutilation, especially in only or middle children. Do you."
"Do I cut?" Percy asked, his voice calm, "not anymore. I started back in my 5th year, and stopped in my 6th. You have Penny Clearwater to thank for that. Am I depressed? Not really. Not anymore. I have Oliver, and I know what's wrong with me, is not something wrong, only different. That and I can now defend myself against."he shook himself, "It's not important." Percy was being very straightforward and Dumbledore commented on that. Percy shrugged. "Why not. You need the information, and it's I the past. Nothing can change the past and if the past isn't known, it will repeat itself. I'm not depressed. I don't cut anymore." Percy shrugged. Dumbledore's brows were knitted together.
"Percy.do you have any scars?" Percy nodded and undid the top of his shirt and pulled it back to show his shoulder.
"They're very faint, and they are only really visible when I'm very upset, but you can still see them. They will have faded completely by the time I graduate." Like a pale spider web across his shoulders was a network of thread fine scars. Dumbledore's bushy eyebrows almost disappeared under his hat.
"Percy.I had no idea."
"That was the point. Nobody knew except for me. When Penny found out, I stopped.with a lot of help from Penny.and a lot of tears. Olly knows about that." Percy pulled his shirt back on and buttoned it. Dumbledore drained his teacup, obviously a little shaken.
"Thank you for telling me, Percy." Percy nodded. "I'll get in touch with you again when I hear more from Mik. Go back to your friends, Percy. Enjoy the rest of your school year."
"Thank you headmaster." Percy stood and left. Once he was gone Dumbledore refilled his teacup and pulled a small silver flask out of the bottom drawer. He unscrewed the cap and poured some of the amber liquid into the cap, then into his teacup. He paused, looking at the flask, then poured a healthy amount strait into the teacup. He drained the tea and brandy in one gulp and paused, feeling it slide down his throat. He opened his eyes. It was time to contact Mikhail.
TBC