In Which Bridges are Built
Chapter 36
The day after New Years (that would be January 2nd) was, in it's own way, a day to go down in history. Methos was sitting on the cold steps of Hogwarts, shivering. Why he didn't just go inside became apparent if one waited 15 minutes or so when Severus came out of the forest, arms laden with plants for his potions. What was remarkable that morning, however, happened about 10 minutes before.
He was, as said before, sitting and holding in his hands a cup of coffee. At first glance it seemed that he was oblivious to his surroundings. This was, in fact, very untrue, for he knew the twins were coming almost before they did. So he sat, mug in hand, preparing for the worst they could do. What he hadn't prepared for, however, was exactly what had happened.
"Pierson…"
"We want to talk." He looked up, surprised at the twin redheads. His eyes then narrowed suspiciously.
"Why? To better formulate a better prank?" Fred (or was it George?) shook his head. George (or was it Fred?) answered,
"No. To make a truce." Methos raised an eyebrow. The other twin continued.
"We realize we've been outpranked…"
"and we're nothing if not good sports…"
"Especially when it comes to pranks."
"We bow to you Ph Great One! Oh Master of Pranks!" They said in tandem, bowing comically at the waist. Methos laughed and nodded.
"All right then, a truce." He stuck out his hand and each twin shook it in turn. Then all looked at their hands quizzically. "My buzzer didn't buzz," Methos whined.
"Ours didn't either."
"The spells must have canceled each other out." There was silence for a moment before Fred spoke.
"You must tell us, mate, how DID you turn our skin green?" Methos smirked.
"Well, I AM shacking up with a Potions Master…you figure it out." He paused. "He did seem uncharacteristically happy to make the potion, though. When I asked him, all he did maws mutter something about green dresses, vultures, and toilet seats." The twins snickered and Methos raised an eyebrow. "What happened? He won't tell me." Fred grinned at George.
"Shall we tell him?"
"Oh yes, we shall." (1) The turned eagerly back to Methos who was watching them curiously.
"Back in out sixth year, when Lupin was the DADA professor for the first time, he brought Harry and Ron's class to meet a Bogart in the Dungeons. You know how to deal with a Bogart, right?"
"Yes."
"Well," The other twin continued, "Lupin calls Neville up to the closet where the Bogart was hiding, and the thing pops out as Professor Snape."
"Immediately he casts the spell and Snape is wearing the bright green dress, red handbag, and hat complete with vulture that Neville's grandmother wears. It was so funny!"
"The entire school knew by lunch!" They both started to laugh and even Methos was having a hard time keeping it in. Finally he gave up and joined them in their laughter.
"No wonder he doesn't want to talk. But at least he didn't have blue hair." Methos said with a pointed look at the twins. They glanced at each other nervously before both began to babble.
"Look, we're sorry…"
"But you did turn our store green…"
"That was for the bulger," Methos countered.
"Right, but you made all our merchandise disappear, and we didn't mean it…"
"It was just a harmless prank." Methos said with a smirk. That effectively shut up the twins, who gaped at him in surprise. He chuckled. "If I didn't understand that, I would have never progressed this far with the pranks." He smiled at them. "Why don't you go inside now? Go celebrate with your friends and family. I do believe there are some new additions to the staff that you might find interesting." The twins looked at each other, confused. "Go. In. Side. Get warm. Have fun. Prank the teachers. Go!" He swatted at them and they ran inside, shouting their goodbyes. He smiled, shaking his head, before resuming his previous position on the steps; glad his mug was keeping his coffee warm. He smiled when he saw his lover, but it quickly fell from his face when he saw what state he was in.
Hogwarts – Gryffindor Tower
"New additions he said? Fresh meat."
"Oh yes, definitely. Lioness Rampant." The portrait swung open to admit the twin pranksters. Hermione had given them the password for the holidays, as they were staying with Ron and Ginny as their parents were off visiting with Bill and Charlie in Romania.
Upon entering the Common Room they saw Ron sitting with Harry Hermione and…Draco? How…? Oh right. He was a good guy now. Friends.
"Hullo Fred, George."
"Hullo, all."
"Great to see you chaps again. Truly marvelous. Oh, hullo to you, Fred! It's really been too long."
"Yes, yes. Hullo George. We really must get together more often." They sat, joining the group, to smiles and laughter. They sat a little closer to Draco than was absolutely necessary, and gave Harry innocent looks when he glared.
"What's going on you two?" Ron asked, noticing the exchange. Fred and George looked at each other and decided not to answer.
"Pierson said there were some new teachers on the staff." Ron hid a grin while Hermione giggled. Draco looked confusedly at a smiling Harry.
"We have a Wandless Magic and Magism professor," Hermione explained as Ron pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. "And a Quidditch Theory professor who doubles as an assistant coach." Ron was red in the face by now and Harry was having a hard time controlling his mirth.
"Ok…so what's so funny about it?"
"It's Percy and Oliver!" Ron burst out.
"WHAT!" The twins exclaimed in unison.
"Percy is teaching Wandless Magic and Mageism and Oliver is Quidditch." The twins replied at the same time.
"We're sorry."
"Why? Asked a clueless Draco. He didn't see anything wrong with having Percy or Oliver for a professor. Percy had relaxed and Oliver wasn't a bad guy. The twins, however, having had very little contact with him since his graduation, didn't know this, and looked at him as if he had a third head. "What?"
"Do you not remember Percy?"
"Prissy Percy?"
"Perfect Percy?"
"Perfect Prefect Percy?
"Percy Weasley – HB?"
"HB?"
"Humongous Bighead?" Ron shook his head at them.
"He isn't like that anymore. He's more relaxed about things, more open to people." Herm said, her voice reproachful. "I bet if you actually paid attention or talked to him, you'd figure it out." The twins glanced at each other guiltily. Even after Percy's mysterious big trip they had stayed separate, not taking the time to learn more about their brother, for they felt nothing had changed.
"Their rooms and offices are down the next corridor. I recommend mending some bridges with your brother." Draco said, his voice full of unsuspected wisdom. They looked at him, surprised. "What? I know how terrible it is to not have family. Trust me on this…get to know your brother."
"And say hi to Oliver while you're at it." The twins looked at each other, talking silently. Without looking away, George said,
"Yes…we think we will." They stood, never breaking eye contact and walked, instep, shoulder to shoulder, out of the common room. Ron blinked.
"Ok…that was freaky."
Percy and Oliver's suite: Main Bedroom
Lips touched heated skin, flushed with desire, trailing across chest, leaving a burning trail in its wake. Percy gasped as Oliver's teach grazed sensitive flesh. Arching his back he grabbed Oliver's head, twining his fingers in the soft brown locks. Oliver applied the slightest of pressure with his teeth, but that was all it took. Flipping his lover over, Percy pinned Oliver to the bed. He captured Ol's lips in a bruising kiss and made his way down the responsive body, leaving a nice sized love bite on Ol's neck. Percy's mouth had just reached the his lover's muggle-style sweatpants when…
"Oi! Percy! Olly! Ya home!" Fred's voice came floating through from the front of the suite, three rooms away. Jerking apart so fast caused Percy to overbalance and tumble over the far side of the bed with a loud thump and an oof! Oliver sat up quickly, thankful for the roomy sweats. Percy scrambled into a tee shit and sat, propped up next to the bed holding a book.
"In here," Oliver called as Percy realized he wasn't wearing his glasses; they were still on the nightstand. He quickly grabbed them and shoved them onto his face, with just enough time to realize the book was upside down.
"Oliver Wood! Great to see you old bean! How are you?"
"Where have you been hiding yourself?"
"Where have you been all my life?"
"Where's Percy?" Upon hearing his name Percy raised his hand bringing at least a part of himself in to view. He quickly used the motion to flip the book just as George came around to see him and Fred flopped down on the bed, looking over Percy's shoulder. He eyed them warily.
"Yes?" He asked slowly.
"We heard you were new professors."
"And we haven't seen any of you in a while now, so we thought we'd drop in, say hello."
"Oh," Percy replied, unconvinced. The twins looked at each other and back at Percy.
"Is it really that hard to believe?" Fred asked.
"Well," Percy pushed his glasses up his nose, "Yes. While you've been friends with Oliver for years, you haven't talked to Oliver since school, and you've never, and I mean never, shown any interest in visiting me for the sake of visiting. Why should I believe you now?" The twins looked surprised, then a little guilty, no, scratch that, a lot guilty.
"We're sorry we ever gave you that impression Percy."
"We didn't know where Oliver was, and we were just trying to lighten you up a little."
"When you started to behave like it was true, we didn't stop because it was so gradual, we didn't notice."
"You're our brother. We love you. Of course we want to visit you."
"But if you even mention cauldron bottom thickness…"
"Or Mr. Crouch…"
"We WILL bop you on the head." Percy gave a very un-Percy-like snort of laughter and replied sarcastically,
"Yeah, right."
"Seriously, Percy." George crouched down in front of him, "We never meant what we said, you were just so stiff," Oliver, unnoticed by all but Percy, snickered at this, "we wanted to loosen you up. WE were afraid you would get so stretched and rigid that you'd break."
"We were trying to teach you to bend." Percy's eyebrows are fast closing in on his hairline.
"So you torture me for over nine years?" Fred said guiltily,
"It was the only way we knew how." Percy rolled his eyes, momentarily stunning the twins.
"I knew that. That's why I'm not mad at you now. I know that that's the only way you knew, but you could have at least talked to me."
"WE didn't think you would listen. All you were ever doing was reprimanding us. How were we to think that that would change."
"I only reprimanded you when you did something dangerous or against the rules."
"And you never listened." Oliver put in from the head of the bed, where he had been sitting, all but forgotten. The twins grinned at him before turning seriously to Percy.
"For what it's worth Percy,"
"We're sorry."
"We never intended to hurt you."
"Well," Fred commented, "maybe just sting you a little."
"Bring you back down to the level of your fellow humans; bring you down to earth."
"Down to earth?! I was the most down to earth of all of you!"
"Us, Percy. All of us. You are a part of the family, you know." Percy blushed, but George went on. "Practicality wise, you were the most down to earth, yes, but you always acted as if you were a sep ahead of all of us, all the time; like you were better than everybody else." Percy smiled at that.
"I thought you would know that by now. I AM better than everybody else. I'm a Weasley." They laughed the tension of a few minutes before broken.
"That sounds like something Malfoy would say." Percy nodded.
"Yes, but not any more, apparently. He's friends, now." The twins nodded.
"We saw. Do you have ANY idea why?"
"I have one, but it's pure speculation." All eyes were now on Oliver, who was uncharacteristically silent until now. "Think about it, who did Draco hate?"
"Harry and Ron and Hermione."
"No, he hated Ron because he was jealous of your family. He hated Hermione because she's a muggleborn and his father told him to, but what about Harry? He wanted to be friends in the beginning if you remember. Why does he hate Harry?"
"I don't know. Why?" asked Percy.
"Because," Oliver smiled wickedly, "There is a fine line between love and hate."
TBC.
I'm SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO POST!!! I have a case of writer's block for a while, then no free time to type. Well, it's up now. Read it. Review it. Love it.
Auurulumpi: Um… I had noticed that it seems a large population of the school is gay, but not really. The gay ones just happen to be the main characters. The rest of the school is strait, with an exception of maybe a few couples I've never heard bout. That wasn't a meeting, either. It was just a get together with friends on a cold winter night. They were sitting around drinking tea laced with bourbon and things like that. That's all.
Shinigami – you're right on all accounts. I have something in store for Cassandra, just wait and see. It might not be in this story, but it is coming. But, by all means, feel free to bitch slap the immie witch. I don't like her very much, but she's an excellent catalyst.
WyldeHorse – My Percy Oliver Fic will be another long one, like this one, and I'll start posting things when I finish this story. everything else will just have to wait and see.
Lady Cinnibar – Ahh…I had wondered what had happened to you. I am glad that you haven't dropped off the face of the earth, and I am sorry about the computer. Oh, and this pooka is heading you strait for war, so be prepared!
Until next time, same bat-time, same bat-chan-Holy cliffhangers Batman! I'm using the wrong sing off!!!
Until next time I was, am, and will always be, Immortaljedi
Chapter 36
The day after New Years (that would be January 2nd) was, in it's own way, a day to go down in history. Methos was sitting on the cold steps of Hogwarts, shivering. Why he didn't just go inside became apparent if one waited 15 minutes or so when Severus came out of the forest, arms laden with plants for his potions. What was remarkable that morning, however, happened about 10 minutes before.
He was, as said before, sitting and holding in his hands a cup of coffee. At first glance it seemed that he was oblivious to his surroundings. This was, in fact, very untrue, for he knew the twins were coming almost before they did. So he sat, mug in hand, preparing for the worst they could do. What he hadn't prepared for, however, was exactly what had happened.
"Pierson…"
"We want to talk." He looked up, surprised at the twin redheads. His eyes then narrowed suspiciously.
"Why? To better formulate a better prank?" Fred (or was it George?) shook his head. George (or was it Fred?) answered,
"No. To make a truce." Methos raised an eyebrow. The other twin continued.
"We realize we've been outpranked…"
"and we're nothing if not good sports…"
"Especially when it comes to pranks."
"We bow to you Ph Great One! Oh Master of Pranks!" They said in tandem, bowing comically at the waist. Methos laughed and nodded.
"All right then, a truce." He stuck out his hand and each twin shook it in turn. Then all looked at their hands quizzically. "My buzzer didn't buzz," Methos whined.
"Ours didn't either."
"The spells must have canceled each other out." There was silence for a moment before Fred spoke.
"You must tell us, mate, how DID you turn our skin green?" Methos smirked.
"Well, I AM shacking up with a Potions Master…you figure it out." He paused. "He did seem uncharacteristically happy to make the potion, though. When I asked him, all he did maws mutter something about green dresses, vultures, and toilet seats." The twins snickered and Methos raised an eyebrow. "What happened? He won't tell me." Fred grinned at George.
"Shall we tell him?"
"Oh yes, we shall." (1) The turned eagerly back to Methos who was watching them curiously.
"Back in out sixth year, when Lupin was the DADA professor for the first time, he brought Harry and Ron's class to meet a Bogart in the Dungeons. You know how to deal with a Bogart, right?"
"Yes."
"Well," The other twin continued, "Lupin calls Neville up to the closet where the Bogart was hiding, and the thing pops out as Professor Snape."
"Immediately he casts the spell and Snape is wearing the bright green dress, red handbag, and hat complete with vulture that Neville's grandmother wears. It was so funny!"
"The entire school knew by lunch!" They both started to laugh and even Methos was having a hard time keeping it in. Finally he gave up and joined them in their laughter.
"No wonder he doesn't want to talk. But at least he didn't have blue hair." Methos said with a pointed look at the twins. They glanced at each other nervously before both began to babble.
"Look, we're sorry…"
"But you did turn our store green…"
"That was for the bulger," Methos countered.
"Right, but you made all our merchandise disappear, and we didn't mean it…"
"It was just a harmless prank." Methos said with a smirk. That effectively shut up the twins, who gaped at him in surprise. He chuckled. "If I didn't understand that, I would have never progressed this far with the pranks." He smiled at them. "Why don't you go inside now? Go celebrate with your friends and family. I do believe there are some new additions to the staff that you might find interesting." The twins looked at each other, confused. "Go. In. Side. Get warm. Have fun. Prank the teachers. Go!" He swatted at them and they ran inside, shouting their goodbyes. He smiled, shaking his head, before resuming his previous position on the steps; glad his mug was keeping his coffee warm. He smiled when he saw his lover, but it quickly fell from his face when he saw what state he was in.
Hogwarts – Gryffindor Tower
"New additions he said? Fresh meat."
"Oh yes, definitely. Lioness Rampant." The portrait swung open to admit the twin pranksters. Hermione had given them the password for the holidays, as they were staying with Ron and Ginny as their parents were off visiting with Bill and Charlie in Romania.
Upon entering the Common Room they saw Ron sitting with Harry Hermione and…Draco? How…? Oh right. He was a good guy now. Friends.
"Hullo Fred, George."
"Hullo, all."
"Great to see you chaps again. Truly marvelous. Oh, hullo to you, Fred! It's really been too long."
"Yes, yes. Hullo George. We really must get together more often." They sat, joining the group, to smiles and laughter. They sat a little closer to Draco than was absolutely necessary, and gave Harry innocent looks when he glared.
"What's going on you two?" Ron asked, noticing the exchange. Fred and George looked at each other and decided not to answer.
"Pierson said there were some new teachers on the staff." Ron hid a grin while Hermione giggled. Draco looked confusedly at a smiling Harry.
"We have a Wandless Magic and Magism professor," Hermione explained as Ron pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. "And a Quidditch Theory professor who doubles as an assistant coach." Ron was red in the face by now and Harry was having a hard time controlling his mirth.
"Ok…so what's so funny about it?"
"It's Percy and Oliver!" Ron burst out.
"WHAT!" The twins exclaimed in unison.
"Percy is teaching Wandless Magic and Mageism and Oliver is Quidditch." The twins replied at the same time.
"We're sorry."
"Why? Asked a clueless Draco. He didn't see anything wrong with having Percy or Oliver for a professor. Percy had relaxed and Oliver wasn't a bad guy. The twins, however, having had very little contact with him since his graduation, didn't know this, and looked at him as if he had a third head. "What?"
"Do you not remember Percy?"
"Prissy Percy?"
"Perfect Percy?"
"Perfect Prefect Percy?
"Percy Weasley – HB?"
"HB?"
"Humongous Bighead?" Ron shook his head at them.
"He isn't like that anymore. He's more relaxed about things, more open to people." Herm said, her voice reproachful. "I bet if you actually paid attention or talked to him, you'd figure it out." The twins glanced at each other guiltily. Even after Percy's mysterious big trip they had stayed separate, not taking the time to learn more about their brother, for they felt nothing had changed.
"Their rooms and offices are down the next corridor. I recommend mending some bridges with your brother." Draco said, his voice full of unsuspected wisdom. They looked at him, surprised. "What? I know how terrible it is to not have family. Trust me on this…get to know your brother."
"And say hi to Oliver while you're at it." The twins looked at each other, talking silently. Without looking away, George said,
"Yes…we think we will." They stood, never breaking eye contact and walked, instep, shoulder to shoulder, out of the common room. Ron blinked.
"Ok…that was freaky."
Percy and Oliver's suite: Main Bedroom
Lips touched heated skin, flushed with desire, trailing across chest, leaving a burning trail in its wake. Percy gasped as Oliver's teach grazed sensitive flesh. Arching his back he grabbed Oliver's head, twining his fingers in the soft brown locks. Oliver applied the slightest of pressure with his teeth, but that was all it took. Flipping his lover over, Percy pinned Oliver to the bed. He captured Ol's lips in a bruising kiss and made his way down the responsive body, leaving a nice sized love bite on Ol's neck. Percy's mouth had just reached the his lover's muggle-style sweatpants when…
"Oi! Percy! Olly! Ya home!" Fred's voice came floating through from the front of the suite, three rooms away. Jerking apart so fast caused Percy to overbalance and tumble over the far side of the bed with a loud thump and an oof! Oliver sat up quickly, thankful for the roomy sweats. Percy scrambled into a tee shit and sat, propped up next to the bed holding a book.
"In here," Oliver called as Percy realized he wasn't wearing his glasses; they were still on the nightstand. He quickly grabbed them and shoved them onto his face, with just enough time to realize the book was upside down.
"Oliver Wood! Great to see you old bean! How are you?"
"Where have you been hiding yourself?"
"Where have you been all my life?"
"Where's Percy?" Upon hearing his name Percy raised his hand bringing at least a part of himself in to view. He quickly used the motion to flip the book just as George came around to see him and Fred flopped down on the bed, looking over Percy's shoulder. He eyed them warily.
"Yes?" He asked slowly.
"We heard you were new professors."
"And we haven't seen any of you in a while now, so we thought we'd drop in, say hello."
"Oh," Percy replied, unconvinced. The twins looked at each other and back at Percy.
"Is it really that hard to believe?" Fred asked.
"Well," Percy pushed his glasses up his nose, "Yes. While you've been friends with Oliver for years, you haven't talked to Oliver since school, and you've never, and I mean never, shown any interest in visiting me for the sake of visiting. Why should I believe you now?" The twins looked surprised, then a little guilty, no, scratch that, a lot guilty.
"We're sorry we ever gave you that impression Percy."
"We didn't know where Oliver was, and we were just trying to lighten you up a little."
"When you started to behave like it was true, we didn't stop because it was so gradual, we didn't notice."
"You're our brother. We love you. Of course we want to visit you."
"But if you even mention cauldron bottom thickness…"
"Or Mr. Crouch…"
"We WILL bop you on the head." Percy gave a very un-Percy-like snort of laughter and replied sarcastically,
"Yeah, right."
"Seriously, Percy." George crouched down in front of him, "We never meant what we said, you were just so stiff," Oliver, unnoticed by all but Percy, snickered at this, "we wanted to loosen you up. WE were afraid you would get so stretched and rigid that you'd break."
"We were trying to teach you to bend." Percy's eyebrows are fast closing in on his hairline.
"So you torture me for over nine years?" Fred said guiltily,
"It was the only way we knew how." Percy rolled his eyes, momentarily stunning the twins.
"I knew that. That's why I'm not mad at you now. I know that that's the only way you knew, but you could have at least talked to me."
"WE didn't think you would listen. All you were ever doing was reprimanding us. How were we to think that that would change."
"I only reprimanded you when you did something dangerous or against the rules."
"And you never listened." Oliver put in from the head of the bed, where he had been sitting, all but forgotten. The twins grinned at him before turning seriously to Percy.
"For what it's worth Percy,"
"We're sorry."
"We never intended to hurt you."
"Well," Fred commented, "maybe just sting you a little."
"Bring you back down to the level of your fellow humans; bring you down to earth."
"Down to earth?! I was the most down to earth of all of you!"
"Us, Percy. All of us. You are a part of the family, you know." Percy blushed, but George went on. "Practicality wise, you were the most down to earth, yes, but you always acted as if you were a sep ahead of all of us, all the time; like you were better than everybody else." Percy smiled at that.
"I thought you would know that by now. I AM better than everybody else. I'm a Weasley." They laughed the tension of a few minutes before broken.
"That sounds like something Malfoy would say." Percy nodded.
"Yes, but not any more, apparently. He's friends, now." The twins nodded.
"We saw. Do you have ANY idea why?"
"I have one, but it's pure speculation." All eyes were now on Oliver, who was uncharacteristically silent until now. "Think about it, who did Draco hate?"
"Harry and Ron and Hermione."
"No, he hated Ron because he was jealous of your family. He hated Hermione because she's a muggleborn and his father told him to, but what about Harry? He wanted to be friends in the beginning if you remember. Why does he hate Harry?"
"I don't know. Why?" asked Percy.
"Because," Oliver smiled wickedly, "There is a fine line between love and hate."
TBC.
I'm SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO POST!!! I have a case of writer's block for a while, then no free time to type. Well, it's up now. Read it. Review it. Love it.
Auurulumpi: Um… I had noticed that it seems a large population of the school is gay, but not really. The gay ones just happen to be the main characters. The rest of the school is strait, with an exception of maybe a few couples I've never heard bout. That wasn't a meeting, either. It was just a get together with friends on a cold winter night. They were sitting around drinking tea laced with bourbon and things like that. That's all.
Shinigami – you're right on all accounts. I have something in store for Cassandra, just wait and see. It might not be in this story, but it is coming. But, by all means, feel free to bitch slap the immie witch. I don't like her very much, but she's an excellent catalyst.
WyldeHorse – My Percy Oliver Fic will be another long one, like this one, and I'll start posting things when I finish this story. everything else will just have to wait and see.
Lady Cinnibar – Ahh…I had wondered what had happened to you. I am glad that you haven't dropped off the face of the earth, and I am sorry about the computer. Oh, and this pooka is heading you strait for war, so be prepared!
Until next time, same bat-time, same bat-chan-Holy cliffhangers Batman! I'm using the wrong sing off!!!
Until next time I was, am, and will always be, Immortaljedi