The Nature Of A Man
Disclaimer: The usual. The characters in this story belong to J.K. Rowling and this work represents a poor fumbling attempt at a Harry Potter story. I really wasn't sure where the story was going but it's rated PG-13 just in case. Read and review. You like it or you don't, just drop me a line at jadewing@hotmail.com if you want to rant or praise longer. A little note to the guys who were nice enough to read an review. To Stephanie, sorry but I did mention that it was Harry/Draco pairing and I thought it was kinda cute. Well, one man's meat is another man's poison. To, Rockie, thanks for the nice words. To all the others who do read, be nice – I know it sucks at parts but still …
"You'll be in my room, of course," Ron told him as he helped Harry with his trunks. "No surprise there." He paused for a moment. "Oh, by the way, just telling you. Percy's feeling a little down right now."
Harry looked up in surprise. "Why? I heard from Hermione that he had been promoted. Head of International Magical Co-operation or something like that."
Ron nodded. He pushed aside a lock of hair impatiently. Harry eyed him critically. His hair was getting long but it looked good on him. He was taller too and the hem of his jeans ended an inch or two above his ankles. "Yeah but Percy's miserable over something else." He paused dramatically at the foot of the stairs. "Penelope's broken up with him."
Harry stared at him. "What? So suddenly? What happened?"
Ron sniffed and continued dragging the trunks into this room. At first sight, it looked as if a tornado had been through the room and out once again but Harry knew it looked pretty much like this all the time. If anything, it looked slightly neater than before. As Ron grunted and heaved the trunks into place, Harry caught sight of a letter on Ron's table in handwriting that was awfully familiar. Harry placed his broom carefully against the table and, discreetly, eyed the letter. It looked really thick as if Hermione had used pages in that letter.
"Anyway, if you must know, I heard that Penelope and Percy had the same couple fight," Ron announced. He was sitting on his bed and bouncing up and down every once in a while. "Think the springs gone. I'll have to talk to Mum about that," he muttered, half under his breath.
"What usual couple fight?" Harry asked, sitting down next to him. He punched Ron's shoulder playfully. Ron swatted him without breaking stride.
"Oh, you know." He pitched his voice into a high falsetto. "Do you love me, Percy? I don't think you love me." He resumed in his normal voice. "So, Percy says, Yes, I do. And, she'll say, you answered so quickly. That means you didn't even think about it, you brute. So, Percy thinks for a while and says, yes, I do. And she says, you had to think so long whether you loved me. That means you don't. And she bursts into tears and they had that whole fight. End result: Percy minus one girlfriend." Ron took a deep breath. "Good thing too. Never liked her much."
"Why? I thought she was pretty nice." Ron gave him an incredulous look. "What? She was."
Ron shook his head. "I thought she was awfully fake. Well, doesn't matter. Doesn't look like the two of them are getting back any time soon."
Ron was silent for a while and Harry didn't say anything. He stared at Ron's room. Something seemed strangely out of place – as if something was missing but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It still looked the same. All those posters of the Cannons were still there, Pigwidgeon (hooting cheerfully to himself) was hopping about his cage, the comics were still scattered everywhere … so what was different?
Ron, in a tight voice, suddenly announced. "Come on. Let's go downstairs for a spot of dinner, shall we? I think Mum's about done now with cooking." He bounded up and towards the door where he stopped and turned back, waiting for Harry. "Come on, you toff."
With a small laugh, Harry got up. "All right."
Dinner was always a fun event at the Weasleys. Mrs. Weasley was just serving the food when they got down. "Ah, Harry dear. Ron. Come now, get down and we can start dinner already." She looked at everyone at the table. Fred and George flashed her a grin and Mr. Weasley had started a conversation with Harry about flash lights ("So, I just press that button and I get light? Fascinating, really … Muggles are so good at this …"), Ginny was lost in thought and Ron was staring at Harry. "Will someone go call Percy?" Instantly, all conversation stopped.
Ron whispered to Harry, "He's been really down actually. We've never seen him like this before."
"Fred, George, will you run up and call Percy?" The two gave her dubious looks but got up.
"I'm here, Mother. There's no need." Percy sighed deeply.
He certainly looked … different. Percy had always been slim before but now, he was on the verge of being gaunt. His hair was long and messy and there were dark circles underneath his eyes.
"Percy, dear. Sit down and eat. You look so thin. Come now, eat up." Mrs. Weasley was stacking his plate with food but Percy simply regarded everything glumly. He caught sight of Harry and nodded to him. "Hello, Harry."
"Er, hi, Percy." Harry smiled at him weakly. This Percy was certainly one that he was unused to.
That night, dinner was almost the same as it always been. Everyone talked and everyone laughed at Fred and George's jokes. Everyone had seconds and thirds of Mrs. Weasley's delicious cooking. Everyone except Percy, that is. Both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave Percy looks of concern but they said nothing, looking faintly troubled. Harry watched him carefully as well. Percy didn't seem to eat much at all, simply toying with his food, taking a few bites at times but each bite seemed to take great effort to swallow. Even Fred and George were concerned and their jokes were fairly nice this time, and they refrained from making Percy the butt of any joke. At last, the dinner which had been pleasant at the beginning but turned into a torturous affair, crawled to a finish. Ron looked distinctly relieved and Ginny sighed quietly.
"Er, Fred, George, help with washing up, will you?"
"Mum, we've been doing it for ages! Get someone else!" the twins cried out in protest.
"I'll help, Mrs. Weasley," Harry ventured.
"Er, yeah, me too." Ron didn't sound too delighted at the idea though.
"I'll do it, Mother," Percy sighed.
His mother eyed him worriedly. "Are you sure, dear? Why don't you just go upstairs and lie down. I'll get someone else."
He shook his head. "Don't worry. I'll do it."
Despite his mother's protests and the twins somewhat less than enthusiastic offers of help, Percy declined each and every offer. He stood at the sink, waving his wand casually at the dishes on the table. Instantly, they floated into the air and into the sink where they began washing themselves. However, it was clear that Percy wasn't paying too much attention to what he was doing because some dishes washed themselves so vigorously that there was the distinct sound of a crack. Mrs. Weasley winced but didn't say anything. Fred and George motioned to Harry to join them in the living room. He took a look around. Ron was speaking to Mr. Weasley and he caught Ron's eye. Pantomiming, he gestured that he was heading into the living room and Ron nodded to show he understood. He turned and headed towards the living room where Fred and George were pacing around. At the sight of Harry, they stopped.
"Sit down, Harry," Fred said, waving at one large, battered couch.
Mystified, he sat down. The couch was really battered though and quite flat actually. "What's this about?"
Fred nudged George with an elbow. George scowled at him but Fred gave him a meaningful look and he turned back towards Harry. He seemed distinctly uncomfortable. "Well, Harry, we just wanted to say thanks for the money you gave us."
Harry nodded, trying not to think too much about the circumstances of how he had gotten the money. "Yes, you said thanks already last year, you know," he pointed out.
"Yeah, well, Fred and I talked it over and we thought it really wasn't enough." At Harry's face, he quickly said, "Not enough that all we said was thanks, I mean." Harry nodded. He had thought that … "Anyway, we wanted to make you our partner. We've already talked to some people over at Diagon Alley and we could get a shop there, we think. The plan will only take off after this year, of course."
"Mum's said yes to the whole thing but she still wants us to take our N.E.W.Ts," Fred said gloomily. "I knew it was too good to be true."
George shot him a look and he subsided. "Well, anyway, we want to make your our partner. We thought of Weasley and Potter's Wizard Wheezes but it just doesn't sound the same. Any suggestions?"
Harry rolled his eyes and grinned. "Yes. How about Weasley's Wizard Wheezes? I gave you the money so that's all, right? I don't really care about the rest – as long as you get Ron what I asked you."
Fred nodded. "Done. Spoke to Mum about it and she's taking him robe-shopping when she next takes us to Diagon Alley. But you sure about your decision?"
"Yes." Harry paused. "Well, also on the condition that you don't play any pranks on me or any jokes from now on."
"Awww, Harry. Come on," George said plaintively. "Don't be such a stick in the mud."
"I know," Fred announced. "We'll make Harry a silent partner and he'll get a share in the profits. Until we repay his investment plus a little more. All right?"
"Sounds good to me," George announced. "Well, that's settled then." They nodded to Harry and dashed upstairs before Harry had a chance to say anything else. A bemused Harry sat in the dark, noting that neither had agreed to stop with the jokes in the end. He shook his head and smiled. He sat in the dark, feeling the shadows wrap themselves around in, undisturbed until Ron came into check on him.
"Harry? Why are you sitting alone in the dark?" Ron asked him, looking at him quizzically.
"Just thinking." Harry smiled.
"Right." Ron didn't look convinced. "Come on; let's go up, shall we?"
"I'll be along in a minute."
"All right then." And Ron bounded up the stairs and into his room.
Harry closed his eyes and leaned back into the couch, feeling … something. A strange emotion that seemed to settle in his heart, like lead weighing him down. It dimmed everything he felt except for the strange pain that it caused. A pain that gnawed away at him from the inside. And in his mind, those words echoed. "You have failed, Harry …"