Chapter Six... 'A Night to be Remembered'
Huddled around the dim light of the fire place, Percy sat with his head in his hands, the only sound coming from him being his heavy breathing.
Michala sat opposite him in another red armchair, looking helpless and desperate.
Oliver sat with his arms around his legs on the carpet, gazing into the fire and wondering what he could possibly do to make things a bit better.
But there was nothing. Nothing they could do but wait. Time would tell whether Percy's little brother would be all right or not.
The door opened and in came a very concerned looking Penelope, followed by that suitcase. Percy looked up at the sudden movement, faintly smiled when he saw it was Penelope and then looked down again.
Wordlessly, she left her suitcase where it was and sat down beside him, her hand on his. Not even Oliver's crazed jealousy could make this night worse than it was.
"I came as soon as I could," said Penelope quietly, now stroking his arm lightly. He nodded gratefully. The sounds of a human voice seemed so strange, seeing as they hadn't been talking for what seemed like days but was probably only a couple of hours.
The night progressed and still, they sat silently, waiting and waiting for any sign of news.
At about half past one, the door swung open again and this time it was Luke who appeared. He took one look at his morbid group of friends before making his way over to them.
It could have been one of those totally sad and depressing moments in a film where it takes one incident to make everyone come together again except for one thing. Penelope's suitcase.
As he tried to step over it, Luke couldn't help but muddle his feet up and ended up sending himself head first over the top of it. Quickly standing up, he looked around casually hoping nobody had noticed.
They had.
Michala was not looking directly at him and had covered her mouth to hide the grin.
Penelope had stopped stroking Percy's arm and was now trying to stop her body from shaking with the giggles.
Oliver wasn't doing anything to contain the laughter but it was Percy who surprised the lot of them.
He also didn't try to stop the laughter and it came out in great barrel loads. He laughed and laughed and soon, the five of them were all laughing together. It was a totally unappropriate time to be laughing and Luke's accident wasn't even that hilarious however the laughing was not only something to lighten up the mood but to Percy, it was a whole lot of relief.
Oliver and Luke moved the suitcases to the side of the room where nobody else could trip over them before taking their places in front of the dying fire.
Luke prodded it with the large stick before using his wand to cast an enchantment to keep it at a dim but healthy glow.
"Perce, how you holding up?" Oliver asked after a little while, anxious to stay awake. He wasn't the only one though, Michala was slowly drifting off to sleep and had to keep pinching herself to keep her eyelids open. Penelope's head was resting on Percy's shoulder and Luke was prodding the fire not only as a source of amusement but as a source of staying awake.
"I'm fine," he replied though his voice was shaky.
"All right guys," said Penelope, suddenly sitting up. "I don't know about you guys but I want to stay awake and at this rate, we're all drifting off. Let's think of a way to keep us all going."
"Okay," the others nodded in agreement. Even Percy. Anything could have made this time pass faster.
"How about a game of Truth or Dare?" Oliver suggested, always the eager one.
Michala laughed. "Sounds fun to me."
"Truth or Truth sounds better to me," said Luke. "I'm so tired that I'd rather not have to do anything too strenuous except talk."
"Hey guys, don't stay awake just because of me," interrupted Percy all of a sudden.
"Oh no, no, no," they all started protesting.
"Okay," said Percy with a grin. This is what friends were for.
"Michala, you're first," Luke decided.
She scowled. "Me? Why me?"
"Because," both him and Oliver said simultaneously.
She sighed. "Oh all right..."
"Okay hmm..." Luke looked deep in thought. "Who do you currently fancy?"
Penelope threw her arms up. "Oh that is such a boring question Luke!"
"Well then you think of something better!" he replied.
"I will. Michala, if you had to date one of the people sitting here right now who would you choose and why?" she said.
"Ah," came Michala's reply. "Only one question at a time! I'll answer Luke's because he said it first."
"Damn," said Penelope giving Luke a good humoured glare.
"Who do I currently fancy? I don't fancy anyone."
"That is such a lie!" said Percy, looking a bit more alive.
"It is not!" Michala protested. "You have no proof that I like somebody. I have two reasons for not fancying anyone. One, It's too soon after Michael and two, there is nobody worth fancying!"
"I can agree with the latter," teased Penelope. Percy pretended to look hurt.
"Next!"
"Okay um... here's a serious one for Luke," said Oliver. "Why were you so upset the other day? Honestly."
Luke took a deep breath and looked at Michala. She was the only one who knew. She slightly nodded in encouragement. "It's my mum," he began. "She's dying."
"Oh Luke!" Penelope dove off her seat to give him a big hug. "I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay," he insisted, trying to break free from her incredibly strong grip.
"Man, that's awful... look, if there's anything I could do..." Oliver tried to find the right words again.
Percy looked absolutely shocked. At least Ron had a chance. But Luke's mum... it hurt just trying to understand what Luke was going through.
Michala smiled at Luke from where she was sitting. He knew her reaction, she didn't need to voice hers again.
"Look guys, thanks I do appreciate your concern but if you want to know the truth... I'm kind of over it. I know it sounds like a really insensitive thing to say but I've known for ages now and each day it just becomes more like a fading memory. The family has learnt to accept the situation and so has Mum. We're just trying to make the most of the time we have left."
Percy looked horrified for a minute. "You didn't leave your Mum to come back here tonight did you?" he slapped his forehead. "Luke, go on home and be with your family. You don't have to be here."
But Luke shushed him. "Look Perce, if I didn't want to be here I wouldn't. But I want to be here for you all right?"
Percy looked very touched. "Thanks," he whispered.
They all fell silent not really knowing where to take the conversation.
Penelope cleared her throat. "Well, I want to ask someone a question now."
"K," said Michala. "Shoot."
"Well, my question is aimed at Oliver," she said smiling mischievously.
"Yeah?" Oliver raised his eyebrow. "And what might that be?"
She looked deep in thought as though debating with herself what words to use. "Who is the most important person in your life and why?"
Oliver went quiet. He glanced nervously up at Michala, quite similarly to how Luke had previously that evening. She smiled back and hoped that Oliver wouldn't say something that he'd live to regret. Luckily for both of them, he held his tongue and chose his words carefully.
"I'd say..." he began. Everybody leaned slightly forward in their seats. "That the most important person in my life would be..." Everybody moved even more forward causing Oliver to grin with thorough amusement. "be..." he strung it out. "Penelope."
Everyone smiled as though they'd known it all along and Penelope blushed crimson, completely flattered. Percy didn't seem to mind either, he knew that Penelope and Oliver shared a very special friendship that no boyfriend could ever understand.
"Why?" Oliver went on. "Because Pen understands me like nobody else in the world does. She's beautiful on the inside and out and..." he paused. "Percy is very lucky to have her," he finished quietly.
Penelope's eyes went misty and she looked like she might cry. "That was so sweet Ol," she sniffed and gave him a great big hug before sitting back with Percy. Oliver returned the hug, slightly but not noticably relcutant. Michala watched on with interest as he then looked down and became very interested with a piece of cotton on the floor.
"All right, Penelope it's your turn," said Luke.
She wiped her eyes and turned back to face Luke. "All right then, ask away."
"What is it you love so much about Percy?" butted in Oliver.
Everybody looked a little taken back by Oliver's sudden interruption however Penelope closed her eyes for a second and thought.
She opened them again and smiled. "I couldn't even begin to describe the way I feel when I'm around Percy," she said dreamily. Percy looked on in admiration of his girl. "I just love everything about him. All the things that I never noticed about him before have suddenly been opened up to me, like a new world with many places to discover. He understands me too. Not like Oliver because Ol, what we have is unique, but he understands me also just in a different way. And that's a great thing," she added looking into Percy's eyes. "He just makes me feel special."
Oliver looked devastated for a split second before forcing a small grin. "Yeah, that's sweet Pen," he choked out.
Noticing Oliver's change in mood, Michala decided to break the awkward moment before it became too obvious as the others hadn't seem to have noticed his strange behaviour yet.
"What about Percy?" she said. "He hasn't been asked anything yet."
"Oh yeah..." they all nodded in agreement. Oliver tried to send Michala a telepathic thank you message. She seemed to get the point.
"Hmm... anyone have any good question ideas?" she asked, hoping Percy wouldn't mind. He still looked terribly depressed and tired and worried and anxious and all those bad things rolled into one morbid mood.
Penelope shook her head. "All out sorry."
"Me too," said Oliver.
"Okay..." said Michala. "Let me think..."
They watched her in anticipation as her brow creased and you could practically see the cogs in her head rotating around.
"I've got it!" she said. "Percy, you've probably heard this all before but I want you to answer in absolute honesty. I mean come on guys, how long has it been since we've actually sat down and really talked to each other like this? It's been far too long," she said quickly before anyone could think of a smart alec response. "So tell us, what are your three most important long time wishes?"
"To know my family is safe," said Percy almost immediately and without hesitation.
"And to... to... become successful in whatever I may end up doing whether it be working at the Ministry of Magic or even becoming a zoo keeper at the London Zoo," he attempted a joke. "I mean, Pen and I have worked so hard, along with you guys of course, here at school but I mean no offence meant to you guys but I really do think that perhaps I have worked a bit harder than some of you... just when it comes to study of course."
Nobody cared to argue. It was definitely true.
"So what I'm saying is that I would hope none of this was a waste of any sort."
"And the final wish?" asked Penelope, looking lovingly into her boyfriend's eyes.
"My final wish is that all of you guys are happy," he concluded.
They all 'awwed' and 'oohed' at him for being so genuinely considerate and thoughtful and Oliver felt a pang of guilt hit him. Percy was a fantastic guy there was no denying it. If only Penelope didn't quite think so much of him...
Luke glanced up at the old grandfather clock near the doorway. "Wow, it's nearly three," he remarked. "And I don't even feel that tired."
"Me neither," chimed Penelope and leaned in closer to Percy. "What about you? How are you feeling?" she asked.
He shrugged. "How else can I feel?" replied.
"Yeah true..."
"Hey guys, I am so stuffed I could fall asleep right here," said Michala. "Infact if it's okay with you, I think I must just do that."
Percy frowned. "Don't let us keep you awake Mic, go up to bed."
"No," she protested. "Just wake me up if something happens."
They all nodded.
"And I mean it! I know you all say you will but when it comes to the crunch, none of you ever do wake me up because I know you don't want to disturb me. Please disturb me though. I'd much rather be tired and cranky and know the latest rather than sleeping soundly but uninformed. Got it?" her voice sounded strangely like an army officer.
"Yes sir," said Oliver, salluting.
Michala grinned. "Excellent, thank you," and with that, she rested her head on one of the golden coloured pillows and fell quickly into deep slumber.
"I might join her," said Penelope, yawning and realising that she was tired after all.
"Here," Percy re-arranged himself so that Penelope could quite comfortably lie down and rest her head on his stomach. Oliver watched on envious but without a word of complaint.
Instead he just coughed a little and told them he was going to doze for awhile. He pulled a number of cushions off one of the empty armchairs and made himself a little bed on the floor.
Luke laughed quietly. "Trust you to want to rest in luxury."
"But of course!" replied Oliver cheerfully as he made himself quite at home.
After a few more minutes went past the only two left awake were Percy and Luke, who in hushed voices discussed deeply how they felt about the evening so far. It had certainly opened their minds up to something new and though the thought of Ron was constantly on Percy's mind, he did feel much safer now that he napping in the company of his friends. His true friends.
Author's Note: Aww, what a fluffy chapter! A bit of a space-filler but I wanted to put it in to show the character's actually coming together after a little while. I think the fact that Penelope and Luke both came back to school to be with Percy shows that though they have been growing apart that they still do care about each other immensely. Anyway, that's only my opinion so let me know what you think! As usual, all reviews are welcome and I thank you very much for them.
Huddled around the dim light of the fire place, Percy sat with his head in his hands, the only sound coming from him being his heavy breathing.
Michala sat opposite him in another red armchair, looking helpless and desperate.
Oliver sat with his arms around his legs on the carpet, gazing into the fire and wondering what he could possibly do to make things a bit better.
But there was nothing. Nothing they could do but wait. Time would tell whether Percy's little brother would be all right or not.
The door opened and in came a very concerned looking Penelope, followed by that suitcase. Percy looked up at the sudden movement, faintly smiled when he saw it was Penelope and then looked down again.
Wordlessly, she left her suitcase where it was and sat down beside him, her hand on his. Not even Oliver's crazed jealousy could make this night worse than it was.
"I came as soon as I could," said Penelope quietly, now stroking his arm lightly. He nodded gratefully. The sounds of a human voice seemed so strange, seeing as they hadn't been talking for what seemed like days but was probably only a couple of hours.
The night progressed and still, they sat silently, waiting and waiting for any sign of news.
At about half past one, the door swung open again and this time it was Luke who appeared. He took one look at his morbid group of friends before making his way over to them.
It could have been one of those totally sad and depressing moments in a film where it takes one incident to make everyone come together again except for one thing. Penelope's suitcase.
As he tried to step over it, Luke couldn't help but muddle his feet up and ended up sending himself head first over the top of it. Quickly standing up, he looked around casually hoping nobody had noticed.
They had.
Michala was not looking directly at him and had covered her mouth to hide the grin.
Penelope had stopped stroking Percy's arm and was now trying to stop her body from shaking with the giggles.
Oliver wasn't doing anything to contain the laughter but it was Percy who surprised the lot of them.
He also didn't try to stop the laughter and it came out in great barrel loads. He laughed and laughed and soon, the five of them were all laughing together. It was a totally unappropriate time to be laughing and Luke's accident wasn't even that hilarious however the laughing was not only something to lighten up the mood but to Percy, it was a whole lot of relief.
Oliver and Luke moved the suitcases to the side of the room where nobody else could trip over them before taking their places in front of the dying fire.
Luke prodded it with the large stick before using his wand to cast an enchantment to keep it at a dim but healthy glow.
"Perce, how you holding up?" Oliver asked after a little while, anxious to stay awake. He wasn't the only one though, Michala was slowly drifting off to sleep and had to keep pinching herself to keep her eyelids open. Penelope's head was resting on Percy's shoulder and Luke was prodding the fire not only as a source of amusement but as a source of staying awake.
"I'm fine," he replied though his voice was shaky.
"All right guys," said Penelope, suddenly sitting up. "I don't know about you guys but I want to stay awake and at this rate, we're all drifting off. Let's think of a way to keep us all going."
"Okay," the others nodded in agreement. Even Percy. Anything could have made this time pass faster.
"How about a game of Truth or Dare?" Oliver suggested, always the eager one.
Michala laughed. "Sounds fun to me."
"Truth or Truth sounds better to me," said Luke. "I'm so tired that I'd rather not have to do anything too strenuous except talk."
"Hey guys, don't stay awake just because of me," interrupted Percy all of a sudden.
"Oh no, no, no," they all started protesting.
"Okay," said Percy with a grin. This is what friends were for.
"Michala, you're first," Luke decided.
She scowled. "Me? Why me?"
"Because," both him and Oliver said simultaneously.
She sighed. "Oh all right..."
"Okay hmm..." Luke looked deep in thought. "Who do you currently fancy?"
Penelope threw her arms up. "Oh that is such a boring question Luke!"
"Well then you think of something better!" he replied.
"I will. Michala, if you had to date one of the people sitting here right now who would you choose and why?" she said.
"Ah," came Michala's reply. "Only one question at a time! I'll answer Luke's because he said it first."
"Damn," said Penelope giving Luke a good humoured glare.
"Who do I currently fancy? I don't fancy anyone."
"That is such a lie!" said Percy, looking a bit more alive.
"It is not!" Michala protested. "You have no proof that I like somebody. I have two reasons for not fancying anyone. One, It's too soon after Michael and two, there is nobody worth fancying!"
"I can agree with the latter," teased Penelope. Percy pretended to look hurt.
"Next!"
"Okay um... here's a serious one for Luke," said Oliver. "Why were you so upset the other day? Honestly."
Luke took a deep breath and looked at Michala. She was the only one who knew. She slightly nodded in encouragement. "It's my mum," he began. "She's dying."
"Oh Luke!" Penelope dove off her seat to give him a big hug. "I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay," he insisted, trying to break free from her incredibly strong grip.
"Man, that's awful... look, if there's anything I could do..." Oliver tried to find the right words again.
Percy looked absolutely shocked. At least Ron had a chance. But Luke's mum... it hurt just trying to understand what Luke was going through.
Michala smiled at Luke from where she was sitting. He knew her reaction, she didn't need to voice hers again.
"Look guys, thanks I do appreciate your concern but if you want to know the truth... I'm kind of over it. I know it sounds like a really insensitive thing to say but I've known for ages now and each day it just becomes more like a fading memory. The family has learnt to accept the situation and so has Mum. We're just trying to make the most of the time we have left."
Percy looked horrified for a minute. "You didn't leave your Mum to come back here tonight did you?" he slapped his forehead. "Luke, go on home and be with your family. You don't have to be here."
But Luke shushed him. "Look Perce, if I didn't want to be here I wouldn't. But I want to be here for you all right?"
Percy looked very touched. "Thanks," he whispered.
They all fell silent not really knowing where to take the conversation.
Penelope cleared her throat. "Well, I want to ask someone a question now."
"K," said Michala. "Shoot."
"Well, my question is aimed at Oliver," she said smiling mischievously.
"Yeah?" Oliver raised his eyebrow. "And what might that be?"
She looked deep in thought as though debating with herself what words to use. "Who is the most important person in your life and why?"
Oliver went quiet. He glanced nervously up at Michala, quite similarly to how Luke had previously that evening. She smiled back and hoped that Oliver wouldn't say something that he'd live to regret. Luckily for both of them, he held his tongue and chose his words carefully.
"I'd say..." he began. Everybody leaned slightly forward in their seats. "That the most important person in my life would be..." Everybody moved even more forward causing Oliver to grin with thorough amusement. "be..." he strung it out. "Penelope."
Everyone smiled as though they'd known it all along and Penelope blushed crimson, completely flattered. Percy didn't seem to mind either, he knew that Penelope and Oliver shared a very special friendship that no boyfriend could ever understand.
"Why?" Oliver went on. "Because Pen understands me like nobody else in the world does. She's beautiful on the inside and out and..." he paused. "Percy is very lucky to have her," he finished quietly.
Penelope's eyes went misty and she looked like she might cry. "That was so sweet Ol," she sniffed and gave him a great big hug before sitting back with Percy. Oliver returned the hug, slightly but not noticably relcutant. Michala watched on with interest as he then looked down and became very interested with a piece of cotton on the floor.
"All right, Penelope it's your turn," said Luke.
She wiped her eyes and turned back to face Luke. "All right then, ask away."
"What is it you love so much about Percy?" butted in Oliver.
Everybody looked a little taken back by Oliver's sudden interruption however Penelope closed her eyes for a second and thought.
She opened them again and smiled. "I couldn't even begin to describe the way I feel when I'm around Percy," she said dreamily. Percy looked on in admiration of his girl. "I just love everything about him. All the things that I never noticed about him before have suddenly been opened up to me, like a new world with many places to discover. He understands me too. Not like Oliver because Ol, what we have is unique, but he understands me also just in a different way. And that's a great thing," she added looking into Percy's eyes. "He just makes me feel special."
Oliver looked devastated for a split second before forcing a small grin. "Yeah, that's sweet Pen," he choked out.
Noticing Oliver's change in mood, Michala decided to break the awkward moment before it became too obvious as the others hadn't seem to have noticed his strange behaviour yet.
"What about Percy?" she said. "He hasn't been asked anything yet."
"Oh yeah..." they all nodded in agreement. Oliver tried to send Michala a telepathic thank you message. She seemed to get the point.
"Hmm... anyone have any good question ideas?" she asked, hoping Percy wouldn't mind. He still looked terribly depressed and tired and worried and anxious and all those bad things rolled into one morbid mood.
Penelope shook her head. "All out sorry."
"Me too," said Oliver.
"Okay..." said Michala. "Let me think..."
They watched her in anticipation as her brow creased and you could practically see the cogs in her head rotating around.
"I've got it!" she said. "Percy, you've probably heard this all before but I want you to answer in absolute honesty. I mean come on guys, how long has it been since we've actually sat down and really talked to each other like this? It's been far too long," she said quickly before anyone could think of a smart alec response. "So tell us, what are your three most important long time wishes?"
"To know my family is safe," said Percy almost immediately and without hesitation.
"And to... to... become successful in whatever I may end up doing whether it be working at the Ministry of Magic or even becoming a zoo keeper at the London Zoo," he attempted a joke. "I mean, Pen and I have worked so hard, along with you guys of course, here at school but I mean no offence meant to you guys but I really do think that perhaps I have worked a bit harder than some of you... just when it comes to study of course."
Nobody cared to argue. It was definitely true.
"So what I'm saying is that I would hope none of this was a waste of any sort."
"And the final wish?" asked Penelope, looking lovingly into her boyfriend's eyes.
"My final wish is that all of you guys are happy," he concluded.
They all 'awwed' and 'oohed' at him for being so genuinely considerate and thoughtful and Oliver felt a pang of guilt hit him. Percy was a fantastic guy there was no denying it. If only Penelope didn't quite think so much of him...
Luke glanced up at the old grandfather clock near the doorway. "Wow, it's nearly three," he remarked. "And I don't even feel that tired."
"Me neither," chimed Penelope and leaned in closer to Percy. "What about you? How are you feeling?" she asked.
He shrugged. "How else can I feel?" replied.
"Yeah true..."
"Hey guys, I am so stuffed I could fall asleep right here," said Michala. "Infact if it's okay with you, I think I must just do that."
Percy frowned. "Don't let us keep you awake Mic, go up to bed."
"No," she protested. "Just wake me up if something happens."
They all nodded.
"And I mean it! I know you all say you will but when it comes to the crunch, none of you ever do wake me up because I know you don't want to disturb me. Please disturb me though. I'd much rather be tired and cranky and know the latest rather than sleeping soundly but uninformed. Got it?" her voice sounded strangely like an army officer.
"Yes sir," said Oliver, salluting.
Michala grinned. "Excellent, thank you," and with that, she rested her head on one of the golden coloured pillows and fell quickly into deep slumber.
"I might join her," said Penelope, yawning and realising that she was tired after all.
"Here," Percy re-arranged himself so that Penelope could quite comfortably lie down and rest her head on his stomach. Oliver watched on envious but without a word of complaint.
Instead he just coughed a little and told them he was going to doze for awhile. He pulled a number of cushions off one of the empty armchairs and made himself a little bed on the floor.
Luke laughed quietly. "Trust you to want to rest in luxury."
"But of course!" replied Oliver cheerfully as he made himself quite at home.
After a few more minutes went past the only two left awake were Percy and Luke, who in hushed voices discussed deeply how they felt about the evening so far. It had certainly opened their minds up to something new and though the thought of Ron was constantly on Percy's mind, he did feel much safer now that he napping in the company of his friends. His true friends.
Author's Note: Aww, what a fluffy chapter! A bit of a space-filler but I wanted to put it in to show the character's actually coming together after a little while. I think the fact that Penelope and Luke both came back to school to be with Percy shows that though they have been growing apart that they still do care about each other immensely. Anyway, that's only my opinion so let me know what you think! As usual, all reviews are welcome and I thank you very much for them.