Dangermouse rocks. She got this done despite her very hectic schedule. Thank you!



Author's note.

When I use football I mean soccer, not American football.

If I have any Irish readers, forgive me my mistakes. I did research

the city of Dublin, but since I've never been there, I can't rely on

100% accuracy.

***********************************

Part Four

Percy apparated in the kitchen of the Burrow, startling his mother.

She turned from the basket next to her with a jump.

"Percy! You gave me quite a scare!"

Percy smiled at her and went to get a drink. "Sorry Mum." He drained

the glass and stood there, wondering how he was going to tell her he

had to leave again.

"Where did you go today? I turned around and you left." His mother

walked past him, carrying the basket into the living room. She sat on

the couch and continued her mending. Percy followed her and sat in

one of the armchairs.

"I was called in to work. Turns out because I went to the meeting in

Geneva, I've got some vacation time."

He could see Mum looking at him out of the corner of her eye. She was

puzzled because it was a well-known fact that he didn't take

vacations.

"That's lovely, sweetheart." She tapped her wand on a hole in a black

sock. "How much time do you have and what are you going to do with

it?"

Percy shrugged. "A fortnight or so. I was thinking of going up to

Dublin."

Molly frowned. "Ireland? Why there?"

He shrugged again. "I've never been there, mum. It's supposed to be

very nice."

"But what are you going to do there?"

"Relax, explore, stuff."

Now his mother was really frowning. "Percy, you'll be all alone. Why

not relax here?"

`Because mum, I can't get Oliver into bed if I'm here. Can you

imagine that happening with the twins underfoot?' Percy thought,

trying not to grin. "Mum, I don't think I could relax with the twins

trying to test their inventions on me."

She mended a tear in one of Arthur's robes before saying, with a

smile, "True and it's been so long since you had time off. This might

be good for you."

"Thanks, mum."

"When do you plan on going?"

Percy hesitated. "Today. I'm going to port-key straight to Dublin,"

he said, holding his breath, waiting for the inevitable.

Molly dropped the mending and looked at Percy in shock. "But you just

got back! Can't it at least wait until tomorrow?"

Percy shook his head. "Not this time, Mum." He fidgeted, wanting to

reassure her, but that would mean telling her everything. His mother

would have made a great interrogator. The less said to her the

better. He could bluff his dad, but not his mum. "I'm going upstairs

to pack." He turned and headed up to his room.

"Percy," his mother called after him, "Your clothes are on your bed.

I did the washing while you were gone."

"Thanks, mum!" He called back, already in his room and pulling out

his luggage. `Let's see, clothes. No, that's too ratty. That one

instead.' He tossed a blue crew neck into the case followed by pants,

shirts, robes and pyjamas. He contemplated at the drawer by his

bedside, muttered, "alohamora," and looked inside. He picked up a

tube and studied it.

"We ask for everything you've got."

"Picture him naked."

Percy shook his head with a growl. `Knock it off.' He told the voices

in his head. `I don't need this.' He paused. `I also don't need to be

having conversations with myself. I can see it now. Next physical,

the mediwizard is going to have to write down that the thought of

having sex with Oliver Wood drove Agent Weasley insane. He's hearing

voices and talking to himself.' Percy glanced down at the tube in his

hand and with a sigh, tossed it into his toiletries bag.

"Why so glum, sweetie?" his mirror asked when he stood in front of

it. Percy shrugged and continued to stare at himself.

"You look fine. Of course, I don't know why I'm reassuring you since

you threatened me with your hooligan brothers…" Percy tuned out the

grumbling mirror, shrugged on a robe and lifted his luggage, heading

downstairs. His mother was there, holding a small, wrapped package.

She pushed it into his hands.

"Here. I made these in case you got hungry."

Percy looked down at the package. She'd made him sandwiches, making

him feel a bit like a child again. "Thanks, mum." He looked up and

smiled. "I'll see you in a couple weeks."

She hugged him. "Be careful, love."

Percy returned the hug. "Mum, I'm going on vacation. I'll be fine."

He stood back and with his luggage, then apparated to Diagon Alley.



As soon as he appeared in Diagon Alley, he walked straight past

Gringotts and Flourish and Blotts to a small store called `Journeys.'

Run by a rather practical wizard, Journeys was a port key departure

point to anywhere in the world. Percy pushed open the door and was

soon greeted by the owner.

"Good afternoon sir, how are you today?" The man smiled, his round

body blocking the exit. Percy smirked - that was one way to keep

customers from leaving.

Percy nodded. "Fine, thanks."

"I'm Fletcher Wray. Now where are you going today?"

Percy looked at the shelves filled with junk. There was old boots,

half deflated footballs and broken mugs, all waiting to be turned

into port keys. That was the thing about Journeys, everything was

there. Wray had a licence to cast Port key spells and all a

travelling wizard had to do was pay and touch the object. He looked

back at the other wizard,

"Dublin, to a place called Longfield's Hotel." He reached into his

robe pocket, pulling out a scrap of paper.

"It's at nine Fitzwilliam St. Lower."

Wray smiled, clapping his hands together, "Oh yes, Longfield's. It

does a good trade for both muggles and wizards. I don't know how they

manage to keep the muggles from finding out. They must

use `obliviate' a lot." He hustled over to a shelf of mugs and pulled

down a beer mug missing its handle.

"Are you going to catch a game?"

`I hate small talk,' Percy thought to himself. He did, however, have

to leave a trail, hiding in plain sight, as it were.

"Puddlemere, actually."

Wray nodded, fiddling with the mug, "Good. Good. Puddlemere' s an

excellent team, but Baile Atha Cliath…"

Percy was pretty sure the Gaelic was mangled.

"...aren't too bad themselves. They're very determined players." He

placed the mug on the counter, muttered a spell and tapped the glass.

"Right. One to Dublin, eight galleons."

Percy paid, but couldn't resist saying, "Eight? That's expensive."

Wray shrugged, but didn't say anything. Percy snorted and touched the

mug. He felt the familiar tug behind his bellybutton and soon found

himself in a heap on a carpeted floor, his luggage tumbled over him.

He picked himself up, dusted off and looked around. He had ended up

in a small room with wall-to-wall carpeting. The door opened and a

dark head stuck his head in around the door

"Hello, come through from England?"

Percy nodded, still a bit off-balanced from the trip. The head was

followed by the rest of the boy, who looked to be twins' age. They

shook hands.

"I'm Martin. Follow me and I'll get you checked in and let you know

where the muggles are." He reached for Percy's luggage and the

redhead followed Martin and to get checked in. Percy stood at the

front desk, waiting for Martin to finish the procedures and looked at

a family of muggles. There was a teenage boy who was playing with

something that beeped, chirped and whistled.

Martin nudged Percy and led the way up to the room. Percy walked over

to the window and looked out.

"Third floor with a nice view of Merrion Square. Oh, all we ask is

that you keep the magic down. We don't want to obliviate too much. It

makes the muggles weird after a while."

Percy looked down, hesitated and looked closer. Was that...? He

turned, tipped Martin and went downstairs and out the door.

He had recognized those shoulders.

***********************

He slowed to a stroll, looking into store windows as if browsing,

when in actual fact, he was checking for shadows. Sometimes he wished

he had that… spider-thingy he had heard Harry trying to explain to

Ron, brandishing a few muggle comics.

Percy relaxed, so far, no shadows. Alertness was good, paranoia led

to Mad Eye Moody. He continued walking, heading over to the field

where a few players could be seen flying around, throwing balls to

each other. The redhead stood just behind a tree, scanning the sky

for his target, who was swooping around the Quidditch hoops, blocking

quaffles.

`Preliminary sighting made,' thought Percy, still staring. The

practice officially began at the coach's whistle. The team, both

reserves and starting players took turns running drills and

formations. Percy followed the action, subconsciously making notes on

all the players.

`Williams. Hedonist, likes women and brooms. Self-absorbed, good

chaser. No recorded interest in politics or the dark arts."

Percy ran through the entire roster until he got to Oliver.

`Birthmark on upper inner thigh.' He could feel the blush creeping up

and shifted, trying to ignore his body's reactions. He moved from

behind the tree and took a seat in the bleachers, knowing Oliver

would be able to see him. After that, it was up to Oliver's

curiousity. Oliver, if he stuck true to form, would track him down to

say hello. The redhead focused on the practice, deliberately not

looking at his target. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the

moment of recognition. Oliver paused on his broom for a few seconds

before moving again.

`I have to time this just right.' Percy thought. He waited and

watched as the coach called the team into a huddle. Percy got up and,

with a show of looking at his watch, walked downstairs and headed

back towards his hotel. He strolled, looking like a man on vacation.

Glancing surreptiously at a store window, he saw Oliver behind him,

still in his team robes. Percy kept walking.

"Hey! Percy!" A hand clapped down on his shoulder. He gave in to the

pressure and turned, a pleasant smile on his face.

"Hello, Oliver."

`Primary contact established.'

****************

Kyla and deadbeat – here you go, part four.

Eternity – thank you.

Meg Kay – (holds her back) no! no tickles. I'm writing.

Lady Macbeth – Thank you! It's nice to know that this is your favourite fic. (Wide grin all over her face)