Chapter 4
Ron thought quickly, he needed to get the comment about Percy out of the room and clear the atmosphere. "So mum, need any help?" he asked brightly, as if nothing had happened. Percy shot him an extremely grateful look.
"Sure, if you have nothing else to do," Mrs Weasley said.
"Nope," Ron said brightly. "What about you Perce?"
"No, I haven't got anything else to do," Percy said.
"Well then," Mrs Weasly said, business like. "I'll make the lunch, Arthur sit yourself down, relax and read the paper or something. Ron, go and see whether Harry and Hermione will be eating with us or if they want to eat upstairs. Percy can you tell Professor Dumbledore that lunch will be ready in quarter of an hour and he is welcome to eat with us and then can you two set the table. And if you've both got nothing to do this afternoon you can run to Diagon Alley for me and get some groceries. Also the floor of the Hall upstairs needs washing, I'm not sure what charm it's got on it but it needs to be washed by hand."
Ron shot a slightly panicked glance at Percy who just about managed to stifle a chuckle in time. "That's fine mum," he said. "We'll wash the floor first and then go into Diagon Alley. What time are you finishing work dad?"
"Five o'clock," Arthur said, catching on to the hidden message in his sons question. "Why don't you and Ron meet me for a drink in the Leaky Cauldron at say five fifteen and then we can head back here for dinner?"
Ron perked up immediately. "Can we?" he asked eagerly.
Molly laughed slightly. "Of course you can," she said. "Now, go on, let me make this lunch!"
Ron and Percy shared a smile and Ron ran up the stairs to Hermione's room and Percy went through into one of the sitting rooms to look for Professor Dumbledore. Ron knocked on Hermione's door a little hesitantly. "Yes?" came Hermione's voice back and Ron cautiously poked his head around the door.
"My mum wants to know whether you'll be joining us downstairs for dinner or if you want to eat up here?" he asked, in what he hoped was a neutral tone of voice. The two people in the room had used to be his two best friends.
"Up here, please," Hermione said brightly, giving him a smile, Harry didn't even look at him. Ron left the room and headed back down to the kitchen where Percy had already started to lay the table.
"Harry and Hermione will eat upstairs," he said without any emotion in his voice and Percy shot him a sympathetic smile, which Ron returned, feeling slightly better.
"Ok then," said Molly, not failing to notice her youngest sons disappointment. "It's just us four and Professor Dumbledore eating in here then."
"What are we having mum?" Percy then asked, since enticing smells where starting to drift from the stove.
"Just soup and sandwiches, I'll cook a proper hot meal tonight," Molly said. "I was thinking stew perhaps?"
"Sounds good to me, mum," Ron said.
"Indeed," Arthur said. "I'll make sure that we only have one drink before heading home so we're not late."
Molly just laughed. "Ok, you two, make yourselves useful again," she said smiling, placing to trays on the table, one with three bowls of soup and a plate of sandwiches, a jug of pumpkin juice and three glasses and the other with only two bowls and two glasses. "Don't worry, they're charmed not to spill."
Ron picked up the tray with three bowls on, deciding that it probably wouldn't be wise for Percy to deliver the twins and Ginny's food. Molly, Arthur and Percy noticed this, yet no one said a thing and Ron and Percy carefully made their way out of the room, anti-spilling charm or not.
Ron was asked questions about Percy when he entered the twins room and therefore Percy was back down in the kitchen before him. Professor Dumbledore had also joined them at the table and Ron quickly slid into his seat next to Percy and glanced at his brother and then the massive stack of sandwiches which his mother had placed in the centre of the table with raised eyebrows. "I know," Percy whispered to him and both had to stifle their laughter.
Ron picked up his spoon and stirred his soup, with was thick and an orange colour. He hoped that it was the creamy carrot and potato soup which he loved. Percy shot a grin at him, and Ron remembered that his brother liked this flavour as much as he did. He also remembered that the twins did not particularly like this flavour and he grinned back at Percy widely.
"Touché, mum," Percy commented, wondering whether or not his mum had done it on purpose. Molly just smiled at him and this time Ron and Percy couldn't hold back their laughter. Once they got themselves under control they both reached for a sandwich, noticing that there was an assortment of fillings. Ron grabbed a chicken and ham one and Percy a beef one. They both finally started on their soup as well. Percy stifled a sigh just in time, he had missed his mother's cooking, it was good to be home, even if they weren't at the Burrow, home was where his family was.
Percy and Ron concentrated on their food and let the adults talk and only said a 'Thank you' to their mum when she placed glasses of pumpkin juice in front of them. "You two are being very quiet," Arthur finally commented. Ron and Percy shared a look and just shrugged. Both reached for another sandwich, their soup long since finished. Percy couldn't remember when he had last eaten so well, he hadn't seemed to have an appetite for a long time. "It's not like we raised you to only speak when spoken to," Arthur then teased lightly.
Both and Ron and Percy dissolved into laughter once again. "Do you think that that would have been possible?" Ron then asked.
Arthur chuckled. "Probably not," he said. Percy and Ron grinned at him and even Molly and Professor Dumbledore had smiles on their faces. They sat at the table, lingering over drinks for a little while longer, Percy re-filling both his and Ron's glasses. Percy thought that it felt nice, sat around talking with his parents, younger brother and Professor Dumbledore and he didn't know how he had left this. Yet he'd changed in the last year and so had Ron. Percy was willing to bet his parents had as well.
Finally Arthur stood. "Well, I'm going to have to get back to work," he said. "I'll see you two at five fifteen, ok?" Ron and Percy both nodded.
"See you then Dad," Ron said quietly. Both he and Percy started to stack the plates and took them to the sink. Ron began running the hot water and Percy put the place-mats that they had used away whilst the sink was filling. Ron quickly began to wash the plates and Percy dried. "Oh, you two don't have to bother doing that, I'll do it," Molly said when she saw what they were doing.
"Don't worry about it mum," Percy told her. "Could you get us what we'll need to clean the upstairs hall floor?"
"Of course dear, I'm still trying to figure out what charm it's got on it, but it does come up quiet well when you hand wash it without magic," Molly commented, going to retrieve a bucket, some cleaner and some cloths.
"Yeah, that's just typical," Ron commented, causing both Percy and Professor Dumbledore to chuckle. Both Percy and Ron had forgotten he was still in the room. Before either of them had chance to say anything, there was a clatter as the twins and Ginny came down the stairs with the tray. Ron and Percy didn't fail to notice that all three of them had left most of their soup and they shared a small smile, making sure that the twins didn't see. All three, Fred George and Ginny, seemed shocked to find Percy and Ron doing the pots, that was always something their mum had done. Just then Molly entered the kitchen. "Are you off again then?" she asked.
"Yeah mum," George answered.
"Try and be back in time for dinner then please," Molly requested as the three left the house.
Ron and Percy finished the pots and picked up the cleaning supplies which Molly had placed on the kitchen table. "Will you make out a shopping list whilst we're cleaning the floor mum?" Percy asked.
"Of course dear," Molly told him. She then turned to Professor Dumbledore. "Do you want anything from Diagon Alley? The boys are going for me this afternoon to get some shopping."
Ron and Percy left the room and went to the upstairs hall. Ron sighed, it seemed massive. Percy put down the bucket of water, charmed to stay warm, on the top stair. "We might as well move the rugs first and take them downstairs, no doubt mum will want to wash them as well," Percy said and they both rolled up both of the rugs and carried them down to the kitchen where their mum and Professor Dumbledore were still talking. They were told to put the rugs on a chair. They then retreated back upstairs and looked at the expanse of floor which they had to clean.
This time it was Percy who sighed. "Come on then, we might as well get started," he said as he picked up a cloth from out of the bucket of soapy water and squeezed the excess out. "Let's start at the other end and work back towards the stairs," he then suggested.
"Sounds like a plan," Ron said as he picked up the bucket and walked to the other end of the hallway. There he set the bucket down, picked out his own cloth and got down on his hands and knees and determinedly began to scrub at the floor. Percy joined him and they found that it wasn't as hard as it had first appeared to be and that the floor did indeed look a lot better. They slowly but surely began edging their way back towards the stairs and every now and then one of them 'accidentally' got wet. It was weird to think that they were actually having fun whilst washing a floor, but they were in a way, both of them trying to be discreet when planning to soak the other and once they had finished the floor they weren't sure what was more wet, the floor or them. They went back down to the kitchen to put away the cleaning supplies, still laughing slightly.
Molly was in the kitchen, preparing what she could of dinner ahead of time and sighed when she took in the sight of her two sons. "Well, boys will be boys," she sighed and then told them not to move whilst she retrieved the camera.
"Mum…" they both complained, even though they actually wanted a copy of the picture. And they had both thrown their arms around each others shoulders for it to be took. "Now go and put of some dry clothes before you head to Diagon Alley," she scolded them both.
Both of them ran up the stairs to change and emerged downstairs in fresh jeans, t-shirts and jumpers two minutes later. Molly handed Percy the shopping list and some money. "Don't forget anything," she said. "And make sure you only stay for one drink like your Father said, I need some of that stuff to make dinner," she added.
"Don't worry mum, we will," Percy reassured her as he and Ron left, creeping past Mrs Black's portrait. Once they were out on the street they realised how nice the day was and that it just seemed cold and dreary inside the Noble and Ancient House of Black. Soon both of them had taken off their jumpers and were walking along in their short sleeves. It didn't take them long to reach Diagon Alley and Percy took the list out of his pocket. "We'll get what Mum wants first and then we'll probably have some time just to browse around," Percy told Ron, who happily agreed and they made their way towards the first store. Half an hour later they had gotten everything on their mum's list and Percy had shrunk it all and placed it in his pocket.
"So, now where do you want to look?" Ron asked him.
"I'm not bothered," Percy told him as he put the change back into his pocket. "Where would you like to look?"
"Not bothered," Ron said. It didn't matter to him because he had no money to spend.
"Well, Gringotts would be a good place to start, wouldn't it?" Percy asked.
"Erm… Percy? We don't exactly have any money to take out," Ron commented.
"Believe it or not Ron, the office of Junior Assistant to the Minister, whilst vacant at the moment, actually pays quite well, even if you only hold the post for a few months," Percy told him casually.
"Oh," Ron said shocked. "I didn't realise you'd lost your job," he said quietly.
"I didn't," Percy said. "I resigned."
"Oh," Now Ron was really shocked.
"Come on you," Percy ordered him playfully and they entered the bank. They were quickly shown to Percy's private vault and whilst there was not an excessive amount of money, there was certainly more than what Ron was used to.
Once back in the sunlight, Percy asked once again, "So where do you want to go?" he checked his watch. "We still have over an hour before we're meeting dad."
"How about Flourish and Blotts?" Ron asked.
"Not going to complain," Percy told him as they made their way over to the shop and spent a good twenty minutes looking around. Ron suddenly found himself with a list of about ten books which he really wanted, but he kept quiet. He finally met up with Percy next to the section on Charms books. Percy was holding a book under his arm. "Is there anything you want?" he asked. Ron just stared at him.
"I'm fine," he said with a small shrug.
"Suit yourself then, if you're sure," Percy said picking up another book and deciding to buy them both. "You absolutely sure?" Percy asked again.
"It doesn't matter," Ron said quietly.
"Go on, go and get what you want," Percy told him. "But don't spend too much!"
"Percy, I can't afford anything," Ron said quietly.
"I'm paying, now go and get what you want," Percy told him with a kind smile and Ron didn't feel so guilty and went to choose which book he wanted. Ten minutes later Ron had narrowed his choice down to four when Percy found him again and he himself now had three books. Percy simply picked up all four of the books and walked towards the cash desk, commenting lightly, "I think we'd better pay and leave before we end up buying the whole store!"
Ron laughed and followed his brother, eager to see what Percy was buying. Ron winced slightly when he saw what all the books came too together but Percy just paid without turning a hair up. Once back outside and Percy had shrunk the packages he looked at Ron again. "Want to look in Quality Quidditch Supplies?" he asked.
"Yeah!" was Ron's response, although he wasn't at all sure if he was going to stay on the team next year, he had a strange feeling he'd be too busy studying and taking care of Prefect duties. After ten minutes in the Quidditch shop they were back out on the street again.
"We've still got twenty minutes before we're meeting dad, just enough time for an ice-cream, don't you think?" Percy asked.
"Sure," Ron said. "But you're buying!"
Percy laughed. "Of course, I'm the one who's had a job and has the money. Plus I'm older!" And the two sat down outside the Ice Cream Parlour. It was still warm and they knew that summer was finally here. Eating an ice-cream with his brother outside in Diagon Alley on a warm summer's day Ron felt like he didn't have a care in the world.
"Hard to think that we're at war, or are going to be, isn't it?" Ron commented lightly.
"Yeah," Percy agreed. He felt happier than he had in a long time. "Come on then you, I'll pay and then we have to met dad."
Five minutes later Ron and Percy found themselves sat at a table in the Leaky Cauldron, waiting for their dad. Arthur arrived a few minutes later. "Time for a drink and then home for dinner, huh, lads?" he smiled at them.
Ron nodded happily, as did Percy. "How was work?" Percy asked.
"The usual," Arthur told them. "Butterbeer?" he then asked.
"Please, Dad," Ron said and Percy nodded. Once they'd finished their drinks they headed back to headquarters.
Percy sighed. "It's on nights like this that I'm going to miss the Burrow even more," he said. "It'd be nice to sit outside in the evening."
"That it would," Arthur said as they entered the house. "Maybe someday soon. So what do you two have planned before dinner?"
"Not a lot," Ron said. "Probably homework. When's the Order meeting tonight?"
"After dinner," Arthur told them and they went into the kitchen. Percy took the packages out of his pockets and began to enlarge them, handing Ron his parcel of books and his mum the groceries.
"What kind of stew is it tonight?" he asked his mother.
"Beef and vegetable," Molly told them. "And most of the Order members will be here since the meeting is straight after."
"Okay then," Percy said.
"Anything for dessert?" Ron asked hopefully.
"How does treacle pudding and custard sound?" Molly asked him.
"Great mum!" Ron said with a smile.
"Fancy a game of Gobstones before we get washed fro dinner Ron?" Percy asked.
"Sure," Ron answered and he and Percy entered the sitting room where Professor Dumbledore was sitting and sat down on the floor and started to set the game up on the low coffee table. The house was quiet.
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