m&mwp.
For the Yearly Events Thread [Character Collection] on the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Forum.
When Alicia barrels into his office, hair flying and papers slipping out of her hands and spilling onto the floor, Percy's admonishments die on the tip of his tongue.
"Sorry, sorry," she says. She fingers through her pile of parchment, before sliding one onto his desk. "Alicia Spinnet. I'm here for the Portkey Office. Here are our—"
"You were friends with my brother," Percy blurts out, unable to stop himself. "You played Quidditch with him."
Alicia blinks. From shock or to stop herself from crying, Percy can't tell.
"Sorry." Percy clears his throat. He shifts his eyes, focusing on the paperwork in front of him. "That wasn't appropriate. But I, uh, remember you from school. I didn't know you were working here."
"It's all right. I was good friends with Fred." She says it with ease and a wide grin on her face. "He'd hate that I'm working an office job. I think he thought I'd follow in Oliver's footsteps, try to make it big on the Quidditch pitch. But you know, the Ministry pays the bills. Good, stable work. And inflation these days…"
Her flippant attitude coaxes a guffaw out of him. It's shocking—he can't remember the last time he had come even close to laughing. Not since… He shakes his head.
"He hated that I worked here too," he says. Then, hesitant, he adds, "You must have of fond memories of him from school. I, uh...we weren't always very close."
"Huh. Cos you were a Prefect, right? Well, it's not like you could've gone easy on him just cos you were his brother. You had a job to do." Alicia tilts her head to the side, thoughtful. "We could get a drink if you like. Reminisce."
"That would hardly be approp—"
"There's nothing inappropriate about two old school friends meeting after work for a drink," Alicia interrupts firmly. She shrugs. "Call it networking, if that makes you feel more comfortable."
"No."
"No?"
"Let's just call it a drink."
And maybe it's the way she can say Fred's name without bursting into tears or way she's pushing her curls behind her ear or the way she presents the Portkey Office's quarterly report with clarity and (surprising) enthusiasm...whatever it is, Percy looks forward to that drink for the rest of the day.
