7 September 1977
The red circle crackled with unstable magic energy.
The was no windows in the room at the basement of ancient wizard's family house. The inside was a little bit humid, but that didn't concern the two wizards who were kneeling at the opposite side of circle, putting their hands on the ring. The muscles were touted, with multiple veins visible vividly from under the skin. Flares of magical streaks crackled around the circle.
There was the sound of wind quickly swirling around, like a typhoon. Small debris and dust were picked up and flying around. The calculated geometric shapes drawn at the center containing several numbers and unknown letters lighten up. The crackled red magic was a little bit static, as if something was trying to stop it. It kept on revving, the sparks were flaring up like it was alive. Like fire.
The two wizards kneeling had their backs sleek with sweat. Their blackened skin looked painful, -and tight, as if it was the effect of being burnt. It was a tedious process, and the two wizards were beginning to feel weary. They had been trying numerous times to light up the magic circle. With repeated chants, magic energy flowed from under their palms. But before the circle managed to fully absorb the magic energy, a bright light erupted. Both wizards were strongly repelled backwards.
"..aaARGHH!"
"..FUCKKK!"
They were stopped by the repelling force when both of them hit the opposite walls. More debris fell on top of their bodies. The energy around the magic circle slowly died down, with the last red spark flaring up as a whip as if giving a warning.
"My-my body.." the first wizard let out a worn out voice "..can't do this anymore, Gideon.. I might real.. really.."
But a loud huff cut him off, ".. what? Die? Can't you see we're already dying?"
The wizard called Gideon, dusted off the debris from his head and shoulders, and with a support of his hands on the wall, tried to bring himself up. But the strength of his legs was at the limit, and with a loud Thud!, he fell sideways on the ground. "... haa. This really.." It hurt. He closed his eyes in spite. His back always felt like they were on fire. The magic in his body was already on strain. They did not have much time left.
".. Gi-Gideon." His twin brother tried persuade him to stop with this suicidal trial for the nth time. This was all they had been doing ever since they had arrived at the ancient house. Frankly, he already grew tired of them. If only his brother would listen,"Gideon.. lets..!"
".. shut up.." Gideon moved his body so he could lay down properly on the floor. ".. did you already for-forgotten.." He cursed his already strained voice "..w-what I told you last time?" His tired body was ready to pass down any time, it was only shear power that he moved his body up to now. With great difficulty, he opened his eyes to stare at the high ceiling of the basement.
".. this magic inside our bodies.. this.. this..!" He felt anger. He felt despair. He felt resentment from the moment they learnt the curse of their birth. Tears started to gathered up in his eyes. ".. This fucking magic must be passed down..."
From the moment they were engulf by the cursed storm, the ancient magic in their bodies had grown feral. Slowly it tried to gain control of each of their magic strain, working its way to find an output. As if sentient, it knew the bodies of the host were threaten to be a puppet for foreign power, and they were no longer safe to be containers of ancient magic of century years. Gideon punched his fist unto the floor.
Their bodies were becoming puppets, and their magic had gone feral.. '.. I'm going crazy..'
Fabian understood. To be honest, he always understood it. He was just finding a way to run from his responsibilities. 'We're... dying sooner than we thought..'
Each year, they could feel their own resolve dying with each fierce battle of their own original and ancient magic sharing spaces in their bodies. They were not the ideal containers, but they both had each other that could give support if something gone haywire. Now, their time had been cut short. But they couldn't die just like that. They really couldn't afford to.
This ancient magic if let be, would be such unimaginable horror to the world.
Gideon suddenly let out a laugh. " You know... I think we might not die from this.."
"Gideon..?"
"If Molly ever learnt about what we did to her boys, she would kill us herself.."
His brother was silent in understanding. Gideon continued with his words, "What a way to end our lives... We... "
His twin brother quickly added, "We never wanted to harm them..."
Gideon chuckles darkly. He closed his eyes as his consciousness slowly faded. He could feel his body letting go all the energy they had been holding. "Yeah... but if they learnt what we did..."
Ancient magic must be passed down. It was not a blessing, never a blessing from their ancestor to inherit such a magic. It was a curse. And as a curse, the moment it was let out into the world without a container, a deeper misfortune than the dark wizard went rampage would befall them.
Fabian let out a tired sigh as he also felt his body shutting down for a dire need to rest, "... we will be called, Traitors."
Molly Weasley was feeling a little torn out from going back with her two sons, without seeing her brothers first. She tried to look for them in the huge mansion, but even the house elves informed her they couldn't found the brothers anywhere.
The day was getting late, and the parchment in her hand had several times glowing in blue, indicating that Arthur needed her back quickly. So they went back to the safe house without bidding goodbyes to Fabian and Gideon. Molly wondered if she could ever see them again. Would the tapestry grant her another permission to visit the Tree House?
With a little bit of difficulty of maneuvering the boys into walking properly, -they kept trying to hug her and tried to climb into her embrace- they had arrived to the small but cozy safe house that was a little bit hidden from outside view.
A woman in middle age was there waiting for them at the front door, their father was nowhere in sight, but the two brothers' eyes were stuck glued on the small baby in the unknown woman's arms.
The day had gone a bit darker, signifying that it was going to be night soon, yet the red hair was impossibly shone bright that the brothers immediately knew who it was.
Molly Weasley had guessed that her husband had an urgent mission, and left the sleeping Percy to a woman she befriended. But seeing her older sons not trying to get much closer to the sleeping one-year-old baby had her amused.
She tried to urge her older sons to come closer, "Come on boys, let's get inside." but still the children decided to remain a few steps away. The boys looked at the thing in the woman's arms, feeling wary. Molly let out a sigh, and moved to take her youngest son into her own arms.
"Ah.. Mom!" Bill startled. He didn't know why he shouted. Charlie at his side, found his hand and gripped it hard. They didn't know why they felt so restless.
"Bill.. Charlie.. come here," Molly beckoned them gently. She wondered why they looked so scared.
In their hearts, they knew who it was. They noticed the difference in their mother's body before and after the separation. But somehow, their minds still did not accept that fact. The two boys tried to find answers by inspecting their mother's face.
"... who?" Billy asked tentatively.
Realizing her oldest son tried to identify the baby in her embrace, the mother walked towards them instead, stepping up carefully so as not to startle her children.
"... his name is Percy Ignatius Weasley"
The five-years-old and two-years-old boys widened their eyes.
"... Weasley?"
She nodded, before finally gotten in front them. Bill tried to take steps back, but the mother quickly hold his right shoulder, and kneeling down slowly while carrying the baby in her arm.
The hand that was on Bill's shoulder, moved to his face, softly, and she held her eyes to her son's, then change to look at Charlie in his eyes, making the child unable to look away.
"... mom?" This time her second son asked in a small voice.
"... yes, Charlie?"
Her son looked anxious, and throwing his sight from the baby to his mother, back to back."... is he..?"
She smiled softly,"... this is Percy Ignatius Weasley" she introduced him again, with a little addition, "... your brother."
Silence seemed to fall between the three of them. Her oldest son still felt a little bit nervous."... brother?" With little hand, her son tried to touch his newest brother.
"... he.. is small."
Charlie, seeing that Bill had landed a hand on the baby's hand, tried to touch the baby's head, that was full of vibrant red hair. It was curious how a small baby emitted such strong energy from the hair alone.
And the baby, even after deeply sleeping while left in the care of his father, and was several times change handle from one to another, began to stirred awoke when touched by the warmth of small hands.
Percy Weasley slowly opened his eyes. Staring right at his oldest brother's.
"They're blue..," the other exclaimed softly, in marvel of a colour he longed to see.
"... like the sky."
Like how once upon a time he ran down the hill, went into the meadow with his brother, exploring the field, running around freely.
Laughing.
Feeling like the world is a happy place, spending the time with only two of them.
And when they had enough fun, they just stop,
and lie down unto the ground. Looking up into the sky.
Feeling content.
He saw the same sky in the baby's eyes, and the five-year-old could not help, but letting the melancholic feeling engulfed himself.
"... mom," he sounded out in a small voice. "yes, my dear?", the wonderful hand combing at his hair again. Slowly the sadness dissipated from his body.
".. I.. I like his eyes," Bill said this as he carefully cared his newest brother's face. The baby seemed to like the touch, as the eyes dimmed much softer, and the face pulled into the warmth of his older brother's hand. Bill laughed a little. He felt something tugged at his heart.
This baby is so small!
"Ah! I want to see too! I want to see the baby!"
Charlie with his small hand, pushed his brother's face out of the way, and stare at the baby's face. "Wow! He's cute!" and he tried to pinch the chubby cheeks on both sides.Bill pulled Charlie's hands away from the baby's face, and grunted. "Be careful with him, Charlie! You could hurt him!"
Unsatisfied with the accusation, Charlie fired back, "I'd never do that! I want..! I want to touch him..!"
Bill now guarding the baby from his volatile brother, "You was pinching him!"
"No I did not!" Charlie pushed Bill in order to get in front of the baby again, "I want to touch him just a little bit!"
"Well, you cannot!" But Bill being the bigger child, managed to stand his guard, "You could hurt the baby!" and this in turn made Charlie much upset.
"Momm...!" he whined, "Mommm...! Bill won't let me touch the baby..! Mom..! MOMMM...!"
At this moment, Molly could felt headache coming up and was ready to reprimand. But Percy in her embrace was becoming jolly and began to wave his hands lively. Charlie cheered at the sight.
"He's cute...! He's really cute!" Then Percy did the unthinkable, his sky blue eyes opened wide adorably "...look at his eyes!", his face soften, "Aww...!" then he smiled his gummy smile. "...I..!
...I really wANT TO PINCH HIS CHEEKS!"
"... YOU CANNOT!"
The two brothers began to scuffle, and battling in determining whose hands was stronger to pinch or not to pinch the baby's cheek. Molly at last lost her cool, and straighten up to give Percy back to her friend still standing by the door looking fondly at the sight, and ignoring -"Mom...! I still want to see the baby..!" "Mom...! Why you give the baby to her...?", - she grabbed both boys into her hands, and forcibly carried them into the house, where several people were looking with amusement.
"Boys.." she looked at them with a strained smile, "let's settle down first," her eyes were not at all smiling, instead giving a warning sign that the two brothers could not help but tremble, "... shall we?"
"..yes, Mom.." "..Yes, Mom"
After having a simple meal, and freshen up themselves with a shower, Bill and Charlie settle down on top of a big old bed, where their little baby brother was sleeping after having his fill.
Charlie tried to touch Percy's face again, before his hand was slapped by Bill.
"Now.. Now.. Charlie.. Bill.." Molly sighed. She wondered why she felt so tired. She pulled both her sons into her laps. "Now, would you.." she stroked their hairs, "tell me what happens.." the little children laid their bodies into the warmth they missed, "..over one year we did not see each other?"
At first, they were hesitant. They actually did not know how to tell. Where to start? What do she want to know?
Then Bill began, he told her about the night they woken up in the big bed, it was not in order, -and sometimes Charlie would interfere to give his own inputs at whatever part he liked-, but soon after listening, Molly understood this.
There was something wrong with her brothers. Even Bill seemed hesitant to talk about them, where as before separation they were really close because the uncles used to entertain their nephews with magics and tricks, and Bill used to think of them so highly. It's not like her brothers abused her children in her absent, but Molly felt furious nevertheless. If her brothers were going to hand over the care of their nephews to the house elves, then it was better if they let her meet the children sooner. Now, she really want to meet with Gideon and Fabian to have a 'talk'.
Realizing that his mother was deep in thinking, Bill straightened his back from his mother's lap. Charlie was sleeping soundly, and snuggling cozily in her warmth. Bill looked at another brother on the bed. Percy had woken up, and playing by himself by waving the hands quietly. Curiosity peeked, Bill moved closer to the baby.
Said baby seemed to realize that the brother was getting to him, and rolled himself to the side, starting to crawl towards the targeted person. When he did reached his older brother (at short distance), this time the one-year-old put his hands on his brother's face. With a beaming smile.
Bill felt elated.
" .. mom, he touch me," he said as he still couldn't believed he could feel overwhelming happiness from such simple touch. Molly woke up from her reverie, turned around, and was feeling touched looking at the scene," ... Yes.. Yes, Bill.. He likes you," the mother could feel her eyes starting to get watery from the display.
She couldn't believe she could witness a bonding of siblings as touching as this. Oh how once upon a time it was just her and a baby she kept on shushing, even with the baby just being quiet. Her baby was now a year and several months old.
She wondered if the continuous running and hiding would rendered her baby to have slow growth. He still in the crawling phase after all. And she could hardly heard him babbling and laughing, Like she used to with her previous two children when they were young. She felt like she faulted him somehow.
Her oldest son laughed. "Mom! He smiled! He smiled!" Bill seemed to enjoy the attention he got from his baby brother. "His small hands touching me!" Bill laughed again. It had been so long... she thought. Then, she watched as her oldest son couldn't contained himself, and grabbed the baby to bring him closer. She carefully put the sleeping Charlie on the bed, and quickly got closer to let her hands hanging near them, " .. be careful." Bill gave both his mother and his baby brother a reassuring smile.
He did know how to hold a baby brother carefully, even though he did not have much experience, because Charlie was just two years younger than him, and he was just a child himself. Still, he handled the baby with cautious, so gentle and caring, while feeling fascinated by the colour of his brother's eyes and the sight of beaming smile.
He laughed. He just felt happy. ".. his name is Percy?" he asked with a voice so soft, suddenly afraid of this fragile being he held in his hands.
" ...Yes. Percy."
The baby touched his face again. He laughed. Then, the baby laughed. Such unexpected sound, Molly felt something struck at her heart.
" .. he... laughs?"
Her two children seemed unaware of her new discovery, as they continuously laughing, and giggling, even when they stopped for breath, when suddenly they erupted into laughing again.
'He laughed.'
She inspected the display carefully.
...her youngest son also felt delighted by the sound of his brother's laughter.
...they enjoyed each other's company and comfort through and through.
...the carved smiles on their faces were genuine and came from their hearts.
She felt a little bit pensive.
'Of course he laughed.'
They laugh some more.
'He never laugh with me..
.. because I don't laugh.'
The display left her having mixed feelings.
She was not an adequate mother.
"Percy~!"
That sing song voice brought her out of her own musing.
"Hello, Percy~!" Bill brought the little baby closer into his embrace. "I am... your big brother." And the oldest son hugged his newest brother with enthusiasms.
4 February 1979
"... fuck, they found the safe house on that seventh street too."
"...
... how many"
"... they found six bodies.."
"... dead?"
"well fuck me, if you still don't understand bloody cold bodies after all this time.. not being DEAD, just what have you been eating all this time then.. "
"... I just.."
"what happened to the rest?"
"Kidnapped.
Poisoned.
Tortured."
...
"... interrogated."
"...aah, the usuals."
"...
...
...
...fuck"
"Billy.. what's 'stard?" a small hand reached out and give a tug to his brother's sleeve.
Stopping his reading on ancient history, the seven-year-old older brother turned around, face soften up, and gently laid his hand on his baby brother's head.
'.. he grew up so fast.' Bill thought. He asked his brother again as he was not listening properly, " What is it, Percy?.. 'stard? Do you mean mustard?" he smoothed the curly hair of his brother gently. 'Is he hungry? He wants sandwich?'
'... but mom only made pancakes this morning'
'... is there any bread?'
'... but I don't know how to make a sandwich using mustard'
'... do we even own mustard?'
" no, Billy." his little brother with a sky blue doll eyes looking at him, and a cute face voice out sweetly. "Bastard."
"...
... wait here, Perce."
And the baby brother could only watched as his oldest brother stormed towards a certain direction, which was the direction of his other brother's room, and was left with a feeling of dissatisfaction, as he was not warranted any answer.
A frown started to form on his forehead. His brother always left him like this so suddenly.
"... chARLIE!"
and the frown only getting wrinklier as he heard an argument starting without reasons. Just like always.
".. I told YOU! Don't swear around HIM!"
A yelp.
" I did not! Stop ShAkiNG mE!"
A stomped feet.
" ..HE SAID. A SWEAR WORD. TO ME!"
A gasp.
"Fuck! Really? Which one?"
And an unbelievable groan.
".. you.. MORON!"
"aaaAHHH BILLLL!"
The shaking and yelling continued until five minutes in.
Usually, the two years old could wait much longer till the argument quieten down, but this time he felt somewhat impatient.
So he walked closer and closer to where the sound originated.
"... how dare you... did that to Perce! TO DEAR POOR PERCE!"
"*Gasp!* Did he say... fuck?" the second brother wailed, "Oh no..." while being shaked vigorously.
Bill frantically tried to put his hands over his brother's mouth,"No! Stop saying that..! ..that F word!" trying to shush him, "What if he heard us! I don't want him to learn that word!"
"..!"
The one being shushed suddenly showed a brighten expression. And he pulled the hands away,"Not fuck, then? Which word?"
A vein was starting to pop on Bill's forehead. "If I could strangle you, I would.."
Charlie tried to guess,".. don't tell me.. is it 'Damn it'?"
And his older brother let out a frustrated sound.
"Charlie, why'd you start saying these words?" Bill tried not to say the swear words in case Percy was listening nearby. "You used to .. you used to.. well, not saying them." He finished off his sentences pathetically. "Why you say them, then?" But as the oldest brother, he need to admonish Charlie about this bad behavior, so he asked again, "Why?"
"Well..." The second brother began to pull away, and suavely go find himself a place to sit, -which was his bed-, and a come back here, how dare you sit was left trailing behind him.
"... you know, all the adults around us say them a lot, I heard them swear a lot, so..."
Bill left out a sigh. He knew. He also hear them sometimes, when they thought the children were not listening. This place they called home, was too cramp with too many people carrying wound old and new, physically and mentally.
They were in the middle of the war, and he knew it would not settle anytime sooner. And the adults, sometimes they gave unwanted advice to him and his brother of how to survive, when they were living in a world where everyday someone is dying. These adults went out sometimes to fight, and when they lost someone, they brought their misery back to the 'home' they shared ".. that's on them. You know it's fair if it was them"
Instead of listening, Charlie decided to play with his pillowcase,".. they said if you feel sad, or mad, then just swear.. it'll feel good." he said, shrugging, while having indifferent expression.
Deep down Charlie knew his behaviour annoyed his brother greatly, but he decided to play the part of an innocent child. He was only five years old after all.
Bill decided to be the bigger person, seeing that he was two years older than Charlie, and sighed,".. you still can't say them! You knew why those adults, why uncles and aunts say them..."
A feeling of discomfort enveloped the room. Both brothers suddenly felt uneasy.
".. They..they......mom said they saw too much. They saw things that shouldn't... that shouldn't..." Bill wondered why he found it hard to talk to his brother about this, "...well, things that mom forbade us to talk about... they.. " even though he knew that his brother and him already understand what's going on in their world, "they saw so many people fought and died.. so they..." Bill found it frustrating that he could not find the right words to placate his brother. His explanation seems somewhat lacking.
Yet, he tried to continue "... I understand if sometimes they want to curse...... I saw their faces.. Merlin, their eyes.... I pity them sometimes. But mom said, children like us shouldn't mind about the adults.... let the adults handle this. Yeah, that's right! Mom said children like us shouldn't say bad words. Mom said..."
Charlie had enough of the same old lines he kept on hearing every time he did something wrong. The Mom said..
".. yeah Bill, mom said children like us just need to be quiet, and let the war settle down"
Brighten, Bill quickly added, ".. yeah, that's what mom told us!"
Charlie shrugged, and made sure to exaggerating rolling his eyes to further irritated his brother, "..as if when we keep quiet, no more children will be killed."
Bill gasped,"You.. you can't say that!"
"Why? Because mom knows better?", Charlie sniggered, to show how he feels about this whole conversation.
"Charlie, you're better than this!" Bill fumed. Why? Why can't Charlie understand that mom only wants what the best for them. And it was just a simple request of not to swear.
"Bill..." Charlie can't help but to suddenly lost all energy to continue talking. He sighed. "Bill... just two weeks ago.. I saw Lewis got killed." He stopped. He didn't want to be reminded of that fact.
But oh, little Lewis was only four. He didn't want to remember.
He didn't want to.
But he did.
"Bill, you remembered that, don't you?" He looked at his brother, and continued, "I told you that."
I saw how he died was left unsaid. Because of how much he wished all things that happened were just nightmare.
How he wish he never accidentally saw that accident while he was hiding behind the curtain while little unfortunate Lewis was outside the protection charm of their safe house. Charlie didn't knew how and why he got outside. But he did knew what he saw that day.
He closed his eyes. The blood curling scream was still ringing in his ears. The desperate eyes and the cries of pleas kept turning up in his memory. Poor little Lewis found found several meters from the house with a body no longer recognizable.
He felt like throwing up again, "That's why I've been hiding in this room crying.."
"Charlie.." Bill starting to feel guilty. Ahh.. why did he reminded him again about Lewis.
".. so what if I swear a little bit?" he sobbed. "... I don't care about anything anymore"
The sound of a small child heaving a breath felt so heavy, like it belonged to a war veteran. But again, they were children living in the war.
Even though they felt safe now, the knowledge that death could come upon them anytime, would render anyone severe anxiousness that they would just grew withered.
Matured.
Older with the soul.
The five years old just threw himself on his bed, with abandon, and with determination of not continuing the conversation anymore.
His older brother became silent with understanding. He could only stood there, at the centre of the room, thinking aback what he came here for.
".. did.. did you feel better now?"
It was a long moment, before the other one looked back, ".. really, Bill?"
".. you still shouldn't curse around Perce."
"I didn't know he was there." This is hopeless, Charlie thought. Bill still is mad that Percy learnt a curse word.
Bill, looking at indifferent brother starting to feel lame"... Okay. ..That's fine.." Feeling awkward, he tried to make himself useful. "...Uh, I gave you chocolate, lots of them.."
Charlie rolled on the bed without care, " .. Uh-huh"
".. they help me when... you know, when I felt like too much is going on.."
"... Yeah." He kicked his legs playfully up and down.
Fiddling with his hands, Bill continued, "... do you still have nightmares? You.. you want to talk?"
" .. Hmm.."
"Charlie?" The older brother asked tentatively.
".. Bill, I want to sleep. Sorry."
"Oh. Okay..."
"And uh.. Percy is behind the door"
"...! Perce!" Bill whipped his head towards the door quickly. "Since when?!", then turning back to ask Charlie, "Why didn't you told me sooner?!"
The oldest brother quickly ran and opened the door, to reveal a two years old, with a bright red curly hair, and a figure too small.
".. I just saw his little feet when I got down, sorry. Hey Perce," laying down, Charlie gave a little wave to his baby brother. Percy waved back.
".. Percy, hey," it was a tone different when talking to a different brother before. So gentle with soothing voice."... when did you get here?"
The other brother decided he couldn't care less, and promptly closed his eyes to sleep.
Gently patting his baby brother's head, Bill asked worriedly, " .. are you still hungry, Percy?"
".. Billy?" oh but whose older brother would resist comforting a little toddler with big round eyes. Little Percy made everyone wants to adore him.
"Yes, Perce?"
There were still some unkempt hair on the left side of his brother's head, so Bill combed the hair with his fingers with a touch so tender and loving.
"What's fuck?"
Charlie suddenly woke up, bursting with laughter so loud, that he could not bear alone, that he came closer to the brothers, and continue on slapping on Bill's back, while still laughing and stomping.
What an event, he thought. He was just feeling melancholic not a moment ago. Now he felt like his stomach would fall from laughing too much.
Bill send him back to sleep, with a tackle to his back.