One evening, as Andromeda and Arthur were getting ready for bed, she asked him, "Arthur, have you noticed anything unusual about Percy?"

"Unusual?" Arthur frowned, pausing for a moment to think. "No, I don't think so. Why? Have you?"

"Well, I don't think he can see very well," sighed Andromeda. "I think he might need glasses...you know how difficult it's been for him to learn to read and write. He has to squint in order to read, and that can't be good."

Arthur considered this, then said, "Do you think we should take him to get seen this weekend?"

Andromeda nodded regretfully. "I've thought about it a lot, Arthur, and I think he really needs them. I wish he didn't have to, because out of all the children, he gets teased the most anyway."

"Are you going to go with him, or should I?" Arthur wanted to know next.

"I don't know," Andromeda said slowly, thinking over her other children's possible reactions to the situation. "I think maybe I should, just so I'm not surprised. I know you don't care one way or another as long as the children are safe and healthy."

"Well, I mean, at least one of the children was sure to have trouble with their eyes," Arthur said, holding up his own glasses, which Andromeda hardly even noticed nowadays.

"Oh," she said, "well, yes, but I wasn't thinking of it like that. His brothers are going to be mean to him, though, and if they are, I'm going to punish them."

Arthur nodded. "Of course," he said. "Don't do any lasting damage."

Andromeda couldn't help laughing, knowing he was teasing her, and leaned over to him to kiss his cheek. "I'll figure out what to do depending on what they say," she told him. "But I'm going to pay very close attention."

"He may get teased at school for it," Arthur said. "Maybe it'll help him if he's used to it."

"Family should not pick on their own people for things that are out of their control," Andromeda huffed. "I'm not raising the rest of the world; I'm raising our children. I want to make sure that Percy is okay, because I know he's already unhappy a lot of the time."

Arthur sighed. "I know," he admitted. "I just don't know what to do about it."

When the time came for Andromeda to take Percy to a Healer, Arthur stayed with the rest of the children at home. Arthur had had a talk with Percy as to what to expect from the visit to the Healer, and the boy was nervous when he left home with his mother.

The examinations didn't hurt, just as his parents had told him, but as the Healer explained to him and his mother just how bad his eyes were, he just stopped listening and just watched his mother. He didn't want glasses, didn't care that his father said they would help him. Percy put on the glasses that the Healer held out to him and looked in the mirror.

He looked stupid. "Do you like them?" he heard the Healer ask him, and he made himself mumble, "No."

"You don't like the design? What about this?" the witch said, showing him a plain pair.

The boy couldn't bring himself to look at his mother and answered, "I don't want them at all."

"I know, dear," Andromeda said softly, "but they'll help you. Do you want to pick the style yourself?"

"No," Percy answered, looking down. "I don't care."

"We'll take the plain," Andromeda told the Healer, sparing Percy any further need to discuss it, and as they were leaving, she saw that he was upset.

When they arrived home, Percy asked, "Mum, do I have to wear them all the time?"

Andromeda turned to the boy looking up at her and said, "No, dear, they're reading glasses, and to help you see things that are close."

He gave her a look of misery, and she continued, "It's all right, Percy. It's not a bad thing. Many people wear glasses to help them see better."

Percy didn't reply and just walked on into the house. Immediately, Will and Charlie entered the living room and asked him curiously, "Did you get glasses?"

The younger boy scowled and held up the case. Will grinned. "May I see them?" he asked. Percy handed over his glasses without a word, dreading his older brothers' reaction.

Will opened the case and said, "Oooh!" He took the glasses out and asked, "May I try them on?"

"I guess," Percy sighed, and Will grinned and popped them on.

"Hey, everything's blurry!" said the oldest Weasley boy in surprise, turning to Percy again. "But these help you?"

"They're supposed to," the boy muttered.

"How do I look?" Will asked Charlie with a grin. "I can't see anything."

"You look studious," Charlie laughed. "May I try?"

Percy looked between his older brothers as they laughed at each other, feeling worse and worse. He knew his mother was watching them, but refused to look at her. Finally, Will gave the glasses back and Percy closed the box, immediately leaving the room before they could say anything else. He was relieved to hear the two follow his mother into the kitchen, but he was horrified to find Silas and Regis waiting for him in the sitting room before the stairs.

The five-year-old twins were eyeing him carefully, and asked, "Did you get them?"

"Yes," said Percy, fully annoyed.

"May we see?" Regis asked the older boy.

"You'll see them later," said Percy, just wanting to get away from his brothers.

"Why, do they look funny?" Silas inquired. "Why do you need glasses whenever everyone else doesn't?"

"I don't know," Percy snapped. "Leave me alone."

They heard a step on the stairs and all looked up to see Dora. "What are you doing?" she sighed. "Don't bother Percy."

Silas rolled his eyes at her. "I just want to know why he's different."

"We're all different," Dora said firmly. "Don't tease him."

Percy gave his sister a careful look, then escaped past her up the stairs to his room. He had to avoid the other twins if he wanted to be left alone, and he would do his best.

But it wasn't that simple. Days later, Dora silently entered the nursery, where Andromeda was caring for Elsie, and said, "Mum, Percy needs help. Silas and Regis are being mean, and...he's crackling."

Andromeda gave a little start, not having known Dora was there. "Where are they?" she asked, lifting Elsie to the floor.

"Sitting room," Dora said, a slight urgency in her voice.

"All right," Andromeda answered quickly and quietly made her way downstairs, listening for the three boys.

Soon enough, she heard Silas say, "I don't know why you're so weird. You don't play with us, you don't act like us, and now you don't even look like us."

"Shut up," Percy said angrily, and his mother could hear how upset he was.

"It's true," Regis said with a shrug. "You're boring."

There was a sound of someone getting to their feet, and Percy said, "Stop. Leave me alone."

"No," answered Silas simply, and Andromeda had heard enough.

Andromeda entered the room, hitting first Silas, and then Regis with a curse. Both gave a shocked cry, and Silas' hair shot red, his twin's turning white. "We do not make fun of our own family!" she hissed, outraged but not surprised. "Silas. Regis. You both are just as different as any other child of mine. And just because your brother doesn't enjoy the same things as he, doesn't make him boring. I don't ever want to hear you saying things like that again."

"What did you do?" Silas said angrily, staring off in the wrong direction.

"You will not be able to see for twenty four hours," his mother answered, noting that he only looked more angry and his twin looked scared. "You're going to experience what it's like not to see."

Percy looked up at his mother gratefully and moved to hug her quickly, overwhelmed at how she had stood for him. At the same moment, Silas began feeling his way out of the room to go upstairs.

"Mum?" Regis whispered, still frozen in place.

"Yes, Regis?" Andromeda asked, her voice now gentle.

The boy reached out his hand, and she went to him, Percy at her side as she took the younger boy's hand. Regis tentatively felt for her, then clung on to her, sniffing slightly. "Sorry, Mum," he whispered in her ear.

"You didn't hurt me, Regis," Andromeda said quietly. "You hurt Percy."

"But why is he different?" Regis asked with an expression begging his mother to understand.

"He's his own person," Andromeda said, looking between her sons, "and so are you. Even twins aren't the same, Regis. You know that Charlie like dragons, and Elsie will have things that they like. Besides: it would be sad if everyone was the same, wouldn't it?"

"Tell him I'm sorry," Regis sniffed.

"He's right here," Andromeda told the boy. "Tell him yourself."

Regis seemed to shrink closer to his mother. "Percy?" he began, and after a moment, felt a hand touch his. "Sorry," he whispered.

Percy said nothing, but merely patted his little brother's hand before drawing back and leaving him with their mother. Seconds later, Andromeda heard Will yelling for her, citing Tommy as being mean to Elsie. Regis held onto his mother's skirt as she went to see what the two youngest were doing.

Charlie and Dora were already there, Dora quickly moving to Elsie's side and saying, "Oh, she's okay, Mum."

"What happened?" Andromeda said, finding herself mediating another fight as usual.

"He took her toy wand away and laughed when she complained," Will answered. "I've told him that one day, she won't let him get away with it, but he won't listen."

"My turn," Tommy snapped, glaring between Elsie, Will, and their mother.

"If she was still playing with it, it was not your turn," Andromeda said to Tommy.

"Hey, what's wrong with Regis?" Charlie asked in concern.

"That's his story," Andromeda answered, her hand on his shoulder. "Now, why don't you all go outside and play for a while?"

"Is he okay?" Will persisted.

Andromeda waited for Regis to reply, and the boy finally said, "Silas and I were mean to Percy, and Mom made us not see."

The older three children looked shocked, and Andromeda said, "There's too much teasing, too much bullying in this family, and it has to stop. Family has to stick together."

"Will they ever see again?" Charlie asked.

"Tomorrow," answered their mother.

"Where's Silas?" Dora asked. "Is he blind too?"

"He's in his room," said Andromeda. "And yes, he is for today."

The older three exchanged more looks of concern, then all left the room with the youngest two tagging after them. Regis stayed close to his mother for the rest of the day, not wanting to be alone when he couldn't see.

When Arthur came home, Tommy greeted him with "Dad, the twins can't see!"

He merely smiled, greeted the rest of the children that had met him at the door, and moved on to see his wife in the kitchen, Regis sitting at the table with his head on his arms. "Andromeda," he said, and she gave him a tired smile and a quick kiss. "Is everything all right?"

"The twins were teasing Percy, so I took away their eyesight until tomorrow," she answered. "Silas is in his room and refuses to come out."

"Oh," said Arthur, and Regis looked up.

"He doesn't like being told no," he said. "He's probably angry."

"I see," Arthur gravely, then said to Andromeda, "I'll go wash up and see if Silas will come down for supper."

Andromeda agreed and Arthur went on up the stairs, after a few minutes making his way to the twins' room. He knocked softly, but there was no response, and he opened the door, saying, "Silas?"

The sight before him worried him, as the five year old was curled up on his bed. There were shards of broken glass on the floor, the window empty of glass, and Arthur could see that the boy had been injured, for he could see drops of blood on the floor, leading to the bed.

Arthur rushed to his son's side and breathed, "Silas...Silas, are you okay?"

"Go away," the boy said, his hair remaining red, white, and grey.

"You're hurt?" Arthur asked quietly. "Did you break the window on purpose?"

"No," huffed Silas, unmoving.

"You got cut?" Arthur said. "Where are you hurt?"

"It's fine?" Silas scowled. "I morphed it away."

Arthur paused for a moment, then said, "Shall I make sure you're all right and clean up the blood?"

Silas cracked a tiny grin. "Is it everywhere? There was a lot of glass."

"Well, it does look like you were injured when the window exploded," Arthur told him.

"Okay," Silas sighed, pushing back the blanket and sitting up.

Arthur drew his wand and cleaned up the scene, repairing the window and making sure that Silas was well. After a few moments, the boy muttered, "Mum's mean."

The man considered him for a moment, then said, "Your mother and I love you and your brothers and sisters, Silas. We want all of you to get along with each other."

"I don't like Percy," huffed the boy. "He always tries to tell me what to do!"

"He's been doing much better about that," Arthur said thoughtfully. "I don't think he's been doing that to you as much recently."

"But he still does," Silas snapped, crossing his arms.

"It takes a while to break a habit," Arthur answered. "Like your habit of teasing and bullying Percy and Tommy."

Silas opened his mouth, but his father continued, "My brother bullied me about my glasses just like you and Regis did to Percy, and my own mother had nearly the same reaction. Family should be nice to each other, even when they're different."

"No," said Silas, his hair going red again.

Arthur didn't argue the point with the boy, though he wanted to, very much. "I'm going downstairs for supper," he said. "I'm starving. Are you going to come eat too?"

"No," Silas muttered, wrapping his arms around himself. "Go away."

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and Silas scowled. "Who is that?"

Arthur went to the door and opened it, finding Silas' twin standing there beside his mother, who was holding two plates of food. "I believe the twins wanted to eat up here?" she said, walking forward and setting the plates on the nightstand while Regis cautiously climbed up onto the bed. "Here you are, Regis." And she put his plate on his lap. "Silas?"

He scowled in her direct, then said, "Fine," and held out his hands for his plate.

"Will you two be all right in here?" Arthur asked the two boys, and Regis looked up, his unseeing eyes unfocused.

"Yes," the boy answered. "Thanks, Mum."

"Of course," Andromeda murmured, taking her husband's hand and leaving the twins alone in the room.

Arthur slipped his arm around her as they approached the top of the stairs, and she sighed, turning to him and just holding onto him for a few moments. "Rough day?" he asked softly, and she mumbled her answer as she lay her head against his shoulder. "You're not going to tell me you're pregnant again, are you?" he asked.

"No," she couldn't help laughing as he pulled her closer, hugging her to himself. "We agreed to be done, remember?"

"It just seems like that time," Arthur mused. "You know—the youngest isn't a baby anymore, and the other children are a little more rowdy than usual."

"I know," Andromeda sighed, "but no. I'm just upset by the things I've heard the children say to each other today."

"All siblings fight," Arthur said gently. "Even my older brother bullied me for years until Mum found out." Andromeda gave a dark chuckle at this, and Arthur couldn't help laughing too. "I'm sure it'll be all right, Andromeda."

"Thanks," she said, but as they walked down the stairs together, she found that she wasn't reassured as to Silas' opinion on the matter.