Chapter 3

Three days had passed since Charlie's visit. Percy had finished reading Bill Animal Farm, which was just as well considering that Banquo had returned from Filius Mac Goth; baring a short crisp note to come to his office as soon as he was able, and bring any and all evidence with him so he could get a feel for the case.

Bill had quickly penned a note to Filius explaining he would be there as soon as he could get Percy settled elsewhere, namely at Charlie's, explaining that he didn't want to drag his brother in until he was feeling better.

He fire talked to Charlie, made sure Percy was ok with the arrangements. Ignoring his feeble protests that he didn't have to go to all the trouble, the lawyer, the arrangements, that he could just go stay in his old flat. Bill had squashed that idea completely flat, and three days after that Bill and Percy were stepping out of Charlie's fireplace, carrying Percy's meagre belongings.

"You'll be all right Perce, right? I won't be gone long, a week, maybe two." Bill said, anxious. Like he was leaving a child alone for the first time.

"I think I can take care of him Bill." Charlie said with a smile.

Bill smiled. "I know, I know, I just worry." He ruffled Percy's hair playfully. "But you'll be ok, right Perce?"

Percy nodded.

Bill pulled him into a hug for a long moment. Then Charlie. "Make him feel wanted Charlie." He whispered into his ear. Charlie nodded and pulled away.

"Get on Bill or you might never leave." Charlie laughed, pushing his older brother towards the fireplace.

Percy gave a wave as Bill disappeared.

After showing Percy his room, Charlie talked inanely for over an hour about anything and everything he could think of to make Percy feel comfortable. Finally, he came to a point he wasn't entirely sure of.

"Perce." He began, waiting for Percy to look over. "I have to go to work tomorrow, I… I would take time off if I could, but we're short staffed as it is. Do you want to come along or would you prefer to stay here?" he asked, after all, Percy had always been a more indoor person if he wasn't completely mistaken.

Percy shrugged, unsure.

Charlie smiled gently. "Oh come on, I know your just dying to see where your big brother works."

Percy's lips curved slightly upwards in response. "Um… ok, if you don't mind."

"Mind?" Charlie said. "You'll be my first little brother to see my Dragons."

Percy looked away to hide a smile.

Charlie smiled again, but there was a hint of sadness to it. He missed the old confident Percy.

xxx

Charlie's eyes scanned the compound for Percy, it had been four days since Bill had gone to England to bring Fudge to justice for harassment against Percy; Charlie had been keeping a very close eye on his little brother.

It frightened him that Percy had become so shy and submissive in their years apart. Even after it had been broadcasted that Voldermort had returned, Percy had not come back to them, which had deepened the divide even further. Charlie had been angry with Percy for it, but after what Bill had told him, about how Fudge had started harassing Percy in that year, even before that, and so, by the time the new had spread Percy was well beneath Fudge's manipulative thumb.

Charlie finally spotted the bright red hair of his brother, he was thin, far too thin in Charlie's opinion, but if what Bill had said was true, he had barely been eating or sleeping, working all the hours of the day.

Charlie's eyes narrowed angrily, Fudge deserved life in Azkaban for what he had done to Percy. He frowned as he saw one of his co-workers approach Percy, saw Percy tense. Charlie watched the scene carefully, but the man did nothing but talk, but Percy didn't relax until he was alone again.

Finally, Charlie turned back to his work. A number of hours later he glanced up to find Percy leaning lightly against the rails watching him.

"Ok Perce?" he asked quietly.

Percy nodded and continued watching.

"Do you want to come and stroke one, they won't bite, I promise."

Percy looked thoughtful before shaking his head.

"Ok, give me half an hour and I should be done, and we can go home."

Percy nodded.

Half an hour later

"Charlie! Hey man! You coming for a drink?" one of his colleagues shouted.

Charlie smiled and put an arm round Percy's shoulders. "No, I'm spending some quality time with my little brother!"

Percy looked up at him, startled, Charlie felt a stab of guilt for all the times he had brushed his little brother off in the past.

"You don't have to." Percy whispered.

"I want to." Charlie said with a reassuring smile, pulling him close for a quick half hug.

They flooed to Charlie's small flat. "Right-what do you want for dinner?" he had been trying to stick to home cooked meals; it said a lot more that ordering takeout would.

Percy shrugged, and watched as Charlie busied himself round the kitchen, a question bouncing round in his head. "Charlie..?"

"Yes Perce?" Charlie asked.

"Do… do you remember the year you were in third year?" Percy asked shyly. "That summer… when… when you taught the twins how to draw?"

Charlie paused, thinking back. "Hmm? Yes, why?"

Percy's voice became a whisper. "Why didn't you teach me?"

Charlie froze, confused and a bit concerned. "Did you ask me to?"

"Yes." Percy breathed.

Charlie thought back and found he couldn't remember. "Remind me Perce, I can't remember."

Percy complied, but his voice was soft and stuttering. "You were outside with the twins, showing them. I… I was interested, but I didn't want to disturb you, so I waited until the twins went to play and I went up to you. You… you smiled and asked me what I wanted… I… I almost didn't say it… I didn't want to be a bother… but I asked you, and you said you would, and I sat down and you were just about to… I think… but Bill came out and asked you if you wanted to play with him. You were anxious to play; I could see it, so when you asked if we could do it later I said fine."

Percy took a deep, steadying breath. "I was going to ask you after dinner, but the twins were back and you were showing them. So I waited, I though maybe you would teach me when the twins weren't there-but you didn't…"

"Why didn't you call me on it Perce-I forgot…" it was a lame excuse, but he could think of nothing to rid Percy's voice of that childlike disappointment.

"I didn't want to get in the way, and you were happy showing the twins, and then playing chess with Bill. I didn't want to spoil your night."

"And what about the next day?" Charlie asked, his heart was breaking at the look of dejection on his brother's face. He didn't let Percy answer; he moved forward and gathered him up. "I wouldn't have been angry Perce--never. I promised you I'd teach you and I didn't. I'm sorry." He began to stroke Percy's hair, he remembered the incident now, how Percy had seemed so happy during dinner, but as the evening progressed, he had withdrawn away from the family, reading his book again.

How could he have forgotten?

He hugged Percy close. "It's almost twenty years late, but do you want me to teach you?"

Percy froze, looking down. "Would you?"

Charlie smiled. "Of course."

They spent the evening drawing, mostly dragons as Charlie only seemed to have pictures of them around. To Charlie's surprise Percy was actually a fairly good artist already. They spent the evening as brothers, like they should have done almost twenty years before.