Chapter 6

Egypt, the land of sun, sand and more sand, but Bill loved it, he always had, there was never a particular reason behind it-it was the same way Charlie could never explain his love for Dragons. It just was. And now he was back. Christmas had been tough; it was most definitely the most emotional time of year. It had been a challenge and no mistake--the amount of talking it took to convince Percy to keep the trademark Weasely jumper was an adventure in itself, and through it brought more of Percy's insecurities to life. But in the end he was better for it.

Bill glanced over to the aforementioned brother, seated on the chair, and curled up, reading a book, wrapping his fingers round the lovingly knitted jumper. He smiled. Percy had come back to Egypt with him, Charlie had been disappointed, but at the same time relieved, he wouldn't have to worry about Percy getting to close to the dragons again. Percy was considering the job offer, and from the way he always carried that little moving dragon model Charlie had got him for Christmas around with him the decision wasn't going to be hard.

Bill turned his attention back to his notes. He was supposed to start training a new curse breaker who was coming up from Romania tomorrow. He frowned--why would they even need a curse breaker in Romania? It wasn't like they had pyramids or anything there. Finally, he closed the file and stuffed it down the side of the sofa. The slight disapproving frown he got from Percy made him smile, Percy's compulsive cleaning habits had always amused him, which had been why finding him in that messy disgusting hovel had shocked him so.

"Right, it's bedtime for me I think, I have to up bright and early in the morning." Bill smiled; he was on his way to his room when he paused. "Perce, do you want to meet me for lunch tomorrow afternoon, it would do you good to get out of the house for a while."

Percy looked over at him, his eyes showed his hesitation before he finally nodded and dropped his head. "Ok Bill."

Bill smiled.

The next day lunch rolled around quickly, Percy turned up at Gringotts and sat nervously in the waiting area, watching out for Bill. After ten minutes waiting, he saw him and got up, and started towards him. He stopped when he saw Bill was walking with someone else. He drew in a quick and startled breath when he saw who he was walking with.

"Percy!" Bill called with a smile when he saw his brother. He took in Percy's shocked features and glanced at his companion, his new apprentice. "Perce?" his apprentice seemed to have the same surprised look on his face. "You two know each other?"

Percy managed a short nod.

"Percy Weasely?" the astonished Scottish accent wove through the air. "When Bill said he was meeting a brother for lunch I never expected it to be you-I thought you were working with the ministry, are you on holiday?"

Percy stiffened at the mention of the ministry.

"Oliver, could you maybe not mention that place?" Bill asked quietly.

Oliver Wood glanced from one Weasely brother to the other and nodded. "Sorry Perce, it's just that you're the last person I expected to see here. It's great to see you again." He stuck out his hand and smiled warmly. A concerned frown crinkling his brow when Percy ducked his head and pulled away. Oliver shot a confused look at Bill who just shook his head. "Right, maybe I should go then. Em, are there any good places to eat round here?" he asked Bill, but watching Percy.

Bill glanced between the two and a cunning plan flitted into his mind-Percy did need someone else to talk to. "Come with us, the place we're going to has the nicest stuff around." He ignored Percy's frightened look.

Oliver caught that look though. "Maybe that wouldn't be such a good idea." He said quietly.

"Nonsense, you can tell me how you and Percy know each other." Bill smiled.

Percy sighed, resigned.

Oliver looked at each of them uncomfortably. "Emm… well…"

"Great, it's settled then." He flung and arm around the two of them and led them out into the street.

Lunch was a strained affair, Bill did most of the talking, Oliver did most of the answering, and Percy added things only if he couldn't get out of a question with a mere nod or shake of his head. But Bill noticed things, like the way Percy kept looking at Oliver, when he spoke, that little red tinge on the tips of Percy's ears confirmed his thoughts, and when he was talking, Oliver kept his eyes trained on Percy, as if willing him to communicate. There was a very genuine caring in the way Oliver looked at Percy, and it was that which sealed it.

Bill was going to make it his mission to get the two of them to become the best of friends, if it developed further, well, that was something he had to think on, but yes, friends, he would make sure they became friends. He smiled.

Later that day, during a short break Bill turned to Oliver with a smile. "How about you come over to my house tomorrow evening, Percy's quite the cook when he sets his mind to it, think of it as a welcome to Egypt."

Oliver turned to him with some surprise. "I wouldn't have thought you'd want me around next time Percy's there, I don't think he's particularly happy to see me."

"Percy's been through a very rough time since the war, he's not recovered yet." Bill said vaguely.

Oliver's eyes widened. "Did something happen to him during the war--I mean, I know we were out of touch for an age and a half, but I would have heard something--what happened?" Oliver asked.

Bill smiled, yes; Oliver was definitely the right sort of friend for Percy. "A lot happened him, before the war, during it and after, it's being sorted now, but he's very… fragile I suppose you could say. He'll be all right; he just needs some good friends right now."

"Was it the…" Oliver glanced around and lowered his voice. "Deatheater's."

Bill grimaced a little, but shook his head. "No, it was something a little closer to home."

Oliver's eyes widened almost comically. "The ministry--that's why he…" he trailed off.

Bill nodded. "Yes. But you'll come over; I'll see if Percy can cook something Scottish for you."

Oliver laughed, it was a little strained as he was still thinking, but he didn't disagree. "Sure, I'll come over."

"Good, good." Bill smiled. Perhaps not the most tactful way to go about it, but it had worked; Oliver was willing to be a friend to Percy. Now all he had to do was get Percy to agree.

xxx

Percy hadn't said a thing for twenty minutes, hadn't answered any of Bills questions, just sat there with his hands bunching up his jumper.

"Come on Perce, what's wrong with being friends with him? Weren't you friends in school?" Bill asked. He knew the real reason, but he wanted Percy to say it.

Finally, Percy looked up. Chewing his bottom lip in concentration. "I… I… its difficult Bill." He said finally.

"How?"

"Because I… I… like him." Percy said, his voice dropping to a whisper.

Bill checked a smile. "Really? Well I don't see why not, he's a very likable guy."

"Not in that way Bill." Percy said urgently.

"Oh, you mean you like him? I never would have guessed."

Percy looked at him. "You knew?"

"The way you blushed during lunch was a dead giveaway Perce."

Percy looked horrified. "Oh, nonononononononononononononononono! If you noticed then he… oh no!"

"Percy, Perce, calm down." Bill said softly, a faint smile still playing on his lips. "It's ok. Perce, he wants to be your friend."

"You didn't tell him about…?" Percy looked at him pleadingly.

"No, I didn't, I just told him you were having some problems." Bill replied.

Percy's eyes widened, almost as comically as Oliver's earlier. "Oh no! Now he probably thinks I'm a weak pathetic-"

"Percy!" Bill snapped.

Percy stopped and looked down. "Sorry."

"Actually, he was worried about you Perce. Give him a chance, you never know." Bill smiled again; he got up, pausing to squeeze Percy's shoulder before leaving the room.

Percy sat alone in the room for a while, thinking over what Bill had said. He and Oliver had never been the best of friends, but being the only boys in their house at Hogwarts had sort of forced them into an alliance of sorts, and he wouldn't really mind talking with Oliver. A blush slowly coloured his cheeks as he thought.

In the other room Bill smiled as he penned a letter to Charlie, this could prove very interesting. Of course he would have to make sure of Oliver before anything went too far, he wasn't about to let anything hurt his little brother again.