Expectations of Approval

Chapter Six: Find me a Daily Prophet

It's a sight not many had, had the chance to see, but in the past month it has become more and more common, if any one would have bothered to look, though not many had, they would have seen Percy Weasley zoned out, looking out the far window in the Hogwarts library. His papers, bag and the book he held in his hands "The life and times of the Minister of Magic: Tom M. Riddle-Hart" were forgotten.

Right now he was in his own world. the frequency of these moments had made it so that Percy also started to notice he lack of attention. These he blamed on Oliver, his thoughts would wander and focus on the young Scottish Keeper. It bothered Percy, It bothered him that his thoughts were not exactly platonic, but where becoming more like fantasies. . .

"Oliver"

"Yeah Perce?"

Even though Percy had been thinking about something very far of, he had noticed the shift in atmosphere Oliver always caused by walking into the library, everything became more lively, more real, so it knocked Percy out of his dream word.
Perce turned to look at Oliver, he was already siting next to him. In the past month of their friendship Percy had noticed that Oliver took to invading his personal space, it was something he had come to expect and his other half would thoroughly enjoy. Even though he tried not to notice these thing about his only friend he knew Oliver he had just come from practice; he smelled of fresh soap, and his hair was still moist and spiky from his shower.

Shacking off his stray thoughts an oncoming fantasies Percy asked "Do you have the Prophet with you?"

Oliver raised a Eyebrow, and Percy clarified as he hastily started to put his things away not wanting to look Oliver in the eyes when his "other self" was delighting in saying inappropriate things "I-I left mine behind at breakfast and there's something I want to check"

Oliver smiled this teasing sort of smile Percy had become so accustomed to over the past month, and was slowly beginning to love more and more every day. He had become so attached and aware of Oliver that even know as he continued to fuss over his thing he knew Oliver was smiling that smile.

Oliver couldn't help himself, as he watched Percy fuss over his things he knew he had caught his friend thinking or doing something he shouldn't be and so he reached over, putting Percy in a snug one arm hug "You know, I would have never believed it if I hadn't gotten to know you but Percy you're actually one of the most forgetful people I know. I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them either."

Percy glared at Oliver as he tried to wriggle out of his grip. "Answer the question, Wood"

Oliver laughed off Percy's glare and gave him a extra squeeze before releasing him. "No, but there are some stacked up at the check out desk, I'll get one."

"Thanks"

Percy watched Oliver get up and make his way toured the front of the library. As he did, Percy noticed that Oliver's arrival had, as usual, made most of the girls look over. He could see them start to gossip, it seems that his friendship with Oliver wasn't expected and the students had chocked it up to Oliver needing tutoring. Though it was clear that Oliver wasn't stupid and in fact didn't really need it, just reminders to study. These new rumors had made Percy feel better, the gossip around school didn't bother him as mush anymore, because no one seemed to really know anything about any one, it was strangely comforting.

Percy as he finished putting the last things in he bag, a sheet of paper slipped out and fell right in front of Oliver's feet.

"What's this?" asked Olive as he picked it up, and then handed Percy the prophet.

"it's nothing just something Pomfrey gave me" Percy answered as he tried to take the paper back from Oliver, but failed as Oliver avoided his attempt with ease.

Oliver looked it over, it was a application to take an exam to determine ones knowledge of medical magic, for those who have no formal training can skip un needed medical classes, or begin as Student Healer even get their license as a Healer depending on their background in the area.

"Wow, Perce this isn't nothing. This is great I know you love this sort of thing I've seen you and Pomfrey told me she' seen it too. It's because she knows this that she keeps on teaching you, Pomfrey said your way ahead then any normal student would be by now."

"Olive it's too much money, it's nothing" Percy told Oliver as he began to look through the prophet. Oliver put it the application in Percy bag and watched Percy's face darken as he started to read. Oliver decided to let it go and changed the topic, as he knew money was a sensitive topic. "What's that about?"

"It's something poppy mentioned, a new virus. It's mostly affecting pure blooded wizards, things seem to be getting worse"

Oliver sat closer wanting to read over Percy's shoulder. "I haven't heard of it, you'd think it's something that everyone would be talking about"

"Well, this is fairly new, soon it will be. It started in the Sakurie Research Center. It's located in the underground Japanese magical community somewhere around Hokkaido. They where working on creating a hybrid of the Raskovnik plant, but the one they came up with, called Hybrid 106, secretes this oil that a first only seemed to have small effects, almost like poison ivy, and those effects started to spread through the staff, even those who weren't working with Hybrid 106. That's when they found out that it had come in full contact with a spell that must of some how mutated and turned it air born it even passes trough spell interaction-" Percy stops, and looks over to Oliver, who was just staring at Percy with a silly smile plastered on his face "Sorry, I got-"

"no, go on Perce, it's interesting, and you're really into it. I really think you should become a healer or a researcher at least" Oliver said to Percy shrugging off Percy's apology. "About the application-"

Percy was about to cut Oliver off when, the girl he recognized as the one Penelope Clearwater was gossiping with all the time walked up to their table and literally pounced on Oliver. "Ol!" this earned her a lot of dirty looks from the students working near them, which she ignored

"Anne . . . " said Oliver in a manner that seemed a bit pained, Anne didn't notice or may it was that she didn't care. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you" She answered Oliver with a overly chipper voice.

"Right . . . but I'm kinda of busy right now-"

Percy had been staring at them the whole time, the fact that the dark curly haired Ravenclaw's name was Anne slowly sinking in as other thoughts were rushing through his mind. But the cold look she gave him snapped him out of his thoughts and on to his feet "No it's alright Oliver, I need to be on my-"

Oliver hadn't missed the look Anne had given Percy, he quickly pride Anne of him and stood up him self. "Percy wait, don't think you can get away so easily"

"e-excuse me?"

"I want you to meet some one, and we have plans remember?" Oliver told Percy as he picked up his own bag as well as Percy's. "This is Anne Hunter from Ravenclaw she's my . . ."