Chapter 3

"I just don't know why you would deny it now, you were the one who stopped writing to me last year, wasn't that supposed to be a clue?" Bill recoiled as though slapped, blinking at his younger brother. He couldn't believe he had missed this much of how Percy felt. He seriously believed that Bill had been trying to get some vindictive message across when he stopped writing—which Bill hadn't even realized he had done! One day the letters had just… stopped.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he demanded. "There was no hint. I never even realized that I stopped writing!" Percy crossed his arms, running a hand through his shock of wine red hair.

"Of course you didn't. People don't notice me, okay? So of course I feel that way. It's not an issue so can I please have my journal back and stop talking about this?"

"We can stop talking about it. I've heard enough. But I'm not giving it back. I'm showing Mum and Dad." Percy only chased him to the doorframe before giving up. Bill knew his thought process. If he tried too hard to stop Bill from publicizing his thoughts, it'd be obvious they were real. He heard Percy mutter some words of a very colorful language before he was out of earshot, yet another thing he would've never attributed to Percy.

The twins were sitting in the living room when he entered, leaning over a parchment which Bill assumed to be the plan for a prank. They looked up at him expectantly, brown eyes flittering between the book and Bill's own eyes, silently asking what his plans were for it, and if Percy had been serious in the journal.

"He meant it all," Bill replied. "I'm showing Mum and Dad now. Where are they?"

"Kitchen."

Molly was knitting at the table, beside Arthur who read the Prophet through the frames of the glasses perched on his pale nose. His mother smiled upon his arrival, offering him a cup of tea, which he happily accepted. He fiddled with the book as she bustled about, tracing the lines in the old wooden table with the tip of his index finger. The old surface had permanent stains, scratches and water rings marring it. It was strong and sturdy, though, despite its flaws. It was exactly how the Weasley's were, in Bill's mind, except now he knew Percy may be the exception.

Bill stirred two sugar cubes into the tea his Mum placed in front of him, smiling at her in gratitude.

"How can we help you son?" Arthur asked, folding his Prophet and setting it on the table. For a moment, Bill wondered if he really should tell them. Maybe he could simply enlist Charlie's aid and the eldest brothers could work it out with their younger one. His issues couldn't be that deep. Could they really? He nearly backed out on the plan to talk to them but then he looked behind his dad's head and saw Percy standing in the doorway. Before he realized Bill had noticed him, he was unguarded, his eyes filled with a wild sadness and worried anticipation as he bit his lip in nerves and fear. When he and Bill made eye contact, he emptied his face once again, faltering for a moment in his step as he turned to walk away. He was scared, Bill realized. It disgusted him to realize he had only noticed Percy's feelings because he thought no one was watching. Percy really thought he couldn't trust them. Bill didn't realize how the hell he hadn't noticed anything odd about a 14-year-old being so stiff. His brother wouldn't even turn 15 for a few more days and yet he was worse off in the emotional angst than any of them. It had started after the war, he suddenly recognized. A few years after the war ended when all the Death Eaters were gone, Percy snapped into this act. It was a few months before he started Hogwarts. Now nearly five years.

Ignorance, Bill noted, truly was bliss. Unfortunately ignorance hadn't graced both parties of this issue.

"It's about Percy," he finally said, setting the journal on the table and sliding it slightly towards his parents. Both of his parents perked up, concern streaking their faces as their activities were shoved away in total disinterest. See, Percy? They care about you, Bill thought to himself. "The twins took Percy's journal," he began, quickly finishing his statement to defend their actions. "But I'm glad they did. Originally, they had planned to do whatever with the information, but then they went to me because after reading what Percy wrote, they were concerned for him. I read it, now I am too."

Molly and Arthur shared a worried glance. The patriarch cleared his throat before speaking. "What exactly concerned you?"

"All of it! It's all bloody worrying!"

"How do you know it wasn't a joke?" Molly asked, clearly trying to calm her own fears. "What did he even write about?"

Bill sighed, downing the rest of the tea in a long gulp as he tucked a strand of hair behind his ear that had frayed from his ponytail. He noted to himself for the first time that Percy's hair really was nothing like the rest of them. He was the only with a mass of completely untamable waves and curls instead of straight hair that with enough brushing could be coaxed into a calm. It also seemed his hair was every shade of red and auburn besides the bright flame that was the rest of the family. It was mostly a dark winey color, but there were streaks and curls of ginger, mahogany, merlot, currant and even a dark blood, but still only a light peppering of that orangey color. He realized from the journal that Percy was hyperaware of that. As if I don't fit in enough personality wise, the world decided to get a little laugh out of making me stand out physically too. Glad to know both nature and nurture are against me, had been Percy's words.

"Look, Mum, there wasn't very much in there that was pleasant. He seems to think every besides you hates him. He insults himself about a million times and also talks about things like having no friends in school and thinking nobody cares about him, even himself."

"Nobody?!" Molly demanded.

"He said, and I quote, 'I don't think Fred and George would particularly care if they knew how much their constant tortures hurt me. I don't think anyone would. I don't blame them. I wouldn't either, and it's hard to care for someone who cares for nothing, including himself.'" Molly brought a hand to her mouth in shock as Arthur leaned back heavily in his chair. Bill sighed, leaning forward and lowering his voice. "Look, we haven't noticed it before but now we do. There's something seriously wrong with Percy. The twins told me that from the get-go after reading this. Can you try and read it and decide what to do to help him?"

His parents nodded, sliding the book closer to them. Bill pushed himself away from the table, taking his teacup to the kitchen and dropping it in the sink. He ran a tired hand through his hair.

Jeez, if he knew being the oldest brother was this hard, he would've let Charlie be born first.

A/N I hope my adopted finishing of this story will fit what you want it to. Next chapter is Percy's POV and I'll be working on it now too.

Update will hopefully be within the week.

-Chemical Violets