Autumn 1991
Percy Weasley
Percy shifted uncomfortably as he stood outside Professor McGonagall's office. He couldn't help himself and adjusted his robes for the third time in only a few seconds, straightening his prefect badge and watching as it gleamed in the torchlight. No matter how well he looked and felt the part of being a prefect, his stomach swirled in anxious waves brought on by the task in front of him.
He glanced down the corridor half-hoping that someone, preferably Ron, would make a sudden appearance and drag him away from what he was about to do. Yet, in the quiet of the evening, the only students who passed talked in whispers and none of them seemed to notice how strange he felt. It was a strangeness that was unbecoming of him, or so he thought, usually he had no problem doing his duty.
Usually, his duty didn't involve crushing his brothers' dreams. Percy swallowed and took a deep breath. He wished he could have solved things in any other way, but despite how clever he thought he was, every idea he came up with was only a bandage to be applied for a short time before the twins would seep right through it. And, it wasn't like he was doing his duty for himself or just another student, it was Ron who needed him and that made everything worse. Perhaps, if the person he was helping was just another Gryffindor he would have found a solution that would have been acceptable enough, but for Ron? Percy frowned, he couldn't do that to his brother. At least, not again.
He had taken the chance before on the twins, he had left them with the means to continue pranking and the easily broken promise that Percy would stop them from going too far. Only, Percy hadn't stopped them and he felt a deep sense of shame and guilt. After all, he reasoned, that made him partially responsible for the way Ron was feeling. He couldn't imagine the mental anguish his brother was dealing with, it was bad enough being a black sheep (which Percy understood all too well) but to be ostracised by the twins and their own parents was another matter entirely. One which Percy couldn't stand by. He had noticed the way his brother was withdrawn, the way Ron seemed to look around as if the world was out to hurt him. It left splinters in his heart that urged Percy to do more.
With a tightly clenched fist, Percy raised his hand and knocked on the door, the sound echoing loudly in the quiet corridor. Before he could second-guess himself further, a familiar voice called out to him from within.
"Come in,"
Percy swallowed once again and pushed the door open, stepping inside.
The room was small, perhaps the smallest of the Professor's offices, but Percy knew that McGonagall preferred the way the light drifted in from the three tall windows that lined the furthest wall. Outside, doused in the shade of the evening, Percy could just see the Quidditch pitch, one of the house teams, maybe Ravenclaw practising for the upcoming game.
Professor McGonagall sat at her desk, a small intrigued look playing up her lips and into her eyebrows. Her hands were occupied by a quill and a piece of card that appeared to be completely blank. Percy let the door shut behind him, nearly flinching at the subtle click.
"Professor," he said politely. The word came out more laboured than he had hoped and McGonagall's eyebrows lifted slightly.
Professor McGonagall set the quill down and folded her hands out in front of her. "Is something the matter, Mr Weasley? You look rather tense and perhaps unusually hesitant."
Percy straightened his shoulders and did his best to look as if nothing was wrong. "I'm alright, Professor," he said. "It's just that… Well, not everything is alright with my family at the moment."
McGonagall tilted her head slightly, a soft expression playing across her eyes. "Something terrible?"
"Well, in a way. It's my brothers and to a lesser extent my parents. Things haven't been the same for Ron since he was sorted into Slytherin, and my family hasn't been doing much to make it better. Things have gotten worse lately, and I don't know what to do about it. Without, well, asking someone to step into things."
McGonagall gave him a short nod. "I am aware of your Mother's willpower. She is perhaps one of the most steadfast witches I have ever met."
"Yes," Percy nodded, "and she thinks that there's something wrong with Ron. Because he was sorted into Slytherin and not into Gryffindor. I know there's a lot of house rivalry, but I don't believe Ron's changed, at least, not that much. She wrote him a letter this morning, apologizing for doubting him, but he's worried about what she might say about the whole troll incident."
"We both know, Mr Weasley, that your mother has a great deal of respect for the Headmaster, as do so many witches and wizards," McGonagall said softly. "I am sure that Professor Dumbledore will make her see things in a positive light. After all, I would say that your brother acted a lot like a Gryffindor when he saved Miss Granger's life. He was joined by our very own Harry Potter, after all, was he not?"
"He shouldn't have been," Percy shook his head. "I mean, he shouldn't have been put in that situation."
"It's a mistake that we will not make again, I can assure you."
"But that's not why I came here," Percy said with a deep breath. "It's more about the twins than my parents. They've been ignoring Ron most of the year, which has been cruel but fine. I can't compel them to settle their differences no matter how much I try. It's only after Hallowe'en that things have gotten worse."
"Worse how?"
"They spoke to him when he was released from the infirmary, and well, the things they had to say were horrible. They told Ron that, in not so many words, he was befriending future murderers and that he was a disgrace to our family. That he wasn't really a Weasley." Percy grimaced as he said the last few words. He still couldn't believe the twins were so cruel.
"Well, I can see why you brought this to my attention, Mr Weasley. There is no place for such needless conflict in Gryffindor." McGonagall sighed. "Your brothers are perhaps the worst set of students I have yet had."
"That's not all, Professor," Percy added, managing to keep his voice steady. "A day ago, Fred and George pulled another prank and this time they targeted Ron. They wanted to try and scare him into behaving in the way they think he should, but if anything, it's only pushed him further from them. And the prank they pulled… well…it wasn't just mischief; it was cruel. It left deep red marks on Ron's skin and dragged Blaise Zabini into things as well. If someone hadn't stepped in to help them, the spell they used could have caused actual cuts on two first-years. As it stands, they nearly sent my brother back to the infirmary."
Professor McGonagall's expression hardened and her lips pressed into a thin line. "That's concerning, Mr Weasely. Highly concerning. Pranks, no matter how harmless they may appear to be by the perpetrators, should never cause physical harm. The kind of behaviour you're describing is unacceptable in this school, and particularly troubling given that, as you have defined, both your brother and Mr Zabini are fresh students this year."
She paused for a moment, her gaze sharpening. "I will investigate this matter thoroughly, but I must ask if you have anything else to share first?"
Percy nodded. "The twins have quite the collection of contraband, Professor. Items that are strictly against school rules. Some of it, I suspect, they've stolen from Filch's office. They seem to know exactly where he keeps confiscated goods. The rest are things they've either bought or crafted themselves. Most of it is in their trunks, but I've also seen them hide things beneath the floorboards in their dormitory. I believe it would be prudent, Professor, to confiscate these items. If nothing else, it would prevent them from attempting anything similar against Ron. or anyone else, again."
"Mr Weasley, I must admit that I am not surprised to hear this about Fred and George's behaviour. I had hoped they would use their ingenuity for more productive purposes, but that seems to most certainly be the least of their priorities. If what you say is true, and the items they possess pose a serious risk to others, I will see to it that a thorough inspection is conducted." Her gaze softened slightly. "I understand how difficult it must be to take this step against your own siblings. You've shown a lot of Gryffindor courage, Percy."
"Thank you, Professor. I didn't do it for myself, I did it for—"
A sudden muffled boom echoed from the corridor causing the door of the office to tremble slightly. Percy couldn't stop himself from flinching as he imagined Ron doused in Troll's blood again, and yet another problem to handle. McGonagall's gaze snapped towards the door.
McGonagall stood to her feet in an instant. "Come with me, Mr Weasley, we must see what's going on." She strode towards the door, pushed past Percy, and threw it open. Percy felt as if he might be sick and it took everything for him to keep it together.
The corridor filled with another muted explosion and the small screams of passing students. The air was thick with light-coloured smoke and bits of feathers and parchment. Nearly drowned out by the screaming was a small collection of laughter. Laughter which, to Percy, was irritatingly familiar.
Only a few steps down the hall, Percy's eyes locked to his brothers. Fred and George sat atop the shoulders of two sets of armour, a box hoisted up between them and clutches of exploding snaps in their hands. As if not noticing Professor McGonagall, Fred threw one of the snaps at a passing Hufflepuff. The snap collided with the boy's book and exploded into a small torrent of singed paper, earning another shriek from the student and more laughter from the twins.
"Fred and George Weasley!" Professor McGonagall barked beside him. Percy had never heard her so angry before.
George paused for a moment, mid-throw, glancing down with an exaggerated smile. "Remember, Fred," he said loudly, "if she can't see or hear us, she has no proof it's us."
George sent the snap flying into the air where it clattered against the floor and earned more shrieks from passing students.
Percy felt a sudden bout of rage rise in his chest. "This is what I'm talking about, Professor! They think everything is a joke, even when someone could be hurt!"
Fred snickered. "Percy, Percy, always so whiny."
"Probably still wets the bed," George added.
"Stop this at once!" McGonagall yelled only to be met with more laughter from the twins.
McGonagall raised her wand and muttered a spell. At once the two sets of armour shuttered and creaked causing them to topple over. The twins giggled like maniacs as they fell into the stone floor, the chest of exploding snaps spreading out around them like a puddle.
"She's gone nutters," Fred laughed. "Thinks the armour's doing this!"
Percy stared at them in objective horror, struggling to comprehend what was happening. Never once in his life had he considered that the twins could be so totally defiant of any and all authority. He struggled to imagine what their mum would do when she eventually found out.
"The both of you! Explain yourselves this instance!"
"Armour can't talk," George said matter of factly.
McGonagall sighed deeply and shook her head. "They've been bewitched."
Percy tilted his head slightly as he looked down at his brothers. There was a glassiness to their eyes that he hadn't noticed. They certainly weren't under the imperius curse but there was something clearly wrong with them.
McGonagall's expression shifted into annoyance. Without a word, she pointed her wand at the twins and cast another spell. Thick shimmering ropes of magic sprang from the tip of her wand and wrapped around the twins, drawing them together and with uncanny precision. The spell bound their arms together before they could throw any more snaps and bound them tightly enough to stop any squirming.
"Oi! What's this!" Fred protested, his voice rising. "We're under attack, George!"
"I see it, Fred!" George agreed. "Must be Peeves, bloody poltergeist!"
McGonagall flicked her wand and both twins rose into the air a few inches from the ground, their limbs laying limp against their magical binding.
McGonagall turned to Percy. "I will take these two at once to the infirmary," she said sternly. "Mr Weasley, would you please assist me in gathering up all of this contraband that your brothers have left lying around? We can not risk other students stumbling over it. You can place it in my office when you have finished. I will retrieve you when you have finished, while your brothers are in the infirmary, we can seize the rest of their collection from their dormitory."
Percy nodded and looked around at the mess, it all seemed a little overwhelming. Despite this, he couldn't help but feel like he had finally done something good for Ron. Done something that would stop the twins from attacking his younger brother. A small smile played on his lips. Only, he swallowed as he watched McGonagall carry the twins bewitched the twins?