Hello! I couldn't keep my imagination at bay now that it's finally returned. I apologise for the delay but work is a nightmare! I'd love to know why, when I have time to write, does my imagination run away? Then, when I not longer have the time, it decides to grace me with it's presence. Anyway here we go, one more chapter to sooth your souls.
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Chapter Twenty Three
By Rosa241
Percy POV:
I've never been so happy to be going back home in my life. There was a time when I never thought I'd be happier going back home than staying at school but I am. It'll be nice to be away from the pressure of having to be in charge all the time, of having to be one step ahead of everyone. A tap on the shoulder distracts me from my thoughts.
"Perce!" Oliver practically yells in my ear. Giving him a shove to one side I can't help but respond in kind.
"What?" He gives me a bemused look before smirking.
"Ah so you are in there then. There is someone at home." The occupants of the prefect's carriage giggle slightly before stopping, probably waiting to see how I'd react.
"Oh very funny. What exactly is it you felt the need to deafen me for?" Shaking his head he speaks once again, gesturing to one side with a smirk.
"Laura was just asking what you're doing over Christmas." It takes a hell of lot of effort to contain the groan that wants to come out.
"Sorry Laura I was in a world of my own there. Actually my older brothers are coming home. Mum and dad were going to visit Charlie but they changed their minds." She gives me a grateful smile. Laura always tries to start the conversations but we're not a group of talkative people, at least when she's around.
"Where do your brothers live then?" She turns to me fully now, seemingly grateful to have someone to talk to.
"Well Charlie works with dragons in Romania and Bill works in Egypt as a curse breaker." Her eyes light up at this and it becomes frightening clear why no one answers her questions.
"Curse breaker? Ooh that sounds dead interesting? Oh, I probably shouldn't say it that way but you know what I mean. What does a curse breaker do? Oh I bet its loads of fun, mind you it's probably really dangerous-" thankfully Oliver steps into the conversation and cuts her off.
"How does Charlie like working with Dragons Percy?" It was obvious by now that he was bored but he's trying anyway. "He was always mad about animals."
"Loves it. He's always loved animals but dragons are a particular favourite of his. Quite why I don't know but each to their own I guess." Several people chime in on this, each weighing their own opinion of dragons into the conversation and thankfully Laura finds someone else to interrogate for the remainder of the journey.
Before long the train pulls into the station and I can't help but sigh in relief. Although it's only been a few months since I left for Hogwarts it feels like a lot longer. With everything that's happened since we left back in September I feel like we've been gone for years. Something inside of me feels like I just need to be back with my family again.
It doesn't take long to navigate the platform and reunite with my siblings. As I wander towards them a smile crosses my face. Ron and Fred are arguing about something that apparently happened on the train, George is determinedly trying to get a small rubber spider into Ron's pocket whilst Harry and Hermione are helping Neville off the floor.
"Right everyone over there." I yell over the noise, pointing towards a quieter patch of the platform. As everyone shuffles over Neville somehow winds up on the floor once again.
"Oi!" Harry shouts towards the smirking Draco Malfoy who attempts to leave triumphant. Unfortunately he hadn't quiet counted on Oliver who grabs him by the arm and drags him back. Neville was officially under my best friend's protection which meant that Draco needed to be very careful about how he acted from here on out.
"Apologise now." He struggles to get out of the Scots grip but he never will. "Go on."
"What on earth do you think you're doing to my son?" A figure I recognise from my former life steps into view and I can't help but feel my heart stop beating momentarily. Narcissa Malfoy steps up to Oliver who still refuses to let go of the tight grip on Malfoys forearm.
"You're his mother then?" Without waiting for an answer he ploughs on and says his piece. As much as I love Olivers protective side, when it's not aimed at me at least, his fierce nature doesn't always allow him to think things through. "Well then maybe I should tell you all about how your son thinks it's funny to trip people up on the hard platform floor. Neville could have gotten seriously hurt but apparently he still thinks that's funny."
"I think you need to let him go right now." She takes a step forward but Oliver isn't going to let up, she's never met the over protective teen before. I don't envy her...or him for that matter.
"Not until he actually apologises. He's been going on at Neville for months now and I don't think it's right. Neville deserves an apology." For a moment I seriously think she might whip her wand out there and then, the twitching of her hand is interrupted by yet another voice. This one I don't recognise until I spot her wandering over to the group.
"Neville dear. I'm sorry I'm late." An older woman dressed in an interesting choice of colours bustles towards the group. Neville pales slightly before offering the woman in question a small smile.
"Hi Gran." That seems to send Narcissa back a few paces.
"You're Neville's grandmother?" At the nod Oliver turns to face her with his grip on Draco never wavering. "Well then perhaps I should leave this with you. Malfoy here apparently thinks it's funny to trip Neville up on the platform, surprised he isn't hurt. We're still waiting on an apology."
"Well dear thank you for letting me know. You're the boys mother I presume." Everyone around us goes silent as Neville's Grandmother politely stamps Narcissa down. Within ten minutes Neville has been offered an apology from not only Draco but from his mother as well. As the two stalk off into the distance she turns to the group with a smile.
"Well it was very nice to meet you all but we must be going. Neville dear have you got everything?" Neville turns pale as he checks his pocket before a helpful Hermione places Trevor in hands. It doesn't take long before he's shuffling off with his Gran whilst Hermione heads off with her parents.
"That's my parents over there." Oliver blushes furiously as his mother begins waving frantically whilst his dad gently taps his watch. Rolling his eyes the scot turns to the group. "Right you ugly lot I best be off. Have a good Christmas. See you Perce!"
McGonagall POV:
As I wander towards Albus' office my anger continues to grow. Those damn muggles! How could they treat him like this? How could they possibly treat him this way? He's a child. No matter the circumstances that he came to live with them they should have treated him as one of their own. Mind you I told Albus at the time that leaving him with those muggles wasn't a good idea. But that bloody man was adamant that leaving him with them was for the best.
"Albus we need to talk about Harry Potter." Turning to me he nods before taking a seat at his desk, ushering me to take the seat opposite him.
"I must admit that I've been expecting this. After receiving Mollys letter I rather thought that you'd be in here as soon as you 'd read it." I almost was. It was simply for the sake of that boy that I hadn't marched right up here. "Now what exactly have you found out Minerva."
"Well I've spoken to Molly and Arthur, they don't know a lot really but then again why would they? They barely know the boy." And yet they've invited him for Christmas. It's surprising really just how caring that family truly is. Hearing that they would be taking him for Christmas had taken a wright off of my mind. "As for Harry well…until we have a better idea of what is going on I think it best to wait before speaking to him."
"Yes, no point in upsetting the boy over what I'm sure is just a misunderstanding." Raising an eyebrow I'm sure my confusion must be evident. "You know far better than I Minerva that children do have a habit of exaggerating the facts. For all we know Harry's aunt and uncle are loving parents who care for Harry as their own. Perhaps there is some truth to the rumours of their not getting on but that doesn't mean to say that the boy is being abused."
I hate to admit that he's got a point there. There's nothing to suggest that Harry has been abused, at least nothing that I've seen, and children do tend to exaggerate. It may well be that Ron has simply over reacted to whatever it is that his friend has told him. But then…
"Then you tell me Albus why on earth would someone as bright and logical as Percy Weasley be worried and concerned enough to send a letter home to his mother asking for advice. If this is all just silly rumours getting out of control then why would Percy be under the impression that the poor lad sleeps in a cupboard?" I can't get over the look in the young mans eyes as we spoke. It was clear to me that he was worried and also that he knew more than he was willing to let on. He's not that good a liar.
"Minerva until we have spoken to Harry then I think we should put our concerns on hold. Right now he is safely at home with the Weasleys and I think we can all guarantee that Molly and Arthur are taking particularly good care of him right now. After all if there are issues at home then Harry will be the best person to ask." It's clear to me that there is something he's holding back, there's more to this than meets the eye. The problem with Albus is that he's not always keen on sharing his information with everyone.
Turning to leave I can't help but feel the anger rise in me once more. If that man thinks that I'm going to wait until after Christmas to get to the bottom of this then he's got another thing coming. As the plan forms in my mind I can't help but grin.
Charlie POV:
"I mean bloody hell Charlie you could have showered at least." Rolling my eyes at my only older brother I shake my head.
"Oh and I suppose you smell like a bed of roses do you?" Bill snorts but still continues to give me a disapproving look. Deciding to change the subject I speak again. "How the hell are we supposed to find them in this lot!"
There had to be hundreds of people on this flipping platform, quite how we were meant to be finding our brothers in this mess I don't know. Gazing round I can see some vaguely familiar faces but there are fewer faces that I recognise these days. Man that makes me feel old!
"You know I barely recognise anyone here." Bill says almost as if he was reading my mind. Gazing out into the sea of bodies I sigh heavily. "How long until the train gets here?"
"Should be about another ten minutes. Why did we get here early? We know full well that the train won't arrive early, it never has." I hate waiting around. Bill sniggers slightly at my expression but says nothing. He knows full well why we're here so early.
Bill had gotten home the previous evening whilst I'd arrived that morning and neither of us had really settled since we got back. Ever since I found out about that man being in our house my minds been working over drive. I know that Dumbledore tested them, that there's nothing wrong with them but that doesn't stop my mind from whirling. Of course it was a relief to know that they weren't hurt or anything but I'm still worried. To be honest until I set eyes on them myself I don't think I'll be able to relax at all.
"Won't be long now." Turning to look at my brother I can see he's thinking the same things as me. We need to see them to know that they're okay. It hadn't been easy for either of us to get the time off from work. Thankfully my boss was a relatively kind woman, a harsh and terrifyingly blunt woman but relatively kind all the same. When she'd learnt what had happened she'd allowed me to work some over time in order to give me Christmas off. With the promise of course that I worked the first two weekends when I got back. Not that I enjoyed working weekends mind you but it'll be worth it to see that they were alright and to see the family of course.
For Bill it hadn't been as easy. Goblins weren't the most affectionate of creatures and merlin knows that getting the week off wasn't as straight forward as he'd like us to believe. If it were up to Bill he'd have us believe that he just convinced them but I know that's not true. No doubt he promised he'd do something ridiculously dangerous when he got back there.
"There they are!" Bill's shouts interrupted my thoughts. Following his gaze I could feel my heart finally beginning to settle as I laid eyes on my family.
Thank merlin!
And I think I'll leave it there!
A couple of points about this chapter. I wanted to give Oliver a proper storyline rather than just having him be Percy's side kick. It occurred to me that Percy can't possibly be everywhere at once. I've already written Oliver as the over protective type for Percy so why not for Neville as well. I've said this before but I'll say it again. The fact that nothing was ever done to help Neville with his bullying really gets to me. As a teacher I know that it just wouldn't happened, I fully appreciate that JK Rowling had more important things to think about (evil dark wizards for one) but poor Neville didn't seem to get any help.
Secondly I really want to do something about Harry's treatment by the Dursleys. If everyone knew how bad it was then why was he allowed to stay there? Dumbledore is the only one who knew about the blood protection. McGonagall doesn't strike me as being the type of person to allow someone to be mistreated as such, especially given the way she clearly feels about Harry. But there's no need to worry now as she's officially a woman on a mission! And that is one woman I wouldn't want to cross!
Thirdly I want more Bill and Charlie! They're the older two of the family yet when the stuff hits the fan neither of them were there really until after the fourth book (I know they showed up for the Quidditch World Cup but that was about it). The family went through plenty (curtsey of Ron mostly) in the first four books yet they didn't seem to just pop over and check up on anyone.
Anyway until next time,
Bye Bye x