And they were roomates

by Swanishdynamite

Summary:

Judging by his assault of Flint, he also solved conflicts by violence. Which was a less than appealing quality in a roommate.

Percy spoke to him out of courtesy but all he really wanted was to read his copy of Hogwarts: a history, write his mother and go to bed.

Hopefully Oliver would understand to stay out of eachothers way for the years they would live together. Although as he looked up to meet Oliver's big grin under sparkling brown eyes, he had an inkling that was wishful thinking.

 

-‐-‐----------------------

“we're friends!"

"W-we are?" Percy stuttered nervously and relaxed a bit under the weight of Oliver.

"Of course! Wouldn't like to spend the next seven years with an enemy, would I?"

----‐---‐------------------

This is gonna be a long, LONG slowburn fic that starts on the trainride to their first year... and I guess we'll see where it ends. We'll get to follow their whole stay at Hogwarts at least, and then some!

All we know is they were roomates, and possibly soulmates.

Notes:

This is gonna be a long one, and it will take a while.
I hope you'll enjoy the journey!

Chapter 1: Year 1 - you must be a Weasley

He was being tugged along the platform, an unwilling participant in a stressful situation that was in no way his fault. Collateral damage in a family of nine. Scrunching up his face as the smoke from the train cut in front of him and he was dragged through it. His father's grip was like iron on his arm.

 

"Dad, please I can walk on my own!" 

 

"We'll miss the train Percy, we have to hurry!" 

 

Yeah, and who's fault is that? Percy thought, glaring at the back of his father's head. Further ahead his brothers Charlie and Bill stood. Holding up the door so their little brother could board at the last minute.

 

"Jumper!" Arthur Weasley shouted as he threw in the green knitwear at his middle child. Percy frowned.

 

Mom would've made sure there was time for a proper goodbye, he thought resentfully, but softened at the look of immense pride on his father's face as he started running along the platform. Waving wildly. The other parents that were still lingering for a final wave were staring. Percy blushed fiercely which showed so clearly on his pale face. Everyone would see, they'd know that they had gotten here so late. Not even time for a goodbye hug. Poor and unorganized. 

 

"Go be brilliant!" Arthur's voice was heard somewhere beyond the mist, no longer able to keep up with the train which was gaining speed.

 

Percy told himself he didn't need a hug, already eleven and used to having to fight for scraps of attention with his six siblings.  He didn't even need his two elder brothers to stay with him. Bill had already disappeared, sensing this, but not before he had put away Percy's trunk for him. Percy did however still carry a battered old suitcase, big enough to drop against the floor when he held it, and a cage with a shabby old rat. 

 

Charlie still stood by his side, clasping his shoulder.

 

"You can go too" Percy said as he slipped out of Charlie's grip and walked determinedly through the carriage. 

 

"You sure you want to be alone?" Charlie asked and chuckled at the pointed look Percy gave him. Knowing it was a stupid question.

 

"Yeah fine, just know me and Dora'll be a few compartments down if you need me, yeah?"

 

Percy nodded solemnly and slid inside the first compartment that had an available seat. Greeting the other young students inside, to make it appear as if he was making friends. Charlie chuckled again and left him there. Percy waited until he saw him disappear, promptly ignoring the other students trying to get his attention. Then he stepped out and kept walking. Ducking his head at the sight of anyone that knew him, searching for somewhere empty of people. It proved difficult when you arrived almost last. Eventually he slid inside a bathroom and sat down on the porcelain seat. He sighed as the door closed, locking out the sounds from the busy train.

 

Finally, silence.

 

He took a deep breath and leaned back. If he was lucky he could spend the entire ride there.

 

Silence wasn't a luxury afforded by a Weasley. Just like nothing much was affordable to them in general. He looked at his shabby suitcase where he knew his brother's old robes lay. He held up the old cage containing Scabbers, his rat, and stared into his eyes. Sometimes he almost thought he looked as if he pitied Percy.

 

"Don't give me that look, I like being alone" he said and lowered him again. 

 

He didn't get to enjoy the peace for long before someone pounded on the door. He stepped out reluctantly and went to find Bill. He'd rather sit with Bill than Charlie, Bill wouldn't tease him or give him noogies. He only found Charlie though, sitting next to some girl with weird pink hair.

 

"OH HEY" the girl exclaimed enthusiastically when she saw him "you must be Percy!" 

 

Percy sat down in an empty seat and looked back into the corridor.

 

"No one talk to me" he muttered and held Scabbers cage closer to his chest.

 

Charlie slapped him over the head. Scabbers squeaked in protest as the jerk of Percy's body shook his cage.

 

"At least say hi" his brother said and Percy grumbled and looked at the now blue haired witch. Percy figured she was a metamorphmagus and didn't comment.

 

"Hi Dora" he said sourly and extended a hand. She shook it as her whole face shone up brightly.

 

"You know my name?"

 

Percy just rolled his eyes.

 

"Charlie said he'd sit with Dora so wasn't difficult to figure out"

 

She just laughed.

 

"So you're as clever as Charlie said"

 

This did soften Percy's features and he looked curiously at his brother who shook his head.

 

"He's got more brain than what's good for him" Charlie said and met Percy's eye, grinning.

 

They did sort of leave Percy to his own thoughts after the basic introductions. Charlie and Dora started talking about quidditch, especially about the fact Charlie had been made captain now in his fourth year at Hogwarts and Dora was very impressed by this. She expressed her wish to be made captain of her own team next year, which was hufflepuff. Percy also picked up on the fact Charlie called her Nymphadora when he wanted to tease her and she really didn't like it. 

 

Percy changed into his robes way earlier than he had to, just because he was bored and prefered to have things done in proper time. That way he didn't have to rush.

 

He then excused himself saying he'd walk around for a bit. Took Scabbers out of his cage to bring him with him, but left his suitcase and the cage behind.

 

He stopped at a window which stood ajar and let Scabber look outside at the billowing Scottish landscape. His whiskers fluttered in the wind and he looked like he enjoyed himself.

 

"Cool rat" a grim looking boy who stood way too close said and stared at Scabbers "he's missing a toe, did his mom eat it?"

 

The boy was wearing rather fancy wizard robes but his teeth were crooked and his face pudgy like a bulldog. Same signs of inbreeding as a purebred dog , Percy thought. So probably a pureblood.

 

"Why?" Was all Percy could say. Scabbers looked offended as well.

 

"They sometimes eat their youngins right?" The boy said grinning. As if the thought appealed to him. 

 

"I don't know what happened to him, he was like that when we got him" Percy said and shrugged. 

 

"I'm Marcus" the boy said, introduction unprompted and sudden. Percy didn't answer.

 

"You're a Weasley right?" The boy continued when he figured Percy wouldn't introduce himself back. 

 

"My dad says your family's trash, blood traitors" 

 

Percy furrowed his brow and placed Scabbers on his shoulder, turning to face the other boy for the first time.

 

"How do you know I don't just happen to have red hair?" 

 

Marcus grinned. Showing all his most prominent crooked teeth.

 

"If you know they have red hair, then you must be" 

 

Percy scoffed.

 

"What do you care?" 

 

"I don't. I just thought your rat was cool and at least you're not a mudblood"

 

It sent a shiver down Percy's spine and he couldn't help the intense return of the crease in his brows. It was as if Marcus had just sworn directly in his face. Well he basically had. And the way he said it, no emphasis, just casually like he'd say someone was english. 

 

Percy didn't answer, just turned on his feet and started walking away.

 

"So you are a blood traitor!?" Marcus shouted after him. Percy didn't answer.

 

Charlie had said he'd met and befriended Dora on the train his first year, and that making friends on the journey was easy. Apparently it was very common that the people you hung out with on that first journey, sharing expectations and excitements, became your friends. The nerves brought them together. In fact most people made their first friends on the train. When they arrived at the station in Hogsmeade, Percy had not.

 

All the first years were gathered in a pile on the platform and Percy longingly looked at the carriages that Charlie and Dora got to step into. It seemed much more appealing than going out on a cold lake in a unsturdy boat. It was tradition, but it was stupid. 

 

"Why can't we also go in the carriages?" He asked the giant man who was supposed to take them. He didn't get an answer as another boy had hit Marcus right across the face. Percy didn't even bother to look their way as he wasn't surprised Marcus had pissed someone off enough to give him a wack. He did get a bit put out that the big man didn't get to answer him, in order to instead separate the bickering boys, and then they were shuffled into the boats.

 

Percy sat next to the boy who had hit Marcus, who frankly looked much healthier than Marcus did. With soft brown eyes that didn't cease looking warm and inviting even as he glared at Marcus. Even as he sat in a boat several meters away, he kept his eyes on the other boy that had apparently offended him. He muttered under his breath, Percy detected an accent but wasn't sure which one. 

 

Percy didn't mind this as it meant he didn't have to speak to him. Instead he picked up the book he'd kept in his suitcase along with his robes, and started reading. As he had intended to do on the train but not found the proper quiet for. The sploshing from the lake as they got pulled along the dark water and the mutterings from the boy next to him proved the perfect ambiance. It frankly didn't bother him at all that the other boy made noise the entire way. It sort of reminded him of the distant ruckus in the burrow and as much as he claimed he hated sharing his space, he kind of felt at ease in it. 

 

He didn't look up from his book until his sorting, and only because he was asked to by Professor McGonagall. Thankfully his immersion in Hogwarts:a history, had not left any room to feel nervous about his sorting. Not that there was much to be nervous about. He was a Weasley, Weasley's were always put in gryffindor like some cruel joke. They had red hair so naturally they needed to be in the red house. Percy wouldn't have minded ravenclaw though, he was also highly ambitious.

 

The hat almost laughed in his ear as he disappeared in the soft darkness of fabric.

 

Another Weasley? Don't worry I won't just put you in Gryffindor because of that. No… ravenclaw huh? Suppose you do have the mind for it, but they don't hold a monopoly on clever students you know… 

 

Percy tried to even out his breathing, pretending he was indifferent. Suddenly he had the gnawing suspicion he'd end up a hatstall and he'd never hear the end of it.

 

Patience, we want to get this right. You're a worrier, just like your mother. Why do you pretend you don't care? Being doting and caring are good traits you know.

I'd like to see what Hufflepuff could make of you. 

 

Percy scrunched up his nose in confusion. Actually maybe that wouldn't be so bad. Still his mother might be disappointed.

 

Perhaps not, perhaps we better stick to… yes, I think we'll put you in…

 

He could only see the inside of the hat but he could sense his brother's confused eyes on him. Normally the hat barely nudged a Weasley's head before shouting out

 

"GRYFFINDOR!"

 

He still waited for McGonagall to remove the hat. As suspected a lot of people looked confused, people he didn't even know, but not Charlie. Charlie looked concerned, pitying. Percy hated that.

 

He sat down on his own corner, away from the other redheads and started reading his book again. The boy with the accent from the boat got sorted right after him. Both W's it appeared. He sat down next to Percy with a hello, Percy just nodded but didn't look up from his reading so the boy instantly engaged in conversation with a girl who had also been sorted into gryffindor that day.

 

The first time Percy Weasley actually laid proper eyes on Oliver Wood was at the dorms. He'd kept reading the entire time, already feeling familiar with the castle from his brother's stories and his reading.

 

Sitting down on his bed was the first time he put down his copy of 'Hogwarts: a history of magic' since he picked it up at the boats. He'd nearly missed that dinner had ended, if not for his brother Bill stepping up and pulling him out of his seat.

 

He even managed to eat while reading, but he certainly didn't leave it alone long enough to notice who he was supposedly sharing a dorm with for the upcoming seven years. Albeit he should've realized as soon as Oliver had sat down by his table after sorting. Perhaps that was why he hadn't been sorted into ravenclaw, missing the obvious like that.

 

When he did notice Oliver Wood he noticed he was Scottish. That's what the accent was. He had already figured from the vocabulary but Oliver told him anyway. He also told him he loved Quidditch, and then that was all he talked about. 

 

He spoke of Quidditch with such energy and movements that Percy thought he was going to fall down the side of his bed any minute.

 

As Percy looked around he realized they were the only boys in their dorm, which was less roommates than he'd suspected but a pleasant surprise. This did mean he'd get more space and alone time, something he had hoped for escaping the crowded Burrow, which they called their home.

 

This place was like an expensive vacation in comparison

 

He also noticed that Oliver was fairly short for his age but strong looking. With a healthy tan and mousy brown curls falling down in his eyes, he blew them out of his eyes as if it bothered him. Judging by his assault of Flint, which was what Percy decided to call Marcus now that he knew his last name, he also solved conflicts by violence. Which was a less than appealing quality in a roommate.

 

Percy spoke to him out of courtesy but all he really wanted was to read his copy of Hogwarts: a history, write his mother and go to bed.

 

Hopefully Oliver would understand to stay out of eachothers way for the years they would live together.

Although as he looked up to meet Oliver's big grin under sparkling brown eyes, he had an inkling that was wishful thinking.

Chapter 2: Year 1 - Oliver Wood has decided to be Percy Weasley's friend

Notes:

I realized how insane it is for Scottish students to travel all the way to London, just to take a train back to Scottland. So I made something up about a second train.

I'll probably do that a lot in this fic, make thing's up I mean... but I'll do it as canon complying as possible.

And for my American readers, when Oliver mentions rubbers: Rubbers=erasers.

The first time Oliver Wood laid eyes on Percy Weasley he was standing on a cold platform in Hogsmeade.

 

Oliver had arrived much like his Scottish peers by the Hogsmeade expressline which had recently been put in as an attachment to the famous Hogwarts express. This being a result from those who lived close to Hogwarts understandably resenting having to travel the entire country, to London, only to travel right back again. Initially there had been a lot of fuzz from pureblood gits not wanting to travel by muggle contraption as they said. As a direct consequence it had become compulsory to take the train, and so the result had been that it fucked over the entire Scottish and North Irish community. Oliver knew a lot about Hogwarts traveling politics because of this. Oliver's da and uncle used to say, those purebloods ruin everything . Which was ironic since they themselves were technically purebloods, although married to muggles. His ma said nothing of the sort since she was said muggle, and didn't see the issue with taking a train, especially now that they had set one up to bring the northerners on their own route. His da still argued it would be easier to floo. 

 

His da stood next to him now, smoking a pipe. For about ten minutes before the train had arrived Oliver had entertained himself by pretending he was smoking too, his hot breath fogging up as it hit the cool scottish september air. His da chuckled.

 

"Oi, Hagrid, awright there? Long time no see" His da said to someone, as someone cut out the lights above them. Towering the two Scotsmen in shadow.

 

"Bram Wood! Haven't seen you since you was a student! This must be your son then"

 

"Aye, this is Oliver" his da said as he nudged Oliver to attention. Oliver looked up expecting a man and twitched in surprise at the half giant.

 

"Oliver this is Hagrid, he's been the groundskeeper since I was at Hogwarts. You're in good hands with him"

 

Oliver just nodded, unable to keep his eyes off the man. Just then the signal horns announced the arrival of the train and it was time for him and his da to say goodbye.

Bram Wood apparated away quickly, leaving Oliver alone in Hagrid’s care. Hagrid kept hoarding the first years his way like a flock of sheep, and waited until they were the only ones left on the station. 

 

Oliver still stared at Hagrid towering over them impressively. He might've looked scary, but his da trusted him, so Oliver did as well. A redhead had claimed Hagrid’s attention, looking irritated and determined. Still Hagrid looked kind and patient, even as he was lectured by an eleven year old. The student demanded attention, not verbally just by how he carried himself. Oliver couldn’t help stare at him. 

 

"Can't believe they'd leave us with the halfbreed. I'll tell my dad he almost drowned us then. They'll have him sent off to Azkaban immediately" a boy said to another. His grin cruel and entitled. So Oliver battered him right in his gob face and would've kept hitting unless Hagrid had stepped in. If only this boy knew that Hagrid might just have saved his dumb pureblood ass. Cause that must’ve been what he was. Oliver thought about what his da and uncle said, damn purebloods ruin everything , and he was prepared to agree.

Oliver was thankful to be sorted into the same house as the tall redhead rather than Flint and his mates, even though the redhead didn't even talk to him. He caught his name to be Percy though. 

 

Oliver spoke to the girls instead since no other boys seemed to have been sorted into gryffindor that year. There were three of the girls, Eveline Alistair had been sorted first, then Lauren Bones and, lastly Imogen Zimmerman who was the only one sorted after the boys. 

Oliver thought they were a cosy little bunch, even though they were few. Apparently there had never been so few elected to Gryffindor in a year and Oliver felt sort of proud to be special.

Most of their year were sorted into Hufflepuff.

Flint, the rude boy, had been sorted into Slytherin along with his friends from the station.

 

When he got his first proper good look at Percy, clutching a thick old book in his hand that looked centuries old, he thought that he looked very clever. Proper canny that one, he assumed at least. 

It was first when they had been escorted to their dorm and Oliver was dangling his short legs over the side of his bed that he had the opportunity to actually talk to Percy Weasley.

 

"Heya! The name's Oliver, Oliver Wood. I'm Scottish. Where are you from?" he said, his Scottish accent rolling over his lips good naturedly. Something he'd been taught to take pride in. Especially if anyone gave him lip about it.

 

Percy perked his head up to this but said nothing, a shy hint of a blush on his pale and freckled cheeks. Seemingly taking in Oliver's appearance judging by the way he scanned over him. 

 

He raised his book again. Sharp blue eyes peering up over the edge of it, still calculating.

 

"Well, that's a really old book you got there!" Oliver exclaimed and waited for the other to say something back.

 

Percy had opened his mouth, perhaps to speak, but Oliver had grown impatient and had started rambling

 

"I had a really old book once, it was Quidditch through the ages but then dad bought me a brand new one. See, that's my favourite thing in the whole world! I'm gonna play myself when I'm old enough, dad says I have a talent for it!"

 

He was wailing his arm around as he spoke, mimicking a beater's movements as he got into detail about different strategies he knew.

 

His new roommate wrinkled his nose at his behaviour, but still said nothing.

 

However Oliver did not fret much over it and kept talking.

 

"Do you even know what Quidditch is, are you muggle-born I mean?"

 

His roommate scrunched up his nose like he was offended and shook his head. A lump weighted down in Oliver's stomach. Wishing intently he wasn't one of those purebloods. If he was so offended by the idea someone could mistake him for a muggle and all.

 

"I happen to come from a rather old wizard family actually" he finally said and Oliver was utterly amazed by how mature he sounded.

 

"Well, sorry" he blurted out suddenly grinning "I'm not"

 

He had started jumping on the bed now.

 

"My mom's a muggle" he divulged and kept jumping even though the other boy was now looking at him funny. Somewhat disapproving, like Oliver's mother would've. Oliver didn't get why he wouldn't jump on the bed when they had the liberty to do such.

 

"Family old like your book then, I suppose it's inherited?"  

 

Oliver probably should have guessed that a muggle wouldn't have such an old book about magic anyway, but Oliver wasn't exactly the brightest. 'Too many ol' bludgers to the noggin', his uncle used to say in a joking manner, but even Oliver wasn't as stupid as so many bludgers would probably make a person.

 

Percy snorted even more offended and closed his book that had been resting in his lap.

 

"Not that it's any of your concern but yes, I never said we were very rich now did I?" he put the book down on his bedside table and proceeded to pull out his pajamas from his worn old trunk. Oliver even managed to realize he should look ashamed.

 

"Hey, I'm sorry… I really am! What's your name by the way?" Oliver jumped down into sitting, bed squeaking in discomfort. He already knew his name, but he didn’t want to appear like a stalker. Or even worse what if he’d gotten it wrong and accidentally mixed him up with someone else. He dangled his feet again and smiled big and hopefully inviting.

 

"It's Percy Weasley…" Percy proceeded to put his pyjamas on and then sat down on his bed "and we should go to bed because we start our academic studies tomorrow and it's very important that we make a good first impression on all the teachers"

 

"We'll be starting our what'?" Oliver found himself ask, flabbergasted. 

 

"Lessons, you know… the reason we are here" Percy said with a sigh and crawled into bed.

 

"Right!" Oliver shot out of the bed and nearly stumbled over his trunk as he pulled out his pajamas, messing up everything his mother had folded in the process. He couldn't be bothered; he was just an eleven-year old boy after all.

 

He changed rather ungracefully and almost fell into his own bed as he crawled under the sheets. He felt lucky to be rooming with Percy, feeling giddy and warm inside and very excited for the first day of classes. He looked to the only other bed in the room where steady breathing now indicated that Percy was sleeping soundly. The room was eerily quiet and Oliver could hear his own heartbeat thumping in his ears. In the end he rested uneasily for hours, somewhere between sleeping and not. He woke up tired and alone, Percy had already left for breakfast. 

 

Realizing he might miss it if he didn’t hurry he threw his robes on and ran down. Percy wasn’t there either, probably already on his way to classes. Oliver grabbed a toast and an apple, shugged a glass of pumpkin juice and winced at the sweetness. He missed the familiarity and tang of common orange juice. As he started to run back out he  scanned the table and realized they did have orange juice. He decided to try that tomorrow and see if it tasted the same as the muggle kind his mother bought. A 6th year prefect interrupted his sprint and handed him his schedule with a chuckle. Oliver was about to keep running but stopped and stared up the tall redhead with a look of contemplation. The older boy quirked an eyebrow.

 

“Did you have a question about your schedule?”

 

“Youb fnknow Pwcy?” Oliver asked with a mouthful of toast.

 

The boy chuckled again.

 

“Chew first, I have no clue what you asked me” the prefect had the same kind blue eyes as Percy. Oliver forced down a too big piece of bread and swallowed visibly straining.

 

“Do you know Percy?” he asked again and the older one shone up in an even brighter smile.

 

“Are you a friend of Percy?” the boy asked with an air of relief, beaming. It made Oliver’s heart quicken and he nodded enthusiastically before he took another big bite of his toast.

 

“I’m his brother Bill, tell him good luck for me” Bill said as he ushered Oliver out of the great hall “You better run though, McGonagall isn’t fair to stragglers, even on the first day”

 

As he took off down the stone floor he heard Bill shout after him.

 

“Have patience with him!”

 

Oliver wasn’t sure what he meant by that.

 

He couldn’t believe his luck when he noticed the seat next to Percy was still available, even as he had arrived so last minute. Perhaps he had kept it open for Oliver? He swelled with pride and joy at the idea that Percy had told their classmates the seat was occupied, and completely missed the perplexed look on Percy’s face as he dumped down beside him. Parchment and quills pouring out of his poorly packed school satchel.

 

“You made it” Percy said indifferently. Oliver was too busy looking at Percy’s carefully laid out school material and tried to mimic it on his own desk. It looked alright, better than everything strewn out in a random pile. Percy followed his actions curiously, his brow slightly creased. 

 

When Oliver looked up and met his eye he quickly turned his head.

 

“Wanna switch quills?” Oliver asked. Percy turned back abruptly and stared.

 

“Why would we do that?” he then threw an eye down at Oliver’s quill, and then to his own one which looked as if it had been crushed under the weight of books for years. It didn’t match Percy at all, everything was so carefully laid out but the things themselves looked old and worn. Oliver’s quill would probably soon look like that too, unless he gave it to Percy who would undoubtedly take care of it.

 

“Back in the village me and my friends used to exchange our rubbers, because we were mates you know” Oliver didn’t wait for Percy to accept, just placed his brand new quill in his hand. Although it did look slightly tousled already Percy held it as if it was made out of glass.

 

“I’ll probably just break mine anyway” he then grabbed Percy’s old one and held it to his parchment, ready to learn. 

 

As expected Percy was already brilliant, hoarding up points for gryffindor like it was as easy as breathing. In their shared history class with Slytherin, Flint glared their way, Oliver flipped him off. If Binns saw he didn’t say anything, but considering the ghostly man didn’t even stop his lecturing for questions Oliver had doubted he would. The professor seemed more like a recording than a teacher. Percy however did give him a disapproving look.

 

“If I was a prefect you’d lose some points for that one” he mumbled, never ceasing taking notes.

 

“But we hate him” Oliver said, Percy didn’t even correct him for assuming Percy was in on the animosity, just shrugged.

 

“Doesn’t mean we get to treat him any differently than anyone else, fair is fair” 

 

Oliver stared at him with big eyes.

 

“You’re so grown up Percy” he said with awe, Percy’s ears blushed fiercely red and he stared down into his desk and said nothing else.

 

At dinner Percy even let Oliver sit with him and his brothers. It seemed as if Percy had prefered for it to just be the two first years, but apparently the Weasley brothers' mother had asked them to spend their first dinner at Hogwarts together. Oliver didn’t understand why Percy sulked about that, he would’ve loved having brothers to eat with.

 

Charlie and Bill spent most of the dinner beaming at Oliver who talked animatedly about Quidditch with Percy. Oliver was just happy for the audience. He soon figured it was better to direct his thoughts at Charlie and Bill, who actually answered him in full sentences. 

 

“ Seven siblings? That’s a whole team!” he exclaimed excitedly when they told him.

“Was that the plan, did they intend that?”

 

Bill laughed.

 

“I don’t know, I’ll have to ask mom”  he said and nudged Percy under the table with his foot, to make him look up from his soup.

“But Percy doesn’t play so suppose that backfired”

 

“If they need seven players then dad can play” Percy said stubbornly and flung a bread roll at his brother. 

 

“I’ll make a player out of you some day” Oliver said smiling and threw a bread roll at Percy, wanting to be included. Percy flinched and stared, then he threw his second bread roll at Oliver. Bill had to freeze the fourth flying bun in the air and half heartedly reprimanded them. Charlie just stared in awe, a hint of a smile ghosting his lips as he stared between Oliver and Percy. Then he gave his brother Bill a big grin who returned it, the two older Weasley’s shared a look that Oliver didn’t understand. Instead he went back to telling Percy about what position he would suit. Percy ignored him and ate his soup.

 

Their second night at the castle felt a lot more familiar and they sat on Oliver’s bed sharing books and a bag of bertie botts. Percy didn’t seem to get a single bad one, or at least he didn’t let it show on his face when he did. He was either super lucky or extremely good at keeping in his emotions.

 

"Hey, Percy…" Oliver whispered even though there really was no need since they were alone in the dorm. They had got into their jammies and Percy was wearing slippers. Oliver kept his feet promptly underneath Percy’s for warmth since he didn’t have any.

 

"Yes?" Percy asked slowly, looking up to meet Oliver’s eye.

 

"Were you surprised to be sorted into Gryffindor?" he asked thoughtfully, plopping a bean into his mouth. It was passion fruit, not so bad. 

 

"A bit disappointed maybe, not surprised" he said slowly, hovered his hand over the bag of candy but didn’t take one. "My whole family has been in Gryffindor since as long as anyone can remember… I sort of wished I'd be in Ravenclaw though"

 

"Yeah, I thought so… you seem really canny" Oliver smiled half a smile, looking down at their merged feet for a second "I sometimes wish I was canny too… you're so lucky"

 

Percy had plopped another bean in his mouth and for the first time gave any indication that it had been foul, scrunching up his mouth and swallowing without chewing.

 

“What’s canny mean?” he asked and Oliver looked surprised.

 

“It’s all clever like” he said and Percy blushed again. This time his entire freckled face burst into scarlet.

 

There was a pause between them before Percy broke it, he had clearly been in deep thought for a while because he had made a sort of humming sound. Oliver only assumed it was a sound he made when summarizing what he had just thought about.

 

"You really think so?" he asked suddenly and Oliver nodded. "Thanks then… You know you're not as bad as I thought you would be Wood"

 

Oliver simply laughed at that.

 

"Thank you, I suppose... But please call me Oliver! You don't have to be so formal with me” Oliver said and absolutely beamed at how well everything was going. He shuffled his seat and wrapped his arm over Percy’s shoulders and leaned in.

 

“we're friends!" 

 

"W-we are?" Percy stuttered nervously and relaxed a bit under the weight of Oliver.

 

"Of course! Wouldn't like to spend the next seven years with an enemy, would I?"

 

Percy gave a short giggle and shifted his position. Hesitantly leaning his weight against Oliver.

 

"I suppose… friends then" and they both fell silent. After a few minutes of silent reading they were both sound asleep on Oliver’s bed. 

Chapter 3: Year 1 - the enemy in common will unify us

Even if Oliver used the phrase friends so carelessly Percy wasn’t sure he and Oliver were really more than acquaintances. Perhaps a casual friend. Still it was nice having someone to eat with and go to class with. He never had to fear sitting alone. Even if he did enjoy a good peace and quiet for a bit it was incredibly different to have chosen it than for it to be involuntary. Oliver didn’t really respect his quiet time though, so sometimes Percy took his book with him when he claimed he needed the bathroom, and sat inside the stall reading.

It was nice though, having someone who actually wanted you to hang out with them.

 

The worst part though, was his brother’s gleeful faces every time they saw them. Which was just infuriating, as if they really wanted to wedge in how astonishing it was for Percy to have made a friend. Oliver really liked Percy’s brothers too, which was why Percy was so confused when he entered their dorm once swearing over Charlie like he had cursed his mother. 

 

“Charlie sucks, I’ll show him someday!” Oliver kicked a pile of books and Percy would’ve used his magic to arrange them again if they weren’t all Oliver’s books. Percy had basically perfected the locomotion spell for these sorts of things but he didn’t bother this time. If Oliver didn’t care if the pages got creased or ripped that was his problem. 

 

“I know” was all Percy said first, then he looked up between his lashes curiously.

“But why do you think that?”

 

It was only natural for Percy to think his brothers sucked. However for Oliver who seemingly adored Charlie and his every little quirk, practically worshipped the ground he stepped on, it was strange indeed. Oliver who hadn’t grown tired of Charlie’s ramblings about beasts yet, which was worse now that he took magical care. Oliver who loved quidditch as much, if not more than Charlie. Oliver who idolized every bone in Charlie Weasley’s body. 

 

“He says he won’t even allow first years to try out for the team, I have to wait an entire year” Oliver tutted and kicked some sweaters this time.

 

“So? It’s just one year and it’s important to focus on the introductory classes” Percy said, smiling slightly at Oliver’s angry face. 

 

“You get to live your dream but I don’t, because Quidditch isn’t mandatory. So unfair, Quidditch is literally the only thing I wanted to do!”

 

Percy resisted the urge to call him out on how stupid that was, to go to a famous wizarding school only to play quidditch. He could sense Oliver was upset so he decided against lecturing. He even started rearranging his books for him after all. Not so much to help ease Oliver’s mind but mostly because it was finally starting to bother him that they just lay there on the floor. 

 

“Do you want to take revenge on him?” Percy asked instead and grinned as Oliver’s head shot up and he stared comically.

 

“Yes!” he exclaimed and ran over to Percy’s bed where he plopped down and placed his head in Percy’s lap. Which was sort of imposing but Percy didn’t say. 

“How?”

 

Percy looked at the books levitating and stacking themselves and grinned even wider.

 

---

 

“Are you sure it’s gonna explode in time?” Oliver asked, buzzing with energy. Percy hushed him.

 

“Yes” he whispered, Charlie always had the worst luck with exploding snap. It was as if the cards wanted to explode in his face. 

 

They weren’t exactly being inconspicuous. Sitting close and glancing down the gryffindor table where Charlie was sitting with his Quidditch friends. Talking animatedly, completely clueless to the card that was floating around him overhead. Percy was holding his wand under the table and just hoped no one had heard him whisper the incantation either. Not that the students around them paid the two boys much mind anyway. When he was sure no one was looking he dropped the card into Charlie’s cup of pumpkin juice and quickly put his wand back in his robe.

Oliver was gripping Percy’s sleeve like it was a lifeline, basically vibrating with excitement as he leaned forward. He was almost toppling over Percy.

 

“How long do you think it will take?” 

 

“Not long-” Percy started but was unable to finish his sentence as their Quidditch captain and Percy’s dear brother had just raised his cup to his lips. They held their breaths.

 

First nothing, then a soft bang followed by an immediate splash, as Charlie’s juice exploded up into his face. 

 

Oliver and Percy laughed.

 

Charlie seemed to stare into his cup with confusion, while his teammates laughed at his face and slapped his back. Charlie was looking around now but didn’t seem to even consider the two first years sitting a few rows down. It seemed like they would get away with it, then…

 

“Really?” Bill stood behind them, placing his big hands on both boys' shoulders. Percy tensed. 

“Can I have a word with you two outside”

Oliver was looking down at his feet, Percy on the other hand stood proudly and looked Bill defiantly in the eye. Bill had a hard time keeping a smile off his face.

 

“You always hate when the twins do that” Bill said, crossing his arms over his chest, trying to appear authoritative. It might’ve worked on someone else, if Bill hadn’t been Percy’s brother and basically invented putting exploding snap in the food.

 

“It’s funny when I do it” Percy said, crossing his arms too.

 

A soaked Charlie soon appeared.

 

“ You ” he said, narrowing his eyes at Percy.

 

“How would you know?” Percy said stubbornly and refused to even look at Charlie, afraid he’d waver and crack if he did. Charlie grabbed him under his arm anyway and gave him a noogie.

 

“What did I even do to you huh?” he said as Percy wailed for him to stop and started kicking his shins in retaliation. 

Bill sighed and with a flick of his wand his brothers were separated on either side of the hallway. Percy furiously tended to his tousled hair and stared at Charlie with a burning gaze. 

 

“Since it’s just a harmless prank I suppose just 3 points from gryffindor is alright”

Both Percy and Oliver looked devastated, Percy hadn’t lost a housepoint a day in his life. Granted it had only been one week. Still, this was terrible news for his track record.

 

“It was me, he was just helping me get revenge on Charlie, I’m the one who lost us the points” Oliver said, he had stepped in front of Percy now. As if he was worried the words from Bill’s mouth would physically come and slap him. As if losing points was something he could protect Percy from with his flesh and blood. Percy stared at him, somewhat honoured.

 

Charlie looked confused, Bill looked amused.

 

“Why?” Bill asked.

 

Oliver blushed, apparently unwilling to say.

 

“Bloody fucking hell, is this about Quidditch?” Charlie had split into a shit eating grin and was soon laughing “Really?”

 

He was laughing uncontrollably now.

 

“You twats really did all this because I said no first years can audition?”

 

Oliver was furrowing his brow now, probably feeling angry but looking like a put out teddy bear. Percy patted his back reassuringly.

 

“Don’t call them twats, knobhead” he heard Bill whisper to Charlie, assuming they wouldn’t hear. Percy knew he could use that against them. By telling their mother that her eldest were swearing so profusely in her absence, he decided to not be that brother today.

 

“It was important to Oliver” he said instead, causing his brother to turn his way with funny looks on their faces. Percy couldn’t quite determine what they were supposed to be. Mostly because he felt like he was getting reprimanded and scolded, but they both looked happy for him. He scrunched up his face and promptly just started walking away. Grabbing Oliver’s arm as he did, pulling him along. His steps were big and determined and clobbered over the stone floor, echoing. Oliver had to run to keep up.

 

“No more pranks!” Bill shouted after him.

 

“I do what I want!” Percy shouted back.

 

---

 

That was the perks of being the well behaved sibling. When he did step out of line he’d either get away with it because someone else got the blame, or he got off easy. He was feeling very pleased with himself. Oliver was still buzzing with energy. 

 

“What should we do next time?” he asked giddily, Percy just shrugged.

 

“I don’t think I’ll do anything for a while now, I’m not the prankster in the family”

 

“The twins?” Oliver asked, which Percy found very observant of him. He could only have heard the Weasley’s mention the twins a few times and he’d still made the connection. Percy gave him an impressed look and nodded.

 

“Fred and George, be happy you don’t have to meet those two for a few years”

 

“I’d love to meet your whole family” Oliver said dreamily and spread out like a starfish on Percy’s bed. 

 

“You don’t mean that” Percy assured him and nudged him in the side to make him give up some room. He eventually managed to squeeze down next to him, not commenting that he somehow got the least amount of space when it was his own goddamn bed. He was practically balancing for his life, to not fall off the edge. He had only been struggling for a few minutes when it suddenly started to feel like he had all the room in the world. The bed still looked the same, it just felt bigger. He turned on his side.

 

“Do you have siblings?” he asked, suddenly aware he didn’t know.

 

“Not yet, they’ll be born in January,” Oliver smiled proudly. “It’s very exciting”

 

Percy furrowed his brow, a bit concerned. Unsure how a single child like Oliver would suddenly take to having to share everything. Never having a quiet moment and constantly being compared. He analyzed him still selfishly spread out over bed like he owned it. How would he manage suddenly not being the center of everyone’s attention? It wasn’t always sunshine and roses having a sibling, but Percy didn’t have the heart to tell him that. He didn’t want to ruin it for him.

 

Besides... if he had managed to observe Percy and his brutish neanderthals of brothers, and still managed to be excited about having a sibling, perhaps he was made to be a brother after all. 

 

“That’s nice” he said and smiled. “wanna play exploding snap?”

 

Oliver didn’t answer, just instantly got up and collected the cards from his trunk.

 

If nothing else, Percy was the right person to prepare Oliver on what it meant to have siblings. He was basically the expert. He’d lend Charlie to him if he wanted, hell maybe he’d invite him over to the burrough for christmas so he’d really understand what he was getting himself into. Then again, what if he brought Oliver back home and the twins took claim over him like they did so many other things. Ron was only seven but he knew more about Quidditch than anyone Percy knew, well before he had met Oliver at least. No, perhaps he’d keep Oliver to himself for a bit longer. Oliver would have to make due with Percy’s theoretical lessons on siblinghood. 

Chapter 4: Year 1 - the rival

Oliver had been looking forward to flying lessons ever since he got his admittance letter. Not because he needed them, but because if anyone could help him get onto the quidditch team it had to be the flying instructor and quidditch administrator. He sort of guessed that if anyone had the power to veto Charlie’s stupid rule about first years it was Madame Hooch. If she could just see how good he was, she’d grab his arm and drag him in front of Charlie and insist he made him part of the team. Charlie would then have no choice but to let him, as Professor McGonagall burst out from her classroom saying she’d seen it all and wanted to personally second Madame Hooch's request. Oliver stood and stared dreamily into the sky as Percy nudged his side.

 

“Stop daydreaming” 

 

Oliver grinned cheekily and started to actually pay attention to what Hooch was saying, it was nothing he didn’t already know. He still followed her instructions as she said them, wanting to show himself at his best behaviour to win her favour. He stood still next to his broom and didn’t fiddle with anything. He even raised his hand when she asked questions, instead of blurting out his thoughts out loud. 

 

“The tail’s length and width will determine the air resistance but it can also depend on which material they’ve used. For example birch twigs, which is most commonly used, are actually a lot more flimsy than ironwood twigs which a lot of people tend to overlook because the trunk itself looks so massive” he took a large intake of breath and continued 

 

“So because the broom I’ve been given is thin and looks to be made of ash wood, and it has a common birch tail, I know I need to lean at least a twenty degree angle forward and keep my knees tight if I want to gain top speed on it”

 

Hooch was trying to suppress a smile, or perhaps the stiff half smile was just how she naturally smiled, either way she seemed impressed.

 

“Very good, 15 points to gryffindor Mr Wood” she seemed to pause and then chuckled to herself “Mr Wood, the wood expert”

 

The other students laughed, he felt a blush creeping in but tried to not let it hurt his pride. He had gained fifteen points after all, he deserved to be proud. 

 

“Only when it comes to brooms mam” he mumbled. 

 

Percy didn’t laugh, he was staring wide eyed at Oliver, mouth slightly hanging.

 

“How’d you…” Percy started to whisper as he stared at his own broom, seemingly at a loss. He probably couldn’t tell the difference between a Questfall 1976 and a 81 Hornet.

 

“I told you, I’ve read Quidditch through the ages at least fourteen times. I’ve memorized it” Oliver whispered back.

 

Madame Hooch had kept talking, they were all asked to ready themselves next to their brooms. Oliver did so, Percy didn’t. He kept staring at Oliver.

 

“ I’ve read Quidditch through the ages, some of that stuff you said isn’t even in it” 

 

“I researched it”

 

Percy looked even more impressed, finally Oliver got to swell with that well deserved pride. He couldn’t keep his grin off his face as he commanded his broom into his  hand and it immediately obeyed. Percy once more looked even more impressed, eyes bugging. 

Oliver mounted his broom and hovered slowly above the ground as he looked to Percy still struggling to gain control of his own broom. This was probably the first time Oliver was so much better at something than Percy, still as he looked around at their fellows who one by one managed to get their brooms up, Oliver got the sinking feeling Percy would be the last one standing.

 

“It’s a Hornet” he whispered “you need to bend your wrist slightly”

 

Percy nodded and discreetly looked at Oliver’s hand as he showed him how. At first it didn’t work and Percy’s blue eyes looked up, panicked and pleading.

 

“You’re in charge Percy” Oliver whispered again, nodding reassuringly. 

 

Percy tried again, the broom flipped up, somewhat aggressively but up nonetheless, and into his hand. Percy winced from the impact but pretended he didn’t as he mounted it quickly. He hovered quietly next to Oliver as the last of the students managed their brooms. The flying itself was no problem for either of them. 

 

It was apparent Percy had been flying before, even though he wasn't as proficient in broomhandling as Oliver. The two wizards flew their laps without a hitch and therefore went by quite unnoticed as Madame Hooch directed her attention toward the students still struggling with the art. Which wasn't a good thing when Oliver needed to impress. Oliver needed to be noticed, so it wasn't long before he started stunting in the air. Nothing grand at first, just slight twirls. He told Percy he was gonna race ahead and respected that Percy prefered to keep a steady pace. So their paths split and Oliver sped off. 

 

As the cold Scottish air tugged familiarly in his hair Oliver spun circles around the towers though he was supposed to fly straight, just because he couldn’t help himself. One or two students kept up with his speed. 

 

Flint was almost there, always right at his tail. At first he hadn't even noticed the other boy trying to beat him, having decided at the start of term to keep out of any slytherins' way. Still, Oliver relished in making sure he was just one step ahead, grinning at Flint whenever their eyes locked. Flint’s eyes narrowed as he leaned forward to gain speed, but he was also riding an 81 Hornet and doing so only made his broom point downwards. Oliver couldn’t help the cruel, spiteful laugh that escaped him as he watched Flint topple over for a second. 

 

He probably shouldn’t have laughed.

 

Their fourth lap around the grounds Flint was still on his tail, but this time he looked more determined to gain on him. Oliver still relished in keeping his spot with minimal effort. 

 

He probably should’ve just sped off, taking pleasure in finishing his lap much faster instead. Still, he couldn’t help teasing Flint as he now deliberately made sure he was just there, right in front of him. Almost close enough for their brooms to nudge. 

 

“Oliver! Watch out!” he heard Percy’s voice travel on the wind from further back, and as he looked back to try and find him he just saw Flint’s cruel glimmering eyes. He had leaned forward successfully this time and grabbed onto the birch tail on Oliver’s Questfall, and as they locked eyes he tugged. Oliver could feel the tugging more than he could see the motion, but he still knew what was going to happen even before he got ripped out of balance. He saw it happen in his mind’s eye like some ominous premonition that he had no way of stopping. His broom forcefully swung to the side. He hit the stonewall that he had flown alongside and pummeled, desperately trying to grab onto the broom again. To save some momentum, to stay in the air, but without it’s rider the broom also fell. He hit the ground with a nauseating crack and felt the air knock right out of him.

A whistle blew starkly through the air and he was soon crowded by Hooch and three or four first years. All he could do was stare into the sky and try to catch his breath. He could feel burning tears building up but he tried to focus on just feeling nothing, to try and keep them away. He was not gonna cry, but it was starting to hurt now. His breath had come back, violent and harsh, and the numbness disappeared with it.  Falling off his broom couldn’t help his chances of getting on the team either.

 

“I’m fine” he croaked, Hooch shook her head.

 

He could feel the ground vibrate as more students landed with their brooms, his head was throbbing too. Suddenly he saw Percy enter his viceral but his friend was staring firmly on Hooch as he pointed behind him.

 

“It was Flint, I saw him do it!”

 

“I’m aware Mr Weasley, I will deal with him as soon as I’ve seen to Mr Wood” the teacher leaned down and helped Oliver into a sitting position. He sat up slowly with her help and tried to notice if he could move everything. At first it seemed fine, it didn’t even really hurt. Then suddenly everything hurt at once and he wailed as quietly as he could as he buried his head in Madame Hooch’s robes, to hide the stubborn tears that were now falling. He especially didn’t want Flint to see how his actions had impacted him.

 

“Everyone inside as I take Mr Wood to the infirmary” Hooch said, her voice stern and domineering. Even the snickering students silenced and moved at her command.

 

Suddenly he was lifted up and carried inside. He didn’t look up once, but he heard Percy’s familiar voice behind him as they made their way through the castle. When they arrived, it honestly didn’t hurt as much anymore. Perhaps it was just the adrenaline.

 

“No need to be embarrassed, it happens to one student every year” Madame Hooch said as she laid him down on a vacant bed.

 

“Not to me! This is my best subject!” Oliver wailed, now more angry than hurt.

 

“It wasn’t your fault, it was Flint’s dirty trick” Percy said, now Oliver could see him as he poked his head up next to the teacher. Oliver said nothing, but he wasn’t so sure it wasn’t his own fault for deliberately flying so close to Flint. He vowed to never misjudge another flyer again and the next time he was just gonna finish the race quickly. No nonsense, just beating them at his best. If he ever got on the team he was gonna show them how determined he could be, no teasing or dilly-dallying would come between him and winning the cup. That was for sure.

 

Madame Hooch quickly left them there to wait for Madame Pomfrey, muttering something about discipline and consequences.  Pomfrey showed up quickly after that and after the initial “my goodness” and fuzzing she seemed content with her assessment of the situation.

 

“I heard you fell a great long way so I feared every bone was broken in your body” she tutted and poured a spoon of something sweet smelling.

 

“but you haven’t broken a single thing… perhaps you are made of Wood” she smiled kindly and handed him the spoon.

 

“You have a small fracture and a lot of bruising, but you will be fine” as she said so she looked as much to Percy as she did Oliver.

 

“It’s not my first time falling off a broom” Oliver said, regaining his confidence as he swallowed the spoonful. The taste was as good as it’s aroma was inviting and it slid down like hot chocolate. He extended the spoon back to her expectantly. She just shook her head and scoffed. To Oliver’s great disappointment she put the cap back on the bottle and took the spoon.

 

“Perhaps your body is as dense as your head” Percy said now that he had assessed the situation as not so severe, but when Oliver looked to him to argue the words got stuck on his tongue. Because Percy was smiling, and it caused Oliver to smile too. The potion was already doing it’s job in making everything feel a little better and he slid down on the bed and tucked himself in under the blanket.

 

“Stay here for the rest of the day now, no fuzzing. Mr Weasley, you can stay if you want but I assure you Wood will be fine”

 

Percy looked to Oliver and then to the door, then back to Oliver with a split look on his face. Oliver laughed, perhaps this was Percy’s Sophie’s choice. 

 

“Go, I wouldn’t want you to miss class” Oliver said and dismissed him with his flailing hand. Percy smiled and stood up to go a bit too quickly in Oliver's meaning, so Oliver quickly added.

 

“Otherwise who’s notes would I copy?”

 

Percy gave him a grin and poked out his tongue before running out the door.

 

Oliver later found out that the rule that no first years were allowed to participate in Quidditch wasn’t Charlie’s personal vendetta against him. It was a school rule set by the adults. 

 

The way he found out was that Flint got severely punished for his stunt in flying, not only with detention and the loss of house points, but he was also not permitted to apply to the Quidditch team until third year. Unlike his peers who were allowed next year already. Oliver found that not only was Flint a prick, but he was also an amid Quidditch fan and this was apparently a low blow for him. Oliver got to savour that moment for at least a day before he started figuring out it might come back and bite him in the arse. 

 

He caught Flint’s stare at him as they both moved towards the great hall and had an inkling realization that he was now a target. As they both entered the hall, Flint quite deliberately tried to trip him. Oliver caught himself quick enough to not faceplant into the stone floor but as he glared at Flint’s retreating back, he figured their rivalry was far from over. Great, he wasn’t even on the team yet but he already managed to get a rival. Before the flying incident, Oliver and Flint surely hadn’t liked each other, but now it was personal.  

Chapter 5: Year 1 - Paul Henry

Notes:

So I'm adding an original character for a little bit. For some reasons... but don't worry if you love the idea of the boys being the only two in their dorm you won't be disappointed either.

Hope you like my boy Paul!

One thing Percy had realized when he got to Hogwarts, was what qualified for an average eleven year old. As he stood in a sea of his peers, about half a head taller than most, Percy came to realize Oliver wasn’t short for his age, it was Percy who was tall for his.

 

He wasn’t just tall for his age, it appeared he was also tall for a Weasley. He reckoned this as he looked at Oliver’s dress robes, which had been bought and measured for him personally, and noticed that they stopped where his shoes started. Unlike Percy’s, who always showed a little more ankle. Enough to have been considered quite scandalous a hundred years prior, had he been a young woman. So he assumed he must be taller than his brother’s were when they started school.

 

The final nail in the coffin came in the shape of a boy named Paul Henry who was about to shake their newly set dynamic in their dorm.

“We're getting a new roommate?” Oliver said loudly, scrunching up his face in confusion at McGonagall, who was sitting in the armchair provided in the boy’s dormitory. The two boys sat on their respective beds. Percy snuck glances at the third empty bed that had appeared while they were in class. A shiny trunk stood in front of it. It all looked eerily unused in comparison to Percy’s neat but used bed, and Oliver’s den of chaos. 

 

“Did the hat sort someone wrong?” Percy asked inquiringly, looking mildly interested and not as visibly shocked as Oliver. Although he was in fact feeling slightly confused as well. This was highly unusual and he had never even heard of such a thing as someone changing houses midterm.

 

“Not quite,” McGonagall said, her hands folded over her tartan shawl which she had placed on her knee. Probably getting ready for a quiet night of reading before she was prompted to go and speak to her wards about this unusual circumstance. Percy was suddenly struck by the notion that he was the only non-scot in the room and was overwhelmingly terrified he’d accidentally start speaking with an accent as well. What if McGonagall would think he mocked them? 

 

“Mr Henry’s mother had initially not planned to send him here at all… but Professor Dumbledore visited her personally to ensure her that Hogwarts was perfectly safe for her son”

 

“Why would she think it wouldn’t be safe?” Oliver asked, Percy gave him a look as to imply that wasn’t very tactful to ask. McGonagall however didn’t flinch and answered just as calmly.

 

“That is not my place to speculate in, and neither should you Mr Wood, I’m simply telling you to prepare you for his arrival tomorrow, and implore you to make him feel welcome”

 

She then stood up and swiped her shawl around her shoulders.

 

“Do you have any further questions?” she asked, but her stance felt as if they shouldn’t bother if it wasn't very relevant or important. They shook their heads.

 

“Well then, goodnight boys”

 

She swooped gracefully down the stairs and Percy waited the appropriate time before turning to Oliver who he knew would undoubtedly have questions. 

Oliver just stared at the bed in silence. It struck Percy as odd.

 

“What are you thinking?” Percy asked instead.

 

“Why do you think his mother would think Hogwarts was dangerous?”

 

Percy stared at the bed now too, as if by doing so he got an image of this boy and his worried mother.

 

“I don’t know, I suppose we’ll have to ask him when he arrives”

---

 

 

Paul Henry was thin and mousy looking with short sandy blonde hair combed to the side. He had a small gap between his teeth that whistled when he sighed, and he was about as tall as Oliver. Which was why Percy felt so freakishly tall all of a sudden. He didn’t even know Paul, but he was already starting to feel like the odd man out. 

 

The new arrival still stood by the entrance of the room clutching a new bookbag, where he'd been dropped off by Bill just moments prior, who couldn't stick around any longer because of his classes. Paul was now looking from Percy to Oliver, both standing presented at the foot of their own beds. After browsing them both Paul kept his eye on Percy, undoubtedly because Bill had said something about him taking care of Paul because they were brothers. Paul was obviously nervous though so Percy tried his best to appear friendly and inviting.

 

“Percy Weasley” he said, extending his hand towards Paul who grabbed it weakly, the shake was hardly even there. Percy had to carry it for both of them.

 

“Welcome to Hogwarts” he said, intending to ease into the conversation and wait until he was comfortable to ask his questions. Oliver had no such plan.

 

“Why didn’t your mom want you to come?” he blurted simultaneously as he shook the boy’s hand.

 

“Oh… she thought it would be dangerous for me” Paul said and when he smiled it looked more as if he was making excuses for himself. His lips so thin they almost became a line on his face. 

 

“Why?” Percy asked, now that the cat was out of the bag.

 

“ehm… she’s a squib” Paul said, now blushing and looking down at his writhing hands. “My father’s a muggle so she planned to raise me away from magic… also she seems to be under the impression something bad is happening in the magical world”

 

Percy scrunched up his nose, then he relaxed it as he realized what it probably referred to.

 

“Oh, she’s probably talking about the war.” he’d said it a bit too bluntly he realized, as Paul looked nervous again, his demeanor becoming slightly twitchy rather than the calm comradery that they had started to build up. So Percy was quick to add “That was when our parents were young, but it’s over now, she must have grown up around it and left the magical world before it had ended"

 

At least he hoped it sounded reassuring and comforting.

 

“Oh, I’ll tell her that then” Paul said silently, not sounding overly confident it would work to calm down his mother.

 

“you might not want to overly advertise that she’s a squib though” Percy eventually said as it had fallen quiet again. “I mean we don’t mind, but the slytherins…”

 

“You’re in good company though, I’m a halfblood and Percy here’s a blood traitor” Oliver quipped and it earned him a sharp elbow to the side.

 

“I mean, that’s what they would call us, we don’t call ourselves that” Percy ensured and gave Oliver a harsh glare. Oliver just rubbed his side looking a little confused. 

 

They had eventually migrated towards the small sitting area. Usually Percy and Oliver sat on their beds when they hung out in the dorms, but sitting on the beds seemed too alienating when there were three of them now. So they sat down on the carpet. 

 

Paul nodded along to whatever they were saying, seeming to be very agreeable. Percy had let scabbers out of his cage and he was gladly climbing around Paul’s knees. Paul looked a little uncomfortable, so Percy grabbed his fat rat and put him on his own shoulder.

 

“Sorry, I don’t really like rats” Paul said apologetically, looking down on his hands again.

 

“Don’t worry, he seems to like you though so maybe apologize to him instead” Percy joked

 

Paul finally laughed and extended a hand to let scabbers sniff him, which he gladly did. 

 

“So…” Paul finally said, indicating he was about to initiate the conversation for the first time.

 

“What does blood traitor mean, it sounds grimm” he said, eyes starting to glimmer a little with excitement. Perhaps he had a taste for the macabre.

 

“It’s not so bad, it just means we’re purebloods who didn’t want to follow he who must not be named, he’s the guy the war was against” Percy answered.

 

Scabbers decided at that moment to jump from his shoulder and scattered off. Ever so whimsical, he was a rat after all. Percy watched him jump up on Percys’ bed and started sprinting about, before looking away uninterested. Percy mostly just left him to his own devices anyway.

 

Honestly he wasn’t that attached to him and would really prefer to have an owl anyway. While other people seemed to have a bond with their pets, Percy and Scabbers mostly just tolerated each other. Scabbers was in a lot of ways more like a living, breathing quill or a book, that occasionally ate all his snacks out of his bag. But he was good company when you didn’t have anyone else to talk to. 

 

Percy had a friend now though. He glanced at Oliver who was sharing stories about the war with Paul, like they were ghost stories. Perhaps they were now, just stories you told your kids around a bonfire. At least that’s the only way Percy had heard about it, like makebelief.

 

“And then Voldemort, that’s what he who must not be named was called-”

 

“How is it he who must not be named if you mention his name , Tosser” Percy said and playfully kicked at Oliver’s bended legs.

 

“Oi!” Oliver bellowed and started hitting him back. For the second time Paul laughed.

 

---

 

They fell into new routines fairly quickly, perhaps Oliver was just eager to tell Paul everything he knew about Quidditch that he had already bored Percy with. Paul who had grown up sheltered from this world was much too happy to indulge him. Percy was used to sharing his space with six siblings so sharing his dorm with two wasn’t an issue. Besides, Paul was quiet and took up to no space. In fact, somehow it just got more apparent how much space Oliver actually took for one person. Paul really was agreeable, and as Percy had suspected had an interest in everything grimm and macabre. When they eventually got him talking in full sentences it was about the Zodiac killer, which was a muggle killer that had never been caught. Paul seemed to like that sort of thing and could spend hours at night discussing it.

 

“I bet it was a death eater who just wanted to kill muggles” Oliver volunteered one day and even though Percy debunked him by saying the Zodiac was in America and the death eaters never really managed to expand their terror outside of the united kingdom, it still spiralled them into discussing what other mugglekillers that never got caught, might just have been dark wizards who used magic to clear their traces. 

 

Paul was a nice addition to their group and after a while Percy started thinking about him less as a threat to their dynamic but more like an asset. Especially when he wanted a quiet moment to himself, it was nice to have someone else listen to Oliver's ramblings for a change. Besides, the fact Oliver had options, but still chose to crawl into Percy's bed to share his treats and complain about Flint felt pretty good. He still included Percy not because he had no choice, but because he wanted to. Percy might've looked freakishly tall in the mix now, but now he had at least two school friends. Albeit he wasn’t prepared to claim he was particularly close to any of them if his brothers were to ask. 

Chapter 6: Year 1 - Friendship cemented

Summary:

Older brother Percy to the rescue

"Jack the ripper!" Paul exclaimed randomly as he pulled Oliver close to him. Because Oliver responded with equal excitement , Percy told himself as he felt a strange tugging at his heart seeing the other two almost toppling over themselves as they made it up the stairs side by side. Just because Percy was one step behind didn't mean he wasn't with them.

 

Paul had settled in quickly, but had yet to stop aweing over every little magical thing. Although, being a sensitive child, some things seemed to scare him a bit. Which was weird since discussing bloody murders didn't.

 

"Oh oh! Makes sense, disappeared mysteriously, never caught-" Oliver whispered.

 

"Meticulous cuts in an alley, pretty suspicious for the time, but with magic-" Paul continued.

 

"Or he was a trained surgeon" Percy tried to interject. They ignored him.

 

"Maybe it was he who must not be named!" Paul whispered excitedly, Oliver oh'd again, intrigued.

 

"Jack the ripper was active in the 1800s, he who must not be named wasn't even born yet"

 

"How do we know, wasn't he immortal?" Paul asked, looking around unsurely. Not sure if they were allowed to talk about it. Which was fair. At the very least they probably weren't supposed to.

 

"No, he was born in the early 1900s. He went to Hogwarts at the same time as professor McGonagall" Percy answered matter of factly as he passed the other two and turned left up a new set of stairs. The other two stood frozen.

 

" How do you know that?" Oliver stared.

 

"I found old yearbooks in the library" Percy shrugged and kept walking. As he did the stair started to move and he could hear the others scattering steps as they hurried to jump on as well. Truthfully Percy was thankful to not be alone towards his new destination, which was why he felt a little bad about the words coming out of his mouth.

 

"Great, now we'll all be late and no one can tell the teacher why" 

 

Oliver just rolled his eyes.

 

"Only you would complain about a legit reason to skip class" 

 

They stepped off as soon as the stairs stilled and tried to see if they could spot a new route from there. Figuring the unpredictable stairwell might not move again for another hour.

 

Paul looked queasy so Percy gently patted his back.

 

"I don't like when they move" Paul whispered, looking a little pale.

 

"Here, sit down for a second" Percy coerced him down on the floor, below a painting of an extravagantly dressed troubadour who excitedly started tuning his lyre when he noticed he had Percy's attention. However brief it was. 

 

"Wait, can we not gloss over how you found he who must not be named in a yearbook?" Oliver exclaimed and flailed his arms.

 

"Well once, he who must not be named was just a student like you or me"

 

"Well not like you or me, he who must- oh my god that is such a mouthful!" Oliver moaned and slumped down next to Paul who looked more normal now that he was sure the ground wouldn't move from under him. 

 

"His real name was Tom" Percy said and shrugged. 

 

Oliver furrowed his brow before he burst out laughing. Leaning his entire weight on poor Paul who looked surprised. Once more Percy tried to ignore the jealousy.

 

"The dark lord Tom! I get why he changed it!" Oliver said, wheezing.

 

"He still killed a lot of People Oliver!" Percy scolded and firmly placed his hands on his sides. It did not result in Oliver seizing his laughter. Percy kept his eye on Oliver, studying his features. Unlike Percy whose lips thinned if he just as much as smiled too big, Oliver had a great smile. And a great laugh. Which unfortunately had a contagious quality. Percy had to put all his willpower into not laughing and failing miserably. Paul however kept his attention firmly on Percy, somehow immune to Oliver's careless charms.

 

"Percy? Where do we go from here?" He asked carefully and now Percy realized Paul was looking further into the hallway to where they had stopped. The smile that had appeared dropped from Percy's face. It was short and had windows facing the lake, but nothing else. No doors to take them further in, and no stairs. It was a dead end.

 

Percy was just about to suggest they go back down when the stairs rumbled and cracked and started to move again. Both Paul and Oliver jumped to their feet, heads nearly colliding. Percy firmly placed his hands on them to keep them in place, to prevent them from dashing for the retreating stairs. They wouldn't make it and would surely fall. Oliver might've survived it, Percy thought, but Paul seemed fragile.

 

The three of them stood staring at the ledge as the stairs moved away from them, and as it locked onto the other side Paul and Oliver both turned to Percy. It suddenly struck him that they were looking to him for guidance. Honestly, he wasn't sure he liked the responsibility since he was feeling a little scared himself. Still he straightened himself up and gently tugged the others back.

 

"We should probably stay away from the ledge" he said, trying to ignore his rapid heart pounding in his ear.

 

He found himself standing in front of the others as he tried to rack his brain for anything that might help. But on a first year level his spells weren't very useful.

 

"Accio stairs" he tried, but the stairs lived by their own rules and didn't budge.

 

Maybe he could send a parchment flying down with a message. But there was no security that anyone would ever find it. Or that the right person would, the last thing they needed was a particularly menacing slytherin finding them cornered and ready to be jinxed. Like lambs to slaughter.

 

"What if we acciod some brooms?" Oliver asked, looking less confident than Percy had ever seen him. Which was eery and not a good look on him, it sort of made things worse for Percy.

 

"They're locked up" Percy said and sat down to think. Oliver and Paul sat down on each side of him. Crowding him. Suddenly Percy wondered what he'd been so jealous over, this was suffocating. His brows furrowed and he was just about to complain when he caught Oliver's intense eye. His eyes clouded in desperate, poorly hidden fear, and yet still so warm and friendly and reassuring. 

 

"You can solve it' he said, smiling through his panic and Percy softened immediately.

 

"If anyone can solve it it's you" 

 

Percy blushed up to his ears and turned his eyes to the floor nodding. Once again he wondered if perhaps their best bet was to just levitate a message down. However long that would take to get noticed. There would at least be a slightly better chance than no message at all. It wasn't as if they were unable to wait… Actually, perhaps their best bet was to just wait for the stairs to return, whenever that might be. 

 

Paul was starting to breathe unsteadily though. Again, Percy thought: fragile . Paul had pressed his head to Percy's shoulder so Percy couldn't really see him, but something was wrong. Percy slid out from under his weight and sat in front of Paul instead. His eyes were glossed over and teary and there was a sense of panic in them that Percy recognized from that time Ron got trapped in the attic with the spiders. Paul's breathing was getting worse by the minute.

 

Oliver had crawled closer too. Also sitting in front of Paul, staring. Crowded , Percy thought again but tried to push his comfort aside. This was no different than dealing with an upset younger Weasley.

 

"What's wrong with him?" Oliver whispered, looking scared and paralyzed.

 

"I think he's having a panic attack" Percy whispered and stood up. "Give him some space, but sit with him" 

 

Oliver, usually the argumentative one, said nothing and did as Percy said. Awkwardly moving to Paul's side, one stiff hand at his back.

 

Percy stepped up to the ledge and stared down. He wasn't supposed to do this unless he was in danger, his mom had said. But as he glanced back at his two roommates. Seeing the empty stare in  Paul's eyes as he leaned towards Oliver, who in turn looked at Percy, looking as scared as Percy felt. He figured this was an emergency.

 

He held on to the wall as he stepped as far out as the ledge would allow. Balancing half his foot on it, he raised his wand as straight as he could to the sky.

 

" Percy …" Oliver whispered behind him but Percy just shushed him and tried to tune out the sound of his friend's breaths echoing against the stone walls. He needed to concentrate.

 

"Periculum!" He shouted, nothing happened. He stumbled back into the hallway, feeling sweat forming at his temples. He took a breath, weighed his options, another breath, a deeper one. Then he stepped back out, holding out his wand. The arm needed to point straight up

 Don't drop it , he thought. Concentrate, take your time . He could feel the clenching fear in his chest as his already painful grip on the wall hardened. The ache in his chest spread like a cold and he could feel the tears gathering in his eyes. He was so terrified he'd fall. Still the others counted on him. 

 

He straightened out his wavering arm holding the wand and said again, louder:

 

"PERICULUM" his wand amitted a flare, not strong but present. He fell back and scattered back to the others. Paul had stopped his irregular breathing somehow, distracted and staring in bewilderment at Percy who was now closer to hyperventilating than any of the other two. The shock of witnessing Percy on the ledge seemed to have made them temporarily forget to be scared for themselves.

 

Slowly Percy steadied his breathing, but the adrenaline still stirred inside of him making him feel uncomfortable. Suddenly a hand landed on his shoulder, grounding him. He looked up and met Oliver's eye. One arm on Percy's shoulder, the other still holding Paul.

 

"You're mental" he said "and brave"

 

As the first teachers arrived and made it up to them Percy pondered over that. 

 

Weasley's had always been Gryffindors, for as long as he could remember, but for the first time Percy felt as if he deserved it. The feeling stuck around even as he realized a much safer way to communicate their peril would've been to send the troubadour through the network of paintings. Not even that insight could rob him of the feeling of pride. A feeling he wasn't all that used to feeling. It was addictive, he wanted more of it.

 

Something happened after that, the doubt that Percy still felt about their friendship disappeared. As if their friendship got cemented on that ledge that afternoon. Ironically, the peril that fused them together, as an afterthought didn’t feel like such a big deal. It wasn’t as if the stairs wouldn’t eventually return to them. Still some primal fear had gripped them one by one and since they had been there for each other for it, it brought them together. Paul and Oliver were Percy’s true friends, and he truly believed that. 

Chapter 7: Year 1 - Christmas

It was almost kinda nice being back in the noisy burrow. Even if he had to share his room with a seven year old. All so their mother could keep her sewing room under the attic. It made sense though, considering the amount of clothes that needed mending and the large piles of yarn needed for the annual personalized christmas jumpers. Whenever Bill complained he wanted his own room, she claimed it was too dangerous for them to climb the ladder. The room was too cramped and too cold for any of her kids to sleep in, but Percy was pretty sure it was the unwillingness to give up her one private space. 

 

Ron was actually the most favourable roommate as well, he was considerate for a child and all too happy to keep out of the way of the twins. Using Percy as a safety pillar because they all knew Percy would lose it if the twins brought their pranks into his private room. Well, his and Ron's.

 

"Why does Ginny need her own room, she's the smallest?" Bill muttered at the breakfast table, as he grabbed onto half the toasts and put them on his own plate. 

 

"It's a small room dear and when she's older you can't expect her to share with a bunch of… boys" Molly Weasley was swatting a wooden spoon in the air, bits of oatmeal came loose and landed on the table.

 

Percy watched in silence as his brothers stole the toast of Bill's plate now that he was distracted in an argument.

 

"When she's old enough to care I will have moved away from here" he said and suddenly grabbed Fred's hand, holding it until Fred let go of the toast. Apparently not so distracted.

 

Molly gasped and clutched at her apron.

 

"How can you say such things! At christmas"

 

Bill rolled his eyes.

 

"Honestly, mother, you can't expect us to live here forever. I'm a teenager, Charlie's a teenager" he gestured towards Charlie who looked caught off guard to be included. 

 

"Is it so weird that we'd want some privacy ?" 

 

"I don't really care, I'm used to having roommates anyway" Charlie interjected and with the reflexes of a cat nabbed the last piece of toast from Bill's plate. He had to reach over the table though, tipping over a pitcher of milk in the process.

 

"Oh, honestly!" Molly said, and pulled her wand out of her sleeve. With a quick flick the mess was gone. 

 

"I find it kinda weird you're so unbothered by this, you're fourteen " Bill said, giving up on fighting for his bread in order to look Charlie over suspiciously. Charlie in turn just looked confused. 

 

"Oh look, we got a christmas card from the Diggory's. Look at little Cedric, he's gotten quite big" Arthur Weasley said, obviously unaware of the ruckus around him as he looked up from a pile of post. Sometimes Percy envied his father's ability to tune everything out. It made him look quite unintelligent, which Percy knew he wasn't but it made him look it. However it had to be nice to be able to be in one's head like that and not be bothered by the world so much. 

 

The outcome was the same as always, the conversation died and there was no conclusion on whether Bill and Charlie would stop sharing a room.

 

Percy didn't understand Bill's need to have privacy so much either. Unless of course for the peace and quiet. 

 

When they had the time Percy liked to ask his mother or father to perform a silencing charm on his room, but with seven kids they sometimes couldn't spare him the luxury. 

 

He did enjoy the alarm around the house though, he had missed it, but while reading he found himself reminded of why he appreciated Hogwarts so much. It was hard finding quiet while trying to navigate around the twins hunting gnomes outside and being shouted at by Molly, mixed with Ginny's whining and crying about something a six year old would find unfair. Probably that she wasn't allowed to chase the gnomes either. 

 

He almost missed Oliver's snoring.

 

Apart from that, the occasional missing his new friends, it almost felt as if he hadn't been gone at all.

 

He had managed to keep occupied the days leading up to Christmas day by just soaking up the atmosphere. Bill and Charlie had embarrassed him only once, when they on their first day back told everyone Percy had made a friend. It had caused even their father to put down his newspaper in excitement. Percy had gone defensive but was sort of thankful for a chance to talk about them. It made missing them a little easier. And when he got to correct his brothers that he had made two, well he felt mighty accomplished.

On day two he talked his father's ear off about all the things he had learned. 

Day three he read his school books to not fall behind and on day four, the day before christmas, he got a card from Oliver. It was a photograph, the muggle kind that didn't move. Oliver was leaning into frame over a small naked baby laying in a woman's arms. Wrinkly and honestly very ugly, despite what his mother Molly shouted over his shoulder about how it was the sweetest thing. The woman in the picture's face was cut off but you could see her great smile. It was just like Oliver's. The baby couldn't be much more than a few days old. On the back it was Oliver's handwriting, Percy could tell because it was shite. It said 'Merry Christmas Percy, I miss you' it made Percy's heart tugg. Then it was signed, Cheers from ma and pa, Oliver and Emily.

 

Percy read it three times and brought it back to his room ro keep on his bedside table. 

 

Waiting for christmas dinner wasn't even that much of a chore either, Percy woke up early and after putting on his own knitted jumper helped Ron put on his. So they could walk down to the kitchen wearing them for their mother's sake. This year Percy's was navy blue and Ron's maroon. When their mother asked if they liked them Percy quickly said he thought Ron's colour suited him well. Mostly to avoid talking about his own, which he thought itched a lot this year. Perhaps it was this particular yarn. To be sure he made a point about liking the maroon more since Ron didn't seem too bothered by any itching. Ron seemed to just nod when Molly asked if he agreed, which was smart, so Percy gave him a secret encouraging nod. 

 

He spent the day assisting in the kitchen. Stirring pots and making sure no creature sneaked in and stole any puddings. He even smiled when Molly sang her cheesy ballads. When evening came he helped decorate the table , feeling dutiful since none of his other siblings seemed to get the spontaneous idea to help without being told so. 

 

Until Charlie passed by a few hours later. 

 

"Mum, you need a break?" Charlie said, sounding kind and helpful yet poked his finger into a bowl of gravy and licked it off. Percy grimaged and looked to see if their mother had noticed. 

 

"No, there's much too much to be done" Molly said, accidentally putting the caramelized oranges in the cupboard instead of putting them on the table. Charlie took them out wordlessly and put them in the right spot. 

 

"I can do that mum" he said, grabbing the cauldron of brussel sprouts out of her hands.

 

"-Me and Percy can manage" he said and winked at Percy, who looked in awe. He sometimes forgot this side of Charlie, often overshadowed by the obnoxious loud fanatic side. 

 

Molly let go of her pots and pans and grabbed Charlie's face, stroking his cheek with a look of gratitude. Then distracted by the length of his hair, which was starting to look shaggy, she grabbed his face a little harder and pulled his fringe. He rolled his eyes.

 

" And I'll get a haircut, please go sit down" and with that he pushed her out of there. Grabbing one of her older aprons, one that wasn't especially for christmas since she was still wearing that.

 

They worked in silence for a bit, peeling vegetables and mincing up their fruits and raisins for the mince pies. Which honestly they should've started on earlier, as they thought every year but never did. They listened to the faint sound of Celestina Warbeck and their mothers voices blending from the living room.

 

"Could you wrap up some of the sweets?" Charlie asked Percy, and Percy did without arguing. Thankful for the fact he'd get to have control over the size and shapes of the fudge. Just big enough to fit the tongue but not too big so one couldn't close one's mouth.  If the twins wanted to stuff their gobs they could take two. 

 

"Are you…" Charlie started, then went quiet. Percy looked up expecting more christmas chores to be done but there was something else across Charlie's scrunched up face. Unsure, and Charlie knew exactly what needed to be done for Christmas, so it couldn't be that.

 

Charlie actually looked a bit funny wearing their mothers old apron with the frilly hem. His face seemed too serious though, like what he wanted to ask was actually important to him. So Percy said nothing about the apron, even though he wanted to.

 

"I've been meaning to ask you since your sorting" he said, still struggling with the words. Percy furrowed his brow but said nothing to either help nor stop him.

 

"Were you disappointed I mean?" Charlie then asked, having stopped working completely "about not getting ravenclaw"

 

Percy thought about it for a bit then shrugged. He had thought he would've been, but he was sort of happy to be where he was. Now that he felt a purpose with it.

 

"There are many sides to me" Percy said instead matter of factly, and after a bit of silence Charlie burst out laughing.

 

"That there is, wiseass" he said and tossed some of the chopped up carrots Percy's way. 

 

"tosser" Percy bit back and threw a piece of fudge. Not understanding what was so funny about it.

---

Going back to Hogwarts after break, Percy willingly and happily sat with Charlie. Until he found Paul and went to keep his company instead. Paul, who also traveled through from London, was just as excited as Percy to not travel alone this time around, and Percy started to understand what Bill and Charlie had talked about on his first day. The Hogwarts express was exciting when you had people to share it with. And when you knew exactly what awaited on the other end - classes and late nights talking in dorm rooms, walls upon walls of library books, secret rooms for reading in silence, and Oliver Wood. Most of all Percy was excited to see Oliver, no matter how annoying and loud he was. 

 

Stepping off the train he grabbed Paul by the arm and ran until they found him. Percy didn't stop running until they all collided, slammed forcefully into a group hug. A lot of people were surprised by this initiative from Percy, especially Percy, but somehow Percy also had childish instincts to go off of. Oliver and Paul simply helped pull them out of him. 

 

He could even endure Bill and Charlie's smug looks as they watched their younger brother's reunion with his friends. Especially when Percy, still in the embrace, got to hold up his index and middle finger in a clear inverted V-sign to them. Mouthing how their mother would never believe them if they told on him. Again, the upside of being the well behaved one. It was his turn to smile smugly at his brothers, as he tightened his hug around his friends. 

Chapter 8: Year 1 - One man's broken pencil is another boy's friendship token

In Oliver's hand was a bright pencil case. A sort of psychedelic neon thing with black squiggles printed on it, which was very much in fashion in muggle society at the time. It was unevenly sewn together and wrapped with a string indicating Oliver had made it himself at some point. Oliver dumped the content out on the bed in front of his friends and let them pick at the assortment of novelty rubbers and glittery pencils. 

Paul and Percy both instinctively grabbed after the blue bullet pen with a dolphin attached to a spring on top. Paul came out victoriously.

 

"That's not fair! You have muggle pens at home!" Percy complained and tried to grab after the dolphin bobbing around in the air. Which was a fair statement, since Paul's mother raised him outside of the wizarding world for most of his life.

 

Oliver assured them there were several good ones and there was no need to fight. 

For example at least two of the pens he'd brought had a stamp at the top, and he even had one you could unscrew to reveal soap bubbles inside. 

 

Exactly none of the utensils were in fact just a pen. In fact some weren't even pens at all, Oliver explained as he picked up a row of stacked rubbers made up to look like a pen.

 

Percy accepted it from Oliver's outstretched hand and started taking it apart, and as he rearranging them his nose scrunched up in bewilderment and he pulled it closer to his nose. Dangerously close to putting it up his nose by accident at any given time. 

 

"Yeah, they're scented" Oliver said and nodded as he pulled his hands through his hair. With the new baby sister his mother hadn't gotten around to cutting it over christmas and it was starting to curl now. 

 

Paul nodded as well.

 

"ugh I hate those, they stink" Paul said, yet he still put one up to his own nose and inhaled deeply and obscenely. 

 

"Can I have some to give to my dad?" Percy asked as he huffed the strong chemical scents of the bright colours one by one. 

 

"Your dad?" Paul asked quizzically. Oliver just shrugged.

 

"Sure, I have so many at home!" Oliver said as he sat down hard on the bed. The rubbers and pens bounced up once and spread out even worse on top of the covers.

 

"When Emily was born my mom gave me a new set as a big brother gift, she said it was from Emily but I'm not stupid. She's a wee baby!" 

 

"My dad loves muggle things, he'll love these" Percy answered Paul, and didn't seem to pay much attention to Oliver's speech. Which was rude considering Oliver was about to give him his stuff. Oliver huffed and kicked the side of the bed, pulling at his hair again.

 

"Yeah so… she's cute and all, but it's kinda weird not being the only one my ma fusses over ya know" Oliver stared at his friends who had now stopped their hands hovering over the objects on the bed. They gave each other a glance before looking back up at Oliver.

 

"Oliver, would you like to talk about it?" Percy asked as Oliver sighed dramatically and lay down on top of his stuff. 

 

"Nooo…" he drawled and shrugged "it's not as if I have six siblings or anything"

 

Percy scoffed.

 

"Do you already regret wishing for a sibling?" He asked mockingly. Oliver swatted at his hands that were picking up the discarded scented rubbers.

 

"Shut it, no I love her!" He shouted offended and wrestled his way over to the redhead. Successfully pinning him to his mattress. Percy's blue eyes grew in size and he seized up perhaps expecting a wet willy, because that's what Charlie would've done. When nothing came he relaxed for a second before trying to writhe himself free, Oliver clearly still had the upper hand though.

 

"She's my precious baby sister and she's perfit!" He shouted again as he pressed Percy down by his arms before blowing at the loose hair now falling into his eyes. Defending his love for his new sister as if he hadn't been the one to complain. As if he himself hadn't started it.

 

Oliver absolutely didn't hate having a sibling now. He just kinda wished his mom had managed to cut his hair before he went back to school, that was all. Okay so maybe only Oliver thought he needed a haircut. Everyone else seemed to wanna give him compliments. Imogen had said he looked cute first thing after christmas break and Lauren even asked him to be her boyfriend for half a day. Oliver had wanted to say no so he was kinda glad she broke up with him at lunch. Still, Oliver hated the curls. His mom thought they looked darling, but Oliver thought they were in the way.

 

For example, they were terrible for air resistance. He'd have to wear a hairnet once he'd managed to convince Charlie to let him join the team, which he still hadn't given up on.

 

"Get off me!" Percy writhed from under him. There was a cracking sound and they both froze fearing someone had gotten hurt in the ruckus. None of them moved, staring at each other with big terrified eyes until Paul pulled something from under Percy's body. Half a pencil. Wooden splinters fell off the end and they burst into laughter instead. 

 

"Sorry, I can mend it" Percy said, even though Oliver had been the one to pin him down on it. Oliver scrunched up his entire face. He shoved his entire hands underneath Percy' body and pulled out the other end of the pencil.

 

"It's a pencil. You just sharpen it and then you have two pencils" Oliver shrugged. He looked at the stump in his hands and then the one in Paul's. He then looked over at Percy who didn't hold any pieces. Then he broke his own half one more time and handed one piece to Percy.

 

"And now there's three. Friendship pencils" he exclaimed and smiled. Percy laughed.

 

"Muggle things are weird" he said but still pocketed the broken piece of pencil together with the scented rubbers he was gonna give to Arthur for his upcoming birthday.

 

"Oh right! Before I forget" Paul said "Eveline wanted me to say she likes your new haircut, and to ask you if you wanted to be-"

 

"Percy, will you cut my hair for me?" Oliver quickly asked. It didn't even matter if it would end up uneven at this point. Enough was enough. Better have uneven hair than having to be yet another girl's boyfriend for half a day. Cause what then, how many more girls would send his friends as errand boys to court him? It was just hair, why were they acting this way all of a sudden? It wasn't as if Oliver himself was any different from before.

 

"Me?" Percy shrieked incredulously.

 

"Go ask madame pomfrey to do it!"

 

Oliver pouted.

 

"I want you to do it" he didn't really care if it was Pomfrey or Percy who cut his hair, but the fact Percy refused spurred him on.

 

"It's gonna get uneven," Percy said.

 

"Good, then Eveline and Lauren and all the others will let me be" Oliver said with an air of finality that stopped Percy from arguing further.

 

They got some plain scissors and took turns cutting, and in the end it turned out uneven. Worse than Oliver had thought possible, and he joked Percy needed glasses. To which Percy dejectedly answered he probably did, because he always had to squint whenever he sat far away from the blackboard. 

 

But no one got injured and even though the girls looked disappointed at dinnertime Oliver felt better.

Chapter 9: Year 1 - planning a spectacle

"We could change the positions of all the books in the library!" Oliver whispered, a sort of wheezing sound so that only Percy and Paul would hear him over the crackling fire. Even though they were alone in their dorm and no one would probably care what they were up to. Even if a portrait were to overhear them. It was a bit early in the day for a fire. However the air was still cold from the winter, and if the boys could decide, they always had a fire going in the dormroom.

 

"Absolutely not" Percy said, voice at a normal level. 

 

"First of all that'd be impossible, there's thousands of books and second-" he said, holding up the book he was reading high in the air with both hands.

 

"I would personally hate that"

 

Paul laughed.

 

"We should probably do something smaller, like-" Paul tried to say, Percy interrupted slamming his book down. Actually, he just closed it to put it down, but the weight of it made quite the impactful sound.

 

"Why do we even need to do a prank? Pranking Charlie every now and then is one thing but this is the entire school… I'm not so sure about it" Percy said.

 

"I heard it's like a tradition… the second years did it last year when they were new, and the third years did it their first year as well" Paul said, trying a bit louder so he wouldn't be interrupted again. The memory of Oliver's attempt to whisper was gone with the wailing spring wind outside. The weather was getting nicer, but some days the castle walls still shook with the Scottish weather. 

It was mid day and they were finishing up some homework before lunch, while simultaneously planning for what Oliver and Paul meant was a 'traditional first year send off prank'. Percy had never heard of such a thing and was pretty sure the older boys were messing with them. Deliberately trying to get them in trouble. Percy didn't mind pulling the occasional prank, but he was not dimwitted enough to fall for this one.

 

"If last year's 'first years' had jumped out the astronomy tower, would you?" Percy quipped.

 

Oliver and Paul looked at each other, Oliver shrugged.

 

"Probably, aye" 

 

Percy snickered, then caught himself and tried to give Oliver a disappointed look rivaling professor McGonagall herself.

 

"Don't jump out the astronomy tower"

 

Oliver shrugged again and Percy threw a cushion at him from the armchair he was sitting in.

 

"Let's plan something small, if we're doing anything at all" Percy said, and started packing up his things as he started to feel the gnawing hunger of a growing eleven year old. He could really use some mashed potatoes and gravy right now. Even if the school's mash didn't have a leg to stand on when compared to Molly Weasley's. It would do though.

 

The other two followed his example, following Percy's lead like they usually did. Sometimes Percy didn't know what to do with this newfound leadership. He wasn't used to it, usually someone else took the lead in his family. Usually it was Bill. Percy wasn't the leader type, right? Even Oliver himself had better leadership qualities than Percy. Oliver should've been taking charge of their group, and yet he let Percy do it. He let him do it, Percy told himself.

 

Percy shook the feeling as they entered the great hall. Paul and Oliver started making silent notes instead of discussing the plan openly. That was smart. Passing a parchment between each other with suggestions. Until Percy locked eyes with a curious Bill and realized how stupid it actually was. He yanked the paper and held it close to his face. Just to know what his idiot friends had come up with. Squinting at it as he read, he realized almost everything was food related. It didn't surprise him that they hadn't thought further than their noses pointed. After reading it he put his wand to it and incinerated it.

 

"Knobheads! Don't leave written evidence" he hissed to the others.

 

Oliver looked sheepish.

 

Paul nodded.

 

"But what did you think?" Paul said.

 

"I think we should talk about it later" Percy hissed again.

 

"Mr Weasley" 

 

Percy hadn't noticed anyone move closer to him but now he felt the presence looming over him. It wasn't Bill…

 

He turned his neck, followed her green robes up to the square glasses over the stern scowl.

 

"Yes professor?" He asked, trying to shrink into himself.

 

"A word" she said, it was Percy's turn to look sheepish as he followed her attentively. Looking at the flow of her robes over chiseled stone rather than anything else. He could feel his friends panicked gazes burning holes in his back. Typical, they were the ones not being careful and insisting they'd do this prank. Yet he was the one in trouble. It felt like all the times he'd gotten scolded by his parents for his brother's crimes. Pulled along for the ride just because he happened to be there. Because he was the only one clever enough to clear their traces.

 

She waited until they were outside overlooking the moars before she spoke another word to him.

 

"I've noticed you squinting at the boards in class" she said, he perked up. Releasing a breath he didn't know he had held.

 

"And I saw it again now, when you were reading that note you incinerated, excellent spellwork I might add" Percy relaxed his shoulders but couldn't form a single coherent thought. No words he could say that wouldn't be nonsense. Yet he felt pride at being complimented on his spellwork from such a prominent caster as McGonagall. He still wasn't sure he wasn't about to be lectured.

 

"I won't ask about the note, but could I please ask you to look over at the pine trees over there and tell me what you see underneath it"

 

He did, he saw the usual outlines of trees, next to an open field. He could make out a very large figure underneath it. 

 

"I see Hagrid" he deduced it had to be, no one else was large enough.

 

"What is he doing?" The professor asked.

 

Percy squinted and looked again. Hagrid was standing there, every now and then he'd raise his arm in a waving gesture.

 

"He's waving sporadically"

 

McGonagall chuckled.

 

"Sporadically…" she mimicked, amused. He scrunched up his face not getting what was so funny. He pushed back the urge to sass her, had it been anyone else he wouldn't have helped it.

 

"So you don't see the extremely large dog he's throwing sticks to?" She said. Percy felt his face burn in embarrassment, growing all the way to his ears.

 

"No professor" he said, pressing his lips together. She nodded and gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

 

"Mr Weasley, I do believe you're in dire need of spectacles. You should tell your mother to go and buy you a pair during summer vacation" 

 

Maybe it wasn't deliberate, but he felt her hand squeeze his shoulder lightly before she let go again.

 

"You're a brilliant wizard Mr Weasley, imagine how brilliant you could be… if you could actually see what you were doing" 

 

Then she smiled, just the hint of a smile creeping through the stern exterior, but Percy definitely noticed. She walked away with a wave that ushered for him to get back inside the great hall.

 

When he arrived Paul had started to bite his nails in distress.

 

"Are we in trouble, does she know, are we in trouble?" Paul started rambling as soon as Percy was within earshot.

 

"We're not in trouble" Percy said, and as both his friends visibly relaxed he quickly added "but she probably does know, so we should probably not do it"

 

Oliver huffed in disappointment, he slumped in his chair. Then as if flicking a switch he straightened up and smiled.

 

"So we'll do it next year instead! Take everyone by surprise, no one would expect it!" 

 

Percy snickered.

 

"Sure, we'll save it until next year" he agreed and they shook hands on it. Being familiar with his friend's attention spans by now, he figured there was a good chance they'd forget about it. Which suited him just fine.

Chapter 10: Year 1 - jealous

Marvin Hamilton was a ravenclaw first year, a stray Oliver picked up at the bleachers one day who suddenly became a constant presence in their lives. Not everyday, not all the time. Just enough so that Percy noticed how easy Oliver made friends, he had a few now that the year was about to end. 

 

Marvin was short, truly short. Shorter than Oliver and Paul. He was English hispanic, with brown thick curls. He was popular with girls, even the ones outside of ravenclaw. Just as Oliver was popular outside of gryffindor. He was clever in a way, but not the way Percy expected ravenclaws to be like. Not bookish. He liked to learn, sure, but it was really more that he was nosy. A gossip basically.

 

He loved quidditch almost as much as Oliver, which was why they were friends. 

Percy didn't particularly like him. He wasn't sure why.

 

It was probably the nosy gossip part, Percy had no respect for that. 

 

"Did you hear Marcus Flint got caught cheating on his final transfiguration exam, apparently McGonagall had put an anti-cheating spell on it" 

 

It was wrong, McGonagall wouldn't bother to put any spells on exams that weren't O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s. Why would she bother when it was only their first year tests? Percy didn't even bother to correct him.

 

"Apparently that hufflepuff girl, Ursa, saw him afterwards and he had blue inc in his face, which had exploded from it"

 

"Wrong, that's wrong. There were no jinxes or spells. He's just an imbecile who can't turn an inkpot into a tiny little octopus" Percy snapped, giving in to his need to correct him. Marvin just smiled, a glimmer in his eyes from the excitement of Percy partaking. The bugger had dimples.

 

"That's why they switched it to turning desks into pigs for the other classes" Imogen said.

 

A few months ago they had stumbled upon a hidden common room on the fourth floor where they could meet and intermingle between the houses. Percy had prefered to hang in the Gryffindor common room without anyone but his closest friends, but here he was. Squeezed on a couch between Imogen and Marvin. Imogen was leaning so far across Percy to get to Marvin that Percy might as well not have been there. He felt invisible. Yet it'd be awkward to move right? 

 

Oliver wasn't even there.

 

Paul sat across from them, no help at all with his eyes locked on Eveline Alistair.

 

"Either way, there were no anti-cheating spells. Flint is just stupid enough to get caught cheating" Percy said. It made Marvin laugh loudly. 

 

Why Flint had even felt the need to cheat on such an easy exam was beyond him.

He felt his body shake as Marvin threw his body around obnoxiously. 

 

"I bet you cheated as well, you're just clever enough to get away with it" Imogen teased Marvin, trying to wrestle him over Percy. Again, as if Percy wasn't present. Percy got awkwardly stuck between them. 

 

Screw it, it was more awkward not to move. He tuned out their words and stood up. Leaving Marvin at Imogen's mercy.

 

He grabbed his bag to make a bolt for it, and ran right into Oliver. His cheeks were very rosy, like he'd been out in cold air. Oliver grabbed both sides of Percy's body to steady him, eyes looking big and surprised, but smiling. He'd been out flying, his short uneven hair stood up strangely in places where Percy had failed to cut it short enough. Not being on the team did not stop Oliver from taking a spin on a broom whenever he was allowed. And now with schoolwork done madam Hooch had become more lenient.

 

When Oliver entered, the entire room of first years cheered. 

 

Oliver was Percy's best friend, but Oliver didn't really need Percy. 

 

Percy didn't say a word, just pulled away from Oliver's grip and ran out. 

 

Oliver didn't let him leave peacefully, running right after him.

 

"Percy wait! What's wrong!?" 

 

He heard him shout, but Percy's legs were longer and he didn't plan to stop. He wasn't even sure why he was so upset all of a sudden. He was just so angry, or sad? Melancholic? Was this what that felt like?

 

He ran to the library, curling up in a dark corner between shelves as he felt the stubborn tears starting to well. He wasn't sobbing, thick tears just fell silently over his face as he felt a heavy pain in his chests.

 

"Why are you crying?" Oliver stood bent over, but kept his head up to look at Percy. Breathing heavily, and Oliver didn't usually get out of breath so easily. How fast had he ran?

 

"Go away, Oliver!" Percy screamed, completely disregarding library rules.  Oliver shook his head. He walked close.

 

"Stop!" Percy angrily wiped away the tears but more kept coming. Oliver sat down and put his forehead against Percy's chest. Like a slow, old bull. Percy tried to push him away but Oliver just grabbed on, hugging him.

 

"Why won't you go?" Percy sobbed.

 

"Because you're my best friend, and you're sad" Oliver said. Percy's heart sank.

 

"What?" Percy whispered.

 

Oliver looked up, eyebrows furrowed and serious.

 

"I'm not gonna let my best friend cry alone"

 

Percy felt his heart quicken, a rapid rhythmic thudding. He could feel his pulse all around them. Was Percy really his best friend?

 

"You're my best friend" Percy just said numbly. He had somehow stopped crying. Oliver started to smile.

 

"Of course I am" Oliver said.

 

"Now, why are you sad? Is it because there's no more classes?" Oliver teased.

 

Percy shoved him.

 

"Shut up, you make me sound like some dork" he half-heartedly complained. Oliver just giggled.

 

"But you are" 

 

"Shut up, I'm fun too!" 

 

"We can't squander our time and undervalue our academic studies with fun" Oliver teased as he wrestled Percy to the ground. He went straight from hugging to grappling.

 

"Cut it out!" Percy said as he gave as much as he took in their playfight. Until Miss Pince came barging in to grab them both by the collar. She swiftly threw them out and banned them from the library for the rest of the term. Oliver comforted Percy with the notion that there wasn't much left of term anyway. They were going home soon.

 

It went quiet, as they looked at each other. Almost giggling, suppressing laughs. Then it just went completely still as their eyes met.

 

"You'll write right" it wasn't a question.

 

Percy nodded.

 

"And we'll visit?"

 

Percy nodded again.

 

"It's probably better if I visit you, because the burrow is so crowded in the summers" Percy said.

 

"Oh, but my ma has her hands full with baby Emily" Oliver said.

 

He scrunched up his face, Percy thought about it.

 

"We'll sort it" Percy finally said, with finality. Then he thought some more. He felt embarrassed to voice his thoughts, was it okay to admit that he'd never had a friend like this before? Or did that make him a dud? He kinda really wanted to tell Oliver though.

 

"I've never had a best friend before" he finally said. Oliver smiled.

 

"I have," he said. Percy's heart plummeted. 

"Not one as good as you though"

 

That was odd. Percy really couldn't see how that could be true, but he was happy to hear it.

Chapter 11: The first summer - How two such things can coexist

The rain was falling, a heavy curtain bending the long grass to their will. As suspected neither Molly Weasley nor Jacqueline Wood were prepared to host any children that weren't their own that summer. Although Percy was certain he could've made his mother relent if he'd pushed well enough. Much like the rain outside pushed the grass. Molly loved having the children's friends over and the fact Percy had never asked before surely made it all the harder to decline. Percy knew the power he wielded, and he would've felt bad to manipulate her that way. That's why he didn't push it.

 

So when Arthur, prompted by his wife no doubt, suggested he'd take the boys somewhere for a day trip, Percy was ecstatic. 

 

In the end Arthur and Bram Wood took it upon themselves to apparate their boys to Hogsmeade. Of course accidentally timing it perfectly with a day of summer rain.

 

After wading their wellingtons through the muck of the little wizarding town, and they had no more little shops to visit, they took up a table in the three broomsticks to warm up. They were well soaked, and glad to get rid of their shiny wet coats. Percy drank a soothing cup of hot chocolate while Oliver had prompted for a pumpkin milkshake. Granted it was summer, but the rain did not scream 'ice cream weather' to Percy. Oliver was peculiar that way. 

 

He was slurping it up with great speed through an orange striped straw. Practically inhaling it. Percy rested his mouth on his cup, forgetting to sip as he stared at his friend.

 

Oliver's hair was now buzzed short, very close to his scalp. His mother had been forced to, to save the mess the boys had done to it during term. Oliver seemed fine with it, yet Percy thought it a shame on such nice curls. Percy's hair was just curly, orange and wild. He'd give anything to have such soft, naturally coiffed hair as Oliver had when they'd first met. Cause while Percy's hair was so on the nose curly, Oliver's had more of a subtle wave to it. Most people would probably not even call it curls. Percy envied that.

 

The grown men in their company had started to bond in their fatherhood. Discussing boring things Percy wasn't interested to even pretend to care about. Instead he kept his focus on Oliver, who was now blowing bubbles in his shake for Percy's entertainment. Percy laughed and took a sip of his chocolate, resurfacing with a foamy cream mustache. 

 

He made a bit out of it, mimicking the words his father said. Arthur still didn't notice him.

 

"So what have you been up to then Bram, we barely see you in the wizarding community anymore?"

 

"I'm just a simple farmer now, someone had to take over when Jackie's father passed. I owed him that, I owed it to Jackie" Bram said, tilting his beer in his hand as he looked more to it than to Arthur.

 

"A farm ? I see" Arthur said, Percy knew he had no idea what a farm was.

 

"I tend livestock, sheep." Bram said, unaware Arthur was almost lifting out of his seat at the prospect of talking muggleshop.

 

"Fascinating" Arthur said, breathlessly.

 

Knowing his father's curiosity had no end, Percy knew this would take a while. He grabbed his coat, stood up and nudged his head to the door. Knowing they could leave and be back before their father's even noticed. Oliver followed without question, pulling on his raincoat as he went.

 

"Not so sure a wizard was what the old man had in mind for an heir, but Jackie's brother moved to Glasgow. Real city lad, works with something called an internet" they heard Bram say as they snuck away. Followed by even more aw's and aha's from Arthur, sitting at the edge of his seat. 

 

The rain was still falling outside, but simultaneously the sun shone through the clouds. Covering the landscape in a sort of magic not even their kind could fully contemplate. How two such different things could exist side by side and be so beautiful. Oliver grabbed Percy's hand as they ran the cobblestones down, over the little bridge that led them straight to the gates surrounding Hogwarts.

 

They stopped when their noses touched the bars and looked towards the eerily still castle walls. Percy realized they were still holding hands and awkwardly released it, to instead grab the wet bars with both hands. The mixed weather already created a rainbow that stretched over the huge building. It looked more beautiful than any painting.

 

"You reckon anyone still in there?" Oliver said, pushing his face through the opening as far as he could. His cheeks got smushed in between giving him a pout.

When Percy reached his hand out he could feel the resistant push of magic. Something shielding the grounds from the outside. 

 

"I suppose some teachers? Otherwise where do Hagrid and Filch go?" 

 

"Yeah, I think I see smoke from Hagrid's hut" Oliver said. Percy squinted, but he really couldn't tell. He really needed to remind his mom about the glasses before he went back to school. Where Paul would be. As much as Percy loved just spending time with Oliver, he still missed Paul. Missed his macabre stories and his big gap toothed smile. Paul hadn't been allowed to come along. His mother really was strict about him entering the wizarding world. He was only ever allowed if it was for school it seemed. Percy sort of wondered how she would shield him from it when he was being educated into it. Where would he work? Would he be like Bram, taking up a muggle job somewhere? Come to think of it would Oliver? Would both of Percy's friends leave him alone in the wizarding world someday. 

 

"Oliver, what do you wanna be when you grow up?" Percy asked tentatively.

 

"Tall" Oliver answered quickly.

 

"Seriously? What job?" Percy decided not to mention the farm just in case it would give Oliver any ideas.

 

"I don't know, what kind of jobs are there?"

 

Percy thought about it.

 

"You like Quidditch right? Maybe you could become a famous quidditch player?" Percy said, at least that would keep him in this world with Percy.

 

"Oh yeah!" Oliver said and smiled towards his friend. His face looked strangely round peeking out under the hood of his raincoat and that hair didn't help. His smile was just right though, it felt homely and familiar by now. The golden light reflection of the late summer sun seemed enhanced by the rain that now felt more like a mist around their faces. The light reflected in Oliver's eyes, turning them a nice amber colour.

 

"Oliver Wood, professional quidditch player" Oliver proclaimed happily "and what about you, what do you want to be when we grow up?"

 

"best friend of Oliver Wood, professional quidditch player" Percy said and nodded to himself. He couldn't quite look at Oliver as he said it so he looked ahead over the massive grounds instead. "And also perhaps, minister of magic"

 

They were startled out of the serenity when their fathers appeared. Too far away to fully see their shapes but they could hear them shouting for them from across the bridge.

 

"Boys! It's late we have to start apparating home" Arthur shouted and waved at them.

 

They threw one last look at the castle knowing they'd meet her soon enough, and ran back into the village. 

Chapter 12: Year 2 - the Hogwarts express experience

Even if it pained him to even think it, even if it went against every fiber of his being. Percival Weasley had no choice but to thoroughly admit that his elder brother Charlie - 'brutish  monster loving, quidditch playing ruffian', was right. He was correct. Percy stood corrected, against Charlie. Because traveling the Hogwarts express with a mate was magical. Way better than traveling alone, or being forced to keep company with your siblings. Definitely more enjoyable than spending it with your rat on a toilet seat.

 

He'd tried having Scabbers out for a bit but Paul was still not a fan, and Scabbers still insisted on climbing all over Paul when he had the chance. So now Scabbers was jailed in his cage again, for crimes against friends. Percy really hoped he'd get an owl soon, it was much more convenient than a rat. Sure, Scabbers had his moments, but there was something a little off about him. Percy had always thought there was something missing in their relationship. Other people bonded with their pets much easier, didn't they? Percy cared for Scabbers about as much as he cared for the living newts in the potions classroom. He respected that he was a living thing and was glad for a little company now and then, but Scabbers never seemed to show much affection like other people's pets did, so there really wasn't much for Percy to care for. Somehow he even felt that Scabbers feelings were mutual. Still, he shared his food with him through the cage to make him feel better about being locked in.

 

Percy's packed lunch was incredibly sad compared to Paul's muggle snacks, but they still shared everything between each other, and Paul said nothing about it being an unfair trade. He seemed to enjoy the simplicity of a homemade sandwich. Percy didn't know much about muggle food, but he could recognize something store bought when he saw it. The funky images and brand names on the individual packaging were similar. Percy never had such treats if not for a special occasion, like a birthday. 

He ate the salt and vinegar crisps until he almost felt ashamed and stretched the bag to Paul who declined, happy to sip Percy's flask of pumpkin juice instead.

 

"I've missed pumpkin juice" he said dreamily, at least twice between sips. 

 

Percy didn't say anything, even though it would have felt appropriate to say he missed Paul. It felt a bit too silly. They could do all that sappy stuff when they were reunited with Oliver at the Hogsmeade platform. If even then. 

 

Instead he just pushed his new thick-rimmed glasses up his nose. Unused to the feeling of them, they slipped a bit being a tad too large. He said new, well they were new to Percy. His parents didn't have the money to just buy glasses when a perfectly fine pair lay up in the attic, where they had stayed since his uncle had died in the war. The style of them must've at least been from the 70s.

 

They did go to Diagon alley to fit them for new glass, but the frames were ancient. The glass hadn't been cheap either, which Percy didn't understand since the optician had just had to magic them in. Still, it meant no new robes this year either. But instead of last year's too short trousers, these ones were too loose, Bill's old ones from when he was fourteen. Too big was better than too small anyday, but Percy had looked forward to not having hand-me-downs for once. Having grown quite a bit during the summer there had been talk of having to buy some new ones. Well, there was always next year.

 

"My mother knows something," Paul said suddenly.

 

Percy's glasses slid comically down his nose, impeccable comedic timing. 

 

"How ominous" Percy said, pushing the glasses back. 

 

Paul snickered, then he composed himself to look quite serious.

 

"No really though, she says this war definitely isn't over. Which is why she's still so scared" Paul said, his eyes big and even though he tried to look somber you could still detect that glimmer of interest in them. He found it thrilling.

 

"But the war is over-" Percy said, Paul sat up straighter and interrupted. Percy startled back in his seat.

 

"I told her the war was over, and she scoffed. As if it was absurd."

 

"How would she know, isn't she just a squib?" Percy said.

 

"She-" Paul began, Scabber chose this moment to get a total freak out in his cage. They both stared at him, confused.

 

Percy held up the cage and looked at him. The rat stared back, suddenly quite calm.

 

"Seriously, what's wrong with you?" Percy scolded and put the cage back down in his lap.

 

"Anyway, isn't she a squib who left the wizarding world during the war?"

 

"Yes, but she-"

 

Again they were interrupted as the door to their compartment suddenly slid open with extreme speed. They both screamed, scabbers' cage toppled over and Percy had to quickly grab it and correct it before it fell to the floor. The rat squeaked in primal fear, before it all went quiet. Finally Percy had a moment of peace to fully feel his heart pound out of his ears. Heart still racing he looked up to meet eyes with his grinning brother. Percy stood up to start pounding his hands against Charlie when the latter just grabbed his closest arm with one hand, and pointed the other to a silver badge on his chest that said 'p'. It sat right above his usual Captain's badge. 

 

"Ap ap ap" Charlie said, tapping the badge slowly "hitting a prefect your very first day back to school, we're not even there yet"

 

The worst, Charlie being a prefect was the absolute worst. Percy punched his chest anyway, just once, and sat down again.

 

Charlie faked a gasp and kept his grin.

 

"I was just going to advise you to change, we'll be there soon" Charlie said, as he leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe. 

 

It was Percy's turn to gasp, genuinely. He'd lost track of time completely. He wasn't about to let Charlie know though.

 

"We know " Percy shouted instead and pushed Charlie out the door so he could close it in his face.

 

"Leave us alone!" He shouted again, through the glass. It probably sounded very muffled to Charlie. Charlie just kept grinning and blew Percy a kiss, so Percy forcefully pulled the curtain to spare himself the sight of him.

 

"Git" he muttered, before frantically starting to pull out his robes.

 

They scrambled to change, and were still helping each other tie their ties when the train slowed down into hogsmeade. 

 

Almost running off they immediately started looking for the northerners who would be waiting for them somewhere along the platform.

 

They spotted Oliver eventually, he was chatting with another scotsman. A Hufflepuff that Percy remembered sharing herbology with last year. His surname was Graham, he didn't remember his first. Oliver seemed to have known him before school, but they were never close. Now however they were being very friendly. Percy pushed away the jealousy. He was still Oliver's best friend.

 

Graham the Hufflepuff was taller than Oliver, but definitely shorter than Percy. Wide shouldered, not really chubby but stocky. Sort of square shaped, he had sandy blond hair that almost blended together with his tan skin. And he had that impossible complexion of being both tan and speckled with freckles all over the bridge of his nose and his cheeks. 

 

Oliver was standing with his back to them but when Graham saw them he said something to Oliver and gestured to them.

 

Oliver turned quickly, a big smile and frantic waving followed. Oliver's hair was still very close to his scalp, but not as closely buzzed. It suited him. He was also very sunburnt.

 

They hugged together closely, the Graham kid got pulled into it as well. Which Percy just had to accept. 

 

"Can Jack go with us in our cart? He can't find his mates in this crowd" Oliver asked as they pulled apart. Percy looked at Graham, well Jack, and shrugged. The group soon got ushered towards some black carts standing next to the road. They looked as if they were supposed to be pulled by something but there were just empty slots in front.

 

"Whoah, that looks dead" Jack said as he climbed aboard the cart, staring in front "like something Bean Nighe would ride"

 

The others looked confused.

 

"What does?" Oliver asked, pointing his head back out from where he'd already taken a seat. Jack gestured to the front of the cart.

 

"The thing tattered to the wagon" Jack explained. Paul and Percy just gave each other a look, where they still stood outside waiting for their turn to climb aboard. They then took their seats in silence.

 

"Mate…" Oliver said quietly "there's nothing there" 

 

Jack looked a bit scared then, mostly confused. When they started moving they realized that nothing had attached to them, it just started moving on its own. Jack still looked ahead, eyebrows furrowed and looking at the back of the wall, as if he could see through it to whatever was pulling this cart. Something the others didn't see.

 

They didn't say a word, so the ride was eery and tense. They stepped off just as quietly on the school grounds.

 

Jack stepped up to that invisible thing as soon as he could, and stared at something. It was starting to really freak Percy out.

 

"Will death come for me?" Jack muttered as he reached out his hand in the air. Paul's eyes glimmered as they looked at Jack in wonder.

 

Then suddenly, just as sudden as he'd opened their compartment door on the train, Charlie interrupted. There was a loud booming laughter coming from the cart in front. Charlie sat on the steps of it, laughing at them and pointing at Jack. Or at whatever Jack was standing next to. Behind him Percy spotted bright unnaturally orange hair which meant Tonks was probably with him. 

 

"You won't die, it's just a thestral" Charlie shouted as he jumped off the steps of his own cart and took a few strides up to them. Then his face quickly changed, he looked sort of sad.

 

"I'm sorry you can see it" he said, and then just as quickly his mood changed again as he added "I'm kind of jealous though, I really want to know what they look like!" 

 

Charlie was petting something for sure, although it looked as if he was just petting air.

 

"What's a thestral?" Percy asked and almost elbowed his way past the other boys. Charlie grinned and grabbed Percy's hand, holding it where he supposed a horse's head would be. For a second he thought he was hallucinating it, but surely he felt a cold breath. Like something invisible was breathing there. Percy kept his composure even though he felt a chill down his spine. Then Charlie guided his hand higher, to something solid. So it was something you could touch. You could feel it. It was physically there.

 

"You can only see thestrals, if you've watched someone die" Charlie said. They all looked to Jack then, who looked less freaked out now that he knew he wasn't crazy.

 

"Oh, I was with my granny when she passed last year" Jack said and petted the thestral the way Charlie did.

 

It was a little less scary when they had an explanation. Still it wasn't Percy's favourite Hogwarts experience.  

 

"Stop scaring the kids and let's go eat!" Tonks shouted at them from the path leading up to the castle. Charlie reluctantly pulled his hand away from the creature and started running after her. He gave Percy a last wink and Percy almost missed his presence when they were alone with the thestrals again. You could always trust Charlie to explain a beast, and knowing what was pulling the cart didn't really make them less terrifying. Charlie wasn't scared of any beast though, Charlie loved them. 

 

Food sounded good too and they decided to follow their older peers' examples. At least they could use that excuse to distance themselves from the carts. Going to the feast also meant Oliver, Paul and Percy got to be a trio again. Only when they sat down at the gryffindor table and the great hall was loud with chatter did he dare say the words.

 

"I missed you two" Oliver and Paul smiled and agreed.

Chapter 13: Year 2 - the twelve year old divas of house gryffindor

It being their second year at Hogwarts they were much more comfortable taking up space in the common room this year. They never felt that nervous need to excuse their presence to the older kids anymore, now they were instead fueled by an obnoxious twelve year old urge to assert themselves. If any of the older kids had anything against it, it wasn’t as if they could say anything since Percy’s brother Bill was head boy now. Percy usually said that this would probably work more against them than be an asset, but Oliver still thought being best friends with the brother of the head boy surely must have perks. Even if said best friend said Bill would definitely just be harder on him than anyone else because they were brothers, but Bill seemed to really like Oliver so who really knew who was right.

 

So instead of hanging out in their dorm room like last year they usually spent their free time in the common room area. Which was nice since that meant they could hang out with the girls, who they had gotten closer to during the end of last term. 

Percy was sat in an armchair reading a book. Oliver took up an entire couch by himself, not because he was tall enough to do so but because he’d placed himself laying down in the center of it. His satchel of schoolbooks lay thrown at one end and strewn a bit everywhere were a few magazines, mostly sports which he was reading up on. Paul was on the floor propped up by a pillow and watching the girls, and the girls were lined up in front of the largest fireplace playing pop divas. Which meant they had set up a speaker to magically blast out songs, both wizard and muggle kinds, and then they were miming the words and acting like they were singers on a stage performing them. They had even dressed up in glittery tops and leather jackets and whatever else they could find that looked cool enough. Lauren wore a feather boa which dropped so many feathers around the room that it was starting to look like an owlery in there. The outfits were accompanied by heavy makeup, bright pink lips and blue eyelids. Oliver thought it seemed fun to dress up and sing but he absolutely didn’t understand the miming.

 

However, he didn’t need to understand it to know they were having fun, and that the third years who had been forced into a corner of the room hated all of it. The music, the loud twelve year old chatter of them trying to have conversations over said music. The third years said nothing though, just threw them angry glances. Because Bill is Percy’s brother , Oliver thought and grinned into his magazine. Or perhaps it was the fact that they had been the same last year and didn’t really have a leg to stand on, and if it really bothered them they could leave instead of staring.

 

The chatter quickly turned to arguing between Eveline and Imogene over who would be Madonna in their play pretend. Looking at them now it was quite obvious they had both dressed the part.

 

“You have to let me be Madonna, it’s my speaker! You can be Janet Jackson!” Eveline hissed and pulled the speaker closer to herself. Probably threatening to take it away if she didn’t get her will through. Imogen scoffed and crossed her arms

 

“Why? Because I’m black?” Imogene asked. The silence following was immediate and deafening, even with the pop music still filling up the silence. Eveline quickly turned it off, trying to get words out. 

 

“no, that’s not-”

 

“Your hair!” Lauren tried intervening, gripping her boa tighter in discomfort, more feathers fell. 

 

“You have the same hairstyle!” Eveline agreed and both girls nodded at each other. Imogene just raised an unimpressed eyebrow at her friends.

 

“I could just magic my hair to look however I want” she said, making her friends panic even more. They crowded her, chattering away even louder. Speaking over each other, grabbing Imogene’s hands as they tried to convince her not to. 

 

“Please don’t magic away your hair Imogene”

 

“Your beautiful hair!”

 

“Yeah don’t” Oliver quipped from over his sport magazine “you’d look awful bald” 

 

Foresaking her argument with her best friends Imogene realesed herself to throw a book at him from his own satchel. A hardcover. 

 

Narrowingly avoiding it, Oliver sat up angrily and stared at her incredulously and offended. 

 

“Hey! Only Percy is allowed to throw books at me” Oliver said.

 

Having been absolutely engulfed in his own hardcover book and none the wiser about the world around him, this did bring Percy back into reality and made him look up, surprised. Imogene looked at Percy who just shrugged as if to say he had no idea what Oliver was on about. 

 

“Okay, Percy, you do it for me then” Imogene said, unbothered by this new rule.

 

Oliver snickered confidently.

 

“Percy would never” he said, Imogene just turned her attention back to Percy.

 

“Percy, please ” she said, giving him big puppy dog eyes and pouting. Percy stood up, looking surprised that he did so. He then grabbed his book hard in his hands and slowly started moving across the stone floor towards Oliver. All the time with a look of utter horror as he looked to his hands, and back to Oliver on the couch who was now sitting straight as a board upright and slowly moving further away on it. 

 

“ Percy… ” Oliver said, sliding his bottom further along the cushions. 

 

“I swear I’m not doing it” Percy said in alarm, raising his arms with the book held up high, as he moved excruciatingly slow towards Oliver. For a second Oliver was convinced Imogene actually had him under some spell, but then he caught the mischievous glimmer in Percy’s eye up close and he knew Percy was just pretending to not have any control.

 

“It’s not funny Percy!” Oliver shrieked as he threw himself over the back of the couch, toppling over to the other side to create some distance. Percy just slowly started walking around it. 

 

“It’s not funny! Imogene tell him to stop!” Oliver shrieked again as he started moving. Always making sure to have the couch between him and Percy. Imogene and the others just laughed. 

 

Thinking on his feet on how to solve it he just started screaming out any pop diva he could think of, hoping to come up with options for either Imogene or Eveline to be instead of Madonna. Perhaps then it would distract them enough for this charade to stop.

 

“Donna Summer! Diana Ross!” they ran around the couch.

 

“That one blonde from ABBA” Percy swung the book, Oliver dodged it “BLONDIE!”

 

He dove behind the armchair that Percy had previously been sitting in.

 

“Actually do go bald, be Sinead O’Connor!” He said as he poked his head out, the girls were still laughing but looked confused.

 

“you know that Irish lass, the one that debuted recently, Sinead O’Connor !”

 

“I know Sinead O’Connor I’m just surprised you do” Lauren said between giggles.

 

A quiet “How do you know so many pop divas?" from Paul went unnoticed by them and Oliver had no time to acknowledge it. Even Percy had stopped messing around with the book to look at him with confused furrowed brows.

 

"DO I know Sinnead O'connor?!!" Oliver said loudly, being quite offended at being questioned, as he threw himself in the armchair confidently now that Percy had stopped chasing him. He wasn’t about to tell them why he knew so many of their names by heart. That was for him and his ma to know and for them to wonder about. 

 

The girls looked ecstatic, smiling gleefully as they set the speaker back up in it’s spot on the mantelpiece.

 

“why don’t you guys join us!” Eveline exclaimed and Lauren wrapped the boa around Paul and pulled him up on the ‘stage’.

 

“Yeah! You can be anyone you want” Lauren then said as she wrapped the boa a few more turns around Paul and left it there.

 

“Just not Madonna” Imogene added and snickered.

 

“Percy should be Annie Lennox!” Oliver said, almost tripping over his own feet to get up next to the others. 

 

“Why? Just because he’s ginger ?” Imogene said, mirroring her own previous words. 

 

“She isn’t even ginger anymore” Eveline said, Oliver just shook his head. 

 

"No, because she scares me" he said, slowly pulling the book out of Percy’s grip and placing it on the table. 

 

In truth Oliver thought Annie Lennox was really cool, just like Percy. 

Chapter 14: Year 2 - broom polish and it's homicidal side effects (perhaps it's just the effect of putting three twelve year olds in a room together)

The level of anxiety in the room was starting to feel suffocating.

 

On one end Oliver was handling his by repolishing his broomstick over and over again. Initially Percy had been ecstatic for his friend’s sake, that he was now allowed to bring his own broom to school, but he was starting to regret that joy. That darn thing was a safety hazard in the night when you tried to discreetly use the loo, and the stench of the polish was giving Percy a headache. Especially after the fourth application.

 

On the other end Paul was going through old news clippings and comparing them to what looked like personal correspondence. Both new and old. He was nervously biting his lips and hid his notes whenever Percy came too close. 

 

Honestly it was hard focusing on your own things when you were both curious and a tad bit worried about your friends well being. At least Paul kept to himself, Oliver was whining to Percy whenever he caught his eye. However if Percy deliberately didn’t look his way he’d moan even louder to get him to do it. 

 

Percy sighed and massaged his temples as Oliver once again growled something from his side of the room. 

"Oh, what now?!" Percy snapped, causing Paul to yelp and drop a folder whose content got strewn all over the floor. Percy immediately crouched down and started to pick it up with a guilty conscience.

"What if I don't make it? Charlie keeps implying he’ll make my tryouts even harder than the others just because I nagged him so much last year! It's unbearable, I can't take this!" Oliver rolled around his bed complaining, making the most pitiful noises. Making an awful mess of his sheets.

Percy paused his work on gathering the papers and just stood there holding them while he stared at Oliver.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin's beard Oliver… really now, you're only twelve so there's little to no chance of you making the team this year anyway" Percy said, maybe feeling a little guilty about being so harshly truthful. Paul had stood up as well and was trying to subtly reach for the papers in Percy’s arms but Percy had no time to accommodate for that. He really just wanted to get Oliver to shut up so he could finish his potions essay today. That way he could revise it a couple of times before handing it in to professor Snape.

"Some friend you are…" Oliver said grumpily throwing a sock that he had knotted into a ball into the air before catching it again.

"I'm not trying to be mean, just realistic, you could try out next year again… why don't you just work on your potions essay with me instead?" Maybe if the babbling buffoon worked with him he could get some quiet and actually get this done with.

"Its not due until next thursday, that’s almost a weeks from now!" Oliver scrunched up his tiny nose and sat up in his bed "You're the only one who would work on it already!"

"I remember you admiring my intellect once…” Percy sad, with mock hurt and a theatrically nostalgic sigh. 

“and if you don't do it now we both now you'll be sitting there last minute, writing it down in a panic, begging me to help you"

Paul tried once again to grab the papers from Percy’s arms. Percy vaguely noted how strangely obssessive he was being about it but had no time to ponder it as Oliver continued.

"That's because I still value your intellect, I admire it!" Oliver threw his hand up in defiance and managed to let the sock slip out of his hand while doing so, hitting Percy in the face with it.

Paul tried grabbing the papers again.

In a completely misdirected explosion of irritation Percy snapped at Paul.

“What!? What is so important about these!?” He yelled and finally actually looked at the news clippings he was holding. They were all about the war, specifically about death eaters. Famous follower families. Dark wizard stuff. Percy scrunched his brow and looked up at his friend's flushed face. 

“It looks weird I know, please don’t ask me about it” Paul said and started to look a bit pale.

Normally Percy would shrug it off as Paul’s peculiar interest in the macabre and crime, but his nervous demeanor was worrying him a bit.

“What is it?” Oliver asked curiously, interest now peeked as he quickly stood up from his bed, and was heading over to the pile of stuff on Paul’s bed that both roommates had been ignoring up until now.

“Please, I don’t want you to hate me!” Paul pleaded. Percy looked at him in bewilderment. What did he mean?

He pushed the clippings into Paul’s chest but moved swiftly around him to join Oliver by Paul's bed.

“I can explain!” Paul said meekly as Percy peered down on the family tree that Oliver was holding. Paul’s family tree, and next to it where the notes of crossed out family names of known death eaters which Paul had apparently deemed not related to him.

“Paul…” Oliver breathed out his name so quietly. As if in disbelief.

“your wizard family, were they you know… deatheaters ?” Percy tried to say with a bit more sympathy.

“I don’t know” Paul said sadly “it’s just something my mom said, made me wonder”

He looked so deflated, both Percy and Oliver went back up to him to wrap him in a hug.

“So what if they were, you’re still you” Oliver said softly.

“Yeah, you don’t always become like your relatives.” Percy added.

“Exactly, look at Percy's brothers, they’re cool and Percy’s a dork” Oliver said as they released each other from the hug. Patting Percy’s back. Percy narrowed his eyes.

“Yeah, and Oliver has a great aunt who was a semi famous quidditch captain and Oliver can’t even make the school team” he said venomously in retaliation.

“Hey!” Oliver shouted, actually looking a bit angry, which quickly grew into anguish again “...but what if I actually don’t though?”

"Not this again! It was a joke!” Percy groaned. 

“Seriously, if you manage to get on the team, you manage to get on the team… and if not-” he saw the Scottish boy cringe but continued with a pointed stare.

“If not … you can try again next year" 

Oliver slumped his shoulders and sighed. 

"What if there won't be a tryout next year?"

Throwing a glance at Paul to see if he was okay now Percy noted that he simply seemed relieved about the change of subject, so he continued. 

"Isn't Marie Donovan playing Keeper now?" Percy asked, slowly turning his bespectacled eyes towards his dorm mate.

"Well… yeah?"

"And is she not a seventh year, meaning she will graduate this year?"

"Yeah, she is!" Oliver seemed to beam at this realization.

"And what about Nigel Simmons, the beater?"

"He's a seventh year too!" Oliver seemed ecstatic.

"Yes, so obviously there will be another tryout next year, so will you please stop moping prematurely?” 

Oliver nodded and smiled, he settled in his bed again and started to pack up the polish for which Percy was so grateful. He helped Paul sort out his papers looking forward to relish in the silence for a bit. Percy thanked whatever God or great magician that was listening for this moment. Maybe this time he could get that homework done.

The silence only lasted a few seconds though, before Oliver started rolling around in his bed once more whining to himself.

"But I wanna play now!" He complained loudly and with that same eccentric panic picked his broom back up. He started to rub at the shaft again with vigor. 

"Oh, I give up! I hope you slip off that thing" Percy muttered, put his books in his satchel and went back up to Paul.

“Paul, let’s go to the library and work. The fumes from the polish is making me homicidal, I’ll tell you all about it” 

“I doubt you’d kill your friends though” Paul said and snickered, but still gathered a few things in his own satchel.

“Not you, but him, I definitely will” Percy said and glared at Oliver. As he went towards the door Oliver stuck his tongue out at him. 

In the end Oliver made the team as chaser, so all the commotion was completely unnecessary. However he also did push his potions assignment to last minute as predicted. Percy refused to help him and he ended up missing his first practice due to detention. Which made Charlie punish him with running laps, and that felt like a fitting compensation for the emotional toll Percy had to go through.

Chapter 15: Year 2 - it's all Scabber's fault

A scream startled him out of his sleep. With a yelp Oliver sat up, tangled into his sheet and half tripping over the side of the bed as he did so. He managed to get a grip on the mattress just in time to not fall down to the floor. A thud next to him hinted that Percy might also have been startled enough to bump his head on his headboard. 

 

When Oliver groggily managed to look up Percy was scrambling to get his ‘too big for his face’ glasses on, and was rubbing his head where he seemed to have hit it.

 

“The rat! The rat’s in my bed!” Paul was screaming as he was standing wobbly on his mattress and stamping on his blanket.

 

“Don’t step on him!” Percy shouted as he was running over and started to lift blankets and pillows in search of his rogue rat.

 

"Scabbers!" He was calling him as he pushed Paul down from the bed. Paul didn’t argue with the manhandling and was quick to run over to Oliver’s bed instead. Without hesitation he jumped up and attached himself to Oliver, apparently feeling safer not on the floor and not alone. Oliver, still half asleep and only wearing his undies from how he usually slept, felt a bit awkward about having Paul so close to him this early in the morning. He didn’t want to be rude and object though, if Paul was so freaked out, so he didn’t complain. Paul’s fear of Scabbers had gotten better recently with exposure but having the rat sitting on his pillow first thing as he woke up might be pushing it a bit. Honestly, Oliver probably would’ve reacted similarly and he had no issues with Scabbers. 

 

“Are we sure it’s not just a common rat that snuck in?” Oliver said and yawned. Paul shrieked in disgust, apparently Oliver wasn’t helping as he thought.

 

“Scabbers! There you are!” Percy shouted, diving out of Paul’s duvet triumphantly with his squirming pet.

 

“What the fuck were you doing?” he held the rat close to his face in interrogation before bringing him back to his own bed to place him in his cage.

 

“He’s a rat, he has no agenda” Oliver yawned again. Feeling safe to remove himself from Paul’s side now that Scabbers was caged and unthreatening. Paul was still reluctant to leave the sanctury of Oliver’s bed, perhaps freaked out about the idea that there could still be other common rats in the room with them. Oliver stepped up to put on a jumper against the old castle chill.

 

“That rat is obsessed with me” Paul panted, rushing with adrenaline but starting to calm down.

 

“It’s just cause he can tell you react strongly to him” Percy said very rationally, so Oliver just nodded in agreement. He had no reason to doubt Percy’s judgment. 

 

He kind of wanted to fall back asleep but he had to be up in twenty minutes either way because of quidditch so decided to just get on with his mourning routine and left Percy in charge of calming down their friend. 

 

Oliver loved morning practise, usually… But man, Charlie it turned out - was a tyrant when it came to being captain. So when Oliver yawned or showed signs of fatigue he did not get sympathy but rather he had to start over with his warm ups every time he slacked. It was just made worse when he tried to explain that the reason he was tired was indirectly Charlie’s fault. Wasn’t he perhaps the one to gift Scabbers to Percy? It was a family member anyhow. 

 

Charlie did not respond well, which was why Oliver arrived muddy and tired to charms, and fully intent on killing the rat.

 

He grabbed him harshly from Percy’s desk and held him up so he could look into the rat’s eye.

 

“Hey! Don’t squeeze him!” Percy said and took him. Honestly after getting a good look at him Oliver was happy to let the fat rat go back to his owner's care.

 

“Why does he have such unsettling eyes?” Oliver said, a little bit disgusted. Usually he’d say that rodents had black lifeless eyes, but Scabbers eyes looked… well vigilant in a way he’d never seen before.

 

“I don’t know, he’s a rat” Percy said, putting Scabbers back on the desk.

 

“Yeah well if he creeps into any of our beds again I’m setting traps” Oliver mumbled and Paul nodded strongly in favour of this from Percy’s other side. Percy just shrugged, seemingly not that fussed about the other’s hatred for his pet rat.

 

“I’ll lock him up over night, don’t worry about it” 

 

“Why do you even keep him, if not even you like him?” Paul asked quietly, and honestly Oliver had been wondering the same. He’d just been a bit scared to ask, not sure if it was rude or not.

 

“I don’t mind him and it’s good to have a pet for charms… besides, my little brother really likes him but mom don't want him in the house all the time” Percy said and pet Scabbers on the head a few times. 

 

“I don’t know, I don’t think about it too much, but if I ever get an owl Ron can gladly take him” 

 

Oliver made a note to check what an owl could cost and if perhaps he could buy one for Percy as a gift. 

 

However after the routine of caging Scabbers overnight set in, there were no more early morning disruptions. So Oliver forgave the rat and started directing his irritation towards his captain and his harsh drills instead. Where it was well deserved.

 

In retaliation Percy ended up agreeing to help him enchant Charlie’s captain’s pin to blast out a mimic of Charlie’s own voice. In the middle of lunch it started yelling out his usual drill orders as McGonagall walked past. After that he was a little bit nicer to the team for a few days. Probably only because of McGonagall’s vigilance. 

 

Oliver was pretty sure Charlie knew it was his fault though, and the realization hit that practice might just become even harsher soon. 

 

---

 

Oliver crashed into the room and lay down on the floor. His goal had been to make it to the dorms, that was done. He wasn’t walking another step.

"So… you looking forward to the big game tomorrow?" Percy asked after a while, breaking the silence. Neither of Oliver’s roommates had bothered to even acknowledge Oliver staying down.

"I'm scared to death, what if I screw up?" 

"Well it's your first game; I think you're allowed to screw up…" Percy said thoughtfully.

Oliver just shook his head.

"Gryffindor hasn't won a cup in years, this is important. And Charlie doesn't seem to think that screwing up is okay. That's why he's been training us so hard!" Oliver had a worried expression etched to his face as he spoke. “What if it’s my fault we lose…”

"my brother…he's nice.” Percy said, as if it physically hurt to say it. 

“He won't be mad and he won't kick you off the team if that's what you're thinking…" Percy walked over and sat down next to Oliver.

"He's nice… that's why you have a man crush on him" Percy joked and laughed.

"Oh, sod off, I do not!" Oliver said and blushed. 

Chapter 16: Year 2 - 2 minutes

Oliver forgave Charlie extremely quickly. All of his tyrannical drilling truly felt praiseworthy the day of his first real game, when he saw the result of that training in action. His team, their efforts, they were beautiful together. Did he still think Charlie was a bit of a twat? Yes. But did he also think he admired Charlie just a tad more because of it? He had to agree that there should be some sacrifices made from a team in order to be the best. If there were results like these? Absolutely, he wholeheartedly agreed now. He had been shown the way, and the way was airborne. Was this what it was like to have a religious experience?

 

The way Nigel communicated to their team just when to duck so that he could send bludgers towards the slytherin chaser behind them, within an inch of their own hair. Oliver felt the gush of wind on his cheek as the bludger flew right past him, by a cm. Hitting his competitor in the ribs. The game had just started, barely a minute in and they were already on it.

 

Oliver was almost thankful of how Charlie being such a twat had created somewhere for him to focus his emotions, so that he had forgotten to be nervous. He was soaring through the air listening intently to the crowd cheering and decided it was the best feeling and that he would never stop chasing this high. He was sure he even saw McGonagall cheer. The cheers beckoned to him and he decided he wanted to do a showy lap over the bleachers, give his fans what they wanted. He soared past the sea of red and gold and his joy mirrored theirs perfectly and then… Percy . Percy in between Paul and Bill. No book in hand, just vivid attention. He was shouting as well, and smiling. Percy didn’t really like quidditch, didn’t even go to any games last year even though his brother was on the team. Percy was watching the game… Because of Oliver? He asked himself, unsure. He felt his heart thud. 

Thud, thud, 

THUMP.

He woke up in the hospital wing feeling rather queasy. He remembered being confused and flustered, not knowing why he felt that way, and then he remembered pain when the bludger hit him while he was distracted. He didn't remember much after that.

He did remember how much he had loved those two minutes of gameplay though, it consumed him. Percy and Paul didn’t really banter much when it came to quidditch. They would listen, and nod, and ask leading questions but they didn’t have counter arguments about which tactic was the best. So he started spending more time with Marvin and Jack. Marvin didn’t agree that Montrose Magpies were the elite choice to support so they often ended up in heated arguments. Nothing as bad as the full on brawls Oliver and Jack could end up in over whether Jack was a traitor for agreeing with Marvin or not, but still intense. Oliver absolutely loved those arguments. He may have looked mad, but inside his heart was always beating with delight. It was okay that Marvin was a Chudley Cannons supporter, even though they always lost. Marvin was unwavering in his support, claiming he stood by an underdog and that one day it would pay off. Oliver disagreed based on statistics. You didn’t just break a losing streak like theirs. 

“It’s not always about winning” Marvin puffed.

Even Jack paused his brewing brawl stance that he had been loading up to jump in and defend Marvin again. 

“what?” Both he and Oliver mumbled in shared confusion.

“Of course it’s about winning!” Oliver snapped.

“The community is so much more welcoming in a team where the supporters stay because of loyalty. A team that always win will lure in a opportunistic fanbase with turncoat behaviour ”

Oliver couldn’t argue against it. He wanted to, he just didn’t have the vocabulary. Marvin was sort of right, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t support a team that was winning and be a loyal fan. Maybe Oliver was just loyal to the right team.

Still the description of the Chuddley Cannon bars Marvin’s grandfather used to take him to sounded nice. Sort of like the way Percy described the burrow. Even though Percy always put on a feigned disdain towards his home, there was a hidden layer that was a little proud of it. Like there was a longing there. It sounded homely. Welcoming, like you could be a stranger and still feel like you belonged there.

Speaking of Percy, maybe it was just Oliver’s wishful thinking that Percy was a bit jealous of Oliver’s other friends and how much time he spent with them lately, but he had been more adamant in them hanging out these days. In fact they were going to go on an adventure today, sneak around for a bit and stay up after curfew. In fact he was supposed to meet his Gryffindor friends twelve minutes ago.

“Bullocks! I have to go!” Oliver shouted, grabbing his things “and it’s not because I’m losing the argument or giving up because I’m no t! I just- I just have somewhere to be okay!”

Marvin gave him a smug look, but he quickly covered it as a curious look grew steadily over his features.

“ I’m not !” Oliver insisted

“Where are you going then?” Marvin said, hopeful that his curiosity would be sated.

“Aint’ no way I’m telling you” Oliver said, not intending to be mean but the guffaw from Jack sort of nailed the casket shut. Jack’s roaring laughter filled the halls and Oliver would’ve felt bad if he had the time for it.

“It’s true, can’t tell you anything without you babbling to someone else about it!” Jack roared and the last thing Oliver saw before rounding the corner was Marvin jabbing his finger in Jack’s ribs. 

Percy was pacing outside the fat lady’s portrait looking absolutely livid. He stopped as he heard Oliver’s squeaky shoes nearing and the intense glare could’ve killed Oliver right there had Percy had laser eyes. Percy was striding towards him now, long steps with his long legs looking intimidating. 

“I know I’m late, I’m sorry!” Oliver said, sounding way too happy for an apology. He couldn't help it. It felt exciting that they were gonna break the rules, maybe even more so because it was Percy’s idea. 

“Too busy with your pitch buddies?” Percy said snidely, eyebrows narrowed.

Oliver just scooped both him and Paul into a hug, which successfully erased Percy’s foul look. Mostly because it surprised him. His foul mood was however still very much intact and the look came back tenfold. He tore himself free of Oliver’s grip and strode back up to the fat lady.

“Forget it, momentum’s over I’m going back” he said stubbornly. 

Oliver whined, Paul snickered.

“Please?” Oliver said.

“yes, please Percy” Paul added and they both tried their best to give him their best puppy dog eyes. Oliver’s were slightly better, if you asked Oliver himself. 

Percy paused, then sighed long and hard. 

“merlin’s beard, fine!” easy… so easy to manipulate sometimes.

They snuck past the chattiest paintings, rounded a corner and crawled up the great staircase. Snuck into the owlery and the astronomy tower. Stepping quietly around hallways hidden behind tapestries. Never mind the tapestries looking strangely billowy from an outsider's perspective. If anyone saw them no one said anything. They didn’t really do anything out of sorts except being somewhere they weren’t supposed to, but the idea of it made them giddy and full of giggles.

They crept down more stairs, further down. So far down they ended up in the dungeons. 

They never really spent time in the dungeons, if not for class and at least during the early hours some sunlight crept down there. Now it was dark, and damp, and sort of sad.

“Could you imagine having your dorm down here?” Paul whispered, pressing close to Percy for comfort in the dark. The only light coming from torches on the walls.

“Almost makes you feel bad for those Slytherins” Percy muttered, allowing Paul to hold onto his arm as they continued.

“Should we… should we look into one of the classrooms?” Oliver muttered and he liked to believe he only ended up pressed close to Percy because he couldn’t quite see where he was. It was just by chance, he thought as he too snuck an arm around Percy’s unoccupied one. 

“I think that’s going too far” Percy whispered. Their voices went more silent for every step they went deeper down. Their giggles had died down, but the adrenaline was still pumping steadfast. There was a suspense in the air, they stopped talking. There was a person on Oliver’s right but he was sure Percy was on his left and that Paul was on the other side of Percy so… was he imagining it? Someone had crept up on him close enough so that he could feel a breath on his neck and he was just about to turn when. 

“You scared of heights now Wood, had to get yourself to some lower grounds?” a raspy, mean sounding voice said right next to Oliver’s right ear. Oliver screamed, he turned around and he planted his fist right into Marcus Flint’s face for maybe the third time in their acquaintance. His fist almost felt at home there by now. Only he hadn’t really known it would be Flint’s face when he punched it. Flin wheezed, his friend putting a stabilizing arm around his shoulder as he toppled backwards.

“you’re mental!” Flint spat. there was no blood, Oliver was almost disappointed.

“Did that bludger scramble your brain more than usual?” Flint had collected himself now, and was grinning while clenching his fists obviously prepared for a fight. 

“It was probably my favourite game ever” his friend said “watching you topple over and crashing to the ground”

“at least I was playing !” Oliver shouted.

“if you can call being on the field for two minutes and then fainting playing ” Flint taunted. It grew like a pit in his stomach, perhaps some suppressed shame that he had in fact only stayed on his broom for a measly two minutes before fainting. Embarrassing. 

That’s not true, he truly had loved those two minutes and he had remembered it fondly. He hated Flint for souring it for him, for making him doubt if he was allowed to be happy for it. Still the embarrassment still stung his cheeks. He loved quidditch, he hated Marcus Flint. Ugly, crooked teeth and his ‘too big for his inbred face’ ears. 

Oliver grabbed at one, grabbed onto Flint’s ear and pulled as hard as he could. Flint naturally punched him in the face for it, and still fueled by adrenaline Oliver kept going on instinct. Planting punches and kicks like a wild animal, no tactic just wherever his body felt like colliding. He didn’t pay attention to Percy pleading with him to just leave, he didn't notice Paul running down the hall. He didn’t notice when fighting one Slytherin became fighting two as Flint’s wanker friend started beating him too. He didn’t notice Paul returning with professor McGonagall… at first. 

Perhaps McGonagall’s chill and stern voice was the only thing that he would’ve noticed in this state. Perhaps hers was the only voice strong enough to pierce the veil. 

The boys stopped fighting immediately. Flint and his mate scattered down the hall like rats, completely ignoring McGonagall’s instructions to stop. Percy put an arm around Oliver looking disappointed and proud at the same time. He held his sleeve up against Oliver’s nose which he now noticed was hurting a lot.

“You’re bleeding” Percy mumbled. Oliver looked up at him with big eyes. Somewhere in the background of it McGonagall was still berating them, going on a lecture as she gestured for them to follow her immediately. Apparently the only thing stronger than McGonagall’s voice was Percy’s blue eyes looking straight at him. He tuned out everything McGonagall said for the rest of the way as she led them to the infirmary. He looked onto Percy who gallantly led them both after her while still using his own cloak to dampen the bleeding from Oliver’s probably broken nose. He didn’t hear McGonagall at all until,

“and you’re suspended from Quidditch for a week”

“ What ?!”

Chapter 17: Year 2 - Scabber's secret toilet

Paul was staring at the white paper with the same expression as a child having a Howler screaming in their face. Percy deduced that it was in fact the muggle equivalent as he assumed Paul’s mother had been informed about their incident. In a way Percy was impressed, it must be a certain sort of talent to convey the same emotion as a howler in complete silence. In Percy’s case the incident was way too small of an occurrence for his mother to afford herself the time to reprimand him. With seven children you had to prioritize your time, you could almost say it was like a colour coded system where green were things she would let you get away with, yellow you had to repeat the offense three times to get a scolding and red was so severe she would just have to lecture you immediately. Missing a curfew while his friend got in a fight was yellow.

Oliver seemed to have also received a mild telling off, a letter that was equal parts concerned for his well being as telling him he shouldn’t have done it. Oliver seemed unphased by it, barely skimming it before dropping it half into some baked beans on toast. Percy wasn’t entirely sure Oliver wasn’t a little bit spoiled after that.

Paul however was as pale as the silent paper in his hand. Somehow a silent howler was even more unsettling. Percy hadn’t received a howler in his life, never really gracing his face above yellow in his mother’s system, but it seemed unpleasant to receive one. Oliver’s nose now being completely healed by madam Pomfrey, Percy didn’t feel the least bit bad about shifting his pity towards Paul in this instance. Oliver seemed to notice something was off as well as he slowed down on shoving toast in his mouth, allowing him to actually chew it for an appropriate time as he looked at Paul.

 

“Paul, you alright buddy?” Percy said slowly, like approaching your neighbour's cat. Not quite wild but not familiar to you.

 

“My mom is so mad” he answered slowly, hands trembling slightly. Percy wasn’t sure if it was because he was used to his mother’s anger or if it was unfamiliar to him. He carefully reached out a hand and patted Paul on the back, it was wet from nervous sweating. 

 

“She’s not… she’s letting you stay right?” Oliver said unsurely. If it was one thing they knew it was that Paul’s mother had a distaste for Hogwarts for some reason. For the entirety of the wizarding world, and from what Paul had told them it wouldn’t have been the first time she’d threatened such an action. Paul sighed and relaxed a bit.

 

“No, not this time. She’s just telling me to never even think of doing it again, but I’m not quite sure she knows I wasn’t in the actual fight” he sideyed Oliver a second who looked sheepish.

At least Percy didn’t have to feel too guilty about it being his idea to sneak around after curfew.

 

“Next time let’s just not get caught” Oliver said, Percy hit him over the head with a rolled up newspaper he found on the table.

 

For the next month or so they behaved exceptionally, or at least as exceptionally as you would expect from a group of twelve year olds. They got rowdy, but they listened when the prefects told them to cut it. Percy even bit his tongue when the prefect was Charlie. Not because he believed himself in any trouble really, but as a service to his friends. They stayed up late sometimes, but they stayed in the dorms and common room. They snuck desserts from the great hall to have for later, but Percy was sure that was more frowned upon than illegal. They always kept to their curfew. 

 

They were heading back from their last lesson of the day, history of magic and by that naturally tired. So for once it wasn’t even a difficult decision to just head back to their tower immediately. Paul was a bit down but equally excited as he usually was when the dark wizards of the war came up in class. There was an inner turmoil there,something complicated. Equal in its worry and shame and its fascination over it. Sometimes Percy wondered if Paul’s fascination stemmed from genetics, if it was true that his family belonged to the opposing side. But he knew Paul to be kind and sweet so he quickly pushed that thought away. 

 

Percy was holding a squirming Scabbers with both hands. They had transfiguration just before History, and no time to head back and leave the rat in between, so Scabbers too had to endure their ghostly professors' tirades. Scabbers was now restless. 

“Ow!” He dropped the rat after he bit him on his knuckles. Not hard enough for it to bleed, just to make a point. The rat fell to the ground, scattered over their feet and quickly distanced himself from them by running ahead. 

 

“Scabbers!” Oliver and Percy both shouted, Oliver more in annoyance than concern. All three boys took chase after the rodent, he led them quite far in the wrong direction. Up the stairs, down the hall. They watched in terror as he seized an opportunity and snuck inside the library doors as a few students exited.

The boys stopped there in order to lean on the doors and take a breather. It would take forever to find a rat in a library they realized.

 

“I just want to go to bed!” Oliver whined, breathing heavy at first but he was quickly getting it back to an even rhythm. Much faster than his friends who were still doubled over and heaving. 

 

“It’s okay, I’ll look for him on my own” Percy said, still leaning his weight on his legs as he tried to collect himself. He wiped his sweat from his brow.

 

“That rat is all of ours problem” Oliver said pointedly.

“If you have to stay, we stay”

 

Paul seemed hesitant, then he too nodded.

 

“It will be faster if we look together”

 

Thankfully they still had an hour of freetime before their curfew. So an hour to go through the hundreds, maybe thousands of shelves in search of one rat. The clock started ticking. They opened the great big doors.

To their surprise Scabbers had waited just inside, scattering further inside when he saw them enter. Peculiar, yet clever. Percy was always surprised with how clever that rat could seem. They didn’t run this time, but tentatively followed. The rats' behaviour persisted. He ran, he stopped, he waited. 

 

“Is he playing, what’s he on about?” Oliver said, looking more annoyed now that he figured the rat was doing it on purpose. Or at least semi aware.

 

“I dunno, let’s just get close enough to grab him” 

Paul squirmed.

 

“Can I just contribute moral support?” he asked quietly. Percy smiled and nodded.

 

“I’ll take him, I just need to get close”

 

Scabbers little game took them further in, further until he disappeared down some stairs they had never considered before. The spiral staircase led down to a windowless room, inside was only a bolted door with a large hanging lock. There was a sign that said ‘restricted archives, talk to Madam Pince’. There was also a small hole in the wall where they suspected Scabbers had snuck in. Oliver tried the door, Percy pointedly grabbed the lock and shook it before him. Oliver scoffed. 

 

“Okay, I can go and talk to her” Paul said and started to head back up the stairs but Percy shook his head.

 

“The archives are only accessible for the fourth years and up, there’s no way she’ll let us in”

 

“Not even if it’s only to get your pet rat?”

 

“I don’t think she’ll believe us” 

 

He looked at the lock, it was large but not complicated. So instead of risking asking Madam Pince and getting her obvious mistrust, he tried a spell. He looked around.

“Alohomora” he whispered, and the lock clicked as it unlocked.

 

“yes” Oliver hissed and pulled the door open. 

 

Inside it was dark and smelled like old parchment, and before them stood rows upon rows of filing cabinets. Probably quite interesting reads if they had the time.

 

“They say they keep it locked for the younger kids because some of the content is so disturbing they don’t think free access would be ethical” Percy whispered. Not sure why really, just in case Madame Pince would walk close to their section of the library and get suspicious.

Paul’s eyes enlarged and his anguish turned into excitement.

 

“Why would you tell him that, we don’t have time to get sidetracked” Oliver hissed.

 

“I wanted to be nice” Percy hissed back and shoved Oliver away from himself in annoyance.

 

“I won’t look into it now ” Paul said.

 

A scattering sound interrupted their squabbling, they froze. Then carefully and slowly they followed the sound. In between two rows of cabinets a bunch of newspaper articles lay strewn all over the floor. It looked as if someone had pulled them all out of their shelf and just dumped them there. And on top of them sat Scabbers prepared to make a nest or a toilet out of them probably. So it seemed as if they had found him in the nick of time.

 

Percy grabbed him and put a quick petrificus totalus on him and put him in his pocket. It didn’t feel right, but he wasn’t about to lose him again.

 

“Good thing we caught him before he ruined all of these” Paul said as he started to scoop up the newsclippings. Cleaning but definitely taking a peak as much as he could while he worked. Oliver helped, but paid absolutely no mind to what he was picking up.

They put them in the nearest open cabinet. Unsure if it was the right one but thinking it was better to be fast and get out of there than to care about them being in order. Honestly they were just being helpful and cleaning up after some stranger. It wasn’t as if scabbers had managed to open a cabinet and pull all of these clippings out so to be fair they could probably just leave it with a clean conscience. Still Percy decided to help as well.

 

Paul was holding the last of the papers so Percy urged him to put them away so they could leave. But Paul stood frozen, staring into the papers. 

 

“Paul?” Percy asked and moved a bit closer. “What’s wrong?”

 

“It’s about my family” he said, holding up the newsclip.

 

Hero tragically perishes as he stands up to deatheater Sirius Black. The only thing left was his finger at the scene of the crime.

 

Relief washed over Paul’s features.

 

“He wasn’t a deatheater, he was a hero” Paul whispered in awe.

 

“Who?” Oliver said, interest now peaked as he too tried to read the article over Paul’s shoulder.

 

“My uncle” Paul said. 

Chapter 18: Year 2 - Christmas and family secrets

In Percy's first year he had missed home more than he cared to admit, so going back around Christmas back then had felt right. Over the summer he found out he missed the dorms just as much. So he decided he kind of wanted to test out what it was like celebrating Christmas at Hogwarts, where it was much less crowded. Oliver, who had somewhat gotten over the excitement of having a baby sister, was also not eager to go home. Perhaps because baby Emily was in a far more grabby and vocal stage in her life lately. She had gotten mobile and was close to walking, and Oliver still loved her very much, but Percy could tell the sibling annoyance was starting to rear its ugly head. He went home to celebrate her first birthday, then he came straight back again. Suppose it was easier to take a short visit home when you lived in the area. He did come back with a renewed adoration for her, almost as if he was about to change his mind and celebrate Christmas at home anyway, but then he decided to stay at Hogwarts after all. Percy sure hoped it wasn’t for his sake, he would’ve been fine alone. 

Paul had to go home over the entire break, his mom wouldn’t let him stay behind no matter how much he begged.

Suddenly it felt a little bit like those first weeks they had spent at Hogwarts before Paul. It wasn’t that much different really, but it felt special.

 

They were sitting on the couch in the common room, Percy was reading a letter from home and Oliver was eating Bertie Botts that his mom sent him while reading a sport’s magazine. He was eating the flavoured beans two or three at the time resulting in various different facial expressions and the statement that cola and grass sort of does cancel out the vomit but it tasted medicinal and wasn’t great. But it was better than pure vomit. So he’d rather not take the chance and kept mixing them together. Earthworm and curry was apparently quite good, sort of like stew.

 

“Are you sure it wasn’t beef and curry then?” Percy asked, starting over at the same sentence for the third time. Not expecting to get through it this time either as Oliver kept interrupting with his latest flavour combo discovery.

 

“It definitely has an earthyness to it, must be earthworm” 

 

Oliver still didn’t own a pair of slippers and had made it a habit to stuff his ice cold feet under Percy’s butt for warmth. Percy had tried to fight it but had been forced to give up.

 

“Do you want to try it?” Oliver asked, holding out his palm with two pitch black beans displayed.

 

“Isn’t there a better chance if I choose different colours?” Percy asked but picked up the beans nonetheless.

 

“Usually Bertie Bott’s always makes two flavours the same colour, one good and one bad. So chances are you will at least get one of each this way”

 

“What if these are just two of the bad ones?” Percy asked and held one bean up to the light. to see if he could detect a hint of colour in the darkness.

 

“Although, you having discovered that they always do two of each is quite astonishing, it’s almost a proper scientific investigation” Percy said and put both beans in his mouth at once. They were both liquorice. He shrugged. He kind of liked liquorice. Oliver was leaning forward expecting a reaction.

 

“Liquorice” he mumbled, mouth still full. Oliver looked disappointed over the boring answer. 

 

“Yuck” he said “I guess that would’ve sucked either way for me”

Percy chuckled.

 

He tried getting back to his letter, Oliver went back to his magazine for a second.

 

“What do you mean scientific investigation?” he asked, almost instantly. Lowering his magazine again.

 

“It’s like… you write a theory on what you think will happen and then you test it out over and over again until you see a result. You having tested all these beans by colour is kind of like that” Percy said and lowered his letter again.

 

“Do you think it could give me a better grade in herbology?” Oliver asked, and picked up two purple beans. One was grape juice, the other could be eggplant.

 

“I don’t think so, but maybe you can research it when you graduate”

 

Oliver laughed.

 

“I think I’ll stick to Quidditch” he went silent again and picked up his magazine. Percy waited a second just to be sure, before slowly raising his own reading material.

 

“Okay but what if I tried a red and a blue-”

 

“Oliver please, if you don’t let me finish this letter I’ll revoke your feet warming privileges”

It worked. 

 

The letter from home was sweet, just a little bit of a guilt trip for not coming home, and attached had been a few homemade shortbreads which were long gone. There was also a picture, full of movement and knitted sweaters in varying colours. What Molly weasley had taken from Percy’s comment last year was that maroon was a good colour on Ron, because his was the same shade this year as well. The twins were halfway in and out of frame and Charlie seemed to have taken it upon himself to fetch them. Molly looked like she was screaming at him that yanking them by the collars weren’t the ideal way to do this. Ginny was struggling to hold their old cat. Bill was halfway turned around, distracted by Errol flapping his wings outside the big window. Holding what seemed to be several christmas cards and some smaller parcels. He was getting old, but he still managed it, but Percy could see he was straining to keep balanced in the air.  And in the middle of all the chaos stood Arhur Weasley, smiling with one hand on Ginny’s shoulder and the other arm around his wife’s waist. Looking as if unaware of the chaos around him. Percy smiled and petted the mossy green knitwear he was wearing. It was a very soft yarn, it almost felt luxurious. Not at all itchy like last year and Percy felt as if he might actually wear this one all through winter. It smelled like his mother too which was nice. If Oliver caught him sniffing it he had the decency to not make a comment.

 

Paul surprised them all by arriving early, and with news. As a consequence of denying him the pleasure of spending Christmas with his friends in a Scottish castle, Paul had tormented his mother relentlessly for information about his uncle. Who he was, what he did, why he did it. Paul was four when he died and he vaguely remembered meeting him once before that. It had been rushed and secretive and the impression Paul had of him was sort of unsettling. A small young man plagued by something, nervous demeanor and shifty eyes. He remembers a great big smile and a sweaty hug, but not as if it had given him any sense of comfort. In retrospect one probably looked that way when they were in the middle of a war. So his mother had sat Paul down on his bed this Christmas and told him about that day. That her younger brother Peter had come to say goodbye. He was worried, because of her squib status, that he who must not be named would find her. So together they had decided that she would leave the wizarding world entirely and live out her days as a muggle. Her husband was one after all, so they erased her existence from their parents' minds and she left with him. That was why Paul never met his maternal grandparent before they died, not as far as he could remember at least. They didn’t even remember that their daughter and grandchild existed at all. Paul told them that his mother had cried as she told him this. She didn’t want to leave initially, but as the years went on she had started to realize that this world wasn’t safe. Not even for wizards. Peter had told her with certainty that the dark lord would prevail, that he was too powerful to stop, and that she would be safe if no one knew she existed. One year later, a short time after finding out that the war was won and that her brother had died she had received a letter. In the letter it said, ‘it’s not over, keep safe’. She had known her brother had died, but she could’ve sworn it had been written by him somehow. Which was why she stayed away, until Paul received his letter.

 

Paul finished his story, looking his friends over with suspense. Oliver took a sharp breath.

 

“Wicked” he said and put four Bertie Bott’s in his mouth.  

Chapter 19: Year 2 - Give it your all

“It’s not like they’re a threat anyway, one of their chasers is like twelve years old”

 

“A lot of the teams have younger students on the team”

 

The disembodied voices sounded mocking, he had to assume since he couldn’t see their expressions. Even when one of the player’s words seemed to defend the existence of younger players, the tone was telling him they agreed that it would be an easy match. Oliver had been sent out back to collect extra talc from a storage tent and had accidentally stumbled upon a few of the ravenclaw team’s players stretching. He stuck close to the wall that was separating him from them and listened.

 

“Yeah but they’re usually benched for the big games, come on, he’s a child”

 

“I guess, but Gryffindor has had a shortage of players for a few years now so I suppose they let anyone play”

 

Oliver gasped, if that were true he wouldn’t have had to wait an entire year. Besides the nerve of assuming he hadn’t earned his spot because he had at least a spec of talent. Oliver was a good player, and Gryffindor was lucky to have him!

 

“Charlie is the only real threat”

 

Oliver gasped again. Sure Charlie was good but so was Nigel, so was Amelia and she was only thirteen.  

 

“Someone needs to flank him today, actually we should- what was that ?”

 

He’d bumped into a wall and a stack of training cones started cascading over him.

“Is someone eavesdropping ?” a shrill, stressed voice floated closer to where he was hiding. 

 

Oliver panicked, grabbed the nearest bottle and ran back to his own teammates. Typical too, he might’ve overheard their gameplay had he managed to keep quiet. 

 

He handed the bottle to Charlie who took one look at it before lightly batting Oliver over the head with it. 

“This is polish, knobhead” he said but snickered.

 

“Sorry I had to grab it blindly and run or the ravenclaws would’ve found me”

 

Charlie looked quizzical.

 

“And why are you so scared of them?”

 

“I’m not scared of them, I just-” Oliver stopped himself. What if he told Charlie what he’d overheard and he’d suddenly realize they were right and he was insane for letting a twelve year old play. He imagined Charlie saying ‘sorry Oliver, we’ll have a better chance with just the two chasers rather than have you out there to mess it up’. Oliver did only stay in the game for two minutes last time. His stomach started to knot with nerves. What if he wasn’t a threat after all?

The Ravenclaw’s youngest was fourteen, and they had four benched players that could substitute them if they got tired. If he was gonna be completely candid, they were right, Gryffindor wasn’t a threat to them. Ravenclaw had been at the top for the last two years and were definitely tipped to win this year as well. It made Oliver even more nervous but also strangely resolved in proving them wrong. He was a good player! He’d prove both them and Charlie wrong for assuming he was just a child. He glared at Charlie who had patiently waited for him to finish his sentence and shoved his way past him.

“I’ll show you, I’ll show all of you!” Oliver shouted and stepped up to his spot in the entry line.

Charlie looked confused.

 

“What did you do?” he heard Nigel say with amusement.

 

“ Nothing !” Charlie shrieked, voice cracking “I don’t think… I have no idea!”

 

He scored a goal rather quickly, his smaller size actually proved useful against the ravenclaws larger frames. His light weight made his broom faster, and with a firm grip on the quaffle he’d spun a full 360 in the air dodging the very same ravenclaw he suspected had badmouthed him before. At least he thought he recognized the voice as he mumbled a confused ‘what?’ as Oliver disappeared before him only to reappear behind him and score. It didn’t matter which ravenclaw he was, their whole team was his enemy now. Therefore he couldn’t help the smug smile creeping over his face as the Gryffindor students screamed in joy beneath him.

 

He’d scored his very first goal! Right in his heckler’s face at that!

 

Charlie was ecstatic, cheering him on. Oliver pulled out his tongue at him. Again Charlie looked confused but just rolled his eyes and kept looking for the snitch. Charlie had taken on the role as new seeker after the old one graduated last year and he strangely enough excelled at it. You wouldn’t expect it from someone with such a stocky build but Charlie made up for it in tactics. Unfortunately Ravenclaw was still a better team.  

 

They scored goal upon goal until the score said 20 points to Gryffindor and 170 to Ravenclaw. The Gryffindors' morale was dropping and they played sloppily, they were tired. Oliver locked eyes with Charlie for a second. Charlie’s gaze was hard but sincere. Focused in a way Oliver had never seen before, it was beautiful. 

 

“Oliver, try and score as much as you can, okay? Just give it your all for the next ten minutes” 

 

Oliver just nodded and took a firmer grip on his broom

 

“You’re young, you have more stamina than them” Charlie shouted, then he was off. Looking as if he had a sure directive. The Ravenclaw seeker caught on quickly. 

 

Oliver suspected he knew what Charlie was thinking. Grab the snitch and end the game with a tie. If Oliver could score in between that, they’d win. Either way they were both better odds than letting the Ravenclaws score more points and win. He spotted a ravenclaw chaser, fresh off the bench and not the least bit tired. She was holding the quaffle. 

 

Oliver took off, buzzing around her like a wasp around sugar and not letting her have a moment's peace. He took a gamble and bumped his broom shaft under hers and tipped it upwards. If he was unlucky he’d tip himself over in the process, if he did it right she’d lose her balance and need both hands to steady herself. 

The girl yelped and dropped the quaffle in order to even out her broom.

 

Oliver swooped down and emerged with the quaffle tight to his chest.

 

He took off.

 

For a moment it looked like the goal was open and clear and he could take his time with his aim. Then the keeper appeared like magic, followed by the other two ravenclaw chasers flanking him on both sides and he had to act now if didn’t want to lose this shot entirely. He shot to the right. The shot was good but their keeper was quicker.

 

She handed the quaffle to her teammate who flew towards the Gryffindor posts immediately. It was okay, all Oliver had to do was to prevent them from scoring and it would be a tie at least. He took after him, it was that son of a bitch who’d mocked him again. Oliver would not let him score, especially not him.

 

A bludger soared past Oliver’s head, then another. It was clear both of the ravenclaw beaters were targeting him to stall him. 

 

Because he was a threat , he thought proudly for a split second. 

But there wasn’t time for egoism, the bludgers were still coming and they slowed him down. How was he supposed to stop that jerk now? The other Gryffindor chasers took after him as well but they were losing their grips and swaying, exhaustion threatening to let gravity take them. 

 

Then Nigel appeared like a scarlet angel beside him, batting the bludger away.

 

“Go Oliver, go!” he shouted. The path now clearer, Oliver took up the chase again. 

 

Ding! a bell chimed.

 

Ding! again, another bell. Just split seconds in between.

 

The ravenclaws had scored a goal, but the snitch had been caught. 

 

“And that's the endgame, Gryffindor catches the snitch!” the commentator’s voice rang out like in a vacuum. 

 

The suspense lay thick in the air as they waited for an announcement about which came first. The goal or the snitch. The bleachers were eerily quiet.

 

“And it seems as though ravenclaw managed to score on the dot, one second earlier. Ravenclaw wins the game with just 10 points!” 

 

The Ravenclaw bleachers broke out in cheers.

All the players started landing one by one and Charlie went to shake the Ravenclaw captain’s hand. 

 

Oliver stayed in the air, panting, sweat dripping from his hair down his neck and down the bridge of his nose. He couldn’t believe it, he had given it his all… They still lost…..

Chapter 20: Year 2 - On a scale from Peter to Paul, how well do you handle not being the best friend?

Percy had never seen Oliver so discouraged before, he had seen him angry, disappointed, annoyed. Never soul crushed like this. Which was weird because everyone else on the team seemed to shrug and say ‘oh well, next time’ . 

Even Charlie who had been so strict earlier with practice was happy and congratulated everyone on their efforts. There were mixed reactions of disappointment, sure, but all in all everyone was in good spirits after their loss against Ravenclaw. Except for Oliver, Oliver was just defeated .

 

In an attempt to make a joke of it and perhaps distract him by teasing him a bit, Percy had conjured a little grey cloud to follow Oliver around all day. It wasn’t appreciated. At first Oliver barely even noticed, and when he did he got angry for a split second. Then he just slumped his shoulders and said it was appropriate and started ignoring it. He even complained when Percy flicked it away saying he deserved it to be there as a constant reminder of his failures.

He was staring ahead apathetically when he wasn’t lying face down into his mattress and groaning. 

It was a tad melodramatic.

 

“Do you wanna go play on the field for a bit, I asked Charlie if it was okay and he said it was okay if Madam Hooch said it was okay” Percy said as he slowly sat down on the corner of Oliver's four post bed. Almost slipping off but not wanting to disturb too much in case he wasn’t welcome. 

 

“Oh, and she said it was okay by the way”

 

Oliver shook his head without lifting it from his pillow. He kind of reminded Percy of a truffle pig rooting around in the dirt. 

 

“Do you want to go down to the kitchen and see if the elves could give us a treat?” Paul tried from his spot behind Percy. He didn’t sit down but chose to stay behind as he fidgeted with his hands and looked awkward. It was clear that he too felt uncomfortable seeing Oliver like this. Oliver was usually the most optimistic of them and even when he did show negatively connotative emotions it was usually some form of explosive anger. This melancholic Oliver was unthreaded ground.

 

Oliver’s shoulder heaved in a shrug which they had figured meant he had absolutely no interest in forming an opinion on the matter. He simply didn’t care.

 

Melancholiver, as Percy had started referring to him as, was starting to get on Percy’s nerves. Due to his absolute lack of communication or strife to try and shift his mood whatsoever. However Percy still felt sympathetic. He supposed he too would be quite down if he got a bad mark on his favourite subject. The issue lay in that absolutely no one other than Oliver himself thought he had done anything wrong or that the result of the game had been that bad. Everyone who knew anything about Quidditch had said it was the best match they’d seen in a while at Hogwarts. Even the ravenclaws had said that Oliver showed great talent for his age, and that his prospects were good. Judging by the statistics of Ravenclaw VS Gryffindor, they would’ve lost no matter how you looked at it. This time they at least went down having given the school a nailbiter of a show. 

 

“... do you want to break curfew?” Percy said finally, sighing as he did. Oliver placed his weight on his arms and pushed his face up from the pillow. He turned his head around, face looking red and puffy and somber but alert nonetheless. It was the first glimmer of anything other than apathy Percy had seen from him all day.

 

“You mean it?” Oliver said and shifted his eyes to Paul, who tried to stifle a laugh at the sight of Oliver’s disheveled look.. 

 

“As long as we don’t get caught” Paul said and shrugged in response. 

 

They took great measure in staying hidden this time. They took appropriate shortcuts while also making sure to take the longer route around when the shortcut was too exposed. They hid behind tapestries at the slightest whisper of a sound. Scabber’s had been locked up in the dorms just in case and they stayed out of the light as much as possible. They did end up sneaking by the kitchen’s anyway and came out triumphantly with pockets full of cookies and cucumber sandwiches. They found a window behind a tapestry of the founding of Hogwarts and had a little picnic there. Technically curfew had just started ten minutes ago now, so if Oliver cheered up quickly they might be able to go back soon anyway. Then they wouldn't have to worry about them getting caught again and getting Paul into trouble with his mother, Percy thought as he chewed on his sandwich and watched his friends. The sun was setting outside and they had a lovely view of the lake from where they were sitting, but only Percy seemed enthralled by it.

 

“I think you did really well” Paul said and nibbled on a cookie. Crumbs fell on his sweatshirt and landed in the crease around the big Mickey Mouse print that was pressed onto it. Percy hadn’t known who Mickey Mouse was but he was apparently big in the muggle world. Percy found it ironic that Paul liked it so much when he was so afraid of rodents.

 

“But we lost” Oliver whined.

 

Percy initially thought it was a bad idea to talk about the very thing they were trying to make Oliver forget, but perhaps he needed to process it. Otherwise what was to say he wouldn’t slump back into his light depression when their little adventure ended.

 

“Barely! They won with 10 points ”

 

“I guess…” Oliver said and shifted his eyes towards the last cucumber sandwich next to Percy. Percy’s eyes hardened for a second. They had agreed he could have the last couple of sandwiches because he didn’t want any cookies.

 

“How much did Slytherin lose with?” Oliver asked and finally stopped ogling the sandwich.

 

“Like 240!” Paul said and nodded enthusiastically to the direction Oliver’s mind was going.

 

“I guess that’s good then” Oliver said and just as Percy had started relaxing he snatched the sandwich. Percy made a sound of protest but Oliver took a large bite and with his mouth full said:

“I need it, I’m the one who’s sad!”

 

Percy wanted to argue, sad my ass , he was obviously fine now. But he kept his mouth shut and just savoured the pieces of the one sandwich he got to keep instead. Paul and Oliver continued for a bit to talk shit about the Slytherin team which did seem to raise his mood. Percy didn’t really get the animosity Oliver had towards Slytherin in particular, just based on the fact that his nemesis Flint was from that house. It wasn’t their fault their house had a reputation either. You couldn’t exactly blame an entire house of children for what some peers did as grown ups. Percy said nothing though, realizing it might be an unpopular opinion. He agreed that they did have quite a lot of rotten eggs, so the statistics didn’t speak well for them. 

 

Suddenly he perked up, and swatted his hand at his friends. Gesturing for them to quiet down. He heard something.

 

The other two froze and stopped talking.

 

Soft paws on the stone floor. The steps stopped just next to their hiding spot and suddenly the tapestry started to shift. A snout peaked in from the edge and sniffed. Then the creature ran off.

 

“Shiet! Mrs Norris!” Oliver hizzed, and jumped down from the window. The other two followed. If Norris had their scent she would go and get Filch, and they did not want to be here when he returned. 

 

They started running down the sides of the walls, still trying to keep hidden. Now all Filch would find when he got to that window were the crumbs left of their cookies.

 

They still heard steps though. Fast steps, and they realized that someone, if not Filch himself, had heard them now. Someone was following and the only option to get away would be hiding.

 

“Quick, in here” Percy whispered and waved them towards an archway he’d never seen before. It was a miracle he’d spotted it at all. It was exceptionally well hidden behind a shelf of trophies. 

 

They all squeezed in, and then they stopped and waited. Just hoping against all odds that whoever was following didn’t know this passageway existed or had just forgotten. Perhaps they wouldn’t expect three kids to find it.

 

The steps got closer, the boys held their breaths as well as each other's hands. The steps passed quickly by them without stopping and without noticing. They took a collective breath and released each other. 

 

“That was close, let’s get back to the dorms” Percy said and started squeezing his way back out behind the bookshelf. He soon noticed he was not accompanied by either of his accomplices. 

As he turned his head around both friends were standing on different levels of elevation on some dirty old stone steps leading up to a raggedy old ladder. Oliver was standing a few steps higher than Paul but Paul was looking at Percy with an equally pleading puppy dog expression as Oliver. They both very clearly wanted to explore the passageway. Percy also kind of wanted to know where it went but he wasn’t so sure that the old ladder would hold them. He squeezed back in and took the stone steps in one stride. Pushed his way past Oliver and started inspecting the wood and metal clasps holding the old thing together.

 

“I’m sorry Oliver” Percy said looking back at Oliver with genuine sorrow, before splitting into a grin.

“I’m afraid it probably won’t manage the weight of your big head”

 

Oliver relaxed his furrowed, worried brow and scrunched it into annoyance instead as he pushed Percy forward.

 

“Then you can try it first!” he said and Percy shrugged. After examining it properly he deemed it safe enough. He started to climb it, brushing away cobwebs and spiders on his way. He thought of Ron and how much he would hate it. Maybe that was a good thing, maybe that would keep him out of trouble when he started Hogwarts in the future. Knowing Ron he’d probably spend his entire education curled up in a sofa in the gryffindor tower and never venture anywhere dark and scary where there might be spiders waiting to ambush him. Percy sort of liked that thought, one less thing to worry about.

Soon his arms started to get tired but he felt his friends' presence just behind him and knew climbing back down would just be a hassle. He couldn’t see an end to the ladder yet but it had to come soon right. He was starting to sweat nervously, the passageway was steep and damp. And if he’d lose his grip he’d surely pull his friends down with him when he fell on them. 

 

“Are any of you guys really tired?” a weak voice came from behind. It was Paul.

 

“No” Oliver said.

 

“Yes, very” Percy panted.

 

“Okay… a little” Oliver confessed.

 

Percy started looking around for anywhere on the wall where they might at least take a rest before continuing. He was disoriented and had no idea where they were in the castle. He suspected they must have at least climbed an entire floor on this ladder. They had started out on the second floor, which meant they might be on the third now. This ladder might’ve actually kept going all the way to the sixth, at least to the fifth. 

Then he noticed it, a hole in the wall just a few steps up. An archway, a breakpoint before the ladder continued upwards. He gathered his strength and continued. The others noticed his movements and followed. 

 

The archway was maybe just a meter in diameter before ending up in a dead end. Percy supposed they could at least rest there before climbing back down, or continue up.

It was too narrow for them to sit down and still fit so they stood, pushed up against one another. 

 

“Ow, you’re on my foot” Percy said as Oliver toppled all over him. The passageway was starting to smell bad to him. Overstimulating his senses with it’s chilly moistness. It smelled like how your swim trunks smelled when you forgot to rinse it after swimming in a lake, and then forgot it on the floor for a couple of days. Perhaps it was just the stress that made him so irritable about everything. 

 

Oliver’s hair was full of cobwebs.

 

“Which way do we continue?” Paul said and poked his head out and looked down from where they had climbed up. 

“Whoa, that’s a long way down” he then added  looking nervous.

 

Percy poked his head out as well but he looked up instead. He couldn’t see any light, not a spec of it. A nagging fear started to creep in, that this ladder went on forever. In some sort of magic loop. An infinite ladder. 

 

There was a scraping sound behind them as the wall started to dismantle. Sort of in the same way as when you entered Diagon alley from London. The bricks started shifting and leaving an opening.

 

“How?” Percy said befuddled.

 

“My bad, I pushed something with my butt!” Oliver said. Percy just pulled him into a firm hug before he pushed them all out of the new entryway. Any way was better than continuing on that ladder any longer.

 

They found themselves in another hallway, a very short one that ended in a hole. Outside of the hole they spotted walls covered with paintings and soon realized they were in a corridor that connected to the great stairs. It seemed as if at least one of the staircases attached here, so if they wanted to they could simply wait here for it to eventually arrive. It felt strangely like deja vu. 

Then he locked eyes with it, the little troubadour on the painting on the wall and he realized where they were. 

 

He almost laughed. Well, at least if they got stuck there again he wouldn’t have to risk his life on a ledge anymore. Now they knew there was another way down if you could stomach the height and the spiders.

 

“Have we been here before?” Oliver said as he stared up at the little troubadour who was holding his lyre out like a sword towards them, standing in a very defensive position.

 

“Oh no” Paul whispered as it hit him.

 

“It’s okay, this time we’re not in a hurry to get to class and going back the way we came is an option” Percy said to Paul and snickered. Paul smiled, albeit unsurely.

 

“Seriously, have we been here before?” Oliver said again. Percy just stared at him. Then he took a step towards the ledge again, pushed himself to the wall and held his arm up. Staring at Oliver the whole time. He didn’t step as far out this time, just far enough to make a point. 

Oliver made an ‘o’ with his mouth as he too seemed to realize why the short section of corridor was so familiar to him.

 

“It’s almost a tradition now” he said and grinned. 

 

They sat down on the floor under the troubadour portrait and rested their aching limbs. Taking the full opportunity to really stretch out now that they had the space for it. They slumped lower and lower until they eventually lay down completely on the cool stone floor. Staring up into a chandelier that was illuminating them from above. For a second there was just the sound of breathing echoing against stone, then the chatter began.

 

At first the subject went back to quidditch, and whether Marvin was a good friend because he was so happy his house had won the game. Reluctantly Percy defended him and said that naturally he’d be happy. And questioned if Oliver would've held back, had their roles been reversed. Again, he didn’t dislike Marvin. He didn’t feel anything particular about him. He was important to Oliver though, and that was all he needed to know.

 

The conversation evolved, and turned into a conversation about friendship

 

“You have so many friends Oliver, I still can’t quite get my head around that you choose to hang out with me when you have so many cooler options” Paul said, eyes focused on the ceiling. When Percy turned his head to look at him he thought his eyes caught more light than usual. Like maybe he was tearing up just a little. Percy didn’t say anything but he could relate. Sometimes he didn’t get why Oliver chose him either.

 

“And I get that you two are the best friends and I’m just your close friend”

 

“Paul…” Oliver said, Percy detected a bit of pity in his voice.

 

"No, it's okay! I’m saying I know , but I don’t mind that” Paul said.

 

“You’re still one of our best friends” Percy said, also staring up into the ceiling now. It felt easier to say these things when they weren’t looking at each other. 

 

“I just feel very lucky to have friends like you two is all”

 

“Yeah… me too” Percy agreed.

 

“And what do you mean you don’t get why I hang out with you, you are so cool!” Oliver suddenly seemed to remember to object. 

“You know all the gnarly murders and you’re always up for a gag even when you’re nervous about it!” Oliver added on and started spiraling into listing things that he liked about Paul. It was kind of sweet. Paul was starting to get bashful and tried to hide his face in his hands. Oliver was getting up close in Paul’s personal space now.

 

“Yeah yeah, we’re all great!” Percy said and sat up rubbing his back.

 

“This floor is starting to get uncomfortable”

 

Oliver and Paul sat up as well. Oliver stretched and yawned.

 

“Mhm, I don’t know about you two but I’m tired too” he said, his need for adventure sated.

 

“I don’t want to climb back down there” Paul said meekly. The other two shook their heads in agreement. 

 

“I don’t think this staircase is gonna arrive anytime soon though, I don’t think they would supply a staircase to a dead-end corridor very often… and last time…” he trailed off as he pondered their options.

 

“Why not though?” Oliver interrupted.

 

“Because there’s obviously more trafficked corridors that people need to get to” Percy argued.

 

“Well trafficked? In the late afternoon?” Oliver pushed.

 

“Maybe we should give the ladder a go anyway, climb back down” Paul interjected.

 

They waited for the stairs a few more minutes just in case, then they relented and started their descent back down the ladder. It had taken them an additional few minutes to get the secret wall to open up again. It had entailed a lot of random pressing of Oliver’s butt against the wall, but eventually they had figured out that you just had to push the right brick.

 

The descent was silent, all three too tired to speak. Paul had taken the lead and Percy couldn’t even see him when he looked down into the darkness. They had to keep their heads up so they used their feet to carefully search for the steps. Therefore it was very slow. The walls were starting to feel brighter around him though. As if maybe they were nearing the opening behind the bookshelf. Just a few more steps and they could get to bed. 

 

There was a yelp, followed by the sound of flesh and bone against wood. Percy grabbed the ladder harder as it shook around him. There had been a huge crash. Like someone colliding hard with the floor. Simultaneously there was a nauseating cracking sound that almost made that cucumber sandwich come back up as Percy started to put together what the cacophony of sounds had meant. 

 

“Holy shit, what was that?” He heard Oliver’s panicked voice from above.

 

Percy looked down slowly, terrified of what he might see in the dim light at the bottom of the ladder. The silence was worse. Again Percy felt nauseous.

 

Then Percy heard Paul wail, a terrible desperate wailing. The worst Percy had ever heard in his life and he had witnessed Ginny being bitten by a garden gnome once. Yet he felt relief wash over him that Paul made sounds at all. Then the adrenaline spiked as he realized he was really hurt. 

Chapter 21: Year 2 - A white volvo

Summary:

⚠️This chapter has a warning for some graphic descriptions of injuries⚠️

You could skip to the line if you want to avoid it completely.

The initial silence had just been shock, the wailing and crying that followed had been a severely broken arm. However, before they knew that it was just the arm it had seemed so much worse. The gray Mickey Mouse sweatshirt was starting to soak up blood and his entire arm bended in a way it wasn’t supposed to. Oliver’s mind couldn’t comprehend it, it wasn’t humanly possible. He vaguely recalled feeling paralyzed as Percy had tried to console a crying Paul who refused to let anyone touch him. As Percy had pleaded for Paul to let him carry him to the infirmary, the bookshelf had aggressively slid to the side to reveal Professor Sinistra looking livid. Her appearance in a dark purple, slim fitted robe and pointed hat made her appear as a villain in a classic story. Only for her eyes to suddenly soften at the sight of the three twelve year olds in varying states of shock and panic.

 

Other teachers had arrived soon after and helped escort them to the hospital wing as Percy had refused to let them take their friend there without them. Percy was crying, Oliver stood paralyzed and let them push him around. He just followed wherever they were taking him. Paul was screaming about the pain the entire way.

 

As soon as Madam Pomfrey gave him something it quieted down. Percy and Paul got ushered to a corner as all the professors crowded Paul’s bed, whispering amongst themselves and hiding Paul from view. 

 

The moment they were alone, Percy threw up into a wicker basket that was close by. It broke Oliver out of his shellshock and for the first time since the accident actually looked over at Percy’s pale face emerging from the basket.

 

“I saw the bone” Percy whispered and dry heaved again at the thought of it. His face was wet from tears even now that they had stopped falling. Oliver unsurely reached out his hand. It shook like a leaf in the wind before colliding with Percy’s back as he patted it for comfort. Perhaps to comfort himself as well by feeling connected to Percy through flesh. Flesh, he thought. He could still hear the sound of Paul colliding with the ladder as his footing slipped. Could still hear the sound of an arm breaking against stone steps. He hadn’t seen the actual bone peeking out from Paul’s elbow like Percy had, but imagining it was enough to make him feel ill as well. 

 

Percy threw up again. Oliver managed to hold it back but he couldn’t speak. So he just patted Percy’s back again. Movements slow and automatic. 

 

---

In the early morning they were gathered in McGonagall’s office. She was leaning her hands on her desk and staring into it like she was thinking about what to say.

Paul sat in the middle, his arm mended by Pomfrey but still held together in a sling for support. He looked pale and sweaty, His hair was sticking to his forehead like he had put too much gel in it or something. 

 

“You do realize how lucky you were that Paul only broke an arm” she said, trying to mask her anger and biting back something harsher that she wanted to say. Oliver was sort of wondering why no one had scolded them for breaking curfew yet. 

 

“However, I do realize it’s also our fault for not securing that bookcase enough” her posture softened “you must have been really scared”

 

Oliver grabbed Paul’s healthy hand and squeezed it. It was starting to appear clear to him now. The teacher’s were more worried about them finding that passageway than they were about them breaking a rule. Students breaking a few rules happened every day and was in this instance trivial, students almost dying from neglect was much more crucial. 

 

“For now you won’t get in any trouble for breaking curfew, but I implore you. If you find another hidden passage with a raggedy old ladder as the only point of transportation, use your common sense ”

 

Her words were stern yet pleading.

 

All three boys just nodded and muttered apologies. 

 

“Wood, Weasley, you may go” she said and whisked her hand elegantly towards the door. They hesitated at Paul’s side. She gave them a tired look which made them immediately follow her instruction but not before Oliver had given Paul’s hand another affirmative squeeze.

 

“We’ll wait outside for you” Percy said. Not sure why McGonagall had to talk to Paul alone, he couldn’t be in more trouble than them. Not just because he broke his arm, could he? Something in McGonagall’s gaze looked more sad than angry…

 

When they exited her office they weren’t alone in the hallway. A woman stood there, wearing muggle clothes. Sort of like the ones muggleborns wore sometimes when they didn’t have to wear the uniform, which Oliver assumed were the latest trends. The woman in the hallway was wearing jeans, wizard folk didn’t wear that. She was definitely an adult so not a muggle born student.

 

The pants were high waisted with a big pink belt. tucked into them she wore a light blue blouse with ruffles, and her jacket, which was almost the same bright pink as the belt, looked a bit like an ordinary wizard's coat but the shoulders were huge. The sort of outfit he’d seen in his mother’s muggle magazines where the pictures didn't move. Oliver’s mother may have been a muggle as well, but she didn’t follow fashion other than read about it. So the clothes her family wore were more sensible and timeless. Except for a few students at Hogwarts, Oliver had never seen this kind of muggle wear. They didn’t dress like this in his village.

Her platinum blonde hair was huge as well. She had what Imogene called Farrah Faucet hair. Curls that stood almost straight up from her head. Her nails looked as if they were usually very well manicured but now she was biting them frantically. Oliver noted a familiar gap between her teeth as he watched her do so. She was Mrs Henry. This was Paul’s mother.

 

A sinking feeling started to form in the pit of his stomach. Why was Mrs Henry in the hallway, why had McGonagall asked for Paul to stay behind?

 

The woman had noticed him staring and a deep frown had replaced her previously anxious shifty eyes. Before that she had looked around as if she expected to be attacked, when she looked at Oliver and Percy there was a new kind of resolve in her eyes. She wasn’t given the opportunity to address them before McGonagall's office door opened again and she beckoned Mrs Henry inside. Before the door closed Oliver managed a peek of Paul. Still sitting in his chair, looking up at his mother with big glassy eyes. Then the door shut.

Mrs Henry collected Paul immediately. There was barely room for a proper goodbye. The three boys stood in the courtyard in a tight knit ball of an embrace and refused to let go of each other. While Mrs Henry loaded Paul’s belongings in her white Volvo, that had been given special permission to park just inside the gate. Suddenly it made sense why they had been forced up so early in the morning. Plans had been made during the night, and in the case of Mrs Henry refusing to let McGonagall talk her into letting Paul stay, they wanted to avoid a scene. 

A muggle car parked on Hogwarts grounds was a topic for sure. Even when they had tried to avoid it Oliver noticed curious early risers gathering by the entrance doors. When Oliver glanced up from Paul’s shoulder and scoured the castle walls he saw plenty of faces of students who almost climbed out of the windows to get a better view of the car. Little beige and brown dots with specks of red, blue, yellow and even green scattered all over the facade. Some were still in their pajamas.

 

Mrs Henry honked her car horn impatiently. Paul reluctantly and painfully slowly released them and started pulling away from the hug. 

 

“She’ll let you come back” Oliver said and tried to sound encouraging. He wasn’t sure he actually believed himself. 

 

That night Percy and Oliver slept in the same bed to give each other comfort. Oliver could feel the guilt and regret radiating from Percy even though they didn’t speak of it. If anyone should feel guilty it had to be Oliver. He was the one they had wanted to cheer up after all. If only he’d made that stupid goal, if only he had made sure Ravenclaw hadn’t gotten the opportunities to score so many times.

If only they had been celebrating in their dorm all night instead of climbing that stupid ladder.

 

If only Oliver was a little better at Quidditch. If only he could protect the goal , he thought and tried very hard to not let his brain substitute goal with friends .  He vowed to get much better until next year when Paul was back in his bed where he belonged. With them, his best friends. Because he would be back. He had to.

Chapter 22: The second summer - why are your pyjamas wet?

Morning dew had bejeweled every flower and every individual piece of grass with little pearl necklaces. They transferred slowly into Percy’s cotton pyjama as he was laying in the grass in their backyard. It was 6 in the morning, summer break and he could hear Charlie snore from the open window above him. Below that window was his and Ron’s bedroom window. In the corner of the windowsill, a spider had made its nest and that too was embezzled with dew drops. The air smelled fresh, that was the only way he could describe it. Like his lungs were a little bit cleaner just from breathing it. His mother was awake and bustling about inside and hadn’t yet discovered that he was already awake. Not even the garden gnomes, that his father was too kind hearted to exterminate, were awake yet. It was just Percy, his mother humming while she cooked breakfast, Charlie’s snoring and the morning birds greeting each other in the trees. 

Oliver and Paul were supposed to be there, they had finally gotten the green light to stay over this summer before everything happened. It had been decided before the incident. It got canceled almost immediately after, and now Percy had no plans for the entire break. Neither he nor Oliver had even heard from Paul yet and half the summer had passed already. Oliver and him however, had written to each other almost every day since term’s end.

 

His arms were crossed under his head and he looked up into the clouds, that he now with glasses on could see the distinct shapes of. It wasn’t that much fun either way, blurry or not blurry it didn’t really fill a function and didn’t stifle his boredom. If anything it made him feel more alone, if his friends had been there they would have argued about what the shape was. He rather kept his eyes closed and stopped thinking for a little bit.  

 

For a little while everything was serene, then more habitants of the Burrow started waking up. 

 

First it was only Bill who was softly conversing with their mother in the kitchen. Then Ron cried because he had looked out the window and seen the spider extending its home over the glass panel. Then Charlie’s snoring stopped abruptly and he got up to close the window. Percy watched the window shut and in the silence that followed the bushes started to rustle. Indicating that the gnomes were starting to get active, which was Percys’ cue to get back inside. Soon his parents would set them to work, to try and chase the gnomes away. So that they might enjoy the garden during the day as well.

 

Percy entered the Burrow silently. They didn’t notice him. He sat down in his chair and poured cereal into a bowl and ate quietly. Bill’s bags stood packed in the hallway and Molly was wrapping up food that she placed lovingly in a side pocket of the larger backpack. 

Bill was crouching next to it, trying to squeeze a sweater into the other, already full bag. Molly patted him on the cheek. She was sad that he was leaving but she didn’t say.

 

“You’ll be back for christmas, won’t you?” she said instead, which meant the same thing.

Bill smiled and stood up, towering over his mother.

“I already told you I would”

 

He kissed her cheek which she leaned into with a little smile, and then Bill went to sit down with his siblings for a last breakfast. The last before everything changed forever. 

 

“Is Egypt far away?” Ron asked, porridge dripped from the spoon that he had stopped midway to his mouth.

 

“yes, it’s far, but not so bad when you can apparate” Bill said, their mother’s hand gripped tighter around her apron which she had started gripping for support.

 

“Will you bring us back souvenirs for christmas?” Ron asked, perhaps trying to make sense of the fact Bill wasn’t gonna live there anymore by asking questions. 

 

“I want a sphinx” Charlie said, the first thing he’d said all morning. He still looked like he’d just rolled out of bed. Voice hoarse, eyes barely open and mouth smacking like he tried to rid of that stale morning mouth.

 

“I think that's illegal” Bill said with a laugh under his breath. Charlie made a face and sat down, leaning his head in his arms on the table.

 

“Charlie, could you please go and wake up Ginny and the twins” Molly said as she went back to stirring the porridge, even though the ladle perfectly managed on its own. It was a distraction probably, somewhere to keep her anxious hands.

 

“I just sat down” Charlie complained, but still got up immediately and dragged his feet towards the stairs.

 

“What do you want from Egypt, Percy?” Bill asked, and put his hand on Percy’s shoulder to get his attention. He made a face as he felt the dampness of Percy’s striped pyjama but didn’t say anything.

 

“Whatever, I don’t care” Percy mumbled and wrestled with an instinct to shake Bill’s hand away. He let it sit and just continued eating cereal.

 

Molly furrowed her brows and turned around quickly, like she had been waiting for a reason to get to parent one of them, to go on a little lecture.

 

“ oh Percy , I know you’re disappointed about your friends not coming over but Mrs Henry wouldn’t hear of it and Mrs Wood said she better set an example as well. You can’t blame us for that, it is the consequences of your own actions you know” she stopped stirring and poured a bowl of the porridge which she sat in front of Percy. Taking his cereal away in the same movement.

“You won’t stand until lunch on this” she said and placed the cereal on the sink. Percy furrowed his brow.

 

“Fine, I want a jar of egyptian sand or a desert rose, but you’d probably have to go to Libya to get one” Percy said and pushed the porridge away. Suddenly losing his appetite.

 

Bill smiled and nodded. He took a glance around the room to see if their mother was watching, waiting for her to fuss over another sibling. Then he quickly grabbed Percy’s porridge, did a swap for the cereal and handed it back to Percy. He then circled their mother’s back as he finished the porridge behind her in four large scoops, so she wouldn't notice that Percy hadn’t eaten it. He winked at Percy, still with a moutful in, and Percy actually did manage a smile then. He was gonna miss having Bill around. 

 

The stairs shook as the twins toppled over themselves running down to take their seats, followed by Charlie carrying Ginny on his shoulders. The peace was over. As if to further emphasize this Arthur made an appearance before rushing out the door just as fast. He came back momentarily, just to throw Errol inside who had come with letters and a newspaper. As he shut the door behind him they heard a familiar poof, as he vanished on their doorstep and everyone resumed as normal. Bill sorted through the mail, and handed one to Percy.

 

It had Paul’s handwriting. He tore into it and stepped away from the table to read it in peace in the other room.

 

Hi Percy, it started. Percy’s stomach tied in a knot, this was the first he’d heard from Paul since they parted.

 

I’m fine, my arm has healed and I just wanted you to know that I don’t regret anything and it’s just as much my fault as anyone else's.

 

Percy released a breath in relief, and yet he still couldn’t shake a bit of guilt digging its claws inside his heart. He skimmed through the pleasantries and overviews of summer activities, searching for answers, and there it was. 

 

I don’t think mom will let me come back.

 

It was weird how short that sentence was when it was so devastating. Percy read it again just to make sure he hadn’t misunderstood.

Mrs Henry was determined to keep Paul away this time and even though Paul used the words think and might a lot, it was just childish wishful thinking. Percy could feel the tears burn but he stubbornly blinked them away and vigorously rubbed his eyes to rid of them. It wasn’t as if they’d never ever see eachother again. 

 

Mom says that if I don’t make a fuss she’ll let me come see the burrow some day, and she says it’s okay if you guys want to come here sometime but she’s still sort of mad at you. So we should probably wait. I’m not mad though! Mom’s in meetings almost everyday with the wizarding government so it’s apparently not as simple as just saying I can’t get a magical education at all, because I still have magic and I need to learn how to control it. But it’s all a bunch of formal papers and investigations I don’t really get any of it. The wizards refuse to back down but I think they underestimate how much my mom knows about muggle law.  

 

It went on for four whole pages, it was sort of incoherent as if Paul was writing exactly what he was thinking, but he probably had a lot of thought and no one to air them with. Percy decided he had to ask his dad when he got back home, if he knew anything about the relationship between wizard and muggle law and if they could help somehow. Arthur would probably be excited about it, but Percy doubted he knew anything other than his domain about misuse of muggle artifacts. Misuse of muggle children was probably something else. 

 

He scampered back into the kitchen with the crumpled letter in hand and ignored the worried glance Bill was casting him. Molly had started frantically cleaning up again, after the mess the youngest children had left behind as they had run outside to play. Percy just felt like he was in the way.

 

His mother placed a hand on his shoulder with just a little bit of pressure. So that she might gently move him in order to squeeze past. Then she stopped and looked confused.

“Percy, why are your pyjamas wet?”

Chapter 23: Year 3 - but who's problem are the twins really?

When Percy first got his acceptance letter to Hogwarts, he had sort of expected to be alone on the train ride every year. Because not even in his wildest fantasies had he imagined that he would have not one, but several good friends at the end of the year. Oliver of course didn’t take the same train as him but last year had been an epiphany on what it could mean to travel the Hogwarts express. With Paul as his companion. This year, there was no companion. No Paul.

He supposed he could sit with Imogene and the other girls, but just overhearing them discussing their latest tricks to get volume to last in their hair made his skin crawl. Percy had enough trouble keeping volume out of his hair. He wasn’t sure he could take several hours of that conversation or any others like it. Not to mention Imogene had an unfair advantage to the other girls when it came to voluminous hair and he was pretty certain he couldn't say that and get away with it.

 

The twins were running laps around him, sort of like they were herding him through the crowd. Charlie tried to lead them in a straight line but was unfruitful. Now there were four Weasley’s on their way to Hogwarts, and perhaps the worst of them were among them. Percy had sort of looked forward to distancing himself from his twin brothers as soon as possible, but perhaps spending some family time in the compartment was better than being entirely alone.

Their father had just returned from checking in their four trunks and was redfaced and sweaty. Which meant all that was left was goodbyes. The amount of travelers on the platform began to thin out and a horn indicated it was time to board. A few late stragglers were also making their goodbyes. Unlike his own family, which was more due to lack of time management, these people were ridden with anxiety. Mostly first years who hesitated to leave the safety of their parents' arms for the first time. Everyone was so focused on looking at the people next to them that the one person looking elsewhere was easy to spot. The fog parted and Oliver was standing there looking at everything and everyone. Excited smile as he eyed the train, waved at classmates and searched the crowd for… Percy.

Percy knew as soon as their eyes met.

 

His body moved on its own. Like the pull of a negative and a positive force demanding to connect. He ignored his parents calling for him to stay with the group and made his way past people like he was running through a maze that he knew by heart. Oliver was running as well, and they almost missed each other and had to do a full 360 before colliding in an almost painful hug.

 

“Why are you here!?”

 

“I’m taking the Hogwarts Express!” 

 

They said in unison

 

Percy looked at his best friend with unbelief.

 

“But Oliver, you live In Scotland ” Percy said, holding onto Oliver's shoulders to make sure he was real.

 

“Aye, that’s what we’ve been saying” one of the fathers said as he walked up to them. Scottish accent, the same as Oliver’s. It took Percy embarrassingly long to realize that it was Bram Wood. He had grown his beard out from last summer but the eyes were the same.

 

“I couldn’t let you travel alone” Oliver said, smiling.

 

“That’s stupid” Percy said, but he felt happy.

 

Bram Wood chuckled.

 

“ Aye, that’s what I’ve been saying” he said and patted Oliver’s shoulder.

 

“Well, now that you found your friend I think I best be off” 

 

He tipped his hat at Percy’s parents as they caught up to their own son and apparated away. Percy vaguely thought how odd it was that Bram hadn’t even hugged his son one last time. It confunded him that Bram Wood wasn't the most affectionate of fathers, especially when Oliver was such a touchy person. He kind of envied it, the practicality of it. Not to be the center of people’s attention as you were forced into a public display of affection. When getting a hug didn’t even feel special anymore he might as well not get one at all. Especially when there never seemes to be time for one when he actually needed it, it was always on someone else’s terms.

 

“Well, you must be Oliver” Molly said beaming, and pulled Oliver into a hug like he was one of her own.

 

“Will you help Percy take care of the twins on the train?” She asked, Oliver was about to say something stupid like ‘sure’, so Percy just grabbed his hand and bolted. Oliver knew better than to argue so he said nothing and let Percy lead him wherever he wanted. That was, until they had made it onto the train and found Marvin in a compartment and sat down with him.

 

“Why did we have to run?” Oliver said, panting.

 

“Because you were about to make a mistake” Percy said and then proceeded to tell him about the twins and their love for pranking their siblings and being public meneces. It was really more of a detailed rant if he was honest.

Honestly, they spurred each other on too. Fred on his own could be fun, George on his own could be down right pleasant company but both. Stuck with them on a train with nowhere to run. Nightmare. They could be Charlie’s problem now. 

 

“I’m frankly terrified what those two will manage now that they are permitted wands” Percy said. He was also sort of excited to see it. He didn’t admit it often, but he was a little proud of his siblings' achievements. At least when they put those brains to good use instead of transfiguring teddybears into spiders to scare their younger brother. Even if it was accidentally done in a rage, the intent was pre existing. There was ingenuity and potential there.

 

That didn’t mean he wanted to babysit them. 

 

They proceeded to talk about their summer vacations. Percy felt ashamed to admit that his family hadn’t really done anything as Marvin and Oliver told him about their trips to moars and castles and to relatives in Spain. So he didn’t. He kept quiet and let the other two tell their tales. They avoided talking about Paul, it would just ruin the mood. 

 

The time passed swiftly and before they knew it Charlie was there to tell them to switch into their robes.

 

That Percy felt proud about. He had finally gotten a brand new pair of robes, well brand new trousers at least. He had grown exceptionally this summer and the only school slacks he would’ve fit into were Bill’s old ones from his last year. And even his mother had to concur that those were too big still, and he couldn’t be expected to wear them. He would’ve been drowning in them and he did not need more fodder for ridicule. The robe was hand-me-downs, but had only been worn one year, before Charlie had gotten too wide across the shoulders for it. So it looked new.

Unfortunately the purchase of the new trousers meant he was still wearing his uncle's old glasses from the seventies. 

 

They were finishing up and tying their ties with the help of a hint of reflection in the window. Of course it was difficult to differentiate between them and the blurry Scottish landscape outside. Oliver and Marvin were discussing whether anyone would notice if they switched ties during the ceremonial dinner when a thump on the compartment door drew their attention instead.

 

Outside two red haired firstyears with their still black ties were pressing their noses up against the window and making faces at their older brother. Percy cringed and made a face in return, purely accidentally. Charlie had already left to continue his prefect duties. An Irish goodbye that was his way of saying that the twins were now Percy’s problem. 

 

Fred pulled out his tongue and let it slide slobbery over the door window. It was absolutely unhinged, yet Oliver and Marvin both laughed as if it was comedy. Percy felt embarrassed.

 

He somehow managed to lead them to Hagrid without further incident. Mostly because Oliver took it upon himself to entertain the two eleven year olds with impressions of the teachers they were soon to meet at school, and Percy was thankful for the assistance. 

 

As they had now made the twins Hagrid’s problem, they were now free for the night. The rest of it felt like coming home. The carriage ride, the sorting, the feast all made them forget for a moment that Paul wasn’t there with them. That Paul wasn’t just on a toilet break and would join them by dessert. It was easy to distract themselves, until it wasn’t.

 

Until they made it to their third year dormitories and found three beds made and ready for them. Paul’s bed was still hauntingly present.

 

Chapter 24: Year 3 - Big brother Percy

Watching Percy acting as an older brother was a treat. He may have dodged the twins as often as he could and was very vocal in his disdain for them, but he was also quick to defend them whenever he found them locked in a corner. Usually with a bigger kid that they had managed to piss off. Oliver was happy to assist him in this venture, if nothing else he was learning a lot on what it would be like when Emily grew up. What it would be like to protect her. In Percy’s book the twins were annoying, but they were his annoyance and no one else could say anything about it. It was also apparent that both Fred and George looked up to their brother a lot. Even if they, just like Percy, struggled to admit it. They might’ve teased him but it was very obvious that they did so out of love. They simply wanted his attention and had figured that the fastest way to get it was to be in his way. 

They appreciated him. You could tell by the way their faces shone up when they spotted Percy charging up to them when they were in trouble. ‘Here comes salvation’ their expressions read. Perhaps they could be such tricky little bastards because they relied on their other siblings saving them. Even when Percy lectured them after saving them they watched Percy with secret adoration. Oliver quite liked them.

Sometimes they would manipulate Percy into giving them an answer to a spell that was too advanced for the school to teach them. They knew to push Percy’s buttons that made him want to appear talented and knowledgeable. Oliver didn’t like that as much, that they used him like that, but he had to respect the hustle. It was apparent that the twins knew that Percy would know the answer because they knew he was smart. Perhaps Percy knew deep down that they were just manipulating him, perhaps he didn’t care what they did with the information afterwards. Perhaps he enjoyed getting to rescue them after they inevitably ended up in trouble from it. 

 

Percy was a good brother, and it was a property that extended further than to just the Weasley clan. 

 

The first year of Hogwarts was a difficult transition for a lot of children. Especially if you didn’t have siblings there already, that could help you settle with a sense of familiarity. Bill had once told them during their own first year that he cried himself to sleep after the initial adrenaline had settled down. It was normal, it was okay. They often saw a few first years sitting in corners fiddling with their hands and staring into space like they tried to make sense of their new life here. The prefects did a good job caring for them and making them feel at home, but they couldn’t be everywhere all the time. Sometimes they missed someone who had snuck away to cry privately. Because how were you supposed to comfort someone if you couldn’t find them? 

 

Like this first year hufflepuff they stumbled upon by accident, sitting curled up on a bench in one of the less trotted hallways and sniffling silently into his knees. His golden blonde hair hung sadly over his hands as he buried his face. It tugged at Oliver’s heartstrings but he didn’t really know what to do. Making a joke was his instinct but he had experienced to his horror that it wasn’t always the best tactic. It varied highly between first years it seemed. Percy had stopped a few steps back and was watching the boy with a solemn look, then he started to step towards him. Oliver reached out and grabbed his robes to stop him.

 

“Should we go get a prefect instead, so we don’t make it worse?” Oliver asked, having been burned before. Percy simply grabbed Oliver’s hand and softly pried himself loose.

 

“It’s okay, my dad knows his dad… we’re sort of almost neighbours” Oliver let him go but stayed back so as to not ruin anything.

 

Percy crouched down in front of the little hufflepuff and placed a hand on top of that mess of golden strands. The boy looked up, his cheeks were healthily rosy and even though his eyes were swollen and his nose snotty Oliver could tell he was a very pretty boy. That sort of boy that would be the poster boy for anything really. The sort of face that you pictured when you tried to imagine the little prince in a fairytale. He was the kid that would get adopted over the rugged main character in those old depressing stories that took place in a dirty London orphanage. He was cute.

 

His eyes darted towards Oliver and he blushed and wiped his eyes ferociously. Percy was speaking softly to him, while still patting his head and his shoulder. Sometimes the boy nodded to something Percy had said. Oliver stood a little zoned out, he could hear them speaking in soft whispers but he wasn’t paying attention to what was being said. He was too busy watching his friend take care of the first year hufflepuff. Big brother in action and no trace of the bite that Percy sometimes could have. It made Oliver feel something. He felt warm and fuzzy in his stomach.  

 

“This is Oliver, he likes quidditch too” Percy said and gestured towards Oliver. Now inviting him into the conversation as the boy had stopped crying. 

 

“This is Cedric” Percy said as he sat down next to him. Percy then gestured for Oliver to sit down on Cedric’s other side. Which left Oliver no other choice but to do so. 

 

“Oh, you like quidditch Cedric, I’m on team Gryffindor!” Oliver said and placed an arm around Cedric’s back as he sat down. Cedric looked at him, with large eyes.

 

“you should come watch me play sometime, see there are lots of fun stuff to do here at Hogwarts”

 

Cedric smiled, finally, and relaxed under Oliver’s arm. Oliver looked up at Percy who smiled as well. Soft and warm and proud of them, and Oliver felt that fuzzy feeling again growing all the way up to his heart. 

Chapter 25: Year 3 - Stormy blue on Clear water

They were three weeks into the new year and Paul’s bed was still unused but present. Dumbledore and the wizarding government still hadn’t given up on getting their wizard back into their world, but Percy and Oliver were on the verge of accepting it. They started to wish the bed would just be gone already instead of being so glaringly abandoned. It made it hard to move past it. It wasn’t as if Paul had stopped existing just because they couldn’t see him everyday. They still wrote to each other as often as they could. With both trivial things and the extraordinary. Percy didn’t really care about gossip but he still told Paul about Eveline accepting a note from Jack Graham from Hufflepuff, and promised to keep him updated if she said yes to going on a date with him. Only because Paul seemed to like Eveline and would probably want to know. In retrospect perhaps that was just salt in the wounds, but as the owl flew away he couldn’t do much about it now. 

 

He made his way down the steep stairs and tried not to slip in any birdshit which was everywhere. On the lowest step he did a quick sweep with his wand to clean up his shoes just in case he’d got some on him anyway.

 

Then he decided to go to the library to read for leisure. Oliver had Quidditch practice and wouldn’t be available for another two hours. Normally he’d have spent that time with Paul. Now he had to find something else to do. 

 

As he entered his favourite section of the great library where the afternoon sun hit just right, he noticed that his favourite table was occupied. A ravenclaw girl sat there, soaking up his sunlight. Her hair was so blonde it was almost white and it cascaded in big curls. Like corkscrews on a Victorian doll. That perfect amount of sunlight, that warmed you up just right but didn’t blind you, hit her hair and made it almost glow like a gloria. She was deep into her reading and none the wiser to the world around her. Just like Percy would’ve been if his spot hadn’t been occupied. It was a pretty big table, he could walk up to her and ask if she would share it with him, but a knot in his stomach kept him in his spot. He watched her for a little bit, weighing his options. Then he turned around and went to the other end of the library where no sunlight hit but which was still a pretty good spot for reading.

 

A week later he saw her again, in his spot. Maybe it was her favourite as well.

 

Professor Sprout liked to mix them with the other houses in her lessons. Which meant Oliver and Percy had to split up and find a ravenclaw each, to work with. Oliver was lucky to have friends in the other houses, so a thing like that didn’t bother him the way it did Percy. Oliver easily grabbed onto Marvin and they happily started to collect their equipment while discussing sports tactics that Percy didn’t get.  Dread filled Percy as he realized he stood alone in the middle of a room full of thirteen year olds that would never pick the scrawny redhead with the too big glasses if they had a choice. So he realized he would be standing there unapproached until professor Sprout noticed and had to force someone to work with him. However, going up to someone and asking if they wanted to pair up and possibly get rejected was an even worse option. He stood frozen, wringing his hands around a pair of dragon skin garden gloves and tried to swallow the anxiety.

 

“Do you have a partner?” a soft voice penetrated the air of anguish he’d built around himself and he turned to meet eyes with dark blue. Darker than his own, more like ocean water during a storm. An angel? No, just an annoying spot stealer. A spot stealer who was kind enough to notice that he didn’t have anyone to work with.

 

“I’m Penelope, I don’t have a partner either” she held her hand out. He shook it in a daze. 

 

“I’m Percy Weasley,” he said, and she smiled.

 

“yeah I know”

 

He looked confused so she laughed at him. He didn’t like that she laughed, what was so funny about him not suspecting anyone would know who he was. He sure hadn’t noticed her before the library. 

 

“You’re friends with Oliver Wood” she said and Percy relaxed a bit. That made more sense, that she only knew of him as an appendix of Oliver Wood. Oliver didn’t seem to notice, but girls tended to notice him . 

 

“My friend Gabrielle has a little crush on him” Penelope whispered, like Percy was in on the secret now. LIke he was someone you could gossip with. For a split second Percy wondered if he had accidentally cursed himself by writing that letter to Paul about Eveline. Still it started to make more sense why Penelope had sought him out. Penelope had probably been sent by her friend Gabrielle to scout if Oliver was available, by going through his best friend. That made sense.

Penelope started to gather their equipment, unbothered by the fact that Percy hadn’t formally accepted her invitation to work together. Of course he hadn’t declined either. 

 

Except for that initial comment about her friend Gabrielle having a crush on his friend, she didn’t actually gossip much after that. They worked well together, she asked him relevant questions about the workload, and she did her part flawlessly. She asked him about his siblings and commented that it must be fun but that she also understood if he found it difficult to navigate himself in such a big family. She had two sisters so she understood a little what it was like, and she too was a middle child. They joked about that, that they obviously had to become much more interesting people than their siblings to elbow their way in.

She was sweet, kind, and funny. She made the sort of academic jokes that Oliver and Paul wouldn’t understand and Percy found himself laughing so hard his sides hurt. 

 

When the lesson ended Percy didn’t just have a new herbology partner, he’d made a friend. His first friend outside of Gryffindor, his first that was only his and not also Oliver’s.

 

He tried to retell the herbology joke to Oliver after class, he didn’t get it.

 

When they made it back to their dormitories they first didn’t notice that anything was different. They sat down on their own beds and started changing from their uniforms to their loungewear. Percy folded his  inherited robes neatly and hung it up on a wooden butler. Oliver threw his brand new robes on the floor and trousers and shirt quickly followed. Then he unabashedly strutted about in his underpants as he still tried to dissect the joke in order to understand it. 

 

“It’s a meat eating plant but most plants also need sunlight,” Percy tried to explain.

 

“So?”

 

“So a light snack” Percy said and gestured with his hands for Oliver to go on.  As he could see the wheels turning in his head and wanted to encourage the progress. 

 

“So after devouring the gardener, the Venomous tentacula is asked if he wants dessert and says he could go for a light snack…“ Oliver repeated to himself as if he was examining every word. 

 

“Because of photosynthesis, he’ll eat some sun light which creates sugar ” Percy said as he untied his dress shoes in order to slip into some slippers. 

 

“Oh! So that’s the dessert! I get it!” Oliver exclaimed proudly. Percy felt proud of him as well. Oliver didn’t seem to find it as funny as Percy had, but was more happy about figuring it out. Like he’d solved a riddle. And honestly, after having to tell it so many times Percy didn’t find it as funny any more either.

 

“I’m glad you made a friend though!” Oliver said and pulled on some sweats before he lay down in his own bed. With Quidditch through the ages and a walkman in his hands and headphones around his neck. 

 

“Yeah, it will be nice to be able to hang out with someone while you practise” Percy said and Oliver gave him a thumbs up before pulling on the headphones and starting his music. The headphones leaked sound and Percy could faintly hear some drum beat and guitar riff flowing through them. As Oliver had dipped into his own world Percy finally looked around the room. He paused.

 

“Oliver!” He said, raising his voice so that Oliver would hear him over his music. Oliver sat up and pulled the headphones down with a ‘hm?”.

 

“Paul’s bed is gone…” 

 

Apparently even Dumbledore had to give up sometimes. 

Chapter 26: Year 3 - poor Bethany, caught between a rock and a hardheaded idiot

Percy was trying to zone out the petty argument that was happening in front of him. He stared blankly ahead as his brother and his best friend stood in a lock down in the middle of the common room and glared at each other.

“I’m telling you I’m not demoting a good enough player just so that you can get what you want” Charlie said, actually looking wrathful at the thirteen year old that was puffing his chest at him.

“So you admit she’s just good enough! ” Oliver shouted and pointed unashamed at Bethany, the gryffindor keeper, who was standing awkwardly next to them. Her face neutral and lips pressed into a thin line, looking as if she wanted to be anywhere but there.

“That’s not what I meant, but sure, okay” a surprising confession, Bethany however didn’t even look offended, she just shrugged in defeat. Percy heard her mumble that it was fine and she could take the Chaser position if they wanted her to, but it went unheard by her teammates. 

“She’s not the best keeper this school has ever seen but she has the spot as long as she wants it” Charlie said and pointed to Bethany as well. Bethany scrunched her eyes shut like that would make this situation go away. Judging by her plain brown bob cut, with absolutely no volume at all, it was apparent she wasn’t the type of girl who enjoyed attention. 

“It doesn’t even make sense that you would make her keeper to begin with! Since Marie graduated last year, you could’ve easily made me keeper in her place” Oliver argued.

“You’re too small” Charlie countered.

“I have studied the Grodzisk Goblin 1980s play off, and there could be benefits with a Keeper with a smaller frame, I just think-”

“Trust me, thinking is not your greatest asset” Charlie bit back and Oliver looked actually taken aback. For a moment Charlie had spoken to Oliver like he was one of the Weasley brothers and it seemed to stun Charlie as well. Percy could interfere and tell Oliver that it was probably a compliment but he didn’t want to get dragged into this. 

Charlie’s expression softened as he seemed to regret lashing out and getting too personal.  

“Listen, you were right about your version of the Tchamba Charmers Reverse pass, but that doesn't make you the expert over everyone else” 

Oliver looked like he wanted to argue but Charlie held his hand up to make him listen.

“Bethany graduates this year so you’ll just have to stick it out” Charlie said and gave Bethany a nod, who just stared at them incredulously. Like she couldn’t believe she was even part of this. It really felt like something they could’ve done not in front of her, somewhere where she didn’t have to listen to it. Especially after Oliver started ripping into her strategic play and her slow reflexes. Which was true, but he didn’t have to say it to her face. Percy understood why she looked so defeated. 

“I will train you as a Keeper next year, deal?” Charlie said, holding out his hand for Oliver to shake it in agreement. Oliver’s face did that thing where Percy knew he was gonna say something stupid even before he said it.

“Fine, if you want to lose this year”

That was the last straw for Charlie who had shown restraint up until this point. Percy knew from experience that very few people would get this far into an argument with Charlie without him pulling the heavy artillery. He effectively threatened Oliver with a full suspension if he didn’t run penalty laps around the pitch, closely followed by sit ups and burpees. It didn’t matter to him that the weather was so rough outside that Oliver would probably be at a standstill half the lap trying to work against the wind. If anything Charlie just thought that was fair. He even followed Oliver outside to make sure that he did all of it. 

A rather dirty looking Oliver Wood finally crashed into their dormitory at sunset. He collapsed to his bed, not bothering to shower or even change. Percy looked up from his book in disgust.

"You will shower" he said bluntly. 

Oliver merely mumbled something into his pillow that could have been 'can't be bothered' but sounded more like "c'uufh' b' boff'rd". Which meant that he just as easily could have said 'cuffs and brothels', but Percy hoped that wasn’t the case, he wasn’t really sure what he’d do with that. 

"Oh, you will shower Oliver, or I'll make you!"

Oliver simply showed Percy two fingers in a crude gesture. Percy considered killing him but decided he would live to regret it. Percy truly meant that he would make him shower if he needed to. 

He pointed his wand at the unknowing Oliver who was resting with his eyes closed. His peace was quickly interrupted as a shower of water shot out from Percy’s wand and hit him square on in his bed. As if someone had poured a bucket over him. 

A now soaking wet Oliver Wood sat up spurting water from his mouth, a shocked look on his handsome features that quickly transformed into a scowl. Because Oliver Wood was growing quite handsome. Percy had been made aware of it, due to the screaming girls next to him at every Quidditch game he’d gone to this year. He was apparently cool enough to be admired too. Because even if Percy had been the one to take the initiative and comfort Cedric, Cedric was always in the stands cheering Oliver on. It was starting to feel a little like Oliver was outgrowing Percy, like he was supposed to have a different crowd now. He tried not to think about it, he was pretty sure Oliver still treasured their friendship even if Percy wasn’t cool and didn’t know anything about quidditch. 

"Awa and fuck yersel ya bas!" Oliver spat when he finally got a grip of what actually happened to him. He flicked his wet hands towards Percy, probably in hopes that some of the water droplets would hit him. 

"Watch your mouth Oliver or I'll have to wash that as well" Percy warned, tone serious but with a slight smile to his lips. They were quiet for a while and staring each other down, before they both burst out laughing.

Oliver fell to his wet mattress again, holding his sides. The mattress gave a sort of squishy sound at the movement.

"Charlie is terribly vindictive but I think I love his training style, it’s tough but it’s good you ken?" Oliver said when he finally felt like sitting back up. He wiped his face free of water and shook like a dog.  

"will you become my brother-in-law then?" Percy said, not missing a beat as this was a common joke in their dormitory. 

"… you poof" he added jokingly after some consideration, and smiled into his book.

Percy rarely used demeaning words, even if they were used ironically. He tended to avoid it as he was worried people wouldn’t pick up on the irony and think he was just homophobic. A lot of the other blokes used that sort of language though, so it seemed to be the normal thing, still it felt weird when Percy tried it. The others thought he was overthinking it but suppose Percy was just like that, an overthinker. 

He felt certain that Oliver would understand the bit and know he was more or less making fun of people who would use it seriously. But it wasn’t a lie that Oliver had tended to fan over Charlie for as long as he’d known him. However, as of late he’d been more argumentative than admiring, as proven by the scene in the common room. Oliver had ideas he wanted to push and it was hard to argue that he didn’t know what he was talking about. Albeit his execution was less than tactful. Even though Oliver wasn’t as starry eyed as he used to, he still liked Charlie very much and respected him. That’s why it was so easy to tease him over it. 

Oliver threw the first thing he could find at his friend which happened to be his wet pillow. Percy parried it with his hands and it fell to the floor into a sad wet lump. 

"the ‘you have a crush on Charlie’ bit is getting old!... dickhead" Oliver said and flipped him the bird.

"Hm… no, but really… You should watch your mouth a little more" Percy said while more focused on finding a spot for his book to lay open on his nightstand table. It had unfortunately gotten wet from stray droplets from the attacking pillow so it needed to dry before he could put it away. He decided to forgive Oliver since he himself was partially responsible for the ordeal. 

" Fuck off, you're not prefect yet Percy, you can't do shiet about it!" 

"I could always tell my brother on you" Percy smiled at the look of terror on Oliver's face and he stifled a laugh. “I’ll make him make you run laps until you pass out, and then he’ll never marry you”

“I don’t want to marry Charlie!” Oliver yelled out.

"oh, keep your socks on. I wouldn't do that! Besides, I could do worse when it comes to in-laws" Percy said and giggled at the tired look Oliver gave him. Percy decided to stare at Oliver until he eventually also broke into a giggle. The giggle died into a soft smile, which then grew into a furrowed brow as he started rotating his shoulder. Percy watched him for a little bit and eventually cleared his own bed from discarded parchments and empty candy wrappers.

“Come on, come lay down on my bed”

A gesture to apologise for teasing him too much.

Oliver looked taken aback and just stared for a while, hand frozen on his neck where he had started to massage it.

“For fuck’s sake! Yours is wet, I’ll give you a massage on mine” Percy said like it was obvious. Ignoring the irony in him swearing just after telling Oliver off for doing so. He moved to make room for Oliver on his own bedspread. If the spread got a little damp that didn’t matter.

Oliver jumped up and walked over slowly, perhaps worried he was still getting teased and there would be a punchline coming out of left field any minute. Percy just sat still and let him come to him. When Oliver was laying face down Percy started to move his hand in small, comforting circles on Oliver's back. The tension release was immediate, the back that had felt rock solid under Percy’s hands relaxed into putty. It probably wasn’t the kind of massage Oliver actually needed. From what Percy could feel under his own palms Oliver needed someone who could properly knead his muscles into submission and loosen the knots. He was still a bit scrawny like Percy, but he was starting to build a whole new kind of muscle definition. There was a definite difference in how he used to be when they were younger and a definite difference between him and Percy. 

"My mother always does this when we are stressed or upset… it's calming I think" Percy said as he pushed gently around Oliver’s shoulder blades and put just a little pressure over his neck.

Oliver only grunted approvingly, face down into the bed. He was breathing deeply and Percy assumed that meant he was enjoying it. Oliver’s damp shirt had initially felt cold, but the more Percy massaged the more heat gathered under his hands and Oliver was starting to feel warmer. Oliver still shuddered though. Perhaps the cold had migrated into his bones by now. 

“Are you cold?” Percy asked and stopped in case Oliver needed to change his clothes.. 

"'No… T 'feels nice" Oliver mumbled without raising his head. Percy snickered and continued his work. 

Chapter 27: Year 3 - It may be winter outside

There was something a little different about Percy this year. Or he was the same but sometimes something else peaked through him, like an alternative version of himself. Even though his more sporadic swearing was hilarious and had a much greater impact now that it happened so rarely, Oliver sort of missed the little rascal that swore whenever he wanted to. This new Percy was trying too hard, this new Percy was still Percy but he was suppressing parts of himself. Oliver suspected it might have to do with Paul’s departure from Hogwarts, that Percy sort of felt as if Paul got injured under his watch and that he needed to remedy that. It was like he was trying to become more of a teacher’s pet, to do the proper thing all the time. The bookish interest had slowly developed into duty. He wasn’t doing it because he loved it anymore, he was just doing it because it was expected of him. Although Percy would argue to his death that he did enjoy himself, there was something in his eyes when he studied that Oliver thought didn’t look like enjoyment. Oliver felt reluctant to say he had missed the gradual signs before it had blown up like it had, because it meant he was selfish. Because he had been so preoccupied with Quidditch all of spring term, and now it was Christmas and Percy was different . 

He was still kind, he was still smart, he was still a little cheeky but he didn’t want to do things that could get them in trouble anymore. He told Oliver to watch his language and keep his head down rather than poke fun at authority and go their own way like they used to. 

Perhaps that was just part of growing up. They were teenagers now. Childish whims had to stop sometime right? Oliver just wished it would’ve been later…

 

It was a week until Christmas and they were spending it apart this year. Percy was staying behind and when Oliver said it was sad to spend Christmas alone, Percy said he was going to use the solitude to study anyway. Besides, his brothers would be there in case he wanted to eat a holiday lunch with them and open presents, but he was going to enjoy having the library to himself. Studying on christmas , and be happy about it to boot. It was sad. Oliver decided not to say what he really thought about it. Instead he smiled and presented Percy his gift. Two new quills and a mooncalf leather case to hold them in. Because it’s what Percy wanted. Wrapped in a messy parcel tied with several rows of string. Percy’s face shone up in a bright smile as he opened it which made Oliver’s heartstrings tug.  

Percy rummaged in his satchel and brought forward a neat square parcel in striped polka dot wrapper, adorned with a golden ribbon that enclosed in an image of a golden snitch. When he tapped the snitch it extended its wings and unwrapped before his eyes. It was beautiful craftsmanship as Percy’s gifts usually were. It was his way to make up for the fact that his gifts were usually homemade or inexpensive. Oliver didn’t care about that, he loved Percy’s gifts. Usually…

Inside were a pair of slippers, also in the shape of golden snitches. In theory a great gift, but when Percy told him why he gifted them Oliver’s heart sank.

 

“Since your feet are always so cold, now you don’t have to warm them under by butt!” He snickered and nudged Olivet to join him in the humour of it. Oliver forced a smile and bumped him back, pulling the slippers close to his chest to numb the aching feeling that grew in there. He felt suffocated, like he had to force down his feelings in his throat because they were wrong for the occasion. They got stuck there pushing against his Adam's apple. He should be so thankful, they were brand new slippers and must have cost a great deal for Percy. They were on theme for Oliver’s interests and it was considerate. However it sort of felt like rejection…

 

He still wore them the entire holiday, they were indeed very comfortable and kept his normally icy feet warm. He almost slipped off the sofa as he stood in the Wood family living room and sang power ballads with his mother. Not christmas songs, not yet… She was dressing the tree with lights and ribbons. Soon it was Oliver’s turn to put the rest of the ornaments on as was tradition. He and his mother belted Whitney Houston as they worked and his mother grabbed his cheeks and squeezed them and said how much she loved to have him home this christmas. Emily walked up to the christmas tree behind her. Oliver tried to warn her in between his pressed together cheeks.

 

“Ma, Mly” he managed and pointed to his sister who was very interested in the low hanging lights.

 

“Oh no Emily, don’t” Jackie hurried back and picked Emily up. She held her up so they could investigate the lights together instead and Oliver jumped down to join them. Showing his sister the most important ornaments as he hung them on the branches. When the tree was done they put Emily to bed and Oliver took a seat in the kitchen with a cup of hot chocolate, while his mother made the Christmas ham. Bram Wood was snoring on the sofa now, having occupied it the minute he walked in. Oliver had placed some ribbons around him to make his sleeping form more festive. Oliver was supposed to be asleep as well, but he suspected his mother enjoyed the company because she hadn’t said anything about it. Then the old grandfather clock on the wall struck twelve. He and his mother looked at eachother and a small smile creeped up on both their faces and Jackie nodded at him that he could go on. He got up and went up to the old vinyl player and picked out the blue cover with the three ladies on it that had the same afro Imogene used to have first year, before she changed her hairstyle. Normally he would be laying in bed at this time, listening to his mother hum this song while preparing the last of it. He turned down the volume a bit so they wouldn’t wake up his father and Emily and played the song as per tradition.

 

His mother started whisper singing 

 

“When the temperature dips, I miss my baby's arms. His tender fingertips knows just how to keep me warm” she sang and winked at Oliver. Oliver joined in and they sang together quietly.

“It may be zero degrees, with the snow falling down but I've got warm and tender love just as long as he's around”

And then they couldn’t contain themselves and sang as loud as they could without waking Emily who was asleep a few rooms down.

“It may be winter outside!” They sang leaning in towards each other, his mother using a ladle as a microphone. 

“But in my heart it's spring!” Oliver belted and the sound of a startled interrupted snore rang out from the sitting room before a groan followed.

“Do we have to start Christmas day like this every year?” Bram complained from the other room and a rattling sound indicated he’d pushed the ribbons of himself.

“You’re gonna wake up Emily” his disembodied voice kept complaining, and when Oliver peeked his head around, he saw that his father had pulled a cushion over his head to block out the sound.

“It’s tradition, she better learn” Oliver said but still tip-toed over to her room and glanced inside. She was still breathing steadily, her little chest lifting and sinking as she breathed. Her little eyelashes fluttered. Sometimes she would let out a loud sigh but no sign of waking up. He watched her for a little longer than he necessarily had to, then he shuffled his feet back in his new slippers. At least they were very quiet so he didn’t have to worry about waking her up. 

The song had now ended and as per tradition Mary’s boy child by Boney M was filling up the space in its place. Oliver’s mother had a love for strong female singers, and when Oliver closed his eyes and let the notes sink in he really understood why. It was like he understood his own feelings better with their vocals. Sure, Percy giving him the slippers felt as if he was saying he didn’t want Oliver’s feet anywhere near him, but that was just a feeling. The reality was that Percy had noticed that Oliver suffered cold feet and he gave him something to help him remedy that. That was thoughtful, that was exactly like Percy. Perhaps he didn’t need to worry so much about Percy acting a little different sometimes when he was himself when it actually mattered. 

Notes:

So my headcanon is that Oliver Wood really loves power ballads and female singers just like his mom and he will sing them loudly and proudly.

The songs mentioned are "It may be winter outside" by Love Unlimited and "Mary's boy child" by Boney M.

Chapter 28: Year 3 - you're a teenage heartthrob, Oliver Wood

He wasn’t sure why he was so nervous about introducing Oliver to Penelope properly. He was sure they would get along because he got along with both of them. Albeit he never argued with Penelope the way he did Oliver… but the possibility that his two friends wouldn't like each other was worrying. Would he have to choose then? Would they be sharing custody of him like a child of divorce. Percy willed himself to take a deep breath to cease his disaster planning and not jump ahead of events. It was a tad premature to expect the worst. Penelope was smiling sweetly and extended her hand towards Oliver in a proper and polite manner, Oliver looked perplexed but shook it. Percy could count on one hand the amount of times he’d seen Oliver shake someone’s hand outside of the quidditch field and it seemed as if Oliver had rarely considered that was a common thing to do when you were formally introduced to someone you sort of already knew. Percy snickered to himself but acted nonchalant when Oliver looked at him quizzically. They were seated together at the ravenclaw table in the great hall. Since it was in between classes it was fairly empty, so no one seemed to mind the stray gryffindor boys joining them. It was going okay, minus the fact that every conversation topic got stunted by the others lack of interest. Penelope tried to open up a conversation about history of magic, Oliver endured but didn’t ask any follow up questions. Oliver tried to talk about quidditch, Penelope had no insight. It was like watching a ping pong game of conversation except the ball kept changing shape in between serves. When Percy attempted to join the conversation he seemed to involuntarily leave someone out all the time. It was exhausting. Eventually they had decided to stick to small talk like their families and how was winter break and what do you do for fun except study history and follow sports . 

 

“Do you like twisted sisters?” Penelope asked politely because Percy knew she wasn’t a fan.

 

“No” Oliver said and looked disgusted “there’s no melody, it’s so screechy”.

 

Percy perked up and unclenched his hands from his head where he’d nestled them as he rested his arms against the table in fatigue. 

 

“Right! I mean I don’t know much about wizard bands either way, but that one is vile” she shone up in another smile, probably relieved to no longer have to stick to surface talk, finally having something to dig into.

“So what do you like?” she asked and tilted her head to the side. Oliver shrugged.

 

“I like Maria McKee, Annie Lennox, Paula Abdul, a lot of singers”

 

Penelope giggled.

 

“Really?  wouldn’t have expected” she said. Oliver scrunched his eyebrows.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“Just that you’re an athletic guy, who has only guy friends but all your favourite artists are women”

 

Oliver’s mouth was hanging open under his furrowed brow and he looked a bit annoyed so Percy interjected.

 

“You have substance, is what she’s trying to say” he added and Penelope nodded smiling. Oliver’s mouth shut but the brow was still furrowed.

 

“You bet I have substance” he mumbled. 

 

“I think my mom would agree with you as well, about your music taste I mean” Penelope continued and the relaxation Percy had felt evaporated and he tensed back up again as he wasn’t sure how Oliver would react to being compared to a middle aged woman, but Oliver just shrugged again.

 

“Then your mother has great taste” Oliver said completely unbothered. The conversation died down again, Penelope looked at Oliver expectantly.

 

“Now you could ask me what kind of music I like” she suggested and urged him on, Oliver looked confused again and still a little annoyed.

 

“Why don’t you just tell me” he said and his arms flew up in exasperation. 

Penelope just giggled again at his reaction and shrugged.

 

“I like Radiohead, if you’ve heard of them?” 

 

It was Percy’s turn to suddenly feel a bit lost in the conversation, being the only full wizardborn among them he had never heard of these people and suddenly he couldn’t contribute at all.

 

“They’re alright” Oliver said “I like listening to them in the car when you just need something in the background”

 

Penelope gasped.

“That is blasphemous Mr Wood, I will not hear of it, background music ” she tsk’d behind her pearly white teeth and stopped their interaction briefly to pour a cup of tea for herself. Oliver took the opportunity to look towards Percy at that moment and enlarged his eyes, like he was trying to convey something. Percy looked confused, Penelope turned her attention back to Oliver who quickly stopped making whatever face he was making and tried to act natural.

 

“Oh right, would you two mind if my friend Gabrielle joins us later for study period?” she asked as she sipped her cuppa. Looking between the boys and then very discreetly wiggled her eyebrows at Percy in an insinuating way. It hit Percy, right, Gabrielle who fancied Oliver.

 

“Sure, but Marvin and Jack will also be there” Percy said pointedly, so she would know that if Gabrielle wanted a chance to talk to Oliver there would be obstacles.

 

“Challenge accepted” Penelope said jokingly and downed the contents of her cup with remarkable speed since it was still steaming.

“I need to get to potions class, however I will see you later” she said and started putting her blonde curls into a scrunchie simultaneously as she started getting up and walking out. It was impressive the amount of things she could get done in a minute. Oliver looked confused.

 

“What challenge?” he said and Percy feigned ignorance. He didn’t want to be involved.

 

“What was that face earlier?” Percy asked instead to change the subject.

 

“I needed you to jump in and save me, I don’t get her” Oliver said and gestured into the air as if she was still sitting there.

 

“I thought it went well, I didn’t even follow what you were talking about” Percy said and sipped his own tea slowly.

 

“I thought you said she was funny” Oliver complained

 

“She is, you just don’t get her jokes”

 

     Oliver may not have understood her jokes but he was still polite about it, and if he had thought Penelope was difficult to talk to that was nothing compared to Gabrielle. Gabrielle was cute though, Percy supposed, at least a lot of boys their year seemed to think so. Her auburn hair was big and poofy with an equally voluminous fringe, and she always wore big bubblegum pink earrings. In contrast to Penelope, Gabrielle was very interested in quidditch statistics. Which Oliver initially seemed happy about. At that time Percy figured that might work out for them, until he also figured out Gabrielle knew even less about quidditch than Penelope did, she just liked to hear Oliver talk about it while flicking her hair around. To his credit Oliver seemed to notice this as well and gradually tried to push her attention towards Jack who seemed much more interested in the flirty girl. Apparently over Eveline at this time, Jack who was generally a flirty guy was indubiously much better suited. Marvin tried to conceal his laughter as Oliver tried to push him out of his chair to squeeze himself in between Marvin and Jack. Jack was failing in his job as a shield as Gabrielle was attempting to talk to Oliver around his back. Percy wasn’t sure who he felt most sorry for. Jack who’s attempt at flirting got ignored, Oliver trying to flee the attention or Gabrielle who just wanted to talk to a boy she liked. It was definitely not Marvin who was gleefully eating up the drama with sparkly eyes and a poorly concealed grin. 

 

Percy tried not to look at the circus happening to his right in order to focus on his school work, but it was too distracting.

 

“Next time maybe we should just study alone, you and I” Penelope said and snickered. She had also stopped reading and was leaning one rosy cheek in her hand as she looked at their friends. 

 

“Yes please” Percy whispered and snickered as well as they shared a look of understanding.

 

“Honestly I don’t understand why they’re so preoccupied with dating at all, I don’t see the point” Percy said and jotted down some pointers for study cards before he forgot what he was about to write.

 

“You don’t? Isn’t it nice that they have someone they like?” Penelope asked and smiled towards her friend and the three boys. “I get it”

 

Percy looked confused, he hadn’t pegged Penelope for a romantic before. She was so sensible.

 

“If you meet the right person isn’t it nice to have companionship” she said and glanced over at Percy. Percy thought about it for a bit.

 

“I suppose” then he glanced over to the others, Oliver leaning his whole body away in the opposite direction from Gabrielle. 

 

“I don’t think Oliver is the right person for Gabrielle though”

 

Penelope laughed out loud, she covered her mouth with her hand to stifle it and nodded frantically in agreement.

 

“Gabby will learn, she’s just too stubborn to give up yet, hardheaded like a hippogriff.” Penelope pressed her lips together trying to stop the jest even though she’d already said it. Perhaps trying not to say the rest and failing. 

 

“but she’ll soon shift her attention elsewhere and find new pray… also kind of like a hippogriff” she snickered, then she glanced over at Percy again “maybe in a few weeks actually, which speaking of, we are hosting a sort of valentine’s day event in the common room in common if you want to attend. It’s also for friends since you don’t get that stuff”  

 

She was joking with him, but the invitation was sincere. Percy furrowed his brow. 

 

Valentine’s day was Oliver’s birthday. It was a made up holiday anyway, so they always made sure to celebrate him on it so he wouldn’t feel bad about it.

 

“That sounds fun” it didn’t really. He was sort of glad of a way to get out of it without hurting his friend’s feelings “but I can’t, it’s Oliver’s birthday and we always celebrate it”.

 

“It’s okay!” Oliver shouted, having overheard their conversation. He probably overheard the bit about Gabrielle finding someone else at the event as well.

“We can come!” He said and having failed in taking a seat between Jack and Marvin for safety he now successfully squeezed himself down between Percy and Penelope instead.

 

“We can celebrate me next Hogsmeade weekend instead, now that we can finally go there, that’ll be much better” Oliver said and patted Percy on the back, ignoring the fact he was halfway on Percy’s lap because it was such a tight squeeze. Definitely ignoring the fact that he sort of volunteered Percy without his consent. Both as a participant in the valentine’s event and to plan something totally different for Oliver’s birthday than he had intended. Even though Percy was a bit disappointed he now didn’t have a way out of the event, he was sort of pleased about the idea of celebrating Oliver in Hogsmeade. It had given him an idea.

Notes:

I couldn't find anything on Oliver's birthday so I decided it was valentine's day.

Chapter 29: Year 3 - Play pretend

Just because they weren’t celebrating him on the day didn’t mean it stopped being his birthday. Oliver had spent his whole life being his mother’s greatest valentine’s gift so it wasn’t as if having his birthday on the holiday was a big deal for him. Percy however always made sure that focus was on Oliver’s birthday and not the commercial holiday that it had become. Yes, the candy he received was sometimes heart shaped but he chose to interpret it as an active choice made by his peers because they loved their friend, and not just a byproduct of what was available in the stores at the time. Percy had started their day by giving Oliver breakfast in bed. Which was just a sandwich wrapped in newspaper and a goblet of orange juice hastily grabbed from the great hall, and a flower that was obviously picked from the grounds. It was mostly just the gesture of giving Oliver the opportunity to stay in bed and not go down to the hall, but Percy had never done this before so it was a very nice gesture. Perhaps it was to make up for the fact that they were spending the entire day down in the common room in common to help Penelope and her friends arrange a valentine’s party. Oliver had thought they had been invited to partake as guests but as Penelope’s friend Percy had been put to work. And Oliver, by extension as Percy’s friend, was there as well. They were putting up decorations and setting up tables together with two ravenclaw prefects and some older students who had volunteered as chaperones. Most of them were ravenclaws, which made sense as this was an initiative taken by the ravenclaw third years, but one of the older students was the hufflepuff sixth year Tonks. She was a friend of Charlie so if nothing else struck his fancy today, he might be able to talk about quidditch with her. Which was always something.

Even before the party started, girls had started to approach him while he helped to put up girlands on the walls. Sometimes they pretended not to be able to do their chore to ask him to help them. Oliver wasn’t stupid, he could tell they were able and just wanted him to do it for them. He wasn’t sure if that was some attempt to flirt with him or if they just wanted out of their own chore. Either way he wasn’t interested. 

 

As more students started arriving for the event to actually start, more girls started trying to get his attention. Sometimes they started up conversations that fooled him into thinking they were genuinely interested in talking with him as a friend, but it always quickly turned into them looking bashful as they stepped closer to brush their arms against him. At least he had managed to push Gabrielle’s attention onto one of Jack’s roommates who actually reciprocated her interest, but there were many more girls just like her. He knew he had said yes to partake in this farce but it was starting to feel like an odd way to spend his birthday. He sort of wished people would stop wishing him a happy birthday at all if they were just gonna do it in between flirting with their classmates. In that way it just felt like an afterthought and most girls just used it as another excuse to start up conversations with him that he had no interest in. Eventually he made it his mission to just find good lads to pair the girls with when they approached, in that way it was almost like a sport and everyone got what they wanted. He turned out to be a good wingman when he wanted to. It was exhausting though, the girls didn’t seem to get the hint when he sent their friends away to other boys and just kept coming. He really didn’t understand why, he wasn’t doing anything to entice them. 

 

He searched for Percy’s telltale red hair in the crowd but he couldn’t find him, instead he spotted Tonks with a very obvious pink heart shape on her head. Which he assumed she had morphed into especially for the occasion and that it wasn’t a new fashion statement. He beelined his way over to her, assuming she’d be a safe space for a bit.

 

“Hi Tonks, can I help you with anything?” he said and without waiting for an answer he grabbed a pile of pink cups and started putting them out just like Tonks had done when he spotted her.

 

“Oh hello Oliver” she said and looked surprised that he was there working instead of spending time with the other kids. There was a sort of pity in her eyes and he assumed she had made the wrong assumption.

 

“Are you striking out? Don’t worry girls this age are stupid and they’ll come around when they realize the bad boys aren’t that interesting after all” she laughed and ruffled up his hair. Oliver didn’t bother to correct her because in a way it felt weird that he didn’t respond to the girls’ attention, and he didn’t want her to know that. Even Percy seemed a little flattered when a girl went up to him and smiled and played with their hair, even if he didn't play along with it either Percy seemed to like the attention. Why did it only ever make Oliver slightly annoyed? Oliver was watching all his friends play the dating game and he didn’t know the rules. 

 

Because that’s what it felt like, as if they were playing pretend relationships. Imitating what their parents had for fun. It was like playing, but with an underlying actual interest which Oliver just didn’t have. In a way he understood, it was about closeness. Like getting a hug would be nice, but you could just as well get that from your friends so why bother with the charades? He didn’t want to partake because it just made him feel weird.

 

“Is Charlie here?” he asked instead, and she laughed again.

 

“No, he hates valentines and always spends it with the beasts. His only true love” she smiled at him and for a moment Oliver didn’t feel like such an outsider. If Charlie also didn’t partake in this ritual, perhaps that meant there wasn’t anything wrong with him after all. He started smiling again as he felt a little better and accepted the pink lemonade that Tonk’s offered him. 

 

“is he allowed to do that?” he asked and sipped the lemonade. He spotted Percy’s red hair entering the room, carrying boxes of scrap book material which he had apparently been roped into fetching. That explained his absence. Oliver waved at him. Percy having his hands full just nodded in acknowledgment and waddled over to the crafting table that they had set up so that people could make their own cards.

 

“Kettleburn just appreciates the free labour so he won’t whinge about it” Tonks said and shrugged as she served another student some lemonade. It was a slytherin girl that Oliver recognized because he once saw her get pulled out of an argument with Marcus Flint. He liked her because of this, they had a kinship even if she was from a rivaling house. It wasn’t her fault that she had been sorted into the same house as that menace. In that way it was a very nice event. All four houses were represented and they were crafting and gifting each other cards. When Percy finally got some time to come up and talk to them and get some refreshments, it turned out to just be a short break because apparently he was needed to rearrange the furniture for the dance. 

 

Now it was apparently the part of the event where they dimmed the lights and put up what Oliver could only describe as magical disco lights on love potion steroids. There were glowing hearts cascading from the ceiling and a cotton candy like fog that stretched over the floor. They had been allowed to do this, as long as the chaperones were present at all times and that they would return to their dorms at seven when curfew started. 

 

The furniture was however the last thing Percy needed to do and afterwards he could finally spend time with Oliver. Oliver wanted to question why Percy was doing all of this if it was Penelope's party, but he didn’t want to seem as if he wasn’t supporting their friendship. Besides, everyone was so happy about the whole thing. Percy was leaning back against the table and looked out on the party.

 

“Are you done?” Oliver asked and Percy nodded.

 

“Yeah, the prefects will clean it up after us so now I can just enjoy myself” Percy said and smiled “but isn’t it very successful?” 

 

Oliver looked around the room, some people were dancing to the slow songs playing but most of them were standing against the wall and looking around nervously. He wasn’t so sure if that meant it was successful. In some corners people were kissing and holding hands and in one they seemed to be playing spin the bottle. Apart from the kids too nervous to ask someone to dance even though they obviously wanted to, it was probably a success. 

 

“Sure” he turned his head towards Eveline who had come to join them as her musketeer friends, Lauren and Imogene, seemed to have been invited to the dancefloor. 

 

“What do you think, Eveline?”

 

She smiled back.

 

“It’s really nice, I wish Paul was here though” if Oliver wasn’t mistaken she looked bashful as she tucked her bleached hair behind her ear. Her dark roots were showing but he assumed that was a choice. To look more like Madonna perhaps. 

 

“Paul?” Oliver and Percy both asked, looking confused at each other to see if the other knew anything.

 

“He’s been writing me letters” she said and blushed “it’s really romantic”

 

Oliver wanted to say that he and Percy also had received letters from Paul all year but he didn’t want to burst her bubble.

 

“So that’s why you’re not dancing?” Percy asked and looked back out over the few dancers swaying together to the tunes of Foreigner mixed with Celestina Warbeck.

 

“I’ve been asked but I don’t want to lead them on” she said and shrugged. Oliver’s brow furrowed, Paul wasn’t even there and he was still beating Oliver in this dating game. 

 

Eventually Lauren and Imogene returned from their dance partners and sat down with the rest of the gryffindors. They brought red velvet cupcakes with them, with deep red frosting.

 

“Careful, there might be love potion in them” Imogene joked as she handed one to Oliver. Oliver scoffed in contempt at the bad joke but still hesitated before he took a bite. 

 

“So you two seem popular” Oliver said instead, still dripping with a bit of contempt and sarcasm “probably because they haven’t seen you in the morning without makeup”

 

Imogene struck out her tongue at him and decided to ignore the banter in order to focus her attention on Eveline.

 

“These boys are fine, but we can’t all be so lucky as to get personal love letters everyday” imogene teased and bumped her shoulder to Eveline’s.

 

“Everyday?” Oliver asked and gaped. He was lucky if he got a letter from Paul once a week. Perhaps there really was something between his friend and Eveline. How had he missed that?

 

“ Almost everyday” Lauren said and smiled into her own cupcake.

 

“Seriously?” Now Oliver was starting to get annoyed again. Everyone was playing this game except for him. He placed his cheek in his hand and leaned it on the table in a grumpy pout. 

 

“You know you could also get a girl if you just asked someone” Imogene said pointedly and gestured out over the sea of girls that stood pressed up against the walls waiting. As if that was the issue. 

 

“They seem to like you for some reason, perhaps they’re deaf” she said and grimaged at him again when he scowled. 

 

“I don't think so” Oliver muttered and pressed the remainder of his cupcake into his mouth. Imogene looked disgusted. In retaliation to her he reached out to steal her cupcake but she pulled it away.

 

“I dare you to” she said “and I’ll give you the cupcake if you succeed” 

 

Oliver scrunched up his face again and looked confused. Frozen in a half standing pose reaching for the treat.

 

“Dare me to what?” 

 

“Ask one of the girls to be your girlfriend” she shrugged and picked off some of the frosting to put in her mouth.

 

“I don’t want the cupcake that much” Oliver said and sat back in his chair. 

 

“You’re just scared you’ll lose” Imogene said and grinned as she picked off another finger of frosting and licked it off. Oliver burned with anger, his competitiveness kicking in and trying to fool him into partaking. He almost got mad at her and lashed out but then he spotted it again. That pink heart shaped hairdo, and it gave him an idea.

 

“Fine” he said and stood up, surprising everyone at their table. He walked straight over to where Tonks was handing out little boxes of popcorn and cut the line of waiting students. There were murmurs of protest but he didn’t care.

 

“Tonks, can I have a word?” He asked. She looked surprised but nodded and gestured for another chaperone to take her spot. Oliver could feel his friend's eyes burning on him. He was right, wasn’t he? This was basically just a game, and games he could win if he picked the right strategy. 

 

“Will you be my girlfriend?” He asked and grabbed her hand determinedly. She looked a bit taken aback but a large smile still spread on her face as if she just found him entertaining. 

 

“You’re a little too young for me Oliver” she said and he shrugged.

 

“Just for today, just for pretend” he said and he could tell Tonks was biting down on her cheeks to keep from laughing.

 

“Alright, for today only” she said and leaned down to give his cheek a kiss. He turned around triumphantly and gave his friends a big thumbs up. Imogene looked annoyed and kept that look as he walked back to them.

 

“That hardly counts” she said but still let him take the cupcake without protest.

 

“It counts, she’s a girl and I asked” he said with his mouth full of velvet dough. Frosting all over his nose.

 

“Whatever, me and Lauren are going to dance again” she said and stood up with her nose high. She was wearing a ridiculous pink spaghetti strap dress. It didn’t look at all like the dresses the girls used to wear, in fact Imogene had braided her hair down as well in small micro braids. It was extremely flat considering they’d always been obsessing over volume. He really didn’t understand why they bothered so much with these things if they were just gonna change everything  in a couple of years. She pulled a hand through her braids and dusted off her dress before sauntering off to ask some unfortunate boy to dance. Lauren just laughed as she followed, not quite as differently dressed but the signs of change were there as well. Oliver looked up to finally notice that it was just him and Eveline left.

 

“Where’s Percy?” He asked, cupcake still in his mouth.

 

“He was asked to dance” Eveline said and smiled. Oliver’s brow furrowed and he put what was left of his victory cupcake down and wiped his face clean. Who had asked Percy to dance?

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to dance as well?” Oliver asked and started searching the floor for Percy to see who his dance partner was. 

 

“like I said, it would feel like I’m leading them on” she said and folded her hands in her lap. For someone who didn’t plan to dance she sure had put effort in her appearance. She was wearing a white dress with a big red belt that had a heart in the middle. Her hair was tied up with a big sheer fabric and she had put a lot of makeup on. 

 

“You could dance with me, just as friends” he said and the smile he received made it absolutely worth the sacrifice. She nodded happily and accepted his hand to help her out of the chair. If the rumour that he was dating an older woman didn’t spread to deter his fangirls, perhaps seeing him accept a dance with someone else would. So in a way he was doing this for himself. 

 

He took her to the dance floor and placed his hands on her waist and she placed hers on his shoulders. In a way he was doing this for Paul too wasn't he? Making sure his girl had fun in his absence. 

 

He was starting to enjoy himself now, dancing was kind of fun when you did it with a friend. They were dancing slowly and smiling and when they turned Oliver finally spotted that familiar red hair again. The girl Percy was dancing with was Penelope. He knew that Percy and Penelope were just friends so in that sense it was just like what he was doing with Eveline. For some reason it hurt to see them dancing together anyway. 

Chapter 30: Year 3 - Happy thirteenth Oliver

Somehow Percy had managed to convince Madame Rosmerta that a group of third years were somehow entitled to a whole quarter of her establishment, to celebrate the thirteenth birthday of Oliver Wood. Perhaps it was the fact that ever since Oliver first set foot in this inn on a daytrip with his father when he was five years old, he had tricked the innkeeper witch to find his eccentric ways charming. Thirteen was a special birthday after all, so when Percy asked her if he may reserve a few tables she was all too quick to confirm. Remembering Oliver well from the few times he’d been there. Perhaps it was the perks of living in the area, or perhaps it was just the way Oliver was. 

 

Oliver’s eccentricism was like a magnet pull sometimes and it was apparent as the small gathering had gotten a life of its own. As they made their way into the inn around lunch the small crowd of third years had transfigured into a semi-large crowd of mixed ages. At first it was only supposed to be a few close friends, the Gryffindor girls, Jack and Marvin and of course Percy’s surprise guest. But as news had spread, other students had joined in. They were Oliver’s quidditch friends that Percy had a hard time keeping up with because he knew next to nothing about sports. That’s what he got for blurring out all of Oliver’s tirades over the years. 

 

In a way the larger crowd was good, because that meant the surprise could blend in with the crowd. Percy had sort of wished it had been a more intimate crowd but the quidditch people were important to Oliver too, so Percy decided to make an effort. Even if it was annoying that his own brother was there and still refused to help set anything up. Instead Charlie was munching down on the kettle crisps Rosmerta had set out for them and obnoxiously pointed out things Percy could improve with his decor. Tonks had joined the event as well, with the excuse that she was Oliver’s ex-girlfriend. It was a funny little bit and initially it had been hilarious that it had spread to other parts of the Hogwarts alumni, but Percy was surprised the rumour had spread so far - and that some people actually believed it. Tonks didn’t seem too bothered that her reputation was tarnished as the girlfriend of a boy three years her junior. She was mostly amused, Tonks really was unbothered by the opinions of others. Even so, now she too was eating the snacks and not helping.

 

It was definitely worth the work though. When Oliver entered the establishment his whole face lit up at the sight of his teammates and friends under the huge banner that read “happy thirteenth Oliver”. The banner was floating above their heads, the end fabric transfigured into wings that slowly and billowy flapped up and down. Percy had considered choosing golden snitches for this, but he wasn’t sure if it was too childish, so he’d settled for swan wings. Oliver had started greeting the people in front, acting as if this was a surprise party and as if he didn’t already know it was happening. He was making his way across his friends and Percy bit his cheeks, his stomach was twirling in anticipation. Then there was an intake of breath indicating Oliver had seen. Then he screamed, a full out shriek of delight as he ran past several of their classmates to hug the one person he hadn’t known was coming. Paul.

 

Oliver was grabbing him so tightly and twirling him around, the twirling turned into jumping and Paul laughed and let him manhandle him as much as he wanted.

 

“Paul, what are you doing here?” Oliver shrieked. The other guests had created a circle around the two friends and were watching them endearingly. When Percy stepped closer Oliver left one hand on Paul's shoulder and placed the other on Percy’s. To interlock them in a circle.

 

“Did you know, of course you knew , how did you get him here?” Oliver rambled, eyes shining.

 

“I wrote directly to his mother” Percy said and shrugged, Paul nodded and gave Oliver a meaningful look. eyes bugging out as if he couldn’t believe it himself. 

 

It was only now that Percy noticed that Oliver had grown quite a bit. Percy was still taller so he hadn’t noticed, but now Oliver was half a head taller than Paul and they used to be approximately the same height. Apart from that they were the exact same, except for Paul’s hair now being parted in the middle and hanging down in slight curtain bangs. It was almost as if last year hadn’t happened, as if time stood still for a moment. Percy sort of hoped that his work here would extend and that Mrs Henry would allow for this to be a regular occurrence. That they could see each other on the weekends sometimes here in Hogsmeade. 

 

“He appealed to her like a proper bureaucrat, it was crazy, she thought his parents had written it until I told her that’s just how Percy is”

 

Oliver laughed. It was right, it was all just right. 

 

“Not only that” Paul said “Percy’s letter has inspired her to look into homeschooling. Because apparently she really can’t deny me a magical education, but there is no law that states that it has to be an official school. As long as I have a licensed educator”

 

They kept talking as they made their way to the snack table, or what was left of it after Charlie and his teammates had ravished it. Percy took quite an interest in what Paul was telling him. Especially since it tied in to what he had written to Mrs Henry about the importance of learning to channel one's magic and the consequences of not doing so properly. There were several muggle laws that conflicted with this, but when it came to Paul’s health Percy knew she was willing to relent. That’s why Percy had told her about the Obscurus and the danger of repressing one’s natural talents. However, Mrs Henry was determined to find her own way in this debacle. It was fascinating what loopholes there were and how they correlated to the wizard government who after all wanted to stay civil with the muggle world leaders. Percy was fascinated. Oliver was bored of it but nodded along politely, however Paul noticed and snickered.

 

“or we could talk about something else, as it is your birthday party” he said, Percy reluctantly agreed. He would’ve gladly kept discussing law and government with Paul. Alas he was right, they were there to celebrate Oliver. They steered the conversation towards the year so far and what their goals were. Oliver talked about his wish to play keeper and his plans for improving their game set if he did. It lured in more of Oliver’s friends, the ones that had the common sport interest. Percy tried to make an effort to learn it, to get more involved with this part of Oliver’s friendship circle. Paul however gravitated towards Eveline and the other girls. Percy supposed they were an item now, Paul and Eveline. It seemed that way. 

Paul made no effort to pretend to enjoy conversations about quidditch, instead he used the opportunity to spend time with his girl instead. Now that Oliver was entertained and preoccupied. Paul was there as a gift for Oliver, but it made sense that he would also want to spend some time with his now girlfriend, who he hadn’t seen in months. Probably not even since they declared themselves. 

 

They were sweet together, albeit a bit stiff initially. Nervous, probably after only establishing their feelings in writing, and now presented with each other's presence in a whole new way. Which they had never done before. It had been awkward for a second, Percy had felt a bit uncomfortable on their behalf but then it quickly subsided when they got a moment alone, to slip away into a corner. Percy just saw them from the corner of his eye, Eveline had taken charge and grabbed Paul’s hand to drag him away. For the moment Oliver was preoccupied and didn’t notice. Percy figured he’d let the couple have their moment. The three original friends could take a moment later. 

Chapter 31: Year 3 - nagging works

Nagging worked. It might have had something to do with it being Bethany’s last year, and she wanted to focus more on her N.E.W.T.S than on being pestered by a thirteen year old for her spot on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Which she wasn’t that invested in either way. Bethany thought it was a good extra curricular activity, Oliver on the other hand lived, bled and breathed Quidditch. So after much nagging Bethany had relinquished her spot as Keeper and encouraged Charlie to give her spot to Oliver, even though Charlie really didn’t want to. Oliver knew it was just out of principle because Charlie had said he had to wait until next year, that stubborn git. 

 

But Bethany with her reasonable haircut wasn’t a fuzzy person and she didn’t mind stepping down. She handed Oliver her Keeper gloves herself and patted his back. Technically they were the school’s keeper gloves but the ritual felt meaningful. 

 

“You’re a good one Beth, if you need study help I bet I can get Percy to write you some notes” Oliver said and held the gloves close to his heart. She furrowed her brow and stared at him.

 

“You mean Percy Weasley, who’s also a third year?” she asked, probably not thinking a third year would be much help on the seventh year school plan. If she only knew who she was talking about. Okay, maybe Oliver thought a bit too highly of Percy’s academic abilities sometimes, but he was sure Percy would at least be able to set up a cracking study plan. With colour coded charts and everything. 

 

They just left it at that, with Oliver feeling as if he still owed her something.

 

In the end Charlie had no notes on Oliver’s game and Oliver could tell that it irked him. He didn’t say anything, just looked at Oliver with pressed lips. Then he sighed and nodded which was all the confirmation Oliver needed.

 

They had already lost two of their games this year to both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, but so had Slytherin. Which meant neither of them had a chance at winning the cup this year but there was still one battle to be won, to avoid last place. There was a poetic justice in it, that their one victory could effectively bump Slytherin into last place. Normally Oliver didn’t feel more animosity towards the Slytherin team than any of the others, since they were all his enemies on the field. Except for one key difference this year. Flint was now on the team, and Flint played dirty. Which infected his teammates to also do so. Not inspired, infected . 

 

They still had a pretty decent captain who reprimanded them about it, but even she couldn’t always stop them. Their captain’s name was Imelda Reyes and she had fought hard to fight the allegations that Slytherin’s fought unfairly. She believed in sportsmanship with a provenance of talented quidditch players in her bloodline. Which made Oliver think she must have been pressured to let Flint onboard, perhaps due to said bloodline. Why else would she let such a worm on her precious team? Flint was like a disease that was infecting the other Slytherin players and edging them away from their captain. Like a rotten floorboard, ruining an otherwise stable foundation. Oliver might not always agree with his own captain but he would never actively work against him like Flint so obviously did. 

 

It just made Oliver all the more determined to beat him. 

 

It was a perfectly sunny day, which meant a whole new type of obstacle as the sun was in the players eyes and sweat was dripping from them. With his goggles on Oliver could still see droplets fall from his teammates by the sheer size of them. They were somewhat guarding him and the goal posts, perhaps still unsure about the new set up. He would just have to prove his keeper skills to them. Flint was a chaser now, which meant he would actively be targeting the goals. Like a beautiful yin and yan situation. Literally the polar opposite of Oliver. The offense against the defense. 

 

He fecking hated Flint and his crooked teeth and his stubbly knees. Percy often said it wouldn’t do to insult Flint’s appearance because it was his personality that was the issue, but god if it wasn’t so easy to latch on to how ugly his outsides were. 

 

Oliver stared at him as he neared the goal posts, Oliver gripped tightly at his broomshaft and just stayed centered in the central goal. He knew it would give Flint a fake sense of security. That the goal was open to his right and his left and he could just choose a side, and Oliver would either not make it or choose the wrong side. Flint’s broom was tilted slightly left, which meant he was angling his body that way, which meant he would throw right… but his hand was wrong. His body was indicating he would throw right, but with the way he carried the quaffle, the throw would be awkward. Which meant he was attempting to trick Oliver, and he would go left. 

 

Flint was flying fast, Oliver’s brain calculated the objective even faster, and as Flint threw the quaffle Oliver did a spin. He went left after all which Oliver had deduced. Oliver used the end of his broom like a bat and flung the quaffle right back over the field. It flew over Flint’s head who had paused in the air, staring at Oliver in shock. Flint pulled his protective goggles up to get a better look, trying to understand how Oliver had caught it. He squinted stupidly against the sun, Oliver just poked his tongue out at him. Oliver’s teammates finally left their end of the field to focus on their own tasks, now secure in Oliver’s ability. 

 

When Gryffindor won, no one was really surprised. Oliver had only let one goal in. Which was a fair shot that he had simply been too slow to catch. The important part was that Flint shoving his way into the Gryffindor players to grab at the quaffle had been unfruitful, that was all that mattered. Gryffindor had secured a third place in the Hogwarts cup and even though they hadn’t won Oliver sure felt victorious. 

 

“It’s a wonder that your brain can work all that out in a split second, in a stressful situation where every second counts… yet you can’t figure out how to brew a simple cure for boils in a two hour double potions lesson without burning anything” Percy said when Oliver told him about his process later. 

 

Oliver shrugged.

 

“It’s just not the same, it’s as if being airborne triggers my brain into working better” Oliver said as they made their way out of the changing rooms together. Oliver’s hair was still damp after his shower, Percy had been kind enough to wait for him even though he claimed the boy’s changing rooms smelled like mushrooms most days. 

 

“It’s probably the adrenaline,” Percy said, he was probably right.

 

They didn’t even get one step into the courtyard before they heard a familiar voice yell out a trip jinx, which had Oliver fall face first into the stone. Hot pain shot through his cheekbone but there was no crack and no wet gush of blood. So his injuries were luckily minor, still it didn’t feel good. He shot up to his feet ignoring Percy trying to aid him and immediately looked for the flash of green fabric. Flint and his mates were laughing at him.

 

“Merlin, you're a sore loser!” Oliver shouted and Flint puffed up his chest all the way as he walked closer, his entourage not far behind.

 

“You must have cheated, how else would you always know which way I was aiming, where I was flying” Flint’s face was red with anger and shame and it made Oliver feel good.

 

“Because you’re just not very good,” Oliver said, crossing his arms.

 

“What spell did you use, legilimens?” Flint insisted. As if Oliver was even advanced enough to pull that off.

 

“As if there’s anything in there to eavesdrop on” Oliver said, gesturing towards Flint’s head.  

 

“Oliver…” Percy warned, looking between him and Flint with caution. Percy placed a hand on Oliver’s shoulder to ground him but Oliver was too fired up. His cheek still stung as a reminder of what a twat Flint was.

 

“Does your parents know Reyes' parents? That’s why she was forced to accept your sorry arse on her team?” Oliver taunted and Flint’s face grew hotter and angrier.

 

“Or did you pay her?” Oliver quipped one eyebrow cockily.

 

“No I bet she’s imperiused to let you play, there is literally no other way-”

 

Flint’s clenched fist collided with Oliver’s other cheek, the unharmed one. The impact flung him back a step before the thoughts gathered long enough in his head to form the idea that he should fight back. He ignored Percy’s beckoning words to just leave with him, and instead he aimed a perfectly balanced punch into Flint’s face. That was usually where their altercations ended, but not this time. This time the punches kept coming. 

 

Oliver had never been in a fight like this one before. A real one, where their fists collided so harshly and so rapidly against each other that his knuckles began to hurt. He just shook it out and grabbed Flint around the neck instead with his whole arm. Flint started kicking him as his arms were no longer angled in a way that he could reach Oliver. Oliver had never felt such a fury, as if every punch just fueled his emotions and made them more intense. Like putting firewood in a kiln. He might just kill Flint if this went on, punching and hitting until Flint had no bones left to break. He could feel someone pulling at his robes to get him off of Flint but the primal need to pummel him was stronger. 

 

A whistle ripped through the air followed by Madam Hooch’s shrill scream.

 

“What’s the meaning of this?!” she shouted across the fields. She was far away though, maybe even far enough to not recognize them. Her voice had managed to pull the boys apart though and Flint and his crew had taken off running. Oliver stood paralyzed, primal anger interchanged with a primal fear as realization started to form. He was in trouble, there could be suspension from things like this. Still he couldn’t move and kept staring at the dark blue robes flowing in the wind as Hooch took large strides towards them. 

 

“Come on!” Percy hissed and grabbed Oliver’s sleeve as he started pulling him along. They ran fast in the first possible direction where they figured they could get lost. Unfortunately that was the forbidden forest. 

 

They ran straight into it anyway, almost toppling over each other as they pulled each other to the left and right of trees. They made it so far into the woods that the sun loving oak trees were starting to thin out. There wasn't enough sun this deep to indulge them. Instead the larger douglas firs were now towering above them at every angle, blocking out the sky. They were running erratically in zig zag motions to shake anyone who might’ve followed them. There was a hissed swear from Percy as he turned to look at the ground for something he must've dropped. Oliver took a step back as well to see what he was searching for and something cracked under his foot. Not an organic crack as if it had been a branch, but a clearer sound. Like the sound of cracked glass. A sickening hunch that it might’ve been Percy’s glasses creeped into his abdomen. As they stopped to look they could hear footsteps approaching behind them which meant either a professor had followed them, or they weren’t alone in the woods. Either way they were in trouble. Oliver met Percys’ eyes and noticed his face was bare which confirmed Oliver’s fear.

 

“Your glasses” Oliver whispered and attempted to look around their feet in the thistles. If he could find them, he could mend them. Percy simply grabbed Oliver’s sleeve again and kept running.

 

“I think I stepped on your glasses” Oliver hissed again, Percy just shook his head. 

 

“Just leave it” 

 

They tried to verge right, towards where they assumed the lake would be. It seemed foolish to venture too deep. Who knew what lurked in there, whatever it was surely was worse than suspension from quidditch or detention. If they could find the lake, they could make their way back to the castle in a roundabout way and perhaps avoid getting caught, but Oliver was starting to ponder accepting his fate. 

 

When they finally made it to the end of the woods where the oaks had started to take their places again, they finally stopped to catch their breath. Leaning against the large tree trunks and listening for sounds of approaching professors that might still hunt them.

 

“I think we shook them” Percy panted.

 

Oliver stood quietly, staring at his hands that bore bruises from his fight. They had started to darken now. Just a smudge of skin had broken on his knuckles where blood had already dried, but the raw skin was apparent and obvious. He could just imagine what his face looked like. There was no way he could pass this off, someone would know he had been fighting. They would know that it was Oliver they had been chasing through the forbidden forest, and where there was Oliver there was undoubtedly Percy. Again he had dragged his friend into a situation that they weren’t supposed to be in, even though he had promised to never do that again. He could feel hot tears welling up in his eyes so he raised his chin to try and keep them in. His loud sniffling drew Percy’s attention though.

 

“Oliver?” he asked, his concern so heavy in his voice. It overwhelmed Oliver and forced the tears out, they fell in large stripes across his aching cheeks.

 

“Why are you crying?” Percy had pulled him close to his chest, wrapping him into his spindly arms.  It just made Oliver panic even more, his breathing grew laboured and he buried his face in Percy’s chest.

 

“They’ll know, they’ll take one look at me and they’ll know” he whined and decided he needed to free himself from Percy’s arms because he didn’t deserve them. He started prying himself loose but Percy kept his surprisingly strong grip around him.

 

“I have an ointment that I made in herbology, I’ll fix you up” Percy whispered but Oliver shook his head.

 

“Your mother will take you away from me, just like Paul, your mom is gonna get you too” he said, hating how shrill his voice sounded. 

 

“I promise you she won’t”

 

Oliver didn’t listen and kept ranting.

“and you’ll leave me, you’ll leave me too”

 

Percy forcefully grabbed Oliver’s face and leaned their foreheads together. It miraculously calmed Oliver down instantly, or shocked him enough to stop crying.

 

“I will never leave you Oliver Wood” Percy said sincerely and smiled. Oliver just stared at Percy’s freckled nose, the only thing he could focus on this close. Relishing the feel of their foreheads pressed together. Then Percy let him go, still smiling down at him as if Oliver hadn’t just had an embarrassing freak out and had tear stains all over his face. Perhaps Percy couldn’t quite see it without his glasses, perhaps he didn’t care.

Notes:

As you might have noticed I'm trying to implement the idea that the slytherin/gryffindor specific rivalry is mostly a Harry and Draco thing. That no one else has that specific slytherin hatered.

Oliver doesn't hate Flint because he's a slytherin, but because he is a pureblood extremist git.

Chapter 32: Year 3 - three friends at the three broomsticks

Percy and Oliver were making their way towards Hogsmeade, specific end destination: the three broomsticks. It was finally warm enough to make this trip with a jean jacket or a thin jumper without having to worry about a sudden fall of snow. April showers they could deal with but not having to lug winter wear around was a blessing. Winter was finally officially over and spring was in full bloom. The air felt lighter.

 

They were going to make a short stop at Honeydukes first, then they were going to meet Paul for some tea and coffee. Paul was going on a date first, with Eveline, which was commonplace these days. 

 

They had managed to do this a couple of times now, meeting up all three of them in Hogsmeade in Mrs Henry’s good graces. Oliver said it was all Percy’s brilliance that had convinced her they were good friends to Paul. Percy was saying it was just as much because Mrs Henry actually liked Eveline very much, and wanted her son to be able to visit her. 

 

For all Mrs Henry’s neurotic shortcomings and trying to keep them apart, Mrs Henry truly only wanted her son to be happy in life. Besides, since she had decided to embrace the wizarding world on her terms, she found Hogsmeade quite quaint. So she didn’t mind spending an afternoon in the countryside as she waited to drive Paul home at the end of the day. That way she was still present in case something she deemed too dangerous would happen.

 

So tea and coffee was the new way they could hang out. A more mature setup that couldn’t possibly land them in trouble. Percy had started drinking coffee just recently, which was gross in Oliver’s opinion but Percy said it helped him focus. People were telling him it was going to stunt his growth, at which Percy just stared them down until they felt bad. Nothing could possibly stunt Percy’s growth, if anything that might’ve been a good thing. He was that tall. Everytime Oliver thought he was starting to catch up Percy grew again. He almost locked comically tall with his gangly arms and legs, towering above their peers in the candy shop.

 

They were picking out sugar quills while they waited for Paul when Flint decided to deliberately walk past them. Just so he could shove Percy into a shelf. Lollipops fell to the floor and thankfully only one broke, still encased in a clear plastic wrapping that kept the pieces inside.  When one of the shop’s clerks came to help them clean it up, Percy offered to pay for it. She declined and said it happened all the time, and as she set the lollipop back on the shelf it mended itself back again. Good as new. 

 

Oliver glared at Flint who was grinning wickedly as he stared into a chocolate frog display, feigning ignorance. When they had finished cleaning Oliver stood up ready to confront him but Percy stopped him.

 

“It won’t do any good” Percy said, squinting towards where Oliver was looking, since he was still missing a pair of glasses and probably couldn’t actually see Flint properly. 

 

“He’s started targeting you now” Oliver said angrily, Percy just shrugged.

 

“Let him, I don’t care”

 

But Oliver cared. Ever since that fight after they won the quidditch game, Flint had extended his attention to Oliver’s best friend instead of only tormenting Oliver. Probably because he knew Oliver would hate it. Probably because Percy was there that day. Probably because, thanks to Percy, Oliver didn’t get caught in the aftermath. Flint had been immediately exposed with his bruises, but since Oliver didn’t have any no one had believed Flint when he said Oliver had been involved. Because Madam Hooch had said that whoever Flint fought with received as much as he gave. They couldn't pin it down on Oliver so they had to let him go on a technicality. Flint probably knew that if anyone had helped Oliver cover up his bruises it had to be Percy. Therefore Percy was now on Flint’s shit list. Oliver didn’t understand how Percy could be so unbothered by it. 

 

They paid for their candy and somehow Oliver was persuaded to let go of his vengeance, and followed Percy outside in the crisp spring air. He did however, not let go of his grudge. He might have been hindered in acting on it, but he still felt it entirely. It was consuming him from the inside like a lava pit. He was still grumbling about it when Paul finally showed up outside the three broomsticks.

 

“Good day fellas, you didn’t have to wait outside, you could’ve gotten a table” he said and held the door open for the other two. His good mood was apparent but unfortunately not contagious. Oliver swore and kicked a rock before he entered. Sitting down just as harshly, as if the chair had done him harm.

 

“What are you so upset about?” Paul snickered, amused.

 

It made Oliver’s already agitated mood boil over. When he thought about it, Flint might not have had the opportunity to be such a dick if they had been the three of them at honeydukes. He might not have dared to target Percy if he had another friend present. In fact, he was just as mad at Paul for skipping out on them to go on his date with Eveline .

 

“You would know that if you were around more” he spat venomously. Paul looked taken aback, his smile dropped fast and he was left utterly flabbergasted. Percy looked alarmed and gave Oliver a look of warning. As if he sensed Oliver was about to place his misguided anger over Flint on their innocent friend. Paul wasn’t innocent though and the anger sure didn’t feel misguided. It knew exactly where it wanted to go.

 

“Why do you even bother coming back here if you’re just gonna hang out with Eveline?” Oliver asked, glaring into Paul’s eyes. Percy waved a confused Madam Rosmerta away as she had just managed to arrive at their table. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Madam Rosmerta quickly got the hint and made a u-turn away to another table. Paul was quick to match Oliver’s energy and glared right back.

 

“What is your damage today?” he said and looked to Percy for guidance.

 

“It’s not you. we had a minor altercation with Marcus Flint at Honeydukes” Percy said and buried his hands in his curls as he leaned against the table.

 

“It’s absolutely him!” Oliver yelled, gesturing towards Paul. Percy looked surprised by this but still took a moment to apologize for the disturbance to the table closest to them.

 

“He’s ditching us to spend time with some bird, when he’s only here for one day every other weekend” Oliver kept going.

 

“Some bird ?” Paul said, offended.

 

“Hey now, you know Eveline, she’s our friend too” Percy tried to deter. Oliver wouldn’t let him interfere with this, it had to be said.

 

“He’s choosing a lass over his best friends. He’s always with Eveline” Oliver said with finality.

 

Paul had stood up in anger now.

 

“It’s only natural to want to be with a girl” he said and bored his eyes deep into Oliver. Like he wanted to make a point of it.

“It’s not my fault you don’t get that”

 

There was a deafening silence, you could hear a pin drop. Even the table close by had paused their eating and drinking. 

 

Eventually a slow scraping of a fork indicated they had gotten over the initial shock and had put their focus back to their own company. Yet still unsure if it was safe to do so without another outburst from the three boys by the next table. Percy stared at Paul, Paul looked regretful. Oliver felt as if someone had stabbed him in the chest, he couldn’t really describe it any other way.

 

“I’m sorry…” Paul whispered and sat back down staring into the table.

 

“I’m not sorry for wanting to spend time with my girlfriend but I’m sorry I said that. I don’t know why I said that”

 

Oliver wasn’t sure why Paul had said that either, it wasn't as if Oliver spent less time with any of the girls than Percy did. He’d never voiced those thoughts to Paul either, those thoughts he had at the valentine’s party, so how did he know Oliver didn’t understand it? And why did it hurt to hear it out loud? Perhaps it was that he once again felt as if he was abnormal.

 

“No I’m sorry, of course you can see Eveline… I just missed you, and I was already upset because Flint is such. a. deck !” Oliver said, emphasizing the last bit, and smiled awkwardly towards Paul who smiled stiffly back. They finally managed to order in their drinks and in the end decided to pretend like nothing had happened. Sweeping it away like a fluke, because of what Flint had done and nothing else. They quickly went back to normal and fell into common patterns. In the end Oliver really did forget why they had argued at all. 

Chapter 33: Year 3 - Like a prince in his tower

Regardless of what Jackie Wood thought about it, Oliver thought it was bloody convenient to just let Percy cut his hair for him whenever it bothered him. Not to mention that Percy had gotten better at it over the years, to the point where Oliver’s mother sometimes didn’t even notice anything was different. Or when she did, she complained about how she thought his longer hair was darling and that the buzzcut was terrible either way, but she never complained about the execution of it. Not that there was much skill involved in a buzzcut, it was generally easy to succeed. This time though it would be a bit of a gamble, Oliver had to admit. Percy still didn’t have a new pair of glasses. 

 

Percy buzzing Oliver’s hair without his glasses was perhaps not ideal but Oliver was still adamant that he should. Percy on the other hand wasn’t too comfortable about it no matter how much Oliver nagged him to just buzz it all off in one swoop.

 

“I can cut a little bit but I’m gonna leave quite a bit of length” Percy said, squinting as he gave Oliver’s hair a look over. He was holding the scissors far away from Oliver’s head as he let his hands slide through the scalp exploringly. Oliver just relished in the feeling as goosebumps swept over him from his nape to his wrists. 

 

Oliver knew for a fact that Percy’s bad vision mostly entailed farsightedness which meant that this close he could see semi well, but he still decided to agree to let Percy be in control of the length of his hair this time. He didn’t need much convincing, it wasn't as if Oliver didn’t think the longer locks suited him. The really short hair was mostly just out of convenience when you played a lot of sports and tended to sweat a lot. Which would require much more frequent hairwashes if he had longer hair. Besides, buzzing his hair within an inch of his scalp used to repulse the girls enough to lose interest in him. These days that didn’t seem to matter to them so much. Imogene had tried to tell him it was because his face was starting to change shape, which even she had reluctantly agreed was starting to look kind of handsome. To Oliver that just sounded terrifying but when he stared at his reflection he himself didn’t see what she was on about. He looked like himself, except for the hair length. And if the bad haircuts didn’t deter the girls anymore then Oliver might as well grow it out a bit now that the quidditch season was over anyway. Invest a bit more in his appearance for his own sake. It was definitely not for the girls though, if it was for anyone it was for his mother.

 

In the end Percy only shaved it down at the nape and let the top part stay long and parted in a sort of side fringe. It wasn’t very long still, but perhaps over the summer Oliver would let it grow some more. Like he’d seen some boys in the magazines wear it. What was that actor called, Leonardo Dicapers. DiCaprio? Except Oliver’s hair was much too wavy for it, wasn’t it? Maybe it would be good enough with the waves, or maybe he could ask his father for a spell to straighten it if he dared. He wasn’t too sure Bram Wood would understand the idea to alter one's hair with magic or anything vain like that.  

 

He felt properly pampered now, but he was still greedy for more. Percy had done a quick sweeping charm over the hairy floor and had put the scissors away, and instead of gratitude he was met with a puppy dog pout as Oliver slid himself down on his bed into a lying position. He maintained eye contact as he did. Even as he rolled over on his stomach he bent his head back so that he could keep looking at Percy with beggar’s eyes. 

 

Percy rolled his eyes.

 

“I’m not also giving you a massage, what do you think I am, your butler?”  Percy said and crossed his arms over his chest. Oliver started rolling from side to side whimpering like a dog. 

 

“That is revolting!” Percy said and didn’t budge, but he didn’t move away either. 

 

Percy was a good friend, and over the year he had started giving Oliver massages after particularly tough practises, to help him with his muscle cramps. Today wasn’t a practice day though, so there really was no reason for Oliver to get a massage other than that he really wanted one…

 

Perhaps Oliver had started to abuse this offering from Percy just slightly. Perhaps he had pretended to be sorer than he actually was just to get one before. At least this time he was honest in his approach. Simply a spoiled prince in his tower who wanted some attention. 

 

“please” he begged as he kicked his feet dramatically against the mattress “I’ll give you one back!”

 

Percy just shook his head.

 

“I don’t want one” Percy simply stated and started going towards his own bed. Putting a hand out to touch the undoubtedly blurry bedpost as he located his way into a decent sitting spot. 

 

“I refuse to be your seeing eye dog anymore if you don’t” Oliver said with finality. Percy’s head shot up in feigned shock.

 

“That’s blackmail” Percy said, Oliver just shrugged. Maybe it was, but he really wanted that massage.

 

“It’s not as if I actually need you to guide me, my sight isn’t that bad” Percy said, but still got up and made his way towards Oliver’s bed. He stumbled on a corner of the carpet once, but he might’ve done that even with his glasses on. Oliver lay back down in anticipation and tried to relax but his insides were whirling.

 

Percy intended for these moments to be relaxing, but Oliver couldn’t help getting a little riled up everytime. It wasn’t as if it tickled , because then he wouldn’t like it so much. However it did tend to tingle, like a stream of ants crawling over his skin and carrying that goose flesh blanket over him as they passed. It was relaxing but it also ignited every fiber in his body to feel Percy’s hands knead his muscles into submission. Especially when Percy went from rough pressure to soft, barely present sweeps of his hands. Whatever stress he might have felt that day or any other day of that week was slowly lifting from his back. 

Perhaps it should’ve worried him that Percy’s touch sort of burnt his skin through the fabric of his shirt, making him shift as heat shot through his body, but he was way too relaxed to give it more than a fleeting thought. 

 

Thankfully barely any girls even mentioned his new haircut, they stared at him the same amount as previously but no one mentioned the haircut. Except for Cedric Diggory, that first year Percy and he had helped and who had then sporadically kept on appearing around Oliver all year. To be honest it had been mostly Percy’s doing but for some reason Oliver was the one Cedric had latched onto. Cedric had used the haircut comment to approach him, but was now standing awkwardly and fidgeted with his hands in front of Oliver while they waited to have their belongings gathered to be sent home.

 

“Okay… thanks” Oliver said and tried to look around for assistance from one of his friends, who were all conveniently busy or trying to hide their amused grins. Percy would’ve helped him carry this conversation, but he had gone to gather his younger brothers to make sure they had packed everything alright. So Oliver was stuck with the useless assistance of Jack and Marvin who enjoyed watching Oliver plummet in social grace. How did you talk to an eleven year old again? 

 

“Was there anything else?” Oliver asked, hoping to get away from the awkward silence, If Cedric just said no he could leave without feeling too bad about it.

 

“oh… actually I wanted advice” Cedric said, and finally stopped fidgeting with his fingers and looked a little surer of himself.

 

“Oh, okay…” Oliver said, still confused “about what?”

 

“Quidditch!” Cedric said and smiled “like, what should I do if I want to get better, so that I can join the Hufflepuff team next year”

 

Oh , now it made sense why Oliver was the one he’d gotten so obsessed over. Because he had told him about how fun it was to play. Because Oliver was one of the better, younger players in the school. That wasn’t to brag, it was simply the truth.

 

“Yeah, of course!” Oliver said, feeling immensely relaxed now that the subject was something he actually knew, and he knew it well. He placed himself and Cedric on a bench just like that first time they had spoken, and started going through the basics of his knowledge. He leaned into the subject of taking advantage of one's smaller frame at this time in life. Now that the subject was Quidditch, Jack and Marvin finally started engaging as well. Which only felt a little traitorous because Oliver was too wrapped up into the subject to mind anymore. They had gone through most of the relevant information and tips when Percy and his younger brothers appeared in the hall, dragging their own trunks into the area where they had been instructed to drop them off. It was perfectly timed as Oliver was starting to run out of advice and Cedric was still glued to his side. Staring up at him with big expectant eyes, as if he looked up to Oliver or something… It was a little unnerving. There was a lot of responsibility in it and Oliver wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t say something devastatingly wrong eventually.  When the Weasley twins arrived they thankfully brought distractions with them. As they always did.  

 

There was a glimmer of mischief in the look they shared with each other just before Fred Weasley’s trunk exploded like a jack in the box, and the clothes that Percy had undoubtedly meticulously folded for him flew into the air. 

 

The twins laughed and Percy groaned in  despair.

 

“Do you really still want to visit us this summer?” Percy asked as he gave Oliver a tired look. Oliver couldn’t stop laughing long enough to give him an affirmative. 

Chapter 34: The third summer - The guilt that gnaws the adolescent mind

Notes:

Sorry for the late update, I was at a LARP for the first time in my life and it has consumed my waking thoughts.
But I'm back now!

Finally, finally they had managed to convince their parents that they could spend at least a week together over the summer without killing anyone. Paul Percy and Oliver, no girls, no other sporty friends. They were camping out in the garden of the burrough, in a tent that Arthur Weasley had borrowed from a co-worker. It was on the smaller side, yet still large enough for the three boys to feel like they had their own den. Just one room and a bathroom and a kitchenette that none of them knew how to use. So they still spent dinner and lunch inside with the other Weasleys. Breakfast mostly meant stowaway biscuits and dry cereal that they had hid in the corners, so that Mrs Weasley wouldn’t know. They had rolled out their sleeping bags on the floor. Percy’s was a plain purple one that looked like it had been frequently used. Paul had a Donald Duck printed one and Oliver’s was camo. They spent the whole nights staying up late whispering and waiting in suspense as the garden gnomes snuck past the tent walls, curious about the ruckus inside. They scared each other with stories of ghouls that might come in the late hour and snatch one of them away, exchanging them for an almost exact replica. Just odd enough so that you would know something was wrong.

Percy had a new pair of glasses finally, not hand me downs. Not some inherited plastic his mother found in the attic and that made her tear up as soon as she saw him, when she didn’t know he could see her reaction. Because they reminded her of a brother she no longer had. These frames were not the latest style which he would’ve preferred, but a timeless classic. Horn rimmed metal frames that didn’t take up half of his face. Sensible glasses he could grow into. What he really wanted were those really thin square types that he’d seen all the older kids starting to wear, but his mother said they would probably be out of fashion soon and these were the only pair they would be able to afford in a while. Percy was still happy with them, they were new .

The glasses did for a moment spark the Impostor Percy gag, but when Oliver tried to playfully take them off of Percy’s face Percy got angry for real. Gripped with a sudden fear that his friend would accidentally break them in the rough play. His brand new glasses.

Oliver was sitting in one end of the tent pouting, Percy in the other, they couldn’t even look at eachother. Paul sat awkwardly in the middle hugging his knees. Torn between the looming threats that he’d have to pick a side, or dwell alone for the rest of the week. Neither favourable.

 

“He said he was sorry” Paul tried, leaning towards Percy who stubbornly turned his body away from the other two. Crossing his arms, internally he felt stupid for overreacting but some pride didn’t allow him to admit it.

 

“I wasn't going to break them!” Oliver whined, sniffling. Percy glanced over and saw that Oliver’s eyes were shiny with held back tears. It made him feel even dumber for overreacting.

 

“Is this because I broke the old ones, I didn’t mean-”

 

“I didn’t care that you broke the old ones!” Percy screamed, again, feeling shame because it wasn’t even Oliver’s fault that Percy had dropped the old pair in the forest. He should’ve assured him of that instead of lashing out.

 

“Can we please not fight?” Paul said quietly, shrinking in on himself again. Resting his chin on his bent knees.

 

“I was just gonna take them for a second, you never usually care if I take your glasses, you know I’m careful” Oliver was full on crying now, like a boy. Like the ghost of the child Percy knew rather than the teen he was today. So emotional, if it wasn’t anger it was hurt and if it wasn’t hurt it was unabashed joy. Percy felt really really stupid for hurting him. 

 

“But these are my new glasses” Percy finally said, almost like a whisper.

Oliver sniffled one more time then stopped and wiped at his eyes furiously.

 

“Oh” he said, like he suddenly understood. Understood that Percy was dirt poor, and that something so stupid like new glasses mattered to him. Percy felt a blushing shame all over his face so he turned his head down into the floor. There were shuffling sounds of sleeping bag material rubbing against crawling limbs, as Oliver climbed over Paul to get to Percy and hugged him from behind.

 

“I’m sorry” he whispered.

 

“Can we please not fight, this could be the last time we get to hang out like this” Paul said, still very quiet. It made the other two look up, surprise written all over their faces.

 

“Why would it be?” Percy asked.

 

“yeah, we’ve been behaving, they might let us do this next summer again” Oliver said.

 

Paul bit his lip and looked down at his own writhing hands.

 

“I’m not going to be here next summer,” Paul said, quietly.

 

“Paul. Are you dying ?” Oliver choked out, way too sincere to be joking. Paul actually laughed in response, some of the dramatic air evaporating out into the tent opening with it. They relaxed a bit as the tent felt less stuffy. Leaving emotional room for them to spread out into, rather than curl in on themselves. Into their awkwardly growing bodies.

 

“No you dunce, I will be alive, I just won’t be in England next summer” Paul said and shrugged. Some sadness still lingering in his body language.

 

“Mom still doesn’t like it here, Hogmseade was a stretch but she’s looked into other wizarding schools and-”

 

“But Hogwarts is the best” Oliver interupted, furrowing his brow in bewilderment.

 

“She’s found one she thinks is safer, she seems to think the danger is local… to England”

 

They sat quiet for a while, before Percy spoke up.

 

“How far are you going?”

 

“America” Paul said. 

 

Across the ocean. That was far.

 

It was quiet, the wind outside pulled at the tent walls and whizzed past in the grass. Percy and Oliver both stretched out their arms to pull Paul into the hug with them, and sat in the quiet for a while. To let it marinate, to let it hurt for a bit. It wasn’t like they’d never ever see eachother again, but across the Atlantic was further than any of them had ever gone before. Further than they could imagine. Probably too far to apparate even. 

 

“Percy, can I play with you and your friends?” his brother’s voice sounded outside the tent wall long before they could see his head pop in. He was holding a dangling Scabbers in his arms that looked betrayed to have been passed off as a plaything to the younger Weasley. If he only knew the love Ron felt for him.

 

“Get out Ron!” Percy shouted and threw a pillow at him. Ron’s head dipped out, it was silent for a split second before the crying began. A soft wailing that grew distant as he moved further from the tent. Closer to the house. 

 

“Fuck, Merlin’s balls!” Percy gritted his teeth and tried to swallow yet another wave of guilt. He reluctantly left the embrace of his friends who by now had started laughing at his predicament, and got up to follow his younger brother outside into the garden.

“Okay! Okay, we’ll play with you, don’t tell mom!”

 

After all it wasn’t Ron’s fault that adults never cared about adolescent friendships and how much a separation like that could break your heart. 

Chapter 35: Year 4 - why do they call it the great wizarding war?

Penelope was sitting in their compartment on the train, she had even chosen them over her own friends who were sitting a few compartments over. Oliver had yet again forced his father to bring him to London so that he could keep Percy company on the train, probably expecting Percy to be traveling all alone. Not expecting Penelope. Perhaps that was why he was in such a bad mood. He was glancing out the window mostly, sometimes throwing moody glances at Percy and Penelope on their bench. He must have been terribly inconvenienced having traveled so far because he thought Percy would need a friend, only to find out he could’ve in good conscience traveled directly to Hogsmeade instead. Penelope didn’t seem to notice, or if she did she didn’t let it affect her mood at all. She was chatting animatedly with Percy and grabbing on to his arm when she got particularly excited about a course on her schedule. Oliver hardly spoke to them at all, except for when Penny excused herself for a moment to go change into her uniform with her friends. Then it was like a shadowy veil lifted and Oliver was back to his own rambunctious self. Perhaps so that Percy wouldn’t feel lonely now that Penny had left him. As if Oliver didn’t know Percy enjoyed the quiet every now and then. 

It was strange to have so many friends fuzzing over him like that. 

When Penelope came back, that clenched jaw reappeared on Oliver’s face as if someone had hexed a body locking charm onto it. Percy would have to remind him that he shouldn’t make the trip to London next year, Percy had other friends now that could travel with him so that Oliver’s journey would be more comfortable as well. 

Settling into the new year was uneventful, they were familiar with the procedure. Their dorm room didn’t feel as empty now that they had spent the previous year in it with only two occupants taking up the space. Penelope still sat with them during meals, ignoring house divides and she slowly filled in a space that Paul had left vacant around their lunch table. Oliver was still sulking about it. Perhaps he thought she was trying to erase Paul or replace him. No one could replace Paul but it wasn’t as if he would come back to use his seat anymore. That bridge was burned, and they had to accept that the dynamics were changing. Percy just thought it was nice to see their group growing. 

Paul sent them letters still, mostly about the cultural differences but also a lot about the new school and what conspirational theories he had discovered while staying abroad. The new school was called Ilvermony and Paul had to admit that he did feel safer there than he had at Hogwarts. In his letter he picked apart the terminology of the war and pointed out how strange it was that they called it the ‘Great wizarding war’ when you know who's following didn't even stretch much out of England. At least not out of Europe. He thought it sounded like a very English superiority, that their politics would affect the entire world. A mindset they undeniably shared with their younger brother nation but still very entitled. In America they knew of the conflict but it had barely affected them. 

 

“That’s the English for you though, very self important” Oliver said, reminding them that he was in fact Scottish, In case they ought to forget.

 

“It still was a very obvious threat to the entire wizarding world. If he who must not be named hadn’t been stopped, do you not think he would’ve continued his attack worldwide?” Penelope stated matter of factly and leaned her weight against Percy, grabbing on to his arm again which was the norm nowadays.

 

Oliver flared up in an unreasonable annoyance at her statement.

 

“I know that, don’t you think I know that” He hissed “but it didn’t go that far, so clearly it’s not a universal conflict just because it had the potential to be!”

It felt like a too intense reaction to a very factual statement.

 

“Of course not, but that doesn’t mean we weren’t right to call it a Great war. The muggle war, World war one, was initially mostly a european conflict but since outer powers got involved it became a great war” Penelope said, still latched onto Percy’s arm. Percy was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable stuck between his bickering friends.

 

“It was a joke, can’t I pull a joke over England without it becoming a History lesson” Oliver snapped and stood up abruptly. He didn’t stay to hear her counter argument and instead just grabbed his book bag and stormed out. Percy felt like he should follow him and see what that was really about. It couldn’t possibly just be the unwelcome history lesson. Oliver didn’t really find those things interesting enough to make a scene about it. The fact he even continued the discussion at all was astounding. His reaction felt entirely too out of proportion. He should go and ask him, but Penelope was still at his side. Weighing him down into the seat. It felt sort of like when the family cat fell asleep on you and you couldn’t move until they did. He felt locked into his seat until she decided that she no longer needed his support. Besides, she smelled lovely, that sort of heavy scent that certain flowers and teas could have and he wasn’t sure if it was in fact exposure to tea and herbology items or her perfume. Or if she just naturally smelled like that. Either way he liked it.

 

“he’s fine” Penelope said, without Percy even having to voice his concerns.

 

“You know he can be a bit of a hot head, he’ll cool down and then you can write Paul your reply together” 

 

Right, Percy had forgotten that this all started with a letter from Paul and that they should indeed respond to it if they wanted to nurture this long distance friendship. It was a good thing he had Penny to remind him. Honestly Penny was a great friend and great support to both him and Oliver.

 

“Besides, I just think he’s not used to sharing you”

 

“Really? You think that’s why he’s being so pissy?” Percy asked and looked towards the great doors where Oliver had disappeared. It wasn’t as if Percy didn’t volunteer Penny as a friend to Oliver as well. So it wasn’t as if Oliver wasn’t welcome to spend time with Percy when Penelope was around. Oliver had even taken her up on an offer to tutor him once when he struggled with homework that Percy didn’t have the patience to help him with. Oliver was being mighty childish honestly. Especially if this was all about having to share Percy as a friend.

It wasn’t as if Oliver didn’t sometimes run off and spend time with Jack and Marvin without Percy, and it wasn’t as if Penelope didn’t try to include Oliver in her and Percy’s discussions all the time. She always put in great effort in it.

 

“Yeah, he’s fine. He has to be okay with me having other friends” Percy said and turned his attention back to Penny. He was a bit startled over how close she was. She was looking up at him with a curious smile. Her big stormy eyes stared into his with no sense of nervousness that Percy could sometimes feel when he held eye contact too long. She refused to let him break eye contact though, not this time, and perhaps he didn’t want to.

 

“Friend?” She asked him. He nodded but started to feel a bit unsure why she would say it like that.

 

“Are we just friends?” She asked and he was starting to wonder. What was she trying to say? Something rational in him told him he knew what she meant but an insecure side of his brain told him it was impossible.

 

“Yeah?” He answered but it came out as a question.

 

She tilted her head and laughed. A laugh that sounded like silver bells, and she finally released his arm so that he could alter his position without guilt.

 

“Dear lord Percy, you’re so dense sometimes” she said, but it wasn’t an insult. She said it like it was a compliment. Her tone was positive and loving.

Once again she latched on to his arm and looked up at him with an amused yet tired sigh. 

 

“I have been trying to flirt with you for a year already, when are you gonna get it?” 

 

He froze, then he blinked. A blush creeping onto his face to try and thaw him out of it. She giggled and tried to catch his eye again.

 

“So…” Percy said, not sure of what he was supposed to say. He realized he wasn’t against the idea of Penny flirting with him, even though he hadn’t noticed at all.

 

“Do you want to go out sometime?” Penny asked, looking shy for the first time since she opened up her heart and left her emotions vulnerable to him.

 

“Like to the courtyard?” Percy asked stupidly and realized what she actually meant the moment he said it. It made him blush even fiercer. His face rivaling his red hair in contrast.

 

She giggled and shrugged.

 

“Yeah sure” she said and stood up, pulling him along. He appreciated her playing along with his blunder so he didn’t have to feel any prolonged anguish over it. They had a long lunch before potions so they could stroll aimlessly for a while. It wasn’t what she had meant but as far as first dates went Percy thought this was kind of nice. He reckoned he would’ve just worried if they had made some grand plan to meet in Hogsmeade or something. It all happened so fast he didn’t have time to get nervous.

 

So when she stopped at the outskirts of the lake and turned to him, he accepted his first kiss like it was normal. She gently pressed her lips to him and the whirlwind in his stomach wasn’t nervous, just excited.

Chapter 36: Year 4 - Revelations

Oliver was a little blind sided by Percy and Penelope dating. Not that he was surprised that Penelope had gone for his best friend, he understood. Percy was a great bloke so of course girls liked him, but since Oliver had no interest in dating girls whatsoever, he was a bit surprised that Percy did. Paul and Jack were one thing, Paul had always had more of a romantic inclination and Jack was just plain obsessed with dating. Marvin had a casual approach to it but he wasn’t averse to it either, which made sense with his curious nature.  Percy on the other hand was Oliver’s right hand man, he had never once shown any signs that he too would leave Oliver’s side to start dating. When Percy had told him that Penelope had kissed him it was like someone had dropped a bucket of ice down Oliver’s shirt. 

 

Oliver was not only upset about this blatant abandonment, he was also feeling really odd in comparison. Why didn’t he understand the appeal of snogging his classmates the way all the other boys did?

 

He was seated on a bench in the locker room sulking, body folded and his entire weight resting in his hands. He was the last one out of the showers, and soon to be the last one in the room all together. Which was a relief, because he thought he might start to cry out of frustration mixed with fatigue from his work out. Charlie was the only other person still present, and seemed to deliberately take his time to button up his shirt. Casting worried glances over at his brother's best friend. He seemed to have the decency not to ask, but Oliver could tell he wanted to. Oliver was on the verge of begging him to leave, then he suddenly remembered: Tonks told him last year that Charlie didn’t get it either, that he’d rather spend his time with the magical beasts than dating anyone at all! 

 

Again that idea filled Oliver with a slight hopefulness, that maybe he wasn’t alone in this feeling. Charlie was seventeen and almost done with school and had somehow never shown any interest in girls, and it didn’t seem to bother him. Oliver perked up, locking eyes with his captain who looked a bit startled at the sudden change in demeanor. Caught in the headlights he awkwardly looked away, pretending as if he hadn’t been staring at Oliver for the last thirty minutes.

 

“Charles” Oliver said, in such a polite tone it even freaked himself out.

 

 “Don’t call me Charles” Charlie said, but sat down next to Oliver on his bench while lazily towel drying his hair. It had already dripped down his collar and stained it see through around his neck and collarbones.

 

“Charlie, you have never had a girlfriend right?” Oliver asked, glancing up curiously at his captain and prefect. Hopeful that he could relate to whatever reason Charlie had for this, that Charlie had some sage advice for him. Perhaps he was simply like Charlie. Charlie was cool, he could live with that.

 

“Merlins’s beard, not you too!” Charlie groaned and let the towel rest over his shoulders as he leaned back.

 

“I get enough of that crap from Tonks and my mother” 

 

“No, no, it’s not like that…” Oliver blurted out, blushing in embarrassment.

 

“I don’t either, I mean… I have never liked any girl like that” Oliver whispered. It relaxed Charlie who seemed to catch on. 

 

“My ma just says I’m a late bloomer” he continued when Charlie hadn’t interrupted “but like, how late can I be ? I’m almost fourteen!”

 

Then he looked at Charlie cautiously, waiting for some words of wisdom. Charlie simply shrugged. It wasn’t the wise advice Oliver had expected.

 

“My mother told me that too, and I guess I just never… bloomed” Oliver perked up, that was advice adjacent maybe. It was getting there.

 

“I was worried at first too, but then I realized that sort of thing just never interested me. It never really bothered me that I didn’t feel it, not until other people started pointing it out” Charlie said. 

 

Oliver tried to think about it, but that wasn’t exactly how he was feeling. 

 

After all, it did bother him. He did think about it. He was pretty sure he was interested in the idea of dating. It seemed nice, holding hands and kissing. He was jealous after all, he had to be. Otherwise why would it make him so angry whenever Percy went on a date with Penelope? Why else would the pending days before she had kissed Percy weighted on him so, like he could sense something was about to change? Initially when Paul started seeing Eveline he had thought it was just the notion of his friends being pulled away from him, towards something he didn’t understand. But perhaps it was jealousy back then as well, that he too wanted a girlfriend? He really couldn’t see himself with neither Eveline nor Penelope though, so it had to just be the general idea rather than that he wanted the same girls… He just couldn’t think of a single girl that he would like to be his girlfriend. Perhaps he was just a late bloomer like his mother said. 

 

What Charlie described seemed different though, as he went on and on about the absolute lack of interest in intimacy with his classmates. That he felt more love for his friends and dragons than some girl batting her eyelashes at him. The way he shone up and went into a full on ramble about it, a sense of relief washing over him the more Oliver let him talk without questioning it. Oliver couldn’t relate entirely but the way Charlie shone when he got to speak about it without judgment made Oliver happy. Oliver could give him that. And in a way, Oliver could relate to that feeling of not belonging. Like there was something wrong with you because you ventured into dating differently than your peers. Oliver was pretty sure he wanted all that stuff, he just hadn’t met a girl that he wanted it with .

 

Charlie hadn’t noticed that he’d lost Oliver on the way and was quite excitedly exclaiming how odd it was for everyone to want to push their faces against each others. Oliver realized he didn’t have those thoughts, but he liked the way Charlie was locking eyes with him the more excited he got. Charlie seemed to enjoy that someone let him speak about something he felt passionate about. Oliver liked watching him speak like that, Charlie’s eyes sort of glistened when he did. 

 

“I mean, isn’t it so weird! Iust and pushing your mouth to someone else!” Charlie said, scrunching up his face. It pulled Oliver’s attention to Charlie’s mouth. It was somewhat defined in a cupid's bow not unlike Percy’s... Perhaps they were a little bit fuller than Percy’s. Charlie had started to grow into his jaw and fuzzy orange stubble framed his almost adult but still teen features. Oliver’s heart thumped hard in his chest and he became somewhat aware that Charlie’s arm was brushing against his where he had gripped the side of the bench next to Oliver in his excited state. 

 

“like try imagining my lips on your lips. Isn’t that weird. Could you even imagine it?”

 

And god help him he could…

Chapter 37: Year 4 - a gay icon

Percy had cut Oliver’s hair for him again. In one of those new styles that was starting to trend with the new decenia. Instead of the mullets of the 80s, where the sported look was short in the front and long in the back, the 90s spurred a new opposition of short in the back and longer in the front. It was gradual, the partings were gravitating central but the most common look was still a side quiff flowing back towards your scalp. Just as he had gotten inspired by Dicaprio last year the front pieces hung in slight curtains framing the face and no one was surprised that Dicaprio was one of those leading men which had spurred these new trends. Oliver was no Leonardo Dicaprio though. It was too long and in his face, he really should ask Percy to cut it some more. 

 

He blew a stubborn string of hair out of his face that refused to stay pushed back, before tightening his arm guards as he waited for Charlie to tell them the game plan. They had to recruit a whole lot of new players this year as most had graduated. The turnout was better than recently though, they had enough good applicants to even have a reserve player for the first time in years and yet Oliver had a bad feeling. They had their first game against Hufflepuff in twenty minutes and they felt ill prepared. Even though they had two new young beaters who had the synchronicity that only being born twins could grant, the Weasley twins were still wildcards. Just as unpredictable as they were identically coordinated. 

 

They had a new chaser called Angelina Johnson who he hadn’t played alongside long enough to know the cues of. 

 

And then there was the reserve, Alicia Spinnet, who knew enough basics to be a good asset in a pinch but still a very raw talent. 

 

All second years, and even though they had the will and the spark, they still had a lot to learn about strategy. Rough edges so to say, unsharpened gems. And Oliver had that stupid long piece of hair that refused to stay put.

 

That was the least of his problems though, as Charlie entered the tent still putting on the last of his quidditch uniform which clung tight around his muscles. Perhaps a little too small, like perhaps he should’ve bought a bigger one if his family could afford it. Charlie was hot, and Oliver Wood was surprised he hadn’t realized much sooner how gay he was. 

 

Charlie stretched and Oliver lowered his gaze to the floor in mortified embarrassment. He felt stupid for not realizing it sooner and now he was just as ill prepared for love and life as he was for this game. Help , he thought, they would’ve probably lost the game even if they had a more solidified team because Oliver’s head was not in it. Oliver was a wreck and suddenly the young captain that he had played alongside for years came in a whole new light that made him nervous and sweaty before he’d even stepped on the field. He had to stop thinking about his lips. Even if Charlie had been interested in kissing anyone, he’d never go for Oliver anyway. Besides, if Percy ever found out his stupid jokes had rung true Oliver would die .

 

Oliver knew he was sort of dumb in comparison to his friends, but how had he not even realized that he felt this attraction towards men rather than the girls like his peers did? How was that not even on the map of things he had considered while experiencing that alienating feeling every day? Looking at Charlie everyday in the locker room, admiring the curve of his hipbones and not even realizing what a creep that made him. Although as soon as he had realized he had gotten better at trying to avert his eyes. And now he wanted to look more than ever before. Oliver had a premonition there were other boys he had misjudged, but he didn’t dare venture there even as a thought exercise. He tried his best to shut it out, pretending as if he had never realized it at all. Charlie was still just Charlie.

 

He was still staring into the dirt as they stepped towards the billowy fabrics separating them from the field. Ill prepared , still rung in his head. You’ll lose , rung next, and he didn’t even mind it. A sharp elbow forced him awake just as they were about to exit.

 

“What’s wrong with you, put your game face on” Charlie hissed and jerked his head towards the nervous teammates. No doubt fermenting in the gloom radiating from their keeper. Indicating he wanted Oliver to be a better role model for the younger kids. Oliver could feel himself poisoning the atmosphere and he didn’t know how to stop it. 

 

As they shook the opposing team's hands a small familiar face shone brighter than anyone else's, reminding Oliver that perhaps he was a role model after all. Perhaps he could be, perhaps he could push his inner turmoil aside for a bit to inspire the kids. Cedric stood proudly on the field in his yellow and black flying robes and when he shook Oliver’s hand his eyes sparkled.

 

He leaned closer to Oliver’s ear, standing on his tippy toes to reach, even though he had grown some over the summer he was still short.

 

“Thanks to you” he whispered and smiled. Cheeks flushed brightly.

 

“and if I win, that’ll be because of you as well” he said with finality as he leaned back down. He said if, but it sounded like a promise.

 

Oliver almost had to laugh. It sounded like he had meant it as a compliment but to everyone else that probably came off as the cockiest little jab they’d ever heard from a second year on his first game.

 

It made Oliver feel slightly more relaxed when the whistle blew. 

Chapter 38: Year 4 - who cares about the Bulgarian backflip quaffle turn

The only thing Paul wanted for his birthday was a trip to England, specifically Hogsmeade on a hogsmeade weekend. And who was Mrs Henry to deny her precious boy the only thing he wanted. So they ended up celebrating it with just the three of them in the three broomsticks, just like the good old times. They were interrogating the poor chap about America and what school was like there as they sipped their coffee and chocolates.

 

“We don’t take a train to school” Paul said as he finished listing differences while counting them on his fingers.

 

“So how do you get to school?” Oliver asked, perhaps overcompensating for the lack of interest from Percy. Who seemed busy whispering inside jokes with Penelope Clearwater who had given them exactly 45 minutes alone before she crashed their party. Percy had gotten to give Paul 45 minutes of his undivided attention for his birthday , before he had to share it half a sentence at a time. Paul was too nice to even mind properly, mostly just happy for the two of them. Caught in the whirlwind of unhappy romance himself he was just happy they were happy. Paul and Eveline had broken up at the end of summer which was unfortunate, but they were still on good terms so he told them to send her his best wishes.

 

“Flying carpets” Paul said seriously to answer Oliver’s question.

 

“You’re joking!” Oliver screamed excitedly. Paul laughed and shook his head.

 

“Yes, I’m joking, we apparate. The rules aren’t as strict on apparating on the grounds there. They have like a communal apparition system for students”

 

Oliver pretended that he wasn’t immensely disappointed and sat back down in his chair.

 

“Paul, me and Penny have to head off on our date, but this was so much fun” Percy said as if from nowhere. Apparently not having been part of the conversation at all for a bit. It pissed Oliver off.

 

“No worries, have fun” Paul said and smiled as Percy helped Penelope put her jacket on. Like they were in their fifties and had been married for thirty years.

 

Oliver waited until he could no longer see Percy’s red hair outside the inn window before swiftly turning to Paul intent on badmouthing them immediately.

 

“I can’t believe he would go on a date with her on your birthday!” Oliver hissed. Paul rolled his eyes.

 

“I don’t mind, he should spend some time with his girlfriend” Paul answered diplomatically.

 

“Oh, she’s not his girlfriend. they’re just dating ” Oliver said acidy. They were strangely weird about that. Like they were just casually seeing each other without labels, and as if they were above the terminology of simply being someone’s girlfriend or boyfriend. Oliver hated it. Paul simply looked at him with pity. Which Oliver hated even more. Paul was the one being stood up on his birthday after traveling all the way from America .

 

“Do you realize you did exactly this with me and Eveline?” Paul said.

 

Oliver’s inside’s froze.

 

“Are you saying it’s my fault you broke up?” Oliver asked, realizing he was jumping a bit to conclusions. Paul rolled his eyes again.

 

“No, I’m just saying this is something you have to work on”

 

When had he become so wise? Was it when that slight peach fuzz on his chin had started to come in? Oliver absentmindedly stroked his own bare cheeks.

 

“This is different” Oliver muttered.

 

“yes it is” Paul said, surprising Oliver.

 

“you’re being worse ” Paul said with implication, giving him a meaningful glance. He truly stared him down. Like he knew something Oliver apparently didn’t and it made him uncomfortable.

 

“Like maybe you should think about why you’re so bothered by Percy dating, so much more than you were with me”

 

And think about it he did. It consumed him. Like swallowing a hot piece of coal which burned him from the throat and out. What did Paul mean? 

 

He thought about it for the rest of the hogsmeade trip, the whole weekend, and he was still thinking about it on monday as he sat staring into space as Jack and Marvin carried a discussion around him that he barely registered. He’d been like that all day.

He had managed a vacant smile as he half-heartedly listened to Percy's younger brothers going on about some new prank they were planning. Fred and George were possibly the first weasley brothers he had met that would not become prefects. He was sure of it.

He had half-heartedly paid attention as Charlie explained some new strategy for the upcoming game against Slytherin. He just couldn't be bothered with that when he had this inner turmoil.

He had zoned out when Marvin had started joking about how they should all switch ties and see if anyone noticed. He claimed that his own blue ravenclaw would suit Jack the best with his sandy blond hair and blue eyes and had promptly pulled it off and draped it around Jack’s face without waiting for confirmation of the plan. Marvin decided for himself that he would use Oliver's red and gold because it complimented his tan skin the best. Which meant Oliver’s soft brown hair and eyes would go best with the golden huflepuff tie that used to be Jack’s. Jack followed Marvin's whims like he usually did, never realizing that maybe he should mind. Oliver let them dress him in whatever tie they wanted. He didn’t have the brain power to care.

Naturally he didn't pay attention as Marvin and Jack tried to discuss Quidditch with him either.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Jack's big blue concerned eyes were transfixed on Oliver. He was wearing the ravenclaw tie as a headband now, and looking at Oliver as if he were the stark raving mad one.

"What?" Oliver snapped out of his daydream long enough to realize he had said something to contribute to the conversation on auto pilot, and wasn’t sure what he’d said.

"You just said who cares about the Bulgarian backflip quaffle turn " Marvin said, only now able to utter words at all after staring in shock at his Quidditch-fanatic friend.

"I did?" Oliver seemed honestly surprised. That didn't sound like him at all.

"Are you sick or something?" Marvin said, still wearing part of Oliver’s clothes, placing a soft hand on Oliver’s forehead. So sweet and caring. Jack and Marvin sat so close he could feel their breaths. Their concern for him drawing them closer to him, like moths to a light. Their warm, pleasant breaths ghosting over his skin. 

Absolutely not .

He clutched painfully at the sides of his head and dipped it forward, just trying to bend his head away from them.

He wasn’t supposed to let himself think about that. Especially not about his friends. It just seemed like… no he knew it was wrong, just wrong.

" Oliver , you look like you're going to faint bruv" Marvin said and gestured for Jack to help him steady Oliver.

Jack gripped at Oliver's arm, pulling it from his hair as he tried to force him back into an upright position at Marvin’s instruction. .

"How are you feeling, seriously?" 

"Nothing… it's just… I'm feeling-" Oliver was more than confused, he was scared of these feelings. Really scared. What if they could tell what he was thinking?

"Oh…" Jack straightened up in his seat, a cocky smirk on his lips " I know that look. "

Oliver’s emotions pummeled like a large uncomfortable stone of dread in his stomach.

Marvin looked confused, which was a first. That Jack knew something and Marvin didn’t. But of course Jack knew. The serial dater, of course he knew about those sorts of things. To compensate for the fact that he knew so little otherwise.  

"That's a lovesick look" Jack's smirk grew wider as he noticed the panic on Oliver's face which only confirmed it for him. For someone who was so completely clueless about most things, there really was just one thing that Jack would catch onto. 

"Oh, that's so cute, he's blushing!" Marvin shouted as he caught on. Oliver wanted to turn into a tile in the stone floor so they could step on him. It was more than he deserved. Besides, it wasn't love. Was it? No, he was pretty sure he wasn’t in love with either one of them. 

"So who is she?" Marvin's eyes were aglow with this new information. Oliver relaxed, yet he still felt anxious. They had been so close to the truth yet had missed the mark, but he’d have to be more careful. They thought there was a girl and that was what excited them. Who could believe it; notorious pretty-boy Oliver Wood, who was too good for any girl, fancied the pants of someone specific. If only they knew how wrong they were. For the first time in two days Oliver felt a little bit in control again. 

Paul’s insinuations and Jack’s almost discovery still lingered though. So to clear his head he got up early Tuesday morning and went for a run around the lake. Just to clear his head.Then it quickly became a habit. he didn’t like to think that he was running away from something… but if it helped, then it helped.

Chapter 39: Year 4 - A big deal

They weren’t exclusive, they were just dating. Percy and Penelope had been very clear on that. They didn’t go on dates with other people and they made out a lot, but it wasn’t as if they weren’t allowed to play a kissing game with the other students in their year. So when someone suggested they play spin the bottle on a friday, Percy was completely fine with Penelope kissing other boys. It looked tame in comparison with the way she kissed him in private. Honestly, Percy felt so extremely secure in their companionship that there was no way he would be threatened by it. Especially not when the one she was kissing was Jack who was more interested in his own turn to spin than to linger at Penny’s lips. Jack was more of a quantity guy. Almost like he was collecting girls he’d kissed like some eccentric butterfly collector. He got to kiss Imogene next, which he seemed disappointed about since he’d already kissed her before. In full offense, Imogene grabbed him so passionately defiantly that Percy was sure he witnessed Jack falling in love with her there on the spot. 

 

It was Imogene’s turn after that. Leaving a dazed Jack in her wake. Imogene was always very pretty and put together so he understood why he would like her. She always wore a deliberate trendy outfit and always came back to school with a new interesting hairdo. This year she had gotten a semi-permanent straightening of her hair and it was honestly impressive. Her hair was usually so big, and now it lay so flat against her head that Percy was almost jealous. He wasn’t aware that was something one could do with hair, and now he was tempted to get one himself to gain control of his own mess of orange curls. 

She spun the bottle with a well done french manicured hand, her charm bracelet clanking against the heavy glass as she released it. It spun, and it stopped, pointing straight at Oliver. 

 

Oliver looked surprised that it had landed on him. As if it hadn’t occurred to him that sitting down in the circle might entail that he might get chosen. Considering that Percy had an inkling that Imogene had always liked his friend he was pretty sure the odds were very favourable that he would’ve been. That was the chance one took when playing kissing games with witches. Oliver looked extremely nervous which made Percy wonder if maybe the interest was mutual between his two classmates. Or perhaps Oliver was simply made nervous by the attention that locked in on him. 

 

The two teens had moved inside the circle and Imogene was leaning forward. Exuding the same sensual confidence that she had inhabited with Jack. If Oliver didn’t already like her, he’d probably suffer the same fate as Jack the minute Imogene’s lips touched his. Percy was almost a bit worried about whether Oliver could handle it. Him and Imogene had a good repertoire. They both argued and teased each other just a much as Oliver and Percy. Perhaps she was the perfect girl for Oliver. 

 

They were so close to kissing now, Oliver’s eyes kept darting towards Percy, like his eyes were asking for help.

 

Then Oliver stood up, mumbling apologies as he stepped away from the circle and ran out of the room. Running, something Oliver did more often than not lately. He left them in silence, until Jack volunteered to take Oliver’s place for round two. 

 

Percy quickly got up and walked out after him. 

 

He had to look around for a bit. Fearing that perhaps Oliver had run off farther than Percy had expected. Then he rounded a corner and found him, standing with his face against a wall. Probably trying to hide how embarrassed he was. Why? Percy had no idea. 

 

“I just couldn’t imagine kissing her” Oliver said without turning around, like he had sensed Percy’s presence already. He knew it was Percy and none of the other kids who had followed him out, without even turning his head. Oliver’s shoulders were sagging, just based on that and his voice Percy could sense sadness emanating from him. He didn’t need to see the expression on Oliver’s face to know. 

 

“Perhaps you just need to try, I hadn’t really imagined kissing Penny before she did it” Percy said and shrugged. He sat down on the floor next to the wall and glanced up at Oliver. Oliver’s eyes were tense, and he was staring at a specific spot on the wall.

 

“I was scared I’d look stupid… I’ve never kissed anyone before so I was worried I’d make a fool out of myself” Oliver had stopped staring at the wall and stared down at Percy instead. 

 

“Is it difficult? Where do you put your hands?” he asked so sincerely Percy had to snort humourously. He gathered his balance on his heels and bounced back up. It was funny, but it was also extremely surprising. Oliver was so popular that Percy had just assumed it had happened. Girls had been chasing after him for years already, how had he never kissed any of them? Percy had just assumed Oliver didn’t brag about it, and that was why he’d never heard about it. Now that he knew he had gotten kissed before Oliver despite his popular status Percy felt very cool. It felt a bit mean, but it also boosted his confidence just a little. He’d have to lock that feeling away though, he had to be there for his friend in his hour of need. Percy just never imagined he’d be the one giving romantic advice to Oliver.

 

“It’s not a big deal” Percy said and grabbed Oliver’s shoulders so that he could turn him towards him for his pep talk.

 

“You saw the way she kissed Jack, she definitely knows how a good kiss is supposed to be. She’ll know immediately if I’m bad at it” Oliver argued, gesturing towards the space from where they had come. Where their little get together was still going on. They could still hear faint music coming from around the corner.

 

“So? You’ll get better at it” Percy knew this for a fact. His first kiss had been nice since he had nothing to compare it to, but it had definitely been awkward. Then he and Penny had gotten used to each other and the flow had gotten better and now the kissing was enjoyable on a whole other level. No one’s first kiss was amazing. Perhaps that was the issue itself. Percy started to realize that you probably didn’t want that to happen in front of an audience.

 

“Then don’t partake in the game, if you don’t want your first kiss to happen in front of everybody” he said pointedly.

 

“and let people find out that I’ve never been kissed, no thank you” Oliver said angrily and slapped Percy’s hand off him.

 

“Then I don’t know what you want, it really isn’t a big deal” Percy said and crossed his arms over his chest. Feeling a bit annoyed at how pissy Oliver was acting when he only tried to help.

 

“I don’t know! I just want it over with!” Oliver argued.

 

“Then go in and get it over with, it’s not a big deal ” Percy tried saying again.

 

Oliver kept rambling, kept coming up with excuses why he wouldn’t. Reasons they would know whether he went in and kissed her or not. Which Percy again said meant it wasn’t a big deal. If they would find out either way. 

 

Oliver kept going on about how he wouldn’t know what he was doing. Percy said it wasn’t a big deal. 

 

Oliver said he didn’t even like Imogene like that. Percy told him it wasn’t a big deal. 

 

Eventually Percy was screaming at him while Oliver talked faster and faster. Percy couldn’t even hear him anymore, trying to make himself heard and drown out Oliver’s worries with his voice.

 

“It’s not a big deal, it’s not a big deal, it’s not a big deal ! Listen !”

 

He grabbed him instinctively and kissed him. Just to prove it. 

It was awkward and his body felt tense. He had grabbed Oliver’s neck to pull him in and pressed their lips together for a split second. He leaned back just as fast, limbs frozen. Surprised by his own actions. Oliver stared at him, Percy stared back just as confused. 

 

As their eyes met and they took in the state of them, they both started laughing.

 

“See, I told you it’s not a big deal”

Chapter 40: Year 4 - slow learner

A guilty conscience, as if he had misled his best friend by making him kiss him without him knowing that he was gay. That it wasn’t just a cheeky bit between mates, because Oliver wasn’t opposed to that sort of thing. It was just a friend helping out a friend. Still, Oliver couldn’t shake the feeling that he had taken advantage of the fact Percy didn’t know he was gay when he had kissed him.  

 

Percy had kissed him.

 

Besides, how was he supposed to tell him now? If he brought up the fact he was gay right after his best friend kissed him, how would Percy not assume he was telling him because he was in love with him. Without it seeming as if he had made a bigger deal of it than it was, a friend kissing a friend because it was funny… or to help him out.

 

Percy had kissed him.

 

It was difficult to fathom, and Oliver really should tell him that he was gay now, but he couldn’t. Not without confusing the matter. Percy would get the wrong idea and freak out. Oliver wasn’t into Percy like that. 

 

Percy was pretty, but Oliver didn’t get the same feeling when he looked at Percy that he did when he looked at Charlie. 

 

Most importantly, sitting close to Percy didn’t make him nervous. He could look at the details of Percy’s face as he studied without it stirring up any other emotion than complete and utter relaxation in Oliver. Still he could tell that Percy was very beautiful. His lips were thinner than Charlie’s but he had the same cupid's bow centering his upper lip. Somehow it looked more prominent on Percy, because of the thin lips. Charlie’s lips were fuller so it made more sense for the cupid’s bow to be there. Lips that were more made to imagine kissing. Yet it was these lips in front of him now that had kissed Oliver. Percy’s lips. As a game, not real. 

 

It was strange, they didn’t feel so thin when he had kissed Oliver. Although it happened so fast it wasn’t as if he had time to think about how they felt. Not that he should think about it now either. 

 

Percy sat in his favourite spot in the library where the afternoon sun always set so prettily and bathed the library tables in soft orange light. Percy loved this spot, and he wasn’t even aware how it hit his hair just right from behind so that it engulfed him in a gloria. Enhancing his red hair so that it looked like glowing embers in a dying fire, or like the glow from a bonfire in a dark night. Percy didn’t even know that, but it was still his favourite spot. 

 

Oliver sat next to him, focusing on Percy’s face instead of his book. He had figured out the correct way to cast his colour changing charm an hour ago but he pretended he hadn’t so that Percy would keep teaching him. So they could keep spending time together as long as possible before he had to release him to Penelope’s grasp. He could pretend to be more stupid than he was if it meant he could stay here for a bit longer. 

 

Percy’s face had changed from first year but so gradually that his new features was just as familiar to Oliver. He had a thin face, but his cheeks were sharper and protruding. His nose was thin and long, but just a wee upturned at the tip where most of his freckles were concentrated. Charlie had more freckles than Percy, perhaps from playing quidditch out on the field or taking care of magical beasts almost every day, rather than sitting indoors reading. Charlie had so many freckles he almost looked tan. You almost weren’t aware they were freckles at all sometimes when you saw him from afar. Charlie’s red hair was also darker. Almost an auburn. On Percy it was very obvious that he was freckled and ginger, but it looked so perfect on him. 

 

When he studied his brow twitched forward into a frown every once in a while. When he had to explain the same grip and wand movement to Oliver for the fifth time the frown deepened slightly and he scoffed through his nose but he didn’t word his complaints. He was lanky and scrawny and not at all broad shouldered and fit like his brother. It was a different sort of beauty. Not like how he thought of Charlie which was more physical, muscles, body. He didn’t desire Percy, so just because he had kissed him it didn’t mean that he wanted him in a gay way. Perhaps he could tell him without Percy misunderstanding, but perhaps he had to wait for the kiss to be ancient history just to be absolutely sure. The kiss that he had barely felt. Percy’s lips were pink… he wasn’t sure if that was different from Charlie. Actually he couldn’t really remember a single detail of Charlie’s face when he wasn’t standing right in front of him. Not like Percy who was so familiar to him he was sure he could match the exact shade of his hair in a paint shop if he had to.

 

Percy had kissed him. Percy was his first kiss and would be for the rest of his life.

 

“ How do you still hold your wand wrong, can you even be this stupid without it being a medical thing?” Percy whined, burying his hands in his squash and honey adjacent coloured hair, with a hint of copper. 

 

“I just didn’t pay attention, show me again” Oliver said, paying extra close attention to the size of Percy’s hands. He had freckles on his knuckles too. His hands were long and slim, and great at itching your back on large areas of skin. He always held his wand like it was made out of glass.

 

“No, I’m not doing this anymore” Percy said and slammed his book shut. standing up and starting to pack up.

 

“you’re hopeless and I’m already late” Percy said, that furrow in his brow back with the force of a rail freight late for a shipment. 

 

“one more time” Oliver pleaded “I’m so close to getting it”

 

Percy hesitated, looking down on his friend with annoyed determination before sighing and sitting back down. He took a hold of Oliver’s hands and placed them where he wanted them. Where Oliver already knew he was supposed to have them. He just stared at Percy’s coppery eyelashes surrounding hard steely blue. So focused and frightening, and so comforting all the same.

 

Oliver pretended to listen to Percy’s pointed instructions. He “miraculously” got it now.

Percy actually looked a little proud, masked behind all that annoyance. Oliver felt a bit guilty for tricking him. 

 

“Perfect” Percy said happily as he once more scooped up his notes and pushed them inside his bag. Very messily, very unlike himself. So much in a hurry to see his precious Penelope that he disregarded the order of his school work. Although ever since they had realized they were going to start their Ordinary Wizarding Levels next year, Percy had a new sort of frantic neuroticism to his studying. He was already stressed about it and it didn’t matter if Oliver told him that with results like Percy’s the O.W.Ls would be easy. 

Percy patted Oliver on the shoulder before he started half sprinting down the shelves to get to the library exit. It felt physically painful to watch him leave.

 

Penelope was more important than school work… A quiter voice behind that thought said: More important than me . Oliver pushed it down.

He thought about how Paul had insinuated that Oliver was worse about Penelope than he had been about Eveline. Oliver tried not to think about it. Wasn’t it normal since he didn’t even have Paul to spend his time with. Back then he had at least had Percy.

He pushed it down some more, really shoved it under. Deep inside himself. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have other friends to hang out with besides Paul and Percy. 

 

He went for a run instead, alone.    

Chapter 41: Year 4 - a bang on the head, no wonder he's slow

It had not been a good year for Quidditch, Oliver was partly at fault. At the beginning of the year he had been distracted and even though he had been training harder than ever lately he couldn’t quite shake that his mind was elsewhere. He was the fittest he had ever been, a lot thanks to his frequent laps around the lake, but he was in a constant state of mind fog that just wouldn’t ease. On top of that they had a whole new team setup that hadn’t found eachother yet. The willpower and energy was present, but the coordination was not. 

It hadn’t been a surprise when Hufflepuff beat them, it wasn’t a surprise when Slytherin did either but it hurt his pride more. They were completely flattened. Devastatingly, humiliatingly so. It was so bad that Oliver didn’t even interact with Flint’s sneering jabs. Oliver was so defeated that he didn’t have a single spark of energy to even acknowledge Flint, so instead he ignored him. Which frankly seemed to annoy Flint even more than their usual altercations. Oliver just couldn’t be bothered about it. 

 

Flint tried to throw him an insult, Oliver kept walking. Flint tackled him so vividly into a wall as he passed him in the hallway that he couldn’t even pretend like it was an accident, but Oliver still didn’t respond. Flint was getting so riled up by Oliver’s lack of response that it was starting to advance into obsession. Percy had been very proud of Oliver for not engaging which made Oliver feel sort of proud of himself as well. Even though it had started off unintentional he was starting to actively avoid Flint’s instigations to fight. Which unfortunately made Flint even more aggravating. 

 

Flint had just spotted Oliver exiting one of the dungeon classrooms on his way to the slytherin dorms and his face lit up with malice. At least Oliver assumed Flint and his merry band of light weight felons were heading to their dorms, judging by the direction they were going. 

 

It was typical, Oliver wasn’t even supposed to be there. He had simply forgotten his textbook and had to return for it. Meaning he was also alone and didn’t have Percy there to motivate him to keep avoiding Flint. He supposed he could practice doing it for himself instead, even when Percy wasn’t present.

 

As they passed each other Flint grinned wickedly and flicked his hand over Oliver’s ear. It hurt more than it should, in that annoying way small impacts did on specific small areas of the body. Oliver bit his tongue and kept walking. He could sense that Flint had stopped in his tracks, ignoring his own friends' pleas to just let it be. 

 

“Are you really that sore a loser?” he grunted out, trying to mock him but Oliver could sense Flint’s annoyance in his tone of voice. Oliver was somehow winning even though he wasn’t doing anything at all. Smiling to himself he didn’t even turn around and rounded a corner.

He could hear fast running followed by muffled shouts of ‘Just leave him be!’. Oliver’s instinct told him to book it out of there as fast as he could but his pride insisted that he’d keep his steady pace. It took mere seconds for Flint to skid into his hallway and crash right into Oliver. An easy assault as Oliver still had his back to the attacking slytherin. Oliver’s face collided with the brick wall, the rough exterior scraping against his face.

 

“Seriously, you’re not even reacting to having your face bashed into the wall?” Flint shrieked, desperately when Oliver didn't respond immediately. He turned Oliver around and pushed him straight back up against the wall, slamming Oliver's head into it again. It hurt more than Oliver was willing to let on, so he just grinned and stared into Flint’s anguished eyes. He looked pathetic and miserable which made Oliver happy. Even though he was the one taking most of the damage.

 

“Why are you ignoring me!?” Flint screamed at him, pushing Oliver harder against the wall. 

 

When Oliver didn’t answer, Flint dipped his head down into the crease of Oliver’s neck and sighed. Tense shoulders shaking as if he was trying not to cry. It surprised Oliver enough to relax a bit under him. 

 

“Why are you ignoring me?” he repeated, this time in a whisper. Oliver’s grin subsided slowly into confusion. He had sort of relished in making Flint so distressed but now it was starting to weird him out.

 

“Get off me” Oliver said and tried pushing Flint away. He couldn’t do it. Apparently he wasn’t the only quidditch player who had worked himself tired this year. Oliver’s muscles were lean, Flint’s were firm. Harder… more like Charlie’s.

 

His heart pummeled for a second before he could feel it steadily picking up a rhythm. A rhythm he realized matched Flint’s own beating heart pushing up close to him.

Flint refused to let him go, but he raised his head and stared into Oliver’s eyes.

 

“You have to fight back” he said, trying for threatening, still coming out pleading.

 

“You mean nothing to me” Oliver spat, looking Flint over. He could sort of see that his features and jawline were falling into place now. His teeth were still crooked, he wasn’t pretty. But his body was fit.

 

Flint stared at him, angry flashing eyes that searched his face for something. There was something visibly registering in Flint’s demeanor, a realization that Oliver was looking him over. Then Flint’s eyes flickered down to his lips. Oliver had a split second to register it before Flint kissed him. 

 

Oliver was gobsmacked. Once again he pushed and this time Flint released him but he didn’t run. He just stood there foolishly and looked a bit scared… vulnerable even.

 

Flint really wasn’t very pretty, but Oliver wasn’t sure where else he would find another boy like him. Once again in some twisted sense of fate Marcus Flint turned out a dark reflection of himself, the other side of the coin that was Oliver Wood. Perhaps when he hated Flint all these years, it was him just hating part of himself. It was ridiculous, Oliver thought, then he started to laugh. 

 

He could tell Flint was panicking but to his credit he stayed put. Frozen in place at the mercy of a boy who supposedly hated him more than anything, Flint was probably more concerned with shutting Oliver up so he wouldn't tell anyone, and at the same time aware that Oliver held all the cards.

 

Flint still had a smushed inbred face but the body was fit. Perhaps Oliver just needed to kiss someone else, so he could stop obsessing over kissing his best friend. 

 

Deciding swiftly he grabbed the back of Flint’s head and pulled him back in.

 

When he closed his eyes, he could pretend it was some other fit quidditch player from posters in his dorm. He didn’t dare imagine someone he actually knew, no matter how close Flint’s shoulders felt to how he had imagined Charlie would feel like. Flint was making affirmative sounds to whatever movement Oliver did with his hands and so it spurred him on. He didn’t have to like him, he just had to use him.

 

Flint’s kisses were hard and domineering. Not that he had much to compare to but Percy’s hand pulling him in had been gentle. Which was surprising since he had pulled him in so fast. His lips had felt soft and the pressure had lingered. He could still feel them on him long after they had parted. The mere idea of the memory had caused his stomach to flutter.

 

As he pulled up for breath, Flint’s presence lingered more as if he’d pulled a cheese grater over his face. It was from the stubble on his face, but Oliver was also pretty sure it was from the immense pressure Flint was pushing. His hands were traveling up under Oliver’s uniform shirt, sprawling out calloused hands over his stomach. Oliver shuddered. Then Flint pushed back again, kissing him more fervently. It pushed Oliver’s head back into the brick wall. Reminding him even with such soft attention that he was hurt. That his head had been pushed into it twice already. By Flint, who he despised. Not to mention that he was still thinking about his first kiss and therefore it had not proven effective as a distraction.

 

With perfect clarity regret started to spill out into every fiber of his body. Like a suffocating mist. He pushed Flint away again, and once more Flint let him go without a fight. Looking surprised and disheveled and confused. Oliver stared back, just as confused and panicked.

 

“Stay away from me” he said, pushed his way past Flint and started running.

 

The panic didn’t settle even as he reached the sanctuary of his own dorms. He stood frozen in front of their two beds. Not acknowledging the worried look on his best friend's face.

 

“Oliver, your face ” Percy gasped and stood up. No doubt to go up and fuss over Oliver like an injured animal. Oliver flinched away, maintaining his distance.

 

“It’s nothing” Oliver said as he started pulling off his robes in order to change into his running clothes.

 

“you’re hurt,” Percy insisted, trying to grab onto Oliver to make him stop but Oliver kept going. Only sitting down to tie his shoes. 

 

“It’s nothing, I’m going for a run” Oliver insisted.

 

Percy grabbed onto his arm, taking advantage of the fact that he was seated and couldn’t move away from him.

 

“You’re bleeding ” Percy pleaded.

 

Oliver did pause then, he stood up much more calmly and took a look at himself in the mirror that sat attached to the wardrobe doors. 

He was barely bleeding. His face was a little scraped up with red blotches but it wasn’t running blood so he shrugged.

 

“I’m fine, I’m going for a quick run” he said with finality. Put on a wooly hat and a scarf and stepped outside ignoring Percy’s protests. 

 

 

Chapter 42: Year 4 - His breath smelt heavily of firewhiskey

The door slammed open as a rather drunk Scotsman wobbled inside. Unsteady as a sailor stepping into shore after years at sea. Percy had absolutely no sympathy for him and while staring in bewilderment at Oliver for having consumed alcohol he decided swiftly that he wouldn’t help him. Then he slammed his book shut and stood up to assist him anyway.

"Oliver, you're drunk" he stated calmly as he steadied his friend who in turn accepted the help as he took a hard grip on Percy's arms not to fall over. Percy’s voice may have been comforting, but his inner thoughts were reprimanding Oliver. He knew Jack sometimes went to those sorts of parties, and he knew Oliver had on occasion joined him there but he had never been drunk before. Not that Percy was aware of either way. 

"Barely…" Oliver answered him with an undignified snort.

Percy closed his eyes for a minute and sighed once more, trying to contain the judgement. Oliver tried to swat him away and just managed to slap his hand over Percy’s face. His glasses got pushed askew and Oliver snickered. Breathy laugh right in Percy’s face. 

His breath smelt heavily of firewhiskey.

“Where did you even get a hold of whiskey?” Percy asked as he led Oliver towards his bed.

“Well I am Scottish” Oliver mumbled, suddenly avoiding Percy’s eye in a way that indicated that he was concealing information poorly. Percy sat him down on the bed harshly, Oliver bounced on the mattress for a second, and when he seemed to relax Percy grabbed his face with one hand and held him firmly in place.

“Who got it for you?” he asked, going for stern and maybe just a little intimidating. Oliver’s eyes widened which contrasted comically to his squished together mouth. Like a fish.

“Charlie wanted to cheer us up after having such a bad season” Oliver ratted out quickly. Swatting Percy’s hand away again.

Anger burned the inside of Percy’s frail body. He was going to kill him. Although fratricide was not how he had intended to go down in history, Charlie was a dead man.

“I’m going to kill him” Percy said out loud. Or better yet, he’d tell their mother.

“Could tell Molly, have her do it for you,” Oliver said on the dot, and shrugged. The mischievous glint was back in his eyes as he had started to struggle with untying his boots. Percy had to bite his cheeks to keep the smile from forming in reflection. It was kind of funny how in sync they were. How Oliver could read his mind, or perhaps just knew enough about Percy’s family.

"Really though, you can't go drinking your brains out every time you lose a game… you have so little of it to begin with” Percy said, softening his tone a little as he joked with him. He crouched down to start untying the boot for his friend when it proved too difficult.

“Or you know, you might die of alcohol poisoning" 

Oliver glared down at him, but didn’t try to stop him from helping him with his shoes.

“Are you implying I lose often?” he pouted.

“I’m just joking” Percy said as he pulled off the last shoe and placed it on the side of Oliver’s bed.

“Okay, lay down now, sleep it off” Percy tried softening his voice again. Anger now more directed to his brother than Oliver. Oliver was an impressionable fourteen year old after all. Not even fourteen yet, he had a few months to go. Merlin, he really hoped Charlie had the common sense to exclude the younger teammates from this team building exercise. Otherwise he truly was a dead man because the twins would not be quiet about it for long. Merlin , he better not have let those two drink . No, no he was smarter than that. The first years must have been excluded. 

Oliver had started crawling under the bedspread, nodding slowly in agreement to Percy’s statement.

"yeah, yeah, I-NO! No I dinnae wanna" Oliver ripped himself free of the insulting bedspread. Kicking wildly to get it off of himself even though he had put himself in it. He crashed head first into his bedpost and then back down into the mattress. Burying his face down he snuggled close to his blankets with a little whimper. He was too stubborn to say anything but Percy could sense the hurt pride. At least he seemed to have given up and agreed to sleep again. 

Percy proceeded to help him under the covers since it proved very difficult for the intoxicated teen to make sense of it himself. After a long struggle Oliver lay still in his bed looking up at his friend with a pout. Then a drunken smile grew and he once more clumsily put a hand on Percy’s face. This time it felt different though, Oliver’s hand cupped his freckled cheek and traveled up to bury fingertips in the red curls.

"You have so many freckles" he slurred and Percy blushed. He removed Oliver’s hand from himself and furrowed his brows.

"You're very drunk" he said and tried to walk away but Oliver held a firm grasp on his robes, keeping him there. His brown eyes searched frantically to meet Percy's as he sleepily continued his freckle-speech, as if uninterrupted and as if Percy hadn’t tried to remove himself from the situation.

"I mean, Charlie has A LOT of freckles, but there are so many that you forget they are there sometimes" his eyes were glistening with something Percy assumed would be the alcohol in his system.

"It kind of looks like sunburn from afar, but you have just enough to make someone wonder how many you actually have… " Oliver pulled Percy closer, letting his hand slide off the boy's robes and up to cup his face again.

"Sometimes I try counting them, but I always lose count and have to start over" he was smiling again, mouth full of shimmering white teeth. His breath hit Percy’s face again, so close he could smell the firewhiskey lingering there as if he was staring down the bottle neck.

"I’m gonnae have to count them for the rest of my life… “ Oliver said reverentially. 

Then he added quietly and hidden under a laugh. Almost inaudible “until I die of alcohol poisoning" 

He snickered at his own joke before his hand traveled slowly downwards. His thumb slid over Percy’s bottom lip and he looked suddenly confused, then his hand slipped off Percy's face entirely and landed on his own firm chest as he fell asleep. Percy just stood there in shock as he watched the sleeping form in front of him. Knocked out cold and chest rising and lowering in a steady rhythm. 

Percy absentmindedly touched his cheek and lip as he retreated to his own bed. Then he carefully touched his freckled nose, wondering if they really were so different from Charlie’s.

He changed quickly into pajamas, pulled off his glasses and crawled into bed. He tried not to admit it but he felt like he was avoiding looking into Oliver’s direction the rest of the night.

In the morning, no surprises, Oliver woke up hungover. Groaning and moaning for a few minutes before he went eerily silent. Percy supposed he was lucky that it was Saturday and he had another day to collect himself. He turned around in his bed to say as much and fully ready to scold him but stopped at the sight of his friend. Oliver was sitting up on the side of his bed, which was surprising, and putting on his running clothes. Percy just gaped. Oliver looked like shit, his eyes were dark and miserable so he knew for certain that he must be hungover. As Oliver bent down to pick up his shoes he visibly paused to collect himself from what must’ve been nausea.

“You can’t be serious?” Percy grumbled, half awake.

Oliver shot him a panicked look, before resuming putting on his shoes. He didn’t even answer Percy, instead he got up and left for his morning run like usual. 

Percy assumed he was embarrassed, but it still pissed him off. He was going to give him such hell later.

But then he remembered how strange it had been last night, how Oliver’s breath had smelt of firewhiskey, and he decided he kind of wanted to pretend it didn’t happen either…

Chapter 43: Year 4 - Crisis

Oliver wasn’t sure what he was feeling most intensely. Pure embarrassment about the fact he had grabbed Percy’s face while he was drunk, or just shame that he had been drunk in Percy’s presence at all. Maybe the stronger feeling was confusion about why Percy hadn’t brought it up to scold him nor tease him. Not that he wanted to jinx it because he was relieved he hadn’t, because it would’ve been mortifying to talk about. 

 

Or perhaps the strongest feeling was the pure horror that he had to realize that he actually found Percy attractive. 

 

Of course he had always known Percy was pretty in the way a best friend would think he was. Because he was his best friend and he was amazing. However, he had always felt relief that he’d never considered Percy as a potential object of attraction before and now he had to reevaluate.

 

When he had first started thinking about the boys around him, Percy and Paul had been excluded. When he had first realized he liked men he had looked at Jack and Marvin in a new light and been intimidated by the fact that he could see himself kissing them, and then just a week later he was repulsed by the idea because it was Jack and Marvin . For about two weeks he had seen absolutely every boy as a potential hook-up before starting to filter out his type, or at least what he thought could be his type, and it was definitely not his friends. But it had never been Percy, not even for a second. 

 

Until now, when he was acutely aware that it was definitely Percy. That Percy, appearance wise, might just be his type. The skinny frail type with the freckles. With the long fingers and the angular face with the soft cheeks. The elegant scholar type. 

 

He hoped that it too would pass in a couple of weeks just like with his other friends, and that it was just because he hadn’t allowed himself to feel it at first, that it was so intense now. 

 

The intensity that he felt towards Percy really worried him, and to some extent he still felt it towards Charlie too. Charlie who didn’t fit the scholar typecast at all but who did share one trait with Percy which was their freckles… albeit different as well apparently. The memory crystallized with mortified embarrassment as he recalled having chatted about it to both Weasleys the other night. He assumed he was just some sort of freak who really liked freckles at this point. 

 

Then again he had for a brief moment found Flint attractive so what poor judge of character was he anyway. Perhaps it was just hormones after all.

 

Speaking of his hormones, they were another issue. Oliver really struggled with an urge to kiss Percy whenever they were in close proximity, which was often, since they were best friends and roommates. Percy was still the one who maintained Oliver’s hair which he insisted on doing since Oliver had no clue what he was doing when it came to it. It was difficult though, having those fingers on his scalp. 

 

It had gotten way too intimate now that every touch reminded Oliver’s adolescent nervous system that he wanted to push the other boy down into the carpet and kiss him and kiss him and kiss him. Preferably with tongue. Which was an exciting and terrifying thought. Just brief ghosting fingertips on his neck brushing away strands of cut off hair sent shivers down his spine.

 

Oliver was in a crisis, and as you often did in a crisis he acted quickly and foolishly. He stood in front of the bathroom mirror with the buzzer in his hand and stared at his image. He had buzzed it all off, when started he had no other choice but to finish and now his hair was once more within an inch of his scalp. It was the only way, he couldn't have Percy’s hands in his hair for even a moment more.

 

He ignored the shocked and disappointed gasps as he entered the common rooms in the evening, and even avoided Percy’s questioning gaze. When asked he simply said that it was for Quidditch. People seemed to buy that he might have thought his bad season was due to his longer hair and let him get away with it.

 

A lot of the girls that he passed he heard whisper that it was a shame and that they had preferred the longer hair, some of them stated he was still attractive. Oliver wasn’t sure if he was supposed to hear them or if they were just bad at being discreet.

 

Percy followed his steps as they neared an empty corner of armchairs that they could spend the evening in. His piercing eyes burned holes in Oliver’s head, searching and prodding without saying a word. Oliver was desperately thankful for the distraction of coming face to face with Imogene and the other girls. Oliver stopped in front of Imogene, she stood straight with her hands on her hips daring him to comment on her new look. Why would he, when she was sporting the exact same look as Oliver. They stood in front of each other in perfect mirror reflection and Oliver grinned. His mood instantly elevated. She cocked her head to the side, once more daring him to speak.

 

“I had to cut it off to grow out my natural hair texture after the flat perm” she stated defensively. He just grinned wider. She glanced at his head and raised an eyebrow.

 

“What's your excuse, basket case?” she asked. Oliver didn’t say anything about how maybe she shouldn’t dish it out if she tried to dare him not to say anything back.  He didn’t answer either, he pulled out a hand and rubbed her fuzzy head stubble.

 

“Hey, twinsies!” he said instead. She ducked her head away but with a poorly contained amused smile.

 

“You can actually be Sinead O’Connor now” Oliver continued, this did pull a genuine smile on her face that she didn’t try to hide. Her cheeks dimpled when she did.

 

They giggled and sat down together in the corner of the common room that they had mapped out. Since the two boys had intended it for just the two of them, there were just two armchairs, so Oliver sat on the armrest of the one Percy had sat down in. Imogene sat down on the carpet while Eveline and Lauren shared the other chair.

 

“Perhaps you have some divination skills after all” Lauren joked as she had started to braid Eveline’s hair. Then she stopped with a panicked look and dropped the hair as if burnt by it. Her eyes bounced between the friends, suddenly scared to offend the two bald teens in their company. Imogene and Oliver started laughing again, ensuring her that it was fine. Once again Oliver reached out to rub Imogene’s head. She swatted his hand away and glared halfheartedly. 

 

“There is an actual problem here though” Oliver stated seriously. Lauren looked scared that she’d accidentally offended them after all.

 

“How are people gonna tell us apart?” Oliver said and gestured between himself and Imogene.

 

As the winter neared his tan had faded into a distant memory and he was as white as a scottish highland sheep. Meanwhile Imogene was still her usual soft brown. They paused, everyone looking between Oliver and Imogene and their vastly different appearances and this time they all started laughing. Even Percy. 

Chapter 44: Year 4 - Anomaly

Emily had chicken pox. Out of all the days in all the year she had chicken pox on christmas eve. Okay, so perhaps she had them for a couple of days and not just the one day, and one of those days just happened to be christmas. The main issue however was that Oliver had never had them, and apparently getting them as a teen was much more dangerous than getting them when you were a toddler. After looking it up in the library Percy tried to explain it to Oliver, but to the teenage athlete it didn’t make sense how Emily, his snotty younger sister who could barely run in a straight line could have a stronger constitution for the virus. Albeit he had admitted it was very cute when she ran on her stocky little legs shrieking laughter. But it made no sense how that body could be a sturdier barrier than his. 

Percy knew it was out of concern for his health that Oliver’s parents had asked him to stay behind during Christmas break, and Percy also knew Oliver would accept without a fuss even though he could tell Oliver didn’t want to spend Christmas alone in the castle with some teachers. 

 

Perhaps that’s why Percy had written his own mother Molly immediately, to ask if he could bring the boy home to the burrow. Without even asking Oliver first if he wanted to come.

 

Having one more teenage boy over when you already had seven children was apparently nothing to fret about and thus Oliver got packed into the crowded burrow in total agreement or possibly against his will. Either way Oliver sat, a dark haired anomaly in a sea of gingers on the Weasley’s old couch. Or, at least what was left of his dark hair after the buzzcut incident stuck out, which was more a dark brown shadow on his scalp... Yet he looked right at home. Until he suddenly didn’t. He was comfortable, sure… but he was also extremely awkward. Especially around Charlie.

 

Percy stood against a door post with the hot cuppa he’d just brought from the kitchen and watched as Oliver sat in the middle of his two older brothers who were whispering as soon as their mother neared. Molly seemed too frantically busy to notice. 

 

“I just don’t know how to tell her, with you being in Egypt and never visiting” Charlie said pointedly. Bill raised his hands in defense.

 

“Hey, that’s not my business. If you want to go to Norway right after school just because I went to Egypt…”

 

“It’s not because of you” Charlie hissed, completely baited by his older brother. 

Bill made a smug face and Charlie seemed to grow more agitated

 

“I’m not copying you! They just have a great summer program at the Scandic dragon sanctuary. It’s not my fault the UK has terrible conditions for dragons”

 

“You could’ve gone to Ireland, they have a dragon sanctuary there”

 

“That’s barely even a dragon pit”

 

Oliver said nothing even though he sat smack in the middle of it. He sat quietly with his hands in his lap and gawked at Charlie. Which was weird. Oliver’s huge admiration for Charlie had made sense when they were younger. A child’s awe of someone older than them who prospered in their chosen field of fanaticism. Someone not related to you who took you under their wing to teach you the ropes. That made sense. But Oliver was a teen himself now, with his own litter of admiring children who for some inexplicable reason found him cool. Why was he still staring at Charlie as if he’d hung the moon, and why was he blushing ? Not entirely visible, but still a slight tinge of red on the bridge of his nose which was unmistakable for Percy. Oliver’s admiring eyes hit differently now that he was a teenage boy rather than a child. Oliver laughed at Charlie’s jokes. Charlie wasn’t funny. It was suspicious.

 

When he wasn’t acting super weird in the presence of Percy’s brother Oliver was instead himself to an extreme. Percy almost regretted bringing him over when he started singing Celestina Warbeck together with Molly as he helped set the table. 

 

Then he figured regrettably that this may have been the best Christmas present he’d ever given his mother. The surprise on her face when Oliver jumped up and started singing her favourite artist word for word, as if it was second nature. Her schock expiring into a huge smile that reached her eyes made Percy’s heart flutter in a way his teenage brain would never admit. Oliver’s smile was as big as hers as he caught the napkins she threw at him in the rhythm of the christmas ballads, and helped her set up in a way none of her biological kids had done in years. Even Ginny had become too preoccupied with being a self concerned child who spent her time in her room until she was called down for christmas dinner and presents. To Oliver it seemed as if this ritual was the Christmas celebration and it was a side to him Percy had never seen before. Which felt strangely nice, that there were still things he could get to know about his best friend. Still, he had to tease him about it.

 

Percy grabbed Oliver’s arm firmly and pulled him away into a nook behind the stairs to corner him while he jokingly threatened.

 

“Cool it, you’re making the rest of us look bad Romeo”

 

It was a joke, an obvious joke. So it didn’t warrant the absolute sincere panic in Oliver’s eyes as he stared into Percy’s face. His eyes jumped between the hand on his arm and the small space that confined them. No different than the small spaces they spent their childhood exploring at Hogwarts. Oliver laughed nervously and shoved himself past Percy again. 

 

“Sorry” he said, again too sincerely, and went back to setting the table silently. Until Molly pulled at his focus, bumping her hips to him to encourage him to start swaying again. Oliver sent Percy one glance, expecting an okay. Percy was confused but simply rolled his eyes and nodded. Giving him the green light to be as cheesy as he liked.

 

Percy’s Weasley sweater was light blue this year. Oliver got one as well, the very same colour as Percy’s to match but with a big maroon quaffle in place of Percy’s image of a pile of books.

 

For once Percy somehow understood with sudden clarity the work his mother put into these gifts. She had received the news of Oliver’s arrival so close to Christmas and she had still managed to make sure he was included in their tradition. As if struck by lightning or perhaps by a newfound respect for his mother he realized how she must’ve stressed to finish it. The corners of the cuffs were not as pristine as the others. Oliver had never looked so happy to receive clothes either way. 

 

Ron had received another maroon sweater this year, Percy was starting to feel bad about it. 

 

He glanced over at Oliver again, who was proudly showing off his sign of belonging to Charlie. Spinning in circles mannequining the blue sweater. He pulled Percy up and placed him beside himself. Gesturing to them and then the twins to indicate similarity. Since the twins also wore matching colours. Again, Oliver had that look of awe when he looked at Charlie which meant something . Percy wasn’t sure what but he was pretty sure he didn’t like it. Perhaps in Oliver’s realization that he belonged, Percy was starting to feel like he himself didn’t. 

 

Oliver was looking up to Charlie because they were similar right? Because they liked the same things. The twins and Ron and Ginny all shared it as well. And even though Percy had started to enjoy Quidditch more now that he knew Oliver, he still didn’t belong in that context the same way as Oliver did. He looked at Oliver in the blue sweater and how it was supposed to unify them. Still he felt a bit as if Oliver was replacing him. That had to be it right? That was the only rational way to describe the jealousy he felt. Because he was jealous, that much he knew…

It wasn’t Oliver with his dark hair, it was Percy with his personality who was the anomaly. 

Notes:

Sometimes you have low self esteem and it's just really difficult to pinpoint what triggered your jealousy.

Chapter 45: Year 4 - eggcellent craftmanship

Oliver never usually minded that his birthday was on a somewhat big holiday. So it hadn’t even occurred to Percy to check with him before making valentines plans with Penelope. Not until he saw the poorly hidden disappointment and hurt on his friend's face when he told him.

Percy had even made him the usual breakfast in bed and scarcely avoided the twins' question about who he was bringing breakfast to on valentine’s day. He wasn’t quite sure why he hadn’t just told them about Oliver’s birthday tradition; he just knew that would be a personal hell if the twins knew that he did that for his friend every year. 

It wasn’t as if he expected Oliver to just be grateful for that… but he kind of should’ve been.

But perhaps that was just something he thought to mask his own guilt after seeing Oliver’s reaction. 

 

It wasn’t as if they usually did something on the specific day anyway, except for the breakfast of course. Which Percy had made sure to fix. 

 

Oliver had spent his birthday doing Valentine’s celebrations before, so why was this so different? Percy really hadn’t expected any reaction when he had told Oliver that he was going to spend Valentine’s with a date this year… because he had one for once.

 

“She’s not even your girlfriend, I would’ve understood if she was, but you guys said so yourselves! That she’s not” Oliver whined and tried to hide his face under the covers. At least he too seemed embarrassed about his reaction and wanted to disappear. 

 

“I seriously didn't think you would mind” Percy said from his seat on the corner of Oliver’s bed.

 

“I don’t mind!” Oliver said, sticking his head out with a pout.

 

“Or okay, I mind but it sucks having your birthday on Valentine’s day!” 

 

This surprised Percy, he honestly believed that Oliver was completely fine with it. He had always claimed to be indifferent about sharing his birthday with saint Valentine. Being his mother’s greatest present was his pride.

 

“Okay?” Percy said with a question.

 

“But it’s fine, go on your date, it’s fine” Oliver said, in contrast to his tone which sounded very much as if it was not fine. 

 

It wasn’t as if Percy could just not go. He had promised Penny. Besides, she was his girlfriend… sort of. Or no, okay she wasn’t his girlfriend. At least not in the sense that she had agreed to be. 

 

“I can hang out with you until lunch” he volunteered meekly. Oliver shrugged, trying really hard to act as if he didn’t care but it was a bit late after his initial almost tears. 

 

“Sure” Oliver said, feigning indifference. He was after all fourteen now and crying like a baby because your best friend had a date would’ve been kinda immature. Percy still felt a bit guilty though and thought about apologizing.

 

“Do you want your present?” He asked instead and Oliver did pitch up at that. smiling expectantly.

 

“It’s just a broom care kit and a yearly subscription to Quidditch Headlines, oh and mom got you a three month subscription to witch weekly. It’s like a trial period” Percy said as soon as the parcel was unwrapped. Just to stay on top of it. Oliver had smiled happily at everything but as Percy said the last part he stared him down in warning.

“Percy shush ” Oliver said, glancing around the room as if Percy wasn’t his only roommate.

 

“There’s no one here”

 

“There’s a portrait of Belevin the Bastardous over the mantelpiece and he was a notorious gossip” Oliver hissed, glancing over Percy’s shoulder to watch over the portrait of said wizard. The image of Belevin was knocked out cold, sleeping lounged back in an armchair with his mouth open. Oliver’s eyes slitted suspiciously.

 

“I don’t think anyone would care that you’ve started reading witch weekly” Percy said, a smile creeping up over his face.

 

“A few times, I’ve read it a few times”

 

It had all started with Molly Weasley asking if Oliver had heard of Celestina Warbeck’s divorce and a few articles in, the boy was hooked. Percy honestly found it admirable. How Oliver could find something to bond over with every single Weasley. It stung again, that feeling like he didn’t like it, but how were you supposed to say to your best friend that you wanted him to stop bonding with your family.

 

Oliver stopped being upset once he realized that, besides it being his birthday, it was just an ordinary school day. They spent all their classes together anyway and on Wednesdays they didn’t share any classes with Ravenclaw so Oliver enjoyed full VIP access to his best friend until lunch. Percy would have invited Oliver to join the picnic they had planned since he was going to see Penelope after school as well, except he’d probably feel like the third wheel. So at lunch Percy made sure to place Oliver in the care of Jack and Marvin before venturing out in the cold with a box of food items and a thermos.

He wasn’t entirely on board about this eating outside in February idea, but Penelope had said to trust her and that she had a plan.

 

He spotted her easily on top of a hill in her red knitted bucket hat and her beige felted coat. She wore mittens which further emphasized Percy’s claim that this was a poor idea. However she smiled when she spotted him and waved him closer. On the ground she had spread out a blanket and on top of it sat a flowerpot. An entire pot, which had started to gather its own blanket consisting of specs of snow which sure, fell sporadically but fell non the less over the chill Scottish landscape.

 

“Great, you’re here!” she said and handed him an item.

 

He weighed it in his hand and looked it over.

 

It was an egg, a vividly dark red egg with a moving center that looked like a small concentrated flame.

 

“Crack it open over the blanket” she said and smiled with poorly contained excitement. As if she expected him to react in some proper way, to what he wasn’t sure.

 

He did as he was told and cracked the egg just as he would any other egg. The heat around his hands was immediate, almost scalding before it spread out over the ground below. Over the area of the blanket. It was radiating warmth in an almost overpowering sauna like quality.

 

“Isn’t this too hot?” Percy asked and removed his gloves and started to unzip his own coat. She stopped him.

 

“It will dip quickly for about 5 minutes before reaching a comfortable temperature and then it will hold for about an hour” she said and pulled Percy away from the blanket, just a few steps back while it cooled down. In the meantime the floating specs of snow seemed to melt midair, against an invisible dome within a few meters of the blanket. 

 

“Where did you find this charm?” he asked

 

“I made it” she said proudly.

 

Percy’s eyebrows rose in awe.

 

“You’re amazing” he said, genuinely. Her smile grew. 

 

“I know” she said jokingly and went to sit down in the now much more comfortable spot on the blanket. 

 

“I did receive assistance from Professor Flitwick though” she admitted while they unpacked the lunch that Percy had brought. 

 

Percy’s box of food was much less impressive but Penelope seemed content non the less. They ate their sandwiches and drank their tea in a comfortable silence. Penelope lay down in his lap and read her book while he read his own. It was peaceful.

 

After about fourty minutes, they could feel the temperature start to drop around them. In little ways, like how their fingers started to tense up and get colder first, before the rest of their bodies caught up. They decided to pack up and headed back to the castle hand in hand. Percy thought about what Oliver had said. That Penelope wasn’t even his girlfriend.

 

He looked at her, her bouncy blonde curls under her red bucket hat which he knew she had made herself. Resting on that brilliant head who made charms in little eggs that could heat up a picnic blanket. Like it wasn’t a difficult feat, Flitwick’s help or not. For a fourteen year old to come up with that, it was impressive for sure. He was pretty sure he wanted to be her boyfriend, but he wasn’t sure how to ask.

 

Their hands lingered by their fingertips as they reluctantly let go of each others hands. Penelope hesitated to walk away. She started to, then she stopped and turned back to him.

 

“Percy, what are we?” she asked matter of factly. His breath caught.

“And I don’t mean that philosophically, I mean like genuinely” she said, a halfway contained laughter under her breath.

 

“Can I call you my boyfriend?” she asked.

 

He smiled and looked down into the floor, too self aware to meet her eye.

 

“I was actually just thinking about that” he said, mimicking the way she spoke with almost laughter to his words.

 

She giggled and grabbed his hand again.

 

“So I’m your girlfriend?” she asked and he nodded.

 

“Yeah, and I’m your boyfriend” 

 

She kissed him and moved away again. He was suddenly caught with an intense fear. That he needed something else said while the subject was still at hand. While he could still cruise along her courage of bringing it up (and he was supposed to be the brave one). 

 

“But you’re still my friend as well, right?”

 

Her brow furrowed.

 

“I think that’s kind of implied, girl friend” she said, smiling smugly.

 

“Yes, but I mean like… you’re still also just my mate, aren’t you?”

 

She took a moment to think it through, before nodding seriously.

 

“Of course, silly” she said, kissed his cheek and walked down the hall to her astronomy class.

 

Perhaps it was just his usual disaster mindset, but he had suddenly been struck with the intense need to know. That she would still be his friend even if they broke up, in all probablílity if she broke up with him . Perhaps because he didn’t have too many close friends to begin with. He needed to nurture the ones he did have. 

Chapter 46: Year 4 - a birthday gift

He was following McGonagall’s step in utter silence. Mostly because that was the aura she was emitting, that she didn’t want to make small talk. That didn’t mean she didn’t like your company, that was just the sort of no nonsense woman she was. She turned around a corner that Oliver felt was eerily familiar. He soon realized that they were close to her personal office. Oliver hadn’t been there since the day Paul had broken his arm and his mother came and collected him.

 

That was so long ago though, in the end it hadn’t been the end of the world, but moving around the corridor still unsettled him a little. As if plagued by bad memories. 

 

“I trust you know that this is highly unorthodox and most definitely an exception, surely you see that” McGonagall had started talking.

 

He still wasn’t sure what was about to happen, only that it was special circumstances because of his birthday. And he was about to receive a floo call. 

 

“I can’t begin to tell you how hazardous this could be for our school’s safety, if it were to get out…” she continued as she closed in on her door.

 

“Then why didn’t you just say no, cancel the whole thing?” Oliver asked, peeking up at her.

Her mouth snurped into a thin line. Her eyes were crinkled though, in a way that implied they were the only part of her that she allowed to smile at him when he was acting this way.

He smiled cheekily back. 

 

She would never admit to having any, but Oliver was pretty sure he was one of her favourites.

 

“Don’t tempt me Mr Wood” she said as she opened the door to let him past.

 

There was a lit fireplace in the room which lit up in a greenish hue, with a face floating in it. Paul’s face. 

 

“To even open up a gateway between two schools, it’s preposterous” McGonagall said as she firmly pushed Oliver closer to his friend's magic floo call.

 

“You have half an hour” she said and went back to the door. Then she paused, hand on the handle, and stared him down.

 

“Don’t touch anything, I will know if you have”

 

He gave her a thumbs up and sat down in front of the fireplace. Not sure if he had fully processed that it was actually Paul. That he had somehow managed to convince everyone that he was allowed to make a call.

 

“Paul, you called!” Oliver said dumbfounded.

 

“Well it is your birthday” Paul’s floating head said, voice sounding like a mixture between an echo and the crackle of a fireplace.

 

“Why would they open up the safety net just because it’s my birthday?” Oliver asked, still confused.

 

“Because I’m that good at convincing teachers, I might even have cried a bit”

 

“Wow” Oliver said, impressed and touched that Paul would put on such a show just to call him on his birthday.

 

“And I figured… Percy might be on a date” Paul said, carefully picking out his words as if he was treading carefully over them.

 

“Yeah… well, it makes sense I guess” OIiver said and shrugged. Trying to mask the fact that it had not been his sentiment at all earlier that day, when Percy had told him. 

“He’s allowed to have a valentine’s date”

 

Paul raised his eyebrows comically high.

 

“Is he?” he asked, sounding doubtful.

 

“I’ll have you know I am matured now, as of three in the afternoon today I am a whole new mature Oliver Wood”

 

“Is that your time of birth?”

 

“It is” Oliver confirmed and grinned.

 

“How are you, what’s new?” Paul asked, changing the subject.

 

“I’m okay, nothing’s new” Oliver lied, he wasn’t sure why he wasn’t feeling okay but he felt as if he should be. He had no reason to not be.

 

“How’s Amurica ?” he asked before Paul could call his bluff.

 

“It’s all good, it hits the mark ” Paul said with a terrible American accent. 

 

“That was terrible” Oliver wheezed out as he laughed.

 

“I don’t know what you mean” Paul said continuing his very forced accent “I’m a full bred native now, and I’d like to see you do better”

 

“Of course, it ain’t no challenge” Oliver said in his own thick nasal version of a yankee accent. His version was worse. 

 

They went on like that for a while until they couldn’t breathe from laughing so hard. 

 

He wasn’t sure if it was just the safe distance that Paul was at, or if having laughed together just reminded him of how much he missed Paul, but after soaking up the silence for a bit he said, frankly not more than whispered.

 

“Paul, ask me again what’s new”

 

Paul took his sweet time, looking over Oliver’s face and smiled.

 

“What’s new?”

 

“I’m gay” Oliver said quickly, before he could change his mind.

 

Paul just kept smiling, he looked amused.

 

“Yeah, duh” he said, finally with his old familiar accent and laughed as Oliver poked the embers that his face rested on in irritation. It blurred up his image for a second but it soon came back just as clearly.

 

“Don’t act like you knew, you didn’t know!”

 

“Of course I knew, I shared a dorm with you!”

 

An icy feeling spread around Oliver's heart.

 

“Do you think Percy knows?”

 

Paul got serious again.

 

“No… so I take it you haven’t told him?”

 

Oliver shrugged.

 

“I cannae tell him” he said, poking around the embers with his fire poker to arrange the coal in a heart shape around his friend's face. Only to feel stupid about it and move them into a square instead. 

 

“Oh?” Paul said, but didn’t ask him to elaborate. He looked hopeful though, as if whatever he was waiting for Oliver to say was something he’d been looking forward to.

 

“I like his brother, it would be weird to tell him because what if he asks who I like” Oliver said. 

 

When he looked up at Paul’s face, Paul looked disappointed but quickly tried to hide it. 

 

“You’re not into Charlie like that, you admire him and you think he’s hot, it’s different” Paul said and rolled his eyes.

 

“I never said-”

 

“Of course it’s Charlie!” Paul laughed.

 

“I also have romantic news by the way, I have an American girlfriend now” 

 

“Does it matter that she’s American?”

 

“Well, it helps since that is where I am”

 

It felt like Paul was changing the subject and Oliver wasn’t quite ready to stop talking about this now that he had started.

 

“How do you know if you like someone like that, like you want to be together? Why did you date Eveline and not Lauren for example?”

 

Paul scrunched up his face.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Well, they look alike don’t they?” Oliver asked and shrugged.

 

“Oh my god, you really are gay! All women look the same to me ” Paul joked and was rewarded with yet another poke with the fire poker. 

 

“They’re both blonde and curvy!” Oliver argued. 

 

“They are so not alike, first of all… okay sure, they have a similar vibe but Eveline is not a natural blonde, she dyes it”

 

“I know that” Oliver said and felt a bit insulted at the idea that he wouldn’t have noticed.

 

“Is that why you liked her, because she dyes her hair?” he asked teasingly instead.

 

“No, Eve has a bubbly personality, she’s outspoken. Lauren is nice and all but she’s so quiet… sometimes she snuck up on me and I hadn’t even noticed she was in the room! She always stays in the background and lets everyone else take up space, which is an empathic quality I guess, but you never know what’s going on in her head” Paul went on.

 

Oliver felt like he needed to interrupt at this point. 

 

“Hey, I asked why you liked Eveline not why you didn’t like Lauren…” 

 

“well… I guess I liked the things I… didn’t like about Lauren?” 

 

Paul seemed confused by his own statement.

 

“I’m gonna tell her you said all that” Oliver teased. 

 

“You were the one who started comparing them! Lauren is just very quiet and reserved, I feel like I never knew her as well as the others” Paul argued. 

 

Oliver thought about keeping it a secret, but again, Paul was on the other end of the world.

 

“Well she liked you ”

 

“What?” Paul said, actually surprised. 

 

“Not that it matters now, you have a new American girlfriend” Oliver said and shrugged. 

Feeling a little bit of joy at the conflicted confusion on Paul’s face. After all, he had started questioning Oliver’s crush so why shouldn’t he torture him a little back.

 

The door opened indicating their half hour had come to an end. Paul’s fire was starting to die down and he quickly hissed out a final message. Perhaps so McGonagall wouldn’t hear him.

 

“You should tell him, Oliver, tell Percy”

 

“Fine, I will!” Oliver lied again.

 

As he went back to his dorms and ran into Percy on his way back, he did for one glimpse of a second contemplate doing it. But seeing the faint lipstick mark on Percy’s lip he decided not to. Still, he had told one person and that felt pretty good. 

Chapter 47: Year 4 - Blondie, Buzz boy, Romeo and Morgan Kelly

Most people would think to enjoy their last year without having to worry about grades, but not Percy. Percy and Penelope were already concerned about it. Claiming that how they performed now would carve the path of how their professors would consider them next year for their O.W.L.s. Oliver thought that seemed unfair, because if their fourth year performance would merit anything during their O.W.L.s why wouldn’t they just grade them already? He didn’t say that though, Percy seemed stressed enough and probably didn’t need Oliver arguing about it.

 

So they were studying, already, in preparation for next year. Apparently that was what warranted a date night for Percy and Penelope. Studying together, with Percy looking more and more disheveled by the minute. 

 

Oliver had forced his way into it, mostly out of curiosity about what it was that he was so jealous of. Now he wasn’t so sure what there was to be jealous about. He had thought it would be awkward joining them, if they would be all lovey-dovey teaching eachother arithmancy. He had sort of imagined Percy guiding her wand movements like a golfer teaching a pretty girl how to putt, but they were literally just studying together. A ‘study date’, literally . 

 

Percy had become less ‘fun’ the more focused he became on his education, but Oliver still enjoyed him when he acted like that. As if it was just his quirk which Oliver got some kind of entertainment from. 

Oliver was frankly not studying alongside them, but had opened up his book in front of him to avert suspicion. He was mostly just observing Percy as said boy made more and more of a mess out of his equipment and hair. A splodge of ink had made its home on his nose and Oliver couldn’t help snicker. Percy looked up quizzically.

 

“what?” Percy whispered, the ghost of a smile on his lip like he still wanted to partake in whatever dumb thing Oliver had noticed even though he had become this new serious person.

 

Oliver simply shook his head, biting his cheek to control his smile.

 

“Nothing” he whispered back. Percy’s brows furrowed slightly, almost smile still present, but he didn’t push.

 

Penelope barely even looked up from her own book. 

 

Honestly, they were kind of boring together. No spice, only books. At first there seemed to be no indication that they were even dating. 

 

He was almost relieved, then his eyes caught their arms. Percy had his right one on the table writing, Penelope’s left was used to flip the content of her book.The other one’s, where under the table. He pretended to drop his pen just so he could sneak a glance under the table to confirm his suspicions. He was right.

 

The bastards were holding hands.

 

It was tame, but somehow so much worse than if they had been straight up frenching each other on the table. 

 

He decided to not come along on their study dates from then on. It wasn’t as if Oliver had any plans to study properly anyway, unless he absolutely had to. 

 

As a result Oliver started spending more time with his Quidditch friends, which were sometimes his teammates but most of the time it was Jack and Marvin. There was something missing though, in their little group. 

 

Like the setup to a bad joke: A Gryffindor, a Hufflepuff, a Ravenclaw walked into the common room in common… and?

 

Enter Morgan Kelly, the missing link to their company. 

 

She was a Slytherin girl that Oliver had first noticed when she was arguing with Marcus Flint during a game, which had immediately granted her his approval. Then he had started noticing her elsewhere, mostly at social activities that involved all houses and there was something about her that drew him in. 

 

Then she had told them she was a lesbian, and it sort of dawned on him that maybe that was it. They had a kinship, not only in hating Marcus Flint. 

 

“You’re like one of the lads” Jack said confidentally, slipping deeper down into a lying position in the armchair he was occupying. Perhaps it was that he knew she wasn’t at all interested in him, but Morgan might have been the only girl Jack had ever just been 100% himself with that Oliver had ever seen.

 

“That’s just so problematic” Marvin whined and kicked at Jack's shoe when he thought his feet were getting too close to Marvin’s own space around the armchair opposite to Jack’s. 

 

“Nah, that’s boss” Morgan said smiling “I like it”

 

Perhaps it wasn’t so strange that the liverpudlian gal liked to be called one of the lads though. 

 

She fit right in, and somehow it felt right that they were properly house represented. 

 

Sometimes, she was a little too crude. Surprisingly so since she had the frame of a cornish pixie and a doll-like petite face mostly occupied by her eyes. Although cornish pixies weren’t known for their good manners either. She had a stance indicating she was into punk but exclusively listened to what she called indie music. She hated that Oliver liked power ballads, but she respected his choice. They just decided to never discuss music again to avoid the conflict.

 

She had hair as dark brown as Marvin’s, which kept Jack in the minority as their only blonde. In fact, the more Oliver was made aware of it the more he started to associate him with a Blondie. The baked good which shared its colour with both his hair and tanned skin. Sprinkled with sugar dust specks of freckles.

 

Actually, now he was just getting peckish.

 

“Did anyone bring a snack?” He asked, interrupting the argument that was budding between Jack and Marvin as per usual.

 

Marvin and Morgan shook their heads. Jack hesitated, enough of a tell to indicate that he was holding back his supply.

 

“Yes?” Oliver said, leaning forward expectantly.

 

“... okay! But I only have a handfull so don’t take too many” Jack said and started pulling something out of his robes. Presenting a small tin box with thin almond biscuits.

 

“You live right next to the kitchen, please be fair” Oliver said and grabbed two.

 

“I’m always surprised how you’re not fat, you always carry snacks” Marvin said as he too took a biscuit from the tin, and received a slap to the back of the head from Morgan who was conveniently leaning against the backrest of his chair.

 

“ ¡qué coño ! Why’d you hit me?”

 

“If you fat shame in front of me, I will hit you” she simply said, not even apologizing or looking up from where she was focusing on something further ahead.

 

“Besides, don’t take your inferiority complex out on Jack just because you’re not built like those two” she added, gesturing lazily between Oliver and Jack, still not looking away from whatever had caught her interest.

 

“Is that why you changed position to chaser this year, cause if you want to build muscle I can help” Jack teased and just as Marvin was about to retaliate, Morgan interrupted.

 

“How much freaky nerd sex do you reckon those two have?” She asked, pointing her hand towards the entrance. Pointing straight at Percy and Penelope who had sat down by another sofa group.

 

Jack erupted in loud laughter the minute he noticed who she was refering to.

Neither Oliver nor Marvin did.

 

“Do you mind, those are my friends” Oliver said, surprising himself by referring to Penny as his friend as well. But she was important to Percy and therefore she was important to Oliver. Percy being happy was after all more important than Oliver having some strange grudge against her stealing his best friend. It wasn’t as if he stopped being Oliver’s best friend just because he wasn’t right next to him.

 

Marvin seemed offended on their behalf as well, which was more strange. It made Oliver draw a pattern backwards and he realized that Marvin had in fact spoken very well of Penelope recently. Perhaps they were better friends than Oliver knew.

 

“They’re only fourteen” Marvin said solemnly, avoiding eye contact.

 

“Lots of fourteen year olds are shagging, lads” Morgan said a little nonchalantly, and yet also suggestively. Jack agreed, then blushed fiercely as if he had told on himself. As if they didn’t already know. 

 

“They’re not though, they’re barely even a couple” Oliver said, growing a little bit agitated that Morgan wouldn’t drop it. Normally he considered her direct and slightly insulting observations kinda funny, especially when they were about Marvin suddenly switching from seeker for no reason. Her opposition to that he understood, Morgan probably saw it as an insult to the profession since she herself was a seeker. 

 

This however was only rude.

 

Marvin had stopped backing him up against Morgan and instead looked confused at what Oliver had said. 

 

“But they are a couple, they made it official on valentines day” he said, surprised that Oliver didn’t know. So it couldn't be true , Oliver thought, cause how would he not know that? He felt embarrassed under their stares and tried to deflect but no words came out. He moved his stare towards the sofa group where Percy and Penelope sat curled up reading, and he felt betrayed.

 

“How do you know?” Jack said, raising his eyebrows at Marvin suggestively.

 

“Because she’s in my house and my grade, okay” Marvin said, sounding defensive. They were talking in Oliver’s presence like an empty vacuum around his head.

 

“Oliver is Percy’s best friend and he didn’t know” Jack said, again suggestively.

 

“I just know okay, I’m not a gossip!” 

 

Hearing Jack laughing again as he tried to avoid Marvin’s punching hands pulled Oliver back in. He tried to focus on them, on their bickering. Instead he locked eyes with Morgan who was observing him, a  knowing smirk on her lips. Then she just nodded like she had agreed to something unsaid.

 

“Alright, enough you two, buzz boy, will you pass me Jackie’s biscuits” she said, snapping her fingers at Oliver.

 

“Don’t call me a busboy, I’m not your servant” he said absentmindedly but handed her the tin nonetheless.

 

“ Buzz boy, because of your head” she said and placed the tin in her lap so that no one else could reach them.

 

“Oi, those are mine” Jack complained.

 

“You can buy them off me” she said.

 

“But they’re mine…” Jack mumbled, already defeated. Then he shone up and said much louder “I can help you talk to girls”

 

Morgan laughed out loud, and with her mouth full of biscuit said:

 

“It’s good love, I’m already smashing it, but buzz boy and Romeo over here might need some help” she gestured to Marvin and Oliver with another biscuit already in hand. 

 

Oliver was barely part of any of this, his mind and heart was still racing. Was it true? Was Percy and Penny an official item?

 

“... except, do you Oliver?” Morgan said, raising an eyebrow. Oliver looked up, surprised to hear his name.

 

“Do you need help with girls?” she asked and it did nothing to tawe the icy anguish building in his chest. Thankfully Jack and Marvin didn’t seem to catch on. Marvin was too focused on being insulted for someone insinuating he needed romantic help, especially from Jack. And Jack, well Jack rarely caught on to anything except his broomstick.

 

But Morgan… She knew, didn’t she?

Chapter 48: Year 4 - Distraction and dedication both start with a D

Summary:

... so does denial.

Getting a hold of Morgan when she didn’t want to was like chasing a cat on a narrow roof. She was always five steps ahead and found the most intricate paths that Oliver with his wider torso couldn’t get through. For a week now he’d tried to get her to speak with him in private but she only appeared when the other boys were around. Until now, when he had caught her entering the sixth floor girls' lavatory and had firmly decided to stand outside until she was done. He sincerely hoped that there were no secret passageways that led out of that bathroom and that no one would consider him too creepy for just standing there.

 

It didn’t take too long before he received a few questioning glances from other girls who were using the bathroom, but he figured if he hid behind a statue or some stuffed troll now, then he’d just appear more suspicious. So he stayed put. Arms crossed and feet centered and fighting a harsh blush.

 

He was just about to lose patience when the door finally opened to reveal a surprised looking Morgan. When she registered that it was in fact him and once she had managed to process it she rolled her eyes.

 

“Okay, fine… so persistent ” she said as she closed the door and strode up to him, as if she hadn’t made hell of an effort in avoiding him for days.

 

“What did you mean with ‘if I needed help with girls’ ?” he asked, trying to mimic her exact tone.

 

“What do you think it means?” she asked and hooked her arm in his as she pulled him down the corridor.

 

“Don’t play games with me, tell me why you said that”

 

“You don’t like girls” she stated flatly, without arguing any further. Oliver was a little taken aback with how easy she said it.

 

“Yeah, well, so?” He stuttered, letting her pull him to wherever she was heading.

 

“So nothing, it’s fine… it’s just facts” she said and shrugged, as she turned towards a staircase. Jumping and pulling Oliver on board in the last minute before it moved.

 

“Shortcut” she said.

 

“To where?” he asked, more and more confused by what she said and what she was somehow not telling him at the same time.

 

“To where I need to go”

 

Man, sometimes she sounded like some riddler or cheshire cat character.

 

“Okay but… how could you tell?” he asked instead. He needed to know so he could hide it better. She stared at him, eyes slitting as if she considered telling him.

 

“It’s not my place to tell” she said and smiled cheekily.

 

“How is it not your place if it’s about me, and I’m the one asking?” he was starting to grow agitated again. Could she just speak clearly? His reputation and probably his peace of mind was on the line.

 

“It just isn't” she said as she stepped off the stairs and stopped in front of a fourth floor classroom.

 

“What you probably should be asking is, why has your best friend not told you he has a girlfriend?” she asked as she dragged him inside of Professor McGonagall’s transfiguration classroom.

 

Oliver didn’t answer, he knew she was right. He also knew why he hadn’t asked and it was fear. Whatever reason Percy had it couldn’t be good because why wouldn't you tell your best friend when someone became your girlfriend?

He just stared at her defiantly, refusing to admit that she was right. They were frozen like that for a few minutes until Professor McGonagall entered and scrunched her forehead in concern and confusion.

 

“Mr Wood, what in the world are you doing in my classroom when you ought to be in the divination tower for your three o’clock class” she said, sounding both angry, disappointed and concerned. The clock on the wall struck three precisely. Morgan grinned as if she had been well aware that Oliver needed to be on the other end of the castle. He glared at her, apologized to Professor M and made a dash for the door.

 

Thankfully Professor Trelawney was way too distraught of a person to register that she should’ve punished him for being tardy. So except for embarrassingly enough being the center of attention for a few seconds, he got away with it. He could’ve just skipped instead, he realized, since his mind was way too preoccupied to pay any attention. Perhaps he should’ve, perhaps his tea leaves could have given him some clarity. To him they mostly just resembled a mushroom and he didn’t bother to look up what that meant. 

 

He had to talk to Percy though, he couldn’t not ask him about it because then he would just resent the relationship between Percy and Penny. God, even their names sounded dumb together… see it was already starting.

 

He did however wait until the very last minute of the day.

 

They were getting ready for bed in silence. Usually Oliver carried the conversation for both of them but not today and Percy was beginning to notice.

 

“Are you alright?” he asked, so at least he still cared.

 

“Is Penelope your girlfriend now?” Oliver asked, directly without looking up from unbuttoning his uniform shirt. Percy looked taken aback and stood quiet once Oliver finally looked at him.

 

“Yes” He said, quietly. As if he knew he had done something wrong by not telling Oliver.

 

Oliver decided to be the bigger person and not ask why he hadn’t. Perhaps it was his own fault for always acting so weird about his best friends dating. He was always pessimistic about Eveline when she was Paul’s girlfriend and just by dating Penelope Percy had received Oliver’s negative attitude. Perhaps it was Oliver’s own fault that this had happened.

 

“So she’s your girlfriend… Congratulations then” Oliver said instead, a bit monotonous trying to bite back the bitterness but civil nonetheless. Which seemed to surprise Percy even more.

 

“Thanks?” he said, warily. Oliver’s heart ached, like a tension was building around it as if someone was grabbing and squeezing it. He simply nodded affirmatively and crawled into bed once he had stripped down to his boxers. Percy didn’t say anything, they didn’t even say good night. 

 

For the remainder of the year Oliver simply pushed aside all those emotions and let Percy and Penelope be. They probably deserved some alone time without Oliver’s negativity tainting their romantic leisures. He simply poured all his attention into training, and running again. If he wasn’t running laps he was at the pitch. If he wasn’t at the pitch he was bench pressing in the courtyard. If he wasn’t bench pressing he was running laps, and so he circulated his agenda.

 

Eventually Charlie, his captain, forced him to stop and take a break on the bleachers. Charlie looked at Oliver quizzically, searching his face for answers but didn’t ask. He seemed a little impressed though, in a good mood in Oliver’s company. Perhaps it was because he was graduating soon and would be free of Oliver’s eccentricity, but he wasn’t as annoyed with him as he had been all year. Perhaps it was because Dora was with them and lightened the mood. For the last couple of days her hair had been ginger and she was sporting freckles, which made her look like a long lost Weasley sibling.

 

“My god, I get exhausted by just watching you out there” Dora said and handed him a bottle of butterbeer from her bag. Oliver was still dripping sweat but accepted the forced break and took a seat between her and Charlie. 

 

“It’s fine, I can handle it, I wouldn’t do it if I couldn’t handle it” he said stubbornly and gulped down half the content of the soda in seconds. She snorted.

 

“Yeah I bet, but you need to relax too”

 

“Who are you, my ma?” he asked snidely but smiled.

 

“No, I’m just your ex” she said and shoved Charlie when he laughed. “At least that’s what the whole school still thinks”

 

Oliver spat out his drink and stared at her.

 

“They what?” he asked, remembering how he had sort of as a joke asked her to be his girlfriend for a day back in third. To win a bet against Imogene if he remembered correctly. He was surprised that anyone had even paid attention enough to spread a rumour.

 

“Yes, the rumour says that Oliver Wood is into older women” Dora said and grinned.

 

“So naturally when people asked me if it was true, I said yes” she finished as she ruffled Oliver’s hair. Charlie was fighting for his life to not laugh again. Oliver felt extremely embarrassed.  

They sat in silence for a bit, watching the field and the goal posts shining in the setting sun. A breeze grabbed onto the fabric of the walls making them cascade in waves down to the ground. It was beautiful. Charlie sighed.

 

“I am gonna miss this” then he glanced over at Oliver “it would’ve been nice to have won the cup again though”

 

Oliver scrunched his face wondering why he was saying this directly at Oliver. Wasn’t he trying to make Oliver stop working out so hard?

 

“Gryffindor hasn’t won the cup since my third year, actually… since you started Hogwarts”

He was definitely saying it as if it was Oliver’s fault, but there was also definitely teasing to his voice.

 

“Maybe you’re cursed Oliver” he said cheerfully and received an angry shove from Dora.

 

“Too far” she said and hugged Oliver’s shoulder, even though it was sweaty. 

 

Charlie just accepted that he couldn’t contain it and laughed out loud. 

 

Oliver did feel a little bit better then, squeezed between his older peers. He felt cared for.. 

Chapter 49: Year 4 - Final days

Spending time with Charlie had become his comfort. For some reason his crush had lost its intensity and felt like last week’s leftovers. Perhaps Paul had been right in his assumption that Oliver never actually liked him that much, it was just this… a general comfort of being around him. Just like with Morgan Oliver felt a sort of kinship with him. An aviating sexuality in a lake of teenage hormones, a love for sports and an intensity in their interest that few people understood... A ginger best friend, at least temporarily so since Dora was already considering going purple again. 

 

… he was still proper fit though. Oliver still sometimes took his time lingering while watching Charlie show him how to do a good stretch. 

 

It took him longer to catch on than he liked to admit, but Charlie was showing him all his methods for coaching, and he didn’t dare even think it but he was starting to wonder if Charlie was preparing to leave him the captaincy. He couldn’t ask though, could he? No, that was worse than thinking it.

 

He got his head out of his arse, stopped ogling muscles and started paying attention instead.

 

“I’m really impressed with how dedicated you have been this year” Charlie said as he stretched out his calves.

 

“You were always intensely into it but this year it’s like… you’re like a monk but for quidditch”

 

Oliver stared at him, halfway angry, not sure if he should be offended to be called a monk.

 

“Like I said, I’m impressed, and don’t let it go to your head but-”

 

Oliver’s mood instantly shifted to excitement, he caught his breath. Charlie looked amused and held out on continuing his sentence for a long while. Until Oliver punched his arm.

 

“Spit it out!” Oliver said and smiled.

 

“I’d like to offer you my captaincy” Charlie said, the sentence flowing out in a breath and Oliver screamed right out.

 

“Yes! Yes, a thousand times yes!” he shouted and hugged Charlie, spinning them around. Charlie laughed breathily in his ear. Three months ago that would’ve killed him. 

 

“Calm down, I’m not proposing to you, besides you still need to prove yourself next year”

 

Oliver calmed down, but he was still vibrating excitedly in his place.

 

“If you stay this focused I don’t think it will be a problem though”

 

Oliver nodded excitedly.

 

“No worries, I literally have nothing else to focus on” Oliver said, and meant it.

 

Charlie looked concerned.

 

“That’s not great Oliver… you probably should care about something more than Quidditch”

 

Oliver decided not to listen, focusing on Quidditch seemed like a perfectly welcome distraction. 

 

The closer to summer they got, the more they wrote Paul. Planning for summer break, to perhaps visit him in America or have him visit them. Even Percy tore himself from his books to make plans. Oliver had high hopes that perhaps things would go back to normal a little.

 

Until… a knife tore into them. A knife called Mrs Henry.

 

No matter what a nice gesture it had been for Paul to call on Oliver’s birthday, it had taken a lot of strings to pull off. One of those pulls was the involvement of Mrs Henry. And although Oliver took it as a good sign that Mrs Henry cared enough about his friendship with Paul to help him, it meant that she had discovered how difficult it had been to convince both Hogwarts and Ilvermorny to open up their protective spells even just a smidge. Even if it was just between two private schools. That had made her suspicious, and when no one would tell her why such precautions were made if there were no threats, she had started freaking out again.

 

Paul wrote in great detail in his letter about her campaigns, to have them inform her and the other parents why they felt like a school for children should warrant such extreme protections in times of peace. She refused to accept the excuse of ‘there are still believers out there’.

That had just made it worse. Now she had decided that Paul should be homeschooled and get a muggle education simultaneously, just to be sure he had a way out of the wizarding world in case another war broke out. Just in case he needed to get a muggle career instead. Paul didn’t want a muggle career. Except perhaps to become a true crime documentary filmmaker. 

 

At least she still allowed for a magical education, but she would be damned if she let Paul back into a magical institution before they could guarantee her son’s safety. Which sounded kind of fair, but definitely super exaggerated. Hogwarts and Ilvermorny were the safest places on earth.

 

“Can she do that?” Oliver had asked as he paused reading Paul's letter out loud to Percy. Percy just shrugged. Usually Percy would’ve jumped at the opportunity to investigate muggle/wizard relations and what rights a wizard parent had to homeschool their kids. Apparently, right now he was too preoccupied with advanced potions applications. 

 

Apparently he was just glad to have an excuse to get back to his books instead of making plans with Paul and Oliver, which apparently wasn’t going to happen. Percy didn’t even put up a fight. 

 

Oliver frowned but didn’t argue with his lack of interest in solving this problem.

 

“He seems mostly upset that this will separate him from his new american girlfriend” Percy said, his excuse for not jumping into action to save their friend.

 

Oliver didn’t even bother to read Percy the last part. That not only was Paul probably not going to visit them this summer. He probably wouldn’t be visiting the wizarding world at all for a long while. Something was definitely up.

 

It was a god damn lucky break that Oliver was going to be made captain next year. Or else he might’ve perished on the spot with nothing to look forward to all summer. 

Chapter 50: The fourth summer - Details

Whenever night fell over their Scottish cottage Oliver felt a crushing sadness that he had never experienced before. He gathered he must have been very fortunate until this point in life. 

 

During the day it was easier, he could always go see Jack who lived just a short walk away. If he just followed the country road and the fenced up acres of sheep he could find a pub, and Jack was always down to accompany him there. The local pubs weren’t too nitpicky about their ages either. 

 

He played pretend with Emily, he helped with shores, he had dinner with his family and during all this it was as if that sadness wasn’t there. Out of mind, as long as something else could occupy it.

 

When he went to bed it was different. As he lay alone in his childhood bed and stared into a familiar ceiling, the suffocating emotion made itself known again. He had never really considered his ceiling before, he had known it was there but now he could recognize the twig markings in the boards because for the first time in his life he lay his head on his pillow and didn’t immediately fall asleep. 

That sadness filled every corner of his being until it spilled out of his eyes. 

 

It started in his chest, pushing against his ribs as if trying to crawl out of it. Then it built up in his jaws. Suffocated his windpipes like thick oatmeal and his breath became shallover, harder to get out. It built like a tension, a headache until it reached his eyes where tears welled up until his vision got blurry and he could no longer see the twig marks. He let them fill up until they so very gently poured down on the sides, into his pillow. He never moved. He just let it happen. It was strange, the feeling was so tangible and intrusive yet the culminating tears that ran down his temples were gentle.  

 

“Fuck” he mumbled and wiped his face, trying to will it out of his mind. He wasn’t even sure why he was so miserable.

 

In the morning he had promised to help his father dig a ditch for a new fence. Mrs Wood was not entirely trusting of magic when it came to the farm so they were doing it manually. Oliver was almost thankful for it. It had kept his mind occupied from early morning and had kept it that way until lunch. But as his muscles started to ache and give up, his mind’s determination started to wilter as well. 

 

He had sat down on a pile of dirt, using his shovel as a crutch to lean on as he watched his father work on. Bram shot him a glance once in a while but allowed him to rest.

 

“What’s weighing you?” Bram Wood asked in between the steady sound of his shovel meeting earth.

 

“Nothing” Oliver said and shrugged.

 

“... aye, alright” Bram said, sounding as if he didn’t believe him but he wasn’t a very talkative man his father, so he didn’t push.

 

Oliver got up and started digging again, wondering if they shouldn't stop for lunch. He didn’t want to sound like he was lazy though, so he kept digging, and waited for his father to take the initiative. Oliver’s stomach however had made no such deal and it made itself known loudly in the quiet. Oliver’s father scoffed out a laugh and struck his own shovel into the dirt so it stuck there.

 

“I suppose you reckon it’s lunchtime” he said and sat down on the dirt pile. Oliver blushed a bit, but too thankful about the upcoming meal he didn’t comment and just sat down. They ate a portion of stew that his mother had sent them and drank coffee. Oliver wasn’t a huge fan of coffee but he knew it would give him new energy to go on digging. Besides, coffee reminded him of Percy. Which was a strange new development. That a reminder of Percy would make him sad instead of joyous.

 

“Is it a love problem?” Bram asked, stiffly, like it made him just as uncomfortable to have to ask as Oliver felt hearing it. Oliver blushed fiercely.

 

“No” he said and scarfed down a few more spoonfuls of stew and swallowed it down with the coffee.

 

“Don’t inhale your ma’s stew like that, who raised you like that” Bram took the cup away from his son, like he couldn’t be trusted with it. Oliver paused for a second, looking out over the fields. In the distance he heard sheep’s bleating and bird’s chirping and there he sat with his father. Who had opened up for the potential of talking about love with his son, even though none of them were very good at it.

 

“How do you know if you’re in love?” he asked. He had thought he had been in love with Charlie, but apparently it had just been some kind of infatuation. Or even that, perhaps it was just simple attraction, the way he had discovered he felt about certain quidditch players who’s posters hung up on his wall. Did he even know what love should feel like, how did people know?

 

Bram raised his eyebrows then did an understanding nod.

 

“I suppose you just know” Bram said, entirely unhelpfully.

 

“But how did you know about ma?” Oliver persisted, now that he had the ball rolling “How did you know she was the one, or any other girl you’ve fancied?”

 

Bram stroked his beard.

 

“I don’t ken there ever was another” he mumbled “but I suppose it was the details”

 

“Details?” Oliver asked.

 

“Aye, the details. The way her nose crinkled when she thought my jokes were stupid but she found herself enjoying them anyway, the mole in the corner of her lip” it was the most Oliver had ever heard his father speak. His father was beginning to blush as well.

 

“When I could see her before my eyes, without her standing in front of me, I knew” he said and held out his hand, as if he saw her then. As if he could see her from here, standing in the kitchen making stew in their cottage, on the other end of that field.

Oliver’s heart was pounding in his chest. Imagining bright red hair and freckles that was as familiar as breathing. The only person in the world that he could draw from memory, if he had been blessed with an artistic talent. But it wasn’t as if that was the same. 

 

“If you love her so much why do you argue?” as he had been told, love was this ever understanding happiness “Isn’t love supposed to be perfect?”

 

Bram laughed at him then.

 

“You’ve seen too many films, when you love someone, you love their flaws as well. That’s when it’s worth sticking by them, even when they piss you off”

 

A realization crashed down on him like lightning from a clear blue sky. Well, it was Scotland, the sky was gray. 

The sentiment however was the same, even from a gray sky, he realized with great clarity that he loved… he loved Percy.

 

He felt like an idiot. 

 

Several people had tried to get him to realize it, in hindsight it seemed so obvious and he really should’ve figured it out sooner.

 

Paul had tried to tell him in his own way. Several times.

 

That’s what Morgan knew, that’s how she knew Oliver was gay.

 

How many other people could tell that he was in love with his best friend? Were they laughing at him behind his back?

 

He felt like Jack… which was mean to think, it wasn’t Jack’s fault that Oliver was equally clueless. 

 

He probably looked pale because Bram put a stiff, awkward arm around him and looked concerned.  

 

“What do you say we use some magic to finish this up, and then you and I head to the pub” 

 

Oliver breathed out a shaky, amused laugh and nodded.

 

“We just won’t tell ma”  Bram finished the ditch with a flick of his wand and put it back into his sleeve. Then they packed up and walked into town.

 

At night, Oliver still had trouble sleeping. He wasn’t sad this time but his mind was still reeling. His heart pounded. He wondered if it was just love, or if he lusted for him too. Was it different?

 

He tried to imagine it, if he could think of Percy the same way he did those quidditch players. Could he imagine being touched by him, could he imagine touching Percy?

 

His pale freckled face that was so breathtakingly beautiful, Oliver had touched it a million times before so would it be different?. He imagined taking Percy’s cheek in his hand. Imagined how he’d guide his hand down Percy’s neck to his chest. 

 

Could he touch him, place his hands on his body and let them travel further? Could he kiss him? Not just a peck but properly kiss him? He had imagined it before but it felt so much more intense now. He wouldn’t just kiss a boy he found attractive, he would a boy he loved.

 

In reality, in his bed, he placed his own hand on his chest and with feather light fingertips he drummed them against his skin as he moved them across his abdomen. Breath shaky with suspense and excitement.

 

He was definitely hard.

 

He stopped, fingers ghosting at the hem of his boxers but he couldn’t do it. His heart pounded so hard in his chest, he was shaking. He wanted to, but he couldn’t.

 

He quickly pulled his hand back and placed it over his eyes, sighing. He was so hard he felt like the friction from his boxers alone would send him into ecstasy but he knew that if he masturbated to the thought of Percy it was something he could never undo.

 

Instead he lay perfectly still, trying to will his erection away. Feeling mortified and embarrassed that he’d even considered it. Especially because the image in his head that had caused it had been kissing him. Just kissing him.

 

Then he thought of Penelope, who could. Who was allowed to want him and kiss him. His pounding heart started to ache again and once again he cried.

 

Frustrated and unsure how he would face them.

 

Chapter 51: Year 5 - The famous Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts... but who cares, what the hell is wrong with Oliver Wood?

Weighing the silver badge in his hands, he didn’t feel as validated as he had thought he would. For a long while becoming prefect had been his dream, a cog in the machine of academic achievements that he was building for himself. A shiny piece of silver, all new and made just for him. 

 

As a gift for his accomplishment his father had gone out and bought him his own owl. Percy had named him Hermes, like the messenger of the gods. 

 

He gave Scabbers to Ronald, neither Percy or the rat felt any greater sense of sadness about their parting. Ron always loved him better anyway. 

 

Hermes was a screech owl, not the largest beast among them but calm and serious which felt like a good scholarly companion to Percy. He had markings around his eyes almost resembling glasses, which Percy assumed was the reason his father had picked him. Unnecessarily gimmicky, but he wasn’t ungrateful for the gift.

 

He couldn’t watch Hermes and ponder over if he had earned him, since he was loaded in with the other fowls, but he could ponder his badge, and if he really deserved any of it?

 

Percy was top of his class, he was always achieving high marks and got complimented by all teachers. Even Snape had observed his Anti-Venom and congratulated him on its excellence. However it wasn’t difficult excelling in a class of mediocre comrades. He didn’t mean that as a negative observation to his fellow Gryffindors, it was just facts that Oliver and the girls didn’t apply themselves the same way Percy did. Lauren did fairly well, which was why she also had been assigned Prefect. Imogene and Eveline passed with ease but never stood out. Oliver simply did what he had to, and put all his excellence in sports. It was admirable in a different way, but Percy’s point stood. It was easy being an owl in a nest of bullfinches. 

 

He wasn’t sure he deserved it. Had he just been made prefect because he was an obvious choice against Oliver? If Paul had been there, would it rather have been him?

 

He somewhat reluctantly pinned the badge to his robes and stared out the train window. Oliver hadn’t come this year… Which made sense, Percy had always thought it stupid to travel to London when you already lived in Scotland just to spend time with your friend for a little bit longer. Especially a friend who you would spend the entire year with anyway. 

 

He was always a little surprised that Oliver hadn’t tired of him earlier.

 

At least Penelope had made him company. He glanced over at her. Blonde curls cascading down her shoulders and getting caught in her own silver badge. It suited her, she had definitely earned it. She was excited about it, that they had both been assigned. As if it hadn’t been obvious. Percy felt a little bit like she had received a prize ribbon, but he had been gifted a participation trophy. 

 

“We need to go see the other prefects soon” she said, fidgeting with her badge, untangling her hair from it. He nodded, not feeling very talkative and stood up to follow her. 

 

Because of the prefect duties, he barely had time to reacquaint himself with Oliver at the castle either. They hugged hello, but barely talked. Oliver seemed to hold back. Perhaps he was tired of Percy. Perhaps that actually was the reason Oliver hadn’t come to 9 ¾. 

Percy had always thought he shouldn’t do it and yet he was disappointed that he hadn’t…

 

He decided to focus on his prefect duties. 

 

They had been previously informed that the boy who lived would attend Hogwarts this year and that to whichever house he was sorted, their prefects might have to take it upon themselves to take him under their wing. Percy figured the last thing an eleven year old with such a tragic life would want was to be put in a spotlight. So he made absolutely no effort in treating him any differently than any of the others. He couldn’t even pick him out of the crowd after the sorting even if he had wanted to. 

 

When he was escorting the first years he even tried to make it a point of not knowing Ron too well either. To not embarrass him the way Charlie and Bill had. Ron seemed too preoccupied with watching the ceiling in awe to even notice the efforts Percy was putting in. Percy held back a smile and took the lead towards the Gryffindor tower.

 

Once inside, once done, there were no other obstacles to hide behind. Just him and Oliver in their dorm room. 

 

Oliver stood unnaturally. He usually lounged on his bed,almost immediately at home there. Now he stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, fidgeting with his hands.

 

“Did you have a nice summer?” Percy asked, as he started unpacking his clothes to put in a wardrobe. 

 

Oliver laughed, almost nervously and nodded.

 

“Yep, met up with Jack a lot”

 

“I hope you didn’t let him rub his dumb all over you” Percy joked. Oliver scoffed.

 

“Only I get to call him dumb” he said, seeming to relax a bit after his initial weird tension. He looked over at Percy for what felt like the first time since they arrived. For a split second he looked normal, then he tensed and blushed. 

 

“Why are you so nervous, do you think I’m going to start taking points off of you immediately?” Percy said, trying to keep up the jokes. It seemed to be working.

 

“... I’ll give it at least a week” he added flippantly, which actually resulted in Oliver finally sitting down on his bed as he grabbed a pillow to throw at him. Body language relaxing into something familiar. 

 

“Abuse of power” Oliver said and Percy struck his tongue out.

 

“Your hair looks weird” Percy retaliated, teasing him. Oliver’s hair had grown a bit, but was still closer to a buzzcut than a hairstyle. 

 

“Are you gonna punish me because my hair grows slowly?” Oliver said, slipping more and more back into his usual self. Which felt like a comfort.

 

“You’re the one who buzzed your head for no reason… do you want me to make a growth potion?”

 

“No thank you, and maybe I wanted to have a buzz cut” Oliver said, now it was his turn to poke his tongue out.

 

They unpacked the rest in silence. Oliver more so because Percy did. He otherwise had a habit of leaving it in the trunk for a month before unpacking. 

 

“We should write Paul tomorrow” Percy said after a while, when the silence was becoming deafening. He never had to worry about the silence before, usually he couldn’t get Oliver to shut up. Percy had owled Paul over the summer but the responses were sporadic and short. 

He tried to hide his concern though, Oliver usually got more emotional over things like these than Percy did. 

 

When he looked up Oliver was staring at him, and flinched as if he had been caught. 

 

Oliver only nodded in response. He seemed to be giving up on unpacking in order to flip through some of his new school books. Distracted by every item he picked up, or as it appeared, by watching Percy unpack instead. 

 

They talked, it was nice, but the air felt different somehow. Not as carefree and comfortable as Percy was used to. Even during the glimpses of normalcy there was something hanging over them and Percy was pretty sure it was Oliver who was different. He looked the same, just more tan than the last time he saw him. He hadn’t grown much, but he was different. 

 

Percy finished unpacking everything before going to bed. When he finally did Oliver was already snoring. At least some things stayed the same.

---

The owlery was cold this time of year, and he felt bad about leaving Hermes there. He supposed he was built for the outdoors though. It was strange how he already found himself more attached to Hermes than he ever did to Scabbers. Scabbers had been a fine pet, but Hermes was more his style. 

 

Carefully Percy threaded the floor to not step in any bird dropping with his newly polished shoes. Oliver was not as gentle and stepped in puddles so fresh they almost splashed up on Percy’s robes.

 

“What?” Oliver said when Percy gave him the stink eye “it’ll wash off”

 

They picked out Hermes and a school owl to send a letter each. Hopefully then at least one of them would get an answer.

Notes:

Surprise, he's got impostor syndrome

Chapter 52: Year 5 - stars

Just a few weeks in, their fifth year was already a stressful year. Not only because of the pending OWL's looming over their heads but a lot had changed for the two friends.The way Oliver viewed Percy had changed especially. 

At first he could barely look at him without bursting into flames, but somehow Percy had managed to fix that by simply being unmoved by Oliver’s strange behaviour. Percy had pushed his way past Oliver’s strange new shield and forced Oliver to talk to him. He made Oliver realize that just because he had come to realize something about himself, it didn’t mean Percy viewed him any different. Not unless he had learnt occlumency over the summer. Oh, god, what if he had? That would be so typical of him.

Percy was now a prefect, not a very big surprise since it had been a choice between him and Oliver. And had Oliver been selected prefect then hell certainly would have frozen over and Dumbledore would have been a woman in drag. Although that would’ve explained the high heels. Either way, everyone expected Percy to be assigned prefect.

Having the authority of a prefect seemed to change Percy at times into someone completely different, and he seemed to be starting to lose whatever sense of humour he had previously had. Percy just claimed that he had grown more mature. Along with growing a bit taller as well, to Oliver's great annoyance. 

Oliver always tried to encourage the few jokes Percy would pull. They mostly seemed to be at Oliver’s expense to lighten the ever changing mood between them, but there was a strange serious force that seemed to push Percy inside of himself. Oliver wasn’t sure where he went when he got like that. 

More surprising than Percy becoming prefect was that Charlie had made good on his promise and left the position of team captain to Oliver, and he was swelling with pride. This new authority did not make Oliver more mature; however it did make him bossier according to his teammates. It had not made him taller…

However there was one more change in their life that Oliver didn't like one bit and that was Percy's new relationship with one Mrs Penelope Clearwater. Now that they were both officially a couple and had prefect duties together on top of that, Penelope and Percy spent almost all their time together. Which meant that Percy had even less time to hang out with Oliver than previously.

Not that they ever really hung out anymore, Percy rarely joined when they had a casual hang out with the girls. They rarely saw him in the common room in common. If Oliver wanted to be with him he had to join him in the library or their dorm room. You would’ve thought that reaching an academic milestone would’ve calmed Percy down, assuring him of his spot at school. Becoming prefect had only made him worse…

Their time together mostly consisted of Oliver watching him do his homework while Percy said nothing except for maybe saying something funny at Oliver's expense every now and then.

Oh wait, he didn't do that anymore because he was more mature now…

Oliver was threading an interestingly complex line of being in awe and annoyed. Catching his breath every time Percy leaned over him to grab a breakfast item, his heart rapidly beating. The next moment feeling frustrated anger when Percy got stiffer and more serious, shutting down Oliver’s every attempt at lightening Percy’s stressed mood.

At least he still allowed Oliver to join him when he studied. 

Oliver truly did enjoy watching him do that. Percy sat at his desk facing one of the tower windows of their dorm. The sun shone in on him like a spotlight highlighting a piece of art at the Louvre. Oliver couldn’t help but romanticize every single fiber of him now that he knew. Even the room seemed different. The dust specs illuminated in the sunbeams were not just dust specs, but stars that danced around Percy’s head. His eyelashes were gold. Somehow he was even more beautiful now when Oliver knew that he loved him. 

Percy had dressed down to just his underpants and shirt. More casual and relaxed when he was in the privacy of his dorm room. Oliver hoped it was because it was just the two of them. That at least this part not even Penelope had gotten the luxury of experiencing. 

Percy’s sleeves were rolled up revealing slender, pale and freckled arms. There was some sense of strongness there, unlike the rest of him which had always been frail. Whenever he managed to build muscle, his growth spurts extended it again.

When he undressed, because Oliver was ashamed to admit that he had looked, Oliver had noticed that his torso was far less freckled than what you could see otherwise. Something he had failed to notice during the years when he hadn’t watched Percy change like a creep. At least not consciously. 

Percy’s skin under his clothes was almost untouched by the sun in comparison to his face and arms. Almost translucent white where you could see the blue veins under it so clearly, like on marble. That was actually a very accurate likeness. Oliver congratulated himself on the accidental poetry of it. 

Percy’s skin almost looked exactly like marble, iridescent and cold. When he changed out of his striped nightgown in the early morning, stretching bare chested in the sun like an orange cat, he truly belonged at the British museum. A stolen artifact from Greece, but more lean than those statues. There was hardly any muscle definition, just bone with a soft layer of flesh. Oliver wanted to put his hands on all the spots where it looked the softest, like his arms and stomach. Perhaps that’s where he stopped resembling stone. 

Stolen… seemed the right word too. Penelope had stolen him, but Percy had let her, and Oliver had no claim on him. He was starting to resent Penny, but he knew in some regard that he shouldn’t. 

Percy suddenly looked up, perhaps feeling Oliver’s burning gaze. His blue eyes were hard and tired. There it is again, Oliver thought, stone . 

Oliver quickly looked down into his witch weekly magazine, pretending to be engulfed in its article There was a large spread of a girl, perhaps famous. He leaned back in his chair, trying to look casual and unwinded. 

“Do you think she’s fit?” Percy asked, glancing down into the magazine. Probably spurred on by the intensity of Oliver’s redirected glance.

“Proper” Oliver responded, hoping it sounded casual and true.

“She looks like Imogene” Percy said.

Oliver couldn’t stop the gagging even if he’d tried.

“Ew, no” he said and forcefully shut the magazine and threw it to the ground. Percy laughed.

“Why not? Come one, Imogene’s cute” he said, his eyes tawing away from stone and back into familiarity. Oliver got stuck there, looking into them, as if he was the one turned to stone now. Feeling his heart swell and clench at the same time. Growing too large for his chest.

“Stop, she’s more like a sister” Oliver said and bent down to pick up the magazine again. Percy laughed, at least a few weeks into the year hadn’t completely robbed him of all joy. 

It felt a bit like Percy was pushing Imogene on him, like he was trying to find Oliver a girlfriend. Oliver thought perhaps he should make up a plan to divert the attention, but he could always just say he didn’t have time for dating.

Besides, Oliver had Quidditch tryouts next week which he had to focus on. They were still missing a seeker.

 

Chapter 53: Year 5 - A hoot and a howl

“He was only supposed to be gone over the summer but his program got extended, so he’s still in Norway” Percy said while spreading jam over his toast. 

 

“How does Molly feel about it?” Oliver asked, amused. He was starting to resemble himself again. 

 

He sometimes still got nervous. Getting flushed whenever Percy leaned close to try and tell him something confidentially. Percy wasn’t sure what he should make of it.

 

“We managed to convince her it’s fine since it’s temporary…” he said, making a face “We don’t know how to prepare her for the worst. We know he’s just going to find another dragon sanctuary somewhere else when this internship finishes… and we are scared to tell her”

 

Charlie seemed to live his best life right now, and Percy didn’t know how he would tell their mother that he might just never come back home. 

 

Oliver laughed in recognition. He understood exactly, because he knew Charlie. 

 

He was just about to complain about how Charlie left the rest of them to deal with their mother without facing the consequences of his decisions, when screeching from above pulled their attention. The post came. 

 

As they did every day they stopped speaking immediately and in total silence watched the owls in search of either Hermes or a familiar school owl. Hoping for a response from their friend.

 

Then they saw him, grey speckled with markings like glasses over his eyes and carrying a dark red envelope in his claws. Percy’s insides froze. Why did Hermes have a howler?

He anticipated the worst and braced himself for a scolding, but Hermes didn’t land in front of him. He landed in front of Oliver.

 

Oliver looked shocked, staring down at the red letter without moving a muscle. Hermes, after finishing his delivery, gave Percy a court nod before flying off. Back to his home in the owlery.

 

Oliver and Percy stared at the letter. Then Oliver promptly stood up and ran.

 

“You can’t run from a howler!” Percy shouted, and just like that the howler rose into the air and started following the retreating Oliver.

 

Percy stood and ran after him as well, getting a feeling he wouldn’t want to miss this. 

Mrs Henry was a squib so she couldn’t possibly have sent it. So did that mean Paul had? Why?

 

They ran in a comical train along the corridor, skidding into the courtyard, maneuvering impressively into a different corridor.  First Oliver, then the envelope, then Percy.

Oliver took advantage of every athletic move in the book, to take shortcuts and jump over short walls.

 

Oliver zigzagged his way in the castle to try and shake the red envelope. Over the courtyard again, into an outdoor archway. Percy had never seen anyone run from a howler before, it was funny.

 

“Oliver, you’re going to have to listen to it!” Percy shouted, hearing his own voice coming out unfamiliarly amused. 

 

“I refuse!” Oliver said, turning and facing a dead end in the garden archway. He had to stop so abruptly in order to not run into the wall that he lost his footing. The envelope reached him and unwhirled in front of him like a hissing snake cornering it’s pray. Oliver looked terrified. The voice emitting from the envelope was indeed Paul’s, but it sang out in mock anger. There was a definite undertone of humour in it. 

 

“YOU DICKHEAD!” the howler’s scream echoed against the walls.

 

“DO YOU WANNA GUESS WHO I RAN INTO THIS SUMMER ON WIZARD RESORT VACATION TO LIMA” the voice screamed, poorly contained laughter under every false angry accusation. It naturally didn’t wait for Oliver to guess. 

 

“I RAN INTO YOU KNOW WHO , AND BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU TOLD ME IT WAS FUCKING AWKWARD” 

 

Percy figured he was censoring himself in case someone other than Oliver and Percy was around to hear the very loud message, and he had in fact not been on a resort vacation with the ghost of the dark lord. Percy was, after all, really clever like that… 

 

He was however extremely curious to whoever this you know who actually was.

 

“YOU FUCKER, I COULDN’T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD, SO I WAS SUPER TENSE AND OF COURSE SHE NOTICED SO SHE GOT SUPER NERVOUS”

 

Now the disembodied voice was just full on laughing as he desperately tried to keep up the charade of anger.

 

“I’M GOING TO GET YOU BACK FOR THIS, MARK MY WORDS WOOD, I WILL HAVE REVENGE” the voice finished before it disintegrated itself before them. chewing itself up into a pile of paper flakes.

 

Percy was fully biting his cheeks to not start laughing. He straightened his back and watched Oliver in the deafening silence that came over them.

 

Through the open stone windows of the archway, which were facing the courtyard, several students were staring at the scene. Percy gestured for them to go on their merry way.

 

“Nothing to see here, move along” he said and took a few steps towards his friend, stepping over the remnants of Paul’s reprimanding correspondence. 

 

Oliver was shell shocked, still and staring with his mouth gaping on the ground. His lips were parted but slowly moved into a pouty frown that made his lips plump and red. He truly had very effectively luscious lips for a boy. Percy shook his head and tried to keep his calm, serious composure. It seemed to be failing though because Oliver’s pout turned into a frown.

 

“It’s not funny Perce” he said, gritting his teeth.

 

“It's kind of funny, what a way to let us know he’s doing alright” Percy said and grinned.

 

“Easy for you to say, he didn’t send you a howler”

 

Percy helped Oliver up from the floor, dusting his robes of dirt. He noted for a split second how hard his ass was even through the cloak. Not bony like Percy’s own. Percy subconsciously touched his own arse to compare, there was no bounce. Not like Oliver’s. 

 

Percy was intensely curious now, about what secret rendezvous Paul had with a girl this summer. Which apparently he and Oliver had talked about. 

 

He didn’t think it decent to ask though, but he wanted to steer the conversation there.

 

He watched Oliver closely, in fact it had always been strange that he’d never had a girlfriend. As his best friend Percy would’ve known if he had, right? Unless… he had only told Paul. 

 

Oliver was the most attractive boy in their year; Percy was sure of it. For a teenager, he had a remarkable build. Not extreme of course, but one that showed signs that his muscles would just continue to build. You could’ve probably bounced a galleon off that ass. 

 

His face though, was still round and soft like a child’s. His face had always been rounder than most boys Percy knew, it was endearing. 

 

Then there were his eyes and again, those lips. Soft and warm described them both well. Brown puppy dog eyes and plump dark pink lips. 

 

…How did he not have a girlfriend?

 

He gave up on playing coy.

 

“Who’s she ?” Percy asked, brushing off some more dust from Oliver’s stiff shoulders.

 

“Lauren” Oliver answered surprisingly easily. Percy would’ve thought he needed to pry it out of him. 

 

Oliver must have noticed how surprised he looked because he quickly added.

 

“I told him she used to have a crush on him” 

 

“Oh” Percy, said confused “I didn’t know that”

 

“You never do” Oliver said, and looked glum. It confused Percy even more.

 

“What do you mean, I never know ?” Percy said, scrunching up his forehead trying to not be insulted.

 

“I’m sorry, but you’re just painfully unaware of other people’s emotions sometimes” Oliver said, starting to sound riled up and angry. It made Percy angry as well.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean, I notice” he said, feeling heat rise in his chest in equal rate as his forehead furrowed deeper. He tried to calm down, it wouldn't do to have a prefect brawl with the Captain of the quidditch team in one of the courtyard archways.

 

“Name me one crush that you noticed before anyone else”

 

Percy really couldn't fathom how this had become a fight.

 

“Imogene!” he shouted, regretting it immediately. He was pretty sure Imogene wouldn’t appreciate it if he told Oliver. Especially not Oliver.

 

“no you don’t… who would she like?” Oliver said, calmer now. Suddenly less angry and more surprised. Curious even. 

 

Percy felt the secret suffocate him, he was sweating. Confused and dishevelled because his body was so ready to keep fighting, keep being angry. Not like Oliver who could switch through emotions like pages in a book. Percys’ lingered like a song that needed to finish.

 

“...you” he said, instead. quiet. Too tired and confused to try and deflect giving an answer.

 

Oliver made that mock gagging sound again.

 

“No she doesn’t” he said. Percy didn’t understand. Almost any other boy in school would revel in even the smallest chance that Imogene Zimmerman had a crush on them.

 

He didn’t have the energy to argue, so he just threw his hands out in exasperation and started to walk away.

 

“Don’t walk away when we’re having a fight!” Oliver shouted, now sounding angry again.

 

“Are we? Are we having a fight?” Percy shouted back, immediately regretting it and lowering his voice when some second year ravenclaws flinched in his presence.

 

“I don’t want to fight,” Percy said, in a normal speaking voice. It seemed to pull Oliver out of it as well, he looked sad again and shrugged.

 

“No… me neither” he walked towards Percy with his arms stretched out and Percy was ashamed to admit that he flinched. Oliver paused, unsure.

 

“Can we… can we hug?” he asked, looking lost and hurt and Percy desperately wanted to mend that.

 

“I mean can we still do that, or is it weird?”

 

Percy took the initiative to close the gap between them and pulled Oliver into the hug. It felt nicely familiar, and yet strangely new. He realized that they hadn’t really hugged like this for a while now. Somehow along the years, their hugs had become quick and casual. 

 

Oliver tensed in his arms, then gasped as if Percy hugging him surprised him. How could that be, how could something that used to be so natural between them surprise him? 

 

Last time they had almost been equal in height. Now Oliver’s head reached Percy’s shoulder and he rested it there, against Percy’s chest. Pulling in surprised short breaths which made Percy’s heartbeat quicken. A strange new nervousness, and he started to agree with Oliver’s concern about this. Could they still do this, was it weird? 

 

Oliver eventually relaxed and melted into him. Percy realized he was unnaturally stiff, and tried to relax as well. Somehow, he knew that this wasn’t ever going to be the same again. He stayed put though, and held Oliver until he was ready to let go. 

Chapter 54: Year 5 - Contrapposto

Ronald had made close friends in record time. He beat Charlie by a few hours simply by making his first friend on the very first hour of the train ride. 

 

Charlie had at least waited until they reached the Scottish border before he had clung onto the pink haired witch and made her his best friend for life in his first year. 

 

Ron had also somehow managed to befriend the boy who lived. Which was impressive, and slightly concerning. Not that the boy seemed to have been made arrogant by his fame, rather he seemed strangely surprised by it. The issue lay more in that the famous boy who lived was a little sass mouth… But he was eleven, so what would one expect? 

 

In fact, Percy felt quite at ease with this new friendship. So much that he didn’t have to play the worried older brother. 

 

He could focus on his prefect duties… or rather on making out with his girlfriend, pushed against a castle wall while they were supposed to be patrolling.

 

No seriously though… the prefect duties, focus…  but also…

 

Percy’s hormones were in direct conflict with the more dutiful parts of his mind. It proved a struggle to keep in check, especially on days where nothing much happened during patrol, and afterwards… Afterwards they could reap the benefits of spending some downtime in the luxurious secret prefect’s bathroom.

 

It felt like a treat, especially on a day where they had been good and not made out against walls.

 

However the tension had built simply because they had refrained, so that every small innocent touch felt like electricity on their skin.

Penelope probably wouldn’t have appreciated it, if he pounced on her immediately though. 

 

Therefore he kept a distance, which steadily built the invisible pull between them even further. So he dipped his head under the bubbly water to cool himself down. When he resurfaced she had taken a seat on the bath ledge, little rolls of fat folded at her hips where her lush thighs bended. He wanted to bite it. 

 

Her bikini was triangle shaped, the bottoms were tied up with strings on the sides that looked so tempting to pull apart. The bikini had the british flag on them, it seemed wrong to find it sexy. 

 

He could see her clearly even without his glasses on, which didn’t help the temptation at all.

 

Droplets from his own hair dripped down into his face and like a refreshing spritz reminded him to stop staring. He forced his eye to a statue that stood atop the center of the pool, atop the large faucets that provided the scented soaps, lotions and bubbles. It was a greek statue. A young man with soft curly hair, firm bouncy muscles on a body set in perfect contrapposto. He looked so natural it was as if they could’ve painted a real living man in white and placed him there to watch over them. Make sure they didn’t do anything they shouldn’t. His eyes were bashful though, as if he expected it, as if he looked away to give them privacy.

 

“Did you know they were initially painted in bright colours” Penelope whispered in his ear as she snaked her arms around his waist. She had moved closer while he was distracted. 

 

Assisted by the water she gracefully slid in front of him, arms still curled around him. He kissed her instinctively, as if guided to her lips by her presence. She placed her hands in his curls and pulled him in.

 

He pushed her towards the ledge, pressed her body lightly to the corner of the large bathtub. He let his hands roam over every part of skin, carefully and exploringly slipping just his fingertips under the hem of her bikini top. 

 

Fuck, even that was exciting. Just the whisper of a touch on bare skin. He could grab her waist and it was just skin to skin. Meanwhile their lips never parted. She was panting against him indicating she liked it just as much as he did which spurred his excitement on.

 

He pushed harder, pressing their bodies closer for more contact. She giggled and pushed him away. The sudden cold air on his chest was excruciating on his flushed skin. Her giggling reassured him it wasn’t a rejection that she had put space between them. And if that hadn’t reassured him, slipping off her bikini top might have done the trick.

 

He shot a quick glance towards the door, struggling because he would much rather watch her breast or the way the skin folded around her rib cage towards the back where she was a little chubby. Her perfect round face and her luscious dark pink lips that looked swollen and pouty after kissing was where he wanted to keep his eyes.

 

“What if someone comes in?” He said, closing the gap between them and cupping one breast in his hand as he kissed her again.

 

She wrapped her arms around his neck but leaned her head back so she could talk.

 

“I locked the door” she whispered, released him and slipped her hands down into the water. Suddenly her bikini bottoms were in her hand and being discarded to the side. He stared at her, mind numb but on some kind of autopilot. He gasped, a little bit in awe of her. 

 

He closed the gap between them again. Trying to let his hands explore her but not really daring to. He was shaking, she had to place her hands on his and guide them between her legs.

 

“Are you sure?” He asked.

 

“Take of your suit” she whispered instead of answering him. He did whatever she wanted.

 

They still only kissed at first, he was a little bit scared of doing anything else. He wanted to. His breath and hands shook in anticipation of it. It was quite obvious that his own body was ready but he couldn’t tell if hers was.

 

“Ehm...” he muttered, feeling embarrassing heat shoot up into his face and ears.

 

“I can’t tell if you’re wet enough” he mumbled, looking down into the foamy water around their waist rather than at her. She giggled.

 

“It’s fine, I am” she said, her voice sounded shaky. She was a little nervous as well, he could tell, but she still had to guide him in.

 

He knew immediately it would be over super fast. 

 

Her soft skin and body was so beautiful, he couldn’t believe he was this lucky. He wanted to last for her, so he had to try and think of something else. 

 

He turned his head discreetly towards the statue. Watching the sculpted man and his bashful demeanor. The statue had magically turned his body away from them and was now holding a hand over his eyes, he almost looked coy. Percy imagined he’d be blushing if he had been a real man. 

 

His body was the opposite of Penelope’s. Hard and defined but equally beautiful, just in a completely different way. As his position had switched Percy was now facing the sculptures backside and his eyes traveled to his perfect ass. 

 

No, this wasn’t working at all.

 

He turned his head back to Penny, and her softness and her almost renaissance-esque curves. Artfully beautiful in her own way, just different, and he found his mind shifting between them.

 

“Oh god” 

 

He whimpered as he grabbed the bath ledge painfully. Knuckles whitening under the pressure of trying to keep his slick hand steady on the wet tile as he buried his head in the crook of her neck. He stayed still there for a bit, trying to let his mind calm down and sort out all the images and thoughts that tried to fight for dominance over the others.

 

“Uh” he finally said, raising his head and staring in front of him in a surprised daze.

 

Penelope straightened out her body underneath him and tried to lock eyes with him for an explanation. A curious frown on her face.

 

Percy looked at the statue again, also very confused.

 

“Uh?” She asked.

 

He slid through the water so that he landed beside her, and wrapped his arm around her so that she could cuddle into him. Part of him knew not to tell her what he was thinking, but then he met her stormy blue eyes and she wasn’t just his girlfriend Penelope. She was also his friend, and he desperately and selfishly wanted to tell her about his discovery.

 

“Ehm…” he said instead, and once more glanced at the statue that still had his back against them.

 

“Please don’t take this as any type of negative reflection on you, because I swear it has nothing to do with it”

 

She looked worried now, and he wanted to kill himself he was so tactless.

 

“I think…I just realized I’m bisexual” he said, frown still present on his face as he stared at the statue some more.

 

Her eyes followed his, then she started laughing at him. That worry of hers seemed to completely have gone and she curled back into his body, secure and soft again.

 

“Oh my god Percy” she said once she had calmed down “I mean I get it, he’s beautiful” 

 

Percy blushed fiercely.

 

“It’s not- I mean” he had no idea what he wanted to say.

 

“I would’ve been offended if you had watched the stained glass painting of the skinny mermaid, but so what, you’re bisexual. You probably like me and that man for completely different reasons” 

 

He was surprised she was taking it so well.

 

“Are you not mad?” He asked.

 

“No… you could’ve chosen a better time to come out to me” she said and leaned up to kiss his nose.

 

“But it’s okay, at least you didn’t come to the conclusion you were gay.”

 

He nodded and dipped his head down to lean their foreheads together. She was still giggling, somewhat amused by his timing.

 

“I’m sorry” he said.

 

“I said it’s okay… do you want to talk about it some more?”

 

He just shook his head.

 

The way he saw it, he had a girlfriend who he loved and who he could see himself staying with forever. In that case it didn’t matter that he found some men attractive as well. Just as he wouldn’t ever cheat on her with another girl, he would never cheat on her with a boy. So it didn’t matter.  

 

The statue winked at him when they made their way out of there, he refused to look it in the eye. 

 

Once back at his dorm, Oliver commented that he sure had been gone long, he then complained that Percy was dripping water all over the floor. 

 

“You look like a prune” he said and pulled his shirt off to start wiping the floor with it.

 

“Get a towel you brute” Percy complained and threw the one he was holding at Oliver. When Oliver caught it in the air, his chest tensed in the movement. Percy looked at it for perhaps longer than he usually would’ve. 

 

He wondered if Oliver had ever had sex…

 

He could ask him as his best friend right? 

 

Should he tell him what had just happened in the prefect's secret bathroom? Was that a normal thing for a best friend to do?

 

Should he tell him what he had realized…

 

He watched the way the muscles on Oliver’s back moved when he wiped the floor and was mesmerized by how smoothly the anatomy of his back moved for something that looked so solid. His shoulder blades and neck curved and reflected light in a similar way as the statue. 

 

Percy turned his eyes away.

 

Merlin…He had sex only once and was already a great big bloody pervert. 

 

So he had realized he was bisexual the same night as he lost his virginity to his beautiful girlfriend. So what? There was no reason to tell Oliver. Frankly, he never had to think about it ever again. Not if he could help it. 

Chapter 55: Year 5 - this would've been a lovely date...

His hair was still an awkward length, it no longer resembled a buzzcut but it hadn’t quite grown long enough to be called a hairstyle. It was short enough to stick out of his scalp like the fur of a dog, with a small fringe in front. It was delightful to pull his own hand through it, like one of those really soft hair brushes his nan used to have on her dresser. The one made out of silver where the strands of the brush were so fine and tightly pressed together that they almost resembled a sponge. The one that he loved playing with as a child and he always regretted not grabbing a hold of when she passed away. Now it was lost to him. He pondered the memory fondly while he pulled his hand back and forth over his scalp as he sat on the bleachers waiting for Percy to finish his prefect duties for the day. He had promised they would hang out today. Promised not to be late. 

 

As he watched the setting October sun go down behind the distant mountains, colouring the sky a bright orange the same as Percy’s har he couldn’t help but feel lied to. 

 

Everything reminded him of Percy and how he couldn't have him as more than a friend, and even as a friend his time was getting scarce. He let his eye wander over the pitch, the goal posts and tried to distract himself by drawing up strategies in his mind. When he wasn’t thinking about Percy he was thinking about Quidditch. If he wasn’t thinking about quidditch he was thinking about Percy. God help him, he liked Percy so much, even when he was being anal and boring Oliver found him so endearing and sweet. He knew that underneath all that politically correct, stick in the mud attitude he had started to adapt to, the same wild little rascal of a boy existed. It was the combination of the two that made Percy. It saddened Oliver that Percy seemed to favour one part of himself more than the other, and rarely let the other one out anymore. 

 

“Sorry I’m late” Percy fumbled with his robes as he ran up the steps on the bleachers. It tugged at Oliver's heart, at least Percy was in a hurry to get to his friend. When he came up close Oliver could tell his hair was a mess, and it couldn’t just have been the wind because his lip had a soft glimmer of lipgloss. Oliver swept his hand out without thinking and wiped it off. It startled Percy who put his own hand to his mouth and wiped as well, even though he didn’t know what he was wiping at.

 

“lipgloss” Oliver said cheekily and grinned at Percy as he walked past him, down towards the pitch. Percy followed absentmindedly as he kept wiping at his mouth,

 

“Sorry… I-”

 

Oliver forced himself to give him a friendly chuckle, and tried to ignore the pain in his chest.

 

“I don’t need the details, I get it, I’m a teenager too” he said, as he jumped down the last steps and walked up to two broomsticks set out on the ground.

 

Percy was watching him hesitantly, as if he wanted to ask Oliver something about his statement. He didn’t.

 

“What are our plans for today then?” Percy asked, warily watching the brooms that Oliver had brought him to. Without Oliver having to answer he groaned and shook his head. Wrapping his arms around his chest and closing up his whole body in protest.

 

“Please no, I hate flying” Percy said. 

 

Oliver knew this, Percy saw flying as merely a technical means of exportation. When you needed to travel from point A to point B, like taking the bus. He didn’t do it for prosperity.

 

“It’s my choice, you have ditched me so many times for your girlfriend, we’re doing what I want to do” Oliver said pointedly, and handed Percy one of the brooms he had picked up. Percy persisted, stubbornly refusing it. Oliver thought for a second, a determined wrinkle forming on his forehead. He straddled his own broom and walked with it towards Percy still holding out the extra one that he was determined to get percy onboard. Percy took a step back, eyeing Oliver suspiciously up and down. Equally stubbornly he quickly decided to stand his ground and stared Oliver down rather than keep backing away.

 

“you’re not getting me on that broom” Percy said, and gestured towards the spare in Oliver’s hand. Instantaneously an idea came to Oliver. 

 

“This broom?” he asked, dropping the spare to the ground, simultaneously as he skillfully slid the shaft of the broom he was straddling in between Percy’s legs. Before the other boy had time to react or adjust to the new circumstances he pulled Percy towards his torso and tipped the broom upwards. Kicking off and lifting them both to the sky. 

Percy instinctively clung on to Oliver’s shirt. A painful grip as his nails, albeit short, dug into Oliver’s shoulders. He didn’t mind though because Percy was pressing his entire weight on to him, gasping out a shocked breath right into Oliver’s ear as he pressed their bodies tighter together in desperation. Oliver couldn't help laughing at it, how foolish he was to be so happy and excited about it. He could feel his and Percy’s hearts beat equally frantic against his ribcage. Perhaps for different reasons.

 

“ Oliver ” Percy shrieked and started turning his head around. Watching their surroundings grow smaller underneath them.

 

“Put me down this instant, are you mad?” he yelled, and punched Oliver angrily at his chest now that he had managed to assess the situation. Oliver just laughed and did a loop in the air. One hand on the shaft, the other securely around Percy’s waist. When he did, Percy once more grabbed onto Oliver’s torso and hugged him for security. Oliver felt a little bit like he was taking advantage and refrained from doing another loop.

 

“This is your punishment for being late” Oliver said, leaning his body forward to speed up a little, which pushed him right into Percy who had to lean back. He followed Oliver’s movement like a perfect team player, as if he responded to him by instinct.

 

Percy looked out into the distance as they did. His orange curls caught the setting sun and made them glow like embers. Oliver couldn’t help stare right into his face. Percy was smiling a little. Almost easy to miss, but the corners of his mouth pulled upwards. 

 

Percy naturally caught his stare the moment he turned his eyes back to Oliver. The smile faltered, Percy looked surprised as his breath caught. Oliver quickly turned down his eyes feeling stupidly caught. 

 

He felt embarrassed over the intensity he could feel on his own features when he watched the other boy and hoped Percy couldn’t tell. 

 

Percy chuckled nervously in front of him. Oliver supposed he was still a bit fearful of Oliver’s shenanigans and decided he wouldn’t pull any more flying stunts.

 

“It’s not so bad I guess” Percy said, a genuine smile creeping up on his face as he looked out over the grounds. He was leaning his weight back again, creating distance between them, which forced Oliver to lean back as well for counter balance. Somehow not touching chests was even more blindly intense than touching. As if the not touching made him more aware of the invisible pull he felt there. 

 

It almost felt a bit like a date, Oliver was painfully aware that it wasn’t.

 

Feeling as if he’d convinced Percy about an evening flying tour, he landed them softly. Once again forced to keep an arm around Percy’s waist when he did to secure him. He could feel the pressure of Percy pulling his body in the opposite direction of Oliver’s. He tried to not over analyse it as a rejection.

 

When they were safely on the ground Percy picked up his own broom and rolled his eyes at Oliver’s gleeful smile.

 

“Okay, it’s kind of nice” Percy said reluctantly before he kicked off on his own broom this time. 

 

They did a few laps, zig zagged their way between poles that held the house banners. They tried all the easiest party tricks Oliver knew to teach Percy who wasn't as frequently airborne. Percy still had a natural nick for it. A born talent for it, just like his brothers. It was such a shame he didn’t care for it. 

 

“Won’t you please just try out for the seeker position” Oliver pleaded as he paused to just watch Percy soar before him. Percy did a u-turn midair and effortlessly returned to Oliver’s side.

 

He shook his head, but he smiled.

 

“You know I don’t care for it” he said.

 

“It could be temporary, I desperately need a seeker” Oliver pleaded. Percy laughed breathilly.

 

“Yeah, cause you will definitely accept just a finger and not take the whole hand if I offer it” Percy said and rolled his eyes again.

 

“I really don’t have the time anyway” Percy said, and started descending down again. Oliver circled him a few laps while they dove. 

 

"Please? It’s the end of October already".

Quidditch season was just around the corner basically. 

 

He tried to give his best puppy dog eyes. Percy met them for a split second, but quickly averted his eyes. It almost seemed deliberate, like he avoided meeting Oliver’s.

 

“I can’t” Percy said as he landed softly. He gave a short smile, still avoiding eye contact but he did pet Oliver’s head. Pulling his hand through the fur-like short hair. Like a faithful dog, Oliver thought bitterly. 

 

“you’ll find a seeker soon, I’m sure of it” 

Chapter 56: Year 5 - Seek and you shall find

To everyone’s shock and surprise McG stormed inside in the middle of charms class. Okay, she sensibly knocked and asked if she could bother class, but when it came to professor McGonagall that was practically the same thing. 

 

Initially Oliver assumed he was in trouble because why would his head of house walk straight into another professor's class and call his name, especially when that other professor was Flitwick whom he knew she respected.

 

Professor McGonagall’s face wasn’t stern or reprimanding, not even disappointed which was somehow concerning. She looked gleeful, giddy even. Which just stood out even more starkly against Flitwick’s surprised nod. As if it wasn’t shocking enough to watch McG in this setting, in this humour. Poorly containing her smile.

 

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?" she had said. Oliver truly would’ve been terrified if the gleam in her eyes hadn’t looked so happy.

 

Following her steps was a boy, who looked as surprised to be there as Oliver. It was the scrawniest little lad he’d seen in his life. 

 

“That's Harry Potter” he heard someone whisper somewhere from inside the class and the murmurs started to spread, which he could tell bothered professor Flitwick more than the initial interruption that McGonagall had caused. Oliver decided he better take this outside then. He packed up his books and wand to follow his teacher out. He felt extremely confused though, about what McGonagall and the boy who lived wanted with him.

 

McGonagall simply led them away, chasing Peeves out of a classroom to have it for themselves. Oliver was both confused and curious as he peered down on the little kid that McGonagall was in such a state over. And about introducing him to Oliver of all people.

Once Peeves was out, she didn't waste a single second more. At least not a full one.

 

“I found you-” she paused a millisecond, Oliver was almost sure he was dreaming this “A seeker ”

 

Harry Potter seemed completely lost, but peered up at Oliver with great curiosity. Oliver was so excited he could barely contain himself. He grabbed onto McGonagall’s arms as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing and had to grab onto her for verification of reality. This was delightful news. 

 

He could hear himself start rambling. Now that he looked the boy over he did have a perfect seeker build. They needed to get him equipment, training. He was perhaps better than Charlie, McGonagall said. Oliver barely registered it but when he did he did a double take and watched the kid with his mouth agape. 

 

Of course they would waive the first year  rule, he even forgot to be mad about how he himself had to wait an entire year back then. He was too excited. 

 

It was a very unorthodox way of receiving a new seeker, as Mcgonagall would have phrased it if her love for the sport hadn’t deemed her completely changed in personality. One of few things that could drag the old gal out of her stiff work persona was Quidditch. It was rare, and reminded Oliver a little bit of Percy. If only Percy had loved Quidditch as much as McGonagall did. 

 

Harry Potter being Harry Potter didn’t faze Oliver at all and except for deciding that perhaps he needed one private lesson to catch up to the rules, he didn’t really see a reason as to why he wouldn’t treat the boy like any of his other teammates. So after two lighter sessions where he mostly went over the basics, he threw the boy into the lion’s den. How else would he learn, if not by exposure? 

 

His team were on board, and no one went easy on the kid. He seemed like a natural after all. 

 

He seemed to thrive in it.

 

Just in time as the Quidditch season neared, and after a steady pace of three practises a week he felt as if they were ready.

 

He had practised his speech for hours in the mirror, it would be so much more impactful this year now that he was captain. Yes, he had done it previous years as well, but he never felt as if the team had taken him seriously then.

 

He began.

 

“Listen, men!”

 

Angelina immediately interrupted and quipped in by adding women. Not a great start.

 

He felt a little silly but didn’t let it deter him. After all, she was right and he was not afraid of adapting to his mistakes. 

 

“and women” he agreed and continued without pause. 

 

He didn’t get far before the Weasley twins started saying his speech for him…before he could. Perhaps he shouldn't have used the same one as last year but he was a little touched that they had memorized it. 

 

“Shut up” he said, and glared at the twins. He then let his glare travel over everyone else as well.

 

“This is serious, we’re going to win this, I know it!”

 

He bore his eyes into them, to try and make sure they knew that they didn’t really have a choice in the matter.

 

Harry Potter might have been a natural, but he did seem nervous. So after the others had moved out of the changing room Oliver stopped the boy for a private pep talk.

 

“I know I’m tough on you… but it’s okay if you make some mistakes when it’s your first game” he said, trying to comfort the boy. Harry smiled into the ground as the grip around his new nimbus 2000 tightened.

 

“So when you said we have to win, it was just talk?” Harry asked,

 

Oliver guffawed.

 

“Hell no, I’m dead serious, you have to win . Make sure to catch the snitch, but it’s okay if you make some dumb decisions before that” he said, and to his relief Harry laughed.

 

“Listen, I only got to play two minutes my first game” Oliver said and chuckled.

 

“Got a bludger to the head, but it’s fine. That's what Quidditch is. It’s a little dangerous”

 

Harry nodded. He didn’t seem a stranger to a little danger. Oliver patted his back as they made it out on the field.

 

---

 

They won. 

 

he couldn’t believe it. 

 

Slytherin had fought so dirty and they had still won. Flint was still quarreling about it twenty minutes later but it didn’t matter because they had won. Oliver ignored Flint screaming in his face, simply placed his leather clad hand over his opponents mouth and pushed him away so that he could run up and lift the boy who lived. Who cared if he had lived ! He was the boy who caught the snitch with his mouth !

 

They decided to have a party in his honour. 

 

Being eleven he naturally couldn't attend it, but the older kids decided to stay up in the Gryffindor common room and drink and celebrate. Oliver really wanted to celebrate with Percy though. He hadn’t been this happy in a while now and he wanted to share it with his best friend. He kept half his attention on the portrait hole every chance he got, simply waiting for him to appear. Eventually he would have to walk through it. 

 

Finally, Percy entered the portrait hole in perfect time as everyone cheered over yet another toast.

 

“Seems like I missed quite a game” Percy said.

 

“you won’t miss the next one right?” Oliver ran up to him immediately. Placing an arm around his shoulder and guiding him into the crowd. A great big smile was plastered on his face, which managed to rub off on Percy.

 

Percy may have smiled big, but he still shrugged.

 

“If I don’t have too much school work” he said, and Oliver had to accept it as the best possible answer. 

 

Percy did stay and celebrate with them, even he got caught up in the camaraderie and house pride on an occasion like this. 

 

He was finally spending his time with Oliver and the girls like the good old times, but since the fourth, sixth and seventh years kept wanting to congratulate the team members - it didn’t take long before Oliver lost Percy in the crowd again. He was sure the girls would keep him company though. He tried to make his way back to them on several occasions, but was yet again pulled to the side for a victory shot.

 

He didn’t even know what he was drinking half of the time.

 

Finally he spotted Imogene and Lauren. No Percy though. He shot them a look, silently asking about it. Lauren looked apologetic. Imogene simply shook her head, and nodded towards the exit. He didn’t need words, Oliver understood, Percy had gone to see Penelope. 

 

Perhaps it was his drunken state but he decided to leave the party to go find him.

 

The music and celebratory voices disappeared behind the fat lady’s portrait as she shut behind him. She attempted to congratulate him, to join in on the festive mood but Oliver had left his mood inside. 

 

He ran towards the ravenclaw tower. It was the only lead he had. 

 

The fastest way to get there was to go down to the dungeon first. Across the castle basement level and then upstairs on the west side. So he took that shortcut. Forgetting he had to run past the slytherin common room first. 

 

Had he thought about it, he might have anticipated that Flint would sulk about. Perhaps they had their own type of pity party down there, but knowing how Flint was, Oliver should’ve known he would be outside in the corridors. Simply refusing to join in on principle if they hadn’t won. If Oliver had remembered, he might have taken the long way.

 

Flint was indeed sulking in the corridor. 

 

Surprisingly enough, Flint didn’t attack him. He simply stood in his way, forcing Oliver to slow down his pace. Flint was insistently in the way, so much so that Oliver couldn’t get past him. Not unlike how he acted in the air during games.

 

“Leave me alone” Oliver hissed and pushed Marcus forwards. The boy grinned, which was a shame. He was almost handsome these days, when he kept his mouth shut. Perhaps his crooked teeth were a Flint family point of pride. Proof that his parents had married their cousin. 

 

“What do you want then, argue about how the catch didn’t count again? Or do you wanna discuss the multiple fouls that you made, and encourage your team to make?” Oliver had stopped but kept pushing his hand roughly against Flint’s shoulder as he spoke.

 

“Are you drunk?” Flint asked, surprisingly more amused than angry now that it was just the two of them.

 

“You fired the only talent you had on your team, simply because she didn’t agree with you!” Oliver shouted, suddenly reminded that he also hated Flint on Morgan’s behalf. Since the first thing Flint had done when he became captain was to get rid of anyone who opposed him.

 

“Fired? It’s a school team” Marcus Flint laughed, surprisingly genuine.

 

“I don’t care, she is the best of you” Oliver said and pushed him again. Flint didn’t push back, just stood his ground.

 

“Ah, I forgot you and lesbos are close” he said and finally took ahold of Oliver’s wrist to stop the attack.

 

“You don’t get to call her that” Oliver said and punched him with the other hand this time. Flint didn’t bother to catch that one and just absentmindedly rubbed his pectoral that had received the majority of the hits 

 

“Whatever…” he gave Oliver a once over then he grinned 

 

“Do you wanna make out?”

 

Oliver was baffled. 

 

It wasn’t as if it had never happened again after that first time, but Flint had never straight out asked him before.

 

In solidarity with Morgan he shouldn’t, but there was a strange sense of power in knowing that Marcus was more into him than he was into Marcus. Oliver was just using him for his body and Marcus Flint was well aware of it. He needed to be nice, or Oliver wouldn't look twice at him.

 

They had done this a few times last year, but only when Oliver was in a poor mood, usually when he had lost. Now he was apparently doing it when they won too, which wasn’t a great progression.

 

He placed his hand on Flint’s chest again but this time he pushed gently and pressed him to the wall before kissing him.

 

The usual struggle started over who was going to take the lead. Flint didn’t mind being pushed to the wall, however he wanted to set the pace. Grabbing wherever he could, and when Oliver wouldn't let him then he flipped them over so that he could push Oliver to the wall instead. 

 

His stubble was coarse and as previously reflected, felt like making out with a cheese grater. There was nothing romantic or tender about it, but as long as they were aware that this was all it was, what was the harm? They still hated each other, no amount of kissing could change that.

 

Flint’s fingers roamed under Oliver’s shirt, his hands were cold over Oliver’s heated drunk buzzing skin. Oliver allowed it.

 

Flint bit his neck, softly, probably not enough to leave marks. Which was strangely tender coming from Flint. Oliver allowed it. 

 

When he grabbed at Oliver’s belt, fumbling to unbuckle it, Oliver stopped him.

 

“No” he shook his head and grabbed Flint’s hands, guiding them back to his upper body where they could roam wherever they wanted.

 

Flint frowned.

 

“Why not?”

 

It wasn’t the first time they had this conversation.

 

“I don’t want to” Oliver said, giving up on getting Flint to focus on his chest and let his hands go.

 

“Seriously, who are you saving yourself for?” Flint moved away, creating distance between them.

 

"Is it Weasley? If you haven’t noticed, he’s not around!” He almost seemed genuinely upset. 

 

Oliver’s insides froze, in disregard of the high level of alcohol in his blood that should’ve countered it. 

 

Then he got mad.

 

“Keep his fucking name out of your mouth” he pointed a finger at Flint, pressing his lips together so he wouldn’t say anything stupid.

 

“Fucking blood traitor ginger dick, the only thing doing it for you?” Flint insisted.

 

Oliver hit him. Square in the jaw. It felt good, it had been too long since he'd punched Flint in the face.

 

“He’s gone !” Flint insisted as soon as he had collected himself. Hand cupping his jaw where he’d gotten it.

 

“He’s not gone! Just because he’s studying and has a girlfriend doesn't mean he doesn’t care about me anymore” Oliver screamed, clenching his fists in anger, ready to keep fighting. He wasn’t entirely sure he wasn't trying to convince himself about it rather than Flint. 

 

Flint stood still with his hand still rubbing his cheek. The look on his face was surprise, then clarity formed. He seemed to realize, just as Oliver did, that Flint hadn’t meant Percy.

 

“Merlin’s shit…” Flint gasped, rubbing his face “ wrong Weasley ” 

 

Oliver panicked, he felt the sense of power he had gotten used to slip through his fingers.

 

“No, I-” he didn’t know what to say. Flint looked perfectly happy, amused at Oliver's expense.

 

“Merlin’s exploding ball sack, Percy Weasley ? You fancy Percy Weasley?” Flint said. Oliver hated that the first time he heard it said out loud, it was said in that tone, by that boy. 

 

The mood was effectively dead, and the power had shifted. He knew for certain he wouldn’t ever let Flint kiss him again, because with the leverage Flint had on him now, that was dangerous.

 

“Fuck you Flint” he said, without acknowledging Flint’s statement and left. 

 

He knew two things. Flint would never touch him again if not for fighting or quidditch, and he would never allow Flint anywhere near Percy alone. He could never get a chance to tell him. 

Chapter 57: Year 5 - One thousand magical herbs and fungi: Volume II

Oliver tried his best to stay glued to Percy’s side, which meant he had to at least pretend to be tagging along to Percy and Penelope’s study sessions because he too needed to do his schoolwork. He was starting to get paranoid, thinking he saw Flint lurking behind every bookcase whenever Percy went away to get something. Oliver kept his eyes stuck on Percy at all times, just in case that insufferable Slytherin would pop out. 

He had told Morgan about it. Because he figured Morgan already knew anyway, about his feelings for his best friend. Sure, he didn’t come right out and say ‘ Flint knows I like Percy and he’s going to tell him if I don’t always hover around ’. He said something more in the likes of ‘ Flint knows who my secret crush is, and I need your help to keep them separated so he doesn’t tell on me ’. 

So on the red and gold end of things he had Percy under constant surveillance, and on the silver-green end Morgan kept an eye out if she ever saw Flint get an opportunity to talk to Percy alone. She only rolled her eyes at him once when he told her the strategy, but she said she’d butt in if she happened to see it. Which was good enough. 

Morgan’s approach was more relaxed. Meanwhile there were a few times Oliver was close to sitting on Percy’s lap, to make sure he was always under his nose. Percy did give him a few weird looks when he started to realize that Oliver moved wherever he moved, but he didn’t say anything. 

They had just entered the library when Oliver spotted Flint checking out a book from Madam Pince. Their eyes locked, so Oliver demonstratively stepped as close to Percy as he could get, and pretended to read the book Percy was holding over his shoulder. Percy, having gotten used to this by now, didn't even flinch. Flint gave them a funny look, then shook his head like he was feeling sorry for Oliver or something. Oliver snorted and scoffed as he kept his eyes focused on Flint. Flint furrowed his brow and seemed to sigh in defeat. Finally he seemed to be giving up. 

Oliver was struck with the vague idea that perhaps he had been exaggerating a bit in his worries. He wasn’t prepared to risk that not being true though so he kept close even as Percy started walking towards a group table. After all, Flint could be acting this way in order for Oliver to lower his guard. By making him think that he was giving up.

Flint shook his head and headed out of the library. 

At that point Oliver made some room for Jesus between him and Percy. Percy actually reacted to that. As if he’d gotten so used to having Oliver glued to his side these few days, so that it felt weird to have space.

“Do you need this book?” Percy asked as they sat down, and handed Oliver the one he’d pretended to read over Percy’s shoulder.

“Eh, yes!” Oliver lied and accepted it.

“I think I need the second volume, I’ll be right back” Percy said and headed back to a bookcase. Since Flint had left the library Oliver felt comfortable enough to let him go by himself, and simply watched him go instead of going with him.

Someone at the table cleared their voice, pulling his attention. Penelope. He hadn't even seen her there. Of course, he knew she would be there, it was hers and Percy’s study date that he had crashed. For the third time this week. 

She was giving him a funny look too, just like Flint had.

“What is happening?” she said, looking him over and following his previous line of vision to her boyfriend who was apparently unaware, still searching the shelves for volume two of… Oliver looked down into the book in his hands and turned it over to read the cover ‘One thousand magical herbs and fungi’. Oh, he actually did need this one!

His eyes snapped back up to Penelope.

“Sorry?” he said, confused.

“Why are you acting so… weird” she said, and gestured to his entire person. He was a bit offended at that, which clearly showed on his face because she looked apologetic. 

“I’m sorry” she said “it’s just that… you don’t usually care to study with us and you’re basically always-” she stopped herself and forced a smile on her face.

“Nevermind” she said, and went back to her own book. Oliver’s heart was racing. Had he been so obviously strange? What if Percy felt it too. He looked over at him over by the shelves. 

Percy looked carefree, a little tense but that seemed more to do with the fact he was still looking for volume two of one thousand magical herbs and fungi and apparently couldn’t find it. He was probably tense because he was wasting precious studying minutes.

“I… It’s Flint, I have a feeling he’ll do something to Perce if I’m not around” he admitted, half-truthing seemed the right thing to do.

Her head bounced up surprised, for a split second she looked as if she understood, then she looked annoyed again. Just a split second, her eyes hardened in a way Oliver had learned was disapproving.

She dipped her head back into her book, biting her cheeks as if she was holding back her opinion. It burned inside Oliver’s chest, hurt pride, he thought. Whatever she thought of his behaviour she didn’t approve even when he was just defending a friend. His best friend, who he had the pleasure of knowing years ahead of her. 

“What’s that supposed to be about?” he asked, gesturing to her whole person this time. 

Her head snapped up again, clearly angry.

“I don’t think we should have this conversation right now” she whispered angrily. Oliver was embarrassingly reminded he was in a library and also lowered his voice to match hers.

“No, tell me, what’s so bad about me defending my friend?”

“He wouldn’t need defending, if it wasn’t for you!” she hissed, then she looked mortified. as if she regretted it instantly.

“I’m sorry” she whispered, it sounded sincere. Oliver’s anger melted away. She was right.

“No, you're right, I’m sorry” he said and went back to reading about fungi. He heard her sigh on the other end of the table and a soft hand reached out and patted his.

“no, I’m sorry” she patted his hand once more and went back to her own work again. The whole interaction felt like he was five and she was his middle aged teacher realizing she was arguing with a five year old. He could feel his cheeks heat in embarrassment and was honestly glad for the silence and that they both could just focus on their own activity while they waited for Percy.

“Some child had hid it underneath the shelf” Percy stage-whisper-screamed as a large book bounced down on the table.

“So… childish ”

Oliver couldn’t help snicker. Percy was usually a lot more eloquent. When you knew he actually wanted to say something foul but was holding back, his speech was strangely limited. In a sense, Oliver could actually hear what he was actually saying when he said that. Coulourful swears rang out from Percy’s mind that only Oliver could hear. 

They studied silently, exchanging help whenever needed but otherwise completely engulfed in their own work. At least Percy was, Oliver knew since he was staring at him a lot. Oliver leaned his head in his hand and watched him quietly, his other hand leisurely flipped through the pages that he didn’t look down on.

“Oh there it is, I need that” Imogene suddenly appeared, taking a seat on the table in front of his view of Percy, Oliver’s eyes snapped up to her, then he quickly grabbed the book hard so that she couldn't take it from him. He actually did need it. If he failed his next herbology quiz McGonagall might suspend him from Quidditch, he needed at least an Acceptable.

“I’m using it” he said and pulled it close to his chest for support. Her brow furrowed.

“you were barely even looking at it” she said and took a hold of an exposed corner, attempting to pry it out of his hands.

“you were staring into space” she insisted, and flailed her hand in Percy’s direction. Percy turned to look behind him to find whatever Oliver had been so focused on. Penelope however looked right at Oliver, her eye traveling between Imogene and Oliver and the scene they were making. There was something suspicious in her eyes.

“I lost concentration, I’m going to read it now” Oliver insisted, forcing himself to ignore Penelope in order to focus on pushing Imogene away from him.

“Just give it to me, I’m much faster, I’ll give it to you when I’m done” Imogene said, a poorly hidden laughter under her voice as she struggled against Oliver’s hand that was forcing her away. Behind her Oliver could see Percy smile, one of those half smiles that he tried to force back. When he found something endearingly entertaining and familiar, but somehow tried to act as if he didn’t. The only way he ever smiled at his twin brothers and now also at Imogene and Oliver.

“Could you not!” Penelope said, suddenly raising her voice. She seemed to catch herself and much lower said “we’re trying to study and if you want to chat and fool about then please do it somewhere else”

Oliver and Imogene stared at her, then they shared a look. Their fifth year sure was a bit stressful. they all knew that, but this felt a bit extensive. Penelope really must’ve been under it, because Oliver couldn’t think of a single time during the years they’d known her that she had ever lost her temper. even a little. Even Percy looked surprised. Then he nodded in agreement with her.

“She’s right, this was our table first and if you’re not going to study seriously then maybe you should leave” 

Oliver felt a hurt in his chest, but he didn’t want to argue. He didn’t want to stay there anyway if he wasn’t welcome. So he grabbed his book on fungi and stood up, but imogene put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back into his seat.

“No” she said coldly, sitting firmly on the table and crossing her arms over her chest.

“No?” both Oliver and Percy said surprised.

“this is a public space, we can sit here if we like” Imogene said pointedly and raised a well plucked eyebrow. It was in fact so plucked it was just a thin line of an eyebrow. It must’ve stood out against Oliver’s bushy but matching raised eyebrows, his more in surprise than defiance. 

Percy rolled his eyes and mumbled something about immaturity, then he took his own copy of one thousand magical herbs and fungi: Volume II’ and placed his bag over his shoulder.

“Fine, the table is yours, we’ll find another one” he said and reached his arm out so that Penelope could grab it. 

“Are you seriously making such a fuss, when you’re reading a year six book for fun?” Imogene said and gestured to the book Percy was holding. Percy rolled his eyes again. Oliver had no idea it had been a year six book, he was impressed Imogene just knew that. 

“I finished my assignment already so Professor Sprout gave me an extracurricular assignment, which yes, is from year six. But I still get marks on it” Percy stated, a little bit like he was holding a lecture. Then he and Penleope quickly walked away from them. Penelope hanging onto Percy’s bent arm like a prom picture. Oliver felt numb. Like, perhaps he felt that this was sort of Imogene’s fault.

He was just about to reprimand her and say she went too far when he caught her eye. It looked a bit sad.

“I don’t like what those two are becoming,” she said and turned her head away from the retreating couple, she glanced down at Oliver.

Oliver wanted to defend them, at least Percy. Because honestly, he too was starting to feel like Penelope was starting to bother him. Something about the way she looked at him sometimes, it chafed. It somehow correlated to how Percy had gotten less physical with him. 

Since somewhere around the beginning of this year, Percy had gotten less comfortable with Oliver hugging him or even changing in front of him, and simultaneously Penelope had started watching Oliver differently. He wasn’t sure how they were related, but they had to be, right?

Although, they had all been slightly high strung since the troll incident on Halloween. 

Even if it had been fun watching Percy thrive as he’d herded the younger kids to Gryffindor common room, the looming sense that it was strange that a troll had gotten in at all sort of trumped that. Besides, after Percy had found out that he had lost his own brother in the train of first years that night, and that Ron had somehow been involved in finding the troll, Percy had been stricter than ever. 

Imogene gently patted Oliver’s head. He patted her back just to make a point. Her short afro was just as bouncy as his straight hair standing straight up from his scalp. If she could pet him then he could pet her back. She snickered and dipped her head away. That was still a win, had he been anyone else she would’ve slapped him. 

“Percy’s kind of becoming a dick” she said, with a sense of condolences.

“Yeah, well, I don’t think he’s entirely at fault” Oliver said and sighed. Imogene nodded solemnly. 

Then Imogene swiftly grabbed the book and jumped off the table to create space between them. Just enough so that when he reached after her he only hit the air. Oliver shouted out in protest and was hushed by Madam Pince.

“I’m a faster reader” Imogene insisted and poked her tongue out. 

Chapter 58: Year 5 - Dripping wet menace to society

After his discovery that he also found certain men attractive, Percy had realized this came with just one setback. His roommate was way too comfortable being naked. 

 

Being a bisexual man Percy could easily avoid persecution and prejudice by simply dating women, which he was. He was also fortunate enough to have a wonderful girlfriend who didn’t look down on him for telling her about it either. In retrospect he realized, that could have gone much poorer.

 

His social life was unaffected by this new information, his hormones and mind however did not get the memo that this was supposed to be a non-issue.

 

Watching Oliver change suddenly felt like a crime. Oliver slept in his boxers most of the time, if even that, and it had never been trouble before. Perhaps it would’ve been if they hadn’t been eleven the first time it happened and were unaware that a naked body could be anything but just a body. With all the same parts as the other eleven year old boys in the room. At that time having Oliver walk around naked after a shower or taking his sweet time changing hadn’t been anything he’d ever questioned. And before they knew it, it was normal. Just part of their everyday life. Unfortunately for Percy, Oliver seemed to get more naked every year. As if the hotter his body got from all his practices, the more comfortable he got. 

 

When Oliver was asleep under his covers Percy felt almost safe. If he just didn’t look at the direction of the bed he could spare himself the view of Oliver’s muscular thighs and arse poking up over the blanket. If Oliver just kept stationary, Percy could avoid looking at it.

 

So to avoid the moment when Oliver had to get out of bed to change, Percy started getting up at the crack of dawn and went to breakfast at the earliest possible hour. He could always use the excuse that he wanted to get started on his day early, cram some more studying in before classes started. Oliver might have questioned it less if he and Percy hadn’t already both been morning people. 

 

A still sleepy, yawning Oliver complained the first couple of times that Percy hadn’t waited for him or woken him up so they could go together, but after a few days he relented and gave in to his own sleep schedule again. Percy could understand his upset, he was a bit upset over it as well. Breakfast had been one of the last meals they had shared lately. Since Percy usually took dinner with the other prefects and since their curriculums were different now that they had started to choose their classes, lunch hours sometimes varied as well. Their schedules didn’t match the way they had used to.

 

At least Percy tried to stay put at the breakfast table long enough for Oliver to drag his feet in and take a seat. Oliver was after all also one of the earliest risers in the school, since he liked to get a morning run in. What Percy was doing was just unhinged at this point, he was almost seated while the houseleves were still setting up. When Oliver showed up, there were at least a few more students.

 

“I’m starting to get worried about you” Oliver said and drank slowly out of his juice, giving Percy a suspicious once-over.

 

“You’re starting to get a reputation you know…”

 

Percy rolled his eyes over his Daily Prophet.

 

“The rumour mill must be running dry” p

Percy said. 

 

Even though the paper had already come and he supposed all other postage would’ve arrived simultaneously, he still couldn’t help glancing up into the great ceiling. Oliver followed his gaze.

 

“No more letters, huh?” he said and looked just as miserable as Percy felt about it. Paul’s letters had come less and less frequently until they just stopped altogether. It was worrying them. 

 

“Only one yesterday… but from Charlie” Percy said and sighed. 

 

Oliver perked up, Percy felt Oliver’s big smile like a vice around his chest. He knew Oliver and Charlie were friends somehow, and that didn’t mean Oliver liked Charlie more than Percy. Oliver was the one who called Percy his best friend first, he wouldn’t just change that just because Charlie started paying him attention. Still, there was something about Oliver’s adoration of Charlie that always irked him. He knew he was irrational but he couldn’t help feeling suffocated whenever Oliver shone up like that at the mere mention of Charlie’s name.

 

It was like a sour reminder that they had so much in common, Oliver and Charlie.

 

“What’s it say?” Oliver asked when Percy hadn't continued. Percy almost didn’t want to tell him.

 

“He got a new job, in Romania” Percy said, sighing a tad bit too dramatically. It wasn’t entirely unwarranted though, Charlie had no idea the peril this would bring.

 

Oliver looked excited. He probably knew Romania meant dragons. 

 

“Not an internship, a proper job?” 

 

Percy nodded.

 

“He’s going to move there to study dragons full time” Percy said, he was happy for his brother, this was his dream after all. But the fact he had moved the country so permanently and so fast was bothersome. At least Bill was hired by the British government and was just posted in Egypt. They all knew he would come back some day, Charlie however was a wild card now. 

 

“Good for Charlie!” Oliver beamed. 

 

Percy couldn’t feel entirely happy for him. He wanted to, he wanted nothing more than to just be happy for him. As the day went by he couldn’t stop thinking about their mother though…

 

Had he told her yet? Had he written her a letter too, a few rows of information that he was moving away, perhaps forever. Only to visit on pre-selected holidays and special events. Would he be so tactless to break their mother’s heart by letter? 

Would their father stop being such a spaz for a minute to comfort her right, and tell her he was just a floo away in case of emergencies? Arthur Weasley was many things, kind, eccentric and loving. Tactless was unfortunately also one of those things.

 

“ Aguamenti ” he tipped his wand to the glass on his bedside table as he wrote down more notes in his dream journal for divination, and made a plan to finish his astronomy charts by Friday. His current dreams had been quite unpleasant, like getting lost in the Burrow’s, finding unfamiliar hallways that he didn’t know and basements full of murky stormy waters. His astronomy charts however indicated prosperity and success, so he figured it would be worth it in the end.

His bed was strewn with parchment and as his eyes finally registered the mess he started to arrange them in neat piles. He had just finished as Oliver stepped into their dorm clad in only his towel, loosely held together at his hip. His torso dipped in a V-shape down to hips that the poor towel desperately tried to stick to, but failed so poorly that Oliver was forced to keep his hand on it. 

 

“Did you just walk through the castle like that?” Percy asked, judging him.

 

Oliver snickered.

 

“I’m wearing a towel”

 

“That’s barely anything” Percy said, and gestured towards Oliver’s bare torso.

 

“I used the seventh floor showers, it’s not like it’s a long walk” Oliver rolled his eyes and made his way towards his bed. As per usual in no hurry to put on clothes. 

 

“It’s still inappropriate” Percy insisted, his eyes lingered a bit on the shape of Oliver’s waist. His mouth felt dry and uncomfortable, so happy for a reason to look down into his glass instead he took a long soothing swig of water. 

 

“What are you gonna do, give me detention?” Oliver asked cheekily, almost like he dared him to. Percy looked over at him with his cheeks protruding with water. He just needed to swallow then he could banter back. 

 

Oliver was looking at him, a big challenging grin on his face. Percy glared, cheeks still puffy like a hamster which probably didn’t give him the authoritative sneer that he wanted. 

 

Completely unbothered Oliver dropped the towel to the floor. 

 

Percy inhaled in surprise, feeling the sting of his beverage penetrating his airway for a second before his body could counter the action. He spat out his water, coughing and bending over to try and push it back out. He heard the patter of Oliver’s bare feet running and Percy quickly held out a hand to stop him from getting too close. His hand collided with damp skin on a firm stomach and he quickly retrieved it, trying to shun his whole self in the opposite direction of Oliver.

 

“Percy, are you okay?” a hand on his back, just a hand, but it burned through his shirt.

 

“I’m fine” he wheezed, coughing slightly still.

 

“Just swallowed the wrong way” his voice sounded hoarse. He turned his head to the wall to avoid watching Oliver who he assumed was still naked. 

 

He was, Percy could see the blurry tan silhouette in the dark reflective windows by his bed. 

 

“What can I do?” Oliver asked, concerned as his hand rubbed circles on Percy’s back.

 

“Put on some pants, or trousers, or a pillowcase . I don’t care, just put something on” Percy begged him. Oliver laughed.

 

“Seriously, you almost die and that’s what concerns you?”

 

“I didn’t almost die! And if you don’t put pants on I’ll take 5 points for public indecency”

 

Oliver didn’t take him seriously at all, he kept snickering and went back to his bed. He still took his sweet time picking out his comfiest sweats and put them on without underpants on. Percy gave himself one minute to watch him, even if it felt wrong. 

His throat burned in discomfort from the hostile water, as starkly as his shame burned the rest of him. 

Chapter 59: Year 5 - 'P' is for Prefect

He was almost a bit relieved to have his dorm room for himself over christmas break. Oliver had went home to his family, but since Percy’s parents had gone to Romania to visit Charlie, he and his brothers who still attended school stayed at Hogwarts. In a way it felt appropriate. With both parents and older brothers out of the country Percy sort of assumed the responsibility of looking after everyone and making sure they behaved. Except Ginny of course, who had gone with their parents. Which was just as well, because sometimes she behaved the worst out of all of them.

 

He was worried about Ron though, sneaking off and confronting trolls wasn’t like the boy who was scared of even the smallest spider. He was brave of course, but this was borderline reckless. A beautiful monument to his friendship with the Granger girl, of course, but utterly stupid. Not to mention he’d made Percy look as incapable a prefect as he had feared he was. Again, he wondered if he truly was as suited to it as his friends said, or if he was just the best choice in his year by rule of elimination. He couldn't even keep his own brother safe on Halloween…He needed to do better, he needed to be better.

 

He’d treated himself to a slow start that christmas morning, unpacking his gifts in peace. However, hearing the ruckus in the common room he was starting to regret giving them the space to muck about because who knew what pranks the twins would set up while left unattended. He poked his head out first, bracing himself for the worst chaos. It wasn’t so bad, he thought, grasping his new sweater in his arms. Perhaps he was a bit on edge, perhaps he was overanalyzing everything and expecting the worst prematurely. He judged them unfairly, he guessed, he tended to do that these days. He just didn’t want them to embarrass him now that he was a prefect. 

 

Molly had put a ‘P’ on his sweater again. Since she hadn’t put his initials on for a long while he wondered if it was prefect related. He wasn’t so sure he deserved it. 

 

The twins immediately locked in on him as soon as he’d made himself known to the room, and also made the astute observation that ‘P’ stood for prefect. They were teasing him over it, he could tell.

 

Suddenly he regretted always making such a fuss about becoming a prefect when he was younger, especially so the twins could hear. He felt embarrassed over making such a big deal about it because right now he felt… less than. He didn’t feel like wearing the sweater, even if the ‘P’ could be for Percy. 

 

“Come on Prefect, put it on!” they joked and grabbed it out of his hands. Caught unaware by them, he didn’t have time to react and was ambushed and overpowered immediately. They roughly forced the sweater over his head and almost knocked his glasses off. He tried to resist.

 

“I– don’t - want” he tried to argue, tried to fight them. Damn, they were stronger than they used to be when they were younger. He hoped no one else was there to witness them doing this to a house prefect, he’d lose all credibility. No one would take him seriously if they saw his thirteen year old brothers getting away with treating him this way. His arms were locked and they held him firmly on an arm each, he could feel his glasses sitting askew on his nose and threatening to fall off entirely.

 

But it was Christmas, so when they told him he couldn’t sit with the prefects today and led him down the corridors in a Weasley sweater prison, he only struggled because of embarrassment and not because he wasn’t intending to join them to the feast. He had preferred to not have his arms locked against his sides and been offered the dignity to not be paraded about like a lock-body-curse victim in a sweater west. 

 

He tore himself free of their arms and put his own arms into the sweater, it ended up backwards. The twins laughed.

 

Percy blushed and quickly turned it around the right way. 

 

“You need to stop doing that, I’m a prefect” he said, adjusting his glasses on his face.

 

“Oh, are you?” George said, mock surprised.

 

“How did we not know?” Fred added, gasping theatrically.

 

Percy could punish them by taking points for disrespecting him… he didn’t. 

 

Not even when they took his prefect badge and made him chase them for it. So humiliating. Eventually he simply accio’d it and red in the face made himself ready to scold them, but they were laughing, and he decided to simply take a breath and turn away from them. He turned his head towards Ron and Harry. To see if he could give Harry any more chess advice, even though he wasn’t as good at it as Ron.

 

They were gone.

 

Perhaps to the library again, or wherever they snuck away to all the time. Considering Halloween, where the place they had snuck off to was to see a mountain troll, no one could blame him for worrying. 

 

He had seen them in the library a lot during the break as well, even the days counting up to christmas day and it seemed off. Very few first years spent their Christmas break studying, and reading for leisure didn’t seem like Ron. He supposed he didn’t know enough about the boy who lived, but to think he could influence Ron that way seemed unlikely. Perhaps Miss Granger was the good influence, but their behaviour was altogether way too skittish. 

 

When they weren’t sneaking around searching book shelves they sat huddled in discussion. Even when Percy had joined them for chess, they seemed to try and talk in coded messages that Percy wasn’t meant to understand. Which of course could be a secret language, such as children sometimes had when they were good friends… but they were so comically serious about it.

 

It worried him, Ron worried him. Somehow more than the twins had ever done and that was saying something.

 

He furrowed his brow, what the hell were those two up to?

 

Chapter 60: Year 5 - Christmas party

Oliver was back at school just in time to attend the impromptu christmas party that the fifth year Hufflepuffs were arranging for their peers. 

 

In an empty classroom near the kitchens, which meant close proximity to arrange the food, but required adult permission. 

 

Since the professors were involved it meant that there was a strict no-alcohol rule to this party, but that was fine. That meant the prefects were much more relaxed, without having to wrestle their moral compass on whether they should let it slide for the sake of house unity and a good mood, or punish them for breaking the rules. Jack insisted that he’d tried to avert them from asking the professors but his prefect and housemate Marion, also ex-girlfriend, did not want to heed his advice. It might purely have been in defiance of Jack, even though she had been the one to break up with him. 

 

The problem with Jack, usually, was that he loved his girlfriends immensely, but he was also naively stupid and easily flattered. It was difficult to explain to him sometimes, that just flirting with someone else could be perceived as cheating. Even when he was just naively responding to other girls' advances. This meant that some of his exes could be regarded as scorned.  

 

Alcohol, or no alcohol, it didn’t matter to Oliver. He could sense this wasn’t that type of party anyway. With its cosy decorations and festive snacks. You always knew a Hufflepuff party was about the food, rather than the drinks anyway. 

 

He had put up shop right in front of the largest snack table and was stuffing his face with pies and cookies as Percy was monologuing next to him. Percy was holding a cup of non-alcoholic mulled wine but wasn’t drinking it. There was no time as his mouth was constantly preoccupied.

 

“So what do you think it means, when you get lost in houses that are supposed to be familiar to you?” Percy finished, brow furrowed intensely.

 

“In your dreams?” Oliver mumbled in between crumbs of chocolate chip cookies.

 

“Yes, in my dreams. How would you interpret that?”

 

Oliver sighed and put his plate down. He grabbed Percy’s untouched drink that had gone cold, and put that down as well. Then he hooked his arm in Percy’s and pulled him towards the dance floor.

 

“Hey, don’t-” Percy started.

 

“You are not allowed to do homework” Oliver interrupted and gripping Percy’s hands started jiving a little bit to get him started. He hoped his hands weren't sweaty, he hoped no one could hear his loud heartbeat over the music. Percy struggled, tripping over himself and into Oliver. Not because his sense of rhythm was that bad, but because he was refusing to cooperate. Oliver laughed, Percy laughed at himself too but still pulled his hands back and stopped moving.

 

“Okay, I won’t do homework but please don’t make me dance” 

 

Oliver wished he could find an inconspicuous reason to grab his hands again but his mind was blank.

 

“Would you dance if Penelope asked you?” Oliver couldn’t resist asking. Percy gave him an amused sort of glare.

 

“She did ask, I declined”

 

“Where is she anyway?”

 

Percy searched the crowd, then he spotted someone, and broke into a huge smile as he waved them over. It was Penelope, but it was also her friend Gabrielle, along with Marion and Lauren. Gabrielle had straightened her hair this year, which looked funny because the years he had known her it had always been so big. It also looked nice on her. 

 

Oliver could stand being around her now that she had given up on dating him. 

 

He should’ve known she’d be at the party since she and Jack’s roommate Arcas had been dating seriously since they got together on that Valentine’s party back in third year. If the Hufflepuffs held a party, she was basically an honorary host. Which meant, Penelope attended. Where Gabrielle was, there Penelope was… Which in a roundabout way, made it Oliver’s fault. Since he had been the one to introduce Gabby to Arcas in the first place.

 

They were the only ravenclaws present aside from Marvin. All the Hufflepuffs fifth year were naturally there, as well as all Gryffindors. The party however, was severely lacking any green representation. 

 

Oliver had invited Morgan, but she had said she would feel too awkward being the only Slytherin attending. Oliver had sensed that a lot of the more conservative Slytherin’s had come down harder on their housemates that socialised outside their house recently. Probably something they had gotten from home over christmas.

 

Usually Morgan didn’t care what other Slytherin’s thought, and sometimes she brought her friend Terence. Terence was one of the last rule-abiding players still on the slytherin team. Mostly because he knew to keep a low profile with Flint, and then just do his thing on the field where Flint might not notice. Oliver kind of respected that, at least he played fairly, even though he was a coward for not speaking up. Especially since he had been given Morgan’s position as seeker. Morgan said Oliver had to keep off Terence’s back, so Oliver did. He still thought it though. 

 

He watched bitterly as Penelope and Percy reunited with a kiss. Penelope was in a better mood after Christmas break and gave Oliver a genuine greeting when she saw him. Oliver curtly nodded back. Her being nice and decent stung even worse. If she had kept being prissy his growing dislike of her would’ve been warranted. He tried to swallow the bitterness down with more baked goods. 

 

Gabby gave him a look, then she smiled.

 

“How are you Oliver?” she asked. He mumbled a ‘good, thanks’, his mouth still full. Gabby kept smiling but Marion next to her made a disgusted sound. Oliver noticed her and Gabby wore matching bracelets and started making the connection that they had grown close since Gabby started dating one of the Hufflepuffs. He wasn’t sure why Marion was so mad at him though? It was Jack who had scorned her. 

 

“What?” he asked, confused, and she simply glared at him.

 

“You Quidditch players have no manners” she said, her eyes burning like daggers, scorching like the blue center of a flame. She had light blonde hair straightened the exact same as Gabrielle’s but with small coloured braids infused to it in the front. 

 

“What did I do?” he said, looking lost and trying to get answers from Gabrielle. Gabby simply pressed her lips together tightly indicating she wouldn’t interfere.

 

“All of you are the same” she bit, he was starting to feel attacked. Sure, the breakup between Marion and Jack was rather fresh but again, it was Jack she should be mad at. 

 

“Okay, I have to stop you now” Gabrielle finally intervened and gently placed an arm on Marion. The friendship bracelet rustled as she did.

 

“Oliver is not Jack, Oliver has never dated or scorned a single girl all five years he’s been here” she said, albeit a bit pointedly, but still friendly. Marion huffed and writhed like she wanted to argue, but eventually seemed to deflate like a balloon and sigh.

 

“Fine, okay” she said, sounding like she was far from okay with it.

 

“Where is Jack anyway?” Oliver asked, perhaps poking the hornet's nest by bringing him up. But he had made the mistake of glancing over at Percy. As if his eyes pulled towards him the minute he didn’t have a distraction. Percy and Penny were fully making out, as if they were unaware of the world around them. Oliver wanted to leave the area, if not the world.

 

“Last time I saw him he was stumbling over his words talking to Imogene” Lauren said, the first thing she’d said during their entire interaction. She had been too busy standing shyly, writhing her hands together at the side of the conversation.

 

“She’s going to confuse him again with big words” Oliver said, sighing, as he was sure to be the one who had to explain it. Half of the time he had no idea what the words even were. Marvin would be no help as he had an extraordinarily short fuse when it came to Jack and especially about explaining words to help Jack get with Imogene Zimmerman. 

 

“I can’t believe he’s already chatting up Zimmerman” Marion wailed, her eyes actually tearing up as if she was on some great soap opera. She fell into Gaberielle’s arms theatrically sobbing. Marvin would love this scene, he thought. That’s what he got for running off chasing gossip rather than sticking by his friends. The whole thing was getting too much and Oliver really wanted to leave now. Standing in the middle of his best friend, also crush, making out with his girlfriend to his right. A crying girl being comforted by her bestie to his left, because she was not making out with his other friend. It was a circus. Where was Jack? Where was Marvin?

 

“Actually, I have a question for you” Lauren said, heaven sent. Right, Lauren! Oliver had almost forgotten she was there in his moment of despair. She was wearing a plain black turtleneck, her neat blonde bob tucked behind her ears. She looked plain and invisible. Oliver felt bad so he simply nodded and let her lead him to the side where they could talk in private.

 

“I met Paul over the summer” she said, smiling.

 

“He was acting a bit strange at first and he said it was your fault?” she looked confused, like she was searching his face for answers. He had thought she wasn’t wearing makeup but now as they stood directly under a wall mounted lamp he could see a soft red lip gloss on her lips.

 

“Oh, yeah that was me, I told him you used to have a crush on him”

 

Her timid smile dropped as heat rose to her entire face.

 

“What!?” she screamed. Her face contorted in panicked misery. 

 

Oliver had never heard her being loud ever. 

 

She buried her entire face in her hands, bob cut flopping awkwardly forward and hiding her.

 

“ That’s why he was so weird, I’m mortified!” she kept screaming. He was awe-struck. People were watching them now, they had the manners to awkwardly shuffle away from their spot in the room when they were sure no one was actively being hurt. Oliver had to bite his cheeks so he wouldn’t start laughing.

 

“Does this reaction mean you still fancy him, perchance?” he asked gleefully, failing to hold back a knowing grin.

 

She was silent for a second, like she was thinking the word ‘lie’ in her head before she said anything.

 

“no.” she whispered, entirely unconvincing. 

 

Realizing this herself she glanced up at him and confessed.

 

“Meeting him over the summer stirred it up again and like… unfinished crushes lasts, they linger.“

 

Oliver didn’t like that piece of information at all, it didn’t give him the juicy satisfaction that he had hoped for. If unfinished crushes lasted then… he’d rather not think about it. It had to be able to fade right?

 

“So did something happen between you two?” Oliver asked gingerly, trying to shift his brain's focus onto the gossip. Cursing himself for sounding so much like Marvin. 

 

“No, I’m too shy” she said and smiled “It was nice seeing him though”

 

Oliver nodded, he was a little jealous. He wished it was him who had met Paul. As his birthday neared he was starting to realize that he hadn’t seen his face in almost a year now. It was strange, and depressing. Especially since the letters had stopped coming. 

 

“I apologize for interrupting” a familiar Scottish accent drifted from behind. He turned to see McGonagall in her familiar tartan shawl and a night cap. Oliver furrowed his brow. What could be so important that McGonagall had ventured out in such comfort.

 

“Are we too loud?” Lauren asked nervously, immediately looking around for a way to stop the chatter of fifth years partying.

 

“No, no, I need to borrow Mr Wood for a moment” McGonagall said and with raised brows gestured for him to follow her. Pointing towards the door with the candle she was holding. He got a bit nervous but compiled, last time she had done this it had been good news after all.

 

Before they got too far away from Lauren he turned around again. 

 

Lauren was still standing alone in the same spot. Like she was searching the room for a place to fit in, too awkward to simply grab the spot for herself. Frail black-clad body, so small that she almost disappeared in the room. 

 

“I’m very impressed with your volume Bones!” he belted towards her, she startled and snapped her attention back to him.

 

“Bring that with you to the next Quidditch game, I’m counting on you!” he screamed and kept his eye on her until she smiled and nodded. 

 

When he turned towards McGonagall she only looked a little disappointed in his behaviour.

 

As soon as the door closed her expression grew serious.

 

“I don’t mean to alarm you but the minute I found out I felt like I had to tell you… Professor Snape is going to be refereeing your next game”

 

Oliver’s heart sank like a stone. 

Chapter 61: Year 5 - On god, you did

Snape refereeing couldn’t be worse news. He would undoubtedly judge in favour of Hufflepuff just to spite them. But the real reason was that if Gryffindor lost this game, there would be no further opposition against Slytherin. The Hufflepuffs simply weren’t good enough to beat Slytherin, but Oliver’s team was.

 

The Hufflepuff’s weren't too thrilled about it either, since they would much rather win fairly if they were to win, but not as much was at stake for them. 

 

Oliver had no choice but to push his team as far as he possibly could. It didn’t matter if their youngest player was just eleven, that just made him resilient. Kids were tough, he could manage. It didn’t matter if rain kept coming down on them and caking their uniforms in mud, they had to be sharper than ever. Sure, the twins had taken him more seriously when he had told them why he was drilling them so hard, but their previous comments still irked him.

 

“They called me a fanatic” he argued, arms flailing wildly in the air. 

 

He and Imogene sat on a stone bench in the courtyard as they waited for muggle studies, watching some third years mock-duel each other. They finally had a day free of rain, and the sun shone brightly over the barren environment. He could hear bird’s but he couldn’t see birds, but they didn’t sound like common crows so he took it as a sign of spring. A promise that the ground would thaw and nature would bloom. Maybe then his team wouldn’t complain so much about training. Honestly he was pretty upset that he had to waste such a precious day on school when he could’ve practised Quidditch.

 

“Aren’t you though?” Imogene asked, sipping her coffee. 

 

“Am. not!” he argued. 

 

She laughed and scratched her nose as she sniveled from the cold air. She would get snot on the gloves she was wearing, he thought. They were fingerless and looked home-knitted. Oliver vaguely remembered her having a younger sister named Lynne who probably had made them for her. They looked as if they had been made by a child at least.

 

“Did Lynne make those?” 

 

She shone up and extended a hand to display the crudely knitted fashion statement in an awful shade of purple.

 

“By herself! It was a christmas gift” she stated proudly and smiled.

 

“She’ll start Hogwarts next year right?” 

 

Imogene nodded and took another slow sip of her coffee. Percy also had a sister that age, perhaps they could be friends. Oliver didn’t say it though, he didn’t want to interject yet another conversation with Percy’s name. Someone would start to question it, if nothing else Oliver himself could not bear how pathetic it made him.

 

“Good, maybe if she learns some magic her craftsmanship will improve” he said instead, teasingly. She shoved him hard.

 

“That is so mean, you can’t say that, only I can say that! What if I trash talked your baby sister, how would that feel?”

 

He laughed.

 

“Emily can’t draw for shite, it’s fine if you say it cause it’s true” he kept laughing, she tried to look angry but couldn’t stop her smile from shining through.

 

“Take it back or I will force you to wear them!” she threatened and pointed a glove clad finger at him in warning. 

 

He raised his hands in defeat and apologized for offending them. 

 

“so… meet anyone interesting at the Christmas party?” he asked, changing the subject. Marvin was a bad influence on him. 

 

Imogene just gave him a long look, as if she knew why he asked. He couldn’t help himself, if Imogene dated someone then people, let’s call them Percy, might stop trying to hint at him to date her. 

 

“No” she simply said, dragging it out slowly to really tease him about her stunted answer. Giving no push to continue the conversation at all, a stubborn road block of a conversationalist. 

 

“Come on, at some point one of these guys should catch your interest” he kept pushing.

 

“I’m not even sure I like men, sometimes I think I should much prefer to be a lesbian” she said, and snickered into her coffee trying to not meet his flabbergasted stare. 

 

“Are you?” he asked her, seriously.

 

She shrugged .

 

“I like some men” she said and tipped her head towards him. He felt an icy worry creep over him, and hoped she wouldn’t confess to him or anything. He would hate to have to hurt her or even worse, avoid her company. She must have noticed because she blew him a raspberry.

 

“Oh, don’t flatter yourself, I got over you ages ago!” 

 

He could feel the relief wash over him like a warm hug and settled on acting hurt as she continued to talk, unbothered.

 

“I like some men sometimes, when they’re hot but a bit daft” she snickered to herself.

 

“Like Jack” they both said in unison and stopped to stare at each other before they both broke out laughing. 

 

“I suppose that’s why I thought I liked you too” she teased and shoved her shoulder to his. 

 

“I’m not daft” Oliver said, pouting.

 

“That’s why we never would’ve worked out” she quipped. 

 

“I’m not smart either” Oliver admitted, staring softly into space “I suppose that’s why I like smart guys” 

 

She was eerily quiet, which was weird because she was usually so quick witted. She always had a way to comment and carry the conversation. He turned his head back to her. She was staring at him, dark brown eyes glimmering and face set in shock. She looked as if she was holding back an outburst of a reaction but waiting for him to catch on. What had he said?

 

“ Did I just say guys ?” he hissed in a panic and turned around to see if anyone else had been close enough to hear him. His head snapped so fast he almost got whiplash.

 

“On god! You did!” she screamed and started slapping his arm in excitement. Her voice was laced in joy, it was a little contagious but he couldn't shake the anguish at slipping up like that.

 

“How long have you known!?” she had stood up now, and was still slapping his arm, then grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. She had dropped her mug of coffee, it had shattered on the ground in little ceramic pieces and her coffee had soaked the marble stone, but it looked no different than the rain puddles that the sun hadn’t soaked up yet.

 

“Ow, stop hitting me, not as long as I would’ve liked I suppose” he muttered “I mean, not that I would’ve needed to know, I just felt a bit dumb realizing it so late”

 

He may have acted as if she bothered him, but honestly it felt nice to actively say it himself. To not have someone figuring it out before he did for once. What surprised him though, was how positive her reaction was.

 

“I’m surprised you’re taking it so well” he said, lowering his voice again. She caught on, realizing that not everyone in the world was so understanding.

 

“Sorry” she said and sat back down. 

 

“And I just said I feel like a lesbian sometimes, so who am I to judge you?” she added, smiling, trying to lighten the mood that seemed to be changing into something serious. Oliver wasn’t so sure she could avert it anymore, now that it was on his mind. 

 

He shook his head and leaned his arms forward on his legs as he stared out over the courtyard. The dueling third years had gone, so he felt safe continuing the conversation.

 

“That’s not the same though…” he said, and they both knew what he meant. 

 

“The wizard community has been largely spared it seems, perhaps they have some sort of cure they aren’t allowed to share with the muggle community” Imogene said. 

 

Oliver snorted in disbelief, fucking wizard politics. Keeping magical cures to themselves when people were dying… Well, not people. Gay men. 

 

The tone of their conversation had changed. As it often did on the subject of the AIDS pandemic. With them both being mixed wizard- and muggleborn, the information was hardwired into their young minds even if it didn’t affect wizard society the way it had the muggle one. 

 

“I don’t know why, but that means the phobia is more normal here” Imogene kept talking as Oliver had gone eerily quiet. Perhaps she went on from nervosity on breaching the subject, perhaps it was to try and comfort him,

 

“ Normal ” she scoffed as an afterthought. Oliver understood what she meant. 

 

She couldn’t save the mood all by herself so she too fell into silence. Eventually she simply placed a hand on his back and patted it.

 

“Can I please give you Quidditch advice instead?” she asked when the atmosphere was too terrible to bear. He scoffed amused.

 

“I would certainly like to see you try” he said and straightened his back into an upright position again.

 

“If Snape is going to judge you unfairly, then you just need to catch the snitch before he gets a chance to” she said, and Oliver had absolutely no come back to that.

 

It was a good idea.

 

He had told Percy he didn’t need to attend this game, even though he assumed he wouldn’t either way. 

 

Since they were to try and end it as soon as possible it wouldn’t be much of a game to watch anyway. 

 

In the end Harry caught the snitch in what undoubtedly had to be a new record, but the most extraordinary thing to happen was that Percy was there. 

Chapter 62: Year 5 - Heart shaped Bertie Botts

Happy birthday Oliver, or more like happy one year anniversary to the last time Oliver saw Paul’s face. Or perhaps not so happy, there was nothing really happy about it. He missed Paul, they had lost 150 points in the house cup and was no longer in the lead. They still had time to remedy it though, Oliver felt strangely optimistic about that. However it was also still Valentine's day on his birthday… 

 

Since it was Valentine’s day, Percy had as per usual split his attention so that he spent the morning and classes celebrating Oliver, and then diverted his attention to his girlfriend. Which was normal and shouldn’t bother Oliver, if it wasn’t for the fact that he wished he could be Percy’s date instead. 

 

That Percy wasn’t celebrating his birthday properly didn’t really concern him this year, it was the fact that he’d rather be his valentine that made him so miserable. 

 

That combined with his worries about his other close friend culminated in a growing dread at being alone. Thankfully Marvin and Jack somehow sensed that, and dateless as they both were this year, had decided to spend the evening with Oliver. They had no plans though, and just aimlessly wandered the corridors commenting on the tacky decorations.

 

When Oliver was bored of that, he started questioning them on where they disappeared to during the christmas party.

 

“We got into an argument” Marvin stated, casually, it being a pretty common occurrence.

 

“I tried to tell him I’m sick of trying to help him get with girls that are smarter than he is”

 

Jack was looking positively betrayed and heartbroken, even though it wasn’t even the first time he heard it.

 

“To his defense, most girls are” Oliver joked.

 

“ Mate ” Jack turned his heartbroken betrayed face towards Oliver instead.  

 

“Bruv, come on ” even Marvin turned against him, defending Jack by not appreciating the joke. He gave Oliver a look that indicated he thought it was an easy mark and therefore low. 

Their sudden solidarity lasted for about two minutes before Marvin continued complaining.

 

“It’s like they think they’re dating Jack but they’re basically dating me as well, without knowing it” he had crossed his arms over his chest, pouting slightly.

“But I reap none of the rewards!” 

 

The rewards were probably snogging and potentially even shagging sometimes. Oliver wasn’t even aware Marvin cared about that, he was always very reclusive about who he fancied so Oliver never really knew. He didn’t seem as detached as Charlie, but Oliver truly had no clue who Marvin liked. Although, Oliver was probably the same from Marvin’s perspective.

 

If it wasn’t for the fact Marvin complained about not reaping the rewards with girls, Oliver might’ve wondered…

 

“I think Jack did manage to score some of his girlfriends on his own” Oliver said, going for supporting Jack since joking about it had failed.

 

“well, not Imogene” Marvin muttered.

 

Jack was quick to interrupt. 

 

He made a fast chirping sound, sort of like ‘hepepepe’. As if he simultaneously tried to get Marvin’s attention and drown out his voice. 

Like it was a secret from Oliver that he was pursuing her. Please… poor simple Jack. As if the whole school didn’t know since fourth year. 

 

“We’re supposed to be cheering up Oliver, it’s his birthday” Jack said. 

 

Oliver was about to say that teasing and torturing Jack could be his birthday present when Marvin interrupted.

 

“and now he avoids the subject” he said rather loudly and gestured into the air. 

 

Oliver simply stepped down and let them continue bickering until they were done. Which honestly could take the rest of the evening. 

 

He leaned against the wall and watched the surroundings. Most students were either busying themselves with friends or dates, but one person stood out. Alone, damp and heading straight towards them. It was Cedric, his hair was wet as if he’d just stepped out of a shower and Oliver could see his quidditch robes poking out of his satchel. At first he glanced over at his preoccupied friend and wondered if Jack had missed practice. Then he remembered it was valentine’s day and most captains gave their team that day off. 

 

Besides, Hufflepuff had already lost the cup this year, so he was pretty sure they wouldn't be training so hard. Which meant Cedric had been training by his own initiative. It was exactly the type of thing Oliver liked to see. If only his own team could put in that sort of effort.

 

“Oliver?” Cedric panted softly, as if he had ran there. 

 

Oliver hadn’t noticed how much he had grown until he stood right next to him. It was difficult to keep track of underclassmen’s growth spurts when you mostly just saw them in passing or on top of a broom in the air. So it wasn’t such a wonder that he’d missed that Cedric was now a teenager. He was still boyishly charming, like a fairytale prince, but his face was less innocently round and a little bit more narrow and lean. His cheeks were still positively rosy, it was obvious he’d grow into a handsome man someday. 

 

“I hoped I was gonna catch you before curfew!” Oliver didn’t mention that curfew wasn’t for another two hours or that Cedric’s voice cracked slightly when he spoke.  

 

“Happy birthday!” he said, extending a packet of bertie botts, the top of the packaging were four hearts entwined to keep it shut. Cedric blushed all the way up his neck as he presented it. His cheeks were also flushed more than usual.

 

“It was the only ones they had at Honeydukes, because of the season” he said, trying to make excuses for it. Oliver had to bite his cheeks so his smile wouldn’t expose how amused he was and simply accepted it with a soft ‘thank you’. Hoping it sounded as thankful as he felt, even though he had to hold back some other emotion to not embarrass him.

 

“I’m surprised you knew it was my birthday” he said, trying to change the subject into something that didn’t feel so… extremely accidentally symbolic.

 

“Of course!” Cedric said, smiling happily that his gift had been accepted. 

 

“When is your birthday?” Oliver asked.

 

“September 7th” Cedrc said.

 

“Aw, I missed it, sorry” Oliver said, grimaging to further emphasis his apology.

 

“That’s okay, it’s not important” Cedric said, bashfully looking down into the ground. 

 

He realized Cedric really must’ve been looking up to him quite a bit over the years. It was a nice fluffy feeling. He’d gotten used to being a role model, but it was starting to feel a bit like he had a fan. Which was sweet, and entirely too difficult to maneuver on his own. He glanced over at his friends for support, who had stopped their bickering somewhere midway and was staring at them. Marvin was still holding Jack’s wrists, as if he had just stopped him from grabbing at him. They were still, and watching, and poorly containing their amusement. Oliver could hear Marvin snickering even as he ducked his head away from the scene and quickly realized they were not the support he needed. 

 

Oliver shot them a glare in warning.

 

“Shouldn’t you be out celebrating saint valentines Cedric, someone as popular as you surely has a date” Oliver said, trying to get Cedric on his way to spare him Jack and Marvin being at their worst behaviour. 

 

“I was asked but it felt unfair to the other girls to say yes to one and not the others” Cedric said, smiling shyly. Like a handsome boy who was unaware how popular he actually was. Oliver had noticed the banners during the games, even other houses liked him. He truly was a little prince. Handsome and kind.

 

Oliver had to bite his cheeks again not to laugh. It was kind of cute. 

 

“We need to head out, but thank you so much” he said, raising the heart shaped bertie botts with both hands and placed it to his chest to show that he truly did appreciate it. He just needed a way out of this conversation, mostly because he could feel Jack and Marvin’s aura and even though they had both turned away now he could see their bodies shaking in suppressed laughter and he really wanted to spare Cedric that.

 

Cedric nodded and pulled a hand through his wet hair, to restyle it into shape since gravity had pulled at it during their conversation.

 

“Of course, I’ll see you next game. I’ll be cheering on Gryffindor” he said, and started taking steps backwards, still not turning away which meant Oliver had to punch Marvin in the ribs. To send him a message that he needed to keep it together for a bit longer.

 

“And tell Harry that I feel really bad about how my housemate talks about him, tell him hi from me!”

 

Oliver waved Cedric off, the boy only turned around when he reached a corner to dip behind.

 

Oliver punched Marvin again for good measure as the latter wheezed in amusement.

 

“Aaaw, Oliver’s got a widdle fanboy” Jack said, as he too let out his boisterous laughter. Oliver punched him as well.

 

“Shut up, you’re just jealous” Oliver said and looked down on his gift box, It was really sweet, he’d never gotten a birthday gift from someone other than his family and close friends before.

 

“He loves you Oliver” Marvin teased, Oliver could feel his cheeks flush and rolled his eyes to try and distract from it. 

 

“He’s just as nice to Harry, he’s just a nice guy” Oliver said.

 

Everyone had been unnecessarily harsh to Harry since he and his friends lost Gryffindor 150 house points in one night. Oliver on the other hand was a little impressed. Sure it was terrible timing that they had just won an incredible game of Quidditch and managed to surpass Slytherin for the first time in years, but for merlin’s sake, the boy was eleven. They couldn’t expect him to carry the weight of the entire house cup.

 

Besides, Harry could earn the points back by catching the snitch at the finals as well.

 

“Well, it would’ve been nice to see Slytherin lose for once, is all I’m saying” Marvin said dejectedly.

 

“Knock it off” Oliver said glumly and popped a heart shaped bean in his mouth. It tasted perfumy, like lavender. 

 

Even though he had asked them to stop mulling over the house cup he still asked Percy that night if there truly was nothing they could do.

 

“Can’t you just give out some points here and there, to counter it”

 

“It’s 150 points Oliver” Percy said and gave him a pointed look “it would be obviously biased”

 

“It doesn’t have to be to Gryffindor, any other house is fine. Come on, Slytherin does it all the time!”

 

“We’re better than that Oliver, I can’t just give out points all willy-nilly. We will simply have to work harder to earn it back” Percy insisted, not even looking up from his book now.

 

“It could be a birthday present, please, people are being so harsh with poor Harry” Oliver pleaded.

 

Percy sighed and shut his book.

 

“I know, I think it’s unfair too, especially when it was just as much Ron’s fault” Percy said, bitter brotherly anger in his voice. He wasn’t just angry either, he was disappointed. 

 

“So you’ll do it, for my birthday?” Oliver shone up, expecting positivity.

 

“I have a duty to uphold” Percy said, making sure by his tone that it was final.

 

“Besides, I already gave you new subscriptions to Quidditch headlines and witch weekly”

Chapter 63: Year 5 - I need your hand to steady me

There wasn’t a word potent enough to describe the shame Percy felt that his own brother had gone against direct school rules, right under his nose. Not to mention the danger he had been in by doing so. It didn’t matter how many professors called Ron and his friends brave for having stood up to Professor Quirrel at only eleven. It did nothing to dampen the near hysteric panic in Percy’s chest. Madame Pomphrey had to drag him away from Ron’s bed when he had been informed of his state. He was alright, slightly concussed but in good enough condition to complain about his brother’s doting hovering. All Percy could think about was Paul’s broken arm, the blood soaking into his Mickey mouse shirt and the sound. God, he could still hear the cracking sound even today. There was no blood on Ron though. Only mild annoyance and dust.

Penelope had to comfort him for hours after he had been expelled from the infirmary. He was at least glad he had kept it together long enough so that Ron didn’t have to see him cry. At least Ronald and Miss Granger were awake. The famous Harry Potter was still out cold. 

 

When the panic had settled and he had exchanged the hyperventilating dread over Ron’s safety with a more rational lecturing nature, he had gone back to reprimanding him about rule breaking. However, as one thing resolved itself another issue arose. As soon as they knew Harry was going to live, Oliver’s own worries grew into complaints. Dramatic as ever he slumped into their dorm in a great comeback rendition of Melancholiver. Percy had hoped he had seen the last of him. 

 

“Madam Pomfrey still insists he can’t play” Oliver whined gloomily, falling headfirst into his bed and staying there with his head down. Percy was almost scared he’d suffocate himself with his pillow.

 

“What did you expect, he’s unconscious”

 

“Well, he might wake up soon” Oliver said, crawling into a fetal position. Percy hesitated, still sort of afraid of nearing Oliver on his bed considering the new conditions of the setting. His connotative mind was not yet prepared to handle an attractive male body on a bed. 

 

However this was no ordinary man, it was his best friend, and he was upset. So Percy cautiously neared him and sat down on the side of the bed. He placed a hand on his friend's back and patted it in the most platonic way he could.

 

“He still won’t be fit for flight Oliver” he said, trying his best to sound understanding and comforting. Oliver huffed and turned his head towards Percy. His eyes lacked spark and looked apathetic and dull. Then suddenly they ignited, as if an ember had turned them back on and he sat up so fast he knocked the back of his head into Percy’s chin.

 

“Ow sorry, don’t hold it against me when I ask what I’m about to ask” Oliver said as he rubbed his head.

 

Percy hissed as he cradled his jaw. still feeling the throbbing pain. He glared, but said nothing.

Oliver was hesitating, but not in the sense that he wasn’t planning to still ask, but with a sheepish smile as if he already knew Percy would be negative towards his idea.

 

“Couldn’t you use your prefect powers to postpone the game?” Oliver said, smiling strainly and blinking theatrically.

 

“ Absolutely not ” Percy said and stood up decidedly “I’m not even sure I have that sort of mandate, and even so I won’t misuse my prefect authorisation like that”

 

He could see the spark die in Oliver’s eyes again and it hurt his chest.

 

“... not even for you Oliver” he said, still sure that it was the right thing to do.

 

“I can help you find a stand in seeker though”

 

Oliver had crawled back into the fetal position and didn’t answer.

 

Percy did apply himself the way he had promised. He begged the twins to ask around if they had any friends who could jump in for just one game. In the end Lee Jordan did, but he was much more talented as an announcer than player and they didn’t win. In fact it was the worst loss they had seen in several hundred years. Oliver was better at not showing his melancholic streak towards his teammates than Percy had expected, but he was still loudly upset. Everyone could tell how gutted he was, not to mention they had no way of regaining all those lost points now.

 

Even Percy was disappointed with such an anticlimactic outcome, they had shown such promise this year. He had to admit, somewhere along the way he had started to see the charm in following the games. Perhaps it was because Oliver’s joy was also his joy, but there was also something quite interesting in following the statistics of each player and game setup. You could almost predict the outcome when you knew enough about both teams. 

Oliver didn’t even care to notice that Percy was involving himself in the dialogue, he was too busy being dramatically pessimistic.

 

Percy had had no choice but to leave Oliver alone after the game for his prefect duties, but when he returned Oliver was sprawled out on the bed in the same star-fish position that he had left him in. At least he wasn’t fetal this time. He was mumbling some song, about ‘not denying’ and flying above it all, but he was so drunk Percy could mostly just distinguish the melody. 

 

"Oh, for god's sake Oliver. You can’t do this, it's just a game!" Percy dropped his bag on his desk and went over to Oliver's bed. Pausing when he remembered last time he had helped Oliver when he was drunk. He briefly touched his own cheek, but shook the thought. Besides, it was Percy’s dirty mind that was the problem, not Oliver petting his friend’s cheek while seeking comfort. 

Oliver pointed a hand towards him and sang louder 

“ Hold my hand, don't let me fall. You've such amazing grace !” And kept reaching as if he wanted Percy to take his drunken hand in relation to the song. Then he immediately lost interest and let his hand flop down to his side and stopped singing.

“Jack and Marvin came by to cheer me up” Oliver said instead and held up a thumb without moving. Percy questioned if he had been lying in that position even when his friends were there. He decided to not reprimand him about people from other houses being let into the dorm since he was clearly in a bad place and the cheering up had obviously not worked out.

"If you keep doing this I'll have to revoke more points from Gryffindor" he didn’t really plan on it though, besides they were so far back in the lead that it barely even mattered anymore. 

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT! Thi'- It's your own damn house, t's- this is…" Oliver slurred and sat up looking very offended and a bit alarmed. At least he had moved.

"I don't care, stop drinking and go to bed" Percy took the bottle he had now spotted at the bedside table and with a flick of his wand he turned the whiskey into water before he put it back down.

Oliver was staring at Percy, but with a vacant stare that seemed to be elsewhere than in the present.

"You like her more" Oliver mumbled, looking sad. Then he slowly crawled back under his bedspread that was still laying on top of the bed.

"What?" Percy pushed his glasses up before he took the bedspread and helped Oliver in under his duvet instead..

"Penelope" Oliver whispered before he crawled into fetal position, hugging himself tightly, then his breathing slowed and he fell asleep.

“That’s not true” Percy whispered even if Oliver couldn’t hear him. He sat down on the bed and gently pulled a hand over Oliver’s short hair and rested it at the back of his head for a moment. He absentmindedly let his thumb stroke circles behind his ear as Oliver’s breathing became deep and steady. 

One single tear had fallen down his cheek, Percy moved his hand and instead traced the back of his finger down it, wiping it away. His finger reached Oliver’s lip. He hesitated, feeling a strange, uncomfortable, suspenseful swelling inside his chest as his knuckles nudged the soft skin. He extended a finger, fingertips barely touching, before he pulled his hand away.

Percy sighed and went over to his own bed. There was nothing he could do right now except turn a blind eye towards this.

It was true that Percy was very devoted to the rules and would even take points from his own house without hesitating but Oliver was a friend.

And Percy knew he needed a break.

He wasn’t sure why Oliver felt as if Percy favoured his girlfriend over him, but he decided he would try to be a better friend from now on. Perhaps he had been a little bit too preoccupied lately.

Notes:

The song is "show me heaven" by Maria McKee

Chapter 64: Year 5 - Exposed

It was like they were in a new friendship renaissance, Oliver’s memory was severely lacking from that night they had lost so devastatingly, but Percy had been much more attentive since. Oliver didn’t have to force himself on Percy and Penelope’s study dates anymore. Percy asked him to join long before Oliver himself could form the idea. 

 

They were still doing what Percy wanted, which was studying, but since Percy was mindful of Oliver’s need for companionship after his dream’s of the season shattered - Then Oliver would return the favour by giving Percy peace of mind, by not arguing about the social activity. The point was he was included in Percy’s life again, by choice. By choice of Percy.

 

Oliver was not about to look a gift horse in the mouth, he was pretty sure there were no Trojans hiding inside it. 

 

They were almost completely done with their O.W.Ls, but the last one’s remaining were potions and charms. Both incredibly difficult and Oliver didn’t care about his result the way Percy did, but he was still a little anxious. Not at all on the same level as Percy, but there was a nervous knot in his stomach that made mig use the bathroom way more often than he usually needed.

 

Oliver was going to meet the couple outside a study room on the ground floor, which Percy had reserved especially for them. He was excited about spending time with his friend, but these days he was always a bit nervous about it too. Would Percy know if he spent too much time thinking about how their knees touched under the table, for example. Would Oliver’s mind provide him with way too vivid fantasies of pushing his friend up a wall and kissing him, so that he would actually get flustered by his presence. At least Penelope would be there to dampen it. 

 

His heart sang when he spotted the familiar red curls on a tall boy who was waiting for him at the floor below. He was still a whole staircase away, Percys’ features were just dots of colour and Oliver’s eyesight was quite close to perfect. 

 

A large group of Slytherins bumped into Percy and he dropped his books on the floor. Oliver half expected mocking laughter from the group, antagonistic pushing of the books out of his friend’s reach. Especially when he saw Flint in the masses. He was shocked to see Flint crouching down and starting to pick up the books. Not to take them, but to help him. He was helping Percy gather his discarded literature. Yes, he definitely was! He was handing them over without a fuzz. 

 

Oliver had started sprinting down the steps as fast as he could, remembering last minute to jump over trick steps. People were upset as he almost crashed into them while he bulldozed by. Why was Flint helping? 

 

The closer he got the more sure he was that Flint was smiling charmingly, without his teeth, which wasn’t a good sign. Was he trying to charm Percy? To get close to him, close enough to tell on Oliver. 

 

Oliver felt like an idiot, lulled by a false sense of security. He had tricked himself to believe that Flint had forgotten him, that he had backed off. Especially now when Gryffindor had already lost the Quidditch cup and Slytherin was in the house cup lead. The only reason Flint had to torment Olliver was spite and cruelty. Which was off course something he would do.

 

He reached the ground floor and wasted no time. 

 

Percy and Flint had just stood up again, straightening up as Flint handed Percy the last of his books. Still smiling. Oliver crashed right into him, pushing him as far away as he could. Flint was sturdy, he hardly budged even as surprised as he was by the sudden ambush.

 

“What do you want Flint?” Oliver said, eyes small and hateful as he glared Flint down. Flint’s surprise grew into amusement. He didn’t even seem that faced with being accused of anything.

 

Percy looked disapproving.

 

“ Oliver , honestly he was helping me” Percy said, but narrowed his eyes suspiciously non the less.

 

“But what do you want?” he asked and tilted his head, as if he was taking in Flint’s body language for any sign of suspicious activity.

 

“Nothing, It was my fault you dropped them” Flint answered Percy, but his eyes were on Oliver. A chill went up Oliver’s back, it was unsettling the way he watched him. 

 

Flint was too nice, in a shallow theatrical way that made Oliver sure he did have an agenda.

 

Percy shrugged, too quick to accept Flint’s truth. For all the intelligence, Percy was sometimes too quick to believe the easiest most practical outcome of a situation.

 

“Well then, 5 points to Slytherin for helping a fellow student” he said, shifting the weight of his books onto his hip. They were slipping, there wasn’t much hip on his slim body to hold them. 

 

Oliver was appalled, he gaped at Percy. Percy gave him a look. A stern sort of ‘don’t make a scene’ look. Flint was smiling way too gleefully as he pulled his book bag strap up on his shoulder and nodded graciously at Percy.

 

“Thank you” he said, still smiling that handsome toothless smile that made Oliver’s skin crawl in discomfort. Flint shot Oliver one last glance before he followed his brute friends away from them.

 

“How could you?” Oliver said, almost surprised at how genuinely heartbroken he sounded over 5 points.

 

“I have a duty Oliver” Percy said, still struggling with holding all his books.

 

Oliver held out a hand to take some off him, but his face was still mildly disapproving. Slytherin was already winning, why would Percy give them more points. Especially over something so deliberately played. 

 

Percy gladly handed him a few books without looking up, he was looking down at them as if he was going over the titles one by one. Then he stopped abruptly and groaned.

 

“I think I forgot advanced potion making!” he hissed, as if he wanted to scream but that would’ve been inappropriate for a prefect to do. Screaming was reserved for his siblings when they didn’t obey the rules and got in trouble or hurt. He looked so endearing. So humorously dishevelled that Oliver forgave him instantly for rewarding Flint for being deceitfully nice. Percy shoved more books onto Oliver, all of them really, so that he could use both hands to look through his entire bag. Oliver was so busy watching Percy he didn’t even notice Penelope had joined his side. They must have been close enough to the study room so that she would’ve spotted them from there.

 

“Hi” she said, and helpfully took some of the books out of Oliver’s embrace. Oliver startled, dropping the absent smile he had sported as he had admired Percy

 

“I definitely forgot it” Percy said, his arms slumping to his side as he gave them both a dejected look.

 

“You go ahead, I’ll go and grab it really quick” he said before he rushed back to the dorms. Leaving a caught and exposed Oliver next to Penelope, who was the last person Oliver wanted to catch him staring dreamily at her boyfriend.

 

He turned towards her rather slowly, she was definitely searching his face contemplatively. Her hands were full, his hands were fuller and they simply watched each other in a sudden kinship. An uncomfortably exposing kinship. 

 

Her eyebrows were furrowed, but she didn’t look as mad as Oliver had expected. She looked concerned.

 

“We need to talk” she said and pushed the nearest door open with her foot. Pushing the handle down with an elbow as she did, without dropping the books. 

 

It was a cleaning closet of some sort, but he supposed it was the best option he had if he didn’t want to have this conversation out in the open. So he followed her inside. 

Chapter 65: Year 5 - Genesis 11:1-9

Alasdair Maddock’s cursed left foot , Oliver was riled up. This year had been trying him from every angle. He was itching for an outlet as he paced aimlessly in circles around the astronomy tower. It was one of few places where he could catch a breeze when the quidditch field was occupied. The altitude usually calmed him enough, not today.

 

He sat down at the top of the spiral staircase, pondering where he would go when the next class began up here. He had the Quidditch field from three, he had no classes before that and he did not want to see anyone. 

 

The stairs creaked, Oliver’s head snapped down to watch who was coming with an unnecessary fury. However when he spotted the familiar poisonous sneer on Marcus Flint he was pleased he had no control of his emotions today. That git deserved worse. 

 

Flint had stopped for a second on the stairs when he had spotted someone sitting there, but the minute he recognized Oliver he kept walking. Rolling his eyes at him, as if Oliver’s burning gaze didn’t bother him anymore. He even patted Oliver’s shoulder as he passed. Oliver slapped it away. Oliver was ready to pick a fight, he barely needed any motivation.

 

“Do you need help removing that stick up your ass?” Flint said, grinning as he sauntered into the oval room and leaned his weight against one of the few pillars of stone that held up the roof. Oliver could so easily push him out the large window, but there were probably magical barriers to prevent that sort of thing.

 

“Or did Percy put it there? Matching sets?” Flint dropped his bag down on the floor with a loud thud. It sounded heavy. Perhaps Oliver could use it to clobber him.

 

“Stay away from Percy, or any of my friends” Oliver bit. He had to at least try to avoid an altercation. 

 

“Are you really mad over me being nice to your friends?” Flint said, his head tilted to the side as he gave Oliver a quite daring look. He pushed his weight off the wall and started sauntering again, up to where Oliver sat. Oliver stood up immediately and took a step down. He was still watching Flint cautiously though. Oliver’s step wavered, it wasn’t a good idea to walk backwards down a downward spiral.

 

Flint stopped as well, then tilted his head again. He crossed his arms.

 

“Why are you running?” he asked, he sounded as if he was going for seduction. Which was exactly why Oliver was running.

 

“What do you want?” Oliver asked, one foot below, ready to move whenever. 

 

“I know you feel something for me” Flint had relaxed his body, he looked deliberately more approachable than he ever had. Oliver was baffled but knew this was exactly why he couldn’t trust anything this man did.

 

“What the fuck are you on about, when did I ever give you that impression?”

 

“You liked it when I kissed you” Flint said, loudly. They were alone now, but other Slytherins were bound to come and Oliver was not about to let this conversation be overheard. He took the steps back up in one long stride and walked up close. Pushing his chest out in an attempt to try and intimidate Flint into some kind of silence.

 

“You were a means to an end, why won’t you drop it”

 

Flint, who had been unwavering as Oliver stood up to him, suddenly faltered a little. Not at Oliver’s stance, but his words. His confidence evaporated and he swallowed thickly.

 

The light breeze from the windows tugged at their robes in the silence that grew around them. If nothing more was said, Oliver would leave. He should leave. He stared into Marcus Flint’s eyes and felt an enormous swell of pity, and he couldn’t just walk away yet. Not in the silence. They were the sort of people who left loudly. 

 

Flint, quite unsurely placed his hand on Oliver’s. Oliver retracted it instinctively. 

 

Flint looked hurt, but his brow furrowed and he clenched his own hand closed again. Like it had hurt his pride more than his feelings.

 

Oliver pitied him, but he didn’t care for him.

 

“You’re a bad person and I will never like you” Oliver said, surprisingly softer than he had intended. But if he didn’t say it at all, then Flint would never get it. He was confusing lust with something else because surely Flint hated him too. He had to, he just had to.

 

“Do you think I can’t tell that you’re being performatively nice to my friend? That it’s only to gain something for yourself”

 

Flint looked annoyed again, brow furrowed deeper on his face. Oliver preferred it, he knew how to maneuver this version of his rival. 

 

“Isn’t everyone? Do you need a quill to write it over your nose, people are selfish” Flint said, switching his demeanor back into some confident jeering which felt much more comfortable. Oliver almost sighed in relief. Flint’s eyes hardened.

 

“Then maybe I’ll tell him about you” he said, gripping Oliver’s arm hard. 

 

Oliver’s heart started racing, he was almost embarrassed to admit it felt like fear.

 

He hated how people could use that against him, he hated that it always worked.

 

How could Flint think he liked him? That he could feel anything other than disgust at ever having put his mouth to Flint’s. Especially when the only way he knew to get Oliver was to threaten him into submission. Oliver was a large teen, he could fend for himself but at that moment he felt so oddly vulnerable and scared.

 

“What if I tell your friends about you ?” Oliver said, trying to make his voice come out steadier than he felt. 

 

Flint’s smile dropped.

 

“They wouldn’t believe you”

 

Something in his tone told Oliver he did have ground to stand on and it made him feel a little safer. He didn’t like lowering himself to Flint’s level, but if it was the only way…

 

“Go find some other boy to use” Oliver pulled his arm out of Flint’s grip. It didn’t matter that it hurt, he just wanted to leave. 

 

" Please ?" 

 

Oliver had started walking again but Flint’s tone of voice pulled him back in. Perhaps it was glee over the soft hurt that came from the other, or the fact he had even uttered please . Oliver turned around, but he didn’t move back.

 

Flint looked so desperately frustrated. 

 

He was a selfish, unlikeable racist git. He had no good qualities, Oliver could never like him. He was pretty sure Flint didn’t like him either, even when he seemed to think he did. 

 

“I think you do still hate me somewhere in there and you just want to own me to hurt me” Oliver answered his plea.

 

Flint scoffed, gesturing tiredly into the air before he let his arms drop again. He seemed to have found his composure again, parading in his confidence the way he had been taught by his pureblood parents. 

 

“Why the fuck are you making this into some mental jigsaw to solve, it’s just about sex” he hissed, lying through his crooked teeth.

 

“Then go find someone else!” Oliver shouted.

 

Flint rushed at him, pushing him up against the rounded wall that led down the tower. For a split second Oliver lost his footing and he slipped down a step. Flint was holding him steady, against hard stone. 

 

“ How? How will I possibly find another gay man at this place without exposing myself to getting absolutely pummeled or killed ?” Flint at least had the common sense to whisper this time. Oliver shared in that desperation, he recognized it, but that was it. 

 

It was complicated. They had the same sort of sadness in them. Oliver sympathised over the situation because it was also Oliver’s, but it wasn’t more than that. Just because Flint was also gay he wasn’t entitled to Oliver’s care and empathy.

 

“Be celibate then” Oliver said, oddly calm and centered in his emotions. He realized he didn’t care what Flint did now, Oliver could defend himself. He wasn’t as burly as Flint but he had fought him before and knew he could land a punch. Honestly, Oliver would rather throw his own body down the stairs than vanquish it to Marcus Flint.

 

Marcus thought it was a bad joke and laughed out a condescending scoff. Oliver didn’t care.

 

“I will always hate you Marcus”

 

For a second Flint didn’t seem to notice, then his eyes widened just slightly at hearing his own name from Oliver’s lips. 

 

“I don’t believe you” he whispered, with the air of a cursed man visited by a holy spirit.

 

“Believe what you want” Oliver whispered back and pushed Flint off of him. Paralyzed in some sort of state, Flint let him go. Oliver managed to take quite a few steps downwards before Flint spoke again.

 

“So what then, just be rivals again?”

 

Oliver stopped and looked up at him with tired eyes.

 

“When did we ever stop?”

 

Flint’s features hardened. 

 

“Fine then, I won’t be nice” It was a threat, and Oliver believed him. The malice and cruelty from when they were kids was back on Flint’s face and Oliver welcomed it.

Chapter 66: Year 5 - Harry Potter aint no Beatle

“Well that was plonkers” Morgan said as she took a seat on the floor next to Oliver’s bench. Leaning her head against the wall as she looked up at him.

 

“Do you think it’s favoritism, cause he’s famous?” she asked when he looked down and met her gaze. “Cause he’s no Beatle I tell ya that” 

 

“I think he did something really brave and they rewarded that… but yeah it was a bit mental” Oliver agreed and gestured towards the half empty bench he was sitting on. She simply made a face and declined his silent invitation to sit on a bench like a normal person. She had her knees almost all the way up to her chest and her legs far apart, completely inconsiderate over the skirt she wore.

 

“Congratulations about the house cup victory anyways” she smiled cheekily, he was glad she was taking it so well. Not many Slytherins did. Which was understandable. Oliver couldn’t imagine how it would feel to be presented as victors and then snubbed at the last second… well he could. Almost. They had lost the Quidditch finals but it sure felt snubbed. 

 

Winning the house cup was a small consolation, but it wasn’t the same.  

 

“I can’t believe we get to go home in a few days” she said, sighing “Has your year been as strange as mine?”

 

Oliver simply nodded and rubbed his face as he pondered it. It had been a crazy year, he chose to focus on the silver lining. He would still have the best Quidditch team in school when he got back next year and he was already working on new strategies to implement them in play. He had been surprised with a seeker this year, but now he was prepared. He knew he had him so he could spend the entire summer revising material. Which was good, because he was still not sure he could face Percy since-

 

“ Show me heaven! ” someone belted. Oliver startled, almost straight out of his seat but he caught himself in time. Morgan was looking towards the source with a questionable expression. Jack was spinning across the floor towards them, singing at the top of his lungs the way he had been everyday since Gryffindor lost the cup. The song that Oliver couldn’t remember singing, but which he apparently had. Marvin and Jack had been torturing him with it ever since to ensure him that it happened. 

 

It was only Jack this time, but next to him, letting herself be spinned around in his arms was Imogene. Never late to enjoy Oliver’s torment she laughed heartily at Jack’s antics. 

 

When they had reached the bench Jack squeezed himself down in the narrow space on Oliver’s right, between him and Morgan. Imogene, still laughing, took a seat on Oliver’s left. Jack grabbed Oliver close and whispered theatrically as if he was serenading him.

 

“ Do you know what it’s like, to dream a dream ” then shaking him forcefully belted again “ Baby hold me tight AND LET THIS BE !”

 

Then he did a shout that sounded more glam rock than pop diva, but Oliver couldn’t say anything without embarrassing himself more than he already had. Oliver buried his face in his hands and slumped down, trying to escape into the floor as he groaned. Imogene the traitor assisted Jack in pulling him back up into sitting.

 

“God, You’re gonna ruin the song for me” Oliver cringed and Jack laughed while he hugged him.

 

“I love it, you were so sad and you sang your heart out” he teased. 

 

Morgan was uncharacteristically quiet as she peered up at the two classmates that had joined them. As if she was assessing whether they knew she was there or not, and if they cared. Which was strange, she didn’t really know Imogene but Jack was her friend too. She was eyeing the pair suspiciously in silence.

 

Jack was still doing a dramatic rendition of show me heaven, and that on top of Morgan’s weird behaviour made Oliver desperate to change the setting.

 

“Imogene” Oliver turned his head towards her “Jack may look all swoll now but you ken he was such a fucking nerd when we were wee”

 

Jack’s laughter had grown into sniggers, but now he quieted down instantly. Furrowing his brow.

 

“Yeah, well, you-” he said but couldn’t think of anything to say.

 

“I don’t mind” Imogene said and gave Jack a sweet smile. Sickenly sweet, Oliver thought it looked dumb on her, especially directed at Jack. He was fine that they were dating, however, he had not signed up for the PDA’s.

Oliver tried to catch Morgan’s eye behind Jack, waiting for her to jump in on teasing Jack. She didn’t, she barely looked at them. 

 

“Yeah, and that was then too Jackie, so you probably don’t care that BBC2 is showing the new season of Star Trek: the next Generation,” Oliver said, trying to pry more discomfort out of Jack. Jack squirmed.

 

“How do you even know that’s what they’re showing?” Jack asked, trying to turn the tables on Oliver. It wouldn’t work, Oliver didn’t care for science fiction. He preferred Nightingales and watching Eastenders with his mom. Supposedly he should keep the last part for himself and not let Jack know. 

 

The reason Oliver knew was that he had received a crudely written letter from Emily. She wrote him often, it was good practice for her, but the only thing she wanted to talk about was Star Trek, and honestly Oliver rarely knew how to respond. When he met her during breaks he could just smile and nod as she pratted on, but in a letter it was difficult  to ask the right questions. Luckily, she didn’t always mind if he didn’t respond to one letter or two. 

 

“Emily wrote about it” he said and shrugged. 

 

“She writes you letters? That’s so fucking cute!” Imogene beamed and bumped her shoulder into Oliver’s.

 

“They’re terrible” Oliver said and Imogene gave him a stern glare in response.

 

“I - Well, I don’t care either way” Jack said “I refuse to watch muggle television anyway since they cancelled Dr Who.”

 

Imogene immediately turned her attention to her suitor and teasingly told him that they cancelled it because he was the only person still watching.

 

Oliver didn’t mention how it had been years and he should get over it, not to mention the cancellation happened long before the new Star Trek series aired and he knew for a fact Jack had watched the first season.  

 

“Why are you impressed with muggle television when you are literally wizards?” Morgan finally spoke up, her tone was slightly condescending and it worried Oliver. Not that he or Jack would mind, but Immy… Imogene got mad.

 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Imogene snarled, the first thing she said to even acknowledge Morgan’s presence. Morgan held her hands up defensively.

 

“It's not a muggle hate thing, it’s just how is it fantastical, when you can literally do magic?” she argued and Oliver felt a need to intervene because Imogene was hovering in her seat like she was a lioness ready to pounce.

 

“I think you have to watch it to get it, Morgan, some of it is about everyday life and it’s more about the drama. It’s not realistic, it's just entertaining.” he said and shrugged. Jack, to his credit, had noticed the tense atmosphere and had moved seats to Imogene’s side, placing a hand on her thigh to ground her. 

 

“You like muggle music” Jack volunteered and smiled “so maybe you’ll like other media as well”.

 

Morgan scoffed in response. Imogene’s eyes were lit ablaze but she stayed put under Jack’s hand. Her eyes were still pierced on Morgan. Morgan in turn looked indifferent and bored and stared ahead. Both Jack and Oliver shared a look trying to telepathically solve this. Oliver felt at a loss, surprisingly enough Jack was the one who’s eyes lit in a lightbulb moment.

 

“Right, didn’t you have something to tell Oliver, love?” he asked, his eyes failed to hide the hopeful glimmer and Oliver could tell Imogene felt bad so she complied and dropped the tension she had built. Oliver was amazed, perhaps they were a good item. 

 

“Yeah… us Gryffindors were thinking we could have a little shindig together… just us” she said. Oliver felt like she added that last part a bit too pointedly “and respective others of course”.

 

She was definitely trying to imply something. Jack could come but not everyone in the company had an invitation. Oliver felt uncomfortable and he knew better than to ask, but he couldn’t not stand up for a friend. 

 

“Can Morgan come?” 

 

Jack looked disappointed in him and Imogen looked uncomfortable. 

 

“I’ll pass luv, the house tensions have only grown this past months and it’s not just your friend” Morgan said and bounced up on her feet with a cheeriness that did not match the content of her words. 

 

Imogene tensed, and Oliver was proud to say that at least she looked regretful. 

 

It wasn’t all Slytherins, but it was definitely some of them. Like some of them were worse, more intensely racist than they used to be. As if the famous follower families were no longer scared of hiding it the way everyone had been since the dark lord died. It was like they were starting to forget, and someone had to remind them to fear being exposed again.

 

Morgan left with a little Ta-ra, swaying while she left to a melody in her head. Oliver’s heart hurt but it felt too big of a thing for him to solve. He felt helpless to it. 

 

“I don’t like her” Imogene snarled again, looking glum even as Jack massaged her thigh and nudged her cheek with his nose like a devout puppy.

 

Oliver was surprised and wondered if he had misread the regret he had sensed on her features. It wasn't like imogene to be prejudiced. 

 

Imogone could tell simply by looking at his face what he was thinking and elaborated without him asking. 

 

“It’s not that she’s a Slytherin. I just don’t like her” she said and scoffed.

 

“Her attitude is terrible, she thinks she’s more interesting and cooler than everyone, like being a fucking nice, decent person is beneath her” the level of which she sprouted negativity over Morgan was leaning towards a full on rant. Oliver was surprised she had even noticed Morgan previous to this brief meeting.

 

“ I can wear a skirt and sit like a rude lad on the tram if I want to because I’m just a tottie bird, i’m a doll, I sound like a Beatles” the rant had developed into a rather rude impression and honestly with a bit too much focus on her accent, so Oliver had to stop it.

 

“I’m superior, that’s so Sound. I’m Scouse, so you don’t get music like i do- ” 

 

“Imogene… you’re welsh” he said, she froze and stared at him with large bulging eyes.

 

“Don’t you dare say that to me”

 

The tension held for a moment, then burst like a bubble as they started laughing. When the laughter died he was still a bit sad over Morgan’s mood and what was happening with her housemates, but at least Imogene had her own reasons not to like her. Inevitably some rather peculiar ones but at least they were personal. 

Chapter 67: Year 5 - the Clearwater - Wood conversation

Percy had already packed, they were leaving today and Oliver knew he wouldn’t see him all summer. Not only because they hadn’t made plans, but Oliver had decided to stay away from him. It wasn’t entirely by his choice, but he probably needed the space anyway. Percy still tried to involve Oliver in his life at every turn, which felt nice. But Oliver needed space. He needed to work on himself so that he could just be Percy’s friend, the friend he needed.

“Penny and I are going down to the lake, perhaps dip our feet” Percy snickered. He was a far more relaxed person now that the O.W.Ls were all turned in, the cup was won and he was on prefect leave until next year. Oliver still saw him catch himself almost taking points from first years running in the hallways. Percy had settled on just reprimanding them, and then send them on their way. Still prefect, still serious, but today he was also simply happy. Casually dressed for a date to the lake.

“I still need to pack” Oliver said, gesturing to the strewn out clothes on his bed. He wasn’t even trying to pack at the moment, he was too deep into Quidditch strategies. 

Honestly, a break sounded nice, but there were other reasons why Oliver felt he needed to decline. 

Penelope places the books she is holding on a shelf in the cleaning cupboard. Oliver is too stunned to do anything so he keeps his pile in his arms. She takes a firm grip on Oliver's right arm when the door shuts. Surprisingly it hurts a lot coming from someone with such gentle, thin hands. 

She regrets it, he can tell by the look in her eyes as she lets him go. She apologizes, as if she isn’t sure either how to proceed with this conversation.. 

Perhaps it is the small confined space echoing all sounds back to him but he can hear his own terrified heartbeats. 

"I'm seeing Percy, you have to accept that" she finally settles on these words. "You hanging around us all the time won't help, it won't do a thing".

Oliver stops being scared somewhere in the middle of her speech and the fear and surprise pours right off him and is replaced by sudden anger. He is becoming aware of the weight of the books but refuses to put them down on principle.

"you can’t tell me not to-" he begins but she cuts him off by holding her hand up in front of him.

"He doesn't like you like that"

And then he is struck silent. He knows that, it still hurts to hear it out loud.

“you can’t exclude me if he invites me to join” 

“There are complications, you liking him makes it complicated”

“You don’t want your boyfriend being seen with the bender?”

“It’s not that.. it’s not that you’re gay, but he’s MY boyfriend. You can’t nestle yourself in because-” she hesitates. She isn’t telling him everything. 

“He’s not just yours” Oliver says bitterly, he wants to argue more fiercely, yet he is struck with some notion that he needs to stay on her good side. She doesn’t feel like the sort of person who would out him to the entire school if he scorns her, but he really doesn’t know her that well. Somewhere in his memory she is just a quirky girl who made impossibly intricate jokes and listened to Radiohead. A chubby little girl who makes his best friend happy and who always tried her best to befriend Oliver. Oliver had just never let her in, so perhaps it isn't so strange that she is so harsh now. 

“He’s not just your boyfriend, he’s also my friend” Oliver says, a lot less accusingly this time. 

“Exactly, Friend.”

He’s stunned silent again

“exactly.. and he’s straight, so you have nothing to worry about. He's just my friend” and it hurts to say it. “So you-”

“That you fancy, a friend that you fancy!” she interrupts.

Then she deflates, tired that she doesn't get through to him. But what does she expect when what she’s asking him to give up is Percy.

“It just feels like you’re trying to steal him”

Oliver doesn’t say that it always felt like she was the one stealing him first.

“I just want my best friend” he says instead. she looks sympathetic

“well like I said, it’s complicated”

Oliver sat on his bed, procrastinating packing and making notes for upcoming Quidditch practices and declined Percy's second attempt at an invitation.

“Are you sure, I can help you pack later if you want to join us?” Percy said, his eyebrows were raised with doubt at Oliver's firm decline.

"No, no it's fine" Oliver shook his head and smiled "I need to do these anyway… it's tactic and stuff for next year"

He waved his papers in the air with a chuckle and then proceeded to scribble down ideas and schedules.

"I thought you wanted us to do more stuff together?" 

Was that disappointment in Percy's voice just now? Oliver couldn’t think too hard on it or his determination would waver. 

He carefully looked up again to see Percy just standing there with a thoughtful look on his face. He looked rather misplaced there in the doorway of their dorm. Especially now that Percy’s side looked so empty of belongings.

Oh how he wanted to be with him, milk every last minute of time before the Hogwart’s express took him away..

But there had been more to what Penelope had told him.

"I don't want you coming here with us anymore" her voice becomes serious and a bit cold "I'll tell him about you if you do"

"Ah… yes, definitely. Must work, can't disappoint the team "Oliver gave a small blush as he looked back down on his scribbles. Oliver wasn’t stupid, even if Penelope might not out him to the entire school she had been pretty clear about Oliver not joining their dates. 

Oliver really didn’t want Percy to know what he was.

"Alright… see you at the train station then Oliver" Percy shrugged and proceeded to walk out the door, he stopped like he hesitated for a second with his hand on the handle, then he closed it. Leaving Oliver alone with his thoughts. Usually Oliver always went down to the station to wave his friends off, he was almost sure he would still do it today. He was just on alert every time he was near Percy, so that Penelope wouldn’t get the wrong idea. It wasn’t as if she said he couldn’t be with Percy at all, just not when he was with her… Only then had she said she would tell on him. If he was being honest, he understood it now. You weren’t supposed to bring your mates to your dates.

Oliver had almost expected Penny to tell Percy anyway, she hadn’t. 

He went down to hug all the southerners goodbye, but Oliver was still skittish as they split for the summer. 

 

Chapter 68: The fifth summer - Fully gay! Fully gay?... fully gay.

Percy had sent him letters for weeks, Oliver did not answer any of them. He planned to send him a card on his birthday though. It wasn’t Percy’s fault that Oliver needed to stop crushing on him so of course he would acknowledge his birthday! He just needed some space until then, and he knew if he opened up that can of worms now he would start corresponding like a man obsessed. 

 

Thankfully Imogene was visiting Jack for a month and there was nothing so distracting as bantering with her. 

 

They sat on a grassy hill wearing nothing but shorts and tank tops. Jack’s shorts looked like beach shorts in aggressives shade of purple and green and he had paired it with a white tank and atrocious hawaii shirt. It was a gift from his aunt and apparently what all the teens wore in London. Oliver refused to believe it. He suddenly felt rather stylish in his jeans shorts and white tank. Imogene looked underdressed compared to how she usually dressed, but it was too warm to care. Her afro had grown out a bit, it still stood out from her head unlike Oliver’s that had now finally started growing downwards. Unlike Oliver she actually suited her hair reaching for the sky. 

 

Her shorts looked like the type of legging Mr Campbell, the pub owner, wore when he took his bike into town on sundays. When he pretended he was an athlete practising for the tour de France rather than being a pub owner in rural Scotland. 

 

Imogene’s shorts barely looked like more than long underwear to be honest, but she had a short red wrap skirt on top of it. She however seemed comfortable enough around her boyfriend and her gay friend to let it slide all the way to the sides of her thighs as she sat down. 

 

The wind combed the grass in long strides, it was a hot summer, but the breeze was pleasant here. If they stood up and walked anywhere where the wind didn’t blow they wouldn’t be able to breathe. So they stayed put, even if it was way past lunch. Oliver couldn’t feel particularly hungry when it was this warm out anyway. 

 

He dragged a hand over his sweaty forehead and leaned his weight over his thighs. He locked his arms in front of him to secure his comfortable position and looked out over the landscape. He had to squint to the sun, but he could see blurry wolly shapes down the planes and heard the distinct bleat of sheep that made him feel at home. They had finished shearing them just the other day, and they no doubt enjoyed it much more now that the heat picked up. Perhaps they could learn that it was worth the fuss and stop working against him every year. 

 

He closed his eyes, and let the sun rays burn him. Soon he would be a lovely tan again, he never usually thought much of it but now as he got older he was thankful that he had inherited his mothers genes and not his father’s. The man had that paleness that made him burn bright red if he stayed too long in the sun and always healed right back into pale. Since Bram Wood worked out in the sun so much, he rarely got past red though. Oliver usually burned red as well the first days of summer, but it always set nicely in the end. 

 

Jack had the same condition, except his skin also freckled, which meant he burned a little worse. He had a redness over his nose right now that would soon peel into gold.  

 

Imogene didn’t have these issues at all. Her skin got a richer glow during the summer, but her skin was always a nice brown that Oliver envied a little if he was being honest. 

 

Not that he minded pale skin, not on other people. On other people it was beautiful… His mind drifted to exactly where it didn’t need to go. Where it shouldn’t.

 

He glanced over at Imogene who sat worshipping the sky. She looked peaceful and as if she was enjoying herself. He needed her help, he needed distraction.

 

“I can’t believe I have to see you outside of school as well” Oliver said accusingly, Imogene kept her eyes closed and held her head up towards the sun. 

 

“I could poke your eyes out. Solve that problem” she said, without missing a beat and without breaking her pose.

 

“So aggressive” Oliver muttered.

 

This time she did open her eyes and turned her attention towards him. Unlike the rest of them she didn’t have to squint or shield her eyes when the sun hit her face. 

 

“Only to you” she responded, but she smiled.

 

Oliver decided to involve Jack then. Imogene was apparently in way too good a mood to fully commit to the banter today. She was in a lazy sundaze and he needed man power if this was gonna go anywhere.

 

“She can’t even commit to her own hair, how is she gonna commit to you?” he said, Imogene laughed and didn’t respond.

 

“Says you who’s never had a girlfriend” Jack said, as if Oliver had anything to say about commitment. He was almost right of course.

 

Imogene had closed her eyes again but at Jack’s words she opened one and glanced over at Oliver. Oliver met her gaze. They both pressed their lips together in silent unity. Jack noticed and looked between them. He could tell they were hiding something and he was desperate for answers. It was apparent in the way his face moved. 

 

“What? Have you?” he had been sitting leaned back on his arms, but now he straightened up and looked excitedly between the two.

 

“Seriously, have you?”

 

Oliver laughed, mostly in embarrassment and looked down into the dirt by his side. effectively breaking eye contact with Imogene who giggled knowingly. Jack was still insistently curious why they were acting this way. 

 

“I’ve never had a burd Jack” Oliver said, feeling the heat rise in his cheek and he rubbed his hand all over it trying to make it stop.

 

“Right!” Jack said, joyous at having been right but still avidly confused. 

 

Oliver felt his heart beat, the heat was traveling to his chest and he rubbed his face more aggressively. Dipping his head down into his lap and then up again. He blew out air from his nose, anything to just muster up the courage. Jack was whipping his head between the two, Oliver couldn’t even look at him. He could sense the confusion radiating from him.

 

“What is it, why are you two keeping secrets?” Jack asked, laughing under his breath but his confusion was still apparent. He laughed more to belong than actually aware of what they were so amused over. Oliver had to put him out of his misery. 

 

“I’m gay mate” Oliver said, rubbing his neck awkwardly and finally gathered enough confidence to whip his head around to meet Jack’s frozen face. Jack was stuck in a gaping pose, as if he had been about to say something else but had stopped. Then his eyes grew in size as much as his mouth hole widened and he stared.

 

“Really!?” he screamed, Oliver could feel the nervousness vaporize because Jack’s tone was excited. Surprised, but not upset. Oliver felt a bit nauseous with relief.

 

“You’re fully gay?” Jack shouted, and Oliver didn’t have the heart to shush him. Besides, who would expose him, the sheep? Perhaps… as revenge for the shearing, if they had the vocal cords they probably would. 

 

He wasn’t sure if you could be not fully gay, and still be gay. That probably made you bisexual.

 

“Fully” he said instead.

 

Jack had a lot more questions. 

 

“Have you told your parents?”

 

“No”

 

“Will you?”

 

“Nah”

 

Oliver laughed, he wasn’t sure why because the reason wasn’t funny.

 

“Why not?”

 

“Ma would cry” Oliver said and shrugged “I don’t want to upset her”

 

Jack’s shoulders slumped and he looked like a kicked puppy.

 

“Surely not” Jack said. Oliver shrugged.

 

“No mother will exactly be thrilled at the prospect of her only son dying of AIDS”

 

“You won’t get AIDS” Imogene said, inserting herself into the tirade of questions coming from her boyfriend. 

 

“Hopefully not, not if I never shag anyone” Oliver said and forced himself to sound like he was joking around, like it was funny. She looked serious. 

 

“Even then, people fear the disease. Just being gay around them does it” Oliver kept talking. Imogene still didn’t budge, Jack however looked uncomfortable at the topic.

 

“I’m not scared of you” Imogene said and on her knees she crawled close enough to grab his face and kiss him. It wasn’t a peck either, it was on the verge of a quick snog. He pushed her away and laughed, it was a nice kiss but if he hadn’t been sure before he knew for certain that he was gay now. At least he didn’t wipe his mouth like she did. Her mouth was wide in a grin as she moved back to Jack’s side. Jack looked surprisingly unthreatened by his girlfriend kissing another man. Perhaps it was because Oliver had just told him he had no interest in her. 

 

“Well there’s no risk kissing the virgin poofter Immy” Oliver joked and rolled his eyes. She was just about to respond when Jack’s voice drowned hers out.

 

“What!?” he screamed again and almost rolled the short pace down the hill to get closer to Oliver. 

 

“Impossible!” he grabbed Oliver’s face. Oliver stayed put, it really wasn’t that impossible. 

 

Jack had frozen still again, apparently suddenly aware that he had grabbed Oliver’s face in both hands. He stared at him, Oliver felt strangely self conscious and averted his eyes to avoid Jack’s intense blue eyes apparently searching his soul for truth. It was really hard not to look back though, as if Jack’s eyes pulled at his. Jack’s breathing shook a bit and he looked surprised. Then he leaned in, so Oliver leaned back. Blinking in surprise.

 

“I just want to try it” Jack said, furrowing his eyes stubbornly. Oliver really wasn’t so sure about it.

 

“You let Immy do it” Jack argued, pouting.

 

“Mate, I didn’t let her” Oliver said but sat back up again and stopped pulling away. Jack didn’t immediately go for it, he sat quiet, still with his brow furrowed and lips pressed shut. Looking anything but ready to kiss someone. Imogene was full on laughing behind them now.

 

“Come on then” Oliver said, impatiently. His face was still stuck between Jack’s calloused hands. 

 

Jack leaned in, and kissed him. A lot softer than Imogene had. Oliver kissed back tentatively for a second but couldn’t keep a straight face longer than that. He dipped his head away and giggled. Wiping at his mouth. It was too awkward.

 

Oliver was definitely fully gay and Jack may have had freckles, but he was sure Jack wasn’t his type. His freckles were just sort of… blonde and Oliver wasn’t into it.

 

They kissed one more time, just to really make sure it counted. Imogene interrupted them. 

 

She had moved down to their level and broke them up by pushing her torso between them. Surprisingly it was Oliver she turned her attention to first. She gave him one more smooch, then she grabbed Jack’s neck and kissed him passionately right in Oliver’s face.Much more properly than what they had been doing up until then. 

 

Oliver let out a shaky breath, feeling a lot more affected than he had thought he was. As he watched his friends make out almost on top of him, Jack still held one of his hands on Oliver’s cheek so that he still felt a bit included. Imogene had one hand on his thigh, and honestly it was sort of hot. Oliver wasn’t even into either one of them individually but the situation was a bit sexy. His skin felt flushed and he kind of wanted to kiss them again. 

 

Imogene leaned back and bit her lip grinning. Jack’s eyes were dazed. Oliver had never seen that before. His palms were sweaty and he sat paralyzed and could only put his hands down in the cool grass to ground himself.

 

“OLIVER!” a shrill five year old scream came from up the hill. The three teens scattered, threw their bodies to the ground and separated. Oliver lay down on his stomach and buried his head but he could hear Imogene’s hysterical laughter anyway.

 

The earth was shaking as if it was a herd of elephants nearing, and not just his sister running full speed down towards them. When he finally glanced up his head was probably still beet red. It felt hot like it anyway. Emily was standing with her arms crossed, breathing obnoxiously through her open toothless mouth. She didn’t look happy at all.

 

She was still wearing her star trek: new generation pyjama and probably would wear it until morning, until the next. Until their mother could finally force her out of it for a bath which she desperately needed. Her head of dark hair was starting to look matted, but she was in a summer phase where no one could touch her. Oliver knew he’d have to help his ma out that night, much like with the stubborn sheep refusing to get sheared. Emily would be better for it tomorrow.

 

Jack had his back towards her, hugging his legs to himself, but had turned his head her way. 

He was blushing as fiercely as Oliver and after clearing his voice a couple times, he nodded toward her outfit with a smile. 

 

“I like you pyjama Emily” he said, Imogene was hiding her face in Jack’s chest and couldn’t control her laughter which had now turned into giggling. She couldn’t even look at anyone it seemed. Jack put his arm around her back and kept his steady gaze at their new company. Oliver was thankful that at least one of them could.

 

“I don’t need to hear that from a poser” Emily said and glared at Jack before turning her attention back to her brother. 

 

Imogene burst out in hysterics again, throwing her head back laughing. Jack dipped his head in defeat but laughed too.

 

“Emily!” Oliver reprimanded, feeling like he had to at least try to teach her some manners.

 

“He’s a fake fan” Emily insisted, Oliver scoffed and smiled into the ground hoping she didn’t notice. 

 

“What do you want?” he asked instead, poking his head up again to look at her.

 

“Ma says you have to at least have tea, you have to eat something” then she was quiet for a long while as if she had more to say that perhaps wasn’t a message from their ma.

 

“And?” he asked, giving her an encouraging smile.

 

“And can I play with you and your friends?” she pouted as she asked.

 

He smiled and breathed out slowly, trying to find his composure again.

 

“Sure, we can play after tea”

Chapter 69: Year 6 - Why haven’t you responded to any of my correspondence?

They had tried kissing again but were unable to recreate the mood. Every time since then it just felt weird, like kissing a relative. However it did leave Oliver with hope and a good feeling. Because if he could feel like that while kissing someone he wasn’t even into but still liked as a person, then he could definitely find someone he was into who wasn’t his best friend. 

 

The rest of the summer Oliver had spent submerged in revising game strategies for the upcoming season. 

 

He felt like a new more confident version of himself, prepared for anything. 

 

As soon as they were alone in their dorm again Percy had asked him immediately why he hadn’t responded to his correspondence. Literally, he had asked:

 

“Why haven’t you responded to any of my correspondence?”

 

“I sent you a card on your birthday” Oliver said and snickered at the familiarity of the verbal choices Percy had made. .

 

“That’s not- I sent you so many letters Oliver” Percy’s brow was deeply furrowed and upset. Oliver couldn’t bear it. He couldn’t exactly explain why he had ignored them though. 

 

Besides, Percy's face was too funny right now to take him that seriously.

 

“Aw, Percy” Oliver said teasingly, and then had to force himself to get serious before he continued. “I’m sorry, I was really busy helping with the sheep and planning the season” 

 

He shoved his quidditch supplies under his bed and unwrapped his broom carefully. He really didn’t want to have to put it in the broom closet. It would’ve been so much neater to have it next to his bed… He wouldn’t sleep with it like a teddy bear the way he had when he had first got it on his thirteenth birthday, but he would’ve still liked to keep it close. 

 

“You couldn’t respond once?” Percy complained, he had stopped unpacking entirely and just stood by the foot of Oliver’s bed looking more upset than Oliver had seen him in years. At least directed at Oliver.  

 

“I did”

 

“Not the card, to one letter”

 

“I figured you had Penny to keep you occupied” Oliver said and tried his best to sound like he took Percy seriously, but it honestly felt a little bit like Percy was overreacting. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t been in contact at all, not like Paul… Paul’s lack of responses was honestly starting to scare him.

 

“Please, don’t start with that again” Percy’s anguish sounded more irritated now.

 

“No, seriously I’m totally fine with it” Oliver said and he actually did mean it. He smiled encouragingly towards Percy. Honestly, the time apart had been good for Oliver. He had come to realize that he didn’t need to stay glued to Percy’s side for all eternity to keep him. It probably wasn’t that healthy for them anyway. It was okay that they had other friends and sometimes did things apart, it didn’t make them stop being best friends. He was confident that Percy would still be there for him when he needed him. 

 

Percy looked taken aback, stunned silent. Then he uncrossed his arms and relaxed his body, looking around like he searched for something to say or do now. He looked a bit lost in his surprise at how rational Oliver was being for once. Which made Oliver proud. 

 

“Oh… Okay” Percy finally said, and went back to unpacking. He still had a vacant look in his eye, like he was thinking and wasn’t exactly satisfied with the outcome of their conversation. 

 

Oliver planned to be busy this year anyway. He was determined to win the Quidditch cup, which meant most of his free time would go towards reaching that goal. He wouldn’t have time to worry about Percy not paying attention to him. In that sense, Quidditch season was Oliver’s new boyfriend. 

 

Finally, he had the tools to handle this crush on his best friend. He would be able to just be his friend again, which they both really needed.

 

“Do you want to hang out tomorrow, after dinner?”

 

Oliver poked his head out of his trunk and blew the stray hair out of his face when it fell down. That would be annoying to get used to… should he shave it again?

 

"Yeah?" he responded quickly then more tentatively added “... just the two of us?”

 

If Percy was inviting him along to another of his and Penelope’s dates then-

 

It had been a while since they had hung out just the two of them. Last year it had been near impossible to see Percy without his Penelope, so the fact that he had even offered. If that was what he offered? It was perhaps the perfect test, to see if he could really do this. 

 

“Yeah” Percy said, quietly while he kept his eyes down on the shirt he was folding.

 

Oliver could prove to himself that he was capable of just being his friend.

 

Oliver’s heart also skipped a beat at the prospect of spending time alone with him. . 

 

Fuck!

 

---

 

Percy’s O.W.L’s were to no one's surprise remarkable, just like Bill’s had been. Unfortunately that meant they barely shared any classes this year. The only ones they shared were Charms, History of Magic and Muggle studies. In a way that was also a blessing, it made it easier to focus on his own things. 

 

Although he wasn’t too popular with his professors since he already on his first day got caught drawing up game setups rather than practising turning vinegar to wine. He was pretty sure the winegar Flitwick asked him to drink up to teach him a little lesson, was beneficial to his overall fitness anyway.

 

He was coming out of his first double potion lesson for the season with Imogene and Eveline when he spotted Penelope waiting. His head snapped backwards to see if anyone she might know other than them shared this class with him and felt an uncomfortable knot grow in his chest when he didn’t spot anyone. His hope that she was there for Snape vanquished as she perked up at seeing him. 

 

Perhaps Percy had told her that they were going to hang out just the two of them, he was terrified that she would somehow mind it.

 

“Hi Oliver, did you have a nice summer?” she asked, smiling surprisingly sincerely.

 

Imogene snickered to his left and bounced her eyebrows at him. 

 

“Oh it was a blast” Imogene answered for him.

 

“We’ll go on ahead, I need pastries and coffee if I’m gonna survive history” she turned her head towards Oliver and without waiting for a response hooked arms with Eveline and disappeared. Oliver felt betrayed that she hadn’t stopped to read his mind, or at least sensed his tense body language.

 

“It was fine” he said, trying to fight back a blush after Imogene’s reaction to the question.

 

“How was yours?” he asked. 

 

It all felt stilted and performative. The way you talked to your parents' friends when you bumped into them on the street.

 

“Well…” she began and pressed her lips together “Percy wrote a lot… actually, can we go somewhere and talk?” 

 

He felt anxious, the last time they’d had a talk it hadn’t been fun.

 

He shrugged and when she started walking he followed. This time she took her time and found them a nice spot on a bench next to a huge petrified troll. Its large frozen body shielded them from the corridor and gave them a sense of privacy.

 

“I have to start by apologizing” she said, Oliver couldn’t stop his surprised eyebrow bounce.

 

“I didn’t mean for you to avoid Percy entirely” she said without waiting for Oliver to respond to her apology.

 

“He was so upset all summer that you didn’t respond to him”

 

“Hey, I didn’t not respond because you told me to stay out of your dates” Oliver interrupted, with his hands held high. He had to stop her before she went into a full guilty rant about it. Honestly, that had been his own choice to make. Although she couldn’t blame him for being worried that she would’ve told Percy, if he hadn’t gotten better at handling this crush. So perhaps that had affected his choices.  

 

“I just needed some time for myself”

 

Her whole body sighed and relaxed in relief and he almost snickered. It was sort of nice to know she had felt bad about it. That meant she maybe wasn’t such a terrible person, and he could accept her.. and it felt a little good that she had been a little tormented by it, if he was being honest. 

 

“I still meant what I said about our dates” she said, a lot less nervously rambling than before.

 

“Percy is mine, and I want our dates for myself” 

 

Oliver simply nodded and looked down on his feet.

 

“But please don’t ignore him, he’s already lost Paul… don’t let him lose another friend” she said and tried to catch his avoidant gaze. Like she wanted to look him in the eye when she said it. She put an emphasis on friend. 

 

Oliver simply allowed for her to meet his gaze for a second and then nodded slowly. He hadn’t considered that his lack of response might trigger something considering Paul. he supposed he too would’ve hated being on the other end of this summer’s lack of contact. 

 

“We haven’t lost Paul” he said instead, not sure if he believed his own words. Penelope looked at him with pity, but nodded as if she had made the choice to agree rather than tell him he was wrong. 

Chapter 70: Year 6 - His Oliver

Oliver had returned to Hogwarts with a perfect tan and oozing confidence, and Percy wanted to scream into his pillow at night. At least he had stopped ignoring Percy, but Percy still didn’t know why it had happened. 

 

Oliver claimed he had been busy and sure, Percy could believe that. 

 

The fanatic had been revising all summer, he claimed. Percy could especially believe that when he saw the multitude of signs that Oliver had prepared for the first Quidditch meet. At least he knew the twins would soon get what they deserved in athletic torture and the plans were good and well thought out. It was just that… It was his Oliver, who always had time for Percy. Who complained whenever Percy was too busy, and suddenly he couldn’t take the time to respond to one letter? To just let Percy know that he was busy!? Percy had been hurt and worried, and now that he saw that they were fine and Oliver wanted his company again he was confused and frankly a bit offended. 

 

Oliver was still keeping himself busy, as if spending all summer revising wasn’t enough. He had to continue, revise a new regiment again .

 

It didn’t matter if the Slytherins all had new brooms! 

 

...Okay Percy did understand it now that he was more into the game. Better brooms meant better circumstantial benefits, but Gryffindor’s players had more talent in their little fingers than the entire Slytherin Team had all together.

 

“Don’t you dare tell the twins I gave them compliments” he said as Oliver grinned, putting back the last slide that he had shown Percy for feedback.

 

“I’ll have them up and flying at the crack of dawn tomorrow, if you want to come watch” Oliver joked as he cracked a great big beautiful smile at him. Percy flushed all the way up his neck and self consciously pulled his collar tighter to hide it. What was wrong with him?

 

He decided to be fine with it all. Oliver had shown the fruits of his labour and it seemed true enough. He had been busy this summer.

 

It wasn’t as if he hadn’t also been right that Percy had Penelope’s correspondence to keep him occupied.

He was just so shocked and unprepared now that he also saw the physical results of Oliver’s apparent labour on his parent's farm. Tan, and muscular and his hair had grown out in a beautiful curl, and good god the man looked like Adonis and Percy had to share a room with that. 

He lay awake and stared at his friend's sleeping frame like a creep. 

 

Percy didn't have time for this.

His siblings were acting menaces who kidnapped Harry Potter in the middle of summer, drove dad’s flying car to school and apparently now also petrified cats… okay, so Ron had been cleared of that but the whole school had still noticed their existence. They were under constant surveillance now. Percy wouldn’t let them bring shame to the family, and ruin his chances of becoming minister of magic.

 

Ginny was pale as a ghost these days, that worried him as well. 

 

Perhaps she was frightened by her brother's absolutely barbaric behaviour. Percy wouldn’t blame her if she was. What a terrible first impression they made of the school and its liberal freedom from their parents. They were all terrible influences. 

 

He was thinking about writing home, asking his mother what he should do with them and if Ginny’s constant paleness was really cause for concern or if he was exaggerating. All things he should concern himself with. 

 

Yet here he lay staring at his best friend snoring instead. Sweat glistening on his naked torso.

 

As if he hadn’t greater things to worry over. 

 

It was lucky he had Penny. At least when he was with her, in an abandoned classroom in the south dungeon, he could forget what anguish awaited him in his dorm. In his life in general. 

 

They snuck off often. As soon as their prefect duties ended they would find the time to kiss and touch and kiss deeper. And Penelope was such a different beauty that he could forget Oliver existed for a second. Almost. Why was he cursed with this, what was he supposed to do with it?

 

He knew in a sense that what he and Penelope were doing wasn’t entirely proper either, but it seemed that no matter where he went he was a victim to his hormones. At least with Penelope he could let them guide him without fear. Which was nice, he liked simple directives in life. 

The one time he still felt in absolute balance was as a prefect, and during classes.

At least there he knew what he was doing and he could follow his mind which to be honest was his largest asset. He was thankful that neither Oliver nor Penelope shared most of his classes to distract and deprive him of that control.

He liked control, and as a prefect he had it. It was comfortable. 

 

He had just rounded a corner on the second floor when he spotted Ron and Harry exiting a bathroom. It was a bit late so he thought he should remind them to hurry back, when he suddenly realized it was Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. For yet another split second he wondered if Ron was questioning his identity as a boy, and then it hit him that Ron was definitely just up to something bad again.

 

“RON!” he screamed “That’s a girls’ bathroom!”

 

Honestly he took no joy in taking those 5 points off his own brother…

Okay maybe he did a little. 

Perhaps that would keep him from playing detective which would then keep him from getting hurt again. 

It didn’t matter to him if they all blamed him for being a bore or that he was selfishly doing it not to hurt his chances to become head boy. He did worry about them… but couldn’t he do both? Care about his siblings well being and care about becoming head boy next year. 

Either way his siblings could think whatever they wanted of him, as long as they were safe.

Chapter 71: Year 6 - A different point of view

Arcas was a fine mate as far as housemates went. He was nice and they had a good laugh, but he wasn’t Jack’s best friend. 

 

He would’ve considered Oliver to be his best friend but Oliver’s best friend was Percy, so he settled on Oliver just being his oldest friend. 

 

Marvin was Jack’s best friend. Which surprised everyone around him, but never Jack himself. 

 

He argued more with Marvin than anyone else, but if he didn’t care then why would he bother to argue? Marvin Hamilton with his funny words that Jack didn’t understand was Jack’s best friend in the entire world. He was the person Jack wanted to tell when he got a good mark on an essay, he was the face Jack searched for in the crowd when he made a particularly good bludger save. Marvin was the person that made him feel the proudest to be able to say that they belonged together. Because no one expected them to like each other. It didn’t matter that Oliver had been the one to introduce them to each other, because now they had something that was just theirs. 

 

So it didn’t matter that people gave him funny looks when he strode up and took a seat at the ravenclaw table during breakfast as if he belonged there. 

 

Jack felt like he did anyway, because he belonged where Marvin was.

 

Marvin had given him a funny look just like everyone else the first time he had sat down, but never questioned it.

 

“I have to change position again because of my new muscle build” Marvin said as Jack took his usual seat. He hadn’t stopped the flow of his already running conversation just because his friendly hufflepuff appeared, and simply gave Jack a nod in recognition mid-talk.

 

Marvin was good at talking, he spoke three languages. 

 

“What muscles?” Jack asked, unable to not take a stab at him. He could see the new summer build under Marvin’s dress shirt, it was actually there but he could never let Marvin know that. Marvin gave him a crude gesture but kept his conversation going with his roomate. 

 

He was still smaller than Jack, but was slowly catching up to Oliver, which probably meant his new position was-

 

“- Keeper, since Malloway graduated last year”

 

“Aren’t you worried you won’t be able to expand in a position if you keep changing all the time, how will that impact your future prospects?” his classmate asked, a black man with glasses who spoke as eloquently as Percy. His glasses were more modern though, thin squares without frames. 

 

“It’s not like I plan to find a career in Quidditch anyway, it’s just my hobby, besides it’s a good extracurricular” 

 

“It’s kinda funny, when you quit as a seeker you got Chang who is so much better than you” Jack said smiling as he helped himself to a glass of juice. “and when you quit chaser, you got Rogers, also better”

 

Marvin glared at him.

 

“So when you quit Keeper in a year or so…” he said and grinned.

 

“Did you just come here to insult me?”

 

“I’m only here to ground you mate” Jack said and saluted him with his orange juice.

 

“Don’t you have a girlfriend to occupy you, why are you riding me?”

 

“She has arithmancy” Jack pouted, he would’ve rather snogged his girlfriend for sure, but even if Immy hadn’t had morning class she was very adamant that they couldn’t always spend their time together. Which was very healthy, or so she said, and he liked that she had boundaries… It was just that Jack didn’t. 

 

So he had to fill his time with someone else's company when she wanted space. Marvin was usually his top choice. Not only because he was so much fun to tease.

 

“Besides, if I as your best mate can’t be honest to you about your quidditch career-”

 

“You’re not my best mate” Marvin said pointedly, and raised a perfect eyebrow. Jack wondered for a second if he plucked them, before he got distracted by the statement.

 

“Oh yeah, then who is?” Jack asked, fully prepared to banter about it. It was one of Marvin’s bits for sure.

 

“Nigel” Marvin answered, deadpan, giving Jack absolutely nothing to work with.

 

“Who the fuck is Nigel?” Jack asked, brows furrowed. He felt his emotions heating up in some weird mixture of annoyance and anger, and disappointment. There were a lot of feelings present that he didn’t have the right words for. He bet Marvin had the words and that just made him more annoyed with him. Jack was familiar with how it felt though, even though he didn’t know what to call it. It was that emotion he usually got when their friendly banter turned viciously real. What Marvin liked to refer to as ‘ them having an argument’.

 

Black Percy raised a hand, he looked awkward as his full lips pressed so close together they formed a line. 

 

“Me” he said “I’m Nigel” 

 

Nigel smiled stiffly with his teeth pressed together as if he was apologizing for existing. Jack felt a pang of guilt, and his features softened towards Nigel, who was apparently real and Marvin’s friend. Jack gave him a curt nod as if to also apologize for his reaction. Then he remembered he was still mad at Marvin, not even sure why. He just knew he was.

 

“Well, then I’m gonna go sit with Oliver who’s my real friend”.

 

Jack almost got stuck on the bench under him with his cloak and his rise out of his seat was far from graceful. He stumbled one leggedly out in the path between the tables and gave Marvin a glare. Marvin honestly looked a bit taken aback that he was reacting this way, but as he noticed that Jack was watching him his brow furrowed back into irritation.

 

“Why is he your best friend and not me?” Jack couldn’t help asking, gesturing towards Nigel who looked like he wanted to disappear into the floor.

 

“I’m sorry, you seem nice, I’m just mad at him !” Jack shouted as he pointed at Marvin who had stood up now glaring back.

 

“Because I’ve known him since we were three!” Marvin screamed back “And he’s kind and smart and doesn’t embarrass me half the time!” 

 

They were standing on one side each of the great ravenclaw table and people were watching them. Staring, and Jack could feel his cheeks heat up. 

 

“Well, sorry for being such an embarrassing idiot then!” and he could feel his eyes tear up so he decided to leave. He couldn’t be the sixth year beater bawling in the great hall because his best friend had another best friend. Except… that wasn’t why he was sad was it. Jack searched himself as he stormed off and found that it was the words that hurt.

 

“ Jack ” he heard Marvins much softer, kinder voice call out for him but he didn’t feel like seeing him anymore today. He needed Imogene, or Oliver, or perhaps both of them. Not in a weird way, he just wanted to be sure that he wasn’t as stupid and unlikable as he felt in that moment. 

 

Imogene was in class, but he was pretty sure Oliver was on the Quidditch field. He still heard Marvin shout his name so he started running with a newfound determination and when it came to speed, at least that Jack was much better at than Marvin.

 

He took an entire lap around the castle interior to shake him, before he dipped out towards the pitch. He took the steps up to the bleachers two-three steps at the time. He spotted Oliver quickly, not in the air but on the ground, just a dot from up where he was. The running had calmed him down immensely and he no longer felt like crying, but he still wanted the company. He was just about to shout for his friend when he spotted the other person behind Oliver. It was Cedric, his house’s seeker. The one who liked Oliver so much.

 

Jack froze, he straightened his back as he could feel the information processing in his head like a running mill of flowing water. With what he knew since this summer mulling in his head, he watched as Cedric laughed at something Oliver said. The younger teen pulled his hand over his hair to make it fall just right, and suddenly the water in Jack’s brain opened up like a great big fountain of knowledge. Cedric didn’t just like Oliver, he liked him.

 

He felt accomplished, he sure would’ve liked to see Marvin figure this one out if he could.

 

“Jack” speaking of, he heard Marvin pant behind him. When Jack turned around Marvin’s legs seemed to buckle from under him as he leaned his entire body to the rails of the bleacher.

 

“Jack, I’m sorry” he was breathing so loudly. His condition was better than that, Jack wasn’t entirely sure he wasn’t just putting on a show to try and win Jack’s sympathy. Or had it really taken him that much strength to catch up?

 

“I don’t want to talk to you” Jack said, feeling his anger bloom out again.

 

He moved past him, and started climbing down the stairs again without looking at his so-called best friend.

 

“ Jack ” Marvin’s voice cracked. Not like it used to when his voice used to change during their fourth year.

 

Jack turned his head to look at him against his better judgment, and saw that Marvin was crying, rubbing furiously at his eyes as he spoke faster and faster, and saying words Jack didn’t know what they meant.

 

“Fuck I don’t know why I said that, you are my best friend, Claro , I can have two best friends, there’s no limitation of course- “ then his voice got louder “You’re not dumb! Lo lamento- lamento- I’m sorry!”

 

The last sorry broke his voice so much he could barely do more than hiss it. 

 

It was the most incoherent thing Jack had ever heard Marvin say. So he naturally went up and hugged him. 

Chapter 72: Year 6 - Catch the snitch or die trying

He didn’t think it was all that fair of the twins to criticize him for his choice of words, it had worked hadn’t it. At least Harry was taking him seriously.

When the young lad said he’d willingly get back out there and risk his life for the game, Oliver almost wept he was so touched. And so what if the bludger went after him deliberately, that was what they had beaters for anyway.

Honestly, if anything this had proved their talent. Even Slytherin cheating wouldn’t stop them from winning this cup.

He was worried though, Flint had promised him that he wouldn’t be nice, that he’d bring down the fury this year. However, jinxing a bloody bludger was a new low. Oliver had naively assumed the fury would only affect Oliver himself, now he wasn’t so sure anymore.

Angelina said his absolutely gleeful face was inappropriate as they hauled Harry out of the area. Arm looking limp and boneless at his side like a sack of puddin.

“I did try to say he should go to the infirmary” Oliver said, trying and failing to keep the smile of his face from sneaking through between every sentence or so. He couldn’t help himself. He was of course concerned for Harry's health, but then he remembered the look on Flint’s face and he couldn’t help smiling again.

His hand still ached a bit from where they had shook at the start of the game. Flint's eyes were so harsh Oliver had been sure the jinx had been on him personally.

It didn’t matter, Harry had followed his management perfectly and now Flint had no power over their season. Jinxes and new Nimbuses, they had failed regardless. Damn, he was smiling again.

He gave Angelina one last apologetic look. She glared at him once, then shook her head and joined the twins in trying to wrestle the bludger into its holding.

“Great game mate” Jack said as he and the other Hufflepuffs made their way down the bleachers. He patted Oliver’s shoulder and gave him a side hug. At last, someone Oliver could be unabridged and happy around without scrutiny for encouraging twelve year olds to hurt themselves for victory.

“It was wasn’t it” Oliver poured the entire contents of his water bottle over his head. He was sweating and aching all over.

“Well, it was fine” Jack said now, suddenly toning down his excitement. Trying to pretend like it wasn’t brilliant wouldn’t work on Oliver today. Oliver only grinned and patted Jack’s shoulder back, his cloak got a bit muddied but Jack wasn’t one to shy away from some dirt.

“You loved it, it was great” Oliver said and started wiping his dirty mitts on more of Jack’s clothes. Grabbing his hair and face with glove clad hands to tease him. This time Jack did duck from him, trying to push him away while laughing.

“Well, only because you weren’t facing Hufflepuff” Jack said and grabbed the water bottle out of Oliver’s hands to smack him over the ass with it.

“Ow” Oliver said and stepped away for a second.

He looked Jack over and then stepped back in again. Pulling him into a headlock, which was troublesome as Jack was both wider and taller and Oliver’s arms felt like gelatine now that the adrenaline was setting in his body.

“You want a spanking too, is that what this is? You want some more of this?”

Jack grappled Oliver, maneuvered them into the opposite position where Oliver soon found himself the one in a headlock. Oliver still welcomed it even as he lost, he was just happy nothing had changed between them. Well, except that one person was missing in their company. Even if Oliver was spared scrutiny, Jack shouldn’t be. It was strangely nonverbal around their space now, no one was calling Jack any names. He stopped struggling and went limp in Jack’s grip

“Where’s Marvin?” he asked, trying to look around them for their Ravenclaw friend.

Jack immediately let Oliver go and took a step back. Looking sort of sourly.

“With Nigel” Jack muttered.

“Oh, okay. How’s Nigel?” Oliver took the time to refill his bottle and took a deep swig as he waited for Jack’s response. It didn’t come.

He looked back to the surly Hufflepuff who now sported a look of betrayal.

“What?” Oliver asked, confused at what he had said that was wrong.

Jack just shook his head and took Oliver under his arm as he led them both towards the changing room. Again, unbothered by the state of Oliver and how much dirt undoubtedly was on Jack as well now. Imogene would hate that, and blame Oliver for it somehow.

They had almost reached their destination when Jack suddenly stopped, starting to mumble excuses as to why he had to leave.

“Uh, ah, I should probably actually go find Marvin… or Immy, it’s kind of her victory too”

He had turned his whole body around before Oliver could even register what he was reacting to.

“He likes you” Jack said in a low murmur.

He met Oliver’s gaze deeply. Looking meaningful and a bit like he was prompting Oliver to do something about it. Oliver still didn’t know what it was. He stared after Jack, one gulp of water still in his mouth. He swallowed slowly and then he looked forward again. Cedric was waiting outside their tent.

Oliver assumed by the way he lit up when he saw him that he was specifically waiting for Oliver.

He likes you…

He likes me? Oliver thought and felt a flush creep over his face.

“Hi”

“Hi” honestly, now Oliver wasn’t so sure this wasn’t a setup from the beginning. Cedric didn’t seem so sure why he was even there, and was also glancing after where Jack had disappeared to. Oliver felt mortified. Had he known Jack was going to start trying to set him up he never would have come out to him. Oliver drummed his hand over his water bottle. Fidgeting with it as he opened and closed it shut a few times waiting for Cedric to start speaking. He didn’t, he only looked at Oliver when he was done watching Jack retreat.

“I… need to hit the showers but if you want to talk you can come with me” Oliver said, then blushed fiercely. That did not sound the way he meant it to come out. Although, no one would expect a man to say that to another man with any innuendo so perhaps it was fine.

“I mean, we can talk on the way… if you needed anything”

He had to assume Cedric was there about quidditch, that was usually why he sought Oliver out. Unless… no, Jack didn’t know what he was talking about. Cedric was probably equally lost as Oliver as to why his teammate had lured him there.

“Oh yeah, it’s about Jack kind of” Cedric said, finally. So he did have something to talk about. He did follow Oliver into the tent though without questioning it.

“He suggested to the team that I should be captain next year, it’s silly I know”

“It’s not silly” Oliver said as he started ripping into his guards and buckles to get his protective gear off “You’d make a good captain”

Cedric smiled proudly into the ground and shook his head.

“There are older players on the team, it should probably be Jack actually, I really don’t know why he would suggest me”

Oliver had an inkling. He dropped the armguards to the ground and started on his legs.

“Sorry about that, sometimes the captains hang out and he’s gotten it into his head that-” he stopped himself. He couldn’t exactly say that Jack assumed Cedric liked men and that his reason was that Cedric liked Oliver. That wasn’t something most guys would take as a compliment.

“That you want to hang out with me more” he said instead, it sounded safer. Even if it still sounded embarrassingly stupid. He wanted to cringe but he needed to at least try to hide how awkward he felt. Cedric could want to just be his mate after all.

“Ah… well I do” Cedric said, smiling into the ground again. Oliver felt himself blush harder and he stopped undressing for a moment. Suddenly he felt a bit vulnerable about it.

He had to stop reading so much into it. Cedric’s response could mean anything really. Damn Jack, getting into his head.

“And the fact is Jack needs a leader, he doesn’t lead, and you are the kind of person people like and want to follow” Oliver continued undressing, persuading his mind that this was all just in his head. He had managed to get out of all of his leather gear just fine but now he hesitated on his final layers. He needed them off for the shower naturally, and it wasn’t as if he could ask Cedric to leave without explaining what was going on in his head. He released a quick breath and swiftly pulled off his shirt and leggings. The faster he could get into a towel the safer he could be.

Cedric drew in a breath, Oliver froze, hand still on the towel he’d just wrapped around his waist. He looked back at Cedric, whose cheeks were redder than usual. For someone who had been smiling into the ground a lot during their conversation, Cedric’s gaze was surprisingly fixed on Oliver now.

“Do you?” Cedric said, he was barely even hiding his stare. Oliver didn’t really know what to do with it. Too baffled at the prospect that Jack might have been on to something that he himself had completely missed. He felt extremely exposed now in just a towel.

“Do I…?” Oliver mumbled, he felt his mouth go dry. The air around them felt thick, like he was too aware of it. He usually didn’t feel the air so vividly, now it made every hair on his body stand out in suspense. Like he was anticipating something would happen.

“Like me?” Cedric said, shyly. It seemed so strange that such a teenage heartthrob could look bashful flirting. He was tough. Absolutely one hundred percent flirting. Oliver was intensely aware that they were alone now. The other boys had gone with Harry as soon as the bludger was dealt with.

Cedric stepped closer, his eyelashes were so long that when he peered up at Oliver he was looking through them.

“I… yeah?” Oliver said, his heartbeat picked up.

He had never experienced this before. Everyone who had ever kissed him had done so surprisingly. He’d never had the time to see it coming.

Cedric didn’t ambush him in any way, but simply took his time to read Oliver’s body language, his facial features. Something Oliver did surely must have affirmed him though because he placed one tentative hand on Oliver’s neck and leaned in. Oliver hesitated a second, then he leaned forward and kissed him.

He let Cedric lead, it felt both strange and right since he was younger. He didn’t know if Cedric had kissed anyone before, he didn’t want to push too much.

Cedric pushed a little closer, Oliver dared to respond with equal vigor.

When Cedric pulled away Oliver feared he had overstepped, but Cedric simply pulled his shirt over his head and kissed him again. Oliver released a breath he hadn’t known he had held and laughed breathily against Cedric’s mouth. He wasn’t sure he liked Cedric as more than a friend, but just like with kissing Jack and Imogene he enjoyed this. He could get used to this.

“Boys, are you still in there?” Madam Hooch’s voice rang through the tent as loud as her frantic knocking on the wooden pillars holding everything up.

“Professor McGonagall wants to gather everyone to go through what happened,” she said, while continuously knocking on the hard material to get their attention.

The boys had parted and Cedric had pulled his sweater back on. It was backwards. Oliver laughed another out of breath kind of laugh and pulled a hand over his hair. Thankfully Madam Hooch didn’t enter to see them.

“I probably really should shower” Oliver said, barely able to look at Cedric. When he did the young Hufflepuff was smiling and met his gaze with a look that told Oliver this wasn’t over just because they were interrupted. He nodded and left the tent, leaving Oliver alone to take a long cold shower to ease both his aching body and hot skin.

Chapter 73: Year 6 - Where did you disappear to?

“Where did you disappear to?” Percy asked as he folded and prepared his robes for the next day neatly on his chair. Oliver had been strangely flustered and nervous since their Quidditch victory. Percy had expected a fanatical enthusiasm and to find him deep into creating new schedules for the next game. Especially when Percy couldn’t find him when he went down the bleachers to congratulate him. Usually that meant he had been struck by inspiration.

Instead Oliver had disappeared, and when Percy found the other players outside McGonagall’s office, Oliver wasn’t among them. 

 

“I lost track of time in the shower, I was knackered” he said, but he avoided Percy’s gaze when he did so.

 

“What did McGonagall tell you then?” Percy asked, trying to pry something out of his friend. Oliver simply shrugged.

 

“She wanted to know if we had seen anything, Hooch said the bludger had been locked up so they couldn’t figure out how anyone could have managed to jinx it”

 

“So no one’s getting punished?” Percy said, scrunching his nose disapprovingly. If people got away with things like that it surely wouldn’t reflect well on the school. What kind of example would that set?

 

“I guess. It’s weird though.” Oliver mumbled.

He was still wet from his shower and droplets were dripping down on his t-shirt collar, dampening the grey cotton. T he water droplets formed spikes out of his hair at the nape of his neck. It wasn’t what you generally would think of as attractive but somehow it allured Percy in a way he was extremely self conscious and ashamed of. 

 

“A lot of things are strange right now” Percy sighed and averted his gaze, he needed to stop staring so much. It was unseemly. 

 

“We should try to contact Paul again” Oliver said, out of nowhere. It clenched Percy’s innards like a vice. He had dreaded telling Oliver about it, but he supposed now was as good a time as any to rip the bandaid off.

 

“I did, for his birthday” Percy said, looking down into the floor to ease into it. He could still sense Oliver’s intense eyes. He could hear the ruffling of fabric as Oliver stood up from his bed.

 

“And?”

 

“It came back”

 

Percy lifted his head to meet Oliver’s eye, they looked scared, confused, doubtful like he wanted to come up with an excuse. It wasn’t as if he could think of any excuse Percy hadn’t already thought of.

 

“What do you mean it came back?” Oliver said, slow and quiet.

 

“Hermes came back, with the letter still attached to him…” Percy said.

Oliver sat down again, on Percy’s bed. Percy regretfully thought how his bed would smell of Oliver's cologne now. He told himself it was more of a sensory issue than whatever other reason he might have to be concerned about it.

He sat down next to Oliver and tried to not think about how small his thighs looked next to his friend’s muscular trunks of legs. He shifted uncomfortably, to try and avoid sliding too close to him,

 

“It could mean anything, his mother might not let him accept owl mail” Percy said, perhaps convincing himself equally as much as Oliver.

 

“Isn’t that strange too though, why would she not let him?”

 

“You know how she is” Percy said and pushed his weight off the mattress again. To move a few centimeters away without Oliver noticing that he was doing anything.

 

“Some of those pureblood families have been acting strange lately, what if-”

 

“They have always been like that” Percy argued, the bed dipped where Oliver sat and he kept sliding closer. It wasn’t easy trying to have a rational discussion about the political climate at the school when his heart and mind kept racing at the very thought of contact. He’d never had to worry about contact with his friend before, it was stressing him out.

 

“They’re worse, they’re prouder” Oliver muttered “it’s like they’re not afraid anymore and that feels… icky”

 

Percy couldn’t help laughing at his choice of words. A short breathy laugh that put his body into motion again. He slid close, Oliver dipped his head down to Percy’s shoulder and sighed dramatically. His cologne wafted into Percy’s face and Percy instinctively stood up. 

 

Oliver lost his composure and balance for a second then gave Percy an amused look.

 

“Okay, why are you so tense?” he asked, sitting obscenely with his legs wide apart on Percy’s bed.

 

“I’m not, I’m just trying to tell you that you’re overthinking” Percy said, placing his hands on his hips and hoping he looked somewhat presentable and authoritative. Oliver kept smiling amusedly, at least he wasn’t as worried anymore. At least Percy had managed something, even if it was more at his expense and at the cost of his poise.

 

“Mrs Henry is a deeply neurotic woman, we really shouldn’t read too much into it” Percy said.

Oliver reached out a hand towards Percy’s robe and fiddled with the material. Percy could hear his heart racing, it was ridiculous. It was just a piece of fabric that just happened to be on his person. Oliver was probably putting out a crease or removing some lint.

 

“Besides, if the extremist pureblood families were growing again, the ministry would surely be reporting it”

 

Oliver sighed, as he stared at the fabric between his thumb and finger.

 

“I think you put too much trust in the ministry” Oliver said and glanced up at Percy. The angle was equally obscene as his leg placement.

 

“That’s what they’re for” Percy said and tried to ignore the feeling of Oliver’s fingers brushing his hip as he played with his cloak like some security blanket.

 

“I’m going to meet up with Penelope to study” he said. Instead of thinking too hard about it.

He took a step back and started packing up his ink and quill. Effectively distancing himself from Oliver’s soft touch. It was stupid, he’d not even touched Percy, just his clothes. Why did he have goosebumps?

 

He gave Oliver a look to indicate it was an open invitation, if he wanted to join them.

 

Oliver laughed at the silent invitation, which startled Percy.

 

“No, it’s fine. I don’t want to intrude”

 

It was strange, Oliver had never bothered with that before. He’d been like a bothering banshee, a leech, a niffler on a pot of gold. Suddenly he was fine letting Percy go on his own. It didn’t sit right with Percy, but it was a completely rational thing to say. Of course it made sense that Oliver didn’t want to always stick around a couple when he was single. Perhaps Oliver being the rational one was what bothered Percy so.

 

Percy was distracted as he studied with Penelope, and she could tell.

He gave her temple a kiss to soothe her worried face. She still looked suspicious as she scribbled down more notes in the margin of her parchment.

 

“Everything alright?” she asked.

 

“No” he said, because why would he lie?

 

“What’s wrong?” she asked and put her quill down to focus all her attention on him.

 

“Oliver is acting strange… I think” Percy wasn’t actually sure he wasn’t the odd one right now. He couldn’t make sense of it.

 

“Still?” Penelope looked surprised, a worried crease in her brow. He was curious what that meant. Did she know something he didn’t?

She seemed to catch herself because she shook her head, a soft curl fell out of her ponytail and he gently pushed it back behind her ear.

 

“I mean, is he still avoiding you?” she asked.

Percy shook his head.

 

“No… or yes, he keeps declining to come study with us” Percy said.

 

“Oh” Penny said and looked a little ashamed “I asked him not to come”

 

Percy was surprised by this, and furrowed his brow. She looked apologetic and bit her lip like she awaited a scolding. That did force him to calm the strike of anger that he had first felt. He sighed instead, to regulate his emotion.

 

“Why?” he asked and straightened his back.

It suddenly felt like he was talking to one of his siblings when they admitted they had done something they were afraid of letting their parents know.

 

“I wanted alone time with you” she said, looking down at her fidgeting hands sadly.

It sent a pang of guilt through Percy’s chest. Perhaps he hadn’t been very good to Penny in that sense, it probably wasn’t normal to force your girlfriend to share your dates with your best friend. Not to mention the fantasies he kept having lately, even sometimes when he was with her. 

 

It was his turn to burn with shame. What right did he have to be cross with her? When he was mentally undressing his roommate and feeling his presence through his clothes whenever he sat too close.

 

He was getting surer of it, he was the strange one wasn’t he?

 

“It’s okay” he said and wrapped an arm around her.

 

“Besides, I don’t think that’s the entire reason he’s being distant” Percy said and pulled her to his chest so he could bury his nose in her hair. He inhaled her scent, that herbal flowery scent that he loved so much.

 

“Do you think he’s seeing someone?” she asked, sounding a little more chipper this time. A happiness coated her word that Percy didn't reciprocate. It bothered him. 

 

“You think he has a girlfriend?” he asked, furrowing his brow. Wouldn’t he have told him so? Or was he punishing Percy for not telling him about him and Penelope going official… That wasn’t Oliver's style. Although he had never told Percy about any girl he fancied so what did Percy really know about his courting habits?

 

Penelope had been quiet too long. Percy released his grip on her and as he distanced their bodies from each other he stared her down. Her lips were pressed tightly together in silence.

 

“Maybe he does” she said when she noticed his gaze “Maybe he’s just shy about it”.

Chapter 74: Year 6 - The Hufflepuff common room

He had tried to pry information out of Oliver as discreetly as he possibly could. He had stopped inviting him to join his and Penelope’s study dates out of respect for the both of them but he was still adamant in trying to spend as much time as possible with Oliver. Percy needed answers.

 

Oliver was strangely secretive, he was however also extremely busy with Quidditch. They were always having practice, at the crack of dawn, and late at night. Rain or hail storms didn't matter. Oliver was always muddy or soaking wet and exhausted. And always busy. He had scheduled practice three times a week with the team, and had his own personal session the remaining four days. 

 

But it was a sunday, and he had sprained his wrist. So he had reluctantly decided not to practise today. That had been Percy’s in, he had even suggested they go for a jog together to allure him. Oliver smiled but declined again.

 

“I have plans” he said, as he struggled to put his sweater on with his hand sticking out awkwardly while he tried to not use it. Percy went up and helped him, mostly for his own sake so he didn’t have to look at Oliver’s abs too long. Oliver’s smiling head poked out of the shirt with a big thankful gleam all over his face. Then something clicked on his face, and he looked comically serious.

 

“Do you want to come?”

 

Percy blushed and turned his head away to keep his composure.

 

“What kind of plans is it?” he asked, he wanted to say yes immediately, but he didn’t want to come across too eager either.

 

“We’re gonna cheer up Jack since the breakup” Oliver’s face looked painfully disturbed. Which indicated it wasn’t going to be the most pleasant evening. Jack was apparently very upset about Imogene breaking things off with him. Honestly he should’ve been proud, no one had lasted almost half a year as Imogene Zimmerman’s official boyfriend. Jack was sensitive though, it was undoubtedly going to be a lot to handle.

 

No matter if they had been cleaning up dung from the thestral stables, Percy was not about to decline an invitation to hang out with Oliver today. 

 

So he ended up awkwardly shuffling along with Oliver to join him and his athletically inclined friends. Merlin, he hoped he wouldn’t be inclined to more of these thoughts when exposed to even more attractive male schoolmates. He actually welcomed Jack’s blubbering crying that he suspected would be a large part of the encounter, at least that wouldn’t be very attractive.

 

They entered the Hufflepuff common room quite easily. Oliver knew the knocking combination for the barrels, Percy suspected he’d been here before. He willed himself to leave his prefect self behind today, and said nothing about how irresponsible it was of Jack to give the combination away to non Hufflepuffs.

 

They found Jack  in a large wicker chair, surrounded by hanging pots of flowers and herbs. It smelled lovely, earthy and herbal like a strange mix of Oliver and Penelope. Percy pushed the thought from his mind and took a seat in a puffy yellow sofa. The sun shone into the room like an eternal sunset. It was wonderfully cosy.  

 

Marvin was sitting crouched down on the floor right next to their friend, almost hanging his entire weight over Jack’s massive legs as he spoke to him softly.

 

Jack wasn’t bawling his eyes out as suspected, but his eyes were bloodshot and puffy as if he had just stopped. He was staring dejectedly down into the carpet as if he barely registered what Marvin was saying to him.

 

Marvin glanced up at Oliver and gave Percy a short questioning glance before he nodded as if he accepted his presence.

 

“Oliver, how good to see you not look like a drowned rat for the occasion” Marvin said as he stood up to take a seat on the sofa next to Percy. So he too had noticed Oliver’s constant wetness. Percy was ashamed to admit he didn’t mind it. He was starting to worry that him having his first sexual experience in a bathtub had awarded him some eternal fetish for wet people. That didn’t explain why he preferred them clothed though. That the fabric clinging to the sculpted body underneath, hinting at what was there was the whole point. Percy flushed and tried to think of something else. Pain, heartbreak. Sad puffy eyed Jack.

 

It was Oliver’s turn to crouch down to Jack’s side. He didn’t hover like Marvin, he balanced his weight on his feet and patted Jack’s thigh for his attention. Jack acknowledged him with a grunt. 

 

“Merlin’s balls, I can’t take another second of this!” Marvin said loudly, groaning and sinking deeper into the cushion as if sitting up was too much of a hassle. The softness from before was as if apparated away now.

 

“Let me cry in peace then!” Jack shouted, tears welling up again

 

“I would if I wasn’t worried you’d do something stupid” Marvin yelled back. 

 

Oliver sighed.

 

“Not helping Marvin”

 

“Yeah, well what’s also not helping is crying about it. What did he expect would happen?”

 

Marvin was gesticulating wildly, Percy felt like he had to duck his head so as to not lose his glasses to Marvin’s flailing limbs. Percy couldn’t help wondering why Marvin mannerism was so vastly different now that they had entered the room. The glimpse he had seen had seemed so nurturing and sweet. He was halfway sure it wasn’t because Percy himself was present, he had hardly seemed to mind that. 

 

“Did you expect to marry her, you’re sixteen” Marvin scoffed and crossed his arms. 

 

“We are meant to cheer him up, not make him more sad” Oliver said. Jack whimpered and pouted his lip out in a way that made Percy think it was put on. That perhaps Marvin’s display of normalcy was actually somehow working in pulling him out of the slump. He was portraying sadness now, rather than actually wallowing in it.

 

“I’ll go get some tea” Percy said and stood up. It was the only way he felt as if he could contribute. 

 

He found a tray and some cups in the room, which he had suspected. They had several brews to choose from and he envied it. In the Gryffindor tower you were lucky if someone had left you some earl grey in the afternoon by the kettle.

He spent some time picking up the most soothing blends, mixing in some pick me up herbs to make sure Jack would find himself in the most relaxed and comforting mood he possibly could. 

 

Then he made his way back.

 

Jack’s mood had increased tenfold when he returned, even without the tea. He seemed to bounce in his chair as he leaned close to whatever Oliver was telling him. 

 

“-So fine, okay I admit it. There’s someone I fancy” Oliver said, scoffing humorously at Jack’s reaction.

 

The grip on the tray started to sway. The cups rattled in the unsteadiness of it as he felt the air pull from his lungs. Was he having a panic attack? That was ridiculous, his brain tried to rationalize.  

 

He felt suffocated, the once cosy sunlit room felt dusty and too warm now. 

 

He almost didn’t hear the crashing porcelaine sound, didn’t feel the scolding tea on his ankles where his slightly too short inherited jeans left a gap. Almost…

He winced and stared at the discarded pieces around him. The other three had looked up now and Oliver’s concerned eyes drew him like a magnet. 

 

“Percy, are you okay?”

 

He really wasn’t. He wasn’t sure why. 

Chapter 75: Year 6 - Bad case of the mimes

Mr and Mrs weasley were in Egypt this christmas. Bill had frankly been offended that they had visited Charlie last year when he had been away much longer than Charlie had. Percy had an inkling Bill was aware that Charlie’s sudden departure had been different, but he still wanted the Christmas company. The manipulation obviously proved effective on their mother, so once again Percy was in charge off his siblings over christmas. Oliver was going home again, which was understandable. His parents weren’t apparating all over the world to visit spread out family members. 

They had a few weeks together at least, before the winter break started. Where the snow was soaring like crystals around them and landed in powdery blankets on the cold stone courtyard, making everything light up just a little brighter. The halls were decked out in red and green and it felt a bit like Christmas already, even though they still had classes.

Percy still didn’t know who Oliver fancied. He told himself that was what hurt him. Oliver apparently felt more at ease in telling Jack and Marvin than him.

Even if he hadn’t said who, he had still told them there was someone. Not expecting Percy to overhear.

Percy hadn’t dared ask about it since. He tried to ignore the hurt, there were more pressing matters at hand at Hogwarts than Oliver Wood’s love life. 

He and Oliver were walking together down the hall. They were coming from their charms class, on their way to the common rooms while energetically talking about the strange occurrences with the petrified cat and claims that the chamber of secrets had opened. 

"It's one of those puritist slytherins, it must be! Damn purebloods, always ruining everything!" Oliver was flailing his arms around as he shared his theories. Enthusiasm only comparable with his engagement for Qudditch. Percy watched him as he spoke, followed his arms where his muscles jumped. He had snowflakes on his shoulders from the small trek they had made over the courtyard.

"Don't be naive Oliver, a student couldn't possibly do that" Percy pushed his glasses further up his nose as he let his eyes travel up to Oliver’s face. Oliver was watching him in somewhat of a daze. It made Percy a little self conscious, had he noticed him staring? He grasped his bag strap for comfort. Oliver’s eyes followed his hands as he did. 

Percy called his name, he had to do it twice before he got a reaction. 

“Oliver” Percy repeated his name impatiently.

"What?" Oliver said, a blush creeping up his cheeks when he seemed to realize he had been lost in thought. Was now a good time to ask him who he fancied? Was that who he was thinking about so much that he lost focus of the conversation he had been so invested in just minutes earlier?

"Honestly Oliver… " Percy shook his head and continued "Do you know anyone in that house that possesses that sort of skill? Who would that be, Marcus Flint ?" Percy gave him half a smile and a crooked eyebrow.

Oliver laughed and laid an arm lazily over Percy's shoulder.

"You're absolutely right. I suppose your brothers got the best of me with all their theories… although the bit where they act as Harry’s bodyguards is kind of hilarious" 

Percy scoffed. He sure didn’t find it funny, and they were scaring poor Ginny with their antics. She was constantly pasty white and looked as if she was about to cry half the time. She also stubbornly refused his care, as if too proud to let big brother resque her.

“Heir of slytherin, coming through” Oliver said theatrically, mimicking the twins as he let Percy go and marched a few steps ahead. Then there was a pause "Wait. was that a joke just now?"

He circled back to the point about Marcus Flint. Percy denied it, but couldn’t help the smile creeping through. The grip on his bag was stiff and uncomfortable but he held it like a lifeline.

“That was definitely sort of joke adjacent at least!” Oliver insisted, crooking his head to the side. 

They turned a corner and Oliver gave him a smug look, apparently spurred on by Percy’s almost joke.

"So..." He bounced his eyebrows when he got Percy's attention and crept closer "What do you think of the rumours about Harry then?"

"Oh, come on Oliver! Not even you are that daft and it’s no laughing matter. The boy's twelve for Merlin's sake!"

They rounded another corner. He might have almost joked before, but he was done with that now. Besides, Harry having done it was a ridiculous thought… Although he wasn’t surprised people would assume so. He had tried to tell Ron to stop playing detective with his friends. This was what happened, people started speculating. 

"No, this is the work of really dark, advanced wizards who-" Percy continued, then stopped. So had his body as if he had collided with a wall in the middle of the hallway. 

They couldn't move. It was like someone had put an invisible box over them and they could only move about two steps in every direction.

"What is this?" Oliver asked, trying to slam against the air as if there were some kind of wall there. Then he laughed, at a joke in his own head which he hadn’t yet said.

“Bad case of the mimes?” he laughed again and waited expectantly for Percy to explain what it actually was.

"Probably some trick from a student who has no regard for the rules, I'll get us out of here" 

Percy pulled his wand out and flicked it a few times, nothing happened. He tried some more with no result.

"That's strange… I thought for sure this was…"

As Percy stood there thinking Oliver found out that he could lean against the air as if it was, in fact, a wall. He found this very amusing, Percy did not. 

“Can you stop playing, it’s distracting”

Oliver did a large theatrical pout and pretended to wipe his cheek in an exaggerated cry-baby pose. Unamused, Percy planted his whole hand on Oliver's face and pushed him away. He barely budged. Stuck in the crowded invisible space. 

"Oh, stop it! We need to get out of here, we have other duties" having given up on pushing the unmovable object that was Oliver, Percy put his arms over his chest and started turning in every direction while he pondered what the hell this could be, and how he could counter it.

“It’s christmas Percy, take a break”

Oliver, who had proceeded to lean against air again started looking around and noticed something above them that caught his attention. Percy vaguely saw him in his peripheral but he could do without the distraction of Oliver looking effortlessly handsome while he lounged on nothing.

"Oh Merlin…" Oliver sighed and pulled carefully at Percy's sleeve. Percy who by now probably sported a half panicked, very stressful expression as he could not figure it out, looked at him quizzically. Why would Oliver disturb his process when he was clearly distressed about it?

Oliver just pointed to the sky.

Percy followed his finger and gaped in realization. Then he scoffed, it definitely was the work of some stupid teen who found it funny to mess with the rules and order. 

Over their heads suspended in the air hung a tiny piece of mistletoe. Probably enchanted to keep people in place by the looks of their predicament.

"Oh, well that changes everything" Percy felt relieved, he had something to go after, that was half the challenge done already. He aimed his wand again.

"You mean you can fix that?" Oliver sighed with relief as well. “For a minute there I actually thought we had to kiss” 

Percy wasn’t sure why that felt as if he should be offended. Of course Oliver wouldn’t want to kiss him. Percy agreed with him, he also thought that they absolutely shouldn’t kiss. That it was a bad idea. But of course Percy had his own reasons. He knew why he himself thought that way, he was a bit upset that Oliver thought so too. 

"Of course, I've just been going at it the wrong way" he said instead, trying to sound sure of himself as he pulled up his sleeves.

He tried something new, still nothing happened. This was trickier magic than he had expected. Someone talented had made it. 

"You didn't think we would actually have to kiss right? Like I'd ever do that" he rambled, like he needed to get back control over it. If they wouldn’t kiss it wasn’t because Oliver didn’t want to kiss him, but because Percy naturally wouldn’t do that. Of course he wouldn’t. He kept himself talking. As if doing so made it better somehow, and he didn’t have to feel so rejected.

He looked over at Oliver, who had a strange look on his face. He bounced his eyes up to Percy’s when he noticed he was being watched and nodded agreeably.

“No, of course not” Oliver said. 

The spells kept on coming, Percy knew quite a lot of them. 

Still his attempts were fruitless.

"God damn it, I'm a prefect and one of the best students in my year! I'll be damned if I can't solve this!" Percy could almost feel the crazy, desperate look in his eyes. His glasses threatened to fall off his nose and his curly hair was falling in his eyes as sweat stuck it to his forehead. If Oliver hadn’t wanted to kiss him before, now he definitely looked unattractive. 

Oliver patted Percy assuredly on the back.

"I don't doubt that you can do a lot of things but this mistletoe has got you beat, it's probably made so that one can't hex it" Oliver's hands were now shaking a bit as he dusted something of Percy's cloak and almost stuttered out the next part "let's just get it over with quickly"

It shocked Percy to his core, his breathing came out uneven and as shaky as Oliver’s hands. Oliver’s touch on his back seemed to burn into his robes.  

"What? We can't possibly” Percy’s voice felt thick in his throat. 

“I have a girlfriend” he muttered, scraping desperately for excuses “besides, we're both boys”

Oliver shrugged

“We’ve kissed before” he said nonchalantly, as if that made it fine. As if a silly innocent kiss between two thirteen year olds was equal to this. As if it wasn’t vastly different because Percy wanted to do it.

“That’s not the same” Percy blurted quickly, cursing himself for admitting it. How could he explain it to Oliver?

“Isn’t it though, isn’t this even less of a kiss because it’s forced” Oliver said, trying to force himself to sound jolly and un-bothered but Percy could tell he was uncomfortable.

It was a nightmare, Oliver didn’t want this. Of course he didn’t. 

“That’s not… it’s different now” Percy said, begging Oliver not to ask why.

“Different than my first kiss ever?” Oliver said accusingly. His voice was pointed, harsh. Of course he still resented Percy for that. He had hoped Oliver thought it was just a humorous incident from their past, but the more he thought about it, of course Oliver would hate that Percy had done that so recklessly to him. Stolen his first kiss on a stupid whim. 

His mouth went dry. He still couldn’t quite believe that he had done that to Oliver. He was surprised he hadn’t been scolded for it earlier.

“I’m sorry I did that” he said, sincerely.

Oliver looked hurt by that, which was surprising. That his apology seemed to hurt him more than the memory of the action. 

“Let’s just get it over with” Oliver muttered and stepped closer. It wasn’t how Percy wanted it to happen, and that surprised him too. That he had a preference on how he would kiss Oliver Wood if he was going to do it. 

“I still have a girlfriend…" Percy said and backed away. His back hit an invisible wall, he was trapped.

Oliver looked at him again with determination in his eyes as he grabbed onto Percy's shoulders.

"Listen! It’s not a real kiss, alright. Do you want to get out of here Percy?" 

Percy just nodded slowly. frozen.

"Then let's just do this… it'll be quick, think nothing' of it"

Percy swallowed and nodded again. It was impossible though, how could he think nothing of it when his dumb perverted mind had been building this up for months. Behind Oliver’s back Percy had imagined it. Oliver was his best friend and he trusted Percy enough to change in front of him and in turn Percy had imagined… perhaps not kissing him but… touching something. His chest and thighs perhaps. His wet skin, hot under cold wet cotton. 

He watched Oliver’s hand on his shoulder and almost prayed that he would just let it roam over him. 

He felt hot. Oliver was talking about kissing him, he was willing to do it and it sent shudders down Percy’s abdomen. 

Then it clicked, that perhaps this was what he needed to happen. He just needed to kiss him once, like a release.Then it would be over. 

Percy stopped struggling and taking it as his cue Oliver swallowed and slowly leaned forward. Oliver’s hands seemed to shake again, but then he stopped moving.

He was about to pull back, as if he couldn’t do it after all. So in a panic Percy took the leap and crashed their lips together on an impulse. Just like the first time, only this time it meant something.

It was far from perfect as their lips roughly found each other. It wasn’t as quick as their first, instead they were searching for where they fit together.

Oliver had moved his hands up Percy's shoulders and grabbed his neck, fingers nestled in Percy's hair. Percy unsurely put his own hands on Oliver's waist. Just to place them somewhere. He couldn't just keep them hanging limp, that would've been even more awkward.

It was in fact a little awkward, still Percy's skin was lit aflame and he hardly managed to suppress a small groan as Oliver pressed his chest to him. He wasn’t sure they had ever been this close to each other. Not even as kids when they had play wrestled or hugged for comfort. He had at least never been this aware of how close their chests could be.

It made him embarrassed and he tried to pull away but Oliver chased his lips and forged them together again. 

Percy gasped, and following that Oliver much more deliberately also opened his mouth a bit. Percy surprised himself feeling a sense of suspenseful yearning, like he wanted it. He wanted to deepen the kiss- but then Oliver bit him.

At first Percy let out an earnest moan, then he yelped to try and cover it up as he pushed Oliver off him. 

There had been hardly any body contact except their chests but he could still feel Oliver all over him like little bolts of Oliver electricity. 

He could still sense the feeling of Oliver's slightly cracked lips, they were perfect.

Percy held a hand over his mouth in utter shock.

"You bit me" he stated with a mixed expression, he wasn’t sure what he felt right now.

"Sorry about that, it was an accident" Oliver blushed and gave a cheeky grin. He licked his lip and chased it with his thumb, as if he was also feeling where Percy's lips still lingered and tried to wipe it away.

Percy scowled and took a firmer grip on his bag as he stepped further away, trying to create as much distance as he could between them. His heart was pounding, he couldn’t determine if it was terror or excitement. 

"Let's just get back to the common room, did it even work?"

It worked, Percy felt immense relief that it hadn’t been for nothing. His whole neck and face was burning in an intense blush.

"We'll never talk about this again" he stated firmly as they started walking again, this time he was constantly looking out for mistletoes on the way. The quiet was both welcoming and nerve wrecking. 

After a few minutes of silence Oliver seemed unable to not say anything. 

"So… should I do the right thing and marry you now?" he gave another cheeky grin and Percy glared daggers at him. What about never talking about it didn’t he understand? 

"I think I should at least talk to Molly and Arthur, make my intentions clear"

Percy smacked him in the back with his bag and stormed off ahead.

Mortified, he was mortified and Oliver dared tease him.

At least their friendship seemed intact. That was a small relief. 

"Oi! Come on! I was joking, Joking ! Percy!" Oliver stormed right after him. 

Chapter 76: Year 6 - Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Last year she had gotten a VHS tape of a new release in her stocking. That was her father’s tradition. 

 

It had been a good movie to watch with the family on christmas day but like many other VHS tapes in her muggle parents collection she hadn’t given it much thought since. 

 

She had watched it three times already during the winter break this year.

 

“Honey” her mother said, her eyes were full of pity but she didn’t put down the christmas plate that she was carefully wiping with a kitchen towel. Penelope always wished she could use her magic outside of school at times like this. She was of course happy to help the traditional way but her mother wouldn’t let her during the break. However, she might have agreed to let her throw one spell on it if Penelope had been allowed to by wizard law. Magic would’ve made her parents' lives that much easier.

 

“Are you sure you should watch this, I can hear your sobs through the entire house”

 

Penelope simply nodded and pulled the pillow in her lap closer to her aching chest. For the third time she watched t own marshal Weedon Scott force his friend to leave because it was better for him. White Fang deserved to go to the woods which called him. 

 

She felt a little silly, it was just a dog, but the sentiment stuck with her these days. Sometimes when you loved something very much, you still weren’t what was best for them.

 

She had gone down some strange spiral the last couple of days that as her mother said, wasn’t perhaps the most healthy approach, but it was cathartic. She had watched movies that made her cry, selected the songs that affirmed what she already knew in her heart. She didn’t like it, but she knew she was holding onto something that didn’t quite belong to her anymore. Something that she sort of knew she had always had to share anyway, and if she was allowed to be perfectly selfish it wasn’t fair to her. It wasn’t fair to either one of the people involved. 

 

She decided to read Jonathan Livingston Seagull because what she was experiencing wasn’t original. It had been a universal truth since the 70s. 

 

' If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it's yours. If it doesn't, it never was'

She heaved again just thinking about it, as more loud sobs escaped the very pit of her soul. 

 

“Honey, I’m turning the TV off, you’re almost retching” her mother stepped up to the large thick screen with determined steps and refused to acknowledge Penny’s wailing protests. The screen turned off in a muffled electrical charge and went quiet. except a soft buzzing that lingered. 

 

“Did something happen this term?” her mother had put the plate down, the towel under it like a soft protective cushion. It was rare of her mother to let the plates out of her hands anywhere other than their protective boxes after cleaning.

 

“Nothing happened,” Penelope said, sniveling obnoxiously as she buried her head in the pillow.

 

Something had happened at the end of term. 

 

She knew rationally that it wasn’t what it seemed. 

She had seen the mistletoe overhead. 

She had heard the rumours of said mistletoe going around the school, and had she been in the same predicament with Gabrielle, she migh t have even done something about it too. 

 

But it was different with Percy and Oliver.

 

The way they had kissed, they weren’t even aware that she had entered the corridor… 

You didn’t kiss someone like that if you didn’t feel something.

 

In her paralyzed surprise she had even noticed that Oliver had pulled back. It hadn’t been Oliver who took the initiative, it had been Percy.

 

She might have believed that it didn’t mean anything when Percy came by to kiss her goodbye. Except she knew it did. For some reason her beautiful clever boyfriend had no clue that he was in love. 

 

It just wasn’t with his girlfriend. 

 

She sobbed again, her mother sat down on the sofa and wrapped her big arms around her. Her fuzzy red sweater absorbed the tears pretty well. 

Chapter 77: Year 6 - It's not awkward

It wasn't awkward between him and Oliver at all. That… kiss. It was just something they had to do. It didn't mean anything, therefore there was no reason for things to be awkward. 

Percy had just finished folding up his new Weasley sweater, to put it away now that Christmas season was over, when the door flew open. Percy flinched and covered his body with the sweater. Which was silly, because he was fully clothed. Unlike his roommate who fresh out of the shower stepped inside in his usual post shower wear. Which was nothing. Except a slutty towel around his waist. 

That was a common occurrence, it wasn't awkward.

Percy found himself staring at Oliver's chest anyway. It was of course wellbuilt from quidditch, Percy knew that without having to stare at it. 

Water was still dripping from it down to his waist where it relinquished its journey to be absorbed by the towel. Oliver’s hair was damp, sticking to his neck and his face. Droplets adorned him like pearls. Why was Percy staring again?

Was it because he remembered how it felt to have that chest pressed up against him while they kissed? He clenched his jaw and tried to envision warts, slugs and failing grades. Anything unappealing he could think of. That kiss had meant nothing!

Oliver noticed him now and grinned.

"Like what you see Perce?" 

It was a joke. He winked and dropped the towel to the floor as he started to look for some clothes to wear, which was also the usual procedure. Well, except the wink, the wink was new. 

Percy blushed as he found himself face to well-shaped greek sculpture-esque butt.

"God Oliver! Keep your towel in place until you have something to put on" Percy shouted, hoping he sounded like his usual reprimanding self and not a fucking pervert trying to not enable his apparent addiction. He looked away, still blushing. What was wrong with him?

Oliver had always done this; ever since first year he had never been ashamed to show himself naked in front of Percy. He hardly felt ashamed showing himself naked in front of anyone really, and Percy felt as if he was taking advantage.

Percy didn’t even need to stare. He knew every mole and every piece of skin on Oliver's body by heart because he had grown up with it. If he wanted to he could just imagine what Oliver looked like in his head and- No, that was worse. He didn’t need to also imagine it.

He cleared his throat and started gathering some books and quills from his desk drawer. As he had made plans to meet Penelope anyway, he could simply remove himself from the temptation. That was however another can of worms he wasn’t sure he wanted to open. God, the guilt gnawed and clenched at his heart like some type of wild thing. Seeing her had started to feel awkward as well.

Except it couldn’t be. No, it had been a necessary task, it wasn’t real. He hadn’t really kissed Oliver, not really. It wasn’t awkward.

"You know… I wonder something" Oliver leaned over the chair Percy was hovering over as he rummaged through his desk. He was so close now that Percy got another familiar waft of cologne over him which he instinctively inhaled. It churned his insides pleasantly. Oliver took a hold of a framed photo of Percy's family and retreated to his own bed with it. 

"How come you have such curly hair?"

Percy felt a bit thrown off at the sudden intrusion to his personal space only for it to be over so fast. He went after Oliver, trying to grab the picture frame back. Oliver didn’t let him have it and still grinning he kept it out of reach.

He had at last put on some black joggers with some white lines down the sides. They had press buttons all along the lines as well, which Percy didn’t understand the meaning of. Especially when the waistband was an intact circle. So the only viable option was that you could unbutton the sides for fresh air, but you couldn't unbutton them to take them off. Percy did not need to think so hard about taking Oliver’s pants off, yet here he was. Questioning it. 

The hem of his pants were visible under the joggers.They said Nike, like the goddess of victory. Percy thought that was fitting. The flat yet firm stomach with the soft trail of curly hairs indicated this young man was definitely a winner. Everything about Oliver would’ve made the Greek philosophers weep at his perfection. At least anatomically. Although supposedly even the ancient Greeks appreciated a good competition. Oliver’s fanaticism might’ve been encouraged there. In ancient greece they apparently held their competitions naked. 

Comfortable naked and a good sportsman, Oliver might’ve just been born in the wrong century after all. Percy probably wouldn’t attend Quidditch if he had to witness his friend naked straddling a broom suspended in the air high above him. Probably. No. Definitely.  It didn’t matter how anatomically superior Oliver was, Percy got enough of him naked in the dorms. 

Percy was no philosopher but he might just cry too if he didn’t avert his eyes soon. 

"I mean, some of your brothers have wavy hair like your mother but yours…" Oliver twirled one curl at Percy’s temple between his fingers before he leaned back on the bed, further away from Percy’s hands. Percy flinched. He didn’t care for the interrogation or the sudden touch. 

"I got it from my grandfather, why is that so important?" Percy retreated; he didn't need the frame back that badly. not enough to crawl over Oliver’s bare chest to get it.  

"I was just curious, it's nice… makes you unique" 

Percy's heart skipped a beat and his features softened for a second. He allowed Oliver to sit up and enter his space again, but then Oliver continued talking.

"And your brothers are cool, like Charlie and Bill" he snickered and finished by patting Percy’s cheek two consecutive times as he said: "You're just so geeky, how did that happen?"

He laughed and handed the photography back to Percy. Percy held it with both hands and pressed it to his chest. He could feel his cheeks flare in anger, but not only.

Discreetly he twirled the same lock of hair Oliver had touched. As if reclaiming ownership of it somehow, to erase Oliver’s lingering touch. 

"All siblings aren't alike you know" Percy frowned; rationally he knew not to be offended because it was a joke. Emotionally he did not care for rationality today. They both knew he was more of a geek than his siblings, but Oliver usually didn’t say it out loud, not even as a joke. Oliver was acting kind of nonchalant actually. Strangely confident and relaxed which Percy didn’t understand. Wasn’t he freaking out about the kiss at all? 

Of course… there was nothing to freak out about… but still.

"Are you saying you and Emily must be alike then, it's the same thing!" Percy countered.

Oliver paused in his humorous nonchalance and seemed to ponder it. 

"yeah well… your sister is cooler than you too" he grinned.

Percy clenched his jaw and Oliver hastily continued with sudden sincerity. 

“don't take it so seriously, I was just joking but… you're unlike the other Weasleys, it's not a bad thing" 

Percy froze, Oliver was too close to something sorely uncomfortable. He swallowed it, and tried to ignore it. Oliver probably did actually intend it as a compliment. 

Percy was painfully aware that he was different from his siblings. He always felt like the black sheep of the family, unappreciated and ridiculed. Like he was a running joke. The things he cared about was just material for the twins to twist and turn into a punchline. Like enchanting his prefect badge to spell out ‘pinhead’. It’s not a bad thing, Oliver had said. Percy wanted to agree with him, to proudly announce it as well. Yet there was Fred’s nagging voice chattering in his head, you used to be fun Percy, you used to crack jokes.

And the fact that he didn’t feel like joking anymore was like a betrayal to them. To all of them. 

Percy was supposed to release all of his own wants and ambitions and to just fit in again, because it would make them more comfortable around him. And he hated it.

He hated that they only wanted him when he conformed to them.

He decided to let Oliver’s comment slide. Oliver didn’t know what he had stumbled upon and had no ill intent. Still, as per usual Oliver read his mood like an open book.

Oliver’s smile had dropped and exchanged for a worried crease.

“Percy?” He asked, trying to pull Percy back from the dark hole that he had fallen into. Percy shook his head and changed the subject.

"very well, I'm going to the library and I advice you to do the charms assignment, it’s due tomorrow"

It worked as a distraction to edge Oliver away from what he had almost noticed.

"Wait, shit, we have homework in charms?" Oliver grimaged.

"Yes, the one we got on that same day we- that day…Oh, just look at my notes then!" 

Percy stepped out and shut the door in Oliver’s face. Things were pretty much exactly as they always were between them. There was no use bringing up that day again to ruin that. 

He spotted Penelope quickly at their favourite table. It was a day with grey skies so the usual sunbath was lacking. However Penelope made up for it in her own type of radiance. He leaned down and gave her a peck on the lips before he sat down. She smiled and let him, but she didn’t tilt her head up like she usually did. It had been a week after their return from the holiday break but there was still something distant about her. 

"How was your holiday Percy?" she smiled at him but again, it was as if she was only halfway there. She had already asked him about his holiday a week ago, she was strangely disoriented.. 

"It was just fine?" He said, confused. Less detailed than his last reply

"Oh, right. Sorry, I’ve already asked that, haven't I?" she took his hand and squeezed it calmly. Her energy was nervous. 

Percy smiled as he took her hand in his and squeezed it back. He was truly lucky to have someone like her. Which was why he felt so extremely guilty.

He hadn't really cheated on her, that one kiss had been more like a business transaction. A toll to pay to cross a path.

But it still felt like he had done her wrong. 

Here Percy sat, blessed with such a cute and clever girl to call his girlfriend, and all he could think about was tanned skin and abs and dark brown, glimmering eyes. His stupidly almost neurotic enthusiasm for quidditch, that somehow was so contagious even Percy got swept up in it. As swept away as Oliver’s wind-blown hair. And then that smile! That charming smile that was so typically Oliver. That made you feel as if you were the most important thing in the world and not just an accessory to a comically large family.

Damn that Oliver Wood and his smile! Even when he was nonchalant or frankly, insane, Percy could think of more positive things to think about him than negative.

Percy stared down into his book but couldn’t make out a single word. His pulse was drumming at his temples. This subconscious entity inside was chanting at him to tell her what he was thinking. He should tell Penelope what happened, she deserved to know. But if he told her it wouldn’t be nothing. It would be something .

If he could say it casually, then it might be okay.

They sat in silence as he tried to gather enough courage to tell her as flippantly as possible about the funny thing that happened before winter break. Like it was a gimmick, a party trick, a gag.

Penelope cleared her throat and his attention snapped to her. She had a somewhat sad look on her face.

"Percy, I've been thinking about how to say this all week but I think we should break up"

The air sucked right out of his lungs and it felt as if he almost choked on it. Then he just stared at her. He mustn’t have heard her right. He thought he heard her say she wanted to break up.

"I mean… sometimes I think we’re only together because it’s convenient" she took a deep breathe and flicked her hair of her shoulder nervously "I really like you, we’re two incredible people, but I’m just not sure we’re good together ” 

Her points were well made, well prepared. It didn't make sense. They sounded too well made, as if she was pleading a case in a trial. Distanced from the real emotions behind her reasoning. 

“we're equals and therefore we thought we would be a good match but I think-” 

"But why now all of a sudden?" He knew he was wrong to interrupt her, but he was starting to freak out. 

"I've been suspecting… well I've noticed some things during the years we've been together and I think I know for sure now…" she paused, she seemed unsure on whether she should continue. What could be so hard for her to say? Penelope was a very direct person, so her doubt frightened him. 

"I think you like someone else Percy" she smiled at him but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She squeezed his hand again, harder. 

He scoffed. Now he started to wonder if it was all just a poorly made attempt at a joke because her well made points had a rather weak finish. That simply wasn’t true. She was losing the case with that one. 

He gave her an amused look, she kept her gaze serious.

Then a crease formed between her eyes and she looked hesitant again. Like she was changing her mind. At war with herself and annoyed with Percy for trying to make a joke of it

“Or actually no, that’s not quite it, I’ve had so much time to rationalize it but… I think we do make sense, but I’m tired of crying and wondering if my boyfriend wants to be with someone else”

“I don’t” he insisted, finally adapting to her tone as he realized they were seriously having this conversation.

“Percy …” she gave him a long pleading look, as if he was doing her a great disservice. 

"I saw you" she said and looked at him knowingly. Then her eyes started to tear up.

First he didn’t understand when she meant that she would’ve seen him liking someone else, what that would even entail. But that subconscious entity made itself known again, and it inflicted facts. Because he too had thought about it all winter break. 

She had seen them.

"No, it was mistletoe" he tried to grab for her hands but she pulled them away from him. As if his touch suddenly burned her. She averted her eyes, as if she couldn’t look at him. He felt like a lousy cheating scumbag, he should’ve just told her immediately what had happened. Of course she would think he was hiding something from her if she had seen that and he had kept quiet.

"I wasn't cheating on you I swear, we had to do it, we were stuck”

Percy could hear his own voice break and crack as he felt bile and panic raise in his throat. Then he saw the gathered tears in her eyes start to spill down her cheeks in perfect lines and he knew that this wasn’t about his feelings.

“But you did lie to me” she mumbled and glanced up at him at last, but her clear blue eyes were watery. 

“I didn’t lie” he still felt ashamed.

“But you neglected to tell me” she insisted.

“Oh Penny, I’m so sorry” he said as he forced himself to calm down. Instead he took her hands much gentler this time, and this time she let him do it. He wanted to wipe her tears away, but wasn’t sure if he was welcome to, when he knew he had caused it.

"No, I know you didn't cheat on me" she sniffled and pulled one hand free to wipe at her face. She laughed now, as if she was embarrassed over her reaction. She forced herself to smile at him. It felt sickening. He wasn't worthy of such a sweet smile, he was a complete tool..

"God I need to stop crying, and you know I'm right " she continued, much more stubborn now. With a sense of law that he couldn’t or wasn’t allowed to argue against.

 "Think about it, the first thing you started defending was how you hadn't cheated. You never even thought about denying that you like him"

She glanced around and whispered, still respectful of him even though he had disrespected her. It wasn’t for anyone else’s ears.

It dawned on him, he hadn't argued with her enough. Why wasn't ' there's nothing between me and Oliver ' the first thing he'd said? One could argue that he was much more horrified at the prospect of Penelope feeling slighted at all but, laughing it off and claiming there was nothing there to worry about had been a much more preferable reaction. 

Did that mean there was something to worry about?

He felt pale, probably on level with his sister these days. All his thoughts from the previous week were rolling around in his head making him feel small, pathetic and incompetent..

Everything is fine

Nothing was alright, what was he thinking prancing around like it was? Was he truly that adept at pushing his head in the sand? 

Everything is normal, like it's always been

Everything had changed.

Things are not awkward

Things were going to be so awkward now.

I'm not into my best friend.

Percy however definitely didn’t fancy Oliver. He was his best friend so naturally he cared about him a great deal. Was he ridiculously fit, yes… Percy needed glasses, he wasn’t legally blind!

But that was beside the point. Oliver had sprung his attractiveness upon him without warning, Percy was just learning to navigate it, it didn’t mean he wanted to break up with his girlfriend for him. 

"You alright Percy? you're very pale" Penelope was now leaning over the table and patted his shoulder in a comforting manner. It felt unnervingly platonic considering weeks ago he had her pushed down on a similar table in the prefect study.

"I'm fine" he choked out and rubbed his temples, trying to massage away the nauseating thundering headache that was creeping up. It didn’t matter if he didn’t want to break up with her, he couldn’t force her to stay.

“Of course we'll break up if you want"

There was no use arguing about it. She was right when she said they had always been a convenient match, but Percy had thought that was a good thing. The convenience of dating a good friend. He liked her, he would always like her but her friendship was what was truly precious to him. He could live with not kissing her, but never talking to her again would kill him. 

Then he started to panic again, what if by lying to her he had ruined it?

"We're still friends though, right?" He asked.

“I want us to be…” she furrowed her brow “I’m doing this because I care about you Percy” 

“I’m glad” he said, feeling anything but “but you're wrong about me and Oliver” 

He pulled his things together. He wasn't quite in a studying mood anymore. His parchments fell out of the mess in his arms and he had to gather them up again. She looked at him with pity in her eyes. 

"He's a good guy Percy, you deserve to be happy”

She picked the last of his parchments up and placed them gently in his arms. Then she kissed his cheek, like she was sealing them up. A final sigil on their case.

“I don’t deserve you” he muttered.

“You’re right, that’s why I’m breaking up with you” she was joking. How could she be joking, with tear stains still on her round pink cheeks?

“I meant even as a friend” he said and managed to almost snicker humorously to mirror her. If she wanted to laugh about it, he would indulge her. He’d do anything she wanted. 

“Everyone deserves a good friend, you especially need a new one if Oliver becomes your… you know what ” she whispered. His neck flushed and his hands felt clammy and moist.

He shook his head; he and Oliver were definitely just friends. 

Her smile grew weary and stiff, like she wanted to keep smiling the way she usually did but it pained her to do so.

“I need some space though, I am upset with you Percy”

He nodded, struggling to keep all his stuff in place as he stood up from his seat. He should’ve packed them better but that would’ve taken longer. He was at war with himself too, wanting to argue and tell her she was ridiculous and they could fix this. The other part wanted to leave and respect her space.

“I need some room to get over it, I just… you get that you hurt me right?”

He just nodded, he had lost his voice.

“Can you give me some space?” she expected him to answer.

"Of course" he said, finding at least a little sound to confirm her wishes.

 

It was late when Percy arrived back at the dorm but Oliver was still up. He was reading Witch Weekly. Percy felt a little bit uneasy, he would have liked to just get to his bed without facing Oliver tonight.

"Hey Perce" Oliver nodded in greeting but didn't look up from his magazine 

"What’s new?"

Oliver had always been rather vocal about his issues having to share his friend with Penelope. He would probably like to hear that they were officially not dating anymore. Still something kept Percy from telling him.

If Percy were to tell Oliver that he was single and completely available, what would happen? Would anything happen? 

Percy wasn’t ready to find out. 

So he said nothing.

"Nothing" was all he said as he quietly changed into his nightgown and crawled into bed.

It was fine, he refused to let it be awkward. 

Chapter 78: Year 6 - It's awkward

Things were so awkward! It couldn't be more awkward. Oliver couldn't even look at Percy without getting full body shivers. .

Percy invaded his dreams, his thoughts and his bed. No, those were the dreams .

Oliver was very talented at pretending everything was alright though, so good in fact that he almost considered an acting career if the Quidditch career didn’t pan out. 

Every time Percy was near him he lost his breath. So he made up for it in vigor by acting as if he wasn’t the most uncomfortable he’d ever been in his life.

He sometimes lay in bed watching Percy sleep, desperately wanting to crawl down next to him. He wanted so badly to just pull his hands through his hair and kiss him again. Oliver felt like he was playing with fire by simply nudging one curl of Percy’s hair and everytime Percy was close enough he had to fight his impulse to just lean in. 

He would get so embarrassed at his own thoughts at night, that he'd turn over and slam his head to the bedpost. 

As soon as the door slammed in his face, and Percy was out of sight Oliver mouthed a silent scream and threw himself to his mattress. Finally allowing real sound to escape the pit of his stomach, the sound came out muffled by the pillow. Oliver brought it with him as he sat back up so that he could scream into it again, all the while he trashed and kicked his body around to rid of the pent up frustration. 

When he had no more voice in him he threw the pillow down. His hair felt static and probably stood out into the air. At least he could hear the familiar rattling around his head of static energy. He placed the pillow in his lap, squeezing it between his thighs and sighed because no amount of screaming worked. He still felt riled up. 

Percy had left his christmas sweater on the floor, which was uncharacteristic of him. Oliver guessed he must have accidentally dropped it when Oliver entered. In too much of a hurry to get out of there to notice. Vaguely he wondered if Percy felt as awkward as he did about the mistletoe situation. Perhaps even violated, forced to kiss his bender friend again against his will. Although Oliver had never come out to Percy, there was a risk he’d guessed it just like Paul. 

Knowing or not, Percy still didn’t like kissing him, and even though Oliver had known his chances were shot to hell, almost confirmation was another type of agony. 

Then why had Percy kissed Oliver like that? In a way that left him obsessing over every detail of it.

Oliver went up to the sweater and picked it up. He had intended to just put it in the wardrobe for him.

He felt the soft yarn between his fingers and hesitated. He bit his lip and wondered how lowly he could sink and determined that his honour was a bottomless pit. Then he buried his face in the sweater and inhaled. 

Percy's scent flooded him and he closed his eyes to savour it. He was swooning.

He inhaled again, and sighed in content as he brought it with him back to his bed. As he lay down he placed the sweater over his face and just breathed in slow deep breaths. He was such a creep, he couldn't help it. 

The scent was mild and familiar. Some sort of mixture of old dusty books and something fresh and minty. A little bit of burrow, a little bit like tea.

As he took in all of Percy's scents he started thinking of what his mouth had tasted like. Unlike his scent it was unlike anything he could describe. It was uniquely Percy.

 

He sighed again, a lot less happily. With a tense terror in his chest, like an anxious warning to stop now before it was too late his hands fumbled to push down the hem of both his pants and joggers. He had masturbated several times at the thought of Percy lately and he was ashamed of it but he couldn’t stop. He felt bad about it every time, but he still always followed through. 

The timing was awful too, he had just managed to believe that he could get over him.

Cedric was in a conventional manner much more handsome than Percy, but it was as if he was too perfect. 

Much like with Flint Oliver never allowed Cedric to touch him any lower than his abdomen. Unlike Flint Cedric was just fine with that. 

Perhaps he thought Oliver didn’t have the urge to try anything other than kissing yet, that he wasn’t ready. At first Oliver had believed so as well.

Until now. 

He was having a wank more often than he ever did as a prepubescent fourteen year old. He had just done so in the shower. It made no sense that he should feel this worked up already, cause it had barely been twenty minutes since then. But this was just his life now, unwanted stiffies in the middle of the night and day, and unbearable tension. As if kissing Percy again had dropped the penny.

When he was younger it had been a wild untamed exploration of senses, thoughtless and curious and primal.

But now, he was slow with it, took his time. It was the first time that those feelings were anchored to an actual person, which perhaps was what made them more intense.

He kept the sweater in place over his face as he touched himself, breathing it in.

“Ah fuck” he bucked his hips into his hand. Feet curling into his sheets that threatened to come undone from the mattress. He was touching himself raw, it was almost not even pleasant anymore.

“Shit” he panted softly, feeling it build up into a climax that left him messy but relaxed. At least for a short time. 

His butt cramped. He felt sticky and unclean. The dirty feeling was almost more psychological than because of the cum on his stomach.

And he had just showered.

He stayed still, collecting his breathing again and poked his head back up from under the knitted sweater. He could feel the embarrassing heat radiating from his whole face.

What a loser he was. 

When he was done feeling bad about it he cast a cleaning spell and carefully folded the sweater. He put it in the wardrobe like he had intended from the start.

Then he sat back down on his bed and hid his head in his hands. He was still only half-clad after his shower. Sitting shirtless with his pants still sloppily pulled up. A dishevelled mess, proof of concept that he was a sad pervert nowadays. He adjusted himself in his joggers and as he once again lay down and buried his head in his pillow, instead of screaming he simply whined pathetically.

What if Percy found out? Not only was it disrespectful to him, but to his mother who had lovingly made him that sweater. What would they think of him?

Could he continue seeing Cedric after this, was that fair to him?

He decided he needed to at least give it a chance, but it seemed grim. At this rate it was highly unlikely that he would ever get over Percy so perhaps he just had to be celibate for the rest of his life. 

He glanced up at the door, then at Percy’s side of the room. He should just do that damn charm assignment. There was nothing less sexy than homework. 

But Percy’s notes were on his side, with Percy’s stuff, near Percy’s bed. So he read Witch Weekly instead. 

Chapter 79: Year 6 - Secrets of a teenage gossip

Marvin Hamilton had a secret. 

His full name was actually Marvin Romeo Suárez-Hamilton. 

He had gone to great lengths to hide this fact. 

When the great book of Hogwarts legacies had spat his name out, the letters adorning it had spelled out his full name. Upon receiving his acceptance letter it had taken many stubborn correspondences with professor Dumbledore himself to at least have the professors keep that secret verbally when he attended school. 

During his sorting, Marvin’s nervousness had unlike his peers not been about what house he’d get sorted to, but what name they would call. It had been a great relief when Professor McGonagal had only stated two of them. 

He hadn’t minded if Suárez had stuck. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of his ancestry. It was just Romeo that was the issue. Romeo wasn't even a typically spanish name, it was italian.

As a common young man, he didn’t want to be referred to as some literal romantic, one that killed himself none the less. It was embarrassing. It was bad enough he had to fight the allegations as a gossip. 

In all his six years only one person had figured him out. 

She liked to tease him about it and had given him the nickname. People assumed it was because of his looks, but Marvin tensed every time Morgan said it anyway. Her eyes always glimmered, albeit discreetly. Like a promise, or a threat. He was glad she was his friend, because he would’ve hated to be her enemy.

Morgan Kelly was one of the reasons why he had learnt to hold onto his own secrets, perhaps also because he had a talent for gathering everyone else’s, and knew how easy they could spread. Marvin knew everyone’s business, but he was adamant that no one knew his.

Marvin did fairly well in school but was really more interested in sports and people. Secrets were also a source of knowledge and as a ravenclaw it was simply in his nature to be curious.

It wasn’t his fault that people allowed themselves to fall victim to his curiosity. Oliver Wood may have been his close friend but he was not immune to becoming one of them.

Marvin often speculated why Oliver never had a girlfriend. He was popular for sure and if he wanted to he could probably have anyone.

What worried him about that, was that the one and only girl Oliver seemed bothered about was Penelope. His Penelope. 

It was bad enough she was Percy Weasley’s girlfriend already. Now he had to worry about Oliver being a potential rival for her attention as well. Not that it mattered, if Percy was her type then neither he nor Oliver had a chance either way.

That was Marvin’s second secret. 

Since day one, since the very first time he saw her. Marvin had been hopelessly in love with Penelope Clearwater. 

It had all started with a joke. A perfectly incomprehensible joke that no one in their class had understood. Still, she had laughed, unbothered by the solitude of her appreciation of her own humour. It was the first time in his life Marvin had looked at a stranger and thought. Wow, how perfect.

He had thought he envied her first, how little she cared about other people’s opinions.

Because Marvin cared so much.

It had taken him three years to realize that he actually loved her. 

There were just two people in the entire world that could confuse him the way she did. Other than Penleope, the other person… well, the other…

 

The other was different, Marvin wasn’t quite ready to indulge it. 

 

Besides, this was about Oliver.

 

Oliver’s feelings towards Penelope had always seemed more hostile, but Marvin also knew people reacted differently to their emotions. He was pretty sure that Oliver liked Penelope and when he finally admitted that he fancied someone, she was the only person Marvin could think of.

 

But he needed proof. 

 

An uncommon arrogance had taken hold of Oliver since christmas. His usual temper was chaotic yet positive. Neurotically enthusiastic. Confident but never cocky.

 

His current state however, was one of someone self consciously conceited. As if he was faking a persona that had his shit together, and Marvin needed to know why. The only natural explanation was that Oliver in fact, did not have his shit together but desperately wanted someone to think that he did.

 

Marvin possessed a talent for these kinds of things. He could tell when people were being phony. 

 

It was sort of draining sometimes. Knowing for sure that your friends didn’t trust you enough to drop the charades. It hurt.

 

Which was why being around Jack was so relaxing. 

 

Marvin was aware it probably didn’t seem that way with the level of arguing between them, but Marvin really appreciated Jack. He never had to read him, Jack always told the whole truth.

 

Jack didn’t have anything to hide and was always unfiltered. Which was also why Marvin dropped his guards with him. Sometimes it frightened him how short his fuse was with Jack. As if he was losing control.

 

Marvin never had the time to play to his advantages, because Jack was just so frustratingly open. There were no strings to pull, all the strings were severed and offered to you in a beautiful bow to do as you liked with.

 

It had bothered Marvin at first, but by the time he realized it Jack had already crawled under his skin and made a home there.

 

He understood Jack.

 

Oliver however, was a bit trickier.

"Ollie!" Marvin shouted. He had spotted him stretching on a bench as the Gryffindors awaited their turn on the pitch. As Marvin rushed up to him Oliver was slightly startled, but a smile grew on his face as he gathered his composure. It was that falsely sure smile that Marvin didn’t trust.

"Hi Marv, is everything alright?" Oliver jumped down from the bench and patted his friend on the back.

"Drop it, you’re hiding something” Marvin said and crossed his arms “you've been distraught since Christmas mate, are you alright?"

Oliver flinched and his confidence wavered. Seeing that his teammates looked at him with interest he dragged Marvin aside.

"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be… why would you ask?" 

"It’s that girl you fancy, innit?" Marvin had to ask, he had to know if it was Penelope. Her name stuck in his throat though, he was too scared to put it out into the world. What if it was true? 

Oliver flinched again, he clenched and unclenched his jaw and then quite clearly faked another grin.

"No, it’s definitely not girl trouble" he patted Marvin on the shoulder and moved past him in a rush to get to his team.

"Sorry, we only have an hour, need to get started"

Dumb excuse, but difficult to disprove. Oliver’s first love was Quidditch and he was picky with his time about it. Lately he was out there every night to practise, Marvin couldn't argue that he was lying because no one would believe him. Oliver waved back at him and gave him a strangely exaggerated thumbs up, Marvin scoffed. Yeah Oliver didn't have a poker face whatsoever.

He was angry about it. Not that he was entitled to his friends' secrets, Merlin knew Marvin was selective about what he told people. He was just frustrated about the not knowing. 

So he was sulking.

He sat so deeply sunken into one of the ravenclaw common room couches that the people entering must not have seen him. 

Which was perfect, people tended to talk much more unfiltered when they thought he wasn’t there.

"But why Penny?" whined Gabby. 

He perked his ears up, he didn’t eavesdrop per say. It wasn’t his fault they hadn’t seen him. 

"I know he's meek and a bit scrawny but he's also adorable and you two were just so-"

"So cute right?" Estrid, their roommate, agreed. 

"Adorable, perfect really!" Gabby whined again.

"Penny what have you done?" Estrid agreed, he could almost hear their other roommate Clara’s frantic nodding to agree with whatever her friends were saying. Marvin lay down entirely and snaked his way to the armrest, to sneak a glance at the four girls making their way towards their dorm.

Penelope only shook her head of perfect golden curls.

"I told you, we didn't work out… we're still friends though"

Marvin almost gasped and sat up, but remembered he wasn’t supposed to be there. He grasped a hand over his mouth and perked his ear up again. Did it mean what he thought it meant?

He wasn't nosy, really he wasn't! And it wasn't that he liked gossip, this was a personal interest.

“Then why are you avoiding him?” Gabby asked, skeptical. Penelope looked sad, Marvin could tell. She tried her best to hide it but he could see it in her eyes. His heart clenched, he felt like an arse for having been happy about her breakup now. 

“I just need a moment”

"Well if you broke up then maybe I can ask him out? He is rather sweet" one of the girls said, Marvin couldn’t see which one of them from this angle. It probably wasn’t Gabby, she had a boyfriend.

"No" Penelope reacted too strongly, everybody stared at her. Even Marvin tried to get a better look  "I mean… I didn't mean…"

"What? You broke up, what's the problem?" The mystery girl seemed offended. "I'm not good enough for him or something?"

"No, no… no, that's not it at all Clara, it's just…" 

Marvin almost fell out of the couch when he leaned closer.

Their voices were growing distant as they ascended up the stairs to their rooms. He was missing something juicy, he could tell. 

"Oh, it's someone we know alright" was the last thing Marvin heard as the girls moved upstairs to continue their chat.

He could feel his heart hammering in his chest, never mind the reason Penelope wouldn’t allow Clara to ask out Percy Weasley. Penelope was single again, he might have a chance.

However that meant, so did Oliver. 

Okay, maybe he was a little bit of a gossip, but this piece of news he decided he would keep to himself. 

Except Percy would probably tell Oliver, right? Which meant he might soon find out anyway. 

It was time sensitive.

He didn’t know exactly what to do, he could ask her out, but that would be terrifying. 

Instead he watched Oliver even more closely, who had at last dipped in whatever mood he had been in recently. His intense confidence had wavered and instead he looked forlorn. So he probably didn’t know Penny was on the market yet… Marvin was watching him across the great hall from the ravenclaw table as Oliver solemnly spread butter over toast. He wasn’t even watching what he was doing.

“I feel much better, I started talking with someone who can relate to what I’m going through” Jack was chattering away. He had been a blubbering mess lately. His breakups were always messy but this one had taken more out of him. Seeing him so perky was a welcome change, but Marvin was too distracted by watching Oliver to really focus. He simply hummed agreeably as he looked past Jack’s shoulder.

“-because she’s also sad about her breakup, so she knows what it’s like”

“Mhm” Marvin said.

Oliver was staring at an unaware Percy. He had a longing in his eyes Marvin had only seen before in the eyes of Jack when he looked at a girl he- Marvin paused in his thoughts.

He rose from his chair and pulled a face that probably looked as if he had seen a dementor and had frozen mid-scream. Kissed by death. Cyril, who had the bed next to Marvin up in the dorms and whose snoring used to keep him up until he mastered the ear-plug spell, looked at him quizzically

"What?" he asked and glanced behind him to see whatever juicy news Marvin had spotted. Even Jack turned around to chase the spectacle. Because that was what they expected from Marvin. Gossip. But Marvin couldn't form words anymore.

"he-he- he is- I should- oh " Marvin sat down and shoved a large mouthful of bread in his mouth to make himself shut up. At least he had the sense to not out his friend at breakfast on a Thursday. 

Better to go talk to him about it.

"Whatever Marvin, you're strange today" Cyril shook his head and tried to get Jack on board with his statement. Jack however had a furrowed crease in his brow and watched Marvin. It sent a chill down Marvin’s spine. It felt as if Jack was looking right through him sometimes. 

Cyril kept eating, unbothered by Jack’s lack of support. 

He had to wait until the end of their double potion lesson with the gryffindors to speak with Oliver. Mostly because he wanted to do it alone, without Jack. He pulled a surprised Oliver into a far off corner and pointed an accusing finger at him. No time like the present. Sometimes you just had to be direct about it. 

"You fancy Percy" he stated firmly.

Oliver said nothing. He just stared at Marvin as if he had sprouted a second head. Then Oliver stuttered out words that didn’t mean anything in either of the three languages that Marvin was fluent in. 

He finally gave up and muttered a gloomy, "yes…"

Marvin shone up proudly at the revelation that he had been completely accurate in his observation. Then his smile quickly faltered and he knitted his eyebrows as he realized what had actually been confirmed. 

"Blimey" he realized this was a poor reaction, but how were you supposed to react when you found out your friend fancied a bloke?

"I mean it's fine innit... by me I mean, I'm fine with you being a- yeah" he scratched at his neck and gave a lopsided smile. He kind of had to be fine with it right? He had somewhat forced the confession out of him. Besides Marvin couldn’t judge him, he was… well. There was no point dwelling on what Marvin was.

"How'd you know? Is it obvious?" Oliver asked, and he looked frightened, so Marvin decided to lie.

"No, It’s just circumstantial bruv”

It was a bit obvious, it’s not as if he had been discreetly pining at breakfast, but there was no use telling Oliver that.

He patted Oliver on the back and reassured him that his secret was absolutely safe with him which Oliver seemed to appreciate.

Oliver being a bender was good news after all. If he fancied blokes, then he surely had no interest in Penelope.

Marvin was making his way back to ravenclaw tower when it hit him, that perhaps he should’ve mentioned what he had overheard the girls say about Penelope and Percy’s breakup. Perhaps he and Oliver could help each other out.

He rounded the corner and saw Jack at the bottom of the spiral staircase that led up to the tower. He only saw him from the back, but he knew it was him. He would recognize his shoulders anywhere. For a second he thought Jack had come to meet him, before he saw hands sliding across Jack’s neck. 

It seemed as if he had gotten over Imogene after all. So much for that eternal love. 

Marvin rolled his eyes and was just about to clear his throat to announce himself when Jack shifted enough for him to see who he was with. The girl he was with, she was a curvy girl. With bouncy blonde curls.

“ Oh? ” Marvin whispered as he instinctively stepped backwards. His legs felt unsteady and weak. His stomach began to hurt. He much rather would’ve been stabbed to death than feel whatever numbness came over him at that moment. It sort of felt like when you had slept on a limb and it hadn’t woken up yet. It felt like that, but everywhere.

This was a nightmare, it had to be. How could anything in reality form something that was so specifically catered as the worst possible outcome for him personally. 

He wasn’t sure what was worse. Watching Jack get to kiss Penelope, or watching Penelope get to kiss Jack.

Chapter 80: Year 6 - The cauldron conundrum

The scent was so overwhelming he was almost gagging. 

 

Percy was covering his mouth and nose with his hand as he backed away from the bubbling cauldron. The effect was immediate, the soft pink smoke followed through the air and tried to snare him back in. He wafted it away with his free hand and pressed his other hand harder into his face. His heartbeat was picking up and threatened to hammer out of his chest.

 

Having drawn his attention, Professor Snape leered over his cauldron and raising a distinct eyebrow he turned towards Percy and actually clapped his hands.

 

“I can’t imagine why you would look so horrified Mr Weasley, this Amortentia is brewed to perfection” he took a whiff at it, an uncomfortable crease in his brow told Percy he might have wanted to cover his face as well. Perhaps for the very same reason Percy did. It was potent, perhaps even perfect as the professor had said.

 

“The only one who might have done better is myself, ten points to Gryffindor” Professor Snape said and his mouth almost twitched in an amused smirk. It was a great gesture, Percy couldn’t think of a single time that Professor Snape had been so nice to any of Percy’s housemates. It truly was a very well made potion, but that was the problem. Because Percy could smell his dorm, quidditch leather, wet cotton and Oliver’s cologne. 

 

He almost wretched out of pure anxiety. Because he knew what this meant. 

 

Snape’s almost amusement was quickly exchanged for annoyance, because Percy had started to hyperventilate now. He was definitely having a panic attack. 

 

There were no other Gryffindor students in advanced potions this year, all of his friends had decided regular potions would suffice for their individual careers. It was both a relief and a great terror. Because it meant none of them would see him like this, but it also meant he was at his most vulnerable, surrounded by strangers that didn’t care for him. He was just a spectacle, a Weasley prodigy losing it over a cauldron of love potion. Breathing became harder, he was desperately pulling after breaths that felt as if they didn’t reach his lungs properly. He was reaching for things to hold onto and grabbed at thick oak cabinets which content rattled as he tried to find balance. 

 

“Mr weasley, mind the artifacts or I’ll have to take those points back” Professor Snape bellowed, his voice poisonously cold even while loud. There was almost a terror in his eyes though, as if he was unprepared for something like this. Then he seemed to jump into action as he rummaged through a drawer and handed a small vial to another student in the class.

 

“Higgs, Kelly, will you please remove Mr Wealsey from the classroom” Percy heard him say, but he had stopped trying to focus on anything in the room except his feet. If he could just find his footing again he would be fine. But the scent was still so overpowering that it felt as if Oliver was standing right over him. wrapping himself around him. Percy had ripped his tie loose in hopes that would help the air into his airways. It made it easier to rip the first shirt buttons loose to cover his nose under it. 

 

Strong arms grabbed a hold of him, over his chest and pulled him away from the cabinets and into the hallway. Someone pressed him towards the cool stone wall outside and forced his head back. A small vial was put to his lips and a thick warm substance was poured down his throat. Comforting. Instantly he felt so much better. It helped that the thick dungeon door swung closed and barricaded the scent of Amortentia from the outside world. Percy panted for a few seconds, leaning the weight of his upper body against his thighs and the rest of it against the wall. He still tried to find physical support, but his mind felt calmer. It no longer felt as if his heart tried to escape through his throat. 

 

“Wow, dramatic much” 

 

He’d recognize Morgan Kelly’s accent anywhere, the attitude behind the words were unmistakable. He glanced up and saw her amused grin first. Next to her was her friend Terence Higgs, still holding the small vial that Professor Snape had given him to calm Percy down. It was a calming draught, Percy recognized the aftertaste. 

 

“Are you okay?” Terence asked, eyes big and scared and still gripping the vial so tightly it might shatter in his white-knuckled hand. Percy determined he might have benefitted from his own calming draught in that moment.

 

Percy rubbed his eyes under his glasses before correcting them.

 

“I’m fine, sorry” he mumbled as he leaned back and let his back follow the stone down until he was sitting on the floor. 

 

“Who gets a panic attack when they actually succeed in class?” Morgan said, amusement still clear in her voice. Terence gave her a tired look, as if asking her to mind the occasion. She just grimaged at him, like a sibling would. Percy supposed they were close. He didn’t really know either of them except for sharing a few advanced classes with them, but he knew Morgan and Oliver were close as well. Which worried him. 

 

“Could you please not tell Oliver?” he asked, which seemed to genuinely surprise Morgan. She dropped her jargon with Terence and leaned her weight back on one hip. She was scanning him, then she shared another look with Terence before shrugging. 

 

“Can’t make promises luv” she said and grinned again, then she stepped back towards the classroom door.

 

“Now since we aren’t all blessed with the ability to make potions so perfect it scares us, I need to get back to brewing” she said, and with a deliberately dramatic flare opened the door to let the scents back out. Percy flinched and covered his nose with his thick cloak this time, as he was much more mentally present now that the draught had fully started to work its magic. The door swung closed with a large thud, and once more Percy felt safe enough to expose his nostrils. 

 

“We’re not all bad you know” Terence said, he was still looking at Percy.

 

“Huh?” Percy said, feeling embarrassing heat creep up his neck. He sounded like a caveman, guttural and confused on the floor.

 

“You asked us not to tell on you, and we’re not all bad, us Slytherins” Terence explained.

 

Percy felt mortifying shame again.

 

“That’s not what I meant, I know…” he steered off, he wasn’t sure what he knew. He for sure had thought Morgan would be the type to expose him for her own enjoyment so perhaps he had judged her prematurely. Terence reassurement might be valid. 

 

“I’ll talk to her for you” Terence said and sat down on the floor next to him “she’s not unreasonable, just proud”

 

Percy nodded, he thought he could recognize that in himself. In fact between the four houses there were plenty of aspects that Percy could find in his classmates to relate to. Sometimes he wondered what house he would’ve been sorted to if they had placed the hat on him today. Probably not slytherin, but perhaps not gryffindor either. He felt like a coward, afraid of his own emotions. That wasn’t brave at all.

 

“I’m sorry you got bumped off the team, you’re a much better seeker than Malfoy” he said and tried to give Terence a proper smile. The draught had made him feel a sense of forced calm in his nervous system, but his mind was still fighting it. Leave it to Percy to be too neurotic for a calming draught brewed by Snape himself. 

 

“Yeah, too bad my dad’s just average rich” Terence said and laughed. “But they did lose the game, so perhaps that’s vindication enough”

 

Percy laughed as well.

 

“I’m fairly new to the statistics but I could tell you had real skill, unlike Malfoy”

 

“Aw, blush ” Terence said, with no indication of an actual blush “careful with the compliments or people might get the wrong idea”

 

Percy didn’t know what he meant by that, and it must have shown on his face because Terence leaned back to take him in, and after seemingly analysing the look for a bit gave another short laugh. As if it came out on a breath,

 

“You seriously don’t know the real reason I got kicked off the team?”

 

Percy blinked in surprise. He thought he did. The brooms. Malfoy had been given the seeker position because his father had paid his way in. He had been sure that was it.

 

“I mean Malfoy did buy his way in but they would’ve replaced me with someone else if he hadn’t” Terence said and smiled into the air. It was a bitter smile though, it didn’t reach his eyes.

 

“They sacked me because I came out last year”

 

Percy felt another punch to his gutt that left him without air to his chest. He wanted to feel sick, but the brew in his system quickly cancelled that out and he was left with a strangely numb sensation down his arms. Like something was crawling up and down them. Then he felt oddly calm again, then a little nervous. Would people assume he was queer too if they saw him talking to Terence? Wasn’t he actually? Or yeah, he was bisexual and he was unfortunately smitten with his best friend, but would people know that if they saw him sitting here with Terence? Would that officially brand him queer? Did that matter?

 

“Oh, I didn’t know” he said and started ripping nervously into his fingernails. Terence watched his hands and seemed to want to judge his behaviour but he didn’t say anything about it.

 

“Yeah… That effectively killed my quidditch career, which sucked then, but it was the right choice for me”

 

Percy was still a little too calm for his body to properly react to it, but if he hadn’t had calming draught in his system then he probably would’ve started hyperventilating again. 

Percy hadn’t even thought of that. He was aware being queer could damage your reputation, but on top of that it could stump your career.  

 

Obviously there was something going on between him and Oliver. Percy wasn’t sure if it was just a curious exploration from Oliver's side now that the cat was out of the bag, but it was something. The only thing in the world that Oliver had ever wanted was to play quidditch professionally. If it got out that he had ever had that sort of relationship with a boy it would ruin him. It would ruin both their chances to fulfill their life long goals and ambitions.

 

The draught was starting to win the battle over his senses and he felt eerily calm considering the turmoil in his brain. He knew it wouldn’t last forever though, and in just a couple of hours a large group of people would meet up to celebrate Oliver’s birthday since it was valentine’s day. 

 

Percy really couldn't handle that alone today. 

 

“Do you wanna come to a party?” he asked instead “Morgan is probably already invited”

Chapter 81: Year 6 - Closeted

It was a big moment. 

 

For some inexplicable reason everyone of his friends were available on valentine’s day. Granted a lot of them might’ve been planning to go on their dates on saturday or sunday, but since it was a friday and they didn’t have classes the next day - They were throwing Oliver a birthday party. A real actual birthday party on the day of his birthday. Not a party later, or earlier but, On. The. Very. Same. Day. 

 

Oliver felt ecstatic about it, he wasn’t even embarrassed when Imogene put a sparkly green party hat on him. This seemed to disappoint her a little.

 

Jack’s older brother had somehow smuggled a whole case of firewhiskey to him, and two bottles were already in the communal punchbowl. People were drinking heavily, but not Oliver. Which baffled Marvin, who Oliver suspected was actually not drunk but high. 

The implications came from the fact Marvin was giggling uninterruptedly. Not only was he not the type to normally giggle, but his mood was strange. Even when he said things that sounded like he was mad about it, he was snickering and every so often his gaze glazed over. Like he was somewhere distant. 

 

Now he was eerily present though, trying to focus on Oliver’s forehead because apparently that was the most interesting part of his face right now. Either that or he had trouble focusing at all. 

 

“But you always drink” he said and scoffed so hard a bit of spit flung in Oliver’s face. Oliver wiped at it and stifled a laugh.

 

“I’ve stopped” he said 

 

“I can have fun without it, and if I want a serious career in sports then I need to treat my body better” 

 

It was actually Percy who had gotten him on this track. Oliver might have known more about strategies, tactics, broom technicalities and historical maneuvers. But when Percy took on the interest he came in with fresh insight, which included bodily health. When you truly got into it, treating your health was just as important as working out. Therefore Oliver now knew what a food pyramid was and what diets would best boost his core. There were so many different ways to treat your body to get stronger, and consuming alcohol was not one of them.

 

Marvin scoffed again and just as Oliver had predicted, pulled a joint out of his pocket. 

 

“You shouldn’t smoke that inside, it might get noticed” Oliver said, but didn’t try to snatch it from him. Marvin rolled his eyes, joint hanging limp from the corner of his mouth as he tried to get his wand to lit.

 

“Who are you, my mum?” 

 

He got the tip of his wand lit with a small flame and inhaled on the rolled up piece of paper. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back as he pulled the smoke further into his lungs. When he exhaled there was barely anything left of the fumes. Oliver wafted his hand in front of his own face anyway, to make sure none of the lingering smoke got into his own system. He had no interest in shotgunning it. 

 

“Are you alright though?” Oliver asked, he had been sitting crouched down in front of his friend but now his legs were beginning to get sore. So he sat down in the corner of the beanbag chair Marvin was occupying.

 

“It’s funny” Marvin said, obviously not answering Oliver’s question. Oliver wasn’t sure if he was too unfocused to have registered it, or if he deliberately ignored it.

 

“You stop drinking the day Percy starts” 

 

Marvin laughed hysterically, Oliver’s insides froze. That didn’t sound right. If Percy was drinking it sounded more like an unhealthy coping mechanism. Just like Marvin honestly. Were all his friends falling off the rails just as he was finding his?

 

He followed Marvin’s hazy gaze, which was troublesome to track. Finding Percy was much easier when he started searching for his signature hair colour instead. He was close by in the room, under a sparkling disco ball which was what had made him harder to find. The light from above turned his hair a fancy purple, and he was dancing with the most unlikely pair. Morgan and Terence Higgs. Morgan was the first to spot Oliver in the beanbag area, and on unsteady feet stumbled over. She had a big smile on her face and stole the green party hat off of Oliver’s head in order to place it on herself.

 

“You never said he could dance” she said and fell on top of the two friends already sharing the seat. It got crowded and Oliver kept slipping off. 

 

“I didn’t know, I have never seen that” Oliver said and he had to bend his body awkwardly to catch another glimpse of it. Morgan’s torso was blocking him.

 

Percy was absolutely drunk, he had his eyes closed and was swaying pretty accurately to the beat of the music. His body snaked from side to side as he let his arms roam over himself. It was mesmerizing, but Oliver was too sober to let it distract him.

 

“Percy!” he shouted instead and gave him a quizzical look. Percy’s eyes shot open and he flinched and hid behind Terence who laughed . Since when were they close like that?

 

Oliver struggled to get out of the chair completely, he had to slide all the way down to the floor in order to then push himself up.

 

He didn’t get to take more than a step in Percy’s direction before Percy grabbed Terence's arm and pulled him away. He was running away from Oliver. Percy was seriously running away from him at his own birthday party. 

 

Oliver decided not to follow him, whatever reason Percy had he wouldn't let Oliver get close enough for an explanation. He could tell.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, Percy always reprimanded Oliver about drinking. Perhaps he was ashamed to get caught indulging.

 

“What is going on with them?” he said as he squeezed himself down again. He chose the middle so he’d get the most chair to sit on. Both Marvin and Morgan slid off the sides, but they were too drunk and high to fight him over it. They ended up staying down in a half lying position on each side of him. The bean bag, more of a pillow than a seat, and they both stared up into the ceiling. Morgan’s green hat poked Marvin in the ear but he hardly noticed. None of them answered him. Oliver sighed and leaned his head on his knuckles. 

 

Marvin laughed again.

 

“You look like the thinker” he said as he poked at Oliver’s thigh. That he noticed. 

 

“Yooo, Imogene is making out with Estrid Runehouse!” Arcas ran past to announce this, and just as fast he was gone. Probably to announce it to someone else.

 

“Oh yeah, Estrid is making out with Imogene Zimmerman” Morgan said, like it was something she had been meaning to tell them but forgot.

 

“Your ex-girlfriend Estrid?” Oliver asked.

 

“Mhm” Morgan said and took another swig out of the bottle that Oliver hadn’t even noticed she was holding. She coughed as liquid had traveled down the wrong pipe. She probably shouldn't be drinking while reclined.

 

Oliver furrowed his brow, he was pretty sure Morgan and Estrid only dated for a week, so he wasn’t so sure why she’d be that upset about it. Most of Morgan’s relationships were short but intense. Estrid had of course talked about them adopting a baby knarl together, but from what Oliver had gathered that was simply normal lesbian behaviour. He knew better than to pry though, her mood was verging on foul.

 

“Should we warn Jack?” he asked and directed his attention to Marvin instead. If Jack saw Imogene making out with someone, all the progress they had made on his heartache might be lost. 

 

Marvin scoffed again and snickered as he took another deep inhale on his joint before offering it to Morgan, who accepted.

 

“he will be juuust fine” Marvin said, with deep implication that Oliver didn’t have the context for. 

 

Honestly Oliver had enough, he could have fun without alcohol, but not when his friends were such downers. He stood up so abruptly that the shift in weight on the beanbag created an abruption in the chair, so sudden that both Morgan and Marvin fell off. They both started laughing hysterically, pointing at each other. 

 

Oliver just left them there. He had to find Percy. He had to know what was going on.

 

Percy kept avoiding him whenever he saw him, and Oliver was starting to get mad. 

 

This was his birthday party, why was he the only one not having a good time? 

 

Eventually he got close enough to take a forceful grip on Percy’s belt and pulled him back in when he tried to escape.

 

“Hey, I don’t think-” Terence tried to say something and Oliver shot him a glare so devastating it shut him up immediately.. Thankfully Terence backed off and shut his mouth almost theatrically to ensure he was butting out.

 

“I don’t care what you think” Oliver said anyway, and by using his larger build he basically herded Percy out the room as if he was one of their family sheep. 

 

“I can’t talk to you right now!” Percy shouted as soon as the door shut and the music was just a distant murmur. They were inside a closet, which was funny in a way. 

 

“Well you’re gonna have to, consider it my birthday gift” 

 

“I’m gonna say something weird” Percy said as tears were starting to fall down his cheeks and he pushed his entire palm against the flow, like window wipers fighting for dear life against a heavy fall of rain. He had taken his glasses off for better access, and they were hanging from his right hand threatening to drop any minute. 

 

“I’m not cool, I can’t do it, I’m not confident” he was drunkenly rambling as he started to give up against the crying and instead started wiping his nose with his sleeve. If he couldn’t win against the tears then apparently snot was the next best opponent. His eyelashes had kept some of the tears, like dew drops on an early summer field of clovers. Oliver grabbed his cheeks between caring hands and started wiping them away for him with his thumbs. Percy relaxed, his body went limp as if he was giving up but new tears kept coming.

 

“Percy, you’re amazing” Oliver said, and felt a tension in his chest, both from wanting to kiss him so badly but it was also painful watching him so distressed. If Percy could just tell Oliver what it was about, then he could reassure him better. 

 

“I need to be better, I need to succeed, and you won’t have a quidditch career because of me” Percy had dipped his head into the crease of Oliver’s neck and so Oliver wrapped his arms around him to hold him securely. It couldn’t be comfortable, Percy was so much taller than Oliver now. Oliver petted his head down to his neck and couldn’t help inhale Percy’s scent while he did. Percy drew in a long breath as well, as if he did the same. 

 

What did he even mean, that Oliver wouldn’t have quidditch?

 

“You’re talking nonsense” Oliver said and with the help of his hand on Percy’s neck he guided him up again, so that he could catch Percy’s eyes. Oliver helped him get his glasses back on so that he could see Oliver as well. He inhaled through his nose, Percy’s eyes searched his face. It looked like his eyes were flickering to his lips. Oliver inhaled again, a bit more tensely and placed his nose just gently against Percy’s. It felt like something. He dipped his head sideways just slightly, hesitantly. Bouncing between leaning in and pulling back.

 

Then Percy pushed him away, leaning his face away from Oliver.

 

“I’ll ruin you” he said and Oliver saw new tears well up again.

 

“I need Penelope” 

Percy crouched down on the floor and wept. 

 

It stung, Oliver could feel his own lip quiver as if he might just start crying too. Instead he nodded and patted the head of the crouching, curled up figure below him. It was a good reminder after all, Oliver wasn’t a cheater. 

 

“I’ll help you find her”

Chapter 82: Year 6 - The world is cruel

Penelope was walking him back to his dorm. They had found her on a corner couch conversing with Jack, who was in a much better mood than either of them had seen him since he and Imogene broke up. Thankfully Penelope hadn’t even hesitated when she saw Percy. When Oliver had explained that he had asked for her and that he was very drunk she had dropped everything and immediately volunteered to get him to his bed. 

 

Thankfully they had arranged the party in an adjacent room to the Gryffindor common room, so it wasn’t far. Which also meant he had little time to explain himself.

 

“I’m sorry, I know you needed space” he mumbled between snivels.

 

“You did give me space, Percy, we’re okay” her arm was on his back as she led him. There was a risk she was just saying that to comfort him, but she sounded sincere. She had after all come to his aid without questioning it. She guided him carefully so he wouldn’t trip on any steps. It felt as if they were beginning to become friends again, and it made him burst into new tears. They were happier though, he felt rather moved by her.

 

“Oh Percy, why are you crying now?” she stopped walking, they were only at the fourth year level of the stairs. He found himself worried the twins would burst out and mock him. 

 

“I’m just happy you’re here” he said and hugged her. She tensed a little at first, but then she responded to the hug.

 

“As your friend” she said, and it sounded reserved. Adamant that it was not an invitation for them to get back together, Percy hadn’t even considered it. He nodded into her shoulder.

 

“yes, that’s why I’m happy” he said and it seemed to relax her. She continued to lead him further up, past the fifth level. The closer they got the more Percy seemed to struggle to walk. It was as if the closer the promise of his bed was, the less his body wanted to work anymore. Penelope was crumbling under his weight and she tried desperately to keep him up.

 

“Why were you even drinking, you never drink” she said.

 

He snickered, like he was carrying a mischievous secret.

 

“I mixed, I had some calming draught earlier and then I drank firewhiskey” he whispered, rather loudly he realized. She stepped away from him immediately and gave him a long concerned once-over. Deprived of her support he lost his balance. He had to lean towards the stone wall to keep upright. She crossed her arms, indicating she was no longer interested in providing any help at supporting him. Gazes locked, she expected him to talk without asking him.

 

“I like him” he said, stumbling over his words. As uncoordinated as his body. 

 

“And that makes you try to kill yourself why?” she asked, her arms remained firmly locked over her chest. Body language closed off and angry. Or better yet, disappointed. He scoffed. Teenagers drank everyday and mixed all kinds of potions and herbs. Why was it that when he did it he was trying to kill himself? 

 

“I was tense, I know I like him but I have no idea if he even fancies men, he might just see it as some bicurious game”

 

She finally relaxed her arms and let them hang limply to her sides, her whole head of hair slumped forward and it looked like she was sighing and shaking it in disbelief. Then she tried to hold back a soft, yet tired laugh.

 

“Are you kidding me, Percy, he’s gay. Please tell me you know that he’s gay by now”

 

Percy felt baffled, his eyes were too unfocused to get a good look at her but his ears worked fine. She had tipped her head back up and was analysing him. He should answer her, he was just too confused to find the words.

 

“ Honestly …” she said and rubbed her face.

 

So Oliver was gay, and apparently this was obvious to some. Not to Percy though, and if he was being perfectly candid this scared him worse than if Oliver had no interest in men at all. What was he supposed to do now? Act on it ?

 

“Well, it doesn’t matter because I can’t be with him. The world is too cruel to gay men” he said with finality and pushed his weight off the wall. He lost balance almost immediately and had almost sat down before he figured he could crawl. Grabbing the next step for support as he pulled himself up the last steps to his own dorm door.

 

Penelope followed and helped him upright. They opened the door together and she made sure to close it after them since Percy had stepped inside with the implied intent to just leave it open. There was no room in his head for technicalities like closing the door after himself. 

 

“But you’re not gay.” she said as she once more placed her arm behind him to guide him. When she did she took his arm and placed it over her own shoulder. 

 

“The world doesn’t care as long as I date a man.” he said. Nothing interested him anymore except his bed, which lured him like a siren. There was nothing he wanted more than to just lay down and sleep.

 

“Fuck the world then, you’ll always have me.” It surprised him greatly. He had never heard her swear ever. It even pulled his attention from the four post bed and its promises of deep comforting unconsciousness. He looked down on her, nestled under his limp arm. She was smiling greatly and supporting him as much psychologically as she did physically. 

 

It was sweet, but reluctantly he thought that her support wouldn’t be enough to become minister of magic. Or for Oliver to become a professional Quidditch player. Those were aspects of society her influence couldn’t affect. He still managed to smile at her, so she at least would think that it had helped him. 

Chapter 83: Year 6 - Let's crush some canaries

Oliver took this diet thing seriously, which was why he was shoveling scrambled eggs onto every single player’s plate during breakfast. Jack shot him a friendly competitive grimage from across the room which Oliver almost responded to by instinct, but as captain he had to refrain.

 

His mood was elevated, the weather was perfect. He had said so enough times that people were starting to fill in the blanks when he started.

 

“Perfect-”

 

“-Quidditch conditions, yes you’ve said” George mumbled into his fork as he diligently ate what he was given.

 

Some people’s poor morning mood aside, they were all stoked for this upcoming game. This was for sure their year.

 

During classes he didn’t pay attention whatsoever, and when eleven rolled around the corner he was sprinting towards the locker room. Moving out of the way was his fellow students' own responsibility. 

 

There was plenty of time for a warm up lap around the goal posts before the game started. They were ready, they were in their best shape yet. Fully fed on protein rich nourishment and fully educated on the oppositions strength and weaknesses.

 

The bleachers were filling up nicely with Gryffindor, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and the occasional Slytherin as well. Imogene and the girls were at the very back with a large red and gold banner that read What’s our secret? Woodn’t you like to know?  

 

They had strategically taken this spot to not cover anyone seated behind them, Oliver suspected that was Lauren’s influence. 

 

Percy was in the very front, next to Morgan and Terence Higgs. Who Oliver didn’t particularly like but he had no reason to be against this budding friendship, which annoyed him further. Percy however was barely focusing on whatever Terence was saying, he was searching the crowd behind them. Arching his neck for every spec of blue and bronze and blonde head of hair that appeared on the top steps of the stairs to the bleachers. Which indicated Penelope had agreed to attend the game with Percy.

 

Oliver decided to fly down to them, just a quick hi before they started. His team was warming up nicely on their own. 

 

Percy flinched a little when Oliver appeared in front of him, but smiled stiffly when he was used to it. His neck flashed a little red but Oliver barely had time to register if it actually was a blush before Percy wrapped his Gryffindor scarf tighter around his neck.

 

“Hi” Oliver said, smiling warmly as he placed a hand on the wooden railing in front, so that he could let the broom float idle for a bit under him while he stayed put.

 

“You nervous?” Terence asked when Percy didn’t immediately respond.

 

“Just the healthy amount” Oliver answered politely, and hoped his true feelings weren’t visible on his features. Morgan scoffed anyway, looking right through him with amusement. She didn’t call him out though. 

 

“Did you see my last minute notes on the defense, since I realized Jack’s weight might add momentum for-?” Percy asked, finding his composure, he was still turning his head in search of Penelope though while he talked.

 

“Yeah, yeah, I told Fred about it” then Oliver lowered his voice and added “Thank you”.

 

Not that he was ashamed that he took advice from Percy, or needed everyone to think he did all of it on his own. Moreover, he wanted his gratitude to be something private between him and Percy.

 

Another flash of blue drew Percy’s attention. It was just Marvin who had shoved his way down to them and was now positioning himself over Terence and Morgan to get to Percy of all people. 

 

“Percy, have you seen Penelope at all?” Marvin asked, looking concerned.

 

“Penelope’s watching?” Morgan asked, genuinely surprised.

 

Marvin’s gaze soured and he shrugged.

 

“Yeah apparently she has found something she likes about it” he muttered and shared a look with Percy. Oliver assumed Percy’s newfound interest had rubbed off on her. However, it was very unlike her to be late.

 

It was also very unlike Marvin to be annoyed about more people enjoying Quidditch.

 

The small area up front of the bleachers was getting crowded, and Oliver could feel the blood he had gotten to pump go idle and rest. So he let go of his grip, and by using the wall he kicked off in a performative spin to get his energy up again. He relished in the sea of impressed murmurs he left behind.

 

More of his players were going airborne, the Hufflepuffs huddled in a final pep talk and resembled a flock of canary birds from up above. 

He could feel the tension build. 

 

Madame Hooch had released the balls, except the quaffle of course. Which would be released upon the whistle for them to swarm like ravenous birds of prey. The bleachers were getting fuller, McGonagall was storming the field with a comically large purple megaphone.

 

…McGonagall was storming the field with a comically large purple megaphone.

 

The whistle blew so suddenly striking he barely had time to think of an excuse as to why McGonagall was storming in. The crowd had roared as the game should’ve started but all sound was overpowered by the sheer volume of McGonagall's voice. Madam Hooch was so startled she still had the whistle between her lips as she turned to face the vice headmistress in shock.

 

Oliver’s broom had started to slowly descend as if unwittingly controlled by his mood. 

 

“This match has been canceled” 

 

There were boos and gasps all around him.

 

In a second heartbeat he dove and started running the minute he could feel ground under his feet. He didn’t even unmount his broom. It followed in his wake like a tail. 

 

The bristles of the end hit the ground and he subconsciously knew how bad it was for the aerodynamics but he could trim it later. Now he just needed to get to McGonagall.

 

“But professor!” he shouted, he started rambling excuses why this was bollocks but she didn’t even pay attention to him. 

Which was a strange new feeling. McGonagall always paid him attention. It was a luxury he was greatly accustomed. 

 

“All students are to make their way back to their House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!”

 

She took Potter, and left. 

 

Oliver was baffled, not only as he felt snubbed by his favourite teacher, but why did she take Potter with her? What was he supposed to do? 

 

“You heard the dame!” he shouted to the remainder of his team.

 

“Get changed and go back to the dorm!” 

 

At least there he would get answers. And he couldn’t exactly continue the game without his seeker anyway.

 

Even as he had said that they should head back, he was the last of his team to arrive in the common rooms. His head was muddled in thought and he had stopped in the shower for a good time longer than he should’ve.

 

When he arrived it seemed the information had already been spread. As McGonagall couldn’t attend personally due to having other matters to attend, she had told the prefects, and some of them had told their friends. Now the head boy and girl were in the middle of the room trying to calmly tell a room full of teenagers what they had already been informed through the gossip mill. Petrified students, at least three of them. One from each house except for Slytherin. Which of course fueled the mill even more. 

 

Jordan Lee was speculating forced expulsion to all slytherins accompanied by a choir of agreement, but it was what he saw behind them that drew Oliver’s attention. 

 

Percy was sitting in an armchair looking catatonic and pale as a ghost. Which was unsettling, because he was in a sea of younger students which Oliver was sure would normally make Percy concerned about his image as a prefect.

 

Oliver grabbed the first student he could find, which was Longbottom.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

The boy looked frightened so Oliver released him but still stared at him expecting an answer. Longbottom was mumbling something inaudible; it didn't help either of them. 

 

“What?”

 

“Oliver, you’re face, you’re scaring him” a disembodied voice said from the side, it turned out to be Lauren. 

 

Lauren was a prefect, she would have answers. Oliver immediately turned his attention to her. Lauren didn't respond, she gently placed a hand on Longbottom’s shoulder and led him to a group of what Oliver assumed were his friends. So Oliver followed her like a loyal dog. 

 

“Sorry” he mumbled and scratched his chin sheepishly.

 

“It’s okay” Longbottom said breathily and let Lauren manhandle him down into a chair.

 

Then Lauren turned towards Oliver and gave him a disappointed scowl. 

 

She was surer of herself since she had become a prefect. She was still soft and kind and quiet, but had a lot less of that doormat quality which she unfortunately carried as a kid. Oliver knew it was mostly the prefect thing, but he still took a little credit for forcing her out of her shell.

 

“Honestly Oliver, he’s obviously worried about his friend. What were you thinking?”

 

“I still have no clue what’s actually going on, why was Quidditch cancelled because of some petrification? What is happening?” He said, starting to feel frustrated over his lack of knowledge.

 

Lauren hushed him, which was rich coming from her. Also he wasn’t even that loud.

 

“It’s no ordinary petrification” she said as soon as she had pulled him to a corner.

 

“There’s been three attacks, they’re all muggleborn” she said and gave him a pointed look. It dawned on him immediately. The rumours. The heir of Slytherin which had been the favoured topic at school for the majority of the year.

 

“It’s the rumours, that beast of Slytherin’s” Lauren murmured and had started anxiously twirling a lock of her short blonde bob between her fingers. Oliver shot Percy another worried glance. He seemed really broken up about it. Oliver wanted to go to him and care for him, but he wasn’t sure how that would look. The twins were right by his side after all.

 

“Who are the three?” He asked. Lauren had followed his gaze and seemed to tense.

 

“It’s Granger, the second year” 

 

Oliver looked over at Ron and Harry who were huddled up talking. They must have been pretty torn up.

 

“There’s a Hufflepuff, and the last…” Lauren looked back at him now, but her eyes shot one more time towards Percy. 

 

Was it a Weasley? He could see Ron, and the twins. Ginny? He couldn’t spot Ginny anywhere. They were purebloods though, it didn’t make sense. 

 

“It’s Penny” she said and pulled her hair over her face as she frowned so hard her nose crinkled. Had her hair been longer she would’ve been chewing it. 

 

Oliver felt an immediate surge of shame wash over him.  

 

Because even as he had started to realize the severity of it. That this wasn’t any common petrificus totalus jinx and would require no easy fix, his immediate thought had been: so no one died. No one had died and they still cancelled his game. 

 

He knew he should feel worse, he obviously wasn’t happy about it. 

 

Ever since she had apologised to him he would probably consider Penelope a good acquaintance. It wasn’t her fault Oliver was madly jealous of what she had. 

 

But no matter who she was, he still wasn’t too sure he was fine with this decision about cancelling a big game over it. Madam Pomfrey was a good healer, of course they would wake up soon. Would they have canceled it if a first year missed the missing step and broke their nose on the great stairs?

 

Percy was torn up about Penelope being in harm's way so Oliver could pretend for his sake that this was as devastating as everyone else seemed to act upon. But Oliver was just really upset about his own situation now. How could they cancel Quidditch over petrification? 

Chapter 84: Year 6 - on the subject of morals

Apart from classes and occasionally helping out with the mandrake roots, Oliver had a lot of free time. Quidditch was still cancelled and Percy sat at Penelope’s bedside whenever he had a moment’s peace. Oliver felt bad about it, but he was still mostly upset about the cup being over. He knew they would have won if they had been allowed to continue. He really didn’t see why they couldn’t? It wasn’t as if Penelope and the other would become less petrified just because he couldn't play Quidditch.

 

He spent most of his free time in the locker rooms anyway. Sometimes because he had been working out or practised wind resistance. Sometimes just to meet and make out with the Hufflepuff seeker. 

 

Cedric had him pressed up against a wall, there was a bench behind Oliver’s knees that made him stand in an awkward angle. His pelvic bones pushed towards Cedric but his back slumped backwards causing their height difference to shift. Cedric and Oliver were usually equal in height, but now Cedric seemed taller. Which wasn’t great for Oliver’s imagination. If he closed his eyes he could pretend he was kissing someone else. He was also a little uncomfortable, it was pleasurable, but it was also straining on his lower back. Which wasn’t very distracting in the right sort of way.

 

“Urgh” he pushed Cedric off him and sat down on the bench, which was by that account very conveniently placed.

 

“What’s wrong, still upset you can’t play us?”

 

“Yes! ..No, I mean there’s a lot of things” Oliver said and rubbed his face in frustration. 

 

“If it's any consolation I’m pretty sure you would’ve won” Cedric said and sat down next to him. No fuss whatsoever that their recreational activity was interrupted by Oliver sulking.

 

“That’s the opposite of consolation,” Oliver moaned.

 

“But honestly, it’s just that I feel like a shit person right now” Oliver continued and leaned his head back against the wall. Cedric just leaned his head against Oliver’s shoulder as he wrapped an arm around him.

 

“I mean, what happened to Penny and the others is awful but I-”

 

“you’re still upset about Quidditch” Cedric filled in for him as Oliver hesitated to say it out loud.

 

“Yes!” Oliver confessed and hid his shameful face behind the palms of his hands. He heard Cedric laugh, a short breathy laugh right next to his neck.

 

“Am I a horrible person?” Oliver asked as he dared peek his eyes out behind spread fingers. He glanced down at his kissing partner, who’s cheeks were pink and rosy and his lips still plump and red.

 

“You’re helping with the mandrake roots aren’t you, you still obviously care even though you also have your own concerns” Cedric said as he straightened out to face Oliver. Oliver dared remove his hands entirely when no reprimanding had come.

 

“That’s just common sense though, of course you help out where you can”

 

Cedric laughed that short amused breathy laugh again. The air hit Oliver’s face this time. His breath smelled surprisingly fresh after making out. 

 

“I don’t think most people think like that Oliver, that’s why you’re not horrible”

 

Oliver shook his head, still not convinced.

 

“I didn’t come here to discuss whether you’re a morally good person though” Cedric said, his eyes glazing over from sincerity to absolute filthy cheekiness. It was the worst case of bedroom eyes Oliver had ever seen and he was struck silenced, he barely let himself breath in suspense. Just that look flushed his skin and he sat perfectly still as Cedric climbed over him. 

 

Cedric straddled him over the bench and pressed his lips to Oliver’s neck. Oliver gasped quietly and tilted his head back. 

 

He tried very hard to remind his body that they were just kissing buddies, and until recently that had never been an issue. It was just that since christmas his body wanted other things. His lower body wanted to be touched, his upper body where his brain was trying to maintain control, was trying to tell him not to let it happen. Partly because even if he trusted Cedric the whole Aids situation still frightened him. If he started something, what if that was like opening a can of worms and he’d become this promiscuous gay man, like the ones people warned you about. Or what if it was fine, what if he enjoyed it but then Cedric wanted more from him?

 

Oliver liked Cedric just fine, but he would never be able to date him as long as he had these feelings for Percy. 

 

Cedric’s mouth was kissing wherever he was allowed, mouth and neck and collarbones. His hands ghosted Oliver’s abdomen but they never strayed lower, where Oliver hadn’t allowed them. Oliver kept his hands clasped in fabric of robes but he wasn’t as well versed in letting them roam the way Cedric’s did. Still ever so mindful as to not lead him on too strongly.

 

Oliver’s body reacted the way it wanted anyway, regardless of his mind’s warnings. Cedric gasped a bit surprised and pushed closer, instinctively grinding their hips together. But then he stopped kissing him and leaned back, a remarkable show of restraint that Oliver wished he had.

 

“Just to check, does this mean I can perhaps be allowed to move my hands a bit lower today?” Cedric asked, his voice coated in humour yet husky and lustful. One hand lingered at the hem of Oliver’s trousers. Respectfully not touching any lower, but as Cedric leaned away it was difficult to deny that they were both definitely hard. It was only natural Cedric might take it as a sign that Oliver was up for it now. 

 

Oliver simply buried his face in his hands again, embarrassed and guilty.

 

“I am horrible, I’m sorry I can’t” Oliver said and as he finally dared look at Cedric again, the boy looked kind and sympathetic and didn’t push it any further. Oliver could get away with that, but he needed to be honest with him.

 

“I was thinking about someone else” he confessed. Cedric’s eyebrows bounced in honest surprise but he didn’t slap Oliver or move away. Which Oliver had almost expected him to.

 

“Okay… wow” Cedric said, and after letting it sink in for a second he climbed off of Oliver, but he did sit down next to him again. which was probably the best and most proper reaction he could’ve given. 

 

“Thanks for being honest I guess” Cedric said, Oliver felt even worse. Guilty and shameful and just horrible. A horrible, terrible, no good person. And any other negative, cruel thing he could think to call himself. That’s what he was.

 

“I’m sorry, I wish I could forget him, I just…” he trailed off. He wasn’t even sure anymore. Did he wish to be over it, or did he still wish in some unfathomable way Percy and he would at some point be together? Was that what he still hoped for? 

 

Something in the way Percy looked at him sometimes had caused him to hope. He wasn’t entirely unbothered by the kiss. He wasn’t acting as if he didn’t think about it and on Oliver’s birthday… 

 

“You must really like him” Cedric said and smiled.

 

“I don’t want to like him, it’s exhausting”

 

Cedric cupped his face so gently it was unbearable. Cedric was perfect, and he wanted a relationship with Oliver. Something more serious, and of course Oliver wanted that. Something serious, he was just… still holding out hope that it would be with Percy. Oliver couldn’t give Cedric any of that.. 

 

“Your feelings are good  you should allow yourself to feel them” Cedric said and gave him another soft peck on the lips as he let his hand slide off his face before he let go.

 

“You can enjoy liking someone even when it’s one sided”

 

And now they were talking about them, Oliver knew it. It felt awful. 

 

“It’s not one sided Cedric, I do like you” Oliver confessed. Perhaps more to make himself feel better about it. He desperately wanted Cedric to know he wasn’t just using him, he did like him as a person. He thought he was beautiful… he just wasn’t Percy.

 

“I should hope so, or I wouldn’t allow you to put your tongue down my throat” Cedric joked.

He pulled a hand over Oliver’s hair, pulling it back away from his face, because he knew the new lengthy fringe was bothering Oliver. He was so perfect.

 

“I’m fine with continuing seeing you like this but I will be open to dating other people, I still want something real”

 

Oliver nodded, that was fair. He had to be prepared to lose him if he couldn't commit. That had to be fine with him. He was vaguely aware that this would undoubtedly leave him a loner but he couldn't bring himself to care.

 

“I hope you get him” Cedric said before he gave Oliver another kiss. 

 

Chapter 85: Year 6 - Tending to the roots

Percy tended to the mandrakes with frantic madness. Oliver mostly helped because he had nothing better to do these days, and it lessened the blame of not caring enough. It was also partially to assist Percy, who was even neglecting his studies as well as his own health. He slept poorly, his nails were always coated in a layer of dirt and Oliver was very worried about him.

 

As Percy dug into the dirt with his mess of curls poking out over his earmuffs his eyes were focused yet vacant. Like a saint Mungus patient, mind blank and gone but determined with purpose. Oliver moved a pot in line with the others, barely watching where he placed it because his eyes were so focused on his broken friend. He hated it, it made him feel even more like an arse for not caring more. 

 

The greenhouse they were in was divided in two sections. There were still lessons taking place behind the closed doors. They didn’t cancel those for some reason. 

 

As the door started to open, green clad slytherins started to exit in smaller groups. Discarding their beige garden robes and quite gently placing them on hooks. To their credit they were very polite and well mannered as they prepared to depart after their class had ended. 

 

Morgan gave him a nod but didn’t stop to chatt, she was also different lately. Burdened by prejudice, even when she pretended it didn’t bother her. Terence walked one step behind, a slow walker, or perhaps just distracted by the sight of the two gryffindor students offering their free time to help. They weren’t the only ones, Oliver expected both Jack and Marvin to attend as soon as their individual classes ended.

 

Terence seemed to want to stay, but Morgan didn’t wait for him to make up his mind and it seemed to conflict with him. 

 

Then Oliver spotted Flint and his friend Adrian Pucey, and they spotted him too. 

 

Flint discarded his garden robes with little politeness and finesse, unlike his peers. He left them on the floor and stepped over them as he moved closer to the area where the mandrakes were being stored. A cruel menacing grin immediately spread on Flint’s face and Oliver’s face was scowling even before so. 

 

“Why does the school board even bother, it’s just mudbloods. Why interfere with pest control?” 

 

Flint sneered as he dragged his finger along the table where a row of growing mandrakes were lined up. Pucey grinned as well. He might have been a good sportsman, but he was proving to be just as terrible a person as his friend as he leisurely picked up a pair of garden shears and handed it to his partner in crime. 

Flint took it, and without an ounce of hesitation he stabbed it into one of the pots. There was a muffled scream, Oliver instinctively reached for his earmuffs and pressed them closer. The mandrake scream wasn't supposed to be audible above the earth, he hated to imagine the depth of that abyssal roar had it been heard properly. He felt lightheaded by this alone. Even the unprotected slytherins seemed to blink away some type of discomfort but it didn’t stop them from enjoying the mayhem they had caused. Those mandrakes were almost fully adolescent as well.

 

“Oops,” Flint said, no trace of actual sincerity as he let the garden shears slide out of his hand. There was a clanking sound as they hit the hard dirt floor. There was silence in the room, the volunteers stared. Percy stared with his dead icy blue eyes and it flipped a switch in Oliver.

 

He was halfway across the floor with his fists clenched when Terence blocked his way and forced him to halt.

 

“Stop acting like a fictional villain Marcus” Terence said, his voice strange. Even though Oliver didn’t particularly enjoy him as a person, Terence was a warm sort of person. His demeanor was cold now, threatening. Silently venomous. Flint flinched but quickly found his composure and his sneer.

 

“Are you on their side now?” Flint breasted himself up, straining his large chest muscles to appear more intimidating. Terence was a little bit taller, and even with a more lean muscular body he still towered. 

 

“Mudblood lover, blood traitor Terence Higgs?” 

 

“I’m very good at poisons Marcus” Terence said, as if he hadn’t even noted Flint’s words.

 

“I’m the top student of our year in potions and I eat my lunches right next to you… something might slip” Terence said, conversely, pleasant even. 

 

“Besides, I’m Snape’s favourite. I’m sure he’d look the other way as long as I don’t kill you… and you know I don’t want to hurt you”

 

As he spoke, he let his fingers trace the now limp leaves of the mandrake root, it had gone silent now. No wailing, just wilting leaves. Terence's hands slipped over the next pot, over lively fresh foliage. 

 

Flint was actually silent, he said nothing. He seemed to shrink in on himself as Terence moved closer towards him. Fingers slipped from plant to plant until he towered right over Flint. 

 

“You may have replaced me as a seeker with a snot nosed brat, but there are aspects of your life where I am irreplaceable, remember that”

 

Terence was smiling, but his eyes were cold and cruel. 

 

Marcus' eyes tried to hold steady, it almost felt like an intrusion watching them. Marcus and Terence were meeting eyes but Marcus kept wavering until eventually he gave up and let his gaze flicker to the dirt floor. His whole body submitted in a way that was embarrassing to watch and Oliver loved every second of it.

 

He had gotten close enough to almost hear the last whisper. Terence was so close he could whisper it directly into Marcus' ear, and as he tilted his head, Oliver had a good enough view that he could read his lips.

 

“Good boy” he had whispered, and Oliver had never seen Marcus Flint blush so fiercely in all their years of antagonisation

 

Immediately Marcus turned around and started walking. Pucey looked confused about their sudden departure. He seemed ready to kill more mandrakes for pleasure. 

 

“Why are we leaving?” he asked, Marcus just pushed him forward, He shoved as if he meant to throw him as he bellowed that they simply were. Leaving that is. 

 

Oliver was in awe… as well as increasingly suspicious.

 

“Well, this one’s dead” Terence said, he had now grabbed the stabbed mandrake and pulled it out of the earth. It hung lifeless in his hand and he discarded it with little sympathy. However he grabbed the pot and brought it over to a row of smaller roots waiting to be repotted. He didn’t even change back into his garden robe, but he did grab a pair of earmuffs and started working. Oliver took his chance and started working beside him. He had questions. Terence had answers. 

 

Oliver worked in silence beside him for a strategic amount of time as to not seem obvious, then he asked him very directly. As directly as he could while whispering.

 

“Are you shagging him? Flint I mean?” it was the only explanation as to why Marcus was so liable. Terence looked honestly surprised by the question and for a moment Oliver thought he had fucked up. 

 

“I’m sorry, I’m surprised you were aware of his inclination” Terence said, then he looked even more surprised as if he seemed struck with sudden realization. A double whammy surprise one could say.

 

“Wait, are you the ex?”

 

 “We were NOT dating” Oliver shouted, realizing too late that it was almost a confession. At least to that something had happened between them. Terence seemed to be aware as his grin indicated Oliver had been caught.

 

“But you two are… dating?” Oliver asked, surprised still. If they had been shagging that would’ve been one thing but if Flint had talked about his previous liaisons then they were probably closer than that.

 

“How can you stand him?”

 

Terence shrugged.

 

“He’s not so bad. He’s all bark no bite and he can be tamed.” That almost wicked smile was back on his face. A cold gleam in his eyes that indicated he was in charge no matter what Flint thought.

 

“Besides, he’s kinda fit, especially when he-”

 

“-doesn’t smile with his teeth” Oliver finished his sentence for him. Again, Terence was meeting him with surprised glee.

 

“...Exactly” he said, and it was said with a mutual understanding.

 

“So you just paper bag it every time?” Oliver asked and now Terence looked less inclined to agree, but he didn’t seem angry or offended.

 

“You’re funny Wood” he said instead as he grinned, and went back to preparing pots for transfer.

 

“And I happen to find the teeth a bit cute” Terence added in a mumble, like a silent confession. Silent enough to not be heard just in case but hopeful that Oliver would catch it nonetheless. Oliver decided not to argue with him about it. For some strange reason Terence, who was a halfway decent guy, liked Flint. Who was Oliver to call him out on it?

That was his own shame to bear, and perhaps he was even right. Perhaps he could tame the beast. By what Oliver had seen, if anyone could it would be Terence. If anyone could control Flint and keep him out of Oliver’s way, then Oliver wasn’t about to question it.

 

Perhaps Oliver could allow Terence in their lives after all.

 

“I will allow you to be Percy’s friend” he said, as he too went back to his own pot. Terence laughed.

 

“Just because you know I’m taken”

 

Oliver blushed and decided not to respond. 

 

The sound of broken pottery and a familiar yet nowadays rare swear was the only thing that managed to pull his attention again.

 

Percy gripped his hand to his chest as he winced. Crimson blood dripped down over the broken pottery. Oliver gave Terence one last look before he went to tend to Percy’s cut hand. 

Chapter 86: Year 6 - Closure

Oliver had tended to Percy’s hand with great care for the last couple of days. Like his own private nurse, everyday they sat down on Oliver’s bed and Percy extended his limb for Oliver to hold and rebandage. At first he’d said Percy should go to Madam Pomfrey because she would undoubtedly have closed the wound in seconds, but Percy didn’t want to bother her with such a trivial thing as a cut. She had her hands full with the petrified children and the mandrake cure. 

 

So Oliver made sure Percy kept it clean, and that it healed well. 

 

Looking at the bandage now Percy could still feel Oliver’s callused hands sweep over the skin of his palm. How close he was when he rebandaged it. In memory Percy shuddered a pleasant sort of chill that covered him like a soft layer all over his body. Percy almost wanted to keep the wound from sealing up so that it could continue like this. It was difficult to deny that there was something between them now, but it was not the sort of something he could take lightly.. 

 

What the cut had also done, except provide him with a reason to let Oliver sit close to him and touch his skin without suspicion, was break him out of his numb panicked state. He had turned back to his studies, aware Penelope would hate for him to slip because of her. It was difficult to use a quill with a deep gash so he dropped the idea that he should keep it from healing. The scarring around it and the prickly strain around the skin tags as the scab worked its natural magic was reminder enough that he couldn’t keep it forever.  

 

The mandrakes were now harvested as well, which felt like a relief. Not only that he didn’t have to tend them anymore, there was nothing he could do but wait. It was a curse and a blessing.His task was over, but the feat wasn’t fully fruitful yet. 

 

He sat on a bench outside the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey had forbidden him to enter at this critical stage so instead he stared down at his bandaged hand. Feeling a sense of extreme divide of affection. 

 

He was pretty sure he still loved Penelope, more so now that he had lost her to a frozen paralysis, but his growing affection for Oliver clearly wasn’t going away.

Much like the divide of his skin on the palm of his hand, healing them together naturally was uncomfortable. Burning and itching and red and swollen.

 

“Mr Weasley” Madame Pomfrey stood in the doorway. Her hair was falling out of the usually perfect bun, her face was pale and coated in a layer of thin sweat, but there was relief in her eyes. A type of exhaustion that only came after finishing an impossible task.

 

“They’re awake” 

 

---

 

Penelope was also pale, her face hollowed out and tired but alive. Animated and moving, expressions ever changing. At least her expression was different than it had been for the past weeks and that was good enough for Percy. She was no longer a relic frozen in time.

 

She was smiling, just that made his heart pound in his chest in such strong relief that he felt tears welling up. She laughed at him and reached out her arms to hug him. He grabbed onto her so tightly it caused her to cough. 

 

“I’m sorry” he said and released her, but kept his hands on her for fear she’d stop existing before him if he couldn’t feel her.

 

“It’s fine, I think my lungs are a bit stiff from lack of movement” she said, in between coughs.

 

“Do you have to stay long, or can you move around?” 

 

She nodded to his last question but then she also shook her head.

 

“Madame Pomfrey wants to check our vitals, just see that everything is okay” 

 

She kept her head low, so Percy sat down on the mattress next to her and placed a gentle hand at her cheek and guided it up again. He could just love her as a friend of course, but the fact remained that he did still love her.

 

Her blue eyes met his, and they didn’t waver. Much like they used to. They met in such calm determination and security that he wasn’t sure they would ever break eye contact again.

 

She tilted her head towards him in such  a familiar way that kissing her was instinctually. Her lips were familiar ground, natural and soft and no one would bat an eye if they saw them. He wanted to be careful with her, as if he was kissing fragile porcelain but he couldn’t help pushing closer. Hands traveling to her soft plump waist like magnetism. 

 

Nothing like this would shock anyone enough to keep him from his career goals, no one would judge them. Even though someone was shocked enough to emit a small gasp behind them, then a nervous giggle that sounded too young to be Pomfrey. 

 

Baffled and suddenly shy Percy pulled apart from his ex-girlfriend when he spotted his sister at the door. Looking slightly less pale than she had all year, albeit due to the extreme flushed face from embarrassment of having caught her brother mid snog.

 

She squealed in delight and horror at having caught them, startled and undoubtedly mortified as she closed the door again. He could hear the faint sound of her retreating feet as she ran. He dipped his head towards Penleope’s shoulder and almost laughed at how absurd it was. At least Ginny was seeking attention for whatever ailed her these past days, he was proud that she was taking his advice. 

 

“Oh sweet thing, she was so embarrassed” Penelope said as she covered her mouth. Her smile was so great it still peaked over the fingers. 

 

“I feel a bit bad for her”

 

“Don’t. That’s the most normal reaction she’s had all year” Percy said and removed himself from the mattress and took a seat on the chair next to her bed again. In a way it felt like a relief that Ginny had come. Unsure that he would’ve been able to salvage this if it had gone on any longer.

 

Somehow, he knew this was the last time he’d ever kiss Penelope Clearwater, and somehow he was okay with that. 

 

“We really are broken up aren’t we?” she asked before he could breach the subject himself. He nodded.

 

“For good” he said and she smiled and as she leaned over to him he was worried she’d fall out of the hospital bed. She nudged his nose with hers and pulled back. Once more making herself comfortable in bed. He watched her for a little bit, then couldn’t help bringing something up he had been pondering staying out of.

 

“Which is just as well, because Jack Graham has been visiting here as much as I have” Percy gave her a pointed look. “… Jack Graham, really ?”

 

She giggled and hid her face as she blushed.

 

“It’s just for fun,” she said and shrugged.

 

“Should I be offended, worried about the sincerity of your past feelings for me, or do you just not have a type?” Percy asked and gestured to his own lanky physique. She shrugged.

 

“I like men who are kind” she patted his cheek fondly but he couldn’t help the crease in his brow as he pondered that. He wasn’t so sure he was. He didn’t feel kind. A kind person probably wouldn’t have given Oliver any sort of hope for them when he had so much doubt about it. 

 

He had hurt Penelope when they were together, who was to say he wouldn’t hurt Oliver as well?  

Chapter 87: Year 6 - Mistake

He had relaxed prematurely, but honestly was he naive to believe that it couldn’t get much worse than his ex-girlfriend getting mystically petrified this year? With two younger siblings in the infirmary this time, Percy was close to sure that his chances at becoming head boy were null and done. 

 

His mother would give him such a scolding, why hadn't he reported to her sooner about Ginny’s state of mind? He should’ve known something was much worse than just first year jitters when they hadn’t ceased after a couple of months. Percy was a terribly inapt brother and prefect. 

 

At this rate, would the twins also be next? His last year at Hogwarts he would come to find every single Weasley sibling in Madam Pomfrey’s care. What the fuck was going on with all his siblings? He had initially thought it was just the influence of Harry Potter but Ginny had barely said two coherent sentences to the boy who lived and yet she still seemed roped into whatever they had been up to. 

 

Percy was stressed, and the only thing that helped was breathing into a paper bag as he scrambled to write something to his parents explaining himself. 

 

He breathed into the bag with one hand, as the other gripped the feather quill until his knuckles whitened. No words were written on the blank parchment before him. Oliver, who had finished packing early for once, had plenty of time to try and help. Which was mostly just removing the quill from Percy’s still bandaged hand and trying to get him to lower the bag.

 

“Should I fetch you a calming draught or something?” Oliver said and meeting his steady brown gaze Percy found the composure to let go of the bag. He didn’t respond though, simply shook his head. The sun was setting outside and the warm summer sun reflected in Oliver’s eyes as glowing embers or thick crystalized resin turned into the brightest amber. Percy’s frantic heartbeat steadied and slowed into a heavy thumping. 

 

“Maybe we should go for a walk, I think almost everyone is packing or loitering about with their friends outside, so there’s lots of space in the castle” Oliver put one steady arm at Percy’s back and guided him out of his chair. The room was still full of Percy's discarded items. It was shameful really.

 

Oliver led him out of their dorm, down stairways and up stairways until Percy seemed present enough to walk properly by himself. By then Oliver put his hands in his pockets and walked carelessly through the sunlit corridors of Hogwarts, just a step or two in front of Percy. Still leading him to nowhere particularly. 

 

Every so often he looked back and smiled.

 

His hair had gotten so long. Percy had failed to notice. He must hate it, Percy thought. Percy hadn’t had the time to help him cut it all year. Not that it had to be Percy who did so… that was just how they usually did it.

 

“Why do you still wear the bandage, surely madam Pomfrey would have had time to look at it now” Oliver said after a moment of silence and nudged his head towards Percy’s left hand. Percy instinctively pulled the hand to his chest, as if Oliver would rip the bandages off.

 

“I don't know,” Percy mumbled and stopped walking. Then he extended the hand, expecting Oliver to tend to it like he had for the last few days. Oliver obliged, he stepped closer and so softly started unwrapping it. When the hand was bare Oliver turned it over in his hands and inspected it. Percy just stared at him. At how long his eyelashes were, now that he saw them so clearly when Oliver dipped his head down. Curtains of his middle part fell, draped his face and hid it from view. Percy took his vacant hand and pulled the hair back so that he could see him. Oliver’s gaze shot to attention so quickly it was as if Percy had activated him from a button. He looked surprised, then smiled again.

 

“It’s healed up nicely” he said as he let go of Percy’s hand and pulled his own hand through his hair so it would fall back against his scalp instead.

 

“yeah… good” Percy said, rubbing his hand absentmindedly where he could still feel Oliver’s touch. 

 

“Come on, let’s go this way” Oliver pulled at the sleeve of Percy’s plain white shirt and dragged him along up a stairway. Percy could almost feel the touch against his arm and it made the hairs on them stand up in anticipation of a more deliberate touch that never came. 

 

They were about halfway up the stairs when it changed direction, but having no specific direction in mind they continued on anyway.

 

It had led them to a dead end with a familiar painting of a bard. This time the bard seemed to sigh in recognition and gave up strumming his lute and left the painting upon their arrival.

 

Percy couldn’t help laughing. It seemed a lifetime ago, and yet it seemed fitting. His first failure, the first time someone got hurt under his watch was directly connected to this empty corridor. Therefore faith had led him here as a reminder. 

 

“Well… maybe we should take the stairs before it leaves so we don’t have to take that way down”  Percy said. The panic had subsided but it was more so in a sense of growing apathy. That this was just something he had no control of, as many things in his life. It was ironic, he had such an immense need for control and yet life kept giving him chaos. 

 

Oliver’s eyes were staring off in the distance, towards the dead end wall which they knew hid a secret unsafe passageway.

 

“You’re thinking about Paul aren’t you?” Percy said, gently patting Oliver on the back as he stepped closer to him.

 

“yeah” Oliver laughed breathily, a sad ironic sort of laugh.

 

“And I was meant to cheer you up” he finally turned his eye away from the wall and met Percy’s gaze again. Percy grabbed his face without really thinking about it. He patted it gently in camaraderie, but it shifted somewhere along the way into a much more loving caress. Oliver’s eyes bounced from Percy’s extended arm to his hand to his face.

 

The muscles around Percy’s heart clenched in a suffocating manner that informed him that he might cry but much more in a sense that he might cry if he didn’t get impossibly closer. 

 

Oliver’s face was somber, and still so beautiful. The sun shone in here as well, colouring them both in a warm summer sunset and Percy found himself leaning in. 

 

Much like on Oliver’s birthday he found Oliver bouncing in between following him forward and pulling back and much more soberly this time Percy found he didn’t want him to pull away. So he chased him, dipping his head sideways to allow their faces to match and still he hovered their lips over one another just in case he was wrong and Oliver didn’t really want this. 

 

Oliver almost tentatively tasted him, before pushing harder. Sealing them together in a proper kiss. 

 

Technically it was the third time Percy Weasley had ever kissed Oliver Wood, but in a much more real sense it was the very first time. 

 

Oliver drew in a sharp breath and kissed him harder. As if he took that breath to gear up for it. Percy pushed back in equal vigor. Suddenly Percy was glad the bard had left to unknowingly give them privacy. But he could come back anytime, and paintings talked. 

 

And it dawned on Percy that just because they were alone right now, the outside world still existed with all its prejudice and opinions. In that world, there were still obstacles for men like them. There were still things they both wanted from that world. 

 

He savoured the feeling for a fleeting moment, just because it hurt his heart to decide and for just a second longer he didn’t want it to hurt. So for just a moment, he pretended he didn’t have to choose.

 

He didn’t push, but he leaned back. Trying as best he could to gently stop it from evolving any further.

 

“I’m sorry, it was a mistake” he said, and couldn’t bear to look at Oliver when he did. 

 

There was just a sigh, again somber yet knowing, but Oliver didn’t argue.

 

“Yeah, you have a girlfriend," Oliver said, sounding dejected yet accepting it.

 

Percy didn’t correct him.

Notes:

The invention of penicilin was also a mistake

Chapter 88: The sixth summer - Egypt

Traveling with their big family was a nuisance and yet blissful. The moment they had stepped onto the blistering sand and Bill had appeared before them they were whole. 

 

They had met up with Charlie first in England. Charlie had grabbed Percy around the neck to give him a noogie the moment they had apparated, and so that’s how they appeared before their older brother who immediately burst out in a relieved laughter. As if he too sensed the normalcy which they had all missed, in what other way would he possibly have been greeted by the sight of them. The twins shrieked and threw themselves at him which made him laugh louder. Then Ginny and Ron ran up and hugged his legs. Charlie let Percy go and wrapped his arms around the whole bundle of them. Percy rearranged his tousled hair and watched, unsure.

 

It didn’t come as naturally for him to join them.

 

Bill noticed him standing there and reached out an arm for him. Percy walked closer but it was when Charlie, notified by their brother’s action also looked up and reached out an arm to forcefully yank him in, that Percy joined the awkward group hug. The moment their bodies connected Percy relaxed his tense jaw. His body melted into familiarity and scents he didn’t know he missed. 

 

He could hear his mother coo behind them as their father snapped a picture with the altered muggle camera he had just bought, specifically for this trip. It was already old and outdated when he had gotten it, but he was happy.

 

Percy enjoyed their reunion with a sense of melancholy, as if he couldn’t fully enjoy it because he knew it was fleeting. It was nice though.

 

What Percy learnt about Egypt was that it was melting hot in the day and ironically you needed to cover yourself with more fabric to counter it. Not heavy English fabrics like wool, but lighter covering fabrics that reached your feet and protected your head. 

 

In the night it was freezing cold instead.

 

Another thing he learnt was that Fred and George were worse in Egypt, or perhaps they were worse because they were all together. Lulled into a safety which had them acting on their worst behaviour. Their pranks were always plenty, but as of late they were growing in proportion. Seriously, what would they have done if they had succeeded in locking Percy into one of the ancient tombs? Would they have laughed if he had never gotten out and they had left Egypt with one less brother in tow?

 

Percy had been happy they were all together again, but now it was starting to vex him.

 

The bustling streets of Cairo were stressful as well, the architecture was beautiful but not even that could move him right now. He walked behind the others, sourly kicking his feet because he didn’t think their mother cared enough about the almost death trap he’d almost been lured into. Just a joke, she’d said when Percy argued against the weak scolding Fred and George had received. 

 

The family walked and talked in disarray, pointing here and there and pulling their parents attention to different things. Disorganized, Percy thought and tried to keep a further distance while still seeing where they were going. Getting lost from them would still be worse than having to be seen with them. 

 

He pulled the shawl wrapped around his head further down his face, pleased that it was hiding his telltale hair and complexion. Ron noticed that his steps were slower and turned around to meet his eye. Concerned sun damaged face under a fez which he hardly even had to beg their father to buy. It made Percy sick to see. When they finally had some money, his parents were squandering it. As if they wouldn’t appear back home again poor as church mice again.

 

Ron had waited and was now stepping in pace with him. Scabbers almost dangling from his arms like a purse. Percy met Ron’s gaze, surprised at the height where they met. Ron was shorter still, but Percy was used to having to crane his neck much lower than this.

 

“Why are you sad?”

 

“I’m not sad” Percy scoffed and scratched Scabbers head more out of habit than sentimentality. He wasn’t interested in pouring his doubts over his younger brother either. Besides Percy wasn’t even sure what he was feeling down about. The money, the fact this might be the last time in a long time where they were all together. The fact he had kissed his best friend and that he wanted him, but could never have him and the careers they both wanted. His anger over the twins' prank. He decided to go with the prank.

 

“Do they even realize I could have died?” he said and gestured angrily towards the two rowdy teens trying funny hats at a merchant’s stall. Ron followed his gesture and smiled crookedly. That unsure way he did when he wanted to disagree but feared causing an upset. Percy frowned, not sure if forcing Ron to speak out would make him less of a pushover or worse.

 

“What?”, he decided was a safe enough response.

 

“They’re just joking” Ron said, just like their mother had.

 

“They’re always terrible to me” Percy said, because why was it always him that ended up the butt of their jokes?

 

“It’s just cause they miss you and want your attention” Ron said, with surprising insight for a thirteen year old. It caught Percy off guard enough to consider it. 

 

Except it didn’t make sense because how could they miss him when he was right there. 

 

Always , almost stacked on top of eachother in a still crowded home even though two siblings were already out of it. 

 

“I’m still here” he said, furrowing his brow in confusion but they softened slightly as he for the second time really watched the twins' antics as they almost tipped over a woven sack of spices. Was it really nothing more than cries for attention?

 

Ron grabbed Percy’s sleeve, pulling him back into their conversation. Ron was still watching him with the same insightful eyes before he took the fez of his head and pushed it onto Percy’s instead. Perhaps to be funny, perhaps to make a point of Percy’s wandering mind which had allowed him to do it.

 

“You’re not though, you’re distant”

Chapter 89: Year 7 - Shake on it

Oliver had spent the summer in Glasgow with his uncle, which meant he had been able to occupy himself well enough with city life so that he didn’t have to obsess over how Percy had kissed him at the end of term. Except of course he had, because Percy had kissed him. For real, as in he was interested in Oliver. 

 

Except he wasn’t single, and that sucked. Especially now that Oliver had decided to try and be Penelope’s friend. 

 

Staying in a big city helped though, to keep his mind off it. He enjoyed the change of scenery and to be in a place where he didn’t know everyone and every corner of every street. Oliver didn’t care too much about the history of the place, except for where some of his favourite players had grown up and played as children. That was the history worth mentioning in Oliver’s opinion. 

 

There were Quidditch pubs in Glasgow where you could stay late and discuss games. Until they threw you out for rowdy behaviour, or when the discussion turned too heated, and even then they welcomed you with open arms the very next day.

 

His uncle didn’t understand it but didn’t say anything about how late he came home. Uncle Fraser didn’t care as long as Oliver eventually came home at all. He seemed mostly surprised that Oliver didn’t drink or partied while he stayed there. What Fraser did do, was take him to the best muggle restaurants and introduced him to his city friends. It was nice, for a while Oliver didn’t have to worry about meeting Percy again after summer ended..

 

However, the gnawing anxiety immediately returned and built a nest in his gut as he waited on the Hogsmeade platform for the Hogwarts express to arrive with his best friend on it. Because what if it was too weird.

 

Jack could’ve been a great support to distract him, if he wasn’t just as nervous for some reason. Checking his watch and biting his nails as he looked out over the train tracks, as if he could will the train into existence by staring intensely enough. Perhaps it was Marvin he was so anxious to see again after a whole summer apart from his bickering company, but Jack didn’t usually get this worked up about it. 

 

The knot in Oliver’s stomach grew and he almost jumped out of his skin when the express train horn honked in the not so far distance. Loud and nauseating. 

 

When Percy stepped off the train he smiled at Oliver like he usually did, so Oliver relaxed, but somehow this was disappointing. Percy didn’t hug either of them. Instead he extended his hand in a shake as if he was a businessman, puffing out his chest to display the head boy badge on his robes. Percy had first shaken a dishevelled sidetracked Jack’s hand who shook it absentmindedly and confused. 

 

Percy’s voice sounded of  strangely forced maturity as he called Jack an old chap, and as Percy extended the hand to Oliver as well, Oliver could’ve gotten upset. 

 

Instead he mustered up some sort of normalcy and slapped Percy’s hand away as only a best mate could. 

 

“What are you, daft?” Oliver said and pulled him into a hug. Somehow that was perfectly fine. As if Percy’s peculiar anal behaviour after becoming head boy had jump-started Oliver’s nerves enough for them to just be mates again. It was a relief. 

 

Penelope had become head girl as well, which seemed typical. The perfect couple, getting promoted together. Jack hugged her when she stepped off the train, then he hugged Marvin who had lurked pessimistically behind his housemate. Oliver hugged them both, considering even Penelope as his friend now. Even though he was still intensely jealous of her.  

 

Percy attempted to shake Marvin’s hand as well. Apparently having missed his company on the train ride. Oliver harshly told him to knock it off and just hug his friends like a normal person. The others laughed about it. 

 

The laughter had pulled the attention of Terence Higgs, who as he spotted them had raised his hand in a wave. He seemed to be simultaneously dragged away by Morgan, who Oliver spotted trying to slip away unnoticed. Probably to avoid getting hugged, which Oliver couldn’t accept. So he motioned for Jack to help him catch her. 

 

It took a few attempts to run around and corner her long enough to grab her over his shoulder. Then he motioned for the rest of them to follow him to a carriage. 

 

It got crowded quickly, they had never before been so many sharing one cart. Especially when Imogene and the girls joined them.  

 

It took a few minutes of grabbing and shoving before the cart started adapting to the number of passengers. For a split second Percy tensed as Oliver almost landed on his lap, then the cart grew in size and they could all fit comfortably in their own seats. In the ruckus Penelope and Percy got separated and she landed next to Jack on the opposite side of Oliver and Percy.

 

“Oh, sorry, Penny do you want to switch seats?” Oliver asked, because he had decided to be supportive about the couple rather than being a dick to her. She looked away from Jack who she had been smiling towards and furrowed her brow in confusion.

 

“No? It’s okay” she said and seemed to search his face for something before she smiled at Percy. So it didn’t seem as if they were arguing. Perhaps they had simply finally found a healthy boundary as a couple and no longer needed to be joint at the hip.  

 

Oliver shrugged and turned his attention back to Percy who looked tense now and kept staring out the window. 

 

“Did Paul owl you too?” Oliver asked, which successfully pulled Percy’s attention. Percy nodded. Oliver had never been so happy to receive a letter in his life, he just assumed Percy had to feel the same.

 

“He bought his own owl, his mom can’t stop him from writing us now” Oliver said happily, pressing his shoulder into Percy’s. Who allowed a smile to creep through his serious facade. 

 

“He’s about to come of age” Percy said, as if Oliver didn’t also know this.

 

“Honestly I’m just so happy to find out he’s alive” 

 

Percy furrowed his brow.

 

“Why wouldn’t he be alive, that’s silly” he said, but Oliver could tell he had thought it as well. He too was just as happy about the correspondence as Oliver, even though he tried to hold back his emotions for some reason.

 

“Did he tell you he plans to visit on the first Hogsmeade weekend?” Oliver almost bounced in his seat, too happy to contain himself. Percy nodded.

 

“Still, the first Hogsmeade weekend isn’t until October” Percy saud, Oliver rolled his eyes.

 

“yeah but it’s something to look forward to” Oliver leaned his head closer, Percy flinched.

 

“Except for Quidditch of course” 

 

Percy rolled his eyes.

 

Oliver managed to let it be silent for maybe five minutes. It was just too much to wait for. Both Paul and the Quidditch season would arrive in October. 

 

“Man, October can’t get here fast enough!” Oliver yelled, causing everyone in the carriage to jump. 

Chapter 90: Year 7 - Don't swear over spilled beans

Cedric had warned him that he wanted something serious and that he would be looking for it. Unfortunately this meant he had gotten into a monogamous relationship at the very start of the year and could no longer meet Oliver for makeout sessions in the locker room. 

 

They could still hang out though, which was nice. Because the new ravenclaw captain, Roger Davies, was a bit of a tool. So Cedric, now captain of the hufflepuff team, was the only other Quidditch captain Oliver thought was worth hanging out with. 

 

They talked Quidditch mostly, but sometimes Oliver allowed Cedric to talk about his girlfriend since he was so very much in love. 

 

It was typical, everyone was getting girlfriends, but Oliver wasn’t as threatened by Cho Chang as he was Penelope. 

 

“Cho Chang?” Oliver had asked “Is she the one related to Arcas Choi?”

 

Oliver hung up his towel to dry as he got dressed after their morning practice run.

 

Cedric just looked at him dumbfounded. His shirt had gotten stuck around his armpits when he had stopped pulling it over his head, to avoid breaking eye contact to fully let Oliver know he had said something stupid. There was a poorly concealed laugh on Cedric’s face as well. The one you had when the mature thing was to reprimand someone for saying something that could be seriously offensive, but not quite being able to not find it funny because they were your mate. 

 

“Did you just ask if an asian girl was automatically related to an asian guy?” Cedric said, collecting himself enough to give Oliver some serious side eye. Oliver shrugged.

 

“I don’t know, do I” he said. 

Oliver knew Arcas had a cousin in Ravenclaw, so how was he to know that it wasn’t this asian girl.

 

“Are you related to Jack Graham?” Cedric asked, lifting his perfectly princely eyebrows and then scowled when Oliver shrugged instead of taking offense or arguing against his statement. 

 

“Probably, yeah, it’s a small village” Oliver said nonchalantly and grinned.

 

Cedric finally released the laugh he’d tried to hold in. It bubbled out of Oliver too. 

 

To some extent Oliver and Jack probably shared a common ancestor from the Scottish highlands, in some way or another. Except that was probably many years ago now. Perhaps that wasn’t a great argument to assuming two asian kids were related though.

 

“In all seriousness though, who is she?” Oliver asked and tried to remember if he’d ever met this Cho Chang. Albeit she was a fourth year now, so he figured it wouldn’t be so strange that he didn’t keep track of her. 

 

“She’s the ravenclaw seeker” Cedric said and Oliver nodded.

 

“Ah, her” he said. Then he scrunched his eyebrows in deeper thought.

 

“Wait, isn’t she the Scottish lass?” he asked and gave Cedric a pointed look. Oliver had never been sure of Cedric’s exact type but he had never guessed it would be scots in general. Cedric rolled his eyes as he threw his book bag over his shoulder ready to leave the locker room. Oliver held the door for him as they exited together.

 

“What is your hangup with Scots Cedric?” Oliver asked and bounced his eyebrows suggestively as he let his accent roll out thickly and almost exaggerated. Cedric shook his head and bit his cheeks to keep the smile away, and failed.

 

“It’s purely coincidental” Cedric said and held up the tent flap that led out to the courtyard so that Oliver could pass through it. Oliver gave him an unconvinced stare.

 

“What’s your hangup with gingers?” Cedric countered. Oliver blushed.

 

“What? You’re not a redhead” Oliver muttered and scratched his chin as he looked anywhere but Cedric.

 

“And you famously rejected me… for a redhead” Cedric teased. Oliver scoffed and grimaged. Then his stomach turned. 

 

It was sort of true. He did reject Cedric because of his feelings for Percy, and Percy felt something for him as well… but it wouldn’t come to anything as long as Percy loved Penelope. So in a way, perhaps Oliver had made a huge mistake in not snagging the prince of Hufflepuff when he had the chance. Cedric was a better friend though, then a comfort piece when you couldn’t get the boy you actually wanted.

 

Besides, there was something up with Percy lately. Oliver wasn’t so sure it was just being headboy that had gotten to his head like Imogene thought. It couldn’t only be stress about N.e.w.t.s either. Which was Percy’s excuse for why his and Penelope’s dates had become fewer. 

 

He was sort of more anal and stiff than he had ever been before, and he was definitely avoiding being alone with Oliver for longer than he needed to, but he was also acting pragmatic and serious. As if he was preparing to become a politician, which perhaps was exactly what he was doing. Percy’s dream had always been to become minister of magic.

 

Oliver couldn’t be so sure Percy wasn’t acting so strange because of Oliver though. Because he had to be aware by now about how Oliver felt about him.    

They rounded a corner where they would have to part ways and were assaulted by the view of Jack with a curvy girl around his neck. Oliver flinched and covered his eyes, he didn’t need to see any details. Jack had the girl pressed to a wall and was snogging the life out of her, it was obscene and yet Oliver could not help spreading his fingers curiously to sneak another glance. Cedric had tensed right next to him and drew in a sharp breath in surprise. Honestly, catching Jack mid makeout wasn’t an unusual occurrence but the display of passion was somehow way more intense than usual. This was still not what surprised him. Even though it was an assault to his eyes, what caused his insides to freeze uncomfortably was when he finally recognized the girl.

" What the fuck ?!"

Jack and Penelope released each other as they noticed they had company. However, they seemed confused about the absolute rage and disgust radiating out of their friend as he stormed up to them. His nose scrunched up in disapproval. He had never in a million years thought Penny would do this to Percy.

"Hey look mate, I know you’ve had your issues with Pen before but I thought we were past that-" Jack tried as he stepped protectively in front of her, as he had noticed Oliver’s anger was mostly directed her way. 

Oliver did not pay attention to Jack, his focus was entirely directed at Penelope.

"You chanty wrassler! I cannae believe this! You… you hoore !" He regretted it the minute he said it, but he couldn’t contain his anger either way. Penelope hid behind Jack’s broad frame. She still looked confused which stunted him a bit. Why would she be confused? Obviously Oliver would be upset on Percy’s behalf. It should come as no surprise. 

"Oliver it's not-" she said, her voice weak. Then she silenced as something seemed to click in her mind. Her eyes grew in size and it looked like pity.

"Oh god, he didn't tell you"

He heard her, but it was as if the words didn’t reach him. He was instead gesturing wildly with his arms between the both of them, as his anger had now trickled over towards Jack who should also know better than to makeout with a mate’s girlfriend.

"What a sodden, rotten thing to do, how could you? Both of you!" Oliver shouted. 

"We broke up!" Penny screamed, gathering her voice from the very pit of her stomach to drown his voice. It struck him silent. He stood there, arms limp, staring at her as if she was barking mad. Then it started to sink in… because it made sense. 

"What?" he stumbled backwards. She took a step after him, chasing his step as if she wanted to grab him. Then she suddenly changed her mind, but she did step out of Jack’s protective shadow. No longer afraid of him. 

"We split up, I thought he'd tell you" 

"How could you miss it Oliver, sure they didn't shout it out loud but they didn't keep it secret. How could you not know?" Jack had his arms protectively around Penelope's waist and looked at him with deep concern. Oliver was starting to feel terrible about how he had attacked them. It wasn’t their fault. They seemed to really like each other now that he took them in with a calmer perspective. 

They were sweet, they suited each other. 

Oliver was the villain here.

“Sorry” he mumbled and took another step backwards. What he really wanted to do was run away, but that didn’t seem right. You couldn’t just accost your mates and then escape from it unscathed. And it was Percy’s fault he had done it. For whatever reason, Percy hadn’t told him.

Oliver clenched his jaws feeling a tight uncomfortable mess of emotions inside as he took one more stumbling step backwards. Right into Cedric, who also looked at him with pity. 

"He did keep it a secret…” Oliver mumbled as Jack’s words sank in. “But only from me apparently…" 

He looked around the hallway at all of them, now everyone had that same look in their eyes and Oliver really just wanted to run now. And he knew exactly where he wanted to run to. Gryffindor common room.

He needed to see Percy immediately. 

For a split second he had wanted to run the opposite direction, away from Percy, but the more he let it sink in the more he realized he wanted to confront him. Percy had made him the villain because he hadn’t thought Oliver deserved to know he and Penelope broke up. Because he didn’t want Oliver to know he was single.

He ran as fast as he could, completely ignoring the shouts that came after him.

Chapter 91: Year 7 - Again please

" What was that about?" Jack flung himself down on the bench that Marvin occupied. 

When he did his scent wafted into Marvin's face, and Marvin had to close his eyes and regulate his heartbeat because it kept skipping. Jack smelled like grass stains and burnt sugar. Like coming in from the garden into your abuela's kitchen on a hot day as she made churros or crema Catalana. 

Before laying down, Jack swept down the books which Marvin had kept on the bench. They fell to the floor with one swift move and Marvin flinched a little at seeing his books strewn across the dirt but he had no time to react because Jack had placed his massive head in his lap. Then the dumb blonde stared up at him, a great big grin on his freckled tan face. Marvin couldn’t help push his hand through Jack’s sandy locks, lingering there before he halfheartedly tried to push him off. Jack stayed put, a form of defiance. As if Marvin wouldn’t have been upset if he had moved. 

It wasn’t uncommon for Jack to start in the middle of a conversation, so Marvin simply waited patiently for him to continue. 

"You know how I’ve been seeing Pen"

Marvin’s insides dropped and he hummed in response. Hoping the suffocating pain in his chest wouldn't cause him to cry or anything. 

"Well… We were snogging" Jack said

"I don’t need the details" Marvin gave him an unimpressed stare. "Did you come to brag about it?"

Jack shook his head but smiled broadly, as if he maybe wanted to brag a little, even though it hadn’t been his intention. Marvin was pretty sure Jack would be upset if he knew Marvin also liked Penelope. He’d be so upset that he had accidentally hurt Marvin’s feelings; he'd cry and hold him tight. Which would be worse, because Marvin also liked Jack. 

"No… it's this other thing about it" Jack continued, unaware about the thoughts he caused to stir inside Marvin’s mind. 

"Is she bad at it?" Marvin sighed "You know… on the contrary to other people's belief I am not some kind of gossip queen"

"Oh you are too!" Jack had sat up now, pointing an accusing finger into Marvin’s chest, beyond that a huge grin played over his lips.

" anyway- And don't interrupt or distract me!" he looked at him warningly and Marvin just sighed in defeat.

"While I was snogging her, Oliver turned up, right? Screaming-"

"Again, not chuffed on gossip" Marvin put in and got a stern look from the other as he continued.

" Don't interrupt me, I’ll forget what I was gonna say… anyway , he was shouting until…" he paused for dramatic effect and Marvin made an impatient gesture for him to continue. "She tells him she and Percy broke up and he gets dumbstruck like he didn't know and turns out- He Didn't ! "

Jack howled with laughter but Marvin sat quiet.

Jack didn't notice but continued.

"So it turns out Percy kept it a secret from him for some reason so Olie runs away, okay? He just runs-"Jack trailed off as he noticed that Marvin had started to quickly gather his stuff. Marvin wasn’t sure what was in his power to do about it. He just knew that whatever state of mind Oliver was in after finding out Percy was single and had lied about it, it couldn’t be good. He scooped up his books from the floor and started walking.

"Hey? HEY! What the bloody hell?" Jack rose to his feet and went after Marvin "I'm talking !"

Marvin just kept going, faster and faster.

"Shut up! We need to stop him before he reaches Percy or he might do something stupid" 

Jack looked bewildered but followed. Instantly accepting it.

They reached the Gryffindor common rooms and looked at the portrait of the fat lady in front of them. She immediately shone up at their attention, grabbing a glass as if she was ready to revel in an opportunity to display her talents. Marvin interrupted her before she could start.

"Did Oliver Wood pass here a while ago?" Marvin asked her, catching his breath. Jack by his side seemed unfaced. Quitting quidditch to focus on his other subjects had caused Marvin’s stamina to decrease slightly. At least when you compared to Jack, but he tried not to think too hard about it. He was still fitter than most of his classmates. 

"Why yes, a few minutes ago~ he looked mad , he reminded me of-" the fat lady started talking, dragging out into yet another story.

"Yeah, yeah,I bet you have a very interesting anecdote but we need to get through quite urgently. Please give us the question" Marvin stated, trying to keep calm and civil but he could feel a sense of dread and panic forming in the face of an unmovable object. She looked very upset with him.

"Password then" she demanded nonchalantly and he gaped.

"What? What password? You need a password?" he turned pleadingly to Jack hoping he had it, who just shook his head.

"Honestly, for a ravenclaw you can be quite dense sometimes" Jack said, still not fully grasping the severity of why they were there. 

"I thought it was like my common room, you just need to answer a question!" Marvin huffed and tried to regulate his breathing. He was starting to spill out all that perfectly contained panic which he was so good at hiding and keeping inside. 

He started pacing around in front of the portrait, every now and then pleading with her to let him pass. She blatantly refused. Jack was starting to grow concerned.

“You need to calm down Marvin, it’s fine”

“It’s not fine!” Marvin snapped. regretting it immediately. Jack’s concern grew into a soft care and he held out his arms as if he was about to take Marvin in his arms so Marvin defensively extended his own arms to keep him away.

“Don’t you dare hug me right now!” he said, even though he really wanted him to. . 

The portrait opened as the Weasley twins came toppling out over each other and their friend Jordan. Marvin's first instinct was to try and get past them, but he failed as the fat lady scoffed in contempt at his attempt. 

His next idea was to grab onto the shoulder of one of Percy’s brothers before they could run off. 

"You know Oliver right?"

George, or was it Fred, looked at him like he was mad yet calmly asked him to confess his intentions. Like something sinister that knew they had a leg up on you. 

"Who wants to know?" the boy said and smiled a bit wickedly "what's in it for me?"

Marvin started to lose it, his nostrils flared in anger at the very insolence, so Jack stepped in instead.

"yeah, cute" He shoved Marvin aside and put a hand on Fred's, no George's shoulder and smiled.

"I don't know what's up with Marvin, maybe he's lovesick…" 

Marvin flinched at the joke and made an unamused face as he met Jack’s eye. If Jack only knew he had completely unaware stumbled onto something relevant.

"- so he wants to see Oliver, and come on, you know us, we're Oliver's friends, and you know us from Quidditch"

“He might kill your brother” Marvin tried interjecting. George or Fred, whoever he was, shrugged.

“Okay?”

Neither of the twins, nor their mate were prepared to help them. Stuck in a childish game with them and not at all impacted by Marvin’s stressed demeanor. Marvin assumed Percy was at fault for that. Too neurotic over the little things, his brothers had grown desensitized. Jack started talking about their latest pranks instead. Initially it annoyed Marvin until he realized it was smart. Jack was warming up to them, gaining their sympathy and trust. When he realized he shut up immediately and let Jack shine. He was the more social one out of the two after all. 

After a while George, no Fred , told them that apparently Oliver had an argument with their brother because everyone in their house had heard the yell and the slamming of the door. Then they had left it at that. Which was insane, who could witness something like it and just not care to investigate what it was about?

"Well then, too late!" Jack said a bit too cheerfully and threw his hands up in the air as he let the three gryffindors go on their merry way. 

"Now will you tell me what this is about?"

Marvin bit his lip, refusing to talk. Knowing full well it wasn’t his secret to blurt out. 

A few minutes under Jack's intense gaze however, he started to crack. Mostly because if Jack didn’t stop staring him in the eyes soon he might do something stupid too.

He waited until the twin's were no longer in sight, then he figured maybe he could just tell Jack. 

"HefanciesPerce!" he said in one breath and then he ripped into his own hair. Just to hold onto something.

"Okay, calm down love” Jack said and Marvin hated it, how dared he call him love when he both was and stole it from him.

“and stop pulling at your hair or you're gonna go prematurely bald" Jack calmly removed Marvin's hands from his black curls and gave him a sweet smile "again please"

and Marvin couldn’t help stare at his lips for just a split second. Jack’s calloused hands grabbed onto both of Marvin’s and held them firm, also for just a second before he let them slip.

Yes, again, please. Marvin though as Jack’s touch lingered on them.

"He fancies him" Marvin whispered out and it almost felt like his own confession, secretly. If he just switched the words. 

Jack gaped, but apparently not for the reason Marvin thought.

"You mean. the guy he fancies is Percy ?"

“You knew he was gay?”

Marvin furrowed his brow in disbelief, wondering why Jack was so casual about saying the guy he fancies… Could he really already know Oliver liked men? How, how could Jack know before Marvin told him? He pushed it aside and just nodded.

“but yes, it’s Percy”

"And Percy, he likes-"

Marvin kept nodding, he wasn’t sure but he suspected.

"Who is now single and didn't say-"

Another nod.

"Oh fuck, we need to get in there!" Jack started ripping at the frame of the fat lady's portrait as she screamed objections at him.

"Not now dearest lady!" he screamed back, somehow still managing to be sweet and polite to her while he tried to rip her off the wall. It went nowhere.

After a while they were startled to see a flushed Percy Weasley rush out of the portrait hole. He barely looked at them until they blocked his way.

"Percy-" Jack started but Percy put up a hand in front of him to silence him.

"Not now! Please, just no" he said and then rushed down the stairs. 

It took another half hour before the two friends managed to get a second year to go fetch Oliver for them.

Their friend soon poked his head out with a bothered smile and a choked greeting. Everything indicated that they were too late and whatever happened should have been prevented if they had just gotten into the common room. Marvin shot the fat lady in the portrait hole a dirty look.

They moved away from the opening, further away from anyone who might hear something they shouldn’t. 

"What happened bruv?" Marvin asked the softest he could. They both stared at Oliver expectantly which seemed to make him very uncomfortable. Oliver shuffled his feet and cleared his voice but had trouble saying the words.

"Well, I… I snogged him" he finally admitted.

The air pulled from Marvin's lungs in surprise, was that not a good thing then? A kiss was brief and could warrant a rejection, a snog was longer. It had to be consensual right? Was it a bad thing if Percy had kissed him back?

Oliver shuffled his feet some more. Jack and Marvin then spoke at the same time.

Oliver scratched his neck and tried to answer both his friends, not sure what to answer since he couldn’t quite catch the questions.

"Well Shit " Jack said instead of his previous question.

"So what now?" Marvin repeated.

"I'm not sure… he ran off" Oliver mumbled.

They patted Oliver on the back with condolences and small smiles and nods.

“Well he better sort himself out then, you’re a right catch” Marvin said and Jack agreed. Successfully they made Oliver relax and laugh. Accepting the compliment.

“You guys just need to talk” Jack offered.

“You just need to give him some space first” Marvin added.

They parted as Oliver got fetched by Imogene Zimmerman as she had been notified that some dumb athletes were blocking the hallway. Jack gave her a curt nod and she smiled at him. The two gryffindors went back to their common room. Marvin kind of wanted to argue that they should be allowed in to offer their support. The fat lady still refused.

"I still can’t fathom that you knew he was gay all this time” Marvin said as they kept company back to the main floor. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack frowned but it soon smoothed out to an awkward pout. He stopped, and then tilted his head searching Marvin’s face. It made him feel funny and he slowed down his step.

"you're not… you know, also gay, right?"

Marvin stopped walking entirely too. He could feel his pulse race in his ears. 

"What, no, what!?" He realized he was protesting too intensely. It was suspicious.

Jack clenched his jaw and looked sheepish, as if he caught himself saying something stupid again.

"I was just curious, I think I might be bisexual, so I just had a thought… what if we all turned out to be queer, wouldn’t that be kinda funny?" he shrugged and tried to keep walking but Marvin stopped him.

"Do I send out gay vibes or something? I'm not gay"

"It's just you've never-"

"Never had a girlfriend, right? Sod off" Marvin furrowed his brow, he was sick of it. The assumptions. If anything he was also bisexual. 

He stopped himself from thinking anything further. it was probably the first time he’d actually allowed himself to think it at all. The word, that word, bisexual. And he hadn’t burst into flames like his abuela had thought. 

Jack’s face was so close that Marvin could feel his breath on his skin.

“Where did you disappear to, you have that catholic guilt face” Jack said and Marvin hated that he knew that. He glared at him, Jack seemed unfaced. 

He also seemed hesitant as he tilted his head the other way this time. His hand was on Marvin’s shoulder weighing him into the floor, and Marvin thought that he'd better pull away when suddenly lips were clumsily placed on his. Just as quickly they disappeared.

Marvin stared, and hiccuped. Like a surprised caught of guard breath. Jack blushed.

"Just… curious" he said, blushing even fiercer.

Jack’s previous words echoed in Marvin’s mind. 

Again. Please . 

He didn’t say it though. He didn’t say anything.

Instead he started walking. Eyes bulging and pulse increasing. 

"No wait, Marvin, wait!" 

Jack caught up to him quickly and pushed him against the wall.

"I was just curious" Jack's blue eyes seemed darker than usual, both stern and sad at the same time, and they were firmly pinning Marvin down on the spot. He started to sweat a little.

“Please don’t be weird about it, you’re my best friend” 

“Are you taking the piss, don’t you have a girlfriend?” Marvin said, because anything else he wanted to say would have been troublesome.

“Yeah but she’s cool about it. we’re not monogamous” It was a big word for Jack. It sounded rehearsed, as if Penelope had taught him to say it. 

Marvin’s heart raced. His mind buzzed with the possibilities. The problem was that he wasn’t fine with it. The catholic guilt still gnawed on him like bugs under his skin. He didn’t want to be some side piece to his best friend, who by the way might just see him as a fun experience. Just like all his other flings. Besides, he wasn’t even sure he could allow himself to be with a man at all.

"Whatever" he choked out and pushed Jack away. Jack looked dejected for a second then sighed. 

“I promise I won’t do it again”

Somehow Marvin hated that even more than potentially becoming an experiment. 

Chapter 92: Year 7 - The missing chapter

He was fuming, the more he mulled it over the more angry he got. How dared Percy not tell him. Especially after they had kissed. 

When had they broken up? Over the summer, earlier than that? Had it even been true when Oliver so gallantly had stepped away after Percy had been the one to kiss him. 

He slammed their dorm door open, startling Percy who sat reading atop his comforter.

"I sheu'd clout you!" Oliver shouted and slammed the door after him. Percy looked seriously frightened. It didn’t deter Oliver. Oliver had been mad at him before, but never this mad.

Percy had stood up and instinctively moved away from him, further into the room. Oliver roared out words and sentences in a thick Scottish accent that Percy probably didn’t even understand but he better assume they were swears. There were some things that transcended the basic language barrier and these feelings were one of them. 

"Oliver calm yourself, I can’t understand a word you're saying" Percy said. Obviously trying to keep a calm and authoritative voice, but as he pushed his glasses further up his nose his hands were trembling. His glasses already sat as far up as they possibly could, there was no space to push them. He seemed to realize this as he lowered his shaking hands into his robes instead, where he took a firm comforting grasp. 

Oliver closed in on him, Percy had stepped so far into the room that he had reached the end of it. Oliver cornered him, grabbed his wrist and pinned him in place. 

"You broke up? why didn't you tell me you broke up?" he’d stopped screaming the words but the scolding tone persisted, even though the anger was subsiding and leaving space for hurt. 

Rage, betrayal, hurt, guilt about how he was reacting now and how he had reacted towards Penny and Jack. He released his harsh grip on Percy’s wrist who seemed to relax when he began to understand why Oliver was behaving this way. Oliver met his eye and tried to convey all the emotions he felt. 

Percy bit his lips and stared back. Guilty as well, perhaps. Shameful, definitely.  

Percy was caressing his wrist where the skin had started to blush pink from Oliver’s hands. Oliver regretted it, he hadn’t realized he’d held him that hard. Oliver had placed his hands on the wall instead, dipping his head to the floor to try and calm down. Percy didn’t respond, he simply dodged his head under Oliver’s arm and started walking back to his bed.

“I don’t see why I had to” Percy said, and the calm Oliver had managed to find evaporated. He turned on his heel and walked right after him, pushing him again. This time against the banister of Percy’s bed.

“We need to talk about what happened, if you don’t have a girlfriend then-”

“That doesn’t change anything” Percy said, too quickly. 

Finding his anger again, Oliver glared.

“Of course it does”

As a consequence of Oliver pushing Percy’s shoulder between every other syllable Percy fell into the bed. Oliver climbed on top of him, determined to at least get him to talk. He wouldn’t do anything, not unless Percy wanted him to. Oliver just couldn’t fathom why this was an issue anymore. 

He sat back on his heels, just so Percy would understand this was just a means to an interrogation and he could push him away if he wanted to. Percy didn't. He stayed down, staring up at Oliver with a strange nervous breathing. 

"How long has it been?" Oliver asked

Percy snapped his mouth closed and looked away, but he didn’t push Oliver away.

"Tell me how long!" Oliver screamed at him, his face twisted in anger and agony like he couldn’t decide which emotion to land on. The fact Percy didn’t want to answer told him enough. 

"Soon after Christmas last year" Percy gasped out and he stared wide-eyed at Oliver. As if he only now when the words escaped his mouth realised it. He’d kept it that long.  

“That’s fucking insane Percy”

“It’s none of your business either way” 

Oliver pushed Percy down into the mattress when he attempted to sit up. Percy scowled. 

“I hate you” he bit. Like it was just something you said.

“Do you?” Oliver said defiantly. 

Then it struck him that perhaps it wasn’t just banter. Perhaps he actually meant it. After all, Oliver had just screamed at him and held him to a wall in anger. He softened his gaze and waited for Percy to answer. Making a point of shifting his weight further off of him. Percy could leave if he wanted.

Percy went silent, then he shook his head.

"Then why?" Oliver heard how desperate he sounded. There were no emotions left but hurt now. 

"...I was scared" Percy confessed. 

Percy’s breath came out so laboured Oliver could see his chest heave. Oliver seemed equally breathless. In the silence he could hear them both panting. As if arguing had tired them just as much as running around the lake. 

The small distance between them made it hard to think. 

"Scared of what?" Oliver whispered as he leaned in. Their eyes met, looking for something. 

"Of this" Percy whispered back, swallowing visibly as he tried to look away but not quite being able to. His neck was flushed, Oliver could feel the heat radiating from him. 

Percy closed his eyes and inhaled, as if he was smelling him. So Oliver leaned into the bend of Percy’s neck to inhale Percy’s scent as well. 

"Of us I suppose" Percy continued, as he let the bridge of his nose travel over Oliver’s cheek.

Oliver had somehow absentmindedly grabbed Percy’s wrists again, but much softer this time. He let his hands glide down Percy’s arms as he leaned back again. Pulling back a little so that he could talk to him. Before he lost himself completely. He was fully straddling Percy now, and it was hard to think of anything else than the pulsing heart beneath him. 

"Is that why you've been acting so strange?"

Percy shook his head wildly, desperately looking to the right to avoid eye-contact. The fleeting moment of honesty was over.

"I’m not strange, I’m just focusing on my future right now" Percy got out trying to get back his voice of authority, firm and determined but it sounded trembling instead. 

"Liar" Oliver leaned closer again but he let go of the grip he had on Percy’s arms to put his hands at each side of Percy's head. "Then why is your heart beating so fast?"

Oliver leaned down slowly. As many times before he hovered his lips just mere centimeters away from Percy’s lips. Percy’s breath hit him, strangely calm about the suspense. Oliver would’ve assumed he’d be stressed with the way he had avoided it. 

Oliver had never initiated a kiss between them before, and he’d always respected that perhaps Percy needed to be in charge of it. This time however he was getting frustrated about waiting for it. He wanted to kiss him. He felt as if he had a right to at this point. 

It made him so intensely nervous. His heart pounding in his chest was deafening and yet the prospect excited him. He shook like a leaf in the harsh Scottish winds.

“I’m nervous” he chuckled and in the spur of the moment leaned back on his heels to pull his jumper and t-shirt off. He grabbed Percy’s hand and placed it firmly on his pectoral. It jumped in attention, every fiber of fine muscle alerted to Percy’s cool hand. Oliver helped him sprawl the fingers out so that he could feel Oliver’s frantic heartbeats.  

“holy shit” Percy gasped.

Oliver laughed breathily and leaned down again, keeping his grip on Percy’s hand between their chests. 

“Fuck, I love it when you swear” he mumbled and kissed Percy’s neck. Percy shuddered under him, which gave Oliver the confidence he needed to continue. He placed his free hand on Percy’s cheek and held him as he closed the gap between their lips.

Hungrily he pressed forward, Percy seemed to hesitate for just a second before he pressed back. 

Cautiously at first, but slowly giving in to the same rhythm that he received from Oliver.

Oliver released Percy’s hand and Percy took the opportunity to grab onto Oliver’s neck. Locking him in. Oliver smiled against his lips as he pressed their bodies tighter. 

Now with free hands Oliver let them glide down Percy’s body, and as he found the hem of his shirt he wasted no time slipping them under to feel the bare skin. Percy gasped, but never parted their lips for longer than releasing his breath. 

“Fucking finally” Oliver muttered in between snogging and Percy kept shutting him up everytime he attempted to talk. It felt like releasing something he’d been carrying around for years now. 

It was so different from last year, he didn’t hold back anything. 

He shifted their positions so he could slide one thigh in between Percy’s legs, so he could better grind into him. Percy arched his back and shuddered. Oliver’s curtain fringe fell into his face and he blew it out of the way so he could watch Percy better. Yet another reason the buzz cut was to prefer. 

Except, Percy reached out and pushed his hand through it, and tugged at the scalp. Something he wouldn’t have been able to with the buzzcut. Oliver gasped in surprise

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous” Oliver laughed happily, because he truly was. He hadn’t been this happy since he first made the Quidditch team back in second year. He tried to go back for another kiss when Percy stopped him. Firm hand on Oliver’s chest.

“Are you making fun of me?”

Oliver furrowed his brow.

“Of course not” 

Percy’s eyes shifted, something seemed to click in his head. His wonderfully stupid, overthinking head, and Oliver could tell it was bad. 

Just as he had thought, Percy slipped out from under him and stood up from the bed. Readjusting his robes and covering himself with it shyly. He didn’t seem to notice that his glasses were askew, they stayed that way. Sort of crooked on his nose. Oliver could still feel a ghostly imprint of the frames on his cheek. He couldn't help the big grin on his face as Percy attempted to press down his dishevelled hair. 

Oliver’s was probably just as messy but he didn’t care to fix it. In contrast to Percy trying to hide himself away, Oliver sat broad legged on the bed not even ashamed at how obviously hard he was. If anything it should prove to Percy how much Oliver was not making fun. 

His pulse was still rushing and it took everything in him not to pull Percy back into bed.

"You like me" Oliver said confidently, a big stupid smile still intact on his kiss swollen face. 

"Just as a friend." Percy said in that mock serious voice he had started to adapt, it sounded more as if he was trying to convince himself.

“ Yeah, right ” Oliver laughed. “You don’t snog your mates Percy” 

“This is not a good idea” Percy insisted, still pushing at his curls to stay put. Oliver fought the urge to stand up and mess them up. 

“Is it because I’m a boy?”

“That’s one of the reasons”

"It's a glaikit reason Perce" now he did stand up, looking up into his eyes. Percy inhaled sharply but didn’t waver in his determined stance and stared back. 

They stood there for a while staring at each other until Percy decided to head for the door.

"I need to think" was all the explanation he gave.

“ Percy ” Oliver said, tiredly. 

“Could you just give me some space to think this through!” Percy shouted as he flung the door open and slammed it shut again. 

Oliver didn’t run after him. He just fell into his bed again and rubbed his hands over his eyes, trying to contain the frustrated scream bubbling up from his chest. He was so hot in his skin, and yet his heart yearned for peace. Why couldn't Percy just stop worrying so much? 

 

Chapter 93: Year 7 - I don't think we're in Kansas anymore

He didn’t really feel like an adult yet, but he wasn’t about to argue against wizard law if it granted him some freedom of movement. Without an overbearing mother breathing down his neck, sure that anything might kill him. He had been so excited when he arrived at hogsmeade, the prospect of a nostalgic trio drinking butterbeer at the three broomsticks like old days.

 

These were not the old days.

 

Paul sipped his drink pondering the image before him. By habit he then placed his tongue in between the gap in his front teeth, as if that would help him come to a conclusion. Opposite him were two friends sitting next to each other while somehow also avoiding each other. Their body language was tilted outwards from the other, and their eyes were looking away in such an obvious way that it was apparent what they really wanted was to stare at the other person. Paul could almost see the magnetic pull from them like an aurora borealis, the way their auras were literally forcefully pulling, straining to keep from looking at the other person.

 

He had not commented on the strange atmosphere yet, he wasn’t sure what to make out of it. Nothing had indicated that they had stopped being friends from their letters. They still answered questions in unison indicating their stories and updates of ‘what have you been up to’ were interlinked and similar. Yet something was different. Tense.

 

“So how’s your American girlfriend?” Percy asked, taking a sip from his own drink. Oliver flinched unwarranted to the question directed at Paul.

 

“We broke up” Paul said quickly and unbothered, uninterested in straying from whatever this was before him. On the verge of ready to just ask them. 

 

Had they hooked up, they had hooked up hadn’t they?

 

A smug smile crept on Paul’s lips as he slipped a hand through his parted hair to keep it out of his face.

 

“What’s going on here?” he said before they could ask him any other trivial questions. Trying to not grin like a cat that got the cream as both pairs of eyes flipped up to meet him in a slight panic.

 

“Come on, it’s obvious, what happened here? What’s the story?” 

 

Oliver blushed, the embarrassed shine in his eyes reminiscent of a young preteen Paul used to know. He was different now. Still energetically charming with slight naive immaturity. But broader, more stocky. His face was still rounded but his jaw was sharp, but the eyes were exactly the same.

 

Percy was more familiar, just impossibly tall. Towering over both him and Oliver when they stood. His face and chest were more mature but he was still the lanky teen he remembered. 

 

His eyes were different though, colder perhaps. More focused, and less joyfully mischievous. They were sader as well, Paul wasn’t sure he was in a place to comment on it anymore. They were still his best friends but distance had made it less natural to meddle in such heavy things.

 

“nothing” Percy spat and once again stared at an interesting part of the wall next to Paul’s head, away from the direction of Oliver Wood. His voice cracked slightly as he spoke. Too old for it to be about vocal chord changes.

 

“yeah right” Paul said and sipped his drink.

 

“you guys hook up or what?” he said when no further information came. Both of his friends spat to life like rag dolls. Percy leaned in with eyes livid. Oliver looked equally upset as they violently hushed him.

 

Paul couldn’t help laughing. Okay, yeah he got that it wasn’t a wise choice to blurt out your friends homoerotic tendencies in an open area, in a pub nonetheless, but he was sick of the non saying. Didn’t he deserve to know if his best friends got together? Especially when he had sort of expected it half his life. 

 

In his defense his comment could easily have been considered a ladish gag if his friends hadn’t reacted with absolutely zero poker face.

 

“So it’s true” Paul said, grinning.

 

“It’s not funny, Percy’s being an arse about it” Oliver said and glared at Percy. It was the first time he had looked his way all day.

 

“Did you shag?” Paul asked, lowering his voice this time.

 

“What the fuck, were you always this sexual deviant?” Oliver shouted. 

 

“Perhaps it was losing my virginity to an American,” Paul joked, even though it was true. Perhaps to give it some sense of meaning other than that he had just found comfort in her southern hospitality because he was lonely. He had trouble connecting as an older transfer at Ilvermorny so perhaps he had just given her his body and soul because she had cared for him at all. She was sweet, but he wasn’t upset that they had broken up. It wasn't surprising that they hadn't kept in touch after his mother pulled him out of yet another school.

He didn’t miss her as he had missed his Hogwarts friends. 

 

Oliver almost jumped out of his chair then, with a long excited ‘mate’.

 

Percy just rolled his eyes.

 

“So did you?” Paul insisted, not as interested in discussing his own sexual conquest as he was in figuring out this social mystery. 

 

“Don’t be crude, we just snogged” Percy spat.

 

It was Paul’s turn to jump out of his chair. With a triumphant “aha!” he pointed his accusing finger at Percy.

 

“So what’s the big deal then, if it was just a  snog?”

 

All signs directed to it not being just a snog, but he knew better than to argue with Percy’s determinedness. If he had deemed it just a snog, then perhaps steering into it was the best approach. He gave Oliver a sympathetic glance which his friend missed as he was currently staring into the oak table. Paul had begun piecing it together. He knew Oliver was gay, he had even told Paul as much, so he assumed the issue lay with Percy.

 

“Merlin’s beard, are you two living in an alternative reality than I do?” Percy whined and scolded in the same breath. The frustration so thick Paul could feel it radiating his way.

 

“I can’t date men” he hissed, almost an inaudible whisper. Perhaps as much a mantra to himself.

 

“I know the world is shit to queers, I know” Paul whispered. Sensible now that the conversation was growing more serious and could no longer be mistaken for boyish banter among mates.

 

“And the aids…” Oliver mumbled, which probably didn't help his case. Paul decided to stare into Percy’s eyes instead

Which was easier as Oliver was still trying to seduce the tabletop with his intense gaze.

 

“If it’s your image you’re worried about, it's not as if you need to flaunt it. Not everyone needs to know your business” Paul said and leaned back in his chair.

 

“Either way you need to sort your shit because I came here to hang out with my friends, both of them ” 

 

Oliver finally looked back up from the table.

 

Percy and Oliver properly looked at each other, finally. Paul had the decency to ignore the vibrant blushes as their bashful eyes flickered. Almost.

 

“Oh my god, could you guys be more lame” he was an equal amount amused and annoyed.

 

“At the very least you need to figure out how to be friends again, because I would like to visit sometimes without having to play counselor to you sorry twats” 

 

Oliver threw a peanut at his head for that. Paul’s eyes widened and he almost laughed.

 

“And now I’m a circus elephant” 

 

A smile finally cracked on Oliver’s face. Percy rolled his eyes again, but in a much more loving way.

 

“It’s gonna have to be weird for a bit” Percy said “you’ll have to accept it”

 

Again, it was as if he was addressing more people than Paul. 

 

“but you’re also right that we aren’t the best company right now and I would like for us to be” 

 

Paul was equally impressed as concerned at the level of maturity he spoke. Like a salesperson or politician weighing his words for the best outcome. To not be misquoted later. 

 

“Right, so don’t be twats, like I said” Paul translated for him. Percy scoffed amused.

 

“I will try to be less of a twat, but I’m afraid Oliver’s case might be chronic” 

 

Oliver guffawed and swatted Percy hard on his arm. It was as close to normal as they could expect.

 

For the first time in years he could breathe again, it felt easier.

 

“I’ll get us another round, my treat” Paul said happily and stood up.

 

“If nothing else we can celebrate Percy finally getting rid of that rat”

 

Percy was just about to clarify his brother still had it when Paul bumped into another guest. His insides dropped when he recognized her. She had cut her hair slightly since that summer resort. 

 

“Paul” Lauren said, softly surprised. Paul lost all comprehension for words. He made a sound  like the air seeping out of a small hole in a tire. 

 

Had she always been this pretty? Was he just more aware now? Their last encounter echoed in his mind like a warning. Cease now or you will act a fool later.

 

“Hi Lauren” he finally managed out as he swatted his hand in a snickering Oliver’s direction without breaking eye contact with her. He was pretty sure he was accidentally hitting Percy instead. The awkward tension was killing him, he had never had an issue with being around her before Oliver had blurted out that she used to like him.

 

Did she still like him? Or had he missed an opportunity?

 

He wondered if she was seeing anyone.

 

“Has anyone said you look a little bit like Reese Witherspoon, you know, from The man in the moon?” He asked instead. Hoping she had even seen that movie. Perhaps it hadn't reached across the pond.

 

She scrunched her nose and bashfully smiled as she tucked a stray chunk of hair behind her ear. Perhaps it was the slight indentation of dimples on her cheeks, or the light blonde bob. Perhaps it was her eyes.

 

“Paul?!” Imogene screamed, less soft and more in honest surprise. She pulled him into a crushing hug.

 

“Hello handsome!” Eveline shrieked as she spotted him, he chuckled and smiled at his childhood sweetheart which felt like a lifetime ago. His eyes glanced at Lauren though, who timidly stepped back and let them take over the reunion. Pushed aside by her own friends like a footnote in the scene. They overshadowed her and she willingly stepped away. Just as overlooked by everyone as when they were kids, he had even been compliant then.

 

She was sidelined and fine with it, and Paul didn’t like it. Even though her friends had no ill intent.

 

He smiled at them anyway, happy to see them all. Percy had already instructed Oliver to pull another table towards their seats. Aware that they would be joined by the girls now. 

 

They squeezed in, only half aware that madame Rosmerta scoffed behind the bar at their rearrangement.

 

“We’ll move them back!” Percy shouted, also painfully astute to the reaction of adults.

 

Paul took a seat next to Lauren, hands automatically reaching into his own hair to preen himself. She was barely even looking at him so he felt a bit silly.

 

“So is Oliver the only baby left in the group?” He asked, cringing slightly as he caught himself puffing out his chest in some vague attempt to impress her. As if his quite average build could compare when Oliver sat right there.

 

Oliver was about to argue against being called a baby when Imogene beat him to it.

 

“Almost, Eveline’s birthday is in January”

 

Eveline shook her head in mock hurt.

 

“Honestly, you don’t even remember my birthday” 

 

Paul looked sheepish and gave her an apologetic nudge with his foot. 

 

“That’s fine, I’ll still buy you a drink” Eveline winked, a friendly gesture nothing else, and stood up. The other two girls stood up to assist her in carrying it all. Paul realised in mortifying humbleness that he had gotten so distracted he had forgotten to get them drinks.

 

Both Percy and Paul gave him knowing grins.

 

“Shut up, we’re not talking about me right now” he muttered.

 

He was still beet red in the face when the girls returned.

 

Chapter 94: Year 7 - Head boy duties and quidditch practise

Paul had told them, nay, ordered them to talk it out. Which was fair, but they had both been distracted. 

 

The Quidditch season had started and Oliver had thrown himself into it with an almost manic desperation when he had realized it was his last chance at winning the cup. He had been teasingly close the previous years and it was almost silly how they hadn’t won with such an excellent team. Even Percy who had gotten way into the statistics was baffled and looked forward to a win this year. Their seeker getting mysteriously called out of commission couldn’t possibly happen for a third year. So he could’t distract Oliver with such trivial matters as a relationship. Or rather, not one. Percy wasn’t sure. 

 

He could still remember the feel of Oliver’s muscles under his hands and god if he hadn’t thought about it often in the showers since then. But there was no place for that in his career plan. 

 

Percy on the other hand had head boy duties, not to mention N.E.W.T.S  were coming up third term. 

 

They simply had not had time to talk. Or had reason to be alone in any sort of close proximity. Which was probably good.

 

He was pretty certain he would do something reckless if they got too close at this time. It would appear that he had very little to no self control regarding his feelings for his best friend. Which were sudden and intense. It frightened him a little. His self preservation was usually something he prided himself in, but even he had to admit that avoiding Oliver was a terrible strategy. Still it was the only thing he knew to do when he couldn’t trust himself. 

 

Percy’s body almost had a spontaneous reaction to just thinking about them kissing. So much he had to really not think about it if he wasn’t completely alone. 

 

Merlin, he really was perverted wasn’t he. Even sharing a dorm at night was tense.

 

Then the fat lady got attacked, so she said, by Sirius Black. Who apparently was inside the castle walls. You would think that would’ve terrified the recent head boy, but it was ecstatic.

 

Finally, he had a reason to put his authority to use. He was in fact proud to be in charge as they hoarded the students into the great hall on orders of the headmaster himself. People had to listen to Percy, some of them even seeked his counceling. He loved it.

 

But again, no time to talk… 

 

Perhaps that was why he threw himself at his chore, thankful for the excuse. Thankful for a reason to not share a bedroom with Oliver, alone. 

 

In his peripheral vision he thought he saw Oliver trying to catch his attention as he paced through the rows of students. Far enough away so that Percy could conveniently miss it. Too preoccupied with his head boy duties to have noticed, at least if anyone asked. 

 

Unfortunately for Oliver there was no quidditch strategy to discuss as McGonagall had taken off with his star seeker. 

 

The twins were avoiding him like the plague to not get caught in an hour long discussion of self control and restraint, when they could be having pillow fights with Lee Jordan. 

 

The girls were self sufficient enough as to not warrant a one on one with their coach during a security crisis. There was no use gathering those three if it wasn't something the whole team needed to know for group strategies. Oliver was riding them pretty hard anyway during practises or at breakfast to make sure they got the proper nutritions. But for right now, they were free of him. 

 

Oliver was available.

 

Percy was fuzzing over lights out instead. 

 

Running up and down among the students, helping the teachers get them to bed.

 

It had been successful, when he was done and went to his own makeshift beddings Oliver had already crawled into his. It was next to Percy’s of course but at least they were surrounded by their peers to lessen the suffocating air that hung over their heads now. With any luck, Oliver would already be asleep.

 

Percy should’ve known better, he was never lucky.

 

He crawled into his bed, pleased with the faint sound of snoring and deep breathing around him that he had orchestrated. The fruits of his labour. He realized as he lay down that he had somehow magnetically chosen his left side, facing his friend. Who was awake, and staring straight back at him.

 

His soft brown eyes were serious and gleaming slightly in the light of the candles floating above their heads. He looked disappointed, Percy felt like a disappointment too. 

 

He tried to convey with his eyes that he was sorry, that he would talk to Oliver when he was ready. Not that Oliver had made any larger effort on his part, but Percy assumed he was waiting for Percy to take the initiative. Pouring himself into his beloved sport to cope while he waited. 

 

There was a heavy feeling in Percy’s gut, not technically uncomfortable but almost pleasant. Somehow being surrounded by hundreds of people did nothing to lessen the want. Somehow it was worse. Perhaps because he really couldn’t act on it even if he had wanted to.

 

Oliver was breathing steadily, his body lifting and sinking in the dark. It had a calming effect, if not for that tense stirring in Percy’s abdomen. Oliver’s eyes were steady.

 

Percy sucked in a breath and tried to deny to himself how turned on he was. 

 

His arm had fallen to the floor towards Oliver. Oliver’s hand was just out of reach. Just close enough for their pinkies to almost touch. Like the surface level of their skin, just brushing slightly. He could easily grab his hand if he wanted.

 

Percy pulled his eyes away from the almost touching limbs to meet Oliver’s eyes again.

 

They were still holding steady, but had softened. 

 

Percy shuddered under his makeshift bed as he realized how stupid he had been to think a room full of people would stop this. At least in their dorm their beds were meters away. Now their makeshift beds were so close they were practically sharing a bed. 

 

The tension was still building, and his bedding rustled as he quickly leaned forward to capture just one kiss. But Oliver turned his head away, switching to his other side where Imogene was snoring loudly.

 

Percy released a breath, as he leaned back again. Perhaps Oliver had missed his intent, or perhaps it was deliberate. Either way it was probably just as well. 

 

First he couldn’t rest at all, skin still humming with adrenaline. Then he fell into a restless sleep, feeling unsatisfactory. 

 

In the morning he had received an owl from his mother asking him to keep an eye out for Harry Potter. Which meant another responsibility and even less time to sort this thing out with his friend. He was not about to argue with his mother though. 

 

Chapter 95: Year 7 - We think he’s trying to drown himself

Cedric had tried to forfeit, the perfect athlete that he was. Oliver had sadly but fairly accepted that they had won. Perhaps especially at such a show of good sportsmanship. If only the dementors hadn’t been there things might have been different. 

 

Oliver had never felt such a suffocating extraction of joy from himself before. And it probably wasn’t even influenced by the dementors' presence. It was as if he felt both numb and pancícky at the same time, like the emotions were crawling up into his jaw and tensing up. As if he wanted to scream in frustration but his jaw wouldn’t let up. 

 

He stood in the showers long after everyone had left, Harry was taken to the infirmary and one by one they all left him standing there in a steady stream of water like a statue immersed in a waterfall.

 

He placed his whole head under, letting it weigh his head down, his hair hung like drenched curtains towards the tile floor. His head created a barrier of air that allowed him to still breath without leaving the shower. 

 

It wasn’t just the game. Yes, it was the game a lot, but not entirely. 

 

Percy still refused to talk about it, and then had the nerve to try and kiss him anyway. 

 

Oliver fought the itch to pull his head away from the heavy stream. It was weighing his hair down and creating small currents around his face, which dripped into his eyes when he moved even the slightest. He scrunched his eyes up and let the water run its course.

 

He had kept his hair long after all. He had truly enjoyed the way Percy had grabbed it and even entertained the thought of letting Percy trim it again. Perhaps he really should just buzz it short again, it would be easier.

 

The door slammed open and a pale looking Percy ran into the cooltoned tiled room. When Oliver had started Hogwarts it used to be red and gold tiles, but years ago someone had pointed out that it wasn't a very relaxing colour after a tough game. It might have been Charlie.

 

Percy was fully clad in contrast to Oliver’s stark nude. Oliver looked up. The water drenched him entirely now and hit his head in a much more forced abruption. It bounced off his head angrily and splashed off the walls. Oliver didn't even care that he was naked and made no attempt to cover up.

 

“Sorry” Percy said and turned around towards the door again.

 

“The twins said you were attempting to drown yourself… I, eh, was worried you’d actually kill yourself”

 

Oliver turned the shower off. The silence echoed over the walls. 

 

“They were exaggerating, it was probably a joke at my expense” It was only halfway true, he really was upset about losing for such a dumb reason. 

 

Percy turned back to him, his eyes were bouncing as if he tried to keep his gaze up. Flickering momentarily, it looked almost painful.

 

Good, Oliver thought, he hoped he stewed in it. 

 

“I’m also upset that we lost” Percy said, trying to console him.

 

“I’m not trying to drown myself” Oliver insisted, it was almost true. 

 

“Sorry” Percy mumbled again, eyes still flickering. He went silent. Oliver waited with the patience of a saint. 

 

“Is it… is it too late to talk?”

 

Perhaps it was because he sounded genuinely terrified that it was, but Oliver relaxed a bit. He walked towards him, still unbothered about his state of dress as he made no attempt to reach for a towel. Percy was searching for one for him. 

 

“We can talk” Oliver said when he was close enough to say it softly.

 

“Could you please put your clothes on so we can talk normally” Percy said, his voice back to his usual besserwiser tone. Oliver just quipped an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. He could feel cool water droplets travel down his back and down his buttcheeks but he didn’t budge.

 

“I like to air dry" he said stubbornly. “Why, does it bother you?”

 

“I’m still a seventeen year old for fucks sake” Percy snapped, and it was telling. 

 

Oliver bit back a smirk but still felt his chest flush because Percy liked the way he looked.

 

“You’re one to talk” he said instead and gestured towards Percy’s body.

 

“I’m fully clothed” Percy snapped again, annoyed now. His brow furrowed deeply in both that and confusion. 

 

“Oh yeah, you come in here with your messy curls and dorky glasses slipping down your nose” Oliver said and gently placed his pointer finger at the bridge of the glasses, then he pushed. Guided them back up. Percy flinched and blinked in starker confusion before his neck blushed.  

 

“You find that appealing?” he asked. 

 

“Yeah” Oliver said, like it was obvious.

 

Percy walked out into the dressing room, Oliver finally relented and grabbed a towel from the rack as he followed. Percy had taken a seat on a bench and seemed to wait for him. 

 

“I guess I hoped I’d meet a girl, since I have the luxury. It’s the easier choice”. Percy muttered, almost more to himself. It hurt to hear it but Oliver had assumed that was the case. Percy didn’t just wake up one day realizing he had been a closeted fag this whole time. He had genuinely liked girls before and he could do it again. 

Oliver pulled a clean pair of pants on and lazily towel dried his hair as he sat down next to Percy. 

 

“Or if I did hook up with a boy it would be this secret rendezvous with some random man that wouldn’t mean anything. I never would’ve thought it would be you” Percy looked up at him when he said ‘you’. Oliver released a shaky breath and turned his eye to the floor. It was too intense, he was losing the upper hand.

 

“Yeah well” Oliver started, but he couldn’t say that he always knew it would be Percy.

 

“Well now it is” he said instead. 

 

“Can we just… be friends right now, I don’t really know what I want” Percy said and Oliver felt so close to caving. 

 

“Of course I want to be friends no matter what” he said, because that was true. He wanted to shout at Percy for being inconsiderate and a coward, but he couldn't. He wanted his friend back without anyone awkwardly leaving their dorm whenever there was a free period and the air got too tense. 

 

“You’re my best friend” Percy said, he was still holding his gaze steady. Oliver forced himself to return it. 

 

“We can still be best friends and be together” he tried, his voice sounded pathetically close to a plea. 

 

Percy wasn’t convinced but he thought about it. He did that thing when he took painfully long to answer. Unlike Oliver who spoke before he thought, or at least simultaneously. 

 

“Like friends with benefits?” Percy asked.

 

Yes, Oliver thought, but also no. Not unless the benefit was being his boyfriend. 

 

Instead he nodded.

 

“Is it okay if I kiss you sometime then, not right now, but in the future?”

 

“Yeah” Oliver said as he let the towel drop to his knees. He was sure casually kissing was a bad idea but he wouldn’t say no to that. He was also just a teenage boy after all. 

 

Chapter 96: Year 7 - Merry Quidditch and a happy new broom!

There was a serenity over the cold scottish landscape, the halls were decked out in jolly red and green. The air smelled of food wherever and whenever, and there was peace in the air.

 

Except for wherever Oliver Wood was, who was training with frantic madness. He had become fanatic, or so Angelina said, but he needed to spend every available free period to train. They hadn’t won for seven years, specifically his seven years. He was starting to believe what Charlie had said, that he was cursed. 

 

Regardless of his mothers complaints, Oliver had decided to stay behind for Christmas. He couldn’t get distracted by family now that he finally was free of the distraction of classes. And of Percy. Or of the thought that Percy might kiss him at any given time. He hadn’t yet, which was equally maddening. The suspenseful possibility of it happening, and yet nothing. 

 

Percy had left for home this year, perhaps also as an escape from the duties of looking after prodigy boys. Which even Oliver had been on him about, albeit for different reasons than Percy’s mother. If his seeker was safe from dementors and escaped murderers then he too could focus on training. 

 

Oliver was pretty sure Percy also just genuinely loved spending Christmas with his family, even though he’d never admit to it. 

 

Percy was the kind of young man who enjoyed responsibility, but even he found sanctuary in the Christmas holiday. It was a time of leisure and rest, unless your name was Oliver Wood. The only thing important to Oliver during Christmas was the music his mother would play, and it wasn’t as if that wouldn’t be there next year. And the year after that, for the rest of his life.  It was his last chance to win the cup so Oliver had no time for Christmas this year. No matter how many letters his sister wrote guilting him for it. 

 

He received at least one a day now, sometimes two or three. Honestly, she was in such an opinionated phase right now. 

 

Emily seemed to also be in a phase where she wanted to be called Emmeth, and all Oliver’s gifts were marked with the new name. Scribbled like a footnote under their parents' gifts. Too old to make him a drawing and think that qualified as a gift but too young and too nonchalant to buy something from her personally. 

 

Oliver indulged her, and answered her letters back with ‘stop being a brat Emmeth’. 

 

He fully expected this to change within a month, because over the summer she wanted to be called Sparkles and then Data. Nonetheless he would call her whatever she wanted, he would especially create bastardisations of it to tease her. For an instance when she wanted to be called Daphne he’d settled into calling her Daft knee instead. Emmeth could become phlegmmeth, for example. He banked it for later.  

 

As gifts he received new quidditch gloves, a mustard yellow scarf that his mother had knitted. An exercise top in some strange synthetic material his mother said the muggle shop lady said was good for running. It would both keep him warm and cool depending on the weather. He didn’t have the heart to tell her there was a spell for that. 

His father sent him a firewhiskey. Which was probably because his birthday was coming up, marking his pending adulthood. He didn’t have the heart to tell him that he didn’t drink anymore. Perhaps when he came home over the summer, he’d toast his father with one glass, but only after the season. 

 

Percy had given him a colouring book of famous quidditch players and a note that said ‘you need to relax sometime too, this might be our last year to do so’. Of course indicating they would soon leave Hogwarts and go into the working world, making names for themselves. Managing to sound remarkably sinister in his attempt at care. 

 

He had placed it on Percy’s nightstand, considering sitting down with it in the evening, after the great hall banquet. Perhaps with a plate of assorted biscuits and a cup of tea. Perhaps he could take one evening off.

 

The evenings were the only time he could regret not going home which was why they had become the most productive time in his schedule. He needed to fill the silence with something. 

 

It had been quiet in the dorms, the only sound a crackling fire in the dark and his own steady breathing. He had kept busy with planning game setups and training regimes, and even a meal schedule with what and when they should eat. He had covered his whole bed with parchment. 

 

Leaned against it was a blackboard covered in lines and dots of chalk that indicated potential game plays. He had to climb over it to get to his bed to sit down. Since the other side of the bed had become his broom trimming and polishing station and it had to be undisturbed. 

 

Taking all his planning apart and trying to sort it into piles for easy reassembling in the mornings had also turned into a shore and a waste of time. More often than not he’d fall asleep right on the pile, but he never woke up well rested from it. And a good night's sleep was just as important as a good meal and training. 

 

A few nights ago as he had yawned so loud he’d startled himself, he had looked up to the empty room, and spotted Percy’s bed. Which stood vacant and not cluttered with his papers.

 

It had felt wrong for a minute, as even though he had slept in it before as a child, he had never done so alone. 

 

Then again, Percy wasn’t even there to complain and the house elves would’ve remade it on his return.

 

He had crawled down tentatively, but fallen asleep quickly. Engulfed in familiar scents and soft clean cotton. He had never slept so well in his life. 

 

That had been where he had woken up Christmas morning, and that’s where he slept the rest of the holiday. And as he had realized that Percy also wasn’t there to complain about the sound, he’d filled the empty space with music. His mothers music, and by then he missed home for a short while. 

 

Then he looked over all his work at his own side of the room and felt accomplished. It had been worth it, truly, with all he had achieved. 

 

He was rather pleased with his Christmas, especially when he heard his seeker had received a new Firebolt. It almost felt like it was a gift for Oliver as well.

 

Of course that meant he had to redraw the entire strategy based on Harry’s new statistics, but it was worth it. 

 

Chapter 97: Year 7 - Not yet

“Lauren, your cousin Susan is in the same year as Harry right?”

 

It was the first thing Percy had heard Oliver say all day other than ‘ good morning’. 

 

Being early risers both of them, Oliver had seized the moment and grabbed professor McGonagall the minute she stepped into the hall at breakfast. Percy hadn’t seen him for two hours after that. 

 

Percy had in fact seen Professor McGonagall after only fifteen minutes so he had assumed Oliver had gone to the pitches to run some laps, to work out some kind of frustration. Whatever he had wanted to say to McGonagall, she must not have taken it well. 

 

Oliver had entered their shared divination class looking as if he was still in shock, so Percy hadn’t even dared ask him what had happened between him and their head of house. Whatever warranted such a reaction it had to be bad, because Oliver was used to a certain type of favouritism from the strict witch. In fact Percy had taken it upon himself to serve his friend lunch because he was pretty sure Oliver wouldn’t have eaten if he hadn’t placed it in front of him. 

 

All through the day he had sported that vacant look, lost in thought and on several occasions Percy had wanted to kiss him to make it better. But hadn’t.

 

He was only partially disappointed that Lauren was the person Oliver decided to talk to suddenly. 

 

They were sitting in the grass, waiting for herbology to start when Oliver had decided he was done dwelling inside his own mind. Apparently finally coming to some sort of conclusion on how to act henceforth. 

 

Lauren looked up from weaving flower crowns. 

 

She sat back to back with Eveline who picked and rearranged the flowers for Lauren to use. Sitting that close to Eveline Percy realized how much smaller Lauren had become. She had always felt smaller due to her personality, but now it was more apparent. They had used to be approximately the same size, but now Lauren was much thinner, especially after christmas. He wondered why he hadn’t noticed and it worried him a little. 

 

“Yeah” she said and gave him a quizzical gaze.

 

“They share herbelogy right? Can you ask her to send him a message to Harry?”

 

Now Imogene sat up from where she had laid relaxing. appearing behind her friend as if apparated into place. 

 

“Hold up, why are you sending third years as your private messengers, they’re not owls. Talk to him yourself” she said, huffing “lazy bum”.

 

Oliver’s face flushed in embarrassment and he muttered something under his breath.

 

“Sorry?” Imogene said, raising her fine brows.

 

“McGonagall has forbidden me to talk to him while his firebolt is being examined!” he shouted and buried his face in his hands in shame. Percy closed his book and rested it on his knee. Too curious to even pretend to read. 

 

“Can she even do that?” Lauren whisper-asked Eveline. Percy couldn’t hear if Eveline answered because Imogene was laughing loudly and threw herself back to the ground.

 

“Oh my lord Oliver, you got told off!” 

 

Oliver huffed.

 

“She got shirty with me, said I can’t stay impartial apparently and I have my priorities wrong”.

 

Percy rolled his eyes. Trust Oliver to get so offended at being told no, for absolutely valid reasons. Then respect the order given to him, while simultaneously trying to work around it.

 

“If you’re going to go against McGonagall anyway, then just talk to Harry yourself. It’s not as if she can really punish you for it” Percy said, packing his book away.

 

“It’s not as if you won’t have to talk to him during practise anyway"

 

“I’m not so sure mcG won’t be there to superwise, I’ve never seen her so mad” Oliver said, rubbing his temples. 

 

“What exactly did you say?” Eveline asked, curiously. Percy was also quite curious in what he might have said for McGonagall to actually get angry with her favourite quidditch boy. 

 

“ ... that I didn’t care if it threw Harry off, as long as he caught the Snitch first” Oliver said, clenching his jaw awaiting their responses. No one said anything.

 

“I mean am I really that wrong?” he asked, looking between his friends for assurance. It was eerily silent as a few glances were exchanged.

 

“Gee, don’t rush to correct me all at once” Oliver said, sighing.

 

“I told her! It’s a broom! How would Sirius Black buy a broom?” he exclaimed, throwing his arms out in frustration. Spiraling in some attempt to redeem and explain himself.

 

“She hasn’t forbidden it yet, has she?” Eveline asked shrugging “she’s just being thorough”

 

Oliver grumbled and lay down on the ground, apparently not agreeing but unable to fully disagree. 

 

“Yeah, I just wish I could've given Harry better news… now I have to look him in the eye and tell him that I failed to get his broom back” Oliver sighed deeply. 

 

Percy felt the corner of his lips twitch slightly. He could kiss that frown away. But he wouldn't. Not yet. 

Chapter 98: Year 7 - Almost a surprise surprise party

Percy was leading him to hogsmeade in a charade of secrecy. It was a big birthday after all so Morgan and the boys had planned a surprise party at a pub there. With a spectacular quidditch theme. They were gonna have a game in a nearby field first, and then head back to something called the hog’s head. Which was in Morgan’s opinion a more suited place for a seventeen bash after a muddy tumble. She wasn’t so sure Madam Rosemerta would let them in, but the inn keeper at the hog’s head was much more pliable.

 

The party was of course no longer a surprise after Jack tactfully asked what non alcoholic options he wanted for his surprise party. And if the teams would be fair if he, Morgan and Marvin were on the same team against him. 

 

To spare Jack’s feelings, Oliver had just promised to pretend to be surprised, and Marvin, Percy and Morgan who had witnessed this mess made the same promises. Albeit Morgan was somewhat reluctant that she couldn't rip Jack a new one. And Marvin turned a brilliant vermouth colour as he fought the urge to call him something mean. 

 

They had reached the bridge that separated the Hogwarts grounds and the small village.

 

Which felt so small these days, unlike when a couple of wellington clad children had trodden it in the rain on the brink of their budding eternal friendship. Sometimes Oliver found it hard to believe this would be the last year they’d walk it this way. He found it unlikely they would visit as often as graduates. 

 

Percy grabbed his hand just before he could take a step on the old wood, and halted him.

 

He looked around carefully, which felt unnecessary as he then proceeded to also drag Oliver away from the dirt road and into a nook of tightly growing trees. 

 

“I need to give you something before we go” Percy said, glancing behind the tree towards the road again. Encapsulated in secrecy, Oliver stood with his back pressed to rough bark and wondered if at least some of the mystery of this party had been obscured from him after all.

 

Then Percy looked back, nervously shifty but smiling.

 

“A birthday present?” Oliver asked, glancing up into Percy’s sharp blue eyes. The sun was so bright today that he had to squint but here in the shadow of an oak he could almost open them fully. It was okay, Oliver found the squinting a little seductive. Percy gently placed a hand at his waist and Oliver drew a breath. Was this it? The anticipated kiss he’d been promised? Which he had both feared and longed for.

 

Percy smiled and pushed forward slightly. Glancing around them one more time before leaning in for a very chaste kiss. Long and gentle. No teeth or spit, just soft lips on lips communicating wordlessly. 

 

Percy leaned back with a dazzling smile and grabbed Oliver’s hand to guide him back towards the road. He had let go before Oliver had even processed that it had happened as they were back on the creaking bridge. 

 

“Is that my only birthday present?” Oliver finally found the words to ask.

 

“Cheapskate” he added jokingly, sure to emphasize the sarcasm because with Percy’s particular budget there was no room to be greedy. Every gift from him was thoughtful and meaningful and Oliver was frankly happy if it was just a kiss. 

 

“No, I also got you the usual subscription to Witch Weekly” Percy said and flashed a grin.

 

“What, no Quidditch Headlines?” Oliver asked as he jumped the final step off the bridge. 

 

“You barely skim through it and complain that everything they write is wrong. At least Witch Weekly you actually enjoy” Percy said and smirked as Oliver squirmed and looked around them to see if anyone had overhead.

 

“ Shuush ” he said as he quickly joined in step with his friend. The back of their hands brushed against each other, he tried not to notice. 

 

They found the others setting up bases in the field, Eveline as a referee clad in borrowed umpire robes. Oliver was not sure Madam Hooch was aware they were missing, especially after hearing Morgan and Terence were in charge of arranging it. The setup was gryffindor versus a mixup of every other house. Penelope was there in the role of plus one, and had offered to be the commentator. 

 

On one team, Oliver, Percy, Lauren and Imogene had gathered. On the other: Morgan, Terence, Marvin and Jack. Oliver was starting to see what was unfair about it. The other team all had some experience, Percy was a decent tactician and flyer but Imogene and Lauren were amateurs. He was still pretty sure they could win. His only concern however…

 

“We’re missing three players each” he said as he was handed a borrowed broom. Part of the rules was that no one was allowed to use their own gear. 

 

“We’re going no seeker, no beaters” Jack said, throwing Oliver the quaffle. The only ball present.

 

“Seriously, that’s not even quidditch”

 

“no but it’s fun” Imogene smiled, stretching in her makeshift workout wear. Oliver caught Morgan staring at her, which rewarded him a glare when she noticed. 

 

“So we’re basically just flying around scoring points at each other until someone says stop?” Oliver asked, seeping doubt.

 

“That someone would be me” Eveline quipped from her lounge chair. She was sipping a drink grabbed from the cooler next to her and wearing sunglasses. Very unserious. Penelope had at least taken her wand out to perform a voice enhancing spell.

 

Oliver wasn’t convinced.

 

He was even less convinced when he started to realize everyone was deliberately not playing by the rules and actively trying to infuriate him. Penelope’s comments were wildly inaccurate and mostly sounded like she made it up as she went. At one time even commenting on the nearby birds as additional players distracting the other players for tactics. He was about to flip on them all when Imogene managed to score past Morgan, by winking at her. It threw Morgan so off she almost lost her grip of her broom and had to be swept up again by her teammate Terence.

 

Oliver snickered and for a second he bounced right out of his usual strategic mindset. Sure they were almost playing quidditch, but this wasn’t a real game. It was leisure, with the people that meant the most to him. Even when they messed with him and deliberately tried to upset him for a gag.

 

Lauren kept screaming every time she was handed the quaffle. With that surprising volume that no one knew she possessed. Percy was way too practically organized in his approach to not get his ball stolen from him every chance he got. And Morgan kept losing to Imogene even though Imogene had no prior experience, which infuriated her. Which made Oliver giddy. Imogene had some personal vendetta against Morgan it seemed because she kept targeting her. 

Marvin and Jack kept arguing, reminding everyone why they couldn’t be on the same team. However with a strange new development of Marvin freezing up and flying away from the conflict every time Jack got riled up enough to get physical. Apart from that it was a familiarly hilarious scene. 

 

Oliver smiled so large his cheeks hurt and sort of forgot to keep score. 

 

He was surrounded by his friends, and he had received a little birthday kiss. Regardless of the outcome of this game , he felt like a winner. 

Chapter 99: Year 7 - Knock her off her broom if you have to

For the first time ever Oliver had no notes. Everyone was in perfect shape and followed his plans to a T. Of course he was still nervous. They were as perfect as could be, but anything could happen during their game against ravenlaw. 

 

Even Penelope was excited. She sat with Percy at breakfast admiring Harry’s new broom and even though they were fine now, Oliver couldn’t help question whether she was there to sabotage them. He was about to say something about it when Percy beat him to it.

 

“Now, now, Penny, no sabotage!” he said, revealing they even had a bet going on who would win. 

 

Honestly Oliver felt all fussy inside, to think Percy had that sort of trust in their abilities. He didn’t have the money to bet, that’s how sure he must’ve been that Gryffindor would win. It also made him slightly anxious. 

 

Oliver went back to focusing on making sure everyone ate properly. Going as far as gripping the toasted bun out of Fred’s hand, throwing it over his shoulder and placing a plate of scrambled egg in front of him instead. Fred gave him an indignant pout.

 

“Hey, last night you said I had perfect form!” he muttered and tried to grab another bun.

 

“If you want to keep that form you eat what I give you!” Oliver said, pointing a finger right in his face. Fred wanted to argue, George shrugged and scooped the egg into his twin’s argumentatively open mouth, warranting a look of utter betrayal from Fred.

 

“I like it” George said in defense of his twin's stare and shrugged as he went back to eating his own egg.

 

“Well George, how lucky for us that we don’t have to eat the same things then” Fred said after he had swallowed, making another lunge for the toasted buns. Oliver slapped his hand so hard it landed smack in the jam. 

 

“Eat your eggs!” Oliver said, ignoring Fred defiantly placing his jam covered hand in his mouth to get the sugar.

 

“I don’t care as long as you eat the eggs” Oliver glared and turned back to Percy who had just looked up at him. He had a coy smile on his face that caused Oliver to feel flushed. He almost forgot to keep his team in check because while his back was turned and Oliver was too focused on their brother, Fred grabbed another bun and slammed it into his mouth.

 

Angelina gave him a long hard stare out of disgust. He grinned at her, crumbles of bread falling down on the table.

 

“Wow, how handsome you look” Angelina said sarcastically.

 

“Stop flirting and focus on the game!” Oliver said and finally sat down to eat his own breakfast. He glanced over at Percy again, who was now sipping his morning coffee. Hint of that smile still ghosting over the brim of the mug. Yeah, that last command was directed at himself too. He needed to focus.

 

When he turned back Fred and George were giving him a funny look that he didn’t have time to decipher. 

 

Apparently the hormones were a universal problem for the team, he figured as he had to reprimand even his youngest player for flirting mid game. Mid. Game. Seriously, and they thought he was too harsh in his coaching. What else was he supposed to do when they were too busy trying not to bump into their crushes. Sometimes you just had to knock people off their brooms. No matter how pretty they were. 

 

He thought about telling the star seeker that the pretty girl was occupied dating the pretty prince of Hufflepuff. Instead he settled for teaching Harry that Quidditch was no gentleman's sport. If he wanted to be a gentleman he could play rugby. 

 

They had prepared for this, even though Oliver had hoped Cho Chang would be too injured to play, in a way it was good that they had a challenge. It wouldn’t be any fun winning without a proper fight. He had forgotten to adjust for teenage hormones though. 

 

There was screaming, there was anguishing tension. There was Percy on the bleacher almost leaning his weight over the railings to see them better in the air. There was Harry, suddenly aware about the existence of one Cho Chang. There was Percy… The quaffle had gone right past Oliver in his distraction. God, Oliver’s bellowing voice telling everyone to focus was just as much about himself.

 

Oliver needed to focus on his first love now, playing the game.

 

For one icy split second Oliver thought they were doomed as those infernal dementors entered the pitch, but just as fast they were gone. Just one blinding light separating them from victory.

 

Harry had caught the snitch. 

 

The sudden realization that they had won was almost instant. Like someone punching the air out of your lungs. But in a good way? Then he screamed. Harry had caught the snitch.

 

“That’s my boy!” he shouted, flying closer to where his team was already crowding the young seeker in celebration. Fred was hugging him mid air which was entirely unsafe and entirely understandable. So naturally Oliver joined them. The girls all kissed Harry’s cheeks. They descended in union as the crowds ran down to congratulate them. Even Marvin, who had given up Quidditch to focus on his N.E.W.T.S but who still supported his house team, gave Oliver a respectful nod. Indicating he thought they had won fairly and rather well. Jack was hugging Penelope and shaking her, Penelope laughed even though she had just lost money. 

 

Percy ran straight up to him and hugged him so tight and deliberately that Oliver thought his skin would catch aflame from the heat of his cheeks. Percy’s grip around his waist felt so wonderfully instinctually firm. Like they belonged there. He almost scoped Oliver up from the ground for a second, Oliver was probably too heavy to have actually lifted though.

 

When he pulled back Percy was still looking at him that way. The same since breakfast, as if he wanted to kiss him again. 

 

Oliver was so flushed with endorphins he wasn’t sure he could handle it but he wanted it. So he grabbed Percy’s hand and pulled him behind a red and gold fabric wrapping one of the goal posts. The sun from outside shone through the fabrics and engulfed them in soft light. Percy gasped as if he was the one exhausted from playing.

 

Oliver determinedly grabbed Percy’s neck simultaneously as he leaned his weight against a wooden beam. Pulling Percy with him as he collided their lips together. Percy giggled against him as he reciprocated. Pushing Oliver against the beam with hands firmly on his leather protection.

 

“This is nice” Percy whispered before kissing him again. Oliver’s adrenaline had no way to come down. As if the win and then this just built it up like electricity in his blood.

 

“Can we do this, I mean is this alright, can it just be this?” Percy said, humming. 

 

The electricity stopped buzzing, leaving room for suffocating stillness.

 

“Yeah?” Oliver said, dreading the rest.

 

“We don’t have to complicate this right, it can just be two friends kissing sometimes?” Percy asked. 

 

The air outside pulled lazily at one of the fabrics, revealing joyful shouts still going on outside. The setting and warmth surrounding them was the most romantic shit Oliver had ever experienced and yet it had to not be. Not if he wanted to keep Percy’s friendship too. He felt heavy hearted accepting it, but still too happy about the win for it to drag him down. 

 

“Sure” he said, pulling his hand around Percy’s neck and up his jaw. Holding him securely as he watched his face and tried to focus on the good things about this. This was almost something, just something secret between just the two of them.

 

“Congratulations on winning your bet” he said instead of kissing him again “How much did you get?”

 

“Ten galleons” Percy said grinning and leaned in for another kiss. 

Chapter 100: Year 7 - Maybe it's more

The celebrations were not long lived. Sirius Black had been in their dorms, almost killed Ron. Unless of course it had been a nightmare as Percy had assumed after all the excitement. 

 

McGonagall was way too serious about it though, for it just to have been a nightmare. It just didn’t make sense for Black to make it inside the castle walls like this, but if the teachers took it seriously, then... 

 

Perhaps it was true, perhaps he had attacked the fat lady’s portrait. Perhaps Sir Caddoghan had let him through because he had the password, which meant perhaps it was all true. Notorious escaped killed Sirius Black had almost killed his baby brother in his sleep.

 

Percy stood at one of the large windows facing the grounds and tried not to hyperventilate in a panic. Moments ago he had been relaxed, celebrating. 

 

He had enough to worry about with his N.E.W.T.s coming up, and the pressure from his mother to keep an eye out for both Harry and his siblings. Now there was also this. 

 

He wished Bill was there, hell even Charlie. So that he didn’t need to be the oldest present. Sure, he could look after the younger but who would look after him? 

 

It was stupid, he had fought so hard for independence and to prove himself, and right now he just wanted someone older to tell him he was doing a good job. Or maybe just take over and hug him. 

 

He spotted his own pale reflection in the rainstriped glass and shook his head. No, he was stronger than this. More capable of handling it. 

 

There was an internal power struggle. One voice urged him to keep going independently and the other begged him to accept help, seek it out. 

 

“Are you alright?” 

 

Percy turned to face Oliver who stood leaning against Percy’s own bedframe. Just looking at him while he looked effortlessly calm. Percy had no idea how he could be calm right now?

"I don't know, it just seems a bit worrying" Percy answered and shrugged. Attempting to seem casual about it but his arms warped around himself like a tell. Uncomfortable and stiff.

“I can’t believe it, it has to be a mistake” Percy continued, trying to rationalize it.

Oliver raised an eyebrow but just waited for him to continue rather than asking.

"I mean… There's a killer out there. He's so close, but there’s no way he could be inside " 

He had to admit he was a little bit scared. As headboy he had a duty to protect the others but he didn't have the power to do that did he? Not if Sirius Black was really in the castle. Or at least on the grounds. He turned back to them and tried to spot anything out of the ordinary moving. He only saw swaying limbs of the whooping willow, and the statically disturbed lakewater as the heavy rain fell on it in droves. 

Oliver had snuck up on him and put his arms lazily around him from the back. He placed a small kiss at the side of his neck. Percy just closed his eyes welcoming the comfort.

“It’s not your job to fix that” Oliver said and nestled his head in the crook of Percy’s neck. 

Percy furrowed his brow, less relaxed now.

“Of course it is, I’m head boy” 

Oliver laughed into his neck and it left gooseflesh all over his skin. It traveled down his arms.

“I mean that your job might be to comfort the students and help them, but you’re not in charge of catching a killer. Making the school safe is the professors' jobs” Oliver insisted as he traced little kisses over the back of his neck now. It felt like a lot more than the agreed upon casual kissing. 

He could feel every part of Oliver pressed to his backside as his hands slid around his torso. Hugging him tighter. It was rather difficult to keep worrying though. 

“It’s my job to assist the professors” Percy kept telling himself, slowly turning around to face Oliver. Oliver’s eyes were dazed but comforting. Percy had never seen anyone look at another person that way before, except maybe in a movie. 

Oliver suddenly seemed bashful as he lazily fingered the top button of Percy’s dress shirt now that he was face to face with him.

 

“Is this where we kiss?” Percy asked, not entirely used to their new arrangement. 

 

“If you want to” Oliver said as his eyes swept over Percy’s collar and up to his face again.

Percy let his own hand slide over Oliver’s still extended arm. Fingertips barely ghosted the skin but it left the hairs on them raising as Oliver exhaled long and slow. There it was again, that look. Cinematic almost. 

 

“Will you undress me?” Percy asked, a little surprised at his own courage.

 

“I don’t think that’s just friends kissing” Oliver said, releasing an amused and very tense huff of air.

 

“Maybe we aren’t just friends kissing” Percy said, feeling his pulse increase but it wasn’t rapid. It increased slowly and consciously.

 

Oliver’s eyes snapped to his and largened as he released a shaky breath.

 

“Yeah?” he asked, poorly contained excitement. Honestly Percy felt a bit silly for not realizing this sooner.

 

“yeah” he whispered as he unbuttoned the top button then he stopped.

 

“It would have to be secret though” some of that bravery faltered, suddenly less sure that this was a good idea. Oliver nodded and smiled.

 

“Of course, I think that’s usually the norm when you date other men” he laughed, but his eyes held a sadness. That wasn’t Percy’s fault though. It would’ve been the same no matter who he had dated.

 

“I mean… I need it to be secret to our friends too” Percy clarified. Taking one step further away from Oliver who looked a bit taken aback. It took him only a minute of thought, then he stepped back again with determination as he started to unbutton Percy’s shirt. Very slowly as if it was very delicate. When the buttons were undone Percy did not mind at all when Oliver let it slide down his arms. It stopped by his wrists where the cufflinks were still attached but left his torso exposed to the cool castle air. Oliver kissed him, then his chest, then his lips again as his hands slid up Percy’s pale sides.

 

Percy tried to touch him back but his arms were still stuck in their shirt prison. Percy tried to unbutton his own sleeves behind his back but couldn’t. So he stepped back. Away from Oliver who looked disappointed until he saw the frantic motions with which Percy tried to remove his own shirt completely. As he had finally freed himself he threw the shirt away not bothering to fold it or anything.

 

Oliver pulled his own woollen shirt over his head much faster than Percy had managed, before he pressed forward. Colliding their chest together as he guided Percy down on his own bed. It was an entirely new thrill, feeling their chests skin to skin. Percy gasped and found his composure for one last second to place a distancing arm at Oliver’s chest to speak.

 

“I don’t think I’m ready for anything past snogging right now” he said, finding Oliver’s gaze to make sure they were understanding each other. Oliver just snickered.

 

“If you only knew how long I’ve longed for just that” 

Chapter 101: Year 7 - Fifteen minutes in heaven

As he opened the door to the second floor classroom he knew to be vacant, Hermione Granger stepped out looking flushed and a bit stressed. He screamed indignantly and as he quickly collected himself he stepped aside to let her pass. Trying and failing to pretend he did not just embarrass himself in front of his brother's friend. Oliver was doubled over laughing at his expense.

 

“Miss Granger” Percy said and gave her a curt nod fighting an intense blush. She had the decency to just smile humorously and act as if she hadn’t just startled Percy something terrible. To his defense he was very sure he had just seen her ascend the stairs towards the third floor and he couldn’t for the life of him figure out how she had gotten there so fast. Although the castle did have many secret passages. Ones that he and his paramour used to their advantage to sneak around and get as much snogging done as possible. 

 

It wasn’t the first time he had thought Miss Granger was behind him only for her to appear where he wouldn’t expect her, mostly because it was unusual to not see her attached to the other two delinquents. At least Miss Granger was somewhat brilliant, perhaps it did her well to not associate too much with Ron and Harry. 

 

Oliver was still laughing when Percy pulled him in by his collar and closed the door.

 

“Do you want to make fun of me or do you want to press me down on this desk?” Percy asked and gave him a stern stare. It sobered Oliver right up. He wasted no time obliging as he slid himself flush against him, in between Percy’s legs. He hoisted him up by his legs and placed him sitting on top of the desk. Percy might have been taller but he proved easy for Oliver to lift. Percy hummed pleasantly as Oliver opened his mouth to let his tongue flicker over a top lip. Percy parted his lips. It felt strangely natural to have his best friend’s tongue in his mouth. Oliver hummed just as pleased about it. 

 

“How long do we have?” Oliver mumbled as he pulled back and glanced behind him towards the door.

 

“About fifteen minutes if we want to make sure we don’t get caught” Percy whispered. It was starting to get warmer outside but his hot breath still came out visible misted as he exhaled in the chill castle. So did Oliver’s. That thrilled him. That their excitement was physically visible. 

 

Although he did still look forward to the warmer weather. Especially because that meant Oliver might exercise shirtless around the lake again. Now that he was allowed to look, Percy looked forward to sitting under a tree reading while he could watch him. 

 

“Fuck, okay” Oliver said, going back to snogging to make sure he got the most use of the time. His hand gripped Percy’s side with purpose and Percy’s back arched in response.

 

“Sorry, it tickles” Percy said, trying to mask his embarrassment. Oliver simply leaned his chin to Percy’s chest and glanced up at him grinning. His hair was all messy and Percy couldn’t not pull a hand through it to mess it up further. 

 

“Is it a good kind of tickle?” Oliver asked coyly. Percy’s whole neck flushed and he removed his caress from Oliver’s head and placed it fully on Oliver’s face to cover it up. Hide that stupid grin from view. Oliver just laughed, his breath hitting Percy’s skin like boiling water. It stung him, but in a pleasant way. Charging his entire skin and exciting him.

 

“Maybe we should stop” Percy gasped and wrapped his cloak around himself to hide his bodily reactions. Getting hard in an abandoned classroom wasn’t exactly a new thing, but it always felt slightly too raunchy. He was head boy after all. 

 

“Okay” Oliver said and stepped back, wrapping his own cloak around himself in a similar way. Percy was a little disappointed that he didn’t push. 

 

Percy stayed put on the desk and waited for Oliver to say something. He didn't. He simply leaned his weight on another desk and stared at Percy. A lazy humorous smile on his lips. 

 

“Or we could kiss a little more?” Percy mumbled, feeling embarrassed about having to say it. Oliver grinned brighter as he used his arms to push off the desk and slid right back into place between Percy’s legs like a jigsaw piece finding its mate. 

 

Percy gasped in surprise even when he saw it coming. 

 

Oliver paused, his lips almost resting over Percy’s without pushing, then he leaned back again. A somber look on his face.

 

"You know I really like you right…" there was yet another pause, Percy only shifted a little but didn't speak. 

 

"I want to be with you forever, I want to spend all my life counting your freckles Perce, and when I die an old man I will have kissed them a million times" 

 

Percy’s heart clenched, it was words he both longed for and dreaded. He wanted to feel that important, he just wasn’t sure he wanted it more than being accepted out there in the world. If it was just between them, this private thing, it would all be fine. 

But the way Oliver said it, his tone of voice, sounded too much like he wanted to shout it from the roof.

 

Oliver kissed feathery kisses on Percy's neck and under his ear waiting for a response.

 

"Stop being so soppy Oliver" Percy finally said but couldn't keep the smile off his face or out of his voice. Oliver smiled into his skin before kissing it again.

 

"Will you be my boyfriend then?" 

 

Percy’s heart beat so fast he was sure Oliver could feel it. He could feel Oliver’s after all. Beating much harsher and more frantic than he seemed to act on the outside. 

 

"Oliver I don't know” Percy started, even though he wanted to say yes.

 

“It can still be just our business, no one needs to know” Oliver assured.

 

Percy kissed him in response. That way he hadn’t promised anything but he didn't have to say no. 

Chapter 102: Year 7 - The professors' business is the students' business also

Morgan liked hanging out with them, but it was as if she tried to keep an emotional distance. Perhaps terrified that they would turn on her just like many other students had. Just because she happened to be wearing the green and silver. 

 

In that regard, she truly was a snake. Or actually more like a wet eel. Impossible to hold onto. 

 

There was definitely something going on with her, and Oliver highly suspected it had to do with the recent attitude towards slytherins and their pureblood mania. Not that it was Morgan’s fault her personality best suited that house. As far as Oliver knew she had no ill will against anyone muggleborn. Especially not halfbloods if the way she stared at Imogene when she ascended the stairs was any indication. 

 

Morgan’s features sort of softened as she watched her, it was sweet. Oliver was very aware he could never breach the subject unless he was absolutely sure though. 

 

Morgan also liked muggle music, which perhaps also made her an outcast in her own house.

 

Oliver bet she didn’t feel welcome anywhere, but whenever he breached that subject, Morgan changed the topic abruptly. 

 

“Do you reckon Professor Lupin has aids?” she asked.

 

Oliver had only asked how she was. 

 

He sighed, Jack and Marvin however perked up in attention at the fascinatingly absurd question. 

 

“What?” Marvin asked, giving her an incredulous stare.

 

“Snape keeps giving him something, and I totally get bent vibes from him” she said and shrugged.

 

“Oh yeah, and the other professors are super wierd about sitting close to him and are wierd about touching stuff he’s used” Jack said and nodded. “I felt real dowie for him at first but he seems… used to it”

 

Jack still looked as if he felt bad for him.

 

“It’s not contagious that way” Marvin said, still looking slightly uncomfortable about the subject “They proved it was transmitted through fluids, like blood innit?”

 

“He does have a lot of scars, maybe he has open wounds they’re worried about” Jack said. 

 

Oliver wondered if the scars were self-inflicted. Especially if he actually was gay and did have aids. 

 

The mood dampened considerably.

 

“Can we please talk about something else?” Marvin asked suddenly, squirming.

 

“Are you so hetero you can’t even show a bit of compassion in a gay crisis?” Morgan asked, pushing his buttons the way she knew how to. At least she hadn’t called him Romeo this time, the nickname he hated so much. 

 

“I thought you liked geggin in Romeo” she added and shrugged. 

 

And there it was…

 

“I don’t gossip, and it’s not that I don’t care, it just makes me uncomfortable” Marvin muttered, attempting to not lash out at her.

 

“Our token hetero is uncomfortable lads, please unbend for a minute” Morgan said, way too loudly. Oliver kind of wished he could be as loud as her. They still didn’t know he was dating Percy. He was actually sort of his boyfriend. He swelled so much with joy considering it he didn’t even care about the aids thing. 

 

He hated not being able to tell his friends.

 

“What do you mean, token hetero, what of Jack?” Marvin whispered, undoubtedly trying to influence Morgan into doing the same. 

 

“Come on, Jack’s totally fluid mate” Oliver offered and Jack shrugged. Marvin looked even angrier about it. 

 

“Lupin is definitely bent though” Jack added, his entire tone of voice begging to lighten the mood. Oliver wasn’t so sure that was the proper comment to do that, but precious Jack obviously didn’t see how that could be a bad thing. 

 

“oh yeah, defo” Morgan agreed. 

 

“I’m leaving” Marvin said and stood abruptly.

 

“I’m not discussing our professors potential marital status or whatever in the middle of the hallway” 

 

Oliver wasn’t entirely sure that was the reason he wanted to leave. Marvin was not as good with the gay topics as the rest of them. He had been okay about Morgan and Oliver and to some extent Jack, but the more serious topics really did bring the normative out of him.

 

Oliver stood up to go with him. 

 

They had to leave either way for class. Which was just as well. Morgan’s questionable mood and whatever Marvin was so worked up about proved a terrible combination. It felt as if Oliver and Jack had to spend most of their time mending it. He had tried to pry something out of Marvin but he was as shut up about his own secrets as always. 

The Snape thing stuck with Oliver though, perhaps because they were heading towards their shared potions class.

 

He thought about it all through class. Staring a hole in the back of Snape’s head as he pondered if it was okay to ask. As the class ended and they were packing up he tried the next best thing. Which was asking one of his smartest friends, even though the topic did make him uncomfortable.

 

“But do we? Have a cure I mean?” he asked Marvin, who looked up confused.

 

“To the disease, you ken” Oliver added.

 

Marvin pondered it for a minute, a lot less uncomfortable at the sincerity of the question rather than the dark wit of Morgan Kelly.

 

“I don't think so, I think we would’ve shared it with the muggle world then, right?” he didn’t sound entirely sure.

 

“Do you think Snape has one?” Oliver whispered as he followed the dark clad wizards flowing robes up and down the aisles as he collected samples from their classmates. 

 

Marvin grinned.

 

“I have invented the cure for aids, but , I will not . tell. anyone ” Marvin said in a surprisingly accurate Snape impression. Oliver stifled a laugh. Unfortunately not well enough and combined with their terrible timing Snape now towered above them extending a hand to retrieve their sample.

 

“What’s so amusing?” he asked, with an air about him as if he knew it was at his expense, but couldn’t prove it.

 

Oliver shrank in on himself. Marvin surprisingly gripped his hand under the desk for support as they faced their professor’s inquisitive eye. Oliver wasn’t sure how they would get out of this one. If Snape had any reason to punish him he was sure he would make sure it affected his quidditch abilities so that Slytherin might get an advantage in the final. Unfortunately his clever friend sat just as frozen next to him. Neither of them had a plan.

 

Oliver was about to panic when a soft knock pulled their attention from the door. McGonagall stood in it, like a stern stone angel and asked to borrow him since the class had ended. There was a sense of urgency in her voice, as if she needed them to hurry. Oliver had never been so happy to see her or to be hurried.

 

He quickly gathered his things and tried to grab Marvin with him, to save him too. Although if only one of them could take the punishment to save the other, Marvin did have less to lose. Oliver wasn’t about to not try and save him first though. 

 

“Where do you think you’re going?” Snape’s icy voice creeped up at him, in that way where he barely opened his mouth in favour of wheezing out his words through his teeth. Oliver just gesticulated towards McGonagall.

 

“I have not dismissed you yet, did I say you may go?”

 

Oliver stared blankly at the man. Unsure what he wanted from him. 

 

“...so may I… go?” he asked, unsure.

 

Snape sighed and Oliver could tell in every fiber of his being that the professor didn’t actually care that much but found Oliver immensely stupid. He unceremonially snagged their sample out of Marvin’s paralysed hand and released them. Just like that the colour returned to Marvin’s face. Oliver made a face of recognition and disappeared out the door to follow his head of house. Marvin followed him out then gave him a curt nod and ran the other way. Undoubtedly brimming with adrenaline from his brush with death. 

 

“I’ll walk with you since you have Quidditch practice, wouldn’t want to waste any time” McGonagall said and almost pushed him towards the great entrance leading down to the pitch. 

 

“Are you serious about pursuing Quidditch Mr Wood?” she asked, and suddenly stopped right as she had almost delivered him at the locker room door. 

 

“Yeah” he said, ineloquently. 

 

“Good, then just make sure you perform really well in this last game, you never know who’s watching” she said and walked away. 

 

Oliver was confused, and grateful that she had saved him. But why? And what did she mean that he needed to perform well? More than he usually did?

 

As he entered the locker room he was immediately cornered by the Weasley twins instead. Which did not help him clear his already muddled mind. 

Merlin, he thought. It was proving to be a strangely stressful day with everyone pulling him in all directions. He was desperate for a slower pace, for Percy to hold him. At least with this amount of stress his blood kept rushing and he’d barely need warmups. Or perhaps he needed it more than ever so he wouldn’t strain his muscles from the tension.

 

The twins at least wasted no time with him.

 

“Are you snogging our brother?” Fred asked. Surprising him. 

 

“Or worse” George said and made a face.

 

“We had to give something precious up just so we don’t see something we shouldn't,” Fred said, his voice accusing.

 

“Well we had other reasons, but still” George added

 

“Absolutely filthy” Fred agreed to the same tone of voice George had used. They seemed amused though. Oliver sweated nervously.

 

“Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone” George said smiling, yet slightly wickedly. Not needing a confirmation from their captain. 

 

“At least not until we want something from you”

 

Oliver felt a chill. He was almost happy someone knew, he did not like that it was the twins. How could they know? What had they seen? They had been so careful. 

 

His instinct was to run and tell Percy, then he decided he absolutely could not tell him. If anything this was a somber reminder that his relationship could definitely be used against him. Even though the twins were somewhat caring, at least for their own brother, they were conniving and would use this information to play him. 

 

They really needed to be more careful. And yet, he wanted people to know that Percy belonged to him. If he told Percy, then Percy would never want to tell their friends. It was a conflicting notion. 

 

“I’m not going soft on you just because you blackmail me” Oliver said angrily, finding some composure. This would not deprive him of his last chance at winning the cup.

 

The twins laughed.

 

“Don’t worry about it coach, we’ll be good” George said.

 

“You seem to forget we’d also like to win” Fred said grinning. 

Chapter 103: Year 7 - what winning feels like

For a moment he was completely numb to it, then he started bawling. As if some weight he’d been carrying for years had finally dropped and even though he was already flying it felt as if he’d bounce up into the sun from the light weight. The arena erupted in screams, he could distinctly hear Percy louder than anyone. Oliver couldn’t think of a single time he’d ever seen or heard him scream that way. Percy was hugging Penelope and Jack like he was trying to squeeze the air out of their lungs. 

 

They became blurry pixelated creatures because the tears kept falling and he almost fell off his broom when he landed on the earthy pitch floor. He landed hard and not aerodynamically efficient but he was tired and the gravity was pulling him into its cradle. For a second his legs buckled and he was sure he would fall down, but his team scooped him up again. Steadying him and pulling him into the massive grouphug that started evolving into victorious bouncing. Angelina grabbed his face and squeezed it. It did not stop the crying. She laughed at him but through the blur he could also see that she was proud of her captain. 

 

It had all been worth it. All the training and pressure. 

 

Flint was throwing a tantrum and kicking the goal posts in frustration. It seemed to hurt his foot as he visibly tried to pretend it didn’t. The slight limp to his walk gave it away, and Oliver felt immense satisfaction over how little he cared about him now. He could be as petty as he wanted about it, it didn’t change anything.  

 

The constant pulling at Oliver’s robes and cheering was starting to overwhelm him though, and he couldn’t get to Percy either. They saw each other briefly over the crowd but got pulled in opposite directions by the flow of people. It seemed as if the celebration between the two of them would have to wait. It wasn’t as if he could run up and kiss him anyway. Not like other players could with their partners.

It would have to wait, so perhaps the distance was better. No temptation that way.

 

There was only one person that could disperse the crowd enough for Oliver to be able to breathe again. 

 

Their well respected head of house. 

 

When she had pulled him away from the others he could see that she had also been crying, and that touched him. They stood there, a strange reflection of each other. Two scots with equally puffy eyes. 

 

For a split second when they were alone she hugged him. Somewhat like his own mother would’ve and he thought he heard her say she was proud of him as well. His ears were still ringing though, and the hug was so brief he wondered if he had been hallucinating it. McGonagall had quickly gathered herself again to her usual stoic gravitas.

 

“Oliver, I arranged for a friend of mine to attend the game, he would like to meet you” she said, and it started to click in Oliver’s head that McG had indicated he had to perform well in this game. His heart picked up a steady rhythm, close to the adrenalin he had just managed to cool down from.

 

It fastened steadily as he followed her behind the bleachers, narrowly avoiding the shoving of bodies as students made their way back to the school to celebrate Gryffindor’s victory. Or better yet. Slytherin's loss. 

 

There was a man standing there that Oliver recognized but not as a professor. He had never seen this wizard in person before but he had seen him…

 

“Mr Wood, this is my old friend Philbert Deverill” McGonagall said and gestured for the two wizards to shake hands. Oliver did so, strangely self conscious about his sweaty damp gloves. Which probably felt rough after the season.

 

“I’m the-” Philbert said

 

“You’re the manager of Puddlemere United” Oliver interrupted him and Philpert Deverill laughed. A good naturedly amused laugh that made Oliver’s head spin. 

 

They exchanged information so that he may reach Oliver by owl after graduation, but he said he was impressed with him.

Impressed with him.

Oliver replayed the conversation on repeat in his head. In the shower, the entire way up to the Gryffindor tower and as he sat on a couch surrounded by celebrating students in the common room.

 

He had been offered a tryout for Puddlemere after graduation. It was simply for a reserve position but it was good exposure, and it might lead to a more permanent position in the future.

If nothing else it could place him in the path of other teams.

Nothing was for certain and he still had to perform well on his tryouts, but just the fact that the manager of Puddlemere united was impressed with him was enough to make it impossible to stop obsessing over it.

Oliver knew what this meant, he had been scouted.

 

He was about to cry again when his teammates piled upon him and tried to get him to stop staring into the distance like a mad man. 

 

So it went. Oliver kept peddling between extremes of either bawling happily, staring blankly in a sense of surreal wonder and screaming joyfully. Fred asked George if it wouldn’t be considered manic really.

 

It wasn’t until Percy at a discreet moment grabbed his waist that he found some ground to stand on. He almost went limp in his arms and met that wonderfully steady gaze. Percy was proud of him too. 

 

They said goodnight to their fellow partying peers and Oliver allowed Percy to lead him up the stairs to their dorms. On legs that ached from the game and felt unsteady from nerves that finally managed to relax and release all his built up tensions. The gravitating pull towards each other's lips was almost instant as soon as the heavy wooden door shut the sound out from the common rooms. In the cool dorm room the only thing Oliver could really hear was their breaths and the steady comfortable humming in his brain.

 

The sounds of their breaths developed into something wetter, louder. Panting in each other's mouths as they ripped at clothing to remove them. It was definitely the adrenaline, it made it impossible not to keep pushing. 

 

They fell into Percy’s bed and soon found themselves with nothing but their underpants separating their severely aroused bodies. They were hot, so hot that touching Percy almost burned. 

 

“Are we sure?” Percy asked, his glasses fogging up between them. He looked comically adorable. Oliver was extremely sure.

 

“I’m sure, but I don’t really know how” Oliver said, his breath coming out shaky with excitement and perhaps slight embarrassment. Percy gave him a quizzical look but brushed past it.

 

“I… I’ve asked around but it was hard when I had to be discreet” Percy mumbled looking away and pulling his glasses off to place them on his nightstand. Oliver bit his cheeks to try and keep the laugh in at the thought of Percy trying to discreetly ask around on how to sleep with other men.  

 

“I also did some research in the library, but there isn’t a lot”

 

Now Oliver did laugh, and petted Percy’s cheek lovingly. Only Percy would make a sexual encounter into homework. Although he was slightly relieved he had. He had no idea how you usually went about these things. He supposed you usually just let it happen and tested things out to see what hurt and not. He was thankful about the effort Percy was putting in, but he couldn’t help teasing him a little. 

 

“Well, I feel very safe letting you top me now” he said and pulled Percy in for a quick surprise kiss. Percy choked and pulled away in shock.

 

“Top you?” he hissed, neck flushing crimson and eyes darting. Oliver could feel him through his pants though, jumping at the very suggestion.

 

“You're the experienced one” Oliver clarified, which made Percy give him another long look of doubt.

 

“I’ve never done this with a man” Percy said, while his hands leisurely traveled up Oliver’s sides and gently cupped his chest. Light blue eyes tracing the hand movement hungrily.

 

“I haven’t with anyone” Oliver confessed. The hands on his body froze and once more Percy stared at him in shock and doubt. 

 

“Who would I have done it with?” Oliver asked and Percy seemed to tense up again in some kind of worry. 

 

“It’s fine, just try something” Oliver said and carefully tested the water by pushing his pelvis upwards, chasing Percy’s hips and grinding slowly into him, hoping he’d respond. He did, grinding down much more ardently and whining in pleasure that sent shivers up Oliver’s spine.

 

“I’m sweating” Percy gasped, sounding nervous. They were warm, a sheer coating of sweat glazing them the more they moved and the closer they got.

 

“I promise it will only get sweatier” Oliver muttered against Percy’s mouth. 

 

Percy’s mouth was hovering open above him but stayed there. Close enough for his breath to hit but too far away for their lips to touch. Oliver grabbed Percy’s neck and tried to pull him in but Percy held back. Pulling his head away just enough to not let him have it. It almost felt as if he was doing it deliberately to pull a reaction from Oliver, because there was a slight smile to the corner of his lips the more desperately Oliver pulled. 

 

“How would you know if you’ve never done this?” Percy asked, apparently still having a hard time grasping that he would be Oliver’s first. 

 

Oliver laughed, only partially from nerves.

 

“I may not know sex specifically but I know exercise” 

 

Percy’s hands slid up Oliver’s thigh now and it tickled. He drew in a sharper breath and parted his legs more so that Percy could lay flushed against him. His back arched in instinctive response and Percy finally kissed him. It meant Oliver could give up the tugging at his neck in order to fully bury his hands in Percy’s curls instead. 

 

“I saved myself for you” Oliver mumbled. It was a joke but it was also kinda true.

 

Percy’s hands finally seemed to find their way to the hem of Oliver’s underpants. Still barely ghosting over the skin where the hemline ended. Oliver had to eventually place his hand determinedly atop Percy’s and guide it into pulling them off.

 

Percy shuddered and responded by repaying the favour. Leading Oliver’s hands to his own pants and pulling them off together.

 

“I have been working on this spell to relax you, or well any man… I wish I could use it but it’s not ready yet.” Percy started stammering, sprouting academic speech rather than show himself vulnerable. Oliver grinned at Percy’s darting eyes. Apparently indecisive over if he wanted to take in Oliver’s full body or rather stare out the dark castle window.

 

“Haven’t tested it yet” Percy kept mumbling but it seemed that exploring Oliver’s body had won the battle as his eyes locked down on him while his hands kept roaming.

 

“Test it on me.” Oliver said, skin buzzing with suspense.

 

Percy sobered up enough to give him a reprimanding look. Oliver was almost sure he would delve into a safety regulation speech about experimenting with spells.

 

“Absolutely not” he said instead. Grabbing Oliver’s side with a sense of protectiveness. 

 

“Anything could happen. How do we explain that to Pomfrey?” 

 

Oliver couldn’t help laughing, it made Percy relax too as he continued.

 

“Sorry madam, we created a sex spell and it accidentally blew up my friend's sphincter. Can you help?” Percy joked, and it was the sweetest sound Oliver had heard in years. The air of humour from his lips mixed with the lustful gaze as he kept it transfixed on the body he was investigating. 

 

Oliver released Percy’s shoulders which he had gripped onto securely, to adventure his hands further. Percy’s skin was almost luminescent in the soft light from the moon. Like marble, he thought again, only now he was allowed to touch it. It was much warmer than marble.

 

Percy’s arm muscles were more defined than he had expected. The muscle there was lean and accidental but not as scrawny as Oliver remembered them to be. He supposed that did happen when you lugged around all those books that he did. Percy giggled and buried his head in the crook of Oliver’s neck.

 

“Fuck” Percy muttered and bit into the skin.

 

“That’s the idea” Oliver gasped. 

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of and they were roomates