The Experiment

The Experiment

Percy Weasley stormed into his bedroom at the burrow and sunk heavily onto the bed, tears stinging his soft brown eyes. Why doesn't he understand? Why can't he see that this is the only thing that I am asking of him?

Oliver knocked softly on the door that lead to his lover's childhood bedroom and waited for Percy to bid him enter. Come on Perce, he thought to himself, give me a chance... please? He heard a timid, "Come in," and entered the room.

Percy was lying on the bed, his back to the door. His shoulders were shaking from crying. Oliver sat down on the bed next to Percy's slight form and began stroking his lover's back. "Perce, Love, I'm so sorry that I have let this come between us, but you have to realize how dangerous this is..." Percy didn't respond so Oliver continued. "I love you more than I can say and this might... well, it might kill you. I would never agree to do anything that might end in your death."

Percy sighed and looked up to Oliver's face. He saw only concern in his lover's hazel eyes. "Oliver," he began, "I understand your concern but this is something that we both wanted but couldn't have. We can have it now so why not try? It might not even work. But if it does we would finally be able to have the family that we have always wanted. This is all I have ever asked of you but I don't want to do it if you won't agree to it."

Oliver sat back and considered Percy's words.

****

Oliver had arrived home from a Quidditch practice about a week ago to a very amorous Percy. Percy had made a very elaborate dinner and there were flowers adorning the entire flat. They ate the intricately prepared meal and as they were finishing dessert Percy dropped the bombshell.

"Oliver," he had said, " You love me right?"

"Yes, of course, whatever would make you doubt me?"

"Nothing Love, do you remember Lee Jordan?"

"Of course, he was the best Quidditch commentator Hogwarts has ever had."

"Yes, exactly, and now he works for the department of experimental charms at the Ministry. He came to me today and asked me if I would be interested in helping him with a charm he's working on now."

"What kind of a charm?"

"Well... it would allow us to fulfill our dream... of having children."

Oliver spit the wine he was drinking across the table. Percy continued excitedly as he wiped the wine from his glasses. "It is a charm to allow same-sex couples to conceive children."

"How does it work?"

"Well, we would have to decide who would carry the child, that would be me of course. It won't interfere with my job as much as it would yours. Anyway, they then perform the charm and it would make a sort of a pouch in my abdomen in which I could carry a child... not just a child, our child." Percy looked up at Oliver, expecting to see joy or anticipation in his eyes but instead he was met with bewilderment and apprehension.

Oliver stared at Percy in astonishment. They had been together since they were 18 and now at 23, after five years Oliver thought that he could no longer be surprised by anything that Percy said or did. But there he sat, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. When they had always discussed having children they had decided they would adopt when they were 30-something but now Percy was suggesting that they could have their own children. Oliver should have been ecstatic but he couldn't help being somewhat skeptical.

"Perce, what if it hurts you? It's an experimental charm and no one knows if it will work or not. What happens if you die?"

"Oliver, the ministry is always very careful about what kinds of experiments they do on humans. They would never allow something that was too dangerous."

"But you still don't know exactly what will happen!" Oliver said, his voice raising slightly. "Percy, I can't let you do something like this without thinking it through..."

"This from the man who spent 1000 Galleons on a life time subscription to Quidditch Quarterly." said Percy annoyed.

"Look, Perce, I don't understand why you want to put yourself at such a risk." Said Oliver exasperatedly.

"I grew up with six siblings and it was always a dream of mine to have a big family... We happen to have nature against us, why can't we let magic help us. It helps us do everything else. Please Oliver, I want us to do this. Not just for us but also for the rest of the men out there who want to have children but can't. Think about all of our friends! Think of my brother!"

"I don't think Ron would want you to put yourself at risk anymore than I do!"

They were each at the end of their ropes. Neither of them wanted to give in but neither of them wanted to stop the argument either.

"I know the risks! I accept them, and I still want to do this."

"DO IT THEN!" Oliver exploded. "Don't let a little thing like my concern stop you!"

Percy stood abruptly and stormed out of the flat. Anger drove him on as he sprinted down the street. He paused at a corner about four blocks from his home and decided not to go back home that night, instead he apparated to the burrow.

It was late but his mother was still in the kitchen sipping a cup of tea. She turned startled toward the door as she heard the small 'pop' of someone apparating into her home. "Who's there?" she called cautiously.

"It's only me mom," said Percy quietly.

"Oh, hello dear," she said. Noticing the expression on her son's face she continued, "What's wrong, did you and Oliver have a fight?"

"Yeah," said Percy, choking back tears, "Can I stay the night?"

"Of course dear. You know you are welcome home when ever you need to come home."

Percy kissed his mother on the cheek and said simply, "Thank You." He turned to go upstairs when Mrs. Weasley asked, "May I ask what you were fighting about?"

"It's complicated."

"It always is."

"Well... to make a long story short... it's about children."

"I thought you agreed on that... You both wanted to adopt when you were a little older."

"Well... Lee Jordan came to me today with a proposal that would allow Oliver and I to have children of our own. It's an experimental charm that would make me capable of bearing children. I think it sounds like a good plan. It is, however, untested and Oliver thinks it is ill advised to allow myself to be a lab rat. He thinks I could get hurt."

Mrs. Weasley sat and considered her son for a moment before answering him.

"Oliver has a point dear, but you are old enough to make your own decisions. The question is not does Oliver want you to have this done. The question is he willing to take responsibility for any children that may come from this...experiment."

Percy thought about it for a while and finally said, "You're right but right now I just want to go to bed. I'll talk to Oliver tomorrow... maybe." Kissing his mother once again on the cheek he ascended the stairs to his old bedroom.

****

"Ok," Oliver whispered. "I love you and I always will. No matter what... We are in all of this together and I don't want to lose you."

Percy smiled and retorted playfully, "Are you sure that children won't cramp your style?"

"Never... especially if they are ours."

"What happens if they turn out like the twins?"

"Then we'll send them back and ask for a refund,"

They shared a laugh and then went down to a loud boisterous breakfast that was a trademark of the burrow.

Two weeks later they walked hand-in-hand up the steps of the ministry building in London. They pushed the heavy wooden doors open and entered to find that most of the staff was still there even though it was late. The made their way to a door that read, "Dr. Matilda O'Brian: Head of the department of experimental charms." They knocked on the door. As they entered a short sturdy woman in her mid forties stood and greeted them.

"I am glad to meet you Mr. Weasley, Mr. Wood, she said nodding to them. "I understand that you might be apprehensive about trying a new charm but let me stress that we have taken every possible precaution to assure that your good health will remain intact. Should something go wrong we have trained and certified Medi-Wizards standing by. Mr. Weasley if you will follow me. Mr. Wood, you may proceed through that door," she said indicating a door to her left, "we will join you shortly." Oliver nodded and exited the office. The room he entered had been set up as an operating theater. There was a large metal bed in the middle with crisp white sheets neatly folded down as if inviting someone to lie down. Surrounding the bed were a half a dozen seats arranged to allow their occupants a clear view of the bed.

"Percy is going to hate all these people watching," he thought to himself. He seated himself on one of the chairs and waited. A few minutes later several wizards and witches in white lab coats carrying clip boards filed into the room. Oliver recognized a few of them including Lee Jordan and Susan Bones. Percy and Dr. O'Brian soon followed. Percy was wearing a set of white robes with a hole cut into them allowing Oliver a nice view of his finely muscled stomach. The observers in the lab coats started scribbling notes on their clipboards and Percy was bade to lie down.

Oliver stood and walked over to the bed. He took Percy's hand and Percy smiled at him and nodded at Dr. O'Brian. After some technical explanation she raised her wand, pointed in at Percy's midsection and said, " Progenius Masculinum" A blue light shot out of her wand and hit Percy's navel. Percy gripped Oliver's hand as his abdomen grew and stretched and then shrunk again. Dr. O'Brian quickly examined Percy's new womb and pronounced the charm a success, "We won't know for sure if it worked as intended until you conceive." She said, "Good Luck... and Have fun"