Harry Potter and the Dark Lord's Servant

Chapter Two - Percy's Proposal

A week passed and everything stayed "normal" for a while. That was until that fine August morning when she came. Harry and Ron had just woken and gotten dressed when they heard Mrs. Weasley from downstairs.

"Ah, welcome to our humble abode. Please come in Miss..."

"Clearwater. Penelope Clearwater," she said. Harry and Ron's mouths dropped open. Penelope Clearwater was there, out of the blue.

"I wonder why she's here," Ron said.

"Ah, Penelope. So very nice to see you again. Please sit down," Percy said, this being practically the first time he came out of his room all summer other than work.

"I guess that explains it," Harry said, heading downstairs with Ron following. They both knew that Percy and Penelope had been going out through Hogwarts. When they got to the bottom of the stairs Percy and Penelope were in deep conversation. Her dark brown hair and light blue eyes looked better than they had before. Percy seemingly tried to ignore their entrance but Penelope brought them up.

"Penelope, this is my brother Ron and Harry Potter," Percy said melodramatically.

"I remember you two," Penelope said, shaking their hands. It seemed that Penelope had grown taller and attractive. "You're the two that protected the Sorcerer's Stone and got past all those traps. And the ones that saved that girl from the Chamber of Secrets. Don't you have a girl friend?"

"Yes, her name's Hermione. And that girl from the Chamber of Secrets was my sister, Ginny," Ron said.

"Speaking of that case with the Chamber of Secrets, wasn't that a frightful year," Percy said, trying to change the subject quickly. Harry and Ron got the message that they weren't wanted and went into the kitchen, getting their breakfast done and eaten. After they finished, they went back upstairs, sitting on their beds.

"Isn't Percy modest?" Ron said sarcastically.

"Yeah, about as modest as Lockhart used to be," Harry replied.

"Well, since we're probably gonna be here for a while, want to play a game of chess?" Harry nodded and they both pulled out their pieces.

*****

"Checkmate!" Damien called to the other side of the table, snapping the piece on the chessboard.

"Another great game played," Dawsey said, sitting back in his chair. "I still don't know how you keep winning."

"It's my gift. A talent I take pride in," Damien said, grinning broadly.

"All right, gifted boy, put up the pieces," Dawsey said. "You know you'll want them for when you go to school." Damien's grin faded. "It's not that bad!"

"For you, maybe," Damien replied, turning his head.

"It's only another school." Damien rolled his eyes.

"With probably more rules," Damien said, starting to put away the chess pieces.

"It's not that bad!" Dawsey said again. Dawsey let out a long sigh as Damien finished with the pieces. "Okay, okay. I'm going to tell you something you will never hear again." Damien raised an eyebrow. "With my permission...you can do anything you want at school." Now he raised both eyebrows.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean anything at that school. No Howlers sent. No checking up on you. No anything. You're old enough anyway."

"Are you serious?"

"Just don't get yourself expelled."

"Of course not..."

"That may be your death wish, Mike," Sarah said, entering the room.

"No, it isn't. It's a savior, Professor Altovin!" Damien said, now smiling again.

"Yes, for once, I think he's right," Mike said.

"Hey!" Damien said, throwing a chess piece at him.

"Just kidding! You've been right twice!" Damien raised an eyebrow sarcastically.

"Well, I'm not going to take this," Damien said, picking up the chess piece and leaving the room.

"He's really something, isn't he?" Sarah said with a chuckle. Mike nodded scratching his black hair. "Are you sure about this 'anything goes' attitude?"

"No, but all I can do is hope it works."

*****

Damien entered his room with his bag of chess pieces. He put them down on an empty bed and went to his bed. His bed was littered with candy wrappers and balled up pieces of parchment. He moved most of the things from the bed and laid down on it.

He hated the thought of leaving Aviar and leaving Professor Dawsey. But he'd go to this Hogwarts place if it would make him happy. He's always tried to make him happy. This would be his pay back. He was pretty partial to him now that he's gotten to know him better.

Damien sighed and pulled a picture from under his pillow. It was a picture of Professor Dawsey waving in front of Aviar. Aviar didn't look that bad from the front, with its large passageway and large draped windows. It had about 2 towers but they were both observatories. There was supposed to be a secret tower somewhere but nobody ever found it.

Damien took the picture and stuffed it back under his pillow. He wouldn't let leaving change him. Nothing would change him. All his life he's been the same, just different maturity levels. He'd go to Hogwarts with the same attitude he's always had. Going to Britain was just going to change the setting, not the course.

With that, he suddenly felt hungry. He got up from his bed and headed out the door. Going to the cafeteria only took him 5 minutes and the house elves always gave him just about everything he wanted. Especially his favorite dish, pumpkin pie. With thoughts of food beyond his wildest dreams, Damien headed into the kitchen.

*****

"Ron! Harry! Fred! George! Ginny! Come down! It's dinnertime!" Mrs. Weasley called up the stairs. Suddenly, a stampede headed down the stairs. All the kids knew that when company was over, that big dinners were a must. It wasn't a selection like at Hogwarts, but a selection none the less.

The table had a nice large turkey, stuffing, ham pie, boiled potatoes, and salad. It was a feast to remember to him, unlike the year before. Ron, who almost always had an appetite, immediately dug in. The food was delicious, good to the last bite. Percy talked to Penelope through the whole dinner.

The table was cleared when everyone was almost full and gotten ready for dessert. Before dessert was served Percy stood, tapping his glass with his fork.

"Excuse me," Percy said, "Can I have everyone's attention." All of them turned to Percy. "As all of you know, probably, I have spent many great years with Miss Clearwater here."

"Wow, isn't that surprising," Ron whispered to Harry.

"Shh..." Mrs. Weasley said to him.

"I am very glad to have met her and feel in my heart that I would do about anything for her."

"How about jumping off a cliff for me," Fred whispered, making George snigger.

"Shh!" Mrs. Weasley said again, trying to savor the moment.

"So I feel that I have found the right time and right place to ask this eternal question of my love that has hovered in my mind for such a long time." Percy suddenly got on one knee in from of Penelope and pulled out his wand, pointing it at her. Harry thought this weird for him to point his wand at her at such a moment. But he wasn't about to say a spell.

"Penelope Clearwater, will you marry me?"