In A Time Of Uncertainty

Marauder

Story Summary:
They once longed for each other years ago, but neither was ready to face his feelings. Now Voldemort has returned, Oliver is recruiting wizards to fight against him, and Percy is estranged from his family. Hesitant and apprehensive, they decide to try to be a couple.

Chapter 05

Chapter Summary:
Percy and Oliver discover something in common.
Posted:
07/20/2003
Hits:
1,489

Part One, Chapter Five

When Oliver woke again, the room was bright and he could hear voices speaking. "Oh, he's up at last," one of them said. "We thought you'd gone comatose, Oliver."

He sat up to see his roommates, Lane and Theo, sitting at the table working on the enormous puzzle they'd started at Easter. Both of them were dressed in Muggle clothes; it was Saturday, Oliver remembered. "What time is it?" he asked, his eyes still adjusting to the light.

"A couple minutes past one," said Theo. Half Japanese, he had light skin, dark hair, and sloping eyes. "You were out like a rock."

"Hungry?" asked Lane. Food was a large part of Lane's life; he was thickset and dark blond, with wide hands and a broad face.

Oliver shook his head. "Well I saved you a bit of lunch anyway," said Lane. He stared at the puzzle piece in his hand for a moment and then fitted it into the frame. "There were these great roast beef sandwiches."

Oliver pulled the cover back and set his feet on the floor. "I've got to spend the day studying for the damned N.E.W.T.s," he said, recalling the night before. "Seven of them."

"You must be mad," said Theo conversationally. "Better than poor old Perce, though...he's got ten."

"That can't be possible," said Oliver.

"He convinced Binns to let him independently study History of Magic," said Lane. "Probably learned more in one year on his own than I learned in five with Binns."

"Oh, about Percy," said Theo, fitting two pieces together, "be especially nice to him today. He and Penelope had a spectacular row over breakfast. Poor bloke was just sitting there eating his eggs, and she comes up and tells him he's the most selfish person to ever live."

Oliver let out a low whistle.

"She said he never paid attention to her anymore, and that all he cared about was studying and trying to impress everyone," Theo continued. "They haven't broken it off, though - she said that she still wanted to see him, but not until he could think of someone besides himself."

"Then he caught Fred and George about to set off Dungbombs in the common room," said Lane. "He Vanished the Dungbombs and said he'd like to Vanish the twins because their collective common sense wouldn't fill half an eggshell."

Oliver rolled his eyes and walked over to the wardrobe. Smart as he was, it seemed that Percy should have learned not to make such dramatic denouncements every time his temper reached the boiling point. But ever since they'd met, Percy had been like that: icily reserved until he snapped. Oliver grabbed a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. He wanted a shower.

When he returned from the bathroom, Lane and Theo were still working on the puzzle. "Hey," Oliver said. "Do you suppose that I could borrow two pieces that fit together?"

"Oh no," said Theo. "He's going to try the Interlocking Charm again."

"I'll never forget the time he Interlocked the puzzle piece to Flitwick's head," said Lane.

"Shut up."

"Really, Ol, I think you improved upon him," said Theo. But he detached two pieces and handed them to Oliver.

Down in the common room, Oliver set the two pieces next to each other on top of a table and took out his wand. The trick to the Interlocking Charm was the precise way you held and moved your arm; Oliver remembered it in theory, but it had never worked for him in practice. He held his arm straight out and parallel to the floor.

"You need to relax your shoulder," said a familiar authoritative voice.

"I am," said Oliver, not turning his head.

"You aren't," said Percy. "It's all the way up by your chin and it needs to be next to your collarbone."

Oliver, not sure whether to be irritated or grateful, lowered his shoulder and straightened his arm again.

"And you always forget to put your little finger up over your fourth," said Percy. "I noticed that in class." Oliver finally looked at him; he was sitting to Oliver's left, on an armchair with some thick, antediluvian volume on his lap.

"I don't forget," said Oliver. "My little finger just doesn't bend that way."

"Then you need to move it with your other hand," said Percy, in an overly patient voice that indicated how obvious he thought this was. He set down the book, rose from his seat, and began to correct Oliver's hand.

"Percy, that hurts!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Percy, flushing a light pink. It really was amazing how often and easily he could blush...amazing and cute. So he had a girlfriend. It didn't mean Oliver couldn't find him attractive. "You're right, your finger really doesn't go that way at all. You'll need to train it."

Oliver snorted. "Train my finger?"

"Well, you train for Quidditch, don't you? You can do this."

Oliver smiled and laughed. "Percy, how much time do you spend on school?"

He had heard of people bristling before, but never actually seen it until now. "Perhaps you find it funny," said Percy coldly, his eyebrows narrowed, "but I happen to think that it's - "

"Perce, I was just teasing!"

Percy sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry, Oliver. I had an argument this morning - "

"Yeah, I heard. Sorry, mate."

Percy looked up and smiled. "I admit that I spend most of my time on school," he said, "but it isn't the only thing I do. I play chess, I play the violin, I read mysteries - "

Oliver's eyes brightened. "Hey, so do I! I've got about fifty or sixty, got interested during fifth-year Muggle Studies - "

"So did I."

"My favorite is The Emerald Cloak," said Oliver, fully aware that he was about to start babbling at top speed. "I've read it about three - what is it?"

Percy was staring at him in awe. "Oliver," he said slowly, "you own a copy of The Emerald Cloak?"

"Well, yeah," said Oliver, confused. "My mum found it at someone's yard sale."

Percy's eyes were wide. "The Emerald Cloak," he said, "it only one of the rarest mysteries in the world. There are hardly any mysteries written by wizards, and it was the first. Ever. There are maybe six copies left."

"And to think I almost lost it on the train once," said Oliver, grinning sheepishly.

Thus the friendship of Oliver Wood and Percy Weasley began.