In A Time Of Uncertainty

Part One, Chapter Eight

When they returned back, Percy immediately departed for the library; he wanted to check a few details in one of the encyclopedias, he said. Oliver went back to their room.

He turned the knob but the door refused to budge. Lane and Theo wouldn't be asleep yet, he thought. Puzzled, he knocked and waited for an answer.

"Who is it?" said a muffled voice. Oliver couldn't distinguish who it was.

"Oliver. Let me in."

"Is Percy with you?" asked a second voice. It sounded much like the first, but half an octave lower.

"Lane? Is that you? Let me in!"

"Go ahead and open the door," commanded a third voice that unmistakably belonged to Theo. Oliver heard the key being turned in the lock and then the door swung open.

Theo was sitting at the table, and didn't raise his head. Lane was sitting in the window sill, flanked by - Oliver groaned - Fred and George.

"I'll have you know that I had nothing to do with it," said Theo hastily, still refusing to meet Oliver's piercing stare. "Lane brought them here, and I wish they'd get out so I can go back to work undisturbed."

Oliver took a deep breath, closed the door, and sat down on his bed. "You have five minutes to tell me what you are doing in here," he said, his voice hovering on the edge of a shout. "In those five minutes, I want you to explain why the door was locked and why you feel that you have the right to come into my room whenever you damn well please."

"Lane invited us," said George stubbornly. "That's hardly fair."

Oliver's head snapped in the direction of the window. "I have several exams to study for," he hissed. "My muscles are still sore from the last Quidditch match. I am tired, I am under stress, and I am about ready to wring your necks. So far you have wasted approximately fifteen seconds. Start talking."

"Well, it's like this," said Fred, apparently unfazed. "Since our discovery that you fly for the other team - "

"He means that - "

"I KNOW WHAT HE MEANS!"

"Yes, well, anyway. Since this discovery, it's come to our attention that you - "

"Oh, stop it with the formal language," Oliver snapped.

George took up where his twin had left off. "It looks to us like you fancy Percy, and we think that you ought to leave him alone for your own sake."

Oliver looked at both of them directly; they didn't flinch. "I don't see why it's any of your business," he said slowly.

"He's our brother and you're our team-mate," said George. "Look, Ol, I know that you've roomed with him for seven years, but you don't know what he's like. There isn't anyone who could be less like you."

"And how would you know? You never talk to him, you just harass him to amuse yourselves."

"Oliver," said Fred, "look, he doesn't care about anyone but himself and what's best for him. Even if he is gay, he's wrong for you. We've lived with him our whole lives, we know what we're talking about. You can't possibly know him as well as we do."

Oliver took a moment to control his temper. "I don't know him that well," he said, "but I want to."

"No, Ol, you don't! Maybe you think he's got some sort of hidden good side, but he doesn't. He's a boring, pompous ass and you deserve better."

Oliver glared at George. "You don't care about me, or him either. You just want him to stay with Penelope so you can go out with her roommate."

"Who, Celia? She took up with some Hufflepuff bloke a few days ago."

"And besides, we'd rather he wasn't with Penelope," said Fred. "She's not a bad sort. Cares a bit too much about homework, but nice enough."

"Oh, you'd rather," said Oliver sarcastically. "Because Percy's life, and my life, are under your control. How could I forget?"

"Look," said Fred sharply. "We're only trying to help. If you don't want it, fine. Excuse us for being concerned about you."

Theo set down his book with a thump that startled them all. "All right, Ol's heard your side," he said. "How about you hear his? And then get out."

"Yeah, I'm interested to hear what Oliver sees in Percy," said Lane, speaking for the first time since Oliver entered the room.

"And what is it to you?" Oliver growled. "Why in the hell did you let them in?"

"Because I don't think you ought to be with Percy either," said Lane obstinately. "I mean, if you've got thirty-five percent of the wizarding world to choose from, why would you want him?"

"Because he can be encouraging when he wants to be," said Oliver. The thought of Percy's hands on his in the common room subdued his anger. "He can get frustrated, but I think...I think maybe it's because no one listens to him. We had a nice dinner. It was fun."

"Fun?" exclaimed Lane, but a look from Theo shut him up.

"We both like murder mysteries," Oliver continued, "and we both - we both understand about goals and ambition and stuff. I know it isn't much," he added hastily, "but it's enough that I'm curious to find out more."

"But he's still Percy," said George.

"And he's bloody handsome, in case you haven't noticed. He tries to hide it, but you can tell if you take a few extra seconds to look. He's got gorgeous hair, nice eyes..." Oh, what the hell, he'd say it. "...and an extremely cute arse."

"Great," Fred groaned. "He just wants to shag him."

"GODDAMN IT!" Oliver roared. "I DO NOT JUST WANT TO SHAG HIM!"

There was a silence. The twins looked at each other; Theo looked at his book; Lane stared at the floor; Oliver glared at the ceiling.

A noise from across the room turned all their heads to the door. It opened.

Percy stuck his head in, his ears red and his face pink. "Be quiet," he said, his voice nervous and unsteady. "I can hear you all the way down in the common room."

With a shaky breath, he closed the door.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dear Jean-Marc,

Remember Percy? Well, the long and short of it is that his brothers told me I ought to leave him alone, then accused me of just wanting to shag him. I screamed that that wasn't just what I wanted. Then Percy opened the door and told us to be quiet...I have no idea how much he heard. The last part about "I don't just want to shag him," obviously...but does he know I was talking about him? He knows I'm queer, at any rate. He's been polite but distant ever since, and spends most of his time away from the room.

At least his brothers have apologized to me. They're Quidditch mates of mine, so I'm glad things aren't ending on a bad note between us.

Exams are all over, and we're just waiting around school until the results come in. Two more days, and then I leave Hogwarts forever. I'm going to miss it incredibly.

Tell Louis I said hello, and tell Luc "no hard feelings" and good luck with Martin. Yes, I remember Martin; architect, wasn't he? Hope that Delphine comes to her senses.

Hope your writing is going well too.

Oliver.

P.S. I also have an incredibly long story to tell you concerning one of my favorite teachers, an escaped convict, and the Gryffindor Seeker, but I think I'll save it for some other time.